The summer day is scorching, the sun is like fire, and a hot wind wafts through the door of Liufu.

The lotus pond in the courtyard has dried up, and the green floor tiles reflect the sunlight of the white flowers, which is extremely hot.

In the main hall, Liu Xianda sat next to the desk, and the two maids behind him were listlessly fanning their fans.

"Sir...... You're researching kung fu tea again. A steward came in and bowed his head.

"Hmm." Liu Xianda looked at a set of exquisite purple sand tea sets on the desk, stroked his beard and said: "Lu Yu's "Book of Tea" says well, drinking tea is the source of one; two-of-a-kind; Three-of-a-kind; Four vessels; Five-boiled; Six Drinks ......"

"Master, what you said is so profound, we don't understand ......"

"If you don't understand, you have to learn ......" Liu Xianda picked up the tea set and poured boiling water from the teapot, saying as he said: "Remember, the water column cannot rush straight into the center of the teapot, because that will 'break through the tea gall' and destroy the taste of the tea." Tea brewing should be like calligraphy, not in a hurry, in one go......"

"Yes, yes." The steward nodded.

"By the way, you have been walking in a few nearby counties for many months, what is the news lately?" Liu Xianda asked.

"But there is news......" The steward leaned down and said cautiously: "Master, I heard that the second master opened a pharmacy in Wu County, but it is quite prosperous." I heard that the magistrate of Nawu County drove away all the other pharmacies, so he left the second master's family. ”

"Oh?" Liu Xianda's hand shook slightly.

"I heard that it was Young Master Naming who helped solve the road construction difficulties in Wu County, so the Lord of Nazhi County was extra kind and allowed our Liu Family Medical Hall to monopolize the medicine market in the county."

"This Liu Ming...... There are some means. Liu Xianda fell into deep thought.

"Master, look ......," the steward smacked his lips, "Young Master Ming, can you help us?" ”

Liu Xianda's fingers scraped the purple sand teapot and said, "It's hard to say...... This descendant, who doesn't talk much on weekdays in the house, seems to be quite scheming. After a few days, the old man went to talk to him and find out what he thought. That's right...... At the clan meeting at the end of the month, there will be a banquet in our house, how are you prepared? ”

The steward patted his chest and said, "Master, you can rest assured." This clan meeting is to elect the official treasurer of the house, and now the old lady is seriously ill, and we all know that this big treasurer is none other than you. ”

Liu Xianda fiddled with the jade wrench in his hand, and said, "The old lady has worked hard for the family for so many years, and it is time to take a break." When I get the consent of the clan elders and officially become the head of the Liufu, I will mention your monthly salary. ”

The steward immediately knelt on the ground: "The little one, I am willing to follow the big shopkeeper for the rest of my life." ”

……

……

The annual temple fair in Qingzhou finally started in the beating of gongs and drums. The state capital gathered vehicles from all over the county. All kinds of exotic goods, silk fabrics, shoes and hats, all gathered on the main street of the state capital.

Everyone was rubbing shoulders one after another, bustling, and endlessly, and typhoid fever inevitably broke out on a large scale......

"Shopkeeper Xu......"

In the Rejuvenation Hall, several outsiders who opened a medical hall pharmacy gathered at the door, talking about something with anxious faces.

"Ladies and gentlemen...... Why did you come together? Shopkeeper Xu looked at his peers with a somewhat surprised face.

"Shopkeeper Xu, don't you know?" A yellow-faced worker said, "There is a large-scale outbreak of typhoid fever in Qingzhou, and now most of the ephedra prescriptions for typhoid fever are here." You can't just hoard high prices by yourself like last time, you have to take care of us. A few of us will join forces to become bigger and multiply the profits by four or five times, but it will not be a problem. ”

When Shopkeeper Xu heard this, he almost vomited blood, thinking that this Liu Ming had the ability to predict the future?

He beat his chest and said, "Everyone, everyone, Xu really released the boiled duck this time." All the medicinal materials in this ephedra recipe were bought by a businessman named Liu Ming. ”

"This ......" The members looked at each other outside, stared at each other with big eyes, and asked in unison: "Then Liu Ming, where is he now?" ”

The small road at the gate of Wu County, which used to be deserted, is now crowded, and there are constantly horse-drawn carts and ox carts from neighboring counties seeking medical treatment.

The queue at the entrance of Renji Hall has filled the entire long street. Many sick people, dragging their families and families, with straw mats, waited on the roadside.

Two carriages passed by the waiting procession, and a sedan curtain was opened, revealing the chubby and greasy face of the shopkeeper Xu, who looked at the long snake-like crowd with greedy eyes, and scolded: "This Liu Ming, I don't know how much I earned!" ”

"Shopkeeper Xu, I heard that seventy percent of the medicine for typhoid fever in the entire Qingzhou is in the hands of this Renjitang." An outsider said enviously.

Shopkeeper Xu remorsefully said: "At the beginning, Liu Ming asked for a large amount, but the old man collected it everywhere for him and went to various houses to collect medicinal materials. Now it seems that it is really for others to make wedding clothes. ”

"Hey, let's hurry up and say some good things to the shopkeeper of Na Liu, and let him share some medicinal materials with us."

Several members of the staff hurried to the Naren Jitang and handed the post to the porter.

Li Yuanbao walked out of the inner hall with a smile and saluted: "Outside of several members, Liu Gongzi is currently reconciling the accounts, please take a moment in the side hall." ”

Shopkeeper Xu and a few other staff members rushed over, and they wanted to discuss the matter of this ephedra party immediately, but they didn't expect to see anyone, so they could only wait patiently on the side.

After drinking two teas, there was no trace of Liu Ming. Shopkeeper Xu couldn't bear it anymore, he stood up and arched his hand: "Please inform Liu Gongzi again." ”

Li Yuanbao leaned against the door, squinted his eyes and said, "Everyone, in the past few days, the number of typhoid fever patients has increased, and Liu Gongzi is busy dealing with ......."

"Hmph......" Shopkeeper Xu flicked his sleeves, "Everyone is a peer, and this Liu Gongzi's face is too big." However, thinking that he was under the fence after all, and there was still something to ask for, I had to swallow my anger and sit down patiently.

"Everyone, everyone, ......" There was a clear laugh from the inner hall, and Liu Ming arched his hand with an apologetic smile: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Liu is a step late." ”

Shopkeeper Xu's face was a little pale: "Young Master Liu, what a big face, a few of us old guys, we have to rest until the flowers are waiting here......"

"I'm so sorry...... It's been a lot of things lately......" Liu Ming still had a smile on his face.

"This Liu Gongzi, I'm afraid I'm going to be happy lying on top of the gold and silver ingots." A pharmacy clerk laughed.

Shopkeeper Xu straightened his clothes, thinking that he still had something to ask for, and then said with a pleasant face: "Young Master Liu, you really have good means, and you can predict the typhoid tide in Qingzhou." A few of us old guys who have been practicing medicine for more than ten years are ashamed of ourselves and are willing to bow down. But...... Since we're all peers, we have to support each other......"

Liu Ming looked at several pharmacy shopkeepers with green light in their eyes, and thought that the other party must have been shocked by his situation.

Liu Ming heard that this shopkeeper of the Rejuvenation Hall was an expert at hoarding medicinal materials and selling them at a high price. He has single-handedly manipulated the market price of medicine several times, making the price of medicine extremely high, forcing those poor and sick patients to sell their fields and houses to exchange medicines.

Thinking of this, Liu Ming sneered in his heart, he was afraid that if you profiteers didn't come, it would be easy for you to come. He pretended to be helpless and said, "Liu doesn't understand what you're saying......"

Shopkeeper Xu laughed: "Young Master Liu, don't pretend to be confused. Childe also knows that everyone is a peer, and there will be many people who will take care of each other in the future. There may be typhoid fever this year, plague next year, and malaria the year after next......" His sesame-sized eyes rolled wildly: "Young Master Liu, your pharmacy, it is impossible to have all the medicinal materials." Of course, if you help with this, we will also support you in the future when other diseases break out. ”

Liu Ming took a breath, with a convincing look on his face, and he said, "So, how much are you willing to pay if you want Liu's stockpile?" ”

Shopkeeper Xu lowered his head and discussed in a whisper with those few outsiders, and said generously: "Young Master Liu, we are willing to pay twice the price to buy seventy percent of your stockpiles." You bought it from me for 7,000 taels, and we were willing to buy it back for 14,000 taels. It's a bit of a profit. ”

Liu Ming laughed loudly, shook his head and said: "Everyone, Liu's sincerity is transferred as a peer, if you rely on experience, rely on the old and sell the old, and bully me, a young man, this business can't be discussed...... Li Yuanbao, send off! ”

So saying, he turned and went into the inner hall.

"Young Master Liu, stay here, stay here!" Shopkeeper Xu was in a hurry, stepped forward and grabbed Liu Ming's arm, and said with a smile: "Childe, you have something to say." If there's anything, let's discuss it again. Can you give me a price? ”

Liu Ming stopped, turned to look at the shopkeepers, and said, "Five times, otherwise there is no need to talk." ”

"Five-fold? I said......" The shopkeeper Xu blushed, "This is not the price for transferring and hoarding goods between peers......"

Liu Ming smiled slightly: "Shopkeeper Xu, you are a master of hoarding goods and raising prices." A few years ago, the plague broke out, and you raised the price tenfold in one breath. I'm transferring it to you now for five times the profit, and you can earn another five times, so why not? ”

"I heard that the major medicinal herb merchants in the state capital are going to enter the medicinal materials of the ephedra prescription in other states immediately, if you don't hurry ......up," Liu Ming paused, "I'm afraid that in half a month, the medicinal materials from other states will enter the state, and at that time, you won't have anything to earn." ”

When Shopkeeper Xu heard this, he gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, five times is five times." ”

"Okay, but I can only give you thirty percent of the stockpiling......" Liu Ming said calmly.

"Sancheng...... Just three percent ......" Shopkeeper Xu stomped his feet, he knew that he could earn as much as he got now.

Liu Ming asked the shopkeeper Xu to count the hoarded goods in the backyard warehouse, hire two carriages, and let them transport them out of Wu County.

When it was over, Shopkeeper Xu beckoned to Liu Ming, and said with a happy face: "Brother Liu, if you have difficulties in the future, come to me." ”

The shopkeeper Xu's carriage ran over the bluestone pavement, kicked up a puff of dust, and slowly left.

Liu Ming clasped his hands on his chest, looked at the distant vehicle, and said to Li Yuanbao next to him: "You say...... If I'm in trouble in the future, will the other party help......"

Li Yuanbao smiled: "Shopkeeper, what do you say?" ”

"Businessmen value profit over separation...... Bai Juyi's poem has been made very clear. The gentleman is not comparable, the villain is not thoughtful, I will have difficulties in the future, and these people who value profit and ignore righteousness will not help. Liu Ming looked at the ancient city gate of Wu County, and there was a mocking light in his eyes, "But, Yuanbao, you say, in that case, why should I transfer the hoarding goods to them?" ”

"Naturally...... Hey...... Play them once. Li Yuanbao smiled slyly.

"That's right......" Liu Ming nodded, "I'll resell it to them at five times the profit." They thought I would sell more to the people, but I didn't...... I still sell the remaining seventy percent of the hoarded goods to the people at a fair price. ”

In the past, the transfer price between peers in pharmacies was inevitably lower than that of customers, in order for everyone to make money. Liu Ming just wants to break this convention and make a lot of money for these black-hearted peers. For ordinary people who buy medicines, they are still sold at a fair price. As for the profit, he knew that even if the price was not increased much, he would still make a lot of money by selling nearly a few tons of medicinal herbs.

"Well......" Li Yuanbao said, "Childe is really unexpected, those peers got five times the profit in hand, but found that this Renjitang still sells medicine at a reasonable price." And so on...... Who will buy their medicine? These profiteers are probably going to destroy the goods in their own hands. ”

"Not really...... Liu Ming smiled, looking at the sunset on the horizon, "Those dignitaries and nobles have typhoid fever, so naturally they don't count the price." Therefore, I have to firmly control the seventy percent of the hoarding, so that the ordinary people can afford to see the disease, and as for the remaining thirty percent, I don't care how much those profiteers like to sell to the rich. ”

Li Yuanbao smacked his lips, and said that he was a profiteer? Your Liu Gongzi has earned five times the profits from these profiteers, and it is even more ancient, I am afraid that you are the master of the profiteers......