The Ming Dynasty’s Prodigal Son - Chapter 57

[57.Chapter 57 Heaven is disgusted with it]

Xishan is close to the capital, which is why Fang Jifan is full of confidence. There are many veins of anthracite, especially in Shanxi Province, which is now the Xuanfu Datong area. , but it is far away after all. It would be very expensive to mine it and transport it to Gyeonggi, a heavily populated town.

It is different here in Xishan. It is only ten miles away from the densely populated area of the capital. It can be mined at any time, and after simple desulfurization, it can be made into briquettes or in the form of briquettes, which can be sent to the capital on the same day. There is almost no transportation problem. The cost is low, and this is a shallow coal mine, and there is no need to dig a coal well, just open-pit mining.

Here in Xishan, dozens of people have been hired to conduct a rough exploration of the ore veins. Some coal has been mined. After processing, the first car of coal was delivered to Zhan Shifu. Zhu Hou looked at the coal and danced with excitement: “Brother Fang , Coal can be sold for money, right? I think this coal stone looks very good.”

Liu Jin couldn’t bear to tell Zhu Houzhao that there is actually a lot of coal near the capital. Can it be sold for money? Even if it is left there for people to pick up for free, of course, he dare not say anything.

At this time, Fang Jifan’s eyes were shining and he said confidently: “Your Highness, the time has come to make a fortune.”

Zhu Houzhao rubbed his hands excitedly and said: “It hasn’t been cold enough these days, and it hasn’t snowed yet… “

At this moment, even Fang Jifan couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Damn it, you don’t feel cold because you’re wearing a fucking jacket and cotton-padded clothes, covering your whole body tightly. Come and see Looking at the refugees on the street, Shuntian Mansion collects more than a dozen corpses every morning, all of them frozen to death. Ordinary people are not much better.

But after all, he is a major shareholder, and he needs to treat shareholders with the warmth of spring. Fang Jifan smiled and said: “Your Highness, it will snow soon. Not only that, I’m afraid the river will freeze. By then, it will be cold.” The ground is freezing. It’s difficult for His Highness to get rich.”

Zhu Houzhao nodded enthusiastically: “Brother Fang, what do you want to do when we get rich?”

Fang Jifan didn’t expect that His Highness the Crown Prince would still think about such long-term issues, so he thought. He thought for a while and said: “Earn more money so that everyone can respect me.”

Zhu Houzhao couldn’t help but smile: “Sure enough, heroes think alike, and so does I.”

In addition to mining, he also needs to have a face in the city. Otherwise, how would you do business with people?

After recruiting a group of people to start mining, Fang Jifan also repaired his shop in Dongshi, and the first batch of anthracite briquettes began to be transported into the warehouse in the backyard of the shop.

Since it was a business, it had to have a resounding name. Fang Jifan thought hard and finally ordered someone to put a signboard of ‘Zhenguo Coal Industry’ on the door.

The word “Zhenguo” came from the suggestion of the major shareholder Zhu Houzhao. He was the prince and the major shareholder who invested nearly half of the capital. Well, of course he had the final say.

The signboard is there, the briquettes are there, and everything goes smoothly. Next, there is the organizational structure problem of Zhenguo Coal Industry. Fang Jifan is naturally the big owner, but who will be responsible for the buying and selling?

Fang Jifan remembered someone, Wang Jinyuan.

Wang Jinyuan was carried to Fang’s house.

He was originally fat, but in the past few days, he had lost dozens of pounds. If it weren’t for his haggard look, Fang Jifan would have suspected that he should become a weight loss coach.

As soon as he saw Fang Jifan, Wang Jinyuan cried and waved his hands: “Mr. Fang, Mr. Fang… please spare me, just do your best, I can’t stand the torment… Oh my god…” He covered his heart, Roaring towards the sky: “What evil have I done? I ran around for Young Master Fang and cooperated with others to purchase ebony. After finally getting the goods out, His Highness the Crown Prince held a three-foot-long sword to his neck. It was useless for me to beg for mercy when he asked me to buy his treasures. He handed over 200,000 taels of silver and bought a large box of royal items for the palace. They said they were rare treasures and the best among treasures. . But I am timid. Even if I dare to sell these things that are used by the palace, someone must dare to buy them. Not only do I dare not sell them, I am also afraid that these treasures will be slightly damaged. When will the palace think of these treasures? Come, if you come to ask for it, wouldn’t I be guilty of deceiving the emperor?”

His eyes were full of tears, and then he started to howl, holding his hands up to the sky, crying to the point of sadness, which made Fang Jifan feel pity for him.

So Fang Jifan comforted him: “Hey, don’t cry. Isn’t it just two hundred thousand taels of silver? Where we fell, we got up. Now there is a business that I want to do with you. You can be the big shopkeeper and help me.” The young master sells coal, which is a huge profit. Let’s do this. I will give you half of the net profit every year, and we can all make a fortune together, okay?”

Wang Jinyuan saw Fang Jifan being so kind for the first time.

Half percent is only 5% of the profit, but for Wang Jinyuan, who has lost all his wealth and his family is in decline, it is nothing less than a life-saving straw.

Wang Jinyuan is a man with considerable business acumen and is very good at doing business. In fact, he is a rare talent. If His Highness had not tricked him, he would have been one of the most outstanding businessmen in Beijing, if not the richest man.

It’s just that without the two hundred thousand taels of silver, he has completely returned to poverty. When he was able to spend one million taels of silver to buy Wu Mu, it wasn’t all his money. It was all borrowed from everywhere and manipulated by some people behind the scenes. They are just people in front of the stage.

But Wang Jinyuan still burst into tears. When he heard that Fang Jifan was going to sell coal, he cried with unabated sadness: “Sell… sell coal… There is coal everywhere in the world, can it be sold? No… no…”

He He shook his head like a rattle. He was afraid of being tricked by these damn powerful people. Now he just wanted to live the rest of his life quietly and couldn’t afford to bother anymore.

Do you think I, Wang Jinyuan, am the second?

Fang Jifan squinted his eyes and sighed: “If you have something to say, please tell me, Brother Wang, business cannot be done without mercy. We are old friends. Is Brother Wang really unwilling to cooperate with me?”

“No.” Wang Jinyuan was determined, no. There is no room for negotiation.

Fang Jifan sighed again, patted his shoulder and said: “Everyone has his own ambitions, and I am not the kind of person who forces others to do something difficult for him. Oh, by the way, Brother Wang, His Highness the Crown Prince is really so… so like a robber, He actually put a big knife on your neck?”

When Wang Jinyuan thought of this sad thing, he suddenly started sobbing again and said: “Hey, forget it, a three-foot-long knife can blow hair and break hair, small… small No matter how much I beg for mercy, it’s all to no avail… I’m miserable… I’m so miserable…”

Wang Jinyuan was about to cry again.

Fang Jifan suddenly shouted: “Deng Jian, no one can stop me. Go and get my sword, which is used to kill the prince and the profiteers!”

“…” Wang Jinyuan was stunned. For a moment, He stopped crying: “Mr. Fang, what does this mean? What does this mean? Didn’t you say that there is no benevolence and righteousness in business? Didn’t you say that you don’t force others to do something difficult for you?”

Fang Jifan comforted him kindly: “Old Wang, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid “Good boy, it’s just a joke. You also know that this young master likes to joke. It’s okay. It’s okay. Just calm down. Come on, sit down. Let’s drink tea.”

Wang Jinyuan shuddered and smelled a dangerous smell. He was busy. He said: “Young Master Fang, you have to make it clear. You have to make it clear. What is a swordsman and a profiteer?”

Fang Jifan said gently: “It was just a joke. Come on, let’s drink tea first. Who am I? Brother Wang, don’t you know?” I just love to joke.”

Fang Jifan looked calm, but Wang Jinyuan broke out in a cold sweat. Everyone in the world knows who this Fang Jifan is.

So he wailed: “It is illegal to kill someone!”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Fang Jifan nodded like a chicken: “I hate fighting and killing the most. My standard of conduct is to abide by the law. That kind of mess is really scary. Brother Wang, why don’t you drink tea?”

Wang Jinyuan’s face twitched, his pupils shrank and enlarged crazily, and suddenly he stretched his neck and fell from the chair, falling to his knees: ” I…I did it but it didn’t work. I did it. I was willing to sell coal for Mr. Fang, but the coal guy sold it.”

Fang Jifan looked at him in surprise and said, “Brother Wang, this…is because of you. Sincerely? You must not force yourself. You also know that I hate people who force others, such as His Highness, who actually threatens and induces people to buy and sell. I feel shameful and ashamed just thinking about it. “

I am absolutely sincere, Mr. Fang…” Wang Jinyuan took a deep breath: “I have admired Mr. Fang for a long time. I am really lucky to serve Mr. Fang. Why should I be reluctant? Just doing business for Mr. Fang, even if I go to the mountains of swords or the sea of fire, if I, Wang Jinyuan, frown, I will be worse than a pig or a dog, and God will hate me!”

(End of this chapter)