"Yo, silk merchant, it's rare!"

The official who inspected the goods learned that Song Che and Tang Hulu were silk merchants, and rubbed their hands excitedly.

"What? Is the silk merchant special? Song Che asked with a smile.

The official said, "Of course, scarcity is expensive." I can guarantee that you truckloads will be snatched up in less than half an hour. ”

Tang Hulu also rubbed his hands excitedly, and his eyes flashed with gold: "Boss Song, am I right?" The early bird has worms, and we are going to make a fortune this time! ”

Song Che smiled and said nothing, but there is also a saying called "early insects are eaten by birds", silk is very expensive, and people who are indispensable are indispensable, if it is a serious businessman, it is better to say, in case it is the ferocious horse bandit, the risk is great.

Of course, there are risks associated with making a big business.

"The two big bosses, the goods have been counted, twelve yuan of tax money per car, plus two yuan of tooth money, and you should each pay fifteen yuan." The official spread his hands, blinked his eyes, and motioned to pay the money.

"What! Fifteen taels of silver! ”

Tang Hulu exclaimed: "A piece of silk, five hundred Wen, we have a car of three hundred, that is, one hundred and fifty guan, according to three percent of the tax, it is only four and a half, how to calculate twelve guan?" I don't care about the money, so what is the money that has always been given? ”

The official explained unhurriedly:

"Two bosses, five hundred pieces of silk, you are talking about the purchase price, right? In our case, a horse of silk is counted as a thousand, and three hundred horses are three hundred;

Moreover, you silk merchants, the tax is 5 cents, and it costs fifteen cents, and only 12 taels are charged to you, because it is too hard for you to travel long distances, and the money is given to the army escorting the caravan, but we are not collecting it indiscriminately. ”

Tang Hulu was not convinced:

"Everyone is a merchant, so why should those who sell silk charge two cents more than those who sell other goods, and isn't it the duty of the army to protect their own merchants? It's so unfair! ”

The official made a straight face: "Those who sell silk are to charge an extra two cents, this is the rule of Xiliang Mansion, if you are not convinced, you can go to the government to protest;

Horse bandits have been so rampant lately, shouldn't we charge some hardship fees if we increase our troops to escort you to the field?

Besides, we are protecting our own merchants, and you blue-eyed curly-haired Persians are not the people of Daliang, and if you don't pay the money, you want my guide, sneer! ”

"You...... You-"

"Hey, okay, okay, it's just a few more dollars, it's harmless."

Song Che persuaded him.

The so-called, business does not fight with officials, Xiliang Mansion monopolizes power, its rules are really rules.

Song Che took twenty taels of silver and handed it to the official: "I'll pay an extra five taels for Boss Tang, and Boss Tang can make up ten taels." ”

Tang Hulu shouted, and reluctantly made up ten taels.

"Look, it's still our local businessman who knows how to do it...... Those two big bosses, please stay here later, and when the other merchants have arrived, you will go out of the city together! ”

The officials opened the way, handed it to Song Che and them, briefly explained a few words, and left happily with the silver.

Tang Hulu pulled Song Che aside, and said in a slightly complaining tone: "Boss Song, why don't you reveal your identity, so that we don't have to pay taxes!" ”

Song Che rolled his eyes secretly, damn it, even if I reveal my identity, I don't pay taxes, it's your business? You old Persian fox, dare you come and complain about me? Who gave you five taels of silver?

"When you go out, your money and identity are not easy to be exposed, and it is a national policy to pay taxes, how can you use your identity to cheat for personal gain?"

"But Boss Song, have you ever thought that only 300 horses of silk will be taxed at 12 guan, and we can't pay more than 1,000 guan for those tens of thousands of horses?"

Tang Hulu was indignant: "I can finally understand why some businessmen would rather take risks and smuggle, and the officials of your Daliang are too dark!" ”

"Boss Tang, it's useless to chew the root of your tongue here, we are a big businessman with status, what is a little money, when we get to the field later, can't we just find a way to slaughter it back?"

"I'll price at least two thousand wen a horse!"

"As long as you sell it, it's okay for 5,000 wen a horse."

Half an hour later.

The other merchants had already arrived, and Xiliang sent 300 soldiers from the north gate to the Rongchang market.

Silk, porcelain, tea, lacquerware, paper, jewelry...... They are all mid-to-high-end, rare goods.

Most of the merchants were brought from Chang'an and Longdiyi, and most of them were middlemen like Tang Hulu, who were called "dealers" in modern terms, taking goods from the place of origin, and then transferring them to the market and selling them at a high price.

"Boss Song, you hear that your accent is southerner, right? Ouch, you're amazing, you're so young to come to the Northwest. ”

"Look at Boss Song's temperament, I'm afraid the business is doing a lot, right?"

"Where is it, Song is just a humble businessman, and the business he does is only enough for the family to eat and drink, hehehe......"

Song Che was indeed the youngest in the caravan, and he was also one of the few southerners, and everyone's topic was willing to revolve around him.

"Hey, by the way, bosses, have you ever considered going to the Western Regions for a walk?"

The field is the field, the Western Regions is the Western Regions, and the opportunities can be very different.

Merchants says:

"The businessmen who can come here, who don't want to go to the Western Regions to make a fortune, but there are too many horse bandits in the Hexi Corridor and don't dare to go."

"Yes, although Liang and Hu reached an agreement on mutual markets and reopened the Silk Road, these Hu people themselves are bandits, where do they know how to govern the Western Regions? The border pass is no longer fighting, and these horse bandits that can breed will cost people's lives! ”

"Alas, it would be nice if our Daliang could recover the lost land, so that it would be much safer for us to go to the Western Regions...... When I was young, I went to the Western Regions once, not to mention anything else, it was Boss Song, your cart of silk, and it would not be a problem to exchange them for two crimson agate! ”

"Daliang recovers the Western Regions? I don't know what year and month, I got what I wanted! ”

When it comes to the Western Regions, the merchants are excited, especially the gems and jade produced there, which can be sold for a very high price if they are cut and carved at will.

In ancient times, the Western Regions was the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, and it is a pity that Song Che has never been to Xinjiang.

I hope that in ancient times a thousand years ago, I could appreciate the customs of the Western Regions.