Although I didn’t quite understand the series of official names that came out of the other party’s mouth, one thing was certain that the other party was the legendary ambassador of the Tang Dynasty. Mrs. Ji saw that she was a little flustered and bent down at the same time, making a nondescript salute, and then each of them sit down.
"Are these things to Madam's liking?" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "If you don't like it, there are some high-quality goods in the bottom cabin. They were originally intended to be given to the King of your country. You can take them out for Madam to choose from!"
"Thank you, the one here is already very good!" Mrs. Ji Jian stammered in reply.
"That's good, that's good!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "I just heard from the people below that your husband is an important minister of your country, so I came to take a look. In fact, I got to know many of your country's envoys when I was in Chang'an. , we all recited poems and made tea together, and we got along very happily, so this time the emperor sent an envoy to visit your country, so I asked the emperor for this mission! By the way, I took a look at the scenery of your country, hehehe!"
"Haha!" Mrs. Ji Jian laughed and asked cautiously, "May I ask if your official had good relations with those people from my country when he was in Chang'an?"
"There are many people! For example, Zen Master Dinghui, whose Chinese poetry and official script are both good; and Yiji Lianbode, whose bow skills are also very good and well-known in Chang'an; and..." Wang Wenzuo continued. I mentioned seven or eight names, and also mentioned their specialties and preferences one by one. It was obvious that I was very close to these people. At this point, I suddenly laughed and said: "It's time to slap me. I haven't even asked my husband's name. I'm sorry for that." !」
"The name of this little girl's husband is Ji Jian Chiyun!"
"Jijian Chiyun, what a good name, what a good name!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "I guess your husband and my friends all know each other, right?"
Mrs. Ji Jian's face suddenly became stiff. It turned out that although the Japanese people at that time had begun to imitate their bureaucracy from the Sui and Tang dynasties and other Central Plains dynasties, so far they had only imitated the surface. Generally speaking, the Japanese officials seemed to have selection criteria. , there are grades, there are promotion routes, and there are powers corresponding to each level, but in fact it is still a fight. Those who were able to go on missions to the Tang Dynasty, such as Dinghui and Ijirenbode, usually selected outstanding personnel from young nobles (they were also scholars, and their learning ability would decline as they got older). It is probably equivalent to the official position of about fifth rank in the Tang Dynasty.
And the full name of Jimi Akatsuki is Jimi Akatsuki Tosaru. The so-called Tonato refers to the subordinate officials and personal guards of the Japanese royal family or the noble family at that time. He became successful because his grandfather was the Tonato in Prince Shotoku's family. He shot and killed his opponent's general during a civil war, so he was sent to Izumo Country to manage Prince Shotoku's local territory. By the time of Akami Akatsuki's generation, he was already the third generation. Although through hard work, the Kikimi family has more and more estates in Izumo country, and even manages the local mines for the royal family, and can get more and more oil and water from them, but due to his father's inability to do anything, he is unable to do anything in the capital. Or he is just a sacrificial person. If he can gain the favor of the royal family he serves, he may be recommended and awarded the lowest official rank. They are from completely different worlds from aristocratic children such as Tinghui and Ijirenbodou. If we must talk about the relationship between the two parties, there were traces of Tinghui and Ijirenbode discussing political affairs with the royal ministers in the palace. Chi Ying probably just stood guard holding a bow for His Highness.
For a moment, her pride almost made Mrs. Ji Jian nod her head in agreement, but in the next second her reason prevailed. This Tang nobleman said that he had close friendships with nobles such as Zen Master Dinghui and Yiji Lianbode. It was probably true, otherwise he would not How did the people of the Tang Dynasty know the names of these foreign envoys? It is certainly a honor to nod and agree here today, but what will this Tang nobleman and Dinghui and the others do in the future if they advance this matter? Those noble people didn't even need to take the initiative to punish them. As long as they casually mentioned today's incident in high-level social circles, the struggle of three generations of Ji Jian could be wiped out. She sighed in her heart and forced a smile:
"My husband is just a sacrificial man, holding a bow to clear the way. He has a humble status, how can he get to know his respected friend!"
"Oh?" Wang Wenzuo was slightly stunned. He didn't expect the woman in front of him to be so honest. He didn't know how to continue the conversation for a while, so he could only laugh twice: "I see, someone made a mistake!"
Seeing that Mrs. Ji had told the truth, she lost her scruples and said with a smile: "I'm not afraid of noble people's jokes. My husband is a countryman. He doesn't know anything about the Chinese poetry or calligraphy you just mentioned.
But I have been familiar with bowing and archery since I was a child! "
"That's it!" Wang Wenzuo laughed: "Since your husband doesn't understand Chinese poetry and calligraphy, why did your wife buy so many Tang products?"
"They are all gifts to the new emperor!"
"A gift for the new emperor?" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "That's a lot of money? Your husband is just a stranger, why should you prepare such an expensive gift?"
"There's no other way!" Mrs. Ji Jian sighed: "If we can't offer a rich enough gift to the new emperor, the Ji Jian family's property will be taken away, and it will be difficult to survive!"
"Oh? If you don't give a gift, your inheritance will be taken away?"
"Um!"
Perhaps because the previous conversation had narrowed the distance between the two parties, Mrs. Ji Jian did not shy away from talking. It turns out that in Japan at that time, land was theoretically owned by the state. All land, minerals, rivers, and lakes theoretically belonged to the state. In other words, the emperor owned it. The Kikumi family initially went to Ishimi Country and managed the territory for him as Prince Shotoku Toneri. However, as time went by, the Kikami family established their own territory in the local area through various means such as reclamation, annexation, and seizure. The manor has great wealth. In order to prevent their own manor from being misappropriated by local officials and other powerful people, the Ji Jian family placed their property in the name of their master. In other words, the Kikami family's own property and the royal family's property they manage are connected. Generally, after the new emperor ascends the throne, he will give the trusteeship of various royal properties to his cronies as a reward. If he does not donate If a gift satisfies the new emperor, the existing property of the Akimi family may be taken away by the new emperor's cronies.
"So that's what happened, I understand!" Wang Wenzuo nodded: "Madam, please wait a moment!" Wang Wenzuo raised his right hand and asked Sancho to whisper a few words in his ear. Sancho nodded and left, and returned after a moment. When I came back, I had a tray in my hand, which was covered with green cloth. I didn't know what was underneath.
"Madam, although these gifts you have chosen are good, they may not be able to impress the new king!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "Look at this, does it catch your eye?" After that, he lifted the green cloth and revealed the following It is a gilt silver incense burner with a door base and five rings in Hongyan pattern. The burner plate is open, with a flat folded rim, an oblique abdominal wall and a flat bottom. There are five curves along the outer wall, and there are five vertical ridges on the abdominal wall from the mouth along the curved mouth. The abdominal wall is divided into five petals. Each petal has an animal-like head in the center of the outer wall, and a ring of ears in the mouth. Both sides of the vertical ribs are chiseled with symmetrical honeysuckle patterns. The raspberry-shaped stove base has a circle of lotus petals, and there are five hollow doors on the abdominal wall, with a lotus bud protruding from the lower part. A swan goose is chiseled between the doors, lined with creeping grass and fish roe pattern.
"Fifty Liang ministers Li Yuanxiang enter!" Wang Wenzuo pointed to a line of gilt text on the outer wall of the bottom of the plate and read: "Li Yuanxiang is the uncle of the current emperor. He dedicated this incense burner to the emperor. The emperor gave this incense burner to the prince. Your Highness. I served the prince when I was in Chang'an, and the prince gave me this incense burner. I want to give this as a gift to the new king of your country, which should be able to save your family's property!"
"This, this -" Mrs. Ji Jian was stunned by the exquisite gilt Hongyan pattern door base and five-ring silver incense burner in front of her. Not to mention with her own eyes, she had never imagined that she could have such an exquisite treasure, not even in her dreams.
"You, are you willing to betray this to me?"
"Not bad!" Wang Wenzuo said with a smile: "Although this treasure is good, it is just an incense burner to me, but it can save the family business in your family, so naturally it is better to sell it to you!"
Of course, Mrs. Ji Jian would not imagine that she could exchange for such a treasure with the few things she had already taken out. She asked cautiously: "Then, how many things will be needed to exchange for it?"
"Four hundred silver cakes!" Wang Wenzuo stretched out four fingers: "Bring me another four hundred silver cakes, and this incense burner will be yours!"
"It's a deal!" Mrs. Ji Jian replied decisively: "Please wait for two days, my husband will send the needed money as soon as possible!"
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"Master, do you really intend to sell the censer to that woman?" Sancho asked in a low voice.
"Of course, why not?" Wang Wenzuo looked at the shadow of the boat in the distance and replied casually: "A silver cake weighs at least five taels. Four hundred pieces is two thousand taels of silver. The silver incense burner only weighs fifty taels. And then Give
The processing fee of 50 taels is only 100 taels, and the profit of 20 times is still not sold? "
"Didn't you say it was given by His Highness the Crown Prince?"
"Is that what I said?" Wang Wenzuo laughed: "But the incense burner is indeed the palace's craftsmanship. Unless the Japanese take this incense burner to Chang'an to seek confirmation from His Majesty the East Palace, who knows whether it was given by His Highness the Crown Prince!"
"That's it!" Sancho let out a sigh of relief: "I really thought you sold the things given by His Highness the Crown Prince!"
"If the price is high enough, it's not impossible!" Wang Wenzuo smiled: "This is a business! Business only depends on whether you make a profit, that's all!"
Sancho nodded confusedly. Although he had followed Wang Wenzuo for many years, he still often couldn't figure out the other party's intentions. But he knew that as long as he kept his mouth shut, the natural master would tell him the answer - if he could know it.
"And I'm not just here for these four hundred silver cakes!" Wang Wenzuo turned around with a smile on his face: "If this woman can take out four hundred silver cakes at once, it means that there is a big silver cake behind her. Mountain; if she can’t bring it out—that’s even better, we can get something more valuable from her!”
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Flying birds in Beijing, traces of the house.
"You still want four hundred silver cakes?" Chi Jian took a breath of cold air: "Are you crazy, woman? You need five hundred silver cakes and three hundred deer skins just to exchange for an incense burner?"
"Not just one incense burner, but also these things!" The lady pointed to the porcelain, medicine, silk, and tea leaves lying on the floor beside her: "That incense burner only costs four hundred silver cakes!"
"Only four hundred--" Ji Jian Chiying shook his head: "You woman, you are really too soft-spoken, you know? In a normal year, we only need to send three hundred silver cakes to the capital a year. And you want to exchange more than a year's tribute for an incense burner, are you crazy or am I crazy?"
"That's because you didn't see the treasure with your own eyes!" The lady turned around and said, "Heiroku, do you think so?"
"Yes, Master, I have never seen such a beautiful treasure before. I simply cannot imagine how the craftsmen of the Tang Dynasty created such a treasure!"
"Hingliu, shut up!" Ji Jian Chiyang yelled. He looked at his wife and said, "Tell me? Whatever ideas you have, tell me and I'll listen!"
"That incense burner can be used to dedicate to the new king and protect the Ji Jian family's envoys!" The lady smiled: "As long as we can protect the mine, no matter how much money we have, we will have it, right?"
"That's true!" Ji Jian Chiying nodded: "But the royal family is not us. Although Tang goods are rare, they have seen them. The merchant ships of Silla and Baekje have goods sent to the Tang Dynasty. A censer may not be able to impress the new king!"
"Of course it's just an incense burner. What if this incense burner was also used by the emperor and prince of Tang Dynasty?" the lady said with a smile.
"The Emperor and Crown Prince of Tang?"
"Yes!" Madam recounted what Wang Wenzuo had said before. Chi Jian stroked his beard under his chin and said, "This is just a one-sided statement, and it may not be true. But since it comes from the mouth of an envoy from the Tang Dynasty, even if it is false, it is true. Well, I will go there in person tomorrow. Look what the incense burner used by this emperor looks like!"
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Ji Jian Chiyun did not see Wang Wenzuo himself. The person who entertained him was Cao Sengnu. After seeing the incense burner, he happily paid for it. After handing over the money and delivering the goods, Cao Sengnu seemed to have revealed it inadvertently. One piece of news - Tang already has a way to get more silver from its ores, and even low-grade ores that are considered slag can also extract silver.
"Seriously?" Ji Jian Chiyong asked carefully.
"Wouldn't you know if it's true or not if you try it?" Cao Sennu smiled and said, "What's so strange about this? Look at this incense burner. The Tang people could make it, but the Japanese couldn't. The Tang people have been better than the surrounding barbarians since ancient times. Much smarter!"
"That's true!" Ji Jian Chiyun nodded calmly. As an actual operator of a mine, he certainly knew that if this news
True, how much benefit can it bring to his family - he can put all the increased production brought about by new technology into his own pocket, and hide the excess silver in exchange for what the family needs, whether it is the money of the Ezo people Horses, Izumo's iron, and strong slaves can open up more farmland, which can greatly enhance the family's strength, and strength means status, at least sometimes.
