In Huozhou, on the northern foot of the Dabie Mountains, Yingfeng Village, there were guests entering the village today and bringing a large number of gifts. Therefore, the crowd was very lively. In the conference hall, the village leader Tian Yuanxian and the elders of the clan met with the visitors together.

The guest and the guest talked directly. Although the accents were different, there were generally no obstacles to communication. The guests were all young people, and like Tian Yuanxian, their surname was Tian.

The Central Plains court collectively referred to the large and small tribes living in the southern border as barbarians, which included various tribes living in the Dabie Mountains and the vast surrounding areas. Most of these so-called barbarians were surnamed Tian, ​​Mei, Ran, and Lu. Because of the different living areas, the Central Plains court also called them differently.

The barbarians living in the southwest of the Dabie Mountains are called Xiyang Barbarians. Because there are Bashui and five major rivers including Jushui flow into the Yangtze River, the barbarians in this area are also called Wushui Barbarians.

In Tongbai Mountain in the northwest corner of the Dabie Mountains, the barbarians living in it are called Tongbai Mountain Man or Tongbai Man. Dayang Mountain in the Xiangzhou area west of Tongbai Mountain has Dayang Man, and the mountainous areas in the western part of Yuzhou east of Tongbai Mountain have Yuzhou Man.

In the Guangzhou area on the northern foot of the Dabie Mountains, there are Guangzhou Man or Guangcheng Man. In the Huozhou area on the northeast foot of the Dabie Mountains, there are naturally Huozhou Man. At this time, Tian Yuanxian, a barbarian chief who was classified as Huozhou Man, met with Tian Shouguang and others from Xiyang Man.

The so-called "barbarian" is the despicable name given to them by the Central Plains court. The people in Yingfeng Village will not call themselves "barbarian", nor will they call visitors "barbarian".

Everyone is from Dabie Mountains. Perhaps many ancestors from generation to generation were brothers who ate in the same bowl, so Tian Yuanxian was quite enthusiastic about the visitors, but he was not so polite to the Central Plains court behind the visitors.

Tian Yuanxian held a dagger in his hand and said while cutting the barbecue: "Youngsheng, what official position is your king going to grant me? Is it the governor of Huozhou, the governor of Yue'an County, or what king?"

Tian Shouguang put down the barbecue, and did not care about the oil in his mouth, and directly replied: "The old village leader was joking. This kind of wish to be granted an official is like farts. How could the king use it to deceive people?"

"Then what did he ask you to come to my village to do? Do you ask for information?"

"Old village master, I'm here today, and I'm visiting you. After all, Huozhou has changed its new government, so you have to say hello to the neighbor next door, right? Avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings and it will be bad if something goes wrong."

Tian Shouguang is in his twenties, while Tian Yuanxian is nearly 60 years old. He can be his grandfather by grade. In addition, the old men in the hall and the clan soldiers who hold their swords and don’t smile, put a lot of pressure on people, but Tian Shouguang is not afraid at all.

He was born in a mountain village in Dabie Mountains and belonged to the so-called "Xiyang Man". He is now the leader of a slave-catching team. He followed the King of Xiyang to fight north and north, and went to Lingbiao Guangzhou.

This time, the King of Xiyang took Huozhou. In order to appease the extremely influential barbarian chief Tian Yuanxian, he sent Tian Shouguang and others as envoys to Yingfeng Village to give gifts and be lobbyists.

As a lobbyist, of course, you must have an understanding of the people you visit. Tian Yuanxian, who is known as the barbarian chief of Huozhou, is not an introverted old man who has lived in the mountains for a long time and has no knowledge of the world. It is not easy to impress the other party.

More than ten years ago, when Zhou State destroyed Qi State, the land of Yuzhou was occupied by Zhou State. After Yu Yi, the new general manager of Yuzhou, arrived in Xuanhu to take office, he began to vigorously rectify the newly captured area. According to Tian Yuanxian, the chief of Huozhou, who was almost defending himself, was impressed by his character, sent his son as a charity, and surrendered to Zhou State.

When Qi was destroyed, Chen's army invaded Huozhou, Tian Yuanxian led his troops to set up a gate and repelled Chen's army. Later, Yu Yi left office, Tian Yuanxian rebelled for some reason and no longer surrendered to Zhou.

The land of Huozhou was under the jurisdiction of several courts in Zhou, Sui and Chen, but Tian Yuanxian has been huddled in the mountains for many years and has not submitted to any court. Due to the turbulent situation, the previous governor of Huozhou was unable to deal with Tian Yuanxian, who had outstanding strength. Seeing that he was not in trouble, the well water did not violate the rivers and the two sides did not invade each other.

The King of Xiyang took Huozhou because he had to use troops on the Huai River. He was afraid that after the main force of the official army would leave, Tian Yuanxian, a powerful local snake, would have the idea of ​​governing Yue'an in the state, so he decided to win over Tian Yuanxian, which led to Tian Shouguang visiting this time.

In fact, barbarian chiefs like Tian Yuanxian have not had any dealings with rulers of all dynasties for hundreds of years. Overall, the means used is to recognize the status quo, to grant barbarian chiefs the officials of prefectures and counties, to govern the people in the headquarters, and nominally submit to the court. In fact, they are still local overlords who do their own things.

The rulers made wishes to the Barbarian Chiefs, but they would not regard them as their own people in their hearts. Their intention was to incorporate the barbarian households under the Barbarian Chiefs into good citizens, so over time, the barbarian chiefs also learned the masters.

The northern and southern courts used the Huai River as the front line of confrontation, and the Dabie Mountains located there were on this line. The barbarian chiefs were waiting to sell, and they would surrender to the other side. This situation was particularly obvious when the confrontation between Yuan and Wei and Xiaoliang.

However, most of the barbarian chiefs who thought they could benefit from the fisherman did not end well in the future, so more and more barbarian chiefs chose to sit in the mountains and watch the tiger fight, not to participate in the disputes outside the mountains and live their own lives.

When food and supplies were short of money, they sent troops out of the mountains to plunder the counties and counties. When the official army came, they retreated back to the mountains. As for the other party's wish to be granted official positions, no one believed them.

Therefore, Tian Yuanxian was not interested in the recruitment of King Xiyang of Zhou. He would not lose his life for other people's ambitions. Tian Shouguang and others kept talking and saying a lot, and they could not speak Tian Yuanxian at all.

If it were in the past, Tian Yuanxian would have issued an order to expel guests, but he was very interested in Tian Shouguang and others, so he wanted to know what benefits the King of Xiyang had promised, which made these people work so hard, and even followed the Nanzhengling to a smoky land thousands of miles away to die.

Regarding Tian Yuanxian's question, Tian Shouguang was a little confused: "Send to death? The old Fortress Master is afraid that he has made a mistake. We are going to do business, not thugs."

This answer was beyond Tian Yuanxian's expectations. He thought the other party wanted to speak a great truth, but in the end, he had such a reason, so he couldn't help but continue asking: "Doing a business? What kind of business?"

"This is a long way to say that, and there are always shortcomings in the mountains, so you have to buy them from outside the mountains or exchange them for mountain goods. The old fortress knows that the profiteer outside the mountains knocks on his bones and sucks marrow, and wants to exchange for a bucket of salt, the price is not low."

"That bucket of salt is mixed with three liters of sand, and the black heart is even five liters of sand. When you eat it, you whisper the teeth. If you argue with him, he will say whether he likes to buy it or not. I have enough of this kind of anger!"

As soon as this was said, many clan elders and soldiers present nodded silently. The mountains lack salt, and people are weak if they don’t eat salt. Therefore, they often follow merchants entering the mountains to buy salt, or send people out of the mountains to buy salt.

But not only does the salt you buy are of inferior quality and high price, but the attitude of those profiteers often makes them feel angry.

The salt sold to the mountain people is several times more expensive, and they deliberately mix sand. These unscrupulous merchants cannot kill them, so they can only endure it.

Tian Shouguang said to himself, and the topic shifted to other aspects: "Don't talk about salt, even grain is mixed with sand and ironware, which are all defective products, but they collect good products. Those unscrupulous merchants said that it was hard to sell goods, so the price was high. I think it was hard to suck blood!"

"A traitorous businessman who suffered from plague, dares to exchange for a deer skin for two hundred iron needles! In Xiyang, Huangzhou, the wholesale price of iron needles is five cents per cent, and one ordinary deer skin is always sold. Think about it, is this huge profit!"

"How much effort does it take to get a deer skin in the village? If you are not careful, you will have to take your life. If you have accepted this kind of business in the past, but now it is different. We will purchase the goods ourselves and care about it!"

Tian Yuanxian was a little surprised when he heard this. He felt that Tian Shouguang answered something wrong, and the other party then added: "The old village leader just asked, "It's very simple, and do whatever the business is."

"Just just now, the young man said that Guangzhou is near the sea, and there is sea salt there. It is transported thousands of miles to Huangzhou. The price is half cheaper than those sold by those profiteers. It is also fine salt without sand. I mixed sand into the salt, mixed nine liters of salt into one liter of sand, and bought it in the mountains, and the price doubles. Do you think you have a conscience? Do you make a profit?"

"There is sugar on the Lingbei surface, which is as white as frost. It is sweet in its mouth. When it comes back from the Lingbei surface, the price triples. Someone snatches it. I sold the candy to buy iron needles, and bought 10,000 yuan. Then I went to the mountains to change the deer skin, exchanged for 400 needles, and then transported back to Xiyang to sell. One is the same. Is it profitable? Do you have any conscience?"

Tian Shouguang pointed to the glass cup on Tian Yuanxian's desk. It was a gift he gave. Then he asked, "And this glass cup, can we get the goods at 30% cheaper than the outside merchants and ship them to the mountains for sale... The old village owner thinks, is it profitable?"

Tian Yuanxian felt a little confused. The other party said too much content. He couldn't figure it out in a hurry, but he could hear it. It was very profitable to do business, but what did this have to do with following the King of Xiyang to Lingbiao?

"Old village master, everyone wants to do this money-making business, but why should the King of Xiyang ask you to do it? Oh, when you don't work hard when setting traps, you want to share the meat when hunting wild boars. How can such a good thing be done!"

"It's a thousand miles from Huangzhou to Guangzhou, and there are mountain barbarians everywhere along the way... Cough cough cough cough cough, bandits, if you are robbed of goods, you will lose all your money, so you have to ask someone to escort the escort. In this way, will the transaction of the escort business come?"

"What is an escort business?"

"It's the mansion where people can arm the escort goods! Summon the young and strong men who can shoot arrows and dare to kill people, settle down their families, and then organize them to transport goods. After a trip, as long as the goods arrive, even if half of the escort dies, you can earn money if you deduct half of the pension!"

Speaking of this, Tian Shouguang began to ask: "The old village owner is not aware of the situation here. In Housheng's village, those who cannot marry a wife either go to escort or catch Shenggu (slave) and save money to buy a woman by themselves. There are risks, but it is better than relying on your hands at night!"

"Uh..." Tian Yuanxian felt that what the other party said could not be wrong, so he didn't know how to answer. A clan elder couldn't help asking: "Young Master, you said you're going thousands of miles... escorts, there are so many thieves along the way, where can you travel safely?"

"So, the soldiers of the King of Xiyang shoveled away the disobedient fortresses along the way. We will break through those disobedient counterfeit villages. The women will take them back to have babies, the men will sell them, and there will be some thieves left. What are the escort teams afraid of?"

If there was murderous intent, everyone present sounded uncomfortable because they unknowingly entered the perspective of Tian Shouguang.

"The business of the escort business can also make a lot of money, but the same thing is true. If you don't work hard, why does the King of Xiyang give you a chance?"

As he listened, Tian Yuanxian probably figured out why Tian Shouguang and others followed King Xiyang. In fact, he had heard that the mountain villages on the southwestern foot of the Dabie Mountains had united and attacked other mountain villages everywhere to catch Shengkou. Many large villages had been broken and then swept away.

The scope of plunder of this force is getting bigger and bigger. Many villages in the deep mountains and forests have not been spared. Many people in the mountain village are in panic. However, Tian Yuanxian's territory is in the northeastern foot of the Dabie Mountains, so he has not taken this danger seriously yet.

Until now, he realized that Tian Shouguang and others had more ways to make money than to catch the sacrificial point, but there were still many ways to get rich.

Seeing that the old fox's resistance was not so strong, Tian Shouguang struck while the iron was hot: "The old fortress, I will not hide it from it. I am appointing an official and making wishes. The king also said it was boring. It would be better to give it to the old fortress."

"What are the benefits you said?"

"It's very simple. In the past, we ignored them. The merchants in Huangzhou would stay in Huozhou in the future, and then sent people to the mountains from time to time to trade with the old fortress. The goods were cheap and beautiful, and they would never be short of money. Just exchange them for mountain goods."

"Salt is good salt without sand, and other goods are all good and cheap. They are sold in Huangzhou, and old fortresses can be bought in Huozhou."

"It's that simple?"

"Of course it's not simple. The king took Huozhou and hoped that Huozhou's wife would be fair, so that everyone could do business, right? It's boring to rob it all day long, and it's boring to suppress it."

"There are many mountain goods in the mountains, and the price is easy to negotiate. The old fortress should not be snatched outside the mountain."

It turned out that it was a business transaction for peace. Tian Yuanxian thought this proposal was good. He looked at the clan elders present. Everyone was obviously moved and everyone nodded silently.

There is a shortage of supplies in the mountains. If there is a stable way to exchange mountain goods for salt, iron and other daily necessities at reasonable prices, whoever is full will go out to grab them.

It seems that the King of Xiyang seems to be able to provide such a way, so of course they will not cause trouble.

"Old Fortress, as the saying goes, distant water cannot relieve near thirst. Now the king is leading troops to fight. If the world is peaceful before doing business, it will be too long." Tian Shouguang began to induce people in a row. "Now Yue An has brought a lot of salt and other materials, and waited for the old Fortress to nod."

"Nod?" Tian Yuanxian came to his senses, corrected his sitting position and asked, "What exactly is your king's request?"

"Send troops to help with the war."

Finally, it was time to get to the point, but Tian Yuanxian was not as strong as the beginning of resistance. He stared at Tian Shouguang and continued to ask: "Let my clan soldiers work for him? How much benefit can he give?"

Tian Shouguang raised his right index finger, looked at everyone present, and then smiled slightly: "The king said that if one soldier is sent, two liters of salt will be required. These soldiers and officers have sufficient military control, and they will have rewards for making meritorious service. The premise is that this soldier can fight. What do the old Fortress think?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole audience was in an uproar. Tian Yuanxian was shocked but couldn't speak. The elders of other clans were stunned because they knew what this meant.

Tian Yuanxian's power is a consortium of many parishes with Yingfeng Village as the core. Its territory is home to tens of thousands of mountain people. If you have to raise a team that can be fought, then the number of people will not be a problem.

Of course, considering that people were left to defend the village, it was impossible to send so many soldiers, but thousands of soldiers were always in operation. Taking three thousand people as an example, if you send troops, you will get 6,000 liters (60 hu of fine salt. Then you can trade with merchants in Huangzhou and exchange mountain goods for salt.

If you get so much salt, you can not only say that you have no shortage of salt in your own village, but you can also divide a lot of salt into the mountains and sell it to those villages that are even less salt than them. Eight liters of salt are mixed with two liters of sand, and then the price is doubled. Do you have any conscience? Will you make a profit?

Tian Yuanxian was already shocked by the generous actions of King Xiyang. For him, no wish to be granted an official is as good as the real salt. As long as the other party treats him sincerely, he will not go back on his word.

Back then, General Yu of Zhou, treated him sincerely, so he was willing to serve Zhou. Later, he changed his official position and Tian Yuanxian found that the other party said something and did something else, so he turned around and became his own decision.

Now, a King of Xiyang who likes to do business with others has come. It is said that the price is fair and honest. If the other party is really a trustworthy person, then what's wrong with his own soldiers working for him?

Like Tian Shouguang and others, it is a way to improve their copycat life by doing business. If the King of Xiyang can really give real benefits, it is much more real than the illusory wish of appointing an official.
Chapter completed!