Li Siye held his chest with his hands and nodded with a smile. The thirteen-year-old boy who used to carry a basket and sell cakes along the street has grown into a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy.
"Sha Li, your grandmother is still healthy."
"Okay, okay, grandma is in good health."
"I just came back yesterday and I'm here to see you today. Let's go and talk in the house."
"Yes, close the door, we won't be open today!" Michagan stretched out his hand to fold up the bed, and Shali carried the bamboo basket into the house to move the stall.
Li Siye stretched out his hand to lift the flute stand, and Michagan ran out to grab it quickly: "You are a high-ranking official, how can you do such rough work? I should do it..."
"Let's go."
Micha Gan smiled and rubbed his hands together, and Yan Xiaosi also took off the long flags hanging from the eaves with a wink. The four of them entered the house, Sha Li was busy loading the board, and Micha Gan opened the side window.
, there is a greasy smell in the store, the wooden floor is full of stains, and the fire in the mud furnace flickers and evaporates, and the green smoke stains the roof. In short, the sanitary conditions are very poor. If customers see green onion pancakes, it is under such conditions.
Once it’s made, it’s not certain whether you’ll buy it or not.
The store originally had chopping boards and noodle jars, but after filling in these things that were brought in, it suddenly seemed very cramped. Michagan gave the only bed to Li Siye to sit on. He didn't refuse, and sat on it with all his might.
There was only a slight clicking sound. The bed didn't look very strong. Micha's eyelids jumped in pain. He smiled nonchalantly and asked the three of them to sit around Li Siye.
Li Siye briefly asked about the business situation of the store and the changes in the West Market after he left.
"Nothing has changed much, except that your scallion pancake recipe has become a hit. Every bakery in the West Market makes it. Since you left, I have recruited Shali to run this shop as a partner.
, although it’s not a big improvement, it’s still passable.”
"Where is Jiang Tongbao?"
"Just like that, he and his fat lady sell soup cakes and onion pancakes, and their lives are okay."
Li Siye looked up at the dark roof. He didn't speak, and it was difficult for the two of them to speak. The atmosphere was tense for a moment. Michagan wanted to ask Li Siye about his experience, but the other party said with a serious look on his face: "Let me ask you two
, do you want to be a big businessman and do big business?"
This is a strange question to ask. Who doesn’t want to be a big businessman and do big business?
Michagan and Shali looked at each other, and Michagan said bitterly: "Who doesn't want to be a big businessman? As long as you can teach us the skills of Liangpi, our business can become bigger."
Li Siye laughed: "Just a Liangpi is not a big business. What I want to give you is a bigger business. I want you to do business on the Anxi Silk Road."
"Being a merchant? Making money as a merchant is certainly a way to make money, but it requires a lot of capital and a large number of camels, and the risks are equally high. If you encounter sand pirates in the desert, you will lose everything."
"No, I won't let you become merchants. You can set up shop in the West Market to pick up the caravan from Anxi. I will arrange for the caravan to come and contact you when the time comes." Li Siye turned to Yan Xiaosi and ordered: "
Xiaosi, take off your cotton leggings."
Yan Xiaosi was sitting cross-legged on the ground. At this time, he stretched out one leg, rustled it with his hands to untie it, and handed it to Li Siye's hand.
"knife."
Yan Xiaosi took off the knife from his waist again and handed it to him.
Li Siye took the knife, cut open the leggings with a bang, pulled out a handful of cotton from inside and handed it to Michagan.
Michagan took the white catkin-like thing, took a look at it and asked in surprise: "Is this a silkworm cocoon? Willow catkin? Reed catkins? Kapok?"
"The answer is very close. This is the product of cotton, Tianzhu and Dashi. Currently it is only cultivated in Qixi and Nanzhao. Its yield is much greater than silk, and its warmth and comfort are much better than catkins and reed catkins.
It may also be spun into silk thread and made into cloth.”
Michagan pulled the cotton wool into a silk shape, shook his head and said, "I don't think it's feasible. The toughness is too low."
"Low toughness is a problem caused by immature technology. You can first try to use cotton thread and kudzu silk with good toughness to blend. Of course, it is too early to talk about this now. Chang'an Haogui uses silk to fill quilts, and wealthy households use wool.
For filling, the poor people can only use reed catkins and catkins. Cotton is slightly better than wool for keeping warm, so it can be done as a tentative business."
The two of them were stunned for a while, but they still felt that it was not very reliable.
Li Siye bent down, patted Michagan on the shoulder and said: "Of course you don't just do this, the caravans from Congling and Wuzhenya will come to Chang'an twice a year. You and Shali will act as their merchants.
I bought a shop in the cloth shop area of Xi City and sold quilts, cotton cloaks, cotton cloaks and Pulu, carpets, and even yaks and goats."
"However, the people of Chang'an may not be able to accept new things like quilts. They are cheaper than wool in Qixi, but when they are shipped to Chang'an, the price advantage disappears."
Michagan's caution made Li Siye secretly approve. No wonder people say that Sogdians are born businessmen. With such people, he feels more reliable.
"Don't worry about this. You can stock up a small amount to prepare for the winter. But you still have Pulu and carpets in your hands. These goods from the Western Regions are in hot demand, especially Pulu. In the past, they were tributes sent to Chang'an from Tibet. Nowadays they are more popular.
During the Tang Dynasty, Tibet and Tubo were at odds with each other, and there was only a small amount of Pulu trade in the Western Market. The Shini people had mastered the weaving skills of Pulu, which was completely comparable to Tibetan technology. They used Pulu and carpets as the main products to ensure profits, and then appropriately expanded the market for cotton products.
.How do you two feel?"
In this dark shop, the eyes of the two people lit up for a moment, but soon dimmed. Michagan lowered his head and said dejectedly: "I don't lack anything now, I just lack capital."
"That's just right. I'm short of everything now, except money."
Michagan suddenly raised his head and looked at the man sitting on the bed like a god with his hands touching the armrests. His breathing was a little disordered: "Can you give me the money?"
"This is not giving you capital. I want to be your boss. I want 60% of the annual profit. You and Shali will share 40%. In the first three years, the loss will be mine. After three years, we will share the risk. If
There is no problem with you two. I will bring three contracts over tomorrow. You and I will press our fingerprints and sign the contract. I will immediately pay for you to buy a shop and land. How about that?"
Sha Li tightly grasped the corner of his clothes, turned his head and looked at Michagan hopefully: "Brother Mi, please give me an idea."
Micha patted his knees and said, "What's my idea? You have a share, anyway, I did it, now it's up to you."
"I'll do it too." Shali added immediately.
"Okay," Li Siye stood up from the bed with his hands on his knees and said with a smile: "No matter what you do, you must hit the first punch first. There are hordes of slaves, and the good life of a beautiful wife and concubine is waiting for you. I
Let’s go now, you’ll be waiting for me in the store tomorrow.”
Michagan stepped forward and opened the door, and the bright light shone in. The room was too dark, and it was a bit dazzling when he suddenly went out. Li Siye squinted his eyes and stood outside the door. Michagan said behind him: "Master, walk slowly.
"
"I changed my words very quickly and let's go."
Sha Li stood on tiptoes and looked into the distance. Li Siye's back flickered in and out of the crowd, and finally disappeared. He stretched out his hand and pinched his cheek. It hurt. Then he asked Michagan in confusion: "You
Tell me, is the president trying to fill us with ecstasy soup?"
Micha untied his sweat-soaked bun and patted Shali's head hard: "Idiot, is there anyone who uses real money and silver to pour ecstasy soup? My boss is now a senior official in the imperial court and cannot do business, so I asked him to do it."
This is our luck. Many shops in the West Market have official backgrounds, and now we are also closely related to Shangguan officials."