Horse on the World

Chapter 198 Bidding
In the Dingzhou Marshal's Mansion, on the large school grounds, a high platform has already been set up, with curtains drawn on the back and sides, and a blazing brazier is placed every few steps inside the platform. Although the weather outside is very cold, but On the high platform, it is warm and harmonious.The snow in the school grounds was swept clean, and there was no mud in the school grounds compacted with burnt cinders. Rows of Dingzhou soldiers stood solemnly around the school grounds.

On the high platform, the representatives of the major forces of Dachu all looked nervous. The battle of Yi'an, the scene of the hundred-shot crossbow shooting and killing the barbarian cavalry like cutting leeks has been clearly known to everyone sitting there through various channels. In an instant, the scene of thousands of arrows firing made everyone shudder. No matter who owns this weapon, they can take advantage of long-range strikes on the battlefield, effectively killing opponents and reducing the pressure on their side.But Dingzhou divides this kind of Baifa crossbow, which only sells one hundred units a year, into several shares, [-]%, [-]%, [-]%, [-]%, half, and half. To forty crossbows out of a hundred, and this is the goal of everyone here.The regulations set by Dingzhou made everyone present very strange. Not everyone bid publicly, but everyone wrote a price and handed it over to the relevant personnel in Dingzhou. The person with the highest bid will get [-]%. It's two [-]%, and so on. This disappointed some family representatives who were trying their best to smash people with money. You don't know how much money other people pay, so how can you throw money at people? out more than you.

In the target light of everyone's attention, a series of repeated crossbow cabinets were pushed out. In order to show all forces that the things sold in Dingzhou are worth the money, Dingzhou will publicly demonstrate the power of this kind of crossbow.Rows of targets covered with cowhide were erected at the other end of the school ground about two or three hundred paces away, and on this side, two repeating crossbows were ready to go.As soon as an order was given, the crowd could only whizz, and the arrows shot out continuously from the crossbow in the cabinet connected the two hollow targets, and only penetrated deeply into the third target. It was a disastrous change in complexion. The rain of arrows thrown out like locusts just now completely subverted their imagination of the repeating crossbow. What everyone dare not imagine is that if there are hundreds or thousands of such repeating crossbows firing continuously , what effect would that have?
Everyone on the stage had their own thoughts, only two of them had nothing to do with themselves, and they were sitting together talking and laughing happily. The two were Li Yunzhi, the business manager of the Li family, and Li Yunzhi, the God of Wealth of the Li family. To whom, because the Li family has already obtained a promise from Li Qing, as much as they want.He came here to discuss with relevant personnel in Dingzhou about borrowing Li's business network in Dingzhou. [-]% commission, but the only requirement is that these products must be exclusively managed by Mr. Li.Of course, he also wanted to ask the old man Li Huaiyuan why Li Qing sold these things that should have been kept secret. After getting the answer from Li Qing, he was purely watching the fun today.

The person sitting next to him was indeed the representative of the imperial court, Ding Yu, Yuan Fang's deputy, and he came to see for the emperor whether he wanted to buy these sharp weapons in large quantities. In Emperor Tianqi's view, since Li Qing Selling these weapons on a large scale shows from another aspect that Li Qing is a guy with no ambitions, a loyal minister who is loyal to the imperial court and plans to put down the barbarians. Beating barbarians is a waste of money. Of course, Emperor Tianqi knows it. As the battle line gradually advances to the grassland, the logistical pressure will increase. It seems that Li Qing is short of money, and even a big killer like the Baifa crossbow is sold for money. At this moment, Tianqi even I feel that handing Fuzhou over to Li Qing can make the best use of everything, allowing him to raise more money to pacify the barbarians for himself. Although the royal family will reduce a lot of income because of this, it is not the same as pacifying the barbarians. What is this little money compared to the achievements?

"Go and see for me, who bought these hundred-shot crossbows on a large scale." Emperor Tianqi said to Ding Yu bitterly, "Once Li Qing uses this trick, some people will definitely jump out. Let me see what they are."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Ding Yu agreed loudly.

"Well, let's go to Dingzhou and tell Li Qing that I trust him very much. Since he is short of money, Fuzhou will let him run the business with confidence. Anyway, Qingcheng's dowry will be handed over to him in the future. He wants a batch of these hundred-shot crossbows, of course, I won't miss him a penny, and I will give him the highest price."

Ding Yu, who came to Dingzhou with a mission, had met Li Qing in private, and expressed the emperor's goodwill. Of course, Li Qing fully agreed to the emperor's request, and the emperor's promise made him very happy. The state is even more confident and has legal principles to follow.

"Your Majesty the Emperor's kindness, Li Qing can't repay it, but Dingzhou really has no money. After years of fighting against the barbarians, Dingzhou can be said to have no food left. With the backing of Fuzhou, Dingzhou is more confident in fighting against the barbarians. I will definitely defeat the barbarians for His Majesty the Emperor within three years." Of course, Ding Yu would not take Li Qing's crying for poverty seriously, and what he has seen since he entered Dingzhou, combined with the staff spies in Dingzhou, knows that The people of Dingzhou are probably richer than most people in other prefectures of Dachu. Of course, he will not expose Li Qing face to face. It is good for everyone to understand, not to mention that Li Qing has stuffed a lot of things in the dark. something for him.

"Commander Ding, I still have one thing here that I want to dedicate to His Majesty the Emperor. I also ask Commander Ding to take Li Qing back to Luoyang on his return journey and present it to His Majesty." Li Qing took Ding Yu to see the Dingzhou Craftsman Camp with a smile on his face. The extremely luxurious carriage made made him speechless, but Li Qing let him get on the carriage to experience the uniqueness of this carriage, which made him even more surprised from ear to ear.

"Marshal Li, this carriage is so stable, how did you do it?" Li Qing smiled and did not answer, but said: "Commander Ding, this is a style specially made by us in Dingzhou, and there are only a thousand of this style in total. , are numbered, and this carriage dedicated to His Majesty the Emperor is numbered one, Commander Ding, please take a look." Guided Ding Yu to appreciate the differences of this carriage one by one.

"Marshal Li's loyalty to the king has made Ding feel deeply in his heart. After returning to Beijing, he will report to His Majesty the Emperor one by one." Ding Yu was very emotional, and Li Qing smiled like a flower, "Thank you, Commander Ding, for being beautiful to us." Yan, Commander Ding is a general, I have prepared a small gift here, please accept Commander Ding."

With a wave of his hand, Tang Hu immediately took out a dark waist knife, which looked very inconspicuous. Just when Ding Yu was surprised, Li Qing had already pulled out the knife, and motioned for Ding Yu to also take out the waist knife he was wearing with him. The two knives collided with each other, and there was a soft cracking sound. Ding Yu's original knife broke into two pieces with a choke sound. Ding Yu couldn't help but gasped. The knife is not ordinary, it is made by the most skilled craftsman in the capital with the best fine iron, unexpectedly it is so vulnerable, holding the knife that Li Qing handed him, he couldn't put it down, as a general, there is a Such a sharp weapon is equivalent to having an extra life.

"Thank you, Li Shuai, thank you, Li Shuai!" Ding Yu thanked him again and again. There are not many such sharp weapons in Destiny.

Sure enough, Li Qing said: "I only have two of these knives in Dingzhou now, one of which I have now, and the other is for him, so I will give it to Master Ding, I hope Master Ding will not refuse!"

Ding Yu couldn't help being grateful, "This, this is too precious, how can I thank Li Shuai for this, I can't repay you, I can't repay you!"

Li Qing laughed loudly, patted Ding Yu on the shoulder and said, "Your Majesty Ding is too polite, you are always by His Majesty's side, and if you say a word casually, I, Dingzhou, will be of great use to me!"

"Of course, of course, don't worry Li Shuai, Ding will never forget to speak for Dingzhou in the future." Ding Yu smiled.

Ding Yu, who was sitting on the stage, was stroking the new knife in his waist while chatting nonsense with Li Yunzhi. At this time, the bidding on the stage had begun, and everyone who was interested in buying and selling got a piece of paper. paper, an envelope, but hesitated to write.If one is wrong, all hopes will be lost. If you want to buy a hundred-shot crossbow, you have to wait until next year. The key is that if this kind of hundred-shot crossbow can be copied, it will be a year late, and how much impact will it have!
Zhong Ziqi, who was sitting beside Li Qing, picked up his pen and wanted to put it down several times, but he hesitated. No matter what Li Qing's intentions were, Zhong Ziqi was determined to get the biggest order. There are hundreds of crossbows in Taiwan, but the weird bidding rules that Li Qing came up with made him hesitate for the first time in his life.

"Lord Zhong?" Li Qing looked at him with a smile.

Zhong Ziqi raised his head and saw Li Qing's smiling eyes. His heart was shocked, and he had a sudden understanding. He picked up the pen and quickly wrote a line, then folded it and put it in the envelope.

"Master Zhong is sure?" Li Qing said with a smile.

"Don't dare, Li Shuai's rules are unique, and it's the first time Zhong has heard of them, so he can only try his luck."

At this time, everyone on the stage had already written the price, and the envelopes were put away. Dingzhou Tongzhi Lu Yiming opened them one by one in front of everyone. , they all stared at Lu Yiming intently, and everyone was not worried about Lu Yiming cheating, because it had been stated in advance that anyone who had doubts could check everyone's bids on the spot.

Lu Yiming was in ecstasy at this time, the cost of a hundred-shot crossbow in Dingzhou aside from the unique secret of fine steel, the cost of synthesis was only a few tens of taels of silver, less than 100 taels, but seeing the current The highest price was Lu Yiming, whose mind was extremely calm, and his face couldn't help but change color.

"Forty percent of the first batch!" Lu Yiming picked up the list written by the scribe, and read it aloud, and the room fell silent instantly. "Belongs to Zhong Ziqi in Ningzhou." Lu Yiming's eyes turned to Zhong Ziqi beside Li Qing, "The bid is 1000 taels each!"

With a buzzing sound, discussions erupted on the stage.All eyes turned to Zhong Ziqi, Zhong Ziqi stood up with a smile, and clasped his fists in salute to the four directions, "Acceptance, acquiescence!"

Ding Yu looked at Zhong Ziqi coldly, his eyes were cold and full of murderous intent, the greed he had shown in front of Li Qing before was gone now, this shocked Qingfeng who had been observing him all the time, he could do nothing. When it comes to the deputy of the staff party secretary, that will be the appearance he showed before, but I was deceived by his previous appearance.

(End of this chapter)