Su Ping Nan was going to be in the pine nut business. His memories had led him to make this decision early on.
The pine nut business would be one of the largest export businesses in Tian Nan Province for the next thirty years. Countless people had made their fortune in this industry, showing how profitable it was.
Su Ping Nan's assertive personality was fully displayed in his plan. He wanted to make the most of this golden opportunity, to create a complete production and sales chain. Su Ping Nan wanted a big share of the pie.
Tian Nan Province was the largest exporter of mountain produce in Xia Country, and Feng City, 700 kilometers from Wu City, accounted for 80% of the province's share.
And 90% of Feng City's output was concentrated in a few townships like Er Tai Town in the Bai Shan area.
Su Ping Nan's golden opportunity came from a local policy in Feng City.
All pine nuts from Feng City could only be sold to a local produce company under the jurisdiction of the local forestry bureau. They were not allowed to be sold outside the city.
During this period, Wu City's transportation conditions and mindset were far ahead of the more remote Feng City. A large amount of goods from the mountains were transported through Wu City to Yun Gang, one of the earliest ports to open up to reform and opening up in Xia Country.
Yun Gang attracted a large number of merchants from Dong Ying, and pine nuts were considered to have health benefits by its people, leading to high demand. The Dong Ying merchants in Yun Gang bought as much as they could, and the top-grade pine nuts in Wu City's agricultural market had already been driven up to 7 yuan per jin, with many people asking for them and none in stock.
Su Ping Nan set his sights on Er Tai Town in Feng City.
Although pine nuts were very profitable, the local produce company in Feng City suppressed the price to a very low level in these origins. To maintain their monopoly, pine nuts were basically unable to be transported by road, and the local forestry bureau had strict control.
Su Ping Nan had already considered everything carefully. He was going to use the railway. During this period, the railway system had a bit of its own way of doing things. A local policy in Feng City was simply a matter of indifference to them.
Back in Wu City, Su Ping Nan immediately started his operation with lightning speed. He didn't have much time left.
Next year, Feng City would realize its mistake and soon abolish this policy. During that time, in order to encourage the development of private enterprises, Tian Nan Province would grant import and export licenses to companies with registered capital exceeding 300,000 yuan. So Su Ping Nan only had half a year left. He had to achieve a certain scale within that half year, or he wouldn't be able to continue playing the game.
Everyone around Su Ping Nan began to work with all their might.
Su Ping Nan knew that the success of his route depended on three key positions.
One, the duty officer in the cargo yard of Er Tai Town Station. This position held a lot of power. The cargo yard director basically only signed his name, and the specific loading and sealing was all done by the duty officer. If necessary, he could even bypass the director and help you get a freight car.
Two, the conductor of the train from Er Tai Town to Wu City. As long as they didn't cooperate with Feng City's local inspection, the goods could be transported to Wu City cargo yard under the guise of other goods.
Three, a local bigwig in Er Tai Town with a lot of connections. This person could help Su Ping Nan clear out the pine nuts and avoid the attention of the local forestry bureau.
Su Ping Nan's orders to his subordinates were very direct and forceful. No matter how you did it, I want you to befriend the conductor of the train that runs from Feng City to Er Tai Town.
A person suggested by Guo Guang Yao entered Su Ping Nan's field of vision.
Zhang Tong, the son of Zhang Jian Guo, an old conductor on the Wu Feng line.
Zhang Tong was the second son of the family. It had been made clear early on that his older brother would take over the family business. So he was always unhappy with his family, and after graduating from vocational school, he didn't have a job and spent all his time hanging around Wu City. He had a rough and tumble personality and was a small-time hoodlum.
The department store below Wu City's South Station was a pool hall, which became a gathering place for unemployed people and petty thugs in this era of limited entertainment. It was filled with smoke and haze.
Zhang Tong, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, looked at the rolling pool balls with a grim expression, muttering curses under his breath.
He was gambling on pool, two yuan for a ball sunk in a pocket. He was already five balls behind, ten yuan. For Zhang Tong, who had no regular income, this was actually a significant burden.
"Bang!" The door of the pool hall was kicked open with a heavy thud. The smoke that had accumulated from who knows how many cigarettes puffed out, and from the outside, you might even think that the place was on fire.
Immediately, a chorus of dissatisfied curses erupted from within the pool hall. Zhang Tong, having lost his temper, joined in the cursing.
Those with sharp eyes quickly recognized who the few men who kicked in the door were, and word spread quickly, silencing the pool hall.
Zhang Tong also recognized who they were. They were Yang Qian Li, the head of the Small Red Robe gang, who worked in the South Station cargo yard. He immediately shut his mouth tight.
These guys were really tough. Zhang Tong always had a high opinion of himself, but he honestly was a little afraid of these people. He was present when the Si Hai people were driven out, and he had been so scared that his legs had turned to jelly.
"Who's Zhang Tong?" Yang Qian Li scanned the room. The lighting was dim, so he couldn't see who was who, so he shouted.
"Me." Zhang Tong answered, forcing himself to speak up.
Yang Qian Li stared at Zhang Tong for a long time, remembering Su Ping Nan's instructions. He looked a little awkward.
These three people under Su Ping Nan, Su Wen Wen was ruthless and sweet-tongued, Guo Guang Yao was a steady worker, and these two were very easy to get along with when dealing with others. Only Yang Qian Li, besides being ruthless, was a complete mute. Asking him to build relationships with people was simply an impossible task.
Su Wen Wen had been assigned by Su Ping Nan to find a place where a large amount of pine nuts could be stored, Guo Guang Yao had to stay at the cargo yard, so Su Ping Nan had no choice but to send Yang Qian Li to find someone. Knowing his brother's character, he had specially told him to be polite, very polite.
Yang Qian Li hesitated for a long time, but he couldn't understand how polite was polite. In the end, he could only say in a low voice, "Brother Tong, my brother wants to invite you to dinner."
Zhang Tong looked at the tough guy in front of him who had hesitated for a long time and finally uttered these words, and he was scared to death. He was speechless for a while before he stammered, "Okay, brother."
This anecdote became a classic joke about Yang Qian Li in later years.