When Chao Kun and Zhang Jiugong got off the boat, a large group of black vendors came up carrying fruits and food and surrounded them.
"Go away! Go away, everyone!"
Someone shouted a few times and drove the vendors away.
A man about forty years old came up and asked with a smile in pure Mandarin: "Didn't Mr. Jiu retire? Why did he get on the ship again?"
It was the man just now. He looked like a local at first glance, but his skin was not that dark and he was taller. He was wearing high-quality silk and satin and a hat, and he was slightly fatter.
It turned out that he knew Zhang Jiugong. Zhang Jiugong came up to him, held hands, patted his arms, and said with a smile: "I can't live without a boat in my life. I'm going to throw this old bone into the sea."
"Where? Jiu Gong is getting stronger and stronger!"
The two laughed, and Zhang Jiugong introduced Chao Kun to him, "This Master Chao is my new employer, a wealthy young man who wants to go out and see the world."
He introduced this man to Chao Kun, "This is the reception officer of Srivijaya. His name is Chanong, and his Chinese name is Wangnong."
Chao Kun bowed his hands in greeting and said: "It turns out that you are the reception officer. Have you ever been to the Song Dynasty?"
Chao Kun looked like a scribe at first glance, and his temperament was very good, which made the reception officer Cha Nong feel good about him. He also clasped his fists and smiled and said: "I went to Bianliang to study at Taixue when I was twenty years old. I stayed in Bianliang for six years and returned in the fifth year of Xuanhe."
Srivijaya.”
It turns out that I studied in Bianliang, no wonder I speak Mandarin so well.
Chanon smiled again and said: "You guys wait a moment, I will arrange the boat, and then take you to the hotel to rest!"
Just when Chao Kun said no, Zhang Jiugong winked at him and Chao Kun shut up in time.
Chanon went to command the fleet to dock. Zhang Jiugong then whispered to Chao Kun: "This Chanon is a Srivijaya noble. He has been a reception officer at the port for more than ten years. He is well-informed. You can find all kinds of
For crops, it’s best to ask him for help.”
Chao Kun said hesitantly: "I'm afraid that Srivijaya has restrictions that prevent species from spreading overseas."
"Nothing. The Srivijaya government never cares about such things. On the contrary, he also encourages selling various species to the Song Dynasty. They make money, right?"
Chao Kun nodded and smiled: "Aren't they afraid that if we learn to grow, we won't buy their products?"
Zhang Jiugong smiled and said: "If that were the case, we wouldn't have bought their spices hundreds of years ago. They are not stupid. They know that only they can grow many crops. If we need them, they will plant them in large quantities, and then they can
Made money."
"I see!"
At this time, a little black child came over carrying a bunch of yellow bananas. He didn't know what he was saying. Chao Kun only heard a bala la.
Zhang Jiugong broke off a few yellow and ripe fruits and gave the child a handful of copper coins. The child left happily. Zhang Jiugong handed one to Chao Kun and said, "This is a sweet banana. The locals call it Balala. We also have it in Lingnan.
But it’s not as big as here, and it’s not as sweet as here. Try it, sir.”
Chao Kun ate a banana and praised it for being sweet. He smiled and asked, "I remember that there are more gold and silver coins here in Nanyang. How can I exchange them with our copper coins?"
"It's about one to ten, but it's unrealistic to expect this to make money. The amount is too small."
At this time, Chanon walked back quickly and said with a smile: "Let's go! Let's take you to the hotel. It's more comfortable there. Do you have a lot of luggage?"
Chanong took a look and saw a dozen people carrying their luggage. He nodded and said to Chao Kun, "Young Master Chao is really a wealthy family! Half of those big ships must belong to Young Master Chao's family!"
Chao Kun said calmly: "They are here for business and have nothing to do with me. I am just here to collect some rare things, things that are not available in the Song Dynasty."
"What specific aspect is it? See if I can help Mr. Chao?"
"Minerals, specialties, fruits, crops, and vegetables are all acceptable."
"Does the quantity need to be large?"
"I'm going to take it back and give it a try. If it's popular, I'll buy it in bulk."
Chanon suddenly became interested and said with a smile: "Tomorrow happens to be my day off. Early tomorrow morning, I will take you to the big market. There is everything there!"
They live in a pretty good place, each with a separate wooden building, and a local girl to serve them. The food is the best, and they only cost a hundred cents a day.
Chao Kun kept his integrity like a jade, so naturally he would not waste his precious first time in Nanyang. Although the girl who served him kept showing her kindness to him, he remained unmoved at all.
After a good night's sleep, he was full of energy the next day. Chanon came as promised and changed into a white silk shirt. Chao Qing also changed into a fine linen green shirt, wearing a plain scarf on his head and holding a folding fan in his hand. They locked their luggage.
, then followed Chanon to the big market.
The big market in the city is different from the trading market in the seaport. The seaport trading market is for foreign trade and contains all kinds of bulk goods, while the big market in the city is the Srivijaya domestic market, which sells everything. Of course, Sriwijaya is
In a Buddhist country, killing is opposed, and there are basically no meat sellers, but there are some who sell animals, and they all buy them back as pets.
The big market is bustling with people, and there are various stalls one after another.
Chanong was good at observing words and expressions. When he saw the disappointment on Chao Kun's face, he smiled and said, "What do you want to buy, Mr. Chao?"
Zhang Jiugong next to him said with a smile: "Master Chao heard me talk about the past thirty years ago on the road. He wanted a big round fruit!"
Chanon patted his forehead and said with a smile: "I understand, come with me!"
He came to a large fruit stall, pointed to piles of large round fruits on the ground and said, "There are several kinds!"
Coconuts are definitely not the same, as they are also produced in Lingnan, and neither are pineapples, which are also produced in Quanzhou. When Chao Kun picked up the other big fruit, he only smelled a foul smell, and Chao Kun almost vomited.
Chanon laughed loudly, "This fruit smells bad but tastes very sweet!"
Chao Kun looked back at Zhang Jiugong, who shook his head, "It's not the kind of food I saw!"
Chanon asked: "I wonder where Jiu Gong saw it?"
"That was thirty years ago, in the canoes of the island natives. They seemed to use them as food. The inside was hollowed out and could still hold fresh water. It was a golden flat ball, about this big!"
Zhang Jiugong compared the size. Chanong had never seen it before, but he had an idea, "Follow me!"
Everyone came to a simple shop. The owner of the shop was a native of the island. Zha Nong spoke to him in native dialect and showed the size of the shop.
The shopkeeper nodded and took out a large melon from the back room. Zhang Jiugong's eyes lit up, "That's it!"
Chanon asked a few more questions and said with a smile: "This is the Tulu melon that their warriors brought back from a very distant continent, and they grew it for food."
Chao Kun smiled and said, "Sell me this melon!"
Chanon translated. The shopkeeper glanced at the folding fan in Chao Kun's hand. He pointed at the folding fan and made an exchange gesture. Chao Kun laughed and said: "Deal!"
Chao Kun handed him the folding fan and taught him how to open and close it. The shopkeeper happily held the folding fan and went to the back room.
Zhang Jiugong hired a footman to hold the melons for him and continued walking forward. Chao Kun saw a basket of red fruits that he had never seen before. He asked: "What is this?"
Zhang Jiugong recognized them and said with a smile: "This is a palm fruit. It is very oily. It seems that it is not native to this place. It was brought by overseas businessmen. It grows well here and can be eaten as food after being cooked."
Chao Kun heard that it could be used as food, so he said, "I bought this basket."
Chao Kun then bought a bunch of specialties. He bought a few of everything he had never seen before. He even bought a few of the smelliest fruits. Of course, he bought relatively green ones, which should be ripe when he gets back.
Already.
He hired more than a dozen footmen to carry things for him. Of course, Chao Kun did not treat Chanong badly and gave him a set of fine kiln-building porcelain as a reward.
Back at the post house, Chao Kun said to Zhang Jiugong: "Finally, I need rice seeds that are harvested three times a year. Please ask Jiugong to get it for me."
Zhang Jiugong smiled and said, "Just ask Chanong for some."
Chao Kun shook his head, "This kind of authentic crops is different from fruits and the like, so it will definitely restrict the spread of it. I was afraid that asking for rice seeds would arouse his vigilance, so I didn't mention it, but I still need rice seeds!"
"I understand, you should be cautious, sir. I'm trying to find a way to get rice seeds from Han merchants. I know a few old friends who are doing well here."
Zhang Jiugong went out to find connections. Two days later, Zhang Jiugong handed Chao Kun a wooden box filled with high-quality local rice seeds.
Ten days later, Chao Kun left Palembang by boat and returned to Quanzhou.