Augustus II would come to visit almost every day, bringing his cavalry and gifts to Chu Yining. Sometimes they were valuable jewelry, sometimes they were simple bouquets, but every day All have new tricks.
Huang Xuan doubted whether this guy hired a team of experts to pick up girls.
The farm was not very conspicuous, but the mercenaries above made people feel very unfriendly. His Majesty the King was generous and did not pursue it, but asked Chu Yining: "Is it not safe recently?"
Chu Yining smiled and said: "Mr. Augustus, there are more and more businessmen coming nearby, and there is a lot of money in the manor. We feel that we need some soldiers to protect it."
Augustus still had the same disguised lecherous face, and said with a smile: "No problem, no problem, I will send a few people over and ask them to bring 00 infantry."
The infantry in the Middle Ages was just farmers adding guns, but by the 18th century, the infantry was still relatively effective, especially the kingdom's infantry. Huang Xuan said with great satisfaction: "Thank you, Mr. Augustus."
Anyway, as long as the infantrymen don't go to the position of the aperture, it will be fine.
"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter." His Majesty the King said and looked at Chu Yining again.
Chu Yining smiled helplessly and said, "Thank you, Mr. Augustus."
If it weren't for Huang Xuan's strong request, she would probably beat the powerful king into a brain-dead king.
Augustus didn't know, he said with a blushing face: "Call me Frederick. They all call me Frederick."
Chu Yining simply didn't translate for Huang Xuan, and turned around and left angrily.
At this time, someone behind Augustus II smiled and said: "Miss Chu, can we go in and take a look?"
He pointed to the silver mirror factory behind him.
There are only 4 apprentices in the silver mirror factory, who specialize in the production of silver mirrors. The other 6 people are responsible for purchasing various supplies, but they are not allowed to enter the factory. The apprentices here are much stricter than Betege. To a certain extent, they are almost like slaves. The difference is that they can have their own identity after 10 years and take away their craftsmanship.
The four apprentices can produce more than 500 silver mirrors in a day, as if watching the silver coins flowing across the table, which gives them great motivation.
Huang Xuan claimed that the cost was 800 thalers. Naturally, people did not believe it, but they would never have imagined that a silver mirror that was sold for more than 1,000 thalers cost only 10 thalers. The most important thing is of course not to let Augustus know.
Chu Yining said tactfully: "The smoke inside is very heavy and poisonous. If we want to go in, we must stop work."
The man behind him asked with great concern: "Aren't the workers there very dangerous?"
Chu Yining smiled and said nothing. In the 18th century, there was no such thing as human rights. Some anthropologists recorded with great joy: A 6-year-old child can fully operate a loom. This is the greatest achievement of the industrial revolution. , they can support themselves from now on, allowing our society...
The man behind him said persistently: "We'll just go in for a while, there won't be any problems."
This kind of situation is what Huang Xuan is best at. The guy rolled his eyes and said: "The problem for ordinary people is not very serious. The apprentices inside have already signed an agreement to give up their reproductive rights."
"What does that mean?" the man behind him asked in surprise.
Huang Xuan chuckled and said: "The materials we use are somewhat special, so after being exposed to smoke for more than a minute, the lower parts will easily become loose."
Chu Yining pretended to blush with shame and gave him a thumbs up behind her back to praise him.
Augustus II was furious. For a powerful king, is there anything more terrifying than "not lifting"
But the man behind him probably didn't believe it, or he didn't have any worries about whether to do it or not. He thought for a moment and said, "Mr. Huang, do you want to go overseas to do business?"
Huang Xuan was silent and did not speak. Chu Yining asked first: "Where?"
Augustus II was willing to talk to Chu Yining. When he received the response from the beautiful woman, he put away his fear of "not giving up" and said: "Because of your contribution to glass mirrors and porcelain, I can give you The monopoly on trade in the Baltic Sea includes not only silver mirrors and porcelain, but also the monopoly on two or three commodities you want. Of course, it is best not to conflict with the existing monopoly. "
In the 18th century, the correct way to sell goods seemed to remain monopoly.
The Dutch East India Company, the French Northern Company, and the former Hanseatic League all tried to do this. Governments of various countries would give a company the monopoly rights of a certain region or a certain product. For example, Henry IV gave the French Second East India Company a 15-year trade monopoly. Richelieu would reiterate the monopoly given to the Antilles Company several times. The New French Company began to monopolize the fur business in 168.
The terms free trade and free competition are shorter than the history of Americans.
As Elector of Saxony, Augustus II held approximately one-twentieth of the power in Germany, and with his unstable Polish throne, he could add another one-twentieth.
Of course, this statement is not very accurate, but after the end of the Hanseatic League, the electors could occasionally reach an agreement if they wanted to operate through ports such as Hamburg. However, at this time, the Netherlands had risen, allowing Germany to People's voices at sea are too low.
Even so, Augustus II was still unwelcome and wanted to give Huang Xuan and Chu Yining the monopoly. He stared at Chu Yining with a very manly look, but said to Huang Xuan: "I and Chu Yining Austria, France and Prussia have all discussed that they are willing to exchange the monopoly rights of two Baltic products for the formula of silver mirrors. "
He never mentioned porcelain, because he still owned most of the profits from porcelain. Now I have probably seen the profits of Silver Mirror.
After Chu Yining translated, she didn't know what to say.
Huang Xuan said in Chinese: "Whatever you think comes to you. Just tell him that our production of silver mirrors requires a lot of fuel, and we can't help him take care of it for the time being. If they are willing, we can provide it to them." The formula for an ordinary mercury mirror only requires money to be exchanged for it.”
Chu Yining immediately translated for him, but her heart felt tight and depressed. As a super traveler, she graduated with first place from the best university in the world. She is a very proud woman, not to mention that she has just been promoted to a member of the Space-Time Management Bureau - a government that can compete with many planes. The position of an equal to the supreme chief.
But now, when he couldn't come up with any solution, Huang Xuan, who often looked at him with lustful eyes, seemed to have many solutions.
In addition, when he rarely showed respect or admiration, and did not show any level of even an ordinary management representative, Chu Yining's depression became even louder.
However, the fact is the fact. Chu Yining was not willing to accompany Huang Xuan to stay in this plane where birds do not lay eggs, so she did her translation work meticulously and accompanied Huang Xuan's thoughts. , she is also studying hard.
The man behind him was Augustus' chief staff member. The two looked at each other, and it was the former who said, "How much do you want for the formula of the mercury mirror?"
In the 18th century, there was little concept of strategic intelligence, so it was difficult for them to judge how much fuel Huang Xuan brought home. They only knew a lot. But they knew that the number of workers in the silver mirror factory definitely did not exceed 0. Judging from the number of mirrors sold by Huang Xuan and others in the past two months, they naturally knew that the production efficiency of silver mirrors was higher than that of mercury mirrors. The man behind him therefore I am more interested in the formula of silver mirror, but I don’t reject mercury mirror either.
The young-looking Huang Xuan looked like an old god and said: "Mercury mirrors require skilled glass workers. Each worker can make one or two mirrors per month. The materials are very cheap, just the opposite of silver mirrors."
"Oh? Where's the silver mirror?" Augustus II was indeed attracted by Huang Xuan's last sentence.
Huang Xuan chuckled and said, "It takes a lot of time to dissolve the silver. It requires a lot of fuel. You see, the road is full of coal, but it's still not enough."
Chu Yining lowered her head and did not look at Huang Xuan, feeling quite amazed in her heart. The silly-looking little man next to her simply "seduce" Augustus.
How did people in the 18th century know the difference between silver mirror reaction, dissolved silver and even silver plating? They looked at the thin silver particles on the back of the mirror and saw that it was indeed the case. The man behind them specifically asked: "Why don't you see any silver in the manor?" Fireworks?"
"Our stove is special." Huang Xuan smiled shyly.
"The roads nearby are indeed not good." Augustus said with understanding: "How about moving the factory to Dresden, where supply is more convenient."
"It's better to be here." Huang Xuan listened to Chu Yining's translation and interrupted: "Your Majesty the King, what do you think of this? We have priced the formula of mercury mirror at 100,000 thalers. As long as you bring it, it is worth 100,000 thalers." Taler’s fuel includes wood and coal. In a few months, when your craftsmen are familiar with it, we can talk about the recipe for the silver mirror.”
In a few months, he thought he would be able to leave.
"You might as well learn mercury mirrors first." Frederick agreed immediately. Among the "expensive" silver mirrors and the time-consuming mercury mirrors, he certainly preferred the latter.
Huang Xuan struck while the iron was hot: "Your Majesty the King, we don't want monopoly power, but we still hope to get the right to tax reductions, including not only tax reductions for ourselves, but also tax reductions for merchants who purchase silver mirrors and porcelain."
Frederick immediately hesitated.
Germany's tax rate is the highest in this era. The main reason is that the tax rate is very high. Every time you pass through a region, you have to pay a tax. Repeated taxes are very unbearable. German monarchs in the 18th century were money-crazy, and would even sell their entire armies when they needed money. During the Seven Years' War, the Duke of Württemberg leased 6,000 men to the French army. Later, the Duke of Hesse and Kassel sold 16,000 men to the British to fight in America, and he used the money to build William Schoenberg.
The main reason why Frederick was willing to reward the two was because he wanted to sell more porcelain. He had more rights to the porcelain, and the tax rate on silver mirrors was already 45%.
But if the tax is reduced, he will immediately lose the tax revenue from Silver Mirror.
Chu Yining looked at Huang Xuan without knowing why, and whispered in Chinese: "If you ask him to reduce taxes for other businessmen, what good will it do to us?"
"Selling a lot. Only by reducing the costs of merchants can they increase their enthusiasm." Huang Xuan said matter-of-factly.
Chu Yining shook his head and said: "If the number of silver mirrors on the market increases, we will have to lower the price so that the profits will not drop again."
Huang Xuan rolled his eyelids and said: "We are the ones who don't need to worry about the drop in the price of silver mirrors. Mirrors are a luxury product. They will start to decline in price from 1,000 thalers and will not reach the bottom in a year or two. The more we sell, the more we earn. The cost of 5 thalers is to sell for 500 thalers. As long as the sales volume doubles, it will be the same as now, but I can guarantee that the increase will definitely not be doubled. And you have to consider that the rich will buy the mirror immediately, but what about the next rich? "
"What about lowering the price to 00 thalers? If the price of the mirror drops, many people may not be willing to buy it." Chu Yining is still not convinced.
Huang Xuan now understood that Miss Chu in front of him had no business acumen at all. He held his forehead and said: "We were talking about marketing two days ago. Think about it, if the price of mirrors is reduced to 00 thalers Well, we haven’t made it yet, so let’s think of other ways. At this moment, it’s better to kill the goose and get the eggs. As for whether people will buy it, you don’t have to worry, they will.”
His final judgment naturally came from history. When the silver mirror appeared, there was no monopoly. It was the invention of a chemist, and it sold more than eggs.
Chu Yining's face turned pale with embarrassment. (To be continued)