Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 127 New Road
At the Pearl Fair, Bai Dexi, the second young master of the Bai family, said "10 taels" which really helped Cao Yong a lot. Many jewel merchants around his seat were shocked when they heard it. The price was too high and they lost the selection, so many people gritted their teeth and wrote a price that was higher than their own psychological price.

Therefore, in this bidding, the lowest one in the top ten also paid 11 yuan.

When Wei Xin announced the lowest price of the winning bid, everyone had mixed reactions.The sixteen companies that did not win the bid were naturally a little annoyed, because there were many speculators and those who wrote a hundred thousand with a fraction; and the jewelers who won the bid but bid higher than the lowest price were also annoyed.

The one who was most angry was Yang Mingchang. He looked at the words on the tray and wanted to write 15, but he was afraid that it would not be reliable, so he added another 1 taels, and wrote 16, which turned out to be 5% higher than the lowest price. Ten thousand taels!While he was hurting, he cursed the Zheng brothers and sisters for not helping his old father. He thought that he had obtained the secret recipe of pearls, and he must teach these unfilial sons a lesson!

Because all of them were hidden bid operations, the secret recipes were presented to the winning bidders separately, and there was only one copy of the original recipe, and everyone copied a copy by themselves.Those who want to be on the safe side naturally memorized the prescription firmly and tore it up that night to avoid any chance of leakage.

Whether they win the bid or not, everyone only knows about their own family and does not know about others, and the one who wins the bid does not show any trace.In the next two days, according to Cao Yong's idea, Wei Xin arranged for all the jewel merchants to spend two days in Jiangning for entertainment and banquets.All the jewelers left in a hurry, but most of them still had the mentality of hoping for a long-term cooperation in the future, so they stayed and made friends with Wei Xin for two days.

On the eighth day of the fifth lunar month, the last batch of pearl merchants was sent away, and Wei Xin was also free to report to Cao Yong.Excluding seven or eighty-eight expenses, the income of the entire Pearl Club is 140 taels of silver.

This also greatly exceeded Cao Yong's expectations. He originally thought that seven or eight million taels of silver would be a big deal. The debts of his bead farm and tea garden could be repaid after a few years of operation. Now it seems that the debts will be paid off in a blink of an eye.

With no debts and light weight, Cao Yong looked at the account books submitted by Wei Xinbao, let out a long sigh, and smiled a little more on his face.The sharp sword hanging above his head was finally removed. In the next few years, if he saved some money, he would have nothing to worry about.

Wei Xinxin was also very proud, and had more things to think about: "My lord, do you know how much money Liuhe Bank has lent to the pearl merchants in this pearl fair?"

Cao Yong said with a smile: "Don't be tricky, just say it!"

Wei Xin leaned over and stretched out his hand to measure the horoscope: "A total of 80 taels."

Cao Yong was a little surprised. In fact, the south of the Yangtze River is rich. There are a lot of rich families with millions of properties, but those properties are usually composed of real estate, fields, antiques and other variable properties. There are several 10 taels of cash in the family. There are not too many people.Although Liuhe Bank is known as the No. [-] bank in Jiangning, according to the information collected by Cao Yong and the others, the capital of Liuhe Bank is not particularly strong.Although Han Jiang's mother's family has some official connections, if the family background is really strong, those connections may not be able to stop others' greed?What's more, she is still a young widow now!

"It seems that we underestimated her." Cao Yong shook his head.

At the beginning, Cao Yong promised to let the Jiang family take 3 taels of "entry fee" to take over the business of lending money to the pearl merchants, but it was just a matter of going with the flow, but it was not without the intention of trying Jiang's family.The terms and conditions signed before were all guaranteed and risked by Liuhe Bank for this Pearl Fair.Unexpectedly, their hostess was really courageous, and happily accepted the seemingly unequal terms.At that time, Cao Yong and Wei Xin thought that the Jiang family would be able to take out five or six million taels of silver at most based on the intelligence analysis they had obtained.

"80 taels." Wei Xin clicked his tongue: "I sent someone to inquire about it, and the other businesses of Jiang's family were not affected at all. The 80 taels were taken out with ease! Wanjia property, if you look at it small nowadays, the cash alone is more than a million. There is no 60 million silver, and a bank dares to take out 80 taels for a loan like this?!"

Cao Yong saw that his eyes were flickering, full of calculations, and he couldn't help jokingly said: "What's your idea? Are you going to rob his house?"

Wei Xin shook his head and said, "Young Master, you are joking, the young ones have the heart but not the guts. However, there are some individual Taoists, the same as I mentioned with you earlier, trying to take their family's silver plate Our business."

Speaking of this, he paused, and explained to Cao Yong in detail: "After a while, the sea ships outside should go to Guangdong to unload their cargo one after another, and the thirteenth line also pays attention to stockpiling goods. It's not a big deal at all. The trick is to stock up when the stock is high and the price is low, and sell it when the stock is low and the price is high, so as to earn a profit. This is of course a test of vision, but it is also a struggle for wealth. Whoever has money will hoard more Whoever earns more will earn more, and we must not be afraid of putting down money. In the past three or four years, our business capital was not much, and we didn't dare to do this hoarding business by ourselves, but relying on some big households to earn a little bit of trouble, if now we If you can transfer the money from the Jiang family, even a small one is guaranteed to make you a lot of money!"

Cao Yong thought for a while, and asked: "Is it too risky to hoard goods? Not to mention the capital is suppressed, once the market is bad, all the goods will be lost."

Wei Xindao: "Young master is right. But the stockpiles in Guangdong are different from other places. They are all foreign goods. I don't even mention those clever items. A lot of gold and silver are forged, even if they are melted and cast for other things, they are still valuable. And as long as you don't eat food and clothing materials, don't rot or store it badly, if the local market is not good, you can transfer it to another place to sell it, but you will pay more shipping costs, and you won't be compensated. It's just a short of cost, or how much Thinking about the Jiang family's money!"

This is also the case when Cao Yong thinks about it. The quantity of foreign goods shipped to Guangdong in a year is limited. If there are not so many sources of goods, there will be no market run.Moreover, even if the local supply in Guangdong exceeds demand, as far as China as a whole is concerned, the demand is still far greater than the supply.At that time, it is just to make less money by transshipment, and the possibility of losing money is really very small.

Now, although the Cao family has obtained a million taels of silver in one fell swoop, they still have to pay off their debts.If you want to do this business, you have to find someone like the Jiang family.Regardless of the amount of assets or family background, the Jiang family is a suitable partner. In fact, there is no need to bully them, just ask Liuhe Bank to provide them with low-interest loans.

Cao Yong also made calculations in his heart.Now with the money that the pearls will earn, the Cao family’s foreign debts are basically cleared. The profits of the pearl garden and tea garden in three years will still belong to the Cao family. Is there any need to get involved in the business of hoarding goods?Is it safe to make money, or take some risks to make big money?However, he quickly thought of Li Xu's side. According to Li Xu's current actions, the Li family might collapse first in a few years.Although Cao Yong is not interested in planning for the Li family, let alone paying for the Li family, but after all, he is a close relative. If there is anything in the Li family, the Cao family will also be unlucky. Li holds more money to be prepared.

Cao Yong rubbed his temples: "It's a good way. But there are always some risks, and we have to think about it in the long run. This time the Pearl Fair ended smoothly, and there should be a celebration banquet, let's set it up tomorrow. Let's have a good time. We are cooperating, please invite them to come too, and then we can discuss our matter."

Wei Xin nodded in agreement, and the two discussed how to do the meal and how to negotiate a loan with the Jiang family.It wasn't until the discussion was settled that Fang broke up.

*
Back in the mansion, Cao Yong divided those banknotes into several points, and took out the Yang family's 15 taels alone, which was intended to be kept by the Zheng family brothers and sisters.The rest is 120 taels, leaving an integer of 7000 million, and the other 120 taels are taken out separately, and this is reserved for Wei Xin.This time when Wei Xin returned to Jiangning, he got back a lot of the capital and interest of the business in Guangdong, so he should make up for it.For the others, Cao Yong still packed them in a box and went to Kaiyang courtyard.

In the main room of Kaiyang Courtyard, only Cao Yin was there, and Mrs. Li went to Xifu to visit Mrs. Zhao Jia who claimed to be ill.

Cao Yin was wearing clothes and sitting on the kang, although he was still very thin, but his face was much ruddy.Looking at the small box handed over by his son, he couldn't believe it, it turned out to be full of banknotes.He took a rough look, and it is definitely not something that can be stopped by hundreds of thousands.

"Why are there so many?" Cao Yin put down the small box and asked in surprise.

Cao Yong replied: "Businessmen are looking for profits. If we don't want to use money to stretch them, it will be more than that. Here is 120 million taels, father, is it enough to cover the deficit? My son asked Cao Fang, this year's spring tea It has been listed, and there are more than 20 silver left, and there are still more than 110 million left in the deficit!"

Cao Yin nodded, let out a long breath, and looked at his son with a lot of relief on his face.Without his son's early plans, the shortfall of 300 million taels of silver would be difficult to pay off even if the family went bankrupt.However, he also harbored a faint guilt. He failed to save his son's family property, but he was so tired that he worked hard for the Cao family's deficit.

Cao Yong thought of Zhuang Chang who had gone to Suzhou. He raised his head and asked, "Father, what do you think of Uncle Suzhou?"

Cao Yong also wants to be safe, and his own deficit can be leveled immediately, but don't be implicated by others.Now that the Li family is married to the governor's mansion, the limelight is gradually gaining momentum, and it will inevitably lead to disaster if it goes on like this.Not to mention that Nagali and Ninth Prince are related by marriage, and also have a dirty relationship with the prince; just talking about Li Xu's current duties, how could Kangxi want him to get too close to the governor and others.He had originally acted as the eyes and ears of the superiors, monitoring the officialdom in the south of the Yangtze River. If he involved himself in this way, he would only end up being a different person inside and out.

Cao Yin frowned when his son mentioned Li Xu, remembering Li Xu's visit a few days ago.

On that day, when Li Xu came to Jiangning, before attending the birthday banquet in the Governor's Mansion, he visited Cao Yin in Zhizao Mansion.In the conversation, he showed a bit of complacency.Taking his own family as an example, Cao Yin once again reminded Li Xu to pay attention to the shortfall.

But Li Xu didn't worry at all, it was a shortfall that was made up for Long Live Lord's southern tour, and now he has the money from the salt class to make up, isn't it just right?Anyway, it's all royal errands, will Lord Long Live pursue it?Besides, the reason why he and Cao Yin were arranged to take turns in charge of the Jiangnan Salt Department was not just to let them pay back the shortfall as soon as possible.

In fact, in Li Xu's heart, he was somewhat dissatisfied with Cao Yin's use of his own money to repay the shortfall.I always think that such pretentiousness will only embarrass others and cause everyone to complain.This really shows the loyalty of the Cao family, but it makes it difficult for other families to do so!Do others sell their own property?How many other families have the family background of the Cao family, can they pay it back?
On the border of the south of the Yangtze River, Cao Yin is not the only servant who is loyal to the Long Live Lord.Thinking of him, Li Xu, who was also a young chaperone, had been loyal all his life, but he was always overwhelmed by Cao Yin.Speaking of age, he is a few years older than Cao Yin, and he will be in Suzhou Weaving for 20 years.The Cao family has a grandma, Fujin, and wants to marry a princess. How can the children of the Li family have such grace?Thinking of this, Li Xu felt even more harsh when he listened to Cao Yin's advice. ——The Cao family guards several tea gardens, like mountains of gold and silver, naturally standing and talking without pain in the back.

After all, Li Xu said a few angry words, and in the end, the two broke up unhappy.

Cao Yin told Cao Yong about the meeting between the two that day, and there was no other way for the father and son.Although their personalities are not publicized, others may not be willing to do so.

Cao Yong carefully recalled the knowledge of later generations. It seems that one of the reasons why the Cao family was convicted in the Yongzheng Dynasty was that they helped the Li family hide their property when they ransacked the house.If one day in the future, the Li family really came to beg mother, how could mother refuse?No, this is simply a hidden danger!Even if I can't escape the fate of premature death, but for the rest of my mother's life, it's better to make some plans in advance.

After thinking about it for a while, Cao Yong put forward his own suggestion: "Father, my grandmother has only my mother under her knees, and has no other flesh and blood. Shouldn't she also be accepted into our house and let us do our filial piety!"

Cao Yin glanced at his son and understood his intentions, he couldn't help frowning, and shouted loudly: "The Li family, after all, is your mother's family!" Seeing his son's arrangement, it seems that he has made the worst plan to prevent the Li family from causing trouble. The cause of Gao's Taijun implicated the Cao family.Although it was to protect the family, Cao Yin's heart was a little chilled by such indifference.

Cao Yong was a little annoyed, but because of Cao Yin's poor health, he didn't want to contradict him. He still looked at his father calmly and said, "Where is there a family in this world that never declines? Ertu and Mingzhu cannot guarantee the prosperity of their family. The officialdom in the south of the Yangtze River is full of influence. If you avoid it like your father, you will inevitably be swayed by others; and if you mix like your uncle, what will happen? Unexpected? If the Cao family is kept, even if the Li family is in decline, we can give money and land to settle their family's livelihood. If they are implicated, who can help us?"

These words were true, Cao Yin knew it in his heart, but he couldn't let go of it on his face.Could it be that I have lived half my life and still use him as a son to make a point?Just when he frowned and wanted to reprimand him a few more words, when his eyes swept over the box of banknotes, Cao Yin finally remained silent.

Cao Yin couldn't help but feel a little sad when he saw his son was young, but he seemed to have a better understanding of the world than his own father.

For a while, neither father nor son spoke, and the room was a little silent.Coincidentally, Mrs. Li came back from Xifu to visit Mrs. Zhao Jia, and was very happy to see her son there.Because the banknotes have not been put away, Li Shi couldn't help being surprised when he saw so many.Although Cao Yong said that it was earned at the Pearl Club, she was still a little worried.Cao Yin told her not to worry about it, and naturally their father and son would take care of it.

Knowing that her son was busy these days, Mrs. Li couldn't help holding his hand, and looked at him carefully. She was relieved that she didn't see that he was too tired.Thinking of preparing bergamot sea ginseng and canned quail here at night, Mrs. Li left Cao Yong to eat here.

Although Cao Yong was somewhat awkward with Cao Yin, he was unwilling to go against his mother's wishes and nodded in agreement.Mrs. Li sent someone to Chun Nuan Pavilion to invite Cao Yi, a family of four, to have dinner together.

*
The next day, Linjiang Building was closed for internal celebrations.There are more than a dozen tables in the lobby, and the servants of the Cao family, Wei family, and Jiang family who have contributed to the Pearl Society and people from the Linjiang Tower are invited. Two tables are set up in the private room on the second floor, separated by a screen. Inside the screen are Han Jiang's family and Zheng Woxue, Cao Yong, Wei Xin, Zheng Hai, Cao Fang and Jiang's senior stewards are sitting at the outer table.

After a few polite opening remarks, everyone began to exchange glasses.After drinking for three rounds, Cao Yong winked at Cao Fang, Cao Fangfang and Zheng Hai got up, and asked Jiang's housekeepers to go downstairs to drink with the guys.Inside the screen, Zheng Woxue also confessed to Han Jiangshi, saying that she would go out to relieve herself.

Knowing that the Cao family must have something to discuss, Han Jiang asked his maid to go out with her.Cheng Wenkui, the uncle of Chaofeng and Han Jiang's family in Liuhe Bank outside, knew what he meant when he saw it, so he sent those stewards out and stayed by himself.

Only Cao Yong, Wei Xin, Cheng Wenkui and Han Jiangshi were left in the box.

Cao Yong and Wei Xin looked at each other and were about to speak, but the Han Jiang family inside the screen spoke first: "This time Mr. Cao and Mr. Wei Wuye did not give up, and let us Liuhe Bank participate in this big business. The little lady is very grateful." , the great kindness must be repaid later! This wine is served first as a respect, and I hope that the two of you will take care of us in the future."
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(End of this chapter)