Coming out of the restaurant, Du Zhongxiao said to Feng Yuan beside him: "Feng Yuanwai, I have seen the fur merchants in Bingzhou City, what do you think of this matter?" ”

Feng Yuan sighed: "According to the small one, these merchants have not seen tanned fur with their own eyes, and they don't believe it in their hearts. They can't trust it, but I'm afraid that this yard will not be easy to build. The official said well, this kind of business is that the more merchants gather, the better. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "We want to build a freight yard to develop the fur industry, not to sell it to people in this city, but to sell it elsewhere, so we need merchants to gather, and business can be done." But don't worry, the key to the yard is not the fur merchant, but the tanner. Imagine how many furs you sell, you can find enough craftsmen here to make raw hides and mature skins quickly and well, will you open a shop here? Therefore, these merchants in Bingzhou City are shallow-eyed, and they themselves have lost the opportunity. If there are enough tanners, and they don't come, won't you, the foreign merchants, come? There is the support of the government in the freight yard, and there is no need to pay attention to the guild. ”

Feng Yuan was overjoyed when he heard this, and said, "Xie Guanren cultivates!" ”

Du Zhongxiao made it clear that the gathering of merchants at the freight yard was voluntary, and the government would not forcibly relocate. But the yard wasn't built for fur traders, at its core was the ability to tann leather. As long as enough artisans are gathered there to form a strong fur processing capacity, merchants will rush to move there. The merchants in the city do not support it, and Du Zhongxiao does not mind using the power in his hands to provide convenience to merchants from other places.

A few people went out of Shouning Fang, and when they arrived at the Prime Minister's Fang, Du Zhongxiao said to Tao Seventeen: "You go back to the state to call Qi Kongmu, and I will wait at the tea shop over there." ”

Tao Seventeen forked his hand and turned to go.

Du Zhongxiao took Feng Yuan and the three of them to the tea shop to sit down, and said, "If the fur merchant is willing, the tanner can't do this." Whether the yard can do it or not depends on them, these people are more difficult to talk to than the fur merchants. ”

Feng Yuan nodded, feeling the same way. When he was in Yongli Prison, it could be seen from Zhong Ada. Their business is good, a small business, more than food and clothing, the store is home, and they don't want to move easily.

Several people drank tea in the tea shop for more than half an hour, and Qi Kongmu and Tao Qiqi hurried over.

Qi Kongmu stepped forward to salute, and Du Zhongxiao said: "I want to build a fur yard in the city, and I will work hard." ”

After speaking, he told him about his plan to build a freight yard in Shouningfang and the situation of finding the fur merchants in the city. He added: "The key to the yard is the tanning craftsmen, these people are no more than the fur merchants, they are all small businesses, and it is impossible to persuade them to come to the yard." ”

Qi Kongmu, these public officials, and his direct boss was Du Zhongxiao, who was in charge of the embassy, and at this time he knew it in his heart, and arched his hand: "What do the officials want?" But there is an order, and the little one will never give up! ”

Du Zhongxiao smiled: "It's not a big deal. Since the tanners could not be invited, they had to arrange errands. Thou hast commanded all the tanners of the city and of Yangqu County, Yuci County, and Yongli Prison to take turns to serve in the freight yard. Make it clear to them that this errand is a hire, not a strong one. During the errand period, the rice is counted every day, and there is still a salary in the future. It's up to you how much you want, and remember not to be mean to these people. In addition, you will send another hundred men from within the army of the city. Be young and strong, not old, weak, sick and disabled. ”

Qi Kongmu agreed one by one.

Du Zhongxiao said: "Okay, remember this." Now go and fetch the head of the tanners of the city, and I'll ask you here. ”

Qi Kongmu agreed and hurriedly went.

The tanners were a guild of small producers, less pompous than the fur merchants. Du Zhongxiao waited for more than an hour before he saw three people following Qi Kongmu and arriving at the tea shop.

The first one was an old man with gray hair and beard, a thin body, and wearing a sheepskin jacket. A strong man in the back, with a shiny face, followed behind with his arms dangling. The last one is a white-faced officer, who looks like Sven.

When they arrived at the tea shop, several people saluted Du Zhongxiao together.

Ordering a few people to sit down, Du Zhongxiao said: "The weather is cold, and it is the season for fur trafficking. I have discussed with the governor of the state to build a fur yard in this city, and I have come to you today. The three of you are the leaders of the city, I don't know what to call them? ”

The little old man in front arched his hand and said: "The little Hong Futong, Cheng Yamen and his peers carry love, and manage the tanning business in the north of the city." This big man is Cui Liyan, who is in charge of the west of the city. The white-faced man was Li Song, who was in charge of the east of the city. Whatever the rulers want us to do, even though they are told. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "To build a fur yard, you must lead merchants to go, and there must be a reason. Now I want to set up a fur tanning yard there, and you will take turns to go on errands. Rest assured, the field work is all hired and the money and food will be distributed. You three leaders, go back and make arrangements, and divide the craftsmen into three rounds, and replace them every day. In other words, if the excuse is not bad, the yamen will be severely punished! ”

Hong Futong looked at the other two and arched his hand: "The officials are pitiful!" Now is the season of good business, if you go to the yamen on an errand, won't you miss food and clothing? Why don't you wait for the first half of the year when the business is not so busy, and then start? ”

Du Zhongxiao said with a smile: "You also know that now is the time to do the fur business, if you don't do it now, what's the use of asking you in half a year!" When you go to the freight yard on an errand, you will be given money and food, how can you miss your food and clothing. In my estimation, the average craftsman will not get less money and food than he can do business on his own. ”

Hong Futong shook his head: "Why should the officials bully our small people with little knowledge? The yamen distributed so much money and food, and hired it, so why bother to take turns? ”

"It was originally and hire, I didn't make it clear! It's just that time is urgent, so I won't let you take turns, where can I find so many people. In addition, the freight yard was newly built, there was no business to do, and the money and grain could not be distributed. I mean what I say, don't speculate. ”

Hong Futong shook his head, obviously not believing Du Zhongxiao's words, looked at the other two, and said nothing.

Li Song, a white-faced officer, arched his hand: "Official, don't hide it, we craftsmen don't have much business, and we get some goods every day to feed our family." If you go to the yamen on an errand, the family will have no food, and the officials will be pitied. ”

Du Zhongxiao looked at Qi Kongmu and said to Li Song: "Since you started on an errand, I have sent grain and rice to ensure that you have no worries about eating, so you don't have to worry about it." If this yard is built, I don't know how many fur merchants will gather and merge with the state, and you will have the same good business there! ”

Cui Liyan, who has not spoken, said: "Officials, we craftsmen are not as good as those who do business, and we rely on our hands to eat. No matter how many fur merchants there are in the city, we can only do so much work, what additional benefit is there? I also hope that the officials will remember that it is not easy for us to find food, so let's stop this errand. ”

Du Zhongxiao took a breath and shook his head secretly, feeling that he had nothing to say to these people. How is it possible for artisans to come together and still let them produce the same as before? Under the agglomeration effect, the efficiency is increased by many times. By that time, they would certainly have made more money. But this kind of thing can't be said to make them believe, and it is a waste of tongue to say more.

Standing up, Du Zhongxiao aligned with Kong Mu and said, "Kong Mu, I have clearly instructed the matter, you can arrange it." I still have something to go back to the yamen to report to Zhizhou, so I won't delay you. ”

After speaking, he greeted Tao Seventeen and Thirteen Lang and went straight away.

Looking at the back of Du Zhongxiao's departure, Hong Futong and the three of them looked at each other, not knowing what to do. originally thought that Du Zhongxiao was looking for them to discuss, but he didn't expect to leave like this.

Qi Kongmu coughed and said to the three people: "This is the official who signed the judgment in this state, and he is in charge of the government affairs of a state, and I don't know how many important things to be busy!" Today, I came to you to talk to each other with good words, but you pushed back and didn't give face to the officials! ”

The three of them were so frightened that they hurriedly surrendered their hands, and they didn't dare to say anything.

Qi Kongmu said: "Du Guanren did this thing for the benefit of you, don't you know?" Confused! When there are more fur merchants, you can take more apprentices and expand your business, how can you say that it is not beneficial? The yard has really been built, and you are the ones who benefit the most! ”

Hong Futong said curtly: "Kongmu, we all rely on our crafts to eat, no matter how much business we have, we can only accept so much, what about the more fur merchants in the city?" Du Guanren may be kind, but they don't know how we do things. ”

Qi Kongmu had a straight face, expressionless on his face, and said categorically: "The official is a Jinshi, and he has seen a lot more than you, and the officials you can think of must have thought of it a long time ago!" There is no need to discuss this matter again, you just have to go back and arrange, and all the craftsmen will take turns every ten years! I said in the front, this is the first thing the official told me to do when he arrives, which one is messed up, so I don't have to stay in the state! ”

Seeing Qi Kongmu say cruel words, Hong Futong and the three of them didn't dare to say anything again. Du Zhongxiao is an official, and he has many scruples about doing things, and they can keep complaining in front of him and make all kinds of excuses. Qi Kongmu is not so easy to speak, he is in charge of many officials in the yamen, and he will really trouble these craftsmen. Without these means, why would the yamen control all kinds of guilds?

In fact, Qi Kongmu doesn't know what Du Zhongxiao is going to do now. He only knows one thing, this is the first major thing Du Zhongxiao did after he arrived in Bingzhou, and he must not do it in his own hands. Otherwise, I am afraid that I will not be able to keep my position. The public officials are under the jurisdiction of the embassy, and Du Zhongxiao is in charge of the embassy as a signing judge, and he can make himself unable to eat and walk around with a word.

Hong Futong and the three of them discussed in a low voice for a while, unable to think about it, so they had to Qi Kong Mu and said: "Since it is the order of the yamen, the little ones have to obey the order." Then he went back and instructed the craftsmen of the bank to prepare the wheel. When will it begin, but also look at the hole to make it clear. ”

Qi Kongmu nodded: "That's the best." Prepare in advance, and when you are prepared, I will inform you. ”

Hong Futong and the three of them agreed, got up together, said goodbye to Qi Kongmu, and went with a sigh. The errand servants from the government did not dare to disobey, but it is a pity that when the business was at its best this year, when they encountered this kind of thing, they all complained about Du Zhongxiao in their hearts.