I knew you, an old guy, just wanted to ask for a high price and talk about people and connections, Su Hao thought disdainfully in his heart. Just now he saw Zhu Xi's eyes rolling around when he was pretending to be a ghost, and he knew it.
He was making up lies, and his purpose was just to give him more weight when negotiating the price. But then again, Zhao Luo’s family did have to have such an old housekeeper, otherwise Zhao Luo’s rich second-generation temperament would
, that little bit of family property has long been taken away by others.
"Mr. Zhu, I wonder how much it will cost to make up for the earth energy you mentioned?" Su Hao didn't want to talk nonsense with Zhu Xi, so he simply asked the other party to make an offer.
"I wonder how many coal pits Mr. Su plans to open?" Zhu Xi asked rhetorically.
The mountain farm belongs to others, and he will definitely not be able to hide the number of tunnels he will open in the future, so Su Hao told the truth: "This mountain farm has many coal veins, and I estimate that we will need to open thirty or forty tunnels before and after. However,
These caves will not be opened at the same time, it is estimated that it will take several years."
"If that's the case, let me just give you an integer, 1,000 taels. What do you think, Master?" Zhu Xi raised a finger and looked at Su Hao and said.
"you……"
Chen Guanyu immediately wanted to jump up. This was blatant blackmail. These mountain farms were originally barren mountains, and they were idle when they were idle. To mine coal in these mountains, it is appropriate to pay the owner of the mountain farm some money.
But to suddenly offer a high price of 1,000 taels is to blackmail people.
Su Hao quickly stopped Chen Guanyu from saying anything more, and then asked Zhu Xi with a smile: "Did Mr. Zhu say a total of 1,000 taels?"
"What I said is 1,000 taels per year." Zhu Xi responded.
"Mr. Zhu, isn't this price a bit..." Zhao Luo couldn't stand listening anymore. When Yu Fuyang came to him and said he wanted to open a coal kiln, he only took 20 taels of silver from Yu Fuyang. Now Zhu Xi opened his mouth and said
1,000 taels, and that's every year, which is really a bit like a lion's mouth. As an elegant person, Zhao Luo feels that this kind of asking for high prices is a bit inappropriate.
Zhu Xi turned around and said to Zhao Luo: "My boss, the price offered by this old man is actually not high. Think about it, Master Su led people to mine coal in the mountain field, and the coal will stain the ground. Master Su and the others are mining
After finishing the coal, we will leave. We will have to hire day laborers to clean up in the future, which is quite expensive."
Seeing that Zhu Xi spoke so firmly, Zhao Luo felt helpless. He smiled awkwardly and said to Su Hao: "Master Su, look at this..."
Su Hao still had a smile on his face, looked at Zhu Xi and asked: "Mr. Zhu, the price you mentioned, is there any room for negotiation?"
"There is room for negotiation...of course there is room for negotiation." Zhu Xi said hesitantly. He offered a price of 1,000 taels per year, and originally planned to let Su Hao counter-offer. With his idea, Su Hao could even cut off half of the price.
, he is willing to accept the remaining 500 taels, or even 400 taels. In recent years, the Zhao family's income is no longer what it was in the past. It is a bit difficult to live by just relying on the rent collected in the fields. If they can add additional
An income of several hundred taels can at least provide some relief.
Zhu Xi was ready to let Su Hao negotiate the price, but unexpectedly, Su Hao looked unconcerned and just asked him if the price could be changed. He was determined to be tough and said a fixed price, but there was no room for it.
, and I was afraid that Su Hao was a fool and didn't know how to bargain, so he would really run away with just one word.
In this mountain farm of the Zhao family, people have always said that there is coal underground, but no one can tell where the coal is. Yu Fuyang, who came to open a coal kiln some time ago, said that the prospect of the coal tunnel is also very bleak. Now, finally, there is one
The enemy planned to take over the mountain farm and open more than a dozen tunnels. If he ran away because he didn't say a word well, Zhu Xi would regret it.
"As long as we can discuss it, can Mr. Zhu give a minimum price for late students?" Su Hao asked.
Zhu Xi said bravely: "Master Su, when negotiating a business, one party asks for a price and the other party pays back. If Master Su feels that the price offered by me is a little high, you can offer a price you think is appropriate and we can discuss it."
Well."
Su Hao said: "Okay, if that's the case, then I'll tell you my price. My price is not even a tael of silver..."
"What are you talking about!" Zhu Xi's eyes widened. They used to have a bit of cataracts, but now they can't see it at all. If Su Hao counteroffered to 100 taels or even 50 taels, he would understand, but the other party
He said he wouldn't give out even a tael of silver when he opened his mouth. Does this mean he wants to eat a king's meal?
"Master Su, this seems a bit inappropriate." Zhao Luo couldn't accept Su Hao's domineering attitude and said with an unpredicted look, "The price offered by Mr. Zhu is indeed a bit high, but Master Su said one tael of silver
Even if you don’t come out, are you trying to use your official power to pressure others?”
Su Hao laughed and said: "Mr. Fengling, Mr. Zhu, don't worry, I haven't finished speaking yet."
"Master Su, please speak." Zhu Xi suppressed his anger and said.
Su Hao said: "A thousand taels of silver will always be used up. When I finish mining the coal in a few years, I wonder what use this mountain farm in your mansion will be used for? I have an idea and want to make a deal with your mansion.
What do you think of your house being able to reap hundreds of years of benefits?"
"What deal?" Zhu Xi asked.
Su Hao said: "I would like to ask your government to allow me to mine coal in the mountain farm, and I will not pay a cent of rent. How about I give you 50 hectares of middle land?"
"Fifty hectares of middle field!" Zhu Xi was so shocked that he almost stood up. Fields can be divided into upper, middle and lower grades according to the level of yield. One acre of upper field is worth twenty or thirty taels of silver, one acre of middle field is worth more than ten taels of silver, and one acre of middle field is worth more than ten taels of silver.
An acre of farmland is only worth a few taels of silver. Su Hao claimed to give the Zhao family 50 hectares of farmland, which is equivalent to 70,000 to 80,000 taels of silver. How is this possible?
"Master Su, aren't you joking to amuse the old man?" Zhu Xi calmed down and asked.
Su Hao pointed to the map on the case and asked Zhu Xi: "Mr. Zhu, judging from this map, there are no less than a hundred hectares of flat land along the river. When we passed by just now, we saw that the land was covered with overgrown trees.
The weeds must have been barren for a long time, I don’t know why?”
"That piece of land was covered with red soil. It was barren and could not be farmed. When my father was still alive, he once asked farmers to try farming. One acre could only yield a few bushels of grain. It was unprofitable, so farming was abandoned." Zhao Luo said disapprovingly.
said.
Su Hao said: "If I am able to transform this land into arable land, I dare not say much about the yield. One acre of land can produce two stones. Is this considered a middle field?"
Zhu Xi looked at Su Hao and asked: "Master Su, what do you mean..."
Su Hao said: "This kind of red soil is just too acidic, and it lacks organic matter...well, anyway, the soil lacks some other things. If you can apply a large amount of quicklime to change its acidity, and supplement it with other fertilizers, one or two
Within this year, the soil quality should be significantly improved, and it will reach the level of Zhongtian."
For the transformation of red soil, there were some relatively mature methods in the Ming Dynasty. Applying quicklime to neutralize the acidity was one of them. In addition, farmers also applied ashes from burned chicken feathers, cow bones, etc. in the fields.
People at the time didn't know that the purpose of this was to increase the phosphorus content in the soil. They only knew that it could improve the soil.
Zhu Xi obviously also understood this method. He said: "What Master Su meant, my old boss actually thought of it when he was here. It's just that transforming red soil requires a lot of quicklime and ox bones, both of which are expensive."
It’s a rare thing. To put it simply, if you want to renovate 50 hectares, even if you renovate 10 hectares, it will cost 100,000 jins of lime and 20,000 jins of beef bones, and this is only a year’s expense. I wonder what Mr. Su’s clever trick is to get so much
Lime and beef bones?”
Su Hao said: "Mr. Zhu, this is what Wansheng wants to discuss with your government. Wansheng mines coal in the mountains. With coal, how difficult is it to burn lime? I promise to supply you with 500,000 kilograms of quicklime every year. The price is just
Calculated at 8 cents per 100 kilograms, what do you think?"
As mentioned before, due to the lack of coal in the south, the price of lime is extremely high. The price of quicklime on the market in Fengcheng City is 2 cents of silver per 100 catties, and the supply is still very limited. Su Hao proposed to pay 8 cents of silver per 100 catties.
The Zhao family provided quicklime and could supply 500,000 kilograms a year, which made Zhu Xi overjoyed.
"Master Su, are you serious about what you said?" Zhu Xi asked.
Su Hao said: "We can sign a contract for this. The price and supply quantity can be written into the contract. If it cannot be completed, I will compensate you according to the contract."
"How dare you, how dare you." Zhu Xi said politely, "Then, where are the ox bones? This is not something you can find easily."
Su Hao said: "I can't find so many cow bones, but I can provide you with another thing. The effect of fertilizing the field will not be worse than that of cow bones, and the price is much lower than that of cow bones. For every 100 kilograms, it is 3 yuan."
alright."
"Is there such a thing?" Zhu Xi asked in surprise, "Why have I never heard of it?"
Su Hao chuckled and said to himself, it would be strange if you had heard of it. Farmers used cow ashes mixed with plant ashes to wrap rice roots in the fields, and the phosphorus in the cow ashes was used. After people in later generations understood this truth, they directly
Phosphate rock powder is used as the source of phosphate fertilizer. When Su Hao was digging a well in Guangfeng Township, he accidentally discovered a small phosphate rock in the mountains. The reserves were small and the grade was low, which could not meet the requirements of later industrial production.
The required requirements are met, but at present, it is quite profitable to collect some, grind it into phosphate rock powder, and sell it to farmers for use as phosphate fertilizer.
"Mr. Zhu, this thing is called phosphate fertilizer. It is secretly made from minerals in the mountains. It has a better fertilizing effect than cattle bones, and the fertilizer effect can last for several years. Wan Sheng has estimated that applying 50 pounds of phosphate fertilizer to one acre of red soil can achieve the desired results.
The effect of soil improvement. To transform the 50 hectares of red soil in your house, 250,000 kilograms of phosphate fertilizer can be provided," Su Hao said.
"Okay!" Zhu Xi clapped his hands and said, "If Mr. Su can really provide our government with 500,000 kilograms of lime and 250,000 kilograms of phosphate fertilizer every year, then our government will not charge a penny for renting the mountain field for coal mining."