Looking around the market, it was indeed not a thriving business. Lin Hai added, "All vendors will now only be charged one penny a day, regardless of how much they sell. If they sell nothing, you can charge one egg from them, or one mothball from them. But remember, all money and goods must be recorded and allocated uniformly. If you dare to take even a penny without permission, I'll hang your head at the market gate."
Zhao Zan didn't understand why Lord Lin, who usually looked quite amiable, became more and more murderous as he spoke. He could only nod his head repeatedly, and almost pointed to the sky and swore that he would never cause any trouble. However, Lin Hai was still worried, and said before leaving: "There are not many people in the market now, and I think you can handle it. So, after dark, you and your people come to the county government office to find me. I will give you an one-hour intensive training in market management every night. You will have to take an exam. If you fail, you will be whipped." After that, Lin Hai left without looking back.
If one could attend Lin Hai's lectures, they would undoubtedly be able to call themselves "Master Lin's disciple" when they left. Even if they couldn't match the twelve disciples who joined earlier, being able to call him "Principal" would be a great honor. Without even making a sound, they would be able to distance themselves from the ordinary people who could only call him "Master Lin." However, Lin Hai's words, "If you fail the exam, I'll whip you," were terrifying, especially since they knew he now enjoyed whipping people with a metal-covered stick. No one would take Lin Hai's words as empty threats. Now all they could do was hope that Master Wang Liang would quickly go to Master Shi to propose marriage, so that Master Lin's temper would subside.
Only today did Lin Hai feel that this market had barely begun to resemble a market. After all, today was the first day the management office officially began to regulate it. Things like: no open defecation, all peddlers entering the market must pay taxes, sedentary merchants must report their monthly transaction figures for tax purposes, livestock entering the market must be equipped with dung bags or face a fine of two cents, and so on had been publicized in the market for a long time. The official start of regulation today wasn't exactly a punishment without warning.
Of course, what made Lin Hai happiest today was that Qinghe’s market welcomed the first foreign caravan.
Although this caravan from the Chen Dynasty was small, with only about a dozen people, and everyone was armed, this was understandable considering the current security situation in the Chen Dynasty. When the caravan leader carefully explained to Xie Zan that the weapons were only for self-defense and that handing them over would make everyone feel insecure, and even wanted to secretly slip a small string of copper coins through his sleeve into Xie Zan's palm, Xie Zan, sweating profusely, sternly refused the bribe, his face brimming with righteousness, like the embodiment of all the upright gentlemen in history. For a moment, the caravan leader felt a little admiration for him.
Xie Zan told the caravan leader that the market wouldn't confiscate their weapons, but that carrying weapons was prohibited, whether in the market or within the city itself. He suggested they deposit their weapons there. "As long as you obey the law and pay taxes, Qinghe will protect your life and property. However, whether you can make money depends on your ability," Xie Zan said, pointing to the management regulations and tax policies at the market entrance. Lin Hai, who was munching on sunflower seeds, nodded repeatedly. It seemed that the market could finally become more legitimate.
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