North and South groceries

Luo Yong is really busy. He and his disciples are trying to mass produce compass these days.

The principle of the compass is not complicated. When I was studying in the past, the school also taught me how to make a simple compass by hand. You only need an embroidery needle, a magnet, and some pieces of paper cotton thread to make various compasses.

But if you want to make it finer and more durable, you have to spend more time on that pointer, mainly the forging and magnetization of the pointer.

Magnets have existed since ancient times. Before the Han Dynasty, people called them "cishi".

Where magnets are found, iron ore can often be found. The ancients believed that stones are the mother of iron. There are also two types of stones: kind and unkind. A kind stone can attract children to gather around it, but an unkind stone cannot.

At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, people often called magnets magnets, and they were also used in medicine, but ordinary small pharmacies could not buy them.

Since Luo Yong came to Changle County, he heard that most of the Hu merchants at this time were still walking in the footsteps of their predecessors when they were walking in the desert. few.

It was then that he began to ask people to look for magnets. In the autumn of this year, as expected, Hu merchants brought him a lot from the south.

Luo Yong bought these magnets and worked with Qiao Junlin to tinker with the compass. Unfortunately, both of them are not professionals, and the finished products are relatively crude, and they are not sure whether they can be used for a long time.

This time Hengzhi came over, and after hearing Luo Yong talk about the compass, he plunged into it.

There were also a few disciples who helped him. Luo Yong often went to give advice, watched them work, and sometimes he had to do it himself.

The big sale of tea prices outside was in full swing, and the master and apprentice were behind the county government office, jingling all day long, doing craftsman's work.

In addition to the compass, Luo Yong also plans to draw some maps. A person without geographical knowledge, even if he is given the best compass in the world, he will not know where he should go.

In the Sui Dynasty, Pei Ju once drew "Illustrations of the Western Regions" for Emperor Sui Yang, which included several trading routes of the Hu merchants, as well as the mountains, rivers, customs and customs of the 44 countries in the Western Regions. This book is now unknown. In a short time, it should be impossible to see.

In addition to the compass and map, language is also very important. Most of the Hu people who came to Datang to do business are proficient in Chinese, but few Han people can speak foreign languages.

That's right, just go out.In addition to passively accepting the information brought by Hu merchants, Luo Yong hopes that some people from Datang will also go out to seek profits and broaden their horizons in the vast world of the Western Regions.

This is also the first thing Luo Yong said to Tang Jian after Tang Jian's arrival this time.

Tea trading is important, but it is even more important to change the current passive acceptance of the trade between the Tang Dynasty and Hu merchants from countries in the Western Regions.

Luo Yong and Tang Jian explained his plan, and Tang Jian was shocked when he heard about it. He had seen early in the morning that this Lishi Luo Sanlang had a broader vision than ordinary people, but he didn't expect it to be so broad.

However, this matter is not something that Tang Jian can decide. He also knows that to do this matter, it will inevitably involve many interest structures, as well as the policy of governing the people above the court.

In terms of doing business, the Central Plains Dynasty has always adopted a policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing business, and Hu and Han have other policies.

Those in power adopted a gentle policy towards Hu merchants, which to a certain extent could attract Hu merchants from countries in the Western Regions to come to the Tang Dynasty and promote the prosperity of the market, which was beneficial politically and economically.

The policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce for the nationals of the country is conducive to stabilizing the society and ensuring food production.

It is also under such a policy that Hu merchants are becoming more and more active, but merchants in their own countries are often unable to expand.

Under such a general environment, Luo Yong actually said that he would encourage the merchants in his country to develop outwards, open schools, and teach them to read maps and speak. This idea is really too bold.

That night, Tang Jian kept the oil lamp on all night, thinking about how to do this as much as possible without touching too many people's interests and sensitivities.

Let the Tang man's footprints spread all over the Western Regions, just thinking about it makes one's blood boil.

Master Tang thought about it and finally decided to downplay the matter.

After describing the current situation in Changle County and the progress of the tea trade in his official document, he mentioned the matter of Hu merchants. He said that there were many Hu merchants in the Hexi Corridor. Life is comfortable, but Tang knows little about the situation of the countries in the Western Regions.

Tang Jian suggested that the imperial court could send some talented people to contact Hu merchants in Changle County.

Early the next morning, Tang Jian sent someone to send this document to the post station, and soon, it was rushed to Chang'an City together with several other important documents by the postmen.

In the city of Chang’an, golden autumn and August is a good time when cinnamon is strong. The weather has been fine recently, and the people in the city are either busy with their livelihoods or out for fun. On the flat and wide streets, there are often some magnificent ox carts passing by, attracting people’s attention. Pedestrians on the side of the road stopped and watched.

This is a season suitable for going out for fun. The gentlemen of the noble clan in Chang'an City are particularly active, and the ladies of various families often get together, bright and gorgeous like clusters of delicate flowers.

The city is bustling and thriving, as if there is no trace of trouble.

Chang'an Chang'an, long-term stability and long-term stability, it has been nearly a thousand years since King Wen of Zhou made his capital here, how many winds and rains have happened in the past thousand years...

At the western end of the Hexi Corridor, it is also a bustling season, and Hu merchants are entering the desert one after another.

In the city of Dunhuang, many merchants invited craftsmen to dig grottoes on the stone walls and sculpt Buddha statues, just to pray for a safe and smooth journey.

Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, formerly known as Mogao Grottoes, which means the high place in the desert, is also known as Thousand Buddha Caves among the people.

The Thousand-Buddha Cave is located at the east foot of Mingsha Bay, between the desert and the Gobi. For hundreds of thousands of years, whenever the commercial roads flourished, the incense here became more and more prosperous, and the sound of the craftsmen digging the stone walls was tinkling. When, endlessly.

Most of these merchants traveling between the desert and the Gobi were Hu people, and there were very few Tang people.

On this day, after two caravans passed in front, another caravan slowly headed towards the desert.

Many Hu merchants in this caravan have already settled in Dunhuang, and it is always very difficult to say goodbye, so there is some delay.If you walk fast at this time, before sunset tonight, you can reach the first oasis on the westward business road where merchants can settle down and rest.

The caravan was walking in front, and their family members followed behind. This time, they will be sent to the Thousand Buddha Cave.

Between those family members of the Hu merchants, there is an old man, the old man is quite old, his body is so thin that only a handful of bones are left, with a wooden stick in his hand, moving his feet step by step, following the team Walking, never falling behind others.

In this caravan, behind the Hu merchants leading camels, there was a group of porters laden with goods, and his son was among them.

The old man followed all the way, but the young man carrying goods in the team never looked back at him, just walked with his head buried.

This summer, a rich man in the city wanted to dig a grotto in the Thousand Buddha Cave to worship Bodhisattva. He found a job here to carry stones, but he was hit on the head by a falling stone from the cliff, and fell unconscious for a while. .

When he woke up, both sons and daughters had been sold by his old father. The ten-year-old daughter was taken as a concubine by a middle-aged Hu businessman, and the seven-year-old son became a servant of that family. Looking at his elder sister, who was beaten to death by the owner, the young man knew about this, and went to the door to fight with others, but the other party told him that as long as he could get two pennies, the boy would ask him to take it home go.

Now, this caravan has promised him two pennies, as long as he helps these people carry half a load of goods to Bodosira this autumn, and then from Bodosira to Dunhuang next year, he will You can get two bucks.

According to the law, Tang people are not allowed to leave the customs privately, but this caravan has been operating in Dunhuang for many years and can help them get the customs clearance documents.After all, the price of a porter is much lower than that of a camel, and he can understand the arrangements of the caravan. If something happens, he is also a man who can help, better than livestock.

Although the Hu merchants of this caravan are not very kind and benevolent people, but considering that they will be used to carry goods back in the spring of next year, they will not kill them for no reason.

A few years ago, many people who went out with their caravan were able to come back alive.