Chapter 4: Increase in Monthly Income

What is the monthly salary for each person

Zhou Fengji was brought out from Puzhou by his great-grandfather when he was still a youth, making him a junior to his great-grandfather and a contemporary of Zhang Han's father, Zhang Cheng. Thus, addressing him as Uncle Zhou is quite appropriate

The bonuses are to be discussed... However, from Uncle Zhou and several others to the accountants and the young clerks, the monthly salaries should be increased a bit. We cannot excel, nor can we compare with those large firms, but at the very least, we should not shortchange everyone. From top to bottom, each person should receive a 30% increase, which would be roughly on par with other companies. Uncle Zhou, what do you think

This matter is better left to Uncle Zhou to handle," Zhang Han said, "As I am new here and still young, it is best for Uncle Zhou to take charge of everything.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Fengji's expression indeed softened considerably. Having served the Zhang family for thirty years, he felt that this address of "Uncle Zhou" was well-deserved.

A jar of pickled vegetables can be exchanged for a horse, can you believe it

Zhang Chun is not very old, with a somewhat vague expression on his face. These past few days, he has been idly wandering around the shop, and it is likely that not many people regard him as a valuable asset. The more this is the case, the more inquiries there are about him.

The atmosphere in the store is indeed somewhat despondent, lacking vitality and laughter. Whether a store possesses cohesion can be discerned by observing the demeanor of the staff and the manager.

Zhang Han tapped his fingers on the counter and pondered, "You need not mention it; I can see it clearly."

Thank you, Uncle Zhou

Zhang Han's expression was calm and composed, not as if he were discussing something significant, but rather as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

Old Master Zhang Yun is one of them. Many years ago, he left his hometown in Puzhou with several thousand taels of silver and a few assistants, opening He Yusheng on North Street. Over the decades, he accumulated a fortune of forty thousand taels of silver.

Manager Li has a rather difficult temperament, but he assists in collecting the land rent for us from Tiancheng Wei and Zhenlu Wei. While collecting the rent, he also oversees the collection of grain and is responsible for accounts receivable. Mr. Li, who manages the storehouse and the accounts, is a relative of Manager Li, and they usually have lunch together.

Well, everyone is operating at a loss, so there is no talk of dividends.

Manager Liang oversees the daily operations of the store, including inventory procurement and shipment, as well as the monthly market activities, all under his management. He is known for his generous nature, and most of the staff in the store have a good relationship with him. It is said that Manager Liang has a nephew who is a well-known figure in our fortress.

Li Yuchun let out a cold snort, glanced at Liang Hong, and said: "Do as I say."

"Uncle Zhou, rest assured, I will take care of this matter, and it will be handled as such, so do not make it difficult for yourself." As Zhang Han listened to Zhou Fengji's words, he quickly grasped the underlying meaning. He understood that this seemingly cold old man was genuinely warm-hearted; although his words were not particularly pleasant, the intention behind them was good.

In recent days, Zhang Han has observed that the business in the store is quite ordinary. The grain constitutes the bulk of the inventory, yet it is being sold at a loss. The sales of other minor goods are very few, and only when the small market opens next month will there be more sales. The profits from selling the remaining goods are relied upon to offset the losses from the grain business.

Well, I will go and say it

The border trade of that year was akin to the gold rush in the American West, where the bold adventurers were most likely to strike it rich with the first bucket of gold.

Zhang Han sat in the cabinet, while Zhang Chun stood beside the counter, speaking softly

If no food is produced, more than half of the staff in the store will have to be dismissed, and the business will become even more desolate, which will also reduce the sale of the remaining goods

The young lad receives no monthly salary, only a few discretionary rewards at the end of the year, amounting to at most several hundred coins. The senior staff receive varying monthly salaries of three hundred or two hundred coins. Naturally, the head clerk, Zhou, receives the most, with a monthly salary of three taels, while the second and third clerks each receive two taels. The accountant and the warehouse manager each receive one tael.

Liang Hongze was observing the expressions of those around him, his eyes darting about, and for the moment, he did not speak up

Li Yuchun looked at Zhou Fengji and said, "Old Zhou, what is the situation? Do you have any regulations in place?"

Various kinds of goods, among which oil, tea, grain, and cloth are the most essential. The merchants of that time often recorded how impoverished the Tatars were, exchanging a few dou of rice for a sheep, and one or two shi of grain for a horse. The herdsmen would trade whatever they had on hand, as they did not have a clear understanding of the value of items. In the early years of the market's opening, the merchants of the Ming Dynasty took full advantage of these restless Tatars.

"It has not increased for many years." Zhou Fengji was somewhat surprised and after thinking for a moment, he replied: "Since the passing of the old master, the elder master also left early, and the old lady has been in charge. The business has been declining year by year. We, as the managers, feel guilty, so how can we have the face to mention raising the monthly fees?"

Three shopkeepers are sitting in the inner room talking. The room is not large, and all around, the cabinets are filled with account books and similar items, with several abacuses present. There is only one table, but quite a few chairs. This is the place where Zhang Yun used to do accounts and handle affairs, as well as where he would meet people to discuss matters.

Li Yuchun sneered and said: "I didn't expect you, old Zhou, to be so loyal, while I am the villain. In fact, according to my approach, it is better for 'Grandma' and for Han Ge'er."

There was originally a dividend at the end of the year, but it seems there won't be any in the coming years

Dining at the restaurant every day on a premium Eight Delicacies banquet has been sufficient for several decades

Three or two taels of silver for a cow, seven taels of silver for a horse, no more than five or six taels of silver for an acre of paddy field, and three taels of silver for dry land is also not worth much

The large market operates at the national level, while the small market, held monthly, is truly a paradise for merchants.

Ultimately, the increase in money is a good thing. As the crowd streamed out, once everyone in the shop had gathered, Zhou Fengji announced the matter of the monthly increase in money, and everyone erupted in joyous applause.

What is the concept of several tens of thousands of taels

Manager Zhou is an elderly man, dedicated to his work, and he usually does not like to discuss matters beyond official business.

Hmm," Liang Hong said with a smile, "You have the final say in everything

Sigh, let us proceed as the young master has instructed.

From a business perspective, Zhang Han's grandfather, Zhang Yun, was a talented individual. A capital of several thousand taels is not considered significant here in Xinping Fort. The horse market is divided into official and private markets, as well as large and small markets. The transaction volume in a large market can reach over one hundred thousand taels. The deputy general stationed at Xinping Fort would lead troops to maintain order in the market, and representatives from Mongolia, such as the Taiqi, would also come to help maintain order.

This matter is still the proposal of the young master, and everyone has expressed their gratitude.

In recent days, he has been sitting at the counter outside, while several shopkeepers either remain in the inner courtyard or hide in the quiet room, rarely coming out. Only Zhou Fengji has come out to give Zhang Han a few pointers, noticing that Zhang Han is not overly concerned and merely sits each day observing the situation in the shop. Old Zhou, feeling reassured, also refrains from coming out to meddle.

In addition to the main goods, the Mongols require various items, including even the fresh vegetables produced that year, various types of cured meats, and pickled vegetables. There is nothing produced in the Ming Dynasty that the herdsmen on the grasslands do not want.

Zhang Han has only been in the store for about five or six days, and he has already grasped the general situation.

The old master managed to seize the opportunity, increasing his wealth by more than ten times, which is an extraordinary achievement. By the time of Zhang Han's father, Zhang Cheng, they could only maintain their existing wealth, as the number of big players in Xinping Fort grew, and Yusheng became increasingly inconspicuous, making business increasingly difficult.

"The owner is the owner," Zhou Fengji merely shook his head and said, "Everyone has their own aspirations, and saying more is of no use." He glanced at Liang Hong, who had been smiling without speaking, and left with his hands behind his back

Li Yuchun could not help but cough repeatedly, seemingly at a loss for words

In the end, Zhou Fengji said: "Although this business belongs to the owner, the business is not going well. It is hard for us to bear to see the owner suffer such losses. Moreover, has the young master discussed this matter with the 'grandmother'? For such a significant issue, it is better not to make decisions lightly. Once this is said, it will be somewhat difficult to smooth things over..."

Regardless, this is great news, and everyone is beaming with joy, walking a bit faster than usual. Many people chose not to have lunch in the store but instead opted to go home, clearly intending to share this good news with their families

Zhou Fengji said: "I still maintain this position, this matter cannot be done for the time being. If you wish to proceed, you may do so on your own; I will not get involved"

Zhang Chun accompanied Zhang Han every day; his status was different, and he gathered more information than Zhang Han did.

Although his salary has increased, Zhou Fengji did not show any signs of happiness on his face; instead, he let out a sigh

Li Yuchun and Liang Hong exchanged a glance, their expressions somewhat complex

Zhang Han sat down, no longer being polite, and got straight to the point: "The monthly wages for everyone, as well as those for the staff in the shop, have not increased for at least ten years, right?"

After several days of observation, Zhang Han understood that the situation with Yu Sheng was indeed not optimistic

Zhang Chun whispered, "In the past few days, I have inquired at other shops, and the wages of the workers there are about 30 to 40 percent higher than ours. At the end of the year, there are still year-end bonuses, while the shopkeeper's monthly salary is also lower than that of other shops. In recent years, there have been no year-end bonuses, and everyone speaks of it with little joy, their spirits are quite low.

Unbeknownst to him, Zhang Han changed his form of address, and his tone became much more affectionate

To future generations, a fortune of several tens of thousands of taels of silver may seem insignificant, and indeed there are many wealthy families with assets in the millions or even tens of millions, but these are merely a minority. In the early years of the Wanli era, a fortune of several tens of thousands of taels of silver was roughly comparable to that of a multimillionaire in later times

Zhang Han smiled and said, "It's not about giving orders; there are a few matters I would like to discuss with the three of you"

Upon seeing Zhang Han enter, the three shopkeepers all stood up. Liang Hong eagerly smiled and said, "If the young master has any instructions, just call us."

Zhang Chun responded and prepared to go inside, but Zhang Han waved his hand and said, "Forget it, I will go in instead."

Zhang Han remained calm, but the three shopkeepers could not maintain their composure

Zhou Fengji was initially taken aback, but then his face did not show much expression; he only furrowed his brows, as if deep in thought.

In a secluded area of the store's backyard, beneath a jujube tree that had shed all its leaves, three shopkeepers stood in a circle

However, this situation is still not right; I have not heard of any owner who can succeed by merely sitting idle. Zhang Han does not intend to wait any longer; time is of the essence. He has plenty of time, but if he continues to delay with Yusheng, it is likely that they will go bankrupt.

Zhang Han pondered for a moment and instructed, "Please invite the three managers to come over."

Zhou Fengji frowned, relinquished his seat, and extended his hand, saying: "Young Master, please take a seat."

This amount of money is not much

At this moment, many people displayed expressions of realization, no wonder there had been no increase in money for many years; the young master had only been here for a few days and already there was an increase