area51novel Chapter 322
Chapter 322
After being shocked, Su Chen roughly estimated Atana's income from this trip to the Western Regions.
When leaving Chang'an, each of the Hu merchants recruited by Li Chengqian carried ten or fifteen kilograms of tea and three hundred or two hundred kilograms of fine salt.
All calculated at the lowest level, Atana's tea income was at least more than 1,600 taels of gold.
1,600 taels of gold equaled 16,000 Tang copper coins.
200 kilograms of fine salt equaled 60 taels of gold, which was considered the freight.
This was Su Chen's calculation, but Atana did not calculate it this way.
He also used gold to settle his meals and accommodation in the Western Regions, as copper coins were not recognized outside the region.
Even if it was gold, people in the Western Regions were more accustomed to bartering.
What they lacked was supplies.
"Atana, tell me about your process of selling tea and fine salt in the Western Regions." Su Chen wanted to get a general idea of the current customs in Xinjiang.
"Okay, sir, this is easy to explain. After I arrived in the Western Regions, I found a tribe with a relatively dense population.
At first, we couldn't communicate with each other, so they didn't know what I was selling. Later, I found out that they knew Chinese.
I gave them fine salt to taste, and asked them to boil water and brew a large pot of tea on the spot.
In just two hours, except for the fine salt I kept for backup, all the tea and fine salt were sold out."
Su Chen frowned slightly after hearing this and said:
"You are an Iranian foreigner. Aren't you afraid of being robbed in a foreign country in the Western Regions?"
Atan was startled. He was not from Iran. He was from Persia.
"Well, sir, I told them that tea and fine salt are banned in the Tang Dynasty, and only I can get the goods."
"Do they believe you so easily?" Li Shimin asked suddenly.
"Your Majesty, I lied to them and said: I have a close relationship with the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, the Minister of History."
Atan has been in the Tang Dynasty for more than three years, and his business has not improved much, but he knows a lot about the Tang Dynasty.
He knew the name of the Minister of Personnel and that he was a relative of the emperor.
"The tea and salt business was split 50-50 with the Minister of Personnel, so they naturally believed it.
When I returned to Chang'an, they personally sent me to the border of the Tang Dynasty and asked me to bring the goods back to the Western Regions as soon as possible."
After listening to this, Su Chen felt that this Iranian businessman in his thirties was very interesting.
"Well, you are very smart and did a good job!" Li Shimin smiled slightly.
When Changsun Wuji heard about the 50-50 split, he wished that what Atana said was true.
The housekeeper and Zhang Long came to the living room and saw Su Chen and Li Shimin talking about something, and stood aside silently.
"How many white flounder seeds did you bring back this time? Sit down and talk slowly." Su Chen saw Atana returning to the living room with two bags, which should be cotton seeds.
"Thank you, sir, there are seven bags of seeds, all in the carriage outside." Atana did not sit back, but untied the small bag and brought it to Su Chen.
Su Chen reached into the bag.
Hmm?
"Is this gold?"
Su Chen took out a handful of cotton seeds from the bag, and he could actually take out gold.
"Shangguan, I put all the gold into these bags." Ata explained.
"Oh, so that's it, you are really smart."
Then Su Chen looked at another big bag, "Is that bag filled with flowers of white floribunda?"
"Yes, I brought back three bags this time." Ata replied respectfully.
"Are all three bags this size?"
Atana untied the big bag, grabbed a handful of cotton, and said, "Shangguan, all three bags are this size."
Su Chen stepped forward and picked up the cotton bag and weighed it.
"Well, it's about fifteen or sixteen pounds."
"Atana, are there many people growing white floribunda in the Western Regions?"
Su Chen estimated that Xinjiang people in this era did not know the use of cotton.
Atana was startled again, thinking to himself: 'How could anyone grow this kind of wild flower? ’
“Shangguan, no one in the Western Regions grows white sedge, and they are not good at farming. This white sedge has only one use in the Western Regions, and they use the white sedge flowers to start fires.”
Atana told the news he had inquired about truthfully.
Using cotton to start fires? That’s a good idea.
Su Chen smiled slightly and nodded, “Did you pick these seeds and flowers yourself?”
Atana shook his head, “I exchanged them for a spoonful of salt.”
“White sedge grows in the wild in the Western Regions. As long as you find it, there will be a large area.”
Su Chen laughed even more when he heard it, and glanced at Li Shimin.
‘That’s easy. The Tang Dynasty does not need to open up a large area of land to plant cotton. Just let Xinjiang help plant it. ’
“Wang Xi, go and move all the things in the carriage outside.”
“Okay, Lord!” Wang Xi and Zhang Long immediately walked out of the living room.
Soon, all eight bags of different sizes were brought to the living room.
“Put the gold in the bag,Find all of them without leaving a single one." Su Chen continued to order.
"Atana, how much gold did you earn this time?"
"My Lord, nearly 1,800 taels, and after deducting what has been spent, there are almost 1,200 taels left." Atana thought for a moment and answered.
Just now he heard the butler call Su Chen the Lord, and he remembered it in his heart.
"This money is enough for your family to live in Iran for several years!" Su Chen asked with a smile.
Atana shook his head repeatedly and said, "To be honest with you, my Lord, 1,200 taels of gold can only barely be enough for my family of four to live in Persia for a year."
Atana has always been puzzled as to why Su Chen always mentioned Iran. But Su Chen did realize that Iran is now called Persia.
"Prices in Persia are so high? "Li Shimin was shocked.
One thousand taels of gold is equivalent to ten thousand strings of cash in the Tang Dynasty. Even for the common people in Chang'an, it is enough for a family to live on for more than ten years.
"Your Majesty, Persia's products are far inferior to those of the Tang Dynasty. In many cases, gold cannot buy food and clothing.
First, farming technology is underdeveloped, and arable land is scarce. "
Li Shimin nodded when he heard this. If the country lacks food, money is indeed of little use.
Atana was considered a poor man in his hometown in Persia. At the beginning, he brought half of his family's assets, fifty taels of gold, and some seeds of Persian special crops to the Tang Dynasty. He wanted to try his luck in the Tang Dynasty.
However, he didn't know Chinese at the beginning and couldn't communicate with people. None of the seeds were sold and all rotted.
Soon, all the gold was picked out of the bag and put together in a pile.
It is roughly estimated that there are more than 100 kilograms.
Su Chen looked at the gold and instantly thought that there were a lot less seeds and cotton, all of which were the weight of gold.
"Atana, where are you staying in Chang'an? Please ask His Majesty to send someone to escort you later." Su Chen thought about more than 100 kilograms of gold. Atana was not safe alone.
"Thank you, my lord. I have no fixed residence when I return to Chang'an from the Western Regions.
Half of this gold belongs to the prince of the Tang Dynasty, and I plan to deposit the rest with the prince of the Tang Dynasty first. "
Atana thanked him respectfully.
"Didn't we agree to split the money 40% to 60%?" Su Chen asked with a smile.
"Well, I have something to ask the prince of the Tang Dynasty, so half is fine. It's OK to have more, I only want 40%."
Atana said very generously.
Li Shimin and others immediately became interested, and they also saw that Atana was a very smart person.
I don't know what Atana wants to ask Li Chengqian.
……