Ch.265Knowledge (6)

“I heard that wheelbarrows used at construction sites are quite efficient.”

“Yes, yes. They require less effort and work well.”

“I’d like to introduce them to our business too…”

Merchants were always sensitive to information.

And for good reason—those who didn’t respond keenly to information risked falling behind.

That’s why they couldn’t help but be interested in the wheelbarrows that were currently most popular in the Great Capital.

“But they’re not necessarily more efficient than traditional wheelbarrows, are they?”

“Right. I’m not sure replacing everything at once would help much…”

Of course, some merchants were skeptical.

But most wanted to adopt these wheelbarrows even if it meant a significant investment.

The reason wasn’t simply about efficiency.

“If Gurkhan made them, we’d be missing out not to use them.”

“Anyone can see this is bound to be successful.”

“Honestly, even if they’re less efficient than before, we should use them.”

It was about promotional effect.

Though they were merely wheelbarrows for moving goods with little chance of public exposure,

Just mentioning that they used such wheelbarrows could attract customers’ interest.

Plus, these were items created by none other than Gurkhan himself.

So from a merchant’s perspective, they absolutely had to acquire them.

“But where can we get these?”

“I heard there are craftsmen who have wheelbarrow parts?”

At this, several merchants began searching for these craftsmen.

The craftsmen they found were struggling with excess inventory from overproduction.

“The problem is how to dispose of these… You’ll take them off our hands, sir?”

“That’s right. I’ll buy them all.”

“But these were produced for government orders…”

The merchant wiggled his finger knowingly.

“I heard from my relative who works in government that they said excess production can be disposed of as we see fit.”

“Is that true, sir?”

“Trust me. Just in case, I’ve brought this government seal.”

Seeing the paper with a large seal, the craftsman nodded.

From his perspective, excess inventory that just took up space wasn’t helpful.

“Very well. I’ll sell them. How will you pay?”

The merchant clapped his hands.

A servant waiting behind him brought something forward.

“This… this is!”

The craftsman’s eyes sparkled.

His expression asked if this was really being offered as payment.

“It’s jade. Fine jade—you know its value better than I do.”

“Gulp…”

The love for jade in the Central Plains was beyond words.

Jade itself was considered a stone containing immortality.

Consequently, when jade was carved into long-living mythical creatures like dragons or turtles, the price skyrocketed.

“I’ll… I’ll sell.”

“However.”

“However…?”

“In the future, if government-ordered items like wheelbarrows become available, you must inform me immediately. Can you do that?”

The merchant made this proposal while placing the jade in his hand.

Mesmerized by the jade’s brilliant color, the craftsman nodded eagerly.

“Of course. Just give the order.”

Thus, the merchant purchased all of one component of the wheelbarrows from the craftsman.

Additionally, he hired craftsmen to create imitations similar to the wheelbarrows reportedly made by Gurkhan.

“But… is this the right design?”

The merchant said this while stroking his chin.

The result looked nothing like Gurkhan’s wheelbarrow that was known to the public.

This wasn’t just his problem.

All merchants who purchased parts from different craftsmen found themselves in the same situation.

“We can’t back out now.”

They had already invested substantial money.

They could invest more to recruit other craftsmen and procure parts.

The problem was not knowing which craftsmen to approach.

Of course, with enough money they could find out, but there were clear limits.

“So the only option is… to maximize profit with what we have.”

The merchants wanted to recover their investment.

So they planned to deploy wheelbarrows completely different from Gurkhan’s design.

“Whatever it is, Gurkhan made it!”

That was the key point.

Whatever it was, Gurkhan made it.

They had no idea these wheelbarrows would later become rickshaws.

* * *

As the Great Capital developed, people flocked to it.

With people gathering, entertainment districts naturally emerged.

Of course, the Great Capital had long been a metropolis with red-light districts.

But after becoming the capital of the vast Mongol Empire, these districts grew even larger.

“I’ve *hic*… visited entertainment districts all over the world, but none as splendid as the Great Capital.”

“I know. An entertainment district mixing Eastern and Western cultures… this place is truly extraordinary.”

Men wandered through the district saying such things.

Numerous courtesans beckoned to them with gestures.

The courtesans working in the Great Capital’s red-light district came from diverse backgrounds, befitting its reputation as a world apart.

There were women from Mongolia, Goryeo, Song, Western Liao, Western Xia, Iran, Mashriq, Arabia, and even India.

With such diverse courtesans, merchants from those regions couldn’t help but empty their pockets.

“Would you like another drink?”

“I’d like to go all night, but I have an important deal tomorrow… *hic*.”

The drunk man replied.

The other man pointed at his feet and snickered.

“You’re completely wasted. You won’t be walking home—you’ll be crawling on all fours.”

“Hey now. As the head of a trading company, how could I show such disgrace… *hic*.”

The man raised his hand.

A man watching from a distance approached, pulling something.

“What’s that?”

“I’m calling a rickshaw.”

“A rickshaw? What’s that?”

The man smirked with a knowing expression.

“This is why country bumpkins… It’s a carriage pulled by a person.”

“A carriage… pulled by a person?”

“That’s right.”

The questioning man tilted his head in confusion.

“Why use a human-pulled carriage when horses would do?”

“Don’t you know horses aren’t allowed in this crowded area?”

The man pointed to a notice posted at the entrance of the red-light district.

It clearly stated “No Horses Allowed.”

“Besides, who wants to ride something that smells of horse dung when drunk?”

“That’s true.”

The two weren’t nomads.

They didn’t particularly enjoy the smell of horse manure.

While they were talking, a rickshaw puller appeared before them.

“Welcome! Where may I take you?”

“To the house with the blue roof at the eastern end of Zhuque Avenue, next to the plum tree.”

“Eastern end, blue roof, next to a plum tree… There are many similar houses. Could you be more specific?”

“The house of the Jin family trading company head.”

The rickshaw puller looked surprised.

He replied with a respectful expression.

“Are you the head of the Jin family trading company? The one who made a fortune using Gurkhan’s wheelbarrows for logistics…”

“Haha. I’m surprised my story has spread so far. Yes, I am the head of the Jin trading company.”

He was one of those interested in Gurkhan’s wheelbarrows.

However, in trying to recreate Gurkhan’s wheelbarrow, he ended up making an oversized cart that didn’t match the name “wheelbarrow.”

This large cart proved inconvenient for moving goods in warehouses.

Just when the cart was about to be abandoned without generating profit, a good idea came to him.

It was to use the large cart for transportation.

The empire already had numerous transportation businesses.

After the postal relay system was fully established, some people made it their primary occupation.

However, most transportation businesses focused on long-distance shipping.

Transporting major goods yielded higher profits.

Consequently, short-distance transportation within cities remained underdeveloped.

The Jin family trading company head noticed this gap.

So he changed his business model to city transportation using imitations of Gurkhan’s wheelbarrows.

The result was successful.

Thanks to this, he transformed from a mere peddler to one of the wealthiest men in the Great Capital.

“Sir, you are nothing short of our idol.”

“Haha. *hic*… You flatter me. I believe your boss is also quite accomplished.”

“Our company head is indeed exceptional.”

“Well, who would have thought to place rickshaws in areas where horses can’t go and make such profits?”

While the Jin family grew through city logistics, the Cho family created a new mode of urban transportation with rickshaws.

As a result, the Cho family established themselves as the Great Capital’s transportation company.

As the drunk Jin family head chatted with the rickshaw puller, his friend naturally felt left out.

“I should have invested everything in Gurkhan’s wheelbarrows back then.”

The man lamented while looking up at the sky.

From his perspective, he had missed a golden opportunity for wealth.

“But I wonder what would be good now. They’ve probably monopolized anything profitable.”

Many merchants who invested in wheelbarrows were making considerable profits.

“It’s not too late. You could still make it if you start now.”

The man said this while surveying his surroundings.

Then things he hadn’t noticed before began to come into view.