Chapter 221: Teach the Tooth Trader

Zhang Zhimu knew that sooner or later he would have to deal with Guangdong merchants, so it would be good to come out to meet them and see their details.

Chen Yufeng and Ouyang He followed Zhang Zhimu to the living room, and the Guangdong businessmen also got up to give their respects. After being introduced to each other by the interpreters, everyone sat down again. There are a total of four Guangdong businessmen, Zhang Zhimu's impression of Guangdong businessmen in his previous life, there are two most prominent points, one is that they seem to be calculating to make money all the time, and a little time is to study food and spend money to find women. They are all thin and withered, but full of energy, and their loud voices never care about the feelings of others. Doing business is the most naked, and finding a woman to trade money rarely wastes time.

However, it seems that the Cantonese people who come in now are a little shorter than in their previous life, but their eyes are the same as in their previous life.

The people who came were obviously very bullish, and they just introduced them as tooth merchants. Zhang Zhimu has learned that due to the implementation of the "tributary trade" system in the early Ming Dynasty, the specific business was "official tooth shop and civil trade". At that time, there was a distinction between "official teeth" and "private teeth", and those who had dental stickers issued by the government were called "official teeth", and those who did not have dental stickers were called "private teeth". Its function is to act as an intermediary in foreign trade and collect commissions. Later, the tooth merchants began to change, from being mere intermediaries to underwriting the import of foreign goods and the export of domestic goods. Whenever a foreign merchant ship arrives in Guangzhou, the tooth merchant will board the ship as an "appraiser" to evaluate the goods, introduce buyers, act as an intermediary between foreign merchants and domestic wholesalers, and collect commissions, that is, "tooth money", and obtain 30-50% of the profit. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Yahang merchants were semi-official in nature as intermediaries who relied on the government as a trader for Chinese and foreign merchants. Later, they also developed to the point of intermediary trading in bulk grain and sugar and salt in the countryside. It should be said that those who do dental business are so-called capable people with a certain background.

They came up politely, and a tooth merchant said, "I know that Zhang Dong's ship has been docked for a few days, and you haven't started trading yet." We also know that you are understanding the market. To tell the truth, it is not easy for you outsiders to do business in Guangzhou, so it is better for your business to be done by our tooth shop. It's good for everyone. We also know that you have been on the docks and in contact with the merchant ships that bring in the rice to buy rice. I can also tell you that no one would dare sell rice to you without us speaking. ”

After Zhang Zhimu listened to the translation, he was already displeased, but he didn't show his face, and said: "I heard that a friend from Guangzhou came to visit, so I came out to see a friend." As for the business you mentioned, you can talk to our shopkeeper Lu. ”

After listening to Zhang Zhimu's words, these businessmen obviously felt very ridiculous, and one said: "Do you think that we Cantonese people will have time to come to see you when we have nothing to do, and we are here to talk about business, you are the owner, and there are owners who don't talk about business." ”

Zhang Zhimu knew that these people might have been used to bullying outsiders before, and besides, they might have some background, so they were very arrogant when they spoke. Zhang Zhimu was not angry, he knew that they felt that they were outsiders and a person to be bullied. The words still came out of Zhang Zhimu's mouth slowly, but the content was already displeased, "As the owner, of course I want to talk about business, but I want to talk about big business." You're not qualified to talk to me about business. ”

The translator was a little stunned, and Zhang Zhimu motioned for him to translate directly.

After listening to the words of the translator, those tooth merchants were stunned for a moment, they didn't know what to say, go back, they were unwilling, because they were some businessmen who never cared about face, as long as they could make money. If you don't go back, you don't know what to say next, so they just looked at each other for a while. Zhang Zhimu, Chen Yufeng and others were also looking at them tepidly. That's when they feel like they're being humiliated. Now they quit, they used to bully others all the time. I couldn't stand this this time, but I couldn't stand it and there was no way, because I had no experience of being humiliated before, and I didn't know how to fight back. They didn't know what to say, so they went out with a grunt.

After they went out, Ouyang He said, "It seems that we will have to stay in Guangzhou for a few more days and teach these people how to do business." ”

Zhang Zhimu smiled and said, "It's okay, there will be sensible people coming to talk about business soon." Cantonese people have been doing business for thousands of years, and they won't all be like this. ”

Lu Chengxiang said: "Mr. Zhang, there is one thing they said is still true, we talked to the owners of those ships that transported grain on the merchant ship to buy grain, and they didn't dare to trade directly with us, saying that they had to go through Yaxing. Otherwise, they said, they were afraid that the goods they wanted to buy would not be on board, and that the tooth shops here were so powerful that they would not dare to offend. ”

Chen Yufeng said: "It seems that there are bullies and bullies there, and it is not good to give them a little bit of power." Li Zhi and Li Jing will learn the details of these guys of theirs. ”

Li Zhi and Li Jing nodded "yes". Chen Yufeng's face sank, these people were all afraid, although these people were all people who had rolled through the pile of life and death many times.

Zhang Zhimu said: "Yes, we also have to make preparations with both hands. If we don't harden ourselves, we can't stand here, and only if you are stubborn, others can respect you. ”

Lu Chengxiang said: "In the past few days, we have also touched the market almost the same. The two translators who came back with us, they used to be partners in Guangzhou, and they also helped me a lot. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Mr. Lu, you have to calm down, they will still come to the door, as long as Cantonese people can make money, they don't care about anything." What I want is to find a foothold in Guangzhou as soon as possible, this time we are not ready to open a store in Guangzhou, but I am determined to buy a piece of land in Guangzhou as soon as possible. The point is that none of our people understand Cantonese. My idea is that we can keep some people, we don't need them to do any business, as long as we are optimistic about the land we bought, and then we will stay in Guangdong to learn Cantonese and prepare for our next step in Guangdong. We hired the two Cantonese translators to be the deputy directors of our Guangzhou office, and we sent our own people to the director, and Mr. Lu left a few of your people, and selected a few shrewd people from the musketeers to stay together. Li Zhi also left two people. First build the Guangzhou office. ”

Zhang Zhimu's opinion was agreed by everyone. Just as they were discussing things here, the prefect's yamen came to report that the prefect summoned Zhang Zhimu, a merchant from Xiurong.

Zhang Zhimu listened to it and said, "It is estimated that the imperial court already knows about our capture of two pirate ships at sea. The prefect of Guangzhou was also informed. ”

Lu Chengxiang said: "This is a good thing, I will prepare gifts now, and with the support of the prefect, we will be able to do it better." ”

"Without their support, we wouldn't be afraid of anyone." Chen Yufeng said.

Zhang Zhimu and Yang Yulin took Li Jing and a few others to drive two glass carriages to the prefect's yamen. Let the door army report and say, "Xiurong merchant Zhang Zhimu, come to pay a visit." ”

After Zhang Zhimu finished speaking, the door army just didn't move, it was a little hot, Zhang Zhimu said it again, and the door army still didn't move. Li Jing held back and said, "Aren't you deaf, you can't hear!" ”

After listening to Li Jing's words, the gate army was furious: "Wow! Wow! ……”

That obviously meant that he was dissatisfied with Li Jing's words, and Zhang Zhimu said: "Since you understand, why don't you pass on the report?" You must know that the prefect sent someone to ask me to come over, and if I go back, you will not be able to bear it. ”

The soldiers of the prefect's yamen, who seemed to understand the official language, couldn't help but say: "Oh, do you understand the rules!" ”

Zhang Zhimu knew that he was asking for a small amount of money, but Zhang Zhimu was a little angry today, and said: "It was your family that invited me, why should I give you benefits, and if you want to give it, you should also give it to your family." ”

This army had really never seen anything like this, but he didn't dare to block Zhang Zhimu out of the door, so he had to report it. Although this army was sluggish when they went, they were very happy when they came back, and their expressions were different, so they nodded and asked Zhang Zhimu and others to go in.

Zhang Zhimu and others entered the prefect's yamen, and the prefect got up to greet him, Zhang Zhimu was already very familiar with this set, and Shi Li said: "The showman has seen the prefect. ”

The prefect hurriedly said: "Oh, Zhang Yishi is exempt from courtesy, please take a seat!" ”

After everyone was done, the prefect said, "It is a great honor for this official to see Zhang Yishi's demeanor today. The imperial court has just sent a notice, saying that the day before yesterday you defeated the thief's naval army, exterminated the Wuluo Lake bandits, and captured two pirate ships at sea, which is to solve the problems of the imperial court! ”

Zhang Zhimu knew that these officials of the imperial court were all the same set of rhetoric, because they were all practiced in the same way, and there would be no mistakes in this way, so the routines were the same. However, this official is a northerner, so it is easier to listen. Because a place like Guangzhou is very special, not all kinds of people can be sent here as officials, and those who can go to such a place as officials are generally relatives of the emperor. So Zhang Zhimu also talked to him about the safety of the imperial court.

Zhang Zhimu said: "My lord, we are some merchants, but the situation in the north is very unsafe, not to mention the big Qing army and Mongolians, even those bandits and the court can't suppress them, our merchants have to rise up to defend themselves, you must know that it costs too much money to organize an arm." In the event of war, it is the same as throwing silver into the water. But when we encounter difficulties in the court, we can't do it if we don't make a move; But if we shot too much, we were hated by others, saying that we had self-respecting troops. Fortunately, the emperor trusted us very much and rewarded us many times. ”

Lord Zhizhou should let him know about the officialdom in the capital, but he can't say much, "Zhang Yishi, the emperor can see what you do, and everything you do is beneficial to the court and the people, and everyone can see it." ”

Zhang Zhimu felt that it was time to pull the topic to the right place, "My lord, we have been in drought in the north for many years, and countless people have died of hunger, but the food here in the south is very rich, why don't you go north to rescue the victims there?" ”

The prefect sighed: "Now the imperial court needs four million stones of grain every year to barely be enough, and because the road is in disrepair, it is difficult to guarantee these four million stones. The freight on this road far exceeded the price of grain, and the imperial court could not afford to transport grain from the south. ”

Zhang Zhimu was waiting for this sentence, and said: "My lord, I came to Guangzhou this time to transport grain to the north, and I want to let fewer people starve to death there. Don't hide it from your lordship, the food of the Datong officials and soldiers is not enough, and we have all provided for it. If the army in the north is unable to hold on without food, it will be even more dangerous. ”

"Zhang Yishi, this is a good thing, a great thing. If there is anything that needs the help of the officer, just say. The prefect said.

Zhang Zhimu said: "Actually, even if the adults don't summon me today, I will also come to meet the adults." We had never been to Guangzhou before, and this time we encountered some strange things. Today, there are a few people who claim to be tooth shops who want to underwrite our goods and the goods we want to buy, saying that if we don't listen to them, they won't let us do business. We also contacted the ships carrying grain at the wharf to buy grain, but the owners did not dare to sell it to us, saying that if they sold it to us, their business would not be able to do it. ”

The prefect said: "If there is a person who deceives and dominates the market, the official will not spare it after discovering it." However, I would like to remind Zhang Yishi that this is Guangzhou, and for many years the government and business have not been clear, and various forces have been intertwined, and if you want to do business here, you can't get too stiff with them. To be honest, there are some things that the official can only turn a blind eye to. As long as I can pay the tax money needed by the imperial court, there will be no major chaos during my tenure, and the official will be satisfied. ”

Zhang Zhimu smiled and said, "It seems that we still need to work hard to establish ourselves here?" ”

The prefect said, "Zhang Yishi, I know your methods, but I don't want too much chaos in Guangzhou under my rule. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Don't worry, you don't worry, we are law-abiding businessmen and will not do anything illegal." Anything illegal has nothing to do with us. ”

The prefect understood the latter words, and he said, "Everyone here knows how to earn money, so you might as well start from here." There is nothing that money can't do. ”

The prefect's words can be regarded as home, and he, an outsider, knows very well how difficult it is for an outsider to be here.

However, Zhang Zhimu knew that it was impossible for the prefect to express his stance and agree that you should solve it yourself.

Before leaving, Zhang Zhimu offered the gift he brought, which of course made the prefect smile. He thought to himself that the more Zhang Dongjia earned here, the better, and he was not as stingy as the businessmen here. He hadn't earned the money yet, so he was so generous.

After touching the bottom of the prefect, Zhang Zhimu was happy in his heart, and said to Yang Yulin in the car: "It seems that we have to solve this dock with some force, otherwise people will not easily give up their territory." ”

When Zhang Zhimu returned to the inn, he told everyone about the meeting with the prefect.

Chen Yufeng said: "I learned about it, and they came back and said that there are some people who specialize in guarding the dock in the Yaxing, and they are ruthless, and when they encounter the owners of the ships who do not listen to them, they are all responsible for them." Generally speaking, they do some work. There are more than 20 people in the area of the main pier. I think we're going to get rid of these guys. ”

Li Jing said: "Let's do this." But do you want the movement to be louder or quieter? ”

Ouyang He said: "This matter is not necessary and deliberately made it too big, and the accident itself is not small." The main deterrent is generated. We also need to prepare them for revenge. ”

Lu Chengxiang said: "These things are also damned, those boatmen didn't dare to talk to us when they saw them, they were all scared by them." There are many shippers and shipowners who don't understand them, and they don't understand without buying their face. Everyone knows that they did it, but the government is pretending to be confused. There is no way for everyone not to dare to provoke them, their roots are too deep. ”

Li Jing said: "I want to follow them during the day, and when they go back at night, I will release them one by one to ensure that there will be no movement." ”

Zhang Zhimu is still relieved about Li Jing's work, this person is bold and careful. I know how to use my brain when I encounter problems, and I definitely don't do it.

Early the next morning, Li Jing went out with more than 20 of his people.

Not long after Li Jing and the others went out, someone sent a letter again.

The people who came said that they were entrusted by several merchants, including salt merchants, rice merchants, iron merchants, sugar merchants, silk merchants, tea merchants, ceramic merchants, jewelers, and ship merchants, to deliver a letter, and that tomorrow they would come to visit Zhang Dong's family from Shanxi.

Zhang Zhimu replied that he was waiting for you here tomorrow. After the people left, Zhang Zhimu smiled at Lu Chengxiang and said, "How about Mr. Lu, am I right?" They'll come to you. ”

"Huh!" Lu Chengxiang smiled bitterly, shook his head and said, "It's strange, Mr. Zhang, how did you know that they would definitely come?" ”

"Based on my understanding of Cantonese people, they are naturally sensitive to doing business, and as long as there is business to do, they have no scruples. It's strange that they don't come to see us in such a money-making business. Zhang Zhimu replied.

When it comes to doing business, Lu Chengxiang came to the spirit, and he asked him to take out a few samples of everything he brought, and put them in a room, ready to let them take a look when these people come tomorrow.

In the evening, Li Jing's people came back one by one. Zhang Zhimu saw that they were all like they were fine, so he asked Li Jing: "Why didn't you succeed?" ”

"Basically, I made a profit, killed nineteen, and a few were really inconvenient, and I didn't want to make too much movement, so I didn't start." Li Jing replied.

Zhang Zhimu felt strange and asked, "Why don't you see that there are blood stains on your brothers, and their expressions don't look like them?" ”

Li Jing smiled and said, "Just a few goods, my people are still not clean, so don't come out again." Li Jing said it lightly, as if she was going to do something small.

Zhang Zhimu knew that although Li Jing said it easily, the people he killed were also nineteen people who lived by bullying people, and they all knew how to do something, and the process would definitely be very bloody. It seems that tomorrow Guangzhou will set off another big storm.

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Calculus formulas, tables of chemical elements; Conquer Japan in the east and attack Mayi in the south; Penicillin, syringe. --Progress of "Memories of the Southern Song Dynasty".