Chapter 736
The private army of Fangcheng actually numbered ten thousand, an army that could rival a
Seated in the main seat in the hall was Lin Biao, the head of Lin's Cloth Shop, who exuded the aura of a master.
On either side sat the managers of the other four cloth shops in the city, all dressed elegantly, yet each with their own thoughts, sitting motionless.
The managers of the five major fabric shops in Fangcheng gathered together, a rare sight indeed, and no one knew the real reason for the gathering.
Even the servants under the eaves held their breath, not daring to utter a single word.
Fei Yi strode into the hall with his head held high, his gaze sweeping over the people seated there, already understanding the situation in his heart.
However, he remained outwardly calm, immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and spoke politely:
"I hope Manager Lin is well."
Lin Biao raised his eyes, his gaze falling on Fei Yi. Without a word of pleasantries, he went straight to the point and asked:
"Speak plainly, what business do you want to discuss with me today?"
He dislikes beating around the bush the most.
Fei Yi bowed slightly, his expression humble yet not subservient, and slowly began to speak:
"I have a batch of top-quality fabrics on hand, with rare textures and patterns. Would Manager Lin be interested in taking a look?"
"Oh? Such good stuff? Do you have a sample?"
A hint of surprise flashed in Lin Biao's eyes, followed by a surge of interest.
In the cloth business, the quality of the fabric is of utmost importance. Top-quality fabric has always been a highly sought-after commodity. If what Fei Yi said is true, then this deal is worth negotiating.
Seeing this, Fei Yi raised his eyes and gave Wu Zhong, who was standing beside him, a wink.
Wu Zhong understood and immediately stepped forward, took out several neatly cut, palm-sized fabric patterns from his pocket, and presented them to Lin Biao with both hands.
Lin Biao reached out and took the sample. He first focused on examining the fabric's texture, then gently stroked the surface with his fingertips. The fabric felt delicate and smooth, with a firm texture, unlike any ordinary fabric.
A moment later, his eyes lit up with delight. He put down the sample and looked directly at Fei Yi:
"How do you plan to do this business?"
Upon hearing this, Fei Yi immediately understood that Lin Biao was already interested, and promptly quoted a price:
"One horse, two thousand coins."
"This price is too high."
Lin Biao frowned slightly, his tone decisive as he tried to lower the price:
“A normal piece of high-quality cloth costs no more than 1,500 or 1,600 coins. Your price is far too high.”
Fei Yi remained calm and replied:
"Manager Lin, you may not know this, but this batch of fabric is truly rare. The materials are of excellent quality, the production process is complex and time-consuming, and the production location is remote and the journey is arduous, making the transportation costs extremely high. Two thousand coins per bolt is not unreasonable."
Lin Biao fell silent, his expression shifting between light and dark.
He knew that Fei Yi was telling the truth. Although two thousand coins was a high price for such quality fabric, it was not necessarily a loss. However, merchants are profit-driven and always want to push the price down further.
Seeing Lin Biao hesitate, Fei Yi remained calm and composed:
"If Manager Lin feels the price is not right and is unwilling to take it, I will not force him. You may try looking for other cloth shops."
"I believe that no one would refuse such a fine fabric, no matter where they go."
Upon hearing this, the four cloth shop owners sitting next to him immediately lit up with excitement, their hearts filled with anticipation.
Seeing Lin Biao's expression when he inspected the sample, they knew that the fabric must be of high quality. However, with Lin Biao present and the competition between the companies, they could not express their desires on the spot and could only suppress their eagerness.
Upon hearing that Fei Yi was looking for another company, the group was secretly delighted, hoping that Lin Biao's negotiations would fall through so that they would have the opportunity to take over this lucrative business.
Lin Biao was extremely astute; he saw through the thoughts of the four people beside him at a glance, and thought to himself:
If Fei Yi is released today, this batch of fine cloth will surely fall into the hands of another company, and Lin's Cloth Shop's business will inevitably be impacted, resulting in more harm than good.
After a moment's hesitation, Lin Biao looked up at Fei Yi and said decisively:
"How much of this kind of fabric did you bring this time?"
"I am new to Fangcheng and am not yet familiar with the local cloth market and demand, so I dare not bring too much. I only brought twenty bolts this time to test the waters first."
Fei Yi answered truthfully.
"Deal. I'll take all twenty of them."
Lin Biao made no further hesitation and immediately decided on the price.
Upon hearing this, the four shopkeepers beside him immediately looked regretful and annoyed. They felt as if their hearts were bleeding, but they were helpless and could only watch as this good business fell into Lin Biao's hands.
Upon hearing Lin Biao's agreement, Fei Yi smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, saying:
"Manager Lin is very straightforward. Please rest assured, I will have someone deliver these twenty bolts of cloth to the Lin Family Cloth Shop shortly. It will not delay your needs."
"So good."
Lin Biao nodded, then changed the subject:
"I just wonder if such fine fabric can be supplied long-term? My Lin's Fabric Shop is willing to cooperate with you for a long time."
He was already planning in his mind that if he could monopolize the supply of this batch of high-quality fabrics, Lin's Cloth Shop could gain a foothold in the Fangcheng Cloth Shop, and even go further.
Fei Yi understood perfectly; he had always intended to cultivate a good relationship with Lin Biao.
After all, Lin's Cloth Shop is the strongest in Fangcheng. Only by cooperating with the Lin family can they gain a long-term foothold. And among businessmen, the most stable relationship is one based on shared interests.
He immediately replied:
“Of course. I can reliably provide Manager Lin with one hundred bolts of the same fabric every month from now on.”
"Just one hundred?"
Lin's face showed surprise, and his tone was tinged with confusion:
"Such fine cloth must be in high demand; a hundred bolts probably won't be enough to supply it."
He had expected Fei Yi to provide more, so he couldn't help feeling somewhat disappointed.
Fei Yi's tone was confident, neither humble nor arrogant:
"Reporting to Manager Lin, my current production capacity is limited. One hundred horses is the maximum I can provide each month. Any more than that, I simply cannot provide."
Although Lin Biao was disappointed, he knew he couldn't force the issue, so he immediately smiled and said:
"Very well, a hundred bolts it is. As long as the quality of the fabric remains consistent, the cooperation will be effective in the long run!"
Having said that, he immediately instructed the butler beside him to fetch the deposit.
Fei Yi then gave Wu Zhong a wink, signaling him to return to the inn immediately and bring all twenty bolts of cloth.
Wu Zhong bowed in agreement, turned around and stepped out of the hall, hurrying towards the inn.
Seeing that the matter had been settled, Fei Yi bowed slightly, as if to take his leave.
"Manager Lin, the matter of the fabric has been settled and the deposit has been received. I will take my leave now without disturbing your discussion."
"It's alright, it's alright."
Lin Biao quickly raised his hand to stop him, his face beaming with a smile:
"They are all business partners, so there's no question of bothering them."
"Besides, everyone here is a colleague of Fangcheng Cloth Shop. We've gathered here today just to discuss some trivial matters. If Brother Fei doesn't mind, you might as well sit down and rest for a while, and listen along."
He was calculating in his mind, planning to wait until everyone had finished discussing the trivial matters before talking in detail with Fei Yi about the long-term cooperation, and further cultivate the relationship. The four managers sitting next to him also quickly echoed, inviting Fei Yi to sit down, but each had their own thoughts, all hoping to take the opportunity to chat with Fei Yi and leave a way out for possible cooperation in the future.
Seeing this, Fei Yi did not refuse, thanked everyone, and sat down in an empty seat.
Once he was seated, Lin Biao withdrew his gaze and looked at the four managers present. His expression gradually became serious, and he slowly explained the reason for their gathering today:
"Gentlemen, I have invited you all here today to discuss something. Tonight's banquet in Da Liao Fang requires a payment of 50,000 coins if you wish to go up to the fourth floor."
"Fifty thousand coins?!"
These words caused an uproar in the hall, and all four managers looked shocked.
One of the shopkeepers couldn't help but exclaim, "This amount is simply outrageous! Fifty thousand for the fourth floor? That's outrageous!"
Another shopkeeper, Qi Feng, also frowned and asked in confusion:
"Manager Lin, why are the private rooms on the fourth floor of this Da Liao Fang so expensive? Is there something special about them?"
Lin Biao slowly shook his head and said in a deep voice:
"I don't know the specific reasons, but I've heard that the four private rooms are decorated with extreme luxury, comparable to the standards of a royal palace."
"Comparable to a royal palace?"
Upon hearing this, everyone was even more shocked, and the astonishment on their faces deepened.
Everyone secretly pondered that the person behind Da Liao Fang, who could build a private room comparable to a royal palace, must be of extraordinary status and not an ordinary merchant. Perhaps they really have some powerful backing.
After a moment of silence, Fei Yi, who had been sitting quietly to the side, slowly spoke:
"Gentlemen, are you being too reserved? We are all merchants, and the way of doing business is to prioritize profit. Even if the person behind Da Liao Fang is really some kind of royal relative, we still need to be reasonable and value our interests. They might not deliberately make things difficult for us merchants."
After he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the hall eased a little, and the four managers fell into deep thought, carefully pondering Fei Yi's words.
Lin Biao also looked up at Fei Yi, secretly admiring Fei Yi's composure and insight despite his young age, and felt even more that cooperating with him was a wise move.
Yes, they have been doing business in Fangcheng for many years and have deep roots. So what if the other party is a member of the royal family?
They have always been honest and law-abiding business owners, and if they are ever subjected to unwarranted harassment, they are not to be trifled with and will naturally unite with all the merchants in the city to fight back.
After all, this is Fangcheng, not the fiefdom of royalty. Each family here possesses hidden strengths that are not known to others.
Private army.
Lin Biao put down his teacup, his tone resolute:
"This is Fangcheng. If the merchants truly unite, even royalty will have to consider our weight and dare not act rashly."
As soon as he finished speaking, the four managers sitting there all nodded in agreement.
Fei Yi feigned confusion, frowning slightly, and looked at Lin Biao, asking:
"I don't understand what Manager Lin means by that. Why do you managers have such confidence? Fangcheng is, after all, Liao territory. Aren't you afraid of being held accountable by the authorities?"
He already had a vague guess in his heart, but he pretended not to know, so as to lead into the next part and find out the true strength of the merchants in Fangcheng.
Seeing Fei Yi's bewildered expression, all the shopkeepers burst into laughter again.
Lin Biao waved his hand, and only after the laughter subsided did he slowly speak:
"Manager Fei is new here and probably doesn't know the details of Fangcheng. On the surface, Fangcheng is indeed garrisoned by Liao troops, which looks impressive."
"In reality, the Liao army stationed in the city numbered only five thousand at most, which was far from enough to control the situation in the entire city."
Fei Yi feigned surprise, a hint of disbelief flashing in his eyes:
"Impossible, right? When I entered the city yesterday, I saw many guards at the city gates and soldiers patrolling the streets and alleys. There seemed to be quite a few of them. How could there only be five thousand?"
He seemed genuinely shocked by the news.
Lin Biao smiled, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice:
"Manager Fei, you may not know this, but there's an unwritten rule in Fangcheng that we merchants actually keep... a private army."
He spoke the last two words, "private army," very softly.
Upon hearing those two words, Fei Yi's face showed a complex expression, seemingly shocked yet puzzled, before he asked:
"A private army? That's a major taboo! Would the Liao Kingdom allow merchants to raise their own armies? Aren't they afraid of being punished?"
"So what if they don't allow it?"
Lin Biao picked up his teacup and took a small sip:
"Merchants travel for business seeking stability. If their own safety cannot be guaranteed, how can their business last?"
"Furthermore, without the diligent business operations and tax payments of us merchants, where would the Liao court get the money to support its army, provide disaster relief, and appease the people?"
Even if they knew, they could only turn a blind eye.
He paused, then added:
"Do you know that the neighboring city of Huyang is constantly embroiled in conflict and war? And since Huyang City is very close to Fangcheng, the flames of war could spread over at any time."
“We merchants all cherish our lives and our businesses, so we secretly discussed raising our own private armies. This was partly to protect ourselves and our property, and partly to prevent the war in Huyang City from affecting Fangcheng.”
"Later, when the Liao court discovered that we were raising an army on our own, we merchants had already become quite powerful, and the total number of our private armies was several times greater than the Liao army stationed in Fangcheng at that time."
"Even if they want to suppress it by force, they may not gain anything. On the contrary, they may incite public anger and suffer more losses than gains."
Lin Biao slowly recounted the past, his tone calm.
Fei Yi lowered his eyes in deep thought, as if processing this sudden news.
After a moment, he looked up at Lin Biao and asked earnestly:
"So how did this matter end? Surely the Liao court wouldn't just let it go like that?"
"Naturally, it was a mutual agreement reached through negotiation and compromise."
Lin Biao put down his teacup and slowly said:
"The Liao court retained 5,000 troops to continue garrisoning Fangcheng and maintaining a semblance of order."
"We merchants also made concessions, agreeing that the number of private troops each family could have was no more than three thousand, and that they could not expand their forces without authorization or cause trouble."
After hearing this, Fei Yi immediately asked:
"Before I came to Fangcheng, I heard that there were hundreds of merchants in the city, and countless vendors of all sizes. If each family kept a private army, even if each family had no more than three thousand people, the total number would still be considerable. Is this true?"
Upon hearing this, the shopkeepers burst into laughter again.
Lin Biao smiled and said, "Manager Fei, are you scared? Don't worry, although the news you heard is true, there are many merchants in the city, but not everyone has the ability to support a private army."
"In this vast city, only three of the top merchants can afford to support three thousand private soldiers. We cloth shop owners, who are slightly weaker, can only support a little over a thousand people at most, and we can't cause any trouble at all."
Fei Yi fell silent, a look of worry appearing on his face:
"If that's the case, then the total number of private armies of merchants, though seemingly large, is actually still limited."
"If the Liao court notices something amiss and sends reinforcements to annihilate us with a large army, we're afraid our private troops alone won't be a match for the Liao army."
He feigned concern, but in reality, he wanted to further investigate the true nature of Fangcheng's private army.
Seeing the worry on Fei Yi's face, Lin Biao immediately laughed:
"No, no, Manager Fei only knows one side of the story, not the other." (End of Chapter)