Jiapingguan Chronicle

Chapter 2721 Still Vigorous in Old Age 105.0
"Gentlemen, let's snap out of it, we've gone off on a tangent again!" Chu Han waved to the two of them. "We can talk about the rest later."

“Alright!” Jin Miaomiao and Xiao Fengqi exchanged a glance. “It’s not our fault for going off-topic; we just happened to be talking about this, didn’t we? But, wouldn’t someone who regularly trades in the Western Regions be able to tell at a glance?” She looked at Chu Han, “Uncle, someone like you…”

What's wrong with me?

“You don’t look like the type who can withstand wind and sun, or sleep outdoors.” Jin Miaomiao glanced at Chu Han’s expression, smiled mischievously, and continued, “I’ve seen merchants before, and they’re either strong and powerful or dark and thin. You look rather frail, which doesn’t seem to fit the style of a caravan.”

“You’re judging a book by its cover. There are all sorts of people in a caravan, not just the kind you see.” Xia Chen gestured to Chu Han, who was about to argue, signaling him to calm down. “I know more about this than any of you do. I did serious research before I set sail. For example, a caravan, at its most basic level, has at least three or four types of people. The first type, needless to say, is the caravan leader—experienced, reliable, and steady. They’re usually the confidants of the owner, people the owner trusts very much.” He looked at Chu Han, then at Shen Cha. “Right?”

“That’s right.” Shen Cha nodded. She had seen the Qin family’s caravan before. The leaders of the caravans had all grown up with the head of the family, sharing joys and sorrows. Although they were called master and servant, they were actually brothers, and some of them had a bond even deeper than that of siblings.

"The second type is the militants, who need to protect caravans and goods along the way."

"Isn't this a bodyguard?"

“That’s right!” Xia Chen nodded. “Small caravans usually hire bodyguards, but large family caravans, like my aunt’s family or the Qin family, have their own escort agencies. The head bodyguard and bodyguards are all their own people. Different goods will be escorted by different escort agencies, head bodyguards and bodyguards. They will also be assigned to different places based on the head bodyguard and bodyguard’s expertise.”

"I didn't expect there to be so many intricacies here."

“Of course.” Xia Chen’s voice was a little hoarse. He finished the tea in his teacup, poured himself another, blew on it, took two gulps, and continued, “The third type is those who are responsible for support, such as the clerk next to the leader, or those who are responsible for the caravan’s food, drink, and toilet needs. Some caravans even bring along monks and Taoist priests.”

"What are the roles of advisors, monks, and Taoist priests?"

Jin Miaomiao looked bewildered. She glanced at the others, and apart from Chu Han, they all had the same expression as her—extremely confused and bewildered.

"The concept of a 'secretary' is easy to understand, right? For example, when planning routes or dealing with dangers, a secretary is needed to advise on things. The secretaries of merchant caravans are a bit different from the secretaries we know. They don't have to be experts in astronomy and geography, but they're close. Many of these merchant caravans, especially those heading to the Western Regions and overseas, hire very capable secretaries. Large families often hire secretaries with backgrounds in the Imperial Observatory. For example, the few I took with me on my voyage were directly recruited from the Imperial Observatory."

"Did you ask them to leave?"

Shen Haolin and Song Yaojia said in unison, then looked at each other and gave each other a high five.

"Why wasn't it an invitation?" Xia Chen snorted. "I paid for their salaries these past few years, and they're much higher than what they earned at the Imperial Observatory." "Didn't you go to the Imperial Observatory back then, do some research, and pick a few that caught your eye without even asking if they were willing, just tying them to your boat?" Song Yaojia chuckled. "Luckily, you chose those who weren't married yet. If you had chosen those who were married, wouldn't they have filed a complaint against you all the way to the Dali Temple?"

"These are the ones I carefully selected. They're young, their families are all back in their hometowns, and they'd never amount to much in the Imperial Observatory. They'd be better off coming with me." Xia Chen shook his head smugly. "Most importantly, they have great personalities and are very good at persuasion. A caravan with so many people needs people like that. With so many people in the caravan, seeing each other every day, constantly tied together, arguments and disagreements are bound to happen. If we don't mediate in time, it could easily escalate into a fight, a brawl, right?"

“That’s true. It’s not just the caravans; it’s the same here.” Xia Jiu nodded. “Old Lu, who’s going back with you, is particularly good at this, and he’s very perceptive. He can always spot problems in advance.”

“That’s right. Such people are rare. They can nip these uncertain and potentially explosive dangers in the bud. The few I captured from the Imperial Observatory were a great help to me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to return so smoothly.”

"I understand, it's similar to the work my brother does." Jin Miaomiao stroked her chin. "Then what about the monks and Taoist priests?"

"It's for psychological comfort, and it also serves as a deterrent."

"Shock?"

“Merchant caravans travel very far, and no matter which territory they pass through, they are bound to be targeted by local bandits and thieves with ill intentions. Although there are people from the escort agency, sometimes they may not be enough in number. If there are monks or Taoists, they can warn those people to some extent and make them more cautious.”

"I understand. We need to be careful not to harm them. If we take action against the monks and Taoists, we may pay a heavy price, a price they may not be able to bear."

“That’s right.” Xia Chen nodded. “So, there are many different kinds of people in a caravan, not just those you see.”

"I understand." Jin Miaomiao nodded. "I didn't expect there to be so many intricacies here. I've learned a lot."

"Before I pretended to be a caravan, I didn't expect that a caravan would consist of so many people. Everyone has their own role and they need to help each other to complete this trade trip." Chu Han nodded and continued, "Going back to the point, every few days I would take different people to stroll around the streets. I would go into any shop, chat with them for a while, and if I saw something I liked, I would actually buy it."

"This is the right thing to do; it won't attract attention."

“That’s right.” Chu Han nodded. “I remember that day. I was wandering around several silk shops with a few men. Actually, I had already taken a liking to it and was considering whether to use my position to buy some for my caravan. But it was a very hot day, and I was getting a bit hot, so I took my men to rest at a teahouse next to the silk shops. That teahouse mainly sells su che (a type of cheese), and they have several flavors.” He looked at Jin Miaomiao and smiled. “Just as we were choosing su che, a man dressed as a steward came into the teahouse. He went straight to the manager and immediately ordered fifty servings of su che.”