I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 301 Trading
"How much does salt cost?" Shari Tulimed asked cautiously.

Tang Zhao lowered his eyes, "One hundred coins per catty."

This price is ten to fifteen coins lower than the official price set by the salt commissioner.

Suppressing his inner joy, Shariputra asked, "How many stones can be traded at once?"

Tang Zhao thought about the excess salt in the warehouse, "For the first transaction, let's keep it small, just one hundred shi."

One hundred stones! Sharituli Maide nodded repeatedly. One hundred stones is good, one hundred stones is wonderful, one hundred stones is excellent!
"Still in exchange for horses and jewels?"

“Yes,” Tang Zhao nodded. “Besides horses and jewels, gold, silver, and copper are also acceptable.”

Forget about gold and silver; the Turkic peoples didn't have large-scale gold and silver mines, but they were rich in copper mines.

Sheri Tulimaide thought things through carefully. "The copper prices in the two countries are different. The people of Dayu may not accept the Turkic copper coins. How about we trade copper ore directly, and the princess can refine the copper coins herself?"

Tang Zhao thought so too, “Ordinary copper ore contains many impurities, I want copper concentrate, and I can offer up to ninety wen per jin.”

Ninety coins is a bit low; the official price for copper concentrate sold by the Turks was one hundred and five coins per pound.

However, Sheri Tulimaide dared not say that Tang Zhao, with his shrewdness, must know the official price of copper concentrate, but she still proposed a price of ninety coins per catty, which shows that ninety coins was Tang Zhao's bottom line.

Sheri Tulimaide glanced cautiously at Tang Zhao, who was drinking tea. The line of people waiting to do business with Tang Zhao stretched from Wuwei City to the Tea Horse Market. He didn't dare to haggle with Tang Zhao.

Sariputra, suppressing his heartache, said, "No problem! When shall we sign the contract?"

Tang Zhao raised his hand, and Dongmei, who was standing behind him, took out two brocade boxes. She placed one box next to Tang Zhao and handed the other box to Sheli Tulimaide.

When Shariputra opened it, he found only two thin sheets of paper inside.

It is a pre-written contract.

Tang Zhao smiled and said, "If Your Excellency Sherituli has reviewed it and found no problems, let's sign the contract."

Shari Tuli Maide quickly calmed his shock, took out his personal seal, and stamped it on the contract without hesitation.

Chunfeng stepped forward, took out the girl's private seal from her purse, stamped it on the contract in the place where Tang Zhao's name was, then exchanged the contract with Sheri Tulimaide, stamped it, and presented it to Tang Zhao.

Tang Zhao checked and found nothing amiss. He smiled and folded the contract neatly, placing it into the brocade box. "One hundred shi of fine salt have been prepared. When will Your Excellency Sheri Tuli go to collect them?"

"The sooner the better!" Shariputra exclaimed with delight. "Where is the fine salt?"

"Zhangye Prefecture," Tang Zhao stood up, "I will go with His Excellency Sherituli."

Sheri Tulimaide was about to agree when his wife glared at him. Sheri Tulimaide stiffened and changed his mind, saying, "This is such a small matter, how could I trouble the princess? Just send a servant to lead the way."

"Spring Breeze, take Sherituli Pavilion down to fetch salt."

After the two had walked away, Ashidedor stood up and respectfully bowed to Tang Zhao, saying, "Greetings, Princess Zhaoshan."

Tang Zhao raised an eyebrow. "Madam has already performed the ceremony."

“The one who paid homage before was Shariputra’s wife, and now it is Ashidedor.”

Tang Zhao understood. "I wonder what instructions your Empress Dowager has?"

Ashideduo sighed inwardly. Just as the Empress Dowager had said, Princess Zhaoshan was indeed a clever and shrewd person.

As soon as she revealed her identity, Tang Zhao knew that she was delivering a message on the Empress Dowager's orders.

This is good; Ashidedor is now more confident in completing the task assigned by the Empress Dowager.

Ashidedor sat opposite Tang Zhao. "Our Empress Dowager wishes to ask the Princess for help in facilitating peace talks between the two countries." Tang Zhao chuckled. "Whether the two countries make peace talks or not is beyond my control."

"Why should the princess belittle herself? If even the princess cannot interfere, what woman in this world would dare to meddle in politics?"

Ashidedor smiled slightly, "In fact, the princess and I know very well that the Khan is using the matter of His Majesty the Emperor of your country colluding with the enemy and betraying the country as a bargaining chip to seek peace with Prince Xuan. Prince Xuan will most likely agree."

Tang Zhao asked, puzzled, "If that's the case, why does your Empress Dowager have any concerns?"

"The Turks have suffered heavy losses in this war between the two countries. Neither the royal family nor the people can afford the consequences of another war," Ashidedor said solemnly. "Therefore, even if there is only a one in ten thousand chance that peace will not be negotiated, the Empress Dowager will not allow it."

"The Empress Dowager asked the Princess to persuade Prince Xuan to agree to the peace talks. As long as this matter is accomplished, the Princess may request the treasures stored in the Turkic royal court."

Tang Zhao lowered his eyes and remained silent.

Ashidedor sighed inwardly. Sure enough, treasures and money could not sway Tang Zhao.

Then she had no choice but to make her final move.

"The Empress Dowager asked me to tell the Princess that as long as the Princess helps to facilitate the peace talks, the Empress Dowager will hand over Song Qinglan to the Princess."

This is somewhat interesting. Tang Zhao gently fiddled with the purple jade whip at his waist. "But as far as I know, Song Qinglan is the apple of your Khan's eye, and your Empress Dowager has tried to kill her several times without success."

"Although Song Qinglan has now entered the Buddhist temple, she is still guarded by hundreds of people. How can your Empress Dowager hand Song Qinglan over to me, the Princess?"

Ashidedor was astonished; Tang Zhao knew even these things, which was truly terrifying.

"This is none of your concern, Princess. As long as you agree, the Empress Dowager will certainly keep her promise."

Ashidedor took out a purse from her sleeve. "Inside is a deep-sea pearl, a symbol of the Turkic Empress Dowager's status. The Empress Dowager used this as a betrothal gift. When Song Qinglan hands it to the Princess, I will take it back."

Tang Zhao opened the purse and saw a purple longan-sized pearl inside, which was of even better quality than the pearls in her mother's dowry.

It is indeed a priceless item.

“Since Your Majesty’s Empress Dowager is so sincere, then this princess will accept it without hesitation,” Tang Zhao said, accepting the purse. “My father has sent word that we will arrive in the Northwest in a month, and Your Majesty’s Empress Dowager has a month to handle this matter.”

Ashidedor bowed respectfully. "I will immediately send a message back to the capital. The Empress Dowager will surely deliver the person to the Princess within a month."

After Ashidedor finished speaking, he took his leave without lingering any longer.

That evening, Gu Ci returned to the Protector General's Mansion, and Tang Zhao told him about the matter.

Gu Ci washed his hands and pulled Tang Zhao to sit down for a meal. "You can decide these things."

Tang Zhao teased, "Aren't you afraid I'll sell you and the Xuan Prince's mansion together?"

Gu Ci picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs with his chopsticks and put it into Tang Zhao's bowl. "Go ahead and try it."

Tang Zhao angrily took a bite of the rib.

Gu Ci glanced at Tang Zhao and said, "My mother and sister-in-law have arrived."

Tang Zhao's eyes widened. "What are they doing here?"

Gu Ci slowly spat out a bone, "Maybe he wanted to teach someone a lesson."

Tang Zhao:. . . . . .

In all honesty, she only gave a false report about military intelligence; was it really necessary for her to come all the way from Lanzhou?

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