Chapter 44 Lin Quan’an’s new business
If this continues, he can only be satisfied with being a dealer in Dongmen City, selling goods from the north and south of the continent. (,Wonderful, of course, the life of a doughty rich man like this is not bad. However, for an ambitious person like Lin Quan'an, how can he be willing to enjoy such a small situation?
Doing business also requires innovation and change.
Just as I was thinking about this, someone walked into the closet. Lin Quan'an opened his eyes and recognized his neighbor and tenant Lin Li. Lin Li was a "lucky guy" like him. Moreover, the two of them were from the same village and were somewhat related to each other. They came here in the same boat. High earning a living. The dozens of acres of garden land and paddy fields that Lin Quan'an bought in the countryside were farmed by tenants.
Lin Li used to be a hawker like him. After he succeeded in doing business with the Australians, many adventurous hawkers followed in his footsteps to buy vegetables, pigs and sheep for the Australians. However, after Lin Li made a little money, he bought more than 20 acres of rice fields, built a house, brought his wife and family to Laigao, and lived by farming.
Of course, it was hard for a family to live on more than a dozen acres of land. After Lin Quan Anda bought the garden land for himself, he even rented it to him.
Lin Li bowed. He was holding a basket in his hand, containing eggs carefully wrapped in straw rope. Two chickens, with their feet tied, struggled beside his feet.
"Old Lin, is that you?" He said pleasantly. Lin Li was his old partner. Although he later stopped doing business and switched to farming, he was still a friend of the poor and the lowly. "How are you doing? Isn't this spring a good one?"
"Okay, okay, thank you, sir." Lin Li looked at the "master" in front of him with half envy and half regret... This man was the same as him three years ago, wearing local homespun clothes, with shoulders Wearing a thick patch on his face and a broken straw hat that no one else wanted, he carried a load and walked dozens of miles to sell goods and buy local products in one village after another. In less than three years, the identities of the two parties have become as different as clouds and mud.
If I hadn't bought land and built a house back then, and continued to do business with him, my family fortune wouldn't have been that small. Finally, this old friend from the past still had some kindness. Not only did he share the garden land with him, but he also asked him to provide almost no rent except for the daily supply of firewood, vegetables, chickens, ducks, and rice. I can finally get by with my life.
Thinking of this, he sighed silently... He was confused at the time. He always thought that the Australians would not stay here for a long time. It was serious to make a few money to buy land and build a house safely. He did not expect that the situation of the Australians would get worse and worse.
Lin Quanan knew what he was thinking. He coughed, thanked him, and started talking about serious matters.
"Are all the workers ready? Can our work be completed in three nights?"
"Everything is ready. There are enough workers. Myself, my wife, and my eldest son, who is fourteen this year, can also do some odd jobs." He blinked, "Master, Do you really want to do this?”
"Of course." Lin Quan'an said politely and kindly, "I'm not afraid of ten thousand, just in case. I can't see clearly in this situation."
He warned again: "Just do it at night, don't do it during the day."
"During the day, no one walks near my yard...it's very deserted."
"It's better to be careful." Lin Quan'an said.
Lin Quan'an told Lin Li to get ready to do something, which was to dig a cellar in his yard. Of course, he didn't hide any gold or silver in this cellar. Lin Li wasn't trustworthy enough yet. He hid dry grains, pickles, and bacon. Ten stones of rice, a jar of pickles, and a few pickled pork legs. Enough to last for several months.
In addition to this place in the forest, he has also made such arrangements in advance in several other places. This was so that he would have a hiding place in case the government troops came to attack and the whole county was in chaos.
Lin Quan'an felt that the Australian army might not be able to win with the strength of the Australians, but once the war reached a stalemate, life would be very difficult for the people. Rich people like him would definitely become the targets of people from all walks of life. In case of chaos in Lingao, he would take his family to hide in these places. With this, he could survive for a few months, waiting for the situation to clear up before reappearing.
As for the large sums of property, he has already found a suitable place for them, and they can be hidden without a trace if there is any disturbance.
In the past few years, he has quietly purchased hundreds of acres of land in neighboring counties and now all of it is under tenant farming. If you really can't survive in Lingao anymore, you can still escape to a neighboring county and work as a small grain farmer.
All in all, Lin Quan'an's idea was "a cunning rabbit with three holes".
Beat away Linli. Lin Quan'an began to think about another thing. Last night, Xiong Zhang suddenly arrived at the Dongmen City Business Association and asked to see him by name.
Along with Chief Xiong came another chief. This man's surname was Jiang, and his official title was said to be "Director." Lin Quan'an already has a bit of understanding of the Australian bureaucracy. He knows that the top one is called the executive committee, followed by the people's committee member or minister, and the ones called director or director are slightly inferior. A man without a hat is a common man. Australians have a nice saying, they are called elders. Although they are neither old nor round.
Jiang Shan inquired about his business status, asked him what difficulties he had and what he needed help with. Lin Quanan talked to him about his recent situation and his current situation... He was supported by Australians and he firmly believed that he was still useful to Australians. Otherwise, there is no need to come and say such things to him.
"How big the market can be when doing business on Hainan Island." Director Jiang said, "The right way is to go to the mainland."
Director Jiang then came up with a very tempting idea: the Australians planned to support him in doing business on the mainland and opening a business. And gave him various preferential treatment in terms of funds and goods. They will even seek official support for him. The premise is that he must completely obey the command of the Australians.
Lin Quan'an was confused by this request. Of course it's good to make money by doing business, but why do you have to do it yourself? He didn't have any power on the mainland to rely on... If he had, he wouldn't have left his family alone to become a farmer in Gao.
"We are not from the Ming Dynasty, and we look and talk quite differently. It will save you a lot of trouble if you come forward." Jiang Shan explained.
This explanation was reasonable, but Lin Quan'an had a vague feeling that things were not that simple.
The business that Jiangshan asked him to come forward to establish on the continent was the North-South Cargo Company?? This was a big business in the commercial field of the Ming Dynasty. Not only did he need to have a large amount of liquid money to purchase goods from various places all year round, but he also had to travel from south to north every year. Transport various local products to and from the country. There are a lot of dealings with foot shops, boat shops, horse and carriage shops, and escort agencies. It can only be done by a businessman with great ability and large hands.
Naturally, the profit here is also high. Goods from the north to the south are "two-way profits." Pay attention not to short-term. Goods from the south are shipped to the north, and goods from the north are sold to the south. A trip is double the profit.
Lin Quanan's business has expanded in recent years, and his horizons have broadened a lot. I also learned a lot about various businesses. He estimated that if he wanted to run a business selling goods from the north to the south, he would need to invest at least 50,000 taels of silver.
Of course he can get the money, but this is almost all his assets. If it fails, it will be difficult to make a comeback. Lin Quan'an knew that he was a "hero created by the times". He just seized the opportunity and made good use of it. If we fail this time, it’s hard to say whether we will have such a good opportunity again.
Jiang Shan didn't ask for a reply at that time and asked him to go back and "think about it".
"I'll come for a visit tomorrow," Jiang Chang said with a smile, "I think Shopkeeper Lin won't miss such a good opportunity."
If I agree, this opportunity is indeed good. I originally wanted to go to the mainland to do it, but I was afraid that I would not have the power behind me. Now that I have the support of the Australians, my worries in this regard will be reduced. But how long can this Australian stay in Lingao?
Because of this matter, he tossed and turned in bed all night yesterday, but still couldn't make up his mind.
Lin Quan'an is no longer the Lin Quan'an of the past. In the past, he was a lonely bachelor who was not afraid of anything. Now that he has a family and a career, he has begun to look forward and backward.
"Do it." He finally made up his mind.
If I hadn't risked my life and carried a load of vegetables to Bairentan to sell, and if I hadn't been a guide for the Australians to Goujiazhuang, how could I have the family business I have today? Lin Li also did business with Australians back then... He quit when he saw a good deal, and now he is a tenant, living off his own scraps.
If he didn't seize this opportunity, he would just live a more comfortable life in Lin Li. After asking for ideas, he asked someone to book a banquet at the cooperative restaurant and wait for the Jiang leader to come to discuss business.
Unexpectedly, Jiangshan was not the only one to come in the afternoon. His old acquaintance Xiong Buyou and another elder who he did not recognize came with him. He introduced himself as Si Kaide.
They seemed certain he would agree to the business venture.
"Three years ago, when we first arrived in Lingao, there was a man-eating monster with red eyebrows and green beard. You dared to come to our door with a load of vegetables to sell. Don't you have the courage to do business on the mainland now?" Xiong Buyou said laughingly.
The cooperation talks with the Australians went very smoothly. The two parties agreed to jointly establish a new brand name "Wanyou". The headquarter of this brand is not located in Lingao, and the specific location is to be determined. Taking advantage of the canal's convenience to traffic goods from the north to the south.
The capital of "Wanyou" was set at one hundred thousand taels, calculated in silver. Lin Quan'an invested 50,000 taels, accounting for 45% of the share capital, and the Australians contributed 50,000 taels, accounting for 51%. The extra 6% was used as compensation for the various logistics and security support provided by the Crossing Group. The other 4% are official shares. The profits shared are used for employee benefits and entertainment expenses.
The two parties agreed that all investment funds would be deposited into the company account opened at Delong Bank within one month. All future money transactions will be conducted through Delong's bills. This approach is of course convenient and safe. But for Chuanchuan Group, it is equivalent to withdrawing 50,000 taels of silver for free at one time. As for the investment of Cross Travel Group, it is just a settlement.
In terms of operation and management, Lin Quan'an serves as the manager of the store, and the elder serves as the chief shopkeeper. The elder controls the personnel and financial power. Lin Quan'an knows that in this business, he is mostly just serving as a Bodhisattva, and he may need to come out to socialize. So there's not much debate about that. Anyway, Australians' ability to make money is only greater than their own, not less than their own. And the other party made a promise of "guaranteed capital and dividends". That is, if the transaction loses capital, he will not enjoy the dividends, and the principal will be preserved; if there is a profit, the dividends will be distributed in proportion. The worst result is just a loss of interest for several years? Speaking of which, there is no place in Lingao where he can lend money and earn interest.
The two parties initialed a memorandum, and then agreed to formally sign the agreement three days later and have it notarized and archived. This business practice is now being promoted throughout Quanlingao.
"We don't understand the trading of goods from the north and the south. I wonder if shopkeeper Lin has any advice?" Skade asked. As a member of the Office of Colonization and Trade, he was far more enthusiastic about the matter than the Intelligence Bureau.
"North-South goods are a very profitable business," Lin Quan'an said, "but I don't know much about it. I just heard people talk about it."
Lin Quanan's idea was that Wanyou would set up a main account in Yangzhou, and then set up a branch office in Nanjing, Jingshi, Suzhou and Hangzhou.
Set up a head office in Yangzhou to facilitate transportation. The profit from goods from the north and the south is the regional price difference. And the price difference is very large. Fujian's dried bamboo shoots can be purchased locally for only a few coins in a basket, and shipped to the capital for just a few coins per catty. Suzhou's Dongting red oranges and Fuzhou's tangerines are so abundant during the production season that they can only be thrown away. They are sold to the north and become delicacies of the south. Sea cucumbers and shark fins, which cost only a small amount of money in Shandong, are transported to Jiangnan and the capital and become delicacies...
However, in the past, large quantities of goods were transported north and south through canals, in addition to mule carts. Specifically, it is transported by watercraft. Every year, the Cao Army is allowed to carry private goods on board the ships when transporting grain. As for the unloaded goods, carrying cargo is an important income for the Cao Army.
Yangzhou is an important port on the canal where the north and south meet. With a general number set up here, whether goods are transported from the north to the south or goods from the south to the north, you can contact the nearest water ship for transportation, and remittances and letters can also be delivered by water ships along the way, which is very convenient.
As for the location of the four branch offices, they are bustling commercial goods distribution centers. Not only is the transportation convenient, but the residents' consumption level is also high. It is very convenient for selling goods in stores, whether in retail or wholesale. Secondly, you can set up a village here or send people to purchase nearby local products. Take Hangzhou as an example. Not only can you purchase various native products from the Zhejiang and Zhejiang regions nearby, but you can also go deep into the mountainous areas of southern Anhui via the Huihang Road to purchase tea, dried bamboo shoots and other mountain products. You can also go directly to Fujian to purchase various products from Fujian. Plant local products.
“Why not go by sea?”
Lin Quan'an was stunned. Taking the sea from Jiangnan to the capital was something he had never thought of. After all, the flow of materials and people between these two places has always been through canals.
"I don't know about that." Lin Quanan shook his head, "I've only heard people say that shipping by sea is difficult, and if there are storms and waves, everything will go bankrupt in an instant. We would rather use water boats. Even if a few of them sink on the road, they won't be able to survive." completely annihilated."
"The boat is very slow."
"Cattle boats are not only slow, but also have serious disadvantages during the process." Lin Quanan said. He had heard of many tricks on the canal. There have been various extortions, thefts, and bad rules since the beginning of the journey, and countless people have "lived on water" along the way.
"But the merchants can just hand it over to the Cao Army to transport their goods. They will handle all the negotiations during the process. It only costs a few extra bucks for freight."
"Isn't it all about money?" Si Kaide thought. If the freight from Jiangnan to the capital could be changed to sea transportation, and part of the cargo transportation business in the canal could be snatched away, not only would the crossing group be able to make a lot of money, but it would also provide them with training. By building a fleet across the north and south, the army will have ready-made ships and sailors available for future maneuvers at sea, and the routes along the way can also be opened early.
In this case, it would be better to locate the head office in Shanghai.
Shanghai is the junction of China's north and south shipping. It is very convenient for ships to go to sea, whether to Tianjin and Liaodong in the north, to Guangdong and Fujian in the south, or even to penetrate into various inland provinces.
Going up the Yangtze River from Shanghai, you can easily reach the Huguang area, China's main grain-producing area. If you occupy this golden waterway in China, you can use the Yangtze River as a transportation hub to penetrate both sides of the strait. It continuously absorbs the rich local products and human resources and sells a large number of goods.
…
If the Crossing Group wanted to engage in trade with Japan, it would be more convenient to start from Shanghai than from the Jinxia area occupied by Zheng Zhilong.
Zheng Zhilong shipped raw silk and silk products as the largest commodities to Japan, followed by cloth, daily necessities and medicinal materials. These products were produced in large quantities in the Jiangnan area and could be purchased and shipped nearby. The freight is cheaper than the Zheng Zhilong Group located in a corner of Fujian...
In fact, Si Kaide was still thinking about shipping grain to the Ming Dynasty. Every year, millions of grains of grain were shipped from the south of the Yangtze River. If he could carry on this, his income would be huge.
However, this idea is too far-reaching, and I'm afraid it won't be possible for a while.
The two parties have discussed and decided, and each party will make preparations on its own. Lin Quan'an immediately made a request that if he wanted to go out to work in the headquarters, he would need to bring his wife and concubine with him and their children, and other family members could stay in Lingao.
Of course Jiangshan agrees - this is a reasonable request. Lin Quan'an actually had another plan: to take this opportunity to transfer part of his family's population and property... This was still a cunning plan.
"It's a pity that your son is too young, otherwise he could be your helper." Jiang Shan didn't know what he had in mind.
"I will ask for your support from the elders in the future." Lin Quan'an said very politely.
Wanyou opened by Lin Quan'an was called Shanlu in Lingao's intelligence bureau system. The code name is "Golden Character". Based on many meetings and discussions between the Foreign Intelligence Service and the Ministry of Colonial Trade, from the dual consideration of trade and intelligence, it was decided that the future intelligence-trade system of the continent would be based on the organizational method of the Zheng Group.
Except for a period of time after being appeased in the late Ming Dynasty, the Zheng Group's actions at sea were suppressed by the Ming court in the early stage and blocked by the Manchu Qing Dynasty in the later stage. u! ~!
