Songzhou Songcheng (today's Shangqiu City), the main camp of the Yan army.
Hundreds of Shicheng Kang family's slave-trading convoys parked in the city's courtyard one after another.
Kang Kejing's subordinate He Tanchong, with a group of servants and accountants, was carefully counting the Tang soldiers and civilians captured by the Yan army.
Opening the mouth of a captured Tang soldier, He Tanchong took a careful look inside, pinched the former's arm, and said loudly: "The teeth are complete, the body is strong, and there is no obvious disability. This slave can be rated as a top-level slave."
!”
The soldiers of the Yan army guarding the city saw this group of slave traders working non-stop. They looked interesting and someone said, "It's really novel that the slave trader Yalang actually came to the army to do business."
As soon as he finished speaking, a soldier shouted: "General An is here."
When the soldiers of Yan Army heard this, they stood up straight and did not dare to speak.
An Shouzhong, who had just finished commanding the battle, led a group of generals into the courtyard of the city. Looking at the busy slave traders, he couldn't help but frown.
Before the army set off, Prime Minister Yan gave him special instructions, saying that there was a slave caravan that would go south with the army.
It was one thing to hear about this, but after actually seeing this group of businessmen, An Shouzhong always felt that there was something strange about having these people in the army.
On this side, He Tanchong's counting came to an end. When he saw An Shouzhong coming, he walked towards the latter with the Kan book in hand.
When An Shouzhong's soldiers saw this, they wanted to stop He Tan Chong.
An Shouzhong shook his head and motioned to let him come over.
He Tanchong took the list of Kanlu slaves, cleared his throat first, and then said: "General, these days, the Yan army captured Jiyin (today's Heze), Suiyang (today's Sui County), Songcheng, etc.
Dear, He is here to congratulate you first."
An Shouzhong was a little impatient and said, "If you have something to say, just say it. Don't beat around the bush."
He Tanchong nodded and said: "Among the captured prefectures and counties, a total of 8,155 people were captured, including 2,120 soldiers, and the rest were civilians."
"Divided according to the rank of the slaves, there are about 700 people in the upper class, about 1,600 people in the middle class, and about 2,300 people in the middle class..."
As for He Tanchong, An Shouzhong listened patiently for the sake of Prime Minister Yan, but at this time he couldn't help it anymore and interrupted the former: "You are a merchant, why are you talking to this general about these things?"
very?"
He Tanchong: "What He wants to say is that for slaves of good quality, the merchant house will pay you fifty guan, the one who is above average will pay 30 guan, and the one who is average will pay 20 guan..."
An Shouzhong was stunned and asked quickly: "Wait, you mean, you are willing to spend fifty gold to buy such a prisoner?!"
He Tanchong heard this and quickly added: "Only slaves of good quality can be sold for fifty guan!"
What is the concept of fifty strings?
In the early years of Tianbao, the price of one stone (79.32 kilograms) of rice grain was between 30 and 200 Wen. After the Anshi Rebellion broke out, the price of one stone of rice grain in Luoyang Rice Market rose to between 1,500 and 2,500 Wen.
Even at the highest purchase price, fifty guan can buy twenty shi of rice and grain, which is almost equivalent to all the property of a small and wealthy family in Luoyang City.
Hearing this, the generals of the Yan army immediately started talking, and everyone looked excited.
No one expected that in the past, those prisoners who had been killed so hard and then discarded would now be willing to pay fifty guan for them.
When He Tanchong saw this, he couldn't help but feel strange, and asked An Shouzhong: "General, didn't Prime Minister Yan inform you about the slave contract before going out?"
Before An Shouzhong went on the expedition, the soldiers under his command had not received military pay for several months, and there was a lot of resentment in the army.
Therefore, when An Shouzhong heard that the imperial court had sent him to march south, he couldn't suppress his excitement and wanted to leave the city immediately. Before leaving, he didn't pay much attention to what Yan Zhuang said.
He Tanchong couldn't help but sigh and said to An Shouzhong: "My master has agreed with the State of Yan to invest 570,000 guan to purchase 30,000 Tang slaves. He has already paid 280,000 guan to Luoyang as a deposit. This is
When Fan He went south with his army, every time the Yan army captured a prefecture or county, all the land and property belonged to the Yan state, and all the captives went to the Kang family..."
A general of the Yan army asked: "What about the fifty guans mentioned just now...?"
He Tanchong: "All the captives of the Yan army were first classified according to their appearance, and then I paid money to the Yan army based on the classified records. However, as a deposit of 30,000 slaves, my master had already paid 20 yuan in advance.
80,000 yuan, so what can be paid to Yan Jun according to the Kan book can only be half of the original price."
"Let me give you an example. A slave of good quality was originally purchased for fifty guan, but now it can only be paid for 25 guan."
Most of the Yan army generals did not understand He Tanchong's pricing method.
He Tanchong could only find the accountant and explain the slave purchasing process of the Kang family and Yan country from beginning to end in front of everyone.
An Shouzhong listened carefully and finally understood: "In other words, the Kang family purchased 30,000 Tang slaves from the Yan State. Since half of the money was paid as a deposit in advance, now every time our army delivers a slave,
Can you only get half of the reward?”
He Tanchong nodded.
An Shouzhong asked again: "What if this general's southern expedition captures more than 30,000 slaves?"
He Tanchong was stunned and then replied: "Within thirty thousand slaves, the delivery price is half price. If the number of captives exceeds thirty thousand, then the delivery price returns to full price."
After saying that, He Tanchong picked up the Kan book in his hand and said to An Shouzhong: "General, the total number of prisoners this time is 8,155. After classifying according to their appearance, the total amount should be paid.
, which is about 148,600 guan, minus the deposit paid, the final payment is 74,300 guan."
As soon as he finished speaking, He Tanchong whistled not far away.
The military guards of the Kang family carried large boxes one after another from the cart and placed them in front of An Shouzhong and other Yan army generals.
As the big boxes were opened one by one, exquisite silk ribbons, dazzling gold and silver, and dazzling gems were displayed in the air, attracting waves of exclamation from the generals of the Yan army.
An Shouzhong looked at the treasures in front of him, his mind was a little short-circuited for a moment, and he stammered: "You really don't regret spending a lot of money to buy these captives?"
He Tanchong smiled and shook his head: "General, you are worrying too much. The Kang family is in business. Since we have made a contract, how can we regret it temporarily?"
After An Shouzhong heard this, he quickly asked his men to close the big box and carry it into the inner warehouse.
After getting a windfall, the Yan army's military pay was settled. An Shouzhong was in a good mood. He asked He Tanchong with a smile: "You just said that the appearance of slaves is divided into upper, upper, middle, upper and equal, etc., then what about this?"
What is the basis for the division?”
He Tanchong: "These slave labels purchased by my master will be sent to Western countries in the future to be used as slaves by kings and nobles. The first thing Western Hu people like most are craftsmen and weavers with skills and abilities.
After all, the craftsmanship and textiles of the Tang Dynasty were well-known, and the Hu people in the west were willing to pay high prices for them."
The general of the Yan army listened carefully, and An Shouzhong said, "That's it."
He Tanchong: "Secondly, there are beautiful-looking women who have not yet given birth and are younger. These Tang maids can serve as personal maids for the royal family and nobles. They are very popular whether they are supporting the scene or accompanying them in life.