Currently, driven by high prices, although no large quantities of grain arrive from Guangxi, a small amount of grain from surrounding rural areas flows into Wuzhou. Some small grain vendors took the risk of sailing along various waterways branching out from the Xijiang River to go deep into rural areas to purchase grain. The Australians also encouraged landowners around Wuzhou to sell their surplus grain into Wuzhou. Merchants and landlords all made huge profits from selling grain in Wuzhou. Jiang Rongxian was very jealous.
However, he is not a grain merchant - since ancient times, he has been separated by mountains and rivers. Moreover, given the external situation, one would not dare to engage in such a business where one would bet one's fortune and one's life.
When I was worried, suddenly a child servant brought me a lacquer box and told me that my aunt had brought back a lot of "Australian snacks", and she asked me to try them too.
"How can I eat any snacks?" Jiang Rongxian said with a bitter smile, "Leave it alone."
The servant boy withdrew. Jiang Rongxian sat there for a while, still unable to do anything. At his wits' end, he then opened the lacquer box, and inside were several round shortbread cookies, not only of different colors, but also exuding different aromas. This Australian is really classy, and he shipped this all the way from Guangzhou!
Thinking of this, he thought: The only people in Wuzhou who can get large quantities of food now are Australians! As long as my family can establish relationships with Australians and become an "Imperial Businessman", won't the wealth come rolling in?
When it comes to building a relationship, I have unique conditions! Thinking of this, Jiang Rongxian immediately became energetic, stood up and went to the girl's lower parts.
"So, your brother wants to do the grain business?" Yi Haoran was a little surprised when he heard the news. "Isn't your mother's family in the silk business? They don't know anything about the grain business."
"This is exactly the reason!" Qiu Chan frowned, "He said that since I have a good relationship with the Australian concubine, why not try to use Cai Lan to blow the pillow and get him to join in."
"It's not difficult to get involved - the Australian has never failed to show his respect. It's just that your brother has no food on hand, so what can he use as capital?"
"He has money, but he has nowhere to buy food. Then he remembered that Li Heng studied here, and your old employer was..."
Yi Haoran suddenly realized that his boss Luo Yangming was not only a grain merchant, but also a member of the aftermath bureau and a member of the Rice and Grain Association. Although his business is not big, he is one of the most powerful people in Wuzhou City.
"I understand, he wants to get food from our east."
"That's right." Qiu Chan nodded, her face was slightly red. She had grown up in a boudoir and had never been exposed to such business. She had to beg for help. If she hadn't been under someone else's roof, she wouldn't have dared to object, and she wouldn't have refused even to death. Came to persuade Yi Haoran.
"My maiden's family has gone through this crisis and is in a very difficult situation. My brother is helpless. He is in urgent need of medical treatment."
Yi Haoran's mind was spinning very fast. He had been busy planning a riot these days, and he had never come up with a suitable plan. Hearing Qiu Chan's request, he couldn't help but think about the matter again to see if there was any opportunity. He immediately said: "In that case, let me first inquire about your story and then give you a reply."
After sending Jiang Qiuchan away, Yi Haoran thought for a long time and found nothing that could be exploited. After all, this was just a common way to use nepotism for personal gain. It seemed that there was nothing to harm the Australians whether they helped or not, and they would not leave it alone. The thief Jie Kun was lured out.
Just as he was thinking about it, Ah Chun suddenly came out and called him: Shopkeeper Li invited him to go.
Yi Haoran did not dare to neglect and hurried to the accounting room.
"Mr. Hao, we have taken on a big deal this time," Li Wensheng said. "We need to buy a large amount of rice from Guangdong. Please clean up the accounts and collect as much as you can. In short, have all the silver and copper coins ready." ”
"I have an account of the money in my heart. It's only more than 300 taels, less than 400. I've collected almost all the money I can from the outside, and I won't be able to collect the rest in a short time."
"Whatever you have, try to get as many as possible." Li Wensheng didn't care.
Yi Haoran's heart moved, and he remembered Zhu Fuyuan's visit from Dachang not long ago. It seemed that the Australians wanted to sell a large amount of grain to Wuzhou! He said deliberately:
"This money can only buy more than 300 shi of grain at most in Guangdong. If you include shipping costs, it's only 300 shi. It's not a big deal."
"Our store is small and can't do big business. We are just the leader." Li Wensheng spoke modestly and with pride in his words, "The Rice and Grain Guild is raising this money, which is about tens of thousands of taels of silver..."
"That's a lot of money!" Yi Haoran pretended to be surprised, "It's a pity that Wuzhou is not what it used to be..."
"You are right," Li Wensheng said with emotion, not knowing that he had ulterior motives. "In the past, the rice and grain guild could spend tens of thousands of dollars with just one sentence. Even a small shop like ours could give out thousands of dollars anytime, anywhere." Come on, two taels of silver! It’s a good thing now, for ten thousand taels of silver, the whole guild has to chip in!”
"Current events are different. I heard that Wuzhou used to send hundreds of thousands of shi of grain to Guangdong every year, but now it has to be shipped here from Guangdong."
Li Wensheng twisted his beard and said: "I just hope that the war can be put out as soon as possible and a peaceful world can be restored to the common people! Nowadays, the price of rice is soaring. The transportation of this batch of grain can at least relieve the urgent need."
Yi Haoran remembered Qiu Chan's instructions, had an idea, and pretended to be anxious:
"It's the money that's the problem."
"My boss has been worried about this matter these days."
"Shopkeeper, I have an idea..." Yi Haoran said.
"What's the idea?"
"There are many businesses in Wuzhou City. Since the Rice and Grain Guild can't afford this much money, how about finding other businesses to invest in? Isn't it just a partnership to do a business." Yi Haoran said, "The market is not good now. It’s all about making progress but not making progress. If we could get a foot in the door and share some profits, wouldn’t it benefit everyone?”
"This is a good idea!" Li Wensheng said, "When my boss comes back tonight, tell him!"
Luo Yangming came back in the evening. Ever since Zhu Fuyuan gave him the task of adjusting the grain, he had been working on it. When food comes, every rice shop will naturally be happy. Although there will be a price limit for sales, the official price of this batch of rice is only one or two cents, and you can make a lot of money if you can get it.
But although each family was very enthusiastic, they encountered the same problem: no money.
The rice trade was the most severely damaged among all the businesses in Wuzhou. Originally, most of their capital was invested in grain. After the war, there was not much left in each house. The capital loss is more than 70% to 80%. Even if the shipping fee was less than 13,000 taels of silver, there used to be several brands that could take it out at any time, but now it is difficult to pay for it with a thousand taels of silver. So far, the guild has only collected 8,000 taels of silver, and there is still 5,000 taels that cannot be raised no matter what.
In times of peace, every family will always have houses and fields that can be sold and borrowed. Right now, no one cares about the land and houses, and no one is willing to lend money - no matter how high the interest is.
Of course, he could also ask Dachang to temporarily advance part of the payment and pay it off after the rice is sold. This is also considered normal practice. But Luo Yangming knew that the Senate was also in difficulty at the moment, so if the money was collected, it would be useful if it could be resold.
Now that he heard Yi Haoran put forward this suggestion, Luo Yangming hesitated for a moment.
It's not like he hasn't thought about using the financial resources of other companies. But this was an inter-bank operation after all. Since ancient times, there had been so many inter-bank operations. He was not confident whether other firms would be willing to spend money to participate. Secondly, there must be considerable returns in order to do so. The current situation is chaotic and chaotic, and no one is willing to easily use money to do business. There must be excess profits.
In terms of profit, the current profit in the grain business is large enough. If the price is unlimited, the profit can be doubled. It just so happens that the original intention of this grain business is to stabilize grain prices. One stone of grain can earn four or five taels of silver. It may be a lot for grain merchants, but it is too low for investors who have invested capital. The annual interest rate on loans in Wuzhou was as high as 60% to 70% before the war, and the annual interest rates on some loan sharks were as high as two or three times. With this market price, no one is willing to lend it out now.
"Your idea is good, but the price of this rice is limited, so the cost is small and the profit is small, and there are risks. I'm afraid other brands may not be willing to..."
"Boss! You can't use the past to judge the present, let alone the appetite for money to measure the shopkeepers of each shop." Yi Haoran said, "Nowadays, each shop is making progress but not making progress, and I don't know when Guangxi will be pacified." At the end of the day, every family has no business, and the money cannot be used to generate small money. If you can ask the magistrate to come forward, summon the shopkeepers of each shop as an official, and make it clear that trafficking in grain is beneficial to the country and the people, and everyone will contribute money. Raise funds and share the profits from sales, so there is always some income, which is better than them just sitting back and having nothing."
These words were well-founded and made Luo Yangming, who was originally troubled, nod frequently. I didn’t expect that this master really has a trick! He couldn't help but pay attention to the half-old man in front of him: although this man's clothes were old and he had a laid-back appearance, his manner of speaking was completely different from that of an ordinary master.
Although when Ding Atao recommended him, he said he had worked as a private tutor in an official's family, but judging from his words and demeanor, he probably had also worked as a guest.
Luo Yangming was suspicious: This was the sixth sense brought to him by his profession. I'm afraid this Master Hao is not as simple as an ordinary private school teacher. Although he has been keeping quiet in the store these days and has not done anything strange, you still need to pay attention to him.
Although he was suspicious, Luo Yangming did not express it in words. He only said: "You are right. I will go to discuss with all the bureau directors tomorrow and make suggestions to Chief Xie together."
Luo Yangming returned to the inner house and asked Ding Atao about the origin of Master Hao.
"Didn't I tell you about his origin?" Ding Atao asked strangely, "He is a relative of Miss Jiang's husband from the Ruijin Hall silk and satin shop on West Street. He is from Teng County. He worked as a private tutor for officials. Now that the war between Guangdong and Guangxi is raging, I dare not go home and live in Wuzhou."
