Chapter 256

Fan Xiaoxiao wasn't entirely exaggerating when she said that.

No matter how high Xiahou's status was in Tianshan, he couldn't surpass her in the garrison area.

Seeing that Fan Xiaoxiao's people had put away their weapons, the herdsmen gradually calmed down.

One person from each side was responsible for coordinating the handover. Money was exchanged for goods.

Fan Xiaoxiao handed over the prepared silver to the person.

They sent a few more people to drive the dozen or so cattle and sheep back.

Only after the handover was completely completed did she release her sweaty hands.

A gust of wind blew, chilling to the bone.

You can't blame her for being too nervous.

This was the first time either side was doing business, so a lack of trust was inevitable. Xiahou was also absent, and the barbarians were particularly untrustworthy. Especially in the border regions, they committed arson, murder, looting, and all sorts of atrocities.

So even though she had an absolute advantage, she would still subconsciously feel a little nervous.

"General Fan, now that the deal is done, I'll take my leave."

The herders were also afraid that the other side would renege on their promise and double-cross them.

"Wait a minute," Fan Xiaoxiao said.

The northern barbarians of Tianshan shuddered upon hearing this and quickly assumed a fighting stance, their snow-white blades gleaming in the snow: "General Fan, are you perhaps planning to betray your promise?"

"Everyone, don't be nervous." Fan Xiaoxiao waved her hand, and Xiao Hei walked over with the prepared bag.

“This is our first time doing business. This is a specialty of our village. Please take it back and try it.”

The bag in Xiao Hei's hand was filled with refined salt.

To achieve her promotional goals, Fan Xiaoxiao put a lot of thought into the bag, making it look very exquisite.

Not only are there special embroidery patterns, but even the ropes for tying the bags are made of gold silk thread.

In short, it's high-end, classy, ​​and sophisticated.

The herders looked at each other in bewilderment. One of them took the bag, poured some of its contents out, and discovered that it contained tiny, snow-white particles.

As Fan Xiaoxiao just mentioned, this is edible.

He immediately pinched off a little bit and put it in his mouth.

The herdsman's eyes lit up: "Is it salt?" Everyone was shocked.

How can salt be such a snow-white color?

It's no wonder they're so unsophisticated; the Tianshan Mountains are extremely far from the sea, so sea salt is impossible there.

It is usually extracted from salt mines, and due to purity and impurity issues, it usually contains some yellow or other colored impurities.

With current technology, if a salt mine contains toxic impurities, there is a high chance of poisoning, rendering the mine unusable.

The technological level of the barbarian tribes north of the Tianshan Mountains who grazed their livestock on the grasslands was even inferior to that of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Such pure white salt is simply unimaginable.

Fan Xiaoxiao's deliberate use of exquisite packaging easily conveyed an important message to them—this item was also very precious in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

"Thank you." The words were spoken with utmost sincerity.

Fan Xiaoxiao understood the importance of knowing when to stop. Some things are better left unsaid; saying too much might only arouse suspicion and distrust.

"Miss Xiao, they seem to like it a lot. Why don't you take this opportunity to discuss the salt trade?" Xiao Hei couldn't help but ask after they left.

With the outside world in turmoil, it will take a long time to develop the settlement into a proper village.

So everyone, including Xiao Hei, was actually a little uneasy, even though they didn't say it.

"No rush. We don't have much stock yet, and we need to refine more salt."

Once the news spreads, people will naturally come knocking, eager to buy. This is the principle behind the saying "a rare commodity is worth hoarding."

Fan Xiaoxiao was very encouraged. The next thing she needed to do was make dried meat and wait for the snow to stop so she could send a large number of people to mine salt and extract refined salt.

In the blink of an eye, seven or eight days have passed.

Fan Xiaoxiao made a special booklet, and the entire staff of the garrison, including craftsmen who brewed wine and made glass, numbered in the dozens.

They also brought many essential production tools.

All things considered, the materials are quite scattered and need to be managed in a categorized manner.

Fan Xiaoxiao thought she would feel lost since she had never done these things before.

In reality, there are so many things to deal with every day that there's no time to feel lost.

That day.

It's snowing again.

Fan Xiaoxiao led her people on another business trip. This time, they not only delivered refined salt but also sold some dried meat.

Those shepherds were introduced by the people who had done the previous trade.

So this time it was a breeze.

The rumor that there was a female general in "Tianshan Village" spread like wildfire among the northern barbarians of Tianshan.

Fan Xiaoxiao returned to her residence, opened the transaction record, and breathed a long sigh of relief.

She smiled and said, "Although there was no real money this time, the other party used livestock as collateral."

"But no matter what, our 'Tianshan Village' is already generating income!"

A bright light shone in everyone's eyes.

Yes, for a transaction to continue, it must be able to function.

"Although we haven't sold any refined salt yet, I'm very confident," Fan Xiaoxiao said firmly. "We'll definitely get our first refined salt order within a month!"

Suddenly, Madam Fan remembered something and brought it up with a worried expression.

Winter is almost here...

"I've heard that in winter, the grasslands are covered in snow, and livestock can't graze, so business will probably be much more difficult."

Fan Xiaoxiao also fell into thought after hearing this. The Tianshan Mountains have a special terrain and are covered with frost and snow all year round.

So after staying there for so long, I almost forgot about the seasons.

She had heard a lot of news before.

For example, in winter, the northern barbarian tribes would raid the border, plunder, and kill people.

Although it was due to their inherently cruel nature, the lack of resources was also a factor.

“Sister is right. We can’t just focus on the business of barbarian meat jerky and refined salt.”

"How about this, once the imperial army's situation with the Tianshan Sect eases up a bit, we'll release the survivors."

Ultimately, we still have to take care of the local market of Da Zhou.

"Sigh." Madam Fan sighed, "Er Ya, I understand all this, but look at the state of the Great Zhou Kingdom right now..."

The others understood what was going on after hearing this.

Fan Xiaoxiao touched her chin, but the light in her eyes grew even more confident.

She lowered her hand and tapped her fingers lightly on the table: "Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs. Although the world is chaotic, there are still some rare and valuable goods in troubled times!"

Madam Fan was taken aback, her tone filled with confusion: "You mean..."

"Warhorse!" In the past, Fan Xiaoxiao only cared about making a living. Now, she not only wants to make a living, but also wants everyone to live well and not let anyone bully them!

“Since the people living north of the Tianshan Mountains are nomadic, they must have horses.”

"It doesn't matter what price they offer, we will definitely not lose money by holding onto this kind of strategic material."

"The more chaotic the world becomes, the more people need this!"

Moreover, Fan Xiaoxiao knew that a big shot like Gu Zhongtai understood how to use these things to negotiate terms.

There are plenty of people who want a piece of the pie.

But her words startled everyone in the room.

(End of this chapter)