Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 689 False Information

"This is Shopkeeper He, who has done business with me. Shopkeeper He is a well-known grain merchant in Nanyang. This time, the Kyushu Army's large-scale purchase of grain also has the power of Shopkeeper He." Cruise said for Putman at the banquet Si introduced a Chinese businessman.

"It's a pleasure to meet, a pleasure to meet." Putmans imitated the Han people and said to the shopkeeper He of the grain merchant.

"Cruise, I am just a small businessman. I am really ashamed. I am far from those big businessmen who have a lot of money." Shopkeeper He stroked his beard. Although he spoke modestly, his expression was With a haughty look, he seemed very satisfied with Cruise's flattery.

"Why don't shopkeepers be humble? As far as I know, every time you make a move, you can get more than a thousand shi of grain, and you can make a lot of money. If you join forces with a group of grain merchants you know, you can sell ten thousand shi of grain at a time, which is the price of grain in Nanyang. Look at the ups and downs on your faces. Food is the most important thing for the people, you can be said to be the secret king of the Nanyang Chinese." Cruise still licked the shopkeeper with a cheeky face.

"If it was in the past, you can still say that, but the life of our big grain merchants has been difficult in the past year." Shopkeeper He raised the wine glass in his hand and drank it with his head raised.

"Friend, have you encountered any problems recently?" Putmans was keenly aware of the change in Shopkeeper He's tone.

"In the past year, the Kyushu Army established a grain company in Hoi An Port. The government temporarily took over the grain business. The grain price and sales of the Cochin Chief Secretary were determined by the grain company. We big grain merchants originally relied on reselling The grain price difference is used to make some meager profits. As for the grain companies, they buy grain from us at extremely low prices. If we do not agree, they will seal up our grain stores and confiscate our grain. We have no choice but to The grain purchased from farmers at a high price is sold to the grain company at a low price, and there is hardly any difference in the price, and we also lose money for labor. Under this continuous loss, that is, we have the savings of previous years as the bottom line. Not broke, but not far off."

Shopkeeper He thought of his difficulties in recent days, and couldn't help complaining to Putmans and Cruise endlessly.

Sensing an opportunity for cliche, Putmans winked at Cruise.

Cruz understood, and asked: "I came to Nanyang from Europe for trade, and I have also heard of the grain company established by the Kyushu Army. It is a great pioneering work in the Far East. I just don't know what the purpose of the Kyushu Army's establishment of the grain company is. ?”

"The reason for this is also very simple..." Shopkeeper He was about to continue, but suddenly seemed to think of something, he hesitated to speak, and just bowed his head and drank his wine.

"This..." Putmans was shaking his feet anxiously, Nima was about to say this, why did he hold it back again, it's really worrying.

Cruise held down Putmans who was about to move with one hand, so that he didn't have to worry.

Cruise obviously knows how to deal with Chinese businessmen, so he stopped asking shopkeeper He about the grain company.

Shopkeeper He used wine to relieve his worries, and he never refused the wine toasted by Cruise, and he soon smelled of alcohol.

"Professor He is a good drinker, come again, come again." Cruise toasted to shopkeeper He in turn to the other Westerners present, still secretly surprised that shopkeeper He is really good at drinking.

Finally, under the wheel battle of the Westerners, shopkeeper He's cheeks were flushed, and his eyes were a little confused.

"Treasurer He, to tell you the truth, our East India Company wants to buy a large amount of grain recently, but we know that the grain on hand of the grain merchant has been bought by the grain company set up by the Kyushu Army, so we want to buy grain from the grain company. I don't know." Shopkeeper He, can you introduce it?" Cruise asked.

"Introduction...recommendation? No...the food company only...only accepts and does not sell...you buy...you can't buy..." Shopkeeper He staggered, stammered, his throat was dry.

"Why do they only accept and not sell?" Putmans and Cruise asked almost at the same time.

"Central Plains...a severe drought in the Central Plains...grain harvest failure, the rebels looting everywhere...in order to cover up this matter...the Nanyang grain...gathered, collected in Hoi An Port, and then stole from the Hoi An Port...secretly Shipped to the Central Plains... keep it secret..." Shopkeeper He said intermittently.

It turned out that it was not An Nanguo who was short of food, but the base camp of the Kyushu Army!Putmans and Cruise were a little relieved.If there is a drought in the Central Plains, since the rulers of the Central Plains have always paid attention to their own face, it makes sense to secretly search for food in Nanyang and transport it back to relieve the disaster.

"You say that the Central Plains is short of food, and if they can't take care of themselves, we will seize the opportunity to seize the colonies of the Kyushu Army in Nanyang and force them to withdraw from Nanyang. I wonder if it is possible?" Putmans suddenly thought of a crazy idea.

"It's totally feasible! All the food that the food company plundered from Nanyang is concentrated in Hoi An Port. If we succeed in attacking Hoi An Port, the Central Plains will be in a dilemma of food shortage. At that time, they will be too busy to take care of themselves, so they will give up on the Hoi An Port." Colonies in the Southeast Asia.” Cruise agreed with Putmans.

"Okay, I will write a report to the board of directors later, and let the board of directors consider formulating a combat plan against the Kyushu army, summoning the East Indian coalition forces, and uniting the Spaniards and Frangji to attack Hoi An Port." Putmans said boldly.

"But they still have the Nanyang Fleet. Our main fleet is in the European battlefield. The warships of the East Indian Alliance may not be able to defeat them." Cruise was a little worried.

"So we still need to find a way to figure out the ships and deployment of the Nanyang Fleet, and formulate a winning battle plan for our sneak attack on Hoi An Port." Putmans seemed to be led in a strange direction.

Shopkeeper He said to Putmans and the others in a dazed manner: "I seem to have drunk too much, so I will leave first."

"Shopkeeper He, let's talk again when we have time." Putmans and Cruise had a huge plan to attack Hoi An Port in their minds, and they wished that Shopkeeper He would leave early.

Shopkeeper He cupped his hands towards the two of them, and then left the restaurant by supporting the wooden wall.

"Ugh..." Shopkeeper He came to the corner and found a wooden barrel, and he really drank too much.

A peddler came over: "The shopkeeper He is a good drinker."

Shopkeeper He vomited and scolded: "It's too difficult for a horse rider to provide false information. These Westerners don't know the severity of the attack. If it's someone with a poor drinker's capacity, he will pass out."

The peddler smiled and said, "Our intelligence office will remember your contribution to shopkeeper He. You also have shares in the grain company. Naturally, we can't let Westerners spoil our shipment of grain to Siam."

(End of this chapter)