Chapter 194: Business

Guo Yi considered the question of costs almost amusing. The first batch of goods consisted entirely of Yiwu small commodities pulled from the Fengcheng vessel's hold and shipping containers. Future inventory would be mass-manufactured transmigrator industrial products. Their costs were essentially negligible—his only real concern was the sluggish pace of capital recovery. Under Guangzhou's three-festival settlement system, goods released during New Year wouldn't generate payment until May. At present, their entire operation ran on the 200,000 taels Gao Ju owed them, and that money had to stretch across both the Guangzhou advance station's establishment costs and continuous payments for their massive material procurement. Slow collection put them at a genuine disadvantage.

But none of this required explanation to Shen Fan. Guo Yi simply nodded. "You're right—handling so many customers simultaneously would strain our capital considerably. So I have some other ideas."

"Please instruct me, owner."

"Do Guangzhou's jewelry shops exchange goods with one another?"

"Naturally." Shen Fan found the question unremarkable. Rare treasures came in endless varieties from all corners of the world—no single shop could possibly stock everything. Even the largest establishments regularly sought goods through their trade associations.

"Then some of our goods can go through colleagues," Guo Yi said. "When shops exchange goods between themselves, does the three-festival settlement still apply?"

"No, local convention is three days. If goods aren't returned after three, full payment comes due." Manager Shen was beginning to grasp his employer's meaning. "You're thinking of wholesale, owner?"

"Correct."

"Fair enough. Exchanging goods earns less per piece, but real money comes back faster." Shen Fan's expression grew slightly troubled. "However—does Purple Treasure Studio have sufficient inventory to distribute? The Gao family is already wholesaling crystal mirrors across the market."

"Crystal mirrors are nothing." Guo Yi's tone was remarkably relaxed. "Let Gao Ju sell all he wants. I have far better things."

Manager Shen started at that. Crystal mirrors were nothing? He knew that at Fire God Temple's recent jewelry-trade exchange meeting, the Gao family's plainest black crystal mirrors had fetched 100 taels wholesale, retailing at 180—extraordinarily high prices. The Gaos could release only five to ten pieces per session, nowhere near enough to meet demand. Yet his employer had just dismissed them as "nothing" and spoken of "far better things." What could possibly surpass them?

"May I ask what treasures Purple Treasure Studio will be dealing in?" Manager Shen's curiosity finally overwhelmed his restraint.

Rather than answer directly, Guo Yi reached behind him and drew aside a curtain, revealing an enormous cabinet. The sight made Manager Shen gasp: except for its frame, the cabinet's exterior walls, doors, and shelves were constructed entirely of solid glass panels. He had seen plenty of glass in his time, but never anything so crystalline, so seemingly invisible in its perfect clarity. Using such quantities of flawless glass to construct a large cabinet—the magnificence, the craftsmanship—left him almost breathless with admiration.

"Owner—owner—" Even his speech faltered. "This—this is made of glass?"

"Of course." Guo Yi was thoroughly satisfied with Shen Fan's reaction. "Manager Shen, don't buy the box and return the pearl. Look at what's inside."

"Yes! Yes!" Shen Fan leaned forward eagerly. This was one of four sample display cabinets taken from the Fengcheng vessel. Aside from newly constructed rosewood frames, the original glass had been re-polished with fine quartz sand and felt. By twenty-first-century standards, the transparency was merely adequate, but in this era it was nothing short of remarkable.

His eyes went first to the rows of pearl necklaces, bracelets, and rings. The beads were not only large but perfectly round—the rarest quality. Among them were even pink pearls, extraordinarily scarce. Shen Fan estimated that sold separately, the largest beads would fetch several hundred taels apiece, the smallest three or four. Below the pearls sat various small powder boxes—wooden, bamboo-carved, tortoiseshell, gold and silver inlaid—in a dozen different materials. Individually unremarkable, but each box interior contained a small crystal mirror. Small, yes, but crystal mirrors nonetheless. And beyond those stood rows of glassware in every variety imaginable: cups, bowls, dishes, decanters, even complete tea sets—each piece crystalline and translucent.

"Are these goods sufficient?"

"Sufficient! More than sufficient!" Shen Fan understood now with perfect clarity: the Australian merchants' treasures all sprang from their mastery of glass. Glass itself wasn't particularly rare in Guangzhou. But their products were incomparably superior to anything else on the market—whether Western or Frankish imports, the difference was like mud and clouds.

"Manager Shen, this is merely part of our inventory." Guo Yi turned and drew the curtain closed. "Much more will come in time." He produced a white notepad. "Please look."

Opening it, Shen Fan found snow-white paper covered with black sketched designs, all jewelry. The styles were extraordinarily novel. He had spent his entire career surrounded by countless jewelry pieces, had seen the work of many master craftsmen. Never had he encountered anything quite like these. Examining them closely, he found some elegant and flowing, others splendid and dynamic, all exquisitely crafted. These were clearly not the work of ordinary artisans.

"What is this?" Shen Fan asked, his expression inquiring.

"Drawn by Yan Maoda." Guo Yi explained. "We're planning a batch for Miss Pei Lixiu at Purple Brilliance Tower. Do you have craftsmen who can produce these?"

"Yes." Shen Fan answered without hesitation. Top jewelry craftsmen were typically retained exclusively by shops, unavailable to outsiders. But he had good information—a Baohengxiang shop had just closed, and its dispersed craftsmen and clerks were currently unemployed.

"Good. Your responsibility is recruiting all of them." Guo Yi paused to consider. "Clerks too, so long as they're reliable. Match their previous compensation."

"Owner, Purple Treasure Studio is just one shop at present. We already have two young assistants. Taking on more people—isn't that excessive?"

"Not at all. I have more businesses to open. Keep these people in reserve. It's just a few more mouths to feed." Guo Yi thought to himself: I'll have many commercial enterprises ahead—I need to stockpile professionals now, or they won't be available when I need them. Unlike the modern era with its rapid talent mobility, skilled workers in this time typically spent their entire careers at a single shop unless circumstances forced otherwise. Apart from apprentices and common laborers, finding qualified people on demand was nearly impossible.

"Owner's foresight is remarkable!"

"Tomorrow, find some masons. Prepare to construct new buildings."

"Owner, building construction is straightforward enough. But what are they for?" In Shen Fan's view, Purple Treasure Studio's current premises were already adequate. Additional buildings seemed pointless.

"I'm building workshops."

"Workshops?" Shen Fan's heart stirred. He lowered his voice. "Owner—you're planning to manufacture crystal mirrors here?"

Before Guo Yi could respond, Shen Fan was already shaking his head emphatically. "Owner, you mustn't! Opening a crystal mirror workshop in Guangzhou—this city is full of powerful households with connections to officials. You're an outsider. Someone will certainly plot to steal your secret techniques. An innocent man in possession of jade—that itself becomes his crime."

Guo Yi nodded, genuinely touched by his manager's sincere concern. "Nothing of the sort!" He spoke firmly, reassuringly. "How could I possibly manufacture crystal mirrors here? Even in my country, that remains a closely guarded secret. I couldn't produce them if I wanted to." He explained the actual plan: semifinished blanks would be shipped in for local processing. "Would that work?"

"That would work." Shen Fan visibly relaxed. If they were merely importing mirror blanks for framing, it was essentially the same as complete imports—nothing to attract unwanted attention.

"Also assistants. There must be many unemployed clerks and craftsmen throughout the city. Go out and find some carefully. We need honest, reliable people willing to come."

"This?" Shen Fan hesitated. "Owner, as the saying goes, different trades are like different mountains. Clerks are useful, certainly, but what good are craftsmen whose skills we don't require?"

"Manager Shen, do you think you're merely Purple Treasure Studio's manager?"

Shen Fan looked puzzled. "Owner—"

"We Australians crossed vast oceans, traveling tens of thousands of li, not merely to sell a few pieces of jewelry and glassware." Guo Yi attempted to project an air of grand ambition. "You're the general manager of the Purple Enterprise Group! No—the grand manager!"

Shen Fan was bewildered by this unfamiliar terminology. Though he didn't fully grasp "enterprise group" or "general manager," he understood "grand manager" well enough—apparently the boss intended to expand into other businesses.

"This—owner—I only understand the jewelry trade. If you open other businesses, you'll need other managers. Different trades, different mountains."

"You'll be the grand manager. Specific affairs will have their own managers." Guo Yi had already concluded that Shen Fan was ideally suited for the role. First, Shen Fan owed them a considerable debt, and malaria had a tendency to relapse—only they possessed quinine. Second, as an experienced Guangzhou hand in a trade that naturally connected people from all walks of life, he was perfectly positioned for both gathering information and handling delicate matters. Third, having spent his career in the jewelry business, his professional integrity was likely sound.

"Thank you for owner's cultivation."

"These days, find me some distillers."

"Opening a distillery?" Manager Shen asked. "The water here isn't particularly good—"

"That doesn't matter." Guo Yi had no intention of brewing from grain anyway. "Are there shops selling crude liquor in Guangzhou?"

"Yes—both in the city and at many country distilleries."

"Negotiate prices for bulk purchasing."

"Understood." Manager Shen had reached the point where nothing his employer said could surprise him. "Should I buy distilling equipment as well?"

"No need." Guo Yi was tremendously enthusiastic about the branded liquor marketing plan. He had just received a telegram with welcome news: the key component of their "new bottles for old wine" scheme—glass bottles—had been successfully trial-produced at Lingao.

(End of Chapter)