According to the tradition since the Western Zhou Dynasty, craftsmen run the country, and the front is facing the market. The palace city of the capital is located in the middle to the north, and the market is set in the south, that is, on the north bank of the Wei River under the Xianyang Plateau.

So after Heifu and Ba Zhong crossed the long Weiqiao by car, they turned a corner, entered Changyang Street, and came to the city gate of Xianyang South City, a low wall closed the market, and it is said that the story of "a thousand words of gold" happened here: more than ten years ago, "Lü's Spring and Autumn" was hung all over the city wall, so that people all over the world could correct their mistakes.

After Heifu showed the talisman, the carriage entered the market, and when he looked out from the car, he saw that it was actually a long and narrow street, about three miles long from east to west, and there was no end in sight. On both sides of the road, there is a dense market.

"The city is full, the evening is empty", the market is open during the day, closed at dusk, it is nearly evening, there is still half an hour before the end of the market transaction, but the south market is still lively. There is an endless stream of people who come to buy and sell things, not only Xianyang locals, but also businessmen from Kanto. The whole market is full of shouting and shouting, people come and go, and the market road is blocked from time to time.

If you want to come to the most lively morning and noon, it should be on a par with Gangneung's "fresh clothes in the morning and hidden clothes in the evening".

Ba Zhong is a frequent visitor here, and he said to Heifu: "In the past, the city of the Six Kingdoms and the city of the Qin people were separated, but now they are all together. ”

It seems to be a bit chaotic, but it is actually well planned.

According to Ba Zhong, the shops here are arranged according to categories, located in different areas, and along the way, Heifu saw restaurants that closed, dog slaughter stalls, and shops selling silk, grain, farm tools, furs, pottery, and lacquerware. Behind some shops, there are also small workshops directly connected, lined up along the Weishui, which is also convenient for vehicles and ships to freight.

Heifu also found that no matter how big the store was, he was doing tens of thousands of dollars of trade every day, and the merchants in the city were dressed extremely simply, basically coarse linen clothes, and it was rare to see people wearing silk and embroidery on their clothes.

The merchants of the Qin State had a low status and were restricted by the law to death, and they were given priority in the war conscription, and if they did not go to the government to register, they would marry the city without authorization, and even be sentenced. Therefore, the businessmen are extremely low-key, even if it is Ba Zhong, the family property is hundreds of millions, and the mother has been praised by the emperor, and they dare not show off their wealth when they go out.

In the city, they are also subject to others.

Ba Zhong pointed to both sides and said: "The market is lined up, so it is called the column, and the merchants who trade in the market are called the city people, and they are compiled into the city register, and they are in a group of five households, with a column length, and every other mile, a city pavilion is set up, and the city flag is set up, and the city officials supervise the trade." ”

"Therefore, as long as my cousin does not break the law, it will be fine."

Ba Shi also has a shop in Nanshi, and he reports the situation here to Ba Chung at any time, so he knows what is going on here.

"I hope so." At this time, Sang Mu stopped the carriage, and they arrived!

The area dedicated to molasses is filled with honey and agamilia, and there is a sweet smell in the air.

The merchants here are no longer in business, and they are all crowded outside the shop where Heifu's cousin Yan sells brown sugar, and their faces are full of schadenfreude.

Heifu got out of the car and squeezed in to take a look, but saw a team of soldiers who were sealing the store, and several An Lu disciples who were watching the store stood aside with bitter faces, while Yan followed the black-clothed city official and kept pleading for mercy......

"Officer, when I rented this store, the contract was complete, and I had the official seal, how could I say that I would accept it?"

"The market is the land of the government, and the merchants can lease and transfer it, but someone reported that your market is a forced rent, and the things you sell are different, and this official has come to inspect it."

"Which shaft reported it!?"

Yan understood a little, and looked back at the lively honey and gluttonous vendors, but also saw the black man in the crowd!

Yan was happy at first, and only felt that the savior was coming, but immediately, Heifu shook his head at him.

Heifu's cousin was finally taken away by the city officials, and the remaining 500 catties of brown sugar were seized together.

During the whole process, Heifu did not rush up to protect his shortcomings, and Hiko also got his eyes, and from beginning to end, he kept his mouth shut about Heifu's name.

This is what Hefu told him from the beginning, if something happens, don't carry him out!

After the city officials left, and those who sold honey and gluttony were satisfied with the stalls, Heifu beckoned, called the children who had come with Anlu, and led them to a place where there was no one.

"What happened?"

A few of the disciples said indignantly: "Zuo Shuchang, everything went smoothly for us, we rented the shop where we originally sold honey, and we also have deeds and government to testify......

After they told him, Heifu learned what had happened, and the general situation of the case was that the shop rented by Hiko was originally selling honey, but because the supply of honey could not be supplied, the business could not be continued, so the shop was transferred to him at a reasonable price.

Yan led everyone to sell here for more than ten days, no one cared about it at first, but then the business gradually improved, and he has sold more than 1,000 catties of brown sugar and earned tens of thousands of dollars.

Who knows, the honey seller who rented out the shop today suddenly repented, and actually told the city clerk that the store was forced by Yan to rent it!

This is obviously a false accusation, but the trouble is that the competitors who sell honey and gluttony on the side testify one after another, and report that the price of Yan's brown sugar is different, which is very different from ordinary caramel sugar, and in addition, selling so much sugar at one time must have wasted a lot of food......

Several crimes were charged at the same time, so the city officials came to seal up the store, took Yan and several plaintiffs away, and planned to file a case for trial.

Ba Zhong has been in business with his mother for many years, and he has long been surprised by such things, and said with a smile: "Zhonglang Hu Ling, your cousin, is hated by his peers." ”

"I really didn't expect that." Heifu shook his head, not angry, but laughing.

Officials are not allowed to do business, which is not allowed by Qin Law, so Heifu can only take advantage of the loopholes of the law and order, hang the brown sugar industry in his mother's name, and try not to come forward directly, giving people a truth.

Earning money is important, but you can't get on the job for it.

Heifu originally planned to let Yan offer brown sugar as a tribute to the emperor, and then rely on the "Nanjun Tribute Sugar" to make a reputation, but who expected that not only did not make it, but was also taught a lesson by the young officials in charge.

"Anyone can give tribute?"

Then Hiko was blasted out.

Heifu was just a councillor at the time, and he hadn't even seen the emperor's face, so he couldn't talk about it in a special note, so he had to give up for the time being. He gave Yan 100,000 yuan for turnover and asked him to come to Nanshi to sell and see. Ten days later, Hiko was in a free-range state, and Heifu was in the palace guard, busy speculating about Shangyi, how could he still take care of him.

Therefore, unless it is a person like Ba Zhong who has hands and eyes and has heard of sugar cane and brown sugar in Nanjun, Yan's peers and even the city officials do not know Yan's background.

Heifu originally had confidence in the laws of the Qin State, Yan was well-behaved, and he also made money, but he never thought that he was really overshadowed!

He was not angry, but calmly instructed An Lu's disciples to confess when the case was tried tomorrow, and if the lawyer did everything according to the rules, this lawsuit would definitely be able to get away with it.

Ba Zhong secretly thought to the side: "Those businessmen, as well as the people behind them, this time they have caught the tiger's beard......"

He and Heifu have quelled the rebellion of the Yidaoba people together, and he has some understanding of his actions, he is low-key on weekdays, but when he should be ruthless, he is not soft at all!

Ba Zhong said to himself again, this is just an opportunity to show favor to Heifu!

Heifu was already a close minister of the Son of Heaven at a young age, and the future was promising, and strengthening the relationship with him would be beneficial to Ba.

So, after Heifu asked Sanmu to take An Lu's children to find a guest house to settle down, Ba Zhong took the initiative to say: "Zhonglang Hu Ling, this matter seems to be jealousy of peers, but there are also people behind it who secretly instruct!" As far as I know, his official title is not small, and if he is left to the trial of the case, I am afraid that Yan will lose! ”

"Officials do business, collude with the city to get legal officials, crowd out peers, and monopolize the market?" Heifu shook his head, it was really a familiar scene, I never thought that there was a similar thing in the Qin Dynasty.

But ah, those people, this time they really hit the iron plate headfirst!

He thought about it for a moment, and soon came up with an idea......