Beiyang new warlord

"I said Brother Mao, it's too much"

Looking at this scene, Qian Zeng didn't know what to say, and he shook his head speechlessly for a long time.

"Let these traffickers go as pawns! Craftsmen come and go in and out of the yamen, what is the official authority! What is the official appearance!"

"If you really want to talk about peddlers, aren't those dignified gentlemen in Yangzhou also started as peddlers? Besides, the houses here are empty and they are empty. Compared with the corn shochu over there, there is a lot of consumption. The autumn harvest is coming soon. Directly transporting the corn produced in Yizhou here to be processed into shochu, wouldn’t it be much less time consuming than brewing it in Tieshan?”

Mao Jue replied indifferently.

Of course, the majesty of the government still needs to be paid attention to. The government has been treated as a factory. How can we deter the troops under the rule in the future?However, the military and political center of Yizhou has moved to the southwest, and Mao Jue set it up in Baima Mountain City. Surrounding here, once the central command is surrounded, Tieyi's defense work will be difficult to do. Therefore, Yizhou's geographical location is considered superior in Daming and even during the reign of Jin Dynasty, but when it comes to Mao Jue, it will not work here.

With the two centers removed, the only remaining function of Yizhou City is the economic center, where merchants from the Li Dynasty are received and commodities from Liaodong are exchanged, so a "city management brigade" plus a "business management office" can handle Yizhou. Most of the state's government affairs are done, and the Zhenglan Banner Yamen, which occupies a quarter of the area of ​​Yizhou City, has so many houses, it is really a waste to leave them empty.

Take it out and use it reasonably, it is naturally good.

Not only the winery, but also another factory workshop is also located here, which is the destination of Mao Jue's trip. As soon as he entered the house, a wave of hot air rushed to his face, accompanied by a strange fragrance. In several rooms, billowing blue smoke is coming out of the coal stove, which is steaming the iron heating pipes, and there are large leaves hanging on them, which have been baked brown and crisp, and workers are constantly being recruited to take some leaves from here bundle.

In the other rooms, the roasted leaves at the door were cut into shreds by a large guillotine, and behind them were long wooden tables. There were more than 20 workers sitting in a row, and two of them were actually female workers. This era, not to mention unprecedented, is also shocking.

The row of crushed leaves is rolled into rolls by the workers, and some loose wood fibers soaked in vinegar are placed underneath. One is made and placed in the basket next to it. When it is full, it will swim back and forth. The workers who left were carried away and a new basket was added.

In the last room, these things are put into boxes, twenty pieces a box, and a small fire sickle is stuffed into the last place. The box is made of hard cardboard. On both sides of the box, there are actually two landscape paintings printed. Knowing who wrote the two Chinese characters is quite sharp.

"Is this the good thing Brother Mao said?"

Holding a box of hard China, Qian Zeng smiled disapprovingly and shook his head, mysteriously, it turned out to be tobacco leaves!

It is said that tobacco and alcohol are not separated, but the introduction of cigarettes is not long. It was introduced from Luzon just a few decades ago. Although there are not many people planted now, it is not uncommon. This thing is regarded as a way of making money.

Although Mao Jue's cigarettes rolled into strips were a bit novel, in Qian Zeng's view, they were really nothing.

Mao Jue was able to take a look at the 50 yuan pack of hard Zhonghua in later generations. Now he has as many of these things as he wants, so he directly grabbed a lot and stuffed them into Qian Zeng's arms.

"It's a mule or a horse. Come out for a walk. Brother Qian, you try it before you talk! Take two first. Dongzhu has come down in the past two days, let's go and see Dongzhu!"

It was a bit inappropriate, Qian Zeng casually stuffed the cigarettes into his bag.

Chapter 1. Smoking is harmful to health

Generally, in spring, when the ice and snow melt and the water is released to irrigate the paddy fields, it is the season to pick Dongzhu. However, in autumn, when the rice is harvested and the water is drained, you can also try your luck in the dry fields, although the odds are higher than those of the Yalu River and Daling River. Picking pearls is much smaller.

Fortunately, Mao Jue didn't intend to pick so many East Pearls. The whole event was more like a show. It was rare that in the [-]-acre rice field, the households in the guard station were groping in the mud while pouring water, picking up the autumn rice and fish. There was also a huge river clam turned over, and the other side of the guard was setting fire on the edge of the field and having a picnic on the spot.

Su Yi cooks by herself, I don’t know if this girl is doing something on time, look at the dishes she has prepared, stir-fried eggs with leeks, river mussels with leeks, rice with leeks, sweet fish with leeks, shredded pork with leeks, the staple food is still leek boxes, I haven’t waited to eat, Mao Jue already felt that his nose was hot, which was the rhythm of being aphrodisiac.

Just beside the table, there is a large pile of big clam shells. This river clam is really big enough, the small ones can be slapped and laughed, and the big ones are as big as a small wheel. Pearls, although I didn't find a single pearl in the morning, but the clam meat was full.

And the scene that really caught Mao Jue's attention happened. The tobacco and alcohol were not separated, and the soldiers who came along with them, as well as a few guys brought by Qian Zeng, naturally slapped open a jar of corn wine, and then I lit a cigarette, and chatted while smoking. The familiar scene of passing the cigarette, and the appearance of puffing clouds, just like those old drivers in later generations.

The reason why cigarettes are popular is that on the one hand, it stimulates the brain soberly. Nicotine can stimulate the brain to secrete the happy element dopamine. , It is a cheap enjoyment, unlike the old-timer old dry tobacco, who had to dig out the shredded tobacco and carry a long cigarette bag.

People make a small move, that is a lot of money.

Regardless of them, even Qian Zeng, who ate in a leek box, habitually took out a cigarette and lit it, and took a puff. Then he suddenly noticed Mao Jue's face that seemed to be smiling but not smiling. The kid with kidney deficiency was embarrassed.

"How is it, Brother Qian?"

"This is a little gadget, so I picked it up without paying attention! If Brother Mao sells it to Jiangnan, this time Qian can take a boat back to try it out, but I don't know the price?"

Also aware of the commercial value of this thing, Qian Zeng took a deep breath, and Qian Zeng showed a happy expression.

The preparations were really complete. Several cigarette boxes were taken out by Mao Jue and placed on the table. The packaging also ranged from simple to complex. On the far right was a small wood-carved box, only with complicated printing and dyeing patterns on the box, just like a Like a work of art, the one that relies on it is like a rouge box, the third class is a paper shell box with landscapes printed on it, and it looks good. The painting is like a child's graffiti.

"The wooden box is the best part of the middle leaves of the tobacco, and there are spices inside. This is twenty boxes of two taels of silver, and one box of 150 Wen. The most high-end kind of face looks like you, Fan Daguan, have a high-class understanding. "

"The rouge box is for women's cigarettes, and it is also selected from the best part of the middle tobacco leaf, with scented spices. As women's cigarettes, there should be a lot of sales on the Qinhuai River. One tael of silver, 75 yuan per box."

"The third class is for scholars, the middle class, medium tobacco leaves, a small amount of spices, five hundred yuan a piece, thirty yuan a box, the last class is for ordinary people, 160 yuan a piece, ten yuan a box, the last Low-quality tobacco leaves, no spices!"

"This cigarette is a business between you and me! Don't ask Mr. Fan to cooperate, and I won't give you any price. Mao will give you 1 taels of silver. The two of us are in partnership, in Yangzhou, Yingtian, and Changshu , Let’s try to open four tobacco shops in Suzhou first, and earn [-]% of the money this time, and I’ll raise [-]% for you, what do you think?”

Still not very optimistic about the packs of cigarettes, Mao Jue’s proposal is tantamount to taking all the risks. He can just open his mouth and have two legs. At most, he will occupy more space on the ship. Without even thinking about it, he nodded his head, completely unaware of what his hair would look like relying on this in the future.

"to make!"

Jiangnan's business was negotiated in this way. At the same time, Mao Jue's cigarette plan to infiltrate Houjin was also quietly going on.

The horse market by the Yalu River has become the largest border market in Northeast Asia, not just for wine for horses.Cloth, velvet, sewing pots and pans, large and small miscellaneous goods, almost all turned into a department store, the farthest from Liaohetao Mongolian, almost half of Liaodong people come here to trade, covering the entire Eight Banners.

This border market brings tens of thousands of taels of profit in a month, but this profit is not for Mao Jue himself, and about half of the profit should be shared with other generals in Dongjiang Town. Selling, the price of Mao Jue received from the mountain is a little higher than the price charged by the merchant from the south.Especially his father, Mao Wenlong, had to spend 1 taels a month to honor his father, and the whole family in the Mao family had to rely on his father to support him.After all, everyone earns money, and everyone has fun together. If the court wants to investigate, the whole Dongjiang will support it together. If he eats alone, someone must be jealous behind him.

In the market, the price is being adjusted and bargained here, and smoke rings are flying up at the other end. At this time, the Houjin people are actually very simple, not like the philistine Xu people who formed the old Beijing culture. Chief Xiaobai Jurchen came up curiously while leading the horse.

"Hey, brother, what are you doing? Why are you still smoking?"

"You don't know that! This thing is called Zhonghua, and it was passed down from Boni country overseas. It is the most popular thing in Daming now! Smoking can make people feel as if they are on the bliss, ecstasy, and when they are tired, they will suffer. When you are hungry and haven’t eaten yet, take one, it can relieve your fatigue and stop your hunger, this is a good thing!”

The index finger and middle finger held the cigarette, and the fat man was enjoying it all over his face.Although they fought against Daming, the post-jin people still had low self-esteem when it came to Ming's culture. When they heard that Ming was popular, the Jurchen man with the horse immediately became interested.

"Well, can you let me try one too!"

"It's quite choking! You may not be able to bear it for the first time!"

The fat man was generous, a cigarette arrived, and the horse-leading Jurchen man was also full of novelty, he sucked it in hard, and immediately coughed from choking, and the funny-looking fat man immediately leaned forward and back.

"I'll just say you can't do it! It's okay, you can't enjoy this thing, you should look at other things!"

"Who said, who said I can't do it, I'll try again!"

"Okay, okay, keep trying, this will be slower, don't be too fierce!"

Following the appearance of the fat man, he took a small mouth full of smoke, and after a while, the Jurchen man seemed to have found the joy of smoking a little bit of tobacco, and became enjoying it. After exhaling a smoke ring, he gave the fat man a thumbs up.

"good stuff!"

"Our brothers are also destined, hey, these few boxes will be given to you!"

It's really generous, with a wave of his hand, the fat man threw out three or five boxes, holding the cigarette box, the Jurchen man thanked him again, put the treasure into the saddle bag like that, and walked out of the city contentedly.

As soon as this person left, a look of successful plotting was immediately revealed on Su Changmei's steamed bun face, she threw away the cigarette butt, and shook her fat head with a sinister hum.

"Smok it! Next time you come, you have to pay for it!"

There is no such thing as a free lunch in the world. Now is the time to advertise. Throwing out like this, this border market can sell one or two thousand boxes a day. He, the big butler of Tieyi, has personally participated in the battle, and everyone sent to the exchange market Every businessman has the task of selling to the outside world, how much they need to sell in a day.

But if you are really addicted to smoking, you have to come back with real money to buy it. It has only been a few days of work. Before the promotion period given by Mao Jue is over, you have already seen the money back, just like Su Changmei brought ten packs of cigarettes today. At noon, two of them were sent out, and three of them had already been sold. In exchange for a sheep, a few boxes of ginseng, a mink fur, and a large Ganoderma lucidum.Throwing the Ganoderma lucidum into the money box casually, and reaching out to light one, the fat man then puffed out smoke rings as if enjoying himself.

"It's really good stuff!"