Hearing Ma Shan's words, Fang Chen laughed: "This is not collusion between government and business, but cooperation. Lao Ma, you might as well listen to what I say next and then consider how to cooperate?"
There was some disdain in my heart. What could an official know about business matters?
But Mashan still said: "Then please ask Mr. Fang for advice."
Fang Chen said seriously: "I asked people from the Military and Horse Department to investigate. Every year, you buy well-woven cotton and linen cloth from the Nanming Empire, and then process and color it in your own workshop, and then sell it."
"Your Ma family has superb dyeing skills, so the sales volume of the cloth sold is very good, and the profit is higher every year."
"But your finished products have been rising in recent years, right?"
Knowing that Fang Chen had already investigated him clearly, Ma Shan nodded without hiding anything and said: "Master Fang is right."
"Mulberry cultivation was very developed in the Nanming Empire, and the country relied on the production of cotton and linen to make money. Not only our Yan Dynasty, but also Dakang, the Western Jin Empire, and the Daxia Dynasty were all buying cotton and linen from the Nanming Empire."
"So they don't have to worry about sales, and the price of cotton and linen they sell will naturally go up. The year before last, I bought 200,000 taels of goods, processed them and sold them, and I could make about twice as much money."
"But we can only earn 90% this year because the cost is too high. Manual transportation of goods, etc. are all money."
As he spoke, Ma Shan sighed, not sure if it was intentional or what, but he sighed: "It's hard to do business these days."
Zhou Muzhi on the side rolled his eyes when he heard this. After excluding the capital of 200,000 yuan, he could still earn 180,000 taels. Isn't this easy to do?
Then let me do it!
Fang Chen clasped his hands together: "Ma Shan, have you ever thought about not buying cotton and linen products directly, but directly purchasing cotton and linen threads from the Nanming Empire and spinning them yourself?"
"The money for this roll of cotton and linen can buy enough cotton and linen to weave three rolls of cloth."
Hearing Fang Chen's words, Ma Shan chuckled. After all, he was too naive.
He said: "Master Fang said, of course I have thought about it, Lao Ma, but it is too difficult, Master Fang."
"Firstly, weaving your own cloth requires a lot of manpower and space. Secondly, weaving equipment is more expensive than two rolls of cloth."
"You also know my demand. Just buying this weaving equipment costs a lot of money. In addition, the weaving speed is slow. I will definitely not be able to weave the quantity I want in one or two years."
"Then my business will stop? My old horse is a businessman, and this kind of thing is not very rewarding, so there is no need to do it."
Fang Chen smiled slightly when he heard this: "What if I can help you solve these problems? Are you interested in setting up a textile factory in partnership with me? I will provide the people and you will provide the money."
Ma Shan was stunned, thinking that Fang Chen was teasing him, so he joked: "Master Fang, please tell me how you can help me solve these problems first. If you can really do it, I will invest as much money as you want, haha."
Fang Chen stood up with a click of his tongue and said, "Old Ma, if my investigation is correct, the spinning wheels used by the Nanming Empire should be hand-cranked, right?"
Mashan nodded. Just as he said just now, he had already thought about Fang Chen's idea of spinning cloth himself, and had also investigated it, but gave up because he thought it was not worthwhile.
So it's natural to understand.
Fang Chen said calmly: "I can make a kind of spinning wheel. It is pedal-operated, and weavers can sit and operate it. Compared with the hand-operated spinning wheel, the spinning speed is three times or more!"
Mashan was shocked: "What did you say!"
He stood up immediately: "Master Fang, are you kidding?"
"I rarely joke, at least not now." Fang Chen said lightly.
Looking at Mashan, he added: "This kind of spinning wheel is easy to make and the spinning speed is extremely high. One foot-operated spinning wheel is as good as three hand-operated spinning wheels."
"And if you need weaving manpower, I can provide you with tens of thousands of people. Your current supply of cloth exceeds demand. I calculated last night that you can still sell even if the product is three or four times larger."
"You only need to find a factory site, buy good cotton and linen materials for spinning, and wait until the spinning wheel is completed to start work immediately."
Fang Chen finally made the most important condition: "If you agree, we will jointly set up a textile factory. The profit will be 82%, and I will only take 20%. In addition, whether it is production or sales, your Ma family will be responsible for everything.
, I will never interfere."
"If you encounter any obstruction from officials during the process, you can come to me and I, Fang Chen, will solve it for you."
His throat rolled and he swallowed a gulp of saliva. Ma Shan looked at Fang Chen for a long time before saying, "Master Fang, are you sure you are not trying to trick me?"
"You're not the oiran woman who lives in a house, why should I lie to you?" Fang Chen rolled his eyes.
Zhou Muzhi couldn't help but laugh. He was equally shocked. At the same time, he also understood that Fang Chen wanted to use the businessman Mashan to solve the refugee problem.
"You, you, you, Mr. Fang, please let me think about it first." Ma Shan was obviously a little moved, but this kind of thing involved too many things, and he couldn't make up his mind for a while.
Fang Chen said: "You can consider it, but I will only give you two days. After you have considered it, go to the Xicheng Military and Horse Department to find me. If you can't do it, then I will find someone else to cooperate."
"This imperial capital is engaged in the textile and cloth business, and you, Lao Ma, are not the only one who has the strength. Think about it carefully, Mu Zhi, let's go."
Ma Shan hurriedly sent each other off, feeling quite restless as he watched Fang Chen and the others walk out of the mansion and hurried back to the hall.
If Fang Chen can achieve what he said, then his Mashan's annual profits will have to double several times!
Thinking about it, Mashan called the steward: "Go and call all the elders in the general's family. I have something to discuss with them."
"Okay sir."
…
After leaving Mashan's house, Zhou Muzhi looked at Fang Chen and asked what he was thinking: "Do you intend to let Mashan rescue those refugees?"
"Not relief, but giving them a fresh start."
Fang Chen said softly: "Compared to Mashan, although I have some authority as an official, in terms of economy and job position, I am far inferior to Mashan."
"Only a businessman like him has the ability and strength to provide food, clothing, housing and transportation for tens of thousands of people."
Fang Chen smiled and said: "So in this kind of matter, he is much more useful than us officials."
Zhou Muzhi understood and said with sincere admiration: "Your Excellency, you are really amazing. By the way, Sir, what was the hidden danger that Liu Yuanqing planted before you said?"
Fang Chen was silent for a moment before speaking: "A group of hungry people, if suddenly they can be full without having to do anything."
"As time goes by, they will take it for granted. So what do you think will happen when one day they can no longer provide them with this comfortable life?"