Cutting over the end of the Ming Dynasty: a dog-leg knife at the beginning

Chapter 130

"One tael of silver and one stone, nine thousand stones of remaining food, I will eat all of it."

After a long stalemate, Cheng Ji finally compromised.If you don't compromise, you won't be able to. A man is naturally at a disadvantage when he bargains with a woman, unless he bumps into someone who has no brains. Unfortunately, Xiao Yufang not only has a better figure than modern international supermodels, but also has a shrewd mind. Cheng Ji couldn't take any advantage, so he could only accept the price she offered.Buying nine thousand shi of wheat at this price, he still made a profit, but the profit was a little thinner, but it was better than not making a profit.

Yang Menglong was so happy from ear to ear, one tael and one stone means that he has 9000 taels of silver in his account, and his small treasury finally doesn't have to run mice anymore, long live!When he got excited, he committed his old habit again, and he stretched out his right hand to Cheng Ji happily: "Happy cooperation, happy cooperation!"

Cheng Ji was dumbfounded, not knowing what he meant, and didn't react until Yang Menglong held his hand.

Xiao Yufang has long been accustomed to this, and took out a pen, ink, paper and inkstone to draw up a contract: On a certain day of a certain year, Yang Menglong, a thousand household in Wuyang, reached an agreement with Cheng Ji, a grain merchant in Qi County, Huizhou, to sell nine thousand stones at the price of one tael of silver and one stone. Wheat, the delivery date is June [-]th, and Cheng Ji will arrange for a convoy to transport the goods.Then as usual, sign your own name on the bottom and write the word "on behalf of", and finally let those two sign and seal, the deal is considered settled.

To Yang Menglong's displeasure, Cheng Ji's handwriting was flying like dragons and phoenixes, with silver hooks drawn on iron, while his handwriting was as ugly as a dog's.He was even wondering if Cheng Ji would renege on his debt, should he show the contract as evidence to sue him... It's really embarrassing, his handwriting is too ugly, it's embarrassing!Cheng Ji looked at Yang Menglong's calligraphy with a strange expression, wanting to laugh but not daring to laugh, which made Yang Menglong even more depressed: "I said, you can laugh if you want to, my calligraphy is just like that, and I can't change it. !"

Cheng Ji finally laughed out loud, and even the servants behind him laughed out loud, making Yang Menglong's teeth itch with hatred.

After both parties have stamped their seals on it, the business is done and the delivery is ready.Cheng Ji took out three bank notes from his sleeve and handed them over.Yang Menglong took it over and saw that they were all 1000 taels, three thin sheets of paper plus a few lines of small print, it was 3000 taels, my dear!

"This is a deposit, and the final payment will be paid in one lump sum after the grain arrives in the warehouse." Cheng Ji explained.

Yang Menglong laughed so hard that he couldn't see his teeth: "Boss Cheng, you are so generous, no wonder you can make such a big deal." Xiao Yufang also secretly admired it. Most people pay a deposit of a thousand taels at most and forget it. Fearing that the other party would break the contract and suffer heavy losses, this one gave one-third right away, which is generous.She joked: "Boss Cheng, if you pay so much deposit, you are not afraid that we will take the money and food and run away?"

Cheng Ji said with a smile: "Your Excellency is a person who is dedicated to doing great things, and his structure is very comparable to others. How can he take a mere 3000 taels of silver in his eyes? Besides, you don't even know how much the land under your name is worth. Now, I really hope that your lord will take the money and run away, so that you can take your lord's land property and make a lot of money!"

Yang Menglong pointed at Cheng Ji's nose and scolded with a smile: "Good guy, you're really poisonous, I know you have no good intentions!"

Everyone laughed.

After saying a few words of laughter, Cheng Ji's expression changed, and he cupped his hands and said, "My lord, it's not without purpose to pay so much deposit."

Yang Menglong handed the banknote to Xiao Yufang casually: "Tell me, what is your purpose?"

Cheng Ji said: "Masters built water trucks and drilled wells, and the irrigation problem of tens of thousands of mu of land was solved. It can be foreseen that the military field of Qianhusuo in Wuyang will become a new source of grain. Grain merchants everywhere They will definitely come here in droves! I hope that I can contract all the surplus grain of Wuyang Qianhu, and the price will still be calculated at one stone and one tael of silver, and I hope your lord will make it happen!"

Yang Menglong blurted out: "So you want to play monopoly!"

Cheng Ji said: "My grain source is either occupied by other grain merchants or lost, and is on the verge of extinction. It can be said that I have suffered a lot in order to find a new grain source. I hope you will help me."

Yang Menglong murmured, and said: "That's it...Anyway, if there is surplus food, I still have to sell it. It's not impossible to sell it to you. It's better to be familiar with it. But, man, have you thought about it? Just tens of thousands of acres of military land , how much surplus food can you have? Just guarding such a small territory, how much achievement can you achieve?"

Cheng Ji smiled wryly: "My lord does not know that the fierce competition in the grain sales business is unimaginable to anyone who is not an expert. In order to compete for a potential grain source, several big grain merchants can beat their heads, and they will use all means of coercion and temptation. , The grain sources in the Suhu area have all been cut off, and I have meager capital, so I really can't compete with them. It is already very lucky to find Wuyang, a grain source, and export [-] to [-] shi of grain every year!"

Yang Menglong waved his hand and said to himself: "After harvesting the wheat, I plan to plant another season of potatoes. If enough fertilizer is applied, the yield of [-] catties per mu should not be a problem. Grinding potatoes into flour can also be used to make bread and noodles. The nutritional value Not under wheat."

When he heard that the yield per mu was [-] catties, Cheng Ji's eyes widened, and he blurted out, "Really!?" Come on, the yield per mu is [-] catties, and the nutritional value is not lower than that of wheat. Isn't it scary?
Yang Menglong said: "Of course it is true. I have prepared potato seedlings. I will plant them as soon as the wheat is harvested and harvest within three or four months. The potato seedlings I prepared can cover about [-] acres of land. A yield of forty shi per mu means..."

Xiao Yufang said quickly, "160 million shi."

Yang Menglong said: "Yes, 160 million shi. I keep 20 shi for myself. If you are interested in the rest, I will give it to you. Four renminbi for a shi. How about it?"

Seeing Yang Menglong's confident face, Cheng Ji couldn't help but believe it a little bit. When he thought that there were more than 100 million shi of grain, his face flushed with excitement, his chest heaved slightly, and he clenched his fists, wishing to grab all the grain at once. !But thinking of his meager capital, he still shook his head and smiled wryly: "To be honest, my lord, if I can really sell so much grain to me, I will wake up from my dreams with laughter. It's just that my capital is meager, let alone four yuan a stone. Cut it in half, and I can't eat so much!"

Yang Menglong scorned: "Stupid, I didn't ask you for cash! You give me a deposit first, and then ship out the potato noodles. I believe there will be many grain merchants around like flies smelling meat. You put the potato noodles away. If you contract the noodles to them, don’t you just earn the money? Give me what I deserve, and the rest will belong to you. You can make money so easily, and it’s foolish to transport so much grain to My own store sells buckets by buckets!"

Cheng Ji's breathing became a little rough, and the eyes of the fierce servants behind him were even more green... This idea...is feasible!What they earn from doing business is the price difference. If they eat so much grain and don’t have to go out, the grain merchants will naturally wave their bank notes and rush to find them. Isn’t the profit rolling in?Where can I find such a good thing?Cheng Ji said excitedly: "If this is the case, I am willing to give up other industries, collect funds, and set up a grain store in Wuyang, specializing in this potato and wheat!"

Yang Menglong said: "This is the best way. After the wasteland on the Wuyang side is almost reclaimed, I will also vigorously reclaim the wasteland on the Biyang County side. At least 40 mu of fertile land can be reclaimed. One season of potatoes and one season of wheat can be planted again." Some miscellaneous grains such as soybeans, mung beans, and sweet potatoes will definitely work well. The potatoes and wheat over there will also be sold to you."

Cheng Ji felt that his brain was not enough. My God, one season of wheat and one season of potatoes in 40 mu of land, all sold by himself, how much surplus food is that?Even if Yang Menglong is bragging, the production of potatoes has been irrigated by half, no, three-quarters, calculated on the basis of one thousand catties per mu, 40 mu is 400 million shi, plus one season of wheat... Oh my god, this is so fast The grain output of several prefectures and even a small province has been exceeded. If he seizes this grain source, it will be difficult for him not to make a fortune!However, he knew that there was no pie in the sky, and if he wanted to eat such a big piece of cake, he couldn't do it without bleeding first, and he had to do it willingly!Yang Menglong didn't have to cooperate with him. With so much grain, many grain merchants rushed to cooperate with him. This is how business is done. When you see the right opportunity, you place a bet.He took a deep breath and said, "Thanks to your lord's trust, I am so grateful for giving you such a good opportunity to make a fortune! I don't know what I can do for you?"

On the road!

Yang Menglong gave a thumbs up, he took the opportunity when he saw it, and he didn't procrastinate. This is the secret of a businessman's success.He said: "As you know, the weather is getting more and more dry. Even with water trucks, it is impossible to ensure the irrigation of hundreds of thousands of mu of military land. We must dig more deep wells and build more canals, and this requires a lot of money... "

Cheng Ji secretly breathed a sigh of relief. For him, problems that can be solved with money are not considered problems.He asked, "Is 3 taels of silver enough?"

Yang Menglong shook his head: "At least [-]."

Cheng Ji gritted his teeth: "Seventy thousand!"

Yang Menglong patted the table: "Cheer up! I borrowed the 7 taels of silver, and the interest should be calculated as much as the interest. I will repay it with the grain produced!"

Cheng Ji said sincerely: "My lord, this is considered as a shareholding, and the interest is ignored."

Yang Menglong thought for a while and said, "Okay, not counting the interest, I will lower the price of potatoes a little, three coins and one stone."

Cheng Ji was overjoyed.One penny cheaper, he has one penny more profit, more than 100 million shi of grain, that is 10,000+ taels of silver, that interest is nothing!He couldn't help secretly thanking himself for being generous and not clinging to the interest, otherwise it would be a big loss.

"In order to ensure food production, I also need to produce a large amount of fertilizer, which must use a large amount of sulfuric acid... that is, vitriol oil!" Yang Menglong set out the second condition, "But now I don't have any extra funds To set up a sulfuric acid factory, I hope you can set up a sulfuric acid factory in Wuyang, I will pay for the pyrite ore needed to refine sulfuric acid, and I will buy as much sulfuric acid as is produced.”

Cheng Ji frowned: "But I don't know how to refine sulfuric acid."

Yang Menglong said: "Don't be afraid, you won't know it, some people will, you just need to prepare the equipment... This is very important. Whether the reclaimed land can achieve high yield depends on how much sulfuric acid is produced and how the quality is. !"

Can sulfuric acid be related to farming?Can't figure it out.If you can't figure it out, just don't think about it, Cheng Ji said: "I will do my best, and I will definitely use this green vitriol oil... No, the sulfuric acid plant will be completed, so that adults will have enough sulfuric acid to use!"

Yang Menglong said happily: "That's great. With sulfuric acid, we don't have to worry about increasing the grain output!"

Cheng Ji asked: "I don't know if there is anything else I can help you with?"

Yang Menglong felt a little sorry for him, and said with a little guilt: "No, I have already taken advantage of you for these two things, and I really can't let you do anything else."

Cheng Ji smiled, showing a row of white teeth: "My lord, we are now a cooperative relationship, as long as we can make money, there is no one who takes advantage of the other."

Yang Menglong thought for a while and said, "Then I would trouble you to find a way to buy more cattle for me from other places. There are so many lands, and there is no way to do without cattle."

Cheng Ji said: "Of course. Although I have not set foot in the cattle business, I know a lot of cattle dealers. Say hello to them. It is not a problem to sell two or three hundred cattle. If there are more, it will be a bit difficult."

Farming cattle is the lifeblood of farmers, so selling cattle is not easy to do. Yang Menglong knows this and does not force it: "If there are not enough cattle, you can sell some horses. Horses can also pull plows to cultivate the land."

Raw horses are not very valuable, they are easier to find than cattle, Cheng Ji agreed.

The two came one by one to finalize the details of the cooperation one by one.Huizhou merchants are indeed the overlords of the business world in this era. Cheng Ji, a little-known figure in Huizhou, took out more than 10 taels of silver as an initial investment, but he didn't change his face. It is not difficult to imagine Huizhou merchants How terrifying is his strength.In addition to the initial investment of 7 taels of silver, a sulfuric acid plant, and a large number of livestock such as cattle, horses, and breeding pigs to be provided to thousands of households in Wuyang, Cheng Ji also needs to build several grain farms in Wuyang County and Biyang County. To store food, he invested as much as 10,000+ taels, and he took it out without blinking. Xiao Yufang couldn't help but exclaim: "It's really rich and powerful!" Yang Menglong noticed the few people behind Cheng Ji. The servant's complexion turned slightly pale, and he looked at his boss with a worried expression on his face, well, it seems that it is not easy for this local tyrant to spend so much money all at once!
(End of this chapter)