The cicadas' chirping gradually subsides and the summer heat gradually fades away.
Official Fu woke up at the hour of You. His feet felt a little weak, but his mind was clear.
He came downstairs and bowed to Dong Shulan from a distance, "Mr. Fu has been a heavy drinker. Please forgive me, young lady."
Dong Shulan smiled and replied, "Master Fu, you are so kind to me. My stay here is really a bother."
The three of them sat around, and Fu Xiaoguan took the initiative to put dinner in the pavilion. He felt that there was a night breeze here and he could listen to the stream. Compared with the dining room, it was more casual here.
Dong Shulan didn't care about this. She didn't think Fu Xiaoguan was ignorant of etiquette. Instead, she thought that such an environment was more suitable for discussing matters related to the imperial merchant.
Naturally, they didn't drink any more wine. Mr. Fu had no appetite, and Dong Shulan didn't eat much to begin with, so Mr. Fu was of course not polite. This was the age when he was growing up, and he really needed to supplement his nutrition, so he finished almost half of the food on the table.
After the bowls and cups were put away, Fu Xiaoguan made tea. Fu Daguan went out for a while and came back soon.
"As I expected, the heads of the three major grain merchants have given Master Fu some information... Please forgive me for being so blunt. Master Fu, you should be aware of the benefits of being a royal merchant. So, tell me what you think."
Dong Shulan at this moment is completely different from that in the afternoon.
She was not wearing a veil, and although she had a smile on her face, her words had some weight.
"Young lady, you are very clever." Official Fu didn't flinch. He took a sip of tea and continued, "Their original intention is to select a representative, namely Yang Ji, and have Yang Ji sign a contract with Young lady. The three parties will jointly engage in this business. How do you think?"
"Of course there's no problem on my side, it's just the price..."
Officer Fu sighed and said with a wry smile, "The price... they were quite straightforward and entrusted me to handle it."
"Then what price will Master Fu give me?"
"This has gotten me into this mess. If I'm the one offering the price, then I'll definitely have to lower it. This deal is really not worth it."
Dong Shulan pursed her lips and smiled. Official Fu was in a thankless position, so she said, "I understand Patriarch Fu's situation... I had some discussions with Young Master Fu this afternoon. How about this? If we can reach a deal, I'll return to the capital to report to Her Royal Highness the Princess and open up a new route for your Fu family... For example, with this Xishan Qiongjiang, if Young Master Fu's subsequent products are truly innovative, I can help and include them in the royal family's purchase."
In fact, the imperial merchant is just a title. For example, the royal family would requisition a huge amount of grain every year. These grains would either be stored in the national treasury to survive famine years or supplied to the military on the front line.
The purchase price of these grains is very low, at least 10% lower than the market price.
But imperial merchants have a privilege. If they have something good to show off, the royal family is willing to buy it at a fair price or even a high price. Moreover, having the background of royal procurement is a golden signboard and the honor of the family for merchants.
So when Mr. Fu heard what Dong Shulan said, he started to make some plans in his mind.
"Look... my family is just a landlord in Linjiang. We don't have anything else at home except grain. As for the Xishan Qiongjiang that my son brews, I'll be honest, young lady. The yield rate and success rate of this stuff are extremely low. So even if we supply it to the royal family, the quantity won't be enough. However, my Fu family is also honored that this wine has been accepted by the royal family... Young lady, just tell me, how much do you want from the royal grain in Linjiang?"
Dong Shulan held up three fingers and said, "30% lower than the market price!"
Just as Fu Daguan was about to speak, Dong Shulan said, "Wait a minute, listen to me."
"Grain prices in Jiangbei are 10% higher than in Jiangbei, and 20% higher than in the heart of the Central Plains. Jiangbei is a wealthy region, so grain prices are actually cheaper than in Jiangbei. I understand that rice in the Central Plains is not comparable to that in Jiangbei and Jiangbei, so the imperial family collects wheat from the landowners in the Central Plains."
"And in the area north of the Yangtze River, from Qizhou up to Mizhou, the grain price along the river is 10% higher, so... Master Fu, I think a 30% reduction is not an exaggeration."
Fu Xiaoguan didn't understand the situation, but he had to admit that this girl was pretty good.
It seems that she has put in a lot of effort in this trip to Linjiang. Let's see how her father responds.
Official Fu nodded repeatedly, "You are indeed correct, but Miss Dong may not understand two things."
"First, Linjiang's grain production is slightly lower than that of other prefectures and counties."
"Secondly, the land price in Linjiang is slightly higher than in other counties and prefectures."
"There are many reasons. Linjiang is hilly and mountainous, with little fertile land, making it difficult to cultivate. Yet, Linjiang has a large population... According to last year's statistics from the Linjiang Prefecture, Linjiang Prefecture has a total population of 674,852, with 336,711 residents in Linjiang City. Let's look at Mizhou. Mizhou boasts vast fertile land, but its population is only a little over 580,000. Counting all the farmland in each prefecture, Linjiang has 130,000 acres, each of which must support at least six people. Mizhou, on the other hand, has 200,000 acres, each of which must support no more than three people."
"So the grain in Linjiang is a bit expensive. In fact, young lady, you don't know that the grain produced in Linjiang is not enough to supply our state. We still have to go to other states to buy grain."
"If a grain merchant emerges in Linjiang, the food shortage will be even greater. We'll have to buy more grain from all over, and the price of grain in Linjiang will rise even more... Linjiang, should we reduce the quota?"
Dong Shulan frowned slightly. She really didn't understand these things. If what Mr. Fu said was true, her request of 30% seemed a bit high.
Before she could speak, Senior Official Fu struck while the iron was hot and said with a smile, "Of course, it is an honor for Linjiang to contribute to the royal family. However, can we lower the price by 10% according to Jiangnan's standards?"
Dong Shulan suddenly smiled, her eyes bright, her teeth white, and her mouth fragrant. "I believe what Patriarch Fu said is true, but Patriarch Fu overlooked another issue."
"Linjiang is where two rivers converge. Since ancient times, it has been blessed with outstanding people and auspicious lands, which is why Linjiang has a large population. Linjiang's commerce is comparable only to Jiangcheng along the Yangtze River. The flourishing commerce brings currency circulation and prosperity to Linjiang, so grain prices are higher there, but Linjiang's purchasing power is also extremely strong. So, Master Fu, considering both your and my reasons, I'll give you 25%."
"One and a half percent!"
“Twenty percent!”
"make a deal!"
Fu Xiaoguan was a little stunned. Fu Daguan beat his chest and said, "Young lady, you are a genius. If I set this price... I'm afraid I'll be drowned in the spit of the three major grain merchants. In addition, I'll leave the matter of my family's wine entering the royal family in my hands, young lady."
Dong Shulan chuckled as she watched Fu Daguan's performance, and thought to herself, this old fox, if I don't give in, he will agree anyway.
"Don't worry, Master Fu. This wine is unparalleled in the world and the royal family will definitely adopt it."
"Well, the big thing is over. Let's have another drink." Officer Fu turned around and said, "Chunxiu, ask the kitchen to prepare some exquisite side dishes and bring some wine!"
The crescent moon hangs high in the sky, and frogs croak.
No matter how drunk Mr. Fu was, Dong Shulan was still fine. Mr. Fu only drank one glass - he still felt that the wine was not tasty, it was spicy and too strong.
Fu Xiaoguan helped Fu Daguan back to the dormitory again. Chunxiu took Dong Shulan and Xiaoqi to the west wing. People had dispersed from the courtyard and the lights were dim.
…
The next morning.
Dong Shulan and his party bid farewell to Fu Daguan and his son and returned to Linjiang, taking away two poems and two jars of wine.
Watching the carriage depart, Fu Daguan suddenly sighed, "Son, you should marry a wife like Dong Shulan."
Fu Xiaoguan laughed and did not continue the topic. Instead, he asked, "Why don't we just become imperial merchants?"
"Because we are landlords, we don't have a caravan for shipping or land transportation. For us, being a royal merchant and just selling grain is extremely unprofitable."
"Then why are the three major grain merchants fighting?"
"Because they have a way to transfer grain from Jiangnan. Dong Shulan is right. The price of grain in Jiangnan is at least 10% cheaper than in Jiangbei. If they use the right channels, the price they get can be 15% or even 20% lower. As grain merchants, they have their own shipping and caravans, which can save a little on transportation. Overall, if the price is lower than 20%, they will only lose 10% of profit at most. However, the imperial merchants have large volumes, so they can make small profits but sell a lot. This will not affect their profits in Linjiang. Of course, they will compete for it."
Fu Xiaoguan understood the reason. His family was the landlord and produced products, but the three major grain traders were platforms. They sold products, had more purchasing channels, and had their own logistics, so their business was more flexible.
"Are the data you mentioned true?"
"Of course, that girl is not easy to fool. Look how quickly she reacted. She definitely didn't know the data, but she happened to think of the one I deliberately avoided: Linjiang, where two rivers converge, is rich! It's precisely because of this wealth that so many people gather, and the prices are slightly higher than other places... So the reason is not Young Master Tian. I didn't confuse her, but instead hit the nail on the head!"
Senior Official Fu patted Junior Official Fu on the shoulder and said, "Son, if you want to marry someone like Dong Shulan, she's a talented person!"
"Oh, Butler Zhang told me about your plan to buy the nearby land, and I agreed. I also told him that from now on, if you have any instructions, just follow them and you don't have to go through me... But what exactly do you want to do?"
"If you tinker with some small things and set up a few workshops, you can make money."
Official Fu's face was a little tangled. He stopped, thought for a moment, and said, "Our family is not short of money."
"I know, but something has to be done."
"How about studying? Passing the imperial examination and becoming an official in the imperial court?"
"Dad, I really can't do this."
Officer Fu was silent for a moment and then nodded, "Okay, then go do what you like."
Official Fu felt a little regretful about this matter.
I thought my son had become smart and had even written two highly praised poems. If he studied hard, it seemed possible that he would pass the imperial examination.
Those aristocratic families are the result of generations of scholars. This is the literary spirit, not the money-making style of merchant families.
People love the smell of money, but they also admire literature.
With the literary atmosphere, the smell of money seemed to be purified, and even their money seemed to become more noble.
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