At a time when trading companies were getting 20 or 30 percent, the take by the ninety-eights was extremely small. "Nonetheless, the costs at the time were low--so it was still possible to eke out a living," says Chen.
那時洋行的佣金高達百分之廿、卅，九八行的利潤相對之下相當微薄，「不過當時開銷低，所以還能生存」，陳國民說。