Chapter 155: Guo Yi's Report
As night fell, Guangzhou was already aglow with lanterns, but for the closing shops, it was a time of tense calculation of the dayâs hard-earned value. Old Manager Shen of the Purple Pearl Pavilion was one of them. At this moment, his brow was furrowed, his expression as he looked at the account book was not so natural, and he let out a long sigh from time to time. If anyone else had seen this scene, they would have certainly thought that the old man was worried about the bleak business of the Purple Pearl Pavilion. It had been nearly half a month since the Purple Pearl Pavilion opened after the Lantern Festival, and the situation could be roughly seen. However, the reality was not what outsiders thought.
Old Manager Shen had come to the Purple Pearl Pavilion only to fulfill his promise. Although he had seen the strength of the Purple Pearl Pavilion, he did not believe that Guo Yi, with no background and no power, could immediately open up a market in the competitive business world of Guangzhou. Although the masters had each shown extraordinary abilities during the preparations for the opening, he was still worried, fearing that the master was too ambitious, spreading himself too thin by opening several businesses at once, which would inevitably lead to neglecting one for the other. However, the changes in the Purple Pearl Pavilion in the month after its opening were completely beyond his expectations.
On the thin account book spread out on the table, some figures were clearly visible: âTwentieth of the first month, a pair of Western crystal cups, fifty taels of silver, on account; Member Liu of the Liu residence; one exquisite self-chiming clock, one hundred taels of silver, on account; Master Wang of the Baixian Restaurant; three strings of longan-sized pearl necklaces, one thousand two hundred taels, Boss Chen of the Chen Family Grain Store, on account; three paintings of Namban colorful scenery, six hundred taels of silver, Young Master He of the Generalâs residence, paid in fullâŚâ The total amount on the books was twelve thousand one hundred and twelve taels.
Shen Fan had been in the trade for forty years and had seen such figures before. But this was the sales volume of the Purple Pearl Pavilion in just over ten days of opening. Even for the experienced Shen Fan, the money-making ability of the Purple Pearl Pavilion was simply terrifying. He had only introduced some of the great households in Guangzhou that he was familiar with, and Master Guo was able to produce interesting things that suited their tastes. His ability to read peopleâs expressions and judge their character was simply amazing.
As for the other two masters, one spent every day on the workshop construction site, supervising the workers making wine, while the other spent every day with the craftsmen, hammering out jewelry. He had seen many masters and managers, but this was the first time he had seen one who could mix and joke with a group of soot-covered craftsmen. He really hadnât expected that this Master Yan was from a craftsman background, with superb skills that could earn him a living even at the largest jewelry store in the city. And Master Guo, who looked like he was from a wealthy family, how could he be in business with a craftsmanâŚ
He thought about it, but he didnât show any of these feelings on his face. Every day in the shop, he received the visiting dignitaries in person and dealt with the housekeepers and servants sent to select goods. He also sent capable apprentices out with samples and catalogs. With his own connections and the experienced apprentices from Baohengxiang, the business went smoothly.
What surprised him most was that Master Guo, who rarely interfered in the shopâs affairs, had implemented a completely new system before the opening. First, the entire shop was divided into three categories based on the work content: business, miscellaneous, and craftsmen. Each category had different levels, and they enjoyed different treatments according to the nature of their work. For example, the income of the business staff was higher than that of the miscellaneous staff, and the craftsmen were paid according to their individual abilities. This system was completely new to Shen Fan.
In addition to a fixed monthly salary, the business staff received a commission on their monthly salesâthe sales commission was settled and paid after the accounts were settled at the three annual festivals. Shen Fan made a preliminary calculation for himself and was shocked. According to this new system, his commission for this month alone would be more than thirty taels. His highest annual salary before retirement was only two hundred and forty taels. Shen Fan shook his head, thinking he must be getting old and muddled. He calculated it again with an abacus, and the result was the same.
If this is the case, wonât I be earning over three hundred taels in commission a year! Shen Fan was so shocked his jaw almost dropped. His current monthly salary was already generous, stated to be three hundred and sixty taels a year, which was unique among the managers of Guangzhouâs jewelry stores. And now with the commissionâŚ
He shook his head repeatedly. This wonât do. Iâm already the manager. How can I take a commission? Let the ârunnersââor as Master Guo calls them, the âsalesmenââearn it.
As for the craftsmen and miscellaneous staff, Master Guo did not treat them poorly either. He was generous with those who were skilled. The most skilled jeweler could earn nearly ten taels a month, and the worst could earn five qian of silver.
Finally, Master Guo also announced that the Purple Pearl Pavilion would have a year-end dividend. The annual profit would be divided into thirteen shares: the masters would take ten, the entire business staff would take half a share, the craftsmen and miscellaneous staff would take half a share, one share would be âpublic fundsâ kept in the shopâs coffers for emergencies like birth, old age, sickness, and death among the staff, and the last share would be âpension funds.â For those who had worked diligently in the shop and eventually lost their ability to work, the shop would use this money to provide for their retirement and funeral. As soon as the system was announced, the whole shop was in an uproar. Could there be such a kind-hearted master in the world? Shen Fan did not doubt the sincerity of the masters. He was experienced in the ways of the world and knew that the kindness shown by Master Guo was not feigned; he was genuinely thinking of the working people. No matter where you went, shops provided two meals a day for their apprentices and craftsmen. But Master Guo said, âIf you want people to work, how can you only give them two meals?â So he changed it to three meals a day. Three meals a day, Shen Fan sighed. I had to work for over twenty years and become a manager to enjoy this treatment. Here at the Purple Pearl Pavilion, even the apprentices enjoy it. Theyâve really found a good master.
As for the other miscellaneous benefits, they were too numerous to mention. The jewelry workshop was too hot, so large windows were opened for ventilation. A wooden bucket of herbal tea was placed in the room. A well was dug in the courtyard, and a stone trough was made so that the apprentices could wash up after work. And now, a new row of houses was being built on the empty land, said to be âdormitoriesâ for the apprentices. In the future, they would no longer have to sleep on the floor in the workshop, shop, or corridors wherever they could find a space.
With so much effort put in, it was no wonder that everyone at the Purple Pearl Pavilion was full of energy. Even Old Wang, the lowest-ranking night watchman, was very diligent in his patrols every night. The faces of the apprentices were all beaming with vitality. This was a spirit that Shen Fan had not felt before. It was not the effort born of the need to make a living, but a true attitude of working for oneself.
Seeing the Purple Pearl Pavilion flourish so rapidly, he was genuinely happy for his benefactor. But amidst his happiness, he couldnât help but feel a hint of indescribable worry. Such smooth sailing might not be a good omen. Shen Fan sighed and gently closed the account book.
At this moment, Guo Yi was writing furiously in a secluded safe house:
âReport to the Executive Committee: âŚIt has been nearly three months since our arrival in Guangzhou. Through the joint efforts of our departmentâs personnel and our colleagues from the Navy, we have overcome the initial difficulties and have largely put our trade on the right track. To avoid direct competition with Gao Ju, we have decided not to directly manage the goose-egg mirrors. We have reached an agreement with Gao Ju: the Gao family will continue to act as the agent for the goose-egg mirrors. Their control and regulation of the market are very good, and the supply and demand price system is stable. From the perspective of accelerating the collection of payments, it is also appropriate to continue to let Gao Ju act as the agent for the products.
âCurrently, our main profitable items are various craft glassware. The profit margin for these products is relatively narrow, as there are similar products imported by the Portuguese from Macau, creating some competition. Moreover, glassware is only a rare curiosity here, and most people are not interested. However, there is a great demand for window glass in the luxury market. We saw a small amount of flat glass used in the windows of a garden building in the home of a very wealthy man. It is said that the purchase price was extremely high back then, but foreign merchant ships were unwilling to transport such goods due to the high rate of breakage during the journey, so there is a demand but no supply in the market.
âThe market test of âGuoshi Wushuangâ liquor as a gift has been satisfactory. Most recipients were captivated by the glass bottle. Currently, âGuoshi Wushuangâ liquor is the most fashionable gift in Guangzhouâs business and official circles, with a trend towards becoming a high-end gift. However, the first batch of bottles has been completely used up, and we cannot continue to ship. We hope the Executive Committee can arrange for the production of wine bottles as soon as possible.
âThe newly developed âGreat Tang Princessâ for the European market has completed its samples and will be sent to Macau for trial sales soon. If the sales are ideal, we hope the Executive Committee will allocate all the porcelain vases with inventory number JC-0083 to the dispatch station.
âThe experimental sale of the 16-mo AV picture albums has played an important role in certain special sales channels, greatly alleviating the initial cash flow shortage. Considering the special nature of such goods, it is not suitable as a long-term commodity. Therefore, we request the Executive Committee to arrange for the production of tobacco and simple light industrial products as soon as possible. High-quality tobacco can be purchased in Guangzhou.
âIn addition, the progress of setting up a base in Leizhou is nearing completion. Currently, a branch of the Qiwei Escort Agency has been opened in Haikang County town, with a mule and horse inn. Three oil presses have been acquired, one of which is water-powered and two are animal-powered. Five sugarcane plantations with a total of 1200 standard mu of sugarcane fields have been acquired. A warehouse has been opened in Xuwen County town, with two oil presses and four sugarcane plantations with a total of 1400 standard mu of sugarcane fields. The local sugarcane has already begun to be harvested. Please send professional personnel to Leizhou to preside over the sugar industry business as soon as possible.â
He let out a breath and glanced at Zhang Yuchen, who was chatting animatedly with Zhang Yu on the radio. This otaku had now become a true âhamâ (radio enthusiast). Although there was no QQ, he had learned to chat with girls using Morse code. He was so enthusiastic that he didnât want to get off the radio, forcing a strong apprentice to pedal a bicycle generator furiously outside every day.
âIf youâre so enthusiastic, itâll be a wonder if Li Chiqi doesnât chop you up,â he muttered, looked at his notebook, and continued to write:
âRegarding personnel recruitment, besides the apprentices and craftsmen recruited for the dispatch station, we have also recruited about thirty craftsmen with different skills through local managers. They have agreed to go to Lingao to work, but none are willing to bring their families, and they have stated that they will work for one year first, and whether they will stay on for the long term will depend on the specific situation. If their conditions can be confirmed, we will sign contracts with them. Please send a ship to pick them up as soon as possible.
âRegarding the purchase of people in Guangzhou, we have reached a cooperation agreement with the local gentry member Liang Cunhou. We will recruit famine refugees under the pretext of land reclamation and farming, and he will be responsible for liaising with the government for us. As a sign of our sincere cooperation, the dispatch station has donated one thousand taels of silver to the charity hall he presides over, in the name of the Zicheng Company. There are currently tens of thousands of famine victims in and around Guangzhou. I wonder how many Lingao can accommodate?
âIn terms of finance: the cumulative sales to date have reached twelve thousand taels of silver. Due to the different trading environment here from what we are familiar with, major retail customers all use a credit system, making it difficult to quickly realize sales and profits. The on-paper figures are high. The dispatch station has already spent a lot of funds on setting up bases, shops, and recruiting personnel. We request to draw ten thousand taels of silver from Gao Juâs accounts receivable as the next step for activities and maintenance expenses.
âPlease have the Economic and Financial Committee formulate regulations for the dispatch stationâs expense procedures, reimbursement processes, and other rules as soon as possible, so that we can standardize our financial system.â
Writing this, Guo Yi thought of the large ledgers and many handwritten notes in the safe. Money had been flowing like water these past few months, and in this era, there were no invoices; money was spent by writing IOUs. He could honestly say that not a single coin had been spent for himself, and he could vouch for the others at the dispatch station as well. But this was not a long-term solution. It was better to have the finance department establish a system so that everyone could act according to the rules. Otherwise, if something happened in the future, it would be a mess that would be hard to explain.
ââŚRegarding base construction, besides the large trading company Zicheng, there is also a jewelry store, the Purple Pearl Pavilion (local manager, trustworthy), and a high-end pleasure quarter, the Purple Bright Pavilion. The normal income and expenses of these three are currently balanced. After overall accounting, it is estimated that without replenishing new goods, the income in the next three months should be around twenty thousand taelsâŚâ
Guo Yi rubbed his sore shoulders and continued to write: âIn terms of intelligence construction, the intelligence gathering network led by Gao Di has already been launched. Gao Di is a usable person, but his fatherâs attitude is ambiguous. If possible, it would be best to send his parents to Lingao for use, to prevent him from waveringââ
âThe national and Guangdong official and gentry directories have been obtained and will be sent back with the ship. The channel for obtaining copies of the court gazette has also been established.â
âThe dispatch station has spent two thousand taels of silver to renovate a three-story attic on Gaodi Street, a bustling area of Guangzhou, temporarily named the Purple Bright Pavilion, for the use of intelligence specialist PEPI. The PEPI specialist has already caused quite a stir among the dignitaries of Guangzhou and is said to be quite close to the son of the Guangzhou General, He Rubin, frequently visiting the Generalâs residence.â The sensational scene when the person codenamed PEPI, under the alias Pei Lixiu, first appeared in public at the Purple Bright Pavilion could be described as shocking, and the carefully arranged lighting effects were not in vain. However, he didnât expect the âstar-chasersâ of the Ming Dynasty to be so crazy. But if they knew that PEPI was⌠Guo Yi suddenly had the urge to drop his pen and burst out laughing.