After the treasure map was handed to Feng Shuo, he immediately ordered people to verify the authenticity of the treasure map, and then secretly sent an army to the treasure location to search for the treasure.
Emperor Feng Shiyan has already agreed to exchange 3,000 dan of grain for Jiang Yanxi. This time, all the former dynasty's former subordinates who had sneaked into Xizhou, led by the senior palace maid beside the former empress, have been captured.
After throwing away the hot potato of Jiang Yanxi, the remaining former dynasty members entrenched outside the Great Wall will flock to the imperial court in order to rescue Jiang Yanxi and will no longer focus on Xizhou.
Jiang Yanyi used the military funds he raised from the Chamber of Commerce to buy horses.
Horses in Xizhou are cheap in winter because of the lack of fodder. The originally fat and strong horses become thinner and look not like good horses, so they cannot be sold at a good price. However, those who have been dealing with war horses in the army for many years can tell the horse's leg strength at a glance.
During the peak season, the lowest price for a war horse was twenty taels of silver. The Xizhou camp's purchase of more than five thousand war horses at one time was a big deal. Coupled with Chi Qing's eloquence, he successfully lowered the price of a horse to fifteen taels of silver.
A small heavy cavalry unit consisting of 5,000 men has begun training in secret. At the same time, there is good news about the porcelain business that Jiang Yanyi had previously started.
She ordered 100 pieces of porcelain and asked a caravan to transport them outside the Great Wall for sale. However, the porcelain that was not selling well inside the Great Wall was very popular outside the Great Wall, and the price increased by nearly ten times.
When Bing Shao handed the money he earned to Jiang Yanyi, he could not hide his excitement: "The boss has a sharp eye. There is no business that the boss has chosen, and it will make money!"
Jiang Yanyi was happy in her heart, but now that she was handling more money, she would not show her joy over such a small business. She asked, "The caravan that sold porcelain for us is probably buying porcelain in large quantities now, right?"
Bing Shao stopped smiling and said, "Boss, you guessed correctly. As soon as the caravan returned to Xizhou, it went to the porcelain kiln to purchase porcelain. I plan to ask for your permission and then go to the porcelain kiln. How much porcelain do you think we should order this time?"
How could the caravans that traded for them not be tempted when they saw the huge profits made from porcelain outside the Great Wall
If a business in a market is to be successful, first-mover advantage plays a big role.
At present, this caravan is the only one competing with them for the porcelain business outside the Great Wall, but in the future, more people will join in to share the cake.
Jiang Yan thought for a moment and said, "Eighty percent of the porcelains in the kiln have been bought by the caravan. If we order more, we will have to wait until after the New Year for the kiln to deliver the goods. There is no need to rush this matter."
Bing Shao thought that the opportunity to make money with a tenfold increase in price was right in front of him, so how could he not be anxious? He thought that it was the previous donation of the Chamber of Commerce, and Jiang Yanyi invested all the cash on hand, and said, "Boss, if the money is not enough, we can borrow some from the Third Master!"
Jiang Yanyi's abacus beads clattered as he checked the accounts in the account book: "Maybe the government will take over the porcelain kiln after the new year."
Jiang Yanyi did not intend to monopolize the porcelain kiln business alone. First, she did not have enough start-up capital. Second, the wealthy businessmen in the Chamber of Commerce had shed a lot of money in raising military supplies, so she had to give them some sweet treats. The porcelain kiln business outside the Great Wall was a good treat.
If she were to take all the cake for herself, she would surely arouse jealousy and resentment. Not only would the caravan compete with her for the porcelain business outside the Great Wall, but even other people in the Chamber of Commerce would not let it go.
It was definitely not a wise choice for her to be the enemy of the entire Chamber of Commerce alone. As her business grew bigger and bigger, Jiang Yanyi also understood a truth: sometimes it is much better to give up some of the interests appropriately and gain a large number of allies, rather than clinging to those little interests and being attacked from all sides.
After the government took over the porcelain kilns, the seals on the bottom of the porcelain produced by the kilns had to be changed. The prices of porcelain of the same quality on the market were different, which depended largely on the seals of the kilns. If the caravan bought porcelain at this time, it would be fine if it could be sold before the New Year. If it waited until after the New Year, the price would be several times lower.
At that time, in order to regulate the market, porcelain shipped out of the customs must have documents issued by the government before it can be shipped out of the customs. The first people to get the customs clearance documents will definitely be people in the Chamber of Commerce.
Let the government supervise the porcelain kilns, and the biggest initiative is still in her hands. However, those old foxes in the Chamber of Commerce have got a share of the cake, so naturally they don't want others to have a piece of it. If someone else wants to get involved in this business, the Chamber of Commerce will work together to exclude them and kick them out.
Bing Shao understood what Jiang Yanyi said, and his dissatisfaction about the caravan taking away their porcelain business as soon as they returned was mostly gone.
He thought of another thing: "Boss, why don't we set up a caravan of our own?"
Salt and iron were monopolized by the government, but those who made their fortunes from the tea or rice business had their own caravans and traveled far and wide to do business.
Bing Shao thought that they would have to go outside the Great Wall to sell porcelain in the future, so it would be more reassuring if they had their own caravan. If they kept hiring other caravans, Bing Shao was afraid that those caravans would enrich themselves.
Jiang Yanyi originally planned to be just a middleman. She would buy porcelain from the kilns at wholesale prices, and then rent other people's caravans to take the porcelain to the outside world for sale. She would no longer have to calculate the cost of maintaining a caravan. It would be just like the e-commerce business in later generations. She would only have to pick and ship the goods, and leave the logistics to the logistics company, saving her time and effort.
Now that Bing Shao said this, Jiang Yanyi also thought about the fact that in this era, buyers and sellers cannot always communicate with each other. It would be more reliable to have her own caravan. The caravan could go outside the customs to sell porcelain and help her find chili peppers.
It would be great if we could find the place of origin and buy it in large quantities. Pepper was more expensive than gold in this dynasty. Once her chili peppers were cultivated on a large scale, they would definitely replace pepper.
The peppers she planted in the greenhouse of Feng Mansion have all turned red, and she is just waiting to rent some land in the spring to sow them.
Jiang Yanyi thought for a moment and said, "You and Yang Xiu should do this together. Be sure to recruit reliable people."
There are bandits outside the Great Wall who often attack caravans, so half of the caravan members are martial artists. If you want to communicate with the people in a place, you need a guide who is proficient in the local language.
Bing Shao agreed with a happy face.
***
Jiang Yanyi then told Feng Shuo about the idea of the government taking over the porcelain kiln.
Feng Shuo thought about it for a while, then figured out the pros and cons. He raised his eyebrows and said to Jiang Yanyi, "Why didn't I realize before that you are actually a business genius?"
Jiang Yanyi glared at him: "Stop bullying me."
Feng Shuo said with a smile: "This is not a squeeze, it's a compliment."
After hearing his words, Jiang Yanyi confidently stretched out his hands and asked him: "What reward do you plan to give?"
Feng Shuo was very secretive and said, "I just happened to have a present that I can show off."
Jiang Yanyi was just joking at first, but seeing his expression, she became really curious: "What gift?"
Feng Shuo stood up from behind the desk and said, "You'll know when I take you to see it."
Jiang Yanyi followed him out, confused.
There are more than a dozen horses in the Feng Mansion's stable, each of which is strong and has smooth and bright fur.
Feng Shuo's Wuyun horse seemed to hear his footsteps from afar and made a yo-yo sound in the stable.
When the stable manager saw Feng Shuo coming over in person, he hurried forward and said, "Your Majesty."
When Wuyun Horse saw Feng Shuo, it began to kick the partition of the stable excitedly.
Seeing this, Feng Shuo said, "Let it out."
The groom opened the door of the stable as ordered, and even though he gripped the reins tightly, he was still dragged along by the Dark Cloud Horse. Several grooms rushed forward but failed to control it. Just as they were worried that it might cause a disaster, the Dark Cloud Horse ran to Feng Shuo, excitedly turned around a few times, and then calmed down.
Feng Shuo raised his hand and touched the mane of the dark cloud horse, saying, "I'm busy these days, I'll take you out for a few laps another day."
When the Dark Cloud Horse snorted, it exhaled a large cloud of white mist.
Jiang Yanyi felt like he was splashed with a lot of saliva and quickly took a step back. Feng Shuo laughed when he saw this and Jiang Yanyi glared at him angrily.
Feng Shuo patted Wuyun's head and told the groom beside him, "Lock Wuyun back in the stable."
Poor Wuyun, he thought he could go out for a walk, but his dog-like owner turned around and locked him back in.
Feng Shuo continued to walk forward, Jiang Yanyi followed him and asked, "Are you going to give me a horse?"
They had already reached the stables. Jiang Yanyi could guess that Feng Shuo didn't find it strange. He said, "I said before that I would teach you how to ride a horse in the spring. When Han Tuo went to choose a horse breed a few days ago, he happened to buy a snow-covered horse. It's just right for you."
Having just experienced the spit of Wu Yun, Jiang Yanyi thought that he was not interested in any horses now. But when Feng Shuo ordered the groom to lead out the Snow Horse, Jiang Yanyi was still amazed.
The Snow Horse was much shorter than Feng Shuo's Dark Cloud Horse, but it had a well-proportioned body, long limbs, and its fur was as white as snow. If it weren't for the pointed horn on its head, Jiang Yanyi would have suspected that the horse was the legendary unicorn.
"So beautiful." Jiang Yanyi never denied that she was a beauty lover, but she soon thought of a vexing problem and looked at Feng Shuo eagerly: "I don't have a stable over there."
Feng Shuo glanced at her and said, "Just keep it here. Whenever you want to ride it, just come over and lead it."
He took the reins from the groom and said to Jiang Yanyi, "This is a mare with a gentle temperament. Feel it."
Jiang Yanyi reached out and touched the beautiful mane on the Snow Horse's neck. The horse really stood there quietly, only tilting its head to nod to Jiang Yanyi's hand. Its eyes were dark and bright, as if it understood human nature.
This made Jiang Yanyi particularly surprised.
Feng Shuo looked at the undisguised joy in her eyes and his gaze softened unconsciously: "Do you want to ride the horse out for a walk?"
Jiang Yanyi pulled the reins and hesitated: "Now?"
Feng Shuo nodded.
Jiang Yan said in embarrassment: "I can't ride a horse."
Feng Shuo said: "I'll teach you."
Wuyun, who had just been driven back to the stable, was dragged out again, but he was still in high spirits and was not angry at all because of the capriciousness of his dog-like master.
Seeing the Snow Horse that was much shorter than it, Wu Yun walked past it arrogantly and came to Feng Shuo, snorting loudly as if looking down on the Snow Horse.
The Snow Horse moved to the side like a bullied young wife.
Jiang Yanyi defended his son: "Your horse seems to be hostile to my horse."
Feng Shuo touched Wu Yun's raised head and said with a smile: "Wu Yun has a bad temper. Almost all the horses in the stable have been bullied by him."
Jiang Yanyi glanced at the Snowland horse and quickly said, "Then change the stable for my horse and keep it away from your horse!"
Feng Shuo smiled and agreed.
There were pedestrians coming and going on the streets in the city from time to time, making it inconvenient to learn horse riding, so Feng Shuo took Jiang Yanyi to the suburbs.
The weather without snow is actually colder. The snow on the roadside has half melted, revealing the brown grass stems. The snow on the branches has condensed into small pieces of ice, shining with a light golden luster in the morning light.
Jiang Yanyi was sitting on the horse wearing a primrose-colored cloak, but she still felt the wind blowing from all directions, causing her to shrink her neck.
Feng Shuo followed her on his Wuyun horse, correcting her from time to time: "Your posture for holding the reins is wrong. Press one end of the reins with your thumb, and hold the other end with your ring finger and little finger."
"When you squeeze the horse's belly with your calf, it will be a slow walk, and when you squeeze it with a lot of force, it will be a run."
After practicing for more than half an hour, Jiang Yanyi can now basically sit on the horse's back independently, and she can even control it when trotting with her legs bent.
Jiang Yanyi felt a sense of accomplishment in this process of going from not knowing to knowing.
She couldn't stop smiling brightly. She turned her head and asked Feng Shuo between the snowy forest and the beautiful trees, smiling sweetly, "Where are we turning?"
Feng Shuo patiently demonstrated to her: "Put your right leg behind and clamp the horse's belly, put your left leg forward and clamp the horse's shoulder, and at the same time pull the left rein to the left to turn left. Try it."
It is easy to learn a turn, but turning right and turning left are opposite. Jiang Yanyi always mixes up the position to grip the horse's belly, and once he almost fell off the horse.
She didn't expect to learn how to ride a horse in just one morning. Although the tip of her nose was red from the wind, she still looked satisfied.
On the way back, Jiang Yanyi rode the Snowland Horse slowly and walked side by side with Feng Shuo. The sky in the distance and the mountains with unmelted snow had blurred the dividing line.
Feng Shuo turned his head and asked her, "When will you return to the Chu family?"
New Year's Day is just two days away, and she and Chu Yangui will have to go back to the Chu family to celebrate the New Year.
Jiang Yanyi held the reins and said, "We'll go there tomorrow."
Feng Shuo nodded and said nothing more.
Jiang Yanyi had heard about the Grand Concubine's madness and ignorance. Thinking that he would have to spend the New Year alone in the huge palace, Jiang Yanyi felt a little soft-hearted: "Feng Shuo, Happy New Year, I'm telling you in advance. It's better to say it early than late."
Feng Shuo looked back at her, leaned out of his horse, put his long arms around her, and kissed her on the lips: "I'll come find you when the time comes and hear you say it again."
The author has something to say: The author really suffered because of staying up late qaq
I have had angina for a while. Today I went to the hospital for a checkup and it was diagnosed as myocardial disease. I am currently hospitalized.
The number of nutrient solutions and comments has increased by one thousand, but the author is currently unable to update due to health reasons.
Thank you babies for accompanying Feng Hanhan and Ayi to this day. The author is trying hard to maintain 3,000 posts a day, but may need to take a leave to cooperate with the treatment later.
Hey, don't take your youth as your capital, keep a regular schedule, eat regularly, and keep a good mood every day~
I hope all babies are healthy and safe~
Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated nutrient solution during 2021-01-22 23:56:37~2021-01-23 23:59:48~
Thanks to the little angel who threw the rocket launcher: pp 1;
Thanks to the little angels who cast mines: Gao Xiaomo, if you can’t think of a good name, just pick one randomly, irritable kungie, the only thing you can’t miss is the beautiful scenery and delicious food, and the bridgehead under the old orange tree;
Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: 95 bottles of I am the yellowest among the cauliflowers; 50 bottles of Irene; 10 bottles of Lulu; 6 bottles of Super Big Wall; 5 bottles of Lan A May; 3 bottles of Yizhi Xiaoliangjin, Ah Li Ah Li, and Myvanillaworld; 1 bottle of Tohru, Elle_zj1979, Hong & Yunzhi, Ajiu, Yan, Libro, and Chenyu Ruanxiangi;
Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!