"Your Lordship jokes. With your capabilities, to be accepted as a disciple would be to secure a golden rice bowl for generations to come!"
Feng Yuanbao, a shrewd individual like himself, understood that Han Mo's words meant he had already agreed.
This step today was a decision he had made after careful consideration. Although there might be a slight disadvantage in the short term, judging by the recent stir caused by the Zhe family, Han Mo's abilities were undoubtedly far beyond what was currently visible.
In just a few months, Han Mo had discovered two exclusive businesses. The brown sugar business, though he hadn't made it work.
However, that had nothing to do with Han Mo's recipe. It was a good business, but it was his own bad luck.
If he had listened to Han Mo earlier and sold that property, would the subsequent events have occurred?
"Since you think so, I won't say any more. If I were to continue, it would seem disingenuous. I do have a business that requires someone to handle it recently. If you are interested, you might as well give it a try!"
Seeing his resolute attitude, and considering that Han Mo indeed needed someone experienced in commerce to help him manage these business affairs, Han Mo agreed after a moment's thought.
"A business? What kind of business are you referring to, Your Lordship?"
Feng Yuanbao's interest was immediately piqued.
As a seasoned merchant, hoarding large sums of money was a waste to him.
Although he had already transferred all his shops to Zhe Yourong, his network built over the years still remained.
"Come with me and see if you recognize this."
Seeing his excited demeanor, Han Mo smiled, stood up, and led Feng Yuanbao into a small room next door.
"Do you recognize what this is?"
As he spoke, Han Mo pointed to several logs placed on a wooden rack in the room.
"Is this a Beifeng mushroom?"
Looking at the plump mushrooms growing on the logs, although he didn't recognize the variety, he ventured a guess.
"Calling it Beifeng mushroom is not wrong, but I call it oyster mushroom. What do you think of this business?"
"This business?"
Upon hearing Han Mo's words, Feng Yuanbao froze on the spot.
While this fungus tasted good, and the wealthy families in Bianliang City generally favored it.
The problem was that its yield was not stable. Small households might collect some from the mountains daily to sell, perhaps exchanging it for grain to supplement their households.
But for a major merchant like him to engage in such a business seemed like an overestimation of his abilities.
Moreover, this fungus mostly grew in the mountains. Within Neihuang County, apart from a small hill called Lihua Mountain, there were no other mountains.
Han Mo, as the magistrate of Neihuang County, could not leave his post. Did he still have to send people to nearby counties to purchase this item?
"I know what you're thinking. If it's just ordinary people picking it from the mountains, this indeed cannot be a business. But what if this thing can be cultivated?"
Han Mo's casual remark made Feng Yuanbao's eyes widen.
"How is that possible? This isn't beans grown in the soil. Can it really be cultivated?"
"Why can't it be cultivated? Not only can it be cultivated, but I also want the entire county's populace to cultivate it. As for the sales, well..."
"I will solve the sales problem!"
If anyone else had said such a thing, Feng Yuanbao would have considered them either insane or foolish.
But coming from Han Mo, he had no choice but to accept it. As soon as Han Mo finished speaking, he immediately added,
"If you undertake this, you will need to provide an upfront deposit of about twenty thousand strings of cash!"
"Deposit?"
"That's right, a deposit. Rest assured, not only will I not touch this money, but all officials and bailiffs in the county yamen are also forbidden to touch it! It will be directly given to the cultivating villagers. Any household willing to cultivate will receive four strings of cash first! After the harvest, settlements will be made according to the predetermined prices, with the deposit deducted at the end!"
"What if they can't cultivate it?"
This was Feng Yuanbao's biggest concern. He had heard of this model of paying a deposit before seeing the goods.
However, this model was usually only applicable to silkworm farmers and silk merchants.
For the common people, it did provide initial assurance.
It absolutely prevented them from working hard for a whole year only to have nothing to show for it.
But for merchants like them, this approach did involve a gamble.
"How about I act as a guarantor? If they ultimately fail to cultivate it, these twenty thousand strings of cash will be considered my responsibility, and I will refund you in full!"
"Your Lordship, that doesn't seem appropriate..."
Han Mo had already stated that from beginning to end, not only would he himself not touch it, but even the officials and bailiffs in the yamen were forbidden to do so.
If something went wrong in the end and he had to bear the responsibility, there was no reason for this in the world.
"There are a total of five thousand six hundred and thirty-four households in Neihuang County, and less than one hundred and seventy of them are truly wealthy households. The rest of the people are poor, and most of them can barely avoid starvation after a year of hard work!"
In the days since arriving in Neihuang County, apart from dealing with bandits, Han Mo had also focused all his attention on improving the livelihood of the people.
Neihuang County was mostly plains. Apart from farming, these people could only plant miscellaneous trees.
Apart from that, there were no other sources of income.
Coupled with corrupt officials and rampant banditry, the lives of the people had long been difficult.
If it weren't for the fact that a few days ago, while renovating the county yamen, he had discovered oyster mushrooms growing on some decaying trees in the back garden, he would not have been able to think of any other solution at this time. Compared to other vegetables, the value of this item was now many times higher.
It might be different in a small county like Neihuang, but in Bianliang or Daming Prefecture, this item could sell for two hundred wen per jin!
Most importantly, the cultivation of this item seemed to have no great difficulty.
Furthermore, the results were achieved quickly. After one planting, at least four to five harvests could be obtained.
The planting time also coincided with periods when farming was not at its busiest, only requiring planting in spring, late autumn, and winter. For the people of Neihuang County, this was undoubtedly their best option now.
Even if the purchase price per jin was finally set at around one hundred wen, for these people, it would still be a considerable income.