Chapter 56: Money is nothing, there is plenty of it!
"Even if it were those two old foxes Du Ruhui and Fang Xuanling, without knowing me, they would definitely buy sweet potatoes without hesitation after hearing about their many benefits."

"This sweet potato can be eaten in many ways and can quickly fill your stomach, which is just right to solve the famine problem in our Tang Dynasty."

"The refugees can also avoid starvation. Besides, sweet potatoes have high yield and strong adaptability, which are attractive enough."

"It's easy to store. As long as you keep it in a cool and ventilated place, it won't go bad for a year or two. If it's stored well, it won't go bad for two or three years."

"In this way, even if a famine strikes, the people will not starve, and they can survive the hardship by relying on these sweet potatoes. It seems that the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty is just around the corner."

At this time, the Buda envoy blinked his eyes and pretended to sigh, saying: "Alas, sir, I heard that the Tang treasury is empty and the economic situation is not good. Why would they not sell such good things but hoard them? I really can't understand it!"

The envoy seemed to be lamenting about the sweet potato issue, but in fact he was cleverly trying to find out about the economic situation of the Tang Dynasty.

"Hey, stop joking," Xu Luo shook his head with a playful look on his face, "Are you questioning whether the Tang Dynasty's treasury is empty?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his fingers began to imitate the action of counting money. The gesture was exaggerated and funny, just like the tricks of vendors in the market to attract customers. The Buda envoy was stunned. This Xu Luo was really unpredictable.

After hesitating for a moment, the envoy took out a heavy purse from his bosom. His movement was slow and hesitant, as if he was taking out his most precious treasure.

He had just spent half a million dollars on a batch of sweet potatoes, and now he had to pay for this guy again. He felt so painful.

The envoy weighed the purse in his hand again and again, his expression changing unpredictably, and finally reluctantly handed it to Xu Luo. Xu Luo took it, a smug smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and put the purse safely in his arms.

Then, his face suddenly darkened, and he sternly retorted: "Nonsense, who told you that the Tang Dynasty treasury has no money?"

The Buda envoys were stunned by Xu Luo's sudden transformation. It seemed that Xu Luo in front of them had transformed from a grinning street dweller into a dignified courtier in an instant.

Xu Luo's stern face was reflected in his wide eyes, which made people wonder whether this was the same person.

At this time, the female character next to her gently brushed her hair, smiled, and glanced at Xu Luo charmingly, as if to say, "This man is really interesting."

Her lips slightly opened, silently tempting, as if hinting at something. Xu Luo saw it, and his heart moved slightly, but his face remained serious, making it hard to tell what he was thinking.

The Buda envoy's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but exclaimed. Xu Luo came to his senses and realized that he was still on the busy street. The shout just now attracted curious glances from passers-by.

He quickly lowered his voice, but his expression remained calm with a hint of a smile on his lips.

"Hey, saying that the Tang Dynasty's treasury is empty is just a lie to fool you outsiders!" Xu Luo said in a low voice with a mysterious tone.

The Buda envoy's heart tightened, his brows knitted, curious and puzzled. Xu Luo stretched out his finger and hooked it, motioning him to come closer. After confirming that there was no one around, Xu Luo spoke mysteriously.

"Let me tell you, I heard this secret from an old friend!"

"The treasury of the Tang Dynasty is actually extremely rich. Claiming to be broke is just a show for foreigners. Although our Tang Dynasty has only been established for ten years and local disasters have occurred one after another, it is indeed not easy to collect taxes, but those old guys in the court are all easy to deal with." "They have invented various ways to make money. As for sweet potatoes, they are just a small profit to them and they don't take them seriously at all." Xu Luo snorted contemptuously.

The Buda envoy was stunned. Sweet potatoes were a considerable income in his eyes, and the 500,000 yuan that Xu Luo casually mentioned was equivalent to half of their Tibetan treasury. In the Tang Dynasty, this seemed insignificant.

"Then, may I ask sir, how did they do it?" The Buda envoy couldn't help but ask in a low voice out of curiosity.

"Hey, brother Buda, since we are partners, I will reveal a huge secret to you now!"

Xu Luo looked around mysteriously and lowered his voice, "But we have to make a promise. You have to keep this a secret. Even your bedmate and your children cannot mention it. If the officials of the Tang Dynasty find out, they will chop off your head!"

The Buda envoy's eyes lit up and he nodded repeatedly: "Don't worry, I'm very tight-lipped and won't leak a single word!"

Xu Luo smiled with satisfaction, turned around and took out an oil-paper bag from his precious backpack. This backpack was sewn by his sister, and after his skillful improvements, it became his treasure bag, which was indispensable every time he came to Chang'an City.

The Buda envoy looked at the oil paper bag with a confused look on his face, but Xu Luo, with a wicked smile on his face, threw it in front of him and said, "Here, open it and take a look!"

"What is this?" The Buda envoy was confused and puzzled. With trembling fingers he opened the oil paper bag and found some white powder inside.

"Try it!" Xu Luo smiled mischievously.

The Buda envoy was full of doubts, but he couldn't suppress his curiosity, and carefully took a little white powder and put it into his mouth. At this moment, his face was like turning a page of a book, and it instantly became very exciting.

As soon as the Buda envoy took a bite of salt, his facial features instantly distorted, as if he had been struck by lightning, causing Xu Luo, who was watching, to burst out laughing and almost burst out laughing.

"Oh my, Lord Buda, you don't look like you are enjoying delicious food." Xu Luo teased, with a playful smile on his lips.

The Buda envoy finally regained his composure and stared at the salt in front of him with a puzzled look, as if it was a magic stone that could change in an unpredictable way. "How could this salt..."

Xu Luo explained leisurely: "This salt is very special. It has a resounding name, called 'refined salt'. The nobles in Chang'an City treat it as a treasure. Every grain is very precious."

Before the eyes of the Buda envoy, the pearl-like salt grains sparkled alluringly in the sun, as if whispering to him of its extraordinary nature.

"Look, this refined salt is pure and flawless, and the taste is genuine. It's not like the salt from your plateau, which has so many impurities that it hurts your teeth." Xu Luo said as he tapped the table unconsciously with his fingers.

Buda made the show blurry, as if imagining that pure taste.

"Yes, refined salt..." The Buda envoy came back to his senses and refocused his eyes on the refined salt. "Such a precious product, it's unbelievable."

Seeing this, Xu Luo smiled with satisfaction and continued, "This salt is a rare treasure for the foreign nations on your plateau. Just think about it, they are even willing to start a war for it, which shows how priceless it is."

(End of this chapter)