Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 108 If Xia Zhibai doesn't die, he will be a great success! (The third update)
"More than 490,000?"

"Isn't that just a few thousand pounds?"

"."

The whole audience was in an uproar. Some were sighing, some were looking unwilling, and some were sad and lonely.

There was a strong sense of frustration and loss in the field.

If the difference was ten thousand pounds, they would be unwilling, but the gap would not be so huge.

But now they are just a few thousand kilograms away from reaching the goal, and the sense of frustration this brings to them is very strong.

Especially when thinking about the difference between twenty cents and fifteen cents, many people regretted buying more.

The number of more than 490,000 kilograms continued to be spread throughout the venue.

No one questioned it.

This is data released publicly.

This was also the result calculated by dozens of accountants and scholars.

One person may make a mistake in the calculation, but if dozens of people all make a mistake and come up with a common result, then to say that it is a mistake is to treat everyone present as fools.

That’s right.

That means the standard has not been met.

From now on, the price of salt in Kyoto Salt Shop will return from fifteen cents to twenty cents.

Five cents.

It is enough for many families to live on for a day.

Scholars like Lian Zining and Jie Min, as well as salt merchants like Luo Gan and Zhang Yuan, were all very surprised by this result. This situation should not have happened. If it were them, they would have bought 500,000 kilograms even if they had to pay for it themselves.

Otherwise, wouldn’t the reputation that you worked so hard to build be largely lost in an instant?
It will also give other salt merchants an opportunity to take advantage.

This is absolutely unacceptable.

At least in the eyes of Luo Gan and other salt merchants, they would never make such a mistake. They would definitely make a concerted effort to completely defeat the remaining salt merchants and completely monopolize the salt market in Yingtian Prefecture. Giving other merchants opportunities would be cruel to themselves.

The people are very snobbish.

If you are nice to him, he will be grateful to you.

But this kind of gratitude is shallow and thin. Once someone else shows goodwill, as long as the temptation is big enough, they will turn to them without mercy and without any hesitation.

The people are fence-sitters who only follow what interests them.

Zhang Yuan's sullen face finally softened, and a smile spread across his face. He sneered, "I thought Xia Zhibai had made such a big scene to show off to us, but this is the result? He didn't really think that by being honest and pleasing these people, he could make them empty their pockets to buy 500,000 kilograms of salt, right?"

“That’s not how you do business.”

"After reading so many books by sages, I ended up being a joke."

"Too."

"A scholar, with the imperial court behind him, can have some advantages, but when it comes to doing business, it's us businessmen who have to do it."

"Books are dead, but people are alive."

"The more you read a book, the more it dies, but the more you live, the more you become."

The other salt merchants also laughed, and they were very happy. A heavy stone in their hearts finally fell to the ground.

They couldn't compete with the fifteen cents price of salt.

But twenty cents may not be the case.

Even though so many salt merchants united together, they could not compete in salt quality, but they had more quantity and could unify the price. Even if Xia Zhibai wanted to adjust the price, if he lowered it right after raising it, wouldn't that be a slap in his own face?
How could a scholar like him afford to lose face like this?
Once they gain the advantage, they will not give Xia Zhibai a chance to breathe.

They will definitely press on while they are victorious and ruin the reputation of Xia Zhibai's salt shop, making it so that he can never recover and eventually leave the salt market in disgrace.

They can't do it in a fair way, but they are very good at taking advantage of others' misfortunes and using despicable means.

This is the way of business.

Luo Gan picked up the big bowl of tea and took a sip comfortably.

But compared with the optimism of Zhang Yuan and others, he always felt something was wrong.

Xia Zhibai is the new top scholar.

Could the man who could overwhelm them to the point where they had no power to fight back in just three months really have miscalculated like this?
Can he really be so naive?

This question not only arises in Luo Gan's mind, but also puzzles many industrialists and businessmen.

This is not like Xia Zhibai's usual style.

At this moment in the teahouse, only scholars like Lian Zining and Jie Min sneered at this so-called result.

They had contact and dealings with Xia Zhibai.

Know Xia Zhibai's horizontality!
Xia Zhibai is a very 'arbitrary' person who cannot be judged by common sense. If it were someone else, they might really be bound by this result, but Xia Zhibai definitely would not.

even.

This is what Xia Zhibai intended.

Or maybe Xia Zhibai doesn't care about the result at all.

He disdains to cheat.

This is Xia Zhibai.

Lian Zining added some tea to his tea bowl, looked at Jie Min, and said with a smile: "Brother Jie, you have the most contact with Xia Zhibai. What do you think Xia Zhibai will do next?"

Xie Min smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Xia Zhibai has always acted without scruples, and can even be called lawless. How could I have guessed that?"

"But it won't end so hastily."

Lian Zining smiled slightly, looked around, and said calmly: "I have some ideas. When I went upstairs just now, I noticed that many businessmen and wealthy families came. Xia Zhibai once said this: business is business."

"He is a businessman now, I am afraid he will fall on these people."

Everyone seemed to be thinking about it after hearing this.

at this time.

A voice came from the crowd: "Manager Fang, your calculation is wrong."

As soon as this voice came out, everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

Fang Mo also looked over and asked in confusion: "It's calculated in black and white, and the statistics are published every day, so how can it be wrong?"

The cloth-clothed man squeezed out of the crowd. Facing the gazes of so many people, he was a little nervous, but he still managed to remain calm. He cupped his hands and said, "The published data is all true, and has been witnessed by the citizens of the city. There is no mistake in the calculation, but this result is wrong."

"not enough."

"The Kyoto Salt Shop sells more than this amount of salt."

"At least half a million."

Fang Mo was happy.

The published data is correct and the calculation is correct, but they insist that it is underestimated.

How can there be such a rude and unreasonable person in the world?

The others also had strange looks on their faces. Although they also wanted to say that the calculation was too little, how could they just turn a blind eye to it when it was written down in black and white?

Do you really think the people around you are blind?
The cloth-clothed man blushed and shrank his neck slightly, but he still insisted: "The data published on the counting board is indeed consistent with the calculations of the people around him, and there is no problem with the calculation process, but the result is wrong because the data is incomplete."

"I didn't dare to confirm it just now. Only now that I'm closer, can I really confirm it."

"It was indeed Xia Zhuangyuan who I saw that night."

The cloth-clothed man bowed slightly to Xia Zhibai, and then continued: "Fellow villagers nearby, please listen to my detailed explanation."

"I'm not talking nonsense, nor am I being impatient. I saw it with my own eyes."

"I am a night watchman. In this month, I have seen Xia Zhuangyuan carrying dozens of kilograms of salt to various restaurants and food courts to promote the salt from the Jingdu Salt Shop. I don't know what the final result of Xia Zhuangyuan's promotion was, but at least he should have sold some."

“And that sales volume is not added to the tally board.”

“That’s why I said the result was wrong.”

"not enough."

As soon as the cloth-clothed man's words came out, many people immediately echoed them.

"Yes, yes, yes, I remember it too."

"I also saw Xia Zhuangyuan when I went to various houses to collect night fragrance in the middle of the night."

"He" This Ye Xianglang looked at the shop for a few times, and pointed his finger at the backpack beside him happily, and said excitedly to the surroundings: "It's that backpack, I definitely didn't remember it wrong, I have seen it several times." "This account is definitely missed."

"I remember it too." As the two of them spoke, others began to remember as well.

For a while.

The crowd became excited again.

Seeing more and more people getting excited, Fang Mo also showed a hint of timidity and looked at Xia Zhibai.

Xia Zhibai walked out with a strange look on his face.

He did use other people to bring out the arrangements of other merchants, but he did not include 'night watchman' and 'Ye Xianglang'. These two people were completely unexpected.

This may be what it means to 'think of change when things are difficult'.

The wisdom of ordinary people is indeed creative.

At least Xia Zhibai didn't expect it.

But different paths lead to the same destination.

Xia Zhibai looked a little embarrassed. He stood on the wooden platform again and took the initiative to say, "It is true. I don't like to be passive. I have been staying in the salt shop or the salt mountain, relying on word of mouth from the people to sell salt. It is indeed very easy and simple to do."

"It's just that I don't really like it."

“I prefer to take the initiative rather than passively accept it.”

“Being proactive may not necessarily lead to good results, but if you don’t take the initiative, you will definitely miss a lot of opportunities.”

“I’m a newbie when it comes to business.”

“I don’t have much experience.”

"In the first two months, Jingdu Salt Shop didn't sell any salt and wasn't well-known. I wasn't as confident about the sales of salt as I am now, so in order to increase sales and test the results, I took the initiative to seek cooperation from major hotels and restaurants in Yingtian Prefecture."

"But it's not very aboveboard."

“They all went there secretly.”

“It also feels like poaching from other salt merchants.”

"In addition, this part of the salt sold was not within the marketing period, so after thinking about it, we omitted this part of the salt."

"I haven't been outside for the past half month, and I almost forgot about it."

"This was indeed an oversight on my part."

Xia Zhibai bowed to the people around him.

The cloth-clothed man asked nervously, "Can this part of the salt be added in?"

"Maybe it will be 500,000 kilograms."

The others also looked at Xia Zhibai with hope.

Xia Zhibai smiled and nodded.

The whole audience cheered instantly.

Xia Zhibai held the brass trumpet and said, "However, the salt shop will not announce the specific ordering situation. The data of the salt shop has been announced. The salt ordered by major stores involves the business situation of major restaurants."

“And the numbers published by the Salt Shop will make people question the data to some extent.”

"So it's best to let each store announce it themselves."

"They can just release as much as they want. Even if they decide not to release it, that's their right."

"I have no right and will not impose any restrictions."

"Now the Kyoto Salt Shop only has the right to register, not the right to make decisions."

Xia Zhibai's few simple words made the surroundings quiet down. Many people looked puzzled. Xia Zhibai clearly had the order data of all the major shops, so why couldn't he just tell them directly? Instead, he handed the matter back to these shops?

What's the point?
Xia Zhibai is a top scholar.

He's an official!
If he takes the initiative to announce it, would these shops dare to say no?

"Xia Zhuangyuan, aren't you doing this for nothing? What can you do about it?"

"What else can they do to you?"

"Yes."

"."

Many people in the crowd disagreed and encouraged Xia Zhibai to speak.

They are eager to know the final data.

Xia Zhibai looked serious.

He was not speaking without purpose.

Although this statement has been criticized a lot in later generations, it is indeed true.

It's the business environment.

This time he wants to show the outside world that he intends to create a good business environment and give industrial and commercial operators a certain degree of privacy and voice. It will no longer be a one-man show where officials can make all decisions tyrannically.

Xia Zhibai shook his head.

He raised his head, looked at the business people in the teahouse, and said seriously, "Let's talk business."

"I, Xia Zhibai, am engaged in business now, so I must abide by the rules of business. How can I use the title of the top scholar to bully others?"

"I do have exact data, but it has never been made public and was signed privately."

“It can therefore only be published with the consent of both parties.”

"Merchants value trust."

"Other shops are willing to sign a purchase agreement with me, which means they recognize the credit of Kyoto Salt Shop. How can I do something that goes against my trust?"

"My fellow countrymen, there is no need to say this any more."

"I won't agree to that."

"I can only tell them that Kyoto Salt Industry agrees to release the information, but whether it can be fully released is up to them to decide."

“This is the rule of business!”

Xia Zhibai's tone was extremely firm.

There is no room for debate.

Seeing Xia Zhibai so serious, the people around looked at each other.

They didn't feel there was anything wrong with the proactive announcement; Xia Zhibai was just making a fuss out of nothing.

But now that Xia Zhibai's attitude has been revealed, they have no way to argue and can only look nearby.

Finally, all eyes fell on the teahouse across the street.

Hearing Xia Zhibai's words, Lian Zining, Jie Min and others felt a little dazed, as if they were back in the palace examination and Xia Zhibai's passion and enthusiasm, but at that time he was speaking for the workers and peasants, but now he has become a businessman.

But the words are still so powerful.

So firm.

"Scholars, workers, farmers, and merchants." Lian Zining looked at Xia Zhibai below and said with a wry smile, "He is always so determined and always makes his own voice heard. He constantly tries and works hard for this, even if it is difficult to get recognition and support from others, but he remains steadfast."

"We are so far behind Xia Zhibai."

"It may be a pity to be a fellow Jinshi with him."

"Or maybe it's a great honor."

Xie Min and others looked bitter.

They have seen Xia Zhibai facing the crowd alone too many times.

From the first Imperial Examination to the Palace Examination, and now seeing him again, he has not changed at all.

Always so determined and stubborn.

At this moment, Lian Zining and others looked at Xia Zhibai, and the same idea came to their minds.

If he hadn't died, he would have achieved great things.

And it will become a great thing that will shock the world.

(End of this chapter)