At the foot of Zhongnan Mountain, a new city was built six years ago. After six years of careful planning, layout and construction. Today, it has become a prosperous city that is completely different from all cities in the Tang Dynasty.
The area that stretches at the foot of the mountain and is surrounded by walls like the Great Wall is now the center of commercial development in the Tang Dynasty. It is also regarded as a top-secret place in the Tang Dynasty, and outsiders are never allowed to approach it.
Whether it is glass, mirrors, crystals, new metallurgy, fine wine, etc., including the beautiful jade from Lantian County not far from this new city, as well as various porcelains that have always been loved by the Tang people, they were all shipped from here to various parts of the Tang Dynasty, or are shipped to other countries.
These are regarded by outsiders as the superficial properties of this new city, Taiyi City. As for what secret industries this city is still carrying out, no one knows.
Because the enclosed area behind Taiyi City is guarded by the prince's guards every day, and outsiders are not allowed to approach.
At this time, on the flat and wide official road, a carriage slowly drove into the city from the official road. Many Tang people and foreigners gathered at the city gate in anticipation. After confirming the sign of the carriage, they ran quickly He reported the news to his shopkeepers in various teahouses, wine shops, and restaurants in the city. After hearing the news, the shopkeepers hurriedly paid the bills and ran out.
Suddenly, several prosperous and wide streets in Taiyi City were filled with eager businessmen. They stood on the streets and quickly identified their directions, and then hurriedly led their servants to a mansion in the center of the city.
When all the merchants either drove carriages or rode horses to the gate of a courtyard in the center of the city, the carriage passing by the gate of Taiyi City happened to drive slowly into the yard at this moment.
The merchants looked at each other and murmured in their hearts: "Fortunately, it's not too late. We have to ask for more shares today anyway."
The carriage stopped at the door of a separate courtyard in the yard. The curtain was immediately opened by the servant waiting at the door, and a woman in white clothes slowly walked out from inside.
Bai Chun looked up at the blue sky, and after the carriage drove away, he looked at the businessmen gathered at the door and said calmly: "Let them wait in the meeting hall."
Bai Chun has grown taller than six years ago, and her whole figure looks slim and graceful. But the charming temperament on her body is becoming more and more enchanting. The charm in her gaze and gestures always gives people an indescribable feeling of enchantment and beauty.
In recent years, I have become more and more fond of wearing white shirts and skirts, and they are still white coarse cloth shirts and skirts, not noble fabrics such as silk.
The long and translucent hair is no longer styled into various buns as before, but is simply tied with a white rope from the back of the head to the buttocks.
Such a weird outfit does not seem abrupt or weird in today's era when all kinds of buns are popular. On the contrary, it makes people feel that Miss Bai is the most beautiful when she is dressed like this.
But if I use Li Hong's words, it is: "The temperament is too bad, and the dress of a fairy is not like the fireworks of the world."
Every time Bai Chun heard this, he gritted his teeth and asked the prince: "Can I change the temperament? Can you blame me if you are born with it?"
Or she would look up her pretty face and say arrogantly: "A charming, charming and seductive temperament is something that no woman in the world can hope to have!"
"Miss Bai, please." The steward opened the door and respectfully asked Bai Chun to go first.
Although today's Bai Chun is said to have no official position, no fame and no status, no one in the Tang Dynasty dares to look down upon this woman. Because everyone knew that she belonged to the prince and was in charge of the restricted area behind Taiyi City for the prince.
Taiyi City seems to be a city-state independent of the Tang Dynasty. In name, Xu Jingzong and Li Yifu are the parents of Taiyi City, but in fact, Miss Bai Chun has the final say in the entire Taiyi City.
Moreover, Mr. Xu and Mr. Li rarely come to Taiyi City. They always complain that Taiyi City has too few people and too many floating people, so they leave it to Bai Chun.
Bai Chun, who had rested for half an hour, slowly appeared in the meeting hall when many businessmen in the meeting hall were getting impatient.
The furnishings of the entire conference hall are very simple, with a three-foot-long conference table with flowers in the middle and dozens of large and comfortable chairs on both sides.
Bai Chun held the agenda book in his hand and quickly walked to the first seat at the top of the conference table to sit down. The center seat was empty. Except for the prince or his majesty, they would only sit there and no one else could touch it. Dare to touch that chair, which is wider and more comfortable than other chairs.
The two maids who followed Bai Chun quickly distributed the documents they had prepared to the businessmen sitting there.
Bai Chun's soft voice said calmly: "These are the products that I can give you to the maximum extent this month."
After finishing speaking, I saw the businessman sitting here frowning and thinking, figuring out how to sell them separately after returning. After all, the amount given this time was much less than last month, especially the mirrors and crystal jewelry.
"Miss Bai, in the past years, foreign merchants were not allowed to buy and sell crystals and glass. Why did they let them take such a large share this time? You promised me last month that you would follow my instructions this month. I gave you the amount." A businessman held the receipt in his hand, his brows almost knitted together, so he couldn't explain it when he went back.
Bai Chun smiled charmingly, and suddenly the whole conference room seemed to be bathed in the spring breeze, which made many businessmen sitting there tremble in their hearts.
"This is a temporary and permanent decision. I'm sorry that I couldn't notify everyone in time last time..." Bai Chun said.
Before he finished speaking, a foreign businessman not far away from the opposite side interrupted him excitedly and said: "Miss Bai, are you saying that you will leave a copy of these things for us every month in the future?" He looked at him with excitement. Bai Chun didn't care at all about the price which was 40% higher than that of Datang.
"Yes, in the future, these items that were originally exclusive to Datang will be reserved for you, and there will no longer be any favoritism." Bai Chun said with a smile on his face.
But he was about to curse Li Hong to death. This thing was simply too bad. When he sent Jingzhe and Cheetah to the Kingdom of Qiuci to contact the craftsmen of the Tang Dynasty, it seemed that he finally used these people and his own unremitting efforts over the years to finally build a huge business intelligence network in the Western Regions.
I received information some time ago that it seems that Persia and Dashi may have produced glass. Although the transparency is still far less than that of Tang Dynasty glass, if they are allowed to develop, I am afraid it will not take more than ten years to catch up. At the beginning, the manufacturing process of Tang Dynasty glass was revealed.
After a short period of thinking, Li Hong ordered Bai Chun to start selling glass and other accessories to the Western Regions from this month, so as to persuade Dashi, Persia and other countries to give up their plans to make glass.
Although this was something that all the countries in the Western Region were looking forward to day and night, Bai Chun couldn't be happy. That black-hearted guy set a price that was a full 40% higher than the price he sold to the merchants of Tang Dynasty. He made a lot of money.
Moreover, she has another important thing to do this time, which is to make small glass bottles that can be held in the palm of her hand according to Li Hong's drawings. They are said to be used for a kind of spice. By then, these things will be more profitable than other things. .
The Daming Palace behind Taiji Palace will continue to be built this year at His Majesty's suggestion, and the glass, cement and other items used require Bai Chun to come to Taiyi City to supervise.
As for the initiator of all this, he is currently sitting in front of the desk with the Emperor of Tang Dynasty in the Ganlu Hall of Tai Chi Palace, engrossed in drawing something there.
"No more drawing! How can you draw if you can't even explain it yourself?" The ten-year-old prince Li Hong threw away the charcoal in his hand, leaned back on the chair, and put down his pick.
"I didn't make it clear. It's because you're not good at painting." His Majesty Li Zhi, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, retorted after looking at a few simple lines on the table and easily sketching out how to draw a human face.
At first, Li Hong had been painting cotton for a long time, but it didn't look like it, and he was ridiculed by Bai Chun once. Later, after his deep reflection, he suddenly remembered the sketching method of his previous life, so after painting a self-portrait for Bai Chun, , and haven’t painted anything else in these years.
Today I came to pay my respects to my father. The two of them chatted about Li Zhi's father, Li Hong's imperial grandfather Li Shimin. Li Zhi's nostalgia arose spontaneously, so Li Hong suggested that his father describe it and paint it himself.
But the father and son had been struggling for nearly an hour, and they had drawn a few pictures, but none of them satisfied Li Zhi.
Wu Mei was sitting behind her father and son, looking at the self-portrait that Li Hong had just given to her and Li Zhi in her hands, and looking at this scene with amusement. Such a situation was rare in the royal family.
Li Zhi picked up the portrait of Empress Changsun on the desk and looked at it for a long time, then murmured: "Your Grandma Huang's painting is very similar, but I always feel that there is something wrong with your Grandpa Huang's portrait. Let me say it again. , if you don’t draw well, I will let you go to Baekje!”
"Father, a fight has begun between Tubo and Tuyuhun. You should send your ministers there." Li Hong picked up the charcoal on the desk and said.
"The two countries are just at war. As long as it doesn't affect the Tang Dynasty, let them go. But since Baekje wants to restore the country again, the injustice may lead to another misfortune." Li Zhi picked up the porcelain cup improved by Li Hong and drank. Kuucha said.
"Actually, you don't have to worry about things there. Except for the regret of the defeat of the emperor's three expeditions, you can't see anything beneficial to the Tang Dynasty when you send troops there. Moreover, the place is poor and harsh. Now you have made them feel it. With your power, why not withdraw Liu Rengui and others and put them on the side of Tubo? After all, this is our big problem." Li Hong started painting again according to the image of the imperial grandfather Li Shimin that Li Zhi mentioned just now.
"Boy, tell me what you're thinking. You've made enough money in the past few years, and you're starting to focus on my military power again?" Li Zhi asked without raising his head as he watched Li Hong quickly draw on the paper, stroke by stroke. road.
Wu Mei behind her trembled when she heard this. She placed the two paintings on the desk with trembling hands. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Li Hong speaking to his father in a nonchalant tone.
"That's not true. I'm not interested. That's your business. I haven't figured out the six rates yet. When I figure it out, I will attack your twelve guards." Li Hong painted said.
"Hmph, please explain to me first why the glass sent to the Daming Palace is 10% more expensive than sold to the common people!" Li Zhi snorted dissatisfied and slapped Li Hong on the back of the head.
Li Hong scratched the charcoal in his hand, and the original majestic face of Grandpa Huang on the white paper on the desk was scratched, and his expression immediately became distorted, as if he was complaining about these two unscrupulous descendants and destroying him. The image of a wise and powerful god.
(End of chapter)