Linxia

Chapter 209, Unification

"It was that Deputy Chief Fang who stabilized the Ma, Shao, and Duan families. How did he do it?"

Gu Shiyu couldn't think of what bargaining chips Fang Lin could come up with that would make Ma, Shao, and Duan blinded by greed and let things go at this time.

Gu Tongren shook his head slightly, also without an answer, but it didn't matter. He looked at his son and took this opportunity to give him some advice: "Yu'er, think about the cause and effect of this matter."

Gu Shiyu recalled that he had taken action from his own family to cut off Fang Lin's shipping channels, but the other party was not panicked at all, as if they had been prepared. They immediately formed their own fleet, from ships to people, and caught them off guard. When they realized this, they wanted to unite the Ma, Shao, and Duan families to suppress them, but they were predicted...

Every time I feel complacent, I am outnumbered and my attempts to block them fail... This kind of crushing of intelligence really makes people want to vomit blood.

"That Assistant Officer Fang has thought of everything before us. Considering his background and the current state of the Ma, Shao and Duan families, I'm afraid we can't stop him." He analyzed rationally.

"Yes!"

Gu Tongren pondered for a moment and made up his mind: "The Ma, Shao, and Duan families are not worth cooperating with. Aren't they just looking at our factories and fleets because they let us take the lead every time? Oh, contact that Fang Chenshi. As long as he offers a suitable price, we will sell our factories and fleets to him... However, in return, he needs to support us in the fight for land in the riverside area outside the city."

This is a timely stop loss.

At present, the factory and fleet industry seem to be doing well, but it is obvious that as Fang Lin gains momentum, the value will become lower and lower. If we don’t sell it for a good price now while it is still valuable, when will we sell it?
What's more, he could also gain Fang Lin's support by establishing new industries and competing for the land along the river outside the city. Why not do it?
“This…” When Gu Shiyu heard what his father said, he felt that his three views were overturned for a moment. They were clearly enemies just now, scheming against each other, so why are they cooperating again all of a sudden?

But think about it, this is not a bad move, and it is even a very smart move, but there is one thing...

"Dad, now that our family cannot unite with the Ma, Shao, and Duan families, and that Deputy Director Fang has already won, will the other party agree to buy our factories and fleets?"

"Yu'er, you only know one side of the story, not the other."

Gu Tongren showed a shrewd look, "You also heard what Butler Chang said just now. The Ma, Shao, and Duan families are still hesitating. This means that they have not made up their minds yet, or they are dissatisfied with the price offered by Fang Chenshi and are still wrangling... In this case, Fang Chenshi has won, but not completely. It is unknown what changes may have occurred in the middle. But if he swallows up our factory and fleet industry, the overall situation will be determined. By then, even if the Ma, Shao, and Duan families unite again, they will not be able to make any waves."

"At the same time, buying our factories and fleets can also reduce enemies and gain a friend."

Yes, the dispute between Fang Lin and the Gu family is only over the route. Fang Lin has reasons not to give up the factories and fleet industries, but there is no conflict in other aspects. Now, if the Gu family takes a step back and this sticking point is gone, it is not impossible to turn enemies into friends.

However, with this move by the Gu family, they have gotten rid of the pressure, but the Ma, Shao and Duan families will be in trouble.

"Dad, you are right, I agree with this move!"

Gu Shiyu still felt somewhat unwilling, but he realized that this was the best solution at the moment. He had also been taught the concept of "stop loss in time" since he was a child, so he immediately agreed. At the same time, he also felt a little pleased.

In the past, the Ma, Shao and Duan families relied on the fact that the Gu family had the largest factories and fleets to take the lead. Now that the Gu family has sold their factories and fleets, the Ma, Shao and Duan families will no longer have a "meat shield" and will have to face Fang Lin directly, which makes him feel quite relieved.

It's just a betrayal of teammates, who wouldn't do that? Come on, let's hurt each other!

……

On that day, Fang Lin received the message from the Gu family who asked Xu Kuo Lao to deliver it.

"The Gu family is scared by the Ma, Shao, and Duan families and they don't want to play with them anymore."

As Xu Kuo Lao spoke, he laughed and asked, "Brother Fang, are we going to buy the Gu family's factory and fleet?"

"Yes, of course. If the Gu family dares to sell, we dare to buy. Once we take over the Gu family's factories and fleets and digest and integrate them, we won't be afraid even if the Ma, Shao, and Duan families join forces to suppress us."

Among the factories and fleet industries in Huai'an Prefecture, the Gu family has the largest scale. Any of the Ma, Shao, and Duan families cannot compare to the Gu family, but when added together, they are larger than the Gu family.

Fang Lin is the fifth oldest. If he could swallow up the Gu family's factories and fleets like a snake, he could even surpass the Ma, Shao and Duan families combined. This is what Gu Tongren said, "the overall situation has been decided."

"The Gu family is still sincere and offers the market price. But even at the market price, these factories and fleets are not cheap. They cost at least hundreds of thousands of taels." Xu Kuo Lao sighed.

“It’s not cheap, but it’s worth it.”

Fang Lin was indeed rich. He made a fortune from four volumes of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, two volumes of Journey to the West, and one volume of Fengshen.

However, the construction of factories, investment in the Nanyang Fleet, the poaching of people by the Nanyang Fleet, the purchase of ships, and this time the swallowing up of the Gu family's factories and fleet assets are almost all gone.

"It's gone, it's gone, but it stays with me in another form." Fang Lin is not a miser, he knows that money is to be used, otherwise it has no value at all.

Only by investing money into factories and fleets and turning them into real industries can it be transformed into one's own foundation and strength.

"The Gu family has another condition. They want us to support their fight for land outside the city."

"Promise them."

Different from these big families, Fang Lin has no feelings about land at all, because he knows that if the Tartars go south, all these lands will probably be in vain. In this case, if the Gu family wants, why not support them?
It is worth mentioning that he is currently unaware of the possible bankruptcy of the land because he has no feelings about the land. In addition, he has been focusing on his own affairs recently and naturally has not paid much attention to other things.

"That's good. This way, once we buy the Gu family's factories and fleet, the Gu, Ma, Shao, and Duan families will no longer be able to unite. We'll have one less opponent and one more friend."

"Yes!"

Fang Lin nodded slightly. The Gu family withdrew from the factory and fleet industries. The fundamental contradiction between the two sides was eliminated and they were no longer enemies: "On the contrary, the Ma, Shao, and Duan families have become the biggest opponents."

"Speaking of which, how do you plan to deal with the Ma, Shao, and Duan families, Brother Fang?" "Of course, we will swallow up the factories and fleets of the three families and unify Huai'an. Huai'an is too small, and one overlord is enough for the factories and fleet industries."

"Okay, that suits my taste." Looking at Fang Lin's domineering side, Xu Kuo Lao clinked his glasses and drank heartily, feeling very happy: "But Brother Fang, I have to remind you that you just bought the Gu family's factory and fleet assets, do you still have money?"

“I don’t have money, but I still want it. I’ll just trade it for my expectations.”

Fang Lin did not explain this "expectation", but asked: "Brother Xu, do you know how I can stabilize the Ma, Shao, and Duan families?"

"The reason why the Ma, Shao and Duan families can ignore their immediate losses must be due to greater benefits. It should be an industry that makes more money than factories and fleets. I can't think of what it is specifically." Xu Kuo shook his head.

"Brother Xu is smart!"

Fang Lin didn't keep the secret any longer and gave the answer: "A business, the soap business."

Initially, after developing the formula for the perfume, he intentionally accumulated similar technical expertise. He had already made the soap a long time ago, but he only brought it out now.

——Come to think of it, because I remembered the chemical equations, making soap was much smoother than developing the perfume.

Nowadays in Daxia, as for bathing products, wealthy families mostly make their own bath beans and fat beads, while ordinary people just use rice washing water or some wood ash from the stove.

"The reason why the soap I made was accepted by the Ma, Shao, and Duan families and recognized its value was not only because of the practical experience, but also because of the Fan family's fragrant dew business. "

Although the Fan family's perfume business requires high investment, it has high profits and low risks, which has made the Ma, Shao, and Duan families jealous. Now, Fang Lin has taken out a thing called "soap", which has medium investment, high returns, and low risks. How can it not make people excited?
In fact, if someone else came, there would not be such an effect. That is to say, Fang Lin is a master of popular novels and the president of the Huai'an Popular Novel Guild. Ma, Shao and Duan believe that Fang Lin can definitely open up the market.

"I also said that compared to the perfume business, which can only do high-end business, soap can cover all high, medium and low-end markets. It's no wonder that Ma, Shao and Duan couldn't hold on and lost their bottom line."

Fang Lin explained the "soap" thing to Xu Kuo Lao, and then said: "Originally, in the factory and fleet industries, facing the threat of our rise, the Ma, Shao, and Duan families would definitely agree to the Gu family's joint suppression. However, when I brought up the "soap" business, the situation was different. They saw greater benefits. Under this circumstance, they no longer had the determination to unite and suppress us, and became shaken and hesitant..."

As we all know, hesitation leads to defeat.

"I understand. It's just like attacking a city in a war. You surround it on three sides and leave one side open to prevent the enemy from becoming desperate... Damn it, you even use the art of war to do business. You scholars are just too cunning." Xu Kuo scolded with a smile.

"Haha!" Fang Lin also laughed and continued, "If the Ma, Shao, and Duan families wanted to cooperate with me in the 'soap' business, they would not agree to the joint suppression of the Gu family. Now, the three of them are acting hesitant. They are thinking of using the Gu family to control me and get more shares!"

"But now, the Gu family has directly sold their own factories and fleet industries. Now the Ma, Shao and Duan families have no bargaining chips. What can they use to bargain? I can imagine how dumbfounded they will be when they find out." Xu Kuo Lao laughed.

It is said that the Ma, Shao and Duan families have cheated the Gu family many times, and now they have been cheated hard by the Gu family. It is really the law of karma.

"Yes!"

Fang Lin listened with a smile on his face. "Before this, I stabilized the Ma, Shao, and Duan families, and let the Gu family see that they cannot be in conflict with the three families. So they can see the situation clearly, give up the factories and fleets, and stop losses in time. After buying the factories and fleets from the Gu family, I can use the Gu family's move to pressure the Ma, Shao, and Duan families."

Before, when he went to negotiate, the heads of the Ma, Shao and Duan families all made exorbitant demands, often asking for 30% or 50% of the shares. Now that the Gu family has taken the lead in selling out their teammates and has cheated the Ma, Shao and Duan families, leaving them with no bargaining chips, it seems that the negotiations will be much easier.

……

When it came to buying the Gu family’s factories and fleet, Fang Lin grasped two key points: speed and secrecy.

Perhaps it was because they had been cheated by the Ma, Shao and Duan families in the past and were resentful, or perhaps it was because they wanted to do a favor for Mai Lin. In short, the Gu family fully cooperated with this.

After the transaction was completed and the handover began, it could no longer be concealed, so it was publicized with great fanfare to let the Ma, Shao and Duan families know.

……

Here, the Ma, Shao, and Duan families originally wanted to use the Gu family to control Fang Lin and obtain more shares in the "soap" business, but they did not expect that the Gu family would decisively invest. This unexpected backstab directly caused them to lose the bargaining chips in their hands.

Just as mentioned before, after Fang Lin bought the Gu family's factory and fleet assets, the joint suppression by the Ma, Shao and Duan families was in vain, which really made them regret their decision!

——In fact, when Fang Lin brought out the "soap" business, the Ma, Shao and Duan families were tempted and lost the courage to fight to the death. At that moment, they entered Fang Lin's rhythm and lost without losing.

Previously, Fang Lin promised to give 20% of shares to each of the Ma, Shao and Duan families in exchange for their factories and fleet industries. They thought it was too little and wanted to bargain. Now they have lost the initiative. The heads of the three families came to him, but Fang Lin was unwilling to give them even 20% of the shares and asked them to pay a higher price.

The situation is stronger than people, and the Ma, Shao and Duan families can only accept it with a wry smile. What else can they do?

On the one hand, they can see the potential of the 'soap' business, which is even more profitable than the Fan family's perfume business; on the other hand, Fang Lin's domination of the Huai'an factory and fleet industry is a foregone conclusion. If they don't use their own fleet and factory industries, which still have some value, to exchange for the brighter and more promising soap business shares, and wait any longer, they will be squeezed by Fang Lin, and the shares will only depreciate more and more, and eventually end up in their hands!

Finally, after repeated negotiations, the Ma, Shao, and Duan families contributed their factories, fleets, and certain amounts of silver as subsidies in exchange for a 15% stake in the "soap" business.

Fang Lin finally completed the last piece of the puzzle after acquiring the factories and fleet industries of the Ma, Shao and Duan families. He completely dominated the factories and fleet industries in Huai'an and became the overlord of this industry.

……

The Gu, Ma, Shao, and Duan families sold their factories and fleets one after another. In the blink of an eye, the factories and fleets in Huai'an changed dramatically. Fang Lin completed all this at lightning speed, and then cooperated with the Ma, Shao, and Duan families to run the "soap" business...

When these blockbuster news came out one after another, other families in the city learned about them and immediately launched an investigation. Then they were stunned and were simply overwhelmed by Fang Lin's actions.

……

(End of this chapter)