How so? I have only been away for a few years, how can this ancient country actually produce woven cotton cloth on its own like the Western civilized world?

And in Shanghai alone, there is more than one weaving factory, but as many as four? Is this still the Qing Kingdom in my impression?

Kim Nenghyung was a little stupid. He never imagined that it would be like this!

I originally came in a hurry, thinking that I could make a lot of money this time, but I didn't expect it to be such a result. He knew that Ma Hui would not lie to him. But he still couldn't believe it.

"Impossible! This, how is this possible! When did this barbaric and backward country in the East weave cloth by hand, and when will there be so many machine weaving factories? It's all steam looms? Kim Nenghyung shouted unwillingly.

"Mr. Kim, I don't have to lie to you. Lo and behold, Mr. Will has come to me again, and he has a shipload of cotton cloth stranded in the dock warehouse because he refuses to sell it at a reduced price. Ma Hui said as he introduced the person to Jin Nengheng: "Mr. Will, this is Mr. Jin Nengheng from Boston, he has been in Shanghai for many years, he was the vice consul of the United States in Shanghai, and he has just returned to Shanghai from the United States. Mr. Kim Nenghyung, this is Mr. Will from Baltimore, and it just so happens that he also has cloth for sale, so you can consult him. ”

Jin Nengheng hurriedly stepped forward to ask: "Mr. Will, how is the cotton cloth market in Shanghai?" Listen to Mr. Consul, the situation is terrible, God, I can't believe it! ”

Will smiled bitterly with a helpless face: "Sir, it is true that as Mr. Consul said, the situation is worse than imagined!" ”

Seeing that Jin Nengheng was extremely depressed, Will also became a little depressed, "Those hateful Shanghai cloth merchants are only willing to buy them at a price of 1.2 Shengyuan per horse, which is converted into US dollars, that is, the price of 1.23 US dollars per horse, including customs duties and freight, etc., as well as the warehouse storage fees for the past few months, it will cost almost more than 1 US dollar." After all, there is only a poor 0.2 US dollars to earn, when, when will the profits be so low when you come to China from thousands of miles away? In this case, it is better to dispose of it directly in the nearest Americas, maybe there will be so much profit! ”

"How so?" Jin Nengheng's face turned pale, and he couldn't help but exclaim, although he was mentally prepared, he still didn't expect the situation to be so bad, is this still an incomparably rich China? In just three years, there has been such a big change?

"yes, I didn't expect that either! I really didn't expect that this originally backward East would have the same steam weaving factory as the Western world, oh God, it's incredible. Moreover, I regret it so much, when I first came here, those cloth merchants were willing to buy my cloth at a price of 1.4 saints per horse, I thought it was too cheap, and left a boatload of cloth that I didn't sell, but I didn't expect that after a hundred days, not only did the price not rise, but it also fell to 1.2 saints now, which is really hateful! Will muttered to himself, waved his hand violently, and said resolutely to Ma Hui: "Mr. Consul, I have decided to sell all these cotton cloths!" At least there is no loss, it can be regarded as a trip for nothing, and it can make a fortune by transporting tea back to China earlier. Make an appointment with those abominable cloth merchants! ”

Ma Hui nodded and agreed, and said to Jin Nengheng by the way: "Mr. Jin, I think you should also make a move as soon as possible." I've heard from the local cloth traders that machine weaving mills are being built all over the country, and they hire technicians from the machines they buy from Europe to help them train their workers, and more weaving mills are starting to put into production, and the price of cotton cloth is likely to fall! The cloth merchants were very shrewd, they didn't stock up anymore, and the goods they bought were all shipped to Japan. ”

Jin Nengheng's eyes lit up, and he said to Ma Hui and Wei excitedly: "Mr. Consul, you mean that those Chinese cloth merchants bought the cloth from us and shipped it to Japan to sell?" In this way, the price in Japan should not be low! In that case, why can't we just ship it to Japan and sell it? ”

Hearing this, Will was even more bitter: "Mr. Jin, it's useless." The Japanese ruler was the shogunate, and Mr. Consul and I had already made a request to Mr. Mailian, the Commissioner for Far Eastern Affairs, to which Mr. Mailian replied that the shogunate regarded the United States as an enemy, saying that one of our fleets had attacked them and had been defeated by them, and therefore did not allow American merchants to trade and proselytize in Japan. At first, they only did business with the Dutch and Qing countries, and they were only allowed to do so in one place in the port of Nagasaki. ”

"Indeed! Three years earlier, Admiral Perry had led a fleet to Japan, which was later said to have suffered heavy losses from a storm. But according to the grapevine, it seems that it was defeated by the Japanese shogunate, and it seems that the Chinese also sent troops to help, and I have seen the fleets of this country, and it seems that the largest of them is the flagship of the former Perry fleet. Not enough for General Perry to always refuse to admit after returning home, and last year he died of illness, and the matter was closed. However, neither Congress nor Mr. President sent any more fleets to the Far East, probably for fear of causing disputes with this country, which is now the fourth largest trading partner of the United States. As long as we can open up our markets and trade with us, the United States has always disliked using cannons to solve problems. ”

"What's more, now this country is completely different from the original Qing State, a while ago, this Chinese Empire, with the Japanese shogunate signed a "Japan-China Treaty of Friendship and Commerce", the shogunate opened trade with the Chinese Empire, and, similar to the protectorate, once attacked, it also asked the army of the Chinese Empire to resist." Ma Hui's tone was also a little sour: "This originally backward country has now risen, although it cannot be compared with Western powers such as England and France, but its national strength continues to develop like this, and it seems that it will be able to catch up with Mexico and even the United States in ten years." Ma Hui's tone hesitated: "Perhaps, we can hire a Chinese merchant and use his status to ship these cloths to Japan, and then we can sell them for a good price!" It's just that the Ministry of Commerce in this country has a very strict review, and these businessmen are very difficult to find, and they are also very cunning, and the hiring fee is also a lot! I do know a few of these middlemen, but in terms of fees, it may be ......."

Jin Nengheng and Will immediately understood what Ma Hui meant. In addition to the commission of the middleman, this Ma Hui also needs a large commission.

This abominable broker! Even when one's own compatriots encounter difficulties, they have to shamefully scrape a stroke! However, think about it, America is a country where money is paramount, and if it were him, he would do the same.

Kim Nenghyung and Will tried to make their faces look surprised and grateful: "Really? That's great! Mr. Consul, you are truly our savior! Just follow your method, quick, hurry up and help contact local merchants. ”

Ma Hui saw that the two of them were on the road, but his painstaking efforts were not in vain, and he was also very happy, and hurriedly agreed to arrange it immediately.

Early the next morning, he invited a person named Xu Rongcun, who introduced that this person was Xiangshan County, Guangdong, and was a partner in the Thirteen Lines when he was a teenager, and later operated the silk tea industry in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and accumulated a huge amount of money.

"Mr. Xu had a good relationship with the imperial court, and the equipment and machinery of the No. 3 and No. 4 Weaving Factories in Shanghai were purchased from England through his connections with Baoshun & Co. Now Mr. Xu has broken away from Baoshun Foreign Company and founded Xu's Commercial Bank on his own, and the business has done very well. After Ma Hui introduced the visitor, he said directly: "Mr. Jin, Mr. Will, Mr. Xu, the intention of the visit has been made clear, and you can talk about the rest yourself." ”

Xu Rongcun is a middle-aged man under the age of forty, with a pair of glasses, and he looks shrewd and capable. He said directly to the two: "Two gentlemen, I can promise to ship your foreign cloth to Nagasaki for sale in the name of my Xu firm. You are responsible for all the duties and freight, and I can even skip the 20% commission that was originally charged. But I have a request, as long as you agree, we can cooperate immediately! ”

Jin Nengheng and Will were overjoyed, and hurriedly said, "Mr. Xu, you said that as long as we can do it, we will definitely agree." ”

"I need a lot of steel! You help me to purchase at least 1,000 tons of steel from Europe or the United States, and the price is 1.3 times the market price in the United States. It's a lot more cost-effective than your foreign cloth, how about it? Xu Rongcun looked cunning.

"Steel?" Kim Neng-hyung was immediately keenly aware that there was a shortage of steel in this country, and steel must be in high demand! He immediately agreed, and at the same time made up his mind that after selling this batch of cotton cloth, he would inquire about the price of steel in this country. 10