Prodigal Son of the Ming Dynasty

  Chapter 1615 Salted fish turned over

  This Liu Wenzhi continued to keep his expressionless, only listening to the conversations of businessmen and merchants, with a smile on his face, a calm look.

   He didn't stand up until the crowd gradually dispersed.

  If it was said that Liu Wenzhi, just now, was as quiet as a virgin, but now, he is as restless as a rabbit.

  When doing business, you must be calm.

  You can do business, but you also have to act vigorously. If you have thoughts and ideas in your heart, you must never look forward and backward, because once you look forward and backward, you will lose the opportunity.

  He immediately approached his principal: "Have you heard about the matter of the prince and Zhou Tanzhi, the former Minister of Rites of Nanjing, raising pigs?"

   "Yes, yes, this matter, no one in Beijing, no one knows, no one knows."

Liu Wenzhi paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. He is one of the thirteen largest commercial firms in central Beijing. Although his wealth is far from that of giants like Qi Guogong and Wang Bushi, he is still in this shopping mall. Trembling.

   Liu Wenzhi said: "Any other news?"

   "Other news? Sir, you are talking about..."

  Liu Wenzhi said sternly: "Of course it's about their pig raising. According to reports, their pigs have a high rate of slaughter?"

The chief thought for a while and nodded: "Yes, in fact, at the beginning, many people just wanted to see Rare. This prince is admirable. As for Zhou Tanzhi, not many people know him, but...they are amazing. Two people, raising more than 70 pigs."

  Liu Wenzhi took a breath.

   Two people, more than 70 pigs?

   And the slaughter rate is still so high.

  Liu Wenzhi is engaged in the catering business. Many inns and wine shops are under his name. Over the years, the expansion has been extremely powerful. Naturally, he has also dealt with many food merchants.

  In his opinion, two people can take care of thirty or forty pigs, which is the limit, and experienced pigmen are needed.

  And... There are too many variables in the middle of this pig until it is slaughtered, and it may die at any time due to disease or other reasons.

  In this year, even a human cannot guarantee adulthood, let alone a pig.

  The high slaughter rate means high output.

   Less labor means lower costs.

  The lowest cost produces the highest output.

   "In recent years, the demand for meat has been getting higher and higher."

"Exactly." The chief nodded: "In the past few years, there have been more and more diners, and the expenses have been increasing year by year. Master, now, the common people have some bits and pieces of money in their hands, and they are willing to be satisfied once in a while." Appetite."

   This is the truth. The Liu family's business is based on this. The business is getting bigger and bigger, and the wine shops and inns are constantly expanding.

Liu Wenzhi walked back and forth with his hands behind his back. He looked up thoughtfully, "send someone to inquire, and see how the prince and Zhou Tanzhi's pigs are raised. I think they must have something. The secret recipe. But... we are not going to inquire about their secret recipe, the secret recipe... how long will it last? The most useful thing in this world is..."

   Speaking of this, Liu Wenzhi pointed to his forehead: "The most useful thing is the brain."

"They have only been raising pigs for a long time, and they have discovered so many tricks that others don't know. It is really unimaginable. After observing them carefully, I have confirmed that the rumors in the market are true, and I will report back immediately. Don’t say it, do you understand?”

   "I understand."

  After listening to the master, go to make arrangements immediately.

Liu Wenzhi, on the other hand, paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. This was his habit, but whenever he had to make a major decision, he would have to spend a day and a half hiding in his room, pacing back and forth, debating various possible situations, and Count the possibilities for the future.

  …

Three days later, the principal came to report in a hurry: "The villain has inquired carefully, sir, and it is exactly the same as the rumors said. These two people raise pigs in a different way. They must have used some recipe. Those pigs , all of them are well-raised, and they are about to be slaughtered."

   "A lot of people are amazed by it?" Liu Wenzhi blushed, but became nervous again, like a child holding a big ingot, fearing that the treasure in his hand would be taken away.

  The principal shook his head: "In the beginning, when they raised pigs, everyone was curious about it, and many people watched it, but gradually, many people lost interest, and there were very few people who went to see it, sir..."

Liu Wenzhi cheered up: "I can't wait any longer. Go prepare the chariots and horses, the old man has to visit immediately, oh, yes, prepare the name and edict for the old man, they are not ordinary people, so don't make too much publicity, the old man once had For the public name of a scholar, just change into a Confucian shirt and a Lun scarf, and the carriages and horses should be as simple as possible."

  He squinted his eyes and continued to order: "Get ready."

  …

  Man is an animal that can easily adapt to the environment.

  Slowly, whether it is Wang Ao or Zhou Tanzhi, when facing difficulties and gradually letting go of their former glory and pride, they are also slowly adapting.

  Every morning, Zhou Tanzhi would count the pigs first.

   Watching these pigs grow up gradually.

   To a certain extent, Zhou Tanzhi also gradually began to experience the taste of joy.

  He hasn't been sleeping well recently, and he has to take care of these Fang Fans during the day. At night, he also needs to search for various books, and constantly explore various methods of raising pigs by referring to Ming Song and the guide to raising pigs to get rich.

  At this time, he finally accepted the reality that his future was hopeless.

   In my heart, although there was desolation, there was also unwillingness.

   But gradually...he had no choice but to turn these unwillingness into motivation for raising pigs.

  He just wanted to prove to others that he refused to accept this defeat. He once had the glory of being named on the gold list, and in the future... he can also do well.

  When one thing becomes pure, when all burdens are let go, a new problem comes one after another.

  I can raise pigs for a lifetime.

  What about my wives and children?

   Shame on my ancestors.

  He thought that he was once a scholarly family, and that he was also born in a prominent place.

  Thinking of the dazzling array of rankings in the ancestral hall, I suddenly... tears in my eyes. The disaster is not as good as the wife and children, and the disaster is not as good as the children and grandchildren, but people, wives, children and children and grandchildren are one.

Wang Ao could understand Zhou Tanzhi's feelings, so he would pat him on the shoulder from time to time to show comfort, as if to say that he had been looked up to for most of his life, but so what, even a single disciple could not be preserved .

"Frankly, the imperial examinations are now abolished, and you are already seventeen years old. The stereotyped essays you read in the past seem to be of no use. Why don't you put your face down, go to Xishan Academy, and ask the Duke of Qi for a second?" , Qi Guogong... hey... Don't talk about him, no matter what kind of person Qi Guogong is, but this Xishan Academy is now the general trend, and your son's future is very important."

Hearing this, Zhou Tanzhi fell to his knees and wept bitterly: "Teacher, the student is guilty, and he deserves this crime. The teacher suffers along with the student. The student is already ashamed. I wish I could run into death in front of the teacher. Who is the mentor, and when did he ever compromise? The mentor must not bow his head to the Duke of Qi. The mentor has lived a lifetime with his chest upright. When he is old, how can he lose his morals? If so, the disciple would rather die than obey. .”

  Wang Ao let out a sigh of relief.

  He knew what Zhou Tanzhi meant.

  I am different from others.

  Others can be subdued.

  But Wang Ao cannot be subdued.

   If you are subdued, there will be nothing left.

  Wang Ao trembled slightly, wanting to help him up.

   There was a pig grunting outside.

  Zhou Tanzhi wiped away his tears and stood up: "Fang Thirty-Nine Fan must be hungry again, student..."

   Just as he was talking, someone came in from outside and said loudly: "My Liu Wenzhi asks to see the prince, and asks to see the Duke of Zhou."

  Wang Ao and Zhou Tanzhi looked at each other.

These days, there are many people who come to visit, but Wang Ao and Zhou Tanzhi are ashamed to see people, they all refuse to see them, and some people come, can't stand the smell of the pigsty, hold their noses and leave .

  It's just...Liu Wenzhi...I've never heard of it.

  Wang Ao gave Zhou Tanzhi a wink.

  Zhou Tanzhi knew that Wang Ao didn't want to see anyone, so he said, "Students, send him away."

  Then, when he went out, he saw Liu Wenzhi looking up and down curiously. Not only did he not feel that the pigsty smelled weird, but he was very interested. When he saw Zhou Tanzhi coming out, he immediately bowed and saluted.

  Zhou Tanzhi was about to speak.

  Liu Wenzhi immediately said: "The name of Duke Zhou is like a thunderbolt. When I saw you today, it turns out that there are no worthless people under his reputation. Duke Zhou, I want to talk to you."

   "What is there to talk about with the old man, I am already a man of idle clouds and wild cranes, living on my last breath..."

  Zhou Tanzhi waved his hand, but he faintly felt that this Liu Wenzhi was a little different.

   Upon seeing this, Liu Wenzhi immediately resumed the straight-to-the-point approach inherent in businessmen, and he immediately said: "What I want to talk about is business, and I want to ask Duke Zhou to raise pigs on my behalf."

  Zhou Tanzhi was taken aback, the first thing he felt...was Liu Wenzhi's humiliation.

  He hasn't had a seizure yet.

Liu Wenzhi pointed out his finger directly: "Three hundred thousand taels, three hundred thousand taels of silver, to set up a new pig raising workshop, among which, give Mr. 20% of the shares, that is to say, sixty thousand taels of silver, for nothing. Yes, Duke Zhou has the final say on all the big and small matters in this pig raising workshop, if Duke Zhou says east, then it will be east, if Duke Zhou says west, then it will be west."

  Zhou Tanzhi was stunned, but he was stunned.

  In this world, there are still people who come to give money.

  The businessman in front of him is simply unreasonable.

Liu Wenzhi said: "I have checked, and the holy order is for Duke Zhou to raise pigs, so how to raise pigs can actually be changed. I will let you clear up other matters. I am acquainted with the shopkeeper Wang Jinyuan from Xishan. This matter, You can wrap it on your body, and Duke Zhou only needs to raise pigs with peace of mind. To be honest, the 20% dry stock given to Duke Zhou is really nothing. Now it is only 60,000 taels, and it may not be necessary in the future. Not only that , All the expenses of Duke Zhou can skyrocket, and the monthly expenses of one thousand taels of silver, I will never bother to ask, I wonder what Duke Zhou thinks?"

As if afraid of Zhou Tanzhi's refusal, Liu Wenzhi bowed again: "Mr. Zhou, right now, I am making great achievements. Only today, I, Liu, never do small business. For the sale of three hundred thousand taels of silver, Liu is determined." I don't like it. There is really no need to pay a special visit for this purpose. As long as Zhou Gong nods, this is by no means a transaction of 300,000 taels of silver. Or in the eyes of Zhou Gong, business is really a vulgar thing, but Zhou Gong predicts that it is definitely not People who are inferior to others, why don't you take this opportunity and fight hard?"

  (end of this chapter)