Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Zheng Lan talked with the girl for a while, and then introduced: "This is my young lady. Young lady, these two are Mr. Zhu Xianggong and Zhu Dalang and his son from Xixiang."

Of course, the young lady is not a given name. The given name and maiden name are generally not told to outsiders.

A woman from a wealthy family will be famous within a hundred days of her birth.

There is also special emphasis on choosing a surname when getting a hairpin or getting engaged. From then on, you will use "surname + surname" to show others, and your first name will be kept secret.

This woman's name was Zheng Yuanyi, and she was the one who planned to be Li Hanzhang's second wife.

But Li Hanzhang looked down on merchant families, and his elders were already contacting him with ladies.

What Zhu Guoxiang talked about about Li Lizhen can only be said to have a little shadow.

This girl has not yet grown up, her face is a little fat, and she is not tall. She has beautiful facial features and a pair of big watery eyes.

She clasped her hands on her abdomen, folded her thumbs and raised her thumbs slightly. She lowered her head and bent her knees and said, "Bless you, my husband."

This is the Wanfu gift of the Song Dynasty, which is different from the gestures of the Tang and Ming dynasties.

Objectively speaking, the Wanfu gifts of the Ming Dynasty are the most beautiful and elegant. The Wanfu ceremony in the Tang Dynasty was the simplest and most casual. The Wanfu ceremony in the Song Dynasty was complicated and at the same time revealed a petty atmosphere.

"Girl, you are polite." The father and son stood up and returned the courtesy.

After saluting, Zheng Yuanyi leaned against her grandfather, her eyes falling on Ju Ming: "I have seen Lang Jun's poems from the Min family sister. I also listened to Lang Jun's "Journey to the West" from my brother. Lang Jun came to Yangzhou. , are you preparing for the interpretation test this autumn?"

"Maybe we can take a test." Zhu Ming said ambiguously.

If he happened to be in Yangzhou in the fall, he might actually have to take an exam and experience the atmosphere of an ancient examination room.

With Ju Ming's knowledge, even if he didn't practice the classics and meanings very much, he still had a high chance of winning.

Because the exams in the Song Dynasty were very low-level and were only conducted in state capitals, the exams in the Ming Dynasty were province-wide exams (one city exam and one provincial exam).

Judging from the examination location alone, the candidates of the Song Dynasty were more like the scholars of the Ming Dynasty, but they had the qualifications to go to Beijing to take the examination.

Zheng Yuanyi also seemed quite bold when facing a strange man, and asked: "Does Mr. Lang have any new poems?"

"No." Ju Ming replied.

"I'm presumptuous." Zheng Yuanyi stopped talking and just sat quietly next to her grandfather.

She seemed to be extremely curious about Ju Ming. Her eyes turned to her grandfather, but she always turned back, peeking at Ju Ming from time to time.

Zheng Lan continued to discuss business: "Regardless of the market price, first-class tea is 88 Wen (per catty), second-class tea is 60 Wen, and third-class tea is 43 Wen. Pay the deposit first and write down the deed. What does Zhu Xianggong think?"

This needs to be ordered in advance, and the order contract can also be resold as "futures".

The price proposed by Zheng Lan was significantly higher than the tea purchase price in previous years. It can be said that he has shown his sincerity.

However, Zhu Ming put forward additional conditions: "The boat in our hands can only be transported to the county town, and we lack an experienced helmsman to cross the Golden Gorge. The price is very suitable, but the Zheng family needs to send a merchant ship to transport it."

When tea garden owners sell tea, freight is one of the main costs.

Ju Ming's meaning was very clear. He was not responsible for the transportation, and the Zheng family had to bear the freight. He also implicitly threatened that he could not cooperate with the Zheng family and if he sold the tea to businessmen in Xixiang County, he could save a lot of shipping costs.

Zheng Lan has been in business all her life, how can she not understand?

He immediately said: "Fried tea is a new thing. It is not well-known and not many people know it. Xixiang County is too small, so it may be difficult to sell it. Yangzhou is different. The city is rich and there are many people who are willing to try the new thing. Zheng I still have some names and can help recommend it. If you really want me to send tea by ship, the purchase price of each grade of tea will be reduced by eight cents per catty. If the tea purchased at one time is less than 2,000 catties, the price per catty will be reduced further. Five articles.”

This means that fried tea is a new product, and the Zheng family also has to bear risks and be responsible for marketing. However, the market capacity in Xixiang County is too small and it is difficult to sell new products. The Zhu family and his son can only sell to Yangzhou.

Zhu Ming shook his head and said: "It's hard to sell new things, so sell the old tea tea. Make less roasted tea, keep it for yourself, or give it as a gift."

I don’t care about your marketing or your shipping costs. The worst that I can do is quit. Isn’t it delicious to steam Tuancha as in previous years and sell it to merchants in Xixiang County nearby?

Zheng Lan thought silently.

His main problem is that he doesn't know the cost of roasting tea, which makes it difficult to grasp the bottom line of negotiations.

The 24 dangerous shoals of Huangjin Gorge are there, and the transportation cost is still very high, and there is even a risk of shipwreck and death. The Zheng family has to be responsible for the transportation, and they are not willing to lower the price. This is a bit overwhelming.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "If the Zheng family is responsible for transporting goods and the price does not drop, I will convert 20% of the tea this year to the production of fried tea, which can reach several thousand kilograms. Next year, if it increases to 40%, there must be tens of thousands of kilograms. , Since then, the production has increased year by year, and it will only be sold to the Zheng family!"

Zheng Lan asked: "Why only use 20% to make fried tea?"

Zhu Guoxiang explained: "The techniques for frying tea and steaming tea are completely different. I also have to build a new frying stove, customize the wok, and make many modifications. The tea makers also have to teach them new techniques. This year, I will fry four to five thousand kilograms of tea. It’s already too much, maybe only two or three thousand kilograms will be sold in the end.”

"That's it." Zheng Lan was even more unsure of the details.

The process of steaming tea balls is extremely complicated. If fried tea is also like this, there will be too much to do.

Zhu Guoxiang added: "I want to build eighteen iron pots in Yangzhou. The faster the better, and I need help from the Zheng family. The Zheng family also needs to contact the merchant ship and let me take the iron pot back by boat as soon as possible, otherwise it will be too late to fry." Make a new batch of tea."

"Okay!" Zheng Lan didn't want to waste time, after all, the tea-picking period was gone in a blink of an eye.

"This price can only be reduced by three cents per catty." Ju Ming added.

It’s now a seller’s market, because only the Zhu family and his son master the tea-frying technology. If he didn't need the Zheng family's help to open up the market, Ju Ming wouldn't even drop the three cents.

Zheng Lan confirmed again: "Are they really only selling to my family?"

Zhu Guoxiang said: "You can write a deed and write down the price clearly, so that the Zheng family can be the exclusive owner. The deed is signed every five years. After five years, the Zheng family can have priority in purchasing goods."

Zheng Lan thought carefully and found that five years was very reasonable. It only took him one or two years to open up the market.

Leave another two or three years for the tea horse industry. By then, taxes on fried tea will definitely be increased, and the purchase price will have to be renegotiated due to taxes.

He immediately took out a pen and paper, and the two parties signed a five-year exclusive acquisition contract.

After the business was done, Zheng Hong said with a smile: "Da Lang, the weapons you ordered are still at my house. Why don't you go and try them now?"

Ju Ming stood up immediately: "That's exactly what I meant."

The two of them said goodbye and went to get their weapons.

Zheng Yuanyi ran with them like a little follower, not caring about any differences between men and women.

Zheng Lan glanced at it, thoughtfully.

He invited Zhu Guoxiang to move to the living room to drink tea, then called his son Zheng Yu to his side and asked in a low voice: "Have you inquired clearly?"

Zheng Yu said: "I've asked someone before, and Lu Tixue really praised the father and son very much. Min Wenwei also went down the mountain these two days, and asked for some fried tea to entertain guests. He said to everyone he met that he was a gentleman. Tea, and highly respected Zhu Guoxiang. There is also Li Sanlang, a state magistrate, who also has a good personal relationship with Ju Ming. At most, in three to five years, Ju Ming will be able to study in Taixue. If it is an imperial examination, he may be admitted to the Jinshi next year. "

"Li Tong has been an official for generations and looks down on us merchants. Stop thinking about the renewal of your marriage," Zheng Lan said. "This Zhu Chenggong is good, and his age is suitable for my young lady. Not only is this man good at both civil and military affairs, but he also has a bright future. And from the conversation just now, he doesn’t seem to be a bookworm. Such a young talent must start early, and we can first test whether he has an engagement."

"Erlang (Fat Zheng) said that Zhu Chenggong has no engagement yet." Zheng Yu said.

Zheng Lan nodded and said, "I'll check your mouth again during dinner."

The ancestors of the Zheng family also had minor officials, but unfortunately they did not have the title of Jinshi. They were recommended by local officials and could not be promoted from the eighth rank at the highest.

For generations, descendants have not done well in school. They have passed the imperial examination many times, but have never received a single Jinshi.

They can maintain their wealth only through marriage and bribery.

In the past hundred years, the Zheng family's sons-in-law have had two Jinshi and more than ten imperial examinations. One of the Jinshi sons-in-law was trained by the Zheng family themselves. The wife of another Jinshi son-in-law, the magistrate of Xingdao County, died. The Zheng family tried their best to marry her off as a remarriage wife.

In Yangzhou Prefectural Government and Xingdao County Government, many subordinate officials were related to the Zheng family, or were simply members of the Zheng family.

The four major families, Min, Wang, Zheng, and Li, join forces to control Yangzhou.

The Min and Wang families belonged to a family of imperial examinations, and each produced more than one Jinshi. They owned large areas of land in Xingdao County, and their business was only a sideline.

Zheng and Li belong to a family of merchants.

The Zheng family mainly deals in tea, wine and vinegar, all of which need to be bought, and they have achieved a semi-monopoly in the local market.

However, the Li family is engaged in banking and jewelry business, and also secretly purchases gold illegally. Their ancestral home is on the outskirts of Zhenfu County, and they have great influence on scrap gold mines and gold prospectors.

But he said that Fatty Zheng took Ju Ming and went straight to an inner courtyard.

As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, a young woman came out to greet him and said with a smile: "The official is here!"

Zheng Hong introduced: "Dalang, this is my wife's Li Xiuxiu, daughter of the Zhenfu Li family. Although her family is in Zhenfu County, they have a gold shop in Yangzhou City, and my father-in-law is in charge of that gold shop. Xiu Xiu. Xiu, this is the Zhu Dalang I’m talking about.”

Zhu Ming bowed and said, "I've met my sister-in-law."

"Long blessing, sir." Li Xiuxiu bowed and returned the greeting.

Fatty Zheng led Ju Ming into the room again, took down the bow and arrow from the wall, and dragged out the mace and iron gun from under the bed: "This thing is very heavy. The blacksmith said that even the fierce general's mace is also there." He has never hit a hammer weighing less than ten kilograms, and he has never beaten a twelve kilogram iron mace."

Ju Ming smiled and said: "I am very strong, and I can't use a mace weighing several kilograms easily."

Twelve kilograms of iron mace, eighteen kilograms of iron spear, plus more than sixty kilograms of Heavenly King Armor. Ju Ming was able to carry it, but he was afraid that the horse was not strong enough. This would test Cornucopia's endurance and load-bearing ability.

Walking to the yard with the weapon in hand, Zheng Hong said, "Da Lang, let's try it."

Ju Ming held the mace and asked, "Where to hit?"

Fatty Zheng said angrily: "Hit it as you like. If it's broken, replace it with a new one."

The host has spoken, so there is no need for guests to be polite.

Ju Ming raised his mace and slammed it down, shattering the railing of the corridor. Then he hit a stone next to the flower bed, and with one stroke, sparks flew out and penetrating cracks appeared on the stone.

Fatty Zheng exclaimed: "I'm going to hit you on the head, I'm afraid my brain will be damaged!"

Zheng Yuanyi, who had always been a follower, now had her eyes wide open and her mouth couldn't close. She pressed her hand on her chest and her heart was beating wildly.

Mr. Zhu Jialangjun wrote excellent poems and had great strength.

Li Xiuxiu put her hand in front of her sister-in-law's eyes, waved her hand, and said teasingly: "My eyes are straight, do you want me to ask someone to mediate?"

"No!"

Zheng Yuanyi blushed, her eyes still glancing at Ju Ming, comparing him with the men she had seen before.

It seems that no one can compare.

He is knowledgeable, strong, and handsome. There is no such good man in Yangzhou City.

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