Fenghou

Chapter 1078 Round Fruit
After Chao Kun and Zhang Jiugong got off the boat, a large group of black vendors rushed up with fruit and food and surrounded them.

"Go away! Go away!"

Someone yelled a few times and drove the peddlers away.

A man in his forties came up and asked with a smile in pure Mandarin, "Didn't Mr. Jiu retire? Why are you on the boat again?"

It was the man just now. He looked like a local, but his skin was not so dark, and his figure was relatively tall. He was wearing high-quality silk and a hat, and his figure was slightly fat.

It turned out that he knew Zhang Jiugong, Zhang Jiugong stepped forward and clapped his arms with him, and said with a smile: "I can't live without a boat in my life, this old bone is going to be thrown into the sea."

"Where? Jiugong is always strong!"

The two laughed, and Zhang Jiugong introduced Chao Kun to him, "This Mr. Chao is my new employer, a wealthy young man who wants to go out and meet the world."

Zhang Jiugong deliberately concealed Chao Kun's identity to avoid unnecessary trouble.

He introduced this man to Chao Kun, "This is the reception officer of Sanfoqi, his name is Chanong, and his Chinese name is Wang Nong."

Chao Kun bowed his hands and said: "It turns out to be the reception officer. May I ask if you have been to Song Dynasty?"

Chao Kun looked like a literati with a very good temperament, which made the introduction officer Zhanong feel good. He also clasped his fists and said with a smile: "I went to Bianliang Taixue to study when I was [-] years old. I stayed in Bianliang for six years and returned to Xuanhe five years ago. Sanfoqi."

It turned out that I had studied in Bianliang, so it's no wonder that the official language is so good.

Chanon smiled again: "Wait a moment, I will arrange the boat, and then take you to the post to rest!"

Just as Chao Kun was about to say no, Zhang Jiugong gave him a wink, and Chao Kun shut up in time.

Chanong went to command the fleet to dock, and Zhang Jiugong said to Chao Kun in a low voice: "This Chanong is a Sanfoqi nobleman. He has been a guide officer in the port for more than ten years. For crops, it is best to ask him for help."

Chao Kun hesitated and said, "I'm afraid that there will be restrictions on Sanfoqi, and the species will not be allowed to spread overseas."

"It's nothing. The Sanfoqi government never cares about such things. On the contrary, he encourages all kinds of species to be sold to the Song Dynasty. They want to make money, don't they?"

Chao Kun nodded and said with a smile, "Aren't they afraid that we won't buy their things after we learn how to plant?"

Zhang Jiugong smiled and said: "If this is the case, we would not buy their spices hundreds of years ago. They are not stupid. They know that only they can grow many crops. If we need them, they will plant them in large quantities, and then they can grow them." Made money."

"I see!"

At this time, a little black child came over with a bunch of yellow bananas, and he didn't know what to say, Chao Kun only heard a ba la la.

Zhang Jiugong broke off a few ripe yellow fruits and gave the child a handful of copper coins. The child left happily, and Zhang Jiugong handed one to Chao Kun. But it's not as big as here, nor as sweet. Young master, try it."

After Chao Kun ate a banana, he repeatedly praised how sweet it was, and asked with a smile, "I remember that there are more gold and silver coins in Nanyang, how can we exchange them for our copper coins?"

"It's about one to ten, but it's unrealistic to expect this to make money, the amount is too small."

At this time, Chanon walked back quickly and said with a smile: "Let's go! Let's take you to the posthouse, where it will be more comfortable. Do you have a lot of luggage?"

Chanong glanced at it, and a dozen people followed behind with their luggage on their backs. He nodded to Chao Kun and said, "Mr. Chao is really a wealthy family! Half of those big boats belong to Mr. Chao's family!"

Chao Kun said indifferently: "They are here for business, it has nothing to do with me, I just came to collect some rare things, things that Da Song didn't have."

"Which aspect specifically? See if I can help Mr. Chao?"

"Minerals, specialty products, fruits, crops, and vegetables are all fine."

"Do you need a lot?"

"I'm going to take it back and try it out, and if it's popular, I'll make a larger purchase."

Chanon was immediately interested, and said with a smile: "Tomorrow is just my day off. Tomorrow morning, I will take you to the big market. There is everything there!"

They live in a good place, each in a separate wooden building, served by a local girl, and the food is the best, only a hundred dollars a day.

Chao Kun guards his body like a jade, so naturally he will not waste his precious first time in Nanyang. Although the girl who serves him keeps showing favor to him, he is not moved at all.

After a good night's sleep, the next day he was full of energy. Chanong came as scheduled and changed into a white silk shirt. Chao Qing also changed into a fine linen green shirt. He wore a flat scarf and held a folding fan. They locked up their luggage. , and then followed Chanon to the big market.

The big market in the city is different from the trading market in the seaport. The trading market in the seaport is for foreign trade, and they are all kinds of bulk goods, while the big market in the city is the Sanfoqi domestic market, which sells everything. Of course, Sanfoqi is In a Buddhist country, killing is opposed. There are basically no meat sellers, but there are animal sellers, and they are all bought back as pets.

The big market is bustling with people, and there are various stalls one after another.

Chanong is good at observing words and expressions. Seeing the disappointment on Chao Kun's face, he smiled and said, "What do Mr. Chao want to buy?"

Zhang Jiugong next to him said with a smile: "Mr. Chao heard me talking about the past thirty years ago on the road. He wants a big round fruit!"

Chanon patted his forehead and smiled, "I see, come with me!"

He came to a large fruit stand, pointed to the piles of large round fruits on the ground and said, "There are several kinds!"

Coconuts are definitely not, Lingnan also produces them, pineapples are also produced in Quanzhou, another big fruit Chao Kun picks up, only smells a stench, Chao Kun almost throws up.

Chanon laughed loudly, "This kind of fruit smells bad, but tastes delicious!"

Chao Kun looked back at Zhang Jiugong, Zhang Jiugong shook his head, "It's not the kind of food I saw!"

Chanon asked: "Where did Jiugong see it?"

"That was thirty years ago. On the canoe of the natives of the island, they seemed to be using it as food. The inside was hollowed out, and it could still hold fresh water. It was a golden flat ball, about this big!"

Zhang Jiugong compared the size, and Chanon had never seen it before, but he had a way, "Follow me!"

Everyone came to a simple shop. The owner of the shop was a native of the island. Cha Nong spoke to him in local dialect and made gestures.

The shopkeeper nodded, and brought out a big melon from the back room. Zhang Jiugong's eyes lit up, "That's it!"

Chanon asked a few more words, and said with a smile, "This is a tulu melon brought back by their warriors from a distant continent, and they grow it for food."

Chao Kun laughed and said, "Sell me this melon!"

After Chanong translated, the shopkeeper glanced at the folding fan in Chao Kun's hand. He pointed to the folding fan and made an exchange gesture. Chao Kun laughed and said, "Deal!"

Chao Kun handed him the folding fan and taught him how to open and close it. The shopkeeper happily went to the back room with the fan in his hands.

Zhang Jiugong hired a footman to hold melons for him, and continued to walk forward. Chao Kun saw a basket of red fruits that he had never seen before, and asked, "What is this?"

Zhang Jiugong knew it, and said with a smile: "This is a palm fruit. It is very oily. It doesn't seem to be native here. It was brought by overseas businessmen. It is grown well here. It can be eaten as a meal after cooking."

When Chao Kun heard that it could be eaten as a meal, he said, "I bought this basket."

Chao Kun then bought a bunch of special products, he bought a few of all the ones he had never seen before, even the smelliest kind of fruit, he also bought a few, of course he bought the greener ones, which should be ripe when he goes back up.

He hired more than a dozen footmen to carry things for him. Of course, Chao Kun didn't treat Cha Nong badly, and gave him a set of high-quality Jianyao porcelain as a reward.

Back at the post house, Chao Kun said to Zhang Jiugong: "Finally, we need rice seeds that can be harvested three times a year. Please ask Jiugong to get it for me."

Zhang Jiugong said with a smile: "I just asked Cha Nong for some."

Chao Kun shook his head, "This kind of authentic crop is different from fruit, and it will definitely limit the spread of it. I was afraid that rice seeds would arouse his vigilance, so I didn't mention it, but I still need rice seeds!"

"I understand. You should be cautious. I'm trying to find a way to get rice seeds from the Han merchants. I know a few old friends who are doing well here."

Zhang Jiugong went out to find a relationship. Two days later, Zhang Jiugong handed Chao Kun a wooden box, which was filled with high-quality local rice seeds.

Ten days later, Chao Kun left Palembang by boat and returned to Quanzhou.

(End of this chapter)