Volume 1 Chapter 0067: The Tragedy of Monkey Stamps
"Nan Yi, a soldier from the third platoon of the Wenchangwei Militia Company of the Shajiaotou Militia Camp, salutes the hero."
A young man with a bare left arm, wearing a military uniform with the collar badge removed and with an untidy beard walked into the gate of the courtyard. When Nan Yi saw him, he stood up and saluted him.
"Zuo Can, former squad leader of the first squad of the sharp knife platoon of the first company of the reconnaissance battalion of the 36th Division of the 41st Army of the Yangcheng Military Region, reports to you."
"Old soldier, please don't mention the word 'reporting for duty'. I don't deserve it. I just happen to need someone to help me with some work, and you just happened to be retired, so we can get together and eat together."
Nan Yi said as he walked towards Zuo Can and took the package from his shoulder.
"Veteran, have you adapted to the life of a civilian again?" Putting the package aside, Nan Yi poured a cup of tea for Zuo Can.
“It’s not convenient to do farm work with one hand.”
"You don't have to do farm work anymore. Just relax here with me. I'll take care of your food, drink, and toilet. I'll give you 200 yuan a month as pocket money. After ten or twenty years, when you feel better, you can go home."
Nan Yi could only say this, it was impossible to say that if you did something for me, I would give you two hundred a month.
It won't be long before Document No. 75 is issued, which clearly states that individual businesses are not allowed to hire workers. Nan Yi doesn't want to get into trouble. Besides, hiring others to do things for you is a very sensitive matter.
No matter how you go around, you can't avoid the word "exploitation".
Of course, there are workarounds, but Nan Yi feels that there is no need to go to great lengths over such a small matter.
"good."
Zuo Can’s answer was very concise, and his face looked a little dull, probably because he hasn’t recovered from the pain of war yet.
And so, Zuo Can stayed there for a while.
Nan Yi wrote a letter to Lai Biao to express his gratitude to him.
Zuo Can was found through Lai Biao's channels. Otherwise, how could Nan Yi find a retired soldier? Even if he was a disabled soldier, it was not something he could easily contact at this stage.
Since the information was found through others instead of being dug out by himself, Nan Yi would be reserved and would not be able to trust Zuo Can too deeply.
"Zuo Can, take a few days off and go for a stroll in the capital. When you have rested enough, go to Yuetan Park as long as it is not raining or windy. That is where people resell goods and tickets. Write down the appearance of the people who often hang out there and what they do. I will need them in the future."
"yes."
After leaving money and food coupons to Zuo Can , Nan Yi left the depths of Baihua and returned to Gongzhufen.
Just as we finished dinner, Mensan arrived.
"Uncle Nan, I have already made an agreement with several old bosses who collect mountain products and ginseng in the Northeast. After the New Year, they will keep all the good things they get for us.
I have also communicated with my leaders at the unit and I don't need to be on unpaid leave. For the whole next year, I only need to contact people about coal matters and I don't need to do anything else.
Coal is very easy to get. It’s at the No. 3 Mine in the Vinegar Province. I have a good relationship with the mine manager. If I want coal, I just need to make a phone call. There’s no need to run over there.
I go there every six months to catch up with him and strengthen our relationship."
"That would be the best. In the short term, having a unit and the identity of a formal employee is very useful. At the very least, it's easy to get a letter of introduction from the Material Bureau."
Nan Yi said, handing a copy of the Beijing Evening News to Men Saner, "Turn to the second page and take a look."
Men Saner unfolded the newspaper, found the second edition, and began to read, "The Stamp Issuing Bureau plans to issue stamps for the twelve zodiac animals. On February 15, 1980, the eve of the Year of the Monkey, the first edition of the Gengshen Monkey stamps will be issued.
From now on, every year during the Spring Festival, stamps corresponding to the Chinese zodiac will be issued..."
Men Saner put down the newspaper and said to Nan Yi, "Master Nan, does the newspaper mean that they will issue different zodiac stamps for twelve consecutive years?"
"Yes." Nan Yi stuffed a few bites of food into his mouth, sipped a glass of wine, and then said, "Have you thought of anything through this?"
"Well, Master Nan, I didn't read the Biography of Hu Xueyan for nothing. Of course I was hoarding it. Since they are going to issue the twelve zodiac stamps, and they will be changed once a year, it is unlikely that they will print them freely. There must be a fixed number.
Most people buy stamps just to send letters. They may think the stamps are pretty and collect one or two, but they definitely won't collect too many.
What about this stamp, Nan Ye, is this monkey stamp a special stamp?"
"It should be a commemorative stamp. According to the sequence number, it is No. 46, so its number is T46."
"How many tickets are there in one sheet of this T ticket?"
"Who knows? Anyway, eight sheets are fixed in one row, so the width of the paper can only print eight sheets. It could be four rows of thirty -two , six rows of sixty-four, or ten rows of eighty.
If there are more, the possibility is not great, because the surface is too large and inconvenient to store and transport. "
“No matter how many copies there are in a set, unless someone like you, Master Nan, can see the value of this thing, who would hide a whole set?
In a few years, there won't be many monkey stamps left in the world. We can drive up the price , sell the ones we have, and make a lot of money.
By the way, Master Nan, how much should we stockpile?"
Nan Yi lit a cigarette, thought about it carefully, and said, "If it is 80 sheets per sheet, then buy 5250 sheets. That will make a total of 420,000 sheets. 400,000 sheets will be kept as a whole sheet, and 20,000 sheets will be split into single sheets.
If it wasn't in an edition of 80, then the price would be around 420,000.
You should prepare before the New Year and find some people to help buy. Don't buy out all of one point. Buy half at most, and then divide it into several points to make up the total.
If all the goods fall into our hands and others have none, then when we want to raise the price, other people have no related interests and they will not cheer us on.
It is very difficult to raise this price, and we may even fall into a trap. Therefore, don't buy too much at each point, and leave some for other interested parties.
Take the capital city for example. Those who can become our allies in the future are probably already hanging around in Yuetan Park. You have to find someone to keep a close eye on them over the long term and know their movements well.
As for this monkey stamp, we can come back for it several times. It's not a one-time deal.
I estimate that it is not very difficult to get tens of millions or even hundreds of millions out of it, but it will take a longer time.
In general, money is becoming increasingly devalued. It is not impossible for the price of this monkey stamp to reach tens of thousands in the future."
"Can it be that high? Master Nan, then we will make a fortune."
When Men Saner heard the number, he was horrified.
"Don't be happy yet. This is a long-term deal. We have to operate slowly. The stamp is estimated to be worth 8 cents, and the total cost is just over 30,000. I won't pay this time. You pay, and we'll split it 50-50."
"I'll pay for it, Nan Ye. Where should I put the stamps after I buy them?"
"One hundred thousand of them will be placed in the capital for future operations, and the remaining three hundred and twenty thousand will be sent to Wenchangwei, where it will be safer."
"Okay, I'll send it over after I buy it. How about sending it from Beijing to your place?"
"No, just keep it for yourself. Make sure it is anti-corrosive, waterproof, rat-proof, and insect-proof. Don't take it out in two years, because it will be ruined."
"No, I have been with Master Nan for several years, and I have understood your way of doing things. How could I neglect such a thing?"
"Haha, that's good. There's nothing else to do. You go first. I need to review my lessons. I plan to use my scholarship this semester to buy a pair of Warrior basketball shoes."
"Master Nan, didn't you say you wanted to keep a low profile in school? Why are you still thinking about getting a scholarship? You're not short of money, so why make such a fuss about a pair of sneakers?"
"I know in my heart that getting a scholarship is a challenge for me. If I pass the challenge, I will get the prize. If I fail, I will be punished."
"Oh, you are just being stubborn with yourself."
“You could say that.”
