The daily life of the science master's book-wearing group

Chapter 192 Another Military Supplies Business [Second Update]

On the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, the guests finally left one after another.

In the main room in the backyard of Xu's mansion, Song Yaxin was biting a pickled cucumber, eating it very comfortably.

Xu Qiuxia saw that her sister-in-law was eating deliciously, she was curious and asked Song Yaxin: "Sister-in-law, can I have a taste?"

Song Yaxin generously handed the plate to her: "Take it, try it, it's delicious!"

Xu Qiuxia tasted it, found it sour and delicious, and recommended it to Aunt Shen: "Auntie, you should try it too, it's so greasy!"

After Aunt Shen tried it, she really liked it too.

Xu Qiuxia said: "This is definitely a must with roast beef and mutton."

Aunt Shen, however, sensed the business opportunity very sensitively, and went to Song Qingyue to talk about it that afternoon.

Before entering the courtyard, there was a sour smell that made people drool.

At noon, Song Qingyue, Li Zhao, Li Qiushui and a few older girls ate a pot of stewed beef with sauerkraut.Of course, Li Qiushui shared a table with a few maidservants, and Song Qingyue and Li Zhao shared a table alone, and Li Qiushui didn't mind either. She knew that she didn't come to the mansion to serve His Royal Highness.

This made her breathe a sigh of relief, because she liked Shi Zifei and didn't want her relationship with Shi Zifei to become tense because of this kind of thing.

She has nothing to do in the mansion these days, and she is learning to write Chinese characters from Mohen, but she is learning simplified characters, which are much easier and faster to learn.

Everyone chatted while eating, and before they knew it, they had lunch until the afternoon.

When Aunt Shen came in, she was a little embarrassed when she saw that they were still having lunch.

Li Zhao spread out in an armchair very leisurely and sipped the good wine he got from Xu Youzhong. He seemed a little tipsy and didn't want to bother him to stand up and hide in the back room, so he drank his own, neither looking at Aunt Shen nor Say hello to her.

Song Qingyue was neither embarrassed nor minded that Aunt Shen came over at this time, she pulled a chair for her enthusiastically, and said with a smile: "Lunch is a little late today, and it hasn't been cleaned up yet. I'm laughing at you."

Aunt Shen was a little apprehensive when she saw Li Zhao, but she still sat down at the table with only half of her buttocks, sniffed hard, and asked, "What is this, it smells so good?"

Song Qingyue saw that she was greedy, and laughed: "Sour cabbage, if Auntie doesn't mind, would you like to try it?"

"Thank you!" Aunt Shen happily agreed without saying anything.

Song Qingyue filled a small bowl of soup for her herself, put another piece of sauerkraut into the bowl, handed it to Aunt Shen, and said with a smile, "Try it, I fell in love with it when I first came to the north."

Aunt Shen tasted it and her eyes lit up, she asked, "Is this cabbage? Pickled with vinegar?"

Song Qingyue shook her head: "Salt is only added and fermented naturally."

"Where's the pickled cucumber?" Aunt Shen asked.

Song Qingyue said with a smile: "That one also only added salt and fermented naturally. But not all cucumbers can be used, this is a small palm-length cucumber from the Lingnan area. The skin is thick and astringent, and the water is still there. Not much, it’s not very delicious cold or boiled, but it’s just right for pickling pickles, and it tastes extra crisp.”

Aunt Shen thought for a while, and said: "I talked with your fourth brother, and I see that the things he brought are not as good as these sour cabbage and pickled cucumbers. If these can be sold in the northwest, they will definitely be very popular. Even the Tartars outside the pass will probably like it."

Song Qingyue raised her eyebrows and said with a smile, "Is this why Auntie came here today to tell me this?"

Aunt Shen nodded: "Yes, I tasted pickled cucumbers at your sister's place, and I wanted to tell you about it. I didn't expect you to have pickled cabbage here."

Song Qingyue said: "Aunt Shen's idea is good or bad, but I have to think about it carefully. It costs a lot to transport these things, and I don't know what price is right. If it's too expensive, it won't work, it's cheap Probably not even the shipping cost."

Aunt Shen smiled and said: "Just exchange cattle and sheep. Cattle and sheep are worthless in the Northwest, but they can fetch a good price when sent to the Central Plains. As for pickled cabbage and pickled cucumbers, they can be purchased directly from Shanxi and Henan. It's also closer."

Song Qingyue clapped her hands and said with a smile: "Auntie is still quick-witted. Forget it, I don't care about it. I'll find my fourth brother to talk to you directly."

The He family, the Cao family, and the An family have been renting a small courtyard in Suzhou City for a long time.

They have always been disappointed because Li Zhao and Xu Guogong's government did not agree with expanding the Northwest barter market now, so their trip was in vain.

But that's how business is supposed to be, you don't make money from everything you do.

But today, the Fourth Young Master Song and the members of the Shen family brought good news, saying that they can start with the supply of military supplies for border defense, and do some cabbage and cucumber business, so that even if they don’t do business directly with the barbarians outside the customs, they can only use military supplies. , the volume is large enough to make them a fortune.

Several people met and discussed for an afternoon, and decided that when the next spring began, they would go to Shanningxia, Shanxi, and Henan to look at the land separately, grow cucumbers and cabbage, and specialize in pickled cucumbers and pickled cabbage for supply to the Northwest Frontier Defense Army. The Shen family would be responsible for transportation.

Of course, this matter must be reported to the court first by Duke Wei's mansion, so before discussing with the Duke's mansion, it is necessary to calculate the benefits that this matter can bring to Da Zhou.

For example, where is the land for growing cabbage and cucumbers?It is best to use newly reclaimed wasteland, or slope land that is not suitable for growing grain. If the fertile land for growing grain is occupied, the imperial court may not be willing.Then how many catties of pickled cucumbers are suitable for a sheep or a cow?After taking into account the expenses of land reclamation, transportation, and the salt used for pickling, some profits must be reserved in the end to be distributed to the Shen family, the Duke's Mansion, and the Song Mansion.

The calculation of this kind of thing naturally cannot allow these merchants to make calculations behind closed doors.

Meeting with the generals of these guards, and doing market research, busy, it's the beginning of spring in February.

Song Chenrui wanted to work with the Shen family to supply winter sauerkraut to the Northwest Army, but Feng Jin had already handed it over to Beijing secretly, so Xu Youzhong waited for Xu Youzhong to discuss with his father about the matter and handed it over to the court. At that time, the emperor already knew about it.

Just wait for the Xu family father and son to hand over the booklet and ask for money.

The emperor also wanted to see how much more money the Xu family and his son planned to ask for so that the soldiers in the northwest could eat pickled cucumbers and pickled cabbage.

In the end, when I opened the brochure, there was no mention of money, but only said that it might be necessary to choose places in Shanxi, Henan, and Ningxia towns to grow cabbage and cucumbers, and then the Northwest Army would find a way to exchange them with cattle and sheep.

Don't want money?

Not wanting money is a good thing!

No money, no food, why not agree?

The emperor picked up the Zhubi and wrote a quasi-character, and threw it to the cabinet to ask them to discuss a charter.

For example, what kind of land to choose for growing cucumbers and cabbage, and where is the best place to choose? Xu Guogong also said that he wanted to exchange cucumbers and cabbage roots from the Mongols outside the pass for cattle and sheep. , these specific matters need to be decided by the cabinet.

Fortunately, Li Zhao had already sent a letter to his father-in-law Song Jianming in advance, telling him about it, Song Jianming knew it, and waited for the news from Xiao Si who had gone to Henan to see the land.Although there are also officials in the cabinet who have served in Henan and Shanxi, Song Jianming still wants to hear the opinions of Song Chenrui who has seen the situation.

He is very opposed to a few old guys who don't do any field research, discuss and discuss behind closed doors and make decisions on their heads.

Of course, being able to do this now is also due to the cement roads that have been repaired unremittingly all over the country over the years. Without these roads, it would take three or four times longer to spread the news than it does now. Even if he wanted to It is also extremely difficult to send people to conduct field research.

It was Song Chenrui's first time doing business, and he was afraid that he might have missed something. After returning to the northwest from Henan, he took the cost budget calculated by everyone together to ask the third sister to have a look.

He has a kind of blind superstition towards Song Qingyue, and the third sister is the daughter of the God of Wealth, who is recognized by his father.

Recently, the wool factory in the northwest started to work. Song Qingyue was busy helping with the training of management personnel and accountants with her several big maids. They were not very free. Song Chenrui had to wait for three full days for her.

"What's the matter? Are you in a hurry with me?" Song Qingyue asked her fourth brother to sit down, and Mo Hen brought a plate of milk cakes for tea.

Song Chenrui was a little embarrassed, and handed the cost budget he had made to the third younger sister, smiling flatteringly: "Third younger sister, please help the fourth brother to take a look and see where there are people who are not thoughtful, and where there are still things that can reduce the cost. , you can give me advice for the fourth brother. After that, we can make a quotation with the Duke's Mansion, right?"

"Well, let me take a look." Song Qingyue didn't talk nonsense, took over the budget, and looked at it carefully.

Song Qingyue saw that there were experts giving advice here, and all possible costs were taken into account, some of which she couldn't even think of.

"I have nothing to say, you can press this item again." She pointed to the item of fine salt and said.

"How to say?" Song Chenrui was puzzled.

Song Qingyue picked up a piece of milk cake and ate it leisurely, and said, "You don't need to sell fine salt, just buy coarse salt."

The so-called coarse salt is unrefined salt with many impurities in it. This kind of salt tastes very bitter, but it is cheap. Fine salt is the salt with the bitterness removed, and the price is relatively high.The salt used by ordinary people these days is basically coarse salt, but people like the Song family must eat fine salt.

Song Chenrui looked embarrassed and said: "Third sister, is this not good? How unpalatable is the coarse salt pickling? Sour and bitter?"

Song Qingyue smiled and said: "Do you still remember that when I was young, I refined fine salt at home, but my father forbade me to do it again. But now I can teach you the method, which can save a lot of expenses. But only one , you can’t pass on this method, you can only use it behind closed doors. Otherwise, I have nothing to do with the trouble the court makes for you.”

"That's good! That's good! The third sister has more ways to do it!"

Song Chenrui immediately beamed with joy.

(End of this chapter)