The Chahar tribe is one of the many Tatar tribes. It lives on the banks of the Wangji River. It has 3,000 households and a population of about 18,000 people. It can be regarded as a medium-sized tribe.
The leader of the tribe is Zhao Kuoshan, Zhao Lu's father.
When Zhaolu led his people to leave the camp, Zhaokuo Mountain had gathered two thousand Qingzhuang people, with long bows in their hands and long knives at their sides. They were riding horses majestically, standing on a high place, watching Zhaolu and Wu Tu Waiting for the movement of others.
Wu suddenly galloped over, made a fist with his right hand on the horse, beat it on his left chest, saluted Zhao Kuoshan, and then said: "Chief, this is a large caravan, there is no danger."
"I haven't seen a caravan of this size in many years. What's the attitude of Mingting? Are they ready to open up trade?"
Zhao Kuoshan asked.
Wu Tu shook his head and said, "Probably not. I heard the businessman said that he was able to get out of seclusion only by using financial resources to build connections."
Zhao Kuoshan laughed, nodded understandingly, and said: "The Han people have a saying, money can make the world go round. Merchants have plenty of money, so opening a city gate is nothing. Since it is a large caravan, then Just send an order, let them station at Fengshui Pond, and tell the merchants that if they dare to cheat, be greedy, and maliciously lower prices, then they will keep their heads."
Wu Tu agreed and ran away howling.
Wusenjier, who was behind Zhao Kuoshan, drove his horse forward and whispered: "It is impossible for the Ming Dynasty not to see such a large caravan. I am afraid they have no good intentions when they come to Tatar territory."
"Businessmen are just making profits, what can they think? Besides, the tribes in the south have received news. This is the third time they have left seclusion this year, so it is not abnormal."
Zhaokuoshan didn't mind.
Wusenjier thought for a while, looked at Zhao Kuoshan's confident face, and said nothing more.
The merchants are indeed nothing to be afraid of. Although this time it is a large caravan with more people, it is just protecting the goods and trying to make a big deal. There are no Ming sergeants in the distance, so these merchants are the only ones who can carry out sneak attacks. Not the Chahar tribe.
"If you are worried, just be vigilant."
Zhaokuoshan glanced at Wusenjier, turned his horse's head and returned to the camp.
Chang Qianli took people to Fengshui Pond, which was called a pond but was actually an inlet. He asked the workers to set up yurts separately, and some shelves began to be put together.
When you come here, you don't sell goods for a few hours and then leave. You have to stay at least two or three days to let the Mongolians around you who can get there come and trade.
The eight major Shanxi merchants were heading north this time, and all of them were first-rate. Within half an hour, the yurts and shelves had been placed, and batches of goods began to be taken out.
Although the guys were all ready and there were many Mongolians standing outside, no one went to trade, not even Zhaolu and Wutu moved.
They are waiting, waiting for the patriarch to open the market in person.
Chang Qianli, Hou Xiyu, Cao Youshan and other leaders entered the camp at Zhaokuo Mountain carrying exquisite ceramics, jade, tea, refined salt and Hada.
Zhao Kuoshan accepted these gifts with a smile as a matter of course, gave a few instructions, then walked to Fengshui Pond and shouted to everyone: "Fair trade, if it works, deliver it, if it doesn't work, let it go. Merchants must not cheat, and we must not be arrogant. Let's get started." "
Clang clang clang.
The gong was struck three times, and trading finally became lively.
"Salt, salt."
Wutu's eyes widened and he shouted to Zhaolu beside him.
Zhaolu rolled his eyes and said gently to Gesaren, "How much salt should we buy?"
"What do you mean by us? You buy your own, Han merchant, how do you trade this salt?"
Gesaren asked.
The waiter pointed with his fingers and said, "Three pounds of salt, five sheep, and two cows."
Gesaren frowned and said, "Why is it still so expensive?"
The clerk quickly explained: "Girl, the Ming Dynasty banned the sale of salt and iron to the north. We risked our lives to come here, and all the salt was taken out from the officials for money. It was a long journey, and the journey was long. It’s a lot more expensive when you get here, but even so, it’s an ordinary price.”
Zhaolu nodded slightly and whispered to Gesaren: "Although the price is high, things are rare and valuable. Our tribe is in short supply of salt. Even I can't eat salt for ten months throughout the year." when."
Gesaren naturally knew that the clan was short of salt, but the exchange of five sheep for three kilograms of salt made Gesaren reluctant to give up.
That's right, three pounds of salt, if you save it, is enough for one person to eat for a year. But a family of five or six needs fifteen to eighteen sheep. The sheep at home do not pop out from the cracks in the rocks. They grow up by eating grass day by day.
Don’t think that every Mongolian household has a lot of cattle, sheep and horses. That’s sheer nonsense. It takes time for these animals to grow up, and they can’t give birth to many at one time. Moreover, the patriarch is the richest. For ordinary people, if the cattle, horses and sheep in their hands are put together, They may not all have fifteen heads.
Chang Baiye came over and greeted: "Three pounds of salt and five sheep, it's an old rule, and we can't break it. But actually the guy didn't make it clear, we have another way of trading."
"Oh? What method?"
Teruru was a little surprised.
Chang Baiye smiled and said, "We want Mao..."
"Huh? Whose hair is it?"
Wutu suddenly asked.
Chang Baiye was stunned for a moment and said quickly: "Of course it's not your hair...then what, what we want is wool."
"Wool? What do you want wool for?"
Zhaolu was a little confused.
For many years, no businessman has come to collect wool. What can that thing do?
Chang Baiye couldn't explain it. He couldn't just spread his hands and say that he didn't know. It was the damn Ming Emperor who wanted the wool, right?
"These are some of the tricks of merchants. Haha, don't ask for more than thirty pounds of wool and one pound of salt."
Chang Baiye said it, his teeth were a little sore.
This price made Chang Baiye want to catch a few sheep and shear them.
Zhaolu was suddenly stunned, and Wutu and Gesaren were also stunned.
"How much wool?"
Gesaren blinked his beautiful eyes and asked in surprise.
Chang Baiye gritted his teeth, tried his best to make the smile on his face look better, and said slowly: "Give me thirty pounds of wool, and give you a pound of salt, so you can be a good boy."
Gesaren grabbed Zhaolu's arm and shouted: "Did you hear it? Did you hear it? He actually said thirty pounds of wool and one pound of salt. Oh my god, is this still the way businessmen do it?"
Zhaolu looked incredulous, grabbed the shelf with one hand, and confirmed: "This is Tatar territory, and fraud is not tolerated. You said thirty pounds of wool and one pound of salt. If you can't exchange it, your head will be killed!"
Chang Baiye's face remained unchanged and he said seriously: "We are honest businessmen, so we naturally do what we say."
A smile appeared on Zhaolu's lips, and he asked: "Why? Wool is not valuable! If you trade it at such a price, wouldn't you lose money to death?"
Chang Baiye waved his hand and said: "Whether it's worth the money and whether it's profitable or not is a businessman's business. As for which method you are willing to choose to trade, that is your own choice."
"Go and find all the wool for me!"
Teru shouted.
People around him also heard the news and returned to the yurt to look for wool. For Mongolians, wool is abundant, and wool is often discarded.
Because of this thing, it doesn't have much use.
Gesaren was very excited. He had never seen such a stupid businessman asking for wool, and even offered him a sky-high price of thirty pounds of wool and one pound of salt. It was great, and he could sell fewer of his own sheep.
A sheep can produce five or six kilograms of wool, but every time I think it is of no use, so I don't have much left. I looked around and found one hundred and twenty kilograms, gathered enough for four kilograms of salt, and then added He led five sheep and hurried to the caravan with a smile on his face.
Chang Baiye came forward in person and saw that there were still a few more kilograms of wool, so he planned to find copper coins for Gesaren. Gesaren said generously: "It's just copper coins, and the excess will be given to you."
"No, how much is what, only transactions of equal value can last long. Otherwise, here is a ceramic bowl to offset the extra wool, okay?"
Chang Baiye understands the importance of reputation.
The greed of businessmen is long-term. Those who only care about the present and die of addiction are fools, not businessmen.
"Zhaolu, do you think they are stupid?"
Wutu looked at the salt and two iron pots carried on the horse and couldn't help but ask.
Zhaolu frowned and said, "I don't understand either, but when did wool become so valuable? You know that a sheep weighing 1,350 kilograms can't be exchanged for a kilogram of salt, so why can 30 kilograms of wool be exchanged for it?" A pound of salt? What do these people think?"
"No matter what they think, this business is so good that we don't have to worry about salt anymore."
Wu Tu squinted his eyes, filled with joy.
Standing in the distance, Zhaokuoshan was also confused. He asked Wusenjier on the side for confirmation: "Is that true? Can wool be exchanged for salt and iron? Is it still so expensive?"
Wusenjier nodded solemnly and said: "This matter cannot be false, but I don't understand why it is like this."
Businessmen seek profit, but no matter how you look at it, there is no profit in wool.
It is understandable if a businessman wants sheep, horses and oxen. If the sheep are driven back, they can be sold for meat, the horses are driven back and sold to the court, the cattle are driven back and sold to rich households. If you get a pile of wool, who will sell it to?
Zhaokuoshan looked at the bustling Fengshui Pond and said slowly: "At first, I was still wondering if these businessmen were sent by the Ming court to spy on information, but now it seems that they are definitely not from the Ming court."
"What's the explanation?"
Wusengir asked.
Zhaokuoshan pointed to Fengshui Pond and said with a smile: "Didn't the Ming Dynasty have a new emperor? I heard that he was a smart emperor, and there is no way he would do such a stupid thing. If these businessmen just ask for cattle and horses, then I won't let them move forward, but now it seems that they are just a bunch of stupid businessmen."
"However, businessmen are pursuing profit, which is inconsistent with their behavior."
Wusenjier said quickly.
Zhaokuoshan waved his hand and said: "This is indeed difficult to understand, but merchants will never lose money. Maybe wool can be profitable for them."
"Father, we are back."
Zhaolu came on horseback, pointed to the rich goods, and said with a smile: "We have a great harvest. This winter, we can live more comfortably."
Zhaokuoshan nodded happily and asked, "Let me ask you clearly, why do merchants want wool?"
Zhaolu shook his head and said: "Father, they only said it was the merchant's method and did not go into details. It was not easy for me to ask. But I occasionally heard someone in the caravan say that they would come to collect wool in the future, or even just wool. The price of wool will get higher and higher, and maybe thirty pounds of wool can be exchanged for two pounds of salt."
"What's going on?"
Zhao Kuoshan really couldn't figure it out.
Wutu chuckled and said: "Chief, it doesn't matter how things are. What's important is that in the coming year we will herd more sheep and raise more and more sheep. Only in this way can we produce more wool in the next transaction." .”
Zhao Kuoshan's eyes changed sharply, and Wu Tu was right. If wool was really so valuable, he would have to herd more sheep in the future.
If the Chahar tribe can obtain more salt and iron, they can absorb or rob more people. By then, the Chahar tribe will become a large tribe, a tribe that can determine its own destiny!
