Emperor Renzong of the Great Song Dynasty

Bai Jintang is discussing with Xu Qing in the guest room about the plan to purchase coal in the future—now the main demand for coal comes from self-propelled boats that operate day and night on the river.The water network in the south of the Yangtze River is denser than that in the north, so the required amount is even larger.Now self-propelled boats have just come out, and there are only more than 50 boats in operation.The coal they need is provided by various docks under the jurisdiction of the government.

But one day, the number of self-propelled boats will explode, and at that time, the government will no longer be able to monopolize the supply of coal.This is the time for rich businessmen like them to show their strength...

Coincidentally, the largest coal mine owner in Jindi is still his best friend for many years.

Bai Jintang was originally the son of a wealthy family who was half-Confucian and half-merchant, and his family had some ancestral property, which was enough for his younger brother to spend his whole life in Jinhua without any worries.In the past 20 years, he has never seriously operated any industry, and he has never even had this idea.

His family's ancestral property is either a farm or a tepid old shop. It doesn't make much money, and it's not likely to lose money. It doesn't need people to manage it.

He is a Confucian businessman, and he has a reputation anyway. He is not a decent scholar in business or something.

But a few years ago, his good friend Jiang Ping wanted to go to Beijing, leaving a lot of industries in Yangzhou unattended.It happened that he was in Jinhua, which was close to Yangzhou, and he was very free, with nothing serious to do.So Jiang Ping asked him to take care of the property, and he took his younger brother to Yangzhou with the mentality of giving it a try.

Who knew it was done.

Also very well done.

Looking back on the past four or five years, Bai Jintang calculated the family property that had swelled dozens of times, thinking with some uncertainty.

Maybe I was really born for business.

Or maybe our family's fortune is too prosperous.Sure enough, if there is brocade jade in the name, it is easy to attract money, and the house is full of gold and jade, what a good omen.

Hearing Gongsun Ce's knock on the door, Bai Jintang quickly stood up and opened the door: "Mr. Gongsun, what's the matter?"

Gongsun Ce smiled and said: "The nobleman who came to visit just now wants to see you, Brother Bai."

Xu Qing also stood up: "What nobleman?"

Gongsun Ce said: "Your surname is Zhao."

Bai Jintang and Xu Qing looked at each other.

In Bianliang City, there are quite a few "nobles surnamed Zhao"...

Xu Qing said: "Brother Bai, you go there first. Let's talk about the rest at night."

They have already negotiated the method and approximate amount of charcoal purchase, but there is some dispute over the price.Brothers also need to settle accounts clearly. It is best for both parties not to make a loss-making business for this friendship, otherwise it will be easy for brothers to turn against each other and friends to become enemies over the years.

Bai Jintang tidied up his appearance, smiled at Gongsun Ce, and said, "Please lead the way, sir."

Secretly, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Your Excellency... who is this noble person...

No matter which noble person it is, his intuition told him.

This nobleman will bring him countless wealth!

Zhao Yiyi sat in the pavilion, squinting at the place where Gongsun Ce disappeared.

"Tell me, why are some people born with such good luck?"

He was a little puzzled: "How come everyone I know is so capable?"

Liu Endao: "I heard that Boss Bai's family is rich, donating righteousness and donating money, and he is anxious about public affairs and righteousness. He has the style of a hero in ancient times. Therefore, all the three religions in the south of the Yangtze River respect him and are willing to be friends with him. Since he has such a wide range of acquaintances, how can he know him?" It’s not a problem to have a few strange people.”

Zhao Yiyi nodded: "That is to say, if you spend more money and know more people, the probability of getting an SSR will increase."

Liu En glanced at him: "Probably so."

Zhao Yiyi said with a little jealousy, "Why is he so rich?"

How can there be so much money to expand contacts?

The so-called "making friends" by the Jianghu people is not just a matter of hooking up and going to a tavern for a drink.Now that we are all friends, should we take in our friends who are living on the streets?My friend is short of money, do you want to help?

don't want?What kind of friend are you!

Especially those like Bai Jintang who are willing to create a reputation for themselves as "urgent public and righteous". In addition to the friends they usually know, even strangers who have never met before encounter difficulties, they can't just sit by and watch.

Otherwise, once the human setting collapses, who would be willing to make friends with you.

In other words, to maintain the current reputation and social circle like Bai Jintang, the money needed will be astronomical.

Don't care about your face and disregard your integrity, and empty out your family's wealth in order to maintain your personality, right?

Zhao Yiyi recalled Bai Yutang's usual clothing and consumption levels, and found that this should not be the case.

Bai Yutang still spends a lot of money, not at all like his family's financial situation is not in good shape.

Zhao Yiyi couldn't help thinking sadly, many times, he, the king of a country, was not as luxurious as Bai Yutang.

A mere local unknown merchant in Jinhua, where did he get so much spare money, make friends with knight-errants and squander it by himself?

Liu Endao: "Perhaps some people are born with good fortune, no matter how much money they spend, they will never run out of money to spend."

Zhao Yiyi immediately said: "I want to be friends with him."

He has been the emperor for so many years, so to speak of falling prices, he spends most of his time worrying about money.

If one day he could have endless money to spend without having to worry about soaring inflation and prices, then he would wake up laughing from his dreams.

Liu En said, "He's here."

Zhao Yiyi cheered up and saw Gongsun Ce leading a person over.

That person was wearing a lotus-colored brocade robe, with sapphire hanging from his waist, and his eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to Bai Yutang.

But it was completely different from Bai Yutang's temperament.

Let Zhao Yiyi say that although Bai Yutang is young, he is born with the spirit of a lonely hero, cold and lonely, standing like a precious sword without a sheath.

In contrast, Bai Jintang was much gentler and kind, as if he could make friends with anyone.Like a piece of suet jade that is not transparent, it looks very rich at first glance.

Zhao Yiyi sat down in his seat and raised his hand to say hello: "Please sit down."

Bai Jintang thought to himself, it really is a nobleman, and a nobleman never treats guests according to the etiquette of ordinary people.

When he saw a middle-aged man with a white face and beardless standing behind Zhao Yiyi, he felt more certain.

This is a eunuch.

Gongsun Ce was worried that he didn't know how to handle himself, so he sat down in the guest seat first, and Bai Jintang followed suit, and also chose a seat to sit down.

As soon as he sat down, the nobleman surnamed Zhao asked him curiously: "I heard that Mr. Bai has quite a fortune in Yangzhou?"

Bai Jintang hurriedly said, "A little property is nothing to worry about."

Zhao Yiyi smiled and said: "Mr. Bai, don't be modest, I... I heard that the best-selling matches in Jiangnan are all from Mr. Bai's factory."

Both Bai Jintang and Gongsun Ce pretended not to hear this "slip of the tongue".

"It's just picking people's teeth. Boss Jiang from the capital and his friends sent people to Yangzhou to guide me how to open a factory. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to open a match factory."

Zhao Yiyi said: "This is not easy. Boss Jiang is not a stingy person. He has so many friends in the south of the Yangtze River, most of whom are merchants. You must not be the only one who asked him how to open a factory. But in the end it was only you. People opened the factory, and this is your skill."

Bai Jintang was busy and humbled himself for a while.

Zhao Yiyi said: "Since Mr. Bai is so good at management, is he interested in running a business with us?"

Bai Jintang showed just the right curiosity: "What industry?"

He is a businessman who makes money by intuition, and his intuition tells him that this operation is very possible to try.

Zhao Yiyi asked him: "Aren't you curious about who 'we' are?"

Bai Jintang said: "Then I dare to ask, who exactly do you want me to operate with?"

Zhao Yiyi pointed to himself: "Me."

Pointing to Liu En again: "He."

"Your old friend Jiang Ping."

"Your brother's master, Xia Yuqi."

"Han Zhang, Xu Qing. Oh, and this Mr. Gongsun."

Bai Jintang said: "Pearls and jade are on my side, I feel dirty."

Zhao Yiyi continued: "The industry we operate is a network."

"network?"

Zhao Yiyi gestured on the stone table in the pavilion: "That Xu Zhuang is also your friend. He is located in Jindi. He is responsible for providing us with coal and iron."

"This is Bianliang. I, him, Jiang Ping, Han Zhang and Xia Yuqi are here. We are responsible for overall planning, research and development, and production of some irreplaceable things."

"We are all in Jiangbei, which is too far away from Jiangnan. You know, even with self-propelled boats, it is impossible to change the natural disadvantage of distance. So we need to have a sub-center in Jiangnan."

He pointed at Bai Jintang: "Do you want to be this sub-center?"

Bai Jintang looked at the empty stone table for a long time, and said slowly, "Dare you not obey your orders."

Zhao Yiyi said: "The positioning of your sub-center is to replace production. All the things developed and produced in Bianliang must be available in Yangzhou."

The location of Yangzhou is too important. It is the intersection of the Grand Canal and the Yangtze River, running through the north and south, and it is also an important town in Huainan.Before Lingnan developed, it was the well-deserved center of Jiangnan.

If it is used as a production sub-center, the goods can be radiated to the entire Jiangnan area.

Zhao Yiyi smiled: "Are you just discussing with Xu Qing about purchasing coal?"

Bai Jintang was surprised: "This is indeed the case."

How did he know?

Obviously they discussed it in an empty room, and never told anyone.

With Xu Qing and his martial arts, if someone eavesdrops, it is impossible not to find out.

Nonsense, of course Liu En heard it.

Your martial arts are still too bad.

Zhao Yiyi said: "Don't panic, this is very good. As you expected, after two years, the number of self-propelled boats will increase to six or seven times that of today. At that time, the government will definitely not be able to undertake the task of providing coal. At that time, the supply of coal to the north of the Yangtze River will directly come from Jin, while the supply of coal to the south of the Yangtze River will naturally come from Yangzhou, a transportation hub."

"That's why I chose you to be the sub-center. Mr. Bai, you really have a vision."