Late Ming sea owl

Chapter 164 Huiyou Company
After recruiting He Liangtao, Lin Hai started working non-stop. The first task before him was to establish a joint-stock company as soon as possible.

With Shi Bi, Miguel and others returning from Haojing, the number of people receiving wages from Lin Hai has expanded to nearly 6000, including more than 2000 people who came back from Haojing, and 500 people from Zhoushan Camp, including the Security Department, Construction There are 200 people in the Tamsui Civil Affairs Bureau, including the company, and more than 800 sailors led by Zheng Tingqiu.

This does not include the slave workers in Tamsui, the immigrants from Wanhua, and the Japanese led by Umino Zuobei. Although these people do not need to be paid, Lin Hai is still in charge of the food.

But so far, these people do not have a unified organization, and their subordinates also call Lin Hai various names. Some are called Big Brother, some are called Uncle Lin, some are called Master Lin, Lin Qianhu, and some are called Lin Hai. The boss, the big boss, it’s just a mess.

The establishment of a joint-stock company is to straighten out the organizational structure and personnel relations, and clarify the organization's operating mechanism and everyone's rights and responsibilities. Of course, the core issue is the distribution of benefits.

The reason why this matter is urgent is that the south wind season is about to end, and Lin Hai must send people to Pi Island as soon as possible in order to fulfill the business agreement between him, Shen Shikui and the North Korean rebel.

Before Shi Bi came back, Lin Hai had drafted a company's articles of association and had plans for the main personnel arrangements. Before the promulgation of the charter and formal personnel appointments, he felt it necessary to touch the stone wall first.

That night, he did not arrange a group dinner for the senior staff, but had a simple home-cooked meal with Shi Bi and Zhu Niang.

After finishing the meal, Lin Hai said to Shibi: "Brother, do you still remember the joint-stock company I told you about when I was in Chongming? Now that you have returned from Haojing, I think it is time to set up this organization."

Shi Bi nodded and said, "Just tell me, I'm listening."

"Let me first talk about why our organization is called a company instead of a trading company. The reason why we call it this name is to tell everyone that this organization is not mine alone, but is shared by everyone. This is what I hope you can The first point of understanding.”

In fact, the word company first appeared in the coastal rural areas of Fujian. It was originally a clan autonomous organization and was later adopted by maritime merchants as the name of a trading organization. For example, Zheng Zhilong’s trading group was later called company, and later Lanfang appeared in Nanyang. Quasi-state organizations such as corporations.

"The purpose is to make the brothers feel that they are the masters of the gang, right?" Shi Bi roughly understood what Lin Hai meant, but he was not too interested in this kind of word game. What the sea man valued was actual interests.

"You're right, but it's not just about letting them think it. We want the core backbone to actually become the owners of the company, or to be more precise, become the owner. In addition to other personnel, they will also have the opportunity Become an owner of the company.”

"Is it the top stock that the Shanxi businessman you mentioned last time? The one who distributed dividends to the brothers." Shi Bi still remembers this incident, mainly because Lin Hai distributed more than 12 taels of silver in the Japanese country at one time , which made him quite painful.

Lin Hai smiled when he heard this and said: "You remember it very clearly. The brothers who received the dividends must know what the top stock is. This time everyone is definitely rushing to get it."

"In addition to dividends to shareholders, we also need to involve the core senior personnel in the company's business decisions, which involves the company's power mechanism."

Lin Hai said and added: "First of all, we need to have a charter. This charter is open to all members of the company. Everything must be done in accordance with the charter. I have drafted a copy of this and will give it to you to a few key personnel before it is officially promulgated. Take a look, and you can find someone who can read to read it to you."

"Why go to all this trouble? Let's discuss the matter and you can make the final decision." Shi Bi said with a smile. Since he believed that Lin Hai had the blessing of Mazu, he no longer had the idea of ​​competing with his sister-in-law to be the boss.

"Of course it's not impossible. If the company's articles of association stipulate that I alone exercise the decision-making power, that's okay." Lin Hai said, "But I didn't stipulate this in the original articles of association. Instead, the board of directors will act as the The highest authority.”

In later corporate laws, the shareholders' meeting is the highest authority. Lin Hai actually refers to the governance structure of VOC. Of course, the directors here are not elected by various business houses like VOC.

"The board of directors has three main powers. The first is to review and amend the company's articles of association. The second is to decide on the joining and withdrawal of board members. The third is to vote on major issues in the company's operating decisions. Every director is qualified to raise the issue at the meeting. own opinion."

After listening to Lin Hai's words, Shi Bi frowned and said, "Why is this?"

Lin Haidao: “Because we alone cannot control East Asian trade, we need to attract more people with strong resources to join the company, such as Xu Xinsu from Xiamen, Li Guozhu from Hirado, Ou Zuoji from Nagasaki, and Shen Tingyang from Chongming. , and even the Ming Dynasty gentry, officials and Japanese nobles behind them. We need a credible mechanism to balance the interests of all parties."

"Is this useful?" Shi Bi expressed confusion about Lin Hai's statement. "If we don't recognize the board of directors' decision, what can they do? Most of the brothers will definitely listen to us."

"You're right. If it's like you said, they actually have no other choice but to withdraw from the company with their own people." Lin Hai replied with a smile, "But I don't intend to do that. I said The credibility of the company’s articles of association must be ensured.”

The reason why the articles of association of later generations of companies are effective is because of the state's endorsement, but there is no country behind the company Lin Hai wants to establish. In other words, his company is a quasi-state to a certain extent. It can be said that it is both an athlete and a referee. .

Shi Bi added: "Then if other directors don't recognize the board of directors' decision, what can the company do against them?"

"It's very simple. A director who refuses to implement the resolution of the board of directors will automatically withdraw from the company by default. From then on, he will no longer share interests with us within the company's framework, but he can still be the company's business partner." Lin Hai added, "Of course , if he chooses to become the company’s enemy, or does something detrimental to the company’s interests, then our military is not a vegetarian.”

Seeing that Shibi still didn't understand, Lin Hai said again: "Let me give you an example. In terms of trade with Japan, we are actually competing with the Li and Xu families. If one day Zheng Zhilong is destroyed, what do you think? Will the two parties still be friends?"

"As time goes by, I'm afraid the possibility of turning against each other will be greater." Shi Bi said, changing the topic, "But if that day comes, we can completely destroy them. Anyway, you have the supply of goods from Zhejiang, and you can also say that in Japan. Talk."

"You are right, but there is endless business in this world. We cannot open up all trade channels, nor can we eliminate all competitors. Instead of doing this, we might as well incorporate some competitors into the company Under the framework, we can jointly deal with other enemies.”

Lin Hai said and added: "To use the example just now, if Li and Xu join the company, then their assets must be managed uniformly by the company, and the distribution of interests must be open and transparent. Naturally, there will be no competition between the two parties. As for How many shares they hold in the company can be discussed at that time, as long as both parties can accept it." "That means everyone must work together." Shi Bi finally understood what Lin Hai meant.

"Yes, that's what it means." Lin Hai nodded. In fact, eliminating competition among companies was also the original intention of VOC when it was established.

Of course, this is not the main reason why he designed this mechanism, but because he wants to set an example for the company's corporate governance model. Just like his previous dividend distribution, it also paved the way for subsequent equity distribution.

After all, he is building a quasi-state. In the future, it is impossible to develop industry and commerce in a purely government-run way like the Construction Department as it is now. Instead, more private enterprises are needed to flourish.

How should the interests of these private enterprises be protected? The core point is to implement the rule of law and protect private property. Otherwise, it will become like the Ming Dynasty, where wealthy businessmen and businessmen are all white gloves of the emperor, vassal kings, eunuchs, officials or gentry.

To implement the legal system, the company's own management must be sufficiently standardized. In other words, in the future, there will be a company law in this quasi-country. Business operators must first register a company. The company's articles of association and equity structure must be registered with the civil affairs department and be protected by law.

These obviously have nothing to do with Shi Bi. Lin Hai then said to Shi Bi and Zhu Niang: "I think there will be six initial members of the board of directors. In addition to the three of us, there are also Zheng Tingqiu, Miguel and Wu Guoyi. As for the voting rights, As the founder, I have two votes, and each of the other directors has one vote. Do you have any objections?"

"Who is Wu Guoyi?" Shibi just arrived in Tamsui this morning and has not heard of Wu Guoyi yet.

Lin Hai then briefly told him about the situation in Zhoushan Camp. After hearing this, Shibi said: "I have no objection, just make up your mind."

"I thought you would raise objections to the last two people." Lin Hai smiled upon hearing this.

After all, Shi Bi didn't get along well with Miguel before, and Wu Guoyi's qualifications were actually a bit shallow, and he wasn't the one who brought capital to invest in the company. It was purely Lin Hai's personal wish to push him to the top.

"Since that ghost guy from the Hexiang family has brought his son to Tamsui, it doesn't matter if he is one of them. As for Wu Guoyi, I don't know him either, so I just listen to you." Shi Bi added, "Anyway, I listen to him. Yours, Zhu Niang must also listen to you, the three of us have four votes, and the others have only three votes in total."

"Yes, that's what it is." Lin Hai replied with a smile. In fact, whether it is a dishonor or a dictatorship, it is just a superficial thing, and the operation of power has a more underlying logic.

It is possible that a de facto dictator will emerge under a democratic system, and a nominal dictator must also balance the interests of all parties. Politics is always an art of compromise, and it has nothing to do with the system you adopt.

Based on Lin Hai's position in the company, his proposal can definitely be passed by the board of directors. If it fails to be passed, it only means that his proposal has caused public outrage and is impossible to implement.

Next, Lin Hai talked about the organizational structure and personnel arrangements. Shi Bi did not raise any objections. Finally, he just asked: "You haven't mentioned the name of the company after talking for so long. What do you plan to call it?"

"Let's call it Huiyou Company." Lin Hai replied. The name actually came from an escort agency in later generations. He thought it was more appropriate. Isn't doing business about making more friends?

A few days later, the founding meeting of Huiyou Company was held in Tamsui. Before that, the board members had held the first session of the board of directors to review and approve the company's articles of association proposed by Lin Hai.

Participants in the company's founding meeting included board members, chief officers of various departments of the Tamsui Civil Affairs Bureau, officers from the Zhoushan Battalion and above, and captains of various ships, a total of about 50 people.

Those who currently own shares are these people, plus the old employees who joined in Haojing and Chongming.

"This is the flag of Huiyou Company. From now on, all the company's ships must fly it." At the last stage of the meeting, Lin Hai ordered someone to take out the flag he designed himself and show it to his key staff, "Everyone Guess what this flag means?"

Everyone looked at the blue flag and saw a sword drawn on it, standing on an open book. They were all confused for a moment.

"I guess it means the sword in the book of war." After a while, He Liangtao, deputy director of the Construction Department of Tamsui Civil Affairs Bureau, replied, twirling his beard.

"Deputy Director He is worthy of being a man of culture. He always makes allusions when he opens his mouth." Lin Hai said with a smile, "But unfortunately, I, Mr. Lin, am a rough guy. The book in this is actually not a military book, but an account book. If you don't Guess what I mean."

Seeing everyone looking at each other, Lin Hai revealed the answer himself: "Blue represents the ocean, the sword represents force, and the account book represents money, so the meaning of this flag is to make money at sea with force. To put it more elegantly, it means to do business with the sword." .”

In fact, Lin Hai's inspiration for designing this flag came from a later book called "Muskets and Account Books". However, he felt that drawing a musket on the flag did not look good, so he replaced it with a sword.

"I hope everyone here will always remember that although we are a company that aims to make money, we can never forget that force is our strongest backing." Lin Hai ended the founding meeting of Huiyou Company with these words.

The next day after the meeting, the Ganfu and a bird boat left Tamsui. It was the Beiyang caravan led by Zheng Tingqiu. He wanted to go to Chongming first, then to Pi Island, and then to Hirado.

The night before leaving, Lin Hai and Zheng Tingqiu talked alone for a long time. No one knew what they talked about.

On the day when the Ganfu headed north, news suddenly came from Wulang that the Spanish second fleet had arrived at Keelung Port.

(End of this chapter)