Chapter 391 Winning the Hearts of the People
After Lin Shan left, the grain merchants on the dock still gathered together. There was an angry one who said angrily, "Let's go, let's find another ship to help us transport the grain back!" Caogang is not the only one with ships.
"Yes, I, Lao Li, don't believe it. Without him, Butcher Zhang, we would still have to eat pigs with hair on them!"
"Yeah, at worst, we'll go back overland!"
"No, I have too much food, and the boat can't handle it."
It is even more ridiculous to say that we will go back by land. The consumption along the way is barely considerable for short distances, but ridiculously large for long distances. And regardless of the distance, you still have to consider the bandits along the way.
This won't work, that won't work either. Do they really admit defeat this time?
On the pier, it was still noisy.
Grain merchants all over the country were blown away like headless flies by the news that Ji's branch was selling large quantities of affordable grain.
At this time, Qingzhou grain merchants also gathered together. There were about a dozen people from large and small grain merchants.
"You think, have we fallen into a trap?" Someone thought about it.
Once reminded, the grain merchants in Qingzhou all remembered that they got interested precisely because of the Liaodong Chamber of Commerce's large-scale movement of grain and the fact that Nanyang grain prices were the highest in the country.
Thinking about it now, the actions of Wu Ren and others were a bit deliberate.
Someone said with an ugly face, "We were tricked by the Ji family!"
Some people think something is wrong, "Wait a minute. The person who transports the grain to sell it is not the Ji family, but the Liaodong Chamber of Commerce, right? Moreover, the price of grain in Nanyang is raised by the Yuzhou Grain Merchant Chamber of Commerce, right?"
Someone said weakly, "Indeed, the Liaodong Chamber of Commerce may not know that Ji sells grain at such a low price. Is it possible that Shopkeeper Wu has also been cheated?"
Some people disagreed with their statement, "Who doesn't know that the Ji family invested a lot of money in Liaodong County, and they are as good as wearing the same pants as the people there. I don't believe Wu Ren is unaware of Ji Wuyin's actions."
Some people can't stand their way of blaming others when things go wrong, "That's it, who's going to force you to do it with a knife?"
Someone echoed, "Yeah, what does it have to do with others? It's not like Ji Wuyin forced us to come."
These are the more sensible ones, and Tao Xun is one of them, although they are not in a good mood now.
Someone scratched his head and said, "Ji Changnian and Wu Ren are suspected of seduction. Isn't that right?" Ji Changnian is the name of Young Master Ji.
Those who say these words are quite impulsive.
Tao Xun rolled his eyes, "Humph, if we hadn't encountered this and we made money, would you have divided it with others?"
The person he was questioning flashed his eyes and became silent.
Tao Xun didn't bother to try to push him anymore.
When doing business, you are responsible for your profits and losses.
Businessmen are chasing profits, and they go out when they smell it.
The current situation can only be said to be because they did not think carefully, were not well-informed enough, and did not know that the Ji family was fighting with the Yuzhou Grain Merchant Chamber of Commerce.
As a result, they who came to Nanyang to transport grain were like the fish in the pond.
"Shopkeeper Tao, what do you think we should do next?" someone asked Tao Xun.
Everyone looked at him.
Tao Xun is quite convincing among Qingzhou grain merchants. At this meeting, his colleagues asked him for his decision, which seemed to suggest that he should take the lead.
At this time, Tao Xun also did his part, pondered for a moment and said, "I want to visit Ji Daxiu."
"I'll go with you."
"I'll go too."
"Pick two or three people to go with me. For the rest, it's better to rent a place to store the food before everyone reacts. If it's too late, I'm afraid they'll be priced out again."
They are both businessmen, and they know the tricks among businessmen all too well.
So, at Tao Xun's suggestion, they divided into two groups. A group of people went to the branch of Ji's Chamber of Commerce, and the rest were busy renting a warehouse.
"Why do we still need to rent a warehouse?" The remaining Qingzhou grain merchants all sighed. They thought that by transporting the grain, they could sell it at a high price and the deal would be completed.
In front of the gate of Ji's Chamber of Commerce's Luoyang branch, there were crowds of people, and thirty teams lined up like a long queue.
"Everyone, please line up. Don't rush or crowd. Don't worry, there will be enough affordable food!"
This was the first day they sold cheap grain, and Mr. Ji personally came to the scene to take charge.
"You can't jump in line, you can't use force to force others to give up their seats, and you can't engage in immoral behavior. Otherwise, once discovered, you will not be allowed to buy food!"
Because of Ji's tough attitude and the food buying scene, Ji sent out many guards to maintain order, and everyone lined up honestly.
Everyone was holding baskets, baskets, or sacks, looking anxiously ahead.
When some people were buying grain, they asked Master Ji, "Master Ji, can we buy more of this grain?"
They made relevant registrations and each household was limited to purchasing five kilograms of grain per person, which they felt was too little.
Ji Changnian said, "There is no need to buy more. Don't worry, everyone. We have prepared a lot of food. It will be enough to supply everyone in the next six months."
Those who had bought food, and those who had not, saw that every time the food in front of them was sold out, there would be people from Ji's business constantly carrying sack after sack of food to replenish the goods. It was really like Ji Shaodong's house. It seems like there is enough food.
Most people immediately felt at ease.
People in line also had the desire to chat.
"Ji's Company is really a conscientious business."
"Yes, this price of food is the price in good years."
Of course, in good years, grain merchants come to collect grain, and the price they offer is not high. One dou can give the common people 90 or 100 wen. If they sell it, they have to sell it for 110 or 120 wen per dou.
"Isn't it? Our family is completely unable to make ends meet. My old man said that if it doesn't work, we have to buy some grain at a high price of 280 wen."
Mr. Zhang Xian said that the grain provided by the court for disaster relief has been used up, and they have to rely on themselves next.
"I just hope that Ji's business can always sell affordable grain, preferably until the middle of next year."
"Yes, it will be fine when the grain comes in the middle of next year."
In this extremely harmonious conversation atmosphere, an extremely harsh voice suddenly emerged, "This grain is sold so cheaply, there won't be any problem, right?"
Li Si saw that everyone stopped talking and looked at him together, and even some women looked him up and down, their eyes were very creepy, and he felt uneasy.
"Sisters, come on!"
"Bah, I'll beat you to death, you bad seed!"
"I've seen it all. Although the grain sold by Ji's branch is not this year's new grain, it is definitely not bad."
"I don't know what you mean by saying these words?"
"You will die a miserable death if you slander Ji's business like this!"
"That's right, are you deliberately angering Ji?"
They don't want to offend conscientious merchants like Ji. If Ji gets angry and stops selling affordable grain, won't they be forced to buy expensive grain?
When facing troublemakers, Ji doesn't even need to take action. The common people can tear them apart. What's more, several men worked together to catch Li Si and directly sent him to Young Master Ji.
Young Master Ji accepted it with a smile, "Keep him under guard!"