Start with detective Li Yuanfang

Chapter 231 It's about selling tea, not hiding merit and fame

"Meet Deputy Envoy Li, congratulations to Deputy Envoy Li for being named Zan Puzhong!"

Liu Xingye, a Shu merchant, and Tuoba Gong, a party merchant, walked into the mansion with joy in their eyes.

This mansion on the East Street is located next to Dalun Mansion, and lives next to Zan Xiruo.

Since the specifications of the two mansions were similar, no one dared to live in them after the Gar family became dominant.

But now, the envoys of the Tang Dynasty, Tubo Zan Puzhong, and Li Yuanfang lived in.

It is said that Zan Xiruo fell ill that night, and never left the mansion again, nor participated in the Huimeng.

After all, according to the rhythm of governance by doing nothing, if the alliance does not hold for ten and a half months, even the number of censors cannot be determined.

Zanxi said that if he attended every day, the other Ruben could go to his house for dinner before the meeting was over.

Li Yan also wanted to eat.

With his current status in Tubo, he is very happy to be able to sit as the chairman.

But now that Zan Xiruo shrank directly, the time was not yet ripe, and he put another important matter on the agenda.

When the two wealthy merchants walked into the hall, they saw Li Yan sitting at the main seat, and Shangguan Wan'er was making tea by the side.

Adjust the salt in the first boiling, throw in the powder in the second boiling, and after stirring in the ring, stop in the third boiling.

Wan'er shared the tea with the first three bowls and poured a cup for each of them: "This is the method of sencha, please taste it."

"Thank you little lady!"

The two were flattered to take it over, blew gently, and began to taste carefully.

It was different from the first time they used the sencha method to overturn the car in Duke Wei's mansion, but after drinking this time, their eyes suddenly brightened.

Tuoba Gong said sincerely: "This little lady cooks it skillfully, I never knew I could drink tea like this before!"

Liu Xingye was a Shu businessman, and tea drinking was prevalent in Sichuan and Shu. He was an expert. After tasting it carefully, he was even more surprised: "This tea is fragrant and has a long aftertaste. I have never heard of it before. I don't know where it is produced?"

Li Yandao: "This is Yangxian tea produced in Yangxian County, Yixing, Jiangnan. It was delivered not long ago. I think this tea has the potential of being a tribute."

Tuoba Gong nodded again and again: "There must be! There must be!"

When Liu Xingye heard the tribute, he immediately became solemn.

He also heard that tea drinking is prevalent in Chang'an now, and if saints really like drinking tea in the future, it will be a huge business.

Not to mention money and wealth, the key is to increase the attention of the local government in the central government, and we must fight for the Sichuan tea in my hometown!
But after taking a few more sips, Liu Xingye had to admit that this tea is indeed superior to Sichuan tea in terms of aroma. He rolled his eyes and said, "Deputy Li, I also have a lot of tea in my house. It has its own advantages and disadvantages with this Yangxian tea, please taste it, Deputy Envoy Li!"

"it is good!"

Li Yan was noncommittal, removed the topic of tribute tea, and asked, "What kind of tea do most nobles in Tubo drink now?"

Tuoba Gong sneered: "Are they qualified to pick? What do we sell and what do they drink!"

Li Yandao: "Then, can the Tibetans adapt to this method of frying tea?"

Liu Xingye hurriedly said: "Deputy Envoy Li doesn't need to worry, as long as we hear about how our Tang people drink, they will immediately change the original method and learn from us."

Tuoba Gongdao: "Vice Envoy Li doesn't know something. Recently, many doctors said that tea has the effect of nourishing the body, preventing abdominal distension, and post-constipation. Not to mention Tubo, it is more popular in the grasslands!"

Li Yan smiled.

This is exactly what he started.

These ancient people in the past knew what happened but didn't know why.

For example, Princess Honghua, who did not drink tea in the Tang Dynasty, later married in Tuyuhun, suddenly began to like drinking tea, which was out of physical needs.

In the same way, these tribal chieftains used to buy tea, but they didn't know that it could regulate the body. Now that they know it, why don't they buy it?

Therefore, compared to people in the Tang Dynasty who drink too much buttermilk, try a new thing. Tea is a daily necessity for these plateau and prairie people.

Li Yandao: "During this time, the tribal leaders of Wuru have all gathered in Wangcheng. These aristocrats have strong purchasing power. Your business is doing well, right?"

Both Liu Xingye and Tuoba Gong laughed: "It is thanks to the envoys that Zanpu promoted the alliance. This time, a lot of goods have indeed been sold."

Li Yandao: "Then according to your judgment, how much is the right price for this kind of Yangxian tea with strong aroma and good taste to sell to Tubo people?"

Tuoba Gong made the final calculation: "One piece of tea cake and one piece of gold?"

Li Yan: "..."

This is selling tea, you thought it was selling black ointment!

Why don't you go grab it?
However, Liu Xingye continued: "Deputy Envoy Li, I think the price is too low. The Tubo nobles not only taste tea, but also want to show off!"

Li Yan suddenly thought of the gold, silver and jewels piled up in the tent, clearly displaying wealth and status, and thought about it: "It seems that I misunderstood the two of you."

Liu Xingye hurriedly said: "Don't dare, Deputy Envoy Li uses normal thinking to measure those Tubo nobles, and naturally feels that the price is too high, but with the heart of comparison, the price of tea is not just the price of tea!"

His words were a bit awkward, but everyone present understood the meaning.

Liu Xingye smelled the aroma again, and sighed: "And I have to admit, this Yangxian tea is indeed more fragrant than our Sichuan tea, even the Tibetans can feel it directly, such a good tea, as long as the quantity is controlled, three golds and one cup Cake, maybe it's all low!"

Li Yan nodded slightly.

Sure enough, there is a specialization in the art industry, black or you black!

Shangguan Wan'er secretly stuck out her little tongue on the side.

Tubo is really a fool with a lot of money.

Because Li Yan miscalculated the price, he overthrew the plan again at this time, and looked at the two rich merchants with a smile: "This tea is in the hands of the Xie Chamber of Commerce in the south of the Yangtze River. They also want to come to Tubo for business, but they have no way. Work with the two."

The faces of the two were as usual, but their hearts skipped a beat.

Is this to give up the market and make way for Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce?
Li Yan can use these merchants at ease now, but he is not prepared to cut off the other party's money. He smiled and said: "Please rest assured, you are a normal business cooperation, each has a share, just follow the rules, I am just an introducer."

The two breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Deputy Envoy Li!"

Liu Xingye was extremely sensitive, so he wanted to check his relationship with Xie's Chamber of Commerce first, and then discuss the share.

Tuoba Gong thought about Liangzhou controlled by An's, not to mention that he was going to give them some soup, even if he was really domineering and told them to leave, he didn't dare to have the slightest complaint.

Li Yan asked: "Yangxian tea can be sold at a high price in Tubo, but those who can afford it are the nobles. Is there any tea that can be sold in large quantities to ordinary people?"

Tuoba Gong frowned, while Liu Xingye said: "Vice Envoy Li, the price of tea in Sichuan and Sichuan is generally high, and in addition to transporting it here, only the tribal leaders of the Qiang people can afford it." gone."

Li Yan is very clear that this is actually related to the lack of large-scale popularization of tea and the limited number of people who grow it. Rare things are more expensive.

He asked again: "What if it is sold to the people of Rugui?"

The mediocre people are servants and slave households at the bottom, so they can't be taken into account for the time being, and the Guimin with high status can be taken into consideration.

Tuoba Gong said in a low voice: "Guimin's financial resources are related to wars. Every time they win a battle, they can also plunder a part of the spoils. If there is no war to fight, they can't afford it."

Li Yan nodded slightly: "So that's the case, don't think about those for now, let's sell the brand of Yangxian Tea first!"

Tuoba Gong said cautiously: "Can I use Li Jiyi's name?"

Li Yan nodded: "It's okay."

Liu Xingye breathed a sigh of relief: "Please envoy Li, give it to us. The price of this tea is guaranteed to be higher than three gold, and the Tubo nobles are always fighting for it, so we don't have to worry about sales!"

Li Yan imagined a series of advertisements in his mind.

Named by the envoys of the Tang Dynasty, strongly recommended by Zanpu Zhong, the mysterious century-old tea from the south of the Yangtze River, small tea cakes, made by masters, if you can't buy three golds, you will suffer losses, and if you can't buy three golds, you will be fooled...

Watching the two of them off with Yangxian tea, Shangguan Wan'er came over happily: "Master, master, will you be particularly rich in the future?"

Li Yan waved his hands humbly: "I'm not interested in money, I value the influence of tea more."

This is true, let alone now, Britain, more than a thousand years later, almost went bankrupt in order to buy Chinese tea.

The East India Company came to China to do business, and ended up becoming an import company. Its own goods could not be sold at all, and they patronized to buy tea to send to China. Silver flowed into China, which lasted for half a century. Britain was in a silver shortage and went bankrupt. Everyone knows what happened next.

The Qing Dynasty was backward, and it clearly held a good card for tea, but it was ravaged by others. Now that the Tang Dynasty is strong, the backward people are the aliens who gradually rely on tea. Jujube, only the foreign races around can truly bow their heads.

Shangguan Wan'er didn't quite understand, but she thought of Wang Xiaojie: "Master, after we leave, will Uncle Wang stay here forever? The princess is very powerful, I'm afraid he will suffer!"

Li Yan said solemnly: "Now the Gar family has not resolved, Xiaojie has to stay, the princess is indeed a variable, but the two sides will not turn their faces now, there is an uncle here, don't worry, we can help the most now , to win Tuyuhun."

Shangguan Wan'er thought of Prince Tuyuhun who was always calling her senior sister and flattering her, so she gave an assist: "Should I let the little prince come over?"

Li Yan smiled: "I was going to call him, so go and call him!"

Soon the little prince entered and saluted respectfully: "Meet Deputy Envoy Li!"

Li Yan looked at the little prince whose skin was rough and weathered, but became more and more calm, nodded and said, "What is your biggest achievement recently?"

The little prince thought for a while and said: "My harvest is from the Gar family. I have learned a lesson and understood the principle of putting the people first as Li Fushi said at the time!"

Li Yan looked at him with admiration: "With Jiao Er's relationship, you have obtained a large amount of private information about the nobles of Tuyuhun, all of which were obtained through countless painstaking efforts of the hidden guards. The road to the restoration of the country is undoubtedly much smoother."

"I thought you would say that, but I didn't expect you to say this. It seems that the trip to Tibet has inspired you a lot."

"Keep in mind that it will be useful for a lifetime!"

The little prince said: "It's Li Fushi who taught me well!"

Li Yan smiled: "Since that's the case, you still call me Deputy Envoy Li?"

The little prince was stunned.

Shangguan Wan'er reminded: "Didn't you always want to be a teacher, and you still haven't changed your name!"

The little prince suddenly came to his senses, and bowed in ecstasy: "Yes, Master!"

Li Yan nodded gently: "Wan'er, you are also a senior sister now, you should teach him well on weekdays."

Shangguan Wan'er was not surprised, she looked at the little prince leisurely, "Junior brother, do you want senior sister to teach you?"

The little prince was shocked: "Master, I have already learned to teach myself, I can do it alone..."

Li Yan sighed with relief: "This is the style of my sect!"

(End of this chapter)