The future blueprint drawn by Xiao Zishan for Qiwei Escort was actually to reorganize it into an armed freight company - the social order in the late Ming Dynasty had begun to gradually collapse, and long-distance transportation was simply not feasible without armed escort. [No pop-up novel website]
Sun Kecheng was dumbfounded, thinking that this man has such a loud voice. Wherever he does business, he has an escort agency, not to mention that he doesn't have so many brothers, apprentices, and disciples to work. There are officials, bandits, and locals (Hao San) everywhere. He didn't have the ability to make friends with all the powerful forces one by one.
"It doesn't matter." Xiao Zishan didn't care, "For the time being, we only need to open a new escort route, which is from Guangzhou to Haikang and Xuwen."
"Haikang, Xuwen?" Sun Kecheng was a little confused. Haikang is a county in Leizhou Prefecture, and Xuwen is a subordinate county below. Both places are considered remote areas in Guangdong. In terms of production, only sea salt and cane sugar are the bulk products. There are not many wealthy people. He knew what the Australian maritime merchants were selling, and they were all priceless treasures. If this kind of business was done in Leizhou, it would be a huge loss.
"Not bad." Xiao Zishan nodded. There are two main purposes for opening up this trade route: First, to open up the transportation line between Hainan and Guangzhou. Opposite Bobu Port is Xuwen Lantern Corner. The two places face each other across the sea. If the sea road is blocked, travelers can Cross the sea from Bobu and go to Guangzhou via Leizhou. The second is to obtain local cane sugar. The climate and soil of Leizhou Peninsula are suitable for sugarcane cultivation. There have been sugar cane factories since the Eastern Han Dynasty. By the Ming Dynasty, the local sugarcane cultivation and sugar production industry had been very developed. Around 1700, the annual output of native sugar reached 1,000 tons, most of which was exported. Sugar was one of the most profitable goods in China's overseas trade during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and travelers who traveled through it certainly couldn't let it go. Although it is currently impossible to directly control the Leizhou Peninsula, it can still be done to set up acquisition points and secure supply sources.
What Xiao Zishan wanted to do for the Wei Escort Agency was to open a branch in Haikang and Xuwen Counties within a month, and then gradually open mule and horse shops or car dealerships in important villages and towns along the road to form a post-station type of transportation line. As for the funds needed to open foreign counters everywhere, they will bear all of them. In addition to this, Qiwei was given another three thousand taels of silver, which he used to recruit personnel, make friends with local officials and pay miscellaneous expenses.
"One month is too stressful," Sun Kecheng shook his head repeatedly, "Qiwei has no escort route in Leizhou, so he has to send someone to make a trip. This matter couldn't be handled for two or three months."
"Two months, this matter is urgent." Wu Nanhai has already informed him that the harvest period of sugar cane is in autumn and winter every year. If the escort route can be opened in time, there will still be time to set up a farm in Leizhou to harvest sugar. Next spring, Sugar can be produced on a large scale - the foreign trade products of the time travelers are also available.
"It's easy to say this." Sun Kecheng was not very excited, "Pardon my words: the shopkeepers come from afar. Leizhou is a remote and remote place. You should think twice about doing business there..."
Xiao Zishan was still a little moved in his heart. In another time and space, there were countless people who were trying their best to defraud funds by making up clever names. They polished other people's things and made them themselves, easily defrauding hundreds of millions of people's hard-earned taxes. The boss of the escort bureau, whose business situation is not good, has to think twice about investment projects! Human realms are really very different.
"Don't worry, we have our own reasons." Xiao Zishan knew that without a serious reason, it would be difficult to impress an extremely decent businessman like Escort with money. Fortunately, the reason for buying sugar was ready: "Leizhou produces sugar. , Australia needs cane sugar the most, and it will be beneficial to us to come and go. We just want to set up a farm in Leizhou to harvest sugar."
Only then did Sun Kecheng suddenly realize that he called them "far-sighted" and immediately agreed. Xiao Zishan immediately put forward three requirements: first, to recruit manpower as soon as possible to expand the team of the escort agency; second, to help find experienced and reliable shopkeepers and clerks in the local area for the purpose of opening a brand; third, both parties should establish a liaison system. Because Gao Di studied martial arts in the escort agency, he was a more suitable candidate, so it was agreed that the contact between Weifu Street and the escort agency would be once every seven days. In case of emergency, same day contact is available. After the two sides settled the matter, Xiao Zishan handed the silver post he took from Gao Ju to Mr. Sun, the bodyguard. The cooperation between the two parties was established.
In the following days, Xiao Zishan kept running between Qiwei Escort Bureau and Gaozhai. He had too many things that needed the help of these local people. And Xiao Zishan also saw the huge influence of a businessman like Gao Zhou in Guangzhou. Many things could be solved as long as he sent a steward out with a name card. It is more convenient than the leaders of modern society to make notes and make phone calls.
Soon, Guo Yi and others' Baojia was completed, which was regarded as officially registering their household registration. In fact, Guangzhou no longer needed things like household registration books in the late Ming Dynasty. Baojia was mainly a public security measure. As for their place of origin, it cannot be said that they are Australian maritime merchants, just that they are fellow villagers of the Gao family. With the Gao family manager taking action, the person in charge of the place did not dare to neglect and got things done immediately. Xiao Zishan knew that this kind of "little devil" who was half-official and half-citizen was the most difficult character in the past and is easy to deal with at critical moments. After taking eye drops, he took out a generous reward package worth fifty taels. As expected, the other party smiled brightly and became more respectful.
Except for a few people left to watch the ship, the purchasing group moved into a house on Weifu Street and rested for two days. They all wanted to go out and see what this 17th-century southeastern metropolis was like.
Xiao Zishan knew that if he stood in the way, it would only attract everyone's opinions, but it would be strange to go out in such a swarm without causing trouble. After all, these people are a little too well-nourished, and their behavior is not in harmony with the surrounding environment. Now the people were divided into groups of five or six, and each group was accompanied by two escorts from the Qiwei Escort Agency to ensure safety. In addition, each person is given one tael of silver and one thousand copper coins as pocket money.
The profession of escort has developed a unique guarantee relationship because of its friendship with both black and white. Generally, people who have "made friends" with the escort bureau in the underworld want to go to the city for medical treatment, sightseeing or shopping. As usual, someone from the escort bureau will accompany them and take care of them. They will eat, drink and have fun, and finally send them out of the city with gifts - but there are some One rule: Those who enter the city must not cause trouble in the city. Not to mention committing crimes, but even going to whoring or gambling, escorts will not accompany them as usual. Friends in the underworld also abide by this rule. As time went by, the government spies who were arresting the culprits in the city saw that the culprits were accompanied by bodyguards, so they would not question them as usual. Xiao Zishan knew that the time-travelers were too careful with their appearance, and if they went out in groups, they would be immediately spotted by spies in the yamen. It would be safer to ask an escort to accompany you.
Everyone went happily. Bei Wei brought a few students with him and was accompanied by escorts. However, they did not go sightseeing, but surveyed the topography of Guangzhou and drew accurate roads, government offices, and warehouses in the city. , city gates and other important facilities. Xiao Zi, Guo Yi and his entourage were led by Liu Gang and strolled around the street, mainly to explore the future business exhibition model.
The group of people changed their clothes, came out from Huifu Street, walked through several small streets, and came to the busy market, where there were many shops and it was extremely prosperous. Businessmen from all over the country gathered, including goods from the north and south, from various provinces, and from foreign countries. In terms of age and scope, there are various antiques from three generations, including fashionable brocades, silks, embroideries, cloths, household utensils, as well as bells and exotic gadgets from the West. Businesses are classified according to industry, each occupying a section of the street. As soon as we had breakfast, the streets were crowded with people, and by late it was crowded. Some people were shopping, some were watching the excitement, some were looking for something new and eye-opening, and some were just for people-watching. They were crowding around, laughing and laughing. It's really more beautiful than the scenes in many movies and TV series. Several people couldn't help but be stunned - thinking that in less than twenty years, in the melee between the Ming and Qing Dynasties, how many three hundred people will be in this prosperous southeastern city in the world of mortals. The wealth accumulated over the years was either burned or looted, and how many people who made a living and visited here were turned into withered bones. I couldn't help but sigh.
The further we walked, the more crowded the place became, the busier the business became, and no one knew what to see. Liu Gang was very familiar with the roads. If the places were too crowded and uncomfortable, he would lead them to take a small path to go around them. As he was walking, Yan Maoda saw a large jewelry store on the side of the street. He gestured and expressed that he wanted to go in and have a look. Everyone was curious, so they went in to watch it casually. The Guangdong boss in the store was asking a customer to look at a mirror - the pink plastic trim made Xiao Zishan think of it: wasn't this a Wenzhou mirror he bought from a small commodity market? It can actually be sold in a jewelry store.
"Does this mirror have to be sold for one hundred and fifty taels? Can you get some more?"
The businessman replied with great respect: "It really can't be less. Now you can't find such a crystal cloud jade mirror even if you go to Gao's shop to buy it. If you want an ordinary dark jade mirror, a small one will be enough." One hundred taels is enough. Let me tell you, even Mr. Gao doesn’t know when this crystal colored jade mirror will be available again! A rare pink one like this will probably be available in another ten days and a half. I have to sell it for two hundred taels."
Obviously, Gaojia is not only engaged in retail, but also in wholesale. It's quite smart to hold high on this point. As long as Australia Maritime Energy can continuously supply, controlling the channel source of the total batch will have a much wider coverage than just relying on your own shop to sell goods. Although the unit price is a little less, the sales The total amount has gone up.
The guest looked at the mirror for a while and said, "Okay, I'll keep it. This mirror is very good, it can illuminate people so clearly!"
