Chapter 65: Sheep Season Introduction Since this year's sheep have not yet been slaughtered, why not raise the price...
Since this year's sheep have not yet been put into the fold, it would be better to estimate the number in advance, write a deed, and sell these sheep in advance. The deposit received can also solve the urgent problem, so that she will not have no cash in her account.
Mu Xue shared this idea with Madam Wu and the others. Madam Zhao sighed, "This is good, it's like redeeming the pawn in advance. With the status of the master, others will not suspect that you are making empty promises."
Aunt Wu still had some doubts: "Why would they buy it in advance? Isn't that unnecessary?"
If it were her, upon hearing about this kind of deal, she would at most buy some for the sake of her master. But in the long run, she couldn't keep coaxing her master, and this deal couldn't last long.
Mu Xue asked: "Let me ask you, if it is crops, which one is higher, the price in autumn when the harvest is good or in winter and spring?"
"Of course the price is lower in autumn, when there are more people selling grain. It will be more expensive in winter and spring."
"Yes, but the price I sell in advance can guarantee that it will still be the price of autumn in winter and spring." Mu Xue said slowly, "The price of grain is like this, and the price of sheep is also the same."
Nanny Wu understood a little: "So, I seem to understand a little."
"Let's give it a try anyway. We won't lose anything." Mu Xue thought of her talented but underappreciated elder brother Mu Sen. "Let Mu Sen write about the benefits of futures. Isn't he a talented writer? I think he can write a good one."
Since we want to promote this concept, calling it futures is a bit hard to understand. We need to give it a catchy name. Mu Xue thought about it and decided to imitate the name of Yanyin, saying, "Let's call it Yangqiyin."
After a few days, a group led by Fan Yuqi and Wang Xiangqing arrived in Kulun.
Muxue had already written the instructions for Yunqi and put them in a box. She briefly explained a few words to the two of them, selected a few strong guards, and ordered them to deliver the message as quickly as possible.
The journey was long and those who rushed back were all exhausted and dusty. There were only two scattered supply stations along the Zhangku official road and no connecting post stations. They were also in a hurry and could only eat dried meat and fried rice along the way. The cheeks of Fan Yuqi and others, which had gained a little weight during the New Year, were now sunken.
Fan Yuqi bowed and handed over a document: "Princess, this year's salary, rice, and rewards from His Majesty, Master Yi, and others are all here."
Mu Xue signaled Rong Er to collect the booklet, but was not in a hurry to read it. She only said, "You have all worked hard, and you all look thinner. We can talk about the rest later. I have asked the kitchen to prepare good wine and food. Let's talk after we are full."
"You are flattered and grateful for the princess's grace."
While Fan Yuqi was still expressing his gratitude in a ceremonious manner, a young man behind him already had his eyes narrowed with smiles.
Mu Xue looked at him and said, "I've never seen this person before."
Wang Xiangqing fell to his knees and said in a clear voice, "I am Wang Xiangqing, nicknamed Wang Er, Scar. I was recruited by Aunt Yunqi. With the grace of my master, I have fulfilled my dream and opened a business called Dashengkui."
This nickname is easy to remember. Mu Xue simply asked a few questions about the business. I heard that the sheep and horse market in Guihua City has opened, and there are many merchants coming and going. She sighed: "It will be more lively, and my rouge land is still there."
I don't know how the land reclamation there is going.
As they were talking, the maid outside came in and said that the meal was ready.
Hearing this, Mu Xue stood up and said, "Let's go eat. I'll go with you."
She thought of Dorji who had gone to the king's tent to do some work this morning, and asked, "Has the young prince returned? If so, ask him to come along."
"Looks like I came just in time."
As soon as the curtain was opened, Dorji strode in with great strides, looking very heroic.
Everyone around paid their respects to Prince?, but Muxue stood still, watching him approach with a smile.
"I haven't seen you much these past two days. I thought you would come back when the moon came out."
Dorji took her hand and winked at her: "I have already held my moon. Let's go and have dinner."
On a chilly spring evening, Muxue visited the travelers' camp and then returned to the kitchen tent.
The dinner arrangement was the same as for those who had returned, boiled lamb in ice.
A huge copper pot, with crystal clear ice piled at the bottom, and bright red fresh lamb hind legs cut into dice-sized pieces neatly stacked on the ice. The leaping flames licked the bottom of the pot, the ice slowly split open, and white mist surged up. The raw lamb was cooked in the clear ice water and gradually changed color.
It is said that this way of eating was invented by Genghis Khan during his march. The fresh mutton cooked in ice and snow is particularly tender and smooth.
After dinner, they returned to the princess's tent, where the candlelight was bright. Mu Xue leaned on the soft leather mattress of the beauty couch and looked at the gift book. Some valuable boxes and cages had been moved into the tent and asked her to take a look.
She was looking at the gift book, and Dorji was playing with Qiuqiu. A small, colorful cloth ball was thrown there, and Qiuqiu went over to pick it up with a "whoosh".
The salary in the gift book was the same, still one thousand taels, and she had ordered people to bring the cash back to the capital as usual, for Yunqi and Cui Gu to use as money. She still had several hundred taels of silver in her hands, and with the money she should be able to receive from the Yang Qi Yin, she could make up a small one thousand taels as a reserve fund.
Apart from her salary, the rest were the gifts given to her by Kangxi and others, not to mention the gold, silver and silk, which were twice as heavy as the gifts she had given. The Fourth Prince gave her 10 taels of bird's nests, and she stared at the word "bird's nest" and pondered for a while. She remembered that they had a quarrel on the road, and it seemed that he had implicitly sent some bird's nests to express his apology. It was not in vain that she held back her anger and cried, and finally aroused some brother-sister affection.
Looking down, the gift from Concubine Yi was four sets of dresses for spring, summer, autumn and winter. New clothes always make people curious. Mu Xue raised her hand and looked through the box. They were all made of the best materials. The thin summer cloak felt as smooth as flowing water, and the silk surface was covered with Su embroidery jade flowers in full bloom.
When she turned to the next piece, Mu Xue's hand suddenly stopped. It turned out to be a bright red jacket with a large collar and a hundred children pattern embroidered on it.
It expressed Concubine Yi's wishes very subtly.
Muxue pushed the jacket down as if nothing had happened and glanced at Dorji subconsciously.
Although...but...anyway, they haven't reached the stage of consummating their marriage yet.
As if noticing her gaze, Dorji suddenly raised his eyes and said, "What's wrong? Your face is red."
He came over, and Mu Xue quickly closed the box, fanned it with her hands, and said, "The charcoal fire is a little hot."
She coughed lightly and asked, "What have you been busy with these past two days?"
Dorji sat down next to her. In such a wide space, he insisted on sitting right next to her.
"Nothing. Grandfather asked his men to be more careful. There might be some bandits after the spring. So he asked all the flags to be alert."
As they were talking, Qiuqiu also squeezed over. It was a big furry creature. Facing Dorji's condemning gaze, it squeezed itself between Dorji and Muxue tenaciously and stubbornly.
Mu Xue found Qiuqiu's appearance funny, so she pulled him over and rubbed his head. "Why, are you angry because I ignored you?"
It was the season when Qiuqiu was shedding his fur. When I rubbed the dog, a few strands of white dog hair stuck to my sleeves, just like a dandelion.
Qiuqiu was kneaded comfortably, humming and closing his eyes. But he was suddenly pushed aside, and the little dog opened his eyes angrily, and found that it was the male owner, and barked to express his protest.
"It's time for Qiuqiu to go to bed." Dorji quickly pushed it away and called the eunuch who was watching the dog outside the curtain to take it away.
Mu Xue laughed and said, "Why are you still jealous of the dog?"
"Yeah, I'm jealous." Dorji rested his head on her knees and said confidently, "My hair is also very easy to rub."
All right. Mu Xue scratched his chin as if he were a puppy.
They both laughed. Mu Xue pushed him and said, "Okay, stand up and talk. This big baby is so heavy on your legs."
"So you are afraid of sinking." Dorji didn't know what he was thinking about, and smiled a little wickedly, but he still sat up straight as she said.
"How is your business in Beijing?"
Dorji was not sitting still, he caught a strand of her hair and played with it around his fingertips.
“Overall it’s OK.”
Mu Xue briefly explained it, mentioned the matter of the sheep, and asked him: "It should be feasible on the grassland?"
Dorji thought about it and said, "Although your idea is new, I have heard of the practice of ordering sheep in advance. Don't worry, it's not a big deal."
He was concerned about another matter: "Why, are you short of money? I still have a lot of silver, all given by His Majesty, and it's been kept there without much use."
Silver was scarce on the grassland, and he was not short of things. He originally thought that he could exchange some armor and other equipment with merchants. However, after being under the jurisdiction of the Qing court, the Lifanyuan kept a close eye on soldiers and weapons, and merchants did not dare to sell them at will. If they were caught, they would be beheaded. Therefore, apart from the 45 personal soldiers he was required to have, he did not have many people to equip. So a lot of silver was left there in vain.
"Not really," Mu Xue thought for a while and said, "But if you really have some spare money, you can give it to me, and maybe I can help you make some profit."
It would be a good thing to be able to expand her fund size. She didn't take it for nothing.
"Okay, I'll ask someone to send it to you later." Dorji said.
Mu Xue nodded: "I won't let you lose."
She thought of another thing, lowered her eyes and thought for a while, then said: "Khan Ama gave me some rouge land in Guihua City, which is going to be reclaimed this year, and I want to go and take a look. It just so happens that this sheep can also be sold in Guihua City. What do you think?"
"Go to Guihua City?" Dorji raised his sword-like eyebrows. "That's fine. It just so happens that some of the tribesmen who fled there before have not returned yet. I will report to Grandfather and go with you. We can also bring them back."
"Well, let's pack up and leave in a few days."
Dorji was a little surprised: "I thought you would send someone to ask His Majesty's opinion?"
After all, when she was in the capital, she always abided by the rules in front of the emperor and seemed to have no opinions of her own.
Mu Xue said innocently, "I can't help it. I'm a general in the field. I don't have to obey the king's orders."
For such a major event as spring ploughing, even Emperor Kangxi himself would set an example and hold a ceremony to show his affection to the farmers. Isn't it normal for her to go and see the newly reclaimed fields?
Even if we take a step back and say that she was married to this grassland by Emperor Kangxi, then isn't it natural for her to follow the customs of the grassland and roam the grassland? Just think of it as roaming in a slightly farther place, and Guihua City is equivalent to a spring and summer pasture, which is reasonable.
She smiled, feeling a little emotional.
My courage has indeed grown little by little.
At that time, she asked Emperor Kangxi to return Princess Huacheng to his mansion, but he kept delaying until now. But now she is thinking, if you don't give it to me, am I going to keep crying and waiting?
Everything depends on human effort.
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