novelAbuy Chapter 302 Recruiting People
Chapter 302 Recruiting People
Now that he's entered a new circle, Shao Shuyi naturally wants to recruit a group of people.
Although Hu Guangyan's business was very large, to the point that Fei Xiong personally hosted a banquet for him, his business was actually quite unsophisticated. To put it bluntly, he was just a large wholesaler, responsible for distributing the various spices that the Fei family brought back to small wholesalers or retailers in Songjiang Prefecture. After making money, his main activity was buying land and recruiting farmhands, mainly limited to Huating County. He also bought some land in Shanghai County, but mostly in Puxi, without venturing into the relatively desolate Pudong.
Upon learning that the other party produced and sold their own grain, Shao Shuyi perked up. Taking a moment to offer the other party a toast, he whispered, "Why don't you join the Wuyue Grain Merchants? Grain merchants can set their own rules and control their own transactions. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Hu Guangyan had just heard Fei Xiong mention Wuyue Grain Store, and now that Shao Shuyi had said this, he couldn't help but ask more questions.
Seeing that others were also whispering, Shao Shuyi explained in a low voice.
Hu Guangyan understood immediately and said, "Wuxi and Jiangyin are adjacent and connected by the Grand Canal, so it's easy to gather grain merchants together. But Songjiang is a bit far away."
Hu Guangyan meant that Songjiang Prefecture was separated from Jiangyin and Wuxi by Pingjiang Road, so it would take several days for news to be relayed back and forth, which was a bit slow.
"Actually, it's not far," Shao Shuyi said. "The Wusong River is one of the three major outlets of Taihu Lake. Some say it can't handle large ocean-going ships, but it's perfectly safe for cargo ships and grain ships. This is the place."
Shao Shuyi pointed to the location of Fei's residence and continued, "One can also go upstream from the Wusong River all the way to Taihu Lake, connecting Pingjiang, Huzhou, and Changzhou. How can it be considered far? It's only a few days' journey by water."
Hu Guangyan listened quietly for a moment, then asked, "But what if there are bandits on Taihu Lake?"
"If you're really worried, I'll lead men to hunt them down in a few days," Shao Shuyi said. "The bandits must have somewhere to hide, right? We can investigate slowly. Once we find them, we'll storm their hideout and strike with lightning speed."
Hu Guangyan was genuinely tempted.
"Will you set up a branch in Songjiang Prefecture?" he asked.
Shao Shuyi praised, "Sir, this is an excellent plan. If we can bring in a few more grain merchants from Songjiang, we can open a branch association. Then, what if you appointed a steward or assistant manager, Dangdang?"
"What are deacons and assistants?" Hu Guangyan asked.
Shao Shuyi then briefly explained the guild bylaws, which were still in the process of being drafted and revised.
After listening, Hu Guangyan laughed and said, "It's a bit like the Grand Canal Administration, the Maritime Trade Office, and the Transport Office."
These three agencies all preferred to send second-ranking officials to govern their branches. For example, Fei Xiong was appointed as the deputy commander of the transport commissioner's office and was appointed as the deputy commander of the transport commissioner's office in Shanghai. Saidianchi Tuohuanchaer was appointed as the deputy commander of the transport commissioner's office in Zhejiang and Zhejiang and was appointed as the deputy commander of the transport commissioner's office in Jiaxing.
If he had joined earlier, he might have become the head of the Songjiang branch of Wuyue Grain Company, and his status among grain merchants in Shanghai and Huating counties would have risen sharply, even though his main job was as a spice merchant.
Of course, this is really nothing. These days, people with only one identity are rare; many earn money through other means and then buy land to collect rent. And with a large amount of rent rice to spare, some people open grain shops, producing and selling their own grain. Hu Guangyan is one such person. "What do you think?" Shao Shuyi laughed. "As the saying goes, divided strength is weak, united strength is strong. Joining the grain business means we can all shoulder burdens together; isn't that better than going it alone?"
Hu Guangyan pondered for a moment, somewhat tempted, but still hesitant. He asked, "Divided we are weak, united we are strong, that is certainly true. But if we band together like this, won't it attract the attention of the authorities?"
"As long as you don't hoard goods for speculation, who cares? Our Great Yuan Dynasty couldn't be more lenient," Shao Shuyi said. "Those Han-Tu merchants gather together every few days; who knows what they're plotting? Has the government intervened?"
"That's different," Hu Guangyan waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "Hantuo merchants use money from Mongol and Semu officials to lend money, and the Hui temple is their meeting place, so the government naturally won't interfere. But the grain shops..."
Shao Shuyi had already considered this matter. He lowered his voice and said, "Why should Lord Hu worry? Nowadays, officials are overstaffed. After going to the yamen for their shifts, they want to loiter from morning till night. If you give them something to do, they'll drag it out until they can't drag it out any longer. Once our grain bank is established, as long as we don't make a big fuss about it, the government might not find out for a year or two. Even if they do find out..."
At this point, Shao Shuyi lowered his voice even further and said, "Just like Fei Gong, they don't take it seriously. If they really do rectify things later, it's just a matter of spending some money and giving some gifts, which can delay things for another year or two. After several years, the foundation will be solid, and the government will get used to it. Don't you think so?" Hu Guangyan thought that this was indeed the case.
In some prefectures and counties of Huainan, the White Lotus sect not only developed its followers but also openly gathered people to burn incense. How many government officials actually took it seriously? Yes, the imperial court severely cracked down on incense societies, but local officials were like beads on an abacus, only moving when prompted and not moving when not prompted. The White Lotus sect, the Ming sect, the Maitreya sect, and others flourished and gained more and more momentum. This was largely due to the inaction of the government.
They barely care about the incense association; are they just too busy to manage the grain supply?
However, on the other hand, the situation in Jiangnan is ultimately different from that in Huainan and Huaixi. Officials there are generally more proactive than their counterparts in those other areas. This matter…
After a moment's hesitation, Hu Guangyan ultimately leaned towards joining the grain company. But he had one last question: "May I ask, Shao She, you just mentioned wanting to clear out the bandits on Taihu Lake. That's a good thing, but are you confident in your abilities?"
Shao Shuyi countered, "Have you heard of the Bi Si gang of thieves in Changzhou?"
"No." Hu Guangyan shook his head and said, "I have heard of the Huashan bandits. They made the imperial court lose face. The Jiangnan government troops... sigh, useless things." Shao Shuyi was stunned.
It seems that Bi Si's gang's influence was limited to the Changzhou and Jiangyin areas and didn't spread elsewhere. This is understandable; their actions weren't significant enough, and with the Huashan bandits "stealing the spotlight" at the same time, it's normal that not many people knew about them.
So Shao Shuyi patiently recounted his experiences in the Battle of Qinwang Mountain and the suppression of bandits along the Grand Canal, which finally gave Hu Guangyan a better understanding. Finally, he patted his chest and asked, "How are the Li brothers in Shanghai?"
Hu Guangyan's expression turned rather unpleasant upon hearing this.
Shao Shuyi was slightly surprised, and asked, "Does the master have a grudge against them?"
"I've been extorted before, and reporting it to the authorities was useless. It's only in recent years, with more contact with Mr. Fei, that things have improved a little," Hu Guangyan said. "But I've always kept my distance from these kinds of people. They don't care about their lives, but I value mine."
Holy crap! The Li brothers not only sell smuggled salt, but they also collect protection money!
Shao Shuyi immediately said, "Don't worry, sir. I'll go and 'mediate' them in the next couple of days, bringing Li Jimao and Ximen Qing together to discuss the importance of peace. If they don't listen, they'll be in for a beating."
Hu Guangyan was slightly taken aback and said, "Shao She, you actually have such methods?"
Shao Shuyi was speechless.
So Hu Guangyan was terrified of local gangs like the Li brothers, thinking they were too powerful, but he had no concept of a formidable outsider like Bi Si, and even thought they were inferior to the local gangs.
"Heh heh, if Bi Si and his thirty-six bandits were to march on Songjiang Prefecture for a head-on confrontation, the Li brothers would most likely be no match. What can I say to you?" Hu Guangyan said, "Shao She, if you can subdue Li Jimao and Ximen Qing, I can do business with you with peace of mind. Joining the Wuyue Grain Merchants is just a matter of a word, and I can even introduce a few old friends to join as well."
Shao Shuyi chuckled and said, "Just wait and see, sir. You'll get a reply in ten days at most."
Hu Guangyan raised his glass and said, "I'll wait for your news."
"Okay." Shao Shuyi didn't waste any words, picked up his wine glass, and drank it all in one gulp.
Fei Xiong, who had just finished talking with Zhou Min, saw this and laughed, "Little Tiger, you're new here, yet you're already so friendly with Master Hu. That's quite an achievement."
"Please don't make fun of me, sir," Shao Shuyi said with a smile. "I am truly passionate about maritime trade and would like to get closer to Master Hu to see if there is an opportunity."
"The key to maritime trade lies in perseverance." Fei Xiong's face was flushed, slightly tipsy, as he said, "The weather is unpredictable, and the seas are treacherous. Sometimes, bad luck can strike, and ships sent out may not return, resulting in huge losses. Aren't all those widows in Shanghai, Kanpu, and Qingyuan widows because their husbands went to sea and never returned, their fates unknown? But if you persevere, you can still make a profit overall. Three or four out of ten of the world's wealth comes from maritime merchants, even surpassing the wealth of Mongolian princes."
"You're drunk," Judge Zhou Min said with a smile, gently tugging at Fei Xiong's sleeve.
Fei Xiong laughed heartily and said, "Why should a man of the sea have so many taboos? I've sailed the seas forty times in my life. What dangers haven't I faced? What words haven't I spoken? What kind of people haven't I seen?"
Despite saying that, Fei Xiong toned it down a bit and said, "Xiao Hu, you now have two ships, which is quite a lot. You've made a living as a maritime merchant. But your foundation is still a bit shallow. Come to my place more often in the future, get to know more people; it will benefit you. Don't think about doing everything by yourself; mutual help is the only way to go far."
"Your words are invaluable, sir. I have learned much from them," Shao Shuyi said.
Hu Guangyan chimed in with a laugh, "Little Tiger, if you get involved with Master Fei, even if you don't become an official, you'll still be rich and powerful. You're so ambitious; your future is limitless. Sigh, it's just that my daughter is already married; otherwise, I would definitely marry one of my daughters into your family."
Upon hearing this, Shao Shuyi's heart skipped a beat.
Sure enough, Fei Xiong's smile faded a bit.
Seeing this, Shao Shuyi immediately tried to salvage the situation, saying, "Master Hu is of such high status; I am far inferior. We are not a good match, it's not suitable, it's not suitable." Hu Guangyan shook his head and said, "I am not suitable, but someone else is. If your two ships can return, things will be different. At that time, you can marry into a merchant family that specializes in maritime trade. You can trade goods, and they can sell goods. Together, the two families can make a long-term business. Even workshops are acceptable. If you transport timber and gems back from Tuta, Songjiang Prefecture has workshops that specialize in these. After the marriage, everything will be easy to discuss."
A workshop? Shao Shuyi's heart skipped a beat.
These days, the largest workshops are actually textile workshops, using cotton, linen, and silk as raw materials. The upstream and downstream industries also involve planting, dyeing, cutting, garment making, sales, and transportation, forming an entire industrial chain.
In the Jiangnan region, where surplus grain was relatively abundant, the urban population that had left agricultural production was already at its highest level in history, and it was indeed sufficient to support a certain scale of handicraft workshops and consumer groups.
He hadn't thought about this before, but he could consider it later. It seems that Shen Wansan's family had opened a cotton textile workshop in Songjiang.
"You're joking again, sir." Shao Shuyi picked up his wine cup and laughed, "I'm still young, I'll only be nineteen after the New Year, there's no rush."
Fei Xiong glanced at him, his expression softening slightly.
The group then chatted about other business matters. The banquet lasted until the moon was high in the sky.
After leaving the Fei residence, Shao Shuyi glanced at the high wall but said nothing.
Fei Xiong will be returning to Taicang before the end of the year, and will be in charge of the Taicang branch next year. There will be opportunities then.