"What plum vase? Is it valuable?" Cai Mao walked in quickly, and happened to hear Cai Jue's last sentence, and asked quickly.

The smile on Cai Jue's face disappeared without a trace. He turned to look at Huang Chengyan and then looked at Huang Yueying. "Who asked him to come?"

Cai Mao was embarrassed, touched his nose, turned around and saluted Sun Ce. "The king is so anxious to call me, what are the instructions?"

"The king summons you, so there is something important. Why are you anxious? Just sit and listen." Cai Jue's face was a little slow, but he still treated Cai Mao with the right expression. "A person who is almost forty is still so frivolous in his work."

Cai Mao was anxious. "Big sister, I'm only thirty-sixth in the New Year."

Cai Jue glared at him, carefully folded the words written by Sun Ce, put them in his sleeve, rolled up the drawings on the table, stood up and gave the position to Cai Mao, and whispered: "Whatever the king says, you should do whatever you want, don't bargain, don't know what you are."

"Oh, ah." Cai Mao nodded repeatedly with relief.

Cai Jue turned around and bowed to Sun Ce, his face as if it was spring breeze. "The king sat down for a moment, and I went to the East Kitchen to see. The king came just right. He just collected some mountain goods before winter and slaughtered the New Year pig the day before yesterday. The meat is pretty good. I'll try it later."

As soon as he heard about the food, Cai Mao became energetic again. "Is it the Black Mountain Pig from Tangyi? Then I have to try it."

Cai Jue turned his head and changed his face again. "Tangyi Heishan Pig is also for you to eat? Listen to the imperial edict carefully, don't think about whether there are any or not, it will affect the king's appetite and you won't even drink water." After that, he asked Huang Yueying to go out of the hall.

Cai Mao felt very aggrieved and said to Huang Chengyan: "Brother-in-law, why did I mess with her again? Did I give her the New Year gift wrong? I showed me the New Year's Day and looked at me in front of the king."

Huang Chengyan held back his laughter and waved his hand. "You can listen to the king's serious business with peace of mind, you are indispensable."

Cai Mao then let go and bowed to Sun Ce again. "King, tell me, what's the matter? It's a sea of ​​swords and fires, and I will never refuse."

Sun Ce couldn't help laughing. The Cai family really defeated each other. Cai Mao was also a wealthy boss. He called the wind and rain in the entire business world, but when he came to Cai Jue, he had no human rights at all. He chose to talk to Cai Mao here, and he also had the meaning of using Cai Jue's tiger skin.

"Listen to Yu Xiang, your escort escort has been very lively these days." Sun Ce poured a cup of honey tea and pushed it in front of Cai Mao. Cai Mao took it with both hands, was flattered and said with a smile: "The king first established an insurance system. He also wanted to solve the problem of currency shortage and solved the big trouble for the development of escorts. The escorts are very grateful to the king. They got together these days, thinking of preparing a New Year gift for the king."

"Oh, what kind of New Year's greeting is it, let's hear it."

"You can't say it, keep it confidential, keep it confidential." Cai Mao smiled and took a sip of honey tea. "Please rest assured that this New Year gift is full of sincerity and will definitely satisfy the king."

Sun Ce laughed. "Okay, I'll wait and see what kind of gift it is. Inviting you today is also related to the Chamber of Commerce. You also know that the industry and commerce have developed too fast recently, and the currency is insufficient, and it has reached a point where it is impossible to solve it. Crushing alloy coins is just a temporary measure, and it is not a problem to treat the symptoms. If you want to treat the root cause, you still need to increase the supply of gold and copper."

Cai Mao's eyes suddenly shone. "Want to go out to sea to find gold?"

Sun Ce nodded. "Are you interested?"

"Of course there is." Cai Mao couldn't even close his mouth. "Where to find it?"

"As for the information collected so far, there are no definite news, so I can only say that there are two directions: one is to do business. Many foreign merchants in Jiaozhou use gold to pay. When doing business with them, they can exchange gold and gradually understand the overseas gold industry. The most popular goods of foreign merchants are silk and ceramics. Yuzhang is already developing new porcelain, which will become a very important business in the future. This method is relatively stable, but it is slower; another direction is to find gold mines. Chen Jiao reported that when he was taking the ship at Hou Guan, he went to Yi City to collect folk songs and saw that the gold nuggets used by the Yi people were different from our Central Plains. However, the gold nuggets used by the Yi people were also exchanged for. He only knew that they were in the continent in the sea and did not know the specific location."

"Mr. Hou?" Cai Mao pondered: "I have heard of this news, but there is no evidence. I heard that there are continents overseas, which are countries of descendants of Yue people. They are just too far apart. It takes a year to go back and forth. Once you encounter great storms, the boat will overturn and die."

"That's right, but those barbarians can use small boats to travel. We have large boats, so we are sure to be much bigger. Chen Jiao has left people to collect the situation, and there will be further reports soon. If it is feasible, take advantage of the north wind to get off after the New Year. Take advantage of the wind and bring enough food and water for a year, which is a limit of one month. If you can find it, set up a camp on the spot and inquire about the situation. If you don't find it, you can return immediately and record the route."

Sun Ce and Cai Mao discussed going out to sea. He was sure of the existence of Taiwan Island and the Philippines County Island on the south side, but the navigation in the sea is not as good as land. If it is not coincidental, it is possible to pass by it. Fortunately, there are sea ships now, which are enough to carry the supplies of the people on the ship for a year. If you set out more ways, I believe that you will always find a goal.

The rest is how to find gold mines. In his impression, Taiwan Island should have gold mines, and the Philippines also have them. Even if the mines cannot be found, rice can be grown on those islands, and it should not be a problem to build several self-sufficient strongholds. There must be risks, but it is much more certain than Columbus rushing into the Atlantic Ocean with three ships.

Cai Mao was very interested. Since the barbarians could row a simple wooden boat to Hou Guan, he had a sea boat, but he was worried that he would not be able to reach that continent? Since the barbarians could survive, why could he not survive? At worst, he could kill the barbarians and seize their land. If he found a gold mine, he would be sold and what business would he do?

Of course, profitable does not mean that you cannot talk to Sun Ce about conditions. After all, this is also a risk and it is possible to lose your life.

"King, going to sea is dangerous. Are there any other guarantees besides sea boats?"

Sun Ce blinked his eyes and was mentally prepared. "I want to transfer Gan Ning, the navy governor, to accompany you to protect you."

"No...no." Cai Mao was so scared that his hands were trembling, and the cup in his hand almost fell to the ground. Gan Ning's killing and protecting him? If he couldn't find the barbarians, he killed them again. What should he do if he killed us? "At the time of the war, Gan Xingba was just a big use. It would be a pity to deal with a few barbarians. What I mean is... Can we bring more troops?"

"You think about this yourself. I have no objection. I just worry about too many people and insufficient supplies."

"If Yizhou is found, how can the harvest be distributed? Apart from profits, are there any other rewards? After all, such a large continent may be bigger than Jizhou, which can be considered as expanding territory..."

Cai Mao said, looking at Sun Ce with a respectful expression, but his eyes were a little greedy and firm. Sun Ce laughed silently, picked up a cup of tea, and looked at Cai Mao while drinking tea. The tea is tea from the hinterland of Kuaiji, and the taste is very thick, which makes it a bit like black tea in Wuyi Mountain in later generations. It was just added with honey, and the taste was a bit strange.

Cai Mao was so angry that he was seen by Sun Ce, but he refused to give in easily. He asked this not for him alone, but for the entire Chamber of Commerce, at least a Jingxiang businessman. He could not get up early without profit, and there was no enough profit, so who would be willing to take risks in the sea?

"What kind of conditions do you think are suitable?"

Cai Mao pondered, but refused to speak easily. This is the case with bargaining. Whoever bids first will suffer a loss, which means that the bottom line will be penetrated to the opponent. He really wants to ask for a price everywhere, but in his eldest sister's house, he really dares not be arrogant. If he doesn't give face to the King of Wu, he will not give face to the eldest sister. The consequences will be very serious if the eldest sister gets angry.

"This matter is serious and I can't make a decision for a while. Why not go back and discuss with them?"

Sun Ce laughed and said nothing. At this time, Cai Jue appeared outside the east door. "Master, have you discussed it? If you have discussed it, let Bo Gui go back early. I have not prepared his meal."

Cai Mao looked bitter, put down the teacup, left the table and bowed to Sun Ce. "The king, it's not that the minister is ungrateful, but there are too many people involved in this matter. If the minister can take charge, I can do nothing and let the king's orders. It involves other people, and it is very likely that they will never return. I must consider it carefully. As the saying goes, there are great merchants in front of high profits, and there are brave men under heavy rewards. If the profit is not heavy, if the reward is not heavy, even if you go out to sea, you will probably not be careful. Walking around the coast and then come back. What's the point of being wasted food?"

Sun Ce nodded. "I understand your hard work, so I asked you to make your own conditions and see what kind of benefits and rewards can make you willingly go out to sea. Cai Degui, think about it carefully. Have you ever suffered a loss since you and I worked together in the second year of Chuping?"

Cai Mao looked embarrassed. "The king is kind and I am very grateful. The members of the Chamber of Commerce are also grateful to the king and are willing to serve the king."

"I still hope to treat you as human beings, not dogs and horses." The smile on Sun Ce's face faded. "You can go back and discuss slowly, and don't worry. Anyway, Mi Fang and Chen Jiao are also preparing. They handed over the rice to Shen You. After Xu Kun, they will return soon. To be honest, Mi Fang is more suitable than you. He not only knows how to do business, but also fights and kills people. In addition, Chen Jiao provides advice, there are not many people who can stop him. If he doesn't work, I will transfer Gan Ning over. How many people can't kill him?"

Cai Mao's forehead broke out in cold sweat and did not dare to move. He gritted his teeth. "King, we raise funds ourselves, buy ships and go to sea, and find gold mines. We have been franchise for ten years. Apart from all expenses, we keep 70% of our own profits and 30% of our contribution to the King."

"Did you say the opposite?" Cai Jue walked to the hall and sneered.

Cai Mao was about to cry. "Big sister, 30% is really too few, no."

Sun Ce waved his hand. "Let's do it, the profit will be 50% higher, but I will send someone to accompany you so that you won't do anything."

Cai Mao breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "According to the king, who will the king send with him? It's hard to go out to sea, but it's not okay to be a weak scholar."

"Liangmao."
Chapter completed!