The navy's station is on a pier, which Xue Tingxiang personally picked before.
It is close to the sea and close to the port, so it is very convenient to park boats.
The station had just begun to be repaired. Even though Xue Tingxiang had already recruited another group of laborers and hurry up every day, the foundation had just been laid. It would take at least two months to complete the construction and wait for people to live in.
That is to say, what Xue Tingxiang brought with Gou Datong and several navy generals to see was nothing but an open space and some rotten bricks.
The laborers in the station were already busy. While they were sweating and working, they all looked over curiously when they saw Master Xue leading some people in armor in.
Xue Tingxiang took Gou Datong and the others around the entire station, from the navy yamen, to the place where the soldiers lived, to the training ground and the place where the warships were repaired, all the way to the hidden port behind the station.
This port has a strange terrain. Xue Tingxiang walked up to a reef, pointed to the port and said to Gou Datong: "Mr. Gou, what do you think of this place?"
Gou Datong followed and looked over.
He is in his prime, with a burly stature, big hands and feet, and he can see that his water is not bad.
It can be seen that the water is not bad, and it is not a lie. Xue Tingxiang has observed in private that people who grow up by the water since childhood are all big-handed, because only those who grow up in the water will have this kind of physique. .
Xue Tingxiang did not guess wrong, indeed.
The Gou family has lived in Chaohu for generations, and is a hereditary family.
"The terrain here is peculiar. If you can't tell from the outside that there is a harbor here, it's best to use it for berthing boats. The Admiral is attentive." Datong Gou said.
Xue Tingxiang was really attentive. He took Gou Datong to tour the entire station long ago. He knew where the soldiers' latrines were located, and this station also had a place for family members to live. see.
In the Dachang Dynasty, civilian officials were more expensive than military officials. Even if they were of the same rank, military officials had to hold official rituals in front of civilian officials. Xue Tingxiang was able to do all this, which showed that he attached great importance to people like Chaohu Naval Master.
This is a way to win over people.
But sometimes people are just so strange, even if they know it, they are still excited. This is a little-known depression, and is about to move when encountering Bole. Gou Datong wants to tell everyone in the world that the Chaohu navy master is a navy master, not a Cao Ding who only knows how to transport food.
During this period, while walking, Xue Tingxiang also talked a lot with Gou Datong, mostly about the current situation of Dinghai and some other trivial matters.
Hearing this, he took a few steps forward, looked at the waves rolling under the reef with his hands behind his back, and sighed: "I hope Mr. Gou can understand the intention of this officer, our situation is not very good, and it will probably be a few more days. Today, sailors from Fujian and Guangdong will arrive."
He turned around, smiled slightly, and said: "I hope that by then, the people of Chaohu Navy will not be compared by them. After all, you are considered to be the ones that I specially asked for from His Majesty, and you are also the direct line of this official, but don't do it. Lost my face."
Gou Datong clasped his fists and said, "Please don't worry, my lord, I won't hurt my lord's name in the end."
Xue Tingxiang patted Gou Datong's shoulder and said with a smile, "Actually, I'm just talking about it, Mr. Gou doesn't need to take it too seriously."
After visiting this place, the entire navy station can be regarded as finished.
Xue Tingxiang originally wanted to find another place for the sailors to settle down, but Gou Datong said no. He brought the three thousand soldiers from the Chaohu Naval Division directly to the station, where they set up camp and set up tents.
Seeing this, Xue Tingxiang did not reluctantly, but only ordered the people below to pay attention to the food of the sailors.
It can be seen that these people are able to endure hardships, and they helped the laborers to work on the second day of their settlement. After asking, they found out that they said that this will be the station of the navy in the future, and it can be regarded as their own place. It doesn't matter how much effort you put out. With the help of these more than 3,000 soldiers, the construction of the naval station was very fast. It took two months to complete the construction, but it was completed in one month.
At this time, the people from the Guangdong Navy and the Fujian Navy arrived.
Both teams are led by a general, and the navy is a real standing army. Unlike the local guards, the rank of the generals is also different. The navy has an admiral and a chief soldier, and the chief soldier is the deputy general, the general, the guerrilla, the garrison, the thousand general, and the general general.
Because the Zhejiang Naval Division was first built, the generals under the commander-in-chief were all vacant, but it was convenient for Xue Tingxiang to act, and some blank appointment letters were given above. Xue Tingxiang gave these appointments to Gou Datong, who arranged it himself, so after the two teams from Fujian and Guangdong came, the main frame of the navy had already been set up.
I thought that after coming here, I can mix a thousand generals and even generals. Who would have thought that they would still be the generals. These two generals are somewhat reluctant. But the situation could not be controlled by others, and they could only be suppressed. Afterwards, the two groups made trouble for Gou Datong, but the Chaohu family had been prepared for a long time.
The noisy and lively Dinghai Port is in a state of order.
At the entrance of the wharf, there is a special place for the shipping department to handle the inventory and spot checks of the goods, as well as the collection of commercial taxes, and even the ships and labor for transporting the goods.
Since the opening of Dinghai and Kaifu, more and more merchants from all over the world have come here, ranging from rich merchants from various places to small merchants with limited capital. Especially those small businessmen, who knew that they could make money here, brought their goods.
Or there are more than ten trucks of goods, and it is not impossible to reduce the number of five or six trucks. As long as the commercial tax can be paid, Dinghai will not refuse.
Shen Ping thought that it would take at least a day to complete the procedures here in the government. Who would have thought that it would be done in less than two hours.
It was also because he brought too little goods, but only five cars.
Even these five cars were poured on Shen Ping's full net worth, and he planned to take the opportunity to fight for a big one.
All his cargo has been loaded on the ship, but he has to wait for the cargo on the ship to be full before he can set sail. That's why it's so inconvenient for small merchants. Those big merchants have all contracted one or even several cargo ships from Shibuya.
Standing on Class A, Shen Ping looked at the sea across the side of the ship. The sea was calm, and his heart was also calm.
Ever since he left the Shen family, he has been living without a fixed place and wandering around.
He will think about doing business, but he only knows how to do it, just to earn a living. He didn't dare to think about that person, and he didn't dare to look at that person. Every time he thought of that person, he could only relieve a little by letting himself be caught up in the boundless busyness.
Sometimes in the dead of night, Shen Ping would also think, if one day he became famous and appeared in front of her, would she agree to marry him
But the meaning of success is too broad, and he has not been able to figure out what constitutes success and is qualified to appear in front of her. Maybe by then, she's already married.
"Master, I have asked about it. The goods are almost finished, and we will set sail soon. We can reach Shuangyu Island in half an hour."
Shuangyu Island, which is said to be a cornucopia among many small businessmen.
It is said that anyone who can come here and double their net worth is very little, and who does not make a lot of money. Others are still hesitant to inquire. Shen Ping has already come. He knows more than the average small businessman. Since it is the imperial court, he may not know it in the future, but there are bound to be many opportunities.
Even if it is a loss, he is not afraid, anyway, he is only one person.
Shuangyu Island is more majestic than imagined, with the towering observation deck, the fortress like a huge monster, the hole after hole in the fortress, and the open and flat pier, and the soldiers guarding it. , makes the merchants who came to Shuangyu Island for the first time feel intimidated.
The boat stopped a few hundred meters from the shore, and many small sand boats came over from the shore. The cargo ship was riveted on the spot, the gangway was already down, and a lot of labor got off the sand ship. Under the arrangement of the city shipping officer accompanying the cargo ship, the unloading began to the sand ship.
No matter which company unloads the goods, the merchants who follow the goods will follow them to board the ship. Shen Ping's luck is good, but after waiting for half an hour, it is his turn, which is relatively advanced.
After taking a boat to the shore, another round of unloading and landing, and inventory and spot checks.
After that, I followed the convoy all the way to Dinghai City. The excitement that I had originally had calmed down, and I just had to get ready to go. I hope this time I can make it, even if I make a little less money, and I can find a way, it is a good start.
After entering the city, it is another wonder.
I saw that the shops on both sides were lined up, the bluestone road was flat and wide, and the pedestrians on the road were rubbing shoulders. From time to time, you would see trucks and porters carrying cargo picks, rushing back and forth on the road, no less than the prosperity of a certain prefectural city.
What's even more surprising is that you can see barbarians of various colors on the road. Their eyes were either blue or green, and they looked strange and dressed even more strangely.
If it is the first time to come to Dinghai City, I am afraid that it will be very frightening, as is the case with Shen Ping and his group of merchants. The coolies who helped transport the goods told them that these are the barbarians, and they all came here to trade. Don't make too much of a fuss. First, the merchants in Dachang do business with them, and secondly, this is not an uncommon thing.
After entering the city, these small merchants are scattered, and those who have been here long ago are familiar with the road. And Shen Ping was a newcomer to this line. Seeing all these people scattered, he was at a loss for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.
"This master is coming to Dinghai City for the first time? If it is the first time, you can take a look around and familiarize yourself with the local situation. These goods can be stored in the warehouse of Shibo Company. You have paid the tax. , you can put it for three days for free. If it has not been sold for more than three days, you will need to pay a certain fee to Shiboji."
Shen Ping worked hard to absorb the content of the words, and still asked curiously, "How do you know so much?"
Hearing this, the coolie scratched his head and laughed: "This is the order of our Shibo Division, Mr. Xue, don't think we are just doing our best, maybe the coolies in Dinghai City are all selected by the Shibo Division. He is young and strong, and must be articulate, and most people can't come here.
"We in Dinghai used to have a very difficult life. It was only after Master Xue came, that life became prosperous. Master Xue said that as long as Dinghai City is still alive, as long as Dinghai City is prosperous, our ancestors will not be without food for generations. So this Dinghai City is also the city of our Dinghai people, you masters who have come from afar are all here to do business, and we naturally wish you could do it."
Shen Ping chewed it for a while, this was the first time he had heard such a statement. But after thinking about it, it's not the case, Master Xue in this coolie's mouth is really a wonderful person!
Not only Shen Ping had this idea, but also a man standing not far from him.
This person is slender, with black hair and black pupils, but if the sun is low, he can see it, and there is an abnormal blue in his eyes. It's just that the blue color is extremely inconspicuous. If you don't stare at it carefully, I'm afraid it will be difficult to detect.
He was surrounded by more than a dozen people dressed as buddies, more than the ones brought by Shen Ping. It's just that this group of people was taciturn and didn't talk to anyone along the way, so it didn't attract the attention of others.
When walking outside, it should be done with caution. There are not a few people like this group, so it is not surprising.
"... If you don't have a way, Master, you can go to the Bo shopping mall to see it." The young coolie said everything.
"Bo buy market?"
"Bomai Market is a place set up by the Shibo Company, which specializes in the business of shopping. There are yamen shops in it. Those who have no way to go can try to find yabo shops and sell their goods through them. You can rest assured, This tooth shop is arranged by the Shibo Division, so don’t worry about them making fake tricks or something. But after passing the tooth shop, they will be pumped by them. If you don’t have a lot of goods, you might as well find some in those shops by yourself. market."
Shen Ping nodded, took out a piece of silver from his arms and gave it to the coolie.
That coolie is not ambiguous, he said with a smile, thank you sir. Not far away, the black-haired and black-eyed man nodded slightly, and a person walked out beside him, and he also stuffed a piece of silver into the coolie.
Afterwards, under the guidance of the coolie, the two sent the goods to the warehouse of the Shibo Division, and got a wooden sign from there. With this wooden sign, they can come and take out the goods at any time, and they can only store it for three days free of charge. After three days, a fee will be charged.
And the cost is not low.
This is not low for Shen Ping. Since he entered this Dinghai, his business has not been completed, he has already spent a lot of money in advance, and his capital is not much.
After leaving the warehouse, the two parties parted ways, and there was no conversation between them, but they were just passersby.
Shen Ping spent most of the day shopping in Dinghai City. He went to the shopping mall and looked at the shops everywhere.
After half a day, he finally understood why the coolie said that he could go to those shops to find sales. I have to say that Shen Ping is very envious of those who own shops, sitting in one place and doing business of buying and selling. Many shops do not only sell one thing, but sell everything.
They will also receive goods brought by small merchants like them, earn low prices, and sell them at high prices. This low price is naturally for the other party, but for a businessman like Shen Ping, it can more than double his profit.
Shen Ping also asked a few, but no one took his things.
The goods he brought this time were not hot-selling items such as silk, tea, and porcelain, but some native cloth from Shanxi. Although this kind of home cloth is popular in Shanxi, it is a little difficult to do it in Dinghai.
Even though Dinghai City is not big, it is a place that embraces all kinds of rivers, and there are all kinds of in-demand goods on the market. The cotton cloth of Songjiang is the best in the world, as well as the silk, silk cloth, satin and so on of Suzhou and Hangzhou.
Shen Ping felt that he was a little too hasty, he should have inquired and come again. But the problem is that he has no way, how can he find out these things.
For those who have a clue, these are commercial secrets, and who would be willing to say it. And for the higher-ups, Shen Ping couldn't reach that level.
With a lot of worry, Shen Ping took a few of his buddies to find a place to stay. I have to say that everything here in Dinghai is expensive, food and housing are expensive, but thinking about the prosperity here, it seems to be normal.
Early the next morning, before dawn, Shen Ping went out.
He intends to sell his goods as much as possible, even if it doesn't make any money, or even loses money. The big deal is to come again next time. After this time, it can be regarded as a loss of money to buy experience.
But to his disappointment, he asked many people, and they all shook their heads at him. Unconsciously, he walked to Central Street again.
This street is the most prosperous place in Dinghai City, and the Shibo Division was built here. Shen Ping had come here before, but he passed by in a hurry. The people who can open a shop on this street are all giants. So he was the only one who didn't stay here.
But this time Shen Ping wanted to give it a try. It was a desperate person who went to the doctor in a panic.
He even asked several times, and all were greeted with contempt, ridicule, and even cold words. Sure enough, the store was bullying customers, which was not unexpected by Shen Ping.
He came to the store directly opposite Shibosi. Compared with other stores, this place has the best location and the biggest face. He looked up and saw two plaques hanging on it.
The one above his head reads 'Talon Business', and the one next to it is the Talon ticket number. There were people coming in and out at the ticket number, but the firm seemed to have no business. There was only a barbarian in strange clothes holding something in his hands, talking with his back to the people at the counter.
When Shen Ping stepped on the steps, he heard a familiar female voice: "Mr. Roberts, your flowers are really not very pretty, you should take them away."
"Oh, my dear Di, it really hurts me to say that."