Daming: I can’t kill such a greedy prince-in-law?

Before the morning mist dissipated, the smell of ink from the Beijing Daily filled the streets of Beijing along with the shouts of newsboys.

"Breaking news! Breaking news! The details of the investment promotion for the new railway city are out!" The bamboo curtains of the teahouses along the street were rustled as they were lifted up. An old man in a long gown squeezed in front of the counter holding a newspaper, startling the shopkeeper so much that the abacus beads in his hand rolled and clattered.

"A project worth 30 million taels? And they're asking businessmen to advance the money?" In the Xisi Pailou Teahouse, the salt merchant Zhao slapped the newspaper on the eight-immortal table, causing ripples in the teacup. "They're clearly treating us like fat sheep!"

The silk shop owner next to him twirled his beard and sneered, "Thirty years of operating rights? Tax exemption for the first ten years? Do you really think the court is merciful? When the time comes, the Ministry of Works will just find a reason to say that your project quality does not meet the standards, and the money you invested will be wasted."

In the corner, the accountant in gray cloth shorts pushed up his round-framed glasses and whispered, "Don't worry, everyone. The notice states that the deposit will be deposited in the newly opened Daming Construction Bank, which will be jointly managed by the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Industry. This is clearly a guarantee with the royal reputation, which is much safer than putting it in a private bank."

Before he finished speaking, he was drowned out by the sneers of the tea drinkers: "Royal reputation? Everyone still remembers the incident where Duke Hanguo's 600,000 taels went down the drain!"

At the same time, in the meeting hall of the Shanxi Merchants General Association, the long sandalwood table was covered with copies of investment notices.

The chief shopkeeper Wang Hongru used his copper water pipe to knock on the terms of the "shop contract" and said to the shopkeepers sitting around him: "Baoding New Town Commercial Street, according to the blueprint, can build at least 300 shops. If we eat this piece of fat meat, we can make a lot of money just from the rent."

"But what about the 30% deposit?" The young shopkeeper of the Zhangjiakou branch rubbed his hands, "We just bought new goods from outside the province, and I'm afraid that on the books..." Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Wang Hongru, "Stupid! The people from Prince Yan's Mansion have sent someone to sound out the situation this morning, saying that they are willing to pay half of the deposit to participate in the shares.

With the endorsement of the vassal king, are you still afraid of not being able to get this project? "Everyone looked at each other, their eyes were shining, and the abacus beads were moving quickly.

In Tiejiang Hutong in Dongcheng District, a dozen shirtless strong men gathered in front of a bulletin board.

Blacksmith Zhang Dachui knocked on the "bridge construction" clause with his hammer and said in a muffled voice: "This notice says that the daily salary for skilled blacksmiths is 50 wen? It's much better than making horseshoes in a workshop!" The mason next to him, Lao Li, spat: "What a bullshit! My cousin works in the Ministry of Works and said that the daily salary for craftsmen who build the city wall is only 30 wen. This notice is definitely to fool us!"

Suddenly a young man in shorts squeezed out of the crowd, holding a pile of newspapers in his arms: "My dear uncles! The Commercial Times said that this time we are recruiting 'contract workers'. After the work period is over, we can get paid and leave, unlike before when we were tied up by the government and worked as coolies!"

Before the boy finished speaking, Zhang Dachui had already snatched the newspaper and squinted his eyes to read the words on it: "Are you serious? Then I'll go sign up tomorrow!"

At Li Shanchang's residence, the butler was holding the newly delivered newspaper, his legs shaking like sieves.

In the study, Li Shanchang half leaned back on a sandalwood chair, pinching the notice with his skinny fingers, and the wrinkles in the corners of his eyes were full of sarcasm: "Ouyang Lun is so good, he actually pushed the Huaixi Party into the fire pit. Thirty-six streets, eight bridges, which project doesn't need to be connected? When the Ministry of Works is stuck with the acceptance, the money we invested will be lost."

"My Lord, General Lan sent someone to say that the Cao Gang brothers have contacted more than 20 carpentry shops." Before the butler finished speaking, Li Shanchang raised his hand to stop him: "Tell them to stay put." The old man suddenly sat up straight, his cloudy eyes staring at the words "Investment Details" on the notice, "Send someone to the Prince of Yan's Mansion to find out what they are planning. Since Ouyang Lun dared to set up the new city project, we will have some fun with him."

At the same time, in the study of Prince Yan's Mansion, Zhu Di was pondering in front of the sand table of Baoding New City.

Advisor Yao Guangxiao twisted his Buddhist beads and pointed to the commercial street on the sand table: "Your Majesty, the Shanxi Merchants Association has sent people to discuss cooperation. However." He glanced at the secret report on the desk meaningfully, "The Korean Palace is also contacting craftsmen everywhere, and seems to be trying to intervene."

Zhu Di raised a cold smile and pulled up the small flag representing plot number four: "Ouyang Lun's trick of luring the enemy into a trap is quite clever. But he forgot that the Huaixi Party is deeply rooted and cannot be easily overthrown."

He planted the small flag heavily on the commercial street. "Pass the order and ask the Peking Chamber of Commerce to prepare the money. This time, I will not only participate in the shares, but also take over the management rights of the entire street."

In the market, rumors grow like ivy.

At the foot of the Zhengyang Gate, the storyteller banged his gavel and said, "Dear readers! Do you think this new city's investment promotion is a pie in the sky or a trap? In my opinion, this is clearly a battle between the royal family and the nobles. It's a pity that those businessmen are just pawns on the chessboard!"

The audience cheered loudly, but they were unaware that at this moment in the Ministry of Works, Ouyang Lun was reviewing every clause of the investment promotion regulations with the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

"My Lord, the clause on the joint management of the deposit," the minister pushed his gold-rimmed glasses, "isn't it too harsh? It might scare off many businessmen."

Ouyang Lun chuckled and unfolded the planning map of Baoding New City. "The more stringent it is, the more it shows the sincerity of the court. Besides." His fingertips ran over the military fortress on the map. "The key positions must be directly managed by the Ministry of Industry. If these merchants want to share in the pie, they have to follow the rules."

As night fell, in Tianshang Renjian and the major restaurants and brothels, dignitaries were drunkenly discussing the business invitation notice. "Have you heard? That old man Wang Hongru actually wants to take over the commercial street alone!"

A certain imperial censor drunkenly slammed the table and said, "We, the upright, should also contribute to this!" Before he finished speaking, his colleague beside him covered his mouth and said, "Shut up! This matter involves the royal family, we must not..."

In Zhu Biao's bedroom, the emperor was pacing back and forth in front of the new city plan. Little Li held the newly delivered secret report and said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, the Prince of Yan's Mansion and the Shanxi Merchants Association are both raising funds, and the Duke of Han's Mansion is also making moves."

Zhu Biao suddenly stopped and looked at me with a sharp gaze: "Okay! Let them all get involved. Didn't my brother-in-law say that there is strength in numbers?"

He grabbed a red pen and circled the words "Breach of Contract Clause" on the business invitation notice. "Pass the order down and ask the Ministry of Justice to draft detailed rules. Anyone who dares to tamper with the project will be punished for deceiving the emperor!"

On a rainy night, lightning lit up the streets of the capital. Common people were talking under the eaves, merchants were fiddling with abacus in the account office, and nobles were planning their layout in the secret room. All of this was rolling towards an unknown direction amid the waves raised by the investment notice.

The red brush in Zhu Biao's hand was suspended over the memorial, and the ink spread out on the rice paper, forming a pool of ink stains.

When Wang Zhong stumbled in, he was staring at a memorial that read "The Ministry of Works requests additional silver for repairing railway stations."

"Your Majesty! The Emperor Emeritus summons you urgently!" The hem of Wang Zhong's robe was still stained with dew from the Taile Palace, and the veins on his forehead throbbed with his breathing.

The shadow of the gilded palace lantern flickered before Zhu Biao's eyes, and his hand holding the red seal tightened slightly.

Since my father retired to Taile Palace, such urgent summons have rarely occurred.

As he passed through the winding corridor, the copper bells on the eaves rang, startling the night owls, whose shrill cries broke the silence. Zhu Biao recalled Ouyang Lun's words last night, "I'm afraid the Duke of Korea will vomit blood again," and a bitter taste rose in his throat. The smell of agarwood mixed with medicine from the Taile Palace hit him in the face.

Zhu Yuanzhang was half leaning on the rosewood couch, his withered hands stroking the faded dragon-patterned cushion. His turbid eyes swept over Zhu Biao, like an old lion king examining the new lion king.

"I heard that the land in Baoding was sold at a sky-high price?" His voice was as hoarse as sandpaper, and the palace maid on duty in the hall was so startled that the teacup in her hand almost fell to the ground.

Zhu Biao took a deep breath and presented the account book: "Replying to the emperor, the proceeds from this auction are 2.8 million taels, of which the Prince of Yan's Mansion..." "Don't tell me this!" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly waved his sleeves and overturned the celadon medicine bowl on the table, "The 400,000 taels of manure land, and the business of making profits with military pay, do you think I am old and confused?"

The air in the hall suddenly froze.

Zhu Biao looked at the mess of broken porcelain on the ground, and thought of Ouyang Lun's words before he left, "If the emperor asks, I will say that I am willing to take the blame." His nails almost dug into his palm. "It's my son who didn't think it through." He just opened his mouth, but was interrupted by Zhu Yuanzhang's sneer: "Lack of thought? Your brother-in-law is smart, he knows to shut you up with 30% interest."

"Are you thinking about how to excuse that guy Ouyang Lun?"

As the candlelight flickered, Zhu Yuanzhang slowly stood up with the help of a dragon-patterned cane. His figure under the dragon robe was thinner than the last time he saw him.

"30% interest to be used for the treasury?" He leaned close to Zhu Biao, his breath carrying a strong smell of medicine, "I want to take another 10% from Ouyang Lun's share." Zhu Biao raised his head abruptly, only to meet his father's hawk-like gaze, "Why? Are you reluctant to part with it?"

"I dare not!" Zhu Biao knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed against the cold gold brick, "It's just that my brother-in-law's plan this time is to help the court out of trouble." "To help?" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly laughed, shaking the dragon-patterned tent on the beam slightly, "Is he helping the court out of trouble, or is he helping you, the emperor?"

Zhu Biao felt cold all over, remembering what his son-in-law had said when he was discussing with Ouyang Lun last night: "As long as Your Majesty can suppress the Huaixi Party, a little bit of interest will be nothing."

What the emperor said at this moment was exactly the same as the accusation that Li Shanchang had leveled at "competing with merchants for profit".

"I know I was wrong." He kowtowed heavily.

"Wrong? Biaoer, what's wrong with you?" Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile.

"Ah!" Zhu Biao was confused by Zhu Yuanzhang's question, "Your son indulged your subjects just for a little money!"

"Haha! Biao'er, you are right! It is actually me who is wrong! To be more precise, it is me in the past!" Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile: "In the past, I regarded money as a scourge, but after seeing the layout of Ouyang Lun in recent years, I found that money is really a good thing!"

"Even if you are an emperor, if you don't have money, you can't accomplish anything, so you should take the 30% profit!"

amount.

Zhu Biao did not expect that his father would have such a big change.

"Then how does your Majesty plan to deal with my brother-in-law Ouyang?" Zhu Biao asked what he was most worried about.

"Dispose of them? If we deal with Ouyang Lun and Xu Da, how will you get the 30% profit in the future?" Zhu Yuanzhang raised his lips, "You haven't answered my suggestion just now?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao was stunned for a moment, then reacted and said quickly: "From now on, all projects will be based on the emperor's will and 10% will be reserved."

"That's not all." Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly interrupted, pointing his skinny finger at the Beijing-Pingcheng Railway map on the wall, "I also want to participate in the business invitation."

Zhu Biao stared at his father's haggard yet ruthless face, and his Adam's apple rolled with difficulty: "Father, you...you said you want to participate in the investment promotion?" Before he finished speaking, a loud thunder exploded outside the hall, making the window frames buzz, as if they were also amazed at this ridiculous proposal.

Zhu Yuanzhang dragged his dragon-patterned cane and slowly walked to the wall where the Beijing-Pingcheng Railway plan was hung. His fingertips heavily crossed the location of Baoding New City, leaving a long finger mark: "Yes, we have to bid for that commercial street as a businessman."

When he turned around, the candlelight cast alternating light and dark shadows on his face, making his already weathered features look even more eerie.

Zhu Biao suddenly got up from the ground, and the hem of his official robe swept across the broken porcelain on the ground, making a harsh sound: "This is absolutely unacceptable! You are the founding emperor, how can you condescend to compete with merchants for profits? If this gets out, it will definitely damage the dignity of the royal family!"

He was so anxious that veins popped out on his forehead. He was very worried that the investment promotion company he and Ouyang Lun had carefully designed last night would be shattered by his father's decision.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly laughed out loud, his laughter was accompanied by a cough from a long illness, but it still shook people's hearts: "Majesty? When I was begging for food, no one told me about the royal majesty!" He grabbed the Buddhist beads on the table and twisted them vigorously one by one, "Biao'er, you are still too naive. Ouyang Lun is paving the way for himself under the banner of helping the court. If we don't go there ourselves, how can we know his tricks?"

Zhu Biao opened his mouth and wanted to argue, but Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand to stop him: "Do you think that 30 million taels of silver project can really be completed with the advance payment of merchants? There are many tricks involved! The acceptance of the Ministry of Works, the purchase of materials, the dispatch of craftsmen..." Zhu Yuanzhang's voice suddenly lowered, "Which of these links does not require money to pave the way? Which one will not become a handle for others to hold you hostage?"

"But you have to do it yourself." Zhu Biao still didn't give up.

"Only by being in the game can you see the chess game clearly!" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly smashed the Buddhist beads on the table. "Why are those old guys from the Duke of Han not taking any action? What is the Yanwang Mansion planning? The game set by Ouyang Lun seems to give businessmen an opportunity, but in fact it is to drag the nobles and the princes into the water. If we don't test the water ourselves, how can we know how deep the water is?"

Zhu Biao suddenly realized what had happened, and his back was already soaked with cold sweat.

He suddenly remembered what Ouyang Lun once said, "The stricter the investment invitation rules are, the more it shows the sincerity of the court." At this moment, in the eyes of his father, those rules are probably loopholes. "I understand, your father wants to use the name of investment invitation to find out the details of various forces."

"Not only that." Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, picked up the Buddhist beads on the ground and put them on again, "We must let everyone know that this world, after all, belongs to our Zhu family. Whoever dares to play tricks on my chessboard, I will overturn all his chess pieces!" He looked out the window at the rainy night, his eyes penetrating the rain curtain, as if he had already seen the upcoming undercurrent. (End of this chapter)