The warm spring breeze in May not only revived everything, but also made Zhang Cheng and others who had been in the nest for a winter feel more comfortable. Zhang Cheng and Qiao Anbang sat down in a tea shed, the sun in the sun was shining on people, feeling warm and sleepy.

Among the tea sheds on the road, there is not a single pedestrian on the post road, and the business of the tea shed is bleak. And at this moment, twenty or thirty businessmen came to drink tea, and the tea boss smiled from ear to ear! Hurriedly waited for the care.

"Say, you've been following me all the way from Jiyuan City, what's the matter?" Qiao Anbang took a sip of tea, put down the bowl, and said calmly.

"Not busy. Acquaintance is fate, let me introduce myself first, Zhang Cheng, a businessman in Xiajing Prefecture, specializes in selling salt. This time I went south, just to find an ally to resell refined salt for me! After Zhang Cheng finished speaking, he quietly stared at Qiao Anbang, who looked quite fat opposite.

It is not an exaggeration to describe Qiao Anbang with a fat head and big ears and a fat brain and intestines. If in his previous life, Zhang Cheng would definitely label him as a profiteer!

Hearing Zhang Cheng talk about refined salt, Qiao Anbang suddenly jumped up as Zhang Cheng expected, and shouted: "Refined salt!" How many do you have? ”

"Boss Qiao, should we first show the sincerity of the cooperation between the two sides, you make me very insecure like this!" Zhang Cheng took a sip of tea and said with a smile.

Realizing his gaffe, Qiao Anbang, who had been in the business for decades, couldn't help but blush a little, he smiled, sat down again, and said, "Yes, yes." You're right! In Suyang County, Guangyuan County, the capital of Xiawu Prefecture, businessman Qiao Anbang! I have been in business for more than 30 years and have experience. On the boundary of Wuzhou, I have 30 salt transport ships and 500 helpers, and all counties in Wuzhou, Chizhou, Cangzhou and Yanzhou have my salt shops! I dare say that in the land of the four southern states, there is no one more qualified to do this business than I, Qiao Anbang! ”

"Oh? So what's going on with Nalan Bingyue? Zhang Cheng said in a good time.

When he heard Zhang Cheng also mention the Nalan family, he couldn't help but chuckle in his heart, and said with an unnatural expression: "What's so great about the Nalan family." Hmph, it's not because you have soldiers and horses in your hands that you dare to be so arrogant! Hum! If Lao Tzu also has thousands of people, I'm still afraid of him Nalan Xuan! ”

"Oh? Listening to what Boss Qiao meant, this Nalan family is still a big businessman with soldiers and horses? Zhang Cheng couldn't help but be interested, straightened up and asked.

Seeing that Zhang Cheng cared so much about the Nalan family, his face that was originally full of joy sank, and he didn't want to say more, but said lightly: "The Nalan family is nothing special!" ”

Seeing that Qiao Anbang was so interested, he also knew that this old businessman was afraid that he was going to change his ways, Zhang Cheng smiled and comforted: "Boss Qiao doesn't have to be so nervous, I, Zhang Cheng, do business, unlike the Bai family, who treats the heroes badly!" Since I promised to cooperate with you, I will never break my word! Besides, Boss Qiao does have this qualification! I'm just curious about this Nalan family! ”

Hearing this, Qiao Anbang's heart was a lot more settled.

"You promised to give me the right to sell refined salt?" Qiao Anbang still asked with some unease.

Seeing Zhang Cheng nodding, Qiao Anbang suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. He finally asked, "How many goods do you have?" What fineness? ”

It seems that if the other party does not let go of his heart, it is difficult for Zhang Cheng to get any news from the other party's mouth, and as soon as he waved his hand, the iron pillar came up with a stone of salt, and it was still on the table with a bang.

Qiao Anbang didn't care about any image, so he opened a hole and grabbed the salt inside.

White! Dazzling white! It shook so much that Qiao Anbang couldn't even open his eyes!

"Good! That's great! Some of these salts, Lao Tzu looks at how the Bai family died! Qiao Anbang couldn't help but be a little excited, and at the same time, a bit of revenge was spreading. Seeing this scene, Zhang Cheng couldn't help frowning.

"Boss Qiao, can you talk about it now?" Zhang Cheng asked lightly.

"Huh? Oh, good. Speaking of which, the back of this Nalan family. It's really not easy. He ......, "From Qiao Anbang's mouth, Zhang Cheng learned that the Nalan family is a big family in Cangzhou!" When it first started, it was during the period of the Great Qianxuan Sect, and the Nalan family at that time was just a group of thieves, but as the cottage grew stronger and bigger, Nalan became more and more ambitious, and he did a lot of business that the cottage did not dare to do, selling illicit salt!

At that time, there were many warlords everywhere and the society was in turmoil, where would anyone interfere with a group of homeless bandits? It is in this environment that Nalan led dozens of thieves to have enough gold and silver resources after a hundred years of growing and developing, in the words of Zhang Cheng's previous life, that is, by doing illegal things and taking advantage of the loopholes of the law, in a few short years, the initial accumulation process of funds was completed.

Then the Nalan family was very keenly aware of the melee of the warlords, which brought another big business opportunity to the merchants, that is, reselling grain! The Nalan family bought grain from Chizhou, Wuzhou, and Qingzhou, or sold it directly to the army, or sold it to the northern chaebols.

After several years of development, the Nalan family has become bigger and bigger, and has begun to involve all walks of life such as leather goods, tea, medicinal materials, and wood! After more than 100 years of vigorous development, the current Nalan family can be said to be involved in all industries, and the Nalan family can be said to be a big consortium in the true sense! Rich and rivaled! What's even more frightening is that the Nalan family also has a number of soldiers and horses that can match the army, with 10,000 people! Even Wen Yunpeng, who is now sitting in Cangzhou, can't help but be afraid of the Nalan family!

But the Nalan family never participated in the military wars of the empire, they just quietly ran their own business, protecting their own business.

"Huh! Feelings, your boss Qiao is just a firefly, and he is the real Haoyue! After listening to the other party's long statement, Zhang Cheng said with a smile.

Qiao Anbang's old face turned red, and he smiled a little wryly: "Isn't this afraid that Boss Zhang will run away!" Laugh, laugh! ”

Waving his hand, Zhang Cheng said: "I'm just doing small business. To tell you the truth, I have only just started the refined salt business, and the road is small and cannot be paved. I only have fifteen stone refined salt here for the time being, you can take it for the time being! I'll give you 30% of the profit. How to sell, I don't care! I have three requirements though! ”

As soon as he heard Sancheng, Qiao Anbang's heart blossomed, he patted his chest and said, "You say, but anything I can do, I can do it!" ”

"First, refined salt is only sold to wealthy businessmen and gentry, not to the common people."

"It's easy to do! The price of refined salt is high, and ordinary people can't afford it! You can rest assured! Qiao Anbang nodded in agreement.

"Second, I am only responsible for escorting the refined salt to Linshui County, Gyeongju, and the remaining part of the journey can only be handed over to yourself!" Zhang Cheng looked at Qiao Anbang's somewhat sad face and said.

"Huh? Isn't that hard for me? From Runzhou to Wuzhou, how many counties and counties do you have to pass along the way, tariffs or something, this is too risky! Besides, it takes silver to dot up and down. You only give me 30%, no! Qiao Anbang said categorically.

"Really? You can think again! Zhang Cheng said without hurry.

According to the current price of salt in Wuzhou, even if it is close to Chizhou, the salt transportation is convenient, and a stone of salt can be sold for thirty taels of silver, even if the freight and dots in the middle are added, he Qiao Anbang is as profitable! Qiao Anbang said this, but he just wanted to make more profits!

"No, no. Don't think about it, I can't do it, it's not my life! Losing money and building in, how can there be such a business? Qiao Anbang shouted.

Seeing that Zhang Cheng got up to leave, Qiao Anbang immediately grabbed him, and hurriedly said with a smile: "Oh, look at you!" This business is about asking for money on the spot, and you don't give me any leeway! Ok, good, good! I'm unlucky, it's done! Do it all according to you! ”

"Hmmm! Good! Thirdly, every time you come to transport salt, help me get some food and tea! I'll give you a three-percent profit acquisition at the cost price! ”

Qiao Anbang, who had not yet sat down, was shocked when he heard this, and said incoherently: "You, you, you, you want to resell grain and tea?" ”

"We're not reselling now. Is it official? Zhang Cheng didn't answer directly, but said.

"Good! As long as you have money, I, Qiao Anbang, will also carry my head and do it with you! "As the saying goes, reluctant children can't catch wolves! Qiao Anbang also put his heart on the side and said.

"Good! In that case, then it is decided! In the future, all the sales of my Zhang's salt store will only be sold by you! I still have a batch of good leather goods, 1,200 sheets, do you want it? Zhang Cheng surprised Qiao Anbang one after another, his eyes widened, and he said in surprise: "One thousand, one thousand two hundred?" Where is it? Let me see? ”

When he came to the cart, he lifted the cloth, and a piece of fine animal skin appeared in front of Qiao Anbang's eyes!

Stroking the soft and hand-warming high-quality leather goods, Qiao Anbang's face was full of laughter!

"Good! Great stuff! Good stuff! ”

"Bid!" Zhang Cheng covered the cloth and said with a smile.

"I'll give five taels of silver for a white mink, three taels for white fox skin, and three taels for tiger skin! That's the highest price I can offer! Qiao Anbang gritted his teeth and said when he talked about tiger skin.

"Good! Deal! "Zhang Cheng didn't make a counteroffer, and he made a deal directly!

After negotiating business, Qiao Anbang, who was overjoyed, invited Zhang Cheng and others to go to Suyang County to have a round! Zhang Cheng readily agreed!

Because Zhang Cheng and others rode horses, Qiao Anbang also gave up the sedan chair and rode on the horse, and the two stood side by side. There were more than a dozen people behind him, talking and laughing all the way.

Now that the two have confirmed the cooperative relationship, Zhang Cheng no longer shies away from anything, and asks directly: "Before in Jiyuan City, I heard you quarrel with that Bai family son, what's going on?" ”

"Hey! I'm not afraid to laugh at you! That's right, this son of the Bai family is called Bai Jingyi, and he is the only seedling at the helm of the Bai family. The Bai family has been in business for generations, and the relationship between several generations and the local government is extraordinary. The scenery is very profound, and it is said that Liu Tang, the assassin of Lingzhou, was supported by the Bai family. The Bai family has a relationship, and naturally has also received a lot of benefits, as early as the period of the Emperor of the Emperor, the government openly handed over several large salt ponds that were originally occupied by the Bai family to the Bai family, and let them take care of all the official salt transactions. Just pay it to the government according to the fixed tax! The main business of the Bai family is also the salt business, and the most important of them is green salt. With such resources, people are naturally the boss! If the boss of the four southern states is the Nalan family, then the boss of the West is the Bai family! There is such a deep back. Jing, I'm an errand runner, the Bai family is not how to pinch it, just pinch it? Qiao Anbang said helplessly.

"Since the strength of the Nalan family and the Bai family is equal, why did I hear Bai Jingyi under the inn saying that he would hand over the refined salt business to the Nalan family?" Zhang Cheng was a little baffled.

"You don't know, it's about the distribution of salt farms. In our Daqian Empire, the salt works were concentrated in Qingzhou, Gyeongju, and Chizhou, and other places were provided by the government by land and shipping. Naturally, the Nalan family does not have such a place of origin. In fact, what they do is the same as below, it has always been consignment. And the Bai family is different, since the period of the Martyrdom. After the chaos, the Bai family relied on soldiers and horses to forcibly occupy the four major salt farms in Qingzhou and monopolized the trade of green salt. The Nalan family has always only dealt in coarse salt and refined salt, and now that I have been kicked out, I am afraid that this green salt business will also fall to the Nalan family! Qiao Anbang smiled wryly and shook his head.

"How so? I understand. I'm afraid this Bai Jingyi was premeditated. He must have fallen in love with Nalan Bingyue, just like using this green salt trading right in exchange for other people's favor. And you, Boss Qiao, have naturally become a roadblock for others, haha! Zhang Cheng said with some amusement.

"Who's to say it isn't! Hum! Bai Jingyi's kid, he's not a good thing. Gentleman, do you have a business mind, the eldest lady of the dignified Nalan family, would she like someone like him? Joke! However, there is often a marriage between these large families in order to achieve an increase in strength. Maybe, the old man of the Bai family, maybe he really has such an idea! Qiao Anbang said aggrievedly.

Zhang Cheng can be regarded as understanding some things, and he has a clearer understanding of the forces in the south. At the same time, he realized another terrifying thing, that is, the multiplicity of clans and clans, and the threat to the ruler! But these are not what he wants to care about, he just wants to be an idle rich man!

After coming to Guangyuan County, Zhang Cheng felt that he had come to another country, where the prosperity was beyond Zhang Cheng's imagination, the people were rich, living and working in peace and contentment, all industries were prosperous, and the city was prosperous. In Su County, there is a lot of traffic, pedestrians come and go, and it is not at all like the chaos of the outside world, but there is a kind of peace in the prosperous world!

After a long turn, if it weren't for Qiao Anbang leading the way, it would not be easy for Zhang Cheng to find Qiao's mansion.

If you want to talk about this Qiao Anbang, he can be regarded as a giant in Wuzhou. The size of Qiao's Mansion is beyond Zhang Cheng's imagination. He has seen his own tea garden, and he has also seen the official residence of Jizhou Thorn History, but compared with this Qiao Mansion, it is still a little insufficient!

Seven or eight hundred acres of land, pavilions, gardens, water pavilions, rockery ponds are everything. The bluestone path between the bamboo forests reflects the infinite spring scenery. It's truly beautiful.

Standing side by side with Qiao Anbang, Zhang Cheng said enviously: "I can't imagine that Boss Qiao is still a rich man who knows how to enjoy!" Zhang has been working hard to have such a life, but he has not been able to achieve anything so far! ”

Boss Zhang laughed! Qiao has struggled for decades to have such achievements. Boss Zhang is so young and promising, and he has all kinds of resources in his hands, if he wants to have such a garden, it will only be a matter of time. Maybe one day, you'll have a bigger mansion than you can be! This way, please! When Qiao Anbang returned to his mansion, his momentum became different again, and the demeanor and temperament of a wealthy businessman were reflected in him. Between gestures, there is a kind of self-cultivation and demeanor.

Under Qiao Anbang's careful arrangement, Zhang Cheng and others stayed. Qiao Anbang also deliberately repeatedly told him to serve well. Zhang Cheng and the others enjoyed it in Qiao's Mansion, which can be called the level of envoys of a country!

After staying in Qiao's Mansion for a day, Qi Tian couldn't be idle, so he had to go out for a walk. Zhang Cheng also has this intention, and he also wants to know what the richest place in the world looks like.

Knowing that Zhang Cheng and others wanted to go out to enjoy the scenery, Qiao Anbang sent his son Qiao Shaohui to accompany him.

Everyone left Qiao's mansion, and after talking along the way, Zhang Cheng's understanding of Qiao Shaohui became more and more profound. Qiao Shaohui is different from other second ancestors, he is young, only twenty-five or sixteen years old, but he does not have the flashiness and arrogance of a rich son, but he is quite old and dignified and not pedantic. And he is quite sensitive to business, it seems that the future of the Qiao family's business will fall on this Qiao Shaohui.

The difference between the two is only three or four years old, and they are quite speculative when they talk. About Wuzhou folk customs, specialty snacks, beauties and other topics, all over the world can be talked about!