money player

The tea fryers are descendants of the imperial tea fryers who served Empress Dowager Cixi. There are quite a few Manchus in Taipei whose ancestors were not ordinary. They didn't live a very good life, so they didn't need to lose face. They could just spend some money to find a group of people to endorse them.

This is story marketing.

As for the financialization of tea, the simplest way to do it is a Ponzi scheme: turn tea into stocks, launch new products at high prices in limited quantities; arrange for shills to rush to buy them, creating the illusion of hot sales; gradually raise prices to attract followers; sell at high prices to cash out and leave; when prices collapse, buyers lose everything.

This kind of trickery is too low-level; only shady, unorthodox methods would be used. It can only fool the lucky ones who are rich but lack virtue. In the face of the sweeping tide of the times, people who don't understand early or late rice cultivation are making unclear profits. They need to be fooled a few more times to improve their skills.

Greater Taipei needs a type of gift tea, mainly for gifting. It should be beautifully packaged and high-end, and only one or two tea shops sell it. The price of the gift tea is a bit expensive, but not exorbitant, and most people can afford it.

Gift tea is like mooncakes in later generations. I give it to you, you give it to him, he gives it to me, forming a closed loop. It goes around and around, but no one opens it to brew and drink it.

There is a special type of tea among the gift teas, which is specifically used as a gift to ask for favors. The packaging is relatively simple and not luxurious at all, but it has two layers of packaging, an inner packaging and an outer packaging; the price is also very cheap, only slightly more expensive than regular tea.

There is a shop that specializes in selling the outer packaging boxes for this kind of gift tea. The shop will sell the outer packaging boxes to "interested" customers at a high price. The transaction process is very secretive and low-key. Some transactions will be carried out in Hong Kong or other overseas regions.

In this way, the essential purpose of tea—to be brewed and drunk—remains unchanged, but complements the outer packaging, with each enhancing the other's value.

As for the "monetization" process, it can be designed to be extremely complex and secretive to meet practical needs. Instead of a fixed price, the sale is conducted through an auction. When a customer participates in the auction, they need to pay a deposit, write down their desired price in an envelope, and wait a few days. If there are no higher bids, the customer has won the bid.

If you want to do things completely, you can also develop a market for outer packaging boxes, just like the stamp market gives historical collection and appreciation value. Outer packaging boxes from specific channels are more likely to have high-priced versions.

For example, the first outer packaging box folded by a packer after using the toilet without washing their hands can be called the "slightly smelly version," the "sunflower version" folded by a female packer during her period, or the "unicorn version" folded by a woman who has just given birth to her first big, healthy baby boy.

Some things have no meaning at all, but when they are linked to money, a story of scarcity can be told, and they then gain meaning.

If you think the outer packaging box is not high-end enough, you can change it to a picture. In any case, the essence remains the same. You just need an item as a carrier of value. What it is specifically is not important. They are all similar operating models.

While figuring out the strategy for tea marketing, Xian Yaowen unknowingly finished fertilizing all the tea trees. He then carried a bucket of manure to a nearby stream, rinsed the bucket clean, washed his face, and came to Chen Azhu, feeling refreshed.

Chen Azhu took off the towel from her neck and wiped his wet face. "We're not doing business today, I'll have a drink with you."

"Next time we drink, I have an appointment to discuss something tonight, you'll come with me."

"Wouldn't it be inappropriate for me to go?"

"It's all about the passenger transport business."

"Is it Cai Jintu from the bridgehead?"

Sin Yiu-man asked in surprise, "How did you guess it was him?"

After wiping his face, Chen Azhu wiped Xian Yaowen's hands. "When news of Du Yuesheng's funeral reached Taiwan, people mentioned you when they talked about it."

Sin Yiu-man smiled faintly and said, "Is that a compliment?"

Chen Azhu nodded, "They're all nice things, but... I suspect someone deliberately spread them."

“You’re so smart.” Xian Yaowen pinched Chen Azhu’s cheek. “You can figure out so many things just by asking around.”

Chen Azhu's hazy eyes became watery. "I've seen the world too."

"Du Yuesheng was good at dealing with people, but how could someone in the underworld not have a few enemies? When a tiger falls into the plains, it is bullied by dogs. Once he leaves, if no one supports the Du family, the Du family will have no choice but to keep their tails between their legs."

"You have connections with the Green Gang?"

“I wasn’t qualified to climb this high branch before.”

"Then why is your wife supporting Huang Jinrong's wife?"

"You mean Jin Fugui Holdings?"

"Yes, 1000 million US dollars, what a show of force, and they even brought Li Zhiqing along."

Sin Yiu-man carried the hoe and other farm tools on his shoulders and led Chen A-zhu down the mountain. “Li Zhi-qing actually took out 600 million US dollars. I can use this money to make more money, and I only need to give half of the profits to Li Zhi-qing.”

"So that's how it is. Li Zhiqing is quite wealthy."

"It's normal for Huang Jinrong to have some wealth after decades in Shanghai."

"That's true. I heard that the newspaper article mentioned your wife's name as 'Zhou Ruoyun,' not 'Xian Zhou Ruoyun,' and it didn't mention your name either."

Sin Yiu-man chuckled, "You seem to have quite a few people who know about this."

"Those who do trade often go to Hong Kong."

“Oh.” Sin Yiu-man nodded. “It was intentional.”

"Don't you want to be too famous?"

"Ah."

After descending the mountain, the two climbed onto a bamboo pole and paddled to a secluded spot. They played in the stream for a while, still dressed, before returning to the shop. They went into a basement room, added water to a large pot, lit a fire in the stove, and began to simmer a dish of adulterers over a low flame.

The pot wasn't small, but it couldn't compare to a bathtub. The two of them could only immerse themselves in the pot in an awkward position, with most of their bodies exposed to the air.

Chen Azhu took a towel and wiped Xian Yaowen's body. Xian Yaowen closed his eyes and said softly, "There are so many partitions here. It's like Sun Erniang's black shop."

"Don't talk nonsense. This used to be a stronghold of the Taiwan Volunteer Corps."

"Wasn't the Taiwan Volunteer Corps established in Jinhua, Zhejiang, and mainly operated in Zhejiang and Fujian during the war?"

"There were also people in Taiwan in charge of intelligence. The maps for the Allied bombings were provided by the Taiwan Volunteer Corps."

"Your father?"

“My father was one of them. He fought as a guerrilla in Zhejiang for a few years. Later, he fell ill and came back to take charge of intelligence work. In 44, he was betrayed by a traitor. All the members of my father’s group were arrested. Only my father was old and did not suffer before he was arrested. But the village was implicated, and most of the young men were conscripted.”

Xian Yaowen opened his eyes, turned his head and glanced at Chen Azhu's face, "When did you get conscripted?"

"In early 45."

"Oh." Xian Yaowen closed his eyes again.

Regardless of time or place, wartime conscription always carries a strong element of "forced labor." During World War II, the scene of Soviet soldiers enthusiastically signing up to fight the German invaders was quite rare.

Parents love their children dearly, and everyone is afraid of death. Apart from a few teams like the Soviet Radio and Television (Soviet State Broadcasting and Television Committee) special forces that could kill German devils as easily as playing around, other teams were not very good. Every battle required the loss of lives. Once you put on a military uniform, your family could immediately prepare for a funeral. Basically, it was no waste of effort.

With such a high casualty rate, stop trying to fool us with the excuse of being subjugated. It's better to live a miserable life than to die a good death. No matter how bad the German devils were, they didn't collect taxes until 2011, did they? Everyone who sits in the Kremlin is subject to taxes, so it doesn't matter who pays them.

Because the conscripts were not very conscious, the already evil German devils were made even worse in order to recruit them. So, some coercive measures had to be used in the recruitment process. When they went to the battlefield for the first time, they also needed a team with a supervisory role to carry machine guns and be ready to fight a major enemy.

Of course, there were no units in the Soviet Union with the name "Supervisory Corps," or even any with a similar name.

Just like the best way to eliminate unemployment is to not use the word "unemployment" in government documents, but to use other vague terms instead, then unemployment will naturally disappear.

Sin Yiu-man was familiar with the Japanese conscription system in Taiwan back then. 45 years ago, it was all about voluntary application and selection based on merit. It involved a triple screening process of background check, written test, and oral test, with an acceptance rate of only 0.24%.

Of course, there was some exaggeration in the volunteering period. The period from 1937 to 1940 was less exaggerated. The Japanese were advancing rapidly on all battlefields, and death notices were not flying everywhere. Having someone in the family serve in the army could bring many benefits. Sacrificing one person could bring happiness to the whole family, so why not?

Moreover, the Japanese were wary of the Taiwanese, so they mainly sent Taiwanese soldiers to Southeast Asia. The soldiers sent to the mainland were mostly non-combatants, though some carried guns, but those were all "good subjects of the Emperor." From another perspective, similar to the French Foreign Legion, they were quite considerate of the feelings of cannon fodder.

However, as the war situation deteriorated, eight out of ten conscripts failed to complete their duties, and the number of volunteers who volunteered became increasingly questionable. By 1944, the war situation had worsened and the manpower was exhausted. The Japanese simply stopped pretending and announced a full-scale mandatory conscription in September 1944, which was officially implemented in January 1945—males aged 17-40 without serious illnesses were required to serve.

When Chen Azhu mentioned conscription, it triggered his vigilance. Chen Azhu's experience with Jiang Banruo already suggested that she might have a hidden identity, but he didn't want to delve into it. Whatever her identity, as long as she could be of use to him, that was fine.

However, some words spoken unintentionally may reveal a person's political leanings. He may not care about Chen Azhu's hidden identity, but he cares whether her cleverness hides a foolish side, that is, whether she seems smart in ordinary times but will make stupid mistakes at crucial moments.

Fortunately, Chen Azhu managed to smooth things over, and the claim that "the conscription took place in 1945" was plausible coming from her.

"Because of the conscription, I'm not very popular in the village."

"Could they have been sent to a Pacific island?"

"Some of them were sent to Okinawa as military dependents (military support personnel) and never came back."

"I had pretty bad luck."

"Yes, half of them starved to death, and half died of disease."

Xian Yaowen pulled Chen Azhu into his arms, "Don't think about the past anymore, let me help you clean up."

The two didn't linger in the iron pot for long. The fire kept burning, and the water temperature quickly approached the point where it could scald pig hair. They added cold water several times, but the pot was too full to hold any more, so they gave up.

They quickly prepared some food, and after eating, the two went into Chen Azhu's boudoir.

Sin Yiu-man helped Chan Ah-chu lift out the wooden box at the bottom. Chan Ah-chu took out a black custom-made cheongsam from the box—the collar was very high, almost covering her entire neck, the upper body was tight, highlighting her figure, and from the waist down it was like a long skirt, the hem of which reached the ground.

After Chen Azhu changed into the outfit, Xian Yaowen felt it looked familiar. "I feel like I've seen this outfit somewhere before."

"Have you seen it in 'The Young Companion' magazine?"

“Possibly, I can’t remember.” Xian Yaowen stepped forward to help Chen Azhu straighten the wrinkles on her back.

As Chen Azhu fastened the buttons, she said, "I had this cheongsam made based on Pan Huisu's photo."

Who is Pan Huisu?

"Zhang Boju's wife."

"Oh, her? I didn't realize it at first. I've always remembered her as Pan Su."

"Pan Su is just her pen name."

"You admire her?"

"You know she graduated from a prestigious academy in Shanghai?"

"I heard something."

"Old Jiang once visited her and said that she was famous for her beauty and charm. She had a beautiful flower tattooed on her arm and wandered around the brothels, observing the world's hustle and bustle with a detached eye, yet she remained untainted by vulgarity. Old Jiang wanted to help her redeem herself and take her back to Tianjin, but she refused."

"What year was that? The magazine said that before she was with Zhang Boju, she was with a lieutenant general surnamed Zang."

“Zang Zhuo, that’s a story for later. When Pan Huisu first entered the academy, she may have offended someone. While the other ‘big sisters’ accompanied high-ranking officials, she could only accompany hooligans. Her life must have been tough. She managed to get through it step by step and was able to pick and choose Zhang Boju in the end. She must have been very capable.”

"Anyone who survives in this world can't do without some tricks. Do you admire Pan Su yourself, or is that old Jiang just using you as a substitute?"

Chen Azhu smiled and said, "I don't look like her at all, so why would Lao Jiang treat me as a substitute? Besides, Lao Jiang isn't a sentimental person, so why would he be so hung up on a woman?"

"Oh." Sin Yiu-man patted Chan Ah-chu's arm. "We should get going."

"it is good."

Back in Taipei, we first went to the Sin residence to pick up Chen Hua.

Chen Hua honked the horn at the gate, came out carrying a bag, climbed into the back seat, and placed the bag at Xian Yaowen's feet. "Ten thousand yuan, all in ten-yuan notes."

Sin Yiu-man pointed at Chan Ah-chu, "No need for introductions."

Chen Hua stared at Chen Azhu, saying, "Chen Hua."

"Chen Azhu".

After the two finished exchanging pleasantries, Sin Yiu-man asked Chan Ah-chu, "Do you know how to play Pai Gow?"

"meeting."

“Cai Jintu’s casino is opening today. I’ve already agreed to go and show my support. You can sit in the banker’s seat and help liven things up.”

To win or to lose?

Sin Yiu-man asked in surprise, "You have a skill?"

Chen Azhu nodded, "I learned a little in Tianjin, so dealing with ordinary gamblers shouldn't be a problem."

"We don't know what kind of gambling den Cai Jintu is running yet. If it's a game of winning and losing, it'll create a lively atmosphere." Xian Yaowen kicked the bag at his feet. "Otherwise, it'll be a big payout, making everyone lose all their money and giving the gamblers a good time."

"Ok."

After chatting for a while, the car arrived at the entrance of Qingfeng Tea Shop at the agreed time.

Cai Jintu was waiting when he saw the car coming towards him.

Sin Yiu-man got out of the car and shook hands with Choi Kam-to. "Brother Cheng, your business is getting bigger and bigger. I wish you a prosperous business."

Cai Jintu laughed loudly, "These are all shady businesses, and it's all thanks to Mr. Xian's help that my brothers and I are able to have enough to eat."

"Brother Cheng, please don't say that. We'll look after each other." With that, Xian Yaowen gestured to the two women beside him, "Chen Hua is helping me with something; Chen Azhu is my confidante."

Upon hearing this, Cai Jintu glanced at Chen Azhu and recognized her as a native of the province. His interest in making her waned slightly, but he didn't show it. He simply said politely, "Miss Chen is very beautiful."

"Brother Cheng, you flatter me."

After exchanging pleasantries with Chen Azhu and Chen Hua, Cai Jintu said to Xian Yaowen, "Mr. Xian, the casino is already quite lively. Shall we go straight there, or would you like to have a cup of tea here?"

"Let's just go to the casino." Sin Yiu-man pointed to the bag in Chen Hua's hand. "I brought a bag of money, and I wanted to take two bags with me when I left. Brother Cheng won't have someone stop us from leaving, will he?"

Cai Jintu laughed loudly, "I run a fragrant gambling den, and the more Mr. Xian wins, the happier I am."

Xinxiangchang is similar to a card room, providing a venue and gambling equipment for gamblers. Gamblers gamble with each other, but Xinxiangchang generally does not participate, only earning a cut and a commission.

"Then I'll make Brother Cheng happy."

"The spirit of Mr. Xian".

Cai Jintu roared and led the group forward.

After passing several houses and walking nearly a hundred meters, they arrived at a building with a sign that read "Qingfeng Tea House". They went around the main entrance and entered a dark alley. After walking a few steps, they encountered a man smoking against the wall. The man called out "Big Brother" to Cai Jintu. Cai Jintu waved his hand and pushed open a door next to him.

Upon entering, one ascends the outdoor staircase to the second floor, pushes open a door, and is immediately greeted by a spacious hall filled with smoke and various noises.

Sin Yiu-man looked inside and saw that the people in the hall were divided into five groups, all standing around the gambling tables. Two groups of gamblers were mainly dressed in suits, two groups of gamblers were obviously dressed as laborers, and the other group of gamblers was a bit more mixed, with all kinds of clothes, including three women wearing cheongsams.

With the gamblers distributed in this way, it's immediately clear which tables are seeing high bets and which are seeing low bets.

"Brother Cheng, how do you pay for the fragrant food here?"

"One hundred eats five."

"Quite a bit."

"Not much, the bets aren't big, and you can only bet on the banker, so you can't eat much in one night."

Sin Yiu-man roughly estimated that the rake in Pai Gow was indeed not much. If the dealer had a good hand, a few hands could throw the other gamblers into a panic. Those who gave up would leave, and those who refused to give up would increase their bets. It would be clear in a few hands. A dealer could not last long, and the number of times they could rake was extremely limited.

Clearly, the main source of income for the venue at present still depends on lending money.

What are the rules for releasing water?

"One hundred yuan gets you ninety-five yuan, and water costs five yuan a day."

"Not bad." Sin Yiu-man nodded. "Why doesn't Brother Cheng run the betting himself?"

"There was a gambling den in Dadaocheng where someone cheated and got caught red-handed. The word got out, and now nobody dares to bet on gambling dens anymore. Damn it."

Xian Yaowen thought to himself, "Damn it!" Cai Jintu really didn't treat him like an outsider. How could he be allowed to attend such a gathering? He wasn't a gambler; he was flexible and wouldn't go to remote mountains and graveyards for money.

"Brother Cheng, give me a thousand, I'll go bet a couple of rounds."

Upon hearing this, Cai Jintu summoned his underlings who were distributing water and asked for a thousand to give to Xian Yaowen.

Seeing that the water fee hadn't been deducted, Xian Yaowen pulled out five bills and handed them to Cai Jintu, saying, "Brother Cheng, I'm just here to support you. Let's keep things separate."

Cai Jintu gave an awkward smile and didn't pull him away.

Sin Yiu-man asked Chan Wah to hand the bag to Chan Ah-chu and led her to a gambling table surrounded by gamblers in suits. He glanced at the table and was immediately impressed by the gamblers' adaptability.

The money on the table was piled up in bundles or stacks, a bundle of a thousand or a stack of three to five thousand, laid out in three sections. Roughly speaking, it was easily over thirty thousand yuan. Looking at the dealer's side, the money was piled up like a small mountain, no less than two hundred thousand.

It turns out that his 950 yuan wasn't even enough to meet the minimum betting threshold, and Chen Azhu's 100,000 yuan wasn't enough to make him a big bettor.

"Damn it," Xian Yaowen muttered to himself, then whispered to Chen Hua, "People from this province are really rich."

"Sir, there will never be a shortage of money at the gambling table."

“That’s true.” Sin Yiu-man took out five NT$10 bills from his pocket, rounding up the money in his hand. “Which one should we bet on?”

"Aren't you going to watch a couple of rounds?"

"There's nothing to see here, winning or losing doesn't matter."

"Going out is smooth, the Heavenly Gate is strong, the Earthly Gate is unlucky, the Heavenly Gate is easy to get big cards, bet on the Heavenly Gate."

"it is good."

No sooner had Xian Yaowen finished speaking than the dealer shouted, "Ding San paired with Er Si, a complete win!"

Chen Hua said in surprise, "Let's wait and see. The dealer just got the Supreme Treasure and is on a winning streak. Betting now is a gamble with almost no chance of survival."

Sin Yiu-man chuckled and said, "There's so much to learn about gambling?"

"You've learned a lot."

“Okay.” Xian Yaowen handed the money to Chen Hua. “You place your bet. If you win, I’ll treat you to a celebratory meal.”

Chen Hua eagerly replied, "I'll win you a mountain of gold."

"Ah."

Sin Yiu-man shook his head, turning to look at Chan Ah-chu, who had just left and was heading to another table. Chan Ah-chu stood in the "top" position, her gaze fixed on the dealer's hand as he drew the cards, seemingly observing whether the dealer was cheating. (End of Chapter)