Chapter 28 Smooth Sailing All the Way

  A family dinner started with a war of words between brothers, and finally ended with the father's kindness and filial piety, as well as the brotherly love. The old man and the eldest brother went to rest, and Yang Meng's tightly strung heart also relaxed a bit.

  Returning to his own courtyard, Yang Meng's emotions were stirred up and he couldn't fall asleep. He picked up the Ghost Head Knife that his older brother had brought back and slowly began to wield it in the courtyard.

  One circle two circles, all unconscious dance moves, one by one plan, also in Yang Meng's heart took shape. The first step is crucial, as long as it goes well, with sufficient funds, then the future will be a smooth road.

  After sweating profusely, he went back to wash up and Yang Meng finally calmed down his excited emotions, slowly falling asleep.

  The next day, Yang Meng got up early and rushed to the house where the scholars were staying without even washing his face. He found Xun Yu Ying and they hurried to the house where the scholars were staying. The candles in the room were still burning, indicating that the scholars had also stayed up all night.

  In the second half of the night, they took out the drawings and completed Yang Meng's instructions. Now they are copying the drawings!

  "How was it? Did you come out?"

  Regarding his own products, Yang Meng also felt a bit anxious.

  "Third Master, everything is done. This is the diagram for bamboo tube packaging. By knocking open the joint in the middle of a three-foot-long bamboo tube and lining it with oilcloth, you get a package. The others are all first-class packages, including copper cans, tin cans, and silver cans."

  A scholar picked up the drawings one by one and introduced them to Yang Meng, his thin body, eyes full of bloodshot, did not affect his spirit at all.

  "Silver cans are out of the question, this is currency and cannot be used as packaging. As for other copper or tin cans, you can discuss with craftsmen to come up with a sample, let me take a look, if it passes then we can proceed with mass production. Now let's mainly talk about bamboo tube packaging."

  Bamboo tube packaging is great, not only can it reflect Yunnan's characteristics, but also subtly enhance the product's grade.

  "Bamboo tube packaging, mainly made of dry bamboo tubes, with cloud patterns and the name of Yunyan on the outside. This is how a package is made. If you're afraid it's not sturdy enough, you can also seal both ends with copper skin, and tie silk threads around the tube, making it not only beautiful but also more durable."

  After the scholar finished speaking, Yang Meng thought of the problem of product weight. It's hard to determine the weight of a single item if it's packed like this. Why not weigh it first and then wrap it in oilcloth or oiled paper before putting it into the bamboo tube?

  "Will it work to use oil paper for packaging? The price of oilcloth is high and the weight is heavy. We can use double-layered oil paper, package the snuff into a round cake shape, according to the length of the bamboo tube, and then wrap it in oil paper again into a long strip, put it inside the bamboo tube. Can this oil paper packaging prevent moisture?"

  Yang Meng's method also referred to his own previous experience of shipping goods, with fixed weight, easy to calculate and convenient for production.

  "San Ye's method is extremely clever. With oil paper, even without a dry bamboo tube, it's possible to make a packaging for fresh bamboo tubes that keeps the humid air from affecting the snuff. If it gets wet, even with oilcloth, it won't have any effect. San Ye's method is indeed clever."

  The scholars all agreed with Yang Meng's method, this method was indeed good, of course flattering him was just going along with the trend.

  "Yu Ying, go find Uncle Ding for me, I have something to instruct. You've done a good job, take a rest first, after finding the craftsmen later, you'll need to guide them in making bamboo tubes. This time, each of you will receive 50 yuan as a reward, do your best, Third Master won't treat you unfairly."

  Reward and comfort several Xiucai, Yang Meng then let Ding Baojun find woodworkers, copper workers, and craftsmen who specialize in making bamboo products. The materials were somewhat lacking, and temporary searches for dry bamboo tubes were really not available.

  It's easy to handle, anyway the fresh bamboo tube is also the same, asked the most common diameter of the bamboo tube, Yang Meng also determined the thickness of the packaging bamboo tube.

  On this side, bamboo tubes are being made, and a large quantity of oil paper has also been sent to Xishan. Some women from Wuzhuang are also involved in the packaging, which is still more suitable for women.

  To prevent his products from poisoning these people, Yang Meng not only provided them with simple masks but also dispatched a swordsman to keep watch on the side.

  The price of packing and giving is not low. Yang Meng said the ugly words first, whoever dares to mix in will be killed directly.

  The preparation is a bit inadequate, the packaging workshop, later there should be a bathing area, and also have special oilcloth work clothes, masks should also be made in batches, this way it's not only safe but also looks neat.

  The first batch of 100 bundles of Yunyan, totaling 10,000 catties, excluding the weight of bamboo tubes, only had more than 6,000 catties of products. These were all low-end products. One-meter-long bamboo tubes were packed in small bags of 20 pieces each, with each small bag weighing one or two liang. The price was not high, with one liang of Yunyan costing five liang of silver. This was much cheaper than other imported snuff.

  Inside the bamboo tube, there is also a joint, all sealed with wax to prevent moisture from entering. Both sections of the bamboo tube are wrapped in copper skin and the bamboo tube is also reinforced with hemp threads. This makes it easier to transport the bamboo tube by land or water without worrying about moisture. After finishing this, Yang Meng let out a sigh of relief.

  To open up the market, Yang Meng specially bought hundreds of small porcelain bottles from Kunming city, filled with some fine products, all of which were gifts, so that the foreigners could have a taste, this was Yang Meng's marketing method.

  With all these preparations in place, the next step is to take care of Big Brother Yang Yong's business. Take the products to Guangzhou and sell them to the foreigners. Once the sales channel is opened up, you can just sit back and count your money!

  Yang Yong also took a few days off there, and Ma Bang's place was almost ready, just waiting to load the goods and set off.

  "Big brother, this time in Guangzhou, be careful all the way, don't mind losing money, if it's really not working out, just sell at a discount, as long as the foreigners take it, we'll wait for them to come looking for goods. On the road, use more silver, don't let the Qing dynasty's soldiers take away any goods. Absolutely do not sell this Yunyan thing to the people of the Qing Dynasty."

  It was Yang Meng's first time shipping goods, so he was being extra cautious, fearing that something might go wrong on the way. He told his big brother everything he could think of.

  "What should I bring back?"

  The horse team is a back-and-forth business, Yang Yong has his own way of making money, but this time the master of the horse team is Old Three, although they are brothers, they still have to settle the account clearly.

  "Let's buy all the foreign goods, we need to communicate with each other, and then find some translators who are fluent in the foreigners' language from Guangzhou, bring them back if they're useful. If possible, try to purchase more firearms and ammunition, and if there are steel knives available from the foreigners, also try to purchase as many as possible. And if there are any foreigners with technical expertise, we can also bring them back."

  Yang Meng needs many things, but most importantly, he needs firearms. With this, he can firmly protect the Yang family.

  "Foreigners are nothing, the imperial court has five ports for trade, apart from these places, the Qing dynasty does not allow foreigners to move around freely, once they are checked by the border guards, we will be in a dead end!"

  Taking a foreigner back to Yunnan, Yang Yong didn't dare, in case they were discovered, it would be a fate of extinction.

  "Hmm! This can be left behind, the deal is done. You can stay in Guangzhou for a while and inquire about steel refining and mining techniques. If there are any practical small techniques, you can also bring some back. There must be people in Guangzhou who are familiar with dealing with foreigners, invite some of them to come back, we need to learn from the foreigners now."

  Lagging behind means getting beaten. If only we could manufacture our own guns and cannons, that would be great! With such technology, who knows, maybe we can even modify those rubbish-like firearms ourselves.

  "Hmm! This is possible, I've also heard about it before. Someone wanted to build a match factory there, but the imperial court didn't allow it!"

  Yang Yong may look rough and tough, but he's actually quite cunning. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to run the horse team. With eyes that see six roads and ears that hear eight directions, he learned a lot of things in Guangzhou too.

  "Match factory, this is a good one, can be introduced. Our trade route, which waterway does it go through?"

  The introduction of machinery has made camel transport ineffective, and water transportation is the best choice.

  From Kunming to Yanyin is by land, from Yanyin take a boat, cross the Jinsha River and then enter the Yangtze River. This trade route is the best, but the imperial court guards it strictly, with many checkpoints along the way. We generally don't take this waterway for contraband goods.

  "Nowadays, we mostly travel by the Pearl River waterway, entering Goose City via Fushui, then entering the Pearl River waterway through Youjiang, and finally arriving in Guangzhou. There are fewer checkpoints on this route, making it easier to pass through. In recent years, our business has mainly been concentrated on this route."

  As for Yunnan's waterways, Yang Yong is extremely familiar with them. These are all routes to wealth, how can he not remember?

  "Hmm! The open road that leads here can be told to the foreigners, but the hidden paths cannot be spoken of. The imperial court cannot afford to provoke the foreigners, perhaps they have a way."

  Yang Meng was constantly calculating in his heart, Yunnan is located inland, and the foreigners want to bully Yunnan, they must first get past the Qing Dynasty. The Myanmar-Vietnam border has numerous land transportation difficulties, and it's not easy to come over from that side either. The foreigners are just coveting themselves, and for a while, they can't do anything about it.

  Listening to Lao Da and Big Brother's tone, the number of foreigners in Qing is not many. When they want to deal with their own affairs, it's possible that they have already developed themselves.

  "Alright! I'll do as you say, no need to explain the obvious, foreigners can find their way themselves. Don't worry, big brother will take care of this matter properly."

  Opium is a harmful thing, this time Yang Yong also reminded to be careful, the first time doing this business, it must go smoothly.

  "This is the foreign gun I got, big brother you take it for self-defense!"

  Yang Meng took out the three foreign guns he had captured last time. Holding this thing can also boost morale.

  "Never mind! In our horse team, there are skilled archers. Besides, I don't know how to use this thing either, and holding it would just get in the way."

  Foreign guns are not bad, but Yang Yong won't use them. Besides, three guns are nothing, and holding them is no better than not holding them.

  "Right! If we can buy foreign guns this time, we must learn how to use them. Otherwise, it will be a waste of money when we get back."

  Yang Meng tried that foreign gun, although it can fire, but still feels a bit off, should be using the wrong way, almost forgot about this matter, in case smoothly bought back the foreign gun, and won't play with it again, what a joke.

  "Don't worry once you've made it, big brother has to take this road three to five times a year, nothing will happen!"

  After the two brothers had given their orders, Ma's group took advantage of the night to arrive at Xishan, where they packed up bundle after bundle of bamboo tubes and loaded them onto the horses' backs. The Yang family's merchant caravan set off under cover of darkness.

  Yang Meng followed all the way until they reached Wu Zhuang. Under his elder brother's persuasion, he only said "have a smooth journey" before turning back and entering Wu Zhuang.

  Yang Yong's horse team had just passed through Wu Village when they ran into Old Master Yang Shiqin again.

  "Boss, Lao San has done a good job, you should help him make this deal successful. The foreigners are bullying us, so let's change our tactics and send it back to them. On the way, spend more money and avoid trouble as much as possible, caution is the best policy. Let's go! May the wind be at your back!"

  Yang's grandfather Yang Yong, carrying a hundred loads of cloud and smoke, slowly disappeared into the night, while in the Yang family martial arts hall, two people also slept restlessly. Yang Yong took away Yang Meng's fire of hope, while Yang Shiqin was worried about the safety of his eldest son.

  Since the foreigners arrived, the Qing dynasty has not had a peaceful life. Disasters have occurred in various places, and food shortages have occurred from time to time. Now that the horse team is walking, the greatest danger is not the imperial court, but the rioters, mountain bandits, and soldiers everywhere.