Chapter 220 Qing Ning...you've gone astray
It's true that Great Xia is a superior nation, but Great Xia merchants are not Great Xia officials. They would never buy goods from foreign merchants at a loss just to show off their great power. Rather than not making money, they'd rather sell the information to others and gain a favor.
After Wang Yushi's henchmen learned that foreign merchants were transporting pepper to Guangzhou by sea, they immediately colluded with the government to steal Hubaye and McKenzie's goods. Then, the two were released after paying money and disappeared without a trace.
"My lord, the two foreign merchants have confessed. They set off from the port of Pirates of the East, bypassed Singapore in the South Seas, and headed north to Guangzhou. Due to storms and pirates, one of the three ships traveling with them reached Daxia."
Wang Yushi narrowed her beautiful phoenix eyes and said in a deep voice, "The people below handled this matter poorly. It was just a boatload of spices; they could have just bought it. Why did they have to collude with the local government to do such a thing and give people something to talk about?"
"My lord, what about those two merchants? There are merchants from Great Xia who buy and stockpile spices, gems, and other specialties in various parts of Southeast Asia, and then sell them in Great Xia. Now that we have obtained the precious nautical chart, why can't we send people directly to Southeast Asia?" Qing Ning was straightforward and directly expressed her thoughts.
Wang Yushi raised her eyelids slightly and said lazily, "Do you have a boat? Do you have sailors?"
"That's easy, isn't it? We..."
Qing Ning stopped talking. She suddenly remembered that she really didn't have a ship. Ocean-going ships were not flat-bottomed boats for inland waterways and coastal waters. The royal family did not have the expertise to build ocean-going ships.
As for sailors, that's even more true, especially those capable of long voyages. Qin Mo's ability to quickly develop maritime trade relied entirely on the personnel reserves accumulated by his cheap father over more than a decade of searching for sea creatures. If he had started from scratch with nothing in hand, it would have taken him ten years just to train the grassroots personnel.
“My lord, actually… it’s not that there’s no way. His Highness Prince Heng has ships… and sailors…” Qing Ning could only come up with one feasible solution in the end, but she herself wasn’t confident in it.
Wang Yushi gently shook her head and remained silent. Now she understood why Qin Mo wanted that "exploration right." Qin Mo had already been managing Southeast Asia, acquiring spices, and eventually delivered the spices to her, along with the wealth.
"One should not be too greedy. Hand over those foreign merchants to the high official and see what use they can be. Do not mention this matter to outsiders. Now, go!"
Wang Yushi looked at Qing Ning, who was standing still with a hesitant expression, and asked curiously, "Is there something else?"
"My lord, that... perfume... could you please give me another bottle?"
"You still want perfume? Who was that trying to steal someone else's boyfriend just now? You insatiable ingrate..."
"Who told that guy to be so angry? He only gave me two bottles at once, and put the rest on the shelf to cheat those Westerners out of their money. It's really hateful..."
"Isn't the money from selling perfume going into our coffers? Qingning, you've gone bad. How come you've used up two bottles of perfume a month so quickly?"
"I... also have a few close female friends..."
Wang Yushi was amused by Qing Ning's words. Qin Mo had recently partnered with her to open a shop specializing in something called "perfume" on Xizhou Street. As soon as it hit the market, it was snapped up, and now it's completely sold out.
Nowadays, people wait outside perfume shops, greeting each other and eagerly awaiting the arrival of new stock. Glass bottles filled with various perfumes emit different fragrances, captivating and intoxicating the senses.
Qin Mo's original intention was to sell the perfume at a high price to the Westerners who had severe body odor, but unexpectedly, the Great Xia people liked this magical liquid with its long-lasting fragrance even more than the Westerners. Now, unless you are someone with some influence in the Western region, you can no longer buy the perfume. The servants and stewards of the noble families who wait at the door started discussing among themselves before the goods arrived, and as soon as there was stock, it was immediately distributed to them according to seniority.
“I have another bottle of cloves here, you can take it! That guy is really infuriating, he only gives out a few hundred bottles each time, I have to calculate carefully before I can give any away.”
"My lord...please give me a bottle of orchid drops!"
"Why don't you go up?" Wang Yushi suddenly raised her voice, still not satisfied after cursing, she simply kicked him.
McKenzie and Hubaye finally saw the sunlight again. For months, they had been either hooded or confined to the dungeon, and their mental state was on the verge of collapse. When they suddenly saw the long-lost sunlight, tears streamed down their faces, and they didn't know whether to feel happy or sad.
"Do you two still want to go back to your hometown?"
When McKenzie saw an incredibly handsome young man speaking to him, after a translation, he immediately knelt down and said, "McKenzi is willing to serve you, sir."
“Hubaye is willing to pay enough ransom for his life,” Hubaye’s reaction was a beat slow. He hadn’t considered serving the Great Xia people; he actually wanted to return to his homeland, even if it meant becoming penniless.
"Oh! Do you still have the money to pay the ransom?" Qin Mo was more interested in this honest-looking Indian man. The slick McKenzie was suitable to be a guide, but not a puppet agent.
"Your Excellency, I own a shop in the local city of Malacca and also have land on the outskirts. As long as my handwritten letter is sent back to my hometown, my family will send the ransom to Malacca."
Through Hubaye's explanation, Qin Mo learned with surprise that Hubaye's family actually wielded considerable influence in the local government, with connections in both official and commercial circles. However, his own nature wasn't assertive enough, which allowed the businessman McKenzie to dominate the Great Xia School.
Looking at the incredibly sincere Hubaye, Qin Mo said with satisfaction, "Since the gods have guided you to the Great Xia, you should receive the reward you deserve. You will return to your hometown with enough wealth."
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