The salt and porcelain matters have been arranged. If we want to see results, it is unlikely to take more than a year and a half.
Salt is easy to talk about, and you don't have to worry about sales. Porcelain and tea still need help from others.
I turned around and asked, "Qi Wan, how many merchants are there in Da Qin now?"
Qi Wan cupped her hands and said: "There are only two families, one is the Ba family, and the person in charge now is Ba Taoyao, and the other is the Wushi family, and the person in charge now is Wushi Mu."
I nodded: "This Ba family provided a large amount of mercury to the Lishan Mausoleum and was valued by the late emperor. I wonder what is so special about this Wuzhi family?"
"Your Majesty, the Wushi family owns a large number of cattle and sheep in the northern area. When the Wushi family started, they used their livestock to trade silk and silk with Guanzhong and Guandong and became a well-known wealthy merchant in the Qin Dynasty."
"When the emperor inspected the northern land, he heard and witnessed the Wushi Luo's deeds of doing business and developing animal husbandry. He immediately gave Luo the preferential treatment of 'Bi Feijun', in order to make the Wushi clan provide a large number of livestock for our Qin Dynasty for farming and food. Today, nearly half of the cattle farmers in the world are from the Wushi clan."
No wonder he was granted the title of Great Qin Merchant by Ying Zheng and received strong support from Ying Zheng. One is to provide great help to himself, and the other is to provide great help to Da Qin, which should not be underestimated.
Now that I know their details, I said to Meng He: "Meng He, go and see if Bataoyao has returned from Longxi. If Bataoyao and Wushi Mu are both there, order them to meet you at Sihai Palace after the meeting tomorrow. I."
Meng He took the order and was about to turn around and go out, when I stopped him.
"Forget it, if both of you are here, report back immediately and I will go in person."
Meng He turned around and went out, and soon came back to report that both of them were there.
I didn't hesitate and immediately set off for Dongdongfang City.
When we arrived at Southeast City, there was no one else around, so the city closed the entire market on the grounds of early closure. After all, the last attack was still fresh in my mind, so I had to learn from Ying Zheng and clean the streets in advance every time I went out.
This meeting was at another quiet place next to Tao Pavilion - Ba Shi Terrace, which means Huai Qing Terrace and is Ba Shi's base camp. Badaoyao, Baling, Wushi Mu, and Wushi Jie are already waiting here.
I stepped in and the four of them quickly bowed their heads and said, "Join Your Majesty."
I walked to the top position, sat down and waved my hands: "No need to be polite, just sit down."
Taoyao and Ba Ling were both startled when they heard my voice, and couldn't help but look up at me.
Baling immediately covered his mouth with one hand, pointed at me with the other, looked at Taoyao and exclaimed: "It's him!"
Tao Yao was obviously shocked, but he was worthy of taking over Ba's industry at a young age. He immediately pressed Ba Ling's hand and scolded in a low voice: "Don't be rude, sit down!"
Baling realized his rudeness and sat down with Taoyao, looking at me secretly from time to time.
Wushi Mu sat aside and muttered in his heart: "Ba Taoyao clearly told me that the new emperor has just ascended the throne and it is not appropriate to have an audience, lest the new emperor and the First Emperor disagree and interrupt the business between our two clans." How do you think of this situation? She has secretly met His Majesty? This woman is so scheming! '
Naturally, Taoyao saw Wu Shimu frowning slightly. She didn't expect that I was the second emperor, but this was not the time to explain.
Looking at the four people sitting down, I smiled and said: "I have some things that I need you two to handle. However, I want to get to know you first. Why don't you introduce yourself to me?"
Wushi Mu was slightly dissatisfied with Tao Yao, and immediately replied: "Your Majesty, the villain Wushi Mu is now the head of the Wushi clan. Next to him is the villain's younger brother, named Wushi Jie. My Wushi clan is now the leader of the clan. Mainly engaged in the silk horse trade, there are now twenty valleys for cattle and thirty valleys for sheep in Beidi and Longxi, and slightly less for horses, only five valleys."
valley? ? ? Did the Qin Dynasty have this unit of measurement? ? ?
I wondered: "What does valley mean?"
Although Wushi Mu held up his hands as if to be humble, he could not hide his complacency.
"The Wushi clan has countless cattle and sheep, which cannot be measured by heads or animals, so they are counted in one valley!"
I was greatly surprised, good guy, this is really immeasurable wealth, how rich this is!
I nodded with satisfaction: "Good. Our country, Da Qin, is now promoting new farm tools. Only by using oxen can the new farm tools be of greatest use. You must fully support the oxen needed by Da Qin!"
Wushi Mu cupped his hands and said: "I am willing to serve your Majesty!"
Then he looked at Taoyao. Although I've met her twice, I don't know her very well.
Tao Yao cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, my concubine Ba Tao Yao is now in charge of the Ba family. Next to me is my younger sister, named Ba Ling. Ba family is mainly engaged in cinnabar mining and mercury refining. Currently, there are three mines in Ba County. , and nothing else.”
I nodded: "Good."
Cinnabar is also cinnabar. Cinnabar had two main uses during the Qin Dynasty. First, it is used for painting. The red coffins and red paintings that appear in modern archaeology are basically made of cinnabar. Since Buddhism was introduced to China, it has been used on a large scale in Buddhist statues; the second is to refine mercury and use cinnabar, Mercury and other methods are used to refine elixirs, and as for the elixirs that can be refined, there are really many tricks.
Whether it is painting or alchemy, these are all things played by the rich or nobles, or more specifically the upper class. No matter how rich you are, refining elixirs privately is no joke. The emperor only took the elixir if he wanted to live forever. You also take the elixir. What do you want to do? Conspiracy to usurp the throne.
Therefore, many people do not understand why Ba Widow Qing became a wealthy man in the Qin Dynasty with just a piece of cinnabar. In fact, just like today's luxury goods, people take the high-end route, which means they don't open for three years, but they open for three years. What's more, there is Ying Zheng, a "big customer". The Lishan Mausoleum alone used 100 to 120 tons of mercury, not to mention the "fine" cinnabar used to refine the elixir.
At present, it seems that the Wushi are Rong tribe after all, and their loyalty to Da Qin needs to be examined. It can be found from historical records that Wushi's huge profits came entirely from the unequal transactions with Da Qin.
Wushi's cattle and sheep are necessary for the Qin Dynasty. No matter what time, there will always be a need for cattle. However, the cloth and silk of Great Qin are not necessary for the Rong people. The number of Rong people in Beidi and Longxi is not very large. After meeting the demand at one time, they can withstand it without trading for a year or two.
The Bashi mainly relied on Da Qin. Without the consumption of these princes and nobles in Da Qin, I am afraid that their cinnabar would have no market for a while, and it would be easier to handle it.
I'm afraid this is also the intention of what Tao Yao said to me when we were in Longxi, "Now we are just lingering on." I had just ascended the throne, so it was obviously unlikely that I would pursue immortality, and building the mausoleum was not on the agenda. The impact on them of losing the emperor as a big customer was obvious.
After thinking about this, I have made a decision in my mind.
"Both of your clans are big businessmen. The late emperor praised you a lot when he was still alive, and your contribution to the Qin Dynasty is also obvious. Now I have something to do for you. If you do it well, you will go further and contribute to the Qin Dynasty. Da Qin is also very profitable."
The two of them cupped their hands and said, "I am willing to listen to your Majesty's orders!"
I nodded.
"I want to open up the Silk Road for trade in the Western Regions!"
