The next day, Zhao Hongrun took Mi Jiang, sisters Mi Rui and several Zongwei, and personally went to the post house several times to tell Xiong Tuo the results of his discussion with Emperor Wei yesterday.
It has to be said that Xiong Tuo was very happy after hearing the news, and his hatred for Emperor Wei seemed to have diminished a bit.
But it can be seen that just as Emperor Wei didn't really want to meet Xiong Tuo, even after receiving the good news, Xiong Tuo had no intention of meeting Emperor Wei in person. After all, the former cheated the latter more than ten years ago, and the latter
Well, in the past ten years, we have repeatedly sent troops to attack Fenxing Fortress. How can this grudge be resolved overnight?
After all, between Emperor Wei and Xiong Tuo, there was no "Mi Jiang" to serve as the hub of their relationship.
"When will the delivery be delivered?"
After confirming the matter, Xiong Tuo couldn't wait to ask about the specific transaction time.
Seeing this, Zhao Hongrun said angrily: "It's early! ... At the moment, our Ministry of War is still casting armaments for the Sixth Battalion of the Garrison. I will not take the armaments from the soldiers and generals of the Sixth Garrison Battalion and give them to you, right?"
"Then... what's the specific date?" Xiong Tuo asked.
After hearing this, Zhao Hongrun made an estimate in his mind and said: "The fastest will be the end of this year. In short, I will find a way to get that batch of armaments as soon as possible, and you..."
"I understand." Xiong Tuo interrupted Zhao Hongrun and said calmly: "After I go back, I will call Xiong Hu, and Xiong Qi and others will raise money and materials..." After saying that, he looked up at Zhao Hongrun and asked cautiously
: "How much do you want?"
"Eighty two pairs." Zhao Hongrun said without blushing.
When he heard this number, Xiong Tuo stared and almost vomited blood.
Eighty-two pairs?
Aren't those 80,000 people fully armed worth more than six million taels of silver? The total amount of money and goods that Zhao Hongrun collected from Chu a while ago was less than this amount.
"Are you kidding me?" Xiong Tuo looked livid with anger. If Mi Jiang, whom he regarded as his younger sister, hadn't been there, he would have thrown the table over the shameless guy's face.
However, Zhao Hongrun did not blush, and reminded with a straight finger: "That is the full armor of the Sixth Battalion of the garrison... You have also seen the equipment of my Junshui Battalion of the Great Wei Dynasty. The equipment, the armor alone includes breastplates, shoulder armors, and arm plates.
Armor, wrist armor, belly armor, and crotch armor are not comparable to those crudely made armors from your Chu country."
Hearing this, Xiong Tuo couldn't help but fell silent.
Indeed, he had seen the combat armor of the Wei soldiers in Junshuiying and Fenxing fortress. That kind of armor was almost armed to the teeth. It was unknown what kind of threat it posed to the Chu army.
It is no exaggeration to say that with the equipment of the Wei army, even a farmer from the Chu state can defeat a regular army soldier from the Chu state.
Because the weapons in the hands of the latter may not be able to break through the thick armor of the former, while the former may be able to kill the latter with just one sword or one shot.
This is the effect enhanced by sophisticated equipment.
"But even so, it's not worth eighty taels, right?" Xiong Tuo frowned and said, "As far as I know, the military equipment of your sixth battalion is replaced every two years, and the equipment that is replaced has varying degrees of damage and wear.
...forty taels!”
"Deal!" Zhao Hongrun readily agreed and did not continue to argue with Xiong Tuo.
Firstly, he also understands that Xiong Tuo is very poor at this stage. Based on the idea of a steady stream of water, he feels that there is no need to squeeze it too much. Secondly, although the armaments are the armaments of the sixth battalion of the garrison, as Xiong Tuo said, the garrison
The Sixth Battalion wore those equipment for training and training for two years. It has long been worn out. Now Xiong Tuo wants it. In the past, besides being delivered to the local guards, wouldn't it have to rot in the warehouse?
Selling these obsolete armaments to Xiong Tuo is in line with Zhao Hongrun's desire to withdraw funds.
What's more, in fact, the calculated cost for the Ministry of War to build a sergeant's armor is about this amount.
…
Xiong Tuo was surprised that Zhao Hongrun was so talkative this time. After thinking about it, he struck while the iron was hot and added: "Still trading with pearls, jade, copperware, lacquerware, etc. How about that?"
"Well..." Zhao Hongrun smacked his lips and said slowly: "To be honest, the last batch of money and goods transported back from Chu State has not been sold to the household department of the Wei Dynasty. You also know that rare things make money.
Expensive, if there are too many of the same thing, it won’t be worth it.”
Hearing these words, Xiong Tuo's original good mood suddenly sank to the bottom, and he asked with a sullen face, "How are you doing?"
Seeing this, Zhao Hongrun tapped his fingers lightly on the table and whispered: "You want to continue trading with pearls, jade, copperware, lacquerware and other items, I have no objection, but the price of these items must be halved!
"
"you……"
However, before Xiong Tuo could speak, Zhao Hongrun raised his hand to interrupt him, shook his head and said: "I have no intention of raising the price, but I don't want to suffer a loss either. Think about it carefully, is what I said makes sense?
"
"..." Xiong Tuo took a deep look at Zhao Hongrun.
In fact, he also understands the principle that rare things are valuable.
At present, the Wei Dynasty lacks pearls, jade, bronzes and lacquerware from the Chu State. Therefore, these things are of high value in the Wei Dynasty. But as the Wei Dynasty's imperial household department sold off the money and items last time, pearls and other items were sold out.
The price will obviously get lower and lower.
However, the problem is that apart from these Shanze specialties and Chu State handicrafts, Yangcheng Lord Xiong Tuo can't bring anything else of equal value to trade with Zhao Hongrun.
After touching his chin and thinking for a moment, Xiong Tuo suddenly felt something in his heart and lowered his voice and asked: "Can that... person resist?"
Zhao Hongrun was stunned when he heard this. He turned his head and glanced at Mi Jiang for some reason, then frowned and asked, "A woman from Chu State?"
Hearing this, Mi Jiang immediately frowned and glanced at Zhao Hongrun and Xiong Tuo with slightly angry eyes.
Seeing this, Xiong Tuo quickly explained: "No, no, I am not from Chu, but a slave from the land of Ba and Guizhou..." At this point, he glanced at Mi Jiang secretly and said the second half of the sentence vaguely: "
Women do too."
Upon hearing this, Mi Jiang glanced at the two men coldly, then sat on the other side of the room holding the cup.
However, seeing this, Xiong Tuo seemed to be relieved and said to Zhao Hongrun: "As far as Xiong knows, your Wei State currently needs a large number of laborers, right?"
"You are really well-informed..." Zhao Hongrun glanced at Xiong Tuo a few times with a strange expression, and then began to think deeply while drinking tea.
Slavery and slave trading are in fact not uncommon in all countries. Take Wei State as an example, those who are responsible for mining ores, in addition to prisoners who have committed unpardonable crimes, are mostly slaves obtained from unknown sources;
Furthermore, how many of the women in the fireworks and willow alleys like Fifangshui Pavilion are real Wei women?
Those with good fortune and good looks can still enjoy a certain degree of freedom like Miss Su. But how many people with bad fortune are buried in the Wei Kingdom and no one cares about them?
Eradicate this system and promote human rights? Hey, not to mention that one Zhao Hongrun can't do it, I'm afraid even 10,000 Zhao Hongruns can't do it, because this is equivalent to challenging the state system of all countries in the world, challenging nobles, civilians, and slaves (
Domestic slaves) and other class divisions.
"You already have slaves from Ba Qian in your hands?"
"Not yet." Xiong Tuo shook his head and then curled his lips and said: "But in the land of Ba and Guizhou, those tribes often kill each other and plunder enemy tribesmen as slaves. A cow can be exchanged for a man, and a sheep can be exchanged for a man.
A woman's life is very cheap."
Are you telling me how cheap human life is?
Zhao Hongrun looked at Xiong Tuo with a half-smile but not a smile. He had not forgotten that Xiong Tuo had ordered 30,000 Chu soldiers to die at his Yanshui camp of the Wei army without saying a word when the army was in short supply of food and grass.
Seemingly seeing through Zhao Hongrun's thoughts, Xiong Tuo became a little annoyed and lowered his voice and said: "Due to the large population, our country cannot afford to feed so many people..."
"Can you support nobles like you?"
"Hey! It's as if your Wei country doesn't have such nobles." Xiong Tuo curled his lips disdainfully: "In short, our Chu people are much better than those in Baqian."
Speaking of this, he seemed to have thought of this. He said to Zhao Hongrun with a strange expression: "When I came here, I visited Shangshui, Yanling and Changping in your Wei State..."
Zhao Hongrun was stunned when he heard this, and laughed dumbly and said: "Do you think this king will treat those 400,000 Chu people as slaves?"
"Huh!" Xiong Tuo ignored Zhao Hongrun's sarcasm and expressed his inner feelings: "Qu Cheng, Gu Liangwei and those guys who betrayed me. It is undeniable that they did a pretty good job. At least, the 400,000
People will not suffer from hunger and cold, nor will they...be forced to pay tithes."
When he said the last sentence, Zhao Hongrun vaguely saw a bit of loneliness and self-deprecation in Xiong Tuo's eyes.
It has to be said that Xiong Tuo is a relatively good king of the city. The problem is that the roots of the big tree in Chu State are completely rotten. The old aristocratic forces headed by the Xiong family are absorbing the nutrients of the entire country, but they are not interested in it.
The entire Chu State has made no contribution. Under such circumstances, young Xiong nobles like Xiong Tuo, even if they have great ambitions, cannot reverse the corruption of the entire country.
Just when Xiong Tuo was slightly depressed, suddenly there was a knocking on the door outside the house.
Zong Wei Shen Yu, who was guarding the house, got a look in his eyes when he saw this. Just as he was about to step forward, he heard Gao Kuo's voice coming from outside the door.
"Your Highness, it's me."
"Come in." Zhao Hongrun called.
As soon as he finished speaking, Gao Kuo pushed open the door and walked in. After looking at Yangcheng Lord Xiong Tuo, he hugged his fists at Zhao Hongrun and said with a strange expression: "Your Highness, Guling Lord Xiong Wu has entered the city!"
Hearing this, Xiong Tuo, who seemed a little depressed just now, suddenly burst into laughter.
"Your Wei State officials who welcome guests...well, they seem to be called the Ministry of Rites, right? Those people are having fun!"
Hearing this, Zhao Hongrun, Shen Yu, Gao Kuo and others couldn't help but look a little solemn. After all, they had heard Xiong Tuo say that Lord Guling Xiong Wu took the initiative to beg Xiong Xu, King of Chu, to be the chief envoy, just to cause trouble for Wei.
of.
After all, a while ago Xiong Tuo and Zhao Hongrun left Xiong Wu to sign a contract privately, which made Xiong Wu very unhappy!
Finally here...
Zhao Hongrun took a breath and stood up to leave.
Before leaving, he casually asked Xiong Tuo: "Do you have any good advice for your brother Xiong Wu?"
I saw Xiong Tuo licking his lips and saying viciously: "That guy's mouth is very mean. If his words offend you, you're welcome...kill him!"
As if I didn’t ask!
Zhao Hongrun rolled his eyes, turned around and left. (To be continued.)