The sun sets westward, and the herdsmen in front of the caravan camp gradually dispersed. Gao Jin asked the guys to close the stall, and then went to take stock of the goods with Mulan, and reorganize and load them up.

In Shenmubao, the prices of different furs are different. Sheepskin cowhide must be calculated according to their own color. For example, the buffalo skin in the south is three times more expensive than the yellow cowhide in the north, and cooked cowhide is more expensive than raw cowhide. As for sheepskin, it depends on the texture and luster.

These are all tricks. Mulan has been following Wei Lianhai for a long time and has often been exposed to skins when she was in the fortress, and she has a lot of experience in classification of these fur goods.

The guys spread out the fur goods that were lambs and sheepskin, and put them in the raw and cooked skins in different categories, and they folded them into five piles, and there were also other skins other than cows and sheepskins, which were not large in number.

"The buffalo leather is big and thick enough, so the leather goods are made of sturdy and durable than cow leather. Fortunately, the tartar tanning fur here has good skills. The cooked leather of these cow leather is not bad, but sometimes if you don't look carefully, you will miss it."

When collecting furs during the day, Mulan will take a look, but she doesn’t have time to look closely. Now she spreads out one by one. Mulan points to a tanned sheepskin and says, “Although cowhide is more expensive than sheepskin, the weight of a cowhide is equivalent to many sheepskins, so sheepskin is really expensive.”

"As long as this kind of lamb skin is good and has no flaws, some people will buy it in Shenmu Castle."

Seeing Mulan talking about how to identify fur goods in a straightforward manner, Gao Jin listened carefully beside him. He didn't have to be proficient in this skill, but he had to understand it.

While listening to Mulan's words, Gao Jin observed his men's friends and found that most of them were distracted and did not regard this as a rare opportunity. Only two people listened to Mulan's speech attentively, and went to see the texture of the fur from time to time.

There were so many furs, Mulan alone, and not long after, Wei Lianhai came over to finish the work. After he arrived, he drove the two friends aside, which made Gao Jin very puzzled.

Seeing that the guys went to do other miscellaneous work, Gao Jin came to Wei Lianhai. After thinking about it, he couldn't help asking, "Uncle Wei, why don't those guys learn the ability to identify furs too, so that you and Mulan can be more relaxed?"

"Erlang, you don't understand. This person, once he learns some skills, his heart will be wild." Wei Lianhai did not mean to blame Gao Jin. This nephew is outstanding enough, but he just doesn't understand people's hearts.

"Uncle Wei, I still don't understand, please give me some advice." Gao Jin didn't understand what Wei Lianhai said. He always felt that knowledge is something that makes people learn, so that they can make progress.

"Erlang, let me ask you, are there many young and strong people like these guys in our fortress?" Wei Lianhai pulled his skin, squinted his eyes and watched carefully, and asked Gao Jin.

"many."

"Then why aren't many people willing to come here to travel to the West with our caravan?"

Gao Jin was stunned. He couldn't answer Wei Lianhai's question. Only then did he notice that the clerks in the caravan were actually from outside the fortress. Although the hundred-family master in the fortress was somewhat unfair to deal with his father, it could not explain why there were no young and strong men in the fortress who were willing to come to the caravan to ask for food.

"Since the reign of Emperor Wanli, our place has been peaceful for decades. Although the Mongolian Tartars also disturbed the border, have they ever been able to make a good choice?" After seeing the fur in his hand, Wei Lianhai put it aside and sighed, "The families in the fortress only want to farm and eat peaceful rice honestly, and they will not use swords and guns, so they will naturally not go out to travel with us."

"These guys in the caravan are so poor that they can't survive. We accept them to be honest and reliable." Wei Lianhai looked at the guys, and the light in his eyes was very cold. "You, Ada, used to think the same as you, but there is a saying that is good, teach your disciples and starve the master to death. Do you think these guys will continue to be a guy here after learning the skills."

Gao Jin finally understood why Wei Lianhai was unwilling to let those guys learn to identify furs. The ordinary knowledge in his eyes was a skill that could be used to make a living in this era. To put it bluntly, the Gao family caravan was still a small caravan and could not be compared with those big business gangs. If the guys had the ability, their minds would be lively. If there was no upward channel in the Gao family caravan, they would naturally go to those big business gangs to gain a future.

"Uncle Wei, I understand." Gao Jin said in a deep voice. He felt that this idea was wrong, but he had no way to change it. He could only admit that Wei Lianhai's approach was reasonable.

"Erlang, you have to remember that you can be reliable in the caravan in the future and that you have been playing with as a companion and brothers since you were a child. When you go back this time, Wang Dou and the others will come to the caravan... These abilities will naturally be handed over to them."

Listening to Wei Lianhai's nagging, Gao Jin once again realized that the Gao family caravan was actually a small circle. The core of the previous generation was his father and uncles, and the next generation was his sons and nephews of himself and his uncles. It was difficult for outsiders to integrate into this group.

Gao Jin was called away by his father Gao Chong. He was a little absent-minded when he left because he felt that the caravan would grow bigger in the future, and it would not be possible not to take the initiative to cultivate talents like now.

"Dad, where are we going?"

Seeing his father taking him out of the camp, Gao Jin was stunned. In the firelight, he could vaguely see a dozen uncles outside the caravan carrying tools, and a pack horse pulling an empty cart, as if he was about to go on a long journey.

"Of course I'm going to dig salt."

Gao Chong said coldly that during the day, Su De took him to the salt cave to express sincerity, but in fact he deliberately sent him away so that Wulihan could let Barhu come to the caravan to cause trouble. Fortunately, Gao Jinhui asked the scene to calm down. Otherwise, even if he didn't want to choose a side too early, he could only stand on Su De's side to help him deal with Wulihan.

"Let's go, you have learned the ability to steer the geometry. Show me how big the salt cave is."

During the day, the salt cave where Gao Chong and Su De went was in a hill ten miles away from Maoshuizhang. There was dense forest. The salt cave was in a low mountain with a small entrance. After entering, it was indeed full of large pieces of salt on the rock wall.

Gao Jin jumped into the carriage, Gao Chong rushed to the carriage, and Su De only took him to the salt cave alone. Fortunately, he made marks along the way, and even if it was dark, he could generally identify the direction.

Several miles away from the camp, Gao Chong asked Gao Jin to light up the torch. The nearby Maoshui Palm had long been cleaned up by Aji's troops, and there were no other small tribes.

Ten miles away, a group of people rode horses and rode on a carriage. In less than half an hour, they arrived at the place. The people left behind to watch the carriage. Gao Chong took Gao Jin and them into the mountain. Birds were frightened from time to time along the way, and the screams were very terrifying.

Taking the torch, Gao Jin quickly stopped. At this time, under the flames, a dark hole in front of everyone appeared in front of everyone, "It's this." Gao Chong looked at the mark he made at the entrance of the hole, nodded, and then walked in first.

Gao Jin followed his uncles into the illuminated cave, and the crystals of stone salt containing impurities were shining with different colors such as gray, yellow, red, and black in the fire.

Gao Jin roughly estimated the mineral salt in this cave, which could have about two or three thousand kilograms. As for the specific reserves, he could not say anything without tools. He could only look at the burial situation below after digging away all the exposed salt blocks.

"Come, brothers, let's start digging and fill the bags."

Gao Chong shouted, and the uncles beside Gao Jin also waved their hoes and shovels, all of them were full of energy. After all, this was a business without any money. When the next tribe and the Mongolians were replaced with fur, they would be fine if they returned to the gate.

For a moment, there were jingling sounds in the salt cave. The salt blocks from the shovel were put into the sack. Gao Jin looked carefully at the faults on the inner wall, and the crystals were still shining with yellow light. He knew in his heart that the scale of this salt mine was too small, but when the mineral salt on the surface was gone, it was afraid that it would be difficult to deal with those buried underground.

After one night, Gao Jin calculated that they had dug at least nearly a thousand kilograms of mineral salt from the salt cave and loaded more than twenty sacks of burlap. These mineral salts were not difficult to dig, but horses and vehicles could not enter the mountain and could only be carried by people, which was very labor and time.

Before dawn, the team quietly returned to the caravan camp. Gao Jin rode a horse and Lao Chen to wipe the traces of the transportation of the vehicles behind. It was impossible to be too careful in the Mongolian territory.

The next day, the caravan still set up stalls to do business with herdsmen. Gao Jin and his mining uncles took a break in the camp. Everyone knew that it would be almost done if they went to the salt cave tonight.

...

In the evening, Gao Jin woke up in a sleep, his whole life was full of energy, and he seemed to have endless energy, which made the uncle next to him envious, "It's good to be young, I miss back then, I..."

"Erlang, you are looking for you." Wei Lianhai interrupted the old man's feelings and shouted to Gao Jin. No one in the caravan now regards Gao Jin as a junior. Although everyone is a martial artist, it does not mean he has no brains. What Gao Jin has shown recently is no longer smart and talent. Before he knew it, he regarded Gao Jin as a person who could make decisions.

Gao Jin left the tent and saw his father at a glance, "Dad, what's the matter?" After walking over a few steps, Gao Jin found that his father seemed to have some worries.

"Su De is about to see me, it's almost time to come." Looking at the dim sky, Gao Jin spoke with a look of hesitation on his face, "Xiao Jin, how do you think I should answer him?"

"Dad, I have a question to ask you?" Gao Jin asked without answering a question. He stayed in the Aji tribe for two days. He had talked to several herders and knew a lot about the Aji tribe's situation and had a long time to make his own judgment.

"you say."

"Dad thinks that which one, Wulihan or Su De, is more beneficial to us?"

"Su De!" Gao Chong did not hesitate for too long, and then gave his own answer. Wu Lihan was too greedy and stingy. Although Su De was scheming, he knew how to choose and was willing to give benefits.

"In recent years, Aji's army has been defeated by the official army many times, and Ulihan has long been unpopular. Su De looks weak, but it is not without a chance." Gao Jin said, observing his father's expression, "We can only choose Su De to place bets, so why bother? This icing on the cake is not as good as a timely help."

After hearing Gao Jin's words, Gao Chong fell into deep thought. After a long time, he raised his head and said, "Xiao Jin, you are right. You should make a decision, just make a decision."

"Dad, since you want to see Su De, you might as well tell him the truth that the mineral and salt benefits of the salt cave are not as big as he thought. There are rules for private salt trading within the walls, so he saved him what a great favor this salt cave is for us."
Chapter completed!