Lin Gao Qiming

Chapter 273 Sweet Hong Kong Situation - Intervene

"Okay, I will tell them to build a special yard in the sugar factory for you to use."

"No," Bei Wei refused, "It's too eye-catching, we won't be here soon."

"Alright, Qiwei has inns in Haikang and Xuwen counties, where you can settle down and rest. Also, the South China Sugar Factory's industries can also settle down, but the conditions are average. I'll arrange someone to inform .”

"No need. We'll stay in inns all the way. Try not to have anything to do with the South China Sugar Factory."

"Do we have any mission?" Chang Shide was very excited.

"No." Bei Wei answered simply.

Chen Tianxiong said: "The sugar factory has no specific tasks, as long as we cooperate with the actions. I will do the specific things. But I am usually a technician in the sugar factory."

No intelligence work pleases Wentong, he is not interested in such things.There are still a lot of things that have not been dealt with in the sugar factory.

"The Tang Seng Project is a long-term action, and the last few years have been in the preparation stage." Chen Tianxiong said, "How is our relationship with the local government?"

"The relationship is not bad, but the friendship is not deep," Wen Tong introduced several recent negotiations with the yamen, including the renovation of the sugar factory and the maintenance of order. "...Generally speaking, there are not many contacts."

"I think there will be more in the near future." Chen Tianxiong said with a smile, "Now even a blind person can see that you have made a lot of money, and there will be troubles in the future."

"Yeah, I'm also worried about this." Wen Tong said worriedly, "Although Qiwei's bodyguard bureau has prepared a certain foundation for us, but their foundation is still very shallow after all. I'm afraid they can't handle some things."

"If it doesn't work, let's spend money to buy Ping An." Chang Shide said, "How about giving some dry shares to the officials? A protective umbrella. Fortunately, Leizhou will be ours after two years."

"Try to pull the local officials into the water and form a community of interests." This is the executive committee's instruction to all traversers who enter the Ming District for activities.

"That's fine," Wen Tong nodded, "but the specifics of how to do it have to be reported to the executive committee. Speaking of which, our place is too inconvenient. We don't even have a radio station. There is a 5W radio station in a place like Yanchang Village."

"The executive committee of the radio station will probably allocate one to you soon. The mass production of the radio station will soon be on the horizon. The glass factory has been experimenting with drawing glass tubes every day recently, and Dr. Zhong has already started to do it." Chen Tianxiong said.

"Building a radio station?" Wen Tong didn't quite believe it, "Isn't it too sophisticated?"

"He has a lot of high-tech things to build: clocks, batteries, and water gas airships. I don't think airships are very reliable, so let's listen to him anyway."

"I've argued with him about that airship in the past, and it's not realistic at all. Dr. Zhong has read too much, so he takes it for granted." Chang Shide disagreed.

"If he can make it, let's get us a vacuum pot and a centrifuge." Wen Tong only thought about his sugar.

"It's probably not difficult for him. By the way, I heard that we are coming this time, and he asked me to tell you something: Xuwen is very rich in diatomaceous earth, more than Lingao. It can be used to make white sugar." Filter with this."

"Really? Then I have to ask someone to look for it. The efficiency of getting the yellow muddy water is really bad." Wen Tong was refreshed after hearing this, "If this goes on, the labor cost of a ton of white sugar is really too high."

The price of brown sugar is much lower than that of white sugar, and it is more profitable to process it into white sugar and then sell it. Recently, Wentong has been thinking hard about whether they can come up with a white sugar process that is within their capabilities but with higher processing efficiency.There are more and more brown sugar in the warehouse.In the past, when there were no steel rollers, the average yield of brown granulated sugar per mu of sugarcane field was about three stones. Now that the juice yield has been increased, the yield per mu is more than five stones.The sugarcane field under the name of the South China Factory alone can produce 24 shi of brown sugar, plus the processing fee for processing on behalf of others, the red granulated sugar in the warehouse is piled up like a mountain, with a total of more than [-] shi.And the output of the sugar workshop in two shifts [-] hours a day is only five or six shi.

While talking, Wenxiu came to report: The pigeon from Guangzhou has arrived, and sent a secret letter.

Chang Shide let him go out, took out a cipher book from the room, and started to decode.A few people looked at him eagerly. A few minutes later, Chang Shide said happily: "Zhang Xin wrote to say that all the sugar in stock should be shipped out quickly, and the brown sugar is also needed. The market is quite good: the market in Guangzhou is three or two Eight coins, it seems that it will go up! He said that if you can buy it, you will buy it as much as possible. It can be exchanged for silver when you ship it to Guangzhou!"

"Great," Wen Tong was very excited, "I heard from Liao Dahua that the purchase price on Hai'an Street is only twenty-five yuan!"

Chang Shide said: "Then let's buy in threes and twos!" Everyone laughed, and the feeling of earning huge profits was really good.

Wen Tong smiled and said: "If he doesn't write, I still want to write a letter to ask what to do with the candy. Several local sugar shops have approached me to buy our candy, but I hesitated and did not agree to sell it. Fortunately, If you don't sell it, you will lose a lot!"

Chang Shide said: "In this case, we still have to ask him to buy it!"

"That's no need to think about it. They will only know the market in Guangzhou better than us. Huh!" Wen Tong probably didn't have much impression of these sugar shops.

"Never mind him, this will be our world from now on." Chang Shide said, opened the door and called Wenxiu, "Go and invite shopkeeper Liao here."

For this month, they have been trying to find a local shopkeeper who is familiar with the sugar business to handle the sugar factory's foreign negotiations. They specially asked Liao Dahua to accompany him to Hai'an Street and the county to look for another shopkeeper, but they found nothing. .No one is willing to change jobs, and more people express doubts: You are Tangliao, do you need the shopkeeper of Tanghang?

In this way, Liao Dahua became their only local foreign agent.For convenience, Liao Dahua simply lived in the courtyard of the South China factory. Fortunately, it was less than two or three miles away from the county town. If there was anything to be taken care of in the Escort branch, he would have time to go back immediately.

When Liao Dahua came to the study, Bei Wei didn't want to show up too much, so he hid in the wing room.Wen Tong told Liao Dahua about his plan to buy sugar on a large scale.Ask him to build a team - even if there is no manager in charge of the sugar shop, they plan to do it themselves.

Liao Dahua shook his head again and again: "Master, this is not right."

"What's wrong?"

"Master doesn't know something," Liao Dahua said, "The sugar in Leizhou has always been purchased by the sugar shop on Hai'an Street..."

"He takes his, I take mine, it doesn't matter to everyone." Wen Tong was surprised.

But Chang Shide understood: "They monopolize it, right?"

"Exactly." Liao Dahua said.There are a total of 21 sugar stores on Hai'an Street, forming a sugar industry association "Haiyitang". All sugar produced in Leizhou must be exported through their hands.The annual purchase price of sugar is weighed after the public discussion in the hall.If outsiders do not join the "Haiyitang", they cannot get involved in the purchase of sugar.

"So that's how it is." Wen Tong nodded. There really are such monopoly organizations everywhere.

"It's strange, why can't you get involved, why?" Chang Shide was very unconvinced.

"This..." Liao Dahua didn't even think about why it couldn't be done. The sugar shops on Hai'an Street have monopolized Leizhou's sugar exports for decades, and everyone regarded it as a normal practice. "The shopkeepers didn't know that the sugar farmers didn't have big ships, so they couldn't transport them by themselves. So they entrusted these sugar companies to ship the sugar to other places for consignment sales. After the sales were finished, the sugar companies would settle the bill with the sugar farmers. At the checkout, two deductions are taken as a commission. Over time, due to the drift of the sea and the fear of robbery, the sugar shop sometimes swallowed up the money, and gradually it became the current cash purchase, and the sugar shop earned more. Sugarcane farmers are also willing - after all, they are taking a lot of risks."

"It turned out to be like this. It's nothing." Wen Tong said, "We also took these risks. We will prepare for it tomorrow and prepare to open the scales to collect sugar in a few days!"

Liao Dahua's lips moved, as if he still wanted to persuade him, Chang Shide said with a smile: "Just do some business, it's a big deal. In this way, we will give the Qiwei Escort the second deduction for the purchased candies."

Two deduction is 2%, which is not a decimal.Not only is it of great benefit to the Escort, but it can also save a lot of money.Thinking of the wealth and power of these Australian merchants, Liao Dahua became more courageous, and replied: "Since the shopkeepers have made up their minds, let the small ones handle it. I know a little bit about the business of sugar shops, so I will prepare now!" Then he said goodbye and went out.

Chen Tianxiong said, "Isn't it a little risky to do this? Haven't you considered the opponent's counterattack?"

"It doesn't matter." Wen Tong said, "I have been to Hai'an Street, and I have seen a few shopkeepers. The sugar shops are all serious business. In fact, they are managing the entire Hai'an Street. The order is very good and well organized."

Chen Tianxiong shook his head: "Old man, I'm not talking too much—this is your jurisdiction, but you should know that interest groups have always used everything to protect their own interests. Don't sell sugar to The sugar shop shipped it out by itself, which is already a violation of their taboo, and now they are accepting sugar, this conflict of interest is almost to the point of life and death."

"Is it that exaggerated?" Wen Tong expressed doubts.

"Fortunately, you are still a person who has passed through the society." Chen Tianxiong said, "Do you really think that the people in the 17th century were simple and honest, and the houses were not closed at night when they were not picked up on the road? Which of the ugly things in society has not existed since ancient times? Businessmen tend to Li, don’t I need to recite Marx’s evaluation of capitalists?”

"What do you think?" Wen Tong thought about what he said, and it made sense. The so-called ancient people's simplicity, he has known for a long time in this time and space that it is not inevitable: people in this time and space are the same as modern people: there are good people, There are also bad people, more of them are silent, ordinary people who are neither too good nor bad at all.

Bei Wei made a rare speech: "Chen Tianxiong's statement should be considered. What if the other party counterattacks?"

"Before we are fledgling, it is best not to touch this cake." Chen Tianxiong suggested.

"I don't think there is any need to be so nervous." Chang Shide thought for a long time and said, "The sugar shops on Hai'an Street are just ordinary merchants. How many tricks can they have? The big deal is that the relationship with the county government and the government government is better. We Now there is a way in Guangzhou, the Leizhou government government and the county government of Haikang and Xuwen can all talk. What can I do?"

After some discussion, Chen Tianxiong saw that they had made up their minds, and that he was not the decision-maker of the South China factory, so talking too much would be detrimental and not conducive to future work, so he no longer insisted on his opinion.Just remind them to be prepared for the situation.Bei Wei was not interested in these things and kept silent.Looking boredly at the hills of bagasse piled higher and higher outside the courtyard wall, I suddenly asked:

"What about the by-products of sugar production?"

"There are many uses, but there must be equipment. Speaking of this, I also want to report to the executive committee, and some fermentation equipment and strains must be allocated." Wen Tong introduced the recycling of sugarcane by-products: strict system There is no waste in the process of sugar industry, even waste water can produce things.

Alcohol, glycerin, acetone, butanol, citric acid, and yeast can be produced by diluting molasses and adding different strains of fermentation.Bagasse can be used to make paper and furfural, cane wax can be extracted from the filtered sludge, and the rest can be used as fertilizer.As for the sugarcane leaves cleaned from the sugarcane itself, they can be used as feed. The sugarcane heads and tails are low in sugar and will be cut off before entering the press. However, although there is little sugar, they can still be used to make wine or extract alcohol.

"These are actually relatively simple to recycle, and bagasse can also recycle aconitic acid," Wen Tong said. "To what extent it can be used depends on how many bacteria and chemicals we have available, and the necessary equipment. .”

"What the South China factory can use locally is probably to use molasses to make alcohol and bagasse to make paper?" Chang Shide said.

"It's impossible to make paper." Wen Tong recently investigated the fuel situation of the boiler. "It's almost as if all the bagasse is used for fire."

"Such a waste……"

"Then we have to buy coal to burn the boiler. To be honest, I still hope to use coal to burn the boiler. The water in the bagasse is too large. If it weren't for the cheap manpower here, the manpower spent on turning the bagasse every day is enough for us. Bankrupt." Wen Tong said, "Industrialization is good, but it consumes too much. Now I doubt whether the bagasse will be enough to burn until the end of the harvesting season."

Naturally, it is possible to buy coal. It is not far from here to Hongji, Vietnam to buy coal.Moreover, Gaozhou is not far from Leizhou, where there is a large coal mining area in Guangdong Province, which is now the Maoming mining area.However, this mining area was only sporadically mined in the Ming Dynasty.It's not bad as a fuel supplement.At least it is much shorter than the journey of coal shipped from Guangzhou.

"Then set up a coal shop." Chang Shide had a quick mind, "There are few people who use coal here, and most of them still burn firewood. We may be able to do some business by importing coal for our own use."

"Okay, anyway, it doesn't cost much. Just leave it to Qiwei to do it."

(End of this chapter)