10
If you collect a lot of seafood, you can directly take it to Panyu to sell, and then exchange it for cotton cloth and groceries to be shipped to Hepu. You can make more money in one round trip!
Lin Meng's face flushed red for a moment, and he said excitedly: "This is a good idea! We need to find a big grain store..."
Cheng Xi interrupted in time: "Big stores bully customers, it's better to find a small store with a good reputation."
Which of these large grain merchants in private ports doesn't transport thousands or even tens of thousands of dan of grain? Maybe there's a fleet behind them.
Not only will their business of 300 shi not be valued, it may even lead to suppression. Of course, small and medium-sized shops are better.
Lin Meng nodded repeatedly and immediately sent someone to inquire.
The private port was well-informed, and soon I found a shop that had just opened two years ago. It was small, but had a good reputation. Many private ships docked there to restock their provisions.
With a target in mind, a face-to-face meeting was still necessary. A shipload of food was no small sum, so Captain Lin Meng naturally had to step in.
After explaining some details, Cheng Xi followed Lin Meng to the "Lu's Grain Shop". As soon as they entered the door, the shopkeeper came out to greet them.
When the shopkeeper heard they wanted to buy 300 dan of rice, he said with a smile, "You've come at a good time, sir. We've just received a batch of new Jiaozhi rice, so I'll round off the price and only sell it for 5 cents per dan. So 300 dan will cost you 150 taels!"
Lin Meng was overjoyed. This was even cheaper than he had expected! He looked at Cheng Xi and saw her nod. Then he asked excitedly, "When can the goods be delivered?"
The shopkeeper guessed his thoughts and smiled slightly: "Of course, we pay for the goods. You can come to the store to pick up the goods at any time."
Lin Meng asked again: "Can't we send it to the dock?"
It is a bit difficult for them to pick up the grain from the ship, but the store owner has someone with a car, and it would be better if he was willing to deliver it.
The shopkeeper looked at the two of them and said, "Then you have to pay today."
This means paying first and picking up the goods later. After all, it was his first time in this store. Even though the store had a good reputation, Lin Meng was still a little hesitant, fearing that he would be ripped off once he paid.
One hundred and fifty taels is not a small amount for them.
Seeing him hesitate, Cheng Xi suddenly interrupted and said, "It's okay to pay the money, but I'd like to ask the shopkeeper to sign a contract."
The shopkeeper glanced at her for a moment longer and said with a smile, "Since you've said so, our shop will sign the contract."
It is natural to sign a contract for a sale, but private ports are different from other places. There is no government protection, so what is the use of a contract?
Businesses here are often cash-for-goods transactions, relying solely on verbal promises. That said, if a contract is truly required, merchants won't refuse. Those who can understand a contract are those who can read and write. For the sake of reputation, a contract is nothing.
Now that the deal was confirmed, the two were invited to have tea while the shopkeeper wrote the deed in the inner room.
Lin Meng felt a little uncomfortable, but Cheng Xi was sizing up the shop. To be able to immediately produce 300 dan of grain, it shouldn't be as "small" as it looks. He even specifically mentioned "Jiaozhi rice." Could it be that the owner had some connection with Jiaozhi?
It’s just a new store, with connections and reputation, but it’s definitely not as simple as imagined.
His thoughts drifted a bit, and he drank his tea even more slowly. Before he had finished his cup, the shopkeeper suddenly stepped out from behind the curtain, smiling at the two of them and saying, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I happened to be here and heard that you had a distinguished guest, so I wanted to meet you. Is that possible?"
Why do I have to meet the shop owner to buy rice?
Lin Meng was a little undecided and turned to look at Cheng Xi. Although Cheng Xi was a little surprised, she did not hesitate and simply said, "Please introduce me, boss."
The grain shop wasn't spacious, and it took only a few steps to reach the back hall. When the door curtain was lifted and the man sitting in the main seat raised his head, Cheng Xi couldn't help but pause, a sense of daze rising in his heart.
Whether in his figure, appearance, clothing or demeanor, that person was completely out of place in the room, as if a bright pearl suddenly appeared in the dim room, brightening the eyes and shocking the heart.
Cheng Xi has been in this world for more than a month. She has met many people and witnessed various ancient customs, but she has never felt the presence of people so strongly, which made her realize in an instant that she was in a completely different world.
However, she quickly came to her senses and walked into the house.
Seeing the guest arrive, the man stood up and said with a smile, "My name is Lu Jian, and I am the owner of this shop. I heard that you have a distinguished guest, so I came to see you."
His voice was gentle, his eyes were clear, and he was not rude to the two people who were obviously dressed like fishermen.
Lin Meng had never been addressed so seriously before. He was panicked for a moment and didn't know what to say.
Cheng Xi stepped forward and answered for him, "I'm Cheng Xi, and this is my captain, Lin Meng. Nice to meet you, Mr. Lu."
Lu Jian seemed oblivious to Lin Meng's misstep and naturally invited the two to sit down. After the tea was served, he smiled and said, "You two look unfamiliar. Is this your first time in the harbor?"
It was Lin Meng's first time as a captain, so his demeanor naturally couldn't be hidden from others, and Cheng Xi, a woman dressed as a man, didn't look like someone who would sail at sea.
Cheng Xi didn't care about being exposed, and said frankly: "It is indeed my first time here."
Lu Jian nodded slightly and asked, "Will the two of you pass through Panyu on your return journey?"
This question was a bit strange. Cheng Xi raised his eyebrows and said, "Sir, if you have something to say, just say it directly."
Although he didn't answer directly, the meaning behind his words was clear. Lu Jian stopped beating around the bush and said, "To be honest, I have an urgent matter that I want to inform a friend of mine, but bandits are rampant and the sea route is blocked. If you can help pass on a message and bring back a reply, I will waive the three hundred dan of grain tax."
One hundred and fifty taels of silver, just to send a message and forget about it? Lin Meng's breathing suddenly became rapid, and he wanted to agree immediately. Cheng Xi pondered for a moment and asked, "Is there a time limit for this letter?"
"The journey should not exceed half a month, and the reply should be within two months." Lu Jian replied.
No wonder he preferred to find a stranger to carry the letter instead of taking the land route. Two months was indeed not enough time to travel from Hepu to Panyu.
While the 150 taels of silver were tempting, traveling back and forth between the two places would require passing through pirate-infested areas, which was quite risky. The only question was, why did he choose them?
Cheng Xi asked directly, "There are many fleets sailing this route. Why did you choose us?"
Lu Jian smiled slightly. "This matter is urgent, and I don't trust those familiar faces. I only took the liberty to ask since you two happened to be here and bought a boatload of rice."
Is there any conflict of interest here? Cheng Xi asked, "Aren't you afraid that we are scammers who took the money but didn't deliver the letter?"
"If you two want to do rice business, Hepu is the most cost-effective place in the world. If you don't want to do business here, you can naturally cancel the contract. Moreover, the money cannot be paid in one lump sum. You must first deposit one hundred taels, and then pay it after you send the letter back." Lu Jian answered straightforwardly.
These words contained both threats and inducements, but his tone was calm and not annoying.
Lin Meng was completely tempted. The windy season wasn't over yet, and if the return trip went smoothly, they still had time for another trip. And since they'd made a good profit this time, Li Niu and Sun Erlang might be willing to make another one.
In this way, wouldn't they have earned 150 taels for nothing? Adding the profit...
Thinking of this, Lin Meng couldn't help but wink at Cheng Xi, but Cheng Xi ignored him. After thinking for a moment, he said, "The rice fee doesn't have to be waived. As long as your store can give you a discount on the grain price, I'll help deliver the letter."
This was beyond Lu Jian's expectations. He raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "Even if I give you a 40% discount, it will take several attempts to earn back the 150 taels, right?"
This is the truth. No matter where the grain prices are, it is difficult to make this much money from a shipload of rice. Giving up more for less is not a wise move.
Cheng Xi said frankly: "Next time I may not just buy one shipload of rice."
The implications of this statement are intriguing. Many fleets are now coming to the private port, and if they only buy one shipload of rice, it's likely that they're a joint venture, leaving him with only one ship. Given this, he's confident he can buy more than one shipload next time. Does that mean he's confident he can convince his companions to specialize in rice trading?
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