I practiced magic in the Three Kingdoms

The scenery in Luoyang is unique, but the situation in Chang'an is not very peaceful. The imperial dynasty is plagued by internal strife, and the Qiang rebellion that was just quelled a few years ago has started again.

The Yanhan Dynasty was now plagued by famine for years, and the capital city was also greatly affected. For example, the refugees from outside the city were begging for food in the wastelands near several Taoist temples that had porridge kitchens. The cries of hungry people were endless in the streets.

Fortunately, the weather was warm and no one froze to death.

However, precisely because the weather was warm and humid, various epidemics began to appear in areas where the extremely poor population was concentrated, and corpses were carried to mass graves outside the city every day.

Even Wang Jing could only complete the industrial layout as soon as possible to absorb and transform these "extra" populations. Otherwise, the Yellow Turban Rebellion would be repeated, and by then, countless innocent people would be involved, resulting in heavy casualties.

In recent years, the imperial dynasty has been going from bad to worse. The political corruption has been compounded by various natural and man-made disasters, and people have actually become accustomed to it.

Especially for the wealthy and famous families living in the city, no matter how starving people there are outside the city and how many people are frozen to death on the road, they still sing and dance and enjoy the wealth and splendor.

Therefore, in many places, the city and outside the city are simply two different worlds.

The former is a paradise on earth, the latter is an endless purgatory.

Wang Jing liked the hustle and bustle, and in order to prosper the economy and promote industrial upgrading, he ordered the cancellation of the curfew and carried out a certain degree of transformation in Luoyang. Zhuque Street was about four or five miles long to the South Gate, and the streets along the way were full of lanterns, forming a bustling night market district.

The entire street is located in the city, with all kinds of shops on both sides of the street, open day and night, with a very strong business atmosphere. It is called the Lantern Market by the people of Luoyang.

It is a market during the day and you can watch the lights at night.

In the lantern market, merchants from all over the country gathered and took the opportunity to sell all kinds of goods.

Day and night, there is a constant flow of people shouting and calling, and it is very lively and prosperous. It does not feel like a dynasty at all, but instead gives people a sense of vitality.

Even many nearby streets and alleys become lively during the Lantern Festival. In the evening, all kinds of lanterns are hung in front of every shop. There are lanterns made of burnt beads, ink-splashed kesi, five-color gauze, bright horns, paper, wheat oranges and tongcao.

There are even extremely rare glass lamps and film lamps. These film lamps only appeared on the market a few days ago. They are slightly transparent, light and soft, with bright and eye-catching colors. They have become the new favorite of dignitaries and wealthy businessmen in Luoyang City.

Particularly precious lanterns are often hung on colorful pavilions on the street for people to admire from afar.

These colorful pavilions on the street all face north and south, with red doors and embroidered windows, painted buildings and carved beams. Most of the people with curtains on the upper floors are local high-ranking officials and their families. The rental price of each colorful pavilion is tens of thousands of coins per night, which is equivalent to the annual expenses of an ordinary family of three.

The colorful lights are on all night long, so you can enjoy the lights and fireworks all night long. The fireworks are also varied and amazing, just like being in paradise, and you will never want to leave.

Various bands, acrobatics and all-night performances make Luoyang a city that never sleeps. The bright lights are like stars in the sky, shining brightly and illuminating the night sky.

In addition, there were dragon and lion dance teams here and there, from dusk till dawn, with men and women crowding in all night long, creating a huge crowd.

That morning, there was a middle-aged man with a good-looking appearance, who was already in his old age. He had a sparse, three-strand beard, wore a half-worn silk robe, and a black square scarf on his head. There was a bit of elegance between his brows.

He was seen riding a donkey, entering through the west gate, and coming to the south city alone.

After entering Zhuque Street, he got off the donkey in front of the gate of Fumanlou, the most conspicuous building in the Lantern Festival, paid for the fare, and walked slowly inside.

This middle-aged man who looks like a businessman, whose real name is Lai Fu, has been an apprentice in a famous jewelry store in Luoyang since he was in his early teens. After working diligently for more than 20 years, he finally became the head manager.

The surname Lai was a noble of the Shang Dynasty in ancient times. After the Zhou Dynasty destroyed the Shang Dynasty, the Lai family was crushed into mud. Their descendants could not become officials, so they had to work together to do business. Lai Fu was derived from this branch of the Lai family.

Lai Fu worked in the jewelry business for his entire life. He quit his employer a few years ago and planned to retire and return to his hometown to buy some land and live a leisurely life.

When you are over fifty, it should be time for you to enjoy some family happiness. However, unexpected events happened and refugees attacked. The whole family had to flee, and all the property they had worked hard for a lifetime was gone.

This was like a bolt from the blue for Lai Fu.

Life is so difficult, and he finally wants to live a stable life. He has only one son, who has died of illness. This grandson is his only hope and sustenance, but now he feels desperate about how to feed his grandson.

However, somehow, the news of his family's misfortune was known to Manager Wang in Luoyang City.

Shopkeeper Wang is Wang Yun's household servant. Thanks to his connections in the Sikong Mansion, he has made a name for himself in the jewelry and toys business and is quite familiar with the business and the people.

A young man who called himself Ding Ba appeared in front of Lai Fu after being introduced by Manager Wang. He claimed that he could give him a job and wanted him to be the chief manager of the Fu Man Lou that was being planned and built.

For a well-known expert, joining another company is a taboo in the industry. Business competition in the imperial dynasty was relatively mild, and each industry had its own rules. It was far less competitive than the involution of later generations. Instead, people were used to working together to make money in harmony and cutting the leeks of outsiders, but they fought among themselves.

So Lai Fu wanted to refuse, but then he changed his mind and realized that he had already retired and had cut off all ties with his former employer. If he came out of retirement to seek another job, at most he would just be gossiped about behind his back by his peers.

Although this young man does not look like a native of Luoyang, he has a noble bearing and good manners, and he should not be a thief.

Although Lai Fu felt a little strange, he agreed at that time.

After all, compared with the livelihood of my family, what does my little fame mean?
Make money, not shabby.

So Lai Fu, with the attitude of treating a dead horse as a living one, allowed Ding Ba to drive him around and officially became a disciple of Fu Manlou.

But after entering, Lai Fu found that Fu Manlou was very strange. Long before he came here, he had secretly inquired from some old acquaintances. Fu Manlou's shop had been open for less than ten days, and no one knew what business it was doing. The shop had strict access control, and no one knew much about the ins and outs of it.

Many people advised Lai Fu to think carefully. The owner of this store had an unknown background and was often accompanied by several murderous guards. It was likely that he was not from a decent background and it was possible that he was backed by some outlaw gang.

This made Lai Fu start to feel uneasy.

I have been a foreman all my life, but I have never helped anyone sell stolen goods. Could it be that I have lost my integrity in my later years?
But Lai Fu felt that it would not happen. After all, Manager Wang was from the Wang family of Taiyuan. The strict family tradition of Wang Yun was known to the world, and Qi Hou Wang Jing had always cracked down on all kinds of illegal transactions. Manager Wang had always been mature and reliable, and he would never introduce a boss to him casually.

In the end, Lai Fu, who was poor and had low aspirations, decided to find Manager Wang first to ask for clear answers. The most important thing was to see if he could find out the background of the new boss.

Shopkeeper Wang had no reservations and explained Ding Ba's origins to Lai Fu in detail.

Upon learning that Ding Ba was actually Qi Hou's man, Lai Fu was so scared that his hands were shaking. After learning such a big secret, would he be silenced?
Shopkeeper Wang smiled and comforted him, "You are now a member of Fu Man Lou, and this is actually also Qi Hou's property, so some things can't be hidden from you, but don't say what you shouldn't say, and don't ask what you shouldn't ask. You are also an old hand, so you should understand what to do without me telling you, right?"

Obviously, Fumanlou is not just a place that sells things, it is also an intelligence station, but it only collects economic information.

But after all, it involved military and national affairs, so Manager Wang repeatedly warned Lai Fu to keep the secret and never tell anyone about it. He also mentioned that a batch of rare goods might be shipped in for sale soon, so he asked him to be prepared.

As for what rare goods there were, Lai Fu did not dare to ask more. He originally thought that Ding Ba was a wealthy man from other states who came to Luoyang to do business. After all, under Wang Jing's governance, Luoyang has now become a Feng Shui treasure land. Who among the wealthy merchants in the world would not want to come to the capital to see the world and make a fortune?
Lai Fu was just a little curious. As a newly established jewelry store, what amazing things could Fu Man Lou come up with?
Shopkeeper Wang knew that there were still many good things in the Qiqiao Pavilion that had not been put on sale. Those things were not only extremely exquisite, but also almost impossible for outsiders to imitate.

In Luoyang City, many people invited craftsmen from all over the world to study the various products produced by Qiqiao Pavilion on the market, and their furniture had been copied in large quantities before.

Lai Fu had originally been indifferent to the idea of ​​becoming the shopkeeper of Fumanlou, but after knowing these things, as he had been dealing with rare treasures all his life, he became curious and decided to take the position of shopkeeper.

These days, Lai Fu is busy visiting his peers and clients, and is initially establishing business relationships with Fumanlou.

The two waiters in front of the door were busy sweeping. When they saw the boss coming, they immediately dropped their brooms and came over to greet him, lending a hand and trying their best to please him.

"Is the owner here?"

"I'm in the accounting office at the back, talking to Manager Wang."

One of the waiters answered respectfully. Although he was young, he was the boss's son, Wang Lin, and he was very smart.

Lai Fu knew that Wang Lin's family all worked in General Wei's Mansion and were so-called family members. Although Wang Lin was now just a humble servant, he was privately highly valued by his boss. He was also the one who maintained contact with General Wei's Mansion, passing on information from time to time, or doing favors or something.

In fact, Wang Lin is more than just being valued. Lai Fu never dreamed that this young man with a childish face and a boyish look is actually a member of the secret guards and one of the important spies specially arranged by Ding Ba in Fumanlou.

His young age is his best cover. After all, who would care about a child for no reason?
As for Fumanlou, its existence is not as simple as making money by selling all kinds of rare and precious treasures. The shop is just the outermost layer of protection, and it also performs intelligence gathering work inside.

That's why Ding Ba's identity was kept so secret, and it was because Lai Fu was a relatively honest person, had a family, and was easy to control. Plus, many jobs couldn't be done without him, so they let him know some of the inside story in private to prevent him from finding out anything in the future and causing trouble and ruining the overall situation.

After Manager Wang left, another Manager He came to Fumanlou.

Wang Lin has become more active recently. Under Ding Ba's instructions, in addition to working as a clerk and learning how to do the work in the shop, Wang Lin also continues his undercover activities as a secret guard every day, responsible for collecting some business intelligence on the market.

Wang Lin has now developed three or four lower-level spies from the lower-level residents in Luoyang City. Through these inconspicuous little characters, he can grasp the intelligence of the entire neighborhood at any time, such as if any strange strangers have come, or if any strange things have happened.

Each of these spies can get 200 coins from him every month. This money is the rule set by Shi A back then. A special amount of activity funds will be given every month to cover the expenses of intelligence gathering. After all, no one is willing to work for others for free.

Now the secret guards have also been reorganized and split up. Some of them with open identities have followed Ding Ba to set up a new team, specializing in commercial infiltration. In the future, they will use commercial activities as a cover to go to the territories of other princes and heroes to set up intelligence networks and gather information.

In addition to providing necessary support and cover for the secret guards' actions, these separated people have much greater autonomy in their daily lives.

Ding Ba also took off his secret guard uniform, resigned from the military, and turned to the intelligence battlefield. In his opinion, an intelligence chief must not only be good at collecting intelligence, but also have good management skills, including the management of subordinates and finances.

Therefore, in order to train Wang Lin, a very talented and capable subordinate, he did not give Wang Lin too much money, but asked him to learn to find ways to solve the problem of money sources on his own.

Facts have proved that Wang Lin, who was only fifteen years old in March this year, is quite talented in intelligence work. Thanks to his efforts, Ding Ba not only knows the actions of the rich families in Zhuque Street, but also can find out the gossips in Xuanwu Street and even in Luoyang City in time and have a clear idea of ​​the situation.

Ding Ba was very satisfied with Wang Lin's performance, and his next target was to establish a primary intelligence and trade network in Sili, Yanzhou, Bingzhou under the rule of Wang Jing, as well as Jizhou, which he was constantly infiltrating.

At present, he relies on Fumanlou. Under his planning and with financial support, Manager Wang has expanded the scale of Fumanlou.

Shopkeeper Wang is from the Wang family of Taiyuan. With the support of his family and his own ability to socialize, he has a strong network of personal connections and is very familiar with business operations, so he is most suitable to stand in front of the stage and provide cover.

As for many things related to intelligence gathering, Ding Ba kept hidden behind the scenes and let Manager Wang handle them in order to ensure his own safety and confidentiality, so as to avoid intelligence leaks and being caught by the enemy.

Today, Manager Wang holds enormous wealth. He has established various businesses in major water and land ports, important transportation routes, and commodity distribution centers throughout Luoyang. He has also purchased farms, opened inns, and operated car dealerships. He is so powerful that he is afraid that others don't know how wealthy he is.

Manager Wang was both happy and worried about this.

What made him happy was that Bingzhou was now in decline and ruin, and many of his disciples and fellow villagers who could no longer make a living in the countryside had come to him for help. Ding Ba's request for him to open more branches would just solve the problem of food for these people. However, what worried him was that he had never seen anyone do business in this way before.

He didn't even know whether the first store could make money, but he opened the second and third stores one after another. And with this momentum, he was afraid that he would have to have stores throughout the Thirteen States of the Han Dynasty. The amount of money he spent made him nervous.

The layout of Luoyang alone cost two million yuan. Ding Ba also repeatedly instructed to buy more land, farms and oil presses, as much as possible.

With all this trouble, even if you have mountains of gold and silver at home, it won’t be enough!

Manager Wang had been worried for several days, so as soon as May was over, he hurried to discuss with Ding Ba whether to slow down the expansion. Lai Fu walked through the front yard and the main hall, and passed through a single-family house guarded by guards.

Everything within ten feet around had been chopped down to be bare. Not to mention trees, not even a single weed was longer than a chopstick. Anyone who wanted to sneak in quietly would have no chance unless they dropped from the sky.

Inside is a fresh and elegant courtyard with three main rooms, which is the accounting office of Fumanlou. It is filled with various account books recording important data and information. Some of them were even collected by Wang Jing's order. They will be counted and archived in the future for easy reference in the coming year.

The long windows were open, and Ding Ba and Manager Wang were seen talking inside.

Shopkeeper Wang had a worried look on his face and nodded from time to time.

Lai Fu had been a waiter for more than 20 years. He slowed down his pace and coughed lightly.

When Ding Ba saw him coming, he hurriedly greeted him. When Manager Wang saw him coming back, he also stood up and said goodbye and left.

Lai Fu reported to him one by one about his visits to clients and colleagues in the past few days.

Normally, such business issues do not need to be reported to the owner, but Fumanlou is very different from other stores. The main reason is that Lai Fu still doesn't know what the store is going to sell. The only thing he can do is to visit wealthy families in the city with the store's business cards and letters.

"Boss, this is the list of people I visited."

Lai Fu took out a folder from his sleeve and handed it to Ding Ba.

He casually opened the letter, and on the pink letter paper that exuded the fragrance of plum blossoms, there were many names written in neat regular script in columns, with annotations next to them. There were names such as the owner of Baixianlou, the manager of Chenji Grain Store, the owner of Jinshi Qianzhen Pavilion... Behind these shops and taverns were powerful officials in the court and descendants of famous families. Each of them was either rich or noble, and had great power.

In the feudal dynasty era, commercial activities were basically managed by people like the chief steward of a wealthy family or the family members of a high-ranking official's concubine. To put it bluntly, they were all products of power rent-seeking and the money bags of the big shots.

Don’t think it’s shameful to be a dog like this. In fact, if you want to do business in Luoyang City, you will have a hard time without a background.

How many people want to be dogs, but they don't have the means! (End of this chapter)