"Yes, yes!" Ping Liu kowtowed twice in excitement, then carefully took off his shoes, wiped his feet, then came up to the hall and knelt beside the pillar again. The lady looked at Hei Liu, then at the porcelain vase in her hand, and suddenly said: "Husband, is there only one vase?"
"What do you mean ma'am?"
"What I mean is that if there is only one, it won't look good in the hall. It's better to have them in pairs!"
"Hahaha!" Ji Jian Chiying laughed: "Madam, this is a treasure from the Tang Dynasty. One of us is already blessed by the Bodhisattva, how can we get another one? Greed will be punished by the Bodhisattva!"
"Hei Liu!" Madam ignored Chi Jian and turned to Hei Liu who was kneeling beside the pillar: "There should be many porcelain vases like this in the Tang Dynasty, right?"
"This -" Pingliu was stunned. He didn't expect that his wife would suddenly ask him this question. He hesitated for a moment and replied: "The ships of the Tang Dynasty are so big, there should still be some!"
"Pingliu, you are right!" The lady laughed: "Since there is still one in Tang Dynasty, can you get another one for us, Pingliu? Otherwise, it won't be good if this bottle is left alone, right?"
"Madam! Aren't you embarrassing Pingliu?" Chi Jianchi looked at him and said, "The people of Tang Dynasty are envoys who came under the order of the emperor. Pingliu was able to get a porcelain vase just by chance. How could he get another porcelain vase?" ?」
"I didn't ask Pingliu to steal or rob. I just asked him to go to the Tang Dynasty and ask if there was anything else like it. If he could buy it or exchange it for something," the madam said angrily, "It's just a fair sale. What's more? What's so difficult about it?"
"Okay, okay!" Ji saw that Chiyang couldn't do anything about his wife, and smiled bitterly at Pingliu: "Pingliu, you have seen it, women are like this, they will not be unreasonable when they see something they like. So be it, you Go and ask the envoy from the Tang Dynasty. If you have the same porcelain vase, can you sell us one or exchange it with something? Please!" At this point, Chiyang bowed his head to Pingliu and saluted.
"Don't dare!" Pingliu hurriedly knelt down and bowed in return. He raised his head and said, "Master, there are many things that Tang people like, including sulfur, deerskin, gold, and silver. They are willing to exchange them!"
"Deer skins, sulfur, gold, and silver are all fine?" The lady laughed: "Husband, didn't the manor in my hometown send some deer skins and silver a few days ago? They were originally intended to be presented to the newly enthroned emperor. The Emperor is still undecided, why not trade some with the Tang people for some Tang goods!"
"Isn't this not good?" Chi Jian showed hesitation.
"What's wrong with this!" The lady smiled and said, "Deerskin and silver are not rare things. Even if they are given to the new emperor, they will not attract everyone's attention. If you can use the valuable treasures handed down from the Tang Dynasty as a way to congratulate the new emperor, This gift for enthroning will definitely make the new emperor remember your husband’s name!”
"That's true!" This time Ji saw that Chiyong was persuaded by his wife. He nodded and said to Pingliu: "Let's do it! You take three hundred deer skins and one hundred ingots of silver, accompany your wife, and tell the people of Tang Dynasty This was originally a gift to the new emperor, so it must be replaced with some of the best treasures!"
Cao Sengnu picked up a silver cake, rubbed the rough surface of the oval silver cake with his fingers, put it in his mouth and bit it hard, revealing an obvious tooth mark. It was obvious that the silver ingot was very rough, but the quality was quite good. .
"Are these used to exchange gifts?" Cao Sengnu tried his best to hide his reluctance, put down the silver ingot, and asked in a deep voice.
"Yes, a total of three hundred deer skins and one hundred ingots of silver. My master Ji Jian Akei is a famous lord of the Izumo Kingdom. These were originally dedicated to the new king after he ascended the throne. He hoped to exchange these for some Tang Kingdom The treasure you came here is as a gift to the new king!" At this point, Heiroku paused for a moment and pointed to the woman behind him: "This is the master's wife, and she is here to choose a gift!"
"So that's it, it turns out that this person is a great nobleman!" Cao Sengnu laughed, and he bowed to his wife: "It's really rude! Come on, bring some tea, some good tea!"
After listening to the interpreter's translation, Mrs. Jijian nodded reservedly to Cao Sennu and whispered a few words to Pingliu. After hearing this, Pingliu nodded and said loudly to Cao Sennu: "My wife said.
, she likes the celadon bottle from a few days ago. If there is one, she wants one more and makes a pair! If there were other similar bottles, she would like a few more! "
"No problem, please wait!" Cao Sengnu nodded. At this time, the tea had been served. He diligently served tea to Pingliu and Mrs. Ji Jian, then asked one of his subordinates to wait on him, and left looking for an opportunity.
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"Ming Gong!" Cao Sengnu took out the silver cake from his sleeve and handed it over: "Look!"
"Silver?" Wang Wenzuo took the silver cake and looked at it: "Is this sent by the Japanese?"
"Yes, it's the one Heiroku brought. She said she was the wife of her master, the great lord of the Izumo Kingdom!" Cao Sennu said with a smile: "There are also some deer skins, said to be presented to the newly enthroned king. I want to exchange the gift for some goods from the Tang Dynasty!"
Wang Wenzuo knew why Cao Sengnu mentioned deerskin so lightly. This was obviously a common trick used by businessmen. For Cao Sengnu, deerskin may be a more profitable commodity than silver. After all, silver in the Tang Dynasty It is not a currency that circulates among the people. It only circulates in a very small range, usually as large-denomination certificates of deposit. Deer skin is different. Because the texture of deer skin is very soft, both the East and the West regard it as high-end clothing and decorative materials. As long as it can be transported back to the Tang Dynasty, whether it is sold directly or processed and then sold, you can get a lot of money. Times or even more than ten times the profit, this is something that silver cannot achieve. But he didn't care, there were more important things to deal with right now.
"They're lying!"
"Lying?" Cao Sengnu was stunned when he heard this: "Is there something wrong with this silver? I just tried it. It's good money. Could it be that I saw it wrong!"
"There is no problem with the silver! But there is a problem with the origin of the silver!" Wang Wenzuo turned the silver cake over and pointed at the back of the silver cake: "Look at this mark. This is the unique emblem of the Japanese royal family. These silvers should not be dedicated to the Japanese kingdom. The new king’s gift was originally the property of the Japanese royal family.”
"The property of the Japanese royal family?" Cao Sengnu picked up the silver cake and took a closer look. Sure enough, there was a clear chrysanthemum-shaped mark on the back of the silver cake. He was obsessed with wealth when he saw the silver, and he didn't know the emblem of the Japanese royal family. Didn't see it.
"My Lord, if there is a mark, it does not necessarily mean that it is the property of the Japanese royal family, right? It may be given as a reward or circulated!"
"You don't know, monk slave, that the Japanese country is different from our Tang Dynasty. The people don't even have copper coins. They all exchange them with grain cloth. How can this silver cake be used for circulation? Moreover, the quality of this silver cake is too new. I think other silver coins The same goes for pancakes. If they were a reward, how could it happen that they were all new silver pancakes?"
"Yes, it is true that these silver cakes are all white!" Hearing this, Cao Sennu was a little suspicious. Silver is also easily oxidized. The newly cast silver is white. If it is left in the air for a long time, It will turn black, Cao Sengnu also knows this.
"Is that Pingliu's owner a thief? He comes to buy things with us with the stolen money?" Cao Monknu was startled: "Then I'll drive them out right away!"
"That's not necessary!" Wang Wenzuo smiled: "By the way, you said a lady came here. Do you think that woman is a noble person?"
"That woman has fair skin, a fat body, and her clothes are also very loose. She should be a noble person!" Cao Sennu replied. He is used to doing business, so he is naturally good at observing people. In ancient times, productivity was backward, and food and Fabrics are very precious and can be eaten to make you fat. People who wear loose clothes usually belong to wealthy families. This cannot be faked.
"I probably understand what's going on!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "That Pingliu didn't mean to lie, but his status was too low and he didn't know the inside story, so he was deceived by his master, so he was naturally deceived. You! If my guess is correct, the owner of Heiroku is probably an official who manages the local Yinshan Mountain for the Japanese king, so the silver in his hand naturally has the royal imprint, so the silver is not a gift to the new king. , but is originally the property of the royal family.”
"Then this guy is so brave. He dares to stuff the Wang family's money into his own pocket. Isn't he afraid of being punished?"
"If it were normal times, of course I wouldn't dare, but are they normal times now?" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile.
: "Is there a Japanese king now? Who is the Japanese king? Who will he give the money to?"
"That's right!" Cao Sennu patted his thigh and said with a smile, "That's true. Now that the throne is vacant, since he is an official in charge of Yinshan, he naturally has the authority to manage it, and he can legitimately stuff the money into his own pocket. !」
"And have you ever thought about it, that guy is doing business with us, and what he bought is a gift for the new king. After the new king ascended the throne, we have already returned to the Tang Dynasty. Can the Japanese king come to us to check the accounts? One Isn’t it up to him to decide whether the porcelain vase is worth five silver cakes or a hundred silver cakes? Even if someone says that what he bought is too expensive, the question is when will the next Datang businessman arrive? Who can say that what he bought is too expensive? Already?"
"That's right!" Cao Sennu had completely understood at this time. Luxury goods and works of art have had no price since ancient times. A few years later, when the Japanese king went to check the account book of Ji Jian Chi Yang, Ji Jian Chi Yang could definitely do it. Put all the shortfalls on the gift for the new king's enthronement. After all, no matter how capable the Japanese auditor was, he would not be able to go to the Tang Dynasty to find Wang Wenzuo to confirm the price of the porcelain vase.
"Who said barbarians have no brains? This guy is really smart!" Cao Sennu said with a smile: "But it doesn't matter to us, as long as we get the silver and deerskin!"
Wang Wenzuo didn't speak, but looked at the silver pancake playfully. Seeing this, Cao Sengnu stood aside knowingly and waited silently. After a while, Wang Wenzuo smiled and said: "Okay! I'll go meet this big customer first!"
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"This, this, this, this, and this, I want them all, Pingliu, wrap them all up for me!" When Mrs. Ji Jian saw all the Tang Dynasty porcelain, tea, silk, and medicines laid out, she originally thought The plan was immediately thrown out of her mind. Her fingers kept flashing on the shelves. Every time she clicked, the waiter nodded. Naturally, someone took the goods aside and wrapped them, and then handed them to Heiroku. As Pingliu held more and more large and small bags in his hands, his face became increasingly ugly. He carefully approached his wife and whispered, "Madam, is it almost done?"
"Almost, almost what?" Mrs. Ji Jian's eyes were still fixed on the goods on the shelf: "What is that small box? Give me one too!"
"Madam, didn't you just come here with one bottle to make a pair?" Heiroku lowered his voice and said, "Look, I can hardly hold it with both hands now!"
"Can't take it anymore?" Mrs. Ji Jian glanced back: "It doesn't matter, just ask the Tang people to give us a big box. Anyway, we have to take a boat when we go back!"
"Madam, I don't mean that I can't get it. Tang people's goods are very expensive!"
"Expensive? That's not surprising! Such a good thing is across the sea. How can it be cheaper to transport it? If you don't buy it this time, it's not sure when you can see it next time!" Mrs. Ji Jian's eyes returned to On the shelf: "That bottle, that's right, show it to me!"
"Madam——!" Pingliu was about to cry when he saw Madam holding another bottle and playing with it: "Master asked me to come with you, but we only brought so much. If it's all used up, Master may blame me." of!"
"I bought too much, why should I blame you?" Mrs. Ji Jian laughed. She suddenly turned around, looked at Hei Liu and said with a smile: "Ping Liu, you don't have to worry about it. First of all, I am Ji Jian Chi's wife. Is it useful? Secondly, Heiroku, you did a good job this time. Not only will your husband not blame you, but he will also reward you heavily!"
Pingliu's despair did not last long. Just when he mustered up the courage to make his last remonstrance, he suddenly found that all the Tang people in the room had knelt down. He subconsciously turned around and found a Tang Dynasty wearing a scarlet robe and a black crown standing there. At the door, Cao Sengnu followed behind him, bending slightly and saying something. He realized that this should be the arrival of a big shot in the Tang Dynasty.
"Madam, Madam!" Heiroku said in a low voice while tugging at the corner of Madam's clothes, "Someone is coming!"
"Human?" Mrs. Ji Jian turned around. She also saw Wang Wenzuo's appearance. She was stunned for a moment subconsciously. Before she could put down the small box in her hand, Wang Wenzuo smiled and said, "Sir, I heard that a noble person is here. I'm sorry for missing you, I'm sorry!"
"You are——" Mrs. Ji Jian hurriedly asked the general without showing any trace.
He tucked the small box into his sleeve and considered whether to bow or kneel to show respect to the visitor.
"I am General Dingyuan of the Tang Dynasty, ambassador to the Japanese country, and I am sent as an envoy to your country by the order of the emperor!" Wang Wenzuo smiled and stretched out his right hand, making an invitation gesture: "Just now, my subordinates said that a distinguished guest is visiting. Please sit down, please sit down!"
