Neon Clothes and Iron Clothes

Chapter 498 The Smuggler

As one of the largest overseas trading ports at that time, thousands of ships of various kinds came to Yangzhou every year. These ships brought all kinds of people, but they all came here for one purpose - wealth.So Yangzhou people don't care about trading with strangers, as long as these people are willing to pay, I have heard such words from adults since I was a child-the copper coins of dung collectors are not smelly, and the money of flower sellers is not fragrant.

The open-minded attitude of Yangzhou people has undoubtedly affected the city. Unlike the sub-city located above Shugang, the trading area located on the flat ground below Shugang is simpler, rougher, dirty and noisier.Although it is divided into several squares like Chang'an Luoyang, there are not so many square walls, and there is no strict curfew at night.Sailors and merchants from all over crowded the docks and the streets, entertaining others and hunting for game.

Throughout Yangzhou, dogs like this place the most.He liked the noise, the strange smells, the ships arriving at the evening tide and the ships setting off.She also likes sailors: the loud Hebei people with loud voices and bushy beards; The southern barbarians overseas have black and smooth skin like teak wood, big nostrils and thick lips, just like the Kunlun slaves mentioned in wine shops. Their long and narrow ships have tall masts and sails made of leaves, and they come across the ocean.

Of course, not all ships and sailors can come to Yangzhou City. According to the rules, only overseas merchants allowed by the officials who escorted the ships can come to Yangzhou City to do business. At the same time, they have to pay a lot of taxes. And presented gifts to relevant officials.Either in order to avoid taxation and extortion by officials, or because their business is not so visible, many merchants simply traded on a desolate sandbar or island near Yangzhou, although the government often sent patrol boats to clean them up. Call them pirates and thief merchants, and claim that the people who trade with these maritime merchants or serve them are bandits, and they will be punished with whipping, exile or even death, but the participants are still repeatedly banned.The reason is simple—the rewards are so generous. According to the people of the Tang Dynasty at that time—“One night’s profit can be worth a year’s farming. In other words, regard the laws of the country as nothing!"

The boat was still a dozen steps away from the shore, and a strong young man jumped into the water. He stepped on the sand under the water and gently supported the bow of the boat to avoid being hit by the hidden reef in the water.There are already a dozen boats of different sizes docked on the beach. People are standing beside their own boats, each forming a group and whispering.

The dog carefully threw the rope to the adults on the shore, and did not get out of the boat until it was tied firmly.It wasn't the first time he had participated in this kind of mysterious gathering, and he knew that it looked peaceful here, but that was just an appearance.No one knew what would happen in the next second, he carefully clenched the dagger at his waist, and looked around vigilantly.

The leader went ashore, walked to a stone pillar, and whispered to a man in gray. Every time the leader said a few words, the man in gray shook his head, as if he was refusing something, and finally the man nodded. , Untied a money bag from his waist and gave it to the leader.The leader came back, his eyes swept over the crowd, and finally stayed on the dog: "Dog, there is a business deal today, and the risk is very high. You and the cat are still young, so don't go. We will take you and the cat later." Throw the cat to the shore, you two go back by yourself!" At this point, he handed the money bag to the dog: "You take this back and give it to your family!"

The dog didn't reach out to take it: "Uncle, wouldn't it be more dangerous for me and the cat to take so much money back? It's better to change to someone else! Although the cat and I are still young, there are advantages to being small. Sometimes adults Things that are inconvenient to do are easy for us children to do!"

"That's true!" The leader laughed, and he patted the dog's shoulder: "I have made progress, and I don't eat for free on weekdays. Okay, you and the cat will stay, Ah San, you and Qian Qi Take the money back and don't go wrong!"

The two young men responded, and everyone boarded the boat, first sent their companions ashore, and then drove the boat to the southeast.

The air on the sea is humid and warm, surprisingly calm, the Yuhuang is floating in the light green water on the shore, her slender hull is like a dolphin floating on the water, smooth, beautiful, and fast, it seems that it will disappear in the next second Glide on the water.

"When will those people you mentioned arrive?" Cao Sengnu picked up the jug and poured a glass of wine for the person opposite: "The longer my boat stays here, the more dangerous it will be!"

Sitting opposite Cao Sengnu was a man in a gorgeous Sichuan brocade robe, with a high nose, deep eyes, and a bushy beard. His eyes showed a faint green color in the sun. He took a sip of wine and said with a smile: "Good wine, The taste is sweet and refreshing, but there is a strong aftertaste, as if a fire is burning on my tongue. I have not drunk this wine, monk, what is this wine made of? Is there any on board this time?"

"Yes, it's brewed from sugar cane! It's called fire wine!" Cao Sengnu replied impatiently. He was very upset that the other party avoided his questions, but he also knew that the most important thing in the negotiation was to keep calm. Whoever gets irritated first will suffer.

"Huojiu, that's a good name, but I've also drank sugar cane wine, isn't it the same taste?" Hu merchant asked.

"The same sorghum, with different methods, different water sources, and even different seasons, can make different wines!" Cao Sengnu said with a smile: "It is indeed made from sugar cane, but it is different from ordinary sugar cane wine. The beauty of it is naturally not enough for outsiders to understand!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The Hu businessman laughed: "But you and I haven't seen each other for a few years, monk and slave, but you are a different person. This boat, this wine, and all kinds of treasures on board are just as good as real." It fell from the sky. I heard the news from Chang’an, but they didn’t say anything good about you! What’s the matter, why didn’t you tell your old friend about it?”

Cao Sengnu snorted coldly, it turned out that this Hu merchant's surname was An and his name was Taishun, he was also a Sogdian merchant, and he was an old acquaintance.He came from Ryukyu this time, trying to open up the southern route from the country of Wa - Ryukyu - Yangzhou.Naturally, he didn't dare to go directly to the city to hand over the document to ask for a deal, so he found his old acquaintance.

"Brother An, you can also ask a third party about the past events in Chang'an. If my uncle and I hadn't contributed at that time, not to mention their lives, even the Zoroastrian Temple in Chang'an would have been destroyed together. Who is it for? They are now able to speak ill of my uncle and me in front of everyone, thanks to my uncle and me! As for the ships, wine and treasures on board, you are also used to buying and selling. If you don’t succeed, why don’t you go to find out the details of the other party? If you know everything, how can I do this business?”

"Hehehe!" An Taishun laughed after hearing Cao Sengnu's rebuttal: "What Brother Cao said is true, but I also listened to their one-sided words! Didn't the people of Tang have a saying that everyone's mouth can make money, and it can be destroyed Pingu. So many people say bad things about you, I can't help but have some doubts!"

"The bigger the business, the more right and wrong. Naturally, people will say bad things about you. Don't you understand this truth? If I ask around like Brother An, I'm afraid I'll hear a lot of bad things, right?"

An Taishun laughed dryly. They are wealthy businessmen who have done business to such an extent that they don't know how many people have been stained with blood and tears. Naturally, their reputation is not much better. He just mentioned the old things in Chang'an just because he wanted to take the opportunity to beat Cao Sengnu made two slaps, trying to grab the upper hand for the next bargaining, but he didn't want the other party to give up an inch, so he retorted.But he can go to today, and his face has already reached the point where a golden bell covers an iron shirt: "Brother Cao said that you are in a big business, and your belly is like an ocean. Those few words just now are the words of a villain." Don’t take it to heart. But you don’t have to tell me the origin of the goods, you have to get to the bottom of it, so that my little brother won’t be blinded, right?”

"To the bottom?" Cao Sengnu glanced at An Taishun, knowing that he couldn't hide this time, otherwise An Taishun would never take that step with the opponent's cunning temperament like a fox, if he didn't reveal a thing or two. .

"Forget it, I'll reveal one or two things, and you can guess the rest!" Cao Sengnu smiled: "Brother An should have heard about the destruction of the Zoroastrian Temple in Chang'an a few years ago, right?"

"Of course I heard it!" The original greasy smile on An Taishun's face disappeared: "I heard that Uncle Ling put in a lot of effort to keep the Zoroastrian Temple. Mingzun, Uncle Ling is a good man. I All are blessed by him!"

"Hehe!" Cao Sengnu laughed twice: "My uncle and I are both Mingzun's disciples. The Zoroastrian Temple was damaged, so it is necessary to contribute. It's just that I am just a merchant. How can there be anything to say on this kind of matter? If it weren't for a coincidence to meet a big man, otherwise the Chang'an Zoroastrian Temple would have already been in ruins!"

"Big man?" How alert An Taishun was, he immediately heard Cao Sengnu's subtext: "Brother Cao is saying that this ship's cargo is related to that big man?"

"I didn't say that! Brother An is thinking too much!"

Hearing Cao Sengnu's denial, An Taishun became more certain, and said with a smile: "Yes, yes, I'm overthinking, this business is on An's shoulders, Brother Cao, please wait at ease, this shipment will ship out. No difference!"

"You always say that there is nothing wrong, but after waiting for so long, you still haven't seen the ship! The ship stays here for one day, and there is an extra day's risk. What should we do if there is a strong wind or something on the patrol ship of the government?"

"Brother Cao, don't worry! I know where the cruise ship goes every day. It's fine for your ship to stay here for at least half a month. As for the strong wind!" An Taishun suddenly stood up and pointed to the northwest: " Look, it's not here!"

"Hey, hey!"

With the sound of the rhythmic chant, the oarsmen rowed backwards a few times, and the bow of the boat lightly hit the stone pile, and the dog nimbly jumped onto the rock on the bank, and fastened the rope to the stone pillar. , to ensure the stability of the vessel.

"Such a small boat!" Cao Sengnu sighed in disappointment: "How many boats do I need to finish my cargo? Can't you hire a few bigger boats?"

"There are plenty of ships in Yangzhou, but the larger ones belong to gangs, and they are full of the spy of the foreign ship envoy!" An Taishun said: "If you let them deliver the goods, the person who is in charge of the foreign ship will know about you by tomorrow morning at the most." There is no other way, if the bandits seize your cargo, the leader can get [-]% of the value of the cargo as a reward!"

"A reward of [-]% of the value of the goods?" Cao Sengnu was taken aback: "So much for Yangzhou's envoy?"

"If they catch them, they will eat even more!" An Taishun sneered, "Think about it, how much is a whole boatload of seafood worth? Eighty percent of them are eaten at once, and they can go into private pockets, no one knows. Compared with this, what is the imperial court's salary?"

Cao Sengnu nodded. His own boat was loaded with high-quality isinglass, tendons, animal skins of various colors, high-quality pine nuts, rosin, whale blubber, sugarcane wine, sugar, copper ingots and other precious goods, totaling a thousand. There are more than 300 shi, and the value is close to one million guan at a rough calculation. If you can swallow it, it is enough to return to your hometown immediately and become a rich man.In the face of this level of temptation, any business reputation is bullshit.

"Then why do you trust these people? They won't go to the government to show their heads?" Cao Sengnu asked.

"Don't worry, they are all people on the water, and they form their own system on weekdays. Even if you have conflicts with them, they will only seek revenge from you in private, and will never go to the government to sue you!" An Taishun laughed. .

"Family on the water?" Cao Sengnu showed a puzzled look, and Antai explained by the way. It turned out that the people on the water he was talking about were special people who were floating on the water at that time. Some people said that they were descendants of the ancient Yue people, while others said They are the remnants of Sun En Luxun's rebel army in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and some say they are the remnants of the local tyrants in the south of the Yangtze River who were defeated by Yang Su after Sui Ping and Chen Hou.These special groups of people live in boats and live along the water. They are not under the jurisdiction of the government's registered households, and they are self-contained. They are discriminated against by other land residents. Even if they are hurt, they will never go to the government to report.An Taishun hired such a group of people to transship the goods.

"Don't worry, although this group of people is looked down upon by outsiders, as long as they can gain their trust, they will act more safely. Moreover, they know the local waterways very well. Even the government's patrol boats cannot control them. As long as you use them, your goods will definitely be delivered safely!"

"Wouldn't these people take the opportunity to swallow my cargo?" Cao Sengnu asked suspiciously.

"Brother Cao, don't worry, these people are looked down upon everywhere. Even if he steals your goods, he will sell them, and he will be caught as a thief immediately. Even if the person who bought the goods doesn't take him, he will Keep the price low, and it would be good if they can get half of the price in the end. Why do they bother to be villains for such a small amount of money and ruin the business later?"

(End of this chapter)