This was almost a simple, complete sales report covering the entire market, a truly revolutionary thing in this day and age.
After hearing him speak, Zhe Kecun was stunned.
"Now, only the last item remains. Is this thing easy to make? If we were to transport it, are there any taboos on the road?"
Zhe Kecun licked his lips and asked tentatively.
The older the ginger, the spicier it is. Judging by these questions, Zhe Kecun must have put some thought into commercial matters before.
"The production process is incredibly simple. Anyone in this mansion, after seeing it once, with all the necessary materials, can learn it in at most an hour!"
After all, this thing was not difficult at all; it was simply a matter of mixing according to the proportions.
Such a simple task, as long as one wasn't a fool, should be learned after seeing it once.
"If it's truly that simple, how can we maintain secrecy?"
"The most crucial raw material, aside from the two of us, no one else in the world knows how to make it! Without the materials, how can they produce it?"
Han Mo said with great confidence.
"Then, does this most crucial raw material have any regional restrictions?"
"Basically, it can be found in any part of the Great Song Dynasty!"
"Then, if that's the case, can't we open shops in various places?"
Zhe Kecun's eyes suddenly lit up.
For long-distance transport, the sheer cost of it alone made everyone else seem insignificant.
If they could control the production of raw materials, then things would become much simpler.
"Uncle, if I were you, I wouldn't try to swallow all the profits from the entire process by myself! Doing so would be too greedy!"
The pursuit of profit is the nature of merchants, and also the nature of humanity.
There’s no need for others to remind people to maximize profits; everyone will naturally want to stuff all the profits generated in the process into their own pockets.
But the problem is, even a strong dragon doesn't bully a local snake!
If they did this, they would likely face a lot of resistance.
"Then how do you suggest we proceed?"
Although what he said made Zhe Kecun’s face flush a little, seeing the opportunity to make a fortune right before his eyes, Zhe Kecun still asked with a smile.
"How about this: we only target the mid-to-high-end market ourselves, and leave the low-end market, which accounts for the largest share, to others. We will only do the processing and not the sales work!"
"But the majority of people under heaven are ordinary small households!"
At this, Zhe Yourong was somewhat reluctant.
After all, this was the largest slice of the entire cake.
"Let me do some calculations for you. If we were to follow your previous approach, we would have to bear the transportation costs, the shop opening costs, and all the expenses for entertaining guests and smoothing things over!"
"The Great Song Dynasty, while not small, is not insignificant either. Across all the prefectures and military towns of the Great Song, have you ever calculated how much money, how many people, and how much effort would be required?"
Hearing him say this, Zhe Yourong immediately deflated like a leaky balloon.
That's right, the initial investment was too enormous.
There were so many counties and prefectures in the Great Song Dynasty; even if they opened just one shop in each county, there would likely be seventy to eighty thousand shops in the end. They simply didn't have that much influence, money, or energy.
"Let those who are envious handlethe lowest-profit items. They can do it themselves! How about this, the lowest-grade soap will be exactly one catty each! No matter how much the raw material prices rise in the future, we will only earn a ten percent profit!"
Han Mo said with a smile.
"But what if someone buys our products, adds spices, and impacts our market?"
Zhe Yourong raised another practical question.
In the beginning, no one would contemplate such crooked methods, but after some time, who could really say?
"Therefore, we must also give up a portion of our profits to win over more members of the gentry! The market of the Great Song is too vast; the Zhe family alone cannot consume it all!"
One cannot get fat with a single bite; Zhe Kecun understood this principle.
"Do you have a plan in mind?"
"Based on the current situation, I believe we need to bring at least four people in! Liang Shicheng, Zhong Shidao, Li Shishi, and the Crown Prince!"
Han Mo smiled but did not directly mention Han Jiayan's name.
After all, he and the Han family were already a united front. With him as the spokesperson, everything was sufficient.
"Liang Shicheng..."
Compared to Liang Shicheng, Zhe Kecun's preference was actually for Tong Guan.
After all, although both were eunuchs, Tong Guan was currently in the Bureau of Military Affairs.
A local official is better than a distant superior. If Tong Guan continued to restrict their military supplies, Zhe Kecun's future days would only become more difficult.
"I understand what you mean, Uncle, but our Grand Secretariat Tong has too large an appetite; you cannot afford to support him!"
Han Mo smiled but didn't say much more.
Speaking with intelligent people requires only a hint.
Although Tong Guan and Liang Shicheng were both eunuchs and held important positions in the court, their current situations were entirely different.
Liang Shicheng had already made enough money, and as the Grand Commandant, he had reached the limit for military officials. More importantly, he was smart enough! At this point, he only sought a safe retirement.
But Tong Guan was different; human desires are infinite, and when a certain desire is forcibly deprived, one falls into a pathological pursuit of other desires.
Just like Tong Guan now, he was constantly seeking to take charge of the Bureau of Military Affairs and ascend to the position of Grand Commandant!
Over the years, he had accepted offerings from those below him almost all the time.
He never inquired about the origin of the money, regardless of what it was.
As long as you dared to send it, he dared to accept it!
Such a person would naturally be the easiest to become insatiable and demand more!
If they sent a large sum of money every year, Tong Guan would likely want to swallow them whole very soon.
After hearing him say this, Zhe Kecun immediately understood.
Both were ravenous wolves, but one was already full and only wished to find a safe place to sleep soundly.
The other, however, was still frantically devouring. If one had to choose to be with one of them, any normal person would likely choose the one who was already full.