The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 35: Win-win cooperation, % profit sharing (Please read on!)

When the box was opened, it was filled with salt.

But this salt is different from the ordinary dark yellow salt. It has snow-white crystals and is as bright as jade.

Mi Zhu stretched out a hand, touched it with his index finger, and took a light taste.

It’s definitely table salt.

But it is far less bitter than ordinary table salt, and is even more salty and fresh.

Why was Mi Zhu so shocked and excited when he saw the salt?
Because this touches upon his area of expertise.

The Mi family’s hometown is Qu County, Donghai, and Qu County is today’s Lianyungang.

However, during the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, Qu County was just a vast ocean.

This means that Mi Zhu's family lives by the sea.

After Mi Zhu entered politics, he moved his family to Xia Pi, but the industrial chain remained in his hometown of Qu County.

So the question is, is there any industry that needs to be near the sea and can help the Mi family accumulate billions of wealth?
That’s right, it’s salt!
It is very likely that the Mi family monopolized the salt and iron business in Xuzhou, otherwise they would not have been able to rise to the top of Xuzhou's power hierarchy.

Only salt has such a strategic position, and its importance in ancient times was comparable to that of oil.

Li Yi pointed at the brocade box and said to Mi Zhu who looked incredulous:

"My dear, this is refined salt."

"My master once taught me the method of refining salt. I would like to use this method as a betrothal gift to marry your sister."

"Then the refined salt profit will be split 30% to 70%. What do you think?"

Refined salt is not difficult to refine, and Li Yi finished it in just one day.

In the final analysis, it is filtering based on coarse salt.

It is enough to apply the knowledge learned from junior high school chemistry class, which is "one stick, two lows, and three rely on".

This method is not difficult to master, but difficult to operate.

If he didn't have a strong family background and network of connections, Li Yi would never have dared to run refined salt business on his own.

The first choice is to cooperate with the Mi family, leverage their family's strength and connections, support each other, and achieve win-win cooperation.

What's more, Mi Zhu is a gentleman, and Li Yi can trust his character. Even if there is no discussion of marriage, Li Yi will consider cooperating with him in the sale of refined salt.

Because the production of refined salt is based on the refining of crude salt, only the Mi family has the financial and human resources.

This is mainly a strenuous job, requiring constant chopping of wood and fetching of water, and then burning from day to night.

All you get in the end is just a little coarse salt.

With this kind of time and energy cost, who among ordinary people would dare to do this?
After obtaining crude salt, we use the filtering method to refine refined salt to gain cost advantage.

This requires two necessary and sufficient conditions.

One is the well-developed sales channels, and the other is the stable political environment.

This also proves once again why the aristocratic families do not like troubled times.

Without a stable rear base, it would be difficult to reap the huge profits brought by salt.

After repeated consideration, Mi Zhu thought that his younger sister was about the same age as Li Yi, and this boy was young and promising.

It is my sister's fortune to marry him.

Moreover, from a practical point of view, as a businessman, he knew too well how much profit this refined salt could bring.

Thinking of this, he said to Li Yi:
"My younger sister is already of marriageable age, and is a good match for you, sir, if you don't mind."

"How about we make this engagement first and choose an auspicious day for you two to get married?"

Li Yi nodded, "That couldn't be better."

The overall situation in Xuzhou is stable now, but the political situation is precarious, so it is indeed not the time to talk about marriage.

The purpose of making a marriage proposal is to reach a cooperation with the Mi family, and then to make great achievements.

Mi Zhu couldn't help but take another look at the salt in the brocade box. This crystal white salt was really rare in life.

I have to admire Li Yi's talent. He could actually refine such a thing in such a short time.

"This refined salt is enough to stir up the world. I don't know how many people will be unable to sell it in the future."

"Sir, you are willing to offer 30% profit. You should think carefully..."

Mi Zhu was indeed an honest gentleman. He knew that refined salt was extremely profitable, but he did not think about how to gain benefits.

On the contrary, he was concerned that Li Yi would suffer a great loss if he did this.

But Li Yi understood that his "intellectual property" was just built on the shoulders of his ancestors.

Refined salt is, after all, just a commodity, and the trade route is about mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.

If you only think about making money for yourself and don't let others benefit, it is impossible to become big and strong. Li Yi smiled and said:

"Mi Biejia is truly an honest gentleman. I admire him. However, I also sincerely want to marry his sister."

"This 30% of the refined salt profit is just a token of my appreciation. I hope you won't think it's too little."

What a courage!
Mi Zhu showed admiration on his face.

He knew that Li Yi had a hidden agenda in his words. It seemed that he was giving their family 30% of the refined salt profits, but in fact he was betting on their Mi family.

Handing over the foundation of our existence to them is a demonstration of our sincerity, win-win cooperation, and a one-way trip.

Since this young man has such courage, there is no reason for Mi Zizhong to retreat.

"Good! Good!"

"Xuzhou is in a time of trouble. Since you do not doubt me, I will immediately have someone refine this refined salt."

The two hit it off and reached a collaboration.

For Li Yi,

Without the Mi family, he would not have been able to make his own refined salt.

Even if he was Liu Bei's military advisor, it wouldn't work.

Because there are no connections and sales channels.

He just taught a refining method and got 70% of the refined salt profits and a virgin girl for free.

It’s definitely a huge profit!

Of course, the Mi family did not lose out either.

Their family has always followed Lu Buwei's strategy of "making the most of rare goods".

Li Yi is a potential stock and will definitely be a core member of Liu Bei's group in the future.

Investing in him will benefit the Mi family in the future.

The cooperation was concluded, Mi Zhu was in a good mood and hurriedly greeted:

"Somebody come!"

"Hurry up and prepare a banquet. Today, I want to drink a thousand cups with Mr. Li, and I won't leave until I'm drunk!"

……

South of Xia Pi City, Chen Mansion.

In the bedroom.

"I heard that you were ill during the day. Did you send a doctor to see you?"

Chen Gui looked at Chen Deng lying on the hospital bed with concern, his expression helpless and angry.

His son is good at everything. He is both literary and martial, and also understands agricultural production.

But I just can't put down that sashimi.

You said it would be fine if he just ate it occasionally, but this guy just eats it as a meal.

Even though the doctor has clearly told him not to eat anymore, he still eats less at every meal, treating the doctor's orders as a joke.

Fortunately, he was rescued today, what if he hadn’t been rescued?

Then Old Chen is probably going to have to bury his son before him.

Chen Deng climbed up from the bed and grinned at Chen Gui:

"Don't worry, father. I got Mr. Li's magic medicine and my illness is gone."

"I see your eyes are bright and you still have the energy to say such a joke, so I think you are indeed fine."

Chen Gui's eyes narrowed, he stroked his long beard, and said meaningfully:

"I heard that Liu Bei recently got a new military advisor, his surname is Li, his name is Yi, and his courtesy name is Ziyu."

"This person has the talent to plan and manage the world."

"When Cao Cao withdrew his army, it was this man who offered advice and pursued him, helping Liu Bei defeat Cao's army."

"How did Yuanlong become friends with such a talented person?"

Ha ha.

Chen Deng grinned and stood up.

……

　I ask my brothers to read this. I will buy at least 10,000 copies a day after it is released on the shelves. I swear that I will never break my promise!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)