"That's true. [Read the latest chapter] It's just that the language is not very similar." Li Luoyou recalled Liu Zuoyin's fierce Mandarin, and suddenly he felt something in his heart. Liu San's Mandarin sounded somewhat similar to the Han accent in Liaodong, and he frowned. He said, "Since we want to colonize and colonize, aren't we afraid of the imperial court's encirclement and suppression?" I don’t know what kind of drunkard is in charge of the county government office in Lingao." He patted the table as he spoke.
"Mr. Li, please don't get excited." Quack said, "The Australians should not be hostile. So far, I have not heard of them doing anything to endanger maritime trade - you must know that with their iron ships, they want to rob merchant ships along the coast. It’s very easy.”
"That's true."
"Look, you also bought their medicine. Australians don't have any ill intentions. They follow the rules and order in this area. They are a good group of businessmen." Quark said enthusiastically, "I really want to do something with them. Buy and sell.”
"You definitely have enough opportunities to do business with them." Li Luoyou had no doubt about this.
"But, I still don't know what they like." Kuaikeqiong was a little regretful. "They like medicinal materials, but they have already signed a contract with Shopkeeper Yang. If I can know what they need most, I can tell them directly when I go to Lingao next month. Went with a shipment of cargo."
"You are really a shrewd businessman." Li Luoyou smiled, "I think they need iron and coal, especially coal."
"Why?" Quark Chuan asked.
"My guy reported to me that the craftsmen they recruited are mainly for porcelain firing and casting of utensils. Both of these require coal - I remember that I can't find a matchmaker because I'm in a high position."
"Coal?" Quark shook his head regretfully, "It's too dirty, and I have nowhere to buy it." He thought for a moment, "How about pig iron? Since they hired foundry workers."
"This is okay." Li Luoyou thought the British man's reaction was quick enough.
"I think they still need cloth." Quark thought again about the Indian cotton cloth that he had brought from Surat and was still piled in Li Luoyou's warehouse without selling much. He suddenly seemed to remember something:
"Mr. Li." Quark asked, "Do you really want to open a foundry?"
"Yes." Li Luoyou felt strange. Wasn't this what they were talking about a few days ago?
"But it seems to me that making firearms is not a very profitable business."
"Not bad." Li Luoyou thought in his mind. If you only make money from doing business. From a perspective, casting cannons is not a good deal. It requires a lot of time and effort, and you have to deal with the government. The cost of dealing with the government may far exceed the investment in the project itself. The Ming government has always been extremely stingy in paying for "state-use" purchases. It's basically no different from robbing businessmen and people.
The Ming Dynasty used the "shopkeepers as compradors" system in government procurement, which stipulated that shopkeepers in each trade must take turns to serve as errands. Purchase goods for the government. On the surface, the money for goods is provided by the government, but in fact it is often not enough. How much money is given depends on the character of the official. The flexibility is very high, and it is the officials who use their hands to make a fortune. Chance. As usual, the deficient part will be made up by the shopkeepers on duty in each row through their own losses.
Moreover, after the middle period, the prices for goods purchased by the government were often set during the Zhu Baba era. There has been no change for a hundred or two hundred years. Even if the government pays the full price of the goods for a penny, the shops will suffer huge losses.
Shopkeepers were afraid of the power of the government and could only bear the losses themselves. This system has been in place for many years, forcing merchants and merchants to complain endlessly. Rich businessmen who have the means try to bribe officials to avoid serving; small and medium-sized businessmen who have no means. They are often made bankrupt. The family was ruined.
The imperial court saw that there were too many accumulated shortcomings, so it had to make some changes and changed the word "comprador in business" to "comprador in business". But that is what it said. In fact, local officials still did whatever they wanted.
Li Luoyou knew that the recent cannon castings in Foshan were generally regarded as "investment and comprador". However, it was quite worrying how much the investment and comprador could pay.
He is also considered a quite powerful businessman in Guangdong and Guangxi, and he also has the support of several officials who can speak well in the court. The local government will not blatantly force the purchase at a low price, and it is very likely that he will not pay the debt for a long time.
"Quark" Li Luoyou sighed, "You know what? If I just wanted to make money, doing any business here would be easier and more profitable than making firearms for the imperial court. However, the imperial court relies on these firearms to suppress local governments. rebellion, to deal with the barbarians outside the pass. These barbarians are no less ferocious than the Mongols. Now they have moved south step by step, approaching the last line of defense of the imperial court. I can't imagine" Li Luoyou supported his head and Guang Ning The chaos during the evacuation of the town came back to his mind, and he felt dizzy. "The sight of this group of barbarians entering the Central Plains will be the destruction of Chinese civilization."
He glanced at Quark, whose gray-blue eyes were staring at him. Quark had never seen this big businessman so excited before. But he compared the barbarians to the Mongols, this. The British have a complete understanding! Destroyer of the Mongol female civilization. "At that time, China will degenerate into a barbaric country that is ridiculed by others like Russia is now." Li Luoyou whispered, "I will do my best to prevent this day from coming.
When Kuaike was poor, Houjin had no perceptual understanding, but seeing Li Luoyou's love for the motherland, he couldn't help but be moved.
"I understand." Quark nodded, "This is more than just a business." He continued, "Mr. Li, how do you plan to start this cannon foundry?"
"Of course the foreman is hired locally, and then he recruits local craftsmen." Li Luoyou said, "I don't know the technology of casting and smelting." "
"Mr. Li, have you ever thought about hiring craftsmen from England and building a foundry exactly according to the British model?"
“The British model?.
"Yes, Quark nodded, "Although I have never seen a local foundry, but since the imperial court has such recognition of the naval guns on the East India Company's ships. Seen as a sharp weapon, obviously firearm technology still lags far behind Europe's
"Yes. In this regard, our technology is indeed relatively backward." In Li Luoyou's view, China is rich in products, but technologically it seems to be falling behind day by day. Especially since he is doing business in Guangdong and often goes to Southeast Asia on ships. . I saw the large European ships with full sail, with towering bulwarks and numerous gun ports. Although they seemed clumsy and difficult to maneuver when sailing offshore, once they reached the sea, their operability and speed were better than those of traditional Guangzhou ships and Fuzhou ships. The boat needs to be good.
This gap has been giving Li Luoyou trouble sleeping and eating. He is not a person who belittles himself, but he can feel that Ming Dynasty is gradually showing signs of stagnation and decadence in many aspects. Now Kuaikeqiong proposed to use European craftsmanship to make cannons, and Li Luoyuan regained his spirit.
"What do you mean by the foundries in Europe?"
"There is a special iron heating furnace, a furnace bed, a drilling machine, and a blast furnace, all of which are driven by water wheels." He added, "We can also use hollow casting to make explosive bombs. And your court is the best The bird mirror is not as good as the matchlock gun."
"These" Li Luoyou was surprised, "these machines you are talking about. Do they have to be purchased from the UK? The craftsmen also have to be recruited from Europe and Zhejiang, right?"
"Machines. Except for a few specialized ones, most of them can be found in the Ming Dynasty. If it can't be done, it won't be too difficult to make it locally. As long as there is guidance from a few European craftsmen. I heard Father Ma say that on the When it comes to the craftsmanship of cast iron, Chinese workers are no worse than European craftsmen, and they will only do better if they have someone to guide them.”
Li Luoyou hesitated, this was a very tempting idea. Once such a cannon casting field is formed, all current factories that imitate Western cannons will be dwarfed by it. And according to Quark, the production efficiency will be very high.
It's just that the investment in such a factory is more expensive than the general local foundry, and it also involves foreigners coming to China. I'm afraid the government won't be easy to talk to. Finally, if the imperial court's order is limited or the price is insufficient, wouldn't such a huge investment in a cannon foundry lose all its money?
He expressed this doubt.
"Sales don't matter," Quack said. "In the entire East and Southeast Asia, only Macau and Goa can cast European-style artillery. The output is very small. But there are many places that need firearms. Not only you, but also Solo and Li Chao. We are also setting up a foundry to manufacture arms. Even if the Chinese court does not buy the firearms from the foundry, selling them to them is enough to keep the factory running."
This is the idea of repairing losses within the embankment and externally, which can be regarded as a way out.
“But the British craftsmen and equipment are there.
. Li Luoyou said, "It will take at least a year and a half to go back and forth."
"To be generous, it will take two years. But if you want to manufacture firearms on a large scale, I don't think this time will be long." Quark shrugged, "Once a factory is started, it can operate a lot.
Quark volunteered and said that if the matter could be settled, he would write immediately to his friends in the British Embassy in Surat, asking him to return to England to prepare everything.
Li Luoyou thought about it again and again and thought it was feasible.
"However, I will not pay you any fees before you complete the matter or before your equipment and craftsmen have landed on Chinese soil." Li Luoyou said, "You can first calculate your cost and profit from this trade, and then quote me
This is a great opportunity for Quark, but it is also a great risk. Not to mention, if the equipment he purchased sank on the way to China, all the money he invested in the early stage would be completely lost.
Think carefully. The British man nodded: "Okay! I will give you a price in a few days." 72! ~!
