Chapter 25 Section 3 Sun Wu’s Secret Strategy for Business Travel

Without the news of Xili disease, Feng Huan was restless waiting in the trading company, and worried that Linzi might change unexpectedly at any time, so he hurried to the general manager of the trading company, wanting to hear the latest news about Linzi.The flow of business travel is endless, and the news is constantly gathering. This is the unique flexibility of the trading company, and it is also the reason why many traveling scholars are willing to stay in the trading company of their country.Feng Huan came to the general manager's room in the back garden. He was startled when he arrived at the corridor. Clear words came from the room, and a voice seemed familiar.

Qiguo Trading Company is not big, but it is very rich and quiet, and it is unique among the Six Kingdoms Trading Company in Xianyang.A trading company is not a place of business, nor is it the private property of a certain merchant, but a public property built by merchants in foreign countries.This kind of trading company, on the surface, is a residence for receiving domestic business travelers, but in fact the most important purpose is to contact domestic business travel for consultation, resolve disputes between domestic business travel, avoid duplication of purchases and conflicts in buying and selling, and unify prices as much as possible externally. , in order to start a more powerful business war with merchants from other countries in the big city of Qin.In addition, the trading company also has a hidden mission, which is to report the major plans and actions of the country where it is located to the government of the country.Officials and business travelers in various countries refer to this kind of news source as "righteous report".The rewards of righteousness are always secret, the government does not publicly reward them, and the rewarders of righteousness will never publicly sign their names.For this reason, Yibao has a general rule: the general manager of the business company drafts a secret letter, and sends it back by the business traveler along the way.In the Warring States period, this was a tacit secret of all countries, and no one would restrict business travel because of this secret.After all, no country can refuse business travel as business travel circulates wealth and goods.As a businessman, no one will refuse to do it just because it is a reward for righteousness.After all, the rise and fall of a country is the righteousness of the world, and the wandering businessmen also have roots.Because of these functions, the trading company has in fact become the command center of the businessmen of one country in other countries, just like a country's non-governmental "scout camp" stationed in other countries.But this is the case, when weak countries, poor countries and small countries build commercial companies, the national government often secretly pays more than half of the money, and the merchants only share a little in name.However, businessmen from big countries with many business trips and strong strength often do not want the government to get involved in the construction of commercial companies, and would rather share it themselves.Where did the doer come from?But there are many opinions, some say it is to fight for the reputation of the merchant, some say it is to reduce the constraints of doing business, some say it is to avoid being involved in official battles, and some say it is to avoid those rewards that cause headaches for business travelers.Although there are different opinions, the big country trading companies are all self-built by business travel, without exception.Wei Guo, Chu Guo, Qi Guo, Qin Guo, as well as the current Zhao Guo, even Wei Guo and the original Song Guo are weak but have a tradition of business travel.

Among all these famous trading companies, Qi Guo Trading Company is the most prestigious. Since the Spring and Autumn Period, Qi State has been a big country with a habit of doing business.The "government and state-run big market" pioneered by Guan Zhong enabled the people of Qi to learn how to do business.By the time of King Qi Wei, Qi City in Linzi had become a prominent commercial city as famous as Daliang in Anyi.In the later period of King Xuan of Qi, after the reform of Su and Qin, the great wars that ravaged business travelers almost never happened in the mainland of Qi. In the past hundred years of peace, the wealth of the people of Qi was almost booming. Gradually surpassed the Wei, Shang and Chu merchants, and became an important business and travel country in the world.

Even so, the Qi State Trading Company in Xianyang is still not visible, and it is still the very inconspicuous six-entry courtyard built in the early days of the Qin State moving its capital to Xianyang.It is said to be unique, and it has remained unchanged for decades.When Xianyang gradually became the largest commercial city, the trading companies in other big countries were renovated and expanded continuously, but the Qi Guo Trading Company, which had the strongest business travel strength, still huddled quietly in this small tree-lined street. It is not surprising.However, if it is just unchanged, Qi Guo Trading Company will never be famous.

The word-of-mouth of Qi Guo Trading Co., Ltd. is the dazzling aura won in the business war. Since the Spring and Autumn Period, Huaxia merchants have regarded commercial transactions as military struggles. The so-called "merchants compete for profit is like a battlefield".Thus, there was the term "commercial war" and the incredible creation of using weapons (knives) as currency!There are all kinds of myths about big merchants doing business with military strategies.Tao Zhugong Fan Li of the Yue State before, and Bai Gui of the Wei State who entered politics from merchants later, are the originators who succeeded in doing business with military strategy.Entering the middle period of the Warring States period, great merchants from various countries emerged one after another, such as the Yidun family of Chu State, the Kong family of Wei State, the Bai family of Wei State, the Zhuo family of Zhao State, the Tian family of Qi State, and the Guo family.The strategy of business travel is even more spectacular, so that the children of business travelers compete to worship the great merchants as their teachers, and practice business strategy, just like famous scholars recruit disciples.Even if it is so, it is more difficult to learn business strategies than celebrities to impart knowledge.

Bai Gui once said: "Wisdom is not enough to adapt to changes, courage is not enough to make decisions on the fly, benevolence is not enough to take and give freely, and strength is not enough to keep one's will. Even if you want to learn my skills, you will never tell me!" Businessmen are more demanding in terms of intelligence, morality and will than scholars who study learning. Old Mozi is an outstanding scholar. He compared scholars with businessmen, and said a very interesting sentence: "Today, scholars are not as cautious as businessmen with a piece of cloth (money). A businessman uses a piece of cloth, You must buy good materials. Scholars use their lives, but they rely more on their will and lack of deep thinking and judgment. Isn’t it paradoxical! Business travelers are wandering all over the world. It has nothing to do with Liang's difficulties, and there is no danger of thieves, but if you don't do it! The words of scholars are not as good as the businessmen's calculation of profit." This "observation" is clear and firm.Solved in this way, we can know the difficulties of business travel, and even more so, the difficulties of successful businessmen.

During the period of King Hui of Qin, the city of Xianyang had already become a battleground for business travelers from all over the world.King Qin Wu died violently in Luoyang, and the Shandong merchants in Xianyang were very anxious for a while, and only then did the fleeing trend when the six-nation coalition forces suppressed the border arise.However, after King Qin Zhao came to the throne, the political situation of Qin State became more and more stable, and he defeated the Allied Forces of the Six Nations in one fell swoop outside Hewai. Qin State seemed to be the unshakable largest city in the world.No matter how patriotic they are, businessmen cannot give up their business life after all.There is only one big city in Qi State left in the six kingdoms of Shandong that can compete with Xianyang, but King Qi Min is moody and will impose heavy taxes on businessmen at every turn, and the popularity of business travelers in Linzi is gradually becoming less prosperous.In contrast, the laws and regulations of the State of Qin are stable, the tax system has hardly changed for more than 40 years, and with the purpose of "rouyuan people" (treating merchants from afar) as the purpose, Shandong merchants are treated preferentially in many ways. A Shangshangfang is famous all over the world.As a result, Xianyang has become a "hot market" where business travelers from all over the world flock to. Not only big businessmen from all over the world gather in Xianyang, but even small merchants and hawkers flock to Xianyang one after another.Whether they hate Qin for defeating the motherland or call Qin a "tiger and wolf", business travelers all see that Qin is a place for gold mining and a good place for business wars. Whoever does not occupy the big city of Xianyang will lose A place in the business world.

As a result, the elites of business travel from various countries launched a bloodless and brutal competition in Xianyang. For the first decade or so, merchants from the state of Wei had the upper hand.The Wei State has the advantage of geographical location. Daliang is only three days away from Xianyang by bullock cart. The short distance for goods transportation can greatly reduce the price. In addition, Wei's wares are exquisitely made, which makes it difficult for merchants from other countries to breathe.Especially the most important food market is almost the monopoly of the Wei State.Others, such as iron from South Korea, silk jewelry and bamboo from Chu, horse hides from Zhao, sea salt from Qi, and ramie silk from Yan, all have a small share.Later, the merchants of Qi State gradually failed.It takes a long time to collect the goods, difficult freight, high prices, and single goods. Even if there are all kinds of seafood, the ox carts will stink after walking for half a month.Gradually, the merchants of Qi State were about to be squeezed out of Xianyang City.

At this time, Su Qin reformed in Qi State, and the government fully supported the merchants to circulate wealth, transport Qi State utensils out for money, and then transport back the lack of foreign utensils in Qi State to meet the needs of the country and the people.It was also a meeting of wind and clouds, and at this time when Qi merchants were shrinking, there was an astonishing news from Qi State: Tian, ​​a master merchant, wanted to invest all his family's gold in Xianyang to do business!It is unclear who recommended it or whether it was recommended by the businessman. Anyway, not long after the news spread, a young Tian family businessman went to Xianyang and became the general manager of the deserted Qi Guo Trading Company.

This young general manager of the trading company is extraordinary!As soon as he got started, he gathered several Qi merchants who stayed in Xianyang and made several big deals.First, dry goods from Qi State were transported to Xianyang, such as dried vegetables, dried fish, mountain delicacies and other things that Qin people like but lack, they are all shipped in an endless stream, but the price is 30% lower than the same goods from other countries!The next step is to invite the Zhunguo government and the power of the trading company to buy a large salt field on the coast of the East China Sea to dry the salt, and then transport the snow-white sea salt to Xianyang in large quantities.At that time, the well salt of the Qin State depended entirely on the land of Shu, and there was very little production, let alone sea salt. The government attached great importance to the trade of salt and iron.A large amount of sea salt from the state of Qi poured in, and the government of the state of Qin took it all at a high price without selling it themselves.The general manager then negotiated with the government of the State of Qin, taking over all important export business such as leather goods from the Hexi Plateau of the State of Qin State, strong yellow cattle from Qinchuan, and medicinal materials from Taiyi Mountain and Shangyu Mountain.The ox convoy transporting sea salt returned to Qi, and then returned with a full load of these goods that were out of stock in Qi State. Qi merchants in Qin State were selling well at both ends, booming!Immediately afterwards, the chief executive saw that Qin and Qi had a good relationship, so he asked the governments of the two parties to allow the Qi State Trading Company to exclusively operate the iron materials and weapons imported and exported by the two parties.With such new tricks coming out one after another, the merchants of Qi State became very popular in Xianyang.In the past five or six years, the Qiguo Trading Company has gained a great reputation.

Not long after, a commercial rumor spread in Xianyang Shangshangfang: This general manager is Tian Dan, the "Business Traveler Sun Wu" who has emerged in the business war. Feng Huan was surprised, how could there be Lu Zhonglian talking and laughing in Tian Dan's chief executive room?Why did Lu Zhonglian come to Qin?As a celebrity in common clothes, Lu Zhonglian has always been aloof and maverick, and even dismissed idle princes and nobles. Tian Danzong is a "business traveler Sun Wu", and he is a businessman after all. How could Lu Zhonglian befriend him? "Brother Tian, ​​tell me, how did the Qin National Congress take action?" Lu Zhonglian's voice came from the room. "It's hard to say." The low and slow tone clearly belonged to the chief executive, Tian Dan. "As far as the general situation is concerned, there are at least three or four directions where Qin may use troops. However, one thing is clear: Qin will not fight with Qi." Let's go to war." "In this way, Feng Huanyou's argument was successful?" Lu Zhonglian burst into hearty laughter. "Exactly." Tian Dan's voice was still low, "Qin Guo is afraid that King Qi will go crazy, so he wants to protect Lord Mengchang. Feng Huanyou said that it's just in the middle of his arms, but Brother Zhonglian should not be too happy." Feng Huan's heart trembled when he heard it, and his face turned red.Qin Guo will plan, why didn't he think of it?ashamed!I was secretly feeling guilty, but I heard Meng Changjun say again: "Brother Tian thinks that Qin has other intentions?" After a while of silence, Tian Dan sighed heavily: "It's hard to say! The country of Qi is now roasting on the stove, and the six fires are raging. Who knows which fire will hit the critical point?" "I see, Qin State is currently busy in the Central Plains, so it's not enough for Qi State to make plans." Lu Zhonglian's laughter was very clear, "As long as Qin State does not look up to the East China Sea, Qi State will turn around." "It's hard to say!" Tian Dan sighed again, "Qi State is already dying, but medicine and stones are intractable, and Mr. Mengchang alone has the power to recover?" Feng Huan was breathless, and couldn't help but say aloud: "Who is so depressed? Build up other people's ambitions, destroy your own prestige!" Then he pushed open the heavy wooden door and strode into the chief executive's room. "Brother Feng is indeed here!" Lu Zhonglian got up and laughed, "Come on, this is Brother Tian Dan, have you seen him?" Tian Dan cupped his hands and smiled slightly: "When this brother entered the company, he had a face-to-face meeting with me and signed up for Feng Shi, right?" "Feng Shi?" Lu Zhonglian smiled suddenly, "That's a pseudonym, this old man is Feng Huan!" "Ah, Mr. Meng Changjun, I've heard the name for a long time." Tian Dan didn't seem surprised, "Brother, please take a seat." Then he picked up the earthenware pot on the small burner and poured hot strong tea for Feng Huan, "Taiyi Mountain Qin Tea , to reduce food and diuresis, try it." Feng Huan cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Just now I heard Brother Tian's words in the corridor, but I have benefited a lot. However, Brother Tian's judgment of Qi Guo, Feng Huan does not agree with it. Tian Qi's century-old foundation is now at its peak, although there are worries , but the pillars are still there, and it is said that the disease is terminal, but Brother Tian is biased." "That's the same thing." Tian Dan had no intention of arguing, he just smiled and fell silent. Lu Zhonglian changed the subject with a smile: "Brother Feng, I came to Xianyang to find you." Feng Huan cupped his hands and said, "Brother Zhonglian has something to do, but let's talk about it." "It's still Lord Mengchang." Lu Zhonglian took a sip of hot tea, "He didn't know that Brother Feng entered the Qin Dynasty, let alone that you were planning for his restoration. He only thought that he had nothing to do, so he went to Chu to look for Gan Mao. .Because I can't predict whether you will succeed in entering Qin, I can't dissuade you that day. I came after you because I wanted to wait for the situation in Qin to decide what to do. Now the general situation has become clear, and the restoration of Lord Mengchang is just around the corner. I think I should go to Chu The country, Meng Changjun stays in Linzi to stabilize the court situation is the most important thing." Feng Huan continued: "Zhong Lian is saying that he wants me to return to Linzi as soon as possible and keep Lord Mengchang safe?" "Brother Feng is really shrewd." Lu Zhonglian smiled, "Your nobleman has never been beaten, and he looks worried, frustrated and lonely. How can he do great things? The sooner you go back, the sooner he will cheer up." "If Mr. Mengchang has gone to Chu State, what should we do?" Feng Huan was anxious. "If he enters Chu, I will urge him to return to Linzi immediately." "He is looking for someone, how did you find him?" Lu Zhonglian laughed: "It is difficult to find others, but I am the best way to find Mr. Mengchang!" "In that case, I'll go to Chili Ji Mansion to bid farewell, and I'll leave after Starry Night." Feng Huan hurried away with his hand clasped. Lu Zhonglian sighed: "Brother Tian, ​​I should go too." Tian Dan smiled: "Go, come to my place, and I will see you farewell." "Is it useful?" Lu Zhong even smiled. "Let's go." Tian Dan pulled Lu Zhonglian out of the chief executive's room, snapped his fingers, and a wagon drove out from behind the house.Tian Dan turned around and told the old servant in the general manager's room: "Lead the sir's horse to the back door of the old courtyard." After saying that, he pulled Lu Zhonglian into the wagon, lowered the curtain, and the wagon rattled out of the trading house. After walking for a while, the caravan stopped steadily.Lu Zhonglian got off the car, but saw a secluded stone street, a thick and simple entrance hall, and the purple-red wooden door was tightly closed.Tian Dan said with a smile, "Let's go. This is the back door." Lu Zhonglian sized it up and suddenly smiled and said, "The front door is Donghai Salt Shop?" "That's right. This is my foundation." Tian Dan said He walked to the door and patted it three times with "bang bang bang", and saw that the tall door leaf opened a small skylight, and with a shake of a person's head, the heavy wooden door slid open rumblingly.After crossing the bluestone threshold more than one foot high, there is a deep entrance hall. After passing the entrance hall, there is a large screen wall that completely blocks the line of sight.Walking around the screen wall, it suddenly became clear, a green garden with verdant pines and ponds and green water poured into the eyes, with continuous roofs in the forest, except for the gravel path under the feet and the small pool, there was no open space. "Ah, heavy land of salt and iron?" Lu Zhong even smiled. "Guest officer who came in from here, you are the first." Tian Dan also smiled. Around the pool, there is another stone house shaded by a pine forest. After passing the pine forest and stone house, after several twists and turns, you can see a curved stone wall that is as high as two people. large circle. "Here we are." Tian Dan smiled, clapped his palms three times, and the sunken stone wall slid open, revealing a stone door that was as tall as a human, "Please, are you so dazed?" "Mysterious." Lu Zhong even looked at him, "Is this how you do business?" "Everyone has their own laws." Tian Dan smiled, "This is the cashier and the treasury, so keep it a little more secret." "I see, you can fight as a general." Tian Dan smiled leisurely, shook his head and said, "General, I will leave it to you. I just want to be the world's largest businessman." This small courtyard is very strange. The three rows of houses are closely connected to form an "工" shape, all of which are built of rocks, and they are only as tall as one person.Lu Zhonglian said: "Half of it is underground?" Tian Dan nodded: "It really is the general's eyes. Come, the east chamber is my study." Then he pushed open a wooden door protruding from the wall with his right hand, and stepped on the stone steps. Down to the house.Lu Zhonglian followed up and took a look, but it was a bright and spacious hall. The two sides of the stone bookshelves were filled with various bamboo slips, but on the north wall was inlaid a pair of extra-large bamboo calculators, five or six feet long and two feet wide. Pieces of bamboo counters (chips) in the counter grid frame are clearly visible on the smooth and thin bamboo pillars; but a long sword and a spear hang obliquely on the south wall!Lu Zhonglian couldn't help laughing: "Such a study room is the only one in the world." Tian Dan also smiled: "This is different from place to place. Without your big study room, how can I be elegant?" Zhong Lian said with a smile: "Looking at your shiny spear and big calculator, you can tell that this is an important place for merchants, and you pay attention to practicality. Why did you ever want to be elegant?" Tian Dan smiled, stretched his hand towards the back of the door, and heard a ding dong, and a copper bell rang, and a handsome boy stood at the tall door.Tian Dan ordered: "Yunzi, quickly fix the two cases and bring the food and drink." "I'll come right away." The little boy replied crisply, and disappeared.After a while, the little boy came in swiftly, so lightly that there was no sound of footsteps. He went back and forth two or three times, and the two big tables showed that the food and drink were complete: a pottery pot, a copper jug, and a wooden plate, and the pot was steaming. Stewed lamb shank, on the plate are bright yellow rice balls. Tian Dan Jujue smiled and said, "Come on! Linzi Old Wine, it's done!" "There is Linzi wine in Xianyang, it's rare! Do it!" Lu Zhonglian was very happy, and he raised his lord to take a photo with Tian Dan, and drank it all in one gulp, "Brother Tian, ​​when I came back from Chu, I came to Xianyang to look for you, and brought Chu Come drink!" Tian Dan smiled and shook his head: "At that time, I may not be in Xianyang." "I'll wait for your return. Left and right are your lifeblood." "It's better to listen to my letter." Tian Dan sighed softly, "It's hard to say the return date." "Okay, then I'll wait for your news." Lu Zhonglian paused, "Hey, you want to withdraw from Xianyang?" Tian Dan was silent for a moment, then shook his head: "I didn't think about it, so it's hard to say." Lu Zhonglian knew that Tian Dan was resourceful and thoughtful, and he didn't talk about unresolved matters easily, so he didn't ask any more questions, just drinking and talking and laughing, and within an hour, the two of them swept away a bucket of old Linzi wine.Lu Zhonglian smiled and stood up: "Brother Tian, ​​I'm leaving." Tian Dan smiled: "Let's go, I'll take you out." Going to the study, he saw the little boy standing at the door holding something.Tian Dan took it and said with a smile: "Zhonglian, this is a hundred old Qi gold coins, tied into a belt, you can wear it around your waist, and if you have more, you will be burdened." Lu Zhonglian laughed: "What a belt! Tie it on!" After speaking, unfolding, it turned out to be a very finely crafted cowhide wide belt, both sides were full of small pockets with dense circles, each bag stuffed with a gold cake, it was so heavy that it bulged, and it was so heavy that it was added to the waist. Somewhat mighty. "Okay!" Tian Dan sized him up and said with a smile, "Is Su Qinpei the Prime Minister of the Six Kingdoms like this?" Lu Zhonglian laughed for a while: "Gold is not burdensome, let's learn from Su Qin, let's go!" After going out the back door, the old servant was already waiting with a horse that was washed and fed.Lu Zhonglian cupped his hands: "There will be a time later!" Then he got on his horse and went.In the twilight, with horseshoes raining like rain, Tian Dan sighed heavily. After returning to the small courtyard of the stone house, Tian Dan went down to the big room in the middle.This is a neat, spacious and slightly dark hall. Two hale and grey-haired old men each sat on a large table with bamboo slips spread out in front of them. They held a pen in their right hand and flicked the bamboo operator in the calculator with their left hand. .Tian Dan coughed lightly, but the two old men did not look up, and their slender fingers were still moving the counter quickly.Tian Dan cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Mr. Jing Guo, Mr. Huai Li, please stop for a moment, I have something to say." "I've met the general manager." The two old people almost raised their heads and cupped their hands together, but only the thinner old man spoke. "Isn't Mr. Huaili getting better?" Tian Dan looked at the silent old man and asked with concern. "The general manager's medicine, he has been taking the medicine for more than a month, and he can already hear loud voices." Mr. Jingguo smiled, "Hardness of hearing is difficult to cure, but fortunately Brother Huaili is quick in writing and proficient in "Zhou Bi Suan Jing" , enough to make up for the loss of listening.” Tian Dan looked at the white-bearded Mr. Huaili, and suddenly said loudly: "The two gentlemen are the heroes of the Tian family! Without Mr. Huaili's precise calculations, the Tian family would not have today's foundation! I want to renew my name as a doctor and alchemist, and heal the disease." Mr. Huaili!" "Boss, I'm overwhelmed." The old man in Huaili smiled, clasped his fists, and his voice was so hoarse and hoarse that it was heart-rending. Mr. Jing Guo smiled and said, "If you have something to do, just tell me. The old man and Brother Huai Li have figured out a set of sign language, and I'll call him. It's very convenient." "This is a good idea!" Tian Dan's eyes lit up, and he said as he paced and thought, "The situation may change. The Tian clan's large estates and stores in Qi State must be sold in secret; in Daliang, Handan, Yingdu, Ji The shops and workshops in the city should also be handled secretly, leaving only one restaurant in each city as a signboard; then, all the Qin Banliang will be converted into gold, and the coins of the six countries in Shandong will be exchanged for Qin Banliang. All money, Xianyang Keep 30% for Yingdu, 50% for Yingdu, and 20% for Linzi. Xianyang’s money is traded on a weekly basis, and Linzi’s money is used to deal with family accidents. All Yingdu’s money is kept secret, and is not allowed to be used under any name unless I order it. Two gentlemen, Do you understand?" Mr. Jingguo flipped his thin, white and long hands quickly, without a trace of a smile on his face, and after finishing signing, he let out a heavy gasp: "Boss, at present, everyone who invests in gold will get big profits. It's a pity to suddenly cut the price and sell it!" Mr. Huaili's face was flushed, and he stumbled while patting the book case: "Boss, at least Qin, Qin State is safe and sound, good, what a big profit market, 30% of the money per week , turn around? In Chu State, merchants are dead, and 50% of the money is sealed and sealed there, isn’t it not a taboo for merchants? Does the general manager not want to do business?” Tian Dan sighed: "Prepare for the rainy day, and the heart is moved! The reason for it is unclear at the moment. That's it, within half a year, it will be done. Mr. Jing Guo will take care of the whole thing, and Mr. Huaili will hold the big account." With a deep bow, "If Mrs. Tian can preserve her strength and get out of danger, the two gentlemen will have made great achievements in the world." After saying that, he strode up in a hurry. The two old men were staring blankly at each other, but Tian Dan came down in a hurry: "Mr. Jing Guo, I just forgot one thing: Immediately, a hundred sets of axle bushings were secretly ordered at the Xianyang Iron Workshop. They should be made of fine iron and look like spearheads." Mr. Jingguo opened his mouth wide in astonishment, but he forgot to sign with Mr. Huaili.