Chapter 701

"Madam Shuyao, you don't know that the chef in Huixianlou is surnamed Huang, and he is a relative of the owner of Huixianlou. Because of this relationship, ordinary people can't poach him."

Shuyao raised her eyebrows: "What about this Eight Immortals Tower?"

Lumei ordered another serving of stir-fried three-shredded dishes for Shuyao, which included shredded radish, shredded cabbage and shredded cucumber.

"It's just as you thought. Huixianlou and Baxianlou have the same owner, his surname is Huang, and his name is Huang Jincheng."

Shuyao's eyes showed understanding: "The Huang family in Xiangzhou."

The Huang family's business is extremely extensive, and it is rumored that they also have businesses overseas.

The Huang family rarely sets foot in Kyoto, and the only well-known industry in Kyoto is Huixianlou.

Shuyao didn't expect that the Huang family would expand their business to Yunzhou.

Su Yunting seemed to be thinking, "My mother has connections with Xiangzhou? Oh, I forgot. My ninth brother is in Xiangzhou. With his help, it's not surprising that the Huang family would come to Yunzhou to open a restaurant."

Lumei had a good impression of Huang Jincheng: "Mr. Huang is a real person, not as cunning as other businessmen, nor does he have the arrogance of aristocratic children. He is very approachable."

"This winter, Mr. Huang called many familiar caravans to help us in Yunzhou. For Mr. Huang's sake, Lord Wang Buxi decided to arrange a good official position for Mr. Huang when he returns. After all, the Control Crane Mansion is just a name, but no real power."

The fried shredded vegetables are bright in color and taste refreshing and crispy.

Shuyao picked up several pieces with chopsticks.

Seeing that she liked it, Lumei ordered another plate of shredded radish mixed with sugar.

Shuyao's appetite gradually opened up, and she couldn't help but become curious about Mr. Huang, whom Lumei praised endlessly: "Mr. Huang is really brave. He actually dared to run from Xiangzhou to Yunzhou."

Lumei looked at Shuyao with a kind look, and patiently answered her questions: "First, it's because of the master's reputation, second, it's because of Mr. Song's mediation, and third, it's because of the Huang family's family tradition. But how did the Huang family start?"

Shuyao gossiped, "I'd like to hear the details."

Huang Jincheng often came to the governor's mansion to ask to see Gu Nanxi. Gu Nanxi didn't have so much time to see him, so he asked Lumei to entertain him.

Therefore, Lumei knows quite a lot about the Huang family.

"Although the Huang family is a local household in Xiangzhou, they really got rich during the previous dynasty. In the previous dynasty, the principle of dividing the spoils among three horses was adopted on the battlefield. That is, after the military discipline was relaxed, the soldiers could take the spoils freely, with the Han people taking first and the Tang army taking later. The individual spoils were divided equally into three parts, one for the national treasury, one for the legion, and one for oneself."

"Then the question arose as to how the soldiers would deal with their spoils. The ancestors of the Huang family saw an opportunity and started the slave trade."

For example, during the previous dynasty, when fighting against Goguryeo, many soldiers’ spoils of war were slaves.

Soldiers could choose to feed slaves with food and then sell them when they returned home.

But there are various risks involved. More people will choose to trade with local military merchants. Although the prices will be lowered, the risks are much smaller.

The Huang family made their first fortune through the slave business.

Shuyao was fascinated by what she heard: "Does our Yunzhou army also have merchants accompanying the army?"

Lu Mei smiled and shook her head: "No. Because all the spoils must be handed over, and then they can be exchanged for silver and money based on the individual's merits."

Moreover, the logistical support of the Yunzhou army is definitely far ahead, and the soldiers do not need to go to the military market to buy the necessary supplies.

Shuyao asked, "Where is Da Zhou?"

"Of course. When the master was fighting Henan County and Guangde Prefecture, the Huang family was still doing business in the military market there. However, I heard Mr. Huang complain that the military business this time was not easy to do and the profit was not much."

The reason is obvious. The Great Zhou army was being suppressed and beaten, so how could there be any spoils of war?

The bulk of the military market's business is still dealing with spoils of war.

Seeing that Shuyao was interested in the military market, Su Yunting told her some interesting stories he had read in books.

"When the previous Emperor Taizong attacked Baiyan City, he originally planned to accept Baiyan City's surrender, but the soldiers disagreed and surrounded Taizong's camp to demand an explanation. The previous Emperor Taizong was worried about the army mutiny, so he immediately announced that he would become a slave trader, taking money from the national treasury and buying Baiyan City from the soldiers."

"Even so, some soldiers did not sell their slaves. Instead, they waited until September to return to the capital and sold their slaves at the Youzhou slave market when they passed through Youzhou. The crying was deafening and Taizong could not bear it. He took money from the national treasury to buy 50,000 female slaves and children and granted them free citizenship."

Shuyao was stunned when she heard this. This was a world she had never been exposed to before: "The Taizong of the previous dynasty you mentioned, are you talking about the Heavenly Khan?"

Su Yunting nodded: "Of course it's him."

Shuyao was shocked: "The Khan of Heaven is going to spend his own money to redeem the city and slaves from the soldiers?!"

Su Yunting didn't understand why Shuyao was so surprised: "He led hundreds of thousands of troops at the time, he must have been worried about a mutiny."

"But, why doesn't Duke Yun need it?" Shuyao asked puzzled.

ah?

Su Yunting had never thought about this question, and could only guess: "Because the cities that A Niang conquered were all from the Great Zhou, and they were our own people. The one that Taizong of the previous dynasty conquered was Goguryeo?"

Shuyao retorted: "What about when we fought the Tartars and took back the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun?"

Su Yunting...

What a tricky question.

"Oh my, why are there so many whys? This is Yunzhou! These are Yunzhou soldiers! They keep the eight disciplines in mind. They know why they are fighting, and their desire for victory far exceeds their desire for spoils of war."

The more Su Yunting spoke, the more he felt that what he said was right.

Yes, that’s definitely the case!

How can those irregular troops be compared with the Yunzhou soldiers? !

Sometimes, Su Yunting felt that his mother cared more about the Yunzhou soldiers than about himself, her own son.

She tightened her belt to ensure the army had enough money.

Good soldiers, good horses, good weapons.

He also sent people to teach them how to read and learn military tactics.

Wounded soldiers can receive timely assistance, and injured and discharged soldiers will be arranged for work. If they die in battle, not only will their families receive compensation, but they will also receive preferential treatment in various recruitment processes.

Oh my god, after such a careful calculation, Su Yunting was so jealous that he became jealous.

"Why do you look like that? Try this candy with shredded radish, it has a unique flavor."

Shuyao picked up a piece of food with chopsticks and put it into Su Yunting's mouth.

People in the Great Zhou loved sweets, but few would pair precious white sugar with cheap radishes.

Seeing that Shuyao and Su Yunting both liked it, Lumei wanted to order a few takeout meals and send them to the governor's mansion the next morning as breakfast for the young couple.

Shuyao waved her hands and refused: "Thank you for your kindness, Aunt Lumei. Vegetables are hard to come by in winter, and eating fresh vegetables every day is too extravagant."

Lumei: "The price is not bad. Don't we have kangs in Yunzhou? Many families grow vegetables in their houses. Master Xu's disciples have improved the greenhouse technology, and the effect is quite good."

"That's right! Eat whatever you want, sister-in-law. How can I not support you?!" The door was pushed open, and a pretty face as beautiful as a flower appeared.

Military markets have existed since a very long time ago, beginning in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period and continuing until the Qing Dynasty.

It can be understood as a market created by the demands of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people.

Soldiers from both sides would also go to the military market together.

Does it sound incredible?