Chapter 737
The backbone of Fangcheng's merchants are all here!
He paused, then continued to explain:
“Each of our private armies stationed in the city has less than a thousand men, which seems to be a weak force.”
"But you've forgotten that we merchants travel between Fangcheng and the surrounding cities year-round, and each of us has a caravan that travels around. And hidden within these caravans are our mobile private armies, numbering in the thousands."
"In case of emergency, all that is needed is to send someone to deliver a message, and these mobile private armies stationed outside can immediately turn back and rush to the aid of the city."
A look of shock flashed in Fei Yi's eyes, and he quickly asked:
"Does Manager Lin mean that all the merchants' private armies operating outside the region total as many as 100,000?"
Thinking of this enormous number of people, he feigned a solemn expression, but in his heart he already had a plan.
Lin Biao smiled and nodded, a hint of smugness in his tone:
"That's right. With these 100,000 mobile private troops stationed here, plus the private troops in the city, even if the Liao court really sends reinforcements, we will still have the strength to fight."
"So, Manager Fei, tell me, would we be afraid of a mere member of the royal family?"
Upon hearing Lin Biao's words, Fei Yi's worry vanished, and he cupped his hands in greeting, saying:
"I see. I was overthinking it. It seems that doing business in Fangcheng is really reassuring. I'm even tempted to move here and do business here permanently."
Lin Biao picked up his teacup, his gaze falling on Fei Yi, who sat opposite him, and asked:
"May I ask where Manager Fei comes from?"
Fei Yi took a sip of tea: "This is a remote, unnamed place, not worth mentioning."
After saying that, he waved his hand lightly, as if he didn't want to talk about his hometown any further.
Lin Biao's curiosity deepened, and he pressed on, asking:
"Since this is a mountainous area, how did Manager Fei manage to obtain such fine fabric? The texture and pattern are something that ordinary weaving workshops would find difficult to produce."
Several other shopkeepers around them nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with doubt, clearly also quite curious about this.
Fei Yi replied calmly:
"It's just that the villagers have painstakingly improved the weaving method, and the cloth they woven is slightly better."
"It was because of this cloth that I had the opportunity to leave the mountains and fields, hoping to bring more opportunities to the village and make the villagers live a better life."
His expression showed no sign of pretension, and upon hearing this, everyone's doubts vanished, and they nodded in belief.
One of the shopkeepers spoke first, his tone respectful:
"We hope that Manager Fei will continue to support our business. If you have such fine fabric, please consider us first."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Biao remembered something else, and the smile in his eyes deepened:
"By the way, Manager Fei, are you going to the banquet at Da Liao Fang tonight? It's a grand gathering of all the merchants in our Fangcheng, and ordinary people can't get in."
Upon hearing this, Fei Yi smiled and slowly replied:
"Of course I'll go. Since entering the city, what I've heard most often is the banquet in Da Liao Ward tonight. I've heard that it's full of merchants and celebrities from all over the country."
"So yesterday I went to the main hall of the Liaofang and spent a lot of money to buy an invitation."
Upon hearing this, everyone inquired about the price. When they learned that Fei Yi had spent five thousand coins to buy the invitation, they were all surprised, which showed how much Fei Yi valued this banquet.
Lin Biao quickly recovered, his smile widening, and said:
"Manager Fei has good taste. I wonder which floor you plan to go to tonight? Our goal is the fourth floor, where the top merchants in the city live, and there are many opportunities there."
Fei Yi feigned hesitation, then a look of pain appeared on his face as he said:
"It's quite a coincidence that I brought 50,000 coins with me on this trip. I hope that tonight's banquet will be worth the cost of those 50,000 coins."
His feigned attitude only made everyone believe that he was an ordinary businessman genuinely seeking development.
Upon hearing this, Lin Biao immediately burst into laughter, slapping the table and saying:
"Don't worry, Manager Fei. As long as we can reach the fourth floor and get to know those top merchants, how can we not make money in the future? A mere 50,000 coins will be doubled back in no time!"
"Manager Lin is right!"
Fei Yi laughed along, but a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes.
Just then, the waiter from the front hall came in and respectfully reported:
"Shopkeeper, there's a man named Wu Zhong at the door, pulling twenty bolts of cloth. He says he's looking for Shopkeeper Fei and is waiting right now."
Upon hearing the name "Wu Zhong," Fei Yi immediately suppressed his smile and addressed the crowd:
"Don't panic, everyone. Wu Zhong is my steward. He must have brought over the cloth that has been woven in the village."
Upon hearing this, Lin Biao and the others immediately became interested and began to speak:
"Now that Manager Fei's goods have arrived, let's go and take a look together, so we can see the quality of this fine fabric with our own eyes."
As he spoke, he followed Fei Yi out of the main hall and headed towards the shop entrance.
As soon as they reached the door, a man quickly stepped forward and bowed in greeting:
"My lord, I have brought all the bolts of cloth, a total of twenty bolts, not a single one missing, they are all on the cart."
Fei Yi then turned around and gestured for Lin Biao to proceed:
"Manager Lin, fellow managers, please come and take a look."
After saying that, he stepped forward and personally pulled open the back curtain of the carriage.
As soon as the rear curtain of the carriage was pulled open, the entire carriage of cloth came into view.
Each piece of fabric was brightly colored, with regular patterns, and shone with a soft luster in the sunlight, making it even more exquisite than the samples that everyone had seen before.
Lin Biao's eyes lit up, and he couldn't stop smiling, nodding and praising repeatedly:
"Great stuff! It's really great stuff!"
"Manager Fei, such fine cloth will surely fetch a good price!"
On the other hand, the shopkeepers standing to the side looked rather grim.
They had originally thought they would get more bolts of cloth, but now there were only twenty. As the leader, Lin Biao would definitely take the majority, and they probably wouldn't get much.
But then he thought about it again. Fei Yi had said that cloth would be delivered every month from now on. If he offended Fei Yi now, he might not have any chance at all in the future.
After thinking it over, the group suppressed their displeasure and secretly resolved to get closer to Fei Yi so that they could obtain more good cloth in the future.
Fei Yi took in the changes in their expressions and a smile curved his lips.
He knew he had made the right move and had finally established connections with Lin Biao and the other merchants in Fangcheng.
If I can meet more prominent businessmen and celebrities in Fangcheng at the banquet in Da Liao Fang tonight and establish connections with them, my plan can proceed smoothly.
He secretly calculated in his heart:
Fangcheng has always been dominated by merchants, with little influence from the government. As long as these merchants can see the benefits and gain their support, the Liao Kingdom will be helpless and powerless to resist when the Han army takes Fangcheng in the future.
After all, these merchants are profit-driven, and as long as the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, they will certainly choose to stand on the side that can bring them more benefits.
"Manager Fei, I've already examined the quality of this cloth, and I have no doubt about it. It's truly top-quality goods!"
Lin Biao was still grinning from ear to ear, and turned to call out to the men beside him:
"Quickly, move all these bolts of cloth to the warehouse in the backyard. Be careful not to damage the fabric." The workers responded and stepped forward, carefully unloading the cloth from the carriage and transporting it to the warehouse in the backyard.
Lin Biao and the others followed Fei Yi back to the main hall and sat down according to their status as the main person and others.
Not long after they sat down, one of the shopkeepers couldn't help but speak up:
"Manager Lin, let's be reasonable. If you're going to eat meat, you should at least leave us some soup, right? This cloth is so good, we won't ask for much, just ten bolts each. We would be grateful if Manager Lin could do us this favor. What do you think?"
The other shopkeepers echoed this sentiment, their gazes all fixed on Lin Biao, their eyes filled with anticipation.
If Lin Biao doesn't give a reasonable explanation, it will be difficult to convince him.
Lin Biao picked up his teacup and remained silent for a moment.
If we insist on not distributing the goods to these shopkeepers, they will definitely be dissatisfied and may cause trouble in the future.
Why not give each of them ten horses first, do them a favor, stabilize their morale, and lay the groundwork for future cooperation?
After considering the matter, Lin Biao put down his teacup, nodded slowly, and smiled.
"Very well, let's do as you all say. Ten bolts each, that'll be distributed today. I hope we can work together in the future, and with the help of Manager Fei's fine cloth, make a fortune together. I wish everyone a prosperous business and abundant wealth!"
Upon hearing this, the shopkeepers were overjoyed and rose to thank Lin Biao.
"Thank you very much, Manager Fei. Thank you very much, Manager Lin. I hope you two will continue to take care of me in the future!"
Fei Yi also stood up and returned the greeting with a cupped hand:
"Congratulations to all the shopkeepers. It is a wonderful thing to have obtained such good cloth. If I can provide more and better cloth in the future, I will definitely give priority to you and will never let you down."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, and seeing that the sun was beginning to set and the time for the banquet was drawing near, Fei Yi turned to Wu Zhong and instructed him:
"Wu Zhong, hurry back to the inn, retrieve the money and silk I brought, and then come and meet us so we can head to Da Liao Fang together."
"Yes, sir!"
Wu Zhong bowed and responded.
Tonight's dinner is of utmost importance; there can be no mistakes whatsoever.
After Wu Zhong left, Lin Biao glanced at the sky outside the window, stood up, and said:
"Gentlemen, it's getting late. The banquet at Da Liao Fang is about to begin. If we wait any longer, we might miss it. Let's set off."
The crowd stood up and agreed, then walked out of the shop together to the carriage at the entrance.
Fei Yi and Lin Biao rode in the same carriage, while the other managers rode in their own carriages. After the group was settled, they headed towards Daliao Ward.
The streets of Fangcheng were bustling with traffic and people, and the lights of the shops on both sides gradually lit up, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
The group rode in a carriage as dusk fell, slowly making their way through the streets, and soon arrived at their destination.
Daliaofang.
At this time, the area in front of the Da Liao Fang gate was already bustling with people.
The streets were lined with all kinds of magnificent carriages, and the people coming and going were all merchants and celebrities dressed in brocade robes and jade belts, talking in hushed tones or exchanging pleasantries with clasped hands.
The shop assistants at the entrance were bustling about, each carrying a heavy bag of money.
Lin Biaofei and his entourage arrived slowly in their carriage. As soon as they came to a stop, the servants guarding both sides of the gate immediately stepped forward and bowed in greeting.
"Greetings, gentlemen. Do you have any invitations to the dinner?"
Lin Biao slightly raised his hand, and his attendant immediately took out several invitations and handed them over.
The waiter took it with both hands, checked it repeatedly to make sure it was correct, and then bowed and asked:
"Thank you all for gracing us with your presence. May I ask which floor you would like to dine on?"
Lin Biao raised his eyes and glanced at the towering pavilions within the neighborhood, then said:
"We are heading to the fourth floor. There is money and silk in the carriage. Please count and check it to ensure there are no mistakes."
"Alright, please wait a moment, gentlemen. I'll have someone come and take inventory right away!"
The waiter responded and left. Soon after, he returned with two stewards carrying ledgers and abacuses. The three of them carefully opened the box and counted the silver and silk.
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the inventory was completed.
The steward stepped forward, holding the account books, and bowed to report:
"Gentlemen, the money and silk have been counted and are in full."
The waiter immediately gestured for them to proceed, his smile respectful:
"Gentlemen, please come in. I will lead you to the fourth floor."
Guided by the waiter's bowed gesture, the group slowly ascended the stairs, passing through two noisy private rooms, and finally arrived at the fourth floor.
The moment you step inside, a luxurious scene comes into view.
The ground was covered with smooth, mirror-like Western Region carpets, which were soft and silent underfoot.
Dozens of gilded palace lanterns hung from the roof, their dazzling lights illuminating the entire room in a magnificent golden glow.
Near the stairwell, fifteen carved tables were neatly arranged, already set with exquisite teacups and fruit plates.
On the other side of the room, however, it was empty except for a large, solitary desk, which contrasted sharply with the liveliness on this side.
Fei Yi was somewhat curious as to why no one was sitting at the empty table, but he didn't say anything. Following Lin Biao's gesture, he sat down at a table near the stairs and quietly observed his surroundings.
On the fourth floor, more than twenty people were already seated. They were all merchants dressed in fine clothes, chatting in twos and threes, each with their own thoughts on their minds.
Lin Biao picked up his teacup, took a small sip, glanced around the room, and said to Fei Yi:
"The people who have come here now are all about the same as us in terms of wealth and business; they are all middle-class merchants in Fangcheng."
Fei Yi raised his eyes and slowly scanned the crowd. The people's clothing, mannerisms, and speech were roughly consistent with the information previously reported by the scouts.
They were all middle-class merchants from various industries. Those whose businesses were similar spontaneously sat together and discussed business matters in hushed tones.
Seeing Fei Yi looking around, Lin Biao smiled and asked:
"Manager Fei, how does this fourth floor feel for your first visit?"
Fei Yi immediately withdrew the scrutiny from his eyes, his face revealing a perfectly timed look of shock:
"This is truly an eye-opener! I've never seen such a magnificent place before. Spending 50,000 coins today was totally worth it!"
Seeing this, the shopkeepers beside him exchanged smiles, assuming that Fei Yi was a country merchant who had never seen such a scene before, and did not think much of it.
Lin Biao put down his teacup, pointed to the people in the room, and introduced them to Fei Yi one by one:
"Manager Fei, look at those five tables over there. They are all occupied by the city's top grain merchants, and the one leading them is Manager Zheng Ji."
"Those two tables on the left are occupied by pharmacy owners who usually monopolize most of the medicinal herb business in Fangcheng."
"The three tables behind are occupied by the owners of well-known taverns in the city, the two tables closest to the stairs are occupied by the owners of pawnshops, and the remaining tables are occupied by the owners of other small taverns and general stores."
While listening to Lin Biao's introduction, Fei Yi quietly memorized the appearance and clothing of the people at each table, and already had a general idea of what was going on.
These people were the backbone of the Fangcheng merchants, and key figures he needed to win over in this plan. (End of Chapter)