When he was about to rest at night, Zhou Chu ran over to Han Qian and told him that after the dinner, General Secretary Song Hongzhong introduced several merchants who were interested in taking over the large quantities of goods they would transport into the Shu capital this time and in the future.
Han Qian was sorting out the information on the Liao people in southern Sichuan in the middle of the night. He was feeling dizzy. After listening to Zhou Chu's report, he asked curiously: "Yesterday, we were hit with two sticks, and today they are sending sweet dates? With their attitude and posture,
No matter what, it will delay us for a few days!"
It is not surprising at all that Song Hongzhong, the general manager of the house, is a member of the Qingjiang Marquis Wang Hongyi. They were previously placed in Nanyuan, and their daily life and behavior were observed by the people in the main building. Obviously, it cannot be Wei Qun, the minister of Honglu Temple.
Deliberately trying to embarrass them.
After all, Prince Hongyi of Qingjiang was an upright and upright Crown Prince of Shu. Although he was somewhat narrow-minded, his temperament was not too surly and playful, and he had no outrageous bad morals. Many civil and military people in the Manchu Dynasty were willing to be on good terms with the Crown Prince, and were willing to work for him.
Used by the prince, this naturally includes a group of officials from Honglu Temple.
Unlike the palace of Hou Wangyong of Changxiang, the front courtyard was deserted and there were only a few kittens and puppies walking around.
Thinking about it this way, Han Qian felt like a little sheep that fell into a wolf's den!
"It may not be sweet dates. Their price reduction is quite severe. If we go through the Wushan Long Gorge, we won't be as profitable as selling it to the states in Hunan. They also require that all the goods shipped from Xuzhou to Sichuan be handed over to them!" Zhou Chu!
Seeing that Han Qian had misunderstood, he explained slightly awkwardly.
"That's right!" Han Qian muttered with some hesitation, "In this way, we can't take advantage at all, but Marquis Qingjiang wants to take advantage of us!"
How to sell the ironware, cotton cloth and goods from other places in Chu State when they are shipped from Xuzhou to Sichuan and Shu is exactly the key point of the negotiation between the two parties in the mutual market.
In any case, no matter how open the Shu Kingdom is, Xuzhou will never be allowed to directly send people to open warehouses and shops in various places in the Shu Kingdom. In that case, who knows how many spies, scouts and even elite combat forces the Chu State will send to the Shu Kingdom?
The final result of the negotiations must be to allow Chu's caravans to come in and conduct large transactions with designated merchants or directly with Shu's government agencies under the supervision of a supervisor.
Similarly, if goods from Shu want to enter Chu, they must follow these rules.
According to Zhou Chu, Qing Jianghou sent people to contact this side, not to show his power and then send two sweet dates to show his wooing, but actually to monopolize part of the benefits of the mutual market between the two countries.
Of course, the fine ironware and cotton cloth produced in Xuzhou are extremely advantageous in terms of cost. If we can defeat other competitors and open up the market as soon as possible, it doesn't matter if the price is low. In the end, we can still expand trade volume and increase profits.
However, even if Qingjianghou and his relatives Zhao family and other forces did not directly control a large number of Shu brocade and iron industries, Qingjianghou, as the prince of Shu, could not be so short-sighted as to allow Xuzhou's cloth iron to enter and attack Shu's brocade wrought iron.
appliances and other industries.
As for mutual market issues, the types and scale of goods traded between the two parties each year are key points in the negotiations, and they also involve the rating and collection of city parking taxes.
The Shu State initially proposed that it would only allow no more than 100,000 pieces of cotton, linen, and silk products produced in the Chu State to enter Shu every year. With this amount, it would be impossible for all the Qianyang cloth produced in Xuzhou to be taken over, otherwise it would look a bit ugly.
It's easy to become a target.
If only 10,000 to 20,000 pieces of Qianyang cloth produced in Xuzhou can be transported to Sichuan and Sichuan for sale every year, if the price is still eaten up by the merchants under Qingjiang Marquis, then the whole thing will be completely meaningless to Xuzhou
——After all, the market in Qianyangbu and even the eight states of Hunan has not been filled, and now the main hope is to get Shu land and sell it at a high price.
"Fortunately, we didn't place our hopes on Qing Jianghou." Han Qian thought of this and said to Xi Yin with a smile.
"The Marquis of Qingjiang seems to think that we are certain, and does not think that there is a possibility of us colluding with the Marquis of Changxiang," Xi Rong said.
"The environment the Marquis of Changxiang is living in is a bit harsh!" Han Qian said thoughtfully.
Xi Rongxin said, how could this be just a little bit worse?
They can now confirm that the Marquis of Changxiang, Wang Yong, has been busy with poetry in recent years. In fact, he was jealous and wary of his father Wang Jian. An ordinary person would have long believed that the Marquis of Changxiang would never have a chance to turn around.
However, the Marquis of Changxiang hides ambitions that are inconsistent with his strength, which is actually a way to die.
Han Qian pondered for a moment and then said to Zhou Chu: "Since Song Hongzhong has such 'kind intentions', you can talk to them first..."
Any contact is better than no contact at all, and only by continuing to contact can we collect more useful information.
"Okay." Zhou Chu responded, then excused himself and left.
…………
…………
In the next few days, the two sides will mainly have in-depth discussions on the details of welcoming the bride and forming an alliance. Wang Jian, the Lord of Shu, may have sent some symbolic rewards, but Han Qian’s thoughts should be conveyed through the officials of Honglu Temple.
Play it over.
The formal interview is not rushed.
However, the Marquis of Changxiang, Wang Yong, had to report to Han Qian once a day. Princess Qingyang would occasionally disguise herself as a man to accompany her, but neither party discussed more substantive issues, nor did they mention meeting Jing Qiongwen.
matter.
Until December 8th, this time it snowed heavily in Shu, which was rare in several years. The East Garden of Jinhua Tower was crowded with dignitaries, literati and poets enjoying the snow and plum blossoms.
Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang, also specially held a banquet on the top floor of Jinhua Building on this day. He invited Han Qian and Guo Rong to enjoy the snow. He also specially invited officials such as Wei Qun, the minister of Honglu Temple, and Song Hongzhong, the minister of general affairs, to accompany him.
Although there is a side door from Nanyuan that can directly enter Dongyuan, Han Qian entered the Shu capital city for more than ten days. Except for secretly observing various people climbing up the tower with a telescope, he himself never stepped into Dongyuan.
When I walked in, I saw that the bottom of Jinhua Tower was a stone base nearly five feet high. On top of the base, there was a three-story wooden building, which naturally looked majestic and towering in the city of Shu.
Jinhua Building occupies a very large area. The base is like a small stone castle. It is nearly 200 steps away. When you climb up to the base, you will see that the three-story wooden building is rare and magnificent in the world. The first and second floors are divided into large and small.
There are about sixty or seventy elegant rooms, and the top floor is a spacious hall that is six feet deep. Looking around from the railing, you can almost see the capital of Shu.
It is said that the capital of Shu is prosperous with thousands of lights, but Han Qian climbed to the top of Jinhua Building and looked out over the surrounding fields. The so-called lights were still very few. It was really different from the bright lights in the dream world. It was just that the whole city was lying quietly.
In the dark night, it gives people a strange feeling.
"This person next to the Marquis is Master Han Qian, the envoy of Chu?"
Han Qianzheng, Changxiang Marquis Wang Yong, Princess Qingyang, who was disguised as a man, and others climbed up and looked into the distance. Suddenly they heard someone saying hello next to them. They turned around and saw five or six more people climbing up the stairs. The leader was wearing a pattern of cranes.
He is wearing casual robes, has a clear face, and is about fifty years old.
"It turns out it's Mr. Jing, the envoy of Jiaofang. This is indeed Mr. Han, the envoy of Chu." Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang, bowed to the visitor and successfully introduced Han Qian and Jing Qiongwen.
It was inconvenient for Han Qian to enter and leave the Nanyuan of Jinhua Tower. Especially when he was targeted by the Marquis of Qingjiang, it was unrealistic to have a private meeting with Jing Qiongwen in the Marquis of Changxiang Mansion. He could only arrange to meet Jing Qiongwen by chance while enjoying the snow at Jinhua Tower.
.
However, Jinhua Tower is a place where officials and scholars from the Shu capital have banquets. Han Qianneng and the Marquis of Changxiang are here, and Jing Qiongwen is here. Tonight is the rare heavy snowfall in the Shu capital in several years, and it is difficult to bring other banquets together.
The people were blocking the way, and there were already several people in front and behind greeting him and the Marquis of Changxiang.
At this time, Han Qian could only bow to Jing Qiongwen calmly, and took a step aside so that Jing Qiongwen could come over and lean on the railing to watch the night snow.
"Jinhua Tower is really lively tonight!"
Han Qian was about to chat with Jing Qiongwen when he heard a commotion around him and saw a commotion among the people enjoying the snow on the top floor. Surrounded by a group of people, he saw Weihou Wang Xiaoxian accompanying two men in brocade clothes.
, he sighed loudly as he climbed up the stairs to the rooftop.
Two men in brocade clothes, one of whom is thirty-two or thirty-year-old, has two short mustaches on his lips, has a thin face, and piercing eyes. He wears a short sword at his waist. After climbing the stairs, his eyes looked towards the prince of Changxiang.
Yong and Han Qian stared at them; the other man was about the same age as Jing Qiongwen, but he was very wealthy. With a smile on his face, he greeted everyone who climbed up the stairs to enjoy the snow.
Without the introduction of Changxiang Marquis Wang Yong, Han Qian knew that the man with the short mustache was Wang Hongyi, the Crown Prince of Shu. Through the stairwell, he saw many personal guards brought by Wang Hongyi standing on the next floor.
There are rules in Jinhua Tower. Banquet guests are not allowed to bring guards with them to the tower. However, as the prince, Wang Hongyi is obviously able to ignore the rules and enjoy privileges that even Changxiang Hou Wang Yong cannot have.
The other person is the current uncle of the Shu Kingdom, Zhao Weisheng, the Duke of the Qiang Kingdom.
"Wang Yong has met my brother." Seeing that Qingjiang Marquis Wang Hongyi also went to Jinhua Tower to enjoy the snow tonight, Changxiang Marquis Wang Yong could only step forward and salute honestly.
Princess Qingyang knew that she could not hide it from the eyes of Marquis Qingjiang, so she followed the Marquis of Changxiang, Wang Yong, and saluted.
"Hmph!" Marquis Qingjiang glanced at Qingyang and snorted lightly, but he didn't say anything.
"Jing Qiongwen has met the Crown Prince, but I didn't expect that the Crown Prince, Qiang Duke, and Marquis Wei would be in such good spirits tonight." Jing Qiongwen, on the other hand, was much more chic, smiling and saluting Marquis Qingjiang.
"Jing Gong is also very elegant." Qing Jianghou has not yet ascended the throne, but he does not dare to be too indifferent to the ministers close to his father. After the greetings, his eyes turned to Han Qian and Changxiang Hou Wang Yong, "Chu Envoy
I have been in the capital of Shu for many days, but I have never been able to find time to invite you. I would like to ask the envoy of Chu not to blame me for being careless in hospitality."
"Your Majesty, you are too polite. Han Qian made Shu have the Marquis of Changxiang to accompany him every day, but he didn't feel slighted at all. Please don't think about it, Your Majesty." Han Qian said with a smile.
Marquis Qingjiang narrowed his eyes, and then smiled and said: "It is better to meet by chance than to have a destiny in life. Since we met in Jinhua Tower, I will hold a banquet in Jinhua Tower and chat with Mr. Han to enjoy the snow. It is also a pleasure in life."
"
"Being respectful is worse than obeying orders." Han Qian did not refuse and agreed with a smile.
There was no need to signal at this time. Those who knew they were not qualified to hang out in front of the Crown Prince paid their respects and went downstairs to leave. The top floor, which had been a bit crowded just now, suddenly became more spacious. In addition to the Marquis of Qing Jiang, Duke Qiang, and Marquis Wei, they came over.
In addition to several of his entourage, eight or nine of them, together with Jing Qiongwen, Honglu Temple Minister Wei Qun and others, were invited to stay for a banquet and enjoy the snow together when they were leaving.
