North and South groceries

About a month after leaving Chang'an City, Luo Yong and the others finally arrived in Liangzhou City.

Liangzhou City is well-developed in commerce. Even in this cold winter, you can still see many merchants on the streets. Perhaps it is because the wind and snow are not strong that day. Luo Yong saw many merchants driving camels, oxen and horses, carrying goods Selling on the street.

They walked along the way, passing through many towns and stations along the way, and they have already felt the development of commerce and trade in the Hexi Corridor.

After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty incorporated the Hexi Corridor into the territory of the Han Dynasty, several emperors consolidated it, vigorously developed the system of garrisoning fields and guarding the border, established political exchanges with countries in the Western Regions, and finally succeeded in assimilating this piece of land into a part of the territory of the Han Dynasty.

The trade on this commercial route gradually flourished at that time.

Afterwards, dynasties changed, the world was in chaos, and various forces separated one side, and the trade routes were blocked. It was not until the Sui Dynasty unified the Central Plains, recovered the Hexi Corridor, and re-established ties with countries in the Western Regions. Gradually, commerce and trade recovered.

The Sui Dynasty gave quite preferential and lenient policies to those Hu merchants who came to the Central Plains for trade.Tang inherited the Sui system, and the policy towards Hu merchants in the early Tang Dynasty was still the same.

The so-called Hu and Han are different, each according to its customs.In many cases, the Tang government's policy towards Hu merchants was even more lenient than that of domestic merchants.

This made Hu merchants active everywhere in the Hexi Corridor and even the entire Central Plains.

"My lord, I have good jade here, do you want to buy it? They are all unprocessed jade, the price is very affordable, and the weather is too cold, if you are willing to buy it, it doesn't matter if the price is lower."

As soon as Luo Yong and the others entered the city gate, a Hu merchant approached them and caught Qiao Junlin talking non-stop.

Needless to say, he must have recognized Qiao Junlin as the person in charge in their group again. This is not the first time he has encountered such a situation. Luo Yong just went his own way and said nothing. As for the barbarian who mentioned He has no interest in the jade, which came from the 21st century. He has never seen any sales methods, so he can't be fooled by this three-legged cat.

"My lord! Are you sure you don't want to buy some? The snow fell too early this year, and the merchant from the Central Plains that I agreed with didn't come to pick up the goods on time. I think he must not be able to come. I have nothing but These jade stones don’t even have money to eat...the price will be really cheap..." The barbarian boy was still chattering there.

Luo Yong followed the address that Erniang had told him in the letter, walked forward for a while after entering the city, and then turned left...

"Do you know where Luo Erniang's cashmere workshop is?" Luo Yong asked the jade seller.

"Why are you looking for Luo Erniang?" The barbarian was startled.

"Sanlang!" Luo Erniang probably heard the news at this time, and was coming from the other side of the alley, and saw a few people standing at the entrance of the alley, walked a few steps, and sure enough saw Luo Yong was there with a Sogdian people talk.

"Sister." Luo Yong was also very happy to see Er Niang.

The Hu merchant who sold jade saw the situation, and slipped away with oil on the soles of his feet while no one was paying attention.

Originally, I wanted to slaughter a fat sheep, but I didn't expect to meet Luo Yong and the others, the younger brother of Erniang Luo in Lishi, who is it not the legendary Luo Sanlang?

Tsk, in the next three to five days, don't show up again. After a while, they should forget themselves. I heard that in the eyes of the Han people, all the Sogdians look alike.

"What did the Sogdian tell you just now? Did you buy anything from him?"

After entering the yard, Erniang Luo led Luo Yong and the others into the hall, poured hot water for them, and called for someone to eat before sitting down and talking to Luo Yong.

"Yan wanted to sell jade, but we didn't buy it." Luo Yong said with a smile.

"He said that he has no more money on him, and he wants to sell the jade cheaply." A black man added.

"Tsk, don't listen to his nonsense, I see that he has been in Liangzhou City all year round, and he has always said that he is not in trouble."

At this time, an old woman brought up a large plate of pastries from the kitchen.

"Liar?" The black man was surprised.Just now, he was soft-hearted by that person, and almost took out copper coins from himself to buy jade with him.

"It's just a means of selling goods." The old woman said: "The jade in Liangzhou City is already cheaper than in the Central Plains. I bought ordinary goods at a high price, and I thought I had taken advantage of it."

"That's the Sogdian?" When Luo Yong was in Chang'an City, like the vast majority of Chang'an people, he called these Hu merchants Hu people, and did not carefully distinguish their races.

This time I am going to Guazhou to take up the post. In the future, I will inevitably have to deal with those Hu businessmen from time to time, and I can no longer be as careless as before.

"That's right." Luo Erniang said with a smile.

"The Sogdians are very strange. Most of the Hu merchants in Liangzhou City are Sogdians." The old woman was obviously also talkative.

The meals for Luo Yong and the others were prepared by Luo Erniang half a month ago.

At that time, she received a letter from Luo Yong from Chang'an City, saying that she was going to Changle County, Guazhou to take up a post, and she would pass through Liangzhou City.

After reading the letter, Luo Erniang frowned. The Beijing official was doing well, so why did she suddenly say that she was going to Guazhou.

Guazhou is so far away, she is here in Liangzhou City, and she only occasionally hears about those merchants who come and go, even the merchants in the Central Plains don’t go there very much, most of them are Hu merchants who want to make money. They, in order to do business, can even cross the desert, which is really beyond the reach of ordinary Central Plains people.

A few days later, news came from Chang'an City that Luo Sanlang from Lishi had been demoted from the capital and was going to be the county magistrate in Changle County, Guazhou, their Longyou Road.

Luo Erniang was not surprised when she heard the news, and she didn't say much. She just went to the livestock market in the city, bought two good camels, and then prepared a lot of food at home.

Today, there are meat and vegetables on the table, and there are even three golden pomelo.

Apu and the others have never seen pomelo, and tasted it for the first time, and after a long journey for a month, they were very eager for this sweet and sweet fruit. He looked at the other two grapefruits on the plate.

"Do you still want to eat it? I'll peel it with you." Luo Erniang smiled when she saw it, and picked up another grapefruit from the plate to peel it:

"Don't look at the remote location of Liangzhou City, there are many merchants in this city, and you can even buy it."

Apu could probably guess that the price of the grapefruit must be very high. The second time Luo Erniang handed the grapefruit to him, he pushed it, but Erniang said:

"Eat, eat more. I have had a good rest in Liangzhou City for the past two days. It is a long way to Guazhou. There is no such good food in front of me."

The other two blacks were a little heartless, each holding a few pieces of grapefruit and eating sweetly.

"Did sister spend a lot of money on this banquet?" Luo Yong asked Erniang Luo with a smile while eating grapefruit.

"You can eat with peace of mind, I can earn back this little money." Luo Erniang said to him with a smile.

Her cashmere business is doing well, and together with her sister's restaurant and the tofu shop run by Tian Chonghu and the others, she can earn a lot of money every day.

Luo Erniang didn't treat herself and the people around her too harshly when eating edible flowers, but she was also quite frugal. Even the canned food sold in her shop was not willing to eat it often, let alone something like grapefruit, which is Zhao Chen once gave her a few.

This time Luo Yong was going to Guazhou to take up his post, and happened to pass by her place. The siblings hadn't seen each other for a long time.

At such a time, how could she care about saving money, she just wanted to buy all the good things she could buy with him.

"Sister, are you still buying houses?" Luo Yong peeled a piece of grapefruit and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Buy, I just bought one a few days ago and spent a lot of money. Since the cement road to Chang'an City was opened, the price of house land in this area of ​​Liangzhou City has increased a lot. When the road leading to Mengmen Pass will be opened next year, I guess it will go up again." Luo Erniang peeled the last grapefruit in her hand, raised her head and asked Luo Yong, "Will I still buy it then?"

"Buy it." Luo Yong said: "If the house is expensive, buy more land outside the city. If you don't have time to manage it yourself, then let everyone plant Du Zhongshu."

Apart from buying a house and land, Luo Yong couldn't give any good investment advice. Er Niang and the others are also very busy now, and they don't have time to do other business at all.

At this time, the few people were already full of wine and food, sitting in the hall and eating grapefruit and talking. After eating the grapefruit, there were other tea and fruit snacks.

Apu and the others were also a little sleepy, so Luo Yong asked them to rest in the room arranged by Luo Erniang early in the morning.

Just as Qiao Junlin was thinking about whether to give the siblings some space, Zhao Chen came to the door.

"I went to the farm early this morning, and I heard that Sanlang had arrived just after returning to the city." Zhao Chen was still the same as before, speaking with full of vigor, and his whole person seemed to have not changed much from before.

This guy was by Luo Erniang's side all day long, and Luo Yong also guessed in his heart that the two of them would be able to get together in the end. While he felt that Zhao Chen's character and appearance were not bad in all aspects, he also thought about his young age. A little older, it's a bit too old to be the second wife.

But looking at these two people now, they are quite compatible. Erniang has been in Liangzhou City for so long, and she looks much more refreshed than before. Although Zhao Chen is ten years older than her , but also at the best age of a man's life.

Given the current situation of the Luo family, it would be a good choice if they could marry the Zhao family.

When Erniang was in Lishi's hometown, she once said that she didn't want to get married, but now she doesn't know what she thinks.

In any case, Luo Yong didn't want her to accept a marriage she wasn't satisfied with because of family interests.

Luo Yong himself has now officially stepped into the officialdom. Due to various reasons, he gave up his original idea. Whether it is growing up or getting lost, once he chooses this path, he is destined to have many things he can't help himself in the future. .

But Erniang and the others, they don't need to be like him at all, Luo Yong will be their umbrella, protecting them well, and letting them live the life they want.

"The last time I stayed in Lishi County, it will be a year. How is Zhao Dalang?" Luo Yong smiled and cupped his hands to Zhao Chen.

"Do you think there is anything wrong with me?" Zhao Chen also bowed his hands to him, and said with a smile: "I haven't seen you for a while, why are you being polite to me?"

"How can I be polite to you." Luo Yong said with a smile: "You came just in time, if you don't come at this time, I will find it myself later."

"Why are you looking for me?" Zhao Chen's tone was somewhat solemn.

"Of course it's a good thing." Luo Yong said, beckoning Zhao Chen to go to the yard with him, Luo Erniang and Qiao Junlin also followed.

After arriving in the yard, Luo Yong and Qiao Junlin rummaged through their luggage, and found a gray cloth bag the size of a head from the pile of miscellaneous things.

"This is..." Zhao Chen had good eyesight, saw that the things in the cloth bag were loose and loose, and looked like seeds, so he had a guess in his heart.

"That's right, it's pepper seeds." Luo Yong said with a smile.

This autumn, Li Luoyong and the others also saved a lot of seeds. They originally planned to save them for another cooperative planting with farmers outside the city next year.

After Luo Yong was demoted, he discussed with his disciples, asking them to keep a low profile next year, and he brought out most of the chili seeds that had been planted this time.

"You brought so many seeds with you!"

Zhao Chen opened the cloth bag in twos and twos, grabbed a few chili seeds from inside and looked at it carefully, and then looked at the whole bag of seeds, his face was filled with joy for a while, since Luo Yong can take out these things and give them to him Look, it must be his.

Earlier, there were merchants who bought chili seeds from Chang'an City and sold them in Liangzhou City. Most of those people asked for a high price. A seed cost two yuan and three yuan. At the highest price, it could even sell for Five cents.

The Zhao family bought it several times back and forth, and the total amount was only a small bag. Later, they were bought by a good Hu businessman, and now there are not many left in the family.

"What is the price of these seeds?" Zhao Chen was unambiguous in business talk business.

"A seed is worth a penny and a half. You take half of this packet of seeds and keep the half with me." Luo Yong said.

"Why do you keep the other half?" The price is so suitable, and it is the first-hand source. Whether these seeds are self-planted or resold, the Zhao family does not dislike too much.

"Of course I want to take it to Guazhou." Luo Yong said, "The money and silk are too heavy to carry. It's better to bring some seeds."

When Zhao Chen heard this, he laughed. It turned out that he was waiting for him here: "Don't worry, you have so much money and silk, can you still carry it by yourself? I will arrange for my family to send it with you."

"In that case, I thank Zhao Dalang."