After the Lantern Festival, more and more business travelers came and went from Yuguan.

Zhao Taiyan entered the pass years ago and purchased goods in the pass. He originally wanted to transport the goods out of the customs before the year before. However, drastic changes occurred in western Liaoning. Yuguan changed hands and the pass was blocked for a time. In order to avoid other changes, Zhao Taiyan was not in a hurry.

Ship the goods out of the customs, but wait and see what happens inside the customs.

After the New Year, Yuguan will be open to traffic, and merchants will be able to travel freely as long as they have customs clearance documents.

Zhao Taiyan determined that the time had come and personally escorted the caravan out of the customs.

The Zhao family is a native of Liaodong and has deep roots in Liaodong. However, it became truly developed after Wang Xingchao became the general of Liaodong.

When the Zhao family had a daughter, she was known as the most beautiful woman in Liaodong at that time. In order to woo Wang Xingchao, the Zhao family took the initiative to give their daughter to Wang Xingchao as a concubine, but Wang Xingchao also smiled and took her into the house. Taking this as an opportunity, Zhao

The family immediately entered the Fucheng Trading Center and became one of the important owners of Shibafang in the north.

Although the Liaodong Army spread its power to every corner of the Northeast, on the surface, the local soldiers and horses of the empire were of course not allowed to participate in commerce and trade. The army's business had been banned since the founding of the Tang Dynasty. This was because of the conflict with the people.

Secondly, the court was worried that the army would quickly become corrupted because of this.

However, it is certainly impossible for the Liaodong Army to give up such a piece of fat and ignore it.

The army was not allowed to do business openly, so the Liaodong Army secretly controlled the situation and allowed merchants from the Northeast to trade in front. The Liaodong Army controlled the situation behind the scenes.

The Eighteen Squares in the north were used by the Liaodong Army to control the Fucheng Trading Ground.

The borders between the four northeastern counties and the grassland tribes in the north are extremely long, but there are only two trading grounds. The Pingcheng trading ground has been suppressed and can only carry out very small trades. The trade between the northeast and the Xile tribes on the grassland,

Almost all of them are concentrated in Fucheng Trading Ground.

The trade in Fucheng is almost completely controlled by Shibafang.

The Eighteen Families are not controlled by eighteen families, but are divided into eighteen major categories. For example, silk cloth is counted as one category and is controlled by Fucheng Zongbu Silk Shop. There are many silk and satin cloth shops in the trade market, but the supply of goods can only be

Provided by Zongbu Silk House.

The eighteen main shops control all the supply of goods in the entire trading field, and the owners of the eighteen main shops obtain it through competition. Whoever can obtain the goods brand from the Duhufu has the right to operate trade.

The competition is naturally very fierce, and the Liaodong Army can collect a large amount of money every year just based on the brand name.

Because of their relationship with Wang Xingchao, the Zhao family's business is also very prosperous, and they control four of the eighteen mills. Among them, the most profitable cloth and silk mill is under the control of the Zhao family, although it is taken away by the Liaodong Army every year.

Most of the profits were made, but the trade was prosperous and the profits were huge. Even if they just drank soup, it was enough to make the Zhao family rich, and the four pieces of goods were never snatched away.

The chaos in Jiangnan last year made the Zhao family extremely anxious. They were only afraid that if Jiangnan fell into war, there would be problems with the supply of silk cloth. Fortunately, the rebellion was put down in a short time, and order was quickly restored in Jiangnan. As the Zhao family

Zhao Taiyan, the young master of the family, personally went to the customs to purchase goods, and even spent the Spring Festival in Jiangnan.

The Zhao family has been doing business in the Fucheng Trade Center for more than ten years, and every year they receive a large amount of goods from the pass. Among the four workshops under their control, silk cloth and tea have the highest profits, and the annual purchase volume is also extremely large.

The silk merchants and tea merchants also treated such a big customer like a guest.

This time Zhao Taiyan bought hundreds of carts of goods, mainly silk cloth and tea leaves, and the team was as mighty as a long snake.

The Zhao family's caravan entered and exited Yuguan numerous times every year and was familiar with the road. After the team in front passed the customs, Zhao Taiyan took the lead and rode to the foot of the pass. He dismounted, took out the customs clearance document, handed it to the clerk at the foot of the pass, and then untied it from his waist.

The next money bag was placed on the desk of the clerk, and he said with a smile: "This is a little thought, please invite brothers to drink tea!"

The name and quantity of the goods are recorded in detail in the customs clearance documents. As for tea silver, it is also an unwritten practice. Whenever the caravan is too large and has too many goods, some tea silver must be given.

The clerk did not look at the money bag, but looked through the customs clearance documents. Then he looked up at Zhao Taiyan and asked, "Where are these goods going to be transported?"

"Fucheng Trade Center." Zhao Taiyan said with a smile.

Naturally, he was very aware of the changes in Yuguan.

Originally, Yu Pass was guarded by Chun Yubu, who led the troops. The young master would go in and out of the pass at least once a year. Because of the relationship between the Zhao family and Wang Xingchao, Zhao Taiyan and Chun Yubu were quite familiar with each other. The procedures for clearing the pass each time were also very simple, almost

You can easily exit customs without going through strict inspections.

But things are not what they used to be.

Now that Yuguan is in the hands of Long Ruijun, Zhao Taiyan certainly knows that Long Ruijun is the deadly enemy of the Liaodong Army, so he must be careful when clearing the pass this time.

"Give the customs clearance document to the captain!" The clerk handed the customs clearance document to an official beside him. After taking it, the clerk quickly left. The clerk then ordered Zhao Taiyan: "Have your people deliver the customs clearance document to the school captain!"

Vehicles should rush aside first and make way for the road. There are too many vehicles on your side and the inspection will take time. Wait for the people behind to pass first."

Zhao Taiyan was angry in his heart, but he didn't dare to show it. He smiled and said: "Sir, it's getting dark soon. Can you check the goods as soon as possible...!"

"There are military orders from above. Vehicles and personnel entering and exiting the pass must be carefully inspected." The clerk said coldly: "You have hundreds of vehicles, how can you complete the inspection in just a moment? Don't worry, even if it's dark, you won't be able to check it.

We will block you here. Brothers, if you work harder, we will check and let you out no matter how late it is."

Although Zhao Taiyan was dissatisfied, he knew that he could not conflict with the defenders at this time, otherwise he would be the only one unlucky. So he could only order the team to drive the truck to the roadside first and make way for others to pass.

Seeing a caravan coming from behind, there were also thirty or forty trucks in the group. The first person was over fifty years old and had a big belly. Zhao Taiyan took a look and shouted, "Isn't this Xu Dong's house?" But he saw an acquaintance.

The Xu Dong family also recognized Zhao Taiyan, raised his hands and said with a smile: "It turns out to be the Young Master family. Are you leading the team yourself?"

"I went into the customs to buy some medicines years ago." Zhao Taiyan said with a smile: "The wind and snow were too heavy, so I didn't leave the customs until the new year. I didn't come back until the new year." He couldn't help but look at the Xu family's caravan and asked: "These medicinal materials

Is it going to be transported to the trading center?"

Xu Dongjia nodded and said: "Exactly."

"Didn't the Song family always transport goods through customs by themselves before? Why did the Xu Dong family have to deliver it in person this time?" Zhao Taiyan asked doubtfully.

The Song family is also one of the owners of Shibafang in the north. They hold two goods brands. The most profitable business is the medicinal materials business. The medicinal materials business in Fucheng trading market is controlled by the Song family. The Xu family in Youzhou

He is one of the merchants who supplies medicinal materials to the Song family.

However, Xu Dongjia did not answer, just smiled, took the customs clearance document and handed it to the clerk. When the clerk took the document, he carefully took a black wood sign from his arms and handed it to the clerk. The clerk took it

He looked at the black wooden sign carefully, but his cold expression turned into a smile. He returned the black wooden sign to Xu Dong's family, then looked through the customs clearance documents, stood up and said with a smile: "It turns out to be Xu Dong's family. It's been a hard journey."

He turned around and shouted: "Come here, take Dong Xu's family to have a rest first."

Xu Dongjia put away the black wooden sign, cupped his hands and said: "I don't dare to take it!"

"Dong Xu's house, the weather is cold. We have hot tea. You go and drink tea and have something to eat first." The clerk looked very enthusiastic. "We have prepared hot soup noodles here. All your men can go and eat bowls of noodles first. Leave a few noodles."

Just go through the formalities with us personally. After you have a cup of tea, you should finish the work here. It is getting dark soon. Before it gets dark, we will definitely let you out of customs smoothly."

Zhao Taiyan's eyes widened and he felt it was unbelievable, thinking how could the Yuguan garrison be so enthusiastic about Xu Dong's family?

I lost my tea and mercury, but this civil servant didn't even give me a good look. Mr. Xu's family didn't even put down a copper coin, they just showed a dark wooden sign, but they were treated kindly. This civil servant treated me differently.

, simply unbelievable.

"Young Master, please do your work first!" Xu Dongjia still had a kind face and bowed his hand to Zhao Taiyan. Without any nonsense, he was led directly out of the pass by one person.

Zhao Taiyan knew that such a change in the civil servant's attitude must be related to the black wooden sign. When Xu Dong's family was far away, he couldn't help but asked: "Sir, I don't know... I don't know about the black wooden sign just now."

What is it?" I thought it might be similar to the plaque at Fucheng Trading Place, so I couldn't help but add a question: "How much silver does it cost to get that black wooden plaque?"

"Silver?" The civil servant let out a strange laugh and said, "There is everything that should be there, but there is no amount of money for what should not be there." He had already ordered the soldiers inspecting the goods: "Hurry up and check the Xu family's fleet in Youzhou.

, don’t delay, let them leave before dark.”

Zhao Taiyan looked confused, he really didn't know what was wrong with this.

--------------------------------------------------

-------------

ps: Thanks to good brother Xiang Guoyun for spending money to reward the leader, and thanks to book friends 57378041, Yi Min, jslam007, and Lengyue Qiushui for spending money to support!
Chapter completed!