big song poppi

Chapter 32 0031 [Traveler]

Three days in a row.

The villagers of Xiaowang Village brought another 39 escaped households for Han Zhen, a total of 144 people.

To his delight, the proportion of young and middle-aged men among the fleeing households is very high, reaching a staggering 53%.

However, the reason behind this is cruel.

Due to the harsh conditions in the mountains, most of the elderly, weak, women and children died within a year.

Those who can survive are naturally strong young people.

On the fifth day, the number of fleeing households started to decrease.

This is normal. Most of the fleeing households that the villagers can bring are villagers from the former Xiaowang Village. They already know each other, so they are more likely to be persuaded.

Moreover, with the fleeing households in Xiaowang Village on the outskirts of Dashan, all escaped households were pulled.

If you want to continue searching, you have to go deep into the mountains, and the danger has increased several times.

It wasn't until a villager was almost buried in the tiger's mouth that the villagers in Xiaowang Village woke up from the frenzy of making money and returned to their previous lives one after another.

After all, in a few days, the wheat in the field will be harvested.

……

At noon, the scorching sun seemed to be drying up the earth.

Ma Sangou and the others who returned from patrolling went back to the mansion.

At this moment, the five of them seemed to be fished out of the water, with sweat dripping down their chins.

As soon as they entered the yard, several people immediately took off their bamboo hats and rushed to the well.

A bucket of cool well water was poured down, and Ma Sangou shivered suddenly.

Passing the wooden barrel to Gu Siong beside him, he quickly walked into the hall, picked up a bowl of marinated plum juice and drank it down in one gulp.

Ma Sangou breathed a sigh of relief, and couldn't help asking: "Second brother Han, our lime kiln is finished, why is there still no movement in Niaozhi County?"

"No hurries."

Han Zhen sipped the marinated plum juice with a calm expression.

He is very clear about Changzhi County's small thoughts.

It is nothing more than trying to gain the initiative in cooperation through this method.

It's a pity that Changzhi County didn't understand one thing, he can be replaced.

This Qingzhou is not only Linzi County, nor is it only an official from Changzhi County.

While the two were talking, Tan Qiang's son, Puppy, hurried in and panted, "Village Chief, the official came again last time."

Hearing this, Han Zhen smiled slightly, and ordered: "Go and bring him here."

The old fox finally couldn't bear it anymore.

"Hey."

The little dog responded, turned and went out the door.

Zhou Tian drove an ox cart this time, and brought an extra person with him.

The man was stooped, and his entire face was covered by a wide bamboo hat.

After the two entered the house, Han Zhen looked at Zhou Tian and asked knowingly, "Zhou Tian, ​​who is this?"

Before Zhou Tian could reply, the old man took off his bamboo hat and introduced himself: "Hehe, this old man is a traveling merchant. Passing by Guicun, come to ask for a bowl of water, and see if we can negotiate a small business or two, so that we can earn some living money."

Han Zhen asked with a half-smile, "What's the old man's name?"

"The old man's name is Shangjin."

As Shang Jin said, he looked Han Zhen up and down.

The last time I had a quick glance at the county government office, I only got a glimpse of the back.

Looking at it now, he looks handsome, with a tiger's back and a wolf's waist, and he couldn't help but admire a good man in his heart.

Han Zhen invited: "What a coincidence, I just have a small business here, why don't we discuss it in detail in the study."

"Stick what you want, don't dare to ask for it!"

The two smiled at each other.

He brought Shang towel to the study in the backyard, and asked Fang Sansan to bring a bowl of marinated plum juice, and Han Zhen asked her to close the door and watch outside.

Looking around the study room, Shang Jin picked up the marinated plum juice and took a sip, and praised: "Xiao Langjun is so brave!"

Han Zhen said calmly, "It's just that the officials forced the people to rebel."

For a moment, the atmosphere in the study fell into silence.

After a while, Shang Jin was the first to break the silence: "Xiao Langjun, what kind of rules is this deal?"

Han Zhen pondered: "Twenty guan of white sugar is one liang, and refined salt is always one catty. This is the price I will give you. As for where you sell it and at what price, it is up to you. If you can sell white sugar for a hundred guan, that is your ability, and it has nothing to do with me."

After thinking about it for a moment, Shang Jin asked again: "I wonder how much you have, Mr. Xiao Lang?"

This is the most concerned issue of Changzhi County.

If there was only one point, then he naturally wouldn't need to take such a big risk to do business with a bandit.

"The first batch is eight catties of white sugar and 120 catties of refined salt."

After Han Zhen finished speaking, he added: "The production of white sugar is low, and this figure will remain in the future. But refined salt, if there is enough coarse salt, you can have as much as you want!"

Shang Jin understood what he meant. First of all, this was not a one-off deal, and second, he planned to ask himself to help solve the problem of coarse salt.

There is no shortage of coarse salt in the Song Dynasty, but what is lacking is salt.

In the second year of Zizhenghe, after Cai Jing proposed the salt import method, merchants who wanted to sell salt had to buy salt from the imperial court at a high price.

This method made Song Huizong a lot of money in a short period of time, but problems also emerged.

A businessman is not a philanthropist. Naturally, he had to find a way to earn back the salt he bought at a high price, which led to an increase in the price of salt in the market.

From the second year of Zhenghe to now, the price of salt has soared from thirty yuan a catty to eighty yuan.

People can't afford official salt, so they will naturally turn around and buy cheap private salt.

As a result, private salt dealers began to proliferate.

If Han Zhen really wants to buy coarse salt, he can buy it, but it is more troublesome.

It is better to hand over the problem of raw materials to Changzhi County.

"Don't worry, Mr. Xiaolang, I will handle the coarse salt myself."

Shang Jin didn't think much, and nodded in response.

This shows that coarse salt is not a problem at all for Changzhi County.

Hearing this, Han Zhen chuckled lightly and said, "This is the first time we have cooperated. To show our sincerity, I only charge one or two ounces of white sugar for the first batch, and [-] Wen a catty of refined salt."

Shang Jin cupped his hands with a smile on his face: "The old man would like to thank Xiao Langjun."

This reduction is indeed sincere, and it has saved Changzhi County hundreds of guan.

However, at the next moment, Han Zhen said in a leisurely manner: "I have seen my sincerity, I don't know my sincerity?"

Shang Jin was taken aback for a moment, and then asked, "I don't know what kind of sincerity does Mr. Xiao Lang want?"

"I want ten oxen and twenty donkeys, and I will pay you."

The summer harvest is coming soon, and with some of these livestock, Xiaowang Village will be able to free up a lot of labor.

At that time, the recruitment problem of the salt factory can be solved, and by the way, it can also be recruited.

Shang Jin's face was filled with embarrassment: "This... this old man can't make the decision, we need to go back and discuss it."

"Then I will wait for the good news."

Han Zhen didn't expect to be able to negotiate in one go today.

To put it bluntly, Shangjin is just a mouthpiece, and it is Changzhi County who really makes the decision.

After leaving the study, Shang Jin and Zhou Tian hurried away in a bullock cart.

Watching their leaving backs, Ma Sangou asked in a low voice, "Second Brother Han, what is the origin of this Shangjin?"

Han Zhen replied casually: "It's nothing more than an old servant or a housekeeper."

The old man played tricks and came up with a strange name like Shangjin.

The monkey asked curiously, "Is the deal over?"

Han Zhen said to himself: "No accident, it should be done."

Hearing this, Gu Song on the side scolded: "It really is a dog official who started a business with bandits."

As soon as the words fell, he was slapped on the back of the head.

Gu Song covered his head and said aggrievedly: "Brother Sangou, why are you beating me?"

"What nonsense, we are bandits. Without these corrupt officials, how would we make money." Ma Sangou said with a look of disgust.

"That's true."

Gu Song nodded approvingly, expressing his agreement.

(End of this chapter)