bayedsolid Chapter 959 The Marquis of Anguo's Trading Company is Established!
Chapter 959 The Marquis of Anguo's Trading Company is Established!
Shangguan Fusheng stepped forward and knocked on the door in a specific rhythm.
With a creak, the door opened a crack.
The person inside glanced out and, upon seeing that it was Shangguan Fusheng, immediately opened the door completely and respectfully stepped aside to let them in.
There is a hidden world inside the courtyard.
Although it looks unremarkable from the outside, it is very well-organized inside.
The ground was paved with bluestone, spotless.
There were no flowers or plants in the courtyard, only a few tall locust trees and an open space used for drills.
Several burly men stood guard in the courtyard, their eyes alert, their temples bulging, clearly skilled in martial arts.
After passing through the front yard, a man who looked like a steward led them to a separate hall.
"Patriarch Shangguan, Lord Bai, please."
The steward opened the door and gestured for them to enter.
Bai Lu stepped inside.
The lighting in the hall was somewhat dim.
Two men sat in the main seat.
The man on the left is none other than Wanyan Zonghan, a fierce general of the Jurchen Wanyan tribe.
The man on the right is Wanyan Xiyin, the tribe's strategist.
"Patriarch Shangguan, is this the Marquis Bai you mentioned?"
It was Wanyan Zonghan who spoke; his voice was loud and carried an undeniable sense of pressure.
His gaze swept over Bai Lu, his eyes filled with a scrutinizing look.
Shangguan Fusheng went straight to the guest seat and sat down.
"This is Marquis Anguo, Bailu. She is in charge of our border trade this time."
Bai Lu did not sit down, but calmly met Wanyan Zonghan's gaze.
"General Wanyan, I am here on behalf of the sincerity of the Great Wu Dynasty."
Wanyan Zonghan's disdain lessened considerably, replaced by intense vigilance.
He never expected that the visitor would be a marquis of the Great Wu.
Wanyan Xiyin, who had been silent all along, suddenly had a glint in his eyes. He stood up and bowed slightly to Bai Lu.
"So it is the Marquis of Anguo in person. My apologies for my disrespect. Please take a seat."
His attitude became extremely respectful.
The fact that a marquis came to talk in person carries a completely different meaning.
Bai Lu did not refuse and sat down in the host's seat without hesitation.
Qin Liangyu stood quietly behind her like a stone statue.
"Since Marquis Anguo has come in person, he must have brought something our clan needs most..."
After Wanyan Xiyin sat down again, he asked tentatively.
"Speak, what do you want?"
Bai Lu didn't beat around the bush; she went straight to the point.
Unable to contain himself, Wanyan Zonghan spoke first: "We need grain, lots of grain! And salt and cloth too!"
"These are not problems."
Bai Lu nodded, "I can guarantee that the grain, salt, and cloth I provide to you will be reasonably priced and of superior quality."
"We need more iron!"
Wanyan Zonghan continued, his eyes fixed on Bailu, "We need weapons!"
The atmosphere in the hall instantly became tense.
Selling weapons to foreign tribes is a grave crime of treason.
Bai Lu looked at him, her expression unchanged.
"General Wanyan, you must understand. The Great Wu and the various Jurchen tribes are not enemy states. But the imperial court has its own laws and regulations."
She picked up the teacup and gently blew on the steam.
"Finished, standard-issue weapons? Impossible. That's the bottom line, and no one can cross it."
Her tone left no room for argument.
Wanyan Zonghan's face darkened, and he was about to lash out when Bailu changed the subject.
"However, considering that you have a difficult life outside the Great Wall, often having to fight wild beasts or compete with other tribes for pastures, the imperial court is willing to lend you a helping hand."
She put down her teacup and looked at the two people opposite her.
"I can arrange to provide you with a batch of inferior military equipment that has been replaced in the army. These weapons are more than enough to deal with wild beasts. At the same time, we can also specially forge a batch of thicker and heavier farm tools for you. Whether for cultivating wasteland or for self-defense in an emergency, they are much better than your existing tools."
Upon hearing this, Wanyan Xiyin's eyes lit up instantly.
This is absolutely ingenious!
"Secondary weaponry" and "specially made farm tools" nominally completely avoided the red line of "weapons," but for the Jurchens who lacked steel, their practical value was almost the same as that of real weapons.
More importantly, Bai Lu proposed the deal under the guise of "imperial aid," which made the entire transaction seem legitimate.
"We have felt your sincerity, Lord Marquis."
Wanyan Xiyin said with genuine admiration, "What do we need to give in return?"
"It's very simple."
Bai Lu held up one finger. "First, I need your best warhorses, ginseng, and furs in exchange. We'll set the price."
"second,"
She held up another finger. "Your Wanyan tribe must restrain your people and not harass the borders of Dawu. Furthermore, you must keep an eye on other tribes for us. If anyone dares to cross the border, you will be responsible for dealing with them."
"third,"
Bai Lu's gaze sharpened. "This border trade will only be conducted with your Wanyan tribe. You can use our resources to exchange for what you need with other tribes. We want all Jurchens to know that only by cooperating with the Great Wu can they live a good life."
These three conditions are all increasingly demanding.
The first is absolute economic dominance.
The second was to turn the Wanyan tribe into Da Wu's agents outside the Great Wall.
The third approach was to undermine the Jurchen tribes by using economic means to divide them and support the Wanyan tribe to become the dominant force, thus creating conflict between them and other tribes and preventing them from uniting.
Wanyan Zonghan was stunned, while Wanyan Xiyin's back was already covered in a layer of cold sweat.
The woman before me appears gentle, but her methods are terrifying.
But he couldn't refuse.
The allure of White Dew is too great.
This is not just about supplies, but also a golden opportunity for the Wanyan tribe to rise and unify the various Jurchen tribes.
"We...agree."
Finally, Wanyan Xiyin managed to utter those three words with difficulty.
The core issue has been settled; all that remains is to get through the official procedures.
The next day, Bai Lu asked Shangguan Fusheng for a list of officials in Pingzhou.
"Yang Jing, the prefect of Pingzhou, is greedy and cowardly. He is not a threat."
Shangguan Fusheng pointed to the first name on the list and gave the same evaluation as before.
"The key figure remains He Jin, the commander of Pingzhou."
Bai Lu looked at He Jin's information and nodded slightly.
She took out an unopened wax-coated secret letter from her bosom and handed it to Shangguan Fusheng.
"You go and deliver this letter to He Jin personally. His Majesty gave it to me before he left the capital."
Shangguan Fusheng took the secret letter, which felt slightly heavy in his hand.
He realized that this was Bailu's true trump card.
That afternoon, Shangguan Fusheng, in his capacity as an envoy of the Marquis of Anguo, paid a visit to He Jin, the commander of Pingzhou.
In He Jin's study, he didn't mention anything about transactions or business. Instead, he solemnly handed over the secret letter in a wax pellet bearing the emperor's private seal to He Jin.
He Jin opened the secret letter, read it quickly, and his expression changed several times.
Finally, he held the letter up to the candle flame and burned it, then bowed deeply towards the direction of the capital.
"Please report back to Marquis Anguo."
He Jin's voice carried a hint of excitement, "The Pingzhou border defenses will be at the Marquis's command! I, He Jin, will gladly die for you!"
He understood that this was not only the emperor's mission, but also a tremendous opportunity given to him by the emperor.
Once this matter was resolved, his future would be secured.
Three days later, an application document jointly submitted by Marquis Anguo and the Shangguan family, requesting the establishment of the "Marquis Anguo Trading Company" to conduct official border trade with the area outside the pass in order to promote border stability and facilitate the exchange of goods, was delivered to the Pingzhou Prefectural Government.
The document's appendix also included a document personally signed by Commander-in-Chief He Jin, concerning "assisting merchants in the delivery of goods and ensuring border security."
Prefect Yang Jing broke out in a cold sweat as he looked at the document.
The Marquis of Anguo, the Shangguan family, and the Commander-in-Chief all have the Emperor's shadow behind them.
He immediately approved the establishment of the trading company and also granted a large tract of land for use as a warehouse.
Thus, this official border trade route, personally authorized by the emperor and orchestrated by the Marquis of Anguo, was openly and legitimately established in Pingzhou.
The establishment of the Anguohou Trading Company caused quite a stir in the official and business circles of Pingzhou.
The Marquis of Anguo's status, the Shangguan family's wealth, and the explicit support of Commander He Jin... all made it clear to everyone that this newly established trading company was no ordinary entity.
The Anguo Marquis Trading Company quickly acquired a large tract of land on a key road near the border outside Yong'an City.
The Shangguan family's construction team was incredibly efficient; in just half a month, tall walls, sturdy warehouses, and spacious cargo yards rose from the ground.
White Dew did not rush things.
While waiting for Shangguan Fusheng to gather goods from various places, she personally designed the transaction process at the market.
She divided the warehouse into different areas: a living supplies area, a textiles area, a special agricultural implements area, and a livestock area for inspecting horses and furs.
Each area has clear signage and a designated manager.
A month later, goods from Qingzhou, Zhaozhou, and even Dawu were continuously arriving in Yong'an City via both land and water routes.
Meanwhile, the Wanyan tribe also sent back a message that they had prepared the first batch of supplies for exchange and agreed to conduct the transaction in ten days.
On the trading day, it was just getting light.
The huge warehouse of Anguohou Trading Company was already bustling with activity.
Bai Lu personally oversaw the operation, while Shangguan Fusheng observed from the sidelines to ensure everything went smoothly.
Commander He Jin, being quite astute, dispatched a troop of soldiers to patrol the perimeter of the trading area, both to maintain order and to announce to everyone that the transaction was under official protection!
At Chen Shi (7-9 AM), a cloud of dust rose from the distant horizon.
A large procession was slowly approaching the freight yard.
Leading the way were hundreds of Jurchen knights riding tall horses. They were burly and sharp-eyed, and their leader was none other than Wanyan Zonghan.
Their mission was both to provide protection and to demonstrate the military strength of the Wanyan tribe.
Behind the knights' column was a long line of horses that stretched as far as the eye could see.
Thousands of well-fed and strong warhorses were strung together, snorting restlessly.
These warhorses were strong and had long limbs, making them excellent mounts that the Great Wu army dreamed of.
Following the horse caravan were hundreds of large carts pulled by oxen and horses, piled high with packed furs and precious ginseng in wooden crates.
This was almost a deal in which the Wanyan tribe went all out.
The convoy slowly came to a stop outside the freight yard.
Wanyan Xiyin rode out from the ranks and came to Bailu.
He dismounted and bowed respectfully to Bailu.
"Lord Anguo, we have come with sincerity."
Bai Lu nodded, a gentle smile on her face.
"Mr. Wanyan, please. The merchant guild has prepared the goods and has been waiting for you."
She gestured for them to enter and personally guided Wanyan Xiyin and Wanyan Zonghan into the cargo yard.
When they passed through the gate and saw the scene inside the freight yard, even the well-informed Wanyan Xiyin couldn't help but gasp.
Even the usually rugged Wanyan Zonghan was stunned and stood there dumbfounded.
In the spacious freight yard, small mountains of goods were piled up one after another, creating a spectacular sight.
The most eye-catching area is the daily necessities section.
A mountain made of piled-up salt bales gleamed white in the morning light.
For the Jurchens living outside the Great Wall, salt was more precious than gold.
In the past, they could only buy coarse salt from small vendors at high prices. The salt was bitter and often out of stock.
The salt mountain before us is pure white and fine, with such a large reserve that it can supply the entire tribe for several years.
Next to the salt mountain is another brown sugar mountain.
Bags of brown sugar were neatly stacked.
Sugar was an unheard-of luxury for them.
Wanyan Zonghan couldn't resist stepping forward. With the steward's permission, he opened a large package, picked up a grain of salt, and put it in his mouth.
A pure salty taste melts on the tip of the tongue, without any bitterness or other unpleasant flavors.
He picked up a little more brown sugar, its rich sweetness...
"Great stuff! All of it is great stuff!"
He exclaimed in admiration.
Bai Lu smiled without saying a word and continued to lead them forward.
What they saw next completely overturned their understanding.
On a special shelf, tens of thousands of quirky little items are displayed—rows of small brushes and tiny porcelain jars.
"What is this?"
Wanyan Xiyin asked curiously.
"This item is called a toothbrush, and it is used with the toothpaste in this jar to clean teeth."
Bai Lu had the steward demonstrate it on the spot.
The manager squeezed a little ointment onto the brush, added water, and gently brushed it, creating a rich lather.
The Jurchens ate meat year-round and did not pay attention to hygiene, so many of them had loose teeth at a young age, which was quite unsightly.
They never imagined that teeth could be cared for in this way.
Not far away, there were boxes of pens, ink sticks, and straw paper.
Wanyan Xiyin picked up a finely crafted calligraphy brush and gently brushed his fingers across the tip.
As a wise man in his tribe, he deeply understood the power of writing and knowledge.
These writing instruments... look a little different.
"Some pens need to be dipped in ink, while others do not."
Bai Lu explained, "Some of the pens are specific models produced by our Bai family."
"The caravans of Da Wu are actually willing to sell even this kind of thing in large quantities?!"
The Jurchen tribes were very happy and said, "Thank you!"
The scene was even more spectacular in the textile section.
Countless fabrics, categorized by material and color, are piled up like mountains.