xymnovel Chapter 39 Insights
Chapter 39 Insights
It wasn't short from the back room to the main hall where Zheng Guozhen received guests. Shao Shuyi followed the servants, turning left and right, and it took them quite a while to arrive.
Along the way, pavilions and terraces can be seen everywhere, and there are also two or three bamboo gardens and ponds, which evoke many feelings.
To be honest, if Shao Shuyi hadn't been well-informed before his transmigration, he would have been stunned. The common people of the Zhenyuan Dynasty had never seen anything like this before.
However, he was actually a little envious. Comparing his own mud-brick house to the Zheng family's residence, could it even compare?
"My neighbor hoards houses, I hoard guns; my neighbor's house is my home!" Shao Shuyi secretly cheered himself up—or more accurately, he was finding joy in hardship.
A pond appeared ahead, located in a small garden.
The pond was surrounded by weeping willows and flowers, and a bridge spanned the pond. Shao Shuyi was standing on the south side of the bridge at this moment.
On the other side of the bridge are man-made earthen mounds and strange stones transported from who-knows-where.
Behind the rocks is a pavilion with the three characters "Caizhi Terrace" inscribed on it.
On the stage, three or five people strolled leisurely, chatting and laughing. The person in the lead was Zheng Guozhen.
Upon hearing the servant's report, he looked up and said, "Let him come here."
The servant trotted to the south side of the bridge and whispered, "Third Master invites you to come over."
Shao Shuyi nodded, crossed the bridge at a leisurely pace, then climbed the steps to Caizhi Terrace, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Third Dormitory."
"You're much more composed than when we last met," Zheng Guozhen said, looking him over before pointing to the stone bench beside him. "Sit down."
Shao Shuyi thanked him, sat down, and lowered his head slightly, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.
Zheng Guozhen was wearing a brown silk robe and a black straw hat today. He had a landscape painting open in his hand, and it was unclear what he was admiring.
There were three people behind him. Shao Shuyi recognized two of them, namely Zheng Song and Zheng Fan, while he was meeting the third one for the first time.
"Wang Laizi, the prefecture has called your name, so don't even think about running away." Zheng Guozhen turned his head, looking at the man with slight impatience, and said earnestly, "Don't forget who you relied on to get where you are. We've put you in charge for a year, why are you making so many demands?"
Wang Laizi, with a mournful face, said, "But I'm not from Xiyidu. Besides, I'm also asked to be the head of the commune and encourage farming and sericulture. How can I possibly do that?"
"Liu Yongdu, the deputy commander of the Wenzhou-Taizhou Police Station, has become a village head. You have no official position. What's wrong with pretending to be a leader?" Zheng Guozhen said, displeased.
Seeing that he was angry, Wang Laizi dared not refuse any longer, and reluctantly agreed with a "yes" before lowering his head.
"Let's go back first," Zheng Guozhen waved his hand and said.
After Wang Laizi finished his greetings, he slunk away.
Shao Shuyi finally understood. The head of Xiyidu in Zhangjing Township had run away, leaving the position vacant and no one had taken over. This Wang Laizi had the worst luck imaginable, being chosen as the head even though he didn't live there—actually, that's a minor matter, wouldn't it be enough to just transfer your household registration here?
Wang Laizi, of course, was unwilling to suffer a loss, so he went to Zheng Guozhen's residence to ask him to intercede on his behalf. Unfortunately, Zheng Sanshe was unwilling to use his connections for him, and the matter could no longer be changed.
Through this incident, Shao Shuyi gained a deeper understanding of the local ecology.
High-ranking officials' families generally enjoy special privileges and can accomplish many things. Wealthy households, powerful families, and minor gentry become dependent on them, or at least require their protection. In fact, some wealthy families even rose to prominence thanks to these powerful families. Now that the empire is crumbling, these wealthy households are also starting to fall from grace and are slowly being abandoned by the powerful families.
Ordinary people went bankrupt first, followed by wealthy families and minor gentry, and then high-ranking officials and nobles...
"Xiao Hu, Yi Fang said you had the upper hand over Lu Zhonghe, which I didn't believe at first, but after Rong Fu sent someone to deliver the contract, I was truly amazed." Zheng Guozhen said with a smile, "Actually, I didn't care that much about these things, but Yi Fang is right, this isn't something that happened only once or twice. If the first negotiation goes well, it will be much easier to negotiate again later."
Shao Shuyi listened quietly, waiting for what would happen next.
Zheng Guozhen, with his hands behind his back, continued, "However, the Zheng family has never been involved with foreign affairs before. You seem to know a lot about various matters. Do you have any insights?"
As he spoke, Zheng Fan and Zheng Song both looked at Shao Shuyi; the former's expression was somewhat encouraging, while the latter's was more complex.
Zheng Song felt things were getting out of control. Not only was this little accountant still alive, but he was also causing so much trouble, which wasn't a good impression on him. He'd have to keep a closer eye on him in the future, lest another Wang Sheng emerge.
Shao Shuyi had already prepared a plan, and said in a deep voice, "Since you have asked, I dare to speak recklessly. The Zheng family's trade with foreign countries has three advantages, but also three dangers."
Zheng Guozhen looked at him with amusement. "You're going to talk about the pros and cons like in a play?"
"Let me try to speak," he said, handing the scroll to Zheng Song and sitting down with interest.
Shao Shuyi rose and bowed, then said loudly, "One benefit lies in the increase of the value of goods. Foreign countries especially value Chinese porcelain and cloth. Selling 30,000 pieces of celadon in Srivijaya can yield a profit of three or four times the initial investment, which can then be exchanged for pepper, cardamom, sandalwood, sappanwood, and other goods, which can then be sold in Taicang, generating substantial profits. This is the 'profit from goods'."
The second advantage lies in establishing connections and trade routes. Working with families like the Shen and Ye, who have been trading with foreign countries for many years, is not just about the benefit of a single ship or cargo, but also about leveraging their naval commanders, nautical charts, and connections to open up shipping routes and gain familiarity with the situations and weaknesses of various foreign countries. This is the "travel advantage."
The three advantages lay in consolidating their foundation. Taicang's strength lay in maritime transport and the trade. If the Zheng family, controlling the canal transport, were also well-versed in maritime trade, it would be like adding wings to a tiger, significantly impacting Liujiagang and even Pingjiang Road. This was 'power and influence.'"
"Well said, wonderfully said!" Before Zheng Guozhen could say anything, Zheng Fan couldn't help but praise him. Looking at his beaming face, even the scar on his forehead seemed to come alive.
"Well said!" Zheng Guozhen clapped his hands and laughed, then asked, "The three benefits are there, but where are the three dangers?"
Shao Shuyi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "The primary danger lies in natural disasters. The winds and waves are treacherous, and the reefs are merciless. On a journey of thousands of miles, a ship can capsize overnight, resulting in the loss of everything. This danger is beyond human control, and the only way to mitigate its harm is to share the costs of the contract and deploy a large fleet. We can't afford to sink every time, can we?"
The second danger lies in human error. The sea is not only fraught with storms, but also with bandits. From Liujiagang to Wenzhou and Taizhou, from Wenzhou and Taizhou to Quanzhou, and from Quanzhou to Java, the coast is teeming with desperate criminals who covet the lucrative profits of merchant ships. Only with sturdy ships, sophisticated weaponry, and the utmost dedication from crew and crew can one snatch food from the jaws of death.
The third danger lies with the Grand Canal Administration and the Provincial Governor. Trade with foreign countries is highly profitable, attracting many envious eyes. Within the Grand Canal Administration, the four deputy commanders of ten thousand households have different backgrounds. The Third Secretary, seeking to leverage the old governor's influence for further advancement, may face obstacles from others. Furthermore, while cooperating with Shen and Ye offers advantages, it also makes one vulnerable to their control. The Shen family is incredibly wealthy in the southeast, and countless individuals covet their wealth, land, and shops.
These three benefits and three risks, these three sacrifices, should be understood.
A brief silence fell over the Caizhi Terrace.
Shao Shuyi felt a little uneasy.
To be honest, his words were almost identical to the content of intense political discussions on online forums in later generations, and some even had a hint of conspiracy theory, such as some people being envious of the Shen family's wealth, and some people disliking the Zheng family, etc.
Of course, it wasn't entirely unfounded. Anyway, he said that whether it made sense or not was for Zheng to judge.
After a long silence, Zheng Guozhen suddenly stood up, put his hands behind his back, paced a few steps, then stopped abruptly. The look in his eyes as he looked at Shao Shuyi was completely different.
"You don't seem like a fifteen-year-old at all," he said in a deep voice. "You're more like a seasoned official who's spent half his life working in the government. Is this kind of insight something an ordinary person can possess?"
Zheng Song also stared intently at him.
Shao Shuyi met their gazes frankly and said sincerely, "I am the orphan of a boatman from Zhangjinghai. My parents are both dead, and my family is destitute. This is my background."
In my childhood, I was taught by Master Yu, and I learned to recognize a few characters and have a basic understanding of writing and arithmetic. This is what I learned.
Having been pursued and driven to the brink of exile, with nowhere to turn, he was fortunate enough to be taken in by the Zheng family, who provided him with a peaceful night's rest. This was a stroke of good fortune.
After joining the Qingqi Shop, he spent his days keeping accounts, trying to understand people's hearts, and hearing about what he saw and heard in the north and south, the differences between official and private affairs, and the entanglements of interests.
What I have described are merely my daily thoughts and reflections, and may be somewhat superficial. Sanshe, with his great talent and strategic vision, will surely make his own clear judgment.
Zheng Guozhen stared at him for a long time, then suddenly burst into laughter and said, "Yi Fang said you're a ruthless character. I think you're not only ruthless, but also steady and shrewd."
He walked back to the stone table, tapped his fingers on the surface, and said, "Wang Sheng's position is now vacant. Yi Fang is currently managing his affairs as well. But he has a lot to do and isn't always in the shop, so you need to learn to share the burden."
"Yes," Shao Shuyi replied.
Zheng Guozhen nodded in satisfaction and said, "Continue to follow up on the matter with the Shen family's ship, and deal with Lu Zhonghe... and other influential people in the Shen family. Since you drafted the contract, pay close attention to the follow-up matters. If you need manpower or money, just talk to Yi Fang directly."
"Yes," Shao Shuyi replied, a weight lifted from his heart.
He knew that today's meeting was a narrow escape, and he had temporarily gained more power.
"Furthermore, since you've negotiated an extra 10% profit—" Zheng Guozhen seemed to remember something, "I'm not a stingy person. When we return home, you'll reap the benefits."
"Thank you, Sanshe." Shao Shuyi readily agreed without any pretense.
"You were still out and about during the last Mid-Autumn Festival; you must have worked really hard," Zheng Guozhen said finally. "Yifang, could you please give him a gift? Don't be stingy."
"Okay," Zheng Fan replied immediately.
Shao Shuyi was pleasantly surprised.
He had already received a peck of rice and three ounces of salt from the shop for the Mid-Autumn Festival, but unexpectedly, he received another reward. Not bad, not bad, Zheng Sanshe has a broad perspective; his "profound remarks" just now were not in vain.
"Let's finish our meal before we leave," Zheng Guozhen said in a good mood. "Have a good meal."