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Quanzhou was one of the most prosperous ports in the Great Song Dynasty, and in good times, there were many ships coming and going from the port every day, many of which were exotic merchants with deep noses, and the people of the time called them "sea fangs" (Note 2).

Hu Fulang is not unseen in the world, but when he first arrived in Quanzhou, he was still shocked by these people.

What surprised him the most was that when these people spoke, it was an authentic Song Dynasty official dialect, which was not inferior to him.

However, he did not see the scene of the sails gathering here, and since the opening of the Jubilee, the Great Song Dynasty and the buying policy made the maritime merchants dare not enter the port, and the income of the market envoys has also dropped sharply.

"Shopkeeper Hu, please go here."

Leading Hu Fulang to walk is a sea fang, this person's surname is Pu, double name Kaizong, the ancestor was a big food merchant, settled in China after the ship to Guangzhou, has been more than 100 years, his family was rich and a party, to his father and ancestor gradually declined, can not gain a foothold in Guangzhou, then moved to Quanzhou.

Although this person grew up in the Great Song Dynasty, he especially left his ancestral appearance, eagle nose, deep eyes and yellow eyebrows, hoarse and hoarse voice, if it is according to physiognomy, but it is the so-called "eagle Gu jackal", a treacherous and sinister person. However, Hu Fulang heard that he was loyal, liked Confucianism, spoke and behaved quite elegantly, and was even more honest in business.

The Pu family was engaged in the spice business, and came from the area of Sriwijaya (now Sumatra), so the Pu family owned more than ten sea vessels, and had many contacts with the Quanzhou dockyard. Hu Fulang came here to ask him to introduce him to visit the owner of a certain shipyard in Quanzhou. (Note 3)

The owner of the shipyard had already won the blessing of his subordinates, and Wen Xun came out of the door. The owner of the shipyard was surnamed Mao, and he was also a maritime merchant before, but because of the strong winds and waves at sea, he opened a shipyard. His shipyard is not very famous in Quanzhou, so a small maritime business like Pu Kaizong will buy a boat elsewhere.

"Mao Dongjia, I have heard of the name for a long time, and I am disrespectful and disrespectful." Seeing the owner of the shipyard, Hu Fulang gave a deep salute. His words were not polite, because the ancestors of the owner of the boat yard were of the same clan as Mao Xu, and he had traveled south to Japo many times (Note 4).

"Don't dare." The owner of the shipyard did not dare to be arrogant, the reason was only the raw silk brought by Hu Fulang. They were accustomed to the silk and porcelain business, and they knew how staggering the profits would be if this quality of raw silk was shipped overseas. Therefore, although Hu Fulang is young, neither the owner of the boat yard nor Pu Kaizong dare to despise it.

After some cold noise, everyone returned to the topic. The owner of the boat yard asked: "Shopkeeper Hu, I have seen your raw silk, it is really rare to be of the highest quality, and you really want to buy a sea boat?" ”

Hu Fulang smiled slightly: "Even if you haven't purchased a sea boat, it's worth it to get to know someone like Mao Dongjia." ”

He said this tactfully, and the Mao family is also a shrewd person, and he will understand at the moment: "Business is not benevolent, and the shopkeeper Hu might as well say it directly." ”

"I heard that Quanzhou Fuchuan is excellent, so I have an opinion." Hu Fulang got Zhao Heju's guidance, and said slowly: "I think that Qingyuan Mansion is also a place where maritime merchants gather, but I have never seen the ...... of benefiting ships."

Halfway through his words, he shut up, but Pu Kaizong and Mao Dongjia thought they had guessed his intentions. In the Song Dynasty, the sea trade was prosperous, and even the shipbuilding industry also flourished, and among the sea ships, the "lucky ship" was its leader, which could benefit the ship, and Quanzhou was the most famous.

"Shopkeeper Hu has good intentions, if he also opens a shipyard for the benefit of ships in Qingyuan Mansion, how can there be a reason not to make money?" Pu Kaizong was introduced to the Chinese, so he inevitably interjected at this moment: "Can the Mao family be interested in going to Qingyuan Mansion to open a family?" ”

Mao Dongjia shook his head with a smile: "My family's foundation and connections are all in Quanzhou, but what Qingyuan Mansion has done is a strong dragon crossing the river, and it can't suppress the head snake of Qingyuan Mansion!" ”

Originally, Hu Fulang said that he was interested in shipbuilding, and Mao Dongjia was somewhat unhappy, after all, his peers were enemies, and now when he heard him say that he was going to build a ship in Qingyuan Mansion, Mao Dongjia's heart was relaxed, and he was more funny when he spoke. After a pause, he looked at Hu Fulang and said with a smile: "It's just a shopkeeper, it's not easy to build a ship, and you can't just pull a few people to make up the numbers." ”

"I know, so I came to ask Mao Dongjia for advice." Hu Fulang said.

Mao Dongjia smiled, it happened that a servant woman brought refreshments at this time, he beckoned Hu Fulang and Pu Kaizong to eat, but avoided answering Hu Fulang's question. Hu Fulang is not in a hurry, Zhao Heju's explanation to him originally said not to rush, it is excellent to be able to get things done within a year.

Everyone said something again, Hu Fulang got up to say goodbye, and Mao Dongjia sent him out with a smile.

"I still have something to say to the Mao family, so Shopkeeper Hu might as well go first." Seeing Hu Fulang looking at himself, Pu Kaizong arched his hand. Although he memorized the official title of the main book, he still retained the true character of a businessman, and there was no arrogance in his words.

After Hu Fulang left, Pu Kaizong said to Mao Dongjia: "Although this shopkeeper Hu is young, he is a fine person, what he just said, do you believe it or not?" ”

"I will be skeptical." Mao Dongjia waved his hand: "Lao Pu, you found the matter for me." ”

"His raw silk is excellent, you are a connoisseur, have you ever seen a better one?"

In addition to shipbuilding, Mao's family also does some work to collect silk for maritime merchants, so Pu Kaizong said this. He twisted his beard, muttered for a long time, shook his head and said: "I really have never seen it, among the silk I handled, his best grade." ”

"Well, if you can get that raw silk from him, won't it be better than how many ships you sell every year?" Pu Kaizong stroked his palm and said: "Hugh said that it was you, it was me, and I was also moved by that raw silk." ”

"Otherwise, you wouldn't have pulled me up." Mao Dongjia quipped: "But this shopkeeper is very shrewd, but he is not so easy to fool, Lao Pu, you can't steal chickens and rice." ”

"My Pu Kaizong is a well-known fair trade boy who is not bullied, and he is easy to return, so why bother to be fooled?" Pu Kaizong shook his head: "It's you, I heard that you and the Hu family had another quarrel?" ”

Mao Dongjia sneered, but did not take over the topic, Pu Kaizong saw that he was so cautious, so he changed the conversation, and the two talked about business for a while, Mao Dongjia wanted to stay Pu Kaizong for dinner, Pu Kaizong politely refused, and then also went out of Mao's shipyard.

After sending Pu Kaizong away, Mao Dongjia saw that a henchman seemed to have something to say, so he said: "If you have something to say, what are you doing?" ”

"Master, that kid from the Hu family...... I just saw the shopkeeper in front of our shipyard, and the two of them talked for a while and left together. The henchman hesitated and said, "They are all surnamed Hu, could it be that they are from the same clan and came to earn the master?" ”

Mao Dongjia's face immediately changed, and he hesitated for a while: "Can you see clearly, is it really a kid of the Hu family?" ”

"Even if it is burned to ashes, the little one will recognize him, how can he be wrong?" The henchman swallowed hard: "Master, the surname Hu has hated us for a long time, or ......"

"It's just a group of craftsmen, so it's a big deal!" The wool farmer shook his head: "As far as their old and young are concerned, how much wind and waves can they set off?" ”

Note 2: Yue Ke (Yue Fei's grandson) wrote "The History of the Tree" with the "Panyu Sea Fang".

Note 3: Pu Kaizong is the father of Pu Shougeng, who went to Quanzhou about 1204 years ago, and was the main book of Anxi, and had not yet made a fortune at this time.

Note 4: Mao Xu's deeds are contained in "The History of the Song Dynasty • The Biography of Japo", which is a giant maritime merchant in the Song Dynasty, and the specific time is not observed, which is the novelist's words.