The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 115 Shang Mingshu's Business Strategy
"Oh my God! I've been stockpiling this tea for eight hundred coins a pound, and Xiang Ming Zhai is charging only three hundred coins. They're killing me!"

"Xiang Ming Zhai's tea prices are too low. They are black-hearted merchants. We shouldn't sell to them!"

"Will you keep it at home and drink it yourself? Tea is cheap right now. If Xiang Ming Zhai is willing to buy it, we can at least make some money back. Besides Xiang Ming Zhai, which other tea merchant would buy tea?"

"If you don't want to sell it, get out of the way and I'll sell it!"

The news that the imperial court intervened in the insect pest problem of tea trees in Guangdong and Guangxi spread like wildfire. The several ships full of tea brought back by Cheng She were escorted by official ships. Neither Cheng She nor Cheng Qin showed up directly. Except for those who were interested in finding out, most people did not know that these were brought back by the Cheng family. They all thought that the ships were from the imperial court and had stopped to replenish supplies when transporting tea to Guangxi.

Those who had previously emptied their savings at all costs and even borrowed money to stockpile tea were all in a panic. All the teahouses of Xiangmingzhai opened early in the morning and set a unified purchase price for each type of tea without bargaining.

Many people complained but took action without any hesitation, urgently needing to sell the tea they had. They reluctantly accepted the price offered by Xiangmingzhai and sold the tea, speculating that the price would drop further.

"Fortunately, we have never participated in tea price speculation." Shang Zishu accompanied Shang Mingshu on the inspection. They passed several teahouses and heard many curses. "Otherwise, we would really be considered black-hearted businessmen."

Xiangmingzhai did not participate in selling tea at high prices. In fact, when the price of tea was rising rapidly, it actually tried its best to lower the price of tea. No matter how much the dissatisfied people complained, they had no way to vent it on Xiangmingzhai.

"So, in the entire Huizhou Prefecture, we are the only ones who dare to openly collect tea." Shang Mingshu withdrew her gaze from the long queue at the entrance of Xiangmingzhai Teahouse. "Even if the Shi family and other tea merchants are itching to do so, they dare not."

They sell tea at high prices, but buy it back at low prices a few days later. As long as they open the door, they will be forced into the teahouse by the anxious people.

Raise the price? By how much? Match the selling price? They'll make nothing out of it, not even get a word of praise, and they'll have to bear the loss themselves.

Higher than Xiangmingzhai? The people were dissatisfied with Xiangmingzhai's price, but they had to accept it. Xiangmingzhai didn't owe them anything. Other tea merchants didn't think so.

Moreover, Xiang Ming Zhai seized the opportunity first, and their recycling prices left enough room for profit. They had the tea given by Cheng She, and their recycling prices were slightly higher than Xiang Ming Zhai's. How could they sell it to the outside world? They would be squeezed out of the market by Xiang Ming Zhai in terms of price.

"It seems that we still have to be kind-hearted." Shang Zishu faced the warm sunlight of late autumn, squinting her eyes timidly, feeling lazy but refreshed. There has never been a day when the major tea merchants in Huizhou Prefecture gave up on their Xiangmingzhai and dared not compete for the profits.

Shang Mingshu, who was walking side by side with Shang Zishu, suddenly stopped and tilted her head: "Second sister, it's okay to have good intentions, but sometimes you have to take the current situation into consideration."

"What do you mean?" Shang Zishu asked humbly.

"For example, this time, the tea tree pest problem in Guangdong and Guangxi." Ever since Shang Wenshu and Shang Zishu supported Shang Mingshu in inheriting the family business, Shang Mingshu's guard against her two sisters has been lifted. "If no one steps forward to turn the tide, our small Xiangmingzhai will inevitably be swept away by the tide."

The price of tea has been rising, but Xiang Mingzhai remains indifferent. It is like holding gold but not knowing how to use it. Not only does it offend its peers, it also attracts the attention of covetous people and brings fatal disaster to its family.

Shang Zishu pondered, "What would you do if the imperial court was unable or unwilling to intervene this time?"

Shang Mingshu: "If Second Brother Cheng had come to me one day later, I would have persuaded Dad to ship all the tea stored in Xiangmingzhai directly to Guangxi."

By shipping the tea with great fanfare, those willing to sacrifice their lives for wealth would not target Xiangmingzhai. No matter how the situation in Huizhou Prefecture changed, they avoided making enemies with the common people. Among their peers, they were also seizing the opportunity to make a fortune by shipping tea to Guangxi, but the method of making money was different. Killing three birds with one stone was the only way to protect themselves.

"What happens after your luck reaches Guangxi?" Shang Zishu asked.

"I'll go to Guangxi myself," Shang Mingshu said, taking slow steps. "Once we're there, we'll act accordingly. If someone arrives before us and has already set the market price, I'll have no choice but to sell a small amount to someone who has done business with Xiang Ming Zhai, keeping the price at a level that's profitable without putting myself at a disadvantage."

Because of their friendship and the huge market, Shang Mingshu gave a small amount to a few tea merchants with whom she had dealings before. Even if the price was slightly lower than that of the first comers, the other party had no shortage of buyers and would not hate Shang Mingshu and Xiang Mingzhai.

Shang Zishu: "What about the rest?"

"Leave Guangxi and spread out along the surrounding prefectures and cities of Guangxi." Spend some time to understand the local customs and habits of different places, make some good connections, and you won't blame yourself for making money from disasters in your dreams at midnight.

At that time, tea merchants in Guangxi were still trying their best to buy tea from afar. The surrounding markets were too far away for them, and the imperial court did not intervene. As a result, tea in Guangxi was in short supply for nearly two years.

Shang Mingshu only needs to control the price. Even if Guangxi tea merchants make large-scale bulk purchases and then distribute them to surrounding cities, there will be no shortage of market. No one will care if she gets a piece of the pie first.

"So, you've thought of so much, and so far ahead." Shang Zishu couldn't help but sigh, and then couldn't help but be curious, "If you had arrived in Guangxi first, would you have set the price of tea first?"

"Yes." Shang Mingshu stroked the edge of her round fan. It was chilly in late autumn, and few people held round fans. Shang Mingshu couldn't change her habit. "But it won't be what Second Sister thinks."

"Can't you lower the price of tea to the lowest?" Shang Zishu was surprised.

Shang Mingshu shook her head gently. "Second sister, we should have good intentions and do good deeds, but we must not harm ourselves. Xiang Ming Zhai's tea cannot save the entire tea market. If I keep the price extremely low, it will not affect those who come later, because they know that we don't have tea at Xiang Ming Zhai.

On the contrary, Guangxi tea merchants and common people who benefited from Xiangmingzhai would resent those who came after them. At the very least, Xiangmingzhai would bring hatred from the later tea merchants. At worst, Guangxi tea merchants and common people would feel resentful and angry, and would fight against the later tea merchants, leading to lawsuits involving deaths.

Shang Zishu's extremely clear pupils shrank slightly. She had not thought of this, but as her sister described it in detail, she seemed to see this chaos.

"I will set the price of tea at a level that is acceptable to newcomers, but I don't want to be known as a rich but unkind person," said Shang Mingshu.

In this way, people who come later will accept her price, and everyone will be able to make a fortune. The tea merchants and people in Guangxi can only lament their bad luck, and the price of tea will not exceed the burden of most people.

"Third sister, I am convinced by you." Shang Zishu said sincerely, "When I go to Hangzhou in the future, if there is anything I don't understand, third sister, please give me more advice and make decisions for me."

"As long as my second sister doesn't mind my hands being too long." Shang Mingshu was happy.

"I'm not good at this. I'm so happy that you can share my worries." She even wanted to take Shang Mingshu to Hangzhou with her.