The heavens set sail from the courtyard

Chapter 359
After the Sheng family moved to Bianjing, Sheng Hong became a senior official of the sixth grade in the Ministry of Rites.

This official has no rights and belongs to the idle yamen, but he has the qualifications to go to the court to listen to politics.

Sheng Hong didn't care much about power, he hid in Bianjing to avoid misfortune, the less power he had in his hands, the safer he was.

After all, King Yong is in Bianjing.

Maybe Sheng Hong was too irrelevant, and King Yong didn't care much about him.

Sheng Hong lived his life with peace of mind, and immediately started arranging the studies of Sheng Changbai and Wang Gang.

Because they missed the college exam, Wang Gang and Sheng Changbai had to wait a year before taking the exam.

It was impossible for them to be idle this year. Sheng Hong dragged his feet and spent a lot of money to invite a Zhuang scholar to give lectures in the mansion.

Zhuang Xuexue is not an unknown person, he is a great Confucianist in the world, he is very famous in the academic circle, he has taught many Jinshi, and his peaches and plums are all over the world.

Sheng Hong's ability to invite Zhuang Xuexue into the mansion still dragged Mrs. Wang's face during his lifetime.

After Zhuang Xuexue entered the mansion, Sheng Hong spent money to build a garden for him to live in.

Zhuang Xuexue entered Shengfu to set up a private school, which soon spread throughout Bianjing. Many dignitaries came to Sheng Hong, hoping to send their children to study in Zhuang Xuexue's private school.

As a pedantic Zhuang, Sheng Hong spent a lot of energy dismissing those people.

But there were two of them that Sheng Hong couldn't refuse no matter what.

One is Ningyuan Hou's Mansion, and the other is Qi Guogong's Mansion.

The reason why Marquis Ning Yuan could not be rejected was because Gu Tingye had an old relationship with the Sheng Mansion, Master Hou personally came forward to send his son Gu Tingye to study, Sheng Hong could not refuse.

On the other side, Qi Heng, Duke of Qi's mansion, was also stuffed into Sheng's mansion because he was related to Gu Tingye.

Qi Heng's mother is the only daughter of the Marquis of Xiangyang, who was named Princess Pingning.

The Marquis of Xiangyang and the Marquis of Ningyuan are related, so Qi Heng had to call Gu Tingye his second uncle.

After Qi Heng and Gu Tingye entered the private school, Sheng Hong simply handed over all the children of the Sheng family to Zhuang Xuexue.

Gu Tingye and Qi Heng came to Sheng Mansion to study every morning, and went back after lunch.

Wang Gang's studies can only be adjusted. In the morning, he will study literature at Zhuang Xuexue's place, and in the afternoon he will go to Master Liao to learn martial arts.

In the evening, I reconciled with Lin Sushuang and watched the sales of soap.

When soap first appeared in Bianjing, it did not attract much attention. The retail price of [-] Wen was destined to be unaffordable for ordinary people.

Fortunately, Bianjing, as the capital of the Great Song Dynasty, needed rich people the most.

The effect of the soap is much better than that of saponins at this time, and it also has a floral fragrance, which soon became popular among the ladies of Bianjing.

Lin Sushuang saw the sales of soap rising every day, and boxes and boxes of copper coins were transported to Lin Xi Pavilion, and she was so happy that she couldn't close her mouth from ear to ear.

In the end, Sheng Hong knew about it, and his store sold a kind of soap, which led the trend in Bianjing.

At first, Sheng Hong didn't care, he just thought Lin Sushuang was doing a small business and let her go.

But when Lin Sushuang's yard got more and more money, Sheng Hong finally couldn't sit still.

"Shuang'er, how much money did you make selling soap?" Master Sheng Hong Xing asked.

"Master, this is my private money." Lin Sushuang said protectively.

Sheng Hong said helplessly: "I don't want to take your money, but you sell more and more soap. Many people have already asked me about it. Those people are relatives of the imperial court. We can't afford to offend them!"

Lin Sushuang was shocked, she never thought that selling soap could cause so many troubles.

"I didn't make much money either. Recently I made 1 taels of silver."

Sheng Hong took a breath and said in surprise: "You have only sold for a few months, and you have earned 1 taels of silver. Doesn't it mean that you can earn 5 taels of silver a year!"

No wonder Sheng Hong was surprised, the Sheng family spent less than 1 taels of silver a year.

The purchasing power of silver and gold in the Song Dynasty was extremely strong. Common people used copper coins, which could be exchanged for a tael of silver, and 1 taels of silver was [-] guan.

That's a millionaire family fortune!

"Feng'er said that rare things are the most valuable, and the soap is sold in a fixed amount every month, otherwise I can earn more." Lin Sushuang said.

"What are you talking about, Feng'er made the soap?" Sheng Hong was shocked again.

Lin Sushuang proudly said: "Yes! Soap is made by our son."

Sheng Hong was suddenly furious, and shouted, "Nonsense."

Seeing Sheng Hong's anger, Lin Sushuang didn't dare to speak.

"Go and call me that Nizi." Sheng Hong said angrily.

Lin Sushuang didn't understand why Sheng Hong was angry, but she didn't dare to disobey him, so she hurriedly called Wang Gang.

Wang Gang also came to see Sheng Hong in a daze.

"Nizi, don't kneel down yet." Sheng Hong said angrily when he saw Wang Gang.

Wang Gang didn't know why, so he looked at Lin Sushuang with a puzzled expression.

"Nizi, let me ask you, you made the soap." Sheng Hong questioned.

Wang Gang was puzzled and said: "Why is father angry? I did research the soap by accident, and then asked my mother to sell it outside."

Sheng Hong was furious, and accused his son, saying: "Everything is low-grade, but reading is high. If you usually practice martial arts, I will let you do it. But why do you study strange and obscene skills, and also learn business skills, and waste your studies."

Wang Gang finally understood that Sheng Hong blamed him for not studying at ease.

Sheng Hong always paid attention to his son's studies and didn't want them to touch other things.

This is also related to the origin of the Sheng family.

The three generations of the Sheng family were all merchants who made a living by doing business. It wasn't until Sheng Hong's father won the exam and passed the exam that the Sheng family transformed from a family of merchants to a family of officials.

However, the transformation time of the Sheng family was too short, so Mrs. Sheng separated the big house and the second house.

The first room continued to do business, and the second room focused on learning and preparing for scientific examinations.

Sheng Hong also strived for success. He became a Jinshi in his twenties, and the second room was completely settled in the family of officials. After that, he disregarded his relationship with the eldest room, and only made friends with the nobles and first-class people to maintain his reputation.

In Sheng Hong's view, Wang Gang's soap business was putting the cart before the horse and going back to the old way of the Sheng family.

"Father, I know I was wrong." Wang Gang could only bow his head and admit his mistake.

Sheng Hong said in a deep voice: "Do you know that the soap you tinkered with now falls into the eyes of the nobles of the court, and they all want to take a share?"

Wang Gang raised his head in surprise.

"Hey, you're still too young. In Bianjing, every business that makes money is backed by noble people. Your soap turned out to be popular all over the capital. In fact, it has blocked many people's way of making money." Sheng Hong explained :
"The Sheng family can't provoke any of those people at random."

Wang Gang still overlooked one thing, he ignored the status of merchants in this era.

It is not unreasonable for scholars, farmers, businessmen and merchants to have the lowest status.

That is the means for the gentry to control the merchants. It is almost impossible in this era to make a fortune without a background.

"Father, did someone ask you for the formula of soap?" Wang Gang raised his head and asked.

"More than one person, even my superior asked me for the formula." Sheng Hong smiled wryly.

Wang Gang said: "Then give it all out!"

Sheng Hong looked at his son in surprise, not understanding why he said such things.

Wang Gang said calmly: "Actually, the formula of soap is not complicated. Since we can't keep it, we might as well hand it over. By then, everyone will have the formula, and everyone will produce soap. The profit of soap will naturally drop, so no one cares. "

Sheng Hong said with a complicated expression, "Are you willing to do so? This is a profit of 5 taels a year."

Wang Gang shook his head and said: "If you don't want to part with it, you have to part with it. The Sheng family is still weak, so it's better to give up as soon as possible instead of keeping the root of the disaster."

Sheng Hong sighed, "It would be great if you can figure it out."

Lin Sushuang said with some reluctance: "It's really so free to hand over, even if you sell it for a good price!"

Wang Gang said: "Mother, just give up what you should. Besides, it's not that soap can't be sold in the future, but it's just not as profitable as it is now."

After speaking, Wang Gang took out a pen and paper, wrote down the soap making process, and handed it to Sheng Hong.

"Father, you should give this recipe to Shangguan first, as a favor, and then give it to others."

Sheng Hong held a thin piece of paper, but it felt heavier than a stone.

"Feng'er, I know that asking you to hand over the formula is too much for my father, and I will make it up to you in the future." Sheng Hong said guiltily.

"As a son of man, I should share my father's worries, besides, it's just soap." Wang Gang said sincerely.

Sheng Hong solemnly put away the formula, and then said to Lin Sushuang, "I'll make another shop for you, and pass it on to Feng'er in the future."

What else could Lin Sushuang say, she could only pinch her nose and admit it.

After Sheng Hong left, Wang Gang immediately said to Lin Sushuang: "Starting tomorrow, increase the production of soap, stock up some more raw materials, and cut the retail price by half directly. Let's make a profit first."

Lin Sushuang was puzzled: "If you do this, it won't cause trouble for your father, will it?"

Wang Gang sneered and said, "It's okay. When other soaps appear, it will be difficult for us to make a lot of money. Now let's mess up the market. If I can't get it, no one else can get it."

Lin Sushuang had no idea and could only listen to her son.

The next day, the soap on Bianjing Shishi was half the price, and the sales volume also rose steadily.

But soon other similar products appeared, and Shengjia's soap could only be sold at a lower price again.

The soap that was originally fifty cents a piece was finally reduced to six cents a piece, which anyone could afford.

But those who insist on the soap formula are at a loss.

(End of this chapter)