Chapter 0003: Purchasing Grain
Finally, Wang Decai left contentedly with the deposit and the prepaid six months' rent. Qin Feng, having received the keys, did not waste any time and directly called the owner of a large grain processing factory in the suburban area of Binhai, placing an order for two hundred tons right away, with equal parts flour and rice, and requested that the delivery be made to his door, along with arrangements for personnel to handle the unloading.
Qin Feng surveyed his surroundings with an impassive expression. This location was not far from the interstate highway, making it conveniently accessible. Moreover, the outer walls were quite high, and there were no nearby buildings suitable for use as observation points, which aligned well with his expectations
The trusted aides exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond to such bizarre and supernatural claims, which they clearly did not believe. However, the lord spoke with such seriousness that it seemed unlikely he was being deceitful
"Are there surveillance devices installed here? How many cameras are there?" he asked
A group of porters surged out of the bus, among them several skilled workers went into the warehouse to fetch the unloading forklifts, while the remaining individuals went to the truck to untie the rainproof tarpaulin, energetically starting their work.
"Forget it, I will handle this matter myself," Qin Feng said with a smile
The strategist Sun Xiangqing furrowed his brows tightly and said with great concern: "I propose that we collect grain and fodder from the wealthy households in the countryside to alleviate the urgent situation."
Finally, Qin Feng took out the pre-printed written agreement from his backpack, filled in the amount, and after signing, handed it to Wang Decai. After reviewing the terms, he found no issues and also signed the document
The interior of the enclosed warehouse, which is equivalent to the size of two football fields, is quite empty, with only two oil drums and several old forklifts in relatively good condition placed in the corners. Outside the warehouse is a large concrete area that can accommodate multiple heavy trucks for loading and unloading, making the transfer of goods quite convenient
Behind the silk and bamboo screen, Qin Feng stepped out slowly
In this chaotic and lawless world, food is the foundation of survival and existence. Without it, even the greatest enterprises are destined to collapse into ruin.
Su Mu pondered for a moment and cautiously asked a crucial question: "May I ask... how much food can the immortal master procure for us?"
Qin Feng opened the driver's cabin of his delivery truck, took out six cigarettes along with two cases of Red Bull drinks to hand over to them, and then settled the remaining payment through a bank transfer
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Uh ... ... this ... ...
However, to avoid unnecessary troubles, it is advisable to conduct personal fund transactions through the company account in the future, and to refrain from using personal accounts as much as possible. Additionally, it is important to find ways to establish several offshore bank accounts as soon as possible, so that there will be no need to worry about potential issues.
If the lord truly encounters a similar situation, it would be excellent news for the entire army, akin to providing timely assistance in a snowstorm, as there would be no more worries about the siege from the imperial army
Thank you all for your hard work, please take these cigarettes and distribute them among yourselves
According to Qin Feng's statement, he intends to engage in the wholesale food logistics business, supplying numerous supermarkets and merchants within Binhai City, which is why he decided to rent this place as a temporary transit warehouse
Song Wu looked at him with suspicion for a moment and asked in a deep voice, "Do you really have a way to procure the supplies? This matter is no trifling matter. Deceiving the lord is punishable by death"
Zhao Yuanjin was discussing matters with several of his trusted ministers. At this moment, he appeared to be in a good mood, his complexion rosy, his eyes bright, and his words carried a hint of a smile.
Given Wang Decai's experience and knowledge, he did not place much trust in the words of this university student; of course, this matter had nothing to do with him. The warehouse had been rented out, and how it was operated was the tenant's concern. He only needed to ensure that he received the rent on time.
At this moment, he had already changed into the attire of this world, adorned in a brocade robe with a white sash, his eyes resembling polished ink, exuding a calm and composed demeanor, resembling a young master from a prestigious family, instantly capturing the attention of several onlookers
Qin Feng believes that this mechanism is effective, but it is difficult to say whether it is as effective as imagined. Otherwise, the tax evasion by those celebrities, the rampant money laundering, smuggling, illegal fundraising, and other such activities should not only be eradicated but at least should have diminished by half, right? Unfortunately, reality is not so.
My lord, the provisions in the army are nearly depleted, and can last at most three more days. The morale of the troops is wavering; if measures are not taken immediately, the overall situation may become difficult to sustain
In the residence
Three thousand stones of grain is approximately equivalent to around one hundred and fifty tons in current weight units, which is merely the capacity of a few heavy-duty trucks in one trip. Considering the subsequent trading plans, he requested two hundred tons this time.
Hiss ... ...
As an international metropolis, the population of the urban area and the surrounding suburban towns amounts to tens of millions. The daily consumption of food and vegetables is an astonishing figure, and the mere transaction of 200 tons of flour and rice is hardly significant, so there is no need to worry about attracting outside attention
When business comes knocking, the boss is naturally quite pleased. After Qin Feng promptly paid the deposit and labor costs, he immediately stated that arrangements would be made right away. After all, the distance between the two places is not very far, less than fifty kilometers.
Emperor Taizu of the Ji Dynasty relied on this to revive from the brink of death, stabilize the situation, and ultimately held on until the arrival of reinforcements, achieving a great victory over the enemy through internal and external cooperation
Qin Feng opened the main gate and went to greet them. A young sales manager emerged from the bus, and after exchanging a few words, he allowed the convoy to enter through the gate
"I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate again next time." The sales manager shook hands with him to bid farewell
Watching the convoy depart, Qin Feng closed the gate of the wall and locked it securely. After confirming that there were no suspicious individuals in the vicinity, he entered the storage room alone
Having said that, he slightly raised his hand, and in the incredulous gazes of several people, dozens of bags of rice suddenly appeared in the room, piled up into a heap
Qin Fengdan and Tu Shuran exchanged a smile, and he spoke leisurely, saying: "In the army, there are no idle words; this matter concerns the foundation of the governor's authority. How could one dare to speak falsely or deceive?"
Song Wu inhaled sharply, staring intently at the pile of rice for a moment. Suddenly, he rose and drew his sword; a flash of bright blade light swept across, and the top bag was sliced open, spilling out the white rice.
Qin Feng and the sales manager were chatting while drinking beverages, patiently waiting.
The burly and sturdy chief bodyguard, Song Wu, curled his lip and said in a muffled voice: "This method has already been used twice, and those wealthy households probably have little left to offer. Otherwise, we can only search the homes of the common folk; perhaps we might find some gains there."
As long as there is enough gold, one can have as much as one desires! Qin Feng remarked casually
The primary consideration is undoubtedly confidentiality, which is the most important and critical condition; everything must serve this purpose. Possessing the ability to freely traverse between two worlds, the catastrophic consequences that would ensue if this secret were to be known to the outside world are unimaginable
In the afternoon, the sound of car horns came from the intersection outside the warehouse door, as a bus followed by five heavy trucks drove in succession along the concrete road
It is better that there are no cameras, as he merely regards this place as a temporary transit site. Once the items are delivered here, they will be sent to another realm, and there is no need for long-term storage.
After a pause, concerned that Qin Feng might be dissatisfied, he quickly added an explanation: "However, the pipeline is already in place, and reinstalling it won't take much effort. I can introduce you to an acquaintance who can help get it sorted out, and the price is very reasonable"
Sun Xiangqing hurriedly leaned over, reached out to grab a handful of rice, and under the light, examined it repeatedly for a moment. He then tossed a few grains into his mouth to chew, and finally let out a breath: "Indeed, this white rice is... truly. The lord's great undertaking is saved!"
Wang Decai let out a sigh of relief, and it was evident that he seemed to be facing some trouble and was in urgent need of money, thus he was very eager to finalize this deal. Qin Feng, pressed for time, did not haggle much over the price, and the two quickly reached an agreement
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Wang Decai took the young client to see the warehouse
The chief military clerk Su Mu said淡淡地道: "As for the current situation, it seems there is no other way. Otherwise, the army will be without provisions, the soldiers will lack the will to fight, and the lord's grand undertaking will be in immediate jeopardy"
How is it? Have all of you responded this time? Zhao Yuanjin smiled and said
A middle-aged man with a sallow complexion and slightly graying hair received Qin Feng. His name was Wang Decai, the former owner of this factory.
Such events have precedents in historical records. When Emperor Taizu of the Jurchen Dynasty initiated his uprising, he was momentarily trapped by enemy forces in Yuyang City for over twenty days without escape. As provisions dwindled and they found themselves in a desperate situation, a secret granary was discovered in the underground courtyard of the city lord's residence, containing nearly ten thousand shi of grain, which was confirmed to have been left by the previous governor of the prefecture
The room fell into a sudden silence
Early the next morning, Qin Feng got up early, and after a simple breakfast, he drove out.
Although it is said that the current banking financial regulations are very strict, any fund movement exceeding 5 million in private accounts will be monitored as a large suspicious transaction to prevent money laundering or other illegal economic activities. In theory, no one can evade regulation, but of course, this is only in theory.
Zhao Yuanjin chuckled and said: "You need not worry, my lords. I already have a solution for such significant matters. Moreover, from now on, the army will no longer suffer from a shortage of provisions"
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This place originally belonged to a certain enterprise, but later closed down due to poor management, resulting in the abandonment of the factory facilities, which can only be rented out as a warehouse
He has a premonition that there will likely be many opportunities to transport food supplies to this parallel world in the future. Naturally, the number of times high-value resources are transported back from there will not be few either. Therefore, it is necessary for him to carefully select one or several suitable warehouses to serve as his secret supply transfer base
"Hmm? Song Wu, you must not be disrespectful to the immortal elder," Zhao Yuanjin said with a slight frown, expressing his displeasure.
Regarding the information on the rental of various idle warehouses in the suburbs of Binhai City, he had already searched online last night and has initially identified several ideal targets
Several trusted aides looked astonished, finding it somewhat hard to believe. Sun Xiangqing hesitantly asked, "My lord, have we discovered secret granaries within the city?"
However, as things stand, if no turning point occurs, it can last at most another three to five days before this county town will have to change its master
With the assistance of mechanical equipment, the work proceeded quite swiftly. As dinner time approached, all the flour and rice were delivered to the storage room, neatly stacked.
In the modern society where commercial information is highly developed, business people are quite resourceful; as long as they are willing to spend money, they generally do not need to worry about handling matters. From placing an order to the goods being shipped, logistics transportation, and delivery unloading, the other party will arrange everything properly for you
Of course, in order to properly handle issues related to financial taxation and invoices, I will need to set up a few shell companies in the future, or hire professionals to assist.
Why does the immortal not come out to meet the esteemed guests? Zhao Yuanjin slightly tilted his head and gently called out to those behind him
A hint of embarrassment flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes as he explained: "I apologize, due to financial constraints and the fact that it has been abandoned for quite some time, the original cameras have all been damaged and removed, and no new ones have been installed since then"
Zhao Yuanjin said solemnly: "It is not that we discovered the granary, but rather that a mysterious immortal has assisted us, using extraordinary techniques to deliver sufficient grain to the city"
The situation within the city is extremely grim, as certain indecisive officials have secretly discussed the possibility of defecting, which is no longer a secret. If it were not for Zhao Yuanjin's considerable skill in managing the situation, it is likely that the imperial army would have already entered the city.
An hour later, Qin Feng stood inside an abandoned factory near the outskirts of the city