Chapter 234 I'm still young, so I'll offer you both tea instead of wine!
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The snowflakes that were just falling a light dusting before have now grown larger, and it looks like they're about to get even bigger.
Xing Guangzong got off the mule cart as he looked at the sky, which was already getting gloomy. He had come to Andong from Dongmou.
The Xing family mainly dealt in raw silk in Jiangnan. Because his father's generation had all died in accidents while doing business in their early years, his father's branch of the family and his brothers had separated early on. He was the second oldest in the family and didn't get much in the inheritance.
But he had been doing business with his father since he was a child, so he didn't know how to do anything else.
To make a living, instead of following in the footsteps of his elder brother Xing and continuing to trade silk locally, he ventured out of Jiangnan and headed to the capital.
Although Jiangnan is wealthy, the capital city is the most prosperous place in the entire Dalong Dynasty.
He was kind-hearted and willing to share profits with those who worked, so he also started a small caravan of about twenty people.
In the past few years, due to natural disasters and man-made calamities, he didn't dare to leave his home and just stayed at home living off his savings.
Ever since he heard about the trade between Andong and the barbarians at the beginning of this year, he had an idea in his mind.
Later, he simply took a boat to Dongmou to inquire about the trade. He learned that as long as the goods he sold were within the scope of Andong's regulations and exceeded a certain quantity, he could register and buy a half-price ticket to Andong.
Furthermore, the Xuanjia Army will escort them in Fujian-style ships, ensuring that the Japanese pirates will not steal them!
So he took out all his savings, called up his old buddies, and prepared to give it a shot!
The silk and porcelain from Jiangnan must be valuable to the barbarians. When the trade begins, he can exchange them for furs, medicinal herbs, and other items to bring back to Jiangnan.
By passing it around like this, he should be able to make a considerable profit!
When Xing Guangzong and his entourage arrived in Andong, they collected a lot of paperwork and paid taxes before heading to the prefectural city from Sanshan Port.
He originally intended to find an inn in the prefectural city to stay in, but later decided against it because the prices of food and lodging in the prefectural city were too high. There were less than ten days left before the trade market, and if he stayed in the prefectural city every day, the cost would be too high.
During his two days in the prefectural city, he heard people on the street say that there was a village called Liujiatun on the edge of the border market, and that food and lodging in that village were much cheaper. So he got the idea to go and take a look.
But since he was in an unfamiliar place, he didn't dare to actually go at first.
Later, it was Wan Sanbao, who was staying at the same inn in the prefectural city, who decided to come here, and he then went over and said that he wanted to go together.
Wan Sanbao's gang exuded a fierce aura; each of them was at least half a head taller than Xing Guangzong.
Because they had lived in the same courtyard in the prefectural city, Xing Guangzong had some understanding of Wan Sanbao and his group.
Don't be fooled by Wan Sanbao and his gang's burly build, loud voices, and lack of cleanliness; they are actually quite guileless and easy to talk to.
Moreover, the goods they sold did not conflict at all. He was carrying silk, tea and porcelain, while Wan Sanbao and his group were carrying woodenware, including large wooden beds, cabinets and tables, as well as small wooden basins, chairs and even combs.
Meanwhile, Li Shiyue, seeing the two groups of people, quickly smiled and went to greet them.
After exchanging greetings, Xing Guangzong and Wan Sanbao were completely surprised to find that the person who had any influence in Liujiatun was actually a teenage girl!
Xing Guangzong was taken aback for a moment, but he accepted it well. After all, in Jiangnan, it was not uncommon to see women who were in charge of their households, and there were even women who went from street to street to do business.
Wan Sanbao, on the other hand, scratched his head. He slapped his forehead and shouted at Li Shiyue in a loud voice, "Where is your father?"
"Call your parents out; we need a hotel."
Li Shiyue wasn't angry; she knew that her face was indeed quite deceptive.
Explanations are useless. Li Shiyue has also seen through Wan Sanbao's character. No matter how much you talk, it's not as good as doing something to show him.
Li Shiyue cupped his hands in greeting to Wan Sanbao and said, "I apologize for the inconvenience."
She went straight to Wan Sanbao's convoy and grabbed at the mule carts whose goods were all covered with tarpaulins.
Then, under the driver's astonished gaze, Li Shiyue simply lifted one corner of the cart, which would have taken at least four strong men to lift, with one hand.
That one move alone is enough to shock people.
Wan Sanbao rubbed his eyes, unable to believe it, yet forced to accept the scene before him.
Li Shiyue flashed a smile at Wan Sanbao, revealing her pearly white teeth: "Master Wan, how is it?"
I, Li Shiyue, am the person in charge of Liujiatun!
I'm the one in charge!
After putting down the cart, Li Shiyue said to Xing Guangzong and Wan Sanbao, "Master Xing, Master Wan, the snow is going to get heavier. Would you two like to stay at an inn?"
Having received a positive response, the next people to be contacted were Li Wangshui and Li Shiliang.
Li Shiyue only acts as the overall planner; she's not the one who does the actual work.
Asking her to do chores would be exhausting, even if she worked herself to death.
Xing Guangzong and Wan Sanbao were both rough men. As usual, both groups chose the cheapest dormitory in the inn, where ten men could sleep on one kang (heated brick bed), which was really economical.
According to Li Wangshui, there were warehouses available for rent, and next to the warehouses was a small room with a kang (heated brick bed) specifically reserved for the guards. Wan Sanbao didn't think much of it, since the goods he was carrying were just some heavy wooden items, which could be placed in the yard.
He planned to keep those valuable items close to his body in his sleeping room.
Xing Guangzong wanted to take a look at the warehouse. His goods were really expensive, and the fact that his people could inspect them here was a good idea.
Li Wangshui led his men to the warehouse and saw that Xing Guangzong was puzzled by the small hut where the guards lived, so he quickly explained, "It gets cold here early, much colder than in the prefectural city."
It gets even colder at night; if the kang (a heated brick bed) isn't heated, people will be too cold to sleep.
"Once you sleep on it, you'll know how good this kang (heated brick bed) is."
Although Xing Guangzong and Wan Sanbao didn't have high requirements for accommodation, they were willing to spend money on food.
Zhao Min was assigned to the inn's main kitchen. It was the first time she had been entrusted with such an important task, and she stood there nervously holding a spatula, her heart pounding.
Wang Shisan ran in from the lobby of the inn carrying two sheets of paper. He immediately started reciting the menu to Zhao Min: "Table number one, five catties of mixed flatbread, two servings of stewed cabbage and pork..."
In the lobby of the inn, Li Shiyue carried two pots of hot tea toward the table that Wan Sanbao and Xing Guangzong had put together.
"These two hosts are the first caravan we have received in Liujiatun. These two pots of hot tea are complimentary. We will also bring up two pots of meat soup later to warm you up."
It's fate that we met. If you two are not in a hurry, you can come and take a look at our Liujiatun tomorrow morning. We have quite a few things to buy and sell.
Since you two are the first guests to check into our inn, if you two owners see anything you like tomorrow, I, Li Shiyue, will give you a 20% discount!
"I'm still young, so I'll offer you both tea instead of wine!"
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