After Lin Sanlang's comparison and detailed explanation, Cui Geng finally understood what the so-called "Nose Country" was!

Could it be that the approximate location of this overseas vassal is the one I saw in my absurd dream, a country near the "Strait of Malacca"?

This country is more than 5,000 miles away from Quanzhou. In the Zhenguan period, once sent an envoy to the Tang Dynasty to pay tribute, the country's specialties are ivory, frankincense, rose water, long live jujube.

During the Zhenguan period, the Lin family set their sights on the country of Libi early, first sent people to this country to investigate, and then sent small boats to conduct exploratory trade.

After decades of exploration, this new route is very ripe for this large-scale trade.

In this trade, the Lin family sent a total of three large ships and twenty small ships, which accounted for one percent of the Lin family's entire seafaring force.

Five days later, the fleet will officially arrive at the port of Quanzhou with the specialties of the country that has been revealed.

In order to celebrate the official opening of this route, the Lin family specially invited people with heads and faces in Quanzhou City to come to watch the ceremony.

The so-called viewing ceremony is similar to the opening ribbon cutting seen in the big dream. The difference is that the "trial operation" of later generations of enterprises is at most dozens of days, while the "trial operation" of a new route lasts for decades.

It seems that it is not easy to eat the bowl of rice of sailing, without the persistence of several generations, how can you wait for this day?

Immediately, he happily agreed: "This is a good thing, I will definitely ...... that day By the way, for such a big matter, you must also invite Guo Duwei, right? When the time comes, the two of us will go together. ”

"Guo Duwei is invited." Lin Sanlang's face was a little embarrassed, and he said in a slurred manner: "However, it's better for the two of you to ...... It's better to go separately. ”

Cui Geng was puzzled and said, "Why? ”

"Well, I can't hide it anyway, I'll tell you the truth." Lin Sanlang said: "Guo Duwei took the invitation handwritten by my father himself. As for your invitation, I wrote it myself. Let's put it this way, Guo Duwei is my father's guest, you are my guest, and the two of you are not next to each other. ”

Cui Geng didn't have any dissatisfaction with this, originally, Father Lin was a character who stomped on Quanzhou City, and with Guo Ke's identity, he could be on an equal footing with him, and he was very poor.

In addition, he and Lin Saburo have been getting along well these days, but they have even met with Lin's father, so wouldn't it be natural for Lin Saburo to invite him?

The truth is that there is such a truth, but how can such a good opportunity to rip off money be missed?

Cui Geng pretended to be unhappy and said: "Alas, it seems that my Cui Erlang has a small official position, and it is not worth an invitation from Old Man Lin." ”

If it were usual, Lin Saburo would definitely be able to see the banter in Cui Geng's eyes. But today, he cares about it, and he really doesn't see it.

Lin Chuang waved his hand again and again, and hurriedly explained: "No, no, Erlang don't misunderstand." According to your identity, it is worth a handwritten invitation from my father. The reason why I wronged you this time is to make a show for others. ”

When Cui Geng heard this, the little flame of gossip in his heart lit again, and he asked with interest, "Oh? Is there anything else to say about this? ”

Lin Chuang said: "It's a big talk here, listen to me tell you slowly." ”

It turned out that there were two most powerful businessmen in Quanzhou Port, one was Lin Sanlang's family, and the other was the Zhang family, that is, Lin Sanlang's eldest brother's father-in-law's family.

Although the two families are in-laws, there is also a little competition - the competition is for the position of the leader of the maritime merchants.

In the jargon of merchants, this position is called "leading the ship".

Small maritime merchants, with only one or two ships or three or four ships, are very difficult to go to sea to do business on their own.

The reason is very simple, when you encounter a reef storm or something, the ship sinks, and if there is no one next to save you, don't you have to wait for death?

There is also the most realistic, encountering pirates at sea and bandits at the destination, without a certain force, you must finish the game.

Therefore, every time those small maritime merchants went to sea, they would follow the fleet of the sea merchants.

They called these seafarers "lead ships".

The benefits of being a "lead ship" are numerous. First of all, the small sea chamber of commerce will pay a "protection fee" according to the situation of its own goods. Secondly, in order to avoid vicious competition, the lead ship has the power to balance the cargo carried by the fleet. Even if you are completely selfless, relying on the advantage of information alone is enough to make a lot of money.

As for the invisible benefits such as connections and power obtained by virtue of the identity of the ship, there are countless of them.

Now there are two leading ships in Quanzhou Port, the Zhang family and the Lin family.

Both want to dominate the position.

This "Fortune Country's First Business Ceremony" is a move made by the Lin family to compete for the "lead ship", the purpose is to show off their strength - follow our Lin family, you can go to the Ribs Country to do business, and you can make a lot of money.

Hearing this, Cui Geng couldn't help but interrupt: "I don't understand, no matter how much money you make by leading other maritime merchants to do business together, how much money can you make by monopolizing a business route by yourself?" Your Lin family has no shortage of ships, wouldn't it be better to monopolize the trade route to the country of Libi? ”

Lin Chuang said proudly: "In order to avoid military disasters when our Lin family was in China, we set off from our hometown in Luoyang and came to Quanzhou by boat to settle down. At that time, the wealth was not more than a thousand yuan, and there were only three ships. Today, it has a fortune of more than one million, dozens of big ships, and more than 100 small boats. Erlang thinks, what is the secret of our Lin family's beginning? ”

Cui Gengdao: "What is it?" ”

"It's just that everyone earns money. If our Lin family opened a new route, we would cherish it, and I am afraid it would have disappeared long ago. ”

Cui Geng was surprised: "It's not so serious, right?" ”

"Of course, you've seen Wu Liangju's grandson, right? For hundreds of years, how could there have been only one Wu Liangju in Quanzhou Port? If it were just our Lin family's maritime merchants, I am afraid that they would have been eaten and wiped out long ago. It is precisely because of the large number of maritime merchants that thousands of households are implicated that those people dare not act rashly. There are also all kinds of barbarian pirates on the sea, without the big guys working together, our Lin family alone is far from being an opponent. So, although our sharing of trade routes dilutes profits, it brings long-term peace. ”

Cui Geng thought about it carefully, this is really the Lin family's business idea. For example, the Lin family built a school, not to serve the Lin family, but to serve the entire Quanzhou Port. The port of Quanzhou is prosperous, and the Lin family will naturally rise.

It is precisely because of such a mind and vision that the Lin family has been able to survive hundreds of years and develop into a first-class family in Quanzhou.

He praised from the bottom of his heart: "In this way, if your Lin family does this lead ship, it will truly benefit the people of Quanzhou, and I, Cui Erlang, will give my full support." But...... What does this have to do with you sending me invitations? ”

The Lin family asked Lin Saburo to invite Cui Geng, also to show off the strength of the Lin family.

The next generation of the Lin family has a good relationship with the young Junyan of Quanzhou officialdom, which on the one hand proves that the next generation of the Lin family is talented, and on the other hand, it also shows the potential of the Lin family.

In another twenty years, Cui Geng will be able to grind to the sixth-rank official even if he only relies on grinding qualifications, and at that time he will become a powerful ally of the Lin family. Whoever does business can do business without the support of the government, this is the real hard power!

Cui Geng couldn't help but smile when he heard it: "I understand." When the time comes, the other rich second generations will invite a group of fox friends and dog friends, and you will bring me, the governor of the Governor's Mansion, to save face...... Belch...... Why does it sound similar to don't have a head in the green ~ building, and you treat me as a fan in the green ~ building? ”

Lin Saburo smiled and said: "The truth is similar, but it never means to despise Erlang." It's a big deal, when you need me to support the scene, even if it's up and down the mountain, I ......"

"Stop!" Cui Geng hurriedly raised his hand and interrupted: "What am I doing in the oil pot on the knife mountain, you don't expect to order something good?" That's it, I promise you, I will go that day, and I will give you Lin Saburo to stand back on the stage. ”

"Thank you so much, Erlang is really a friend."

……

A few days later, look at the sea tower.

It has been the first business gift of the country.

This time the ceremony was not held in the Lin family's house, but chose Wanghai Tower.

If you open the windows of this building, you can see the entire port of Thornton.

Today, the building is closed to the public, and only those with invitations are allowed to enter.

Everyone chatted and fart here first, and when they saw the Lin family's fleet enter the port, they went downstairs to the port to greet them.

Invite the people in the fleet to the Wanghai Tower, and let them tell them about the various situations encountered on this voyage, as well as the customs and customs of the country of Elibi.

In the end, everyone has one more meal, and this "first business ceremony of the country" will be successfully completed.

However, not long after Cui Geng entered Wanghai Tower, he came out of the moth.

The entire Wanghai Building is divided into three floors, and the third floor is for people with heads and faces in Quanzhou Mansion, that is, the group of people who wrote personal invitations to Lin Sanlang's father, Lin Zhixiang.

On the first floor were small maritime merchants, mostly with only one or two ships.

As for the second layer, it entertains those rich second generations and the fox friends they invited.

Like a proud little rooster, Lin Sanlang led Cui Geng around the second floor to introduce the origin of this rising star of Quanzhou officialdom.

After the introduction, he was ready to invite Cui Geng to the third floor.

After all, Cui Geng gave himself face, and he also had to give face to others. It would be too rude to entertain this Governor Shi from the seventh rank on the second floor in the end.

But at this moment, a voice shouted from behind him in a strange tone: "Lin Sanlang, where are you going?" ”

Lin Chuang turned his head and saw that he was still an acquaintance, this person's name was Zhang Qunli, and he was Zhang Yuanchang's nephew who had not come out of the five suits.

Although the relationship between relatives is not close, he is very close to Zhang Yuanchang's family, and he is one of the pioneers of the Zhang family's struggle for "leading the ship".

The relationship between the Zhang family and the Lin Lang family is still chaotic, and despite the dispute over "leading the boat", it still maintains a superficial harmony.

But Zhang Qunli doesn't have so many scruples, and he has frequent conflicts with the Lin family.

Lin Chuang's face sank slightly, and he said unhappily: "Of course, it's the third floor of the history of Ling Cui Changshi, what's the matter?" Zhang Liulang, do you have any opinions? ”

"You're right, the sixth master really has an opinion today!"

Zhang Qunli glanced around, and said loudly: "Everyone, this is the rule set by the Lin family itself. Take the invitation written by Mr. Lin himself, and go up to the third floor! The guests who took the invitation of the three brothers of the Lin family went up to the second floor. What's wrong? How old is this official surnamed Cui? Is this a rule that is broken? ”

Lin Chuang saw Zhang Liulang open his mouth and humiliate the guest and boss he personally invited, which was tantamount to slapping his own mouth, so could he bear it?

Immediately, he sneered and said, "Zhang Liulang, don't be unconvinced!" My Erlang brothers' family has a lot of money, and a pot of Mulan spring wine is even more famous in Chang'an! At a young age, the seven-rank Zhichong governor was in a high position, holding heavy troops and guarding the safety of Quanzhou Port. If you are not convinced, please also invite a court official from the seventh grade, and I will also let him go up to the third floor. ”

"Haha! Ha ha! Ha ha! Laughing to death! ”

Zhang Qunli laughed three times in a row, with disdain on his face, and jokingly said: "From the seventh grade is also considered a high position? Still holding heavy troops and garrisoning Quanzhou Port? Phew, how dare you put gold on his face! The other seven-rank officials are more or less worthy of the respect of the sixth master, and they are called 'adults'. But this surname is Cui, hehe...... How did he come to be an official, everyone knows it in their hearts, everyone here is a clear-eyed person, the big guy said is this reasonable? ”

This book was first published on Kanshu.com