The next day.
According to the plan, the villagers stayed put, while Song Che continued to lead the caravan westward to the Kingdom of Dadan.
After leaving the sandbank, the caravans began to go their separate ways.
If you need goods such as amber, mink skins, antelope horns, etc., go north to Uihe, Gaochang, etc., which are close to the Tianshan Mountains and have much richer products;
If you need goods such as diamonds, treasures, iron swords and armor, glassware, etc., go to Dadan, Loulan, Jingjue and other directions in the southwest. These places are rich in strange ores and natural products;
In short, all the businessmen came to the Western Regions all the way to obtain the benefits they needed.
"Everyone, please pay attention to safety. Bring enough water and dry food. If you are going in the same direction, plan the route well and try to form a group to walk together..."
As the founder of the business group, Song Che has always been the backbone. Making money is important, but safety is the first priority. He distributed a copy of the map of the Western Region that he had perfected to everyone.
This map of his is not a crude parchment diagram. As early as when he was in Hangzhou, he used the "mobile phone offline map" combined with contemporary geographical maps to mark the general situation of the Western Regions in detail.
In ancient times without satellite navigation, especially in deserts, maps and compasses were more important than anything else.
"Boss Song, should we go together when we get back?" someone asked.
"Oh, it's really hard to say. After all, everyone's business cycle is different. But don't worry, bosses, within two months at most, Song will build a country specifically for mutual trade in the Western Region. By then, everyone will no longer have to deal with each other. Running around the desert."
Yes, this "country dedicated to mutual trade" was specially created by Song Che for Guo Shuyun and other villagers. To explain it in modern terms, it is a "permanently neutral country".
By then, businessmen from various countries in the East and West can come to this "neutral country" to trade with each other. Guo Shuyun can make a lot of money by collecting some taxes and opening a few inns.
Of course, Song Che's ultimate goal is to open his Yunshuifang and Tianxia Bank... Persian money! Roman money! Big cannibal money! Tianzhu people’s money! Money from people all over the world! He wants to earn it!
"Okay! As expected of the most wealthy businessman in Daliang, he is courageous and capable! If Boss Song opens the market well, I will be the first to rent a shop!"
"We are all here to support you!"
"Well, bosses, see you later."
"See you later!"
In the long sea of sand, only the figures of merchants were scattered here and there. Gradually, they traveled farther and farther, and finally disappeared on their brave journey.
"Boss Song, why didn't you go to Huihe instead of Dadan? As far as I know, the country in Huihe should be richer." Tang Hulu muttered as he walked.
Following Song Che to Daran, in addition to Tang Hulu, there were also two barbarian caravans including Bi Deng and others, totaling about eighty people in total.
"Boss Tang, if you want to go back to Hehe, it's still too late to chase them now, and you don't have to follow me." Song Che pointed to the north and said.
Tang Hulu kept shaking his head, "That's not necessary, that's not necessary... From the time I met Boss Song to now, I found that as long as I follow you, even if I just 'drink soup', I can make a lot of money, so from now on, you will be here Wherever I go, I will go.”
"Oh? Boss Tang has so quickly forgotten the days of working as a coolie in Yanshan Fort?" Song Che asked with a smile.
"To be honest, after that incident, I became more determined to make a fortune with Boss Song. Even if Boss Song is captured, he can still turn his back on his clients and let the female leader obey your words. Oh...Boss Song, you must be O Messenger of God, Prophet from heaven!”
This flattery made Song Che feel quite comfortable.
"What about you, Boss Bi? Why are you going to Dadan Country? Logically speaking, your leather goods should be sold in more prosperous places, right?" Song Che looked at Bi Deng and other Hu merchants aside.
Biden said: "We in Hu State are very short of iron, so our main purpose of coming to the Western Regions is to reach Dan State to buy pig iron. It is best to establish a trade route."
"Oh? So, you still came with your big sweat mission?" Song Che asked again.
Biden said bluntly: "It can also be said that in our Hu State, most people are engaged in cattle, sheep and horse business, and there are very few people who dare to travel north and south like us. Moreover, our Hu State is not like your Liang State that prohibits private salt and iron. As long as there are This ability allows you to make money from the country.”
Song Che squinted his eyes and smiled: "Boss Bi, I am from Liang. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for you to share your country's intelligence so generously?"
"Harm! What's this?" Biden waved his hand and said:
"To be honest, Hu merchants like us who dare to go out and fight for our own country like your Liang country more than our own Hu country. Although our army has a very strong fighting capacity, the country is governed in a mess;
Take me as a businessman in the fur goods business. Before the Northwest War broke out, I could make a lot of money every year in the forecourt. But later, from the outbreak of the war to the end of the three years, I racked my brains and couldn't find a way to sell the goods. The reason was that the rulers blocked the borders;
We did occupy Beiliang, but we only plundered the resources of this land and massacred the people here;
After robbing everything, killing them all, draining them dry, there will be nothing left. Those officials have never thought that living people can actually create more value than corpses;
Sigh... As a Hu person, I shouldn't complain about this, but as a businessman, Hu State is really not as good as Liang State. "
"Yes, I remember my grandfather's generation. Although Hu State was a vassal of Liang State, our life was much better than it is now."
"Our Great Khan and ministers only like to expand the territory, but they never think about what to do after conquering these lands."
The Hu merchants sighed one after another, and it was not difficult to hear the resentment in their voices.
Unlike the Daliang merchants, the Hu merchants did not seem to be divided into "gentlemen, peasants, industrialists, and merchants", but they lived under the constraints of the slavery system. The Hu merchants were not slaves of society, but slaves of the gentry and ministers. This is undoubtedly very sad. thing.
Hearing these complaints from Hu businessmen, Song Che felt quite happy, because this indirectly reflected the deep social contradictions in Hu country, indicating that it was a country that was strong on the outside and weak on the inside.
Throughout history, the political regimes established by nomadic peoples will not last long. The Hu State should have the same fate, right?