She was glamorous when she left, but she was slovenly when she came back. Her clothes, collar, and mouth were all shiny. She had been away for more than half a year without a woman to take care of her. It would be good if Zhu Wanjian could bring her back to Anlu safely. When Zhu Jiashi saw her, she almost lost her temper.
I want to pick up the sole of my shoe and hit this unlucky son.
"Mom, there is still no news about my eldest brother. No one in Jinyiwei is willing to talk about him. Even if everyone tries to get in touch with him, they still can't find any useful clues. Later, the family refuses to use money, and no one can give any information... Mom doesn't
Is it because he deliberately withheld money in order to get me to come back early?"
Zhu Wanjian's tone was full of complaints.
I was in the capital asking for news about my brother, and I was living a carefree life. Suddenly, the family supply was cut off, and I was dragged from heaven to hell. Is it interesting to go back and forth like this?
Butler Liu hurriedly said: "Second Master, you may not know that in the middle of this year we took over the business of the third lady's collapsed house..."
"What? We won the third child's business? Then we must have made a lot of money, right?"
Zhu Wanjian's eyes widened when he heard this, and his eyes were full of greed.
Butler Liu said with a bitter face: "It was true that we made a lot of money at first. After all, we had the help of Xu Hanxu, the newly arrived brother-in-law of Zhizhou... But at the end of summer, there was a sudden flood for some reason, and our warehouse was destroyed.
It was flooded and suffered heavy losses... The Zhu family even had to sell off their land to close the hole, and then their house collapse business plummeted..."
Zhu Wanjian said angrily: "How can you take care of the business? It can't be done without me... You bunch of wimps."
Zhu Jiashi listened for a long time and said with a gloomy face: "You are back, and I have something for you to do. Do you know about the popularity of colored glass beads in the capital?"
"Well?"
Zhu Wanjian was a little puzzled, "Have you heard that it was a tribute from the Western Regions?"
"That's nonsense. The tributes from the Western Regions were paid by Prince Xing's Mansion... After you went to the capital, you didn't even forget what your family's workshop does for a living, right?" Zhu Jia said angrily.
Zhu Wanjian waved his hand: "It is said that the glazed beads are crystal clear, with naturally occurring colors in the middle. It is said that they are made of ten thousand-year-old spar from the Tianshan Mountains, so they are very valuable. It is not easy for the dignitaries in the capital to get one...
Those broken glass in our house..."
Butler Liu hurriedly reminded: "Second Master, we have recently acquired a group of new craftsmen. With their help, the glass beads have basically been imitated... Look, this is a sample."
With that said, Butler Liu handed a few beads to Zhu Wanjian.
Zhu Wanjian held it in his hand and was shocked: "It's almost the same as the legendary glass beads. Where did the craftsmen come from and have such good craftsmanship? We...we are going to get rich."
Zhu Jiashi said: "You don't have to ask where the craftsman came from. There is a person now, Su Xigui, who did business with the third wife before. You and Lao Liu go to greet him and give him the glazed beads we produced.
Take a look and negotiate the price with him."
"Su Xigui? I don't want to go... I just came back from a long journey and I'm very tired..."
When Zhu Wanjian heard that he was going to negotiate with Su Xigui, he felt uncertain.
He was the one who initially sent Su Xigui to a local jail, which caused a lot of trouble later on. He knew Su Xigui's character very well. He was definitely an extremely shrewd businessman with a strong background, and he really didn't want to get into trouble.
"Go if you are told to go. Go back to your room, wash up, tidy up, and then go see people... If you can't handle the errands at home, I will ask my mother to let you go to the Nine Borders to defend the territory.
, accompanied by the yellow sand day and night.”
The old lady threatened with a fierce expression.
Zhu Wanjian's face suddenly fell: "I had known that nothing good would happen when I came back. I would have gone to bathe and change clothes first... Speaking of which, my mother-in-law and children have not seen me since I came back from a long journey. How could I be so unhuman!"
…
…
When Su Xigui asked someone to notify Zhu Hao to meet him, Zhu Hao was busy in the laboratory.
Zhu Hao then met Su Xigui directly in the courtyard of the laboratory.
"Master Zhu, this is a glass bead sample given to me by the Zhu family. Take a look..." Su Xigui took out a glass ball and handed it to Zhu Hao.
Zhu Hao took it and looked at it carefully: "It smells like that...it's not easy!"
Su Xigui said: "Now that the Zhu family has come to talk to me about business, they also said that they would supply me with these glazed beads for a hundred cents each. What choice do you want me to make? If this thing is sent to the two capitals, the current value is...
I mean, at least one can be sold for a few taels of silver..."
Zhu Hao smiled and said: "With such a good business, why are you still hesitating, Boss Su? Just do it!"
"Master Zhu, are you angry? I came to you just to tell you...the formula of this glass bead is no longer a secret. You don't need to keep it privately. Why don't you give the formula to me and I'll do it myself?
No one can take advantage of the Zhu family, right?"
Although Su Xigui values profit, he also adheres to principles.
We have agreed to cooperate with Zhu Hao, and knowing that Zhu Hao and the Zhu family have an antagonistic relationship, we must not ruin the business alliance between the two parties for personal gain.
"Dongzhu Su, let me tell you the truth. In fact, I gave them the secret recipe of the Zhu family... I saw that they copied it for a long time but couldn't figure it out. I was worried, so I found someone a few days ago and took a few detours.
Sent to the Zhu family, the craftsmen of the Zhu family were trained by me personally and already have certain skills. Under my secret guidance, their colored glaze beads were quickly put on the market..."
Zhu Hao's smile made Su Xigui confused.
"this……"
Su Xigui pondered for a long time before he finally understood, "Master Zhu, do you want the glass beads to depreciate quickly? No, even if this is a tribute from Prince Xing's Mansion, you don't want to sell it privately, and you can't give the secret recipe to him.
Zhu family... is it good for you for the Zhu family to make money?"
Zhu Hao smiled and said: "As a human being, you must not forget your roots. I am such a down-to-earth person."
Su Xigui almost spit at him.
Are you telling me not to forget our roots?
The Zhu family has suffered so much at your hands. Others don’t know, but don’t I, Su, know everything about it? Let’s just say that you made a trick in the summer and sublet the warehouse to the Zhu family, causing the Zhu family’s warehouse to be flooded and losing so much money.
Yinzi, is this how you don’t forget your roots?
There is a conspiracy!
"Master Zhu, why don't you give me some advice? I really don't understand."
Su Xigui showed an attitude of humbly asking for advice.
Zhu Hao stood up and said: "Dr. Su, I have been very busy recently and I don't have time to greet you for a long time. Oh, by the way, do you have a source of straw cotton? I have some spinning machines and weaving fabrics here.
When the machine comes out, a large amount of straw cotton is needed, and it is best to have a long-term and stable purchase channel."
In Chinese history, cotton was divided into three types: silk cotton, kapok and straw cotton.
Silk floss is made from silk and is a specialty of China. It has been around since ancient times.
Kapok, also known as red cotton, hero tree, and panzhihua, is a large deciduous tree. The cotton produced is mostly used as filling for bedding, clothes, etc.
Later, people usually referred to "cotton" as straw cotton.
Grass cotton was introduced to the mainland at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, that is, in the mid-13th century. There were two routes, the northern route and the southern route, namely the Western Regions and the Lancang River Basin. By the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty, it had spread in China for more than 200 years, starting from the cotton spinners of the Yuan Dynasty.
Huang Daopo actively promoted spinning machines and looms, and grass cotton slowly entered the homes of ordinary people. The Yuan Dynasty once established the "Kapok Lifting Division" to collect cotton cloth from the people.
The promotion of straw cotton in China was mainly due to the decree issued by Zhu Yuanzhang, Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty: "Every citizen with five to ten acres of land should plant half an acres of mulberry, hemp, and cotton, and twice as much as ten acres or more."
Since then, straw and cotton have gradually replaced mulberry and hemp in various places and become the number one cash crop.
By the middle of the Ming Dynasty, wearing clothes made of grass and cotton had become a common phenomenon.
However, annual straw cotton is mostly planted in places such as the south of the Yangtze River. Anlu is located in the north of the Yangtze River and there is not much cotton planted. If Zhu Hao wants to purchase straw cotton woven fabrics in large quantities, he must have a fixed purchase channel.
Su Xigui nodded and said: "Grass and cotton are available all over the world, such as official salt and tea. They can be bought everywhere, but they are only used for home textiles by the common people. If you want to weave in large quantities... listen to my advice, it is better to weave silk and satin.
profit."
Su Xigui looked down on the cotton business at all. In his eyes, silk was more high-end and classy.
Zhu Hao laughed and said: "I only weave for fun. Where can I find so much silk for me to weave? I'd rather use straw cotton in large quantities."
"Okay, I will dispatch cargo to Anlu in the future and give you an extra batch of straw cotton. They are all high-quality fine cotton produced in Lingnan... As for Mr. Zhu, regarding the glass beads, since you have no objections, I can
Just do business with the Zhu family... Don't be offended. If you feel something is wrong, just tell me and I can terminate the business with them at any time."
Su Xigui was still not reassured and quickly asked Zhu Hao what he meant.
Zhu Hao smiled and said: "It's okay. I'll make a quick profit before the glass beads are sold on the street. Otherwise, because I am the one who provides the glass beads to the palace, I would even want to make money."
"Bad streets? Haha!"
Su Xigui murmured and wondered whether there was any big conspiracy hidden behind Zhu Hao.
It's a pity that I can't get the point.
But he still wanted to do business with the Zhu family. After all, if he bought a glass bead for a hundred cents and shipped it to the two capitals and changed hands, it would be a huge profit of more than ten times. No matter how he looked at it, it would not be a loss.
…
…
The Zhu family's glass bead business was in full swing.
In a remote alley in Anlu City, a man with unshaven beard and slovenly clothes walked in from outside the courtyard door. Xiaoqi, a guard in uniform, was about to step forward to salute and talk. Before he got close, a pungent smell spread.
Come.
It was mixed with the intoxicating smell of alcohol and the stench from having not bathed for many days.
"Zhu Qianhu."
A small flag salutes.
"Why are you here again? Is something wrong?"
Zhu Wanhong sat down in front of the ancient well, threw a wooden bucket into the well, lifted a small bucket of water up, and poured a few gulps directly into the mouth of the bucket without using other utensils, and sprinkled half of his front with cold water.
Xiaoqi felt a chill in her heart after seeing it. In this winter...Zhu Qianhu, you are very brave.
"It's like this. I reported to you some time ago that glazed beads are popular in the capital. They were first offered as tribute to Prince Xing's Mansion, and then as treasures given by His Majesty. Many people in the capital collected them, and this became a trend. I don't want to think that recently, the Anlu Zhu family
...The Zhu family where you are is manufacturing glass beads in large quantities and transporting them to various parts of the Ming Dynasty for sale through different channels..."
When Xiaoqi reported here, Zhu Wanhong suddenly picked up the barrel and smashed it to the ground, causing the barrel to break into two halves.
"Ouch, look at my temper. I can't control it. What should I drink tomorrow?" Zhu Wanhong regretted it after the fall.
Xiaoqi was trembling: "Zhu Qianhu...why...are you angry?"
Zhu Wanhong sneered: "Are you stupid or stupid? The colored glaze beads were paid tribute by Prince Xing's Palace, pretending to be from the Western Regions, and then the Zhu family produced them in large quantities, without telling others that the colored glaze beads produced by Prince Xing's Palace came from the Zhu family?
"The Zhu family was ordered by the late emperor to move to Anlu to monitor Prince Xing's Mansion. They did not take the initiative to pay tribute when they had the treasure, but gave it to Prince Xing's Mansion first? Do you think the Zhu family is loyal to the imperial court or to Prince Xing's Mansion?"