Chapter 2179

Hearing his tone, Ma Zhengping was anxious and could not help but misunderstand his intentions, and quickly responded: "I have prepared a generous gift for General Shi a long time ago, and I hope Sir Duan can introduce it to you!"

Duan Tiancheng said: "Boss Ma has misunderstood. How can a big shot like General Shi care about the benefits you can give?"

Although Duan Tiancheng's tone was a bit domineering, Ma Zhengping did not dare to refute at all, and quickly responded: "Yes, yes, I was rude, I don't dare to offend General Shi... I hope Master Duan will tell me clearly what I should do."

good?"

In fact, from Ma Zhengping's point of view, if Shi Diwen meant to ask for money, then the matter would be much easier to handle. In daily operations, salt merchants inevitably have to deal with officials of all sizes, including some

Some officials are very aggressive and ask for high remuneration, but as long as they ask for a price, they can have room for bargaining. And the price itself shows an attitude, which means that the matter can definitely be done, and it is nothing more than the price.

Before Ma Zhengping came over this time, he had discussed with the other seven surnames. If General Shi from Zhoushan could be persuaded to intervene in the dispute with the Shanxi salt merchants, then no matter how much Shi Diwen finally offered, Hui Ji

The salt merchants all have to share this cost equally. If the military expenses needed for Haihan to send troops will be involved in the future, the same will be done.

It's just that Shi Diwen's status is respected, and foreign businessmen like Ma Zhengping, who had no previous connections in Zhoushan, have no qualifications to ask for an audience. They can only use roundabout ways to get the opportunity to communicate with Shi Diwen. Although the chance is not great, he

I still hope that Duan Tiancheng can help me connect the dots and let Shi Diwen meet me once.

But listening to Duan Tiancheng's tone, Shi Diwen didn't seem to care how much personal benefit the Yangzhou salt merchants could bring him, but wanted something else, which made Ma Zhengping a little confused.

Ma Zhengping believes that offering money on his own initiative represents his sincerity. It has worked for Duan Tiancheng before, but the sincerity required by Duan Tiancheng's boss seems to be a little different. There must be something other than money. So what exactly is it?

What?

Duan Tiancheng revealed the answer: "What the general wants is not just an agent to help us sell salt, but a true partner. The general believes that if you cannot meet the corresponding conditions, there is no need to help you again."

, even if your opponent controls Yangzhou Salt Industry in the future, for us it will just be a different agent. No matter who takes the position, they will definitely not refuse the low-price refined salt provided by us. You can

Think carefully about whether this is true."

Ma Zhengping didn't need to think carefully, he could come up with the answer now. If the Huizhou salt merchants finally lost power in the competition and were expelled from the Yangzhou salt market, then the Shanxi salt merchants would definitely turn back to cooperate with Haihan and use

Haihan provides low-price refined salt to replace the previous private salt supply.

As for the previous festival conflicts, how important is the income of real money? In the face of huge interests, businessmen will definitely choose more practical income instead of the so-called integrity. What's more, the Haihan people are obviously stronger, presumably

At that time, the Shanshan salt merchants would not be so stupid as to go against the Haihan people to the end.

But Ma Zhengping still doesn't understand what the "real partner" Shi Diwen calls a standard is, or in other words, he is unwilling to take the initiative to think in that direction.

If you can make money while standing, who would be willing to take the initiative to kneel down?

"What General Shi said is absolutely true. I deeply agree with it, and I also want to be your country's partner. But...how can I make General Shi agree?"

Since the other party was not simply asking for money, Ma Zhengping had to be more cautious and not take the initiative to make an offer. He had to wait for Duan Tiancheng to reveal the conditions first, so that he might still have some room for bargaining.

Duan Tiancheng said: "Then ask yourself first, besides selling salt, what else can you do for Haihan? The so-called cooperation must be based on mutual benefit. Cooperation in salt industry management requires both of us.

You can make a lot of money from it, which is mutual benefit. You want us to intervene in the competition among Yangzhou salt merchants and help you defeat your peers. This is a deeper cooperation. Our country has to bear greater risks, and of course there must be more

More income will do. Let’s be honest, you and your salt merchant friends will obey the arrangements and serve our country from now on.”

Ma Zhengping's legs went weak and he almost slipped off the chair. He responded hurriedly: "Master Duan, please don't joke. I am a citizen of the Ming Dynasty. How dare you rebel and cause trouble!"

"Why are you panicking? I'm not asking you to rebel!" Duan Tiancheng said disdainfully: "You can't even defeat your colleagues in Yangzhou, how can we expect you to fail to raise an army in Yangzhou?"

"Yes, yes, Master Duan is right." Ma Zhengping quickly raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. Discussion of this kind of topic is an absolute taboo in the Ming Dynasty. If someone eavesdrops on the wall, then maybe he will have to

Being accused of the serious crime of colluding with foreign countries to commit rebellion, there are not many heads that can be chopped off.

Ma Zhengping was secretly glad that he had withdrawn his subordinates when Duan Tiancheng arrived, otherwise Duan Tiancheng would have had no inhibitions and would have had to think about how to silence his subordinates after he finished talking.

As long as it's not a rebellion, it doesn't seem to be a big deal. When Ma Zhengping thought about Haihan's refusal to directly send troops, he must have been overthinking it.

Then I heard Duan Tiancheng continue to say: "Following the arrangement means that if we arrange for you to sell salt, you should sell salt well. If we arrange for you to do other things, such as recruiting immigrants, buying off officials, and controlling trade routes, then you must also follow suit."

Like salt, try your best to complete it. If you do well, you will be the best in Yangzhou from now on. If you do not do well, someone will naturally take your place."

Ma Zhengping wanted to say something, but he didn't know where to start. Duan Tiancheng's requests were not too outrageous. Some of them were even things he had been doing, but doing things for yourself was not the same as working for others.

But they are two different concepts.

Ma Zhengping felt uncomfortable mainly because of Duan Tiancheng's condescending attitude. As the most powerful class in Yangzhou, except for a few local high-ranking officials, big salt merchants like him would not take anyone else seriously.

If he wasn't afraid of Haihan's force, he might even look down on people like Shi Diwen and Duan Tiancheng. But now that the Haihan people had to lower themselves to obey their orders and work hard for them, Ma Zhengping suddenly

It's really hard to adjust your mentality.

You can give money, any amount. In Ma Zhengping's view, it is at least a certain degree of equivalent exchange. It is fair to exchange money for Haihan's support. After all, Huizhou salt merchants currently lack the ability to protect themselves.

The powerful weapons possessed by Haihan can just make up for this shortcoming.

But now the Haihan people don't want money. They just want to work for them in exchange for their protection. This inevitably makes Ma Zhengping feel a sense of humiliation. Even the civil and military officials of Yangzhou Prefecture have never been able to call him out.

To serve as a servant?

"This... I'm afraid it's not appropriate, right?" Ma Zhengping tried to calm down his emotions and responded with a forced smile: "The request made by Mr. Duan is really a bit embarrassing!"

Duan Tiancheng looked at Ma Zhengping's expression and responded with a sneer: "I have no intention of forcing Boss Ma to agree, I am just proposing a cooperation plan. If Boss Ma really feels embarrassed, there is no need to force it. Our business cannot be done without benevolence and righteousness."

, even if we don’t cooperate, we won’t harm you. You can slowly consider my suggestion. If one day is not enough, just two days. If one month is not enough, just two months. When you have figured it out, you can come back to us to talk about cooperation.

The door will always be open."

Duan Tiancheng stood up and said: "But I want to remind Boss Ma that next time he comes to see me, things may not be as easy to negotiate as now. There are some conditions. After passing this village, there will be no such store!"

"

Seeing that he was about to leave, Ma Zhengping quickly stood up and persuaded: "Master Duan, don't be impatient. I only said that there are difficulties, and I didn't say that I would not agree! Please sit down, Master Duan, and we will discuss it slowly."

Duan Tiancheng said: "Duan still has official duties, so I'm afraid I don't have time to discuss it slowly with Boss Ma. By the way, I got a piece of news last night. I regard it as a thank you for Boss Ma's previous hospitality. This news is given free of charge.

"

Duan Tiancheng lowered his voice and said: "According to the information we obtained in Hirado, at least one hundred and eighty muskets were sold from Hirado Port to Yangzhou this year. As for who got these muskets into the hands, it's unclear.

It’s very clear. In short, after Boss Ma returns, he must be careful when entering and exiting."

Ma Zhengping was shocked when he heard that the situation in Yangzhou took a turn for the worse last year because the enemy formed a musketry team and secretly sabotaged the salt transportation plans of the Huizhou salt merchants many times. Later at the end of the year,

At that time, Haihan sent people to Yangzhou to destroy the musketry team. The Huizhou salt merchants were also happy, thinking that the situation might turn for the better.

However, the news given by Duan Tiancheng confirmed what they were most worried about. The opponent may have organized a new musketry team, and the operations of the Huizhou salt merchants would be passive again.

If Haihan had not intervened, the situation in Yangzhou would likely have followed the same pattern as last year. Shanshan and Shaanxi salt merchants were still strong, while Huizhou salt merchants would once again be the targets of beatings.

Ma Zhengping did not doubt whether Duan Tiancheng's news was true and reliable, because before he came to Zhoushan this time, certain signs had appeared in Yangzhou, which were consistent with Duan Tiancheng's "warning". So now he had to consider

A very real question is, if Haihan does not provide support to our side, how long can our side last in Yangzhou?

According to their calculations before Haihan took action last year, Shanxi-Shaanxi salt merchants may take one to two years to destroy their transportation routes and supply.

, and there is no way to continue to gain profits from operating the salt industry, so we can only withdraw from Yangzhou in despair.

But after the Shanshan-Shaanxi salt merchants suffered a big loss at the hands of Haihan last year, they probably won’t have the patience to deal with things slowly as before. It is very likely that they will attack with thunder and leave no trace for the Huizhou-based salt merchants.

Give him some breathing room to prevent Haihan from ruining a good thing again.

We can still sit together and discuss the possibility of cooperation now, just because the situation in Yangzhou is not yet clear, and Haihan believes that the Huizhou salt merchants are more worthy of wooing. But if the Huizhou salt merchants are completely defeated, Haihan will certainly not be able to take action.

To save a loser, the Shanshan-Shaanxi Salt Merchant would be the only partner Haihan could choose to cooperate with at that time.

The pros and cons of this are too complicated. Ma Zhengping cannot calculate them clearly in a moment. But one thing Ma Zhengping can be sure of now is that he cannot let go of Haihan, the only life-saving root.

The straw slipped away.

"Master Duan, I am definitely willing to cooperate with your country. There is no need to doubt my sincerity, right? I can agree to the conditions that Master Duan just mentioned, but to implement them in place, we must also consider that our opponents will hinder us.

Son, so we still have to find a way to deal with the people who may be in the way first."

Ma Zhengping decided not to think so much. He would first agree to the conditions proposed by Duan Tiancheng in his own name and see if Haihan could provide sufficient support. If Haihan's support was only verbal, then the cooperative relationship would be

It’s okay not to.

Duan Tiancheng looked at Ma Zhengping's expression and confirmed that he was not joking. Then he nodded slowly and sat back on the chair: "I know that Boss Ma is a sensible person, so I made an appointment with you again."

Interview. As long as you are willing to cooperate well, there is no need to worry about competitors driving you out of Yangzhou."

Ma Zhengping said: "But Mr. Duan said before that your country cannot directly send troops. How can we combat the arrogance of Shanxi salt merchants?"

Duan Tiancheng said: "If you don't send troops, there are many other ways. Since your opponents can form a musketeer team, of course you can follow suit. We provide military training and weapons and equipment, so you still worry about not being able to defeat them.

Those bumpkin musketeers?”

Ma Zhengping said with great joy: "Is this really possible? I have to thank Mr. Duan for making it happen."

Duan Tiancheng said: "I'm just a business person, there's no need to thank me."

Ma Zhengping understood, and quickly added: "Yes, yes, you have to thank General Shi! Please tell General Shi, Mr. Duan, that if this can be facilitated, I am willing to donate 10,000 taels of silver to General Shi every year as military supplies!"

"

Ma Zhengping didn't care at all whether the money would become military funds or flow into General Shi's personal pocket. He was just looking for a reason to donate money. Although General Shi didn't seem to be a money-grubbing person, who would object to it going into his own pocket?

Too much silver?

As for how much this training process and the purchase of weapons and equipment will cost, Ma Zhengping is not going to ask for details now. Anyway, just spend money and it will be done. When have salt merchants ever been short of money?
Chapter completed!