Absolute Great Teacher (2)

Chapter 267: Logistics department collapsing

"Please feel free to take a seat!"

Sun Mo received Li Gong in the guest room. "I just arrived and have no time to clean the room yet. I also don't have hot water, so you have to excuse me for the lack of hospitality.

"Department head is too polite." Li Gong replied docilely and stood at the side. Although Sun Mo said feel free to take a seat, how would he dare to? He was so obedient that he was like a baby.

As for hot water for tea?

What a joke. How would Li Gong be qualified to drink tea before Sun Mo? Being able to enter this villa was already a huge kindness heaven had bestowed on him.

"Speak, what's the matter?" Sun Mo didn't demand that Li Gong should sit as this was a feudal era. There were different classes among people. Before Sun Mo, Li Gong was a servant, and this slave-like thinking was deeply-rooted. If you forced him to sit, he would even feel more uneasy. He would wonder if he had done something wrong that caused Sun Mo to be unhappy.

"The Ma Clan, Wei Clan, and Zhang Clan trading companies are secretly conspiring to raise the price."

Li Gong reported and passed a set of information over.

Sun Mo browsed through them quickly while listening to Li Gong's report. "These three companies are responsible for more than 90% of our supplies. Once they increase the price, given the current financial situation of our Central Province academy, we would be finished in five days."

As the number one lackey of the previous Department Head Yang, Li Gong wasn't only good at bootlicking. He was quite capable when it came to working as well.

For a person like Li Gong, if one said that he was trash in terms of personality and character, it wouldn't be too overboard. But he was truly capable and had friends in many places. His influence could be considered very wide.

"Who gave them the command? Was it Zhang Hanfu?"

Sun Mo's expression was calm. He just became the department head, so it would be strange if Zhang Hanfu didn't retaliate. "I don't know."

Li Gong honestly replied. Given Zhang Hanfu's authority, he shouldn't be able to influence the circle of merchants. This should be done by another major character. "Oh?"

Sun Mo gradually frowned. "Can we change to other trading companies?" "No!"

Li Gong explained, "These three trading companies have worked with us for over twenty years. We are working with them because they are primarily responsible for providing us with vegetables and grain, coal products and meat. We have always made a living together, so they are our foundation."

If the Central Province Academy wished to establish a footing in Jinling and expand their influence, they not only needed connections among the nobles, but they also needed the lower rungs of society. These commoners were completely on the side of the Central Province Academy. When their children came of age, if they were qualified to join the Central Province Academy, they would surely put it as their top choice. Also Jinling City, in fact, even the entire Jiangnan, if they encountered floods, droughts, or bandit attacks, the local companies that produced grain, vegetables, and food would make it their priority to provide for the Central Province Academy first. Even if people from other places were willing to pay a higher price to purchase the food, the companies wouldn't sell to them.

Naturally, as a kind gesture in return, these kids with lower backgrounds would be able to join the Central Province Academy even if their aptitudes were slightly inferior.

Hence, it could be said that the relationship between the Central Province Academy and these farmers was like the relationship between water and fish.

"Can we transact directly with the farmers, skipping the middlemen?"