A tour of Japan's Warring States Period

One hundred and sixty thousand candles may seem like a huge number at first glance, but it's not the same thing at all. One candle only burns for two hours. Not long at all. A bundle of one hundred sticks cannot occupy two warehouses.

In fact, lighting equipment was considered a luxury item in ancient times, otherwise there would be no idiom about chiseling a wall to borrow light, right? But times are developing, the production of candles is increasing day by day, and the prices are becoming increasingly popular. I personally think that the cheapness of candles has indirectly promoted the spread and promotion of knowledge, which is a small contribution.

Putting aside these gossips, we need to consider the issue of sales. Aizu Ashina Mori once presented thousands of beeswax to the generals in Kyoto. This high-end luxury product has a large production volume, and the princes from all walks of life sent generals in the same state as beggars. , this high-grade beeswax candle is not that expensive. Looking at our low-end wood wax, we have no worries about sales.

After all, after experiencing violent or not violent annexations in the early days, Japan has a population of seven to eight million from the Onin Civilization Chaos to more than 12 million people now. This can be regarded as a miracle in the history of world war. The civil war has lasted for nearly a hundred years and the population has almost doubled.

Nowadays, Japan has formed two to three hundred towns, large and small. A town with a population of 50,000 can only be said to be ordinary. It can't be counted with both hands and feet. At least more than two million people live in cities and towns. Are you still worried that you won't be able to sell it?

Moreover, the town was full of samurai, merchants, craftsmen, and last but not least, the standing Ashgaru whose annual income exceeded the Gokanbun, so there was no shortage of money at all.

Therefore, it is not necessary to be so complicated when considering pricing. A Western candle costs eight cents, because ash trees can be grown locally or imported from China or North Korea. Around the Song Dynasty, white wax was widely used in China to make candles. White wax is derived from the secretions of waxworms on ash trees.

Zhou Mi of the Southern Song Dynasty introduced the waxworm breeding industry in "Guixin Miscellaneous Knowledge": "There used to be no white wax in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. For more than ten years, a Taoist brought white wax bugs from the Huaihe River for sale. They looked like small gorgon seeds, and the price rose to The method is to use a potted oak tree with leaves similar to dogwood leaves, which can grow by cutting and grow into a big tree in three years. Before each awn is planted, make a small bag with yellow grass cloth, store more than ten insects, and hang them all over. In the middle of May, there will be hundreds of insects in each seed, as small as ants and midges, and white droppings will be left among the branches and stems. This is white wax, and they will no longer be seen until mid-August. , decoct them with boiling soup to become wax, and leave the seeds among the branches. They are very thin at first, and gradually become larger in the spring. In February and March, you still collect the seeds as before, and spread them, or you can smell the thin-leafed holly trees. It can be used. Its benefits are as great as those of silkworm breeding, and the price of white wax is often several times higher than that of yellow wax.”

Of course, this was already the price in the Song Dynasty. By the Ming Dynasty, ash trees were not only planted in north and south China, but also in Southeast Asia and India. Due to the gradual introduction of trade between Korea and Japan during the Song and Yuan Dynasties, ash trees were planted in the Ming Dynasty. In Japan, there were many plantings during the time of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogunate of the Edo shogunate.

Therefore, the price of candles has reached a level suitable for mass consumption. Coupled with the rise of citizen culture and the rich nightlife, the demand for candles has only increased.

As for the soil and climate in Dongguo, it is not suitable for planting ash trees, and it is not directly connected to the ports of North Korea and China, so a candle costs ten yuan.

When we got to Xiao Pingtai's place, we were even more open. I didn't sell it for ten yuan or eight yuan, but I only had seven yuan for one stick. You heard me right, they are selling iron at the lowest price in Japan, only seven yuan per stick. Not to mention it's a free gift, it can be said to be cheap and good quality.

Although this price is a bit low-price dumping, it can quickly open up the market and benefit the people, so why not do it. As long as the reputation is established, then this way of making money will be considered stable.

Sure enough, when the news came out that candles cost seven cents a piece, the first people who swooped over like flies after smelling the smell of meat were the merchants from Yamauchi Town and Hachiman Shrine Monzen Town. Each of them ate 30,000 candles without hesitation. Kodaira only wanted money. The goods are cleared, making it easy to recover costs and profits quickly.

However, Ejiri's merchant came a little two days later, but his tone was even louder. He directly offered 50,000 fen, and also made a contract for 50,000 fen per month. Xiaoheita was naturally very happy.

The rest of the small merchants in the surrounding areas also came to pick up the goods for five hundred and one thousand. After all, the shipment volume was large, and candles with low shipping prices were rare. They can not only avoid the long journey to the West to purchase goods, but also earn one or two more money by selling them in pieces in the countryside. They all happily paid for the goods and asked if they could continue to supply the goods in the future.

In September, the custom-made oil press from Echigo also arrived. All kinds of seeds were poured in, and the oil production increased dramatically. Someone suggested to Koheita to increase production. Xiao Pingtai did not expand blindly, but stored it and kept the water flowing steadily to ensure a monthly output of 150,000 roots.

At the same time, I sent some candles to the homes of the shareholders of the wife group, and gave many to Yamauchi Yoshiji. When Yamauchi Yoshiji heard that this thing was invested and made by himself, and there was no need to outsource it in the future, his frugal temper broke out again. Even the beeswax originally stored in the city was sold, just waiting to be used for nothing.

And the income for the entire August was more than 960 guan. The capital of 2,000 guan was not used at all, and it can still continue to operate. Therefore, according to their respective investment ratios, various amounts of money were received in the mansions of the big guys in Fuzhong City.

Especially Yamauchi Yoshiharu, who only invested for more than a month and returned a profit of 450 kuai, which impressed him. Based on Xiaoping's secret guess, he might just put the money in a string in a warehouse in the castle, and then touch it every day, cherishing them as much as he treasures his own son. After slandering Yamauchi Grandet, Koheta herself went home to count the money.

As for the high-end ones, such as adding spices and essences, making soothing candles and sleeping candles, Xiao Pingtai has not yet considered it. After all, making quick money is more important these days.

The collection of raw materials was completely stopped until the beginning of November, and the residents in the county earned a few small changes. In addition to the annual harvest, this year's rice harvest was good, and the residents praised Yamauchi Yoshitari's benevolent government.

By October, everyone's capital had been returned. When they thought that they would all make money in the future, everyone's evaluation of Xiao Pingtai rose to another level.

According to his aunt, there are already several famous people who are trying to find out about Xiao Pingtai's situation, and someone might come to hint at him.

Anyway, Xiao Pingtai is not in a hurry about this matter. With his status, the political marriage must be more important. As long as he is not an ugly person, he can still hope to find a fairy.

Moreover, at this time, Xiaoheita's thoughts had already drifted to the mountains of Echigo.