Chapter 57

Tonight, the boats of the Tanka people in Zhenzhou Port were also adorned with red lanterns. The small wooden boats of the Tanka people came and went, and dozens of Tanka families took turns to participate in Hong Tao and Bozhu's engagement ceremony. Since the Bo family's boat was still at the mouth of the Ningyuan River, they could only use the Weng family's boat for the event. In fact, it didn't matter whose boat they used; the Tanka people, regardless of their wealth, all had the same living conditions. A boat was just a boat, and the only difference was the amount of grain stored in the bottom hold.

Tanka men were fond of alcohol, which was closely related to their lifestyle. Whether in China or abroad, people who spent a lot of time at sea had this habit. They were bold but rude, straightforward but quick to anger, passionate but fierce, just like the sea, which had no fixed character. When they were happy, the sea was calm and gentle, even more so than inland lakes. When they were angry, the sea was turbulent, and there was no place in the world as dangerous as this.

Each time they went out to sea, the Tanka people risked their lives to earn a living. If they caught a good haul during the fishing season, their families would have enough food for three to five months. If they encountered bad weather and couldn't return, their families wouldn't even have a grave for them. Those who died at sea would return to the sea, and the living had to continue their lives without shedding extra tears. The two annual long-distance voyages in spring and autumn were like the Tanka people's ghost gates. If they didn't go, their families would starve for months. If they did go, they might not return. Drinking more alcohol to slow down their thoughts and avoid thinking about these heart-wrenching matters was the right thing to do.

However, these Tanka people only moved around on three boats, and they never approached the westernmost boat. Luo Youde and Luo Dacai were there, and except for Hong Tao, who accompanied Bozhu to greet the guests, the other Tanka people stayed far away. They didn't quite understand why a Tanka youth's engagement ceremony would invite land-based merchants to drink. When did the Tanka people and the land-based people have such a relationship?

As for Hong Tao, the Tanka youth, everyone was hesitant to say much about him. No one knew where he came from, but the story of him fighting sharks alone in the sea had already spread among the Tanka people. He had turned the entire sea red with blood, and the sharks that everyone usually avoided were as docile as chicks in front of him. He killed so many without a single one daring to resist.

It was a miracle! Among the Tanka people, there were many who had been injured or disabled by sharks, and they could only attribute such an unbelievable feat to divine intervention. Moreover, Hong Tao had a good physique and a colorful rat head tattoo on his back, which made him stand out from the other Tanka people, adding a layer of mystery to him. Rumors were quietly spreading among the Tanka people, saying that Hong Tao was the son of the Sea Dragon King, who had been expelled from the Dragon Palace for breaking the family rules. That's why he wasn't afraid of the fierce sharks, which were originally raised by the Dragon King.

This rumor was quite popular among the Tanka people, and even the next generations of the Bo, Huang, and Chen families were half-believing it. If Hong Tao wasn't the son of the Dragon King, how did he know those unique fishing methods? How did he use that sail he had never seen before? How did he build a sailboat that could fly? How did he know the language of the countries at the end of the sea? All these were evidence!

"Old Luo, doing business together isn't done this way. If everything is provided by you, and the glass is successfully made, am I a partner or an employee? If the roles aren't clear, the business won't last. I suggest we both invest. My glass-making technique will account for 30% of the shares, your venue and labor will account for another 30%, and the remaining 40% will be priced, for example, at 100 guan per share, with you and me having the first right to purchase. If neither of us wants it, we can sell it to others, but both of us must agree. The money from selling the shares will be our initial capital to buy raw materials and conduct experiments. Once the glass is made, I will handle production, and you will handle sales. I will manage the accounts, and you will manage the money. After the glass is sold, we will deduct the costs and divide the profits according to our shares. This way, if we lose money, we both lose, and if we make money, we both gain. Isn't this fair?" Hong Tao didn't hear those rumors; he just circled around the Tanka people and left, mainly because of the language barrier. After they drank, they spoke even faster, and he couldn't understand a word. It was better to talk business with Luo Youde. Luo Youde also had this plan. Since Hong Tao had already laid everything out, there was no need to hide anything. He was determined to do this glass-making business, but as soon as he opened his mouth, his business model was rejected by Hong Tao.

"But what if you can't make the glass?" Luo Dacai was afraid that Hong Tao would deceive Luo Youde and tried to find the flaws in Hong Tao's plan.

"If I can't make the glass, it won't just be your Luo family's money that's wasted; I've also bought shares, at least one! What benefit would I have in dragging it out? Do I have too much money to burn? Of course, your Luo family also has risks, but who does business without risks? My method is to spread the risk between our two families. If necessary, we can spread it to ten or a hundred families. If one family loses 10,000 guan, would they be heartbroken? If a hundred families each lose 100 guan, would they be heartbroken?" Hong Tao was willing to explain the concept of a company to the Song people. He wasn't afraid that they would apply what they learned; he was afraid that they wouldn't learn. His goal was to influence the Song Dynasty's development towards a capitalist economy, not to deceive them for money. There was no need to fear that they would learn.

"But then you only get 1% of the profit!" Luo Dacai understood Hong Tao's meaning but didn't want to admit that a refugee from the South had more business acumen than he did, so he couldn't help but argue.

"Of course, in my hometown, there's a saying: the greater the risk, the higher the profit! If I had enough capital, I would do it myself, and all the profits would be mine, but if I lost, I would lose everything. No matter how big the business, you always need partners. You can't control every step from raw material extraction to sales. You only need to control the most critical and profitable one or two steps. Monopolizing everything is a big taboo in business. If our glass is successful, will you be satisfied just selling it in the Song Dynasty? Don't you want to sell it in Japan? In the South? In Persia? In the Roman Empire? These things require cooperation with others. Even if we have a hundred large ships, can we afford to maintain so many people and run the ships every year? Have you calculated the losses involved? Do you want to bear all the costs yourself?" Hong Tao decided to explain the concepts of marketing networks and industrial chains from his future life. Whether they understood or not, they should at least get the general idea, and they would ask about the terms they didn't understand.

PS: If you're happy, clap your hands! While you're at it, give me some clicks, favorites, and recommendations. It's a small effort for you, but a huge encouragement for me...

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