in2ebook Chapter 280 Can I join the gang?
Chapter 280 Can I join the gang?
At noon, a few people made some preparations and went to Wen's house to call Wen Yu, and they went to negotiate with the housekeeper.
This matter involves the interests of both families, so the heads of the two families naturally have to follow.
There were several guards standing at the door of the housekeeper. Seeing that the people who came were of extraordinary temperament and had guards behind them, they looked like they belonged to a wealthy family, so they quickly separated one person to greet them.
"Sir, who are you looking for?"
The guard asked respectfully.
"Go to your family head and tell him that Wen Yu is here."
Wen Yu on the side said.
"Okay, let's go to the guest room and sit with me."
The guard hurriedly responded, and then winked at the other person, who hurriedly ran into the housekeeper, apparently going to call the owner of the house.
After leading a few people into the guest room, the guard retreated consciously, followed by a junior housekeeper. After making tea for several people, the man said:
"Sit down and wait for a while. The master of the house will be here soon. If anything happens, call me at any time. I'll be at the door."
Not long after, two housekeepers came. The leader looked to be in his twenties, with a few scars on his face and dressed in brocade clothes. He was the housekeeper's housekeeper.
The other man was already middle-aged. When he saw the people in the room, he smiled and said to them:
"Brother Wenyu, Uncle Han, you are fine."
"Guan Gui? Let me tell you, who can cure Guan You? It turns out you are back."
Seeing the people coming, Wen Yu and Jiang Han both stood up in surprise. They all knew Guan Gui. He was the younger brother of the original head of the Guan family. He was very skilled in martial arts and could not find any rival in Li Feng Town.
However, there was a conflict with the original head of the housekeeper's family a few years ago, and he has not been heard from since. I didn't expect to see him here again a few years later.
"Haha, the younger generation is ignorant and caused some trouble. After I heard about the situation, I hurried back to take a look."
Guan Gui said with a smile, then pulled out a chair and sat down.
"I wonder who these two are?"
Wen Yu heard this and introduced:
"This is Lin Xiaofan, the counselor who helped the Qingzhou Army defeat the 200,000 coalition forces in the First Battle of Qingzhou. This is Miss Zhao Shan from the Zhao family in the capital. Counselor Lin, Miss Zhao Shan, this is the housekeeper Guan Gui, more than ten years ago He is the number one person in the martial arts competition in Lifeng Town. In terms of force, I am afraid that there are not many people in Daqian who are his opponents."
When Lin Xiaofan heard this, he looked at this man carefully. He had dark skin and a beard. He looked like a tall and sturdy man, but his eyes revealed some shrewdness. This kind of rough and subtle person, I think the changes in the housekeeper should be made by this person.
"Brother Wen Yu has won the prize, but I have only studied martial arts for a few years. Counselor Lin, Miss Zhao Shan, I have long admired your name."
Guan Gui bowed his hands to the two of them, and then winked at the Guan Tong beside him. Seeing this, the latter said straight to the point:
"I wonder what your purpose is in coming here this time?"
The relationship between the two of them is not good, and they just got to know each other. Lin Xiaofan also went straight to the topic and said:
"Master Butler, I came here this time to talk about the right to produce salt."
"Right to make salt?"
Guan Gui frowned, and then he realized that he was here to help Jiang Jiawen's family get back the salt production rights.
But what's the point? There are many salt merchants in Qingzhou. Even if they make it, who will buy their salt? The housekeeper and the Qing family had this in mind when they obtained the salt-making rights, so they did not sign a paper version of the agreement.
It's just a verbal agreement. If they want to control it, just let them control it. The reaction will not affect their own business, and it just happens that they can also give a favor easily. Thinking about it, he was about to agree immediately.
But before that, he started to look at Guan Gui on the side. In the family, he is only the apparent patriarch, while Guan Gui is the real leader. Moreover, Guan Gui had been working abroad for several years and was much better than him, so he was willing to listen to Guan Gui's arrangements.
After all, if it weren't for Guan Gui, he wouldn't be able to hold the position of clan leader.
But Guan Gui frowned at this moment and couldn't figure it out at all. Nowadays, if you join the salt-making industry, you can't find a buyer at all, let alone make any money. They know this truth, and Jiang Han and Wen Yu must also know it, but why do they still need this right?
"Brother Lin wants to help the two families and get back the right to make salt?"
Guan Gui confirmed.
"Exactly, you agreed to each other that the Jiang family and the Qing family could not make salt. Now I want this right back. Of course, we will also compensate your family."
Lin Xiaofan cupped his hands and said.
Hearing this, Guan Gui's brows furrowed even more. The two families wanted the right to make salt, so they naturally wanted to sell salt to others. But salt merchants all over the country have fixed upper and lower branches, and they can't take advantage of any loopholes.
There is only one explanation, they have a way to seize part of the market. And this market must be in Qingzhou County. As a result, their market will shrink a lot.
You know, salt production is a hugely profitable industry because it costs nothing at all. The family can earn thousands of taels of silver every year by relying on this, so how can they give it away to others?
Moreover, they don't know what Lin Xiaofan's methods are and how much market he can seize. If they really want compensation, they don't know how much they should ask for. In short, this matter cannot be agreed to so easily.
But there is another problem. There is no paper agreement between them. If the other party is really pushed into a hurry and the other party starts making salt regardless of their reputation, they have no right to stop it. If so, it would be a real loss. Therefore, you should be more cautious about this matter.
At the very least, you have to know what the other person wants to do first.
"Counsel Lin, how much compensation can we give our housekeeper at this time? After all, the salt production industry makes a lot of profits in a year."
Guan Gui asked.
Lin Xiaofan thought for a moment and then said:
"How about two thousand silver taels?"
Hearing this, Guan Gui was surprised. With two thousand silver taels, the housekeeper only made a thousand silver taels in the whole year of making salt. Two thousand silver taels was nothing to him, but to the current housekeeper, it was a much-needed sum of money.
Salt merchants all know that making salt does not cost much, and making salt is nothing more than exposure to wind and sun. There are no national restrictions, so everyone can make salt. So they can only sell it to salt merchants at a lower price. As for the price of salt on the market, it may be high, but they really only earn so much.
This also made him realize that the matter might not be as simple as imagined.
Could it be that Lin Xiaofan wants to develop his own salt merchant?
After much deliberation, this is the only possibility. After all, the cost of making salt cannot be reduced anymore. After all, there is no cost in the first place.
Moreover, most of the backers behind these Qingzhou salt merchants are the Shen family and the Qing family. After all, these two families love doing business the most. It is reasonable to think that Lin Xiaofan does not deal with these two families.
In this case, he might consider cooperating with Lin Xiaofan.
Thinking about it, he looked up at Lin Xiaofan and asked:
"Brother Lin, if you want to develop your own salt merchant, can you let me join you?"