Ang Lee found that more than half of the people on the street were walking, and the rest were riding wooden bicycles. There were very few people riding horses or sedan chairs. After looking for a while, he didn't see any motor vehicles.
This was enough to show that the economic development of Yizhou City was still in the early stage, and it was not prosperous enough. The advanced civilization he brought had not been well popularized here. Although this was caused by the difficulties in the real world, Ang Lee still felt that it was a pity.
Looking at several people riding bicycles passing through the street, Ang Lee's mouth revealed a trace of a smile. These people's bicycles had cushions, but they preferred to ride standing instead of sitting. This seemed to show that their buttocks were a little painful from being tortured by the cushions. In order to alleviate this pain, they would rather ride standing. When their legs were sore, they would sit and rest for a while, and then continue to ride standing.
This unique way of riding was also used by Ang Lee when he was a child in his previous life. However, it was not because the cushions were too bumpy, but because his legs were not long enough. After sitting on the cushions, he could not reach the pedals. Therefore, he could only give up the cushions and ride on the pedals. Because of the obstruction of the big bars, he even had to ride with his body tilted.
Riding in this way was not only painful, but also very dangerous. However, when he was riding, he still felt very happy. Perhaps it was because he was very young! He felt that riding in this way was also very fun. Although he fell again and again, he still persevered and continued to ride. He had a lot of fun.
Ang Lee was fully capable of inventing a very comfortable bicycle, and he had already done it. There were many high-end bicycles in the capital that were very comfortable to ride, even more comfortable than riding a horse. However, comfort required a very high cost, and the people generally preferred cheap and durable models. It was not that they did not want comfort, but that they could not afford it. As a result, the counterfeit bicycles that were imitated by ordinary craftsmen were selling well, which made Ang Lee feel quite helpless.
The people were still too poor. If it were not for poverty, they would not give up comfort. These wooden bicycles looked very bumpy, but they would never have to worry about a flat tire, and they would never have to worry about the cost of repairing the tire. The wooden spokes were also very thick, so the possibility of them breaking was not high. Without the metal chain, gears, and axles, a small amount of oil would be enough to lubricate them. If it really didn't work, they could also lubricate them with white wax. These were not very expensive, and the amount used was relatively small, so there was no need to worry about it.
In short, it was relatively easy to buy a wooden counterfeit bicycle. It was much cheaper than a horse, and unlike a horse, it did not need to be taken care of every day. The maintenance cost was very low, and it was the best means of transportation for the poor. In many core cities of the Tang Dynasty, they were relatively common. Basically, they were found in all the counties near the capital. Basically, they could be found in all the provincial cities of the Tang Dynasty. As for a relatively large city like Yizhou City, they were even more common. According to Ang Lee's estimation, there were at least a few thousand of them in Yizhou City. This was because the production of spare parts in the capital was not enough. If the production was sufficient, there would be more in Yizhou City.
From the style of the wooden bicycles that passed by in front of him, Ang Lee knew that these wooden bicycles were definitely not produced in the capital, because they were completely different from the models that he had seen in the capital. Although they all had two wheels, the appearance was still quite different.
According to Ang Lee's estimation, there should be a bicycle manufacturing workshop in Yizhou City. These workshops bought the core parts from the capital, and then used the common wood in Central Sichuan to make these bicycles that were suitable for local use.
After looking at a few more bicycles, Ang Lee found that these bicycles were different from each other. They seemed to be quite personalized. Some had a basket, and some didn't. Some had brakes, and some didn't. The same went for the back seat. Some had a back seat that could carry one person, and some were empty. This was quite interesting.
"Come here."
Ang Lee saw the waiter come up to serve tea, so he called him over.
"Sir, what else do you need?"
Ang Lee asked, "You have a lot of bicycles in Yizhou City! Is there a bicycle workshop? "
The waiter looked out of the window and said, "Yes, yes! There is more than one shop. "
"Oh! Where is it? "
Ang Lee asked curiously.
The waiter replied, "The workshop is more than ten miles away from the city. However, there is a small shop nearby that specializes in selling bicycles. It's never closed. It's just on the next street. Just walk out of our back door, and you'll get there in one step. "
"Oh, just a few steps. Then we'll go and have a look."
Ang Lee said.
"Okay, sir, when do you want to go? Just let me know."
The waiter said politely.
"If we go now, won't it delay your work?"
Ang Lee said with a smile.
The waiter said with a smile, "Sir, you are our distinguished guest. Besides, it's really not that far. It's just a few steps away."
Ang Lee nodded and said, "Well, let's go now. Lead the way!"
After that, he signaled half of the guards to go outside to get the horses, and the rest to follow him to the next street.
Under the guidance of the waiter, Ang Lee and the others soon arrived at the bicycle shop next door. The shop looked quite big. In addition to bicycles, there were also tables, chairs, wooden stools, and other wooden furniture. They were placed on the left and right sides of the shop. Selling more goods could bring more profits, and it could also share the risk. It was a good strategy.
After leading the way, the waiter went back, and Ang Lee and the guards entered the shop.
"Sir, what would you like to order? We have good tables and chairs, and we also have bicycles for transportation. Please take a look."
The shopkeeper came to greet the guests in person. His attitude was naturally very good.
Ang Lee just glanced at the tables and chairs, and then looked at the bicycles next to them. There were more than thirty bicycles, and there were many spare parts, such as baskets, bells, pedals, cotton seat covers, and so on.
"How much are you selling these bicycles?"
Ang Lee looked at the wooden bicycles in front of him and asked.
The shopkeeper replied directly, "Sir, you look like a noble. Our cars are the best. The price depends on how many things are loaded. The most basic is five strings of cash. You can add on all these things. Every additional item will cost a little more. Even if you add on all of them, it will only cost eight strings of cash. There is nothing cheaper than this."
This price was indeed not expensive, much cheaper than ordinary horses. Ordinary horses in the Tang dynasty cost at least 30 strings of cash. If it was a good horse, the price would go up to 100 strings of cash. As for fine horses, they were priceless and could not be bought even if you had money.
The price of bicycles and horses was very different, and it was the same in the future. The price of bicycles and live horses in the future was more than ten times higher. Ordinary people could not afford good horses.
"Well, the price is indeed not high. Who bought them? Can poor farmers afford them? "
Ang Lee asked.
The shopkeeper answered patiently, "Generally, they are bought by people who are slightly better off. Servants of rich families also need them. Poor farmers naturally won't buy them."
While they were talking, a Langjun riding a bicycle hurried over and said, "Put a basket for me. It's too inconvenient to buy vegetables without a basket."
The shopkeeper smiled and said, "You insisted on not buying it when you bought it. Now you regret it! Do you want to put a basket in the back seat? In this way, you can put some in the front seat and some in the back seat. You can buy more vegetables in one trip. "
"No, no, I don't trust you to put it in the back seat. It will be ruined if someone steals it. I don't want it."
The Langjun riding the bicycle shook his head repeatedly. Obviously, he did not want to spend more money.
"It's up to you. Don't regret it in a few days."
The shopkeeper did not ask for too much. He winked at the people beside him and asked them to help him put the basket in the bicycle.
"What does this young Langjun do?"
Ang Lee asked.
The young Langjun who bought the basket looked at Ang Lee and answered politely, "Nothing much. He runs a restaurant with his father."
The shopkeeper also said, "His father runs a small restaurant on the next street. He and his brothers all work in the restaurant. There are more than a dozen men and women in the family. They don't hire any outsiders. Haha!"
Ang Lee nodded and said, "Since he runs a restaurant, he must buy a lot of vegetables every day. This small basket can't fit all of them."
"It's okay. The left and right handlebars can hang two bags. Together with the basket in the front, it should be enough. If it doesn't work, we can just make two trips."
The young Langjun said with a smile.
Ang Lee naturally understood why the young Langjun did not want to put a basket in the back seat. First, it would cost more money. Second, he was worried about putting the basket in the back seat. If someone stole it, he would not know. After all, no one had eyes on the back of their heads. Everyone's eyes were in the front, so they could not see the back seat.
However, a small restaurant needed to buy a lot of food every day. The basket in the front and the bags on the handlebars were not enough. It would be better to put a basket in the back seat.
"What kind of restaurant does your family run? What's delicious? "
Ang Lee asked.
The young Langjun answered, "My family sells a lot of delicious food. In the morning, they mainly sell fried pies and roujiamos. At noon, they sell all kinds of fried dishes and dumplings. In the evening, they are all cheap snacks."
Ang Lee nodded with a smile and said, "Langjun, it's fate that we can meet here. How about this? I'll buy the basket in the back seat for you. You can go back and get some fried pies and roujiamos. What do you think? "
"This … It's not good."
The young Langjun hesitated. After all, he did not want to take advantage of others. The basket in the back seat was several times more expensive than the one in the front seat. It could not be offset by a few fried pies. He did not want to take advantage of others.
Seeing this, the shopkeeper hurriedly said, "What are you thinking about? It's such a good opportunity. You can't miss it. "
The young Langjun saw the determination in Ang Lee's eyes. He knew that Ang Lee was rich, so he had to give face to him. He said, "Please wait a moment. I'll go back and get the pies and roujiamos."
Then he ran back and left his car in the shop. Anyway, he knew the shopkeeper, so he would not lose his car. In addition, he could help him put the basket in the back seat as soon as possible.
The basket in the back seat was much more expensive than the one in the front seat because it was not a basket. It was two connected curtains. Because they were connected in the middle, they could be hung on both sides of the back seat rack. Each basket was very large. After it was filled with goods, the back seat could be piled with more goods. Therefore, the transportation capacity was three times more than the one in the front seat. Although the price was higher, it was still cost-effective.
The basket was made of bamboo slices and rattan. In Central Sichuan, bamboo slices and rattan were abundant resources. Moreover, these two materials were relatively strong. A basket made of these two materials must be quite strong.
It must be known that these rattans had been processed for a long time and soaked in a lot of oil. As a result, these rattans would become stronger and more durable. No matter if it was exposed to the sun or the rain, there wouldn't be much change. The wear and tear would also be greatly reduced, which could greatly prolong the lifespan. If the rattans were not processed directly, they would rot in a few years. As a result, placing too many heavy objects would cause damage to the basket.
Although the rattan basket soaked in oil was much more expensive, its quality was more reliable and it could be used for a long time. Therefore, overall, it was more cost-effective.
The bamboo slices were also painted. They were mainly used to support the basket and make it more stable. The rattan was still too soft and could easily deform the basket.
The shopkeeper's workers quickly installed both the front and back baskets. Ang Lee also paid. Not only did he pay for the back basket, but he also paid for the front basket at the same time.
"Sir, you are really a kind person! Judging from your accent, you must be from the capital! "
The shopkeeper received the money and was very happy in his heart. He asked.
Ang Lee nodded and replied, "Yes, we are businessmen from the capital. We came to Central Sichuan to look for business opportunities. When we passed by here, we saw that these bicycles were different from the ones in the capital, so we just came in to take a look."
After that, Ang Lee looked carefully and studied the bicycles in front of him carefully. He learned a lot and understood the wisdom of the people in Central Sichuan.
Although these people used common wood, bamboo, and rattan to make bicycles, the quality of the bicycles they made was not bad. On the contrary, the quality of the bicycles was quite good. They could design the thickness of the wood according to the weight of a certain part of the bicycle. The strength of the material was the premise that it could be used well. It could be said that the bicycles made of wood were not inferior to the bicycles made of metal in the future. The damage rate might be lower.
Soon, the young Langjun ran back with two bags in his hands. He walked into the shop breathlessly.
"This is all we have. If it's not enough, you can come to our shop and have a good meal."
The young Langjun said.
Ang Lee smiled and said, "That's a lot. Shopkeeper, we have something else to do, so we'll leave first."
After that, Ang Lee and his subordinates left the shop.
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