The long wind in January blows down from the western plateau and blows through the warm Mexica Valley, dry and slightly cold.
Shulot tightened his broad priest's cloak slightly and slowly walked towards the priest's temple. In the Texcoco Lakes area, January mornings are around 10 degrees Celsius, while sunny midday temperatures are a comfortable and pleasant 20 degrees Celsius.
Along the way is the great market of Tenochtitlan. A slight chill could not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd. There were only a few days before the New Year Festival on January 12th, and nobles and commoners from all over the country came in droves. The large market in the main city was crowded with people, at least 30,000 people trading here. The Trade Plaza in Beicheng is even more astonishing, with a trading scale of 60,000 people.
Shulot paid attention to the transactions in the market. The villagers are always wearing rough clothes and barefoot, carrying various vegetables and grains, fruits, spices and even honey picked from the mountains and fields, looking for suitable trading partners. Their purpose was very specific, usually exchanging stoneware, pottery, tools and cloth.
Shulot stopped and looked at it for a while. The value of the same piece of cloth was not fixed at all. Sometimes it’s a turkey, sometimes it’s a turkey and half a bag of black beans, and sometimes it’s even more.
"Your turkey is too small. If you want to replace this piece of cloth, you need to add some extra. Just the jar of honey in your hand!" The cloth merchant seemed casual and careless.
The farmer hesitated slightly. He looked around and couldn't find anyone to ask, so he tried to refute it himself.
"That's not possible. Honey is not that easy to get. People in the village say that city people are transformed from hummingbirds and naturally love to eat honey. One jar can be exchanged for a piece of cloth. And my jar is worth a large piece of cloth. "
The cloth merchant chuckled.
"Change a piece of cloth? Why don't you become a warrior and just go and grab it? Your jar is broken, who would want it from you? I will return the jar to you later."
The farmer was slightly embarrassed. He stood there, holding Honey and just shaking his head.
The cloth merchant looked at it for a while and then said impatiently.
"I just want to taste the sweetness. I'll give you half a piece of cloth, just don't change it. I'm still busy!"
After saying that, the cloth merchant turned sideways, wondering what kind of work he was busy with.
The farmer stood for a moment longer, looked at the merchant's profile, and then spoke anxiously.
"Change. I'll change! But as agreed, I have to return this jar to me."
The cloth merchant raised his eyes slightly and smiled.
"You can return the jar. But the turkey is too small and needs to be fastened with some cloth. There are one and a half pieces of cloth." As he said this, he handed one and one-quarter pieces of cloth to the farmer.
Shulot secretly thought that it was a quarter of a horse, but it should only be a little more than a fifth. There is no standard measurement here in the market.
The farmer gave the turkey and honey pot to the merchant. He watched the merchant pour honey into a intact clay pot, and then left happily holding the cloth and the chipped pot.
As soon as the farmer disappeared, the cloth merchant immediately hugged the honey pot, letting the people next to him look at the stall, and hurried into the market.
Shulot followed silently. Watching the cloth merchants arrive at the border of the inner market, they were blocked by the guarding warriors. He waved vigorously inside and shouted softly. A well-dressed big businessman walked slowly over.
"Look, fresh honey! This is the favorite of nobles. I got it with great difficulty."
The cloth merchant bowed his head in greeting and smiled.
"As long as five pieces of cloth are worth the spices, I will sell them to you."
The big businessman shook his head slightly.
"You can eat the spices for five pieces of cloth yourself. If you can't enter this inner market, you can't sell things to the nobles. You want to extort my things, how brave you are!"
The smile on the cloth merchant's face paused, and then he continued to smile.
"Isn't this still negotiable? You decide the price!"
The big businessman held out three fingers and said nothing.
"What's the deal? I only bought three pieces of cloth." The cloth merchant shouted.
The big businessman glanced contemptuously at the cloth merchant, who immediately stopped talking.
"Let's do this, everyone takes a step back, four pieces of cloth!" the cloth merchant shouted through gritted teeth.
The big businessman turned around and left.
"Okay, okay! Three pieces is three pieces. I want vanilla for home use!" the cloth merchant shouted distressedly.
The big businessman then turned around and nodded slightly. He summoned a guard and gave a few instructions. After a while, the guard brought over a small cloth bag with a handful of processed herbs inside.
The cloth merchant nodded and a smile appeared on his face. He saluted the big businessman and hurried to his stall. Shulot watched from a distance. He frowned slightly. The price of these herbs seemed to be much cheaper than he knew.
Shulot thought for a while, then slowly followed the richly dressed businessman and watched him walk to the luxury store. The shops here have cloth awnings. He walked under the cloth awning and completely covered his hands. When he came out again, he already had an exquisitely crafted stone bottle in his hand.
Soon, the big businessman also hurried away. With a friendly smile on his face, he walked to the foreign merchant's shop, found a big noble in the city, and bowed respectfully.
"Dear Sir, I am blessed by the patron saint today. I received a jar of fresh nectar. It was collected by hummingbirds from near the king's garden. It should be dedicated to such a noble person as you."
As he spoke, he lowered his head deeply and held a stone bottle in both hands.
The nobleman was slightly startled. He waved behind him. An experienced servant came over respectfully, bowed and took the stone bottle. The servant checked the quality of the honey, then stepped forward and respectfully whispered back to the nobleman.
After hearing this, the nobleman nodded with satisfaction and waved casually again. The servant then accepted the honey and gave him a small tube of gold sand worth ten pieces of cloth.
The big businessman saluted respectfully again. Then he lowered his head, took the gold sand with both hands, and walked away with a smile.
Shulot stood sideways in the stall next to him, lowering his head to avoid being recognized by the nobles.
Soon, the big businessman hurried past him, bringing with him a breeze. Shulot could vaguely see an angry face.
"Smart old guy, miser!" The big businessman lowered his head, leaving a whisper that was inaudible.
Shulot thought for a moment. He continued wandering around the inner market and came to the shops of foreign merchants. After a moment, he realized how insignificant the big businessman's transaction was.
As the New Year holiday approaches, foreign businessmen also bring out their best products. These transnational businessmen are the real big businessmen.
Tarasco merchants wore moon ornaments, considered evil by the Mexica, and sold expensive Western copperware. A copper pot the size of an arm requires at least twenty pieces of cloth.
Huastec merchants, dressed only in shells and covered in feathered cloaks, sell the bright feathers of the north. A draped feather coat is worth fifty bolts of cloth.
Mixtec merchants wore exquisite gold and silver jewelry and sold the beautiful gemstones of the South. They only accepted gold and silver, and one turquoise cost half a small bag of gold sand. The gold dust will be reprocessed into expensive gold jewelry.
Mayan merchants had a distinctive appearance. Their long heads and sincere cross-eyes are signs of their divinity. Sacred smoke rises sparsely from their stalls. A bag of cigarettes is like a bag of gold dust, and the price of exquisite spices and sacred smoke is doubled.
These foreign businessmen group together according to regions and form autonomous groups in the trading area, similar to chambers of commerce. There are three duty judges and one inspection judge in the inner market, plus more than a dozen accompanying warriors. Judges are responsible for maintaining order in the market and combating theft and shoddy goods.
Shulot stepped forward and revealed his identity. Then, amid the other party's sincerity and fear, he asked about the situation of the foreign caravan.
“What do these foreign traders mainly come to the big market to sell?”
"Mainly various luxuries. Divine smoke, spices, embroidery, feather clothes, gems, gold and silver jewelry, copperware... By the way, there is also carmine dye." A judge on duty reported in detail.
"That's right. So what did they buy?" Shulot asked seriously.
"The Tarascans will take away a lot of cloth and well salt from the state. The Huastecs will buy some exquisite musical instruments and flowers, as well as some weapons and equipment. The Mixtecs will take away a lot of gold and silver, Sometimes cotton armor is also purchased. As for the Mayans, they want everything."
The law enforcement officer on the other side rushed to answer, smiling.
Hearing the name of the product, Shulot frowned slightly. He continued: "What are the number of transactions per day?"
The judges were speechless. They only have four people and a dozen assistants, and they have to manage a large market of 30,000 people. It was clear that the statistics were well beyond their capabilities.
Shulot thought for a while and then changed the question.
"How do you collect taxes?"
"There is no tax in the outer market. Each merchant in the inner market will pay a market fee. Local merchants usually pay in kind, and foreign merchants like to pay in general cloth. Their business groups will coordinate with us on the amount of payment, and pay it in full once in a while. ." An old judge on duty reported.
"So, we neither limit the types of commodity transactions, nor can we control the quantity of commodity transactions. Commercial taxes are very meager and have nothing to do with the amount of commodities. And in the market, foreign merchants are autonomous?"
Shulot looked seriously at the old judge on duty.
The old judge bowed his head and saluted. He understood the meaning of the rebuke and hurriedly explained.
"All city-states do this. Those numbers cannot be calculated at all, not even the Mayans. If some merchants bring enough supplies, we will also receive an extra batch of physical goods."
Shulot thought for a moment. The law enforcement force is insufficient and it is impossible to grasp the figures. Businessmen must have many ways to avoid taxes, but there is no way to punish the judges harshly. He continued to ask.
"Then how do you measure the value of the goods of both parties to the transaction? If there is a dispute in the transaction, how do you manage it?"
"Value? Dispute?" The only inspection judge was slightly stunned. He thought for a moment.
"We generally know how much the various goods in the country are worth. Foreign merchants need to negotiate with their business groups for goods. As long as both parties to the transaction are mutually willing, the transaction will be established without interference.
If there is a dispute between both parties, we will check the quality and quantity of the items, shoddy goods and thieves will die. If the transaction can be terminated, both parties will return their respective things. If the dispute is really unclear, let both sides fight in a duel. The loser will die, and the winner will be declared the winner. "
Hearing this way of dealing with it, Shulot had no expression on his face and was speechless in his heart. He pondered for a moment and then continued to ask.
"What will happen if foreign businessmen encounter vendetta and robbery here?"
The inspecting judge has the highest status, and it is still he who answers.
"Vendettas are prohibited in the capital. Those who kill below the nobility will die. Duels witnessed by the God of War can take place. As for the alliance outside the Seven Bridges, they will ignore it. Facing small groups of bandits, large caravans can usually withstand them. .”
Having said this, the inspecting judge looked around. Then, he smiled respectfully and lowered his voice.
"Your Highness, if you are interested in any goods, just ask foreign merchants directly for them. If you do anything outside, the news will always leak out and damage your reputation. After all, you are a great figure who wants to inherit the alliance! Ordinary nobles I can’t compare with you.”
Shulot was slightly startled. Thoughts swirled in his mind. Listen to this, there are big nobles intercepting and killing foreign businessmen? He looked at the inspecting judge, who bowed his head in greeting but said no more.
Shulot thought for a moment, then nodded to the inspector with a smile. Then, with the other party's respectful farewell, he left the capital market. He thought about what he had seen and heard about the market and recalled past memories. Ideas flashed in his mind and turned into suggestions.
It was already noon when we arrived at the priest's temple. The priests and elders were old, and they were a little tired after discussing and formulating the teachings all morning. Now, the elders were eating snacks, drinking some cocoa and light wine, and discussing the trivial matters of life in the capital.
A priest and elder in the capital smoked the sacred smoke happily, and the air was filled with the relaxing smell of tobacco and spices. The other capital city elders were used to it, but the holy city elders frowned slightly. Shulot looked at his grandfather. He recognized a hint of hidden dissatisfaction on his grandfather's face, and remembered his grandfather's teachings in the Holy City, so he became convinced.
Seeing Shulot, the elders smiled and greeted each other. Shulot also smiled and bowed his head in return, and the atmosphere was harmonious for a while.
Then he sat down next to his grandfather. The grandfather touched the boy's head and smiled slightly. Next to his grandfather, some distance away, was Akap. He smiled and nodded to the young man, who happened to be sitting between the priests of the capital and the holy city.
Shulot first asked his grandfather.
"Dear High Priest, how is the teaching progress this morning?"
"My son, this morning we discussed the daily code of conduct for the royal family, nobles, warriors and common people. It stipulates which behaviors are worthy of admiration, which behaviors should not be interfered with, and which behaviors are expressly prohibited.
The advice you gave me last time was great. In order to save lives and wealth, large-scale gambling is strictly prohibited from the nobles below. Samurai and commoners were not allowed to participate in gambling or games involving life. Except for duels witnessed by the Lord God. "
Shuttle smiled and nodded. He looked at the boy gently.
"My child, do you have any advice?"
Shulot pondered for a moment and saluted his grandfather solemnly. This action attracted the attention of other elders, and everyone watched. Shuttle also straightened his body and faced him solemnly.
Shulot then slowly spoke:
“Dear High Priest, I propose a reform of commercial law.
First, unify market regulations. Establish written trade regulations and dispatch magistrates who are familiar with the regulations to mediate trade disputes.
Second, manage currency and weights and measures. Integrate the existing cocoa, cotton, gold and silver, agree on the appropriate exchange ratio, and dispatch currency exchange managers. Try to unify length, weight and volume units.
Third, manage market prices. Establish benchmark price signs in the market, label them with pictures and texts, and send people to explain them daily to provide farmers and civilians with a basic reference for commodity prices. Keep abreast of merchants' commodity prices and control them when necessary!
Fourth, strategic material management and control. Control the outflow of salt, cotton cloth and weapons and equipment, and stockpile copper ore for making copper soldiers and leather for making leather armor. Send a large number of additional manpower to manage the market, and if necessary, can force the purchase of important supplies!
Fifth, control luxury goods. Purify customs and prohibit civilians and ordinary warriors from spending their wealth on expensive luxuries. Increase the commercial tax and do not restrict the use of luxury goods by nobles and priests, but increase taxes on luxury goods.
Sixth, control the sacred smoke. Divine smoke can treat diseases, but it can also make people addicted and lose their vitality. Warriors and priests need to strictly abide by the precepts and should try to stay away from the sacred smoke unless necessary.
Seventh, manage foreign businessmen. Search for foreign spies and prohibit businessmen from approaching military locations. Cancel the autonomy of foreign business groups and require them to provide strategic materials needed by the alliance. Ensure their safety in the Mexican city-states, and dispatch troops when necessary to conquer the 'bandits' along the way! "
After Qijiao finished speaking, Shulot bowed his head to the ground and paid homage. There was silence all around, the elders had solemn faces and shocked eyes.
And the high priest Shuter was at the top. He stared at the young man in front of him with a serious expression and a calm and thoughtful face. Finally, he smiled faintly.
