In the Northern Song Dynasty, the location of Tokyo City was still determined by "such-and-such square", but the lane system was actually abolished, and official documents only recorded "such-and-such square".
The official charcoal farm contracted by Ju Ming is located in the left military wing in the south of the city.
There used to be military camps here, but now only civilian houses remain. The soldiers of the Forbidden Army are no different from ordinary people.
The Zuojunxiang area in the south of the city has a population of more than 30,000 people, including locals and immigrants. They are Ju Ming's main customers.
When Dean Zhu was about to arrive in the capital, Ju Ming's store opened.
Taipei students have also moved to the Chengnan campus, which is only ten minutes away from the "Tanhua Coal Shop".
Today happened to be a holiday. Chen Dong, Zhu Song, Gou Long Ruyuan and other Tai students, dozens of people came to support them... although they had nothing to buy.
I saw a plaque hanging on the main door: Tanhua Coal Store.
There are several signs outside, which say "honeycomb briquettes, cheap and durable", "also sells various coal stoves" and other words.
Early in the morning, people buying coal started queuing up.
This is not a promotional activity carried out by Ju Ming, but the Carbon Coal Division has rectified the market, auctioned off many government-owned stores, and reached a verbal agreement with the Tokyo Charcoal Company. Today, all coal stores will reduce their prices.
In inner cities, the uniform price of coal is 7 cents per catty.
In outer urban areas, the uniform price of coal is 6 cents per catty.
Outside the city and suburbs, the uniform price is 5 cents per catty.
The government and charcoal companies have no control over where people buy coal. However, if it is delivered to a store, it must not exceed the scope of business, otherwise the government and charcoal companies will jointly suppress it.
In other words, if Ju Ming delivers goods to his home, he can only deliver them in the left army compartment in the south of the city.
"What does the sign say?"
"Tanhua Coal Store changed its official store into a private store. I heard that Tanhua Lang bought it."
"Hey, what are honeycomb briquettes?"
"Where are the briquettes?"
"It's written on the sign."
"..."
People buying coal chatted while waiting.
Coal in Tokyo is an absolute seller's market, and it relies entirely on the government and coal companies to maintain business order. For ordinary people, they will be happy if the price can be reduced, but if they insist on selling it at a high price, they can only bite the bullet and buy it.
It's pretty good now. Even if you only buy one pound, the store can't refuse to sell it.
A few decades ago, you would have to buy at least one scale (15 pounds).
A piece of the door panel was removed from the inside, and two guys went out and completely dismantled the door panel.
Coal stoves and briquettes were moved to the door and placed neatly.
Zhu Ming rode over on horseback, and Bai Chongyan and Min Zishun also came over on donkey carts to support them.
Bai Sheng was holding a wooden board, and Shi Biao was holding a hammer and firecrackers.
There was a burst of crackling firecrackers, and Ju Ming ordered: "Nail the boards up!"
There was a poem written on the wooden board. Ju Ming's calligraphy skills were limited, so he asked Chen Yuan to write it for free.
Bai Sheng nailed the wooden board to the wall of the door, and Chen Dong read: "The black gold is found by cutting through the chaos, which hides the deepest yang and meaning. The fire ignites the spring, and the furnace shines through the dark night. The Ding Yi Yuan Lai generates strength, and the iron stone remains dead.
I hope that everyone in the world will be well fed and warm, and they will go out of the mountains and forests without any trouble."
Zhu Song clapped his hands and praised: "I hope that everyone will be well fed and warm, and they will take the trouble to go out of the mountains and forests. Good poems and sentences are worthy of Mr. Zhu's handwriting!"
The common people didn't care how many there were and just pushed forward.
They came to buy bulk coal. Most of them just bought one scale, and some even bought two or three scales, for fear that the price would rise again one day.
"Buy one scale of charcoal and receive seventy-five cents!"
After the waiter finished weighing the charcoal, he shouted at the top of his lungs, and the shopkeeper began to collect money and register.
The shopkeepers and clerks of the coal shop are all recruited locally and contracts are signed through an intermediary.
It must be a permanent household with a family, and neighbors must be asked to provide guarantees to prevent them from stealing property and running away.
Today's first customer came out carrying 15 kilograms of coal, but saw Tanhua Lang lighting a fire at the door. He couldn't help but stand aside and watch.
After igniting it with shavings, a few more wood chips were put in, and then strange briquettes were stuffed.
Those briquettes were full of holes, and after waiting for a while, nothing seemed to happen.
Ju Ming put a clay pot on and added well water into the pot.
The people who had trouble at home observed for a moment and then turned away. But more people gathered around, wanting to know what Tan Hwa Lang was doing.
"The water is boiling, the water is boiling!"
someone shouted.
Zhu Ming picked up the iron lid and covered the mouth of the stove.
There is a lack of air inside the coal stove, and the charcoal fire immediately becomes smaller, but the water in the pot is still boiling, but not as fiercely as before.
There is no need to explain too much at all. Many people understand that this kind of stove can control the heat!
Finally someone couldn't help but ask: "Tanhualang, how did you sell this stove?"
Zhu Ming said: "A one-core stove costs 80 cents, a two-core stove costs 100 cents, and a three-core stove costs 150 cents. Ordinary people can make a fire and cook by buying a one-core stove. Two-core and three-core coal stoves are sold to restaurants and restaurants.
, the charcoal fire can burn more vigorously.”
"How can I sell these briquettes?" someone asked again.
Ju Ming said: "Eight cents each, each weighing two kilograms."
The charcoal store does not regulate the price of briquettes. After all, they are all made from scraps, and the small quantity does not affect the market.
"Da da da da!"
Hou Xuan came riding on horseback and said with a smile from afar: "Brother Chenggong, I heard that your shop has opened, so I came to give you a congratulatory gift!"
His father, Hou Meng, was the Deputy Prime Minister of Zhongshu. Although it was difficult to exercise actual power under the constraints of the traitorous party, his noble status was still there.
The family is rich!
The gifts are also very valuable.
Two servants of the Hou family actually brought a bonsai, a small pine and cypress coiled on a strange stone.
Because of Song Huizong's Flower and Stone Guide, the price of rare stones in the south of the Yangtze River has skyrocketed. The price of this small piece of stone is more than a hundred guan. It has also been made into a bonsai. You can't buy it without two or three hundred guan!
When Zhu Ming saw it, he couldn't laugh or cry: "This is a coal shop. If you put it in the shop, it will be blackened in ten and a half months."
"Then take it home and put it on display," Hou Xuan squeezed over and stared at the stove and said, "This is interesting, how much does it cost?"
Someone had just given an expensive gift, but Ju Ming had no nerve to accept the money and said, "Take it, it's not worth much. Just remember, when burning the stove in the house, you must open the doors and windows."
Hou Xuan laughed and said: "Who doesn't know in Tokyo? If the doors and windows are closed, the charcoal poison will not be dispersed."
Zhu Ming began to explain how to use it again: "The lid of this coal stove has a small window, and the size of the window can be changed. If you put the lid on, seal the window, and stagger the holes of the briquettes, you can keep it burning all night.
Open the window slightly and you can cook food over low heat. Small holes mean low heat, large holes mean big heat. If you want the maximum flame, take off the lid entirely."
Hou Xuan felt more and more strange: "You can actually control the size of the flame? You must be very handy when making tea."
After observing for a while, Hou Xuan picked a stove and twenty briquettes and asked his servants to take them home for use.
Seeing someone wanting to use this thing, a bystander asked: "Can the stove be used on credit? I sell food at the night market. This kind of coal stove is easy to use, but I don't know how long the briquettes can burn. I bought ten briquettes and went back. If
It’s more economical than coal, so I bought a coal stove. If it’s not more economical, I’ll return the coal stove.”
In and around Tokyo, the customers of shops selling daily necessities are basically neighbors, and credit is a very common practice.
Although Zhu Ming did not know this person, in order to open up sales, he still said: "Even if you give it on credit, the coal stove can be returned within three days. After three days, it cannot be returned."
In a short time, nearly a hundred briquettes were sold, the stove was tried on credit, and the customers were all small food vendors.
Such vendors are estimated to be the main consumers of briquettes within half a month.
At the same time, they are also free advertising.
When people coming and going saw them using briquettes, they couldn't help but inquire about the situation, and the number of customers gradually increased.
To be continued...