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If the meeting with Wu Changming was just a private conversation, then the meeting with Gu Yunkai became a grand banquet.
In the Heming Tower owned by the Gu family, the lights were bright, the music was incessant, and the chirping women were like a gentle breeze blowing through the hall, making people's hearts flutter. In addition, the distinguished guests who came and went were all of prominent wealth and had extraordinary conversation.
Such a big fuss, just for one person, even a stubborn stone would be drunk.
In the main guest seat, the young man's eyes were shining as he stared intently at the dancing woman in the middle of the stage. He tapped the folding fan in his hand to the rhythm, and it was obvious that he was in a very good mood.
Seeing how happy he was, Gu Yunkai casually said, "Brother Fang, you may not know this, but this Jade Lady from Heming Tower was the most popular courtesan last year. Among hundreds of other top performers, her colorful dance took first place. The entire pleasure boat was covered in golden flowers that day. She's been the most outstanding figure in years."
This statement really caught Young Master Fang's attention. He turned around and asked with interest, "So the Oiran is also chosen? Does Yuhang hold a selection every year?"
Gu Yunkai laughed heartily. "Of course they choose every year. Otherwise, those brothel owners would be lazy and only promote one person every eight or ten years. What's the excitement? Besides, a banquet for an Oiran costs tens of thousands of taels just to create the golden flower, not to mention all the other expenses. How can such a big business be stopped?"
Behind all the famous prostitutes in Yuhang were wealthy families. These people kept prostitutes not just for entertainment, but to show off their fame and make money. Of course, for ordinary dandies, as long as there was enough fun, they didn't care about anything else.
Fang Ling obviously didn't care about these things, and sighed: "I only heard that there were fireworks over ten miles here, but I didn't expect there would be so much excitement. Panyu is much more boring."
Gu Yunkai liked to hear this. A remote place like Panyu naturally couldn't compare to Jiangdong. However, when the words came out of his mouth, he turned them into another set of rhetoric: "If you like, my dear brother, you can stay in Yuhang for a few more days and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the four seasons. There are so many stunning sights."
Fang Ling sighed upon hearing this and leaned back on the cushions: "If it were just me, I would naturally play however I want, but unfortunately I have no choice."
He was still young and handsome, with a somewhat masculine and feminine look. His languid demeanor wasn't offensive. But in Gu Yunkai's eyes, this look, like his unwillingly concealed complexion, was likely a pretense. So, he leaned against the armrest and asked nonchalantly, "What's up, brother? Are you in trouble?"
Fang Ling pretended to be stupid: "What trouble?"
Seeing this, Gu Yunkai laughed: "Do you think you can hide this from others? Coming to Yuhang to collect silk, but the price has skyrocketed, isn't that a huge problem?"
Fang Ling chuckled, "That's not really a big deal... Ah, could it be that the price of silk has gone up, and that's worrying Master Gu? I heard the Gu family has quite a few looms."
This was truly fearless, and his usual sharp tongue was undeniable. However, Gu Yunkai did not get angry. After playing with the wine cup in his hand for a moment, he suddenly asked, "So, you didn't come to Yuhang for raw silk?"
These words seemed to be beyond Fang Ling's expectations, causing his expression to change slightly. Gu Yunkai knew that he had guessed right.
The most likely reason for not caring about the rising silk prices is that the business he discussed with Wu was not just about raw silk. Only in this way could Wu complete the transaction at a relatively cheap price regardless of the fluctuations in silk prices.
Once the silk price goes up, all weaving workshops will be affected. Competitors are enemies. If the Gu family is in trouble, this kid will definitely gloat over their misfortune.
But what if he guessed right? Gu Yun lowered his wine cup and said seriously, "Whatever business you're planning, you can discuss it with the Gu family. If I remember correctly, the weaving mill in Panyu has just been built, so I'm afraid they can't produce many types of fabrics yet. If they join forces with us, we can control the price of silk and replenish our inventory. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"
This suggestion was quite tempting, but Young Master Fang pondered for a moment and shook his head: "I can't make the decision on this matter."
Anything that could tempt Wu Tianming must be a major deal, not something a young boy could decide. It's not surprising that he couldn't make the decision, but why did he have to partner with the Wu family? Could it be that the Wu family would be a better partner for the Red Flag Gang?
Gu Yunkai narrowed his eyes. "Could it be that besides Wu, you have conspired with someone else?"
Now, Gu Yunkai really has some doubts about Zhou Zhenglun. To be able to introduce this kid, does his good friend really know nothing about the inside story?
Fang Ling was young after all, so he pursed his lips before smiling and saying, "Brother Gu, you're overthinking it."
He was afraid that he hadn't thought enough before, so he slowly leaned back. Gu Yunkai said with a smile: "In the business world, intrigue and deception are inevitable, but Yuhang is the territory of the aristocratic families after all. The four surnames are closely related. It may not be easy to succeed, but it is just a piece of cake to ruin it."
This was already a blatant threat. Fang Ling looked at him for a long moment, then suddenly laughed, "Brother Gu, if you hadn't asked me what business I wanted to start, I could only say two words: bank."
As soon as he said this, Gu Yunxin was shocked, and suddenly he understood a lot. Why did he not care about the rising silk prices? Because countless people went to the countryside to collect silk, buying and selling without hesitation. Isn't this the same method used by the Panyu bank trading field?
So, was the deal with Wu also related to the exchange? If all merchants in Yuhang, big and small, were accustomed to this process, wouldn't it be logical for them to open a bank here? The more people try to drive up silk prices, the easier it will be to achieve their goals. No wonder they remain calm in the face of adversity.
After putting all this together, another thought came to his mind. If he remembered correctly, the person in charge of Panyu Bank was Lu Jian.
Lu Jian and Zhou Zhenglun have some ties, and the Lu family has also begun contacting the Wu family. Could this also be a hidden pawn? If three of the four families unite, will Gu's opposition still be of any use? Or, why oppose the bank? After all, there's profit to be made from simply buying and selling short based on the price of silk.
Gu Yunkai's eyes suddenly fixed, and he looked up and asked, "Aren't you afraid that I'll find out about this and take action first?"
He had thoroughly researched the bank's foundation, so copying it wouldn't be difficult. And wouldn't a bank run by a local family be more popular than one run by an outsider? If he took action first, what would the Red Flag Gang do?
Unexpectedly, Fang Ling spread his hands when he heard this: "Mr. Gu is asking a blind man for advice. How can I understand these twists and turns?"
He didn't understand, but wouldn't Lu Jian understand? The fact that they were able to leak information meant they didn't care. It was just a variant of a money house. If the Red Flag Gang could open one, why couldn't others? This was Yuhang, a place full of aristocratic families. It was impossible for the Red Flag Gang to monopolize the market. Now that they were leaking information, were they also planning to let him take the lead?
His tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and Gu Yunkai sighed with a smile, "From what I hear, you're really busy. Such a heavy burden falls on one person, no wonder you don't have time to relax. If you don't mind, I can also say a few words to Wu Ziliang."
This cannot be taken seriously. Gu Yunkai did not expect this kid to let him get involved. It was just a casual game.
Unexpectedly, the other party smiled slyly and said, "Brother Gu's invitation has been a great help. I should say thank you."
Gu Yunkai was startled, then burst into laughter. Of course, he'd given Fang Ling a banquet with all the pomp and ceremony he could, and word would reach Wu Tianming in no time. With this incentive, wouldn't the other party's business be easier?
He truly possesses both courage and foresight, a rare talent. The chess pieces on display are so impressive, so the people behind the scenes must be even more formidable. However, this deal has nothing to do with him anymore; it's best to wait and see how it plays out.
…
Because of Lu Xiu's matter, Lu Xin and Wu Tianming met each other soon. They expressed their thanks in a perfunctory manner, had an awkward dinner together, and had some ambiguous chats. They didn't ask any key questions, and it could only be considered as a test of each other.
This attitude made Wu Tianming feel very uncomfortable, and he couldn't guess what Lu Xin was thinking.
From the tone he revealed, it seemed he wasn't here to accuse him, but rather to truly intend to join forces with him. Did the Lu family no longer care about the Red Flag Gang behind Fang Ling? Or were they planning to use this opportunity to reconnect with the exiled Lu Jian and Lu Erlang?
Regardless of Lu Xin's thoughts, this wasn't a good thing for Wu Tianming. The Lu family was too powerful, second only to the Gu family in silk trade. If he wasn't careful, he'd be taken over by someone else.
That being said, when news arrived that Gu Yunkai was hosting Fang Ling for a banquet, this little thought faded into insignificance. Hadn't Gu Yunkai fallen out with that guy? Now, with his humble demeanor, was he intentionally trying to interfere with his dealings with Fang Ling? Indeed, with silk prices skyrocketing, Gu Yunkai certainly wouldn't want to. If he truly joined forces with Fang Ling, perhaps it would be a way out.
When Wu Tianming thought of this, cold sweat broke out on his back. He had worked so hard to hold Fang Ling back, but he was not doing it for others.
Without caring about keeping it secret, he went straight to the restaurant where Fang Ling was staying and asked as soon as he entered, "Brother Fang, you accepted Sanlang Gu's invitation, but are you thinking of changing your mind?"
Hearing this, Fang Ling opened his eyes wide in surprise: "Brother Wu, what are you talking about? We didn't make any appointment."
If Wu Tianming hadn't been so good-tempered, he would have wanted to get angry: "Mr. Fang, are you kidding?"
Fang Ling straightened his face and said calmly, "Brother Wu, you're putting me in a difficult position. The price of silk is getting higher and higher, and you're still delaying the contract. Aren't you putting me on the spot? The world is in chaos, and selling grain anywhere is profitable. Rather than just sitting there and waiting, I have to think of a way out, right?"
This is not wrong in terms of emotion and reason, but Wu Tianming found it extremely offensive. If he let this order go, he would have closed a stable food supply route with his own hands. How huge would the loss be?
Wu Tianming then adopted a sincere attitude, "It's not that I'm taking this deal lightly, it's just that the price of Yuhang silk has changed drastically, and even I can't handle the eight-cent price. If you're willing to raise it a little, we can continue the discussion."
Fang Ling immediately shook his head like a rattle: "I can't make the decision on this. Even if it means a wasted trip, I can't just change the contract."
This is really stubborn! Wu Tianming thought for a moment and said, "How about ordering less spring silk this season? By summer, the price should be lower."
Fang Ling laughed. "That's right. How am I going to make up for the remaining silk? Besides, the price of summer grain is bound to rise. If the price of grain goes up here, but the price of silk goes down there, wouldn't that mean I'm losing money?"
This was certainly unacceptable. Wu Tianming sighed, "Brother Fang, you know the price of silk has skyrocketed this spring. It's possible it could go up to 1.4 qian. If I buy it for 8 qian, not only will others but even the elders of the Wu family be mad at me. Bidding is a two-way process, right? I can't be the only one to give in."
Fang Ling was silent for a moment, then sighed, "The three thousand dan figure cannot be changed, and I must be allowed to take the silk as soon as it's on the market. I can also pay half as a deposit, and the rest when the grain arrives. But if I do that, the price of grain can't be lower than one liang and two qian."
Wu Tianming immediately asked, "What about the price of silk? Is it also one tael and two cents?"
Fang Ling snorted softly, "The maximum is one or two taels. Any higher is out of the question."
Both sides increased their prices by two qian of silver, which seemed to be equal, but in fact, Wu still got a big advantage. After all, silk is calculated by catty, while grain is calculated by stone. Just increasing it by two qian can make an extra 60,000 taels! In this way, although it still cannot keep up with the soaring silk prices, the increase in summer grain prices is foreseeable, and this deal is still profitable.
The only problem is where to get the three thousand stones of silk.
The Wu family does not have so much raw silk on hand, and other silk merchants are unlikely to buy out the spring silk when it is on the market. As long as they hold it for ten days or half a month, the price will rise again, and no one will make such a mistake.
If you want to make this deal, you must first ensure the supply of goods.
Who has a large amount of raw silk and is willing to sell it to him? In just a moment, Wu Tianming had a name in mind. Doesn't that kid Lu Xin also want to join the game?
Thinking of this, Wu Tianming put on a smile and said, "Since you are so sincere, there is no point in refusing. I will discuss this with everyone in the clan when I get back and will definitely give you an answer soon."
Young Master Fang sighed, feeling annoyed. "Brother Wu, please make a decision this morning. This spring silk will only be on the market for a few days."
Yes, there are only a few days left before Chunsi is on the market, he has to act as soon as possible!
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