"Because the current situation is different! Next we are likely to be surrounded in an isolated city, surrounded by enemies. No one knows when reinforcements from the court will arrive. Pay can calm people's hearts. In addition, there are There’s a second benefit!”
"The second benefit, what benefit?" Liu An asked puzzledly.
"Increase manpower! It has been almost a year since we crossed the sea. Each battalion has seen a lot of attrition, some as much as 30 to 40%, some as little as 20%. There are many Sanhan people in the city. If we can replace them In the army, even guarding the battlements can be of great use. They are not servants of the imperial court. If they are not paid, how can they be made to work hard? "
"Three Korean military slaves? This is a solution!" Liu An stroked his breath: "The question is where does the money come from? Do we have to pay for it? Even if a few of us are willing, I'm afraid we don't have that much money, right? ?”
"Of course we can't pay for this!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "But there is someone who has this money and can afford it!"
"Quick, go get a few more boats. No matter how much it costs, we must get them! The sooner the better!" Like most Sogdian businessmen, Cao Ye was bloated and pounded every finger of his right hand on the table. They all sparkled with gems, and the mustache on the upper lip was oiled and sparkled with gold. Every element of him seemed to loudly tell others - I am a rich man.
"Master, master, there is someone outside asking to see you, saying there is something important!"
"If you don't see me, just say I'm not at home!" Cao Ye waved his hand impatiently and signaled the servant to go out. He had no time to waste at this juncture. In the past few months, he had been buying trophies and slaves from the army in Baekje. I made a lot of money by selling wine, bacon, prostitutes, utensils and other groceries. I had just shipped a new batch of goods and wanted to make a lot of money. However, I didn't expect the situation in Baekje to change suddenly, so I had to bear the pain and cut it off. After all, he still understands that no matter how much you make, you still have to spend your life.
boom!
With a loud noise, the door was kicked open, and two strong men came in. Cao Ye instinctively took a step back and clapped his hands. The tall Kunlun slave next to the screen stepped forward and pulled out his hand. With the scimitar on his waist, he looked at the intruder coldly.
"Dongzhu Cao, it's me, Wang Wenzuo from the second battalion in the left wing! Do you remember?" The visitor spread his hands, indicating that he had no weapons in his hands, and smiled broadly: "People outside said that you have something to go out. My brothers didn’t believe it, so they were a little rough and didn’t break anything on you, right? Forgive me! Forgive me!”
Cao Ye looked Wang Wenzuo up and down coldly, and said coldly: "What do you want from me? Hurry up, I'm very busy now!"
"It's nothing big, I'm just a little short of money, and I want to borrow some money from Mr. Cao to make ends meet!"
"Borrow money?" Cao Yena snorted coldly. He was too lazy to talk nonsense with the uninvited guest at this time, and planned to spend some money to send him away: "Come here, give these two military masters two ounces of money!"
"Wait a minute!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "I'm afraid the two strings are missing?"
"Less? How much do you want?"
"Five hundred strings, it would be better if there were more!"
"Kick him out!" Cao Ye was too lazy to talk nonsense. The Kunlun slave stepped forward with his sword. Liu An quickly stretched out his hand to draw the sword, but was held back by Wang Wenzuo.
"Mr. Cao, why are you in such a hurry? Just listen to what I have to say!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "What I mean is that you can give me the wine shops, brothels, and grocery stores in the city and convert them into copper coins. I should have borrowed the power from you!"
Cao Ye was stunned. He waved his hand and motioned for his Kunlun slave to step aside: "Which shops do you want?"
"There is still inventory inside!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "Dongzhu Cao, you are a busy man, let's not waste time in circles. You also know the current situation. Baekje bandits have gathered, Zhenxian City has fallen, and we and Xinxian City have fallen. Luo's land passage has been cut off. The life and death of Sixi City depends on the waterway. No matter how powerful you are, you can't get enough ships to transport all the belongings here back to the Tang Dynasty. Besides, Well, even if there is a ship, it’s not worth it for you to transport it back! Don’t you think so?”
"Then it's worth it to you?"
"Of course! Can you estimate the total value of your belongings in Sixian City?"
"It's worth eight hundred coins anyway!"
"Eight hundred guan? How about I write you an IOU for 1,000 guan? As long as this battle is over, you can take this IOU and ask me for money!"
"Pfft!" Cao Yena couldn't help it anymore and laughed: "Aren't you taking advantage of me to have fun? You may not be able to save your life after this battle. If you die then, I will find you. Who wants money?"
"Don Mr. Cao, don't forget, you can't take these things back in the first place! Now if you sell them, no one will pay ten thousand dollars, right?" Wang Wenzuo sneered: "Now you have at least one more IOU. , one more thought! It would be fine if I died in this battle. If I can survive in this lonely city, I will definitely be promoted to a noble rank. You can spend a thousand dollars to form a good relationship with me. Losing money?"
Cao Yena stared at Wang Wenzuo. The man smiled calmly, as if he was sure of victory. After a few minutes, he laughed and stroked his golden beard with his right hand full of rings: "Very good, I agree to your terms, and those shops are yours!"
"Okay, please bring me a pen and paper. I'll write an IOU to the proprietor!"
"No need!" Cao Yena waved his hand: "It's just a bet anyway, you just need to take a personal item with me as a token, there's no need to go to such trouble!"
Walking out of the yard, Wang Wenzuo heard the man next to him exhale a long breath, and he couldn't help laughing: "Wu Lang, were you suffocated in there just now?"
"Yes!" Liu An sighed: "I didn't dare to take a breath in front of that Mr. Cao, for fear of ruining your affairs. Really, I never thought that you could actually do it. Just say a few words and you can make it happen." If the Sogdians gave you the shop, it would be like plucking the feathers from the iron rooster!"
Hearing Liu An's analogy, Wang Wenzuo laughed: "Yes, that Sogdian is very greedy for money, but he is not stingy. As long as he can earn 10,000 guan in the future, he is willing to pay 1,000 guan now. !”
"Can you earn 10,000 guan in the future? What do you mean? Aren't you going to repay him 1,000 guan in the future? How can it become 10,000 guan?" Liu An asked in confusion.
"Wulang, that proprietor Cao didn't even let me write an IOU just now. Do you think he still expects me to repay the money?" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "What he wants is to exchange these few shops that are definitely not safe for the relationship with us. I bet that if the Tang Dynasty can gain a firm foothold in Baekje this time and we increase the number of officials, as long as this trade route continues, he will be able to earn back any amount of money!"
