After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Zhao Zheng arranged the inspection personnel, glanced at the crowded and noisy lines due to being divided into six teams for inspection, and immediately called over a government official and said, "You, take a gong into the city, go to places where inns and restaurants are gathered and shout out that nearly ten thousand people have arrived in the capital today, all merchants and travelers."

He added, "Go on horseback."

The government official received the order and immediately rode Zhao Zheng’s horse back to the city.

Zhao Hu was unaware that Zhao Song would arrive today; he was having a meal with others in Zhenxiu Building.

He planned to hire a designer to help design the five houses he intended to build.

Indeed, although he hadn’t yet bought the Wang Family’s land, he considered it as already in his possession and had it designed accordingly.

This designer was named Pei Xian, currently a doctor in the Ministry of Industry and also an Imperial College Doctor, originating from the Hedong Pei Family, he had quite some insights into house construction and landscape layout, but his reputation was not well-known.

He was a Confucian scholar, a person... in Zhao Hu’s words, quite difficult to describe.

He appeared smooth, yet not smooth.

He was smooth because he never boasted of his family background, being a humble and modest person who showed great courtesy to everyone; not smooth because he seldom spoke, even if questioned directly, he often refrained from giving opinions or viewpoints.

Zhao Hu, though the great uncle of Zhao Hanzhang, had few people in the aristocratic circles willing to associate with him; those who did were either like him, old libertines, or people hoping to gain something.

Pei Xian was neither a libertine nor did he seek anything from Zhao Hu, yet always showed great courtesy upon meeting him, so Zhao Hu occasionally enjoyed drinking with him.

However, drinking with him was too dull; if not for a request, Zhao Hu would not have invited him for a drink this time.

"Did Jing Si design the garden at home himself?"

Pei Xian replied, "Yes, just a minor change."

"It’s well designed; I know Jing Si has his own insights on house structure and garden layout, so I want to invite Jing Si to draw me a few diagrams."

Upon hearing this, Pei Xian hesitated; he knew recently someone was buying the burnt house plot, Zhao Hanzhang had casually mentioned that he should be diligent when approving house constructions lately. The structures within that area should not be too low; he was also instructed to pay attention to the various building materials prices and sources within Luoyang City...

Honestly, this was Pei Xian’s first time undertaking such work, the tasks were especially trivial; he found the work at the Imperial College more attractive, he dearly wished to resign from the Ministry of Industry and focus solely on being an Imperial College Doctor.

But his wife did not permit it.

Now Zhao Hu was requesting him to draw the diagrams; Pei Xian... really didn’t want to draw.

Yet, feeling obliged after eating at someone’s expense and swayed by Zhao Hu’s sincere enthusiasm and numerous compliments, eventually, Pei Xian reluctantly agreed.

Zhao Hu, delighted, waved his hand to invite someone to bring performers over to play music for entertainment. Suddenly, he heard the sound of clanging below, turning his head to look down, seeing a government official standing on the street, desperately banging a gong, loudly shouting, "Today nearly ten thousand merchants and travelers from Yu State have entered the city, anyone interested can draw business at the city gate, the County Lord insists, business must be conducted with integrity, no cheating or swindling!"

He shouted twice, then walked away with the gong, hitting it again and calling out at the next street corner.

After listening, Zhao Hu couldn’t remain seated, ignoring the idea of calling performers; he told Pei Xian briefly and rushed out to find the shopkeeper and manager, "Quickly have people steam rice, pull noodles, send someone to the city gate to check, with over ten thousand people from Yu State certainly following our Zhao Family Army here, otherwise such fat sheep would have been butchered several times on the road; bring money to the city gate immediately, see if there are familiar families, examine the goods they bring, purchase any appealing silks, fabrics, or complete porcelain sets at suitable prices."

Zhao Hu: "Remember, agree on the price but pay a deposit only, do not settle fully yet."

Luoyang City currently lacked supplies, with the increasing number of incoming people, products, especially luxury living supplies, were in short supply.

Now, in Luoyang City, even a piece of fine hemp cloth was hard to come by, let alone good fabric like silk.

Considering that the weather was turning cold, Zhao Hu hurriedly added: "Also, ask about the availability of important items like fur products and felt rugs, buy as much as we can; show our Zhao Family’s spirit, grab the goods first and talk later."

He could guarantee quick sales once the goods were acquired, allowing rapid turnover of funds for settlement; this through-in-and-out transaction would yield a significant profit, followed by purchasing land for house construction and subsequently selling at high prices...

The more Zhao Hu thought about it, the happier he became, his eyes seemed to shine brightly as he urged the managers to take swift action.

Zhenxiu Building was a high-end combination of a restaurant and an inn, naturally, he also needed to consider customers on the lower floor; coincidentally, two years ago Zhao Hu was tricked by Zhao Hanzhang into buying numerous shops, besides Zhenxiu Building, he also owned another inn and restaurant.

He sent people to find the shopkeepers of those two businesses, preparing them as well, then went to the city gate to solicit customers.

The proprietors and shopkeepers of other shops were not fools either, seeing government officials calling out like this; though they wanted to wait for customers inside proudly, upon noticing neighboring shops seemingly sending people to the city gate, they couldn’t sit still themselves.

Thus, proprietors sent staff to the city gate to draw customers while they stayed in the store, preparing the meals.

With insufficient food, one must go immediately to the food market to buy it, rice... if indeed ten thousand merchants and travelers flooded in, the rice consumption would be enormous, thus additional rice also needed purchasing...

Therefore, procurement divided into two routes: one proceeded to the food market for vegetables, the other went to buy rice, flour, and other items.

Several streets in Luoyang sell vegetables specifically, distributed in various directions; this arrangement was made by Zhao Kuan under Zhao Hanzhang’s directive during his tenure as Luoyang County Magistrate.

On the street at the wall corner, grids were drawn out; besides a few fixed stalls for meat, other stalls were selected by early arrivals.

Zhao Hanzhang had ordered that stalls selling vegetables and agricultural and sideline products face no stall fees or taxes, thus citizens inside and outside Luoyang could bring vegetables, chickens, etc., into the city for sale.

Fixed meat stalls charged only a minimal rental fee, but the requirements for meat stalls were stringent; they had to ensure meat quality and regularly report to the county government about various villages, households’ information on raising livestock.

These butchers needed to walk streets and alleys, go up mountains, and down rural areas to seek livestock; knowing exactly who raised how many chickens, pigs, sheep, they were even more detailed than village chiefs.

Based on this information, Zhao Kuan arranged the number of piglets and chicks delivered annually to each village, of course, this task now fell under Zhao Erlang’s management.

Now as it was cold, vegetables in the field decreased, yet many still carried vegetables into the city for sale daily, even if they were as difficult to sell as always; seeing the sun gradually rise, vegetable farmers were just about to lower prices for sale, then saw many people entering from the street corner, they immediately perked up, loudly hawking, "Cabbage, cabbage, fresh cabbage..."

"Mustard greens, mustard greens, fresh mustard greens..."

The coming procurement managers didn’t even glance, pointing along their way, "Weigh it, weigh it, I’ll take it all..."

Just as the words fell, someone rushed along afterward, saying, "I’ll take all the mustard greens, how much per pound?"

The vegetable farmer quoted dazedly, "Two cents per bundle."