During the meal, a group of grain merchants arrived, and Du Ziteng relayed Wang Xian's request to them.
The grain merchants thought that they were doomed, but now they had the opportunity to pay for the grain to eliminate the disaster, and they could continue to sell grain at high prices in the future, so they were naturally overjoyed. However, they heard that they would have to replenish 6,000 shi of grain within a month, but they all encountered difficulties again.
As Wang Xian expected, due to the convenient transportation in Jiangnan and the short-term storage of grain, grain merchants have never stored much grain. Most of them buy grain on a monthly basis and sell it on a monthly basis. This way, there is less financial pressure and less grain loss. Therefore, the three merchants combined
, only one thousand seven hundred stones...
This small amount of food cannot be used because it is the ration for the people of Fuyang. As the New Year is approaching, an atmosphere of prosperity and stability is needed. Weizhi County will definitely not agree, and there is a food shortage in the county.
"It's not that we don't try our best, it's just that we are beyond our capabilities, sir." Zhou Yangzhou's grain merchant hissed: "It would have been okay if it was just the autumn harvest, but now it's the twelfth lunar month. When the weather gets cold, the grain can't be stored
, grain merchants are hoarding grain to wait for price increases in spring."
"Then where do you get your food from?" Wang Xian asked.
"This is a long-term business. For example, I am connected with grain dealers in several counties in Jiaxing. They sell me five hundred shi of grain every month for twelve months a year, but this is already the upper limit. When grain is cheap, I
No, they won't give it when food is expensive." Zhou Yang sighed: "In short, even if you have money, you can't buy six thousand shi of food in the twelfth lunar month." This is hypocritical, you can still buy it if you have money, as long as you are willing to spend a lot of money.
Price.
"Yes, sir, can you please give me some mercy?" The other two grain merchants also nodded and said, "Give us half a year. When the summer grain comes, we can sell iron and make up for the six thousand shi of grain!" Six thousand shi of grain!
For grain, if they wait until the summer harvest, their purchase price will be 4,000 taels of silver. The three grain merchants plus Du Ziteng and Li Sheng will pay 800 taels if divided among the five of them. Basically, they have worked in vain for two years.
But if they want to purchase goods now, even ten thousand taels of silver won't be enough, and they will have to go bankrupt...
Seeing that Wang Xian was silent, several people exchanged glances, and Zhou Yang, who was relatively close to him, whispered: "Of course I won't let you suffer, the Chinese New Year is coming soon, and we grain merchants have to pay tribute to each household as a rule.
This time I will give you an extra one hundred taels. In addition, we will add an additional 20% to the four-hour quota originally given to you. I just ask you to be accommodating for a few months and promise not to play tricks on the grain in the future."
Apparently, they had discussed it on the way here. Several grain merchants agreed that the reason why they suffered this was probably because they did not pay tribute to Wang Xian in time...
"..." This condition is not unfavorable, and it makes Wang Xiandu feel itchy, but professional caution tells him that if he is not afraid of ten thousand, he is afraid of the worst. What if there is a famine next spring? The people's disaster relief food cannot wait until the summer harvest.
.If things get serious, no matter how much money you make, you won’t be able to spend your life.
After making up his mind, he faced the pleading eyes of everyone, shook his head slowly and said: "No, no matter how difficult it is, we have to overcome it. Six thousand shi of grain must be put into storage by the end of the first year at the latest."
"No matter how hard you push us, it's all in vain if we can't get food." The grain merchants said helplessly: "In the end, even if they kill us, we won't be able to finish."
"Since you said those grain merchants from other counties are stocking grain in order to sell it at a high price." Wang Xian said calmly: "Then you can just buy it now at the price during the spring famine. It will definitely be a dream for them to withdraw their funds a few months earlier.
"
"This..." Zhou Yang said with a bitter smile: "How can we have so much money? It's not enough even if we sell the iron."
"Haha..." Wang Xian said with a teasing smile: "They say businessmen are cunning, why are you so stubborn?" He paused and said, "Who said that if you set a high price, you will have to spend a lot of money?"
"What do you mean?" the grain merchants asked in confusion.
Wang Xian then smiled and said: "I'll give you an idea. You can complete the task without spending much more on keeping it."
"I'm all ears." The grain merchants said with wide eyes.
"People must learn to think in reverse. The saying is that rare things are valuable, and plentiful things are cheap..." Wang Xian then softly said a set of strategies, "In this way, the seller's market becomes a buyer's market, and the price will naturally come down."
The grain merchants were stunned when they heard this. This Wang Xian was simply the most unscrupulous businessman among unscrupulous businessmen...
.
Without further ado, in the afternoon of the same day, Zhou Yang and others immediately wrote to grain merchants in neighboring counties such as Haining, Yuhang, Lin'an, Xincheng, Changhua, Jiande, Tonglu, Chun'an, Shouchang, etc., announcing a shocking news to them.
——Because the new county boss suddenly became strict, the grain sold by Fuyang County grain merchants to Changpingcang was judged as old grain. The county boss was very angry and had them jailed and ordered them to exchange for new grain within one month, otherwise
Behead them all!
In order to save their lives, three grain merchants in Fuyang County had to spend a lot of money and announced that they would purchase this year's new rice at the price of thirty taels of silver and one stone!
The grain merchants who heard the news were shocked. Such a price would never have appeared even during the spring famine!
The current general price of grain in various counties is eight cents of silver per stone. Of course, when sold to grain merchants from other counties, the price will increase as a rule. Especially for this kind of temporary emergency grain purchase, naturally you will have to pay a lot of money. However,
If it goes up again, it will at most double, which is one to two six cents and one stone of grain.
Because even during the spring famine, the price of grain sold to grain dealers in Fuyang County was no more than two taels of silver and one stone of grain. After all, there are still several months before the spring famine, so we have to give them at least a 20% discount!
Therefore, in the eyes of grain merchants in various counties, a price of one tael or six taels of silver is a huge profit. Now, the grain merchants in Fuyang County are actually collecting grain at a price of 3 taels of silver. That is simply a huge profit!
You know, the price they paid for harvesting grain, including losses, was only six cents of silver and one stone of rice. This was five times the profit, enough to drive anyone crazy!
Although the other party requires the seller to transport the grain to Fuyang, the distance is so small. In the face of huge profits, a little freight is nothing.
One can imagine how enthusiastic the grain merchants would be towards this big deal.
But it was a pity that the people who came to deliver the letter were the clerks from the grain store and had no right to sign a contract with them. They only said that their boss was asking for help from grain merchants in many counties at the same time, and hurried to the next one to deliver the letter.
However, under the temptation of huge profits, everything is not a problem. The grain merchants are thinking that it is not far from Fuyang, and at worst the trip will be in vain, but once it is done, they can make a lot of money and have a fat New Year!
As a result, bags of grain were moved from the warehouses of grain merchants in various counties, loaded on ships, and transported along the waterways to Fuyang County...
In just a few days, all the ports in Fuyang County were filled with fully loaded grain ships. After the ships docked, various grain merchants or their shopkeepers went ashore to three grain stores to inform them that the grain shipments were
It’s here, hurry up and check the goods into warehouse, everyone is still rushing home to celebrate the New Year.
The shopkeeper of the grain store laughed and said, "We can't make the decision on this matter. Wait a minute, gentlemen, we will go to the prison to discuss it with the owner, and we will tell you the regulations as soon as we have them."
Hearing that his boss was still in jail, the grain merchants and shopkeepers didn't have much to say, so they ordered the crew to guard the ship and went to the taverns and teahouses in the county town to inquire about the news.
From morning to night, there was a steady stream of grain ships arriving in Fuyang that day. When the boss and shopkeeper saw the grain ships next to each other on the pier, they became nervous. As soon as the ship docked, they hurried to
When we inquired at the grain store, the answer we got was, without exception, that we would like to wait for a while until we asked the owner.
The grain merchants were unhappy, but now that there are more wolves and less meat, everyone is afraid of offending the sponsor. Not only do they dare not say an unpleasant word, they also have to show magnanimity:
"That's right, that's right. Who doesn't have any difficulties yet?"
"Don't be in a hurry, don't be in a hurry, let's talk after you find out..."
The grain merchants left the grain store and saw that it was getting late. Who wanted to go back to the ship and huddle with a group of hired workers? So they went to the brothel and tavern to have wine and have fun.
There are only a few decent brothels and taverns in Fuyang County, a big place. No matter which one the grain merchants go to, they will meet a lot of their colleagues. When everyone meets, they are naturally very cordial. This happens in almost every restaurant.
Scenario:
"Unexpectedly, Brother Zhang is here in person. I wish you a happy birthday!"
"Oh, brother Liu Xian, you are here too. Long time no see..."
"Brother, please add a chair! Brother, let me introduce to you. These are the owners and shopkeepers of the other three grain stores in our county..."
"I've admired you for a long time!" Even though I've never met him before, I still want to show affection to him.
"I have admired you for a long time, please take a seat!"
"Please take a seat!"
After some concessions, everyone sat down again and started the banquet. After three drinks and five dishes, it was natural to talk and chat. We were all traveling together and came for the same purpose. After going around and around, the topic finally came back to this
Enter the Fuyang grain merchant to collect grain.
"Brother, how much food did you bring this time?" Liu Xiandi asked.
"It's not much, just a few dozen stones." Brother Zhang twisted his beard and said, "Nian Gen is gone, no one is rich, but Zhou Yang and the others are in jail. As colleagues, we can help if we can.
"Who wants that little money?" In fact, he brought several boats, and he had to add a zero after the dozens of stones...
"Yeah, no one wants that little money." Everyone nodded, feeling that they were so noble.
"But I took a walk around this afternoon and looked at several docks. There are at least a hundred grain ships. Judging from the draft, they all have to weigh more than forty stones." Liu Xiandi added.
"That's four thousand dan?" Everyone gasped, "Do they need so much food?"
"It's definitely not necessary." Liu Xiandi frowned and said, "I have inquired about Yongfengcang in Fuyang County. They only bought 2,700 shi of grain this year."
"Oh my God!" The expressions of the grain merchants changed. "For those of us who arrived on the first day alone, 40 of us will have to make this trip in vain!"
"Yes, it will definitely arrive tomorrow." Liu Xiandi said with a bitter face: "I didn't expect that the movement was so fast, and the grain can't be collected here right away, what should I do?"
"Yes, what should we do?" the grain merchants asked worriedly.
"Don't worry about others, we were here first." At the critical moment, Brother Zhang had an idea: "Early tomorrow morning, everyone will go to Zhou Yang's store and wait, and we will take the first share!"