The autumn weather is clear and crisp.
It is the harvest season of the year.
Beirong Xiliang once again sent troops south to plunder.
The pressure on border troops has doubled.
The troops are dispersed along the long border.
Beirong and Xiliang were defeated one by one, and for a time the war situation was extremely unfavorable to the Great Zhou.
The atmosphere on the front line is tense.
The capital city was prosperous and peaceful.
The number of rickshaw pullers has increased from the initial 100 to 1,500 in a short period of time.
Other private rickshaw companies have also entered the rickshaw market.
They bought two-wheeled vehicles and recruited drivers, all wearing the same red vests, but with different names on the back, openly competing with Huimin Vehicle Company for business.
In order to grab business, they even resort to price wars.
We already make a living by working hard, and if we start a price war, how can we make any money?
In the name of Universal Transport, Ma Xiaoliu convened a meeting of the owners of major vehicle dealerships in Beijing to formulate industry rules and regulations.
We are all in the same industry and should unite instead of engaging in price wars that disrupt the market and ultimately make no money.
Of course some people are dissatisfied.
Ma Xiaoliu's attitude is very clear, he has to hold it in even if he is dissatisfied.
Universal Transport will cancel orders and refuse to cooperate with any car dealership that does not comply with industry rules.
This is the advantage of controlling the upstream supply chain.
Universal Transport is the only dominant company and has no competitors at all.
Whether it is a four-wheeled carriage or a two-wheeled rickshaw, it has to be purchased from Universal Transport.
Of course, some people have tried to imitate it.
However, they were unable to break through the technical barriers and their imitation failed. They could only watch as Universal Transport made a fortune.
After the rickshaw industry rules were formulated, the entire market developed in an orderly manner.
Common people in Beijing who have some money are accustomed to calling a rickshaw when they go out.
Even the court officials, especially those minor officials of the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth ranks, as well as various clerks in the yamen, found it too expensive to maintain a horse-drawn carriage, so they simply hired a rickshaw to pick them up every morning and evening.
Zhou Shi'an hired a rickshaw for 20 cents a day, which provided pick-up and drop-off services at designated locations and times.
In order to make the rickshaw look clean and classy, the driver specially bought a wool mat to put on the seat.
When it is hot in summer, put a bamboo mat on it.
In winter when it is cold, just remove the bamboo mat.
Zhou Shian was sitting in a rickshaw, holding a newspaper he had bought from a newsstand.
He always buys two newspapers.
One is "Da Zhou Life Show" and the other is "Guozijian News".
The time on the road is just right for reading the newspaper.
In fact, the newspaper he wanted to buy most was the "Shanhe Academy News".
However, the "Shanhe Academy Newspaper" has insisted on not being publicly distributed for many years, so if he wants to read the "Shanhe Academy Newspaper", he has to ask someone for help.
He first quickly browsed through the "Da Zhou Life Show".
Next year will be the imperial examination year, and candidates from all over the country will gather in the capital. The rental market in Xinmin County is booming, and Wenqing Bookstore's business has also increased by 30% to 40%.
Various books related to the imperial examination have been selling very well recently.
In the book sales rankings, the top five books are all about the imperial examinations.
Zhou Shian shook his head vigorously.
"Wenqing Bookstore earns a lot of money from students preparing for the exams."
The Imperial College News published an editorial.
Sanyuan Gong Yang Yuanqing and Sun Zhuangyuan took their students out to study and would not come back until two or three years later.
Next year is the year for the imperial examination. What can Shanhe Academy use to compete with the Imperial College?
In next year's imperial examination, the joint examination and the palace examination, the Imperial College will definitely defeat the Shanhe Academy in terms of both the number of people and the ranking.
Without Sanyuan Gong and Sun Zhuangyuan, Shanhe Academy is like a tiger with its teeth pulled out, and cannot be called a king.
The Imperial College can take this opportunity to avenge its previous humiliation.
Zhou Shi'an frowned and shook his head, "Where does the Imperial College get the courage? It's easy to boast, but it would be so embarrassing if they were slapped in the face."
There was no hot news in either newspaper, but there were a few job postings.
There is a rickshaw company recruiting rickshaw drivers, with good pay.
Zhou Shian became curious and asked the rickshaw driver, "How much do you pay the rickshaw company every day? Do you make any money?"
"We collect fifteen cents a day as a commission at our dealership. If you work hard, you can still make some money. It's better than the hard labor you used to have."
"I seem to have heard that Huimin Car Shop only charges ten cents a day for membership. Wouldn't it be a big loss for you to pay fifteen cents?"
The driver said, "The ten-cent membership fee you mentioned is all old news. At Huimin Coach Company, except for the first batch of drivers who only needed to pay ten cents, all subsequent drivers have to pay fifteen cents.
The boss said this is an industry standard, with uniform standards across the industry. Even the prices we charge for pulling carts are the same as those at Huimin Car Dealership, and we won't charge a penny more or less.
Zhou Shian asked curiously, "Is it good or bad for you drivers to have unified industry standards?"
"Of course! With a unified price, there's no need to undercut customers, and everyone can make money."
"How's your business every day? Have you ever been waiting all day without a single customer?"
"Not really! More and more people are coming to the capital now. Going to the West Market, the East Market, the gates of the various government offices, or even Xinmin County, you can expect a customer in as little as a cup of tea. Especially those juren candidates who are taking the imperial examinations, they're all well-off. When they're out and about, they don't want to share a carriage with a bunch of people, so they'll call a rickshaw and are generous with their tips. After sending the adults to the government offices, I plan to go to Xinmin County to pick up a juren candidate and earn some extra tips."
Zhou Shian laughed, "It's not close from the government office to Xinmin County."
The driver said, "It's all right. I'm just picking up a woman on her way to Xinmin County to buy some meat and vegetables. It's just on the way."
Zhou Shian said: "After so many years, the young ladies in the capital are still used to going to Xinmin County to buy meat and vegetables."
"It's cheap and fresh, and you can save a lot of money if you buy more. I'm just wondering, since Sihai Meat and Vegetable Shop is doing so well, why don't they consider opening another one in the city to make it more convenient for everyone."
Zhou Shian said, "If Sihai Meat and Vegetable Shop opened a branch in the city, the small vendors in the city would have no business. Sihai Meat and Vegetable Shop is trying to give these vendors a way to survive."
Just like Universal Transport, technological barriers have made Universal Transport the world's top iron manufacturer.
It is too easy to create a monopoly and drive others bankrupt.
But Universal Transport did not do so.
Not only did it not force the private iron workshops to go bankrupt, but it also cooperated with various workshops, allowing the small iron workshops in the capital to take their business to a higher level with the support of Huanyu Transport.
This is Gu Jiu’s business philosophy.
We all make money together and don’t eat it alone.
First, ensure the interests of the common people, and at the same time win over the officials and aristocratic families.
By tying everyone's interests together, we have been able to go smoothly for so many years without anyone causing trouble.
Zhou Shi'an pondered this set of business philosophy, and the more he thought about it, the more shocked he became.
When they arrived at the yamen gate, the driver dropped him off.
Zhou Shian started his busy day at work.
After finishing his work, he began to write analytical articles on Sihai Huanyu's business philosophy.
The more profound the article became, the more difficult it was for Zhou Shi'an to conceal his inner shock.
Lord Lu noticed that something was wrong with him and asked him a few questions with concern.
Zhou Shi'an wiped his face and handed the half-written article, which was over 100,000 words long, to Lord Lu.
"My daily commutes in a rickshaw have inspired me to research the world. This is my analysis, only half completed. Please forgive me for the embarrassment."
"Brother Zhou is too modest."
Lord Lu picked up a thick stack of information and began to look through it.
The more I watched, the more shocked I became.
I am shocked by Zhou Shian's talent, vision, and depth of understanding.
"Great! Brother Zhou is truly talented!"
"Your Excellency, you are so complimentary!"
"No, no, no, I'm not being polite. Brother Zhou's information—no, I should say, the book he wrote—is incredibly useful. Could you please lend it to me so I can study it carefully for a few days?"
"If you don't mind, please take it."
Lord Lu worked day and night to read Zhou Shi'an's books.
Zhou Shi'an wrote furiously and continued to write the following content.
Lord Lu spent several days reading it, and his excitement lasted for a long time.
This is not only an analysis of the world, but also gives Lord Lu a lot of inspiration.
Hundreds of thousands of refugees can be managed in an orderly manner because the managers understand the essence of management.
While strictly controlling the refugees, they are also given the opportunity to survive on their own.
It's like a toll station, where management is extremely strict. The accounts are checked once every two weeks or a month, and the shifts are rotated once every year or two. There are exams every year, and you must be able to write and calculate.
There are so many requirements and such strict management, but no one quits.
Even the most unruly group of soldiers who had retired from the Sirius Army stayed at the toll station and no one quit.
Because strict discipline is accompanied by high salaries and various benefits.
From three meals a day, guaranteed to be filling, to a quick snack every one or two days, to four sets of clothing and shoes for all seasons, we recruit employees from all over the world, prioritizing the families of our employees.
From buying a house at a discount in Xinmin County and registering as a resident in Xinmin County, you can also have the priority to purchase shares of Sihai Huanyu.
With such benefits, I wonder how many people would be eager to work at the toll station.
What’s more, in the past two years, there have been cases of scholars applying for jobs at toll booths.
Why?
It is clearly written in Zhou Shian’s book.
Lord Lu couldn't wait to see what happened next.
With Zhou Shi'an's consent, Lord Lu presented his book to Emperor Wende for review.
Emperor Wende flipped through the book at will because of Lord Lu's recommendation.
I didn't expect to be hooked after reading the beginning.
It was natural to summon Zhou Shi'an and ask him what he thought.
Zhou Shi'an, who was in his forties, was inevitably excited as he was so close to the emperor for the first time.
After the excitement, I knew this was my chance.
He spoke eloquently and skillfully sold his views to Emperor Wende.
The core idea is to strictly manage officials, conduct irregular assessments rather than superficial assessments, and at the same time improve the treatment of officials.
Ensure that an official earns enough money to support his entire family.
Instead of receiving a low salary and finding ways to embezzle money.
Emperor Wende fell silent.
It is easy to say that we should raise officials' salaries.
Where does the money come from?
What to do after salary increase?
Moreover, this matter is not just about money, it also involves ancestral laws.
The rules were set by our ancestors. To raise salaries is equivalent to overturning the ancestral laws and carrying out a major reform.
No one can predict the risks involved.
Emperor Wende shook his head vigorously.
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