Xiaoyao Nongjiazi
Chapter 113
For the time being, Zhong Qingran couldn't do anything about the great Zhou Chaotianhuang, but it didn't mean that he would do nothing and wait for the retribution from the heavens.This was too passive, even if Zhong Qingran wasn't a troublemaker, he wouldn't have taken such a passive way of confrontation.
As the saying goes, relying on mountains to fall, relying on water to pour, everyone knows that the most reliable person in this world is himself, and relying on others is not as good as relying on oneself. This statement cannot be more true.
Zhong Qingran worked so hard, not so much to help the third prince, but rather to say that the two of them got what they needed.The third prince succeeded in competing for the throne, can the other princes still have a good life?Zhong Qingran didn't have many connections in the Great Zhou Dynasty, so it was far more reassuring to find an alliance with the third prince who worked well with him than to make friends with other people.As for whether he will raise tigers as a threat, this is not under his consideration for the time being.
Hanhai Prefecture is almost cut off from the outside world, which is not without benefits. At least Zhong Qingran doesn't have to worry about being beaten to his door by other countries one day.Thinking of the price to be paid for the expedition to Hanhai Prefecture, Zhong Qingran believed that as long as the emperors of various countries did not lose their minds, they would not make such a stupid decision.
Zhong Qingran dared to lead nearly 20 people deep into the steep mountain forest, because he believed that he had the ability to make them escape unscathed. If he was just an ordinary citizen with no special abilities, how could he dare to do this?No, it should be said that he didn't even know how to enter Hanhai Prefecture, and he didn't dare to put his wealth and life on luck.It would be fine if he was alone, death is not that terrible, the problem is that he is not alone, he has family and friends that he wants to protect.
Zhong Qingran had a slight smile on his lips, mocking himself for thinking too much.Without the ability, he would not have saved the third prince by chance, let alone be implicated because of it. Without these reasons, there would be nothing to do later.There is a big difference in the rules of conduct between those who are capable and those who are not. If he doesn't have the ability to protect his own family, he will only make a fortune silently. How dare he just open a coveted Qinghefang?
"Master Zhong, don't worry about the money. The superiors are very satisfied with the items you donated. A few months ago, they allocated a sum of money to store here, just waiting for you to come and hand it over to you. Originally, I thought To provide you with a batch of supplies, after all, as far as I know, Hanhai Prefecture still focuses on bartering, even if you have money, you may not be able to buy goods.” The smile on Manager Su’s face deepened, these were his responsibilities, he Zheng was worried about what to do to help Zhong Qingran, but no, the ladder was handed up, "Since you want to buy people, this matter is easy to handle, just leave it to me. The border town sells everything, and there is really no shortage of people, just I wonder how much you want?"
"As much as you can buy." Zhong Qingran couldn't say the exact amount, "At least this amount."
Zhong Qingran gestured a number with his hands, this was the minimum number he had calculated, no matter how small it was, Fucun would be hard-pressed to withstand the impact of the big tribes in Hanhai Prefecture, and all his plans would be in vain.On this point, Zhong Qingran was clear in his mind, which one was more important, he had to weigh it himself, he hadn't been dazed by the joy of harvesting a large number of fog fruits.
"This number is not small, and I'm afraid it won't be made up within a day or two." Steward Su was stunned for a moment when he heard the words, and after thinking about it for a while, he realized that the situation of Zhong Qingran and the others in Hanhai Prefecture might not be very good. With more hands, there will be no suspicion.
"Guarantee Su is doing his best. However, winter is coming in a few months. We can't stay here for a long time. Please trouble Manager Su to finish this matter as soon as possible. If there are fewer people, we must hurry up." We will leave in early September." Zhong Qingran was always easy to talk to, and he didn't expect Su to manage them all.
With the main problem solved, Zhong Qingran also had time to talk about another cooperation with the third prince.If there is no such thing as Fu Yunzhu, Zhong Qingran would not be obsessed with making money in terms of the purchasing power of money in Hanhai Prefecture. With Fu Yunzhu, the importance of money is self-evident: "Su Guanshi, look this."
"Glass refining formula?" Steward Su raised his voice slightly, his eyes bursting with light.This is a business that can make a lot of money. Who has a recipe, and doesn't it hold it tightly?As a last resort, a part of the profits will be distributed to others, so as to keep the glazed workshop from being embezzled and run it in peace.But that's just a dry bonus, Fang Zi is determined not to leak it.Fortunately, Zhong Qingran gave the formula to the third prince directly. This kind of favor is not small, but he doesn't know the authenticity of the formula.
It's a big matter, Manager Su doesn't even dare to read the contents of the recipe, he can't touch it, but fortunately Zhong Qingran didn't do it for nothing in the past few years in the Great Zhou Dynasty, he didn't make things difficult for him, the letter was sealed long ago , only the name is marked on the envelope.
Manager Su was extremely contradictory. What he was holding was a hot potato. If he took it, he would have to bear the consequences. If it was a scam, wouldn't his future be buried in Zhong Qingran's hands?But he can't do it if he doesn't accept it. The superior has made it clear that he must follow Zhong Qingran's wishes. If he can't do it, there's no way.
A mere letter that is not worth two or two, but at this moment, in the eyes of Manager Su, it is as heavy as Mount Tai.It's no wonder he hesitated, his future, the fate of his family, may all depend on this small envelope in front of him.Su has been in charge for a long time, and has never experienced such a feeling of worrying about gains and losses.No matter how unwilling he was to accept it, he had no choice. Not only had he accepted it happily, but he also had to talk nicely and discuss with Zhong Qingran about the selling price of the colored glaze formula, which was both painful and joyful.
Regarding the price of the glass formula, before coming here, Zhong Qingran discussed with his family members. The specific price depends on the third prince. They don't know the market, so it is very possible to quote their own price, and it is not as good as letting the other party bid. Judging from the years of cooperation, the third prince is not stingy.
Zhong Qingran didn't want to haggle over this kind of matter, as long as Steward Su behaved appropriately and didn't dismiss them as beggars, he would have no objection. Of course, if the price didn't satisfy him, who would suffer? Who knows?
As a result, even though Steward Su was under great pressure, he didn't intend to take advantage of the price at all.Zhong Qingran also had to admire that the third prince's imperial ability was extraordinary.The border town is one hundred and eight thousand miles away from Shangjing, and it is also separated by thousands of mountains and rivers from Jizhou. It should be far away from the emperor, who lacks the ability to control his subordinates. Who would have thought that they would be so heartfelt? Be sure to ask for advice.After learning this skill, he doesn't have to worry about being betrayed all the time.
Zhong Qingran didn't know if he had this ability himself, but he knew that he had another reliance, an object attached to luck, which could distinguish people's current mentality of good and evil.
After negotiating with Manager Su, after lunch, Zhong Qingran and Jian Mingyu left with Minglei.August was the hottest time of the year, and it was noon now. Even in the border town in the Northland, both of them were sweating.
Back in the small courtyard, the two of them took a good shower, and then sat at the table refreshed, enjoying the watermelon comfortably.
"Qing Ran, this melon tastes really good." Jian Mingyu didn't hesitate to praise him.Pingyang County does not produce watermelon, and this is the first time he has eaten it. It is sweet and juicy, and it is a holy product for relieving summer heat.
"That's right, the price of watermelon in the border towns is not high, and in the hinterland of the Great Zhou Dynasty, even if you have money, you may not be able to buy it." There were only the two of them here, and Zhong Qingran didn't pay much attention to the image, directly cut the melon into pieces, took Take a bite and chew on it.
If this appearance is seen by someone who is a little bit more particular, I am afraid that he will have already preached it.Zhong Qingran didn't care, he pretended to be fine, and he had to be scruples about every word and deed, and his life was really boring, he didn't need to associate with dignitaries now, so he didn't need to embarrass himself too much.
Zhong Qingran was originally from a farming family, so he would not, like most children from poor families, try to cover up his past, as if once he flew to a branch, the past would have nothing to do with him.
Although he didn't care about these things, Zhong Qingran didn't want to make himself dirty.It's just that watermelon, unless it is processed in advance, cut into small pieces and served on a plate, and eaten with a bamboo skewer, or else, eaten with a spoon, otherwise, it is really extremely difficult to avoid a trace of juice.
No, with only two pieces of watermelon in his belly, Zhong Qingran felt his face was sticky, and was about to wipe it off with a cloth towel, when he raised his head, he saw Jian Mingyu who was also covered in juice, and couldn't help laughing out loud, He didn't even care about watermelon juice dripping on his clothes.
Jian Mingyu looked blankly at Zhong Qingran, who was laughing happily. At first, he didn't know what Qingran was enjoying, but when he saw the light red juice on his chin, he quickly realized it.Jian Mingyu was not annoyed, he used up the piece of watermelon in his hand, then got up, went to get two pieces of handkerchiefs, one for himself and one for Zhong Qingran.
"Okay, don't laugh, it's not long after lunch, so don't laugh too much." Jian Mingyu said with joy, neither of them is particularly fussy, and their temperaments are not opposite. When they get along, they are used to it It was relaxed and comfortable. This kind of life was far better than he had imagined before.
"Okay, I won't laugh anymore." Zhong Qingran tried hard to hold back his smile, but he laughed too hard before, how could he take it back in a moment?Zhong Qingran returned to normal after Jian Mingyu ate another piece of watermelon.I really don't blame him for this, it's not that he hasn't seen Jian Mingyu's unkempt situation, but it's a special situation. In the deep mountains and old forests, there are often no water sources, and clean water has to be used sparingly, not to mention bathing, even doing it. Meals with soup, you have to think about it before you can act.But the situation is different now, such a Jian Mingyu is really rare.
Zhong Qingran's appetite was not as good as Jian Mingyu's. After eating two pieces of watermelon, he felt his stomach was full. After wiping his hands and face clean, he tilted his head and looked at Jian Mingyu quietly.
Jian Mingyu's five senses are keen, and as soon as Zhong Qingran looked at him, he was aware of it.Jian Mingyu didn't raise his head, and let him look at him openly.Maybe the first time, he still felt a little awkward. He has been married for more than half a year now, if he is not used to it, Jian Mingyu doesn't have to go out to do errands, and he can just stay at home and be a good wife.
Standing behind Steward Su is the third prince. Many things are taboo, even though most people don't know who the master behind him is. Therefore, he dare not deal with slaves of other countries. Crime, that is really too much to eat.
The border town is so prosperous, no one can do it, where do the hard-working people come from?Most of them come from the three countries adjacent to the border town, the Great Zhou Dynasty, Beisha and Haran.
Although Harlan is also adjacent to the three-way zone under the jurisdiction of the border city, the people of Harlan have no real power.Anyway, the area of the border city originally belonged to the Great Zhou Dynasty and Beisha. If Harlan extended his tentacles to it, neither country would ignore it.At most, the Harlan people set up commercial shops in the border towns, slowly operating them in private, and declaring their sovereignty with great fanfare.The leader of the Harlan people will not make such a mistake, slowly eating away and growing step by step is their way to deal with it.
These three countries are not small, and no one can destroy the other in a short period of time.Ever since the narrow strip of border town became a buffer zone between the Great Zhou Dynasty and Beisha, Harlan has suffered a lot. Whoever let it be sandwiched between two big countries, if Harlan is not small, the three The landforms of the countries are very different, and I am afraid that they have been wiped out many times.They dare not act rashly on the surface, but they keep making small moves behind the scenes.
Haran is dominated by vast grasslands. There is not enough food, but there is no shortage of meat and milk. War horses are even more famous.Most of the people in Harlan live as nomads, and their folk customs are tough. Even if there are two big countries that are eyeing tigers, they always heal their scars and forget the pain. Once they encounter a famine and lack of food, they often use a small group of cavalry The mode of committing crimes and plundering food and grass.
The Great Zhou Dynasty had a vast territory and abundant resources, and its living conditions were better than those of Beisha and Harlan. Haran's first goal was the Great Zhou Dynasty.The harassment of such a small group of troops is extremely miserable for the people on the border, and the imperial court has nothing to do with it. The border line is too long, and it is impossible for them to protect the border gate airtight, and there are always places that cannot be taken care of.It is really unbearable to be disturbed, so the imperial court will send troops. After repelling him, he can live in peace for a few years, but this problem has been treating the symptoms rather than the root cause.It's not that the court didn't think of doing it once and for all, but it was very difficult to do it.
The people of Harlan basically have one rider, maybe more than that, and the Great Zhou Dynasty, although it also had its own horse farm, the cavalry team was still unable to grow.If you want to completely kill the Harlan people, you can't do it at all.They are too mobile, they are nomads, and they are very accustomed to the life of frequent migration. The soldiers of the Great Zhou Dynasty did not have this ability. More importantly, they were too deep into the grassland, and they were easy to lose their way. The important thing is that water sources are hard to find, and staying in the grassland for a long time will cause diseases such as acclimatization to the soil and water.There are many reasons, and it is further explained that it is not easy to go on an expedition to a country that one does not understand. This requires the right time, place and people to be possible.
After eating the watermelon, Zhong Qingran and Jian Mingyu began to discuss business matters.
Zhong Qingran made up his mind, if Manager Su couldn't find enough manpower, he would go to see the prisoners in Beisha and Haran.On the contrary, he does not need to do so much.People from the same country get together and can integrate well with each other, but people from other countries will be in trouble.This has nothing to do with ethnicity. Every country has its own customs and habits, and there are obvious differences in thoughts and behaviors, especially the language barrier, which automatically draws a line between people. This point , the obstacle will be very big at first, but it will not be obvious after a long time, but the habits formed since childhood are difficult to change.
If it was not necessary, Zhong Qingran didn't want to ask for trouble. He hoped that Manager Su could handle the matter well, so that he wouldn't get his ideas on other people.
Although Zhong Qingran didn't plan to get rid of slavery for the people who were about to join Fucun now, he also knew that the proportion of servant women was too high, which was obviously very unreasonable, and this situation could not be maintained for too long, otherwise it would cause serious damage. The impact is not conducive to the development of Fucun.Right now, I can only make do with it, and we can only wait for next year to consider the follow-up matters.
In the next few days, Zhong Qingran and Jian Mingyu bought some grain one after another, but because they bought it in small batches, they did not attract the attention of interested people.There are a lot of big businesses in the border town, and those with huge transaction amount will be coveted by others, and they may be robbed halfway. However, it is the horse and grain business that will attract the attention of the major forces in the border town. These are related to the livelihood of the people and the army. Threatening the foundation of governing the country, its movements are particularly noticeable.
Zhong Qingran doesn't plan to buy horses here, Hanhai Prefecture has a lot of them, if he wants to, he can just buy them.Buying food is really helpless. There are so many mouths to feed, and the servants who eat meat all day long may not be able to bear it. If they want to mainly eat meat, they have to wait until their bodies adapt to meat.
Zhong Qingran made it clear to shopkeeper Su that what he wanted was labor and various craftsmen, not a proud and expensive assistant lady.Enjoy things, or wait until later, now, everything is practical.
In addition to food, Zhong Qingran also bought some cloth, cotton and needles.The group of them are all careless men, and Jian Mingyu has been in contact with this area because of family reasons, and he shoulders the heavy responsibility of selection.Zhong Qingran pursed his lips, and started in a despondent manner, saddle up and back, doing the work at hand.This, Zhong Qingran admitted, he is not omnipotent, it is impossible to do everything.
Similarly, the quantity of these purchases is not large, and the rest needs to be settled in the mountains and forests.
Looking at the various supplies that had piled up into mountains, Zhong Qingran couldn't help but feel a headache.He made an agreement with Shopkeeper Su that he would directly deliver the people he bought to the entrance of the mountain through various channels, and he had to find a way to take away the items that Zhong Qingran was carrying.
When they came, because they had to cross the deep mountains and old forests, the carriages could not pass, so they just let the horses carry the supplies. After they left the mountain, because they didn't have a long rest time, they didn't have a cart, and the ability to transport goods was obviously not good.At the moment, I have to think of another way. It seems that if I don’t buy a few frames, I’m afraid I won’t be able to take so many things with me.
This matter is not difficult to deal with, a trip to the car market can solve the problem.After making a plan, Zhong Qingran didn't act immediately, there was no rush, and it would not be too late to buy after they set a date to leave.
"Mingyu, do you feel that the temperature has gotten colder?" Zhong Qingran tightened his clothes. It was still extremely hot yesterday, and he wanted to be shirtless, but in a blink of an eye, he felt the chill.Here in the border town, there is a big temperature difference between day and night. If such a temperature is placed at night, there is no problem at all. This is where the incident happened. Now it is near noon when the sun is shining brightly, which seems very abnormal.
Zhong Qingran didn't study the climate, even so, he could think that it might be autumn.This is not a good sign, the spring and autumn period here is very short, ranging from one to two months to twenty days.The arrival of autumn means that winter will soon enter.Bringing a group of people who are obviously lacking in physical strength and trekking long distances, the speed will definitely not increase. No matter what Zhong Qingran does, he will not be able to enter Hanhai Prefecture before the heavy snow seals the mountains. He can only do his best.
Zhong Qingran would not stay in the border town just because of this accident.Just because the road is blocked by snow doesn't mean that Fucun is safe.After the land is frozen, the vast sea will freeze a little later. At that time, even living on a large boat will not be safe. He must take people back to Fucun before the vast sea freezes.He didn't know if there were sled dogs in the big tribe. If there were, it would be a great threat to Fucun.Being able to come and go freely on the ice and snow is too deterrent, and he has to take precautions.
"Well, it's lower than yesterday." Jian Mingyu pushed the door out, bathed in the sun, stood for a while, his body gradually felt warm, but only slightly sweaty. Obviously, the temperature dropped by more than one degree, he Turning his head, he said to Zhong Qingran, "Qingran, we can't wait any longer."
Zhong Qingran nodded in agreement. It was really difficult to travel long distances with a large group of people and shuttle through the steep mountains and forests.According to their physical conditions, they may not be able to walk a few miles a day, so they must leave as soon as possible.
Before Zhong Qingran went to shopkeeper Su, he sent someone over to ask him to discuss.This is also in line with shopkeeper Su's situation. After all, he has stayed in the border town for many years and is more sensitive to climate change. He took the initiative to find him, probably just for this matter.
Zhong Qingran and Jian Mingyu followed the guides and came to the courtyard again.
"Master Zhong, it's autumn today, and the mountains will be covered with heavy snow soon. The number of people you want me to find is almost the same. In my opinion, it's better to leave as soon as possible." Steward Su spoke bluntly and put forward his own opinion.
"How many people are there?" Zhong Qingran didn't object.
"This number." Steward Su wrote down a number, "There are more people than expected, but they still have to go through your screening, excluding those who are eliminated. I estimate that it is not far from the number you want."
"Okay, let's go tomorrow." After finishing speaking, Zhong Qingran didn't delay any longer, and immediately got up to leave.He is going to leave tomorrow, and he needs to do a lot of things, so he has to hurry up and prepare, so as not to remember that there are still things to finish when he leaves. When the time comes, he can only leave a sigh and go back to make preparations Obviously impossible.
After leaving the courtyard, Zhong Qingran and Jian Mingyu turned to Renshi.They are going to try their luck, and it would be best if they can get a few craftsmen that Fucun does not have yet.There were many people in the market, and they hadn't moved a few days ago, and they were about to leave, so they didn't have to be so scruples anymore.
As the saying goes, relying on mountains to fall, relying on water to pour, everyone knows that the most reliable person in this world is himself, and relying on others is not as good as relying on oneself. This statement cannot be more true.
Zhong Qingran worked so hard, not so much to help the third prince, but rather to say that the two of them got what they needed.The third prince succeeded in competing for the throne, can the other princes still have a good life?Zhong Qingran didn't have many connections in the Great Zhou Dynasty, so it was far more reassuring to find an alliance with the third prince who worked well with him than to make friends with other people.As for whether he will raise tigers as a threat, this is not under his consideration for the time being.
Hanhai Prefecture is almost cut off from the outside world, which is not without benefits. At least Zhong Qingran doesn't have to worry about being beaten to his door by other countries one day.Thinking of the price to be paid for the expedition to Hanhai Prefecture, Zhong Qingran believed that as long as the emperors of various countries did not lose their minds, they would not make such a stupid decision.
Zhong Qingran dared to lead nearly 20 people deep into the steep mountain forest, because he believed that he had the ability to make them escape unscathed. If he was just an ordinary citizen with no special abilities, how could he dare to do this?No, it should be said that he didn't even know how to enter Hanhai Prefecture, and he didn't dare to put his wealth and life on luck.It would be fine if he was alone, death is not that terrible, the problem is that he is not alone, he has family and friends that he wants to protect.
Zhong Qingran had a slight smile on his lips, mocking himself for thinking too much.Without the ability, he would not have saved the third prince by chance, let alone be implicated because of it. Without these reasons, there would be nothing to do later.There is a big difference in the rules of conduct between those who are capable and those who are not. If he doesn't have the ability to protect his own family, he will only make a fortune silently. How dare he just open a coveted Qinghefang?
"Master Zhong, don't worry about the money. The superiors are very satisfied with the items you donated. A few months ago, they allocated a sum of money to store here, just waiting for you to come and hand it over to you. Originally, I thought To provide you with a batch of supplies, after all, as far as I know, Hanhai Prefecture still focuses on bartering, even if you have money, you may not be able to buy goods.” The smile on Manager Su’s face deepened, these were his responsibilities, he Zheng was worried about what to do to help Zhong Qingran, but no, the ladder was handed up, "Since you want to buy people, this matter is easy to handle, just leave it to me. The border town sells everything, and there is really no shortage of people, just I wonder how much you want?"
"As much as you can buy." Zhong Qingran couldn't say the exact amount, "At least this amount."
Zhong Qingran gestured a number with his hands, this was the minimum number he had calculated, no matter how small it was, Fucun would be hard-pressed to withstand the impact of the big tribes in Hanhai Prefecture, and all his plans would be in vain.On this point, Zhong Qingran was clear in his mind, which one was more important, he had to weigh it himself, he hadn't been dazed by the joy of harvesting a large number of fog fruits.
"This number is not small, and I'm afraid it won't be made up within a day or two." Steward Su was stunned for a moment when he heard the words, and after thinking about it for a while, he realized that the situation of Zhong Qingran and the others in Hanhai Prefecture might not be very good. With more hands, there will be no suspicion.
"Guarantee Su is doing his best. However, winter is coming in a few months. We can't stay here for a long time. Please trouble Manager Su to finish this matter as soon as possible. If there are fewer people, we must hurry up." We will leave in early September." Zhong Qingran was always easy to talk to, and he didn't expect Su to manage them all.
With the main problem solved, Zhong Qingran also had time to talk about another cooperation with the third prince.If there is no such thing as Fu Yunzhu, Zhong Qingran would not be obsessed with making money in terms of the purchasing power of money in Hanhai Prefecture. With Fu Yunzhu, the importance of money is self-evident: "Su Guanshi, look this."
"Glass refining formula?" Steward Su raised his voice slightly, his eyes bursting with light.This is a business that can make a lot of money. Who has a recipe, and doesn't it hold it tightly?As a last resort, a part of the profits will be distributed to others, so as to keep the glazed workshop from being embezzled and run it in peace.But that's just a dry bonus, Fang Zi is determined not to leak it.Fortunately, Zhong Qingran gave the formula to the third prince directly. This kind of favor is not small, but he doesn't know the authenticity of the formula.
It's a big matter, Manager Su doesn't even dare to read the contents of the recipe, he can't touch it, but fortunately Zhong Qingran didn't do it for nothing in the past few years in the Great Zhou Dynasty, he didn't make things difficult for him, the letter was sealed long ago , only the name is marked on the envelope.
Manager Su was extremely contradictory. What he was holding was a hot potato. If he took it, he would have to bear the consequences. If it was a scam, wouldn't his future be buried in Zhong Qingran's hands?But he can't do it if he doesn't accept it. The superior has made it clear that he must follow Zhong Qingran's wishes. If he can't do it, there's no way.
A mere letter that is not worth two or two, but at this moment, in the eyes of Manager Su, it is as heavy as Mount Tai.It's no wonder he hesitated, his future, the fate of his family, may all depend on this small envelope in front of him.Su has been in charge for a long time, and has never experienced such a feeling of worrying about gains and losses.No matter how unwilling he was to accept it, he had no choice. Not only had he accepted it happily, but he also had to talk nicely and discuss with Zhong Qingran about the selling price of the colored glaze formula, which was both painful and joyful.
Regarding the price of the glass formula, before coming here, Zhong Qingran discussed with his family members. The specific price depends on the third prince. They don't know the market, so it is very possible to quote their own price, and it is not as good as letting the other party bid. Judging from the years of cooperation, the third prince is not stingy.
Zhong Qingran didn't want to haggle over this kind of matter, as long as Steward Su behaved appropriately and didn't dismiss them as beggars, he would have no objection. Of course, if the price didn't satisfy him, who would suffer? Who knows?
As a result, even though Steward Su was under great pressure, he didn't intend to take advantage of the price at all.Zhong Qingran also had to admire that the third prince's imperial ability was extraordinary.The border town is one hundred and eight thousand miles away from Shangjing, and it is also separated by thousands of mountains and rivers from Jizhou. It should be far away from the emperor, who lacks the ability to control his subordinates. Who would have thought that they would be so heartfelt? Be sure to ask for advice.After learning this skill, he doesn't have to worry about being betrayed all the time.
Zhong Qingran didn't know if he had this ability himself, but he knew that he had another reliance, an object attached to luck, which could distinguish people's current mentality of good and evil.
After negotiating with Manager Su, after lunch, Zhong Qingran and Jian Mingyu left with Minglei.August was the hottest time of the year, and it was noon now. Even in the border town in the Northland, both of them were sweating.
Back in the small courtyard, the two of them took a good shower, and then sat at the table refreshed, enjoying the watermelon comfortably.
"Qing Ran, this melon tastes really good." Jian Mingyu didn't hesitate to praise him.Pingyang County does not produce watermelon, and this is the first time he has eaten it. It is sweet and juicy, and it is a holy product for relieving summer heat.
"That's right, the price of watermelon in the border towns is not high, and in the hinterland of the Great Zhou Dynasty, even if you have money, you may not be able to buy it." There were only the two of them here, and Zhong Qingran didn't pay much attention to the image, directly cut the melon into pieces, took Take a bite and chew on it.
If this appearance is seen by someone who is a little bit more particular, I am afraid that he will have already preached it.Zhong Qingran didn't care, he pretended to be fine, and he had to be scruples about every word and deed, and his life was really boring, he didn't need to associate with dignitaries now, so he didn't need to embarrass himself too much.
Zhong Qingran was originally from a farming family, so he would not, like most children from poor families, try to cover up his past, as if once he flew to a branch, the past would have nothing to do with him.
Although he didn't care about these things, Zhong Qingran didn't want to make himself dirty.It's just that watermelon, unless it is processed in advance, cut into small pieces and served on a plate, and eaten with a bamboo skewer, or else, eaten with a spoon, otherwise, it is really extremely difficult to avoid a trace of juice.
No, with only two pieces of watermelon in his belly, Zhong Qingran felt his face was sticky, and was about to wipe it off with a cloth towel, when he raised his head, he saw Jian Mingyu who was also covered in juice, and couldn't help laughing out loud, He didn't even care about watermelon juice dripping on his clothes.
Jian Mingyu looked blankly at Zhong Qingran, who was laughing happily. At first, he didn't know what Qingran was enjoying, but when he saw the light red juice on his chin, he quickly realized it.Jian Mingyu was not annoyed, he used up the piece of watermelon in his hand, then got up, went to get two pieces of handkerchiefs, one for himself and one for Zhong Qingran.
"Okay, don't laugh, it's not long after lunch, so don't laugh too much." Jian Mingyu said with joy, neither of them is particularly fussy, and their temperaments are not opposite. When they get along, they are used to it It was relaxed and comfortable. This kind of life was far better than he had imagined before.
"Okay, I won't laugh anymore." Zhong Qingran tried hard to hold back his smile, but he laughed too hard before, how could he take it back in a moment?Zhong Qingran returned to normal after Jian Mingyu ate another piece of watermelon.I really don't blame him for this, it's not that he hasn't seen Jian Mingyu's unkempt situation, but it's a special situation. In the deep mountains and old forests, there are often no water sources, and clean water has to be used sparingly, not to mention bathing, even doing it. Meals with soup, you have to think about it before you can act.But the situation is different now, such a Jian Mingyu is really rare.
Zhong Qingran's appetite was not as good as Jian Mingyu's. After eating two pieces of watermelon, he felt his stomach was full. After wiping his hands and face clean, he tilted his head and looked at Jian Mingyu quietly.
Jian Mingyu's five senses are keen, and as soon as Zhong Qingran looked at him, he was aware of it.Jian Mingyu didn't raise his head, and let him look at him openly.Maybe the first time, he still felt a little awkward. He has been married for more than half a year now, if he is not used to it, Jian Mingyu doesn't have to go out to do errands, and he can just stay at home and be a good wife.
Standing behind Steward Su is the third prince. Many things are taboo, even though most people don't know who the master behind him is. Therefore, he dare not deal with slaves of other countries. Crime, that is really too much to eat.
The border town is so prosperous, no one can do it, where do the hard-working people come from?Most of them come from the three countries adjacent to the border town, the Great Zhou Dynasty, Beisha and Haran.
Although Harlan is also adjacent to the three-way zone under the jurisdiction of the border city, the people of Harlan have no real power.Anyway, the area of the border city originally belonged to the Great Zhou Dynasty and Beisha. If Harlan extended his tentacles to it, neither country would ignore it.At most, the Harlan people set up commercial shops in the border towns, slowly operating them in private, and declaring their sovereignty with great fanfare.The leader of the Harlan people will not make such a mistake, slowly eating away and growing step by step is their way to deal with it.
These three countries are not small, and no one can destroy the other in a short period of time.Ever since the narrow strip of border town became a buffer zone between the Great Zhou Dynasty and Beisha, Harlan has suffered a lot. Whoever let it be sandwiched between two big countries, if Harlan is not small, the three The landforms of the countries are very different, and I am afraid that they have been wiped out many times.They dare not act rashly on the surface, but they keep making small moves behind the scenes.
Haran is dominated by vast grasslands. There is not enough food, but there is no shortage of meat and milk. War horses are even more famous.Most of the people in Harlan live as nomads, and their folk customs are tough. Even if there are two big countries that are eyeing tigers, they always heal their scars and forget the pain. Once they encounter a famine and lack of food, they often use a small group of cavalry The mode of committing crimes and plundering food and grass.
The Great Zhou Dynasty had a vast territory and abundant resources, and its living conditions were better than those of Beisha and Harlan. Haran's first goal was the Great Zhou Dynasty.The harassment of such a small group of troops is extremely miserable for the people on the border, and the imperial court has nothing to do with it. The border line is too long, and it is impossible for them to protect the border gate airtight, and there are always places that cannot be taken care of.It is really unbearable to be disturbed, so the imperial court will send troops. After repelling him, he can live in peace for a few years, but this problem has been treating the symptoms rather than the root cause.It's not that the court didn't think of doing it once and for all, but it was very difficult to do it.
The people of Harlan basically have one rider, maybe more than that, and the Great Zhou Dynasty, although it also had its own horse farm, the cavalry team was still unable to grow.If you want to completely kill the Harlan people, you can't do it at all.They are too mobile, they are nomads, and they are very accustomed to the life of frequent migration. The soldiers of the Great Zhou Dynasty did not have this ability. More importantly, they were too deep into the grassland, and they were easy to lose their way. The important thing is that water sources are hard to find, and staying in the grassland for a long time will cause diseases such as acclimatization to the soil and water.There are many reasons, and it is further explained that it is not easy to go on an expedition to a country that one does not understand. This requires the right time, place and people to be possible.
After eating the watermelon, Zhong Qingran and Jian Mingyu began to discuss business matters.
Zhong Qingran made up his mind, if Manager Su couldn't find enough manpower, he would go to see the prisoners in Beisha and Haran.On the contrary, he does not need to do so much.People from the same country get together and can integrate well with each other, but people from other countries will be in trouble.This has nothing to do with ethnicity. Every country has its own customs and habits, and there are obvious differences in thoughts and behaviors, especially the language barrier, which automatically draws a line between people. This point , the obstacle will be very big at first, but it will not be obvious after a long time, but the habits formed since childhood are difficult to change.
If it was not necessary, Zhong Qingran didn't want to ask for trouble. He hoped that Manager Su could handle the matter well, so that he wouldn't get his ideas on other people.
Although Zhong Qingran didn't plan to get rid of slavery for the people who were about to join Fucun now, he also knew that the proportion of servant women was too high, which was obviously very unreasonable, and this situation could not be maintained for too long, otherwise it would cause serious damage. The impact is not conducive to the development of Fucun.Right now, I can only make do with it, and we can only wait for next year to consider the follow-up matters.
In the next few days, Zhong Qingran and Jian Mingyu bought some grain one after another, but because they bought it in small batches, they did not attract the attention of interested people.There are a lot of big businesses in the border town, and those with huge transaction amount will be coveted by others, and they may be robbed halfway. However, it is the horse and grain business that will attract the attention of the major forces in the border town. These are related to the livelihood of the people and the army. Threatening the foundation of governing the country, its movements are particularly noticeable.
Zhong Qingran doesn't plan to buy horses here, Hanhai Prefecture has a lot of them, if he wants to, he can just buy them.Buying food is really helpless. There are so many mouths to feed, and the servants who eat meat all day long may not be able to bear it. If they want to mainly eat meat, they have to wait until their bodies adapt to meat.
Zhong Qingran made it clear to shopkeeper Su that what he wanted was labor and various craftsmen, not a proud and expensive assistant lady.Enjoy things, or wait until later, now, everything is practical.
In addition to food, Zhong Qingran also bought some cloth, cotton and needles.The group of them are all careless men, and Jian Mingyu has been in contact with this area because of family reasons, and he shoulders the heavy responsibility of selection.Zhong Qingran pursed his lips, and started in a despondent manner, saddle up and back, doing the work at hand.This, Zhong Qingran admitted, he is not omnipotent, it is impossible to do everything.
Similarly, the quantity of these purchases is not large, and the rest needs to be settled in the mountains and forests.
Looking at the various supplies that had piled up into mountains, Zhong Qingran couldn't help but feel a headache.He made an agreement with Shopkeeper Su that he would directly deliver the people he bought to the entrance of the mountain through various channels, and he had to find a way to take away the items that Zhong Qingran was carrying.
When they came, because they had to cross the deep mountains and old forests, the carriages could not pass, so they just let the horses carry the supplies. After they left the mountain, because they didn't have a long rest time, they didn't have a cart, and the ability to transport goods was obviously not good.At the moment, I have to think of another way. It seems that if I don’t buy a few frames, I’m afraid I won’t be able to take so many things with me.
This matter is not difficult to deal with, a trip to the car market can solve the problem.After making a plan, Zhong Qingran didn't act immediately, there was no rush, and it would not be too late to buy after they set a date to leave.
"Mingyu, do you feel that the temperature has gotten colder?" Zhong Qingran tightened his clothes. It was still extremely hot yesterday, and he wanted to be shirtless, but in a blink of an eye, he felt the chill.Here in the border town, there is a big temperature difference between day and night. If such a temperature is placed at night, there is no problem at all. This is where the incident happened. Now it is near noon when the sun is shining brightly, which seems very abnormal.
Zhong Qingran didn't study the climate, even so, he could think that it might be autumn.This is not a good sign, the spring and autumn period here is very short, ranging from one to two months to twenty days.The arrival of autumn means that winter will soon enter.Bringing a group of people who are obviously lacking in physical strength and trekking long distances, the speed will definitely not increase. No matter what Zhong Qingran does, he will not be able to enter Hanhai Prefecture before the heavy snow seals the mountains. He can only do his best.
Zhong Qingran would not stay in the border town just because of this accident.Just because the road is blocked by snow doesn't mean that Fucun is safe.After the land is frozen, the vast sea will freeze a little later. At that time, even living on a large boat will not be safe. He must take people back to Fucun before the vast sea freezes.He didn't know if there were sled dogs in the big tribe. If there were, it would be a great threat to Fucun.Being able to come and go freely on the ice and snow is too deterrent, and he has to take precautions.
"Well, it's lower than yesterday." Jian Mingyu pushed the door out, bathed in the sun, stood for a while, his body gradually felt warm, but only slightly sweaty. Obviously, the temperature dropped by more than one degree, he Turning his head, he said to Zhong Qingran, "Qingran, we can't wait any longer."
Zhong Qingran nodded in agreement. It was really difficult to travel long distances with a large group of people and shuttle through the steep mountains and forests.According to their physical conditions, they may not be able to walk a few miles a day, so they must leave as soon as possible.
Before Zhong Qingran went to shopkeeper Su, he sent someone over to ask him to discuss.This is also in line with shopkeeper Su's situation. After all, he has stayed in the border town for many years and is more sensitive to climate change. He took the initiative to find him, probably just for this matter.
Zhong Qingran and Jian Mingyu followed the guides and came to the courtyard again.
"Master Zhong, it's autumn today, and the mountains will be covered with heavy snow soon. The number of people you want me to find is almost the same. In my opinion, it's better to leave as soon as possible." Steward Su spoke bluntly and put forward his own opinion.
"How many people are there?" Zhong Qingran didn't object.
"This number." Steward Su wrote down a number, "There are more people than expected, but they still have to go through your screening, excluding those who are eliminated. I estimate that it is not far from the number you want."
"Okay, let's go tomorrow." After finishing speaking, Zhong Qingran didn't delay any longer, and immediately got up to leave.He is going to leave tomorrow, and he needs to do a lot of things, so he has to hurry up and prepare, so as not to remember that there are still things to finish when he leaves. When the time comes, he can only leave a sigh and go back to make preparations Obviously impossible.
After leaving the courtyard, Zhong Qingran and Jian Mingyu turned to Renshi.They are going to try their luck, and it would be best if they can get a few craftsmen that Fucun does not have yet.There were many people in the market, and they hadn't moved a few days ago, and they were about to leave, so they didn't have to be so scruples anymore.
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