From Dongshengzhou to Tanglong Town, soon after crossing the Yellow River, it enters the mountains, or along the valley, or along the mountain beams, all the way south. This is a road that has existed since ancient times, where there are water springs to rest, where there are villages and towns to replenish grain and grass, and the merchants who often come and go are clear. But this time it was different from before, the merchants from Dongkatsu Prefecture brought a large number of livestock, and it was very difficult to supply them on the road.

The road was not accessible to carts, and the goods were transported by camels and horses. The vast caravan has thousands of livestock, and I don't know how many stories have happened along the way. It is precisely because there are too many livestock that Yelu Buhua and the thousands of good horses stuffed in by others can fish with their hands. They were not an army, and they could not afford to requisition grain and grass from the nearby Tibetan tribes, and some small merchants complained bitterly.

After three days, the procession was getting longer and longer, leaving behind the undersupplied caravan and grazing for most of the day.

On a hill, a young man dressed in a beard was as irritable as thunder and cursed endlessly. A businessman beside him whispered persuasion, his face full of helplessness. It wasn't until the young man was tired of scolding that the merchant sighed and left.

When they arrived at the resting place, another merchant asked, "Brother, what did that little prince scold just now?" ”

The previous merchant said: "Just now I went to the big caravan over there to buy some concentrates, and I didn't want to think that in a few days, their prices would triple up." We brought more than two hundred horses, how can we afford them? The little prince listened and cursed there. He brings all good horses, if he wants to sell them at a good price in Tanglong Town, he must feed the concentrate, how can this money be spent without pain! ”

The two men sighed as they spoke. They are merchants in the Western Regions, their ancestors are Han people who lived there, and they have been doing business between the Western Regions and Datong Mansion in Xijing along the trade routes of the northern steppes for many years, and they are familiar with the grassland tribes. At this time, the trade route of the Western Regions was one south and one north, and the south road passed through the land of Tubo into Qinzhou of the Song Dynasty and traded with the Central Plains. The north road is along the north of Yinshan, through the Yinshan White Road south into Fengzhou, and then to Xijing Datong Mansion, and Khitan trade.

Since the fall of the Righteous Army, the Western Regions have been completely isolated from the Central Plains, where the legend of the splendid Central Plains has always been circulated. The greatest wish of the merchants on the trade route was to be able to trade directly with the Central Plains. As a place of trade, Tanglong Town opened a window to the merchants of the Western Regions on the North Road. The scale of this caravan is so large, and these merchants from the Western Regions who observe the direction of the wind are indispensable.

The little prince was the son of the leader of the Dangxiang Tibetan tribe near Yinshan, and was picked up by these merchants and brought horses to Tanglong Town. The area around Tanglong Town was originally a gathering center of the Tibetan Cai people, and the little prince thought that he had come here to visit relatives, and his heart was very high. But when he didn't want to be in Dongshengzhou, he was looked down upon by the Khitans, and finally went to the mountains, and met these profiteers who sat on the ground and raised prices, and he was extremely depressed.

From the north of Tanglong Town to Yinshan, the Dangxiang ethnic group accounts for the majority of the population and is divided into many tribes. Further north, it is the territory of the Tatars, because the Mongols were taboo in history, and later generations were called Divination. The Fan Department who came to Tanglong Town this time was mainly party members. Since the Khitan conquest here, they have rebelled infrequently and are relatively independent. These party clans, because of the relationship of history, have a feud with the Tuoba Department that established the Xia State, although Yuan Hao recruited in every possible way, there are not many of them. However, decades ago, when the envoys of the Song Dynasty passed through them, 70,000 accounts returned to the Song. These party clans are emotionally close to the party members in the three states of Linfeng Prefecture, and they are most interested in Tanglong Town's opening of commerce.

When the front caravan entered Tanglong Town, the last one was still a hundred miles away, and it was bitter due to the lack of grain and grass.

The titular lord of Tanglong Town came to Zhongping and brought his men to meet at the city gate. He combed his Han hair in a bun, wore party clothes, and frequently gave his hands.

A big man with bearded hair and a beard walked in front of the caravan, swaggering, and when he arrived at the city gate, he sang a promise with Lai Zhongping, beckoned to look at the sky, and said loudly: "Sprinkle the family Bailian, it is under the management of Yelu Taiwei, who is in charge of grain and grass in Dongsheng Prefecture, and he has come here to trade." There is a steward in the city, take me to him. ”

Lai Zhongping accompanied him and said with a smile: "In Zhongping, the world guards Tanglong Town——"

Bai Lian said impatiently: "What? Since the thieves from the west have taken captive to Shoushun, will this place still be under your control? When he came, the captain said that everything here is the decision of Du Zhijun of the Volcano Army, and if you want to come to the city, take me to see it quickly! ”

Coming to the Central Plains, he turned to look at a Han official, his face full of helplessness. The man nodded, came to Zhongping to lead the way, and entered the city with Bai Lian.

Du Zhongxiao sat in the official hall with Zhang Qi, listened to the soldier's report, was stunned for a moment, and then smiled at Zhang Qi: "It was originally agreed with the Khitan that this is a city of trade. When you get here, it's the businessmen who call the shots, and the government doesn't interfere. How do you listen to the meaning of the Khitans, are they officials and businessmen? ”

Zhang Qi also smiled: "Now the biggest owner of the goods in the city is the Yamen of the Volcano Army, and we are not the same as officials and businessmen." ”

Du Zhongxiao thought for a while and shook his head: "That's right." However, we avoid suspicion, and we do not let the government come forward, hire people and businessmen, and talk to businessmen who do business. How can the Khitan people know so much about things, and they don't even do façade work. ”

The Volcano Army's businesses in Tanglong Town are all in private names, and on the surface they seem to have nothing to do with the government. If the government is still doing business with the government, it is just another place, how can we talk about a free trade city? However, Du Zhongxiao did not expect that among the Khitan merchants who came, none of them had anything to do with the Khitan government, all of them were private trade, and they were just borrowing the name of the Khitan official.

Knowing that if he didn't come forward, he would inevitably be uneven when he came to Zhongping, Du Zhongxiao said goodbye to Zhang Qi and went to the side hall next to him.

When they arrived at the Yamen, they had their own soldiers and took Bai Lian and others in, and they still went to the city gate to meet the caravan.

When he arrived at the side hall, Bai Lian saw a young official sitting on the main seat, wearing civilian clothes, thinking that it was Du Zhongxiao, and stepped forward to sing a promise.

Du Zhongxiao ordered to give a seat, and said to Bai Lian: "It's hard work from afar. Don't know what to call it? ”

Bai Lian said: "The small name is Bai Lian, who is the director of the Yelu Taiwei who is in charge of the grain and grass of the army in Dongsheng Prefecture, and this time I was ordered by the Taiwei to do some business here in Tanglong Town. The lieutenant attaches great importance to this trade, and does not dare to make the slightest mistake, and hopes that the army will be completed. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Fair trade in Tanglong Town, some people sell, some people buy, each profit, I don't know what your Taiwei wants me to help?" ”

Bai Jian said: "The small one will do the transaction." Only this time, the caravan brought a lot of horses, and it was the captain who paid for it, so I hope the army will take care of it. The horses must have been sold to the southern country, which one was sold, how much was sold, and what the price was, and the Zhijun wrote them down one by one. After going back, the little one must report to the captain, and there must be no mistake or omission. This matter is urgent, please know the army. ”

Du Zhongxiao's face was displeased: "I have already said that Tanglong Town is a free trade city, no business tax is charged, and each trades, how can I write down what you said?" If you check it so carefully, where will there be merchants here in the future? ”

Bai Lian said disapprerovingly: "Don't tell the army that I don't have knowledge, the valuable things of horses must be bought by the army——"

Du Zhongxiao waved his hand: "Even if it is bought by the army, it is to send a businessman to come, and it will be settled separately after going back." In the city, merchants buy and sell, and the government does not care. - Director, this is the first transaction, and I sell the captain to save face. Send a few men there, and I will send them to the help of the people of the city, and go around to see how the horses are doing. What the hell is to be written by yourselves, and it has nothing to do with me. ”

Bai Lian didn't give up when he heard this, and asked, "Isn't Zhijun doing business in the city?" ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "The law of this dynasty is not allowed to be like this, I have no business in the city." ”

Bai Lian thought for a while, and then asked: "The Zhijun has no business, so doesn't the government have either?" ”

"Merchants in the city are all merchants, this is the rule of the city."

Hearing this, Bai Lian couldn't help but be stunned, and didn't know what to say for a while. According to the rules of the Khitan, it is inconceivable to do this kind of thing and not participate in it. Just like marching to war, it is natural for Khitan nobles to snatch booty and even slaves. There is no benefit, bothering for what?

This is because the national conditions are different, and the Song Dynasty officials are more generous than the Khitan, and there are more corresponding constraints. Do officials want to benefit themselves? Of course I want to. However, for Song Dynasty officials, it will not be so explicit, and the means are much more hidden. Even Du Zhongxiao also thought that when his father came in a few months, he would make some money from the trade in Tanglong Town, and he would not be like this with Bai Lian.

With power in hand, there are many ways to make money, and it is too ugly to end up directly. When he was merging the state, Du Zhongxiao made a lot of money by building a fur yard, but he didn't do business, so he naturally had other ways.