Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 269 Mine Owner: Pigu

Cheng Chumo shouted excitedly, "We're here!" As he spoke, he and Qin Huaidao quickened their pace and walked towards the mine gate.

As they approached, two guards armed with sticks glared at them warily and shouted, "Who are you? This is a private mine. No outsiders are allowed to approach. Leave immediately!"

The guard's face was serious, and the stick in his hand was slightly raised, making a defensive posture.

Cheng Chumo hurried forward, bowed, and said politely with a smile on his face, "Don't misunderstand me, my two brothers. We heard there's a big mine here, so we came to visit. We'd like to discuss the purchase of coal with the owner. We hope you can be accommodating and help inform him."

Qin Huaidao also nodded slightly and echoed: "Thank you for your help, we are sincere and definitely not here to cause trouble. Please give us some convenience."

The two guards looked them up and down, their eyes still revealing a hint of suspicion. One of them snorted coldly and said, "Humph, you say you want to discuss business, but who knows where you come from? You can't just meet the mine owner whenever you want. Get out of here quickly and don't ask for trouble!"

His words were filled with an unquestionable refusal, and there was no sign of him being willing to help inform the others.

Upon hearing the guard's refusal, Cheng Chumo's face darkened and he snorted coldly, "Hmph, I'm telling you right now, but you're just talking nonsense. My father is General Cheng, and I, Cheng Chumo, remain true to my name. I came here today to sincerely discuss the purchase of coal. Why are you so unreasonable as to insist on stopping me?"

He frowned, his eyes revealed a bit of majesty, and his aura emanated from him all at once.

Seeing this, Qin Huaidao also took a step forward and said loudly: "My father is Lord Qin. We are not just any random people. If you still don't know what's good for you and delay this serious business, I'm afraid you won't be able to explain it."

He usually looks calm, and at this moment he also has a serious face, with unquestionable weight in his words.

When the two guards heard this, they were stunned at first, and the arrogance on their faces faded a little. They looked at each other, their eyes full of hesitation and fear.

The guard who had been speaking so sternly just now quickly changed his expression and said with a smile, "Oh, it turns out to be Master Cheng and Master Qin. We are so sorry for not recognizing you. But this mine has its own rules, and we dare not let you in casually. We have to inform the mine owner first. Please wait a moment."

Having said that, he sent one of them to rush into the mine to report, while the other stayed where he was, being careful and smiling at Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaidao from time to time, which was completely different from his arrogant look just now.

The guard trotted over to Pi Gu with a panicked look on his face. After a hasty salute, he said, "Master, two young men have arrived. One claims to be General Cheng's son, Cheng Chumo, and the other is Qin Huaidao, the son of Lord Qin. They claim to be here to discuss buying coal. We dared not let them in easily, so we've come to inform you."

When Pi Gu heard this, he was slightly stunned and began to think secretly in his heart.

He was well aware of the status and power of General Cheng and Lord Qin in the court, and the arrival of these two people's sons must not be underestimated.

He slowly put down the object he was playing with, stood up, straightened his clothes, and said to the guard, "Take them to the side hall and wait. Don't be slow. I will be there soon."

The guard took the order and left, while Pi Gu paced around the room, weighing this sudden business matter in his mind.

On the one hand, cooperation with the Cheng and Qin families may bring many benefits and protection; on the other hand, they are worried about any variables or troubles.

But no matter what, he understood that he had to meet these two young masters first before making a decision.

So he took a deep breath and walked towards the side hall with steady steps.

As soon as Cheng Chumo entered the side hall, before he had time to look around, he heard Qin Huaidao's voice behind him: "You're back."

He turned around and nodded, then replied, "Yes, I'm back. The guard went in to report and said the owner will be here soon. Let's wait for a while."

As he spoke, Cheng Chumo found a chair and sat down, his eyes scanning the side hall.

I saw that this side hall was decorated quite simply, and the tables and chairs were all made of ordinary wood. Although they were not exquisite, they were sturdy and durable.

There are several landscape paintings hanging on the wall, adding a touch of elegance to this slightly monotonous room.

Qin Huaidao also came over and sat next to Cheng Chumo, muttering quietly: "I don't know what kind of person this mine owner is, whether he is easy to deal with, and whether we can successfully negotiate the coal purchase."

Cheng Chumo patted his shoulder and said soothingly, "Never mind him. We are here sincerely to discuss business and have revealed our identities. As long as he is a man of his time, he will surely not make things difficult for us. Let's wait until he arrives and see what happens."

As the two were talking, they heard footsteps coming from far away. They thought it was the mine owner Pi Gu coming. The two hurriedly straightened their clothes, sat up straight, and prepared to greet him.

Pi Gu walked into the side hall at a leisurely pace. After examining Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaidao, he bowed slightly and asked with a distant tone, "Gentlemen, may I know what brings you here today? It's rare for my small mine to welcome distinguished guests of your status."

After saying that, he sat down on the chair at the top, with a scrutinizing look in his eyes, and waited quietly for the two's response.

Cheng Chumo quickly stood up and saluted again, his face full of polite smiles. He said in a loud voice: "Master Pi, to be honest, we came here to discuss the purchase of coal with you."

"It's freezing cold out here, and we're thinking of buying some coal from your mine. That would be a great relief for our immediate needs. Of course, we can negotiate the money."

Qin Huaidao also stood up and echoed, "Yes, Pichang Master, we are here to discuss this business sincerely. I hope you can consider it. If the cooperation is pleasant, it will be a good thing to have long-term business dealings in the future."

After saying this, both of them looked at Pi Gu eagerly, hoping that he would give a positive response.

Pi Gu narrowed his eyes slightly, gently stroking the armrest of the chair. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly spoke, "So you two are here to buy coal. Of course, our mines have coal, but the production is limited, and the demand in Chang'an is huge. You'll have to think carefully about the money involved."

When Cheng Chumo heard that there was a chance, his smile widened and he quickly said, "Don't worry, Pichang Master, the money is easy to negotiate. As long as it's reasonable, we will never let you suffer any loss."

"Look, we're also thinking about long-term cooperation. In the future, we can work together to expand sales channels and other things, which will be of great benefit to the development of your mine."

Qin Huaidao also nodded in agreement and continued, "Yes, Pichang Master, we are all sincere. It's freezing cold now, and everyone is looking forward to having coal to keep warm. If you can agree to this deal, it will be a good thing for the people."

Pi Gu listened to the two men's words, and his expression softened slightly. He coughed lightly and said, "Well, what you two gentlemen say does make sense, but I need to think about the specific matters a little more. We also need to discuss them in detail, such as the quantity of coal to be purchased, the price, the time and method of delivery, etc. We need to have a clear statement, right?"

Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaidao exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Of course, it's all up to the Pichang owner to arrange. We can discuss it slowly."

Cheng Chumo was secretly delighted, thinking that this matter had a good start. As long as they had a good discussion in the future, the hope of buying the coal back would be much greater. Qin Huaidao thought the same thing, and both of them waited for Pi Gu to continue.