Chang'an City has a population of one million and needs a large supply of goods. According to the system of concentrating industrial and commercial shops in fixed areas in the capital city of the previous dynasty, Tang Chang'an City set up two cities on the east and west sides of Waiguozhong.

The East City and the West City are located in the same position on both sides of Suzaku Street, symmetrical on the left and right, and each is located in the southeast and southwest outside the Imperial City, covering roughly equal areas.

It is said that the word "buying things" first appeared in the Tang Dynasty, referring to the east and west cities in Chang'an City. In the mouths of Hu Shang Fanjia, the eastern and western cities are collectively called "Tang City". These two markets were the core business district of Chang'an City, which was the largest international metropolis at that time, and was the CBD of Chang'an City in the Tang Dynasty......

However, there are significant differences between the eastern and western cities.

Due to the proximity of the Taiji Palace, Daming Palace, and Xingqing Palace, which are commonly known as the "three major interiors" by the people of the Tang Dynasty, the residences of the ministers of the court and the dignitaries are mostly in the east of Zhuque Street, where the nobles gather, and the state residences or the Jinjuan Yuan of the prefectures and counties in Beijing are all distributed near the East Market, and the candidates from all over the country who are rushing to take the exam are also active nearby, so there are many luxury goods in the East Market, and the treasures of the Quartet are all accumulated.

The West Market is far away from the "Three Great Interiors", and there are many ordinary people's houses around, and the goods sold in the market are mostly clothes, candles, cakes, medicines and other daily necessities. However, in comparison, the West Market, which deals in ordinary goods, is more prosperous than the East Market, and is the main industrial and commercial area and economic activity center of Chang'an City, so it is also called the "Gold Market".

Xishi is close to the starting point of the Tang Chang'an Silk Road, and there are many foreign merchants living in the surrounding squares, thus becoming an international trade market. Merchants from Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Goryeo, Baekje, Silla, Wakoku and other places mostly lived in or near the West City, among which the Hu merchants from Central Asia, Persia and Dashi were the most.

These Hu merchants brought spices and medicines to sell, and then bought back jewelry, silk fabrics, and porcelain, so there were many shops opened by Hu merchants in the West Market, such as Persian mansions, jewelry stores, warehouses, wine stores, etc.

Among them, many of the orchid wine shops for which the girls of the Western Regions sang and danced and served wine were places that merry teenagers liked to patronize, such as Li Bai's "Youth Xing", which has the verses "Wuling Youth Jin Shidong" and "laughing into the orchid wine shop......

To put it simply, the east and west cities are one high-end and the other civilian, and the business direction is different.

*****

In the early morning, the sky was gray and gloomy, the sun had not yet risen, and the frost of last night had spread a layer of snow white on the black tiles of the roof, adding to the coldness.

The East Market is already noisy and lively.

From all over Guanzhong, the family gate valve, powerful landlords, and government agencies all sent personnel to the East Market to buy, in order to prepare for daily needs.

The area of the East City, according to the literature, is "the land of the north and the south of the two squares". There are tall walls on all sides, with two gates on each side, and there are eight gates in total. There are 30 zhang wide access streets on each side, which is convenient for commercial transportation and the parking of carriages and horses before citizens enter the market.

The avenue on the north side is close to Chunming Gate, which is convenient for people to enter and exit, especially occupying the location near the exit of Dongshi, which is a prime location in Dongshi.

The eldest grandson's iron shop is located here.

On the second floor of the two-story shop facing the street, the eldest grandson Jun is holding a cup of hot tea in his hand and looking out of the window.

The street in front of it extends straight into the East City, and the shops on both sides of the street are adjacent, and the chariots and horses are busy, and those who buy, transport, deliver, and pull their feet...... Pedestrians and businessmen rubbed shoulders, cheering and selling, and it was a prosperous scene.

There was a commotion at the door of the shop on the first floor.

"Shopkeeper, you are not kind, our family has cooperated with your eldest grandson's iron shop for ten years, and we have never purchased goods from other families during this period. But now you give me the highest price in the entire East Market, how can you explain if you let me go back? ”

A rough voice sounded, and his tone was very dissatisfied.

Immediately afterwards, the voice of his own shopkeeper came: "The right to manage things, it's not a certain price increase, we have been friends for all these years, and you still don't know who a certain person is?" This is already the lowest price in the shop, you can inquire, if there is anyone lower than this price, you will take this batch of pig iron for nothing, and you will not charge a penny! ”

The steward with the rough voice snorted and said, "Maybe this is the lowest price for your family, but the Zhao family has just made a batch of pig iron in the Fang family's iron, and the price is forty percent cheaper than yours!" Doing business in Tianshui County, our Quanjia and the Zhao family are competitors, and the price difference is forty percent, how do you ask me to go back and explain to the head of the family, can we do the pig iron business of the Quanjia family? ”

The eldest grandson frowned slightly.

The Tianshui County Quan family and the Zhao family are both part of the Guanlong Group, and now the Zhao family actually left the iron shop of the eldest grandson's family and went to the iron shop of the Fang family to purchase goods, is this just because the price of pig iron of the Fang family is cheaper than that of the Changsun family?

Or, this is the attitude of the Zhao family to get closer to the Fang family......

The conversation at the door continued.

The shopkeeper of Tiexing said in a somewhat helpless tone: "Our eldest grandson's family has always been a child's business, and the truth is that you get what you pay for, you don't know about the right to manage things, right?" ”

The steward sneered: "Don't fool me, what a penny is worth a penny, the pig iron of other people's houses is cheaper than yours, and the quality is better than yours!" If it weren't for the fact that the head of the family had confessed before leaving, he must support your eldest grandson's house, do you think I would still be so verbose with you at this time? I have long gone to the iron shop of the Fang family to buy goods! It's the same price as the Fang family's pig iron, okay, you can give a sentence, okay, let's load the car and pay immediately; No, let's go to Fang's iron shop to buy goods. It's true that our family cares about each other's friendship, but we can't spoil our business, right? ”

The shopkeeper of Tiexing was silent for a while, and said: "I can't be the master below, or you wait a while, it just so happens that the young owner is in the store, and I will reply to you after going down." ”

The steward hurriedly said, "Then you go and come back quickly, and bring a good child to so-and-so." ”

"That's okay, and drink a cup of hot tea to warm up, and I'll go back when I go."

The eldest grandson frowned.

Before long, the stairs behind him "knocked" sounded, and the shopkeeper walked up quickly, and saw the eldest grandson Jun first giving a salute, and then said with a sad face: "San Lang ......"

The eldest grandson waved his hand and said, "I have already heard it." ”

The shopkeeper said angrily: "What the hell is this house doing, pushing the price of iron so cheap, although we can't sell the goods, but don't their family still lose money?" ”

The eldest grandson rubbed his head, a little helpless.

It is true that our family can't sell the goods, but the Fang family may not lose money......

A long time ago, the eldest grandson's family had learned that the Fang family, under the auspices of Fang Jun, had improved the ironmaking technology, which could greatly reduce the cost of pig iron and greatly improve the quality. The eldest grandson family was naturally aware of the crisis, and they also bribed and wooed the iron-smelting craftsmen of the Fang family, and even sent a detailed investigation to inquire about the inside situation, but it was useless.

The new iron-making furnace can be imitated, but the detailed ingredients used to make iron-making cannot be imitated......

That recipe is only accessible to the top craftsmen of the Fang family, and those top craftsmen are all slave servants of various families, and the whole family is under the control of the master's family, how easy is it to buy or even rebel?

It's just that the iron price of the Fang family has only been slightly lower than that of the eldest grandson's family, and many of the old customers of the eldest grandson's family have not changed their doors because of their past friendships. But now the Fang family has suddenly reduced the price significantly, which makes the customers of the eldest grandson's family dissatisfied......

In the final analysis, everyone makes money by doing business, and the whole family is supported by businessmen, and once the income drops sharply, it will inevitably lead to conflicts within the family.

How much is it worth compared to profit?

And this sharp price cut, is it Fang Jun's counterattack?

On the birthday of King Jin on his birthday, Fang Jun's clamor for the eldest grandson Wuji had already spread throughout Guanzhong, and the eldest grandson, who was the son-in-law of the eldest grandson's family, would naturally not be unaware......

After a little mover, the eldest grandson immediately decided: "Sell it at the same price as the house price." ”

The shopkeeper couldn't help but persuade: "San Lang, the Fang family is forty percent cheaper than us!" If you sell pig iron at this price, I'm afraid it will be ......"

I'm afraid I can't stand it!

The current selling price of the eldest grandson's family is less than 20% of the profit, and the cheaper is 40%, that is, it is going to lose 20% of the life! Even if the eldest grandson's family has a big business, but in the long run, it has to be hollowed out!