novelAbuy Chapter 20 Three Paths
Chapter 20 Three Paths
Song Jiang drove the carriage, carrying the two men, straight towards the west of the city.
"I will take my brother to see that government granary."
The carriage soon arrived near the dock in the west of the city.
A vast courtyard came into view.
The tall wall was built of bluestone, and a corner tower was built on top of the wall for observation.
The gate was covered with thick sheet metal and had a rusty padlock hanging on it.
Song Jiang took out a bunch of keys from his pocket and stepped forward to unlock the door.
With a creak, the door was pushed open.
A musty, stale smell wafted over.
The courtyard was overgrown with weeds, and several huge granaries stood side by side.
Liu Bei went in and stomped his foot on the ground.
The ground was paved with stone slabs, which were extremely solid.
He walked to a granary and pushed open the door.
The room was empty except for a few frightened rats that scattered and fled.
The grain silo was extremely sturdy and well-ventilated.
"Brother, what do you think of this place?" Song Jiang asked smugly.
Liu Bei's gaze swept across the entire courtyard, finally settling on the waterway that led directly to the moat not far away.
He nodded.
"very good."
This place is ostensibly a granary, but secretly it is an excellent military camp.
They could advance along the waterway directly into Liangshan Marsh, or retreat and use the city as cover.
Liu Bei turned around and clasped his hands in greeting to Song Jiang.
"My dear brother, I will remember what happened today. Another day, I will certainly prepare wine and drink with you."
Song Jiang waved his hand repeatedly.
"Brother, what are you saying? We're brothers, there's no need for such formalities."
He handed the key in his hand to Liu Bei.
"This place will be yours from now on, brother."
Song Jiang's carriage disappeared around the street corner.
Liu Bei and Wu Yong returned to the inn and closed the door.
The warmth and politeness that had just been there vanished in an instant.
Only the two of them remained in the room, and the atmosphere became solemn.
Liu Bei walked to the table and brewed a pot of fresh tea himself.
The water on the charcoal stove made a soft "gurgling" sound.
"Scholar, what do you think of Shi Wenbin?"
Wu Yong sat opposite him, waving a feather fan, and pondered for a moment.
"A man who won't act until he sees the benefit."
"They gave us the largest official granary in the west of the city. This favor is worth far more than a few gold bars."
Liu Bei nodded.
"He's playing the long game."
"He knew that by taking his granary, we were essentially on his side."
"The bigger our business becomes in Yuncheng County in the future, the more benefits he will receive."
Wu Yong laughed and said, "People in officialdom are all shrewd and calculating."
Liu Bei poured the boiled water into the teapot, and a fragrant aroma filled the air.
"With official granaries and travel permits, the grain trade has a solid foundation."
"However, relying solely on buying grain from farmers and then reselling it to earn a meager living may not be enough to support our future army."
Wu Yong stopped fanning himself; he knew the main topic was about to be discussed.
"What does my brother mean?"
Liu Bei pushed a cup of tea in front of Wu Yong.
"I'd like to hear the scholar's insightful opinion. In this Shandong region, how can we make the grain business the biggest and fastest?"
Wu Yong picked up the teacup, but did not drink it.
He watched the tea leaves floating in the cup, as if he were organizing his thoughts.
"In response to your question, brother, I believe there are four paths one can take in the grain business."
Tell me about it.
Wu Yong extended one finger.
"Firstly, it is about 'putting down roots'."
"We will use Yuncheng as our base to purchase surplus grain from local landlords and wealthy farmers. The Jingdong West Road is a major grain-producing area, with millet, sorghum, wheat, and beans all being excellent sources of grain. This method is the most reliable and can lay a solid foundation for us, ensuring that the hundreds of mouths on Liangshan have food to eat."
Liu Bei nodded.
This is the safest approach; it avoids mistakes, but it won't make you rich.
Wu Yong then extended a second finger.
"Secondly, it is the 'Tonghe River'."
"The true value of Yuncheng lies not in its fields, but in its waterways."
"The Guangji River in the east of the city is one of the four canals for grain transport, leading directly to the capital, Bianliang. By controlling Liangshan Marsh, we are essentially controlling a vital section of this waterway."
"We can send people in fast boats to collect grain directly from grain ships traveling north and south on the river. We can even open rice shops at several key ferry crossings and establish long-term relationships with those big grain merchants."
"In this way, the rice from Jiangnan and the millet and wheat from Huguang can all be used by me."
Liu Bei's eyes lit up.
"This is an excellent plan. Waterways are our strength."
Wu Yong smiled slightly, extended his third finger, and his expression became much more serious.
Thirdly, it is "entering the center".
Liu Bei raised an eyebrow: "What does 'entering the center' mean?"
"This is a national policy of the imperial court," Wu Yong explained. "In order to solve the problem of grain supplies at the border, the imperial court encourages merchants to transport grain to the border. When merchants transport grain to the border, the government does not give them cash, but instead issues them a certificate called 'Jiaoyin'."
"With this 'exchange certificate,' merchants can go to the capital to exchange for goods such as salt and tea, which are monopolized by the government. They can also sell the 'exchange certificate' directly at the 'exchange certificate shop' in the capital for money."
Wu Yong lowered his voice as he spoke.
"Brother, there's a lot more to this than meets the eye."
"To encourage merchants to transport grain, the government often buys grain at prices far higher than the market price at the border. We can buy grain at low prices in Yuncheng, transport it to the border, and exchange it for 'exchange certificates.' Then we can take the 'exchange certificates' to the capital to cash out. This round trip can generate several times the profit."
"Moreover, 'exchange' itself can be bought and sold in the capital. If we can know in advance about the changes in grain prices at the border, we can even buy low and sell high, without having to transport anything, and make a fortune without any investment."
After listening, Liu Bei remained silent for a long time.
He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a strange meaning.
"Using the laws of the imperial court to make money from the imperial court, and undermining the foundation of the imperial court."
Wu Yong bowed and said, "Brother is wise."
Liu Bei offered no further comment, but instead asked, "What about the fourth path?"
Wu Yong's smile faded, and his expression became somewhat complicated.
"The fourth path is to 'take shortcuts'."
"To put it bluntly, it's highway robbery."
"If we urgently need money, or if we lack sufficient capital, this 800-li waterway is our greatest asset. We can control the waterways and levy a likin, or protection fee, on passing grain ships."
"If we encounter corrupt officials who are rich but unscrupulous, or fleets transporting ill-gotten gains, then..."
Wu Yong made a "cut" gesture.
Liu Bei stood up and paced around the room a couple of times.
Rooted, connected to the river, entering the center, taking advantage of the situation.
These four paths encompass farming, commerce, officialdom, and theft—virtually every way to make money in that era.
Wu Yong watched Liu Bei's retreating figure, feeling somewhat uneasy.
He didn't know what choice his ambitious older brother would make.
Is it better to play it safe or take a risk?
Liu Bei stopped and turned around.
"pedant."
"I'm here."
"We want all four paths."
Wu Yong was taken aback.
Liu Bei walked to the table, dipped his finger in the tea, and drew on the table.
"Rooting ourselves in the community is the foundation of our existence. We want the people of Yuncheng to know that if they follow us, they will have food to eat. This is the will of the people."
"Tonghe can turn Liangshan Marsh into a huge whirlpool on this waterway, sucking in wealth from the north and south."
"Entering the palace is like using the government's knife to cut the government's flesh. At the same time, it is also the best way for us to plant our own people and spy on the court's strengths and weaknesses."
"As for using tricks..." Liu Bei raised his eyes and looked at Wu Yong: "This knife must be used with caution. But it cannot be left unused. To deal with friends, we use wine. To deal with wolves, we must use a knife."
Wu Yong stood up and bowed deeply to Liu Bei.
"My elder brother's ambition far surpasses that of his younger brother."
Liu Bei helped him up: "However, all four routes require manpower. Especially the method of 'entering the capital,' which involves border generals and officials in the capital. We are unfamiliar with the area; how can we smooth things over?"
Wu Yong laughed and said, "Brother, don't worry. This matter may still fall on Clerk Song's shoulders."
"Oh?"
"Since he was able to get in touch with Shi Wenbin, he must have even deeper connections in officialdom. We can use him to test this path."
Liu Bei nodded: "Alright. Then, we need to renovate this granary properly before we start collecting grain."
Wu Yong said, "Brother's arrangements are excellent. As for the manpower needed for the renovations..."
Liu Bei laughed and said, "I've taken in so many refugees, feeding and caring for them every day. It's not good for them to just sit idle. Let them come and work, and pay them some wages. Isn't that perfect?"
Wu Yong immediately agreed, "Brother, you have such foresight!"