On the long table, each of the five people has a large teapot with steam inside.
Liu Heng said: "It's the end of the year soon, let's talk about our plans for the coming year."
Several people around the long table were sitting upright. Since Yang Yuan was away, Chen Daqing, as his deputy, took his place in this meeting.
Liu Heng continued: "First, expand the scale of the iron yard, suppress the business of major iron yards in Dongshan, and force them to join the chamber of commerce. Secondly, expand the number of iron yard guards. In addition to the iron yard guard brigade newly established by Jia Liu, add more. Two escort brigades.”
After a pause, Liu Heng continued: "Although we forcefully occupy Zhuangzi outside the Xu family's city, when the food comes next year, the Xu family will definitely not be willing to have the food taken away by us, so we must be prepared for a counterattack by the Xu family. Intelligence The team should keep an eye on the Xu family’s movements.”
"Yes." Chen Daqing responded.
"But what about the money? To expand our military force, our money is simply not enough to support so much consumption of wages and soldiers." Li Shuheng frowned.
He is responsible for managing logistics, and he knows best how much money there is, but the income from the iron farm is simply not enough to support such a large amount of expenses.
"I will solve the problem of money." Liu Heng said, "I decided to set up a escort agency specifically to serve the iron yard. As long as the other party buys the fine iron from our iron yard, we can deliver it to the other party's door for a certain fee. In this way By doing so, our iron yard guards can be trained and a new way to make money can be opened up."
Zhao Yutu thought for a moment and said, "At the rate we are spending our money now, we won't be able to make ends meet before the escort agency's business starts."
He kept the books of accounts and was equally familiar with all kinds of income and expenses.
Liu Heng said with a smile: "Before the escort agency developed, my intention was to make Xujiazhuang bigger."
Li Shuheng and Zhao Yutu looked at each other with confusion on their faces.
I don’t understand what it has to do with Xujiazhuang.
"Daqing, please tell everyone about Shi Captou looking for you." Liu Heng asked Chen Daqing.
Chen Daqing said: "Not long ago, the head of the county government came to me and mentioned that the county government had a batch of stolen goods to deal with. He hoped that our Hutou Village could take it."
The stolen goods were not only recovered ownerless property, but also property robbed by people in the yamen, and some were items stolen from the homes of gentlemen.
It was not convenient for the people in the yamen to sell these things, so they went to Hutou Village, hoping to turn the things into money through Hutou Village.
"Selling stolen goods on the ground, boss, do you want to turn Xujiazhuang into a den for selling stolen goods?" Zhao Yutu exclaimed.
Liu Heng nodded and said: "What I mean is that through this batch of stolen goods from the Yamen, we will attract merchants from all over the place, make Xujiazhuang a trading place for merchants from the north and the south, and make Xujiazhuang prosperous. By then, Xujiazhuang will be part of our Hutou Village." The source of wealth is no less than the profit brought to us by the iron farm."
There is no business without business. The single iron field is no longer enough to support Hutou Village to continue to expand its strength. Liu Heng's eyes are fixed on the trade routes.
Li Shuheng said: "The problem is how do we attract businessmen to Xujiazhuang."
"Li Weiming." Zhao Yutu suddenly mentioned a name.
"Are you talking about the shopkeeper of the Fan family in Datong?" Chen Xunping, who had been silent for a long time, frowned and said, "He has conspired with the Xu family to harm our Hutou Village. He was the one who replaced the Xu family in what happened to Ma Yunjiu last time. The string to hold.”
Li Shuheng looked at Liu Heng and said, "What do you mean, Master?"
Liu Heng said: "This batch of stolen goods from the government has an unclean origin and is not suitable for bulk shipment locally. Otherwise, it would not be our turn to get this batch of stolen goods. We don't know many businessmen. The last one with the most strength is the Fan family, and the Fan family My family has business dealings with Beilu. Through the Fan family, we can take Beilu's fur goods to Xujiazhuang and sell them to merchants in the south. As long as such a business is done once, businessmen from all over the world will know that there is a place like Xujiazhuang in Lingqiu. In the future, More merchants will come to Xujiazhuang, making Xujiazhuang a transfer station for transactions."
"Will the Fan family agree? They have always been close to the Xu family." Li Shuheng was a little worried.
Liu Heng said with a smile: "Businessmen pursue profits. As long as the people in charge of the Fan family are not confused, they will definitely agree to cooperate with us."
………………
In the last few days of the end of the year, business in all shops in Datong is good. As the New Year is approaching, people will prepare some New Year's goods in their homes. Poorer families will also try their best to cut two ounces of meat and at least half a pound of white flour. Have a good meal during the Chinese New Year.
As the shopkeeper of Fan's shop in Datong, Li Weiming was busiest at the end of the year.
Make a good account book and sort out the accounts with the accountant in the shop. Make two copies of the account book, one of which must be taken to Zhangjiakou.
Li Weiming personally took the account books and rushed to Zhangjiakou to meet Fan Yongdou at the end of December.
Not only him, but all the shopkeepers outside came to the Fan family compound and handed in their account books. After the accountants around Fan Yongdou checked the accounts, they would reward and punish the shopkeepers based on the income and expenditure of these shops for a year.
However, these things will not come to fruition until years later.
"You have also been busy for a year. Take a good rest these days. I will drink tea instead of wine and give you a toast." Fan Yongdou raised the tea cup in his hand.
The shopkeepers sitting on the seats stood up one after another, picked up the wine cups, raised their glasses and drank the wine in one gulp.
Fan Yongdou pressed his hands and said: "Everyone, sit down and don't worry about me. Everyone should eat and drink. After a year of hard work, you should relax."
These Fan family shopkeepers in various places sat down obediently.
There are four dining tables in the side hall, and a dozen shopkeepers from all over the Fan family are sitting around the table.
Shopkeepers from various places rarely meet each other. This time, many people who were familiar with each other started chatting with each other.
Fan Yongdou did not stay long and left the side hall early.
Shortly after he left, a servant of the Fan family came to the side hall, said something to Li Weiming, and then left the side hall with Li Weiming.
Many shopkeepers in the side hall did not pay attention to Li Weiming's departure. Every year at the gathering, several shopkeepers would be taken away for questioning alone.
Being questioned alone is not necessarily a good thing, so no one envies him.
Li Weiming was led by servants of the Fan family to Fan Yongdou's study.
At this time, Fan Yongdou was already waiting in the study.
"My boss." Li Weiming called out as soon as he entered the room.
Fan Yongdou put down the bowl in his hand and said, "How is the situation over at Lingqiu?"
Li Weiming said respectfully: "Liu Heng from Hutou Village is very lucky. The horse bandit from Daliang Mountain actually knew him. Not only did he deceive the Xu family, but he also robbed the Zhuangzi outside the Xu family's city."
"So the Xu family won't be able to move to Hutou Village for a while." Fan Yongdou said.
Li Weiming nodded and said: "Hutou Village has become a climate, and it has connected with Lingqiu County Magistrate and the garrison. Unless the one in Taiyuan takes action, the Xu family's power in Lingqiu alone will not be able to do anything to Hutou Village."
Fan Yongdou said: "Taiyuan is too far away. The governor of Datong is here, and he will not let the Xu family stir up trouble in Datong unless he can come to Datong as an official."
"Then should we abandon the Xu family and cooperate with Hutou Village?" Li Weiming looked at Fan Yongdou.
