Chapter 213 The Emergence of a Rival

"I'm getting old, and my brain isn't working as well as it should!" Sun Zushou slapped his head and said self-deprecatingly.

At that time, Lin Danhan issued an official document requesting an additional tribute trade, and specifically asked for the soap and moisturizing glycerin produced by Wang An.

At that time, Sun Zushou didn't know what these two things were. Later, after he sent a letter to Wang An, he found out that it was Wang An who made them.

But I didn't take it seriously at the time, thinking that the Western barbarians were just being surprised by what they had seen.

Now that I know that only Wang An's chemical plant can produce it, and there is no other like it in the world, I feel relieved.

Although I had no worries, I was extremely curious about this so-called soap.

Although it was bitterly cold outside the Great Wall, as the Khan of Mongolia, Lindan Khan should have seen and eaten something before. What on earth was it that was worthy of him specifically requesting trade?
Without Sun Zushou saying anything, Wang An directly asked someone to bring a box from a carriage. When he opened it, he saw pieces of soap wrapped in oil paper and moisturizing glycerin in a porcelain bottle.

"It's a rare trip to Datong, so I didn't bring any gifts for Brother Sun. These are the soaps and moisturizing glycerin produced by our family. Brother Sun, take them back and share them with the women in your family."

Wang An pointed at the open box and smiled.

Zhao Dekui, who was beside him, echoed appropriately, "To be honest with you, General Sun, when my shopkeeper left the capital, the Honglu Temple received an imperial decree from His Majesty to purchase a batch of perfumed soaps and soaps."

"But the factory's production capacity can't keep up, so we can only delay it for now."

"That's right. I didn't forget to bring these fresh goods to General Sun!"

Sun Zushou was shocked when he heard this. If Lin Danhan specifically asked for soap, it could be said that the chieftain had never seen the world.

But if even Emperor Chongzhen took a liking to them, it was enough to prove that this soap and moisturizing glycerin must have magical properties.

Wang An put aside the purchase order for the Honglu Temple and brought gifts to his grandson Zushou first. It can be said that Wang An's intention was very deep.

"Shopkeeper Wang, what are you doing..." Sun Zushou said hesitantly.

Wang An smiled slightly and ignored him.

He waved to the soldier behind him, stuffed the box of soap and moisturizing glycerin into his hand, and said, "Take it back to General Sun's house."

Sun Zushou looked at this scene and just said, "You are too polite. Even His Majesty specifically requested something that must be very valuable, right?"

"How much silver? I'll give it to you now."

The two of them pulled each other around, just like relatives coming to visit doing business in later generations.

One wants to give money, saying that it is not easy to do business.

One just refuses to accept it, insisting that it is produced by their own company and is not worth much.

In the end, after much fussing, the money was not collected and the goods were delivered, but the relationship was strengthened.

After handing over the military funds ordered by Datong Prefecture, Sun Zushou accompanied Wang An to the Datong General's Mansion to visit Man Gui.

They told each other about their respective situations, and agreed to have a welcoming dinner at a tavern in the city, and then went their separate ways.

The main reason was that Datong had suffered many wars in recent years, and Man Gui was a new official with a lot of things to understand and be busy with, so he didn't have much time to drink and chat with Wang An.

Wang An also needed to rest early as he had to set off early the next morning.

But the relationship with the boss is like this. There is not something going on every day. We just meet up for a meal and a drink occasionally to maintain some relationship, that's it.

However, early the next morning, Man Gui took time out to come to the gate of Datong Prefecture and see Wang An off.

This scene was seen by many border traders in Datong Prefecture, who immediately gnashed their teeth. No wonder they had spent so much money and made connections during this period of time, but still couldn't get in touch with Man Gui.

It turns out that someone had already gotten there first, and it seems that he has a very strong relationship with Man Gui.

He actually asked Man Gui, a general, to personally escort him out of the city.

However, the desire to make money did not make these border trade merchants back down.

He passed on instructions to his subordinates and drove his own caravan out of the city.

However, these border trade merchants did not have the passes issued by Hong Luosi and the Ministry of Rites, so the number of convoys they brought was not large, and there was no merchandise in the convoys.

After all, without legal procedures, under the background of the Ming Dynasty's "abolishing all rewards", if anyone drove a truckload of goods to the outside of the Great Wall, wouldn't that be blatantly saying that he was smuggling?

But as the saying goes, every plan has a countermeasure.

This is not the first time that everyone has done smuggling.

Three teams of border trade merchants left Datong City and each hid in corners. Soon they bypassed the checkpoints and appeared on the desert grassland.

Moreover, the caravan behind them suddenly became huge, and the carriages were filled with goods.

For these border trade merchants, it is really like a butcher's death. Do they still have to eat hairy pigs?
The imperial court does not allow border trade. Does that mean we can’t make money?

At this time, an old soldier who had served in the Ming army's night patrol followed Wang An on a war horse and reported what he had learned.

"Boss, would you like me to go back to Datong Prefecture immediately and report these merchants' smuggling to the commander-in-chief and ask him to send out a large army to detain these merchants?"

The old soldier, who was in night panic, was filled with indignation. He had heard about the intentions of those businessmen.

In his eyes, Wang An was the savior who saved them from the plight of being penniless and without food and clothing, and he would never allow anyone to attempt to harm his boss.

If it weren't for Wang An's order, the old soldier would have wanted to gather his old brothers and kill all those businessmen.

However, Wang An was very calm. He just smiled and pointed at his caravan, "What's the reason? It's nothing but smuggling."

"But we ourselves are not clean either. Doing this will only give people something to blame and even implicate Brother Man."

"We must have confidence in our own products. If we really can't compete with these smugglers, then I, Wang An, will not run this caravan."

The old soldier looked angry, but since Wang An had said so, he couldn't say anything more.

As they continued on their journey, they encountered many small nomadic tribes along the way.

This time, Wang An took the initiative to send someone to ask them if they needed to trade, and brought these people to the caravan, pointing to the various supplies in the back half of the caravan and letting them choose.

However, when these nomadic people took out the furs, cattle and sheep that they had prepared long ago, they were told that they could also exchange them if there was ready-made meat.

Especially those like lard and sheep tail oil, they are also accepted.

When the Mongolian people heard this, they were all dumbfounded.

In the past, Ming merchants who came to the grasslands only needed furs, cattle, sheep and war horses, and they were completely indifferent to other specialties of the grasslands, such as meat and cow and sheep milk.

Gold, silver and treasures are in short supply for these nomadic peoples.

(End of this chapter)