Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 1152 The Businessman Who Spontaneously Invests

A group of businessmen gathered in a restaurant in the capital, and they barely sat down after booking three private rooms.

"These are rich businessmen who are active in the capital and Jiangnan business circles. Please cheer them up and entertain them well. Don't let them down, or we won't be able to hang up the signboard of Zuixianglou." The shopkeeper of the restaurant told the waiters .

"You guys understand." The shop waiters said one after another.

The rich merchants in the box are savoring the tea, and the dishes they order are becoming more and more exquisite.With the popularity of mercantilism, their social status has also increased day by day, and they have become the upper class figures in the capital.When these wealthy people gather together, it means that they are discussing a big business.

"Nowadays, waterways are becoming more and more developed, and it is very convenient to use large sailboats to transport goods between coastal cities... But land transportation is inconvenient. Some dirt road sections are covered with weeds, and some road sections are muddy in rainy days, and there is stagnant water. It is difficult to pass. Except In addition to official roads, private trails are also difficult to accommodate large horse-drawn carriages, and the lack of planning and management has greatly increased the transportation time." A large businessman complained that dirt roads could not meet the increased demand for cargo transportation.

"The land is not as wide as the sea and does not need to be managed. Official roads and dirt roads in the countryside need to be expanded and repaired. I am afraid that the government will not have enough money to build enough roads in ten or eight years. I have figured it out. If there are enough roads Wide, if someone repairs and manages it every year, the transportation speed can be increased by about [-]% to [-]%. The faster transportation speed is equivalent to a few percent more profit per shipment, and it also reduces the risk of default due to road congestion. In addition, it is convenient for everyone to travel." said the big businessman sitting in the main seat.

"So that's why you called us here? Could it be that the government doesn't have the money to build roads, and we merchants have to pay for road repairs ourselves in order to speed up?" said a businessman from the capital who was summoned.

These businessmen are all known through business and are active in the business district of the capital. This time, a businessman suddenly attracted more than 20 other big businessmen to discuss matters.

"Treasurer Ji, are you kidding? Building roads requires a lot of money, just to save a little time. And we have repaired the roads, isn't it cheaper for others? They don't need to spend money to invest in road repairs It can shorten the road time, and if others take advantage of us in vain, it is too much money spent." Said the businessman present.

"If we build a new road or widen the original road, of course we can't let people who don't participate in the money use it at will. We should apply to the government, and we will fund the road construction and be responsible for management. In return, we can use it for the past. What do you think of charging tolls for the goods to recover the money we spent on road construction?" said the person known as shopkeeper Ji.

"Collecting tolls? Only the government is eligible to collect this internal customs tax. How can we civilians have the right to occupy the roads to collect tolls?" Many big businessmen were shocked by the idea of ​​shopkeeper Ji. Their merchants actually wanted to participate in the repair on the road.

Many of them are engaged in the production and transshipment of consumer goods, and almost none of them have invested in infrastructure construction, especially such expensive projects as road construction.

"Treasurer Ji, do you want to know how much money is needed to build roads? Leaving aside this for now, is the government willing to allow us to occupy the completed roads and charge fees? Official roads and dirt roads have always been public roads, even if they set up customs checkpoints. The government collects tolls, how can we ordinary merchants collect fees?" The merchants unanimously raised doubts.

"Everyone, there is nothing in this world that cannot be exchanged with money except for family affection. Now there is a need for more spacious and well-developed road connections between the wharf and the market. People's travel and commodity trade cannot do without vertical and horizontal transportation. As long as the tolls we collect are not excessive , then it is a matter of benefiting the country and the people. Just think about it, if the road we built reduces the expenditure of ten taels of silver for the transportation of goods, and we only charge five taels of silver as the toll, wouldn’t it be a win-win situation? ?” said the shopkeeper Ji.

"Treasurer Ji means to let everyone share the cost of building roads, and the group of people we invest in can also get a small profit from the operation of the road every year?" The businessmen present at the meeting quickly understood what Manager Ji meant.

"I have thought about it carefully. If we invest in the road, as long as the government keeps its promise, we can pay back our capital every year. When all the capital is recovered, we will be profitable." Ji said, "The government prohibits us from buying farmland and restricts us from buying farmland. Excessive real estate does not limit us to build factories and roads. Factories may close down because they cannot pay workers' wages, but the location of roads is chosen where vehicles and horses must pass, and no one will pass by? You left your property to For future generations, if they encounter unfilial descendants, the family property may soon be wiped out. But if we can collect tolls as income every year in the future, it is equivalent to leaving a steady stream of property for the future family.”

When it was mentioned that investing in the construction of roads can obtain a steady stream of income, the participating businessmen were finally moved.They rarely make such long-term investments, and even if they do, they can quickly understand what such an investment means.

"Will the government agree to our monopolistic behavior? After all, only the government can build roads in the past. It is not in line with the past tradition to hand over the management and fees to us merchants. I am afraid that the government will reject our proposal and even send us Think of it as a lunatic." Some businessmen expressed concern about this.

"I don't think so. The status of our merchants is unprecedented now. All of us here are big merchants from the wealthy side. The government should not underestimate our joint opinions, and we have enough financial resources to convince the government that we can build roads." And the well-built roads." Said Shopkeeper Ji.

"I think we still need to spend some more time weighing the pros and cons...to see what conditions are needed to recover the cost. Even if the cost is recovered, it will take a long time. Now that silver is increasing and prices are rising, there will be no silver in ten years. The current silver is worth a lot." Many merchants said.

"According to my idea, if we invest in the construction of roads, we must build roads from the port to the inland, as straight as possible, and level the surrounding vegetation. I heard that there is a small section of streets in the capital that is paved with coal cinders, which is called a coal tar pitch road. It can prevent rain and mud, so I don't know how cost-effective it is." Shopkeeper Ji said.

(End of this chapter)