Three Kingdoms

Koto.

Wujun.

Today is neither the fifth nor the tenth day, but Wujun Market is still very lively, especially some prime areas, which are full of people, and it is difficult to squeeze.

In Wu County, perhaps there was no special planning from the beginning, or it was restricted by mountains, rivers and rivers, so except for some main streets that are straight, many side streets and alleys are winding, and then the surrounding houses are It looks like there are layers upon layers, eaves next to eaves, corridors after corridors. Especially in the market, the signature cloths are almost on top of each other.

Not only are these signboards quarreling with each other, but also the female waitresses in each store are quarreling with each other. In Wu Yue's soft words, they are either teasing, sarcastic, criticizing, or making insinuations, all of them are very eloquent. The lips and tongue each showed unique skills, which attracted many idle people to look left and right, just to have fun...

And the place where these idle men gather the most is not the place where these female recruiters are recruited, but the gambling house that is full of sweat, foot odor, and all kinds of odors. The voices of shouting and screaming come one after another, and the people inside are almost Everyone was red-eyed, cheering or lamenting. Every time a treasure was opened, it was like a huge magnet, attracting crowds of people around it.

As the richest city in Jiangdong, Wu County looks more or less like the feasting and feasting of later generations.

Before Qiusi Feiqian, no one in the Han Dynasty was actually aware of the impact of commodities, or trade, on the political system.

The emphasis on agriculture, or some paranoid emphasis on agriculture, undoubtedly influenced many people in the Han Dynasty. Therefore, China has long had theoretical research on agricultural and grain trade, but the development of larger-scale trade has not It has always been backward.

The concept of foreign trade actually has different scopes in different eras, but there are similarities. For example, during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, foreign trade referred to trade between countries, which was often used as a means of deception and deception among vassal states. However, after the Qin Dynasty, the scope of foreign trade expanded and became a trade between China and foreign nations. trade, but it also still becomes a means of restriction or a condition of negotiation.

In ancient Chinese feudal society, due to the dominant position of natural economy, foreign trade accounted for a very small share of social products, so that rulers generally paid little attention to foreign trade. Especially after the establishment of a centralized feudal state, China regarded itself as a great country and believed that it had everything. Then a concept of China's "abundance of products and everything" was born, and the rulers naturally developed a They have a detached sense of superiority and regard foreign trade as insignificant.

Therefore, in the minds of the rulers of the Chinese feudal dynasty, foreign trade was often an additional product for a certain strategic purpose. The focus is on strategy, not foreign trade, not commodities, not economy. The economy can even be temporarily sacrificed for the sake of strategy.

This inevitably leads to the impossibility of maintaining this type of foreign trade for a long time.

A typical example is "Guanzi".

Guan Zhong was undoubtedly an ancient sage who attached great importance to commerce. Under his guidance, Qi State rose from a wandering king to a hegemon in the Spring and Autumn Period. This shows how powerful Guan Zhong is. However, the biggest problem with Guan Zhong is that he places too much emphasis on "skills." , and forgetting the "original", whether it is in the Earth Chapter or the Sea King Chapter, they all describe a method of suppressing other countries through trade, and they use all possible means. It is no wonder that later Confucian disciples have so many concerns about Guanzi. There is criticism.

The Eastern Han Dynasty is basically a dynasty that is somewhat out of touch with business theory. The Western Han Dynasty was more or less okay. After all, the Western Han Dynasty was open to the outside world. The earliest Northwest Silk Road, the southwest trade route to Shendu, and the mutual trade in the Northern Desert were all the development of foreign trade. But after the Eastern Han Dynasty...

The emphasis on agriculture and the suppression of commerce made commerce become an accessory to agriculture. The status of natural merchants was repeatedly reduced. In this process, there were a large number of official merchants. Local gentry played the role of these merchants, making the business system move toward a bureaucratic merchant structure. This makes the exploitation endured by the people even more severe.

Foreign trade was restored in the Tang Dynasty, but there was not much progress in theory. It was not until Shen Kuo in the Northern Song Dynasty that he developed the theory to examine foreign trade issues from the perspective of the feudal state economy, combining production, monopoly, currency circulation, etc. He started from the perspective of foreign trade. We used trade relations to analyze the copper coin outflow problem at that time, and then used trade relations to deduce and predict, and use this to propose suggested solutions.

And under the influence of the current Hussar, the causal development of commerce makes even Jiangdong seem to still feel the cold wind of winter as spring approaches.

The price of goods from the Western Regions was so high that the cold wind blew to Jiangdong.

For most Jiangdong people, everything that happens in the Central Plains seems very far away. The closest things to Jiangdong people are their own rice bowls and the clothes they wear.

This year, Jiangdong was hit by a disaster.

According to the concept of the Jiangdong nobles, isn't it normal to make up for the losses? Classmate Lao Sang was able to pacify Huai back then. Is there no reason why the Jiangdong gentry ruling class doesn't understand now? Therefore, the two Zhang Gongs, as the leaders of internal affairs, used a huge force to promote the food from outside the disaster area and transported it to the disaster area where food prices soared.

Is there any problem with doing this?

Normally, there is no problem. After all, it is also a virtue of Chinese simplicity that one side is in trouble and all sides support it.

But the problem is that among this simple virtue are those who are not so simple...

If it is purely disaster relief, there will naturally be no problem, but while providing disaster relief, are there still people who want to make a little fortune?

Anyway, it doesn’t make much difference if the victims have more mouths or less, but can I have more opportunities with my little money? At the same time, food prices are being driven up in the disaster areas, and they are taking the opportunity to stock up on everything. Not only food, but also other supplies, such as salt, vinegar, sauce, and medicine...

Anyway, it seems that everything needed in the disaster area can be stocked.

To get rich, what kind of conscience do you need?

Small coins are the cutest.

Anyway, Jiangdong is so big, something will happen every once in a while, either a famine here or a typhoon over there. There is no peaceful time. Disasters come and disasters go. Those in Guizhou are just like weeds. Will the clumps continue to grow randomly?

dead?

When will no one die?

Wouldn't it mean that if more untouchables die, there will be fewer untouchables causing trouble?

Ever since, problems have arisen. On the one hand, the victims were not well resettled and did not receive the materials that were supposed to be distributed to them. On the other hand, the other party was unscrupulously recruiting people from other areas in the name of disaster relief. For those people who are slightly dissatisfied, they are arrested, arrested, detained, and even sentenced.

However, the distant disaster area and the chaotic Wuling did not affect the life in Wujun, a large city in Jiangdong, especially the gentry children in Wujun.

Just like Zhang Hong.

Carefree and nourishing.

Since Sun Quan "retired to the second line", as the second-in-command in internal affairs, besides assisting Zhang Zhao, Zhang Hong's life is undoubtedly very comfortable...

Zhang Hong is now sitting in an elegant room of a restaurant facing the street in Wujun.

Zhang Hong likes to keep a low profile.

This restaurant is also very low-key.

But being low-key does not mean being simple, nor can it be said that being low-key means being close to the people.

During this period of time, he always felt that something was wrong, but after thinking about it, he couldn't think of anything. Feeling depressed, he came to this restaurant, drank some wine, ate some fish meat, and had a brief meal. Relax.

This restaurant is famous for its fish dumplings, but it doesn't have a famous name. Even the signboard only has a picture of a fish.

Regular customers call this restaurant Happy Fish.

Zhang Hong came. Although he was wearing casual clothes, the shopkeeper still recognized him and greeted him hurriedly. He asked the chef to come and cook for Zhang Hong, put hot towels on the washbasin, and arranged the decorations. Some dried fruit snacks were served, and there were even two kinds of wine, one was iced peach wine, and the other was rice wine warmed in a clay oven.

Amidst the attentive service of the store clerk, the master chef in the store got the news and came with the carefully selected live fish. Because the Han Dynasty did not have the preservation technology of later generations, the fish and meat were eaten freshly and basically nothing was frozen, just for the sake of freshness.

As for why Zhang Hong likes to eat fish and dumplings, we have to look at where Zhang Hong is originally from...

As a "high-end" fish dumpling for Zhang Hong, not only the fish must be big and lively, but also the dining utensils are specially customized. Although it is only the fish dumpling, there are more than a dozen kinds of tableware to match it. , Linlin laid out a table full of various pickled ingredients.

There were ivory chopsticks, silver plates, gold wine bottles, and two female actresses standing by to serve Zhang Hong at any time.

The waiter brought a copper basin filled with ice water.

The master's hands and feet were quick and he first put the live fish into the ice water. When the fish was slightly stiff, he took the live fish and started working in the ice water on the spot, removing the scales and fishy film, and then quickly cleaned it again. There wasn't too much blood, and he didn't open the belly of the fish. He just put the fish on a piece of ice while the fish was unconscious, and used a knife as thin as a cicada to cut off two pieces from the fish. fish meat, and then cut two pieces of fish meat into fish breasts.

After picking one side of the fish, he picked the other side again. Then the master threw the fish with the meat on both sides back into the basin again, only to see that the fish was originally turned belly up. But after a while, the tail moved, turned over, and began to swim in the water with its whole body.

The fish meat is almost transparent, spread flat on the black clay plate, and the slightly pink fish meat shows a unique pattern.

In this meal, the fish meat is the most essential part of the fish. The head, tail, intestines and the like are not eaten.

"Wonderful. Zhang Hong nodded, "It's pleasing to the eye, nothing more than that!" Happy fish, skills are almost like art! 』

The master smiled honestly, bowed to Zhang Hong, and retreated. It seems very simple. It is nothing more than taking the fish meat and cutting the fish into fillets. However, in order to ensure that when the fish is taken alive, the texture or taste of the fish will not be affected by the struggle of the fish or the increase in temperature. Being destroyed, the whole process was carried out in ice water or ice. His hands were red from the cold, and the calluses on his fingers were thick. He didn't know how many years he had been working and how many fish he had slaughtered before he could practice this. Such craftsmanship at the moment.

Zhang Hong picked up a piece of crystal fish meat, looked at it first, then put it into his mouth and savored it carefully.

The actress on the side quickly stepped forward and poured Zhang Hong some peach wine.

Zhang Hong obviously thought the taste was very good, shaking his head and feeling happy. Perhaps the only shortcoming was that the wine glass of peach wine was not made of white jade...

After finishing the fish dumplings and eating some other delicacies, Zhang Hong was full of wine and food. The slight worries and messy thoughts in his heart were temporarily put aside.

"Mr. Zhang," the shopkeeper laughed, and said beside him as he sent Zhang Hong out, "Is Mr. Zhang satisfied with the use?" There is something that I dare not hide. The cost of the meal has increased a bit now... It is not easy to run a small business, so... I have no choice but to follow the market... I hope Zhang Gonghai will understand..."

The shopkeeper laughed along with him, fearing that Zhang Hong would be angry.

Generally speaking, if it is a general price fluctuation, the shopkeeper will not specifically tell Zhang Hong, but the question now is whether it is a general fluctuation...

Zhang Hong didn't pay for his meals. Well, of course it didn't mean that Zhang Hong was eating the King's meal, but it was customary to settle the bill at the end of the month. The amount of food you eat is put on the account, and then at the end of the month, the store owner sends someone to Zhang Hong's house to reconcile the account with the steward and withdraw the money.

This is also the settlement method for most noble clansmen. Even when the servants in their mansions need to purchase some public items for the mansion, they mostly have to pay. On the one hand, ordinary people are not good at arithmetic at all, and they may not be able to do it clearly with ten fingers. On the other hand, it also shows that the nobles have dignity and do not worry about some stupid things every day.

Zhang Hong was naturally in trouble after eating this meal. The shopkeeper stepped forward to explain that it was just because the price of Pu Tao wine had risen too high during this period, so the price was much more expensive than before. He had to explain it to Zhang Hong to avoid having to explain it when the account was reconciled. Not sure.

"The price of peach wine has increased?" I know..." Zhang Hong didn't pay much attention at first, but after walking out for a few steps, the worries that had settled because of the delicious food suddenly started to rise again!

Zhang Hong suddenly felt something bad.

After Zhang Hong left the fish and meat shop, he visited some markets and discovered this problem.

Up!

But the problem is that after it rises...

No matter how much the price of peach wine has increased, no matter how high the price of Parsley spices are, no matter how much goods come in, they are sold out almost immediately!

Are the Jiangdong nobles really so rich?

Is rose peach wine a necessity? Can’t we live without it? Is there no substitute?

Obviously not.

So obviously these children of Jiangdong gentry are so rich, why do the victims never get good resettlement?

Zhang Hong even had some not-so-good associations.

After thinking about it, Zhang Hong found Zhang Zhao.

Zhang Zhao welcomed Zhang Hong and sat down in the hall.

In terms of age, Zhang Hong is older than Zhang Zhao.

Although both of them have the surname Zhang, they are not closely related, just like Zhang Fei and Zhang Liao.

Zhang Hong said straight to the point: "Jiangdong was affected by the disaster, but the prices of goods in the Western Region were high, but they were still sold out!" Does Zibu know these things? 』

Zhang Zhao nodded, and then said with some reference: "Not only is the price of peach wine in the Western Regions high, but the price of Jiangbei war horses is also high..."

As for wine, of course scribes drank it, and of course warriors also drank it, but for war horses, scribes did not have much demand...

Zhang Hong's main job is strategic planning, while Zhang Zhao prefers practical matters arrangement. The two of them cooperate seamlessly, without any disputes or conflicts.

Zhang Hong really didn't notice the increase in prices of commodities from the Western Regions at the first time. Not everyone is very sensitive to external affairs. In addition, during this period, some areas of Jiangdong were hit by disasters, and then there was a rebellion in Wuling area. Most of Zhang Hong's attention was focused on the interior of Jiangdong...

In the Jiangdong disaster area, the nobles scolded Wuling, who was not affected by the disaster but was better off than the disaster, for being ignorant, inhumane, and devoid of sympathy, for resisting the increase in taxes, and taking the opportunity to hoard all kinds of food and supplies in exchange for all kinds of money. resources, and even human lives.

Gentlemen, if you don't take advantage of disasters to get rich, how can you get rich? This is called taking advantage of his illness to kill him!

If they couldn't get rich suddenly, how could the noble family members buy the increasingly expensive Western Rose Peach Wine and Anxiang spices?

Zhang Hong frowned and was silent for a long time before saying, "Nowadays, there are many victims in Jiangdong, and the people in Jiangdong are very extravagant... This is a sign of deviation from the upper and lower levels..."

At this moment, Zhang Hong didn't know whether he really didn't think about it or whether he didn't care at all. Anyway, he didn't think there was anything wrong with him just eating some expensive fish and drinking some rose peach wine. Instead, he felt that the Jiangdong gentry's children were too It's outrageous...

Normally, if something becomes more and more expensive and is not a necessity, then various cheap alternatives will inevitably appear. Even if the effect is not as good as the original product, as long as the price is low, it is acceptable. For example, if peach wine is expensive, then other golden wines, corn wines, etc., will it become impossible to drink them?

So if the market is normal, then the price should have gone up, but if no one buys it, there will be no sales, and then the price of this type of item will slowly drop again...

But now the prices of apple wine, Parthian spices and other items continue to rise, but there are still sales, and the sales are not small. What does this mean?

Zhang Zhao glanced at Zhang Hong slightly, then stroked his beard and said, "Qin's school affairs have gone to Wuling..."

"who? ah! "Zhang Hong's eyes suddenly tightened, "Zibu means..."

If Zhang Zhao hadn't said it, Zhang Hong wouldn't have known about it at all. This shows that Qin Bo did not go through the normal document dispatch channel when he went to Wuling, which means that he went through another line, which is a direct military order.

Zhang Zhao pondered for a moment, then sighed softly, "The Governor...it seems like he is arranging funeral arrangements..."