North Korea, Songjing.
Shopkeeper Guo ordered his clerk to hang a sign outside the newly rented shop. On the sign, he wrote: "The price of the ginseng is high, and the goods are sold in the Ming Dynasty."
The move is very conspicuous and swings in the wind, attracting many people's attention.
In Songjing City, it is now popular to move closer to the "Ming Dynasty" in everything. The school was renamed Songjing Imperial College to match the Jinling Imperial College of the Ming Dynasty. Dingzhou Shipyard was changed to the First Shipyard to match the Longjiang Shipyard of the Ming Dynasty, and a large-scale social school was built. , following the example of Ming Dynasty in forcing school-age children to enter school...
Ming people are welcome guests in Songjing, even businessmen.
Shopkeeper Guo likes the atmosphere of Songjing very much, and the people here are great, but Li Fangyuan also learns this, learns that, and also learns the depressing floating tax rate, which is really making Ming merchants bleed.
After removing the abacus, shopkeeper Guo took out a letter from his sleeve. This was sent by someone from Dadongjiachang Baiye. In the letter, he asked himself to inspect North Korean goods, pave a road for goods, and at the appropriate time, see if he could Get in touch with Japanese businessmen and make a few deals.
"My great boss, what do you think..."
Shopkeeper Guo lamented a little.
Japanese businessman?
??????????????????There are no Japanese businessmen at this time. Korea and Japan are hostile, Li Fangyuan doesn't like the Japanese country, and the Ming Dynasty has occupied the Ryukyu Islands. Although the Japanese country is surrounded by There is no way to get out of the sea...
But having said that, some goods from Japan are still worth buying.
During the Hongwu period, goods from Japan flowed into the Ming Dynasty. For example, Japanese swords. Objectively speaking, the place is not big, but the swords made are really not bad. I heard that in Japan, one sword only costs about 800 yen, but in the Ming Dynasty, it can be doubled or tripled when resold. to more than three liang, or even higher.
There is also Japanese lacquerware, which is also good, and you will never lose money if you ship it back. In addition to these, Japanese Sufang wood, screens, and fans can also be purchased.
It's just that Ming Dynasty has enmity with Japan, so it's unconscionable to do this kind of business.
If the owner's seal and secret were not correct, shopkeeper Guo would have suspected that someone had forged Chang Baiye's letter. Wouldn't it be nice to collect some Korean ginseng in North Korea? Why do business with Japan? Merchants from Shanxi wouldn't be so hungry that they couldn't choose what to eat...
While shopkeeper Guo was muttering, his right-hand man Jiang Zhong came over and said softly: "Shopkeeper, someone brought a batch of Korean paper and asked us if we want to collect it?"
"Korea paper?"
Shopkeeper Guo's eyes lit up, he put away the letter and walked out.
A Korean Confucian scholar was holding a package in his arms. Seeing the shopkeeper Guo come out, he quickly said: "My wife is sick. I want to sell the paper in my hand. The shopkeeper can accept it."
Shopkeeper Guo looked embarrassed: "Young man, we are a ginseng shop, why don't you go to a pawn shop?"
The Confucian scholar shook his head: "The price offered by the pawnshop is too low. You are cheating the Ming Dynasty. After thinking about it, I know more about the preciousness of this paper. I hope you can give me a good price so that I can heal my wife."
Shopkeeper Guo asked the Confucian scholar to sit down and arranged for Jiang Zhong to serve tea: "Since we are here, we are guests. You are very anxious now, so I won't say anything else and just take a look at the goods."
The Confucian scholar quickly stepped forward, placed the package on the table, opened it, and revealed a roll of paper.
Shopkeeper Guo opened a roll of paper and looked at the bright white satin paper. His eyes lit up. This was high-quality Korean paper.
Korean paper has specified specifications, two feet and five inches in width and four feet in length, and is made of cotton and cocoon as its main raw materials. This kind of rough paper is as thick as oil and can be used directly as curtains or rain shields. The refined paper is mostly used for calligraphy and painting. The paper in front of you is white, smooth, and as flexible as cotton. It is obviously the finest Goryeo. Paper.
Shopkeeper Guo knows very well that for a long time, this kind of paper has been a tribute-level existence. Of course, it did not take long for Li Fangyuan to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty. After all, the founding of North Korea was not as long as the Ming Dynasty...
"Good paper!"
Shopkeeper Guo sighed sincerely.
The Confucian scholar hurriedly said: "The writing paper is smooth and gelatinous, without any astringency. The fallen ink is in a semi-permeable state, and the ink is lovely and has a unique charm. This is the best Korean paper. I could have changed it if I came to the Ming Dynasty." Good price.”
Shopkeeper Guo pondered for a moment and sighed: "If this Korean paper had come out five years earlier, it might have been sold at a good price. But now, this kind of paper is no longer valuable in the Ming Dynasty..."
"ah?"
The Confucian scholar looked pale.
Shopkeeper Guo put down a roll of paper and sat down: "You should also know that Ming Dynasty Guangjian Social Studies issued countless textbooks, and the textbooks that were printed every year required countless papers. The large demand allowed the imperial court to innovate the paper-making technology. Besides, This Korean paper is not as good as Ming Dynasty rice paper. It’s really not worth much money. You’d better take it back and ask someone else.”
The Confucian scholar begged anxiously: "Shopkeeper, please..."
Shopkeeper Guo saw that the Confucian scholar was pitiful and eager to save people, so he stretched out his hand and said: "These are three taels of silver. If it doesn't work, you can leave."
The corner of the Confucian scholar's mouth trembled, "three taels of silver", when he bought these papers, he spent a full twenty taels. At that time, his family was well off and his parents were still alive...
"good!"
The Confucian scholar suppressed his grief.
Shopkeeper Guo glanced at Jiang Zhong, who took out three taels of broken silver.
The Confucian scholar took it and was about to leave when he heard Shopkeeper Guo shout "Wait a minute". He turned around and looked at Shopkeeper Guo blankly.
Shopkeeper Guo took out another two taels of broken silver from his body, walked to the Confucian scholar, grabbed the Confucian scholar's cold hand, stuffed it in and said: "It was business just now, this is friendship. Take good care of your wife. If there is no one in the future, If you want to make a living, you might as well come with me. I'm short of people in my shop, and although I can't give you much a month, you'll never have to worry about food and clothing."
The Confucian scholar was so moved that he knelt down and shouted: "Li Chengju, thank you!"
Shopkeeper Guo smiled and sent Li Chengju out the door.
Jiang Zhong asked with some confusion: "Why did the shopkeeper spend these two taels of silver more?"
Shopkeeper Guo smiled and said: "There are already ten rolls of this Korean paper. If you take it back, you can make a net profit of eighty taels at least. Many people in the capital are looking forward to this kind of paper and have no place to buy it. If you can use two It is a good thing for us that the two banks accept him for our use, after all, we are not very familiar with North Korea."
"Shopkeeper, do you want to accept the ginseng?"
Two women walked in one after the other.
Shopkeeper Guo asked Jiang Zhong to put away the Korean paper and came forward with a smile: "When we open the door to do business, of course we have to collect it. Girls, please take a seat."
Li Xiuji sat down, and Li Xiushi took out a wooden box, opened it and showed it to Shopkeeper Guo.
Shopkeeper Guo looked at the ginseng lying in the wooden box, took out his handkerchief, carefully picked it up and looked at it. He saw that the ginseng was as long as a palm, red in color, with a solid skin, few wrinkles, and a square prism shape. He couldn't help but smile and said : "This ginseng looks good, it's still red ginseng."
Li Xiuji smiled: "The shopkeeper has good judgment. This is indeed the best ginseng, and it was harvested in six years." Shopkeeper Guo nodded repeatedly. The land in Goryeo is suitable for growing ginseng. It is usually harvested in four to six years, with six years being the best. , over six years, the quality of this ginseng has gone downhill.
Ginseng, the king of herbs.
In traditional Chinese medicine, it is regarded as the best product for nourishing yin, nourishing the kidneys, and strengthening the body. Many wealthy families in the Ming Dynasty would buy some high-quality ginseng, which can save their lives at critical times.
"This ginseng is good. It's top quality. I'm willing to pay two taels for it."
Shopkeeper Guo said seriously.
In the early Ming Dynasty, ginseng was not an unattainable thing. Ordinary ginseng cost only two or three taels of silver per catty, and top-quality ginseng cost only more than ten taels of silver per catty.
That’s right, it’s calculated by the pound.
Li Xiuji heard that the price was quite generous, so she fought for it several times, and finally settled the deal with two or three cents.
When Li Xiushi saw shopkeeper Guo putting away the ginseng, he smiled and asked, "Shopkeeper, are you from the Ming Dynasty?"
"yes."
Shopkeeper Guo smiled back.
Li Xiuji made a sad expression: "To be honest with the shopkeeper, our sisters have lost their parents, and their property has been sold and scattered everywhere. We heard that the Ming Dynasty was strong and powerful. We admired it very much and wanted to visit the capital of the Ming Dynasty. I wonder if the shopkeeper can give you some advice. We Willing to pay.”
Shopkeeper Guo was happy after completing the deal and said: "The two girls must be Koreans. This is not easy to handle. Although North Korea and the Ming Dynasty are closely related to each other, there are limits after all. The North Korean government will not allow people to leave at will. , if you two really want to go to the capital of the Ming Dynasty, you have to ask someone from the government to issue a document."
"But we are two weak women, how could the government allow us to leave?"
Lee Soo-hee cried.
"The government won't let you leave, so just stay in North Korea with peace of mind."
Shopkeeper Guo looked at the two beauties with red eyes, but was not moved at all. He had traveled all over the country over the years and had never seen anyone, but he could still handle this small scene.
Li Xiushi saw that shopkeeper Guo was not on the road, so he turned to him and said, "The shopkeeper would be willing to tell us about the capital of the Ming Dynasty to satisfy our longing."
Shopkeeper Guo didn't want to entertain, but he was a customer after all, so he didn't want to offend him, so he arranged for his waiter Jiang Zhong to talk to the two of them.
Jiang Zhong has lived in the capital with Chang Baiye for a long time, so he is familiar with it: "Jinling of the Ming Dynasty can be said to be a place of wealth and wealth in the world..."
"Is the palace big? I heard that the emperor has three thousand women. Is it true?"
"Whatever anyone said is false. Emperor Jianwen had very few concubines..."
"Where is the Longjiang Shipyard you just mentioned?"
"Beside the Yangtze River."
"Are there many craftsmen? Our North Korean shipyard also has many craftsmen, a total of eighty!"
"Eighty, we also have eight hundred..."
"Then after passing Yangzhou, will we reach the Huaihe River?"
"Yes, further north is the Yellow River, and further north is Peking. Speaking of Peking..."
"Beiping is so important, so there must be many troops guarding it."
"It goes without saying that there are 70,000 Peking soldiers there. Although these people are not as good as the Beijing army, they are still capable of a hundred battles. Many of them are still under the command of King Yan, and they are brave and good at fighting..."
Shopkeeper Guo, who was sorting out the account books, felt something was wrong the more he heard about it. He looked at Jiang Zhong, who was chatting happily with the two women, with confusion in his eyes. The two women seemed to be asking about the Ming Dynasty's city defense, garrison, and military deployment. Jiang Zhong couldn't stop talking and talked about everything...
