The night before departure, Lu Xu, who always fell asleep, suffered from insomnia.
He stared at Yan Junqi's sleeping face all night, and set out early the next morning with a pair of dark circles under his eyes.
The team going to the northern border went first, and Lu Xuan and Luo Chun took the remaining people and left half a day later.
Lu Xu got on the mule cart and waved to his younger brothers and sisters who were waving to him. When he met Yan Junqi's deep gaze, he froze inexplicably. He wanted to ask something, but he didn't know how to ask. What he wanted to say, but he didn't know how to say it. .
The words were so poor that even though my lips moved several times, not a single word came out.
Yan Junqi handed him a newly made blank booklet and said with a gentle smile as usual: "Be careful on the road."
"Um."
Lu Xu boarded the carriage at Lu Qing's urging. The mule carriage traveled far away, and the people seeing him off were getting farther and farther away.
After leaving the city, Lu Xu supported the goods and stood on the car. He stuck his head out from the tall goods and looked back at the gradually blurring figures across the long official road.
Lu Qing asked: "What's wrong?"
Lu Xu: "It's okay."
Lu Qing: “Can’t bear to leave home?”
Lu Xu remained silent.
Lu Qing laughed at him a few times, thinking he deserved it.
If Lu Xu had only delivered food to the northern border on his last trip and not bothered so much on the way, he would no longer have to make this trip in a hurry.
The people seeing him off could no longer be seen, and Guanyang City was also obscured by the shadow of the trees. Lu Xu sat back in the car and pinched the new brochure Yan Junqi made.
The first few pages and last few pages of the booklet were rolled up last time. This time Yan Junqi made a cloth cover for him.
Lu Xu stuffed the pamphlet into his pocket and leaned against the goods on the mule cart, dazed.
Lu Xu's mood was not very high along the way. When he arrived at the small inn built by the Luo family for dinner, his mood did not rise.
Normally, Lu Xu would have already taken advantage of the meal time to run over and give advice to others.
Lu Qing had never seen him look so wilted before, so he considered finding a doctor in Wenqiu County to see if he was sick.
It wasn't until there was no inn to stay in on the road and Lu Xu went to the village where he stayed to stay overnight to send flags that he felt a little more energetic.
The next day there was no trace of sadness. Lu Qing left him in the middle of the mule cart and went to the front to clear the way.
They rushed all the way to Wenqiu County, which was more than a day shorter than last time.
Lu Xu took the letter given to him by the county magistrate and visited the county government office. He also tried his best to persuade Wenqiu County Magistrate to organize merchants to go to Guanyang to purchase goods.
"Guanyang is a small town, but the wharf is not too small. All cargo ships going to the state capital pass through Guanyang. Purchasing from Guanyang is much cheaper than going to the state capital."
The accompanying Wenqiu merchants smiled bitterly, how could they not know.
People from the two small towns next to Guanyang County usually don't come to Wenqiu County. They all go to Guanyang to buy things.
But the situation in the county is different.
It's not cost-effective to mobilize an army and mobilize a large number of people just for such a small advantage.
"We Wenqiu are no better than Guanyang, and we are not afraid of Master Lu's jokes. We are already among the bigger Wenqiu families..."
"Yes, even if we are tied together, we are not even half as good as Master Lu."
As they talked, several people became a little jealous.
It’s not like they haven’t been to Guanyang before.
When I went there two years ago, where was there any Guanyang Alliance?
There was also this Lu Xu, who popped up out of nowhere and was not even older than their children and grandchildren, and he actually knocked down the Guanyang Boat Gang.
Jealousy.
Not even jealous.
"It's not like we haven't considered going to Guanyang to buy goods, but..."
Several people laughed and shook their heads.
"When we arrived in Guanyang, those big cargo ships were not willing to delay their trip for a few small businessmen to unload their ships."
Those who are willing to stop in Guanyang to sell goods are mainly small traders. Those big ships that go directly to the state capital don't even dock in Guanyang.
Of course Lu Xu knows this, but isn't he a living example? The merchant house where he bought the porcelain was not willing to talk to them in Guanyang in the past. I heard that he had bought out all the local porcelain in Guanyang, so didn't they come to him anyway?
The goods Lu Xu picked out from him were all high-end goods. They were all in the second team and were going to Qinglong City for sale.
Lu Xu: "If a few of them don't work, then look for a few more. Chongning and Huixian are not far away. Wouldn't it be better to join with a few more?"
Several people looked at each other.
Lu Xu: "There are few big shops in Wenqiu County. You can also look for the towns below. The sum of so many villages and towns is quite impressive."
"Village?"
"How many things can a village or town ask for..."
Lu Xu: "Don't underestimate the villages and towns. This is how our Guanyang Alliance was started. You can wholesale as much as you can sell in retail! If you want more, won't the price be negotiated?"
Luxu Balabala told them how the Guanyang Alliance went directly to villages and towns to open grocery stores and deliver goods.
Several people:"……"
He spoke so carefully that even Wenqiu County Magistrate and County Lieutenant frequently looked at him sideways.
Is this kid stupid?
Teach all this?
Lu Xu didn't care at all and talked about everything he knew.
They went to Guanyang, but they were not allowed to eat or live in Guanyang? Can't incoming goods be handled by Guanyang's staff?
The more people there, the better. Everyone in Guanyang can make money from the dock. Only when everyone becomes rich can Guanyang prosper.
What's the use of making money alone? No matter how much money he makes alone, he can't move a city.
Only when ordinary people have money to spend and are willing to wear new clothes and eat meat can more businessmen gather in Guanyang, transport more good things to Guanyang, provide education for more children, and cultivate more people.
When the time comes, no matter what new book Jun Qi and Lu Zhou want to read, they don't need to ask Miao Hongyin to find someone to go to the state capital to buy it.
If Guanyang is prosperous, his relatives in Guanyang will have an easier time making a living than before, even if they are not smart, honest and stupid.
It’s not a big deal to grow vegetables! There are many people in the city, so there is a lot of money to eat and drink!
Lu Xu paid a visit to the state capital, and felt that water transport was as convenient as their view of the sun. Isn’t it just that there were so many people in the city?
If the state capital can do it, so will they in the future.
Lu Xu enthusiastically gave advice to several merchants, and after finishing the meal, those merchants were actually convinced.
Lu Xu: "Don't worry about safety, everyone. Our Longxing is no better than Shuozhou. There are no bandits and the roads are easy to travel. The county magistrate is also planning to join us in Guanyang and Chongning to send officials to protect the trade routes."
County magistrate: "..."
The county captain coughed violently.
They haven't agreed yet!
Lu Xu smiled at them, "Of course, Wenqiu County is not as densely populated as Guanyang, and there are fewer officers and soldiers. When I came, I heard the news that our county magistrate is willing to bear this major expenditure."
Magistrate Wenqiu moved his eyelids and said calmly: "Since it is joint maintenance, how can we let your county spend money?"
Lu Xu: "Your Excellency, if the trade route is smooth, Guanyang will definitely benefit in the future. This is mutual benefit and win-win, and we, Guanyang, take the lead, so we should bear more burdens."
Magistrate Wenqiu's smile became brighter again.
Guanyang had already sent someone to deliver a letter, inviting Wenqiu and Chongning to work together to maintain this trade route. He was moved, but Wenqiu and Chongning were not as poor as Guanyang. They were poor!
To patrol along the way, at least two groups of people would be sent. Each person is not many, which adds up to a lot of expenses for a year.
But now that Lu Xu said this, regardless of whether the Guanyang County Magistrate had this intention before, he can mention it in the future. Anyway, it’s what you Guanyang people said themselves, and he just listens to suggestions.
Tomorrow he will send someone to deliver a letter to Chongning, asking Chongning County to send someone to talk to Magistrate Wang in Guanyang with him.
Seeing that the county magistrate did not deny it, several businessmen in Wenqiu became even more excited.
Lu Xu struck while the iron was hot: "It's the right time now. It's not as cold as Shuozhou in Longxing, and it's still far away from the heavy snow blocking the road. It won't take long for you to make a round trip. Why not take advantage of the time to stock up for the winter and go visit first?" Try Yang?"
Lu Xusheng seemed to be afraid that they would encounter difficulties along the way. He also introduced where to stay on the way and how much it would cost to eat. He also wrote a letter to them, asking them to find Luo Shen and Lu Wen if they encountered any trouble in Guanyang. .
Lu Wen knew he was related to Lu Xu as soon as he heard it, "Who is this Luo Shen?"
"Oh, he is the commander of our Guanyang Yamen."
The county captain on the side said: "Is he the nephew of Luo County Lieutenant?"
"Yes! It's him."
When several businessmen heard this, they were able to go directly to the nephew of the county captain. How reliable!
In Wenqiu, it was not every day that they could have a relationship with the county captain.
The leader received the letter, thanked Lu Xu, and promised to organize people to try to watch the sun in the next few days.
After the first banquet, the bearded county lieutenant invited Lu Xu to join in the second banquet. This time there were only Lu Xu, Lu Qing and the Luo family.
Because of the friendship from last time, this drink is far more intimate than the first one.
The county captain also asked why Luo Chun didn't come.
Lu Xu: "He and my brother are behind. My main purpose on this trip is to deliver food to the Northern Army. Their trip is for serious business."
The county captain was shocked by his news, "Northern Army?"
Lu Xu smiled like he was drunk, showed him the token of the Northern Border Army, and shyly boasted that he was familiar with the Northern Border Army!
It's hard for him to show off with tokens when he's sober. Isn't he drunk?
Drunk bragging is uncontrolled and all he says is drunken talk. Whether he is lying or telling the truth while drunk, whether you believe it or not, he can deny it afterwards!
How can a sensible person hold a drunkard accountable?
Lu Xu boasted with drunken eyes, "I've taken care of everything in the north! Don't worry, this trade route will definitely work. We are all our own people, can I lie to you? Hurry up and invest as soon as possible!"
After bragging until curfew was almost over, the county captain sent someone to take them back to the inn. Lu Xu staggered around and asked the soldiers to send the soldier who led them last time tomorrow. He was going to Xiaobing's hometown to buy wine!
The county captain also staggered around: "Okay!"
They said goodbye reluctantly and were helped back. One entered the county government office and the other entered the inn before closing the door. No one else was around. They healed themselves without taking any medicine. They stood up straight without drinking any sobering tea. Just do what you have to do.
The county lieutenant went to repeat this to the county magistrate, focusing on Lu Xu's northern border army token and the subsequent larger caravan.
Lu Xu borrowed pen and ink to write a letter to Yan Junqi, writing down his thoughts about trade routes and the future that came to his mind today.
When the time came to use the book, he regretted not practicing it. When the time came to use it, he regretted not practicing it. Lu Xu was full of words, and when it came to writing, he scratched his head and scratched his head.
With Yan Junqi's familiarity with him, he would definitely be able to guess what he wrote!
Lu Xu wrote and drew guiltily, and wrote the homonymous words that he knew how to write on the side with small charcoal characters.
Who could understand that he would have to annotate a letter by himself? Lu Xu wrote until midnight, thinking that he must study hard this winter and at least learn a few thousand commonly used words.
The author has something to say:
Lu Xu (reciting silently): I am illiterate, I am illiterate, I am illiterate.
Our Xiao Lu is slowly enlightening - (not just learning)
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