I, Zhu Youjian: the first prodigal son of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 95 The news of a bottle of wine

The trading market in Black Dragon City was unexpectedly smooth.

Three to five days after the city gate was opened and rumors were released, some Japanese came in with their heads full of leather goods, cod, game and other "mountain goods".

In this regard, Cao Wenzhao has reservations.

The Marquis of Liaodong has always distrusted the Japanese, Jiannu, and Tsarist Russia. He always felt that he was not of my race, and his heart must be different.

Especially for the Japanese, the Ming army has an unforgettable hatred for the so-called 'Japanese pirates'.

Qi Jiguang, Lu Tong, Yu Dayou, Tan Lun... How many years has it been since a generation of famous anti-Japanese generals fell?

Although time has changed and things have changed, many things have been lost in the long river of history and cannot be traced.

But what should be guarded against must be strictly guarded against.

This is Cao Wenzhao's vigilance and bottom line...

……

"Report to Lord Hou, the market opened today to trade with the Japanese, and we received 96 furs, dozens of catties of precious medicinal materials, and five hundred catties of cod."

"Let's exchange out seven catties of tea, three hundred pieces of porcelain, and 850 bottles of spirits."

That night, Mao Pijiang came to report that he would start the first day of trading, and told Cao Wenzhao in detail, he seemed in a good mood.

"How do you price a bottle of wine?" Cao Wenzhao asked thoughtfully: "The Japanese also make wine, and they should have shipped a lot of sake here. Why is our wine so easy to sell?"

Mao Pijiang was stunned for a moment, and said: "According to the price of wine in the capital, it has increased by almost sixteen times."

"Sixteen times the price..." Cao Wenzhao seemed to have thought of something, and muttered, "Could it be that the Japanese also suffered from famine?"

In recent years, the Ming Dynasty has banned the sea, and there is not much news about the Japanese people. Moreover, they often learn about it through the mouths of pirates. Some information may be based on rumors.

"Wine making requires a lot of food. For example, why is the price of the wine in our Ming Dynasty so high in the past two years? It's not because the whole country is suffering from famine, and many places have to implement alcohol prohibition."

Cao Wenzhao pondered for a while, and ordered: "Send a message to Captain Chen Yin, and say that the Marquis has a secret matter to discuss, and ask him to come to Black Dragon City."

If a large-scale famine broke out on the Japanese Island, it would definitely not be good news for Daming.

The reason is very simple, if a famine breaks out in a country or a place, if the imperial court fails to allow the common people to eat a bite of suspense, something big will definitely happen.

Or, the peasants revolt.

Or, just like Jiannu and Beiman, they raised their troops to the south, plundered the towns and villages of Ming Dynasty, and tried to survive their own catastrophe.

"But Lord Hou, just by selling a few hundred more bottles of spirits, is it too arbitrary to judge that a famine broke out on the Japanese island?" Mao Pijiang asked with a frown.

It's only the first day of the market opening, Cao Houye seems to be a little allergic to Japanese people?
Cao Wenzhao smiled and said: "As a general, you must be aware of every detail, and you must not let go of any doubts."

"Even so, how many famous generals in the world have made irreparable mistakes because of lack of vigilance..."

Mao Pijiang seemed to have realized something, nodded, and left.

"After all, I'm still a scholarly spirit, and I lack some experience..." Cao Wenzhao shook his head and smiled wryly.

……

In this way, for more than ten days in a row, more and more Japanese came to Black Dragon City, and the price of spirits also rose slowly according to Cao Wenzhao's order.

If the settlement is based on the value of silver, a bottle of ordinary spirits can be sold at a sky-high price of eight taels of silver, but the supply is still somewhat in short supply.

Even though the climate in the extreme north is cold, what the local residents like most is to warm their bodies with a few sips of wine in ice caves or log cabins after eating animal meat.

However, it is unbelievable to buy wine at such a high price.

Could it be that they are all a bunch of prodigal sons like Zhu Youjian, the idiot emperor in the Forbidden City of Ming Dynasty?

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation.

This abnormal situation made Mao Bijiang gradually suspicious.

So, he simply stopped drinking for a day.

Mao Pijiang told the Japanese people that the wine they brought this time was sold out, and there were only less than [-] bottles left, which would be reserved for the lord to drink.

The Japanese were very disappointed. After selling off some animal skins, herrings, animal bones, etc., they left Black Dragon City dejectedly.

Looking at the empty market, Mao Pijiang smiled wryly and had no choice but to prepare to close.

"Boss, your wine is really not for sale anymore?" Suddenly, a thin Japanese man walked into the 'grocery store' in charge of Mao Pijiang, and said in a low voice: "I will offer a high price, and exchange gold sand for wine!"

Mao Pijiang was slightly taken aback, and said casually: "There are less than [-] bottles left, and I have to leave it to the lord."

"How about this, when the next shipment of wine arrives, I'll sell you a few hundred more bottles, how about it?"

The thin Japanese man hesitated for a moment, and said in blunt Ming Dynasty official dialect: "I exchange gold sand for wine, the price is absolutely sky-high."

Mao Bijiang glanced at the Japanese, and asked curiously: "Just say you Japanese, why are you so addicted to alcohol?"

"Besides, famine is raging everywhere now, and my ship of wine was smuggled out through the lord's relationship."

Mao Bijiang pretended to shake his head and sigh, and started to put on the door panels of the shop.

"Sorry, I'm closing."

"I... exchange gold sand with you for wine, just ten bottles, how about it?" The Japanese looked a little anxious, put his hand on Mao Pijiang's shoulder, and whispered: "Really, I have gold sand!"

While talking, he took out a small leather pouch from his bosom, checked left and right for no one, and then carefully opened it.

A big handful of gold dust.

Are the Japanese people on this island so rich?
Mao Pijiang was puzzled, but smiled bitterly on his face, and said: "There are less than [-] bottles left, I really dare not sell..."

"Sell me ten bottles, and the gold sand will be yours!" The Japanese seemed to have made up their minds and stuffed the small skin into Mao Pijiang's hands.

"In the future, when I... get rich, I won't forget you as a friend!" The Japanese looked around, hesitating to speak.

Mao Pijiang pondered a few times, then smiled helplessly: "You bastard, you have softened my heart."

"Well, I'll charge you half of the gold dust and give you eight bottles of wine."

"You must keep this matter a secret, otherwise, let our lord know, I'm afraid my good days will come to an end."

The thin Japanese man was overjoyed, poured out half of the gold sand in a hurry, hid the eight bottles of wine that Mao Pijiang took out, and then left with gratitude.

When the Japanese left, they pretended to close the door and went to see Cao Wenzhao.

"I know what you said, and I have already sent someone to follow you." After listening to Mao Bijiang's report, Cao Wenzhao said with a smile: "You handled this matter well, and you didn't show any flaws. This Marquis is very satisfied."

Mao Pijiang was stunned for a while, and finally asked: "Does Hou Ye know about this?"

Cao Wenzhao chuckled, and said: "This Black Dragon City is our own territory, how can those Japanese people's every move escape the eyes and ears of this Marquis!"

"Okay, you go to rest first, and I will tell you when there is a result."

Mao Pijiang stretched out his hand and scratched the back of his head, a little confused, turned around and walked out the door.

"According to Ben Hou's speculation, those Japanese are using our wine to exchange a huge deal with the patriarchs and leaders of the wild tribe on the island. Let's just wait to get rich, haha."

Behind him, came Cao Wenzhao's pleasant laughter.

(End of this chapter)