Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 562 Negotiation
Zuo Shangying was very self-aware. Xie Da Niangzi's words were to save face for him and prevent him from feeling ashamed.

Thinking of this, Zuo Shangying said, "My paintings are really crude. They can only be sold by virtue of the reputation of the imperial examination. If you think they are useful, please use them."

Xie Yuyan smiled.

When Zuo Shangying saw it, he felt that the smile was as radiant as a flower, exceptionally dazzling. He had been buried in his studies all these years, and his family was poor. It was already difficult enough for them to support his studies. He had never had any thoughts about women.

Just now, when he looked at Madam Xie, he couldn't help but feel a stirring in his heart, but... he dared not think of anything else.

The eldest daughter-in-law is not someone a man like him can even dream of.

Zuo Shangying lowered her head subconsciously: "Madam, since you're in charge of the porcelain business, are you going to promote the use of coal-fired kilns?"

Xie Yuyan responded, "In the north, where there are coal mines, it would be most suitable to repair coal kilns." As for the south, she would not consider that for the time being.

In her previous life, the coal kiln also flourished in the north, driving the development of northern porcelain. Now that she has returned and opened the coal kiln ahead of schedule, the prosperity of the porcelain kiln will arrive sooner.

"This time, the coal kiln will also use the paintings that you all gave me back then. Taking advantage of the momentum of this imperial examination, I also want to accumulate more fame."

Zuo Shangying thought about it carefully. Among the candidates from Daming Prefecture, four of them had indeed passed the imperial examination and become Jinshi. If they put their paintings together, they could indeed make something out of it.

Zuo Shangying said, "It's a pity that Erlang didn't participate in the palace examination, otherwise there would have been one more person."

Xie Yuyan smiled and said, "Erlang's paintings will also be among them. I will also ask Mr. Tong to help me find more people to draw pictures. Once the porcelain is fired, I will select some to send to the market."

Zuo Shangying recalled something: "I heard that there are also many porcelain kilns in Western Xia and Northern Qi. Madam, you want to surpass the vassal states in firing techniques so that your porcelain can fetch a good price at the border market."

Xie Yuyan said, "The reason why the vassal states like to buy porcelain from Daliang is because our porcelain is more exquisite. Only by making good porcelain can we exchange it for more gold, silver and horses."

Zuo Shangying nodded: "Western Tibet should also have a lot of coal mines. Sooner or later they will learn our coal kilns, which will make the firing techniques even more important."

“Furthermore,” Xie Yuyan said, “the paintings of literati convey the civil administration, rites and music, and moral traditions of the Great Liang Dynasty. Passing them down in this way will have other benefits.”

As the two were talking, Madam Yu came to report, "Young Master Zhao and Second Young Master Liu have arrived."

Xie Yuyan asked Mama Yu to invite the person over.

After the two entered, servants served tea and snacks. Xie Yuyan did not avoid them and continued to talk to Zuo Shangying about porcelain: "The border people are far away from the Central Plains. Although some tribes have settled in Daliang, they still have private contact with the Western Barbarians. Their relatives even make a living in the Western Barbarians."

“We should keep sending them information about the civil administration of the Great Liang Dynasty, so that they will identify with the Great Liang Dynasty from the bottom of their hearts and replace military conquest with civil administration. This may be able to maintain the stability of the border for a longer period of time.”

When Xie Yuyan mentioned this, Zhao Zhongliang nodded repeatedly. He didn't understand these things, but having been in the border town for a long time, he had heard some things: "In the past, many border people made a living by trading salt. After the Great Liang banned salt, the border army and government offices clashed with the border people many times, and some tribes simply fled to Western Xia because of this."

"Now that the border markets are open, if the border residents can make a living by trading at the border markets, they should be less resistant to the imperial court, and perhaps the grudges left over from the past can be resolved."

Xie Yuyan said, “It’s like the coal kilns. When our porcelain sells more, the Western Barbarians will also repair the coal kilns. But they don’t have any craftsmen, so they have to invite craftsmen from Daliang. At first glance, it seems like they are stealing our skills, which is not a good thing. But if you think about it carefully, isn’t it because they recognize our porcelain? The craftsmen will also bring our culture and traditions.”

"Some members of the Western Xia royal family acknowledge that their bloodline originates from the Great Liang and are willing to submit to the Great Liang. Unfortunately, the current ruler is extremely resistant to the Great Liang and even forbids anyone from privately possessing Great Liang's writings and documents. However, these things are not immutable. Now that the two countries have opened a border market, these things can no longer be prevented."

After Xie Yuyan finished speaking, she laughed and said, "You've said too much. None of this is relevant to us. We just need to do our own business well under these circumstances." Zuo Shangying, however, felt that Madam Xie hadn't said much.

Fighting wars is the government's business, but it is the common people who make a living in those places.

Merchants bring trade, which is exactly what the people need.
Xie Yuyan picked up the teacup and drank it.

After entering the room, Liu Erlang remained silent, repeatedly pondering Xie Yuyan's words. He felt increasingly that his trip was exceptionally important.

Xie Yuyan asked, "Have you decided when you will set off?"

Zhao Zhongliang nodded: "We'll leave the city first thing the day after tomorrow."

"Is everything ready?" Xie Yuyan asked. "Is there anything else I need to prepare?"

Madam Xie had given them enough; they took a lot of money and goods, and could start doing business after returning to the Northwest.

Xie Yuyan said, "In the next few months, I will have Tang Xing deliver rice and cloth. They will also go to nearby temples. You should make preparations in advance."

Zhao Zhongliang said, "I will inquire about the temple and tell the abbot about my experiences in Bianjing." This naturally includes the story of the Buddha porcelain's miraculous appearance.

"Go to Baode Temple again today," Xie Yuyan instructed. "Ask Master Zhiyuan how the Buddhist medicine is coming along. Master, please tell him more about the hardships faced by the border people."

Zhao Zhongliang excels at this; he could talk for three days and three nights without repeating himself, and it would surely move listeners to tears.

Xie Yuyan looked at Liu Erlang: "Besides that, there is an important matter for Erlang to do."

Liu Erlang immediately perked up.

Xie Yuyan said, "Every year, many prisoners are sent to the frontier, where they may be incorporated into the local militia for garrison duty. We need some people who are willing to risk their lives."

Liu Erlang understood Xie Yuyan's meaning.

Xie Yuyan said, "Recently, the government has arrested many merchants, and with the addition of that third manager, this trade route may be more dangerous than we thought."

Therefore, some people were bound to lose their lives. Xie Yuyan did not want too many casualties among the caravan and the militia, so he had to make other arrangements.

Those repeat offenders are a good choice.

She needs people to risk their lives for her, and they need money.

Zhao Zhongliang hesitated for a moment: "Madam needs to deal with the kiln firing, so it's not advisable to give us too much money. I can think of another way."

Xie Yuyan shook his head: "We should be clear about things that involve risking one's life. There's no need to deceive them. I don't have much money right now, but these matters will be resolved soon."

She submitted a petition to the city's economic affairs department, hoping to borrow money from the inspectorate soon. The land price at the South City Wharf had risen considerably, and mortgaging it would allow her to borrow a significant amount of money.

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