Volume 1 Nightfall Border City Chapter 41 Western Entrance

  Dong Kou Xi Kou and heard in the world, Di Zhe has been mixed in Zhangjiakou for several years, this is still the first time to set foot on the land of Sha Hu Kou.

  People from the East Gate have always looked down on those from the West Gate.

  The eastern route is convenient, adjacent to the capital, and the town is prosperous with many shops. Although Kaihuiguan also has trade, when people from Shanxi think of going west, they first think of large groups of refugees who are barely clothed. Every time there was a famine in Shanxi, tens of thousands of refugees escaped to the grasslands to become slaves for the Tumote people. In the mountains adjacent to the Great Wall, there were also some small paths hidden, and although not all of these people left from Kaihuiguan, the most did, which gave rise to its reputation.

  After entering the pass, Ning Sheng accompanied Di Zhe to look around inside the Kuihu mouth.

  Inside the mouth of the Kill Hu, the Kill Hu Fortress stands on the cliff edge next to the market, and the Cangtou River flows from south to north below the cliff, forming a narrow strip of land that is over 1,000 meters long and 100 meters wide. The market was established in this area. Due to geographical constraints, the market here is much more humble than Zhangjiakou, with only about 20% of the number of shops in Zhangjiakou.

  Kai Hu Kou was first a military fortress! Di Zhe finally understood why everyone said that the east gate had many shops, while the west gate had many refugees.

  Ning Sheng explained to Di Zhe, "This place doesn't look big, but the goods that pass through here every year are not small. Eighty percent of the materials in Guihua City come from this pass."

  "Has Hulingermaz been very rampant?" Xikou is still an unfamiliar place for Di Zhe.

  Ning Sheng nodded and said, "On the road from Hu Kou to Gui Hua City, hundreds or even thousands of people die every year. Half of them are starving refugees, and the other half are killed in battles between merchant guards and bandits. A single merchant family dare not travel alone outside the pass, they usually form a caravan with several families, guarded by hundreds of people. Some masters are familiar with the Tumet people and can even hire Mongolian cavalry as escorts."

  Di Zhe nodded and inquired about the business firms inside the city of Hu Kou. The most famous ones here were Tai Gu's Li family and Cao family from Lu Zhou, which was exactly what the letter left by Ou Mu Bu mentioned. Li family mainly dealt with grain and tea, while the iron mine of Lu Zhou was world-renowned, and Cao family mainly dealt with ironware.

  "Hasn't Cao's family and Li's family found you yet?"

  Ning Sheng explained: "The Cao and Li families have both returned to their hometowns for the Spring Festival, and the shopkeeper who stayed behind said that they would come visit in a few days." He chuckled again, taking the opportunity to say: "When I arrived, only the young master of De Xianggui was present, without his help, it's unlikely that our merchant caravan could have entered the pass so smoothly."

  "De Xiang Kui?"

  "Yes, the young master's name is Liu Quan. He's a local from Youyu County and wants to meet you!" Ning Sheng conveyed the message, and after entering, Liu Quan helped him a lot, and he also knew how to return favors.

  "Yu Quan?" Zhai Zhe muttered this name and said: "Tell him to come over tomorrow!"

  This time entering Hu Kou, Di Zhe's purpose was to choose a business partner. The Cao and Li families were powerful, and they also had the letter from E Wubu Han as an introduction, but that was only his most reluctant choice. He feared that one day when the Tumet people regained control of Guihua City, with the Cao and Li families' familiarity with E Wubu Han, he would be kicked out, and his years of hard work would be in vain.

  "De Xiang Kui, a local business, does it have the capability?" Zhai Zhe's heart was filled with doubts, hesitant to make a decision. Could a second-rate business deliver what he needed to the grasslands?

  The day after Lantern Festival, the weather was fine and sunny. Under the warm sunshine, the icicles on the eaves dripped water drop by drop.

  Dai Qing got up early and cleaned up, unlike his usual habit of staying in the study. He ate breakfast early and put on a satin-faced jacket, taking Liu Rui to Ping Kui. This was an opportunity for him to meet De Xiang Kui.

  Ping Kui had just hung up the sign, and the decoration was simple. Even half of the partners in the business were still living in a hostel, while Ning Sheng was preparing to buy all the houses around.

  The fellow at the gate saw Liu Quan coming and hastily reported inside. These few days they had all become familiar with Liu Quan.

  Ning Sheng went out to greet him, and Di Zhe followed behind him and also came out.

  Three people met, Ning Sheng briefly introduced them and led them into the back room, then quietly slipped out.

  As a businessman, he should have known to observe the expressions and colors of others. From the moment they met, Zhai Zhe's every move was under Liu Quan's scrutiny. He really didn't expect that the mastermind behind this merchant group would be so young.

  "Our humble abode was just established and conditions are simple, please don't mind, Master Liu!" Zhai Zhe extended his hand to invite Liu Quan to take a seat.

  Ning Sheng personally came in and poured two cups of tea, then retreated again. A cautious person has this advantage - knowing when to advance and retreat. For now, there is no place for him here.

  "It's an honor to meet the master of the house!" Liu Quan lifted his teacup, gazing at the floating tea leaves with a slight frown. Ping Kui had just stood up, and Ning Sheng was busy all day, panting without a break. When Di Zhe arrived, he accompanied him the whole time, and there wasn't even any guest tea available, so they had to use the brick tea prepared for sale to the grassland people.

  Di Zhe didn't notice Liu Quan's actions, and directly said: "The kindness of the young master, Ning Sheng and I have discussed it beforehand. This time I came in to find a business that can cooperate with us."

  Not a single circle was turned, Liu Quan was caught off guard, and he was stunned on the spot. The negotiations between business partners were not like this, at least they should have gotten to know each other first.

  "I offer horses and furs from the grasslands, in exchange for grain and iron from the Great Ming."

  Grain and ironware are contraband in the Great Ming, Liu Quan temporarily did not rush to respond.

  Di Zhe also said: "Iron tools are not urgent, but rice and millet, in two months I need at least 2,000 dan, this year I need at least 10,000 dan."

  "Two thousand dan?" Liu Quan was shocked, Ning Sheng had revealed to him that De Xiang Ge was secretly buying up the rice and millet of Youyu County, but he hadn't expected Zhai Zhe to want so much, so urgently.

  "Not bad!" Di Zhe nodded.

  "Hualin Geer's horse thief," Liu Quan wanted to probe Di Zhe's details.

  Di Zhe interrupted Liu Quan's words and said: "After leaving the pass, you don't have to worry about the safety of the caravan!"

  This was Zhai Zhe's greatest capital, and Liu Quan's heart skipped a beat. "Is it the Chahar tribe or the Tumote remnants?" Liu Quan tapped his index finger lightly on the table, guessing Zhai Zhe's background. There were only two Mongolian tribes outside of Hu Kou, if it was the Tumote remnants, how would they find themselves? Did the Chahar people also learn to get along with the Han people?

  "Three days! I'll give you three days to consider!" Zhai Zhe stretched out the three fingers of his right hand and said, "You don't have to make a hasty decision."

  "Don't even think about it, I've made up my mind on this deal!" Liu Quan raised his head, his eyes clear and bright. How could he miss such an opportunity? Even if it meant losing money, it was worth taking the gamble. After the changes in the grasslands situation, Liu Quan had been waiting for a chance to make a move, to be the first to take action, whether it was Zhangjiakou or Kill Hu Kou, there were no shortage of people willing to take risks.

  "It's a good deal, the price of horses and grain, you discuss with Ning Sheng. Our horses are all fine horses! Not like Chahar people's cheap goods!" After finishing this sentence, Di Zhe couldn't help but laugh a few times.

  "After the pleasant laughter stopped, there was a cold warning. 'In early February, I want you to send Mi Su out of the pass. If you can't do it, don't be stubborn, or else you won't even be able to make friends in the end.'"

  Di Zhe still had some doubts about Liu Quan's strength.

  "Don't worry, boss!" Liu Quan replied with a mouthful of agreement, but the words "plotting to take the tiger's skin" flashed in his mind. In February, from establishing connections to transporting goods, De Xianggui's strength was already quite tight, but doing business through the western route was always an adventure.

  The two chatted for a few more sentences, and Liu Quan hastily bid farewell. On the same day in the afternoon, he left Sha Hu Kou and rushed to Datong.

  The Lantern Festival has passed, and the streets of Kill Hawk's Mouth are crowded day by day. The masters of various shops who received the news have been returning one after another to find opportunities to pay their respects to Di Zhe, followed by all sorts of news.

  Di Zhe only knew that the change of the previous year had caused great harm to the Ming Dynasty, which was like stabbing a weak patient with a knife, making it difficult for him to recover.

  Yuan Chonghuan, the governor of Liaodong, has been imprisoned and has not yet been sentenced. However, judging from the rumors circulating in the streets, the outcome will be very bad. It is said that the crime he is accused of is secretly collaborating with the enemy, which means he will likely face death.

  What's more troublesome is that the civilian uprising in Shaanxi, which is separated from Shanxi by only one river, is becoming increasingly intense.

  The severe drought and famine in Shaanxi had begun two years ago, with some border troops also participating. The imperial court was unable to quell the unrest. When the Jurchen invaded the capital, nearly 10,000 soldiers were summoned from Shaanxi's three borders to defend the city, leaving local defenses empty and the people on the brink of rebellion. What's more laughable is that when the troops arrived in the capital, they had no food or pay and dispersed in an uproar. After the incident, the imperial court pursued those responsible, beheading several high-ranking officials led by the commander-in-chief. Some officials and soldiers who escaped back to Shaanxi were afraid of punishment and directly joined the rebel army, causing the situation in Shaanxi to completely deteriorate.