Xiao Zishan's blueprint for the future of the Weidart Bureau was actually reorganized into an armed freight company -- the social order at the end of the Ming Dynasty had begun to gradually disintegrate, and long-distance transportation would not work at all without armed escort.

Sun Kecheng was dumbfounded, thinking that this person is so big-mouthed, where the business is done, where the dart game is opened, not to mention that he doesn't have so many senior brothers, apprentices and grandchildren to work, even this is the three ways of officials, bandits, and local (hao) shili everywhere, and he doesn't have the ability to make friends one by one.

"It's okay." Xiao Zishan didn't care, "For the time being, I only need to open a new dart road, which is from Guangzhou to Haikang and Xu Wen." ”

"Haikang, Xu Wen?" Sun Kecheng was a little puzzled, Haikang is the first county of Leizhou Prefecture, and Xu Wen is the subordinate county below. Both places are considered poor and remote in Guangdong. When it comes to production, only sea salt and cane sugar are the bulk of production. There aren't many rich people either. He knows that Australian maritime merchants sell things, they are all priceless treasures, and this kind of trade is not a loss in Leizhou.

"Not bad." Xiao Zishan nodded. The main purpose of opening up this trade route is twofold: one is to open up the land communication line between Hainan and Guangzhou, the opposite side of Bopu Port is Xuwen Lantern Corner, the two places are across the sea, if the sea route is blocked, the traverser can cross the sea from Bopu, take Leizhou to Guangzhou. The second is to obtain local cane sugar. The climate and soil of Leizhou Peninsula are suitable for sugarcane cultivation, from the Eastern Han Dynasty there is a soil sugar liao, to the Ming Dynasty, the local sugarcane planting and sugar industry has been very developed. Around 1700, the annual output of local sugar had reached 10,000 tons, and most of it was exported. Sugar was one of the most lucrative goods in China's overseas trade during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the traverser certainly couldn't let it go. Although it is not possible to directly control the Leizhou Peninsula at the moment, it is still possible to set up a point to purchase and fight for the supply of goods.

What Xiao Zishan wants to do is to open a branch in Haikang and Xuwen counties within a month, and then gradually open mule and horse shops or car shops in important villages and towns along the road to form a post-station transportation line. As for the funds needed to open the external counters in various places, they will bear all the expenses. In addition, Qiwei was given another 3,000 taels of silver, which was used to recruit personnel, make friends with the local government, and pay miscellaneous expenses.

"It's too tense for a month," Sun Kecheng shook his head again and again, "Qiwei doesn't have a dart road in Leizhou, so he has to send someone to go on a journey." This matter could not be done in two or three months. ”

"Two months, this matter is more urgent." Wu Nanhai had already informed him that the harvest period of sugarcane was in the autumn and winter of each year, and if the dart road could be opened up in time, and there would be time to set up a village in Leizhou to collect sugar, then sugar would be produced on a large scale next spring -- and the foreign trade commodities of the traversers would also be settled.

"That's okay." Sun Kecheng didn't necessarily feel so excited, "Forgive me for saying more: the shopkeepers came from afar, this Leizhou is a poor and remote place, and you have to think twice ......about going there to do business."

Xiao Zishan was still a little moved in his heart, in another time and space, I don't know how many people are defrauding the appropriation in the name of hollowing out their minds, polishing other people's things even if they make their own, and easily defrauding hundreds of millions of ordinary people of hard-earned taxes. The shopkeeper of the dart bureau, who is not in a good business situation, has to "think twice" about the investment project! The realm of people is really too far apart.

"Don't worry, we have a point." Xiao Zishan knows that if there is no serious reason, it is difficult for a very decent businessman like Dart Bureau to be impressed simply with money, but fortunately, the reason for buying sugar is ready-made: "Leizhou produces sugar, Australia needs cane sugar the most, and it is beneficial to Ben once and again." We just want to set up a local village in Leizhou to collect sugar. ”

Sun Kecheng suddenly realized, and even called them "far-sighted", and immediately agreed. Xiao Zishan immediately put forward three requirements: first, recruit people as soon as possible to expand the team of the dart game; the second is to help find old and reliable shop managers and men in the local area for the purpose of opening a business name; The third is to set up a liaison system between the two sides. Brother Gao is a more suitable candidate because of the relationship between learning martial arts in the dart game, so it was agreed that the contact between Huifu Street and the dart game would be held once every seven days. In case of emergency, you can contact us on the same day. The two sides stopped calculating, and Xiao Zishan handed the silver post he took from Gao Ju to Mr. Sun. The cooperation between the two parties was established.

In the days that followed, Xiao Zishan had been running between the Qiwei Dart Bureau and the Gao Mansion, and he needed the help of these locals for too many things. And Xiao Zishan also saw the huge influence of such a businessman in Guangzhou, and many things could be done as long as he sent a steward out with a famous post. It is more convenient than the leaders of modern society to approve the phone call.

Soon, Guo Yi and others were done to protect the armor, which can be regarded as a formal registration of the household registration, in fact, things like the yellow register of household registration are no longer needed in Guangzhou at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and the protection of the armor is mainly a public security measure. As for where they came from, naturally they can't say that they are Australian maritime merchants, but they can only say that they are a fellow townsman of the Gao family. Xiao Zishan knew that this kind of half-official and half-civilian "little ghost" was the most difficult character in the past and now, and it was easy to take eye medicine at a critical time, and he took out a reward bag of five taels thickly at the moment, and sure enough, the other party smiled, and became more and more respectful.

Except for a few people who were left to watch the ship, the people of the purchasing group stayed in the house on Wheatford Street, rested for two days, and shouted to go out for a walk and see what this 17th-century southeast metropolis looked like.

Xiao Zishan knew that if he got in the way, it would only attract everyone's opinions, but it was strange that he just went out in a swarm and didn't cause trouble. After all, these people are too well nourished, and their behavior is not very harmonious with the surrounding environment. Divide the people into groups of five or six people, and each group is accompanied by two dart masters from the board to ensure safety. In addition, each person was given one tael of silver and one thousand copper coins as pocket money.

The profession of a dart master, because of the friendship with both black and white, breeds a unique guarantee relationship. Generally, people who have "made friends" with the dart bureau on the underworld want to go into the city for treatment, sightseeing or shopping, as usual, they are accompanied by someone from the dart bureau to take care of them, good food, drink and fun, zuihou and then send them out of the city - but there is one rule: those who enter the city can not cause trouble in the city, not to say that they commit crimes, that is, to prostitute and gamble, the dart master does not accompany them as usual, and friends on the underworld also abide by this rule. Over time, the scouts who were arrested in the city saw that the bandits were accompanied by a dart master, and as usual, they would not ask for interrogation. Xiao Zishan knew that the traversers were too pretentious, and when they went out in groups, they would immediately be targeted by the spies in the yamen. It's safer to ask the dart master to accompany you.

Everyone went happily, Beiwei brought a few students, and was also accompanied by the dart master to go out, but they did not go to visit, but to survey the topography of Guangzhou on the spot, and draw an accurate map of important facilities such as roads, government offices, warehouses, and city gates in the city. Xiao Zi and Guo Yi and their entourage were led by Liu Gang and walked around the street casually, mainly to explore the future business development model.

The group changed their clothes, came out of Huifu Street, walked through a few side streets, and came to the downtown area, where there are many shops and are very prosperous. Merchants from all over the world gathered, including goods from the north and south of Beijing, provinces, and foreign countries. In terms of age and scope, there are various antiques from three generations, such as fashionable brocades, silk embroidery, embroidery, cloth, household utensils, as well as Western-style chiming bells and exotic toys. Shops are classified by industry, each occupying a section of the street. As soon as breakfast is over, the streets are crowded with people, both large and small, and when the time comes, they are crowded. Some people buy things, some watch the excitement, some see the strange and eye-opening, and some are specially designed to see people, crowding around, laughing and laughing. It's really better than the scenes of many movies and TV series, and several people can't help but be stunned when they watch it -- thinking that in less than 20 years, in the melee of the Ming and Qing dynasties, how many of the accumulated wealth and goods accumulated in the southeast prosperous capital in the red dust for 300 years will be burned or looted, and how many people who make a living and sightseeing here will turn into dry bones, and I can't help but sigh with emotion.

The more crowded people go, the more lively the business becomes, and everyone doesn't know what to watch. Liu Gang was very familiar with the road, and it was too crowded and sad, so he led them to take the path to bypass. As he was walking, Yan Maoda saw a large jewelry store on the side of the street, and he signaled that he wanted to go in and have a look. Everyone was curious, so they went in and watched it casually. The shopkeeper in Guangdong was inviting a customer to look at a mirror - the pink plastic trim made Xiao Zishan think for a moment: Isn't this the Wenzhou mirror he wholesaled from the small commodity market? I was able to sell it in a jewelry store.

"This mirror has to be sold for one hundred and fifty taels? Can you come down some more? ”

The merchant replied very respectfully: "There really can't be less, this mirror is now you can't find such a crystal jade mirror even if you go to the Gao family's shop to buy it, if you want an ordinary black jade mirror, the small one is only a hundred taels." Let me tell you, when will this crystal colored jade mirror be available again, even Master Gao doesn't know! A rare pink one like this will sell for two hundred taels in another ten days and a half months. ”

Obviously, the Gao family is not only retailing, but also wholesale. This point is still quite smart, as long as the Australian maritime energy continues to supply, the source of the total wholesale channel is much larger than only relying on their own shops to sell goods, although the unit price is a little less, the total sales have gone up.

The guest looked at the mirror again and said, "Okay, I'll stay." This mirror is very good, and it shines so clearly! ”