Chapter 160: The Shanwan Village Brand

At 7:30 a. m., Lu Qingshan was already standing at the entrance of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries building.

Lao Zhang at the messenger desk had already recognized him and waved from afar: "Comrade Xiao Lu, so early!"

"Zhang Da Ye, I'm in your debt," Lu Qingshan handed over a box of fine cigarettes, "Secretary Tian hasn't arrived yet, has he?"

"He should be here soon; he always arrives before eight," Old Zhang took the cigarettes, grinning broadly, "Sit in the messenger desk for a while first, don't be anxious."

Lu Qingshan sat restlessly in the messenger desk, his palms slightly sweating.

Today's battle determines the success or failure of his entire Beijing plan.

A memory from his past life told him that Xiushui Building would become the Capital City's hottest clothing market in the late 1980s, but convincing Minister Lin of this judgment now is no easy task.

Before eight o'clock, Secretary Tian hurried in.

"Comrade Lu, you're quite early!" Secretary Tian shook his hand warmly, "Minister Lin is free at 9:30; let's head to the reception room to prepare first."

In the reception room, Lu Qingshan spread the prepared documents on the table.

He had worked on these materials until late last night, including the financial statements, product introductions, market outlook analyses of Shanwan Village's three factories, and his handwritten research report on the Xiushui Market.

"Secretary Tian, do you think Minister Lin will support this plan?" Lu Qingshan couldn't help asking.

Secretary Tian considered for a moment: "Minister Lin has a strong impression of you, which is good. But your plan covers many areas; he will certainly consider it carefully."

Just after 9:30, Minister Lin pushed the door open and entered.

"Comrade Qingshan!" Minister Lin's voice was loud and powerful, "Since we last partied in Baishan City, you've made great progress!"

"Minister Lin, hello!" Lu Qingshan quickly stood, shook his hand respectfully, "Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to see me."

"Sit, sit, sit, we're all comrades, no need for formalities." Minister Lin sat at the head seat, his gaze scanning the documents, "I heard from Xiao Tian that you want to set up an office in Beijing?"

"Yes, Minister Lin." Lu Qingshan inhaled deeply and began outlining his plan, "I intend to establish an office in the 'mouth'-shaped courtyard on Jianguomenwai Street, and turn the market behind the building into a national specialty goods market. There are three main considerations."

Minister Lin nodded, signaling him to continue.

"First, Shanwan Village currently has three factories—a food processing plant, a Chinese medicinal material processing plant, and a beverage plant—each generating a net profit of 140,000 to 150,000 yuan per month. Demand outstrips supply, and we urgently need to expand sales channels." Lu Qingshan pointed to the financial statements, "Establishing an office in Beijing would allow us to sell our high-quality mountain products directly to capital citizens and foreign friends."

"140‑150 k?" Minister Lin raised an eyebrow, "That figure isn't small!"

"Indeed, we didn't expect such rapid growth ourselves." Lu Qingshan gave a wry smile, "The problem now is that the products sell so well that it actually limits further production expansion. We urgently need a stable high‑end sales platform."

Minister Lin nodded thoughtfully, "Continue."

"Second, I plan to convert the first floor of the office building into a brand exhibition hall to showcase our products and build the 'Shanwan Village' brand." Lu Qingshan's tone grew passionate, "Most mountain goods on the market lack a brand concept; consumers buy them as loose bulk. I want 'Shanwan Village' and its sub‑brands to become synonymous with high‑quality mountain products!"

"Brand awareness, good!" Minister Lin said approvingly, "This idea is very forward‑thinking."

"Third, and the most important point." Lu Qingshan solemnly stood, facing Minister Lin, pointing to the Capital City outside, "I want to transform the adjacent Xiushui Market into a national specialty goods market. This would give high‑quality agricultural products from across the country a sales outlet here, enriching the capital's food basket and providing foreign friends a window into Chinese agriculture."

Minister Lin's eyes lit up, "That's an interesting idea; how exactly would it be implemented?"

"Xiushui Market is currently quiet, mainly lacking distinctive features." Lu Qingshan returned to his seat, pulling out a hand‑drawn layout, "My idea is to allocate stalls by region. The Northeast zone would sell ginseng, deer antler, and wood ear; the Northwest zone would sell goji berries, red dates, and sesame oil; the South China zone would sell dried lychees, longan, and aged orange peel… gathering specialties from across the nation here. The back area would be equipped with cold and frozen storage."

Secretary Tian, listening nearby, was dumbfounded; the idea was indeed bold.

"Moreover," Lu Qingshan continued, "we can hold a regular Specialty Festival, inviting farmer representatives from various regions to exhibit and sell in the capital. It would be both a commercial event and cultural exchange. Foreign friends, through this window, could learn about the rich diversity of Chinese agriculture."

Minister Lin was silent for a moment, carefully leafing through the materials Lu Qingshan had prepared.

In the reception room, only the rustle of pages and the ticking of the wall clock could be heard.

"Comrade Qingshan, this idea is indeed good." Minister Lin finally spoke, "But there are several issues to consider."

Lu Qingshan's heart rose to his throat: "Please, go ahead."

"First, the funding issue. How much money do you plan to invest?"

"My preliminary estimate, covering rent, renovation, and initial operating capital, is about 700,000 yuan." Lu Qingshan was prepared, "The factories' profits, interest‑free bank loans, and my personal savings mean we have no funding problem."

"Second, the management issue. You are in Baishan; how will you manage the Beijing operations?"

"My elder brother Qingyuan farms rice in Heilongjiang and knows agricultural specialties well. My younger sister Xiaoyu also has a business mind. I plan to have them stationed permanently in Beijing to handle daily management."

Minister Lin nodded and asked, "Third, and the most critical question: Are you truly confident you can revitalize Xiushui Market? It's currently deserted."

This was Lu Qingshan's biggest worry, because he could not reveal his past‑life memory. He could only rely on logical reasoning to persuade Minister Lin.

"Minister Lin, I think Xiushui Market is quiet now mainly because it lacks the right positioning." Lu Qingshan stood and walked to Minister Lin, "Consider that it's adjacent to Friendship Mall, frequented by foreign friends. If we turn it into a showcase for Chinese specialties, it will surely attract their attention."

"Moreover," he continued, "as reform and opening deepen, people's living standards will rise, increasing demand for specialty agricultural products. Deploying now is the right timing."

Minister Lin looked thoughtfully at Lu Qingshan, then suddenly asked, "Comrade Qingshan, what you just said concerns only agricultural products. Yet you hinted on the phone that future involvement might include other industries. Could you be specific?"

Lu Qingshan's heart tightened, knowing the crucial moment had arrived.

He had to show Minister Lin a larger prospect, yet could not be too specific.

"Minister Lin, this is my thinking." Lu Qingshan organized his words, "Agriculture is the foundation, but we must not be limited to it. For example, we can develop deep processing of agricultural products, extending into the food industry. We can also leverage the mountain region's natural resources to develop eco‑tourism and logistics. In the future, we might even enter the pharmaceutical and health‑supplement sector, and the financial industry…"

A hint of interest flashed in Minister Lin's eyes, "Your idea is very forward‑looking."

"I believe that as long as the first step is steady, the road ahead will broaden." Lu Qingshan said sincerely, "But all this requires your support and guidance."

Silence fell again in the reception room.

Minister Lin rose and paced the room, clearly contemplating the proposal seriously.

Lu Qingshan held his breath, awaiting the moment that would decide his fate.