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

Chen San was drunk and suddenly slammed the table and burst into tears: "Today I finally realized what it means that there is always someone better than you! I used to think I was great, but now compared with Boss Zhu, I am just a frog in a well!" His tears made everyone laugh, but the flattery in his eyes was genuine.

Although old man Zhang is old, he can drink a lot. At this moment, he stroked his beard and said slowly: "Since Boss Zhu has such means, why don't you open a business and we will all invest and follow you!" As soon as these words came out, everyone suddenly quieted down, and dozens of pairs of eyes looked at Zhu Yuanzhang in unison, full of expectation.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the anxious faces of the crowd, and a long-lost sense of control surged in his heart. He slowly turned the wine glass and suddenly laughed out loud: "Okay! Since you all trust me, let's make a fortune together! But let me be frank, if anyone dares to break the rules..." Before he finished speaking, everyone had already knelt down and swore, and the sound of "I dare not" echoed in the restaurant.

When the morning light pierced through the mist, Zhu Yuanzhang walked out of Yuelai Tower surrounded by people. He walked steadily, not drunk at all, but Wang Hongru and others were staggering, some supporting each other, and some simply slumped on the steps. Zhu Yuanzhang glanced back, and a meaningful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Go back and prepare well, and discuss it again in a few days."

The carriage back to the palace drove slowly on the stone road. Zhu Yuanzhang half leaned on the cushion, tapping the window unconsciously with his fingertips. The curtain was lifted by the morning breeze, revealing his still smiling face. The personal eunuch Wang Zhong carefully handed over the sobering soup, secretly observing Zhu Yuanzhang's expression - since His Majesty abdicated, he has been staying at home all day, and it is rare to see him so radiant.

"This Ouyang Lun really gave me a surprise." Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly spoke, with a bit of approval in his voice. Wang Zhong was so scared that his hands trembled and he almost knocked over the bowl of soup. He knelt down quickly: "The emperor is wise! The prince consort must understand your painstaking efforts..."

"Efforts?" Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, "He just wants to use me to intimidate those merchants." Having said that, he could not hide his admiration in his eyes, "But this kid does have some skills." He picked up the soup bowl and took a sip. In the steam, he seemed to see Ouyang Lun arguing in the Ministry of Revenue.

The carriage turned the corner and the palace walls towered before us. Zhu Yuanzhang lifted the curtain and looked at the familiar red walls and yellow tiles, and suddenly a wave of emotion surged in his heart. Once upon a time, he was here to plan and direct the country; now, he has retired to the position of the emperor, but has found new fun in the business world. "In the future, the Ming Dynasty will not only be lively in the court, but also in the business world." He murmured to himself, and the smile on his lips became stronger.

Wang Zhong waited for Zhu Yuanzhang to get off the carriage. He looked at the straight back of the emperor and was amazed. The emperor who was always furious in his memory was now full of youthful vigor. The morning light shone on Zhu Yuanzhang's dragon robe, making the golden dragon pattern shine, as if foreshadowing that a new storm was about to set off in the business world of the Ming Dynasty.

The atmosphere in the Ministry of Revenue's warehouse was so solemn that it was almost suffocating. Dozens of officials from the Ministry of Revenue held account books in their hands, nervously moving between the piles of gold and silver treasures, their foreheads covered with fine beads of sweat, which slid down their cheeks and dripped onto the shiny gold bricks. The flickering candlelight illuminated their faces distorted by shock, stretching out their complex expressions.

"This... this amount is beyond imagination!" An old official's voice trembled, and the beads on the abacus in his hand clattered. He rubbed his sore eyes and confirmed the number again, but still couldn't believe what he saw. In the center of the warehouse, boxes of silver piled up like a mountain, and the cold light reflected by the silver ingots hurt people's eyes; on the side, the fine gold bars were neatly stacked like firewood, emitting dazzling golden light. Not to mention the dazzling array of jewelry and jade, the emerald green of jade, the deep red of agate, and the white of pearls, which complemented each other and dazzled people.

In the corner, there are piles of land deeds and house deeds that smell of ink. Although the papers are thin, they seem to carry endless wealth. They are the "sincerity" of merchants who secretly hand over money in order to obtain the qualification to attract investment. These riches, like a surging tide, filled the originally spacious storehouse of the Ministry of Revenue to the brim, leaving almost no room for footing.

At this time, Zhu Biao, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, hurried into the warehouse. As soon as he entered the door, he was frozen in place by the shocking scene in front of him, his eyes instantly widened, his lips slightly opened, revealing an expression of disbelief. "This... is this really all the money gained from this investment promotion?" Zhu Biao muttered to himself, with a bit of uncertainty in his voice, as if he was asking the officials present, or as if he was talking to himself.

The Minister of Revenue Guo Zi hurried forward and bowed respectfully, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Your Majesty, it is absolutely true! Since the order to attract investment was issued, merchants from all over the country have responded enthusiastically. The deposits and...extra tributes paid in the past few days have poured in like a tide. I have been counting them day and night, and now I finally have a rough number." As he spoke, he presented a thick account book with both hands. It was filled with numbers, and every entry recorded the flow of wealth.

Zhu Biao reached out to take the account book, and gently stroked the paper with his fingers, as if he could feel the heavy weight behind it. He flipped through the pages, his eyes brighter and brighter, and the shock on his face was gradually replaced by excitement. "Good! Good!" Zhu Biao slammed the account book shut and slapped it heavily on his palm, "With this huge sum of money, our station new city construction plan will surely go smoothly! Without using the court treasury silver, we can build a large-scale construction, this is simply a godsend!" His voice was high and passionate, echoing in the warehouse, shaking everyone's blood boiling.

Officials knelt down one after another and shouted in unison: "Your Majesty is wise, God bless our Ming Dynasty!" The cheers rose and fell, interweaving into an exciting movement in the warehouse. Zhu Biao smiled, and his eyes swept across the crowd, finally landing on Ouyang Lun who was standing quietly at the side.

"Brother-in-law," Zhu Biao walked quickly to Ouyang Lun and shook his hand tightly. "You are the one who deserves the most credit for this great achievement! If it weren't for your advice and careful preparation, how could we have attracted so many merchants to participate, and how could we have reaped such huge wealth? I really admire you!" Zhu Biao's eyes were full of admiration, and his sincere words made the surrounding officials look at him with envy.

Ouyang Lun looked calm, bowed slightly, and said modestly: "Your Majesty, you are too kind. I just followed the trend and did my part. All this is due to the wise decisions of Your Majesty and the Emperor, as well as the concerted efforts of my colleagues. Without your support, even if I have extraordinary abilities, it would be difficult to accomplish anything." His voice was steady, neither humble nor arrogant, and he was not at all complacent because of Zhu Biao's praise. Zhu Biao shook his head repeatedly, "Brother-in-law, there is no need to be too modest. Although your method is a bit... unconventional and even not in line with the law, it has really solved a big problem. Those merchants are usually very shrewd. If it weren't for your superb methods, how could you make them willingly pay so much money?" Zhu Biao said, with a sly look in his eyes, and the corners of his mouth slightly raised, obviously approving of Ouyang Lun's approach.

"Maybe your approach is right, brother-in-law. In the past, both I and my father were too conservative!"

"If the Ming Dynasty could have a few more capable people like my brother-in-law, I really can't imagine what the Ming Dynasty would become!"

Ouyang Lun sighed lightly, raised his head, looked into the distance with deep eyes, and said slowly: "Your Majesty, it is really too early to be happy now. Now, we have only determined the merchants who will invest and raised the initial funds. There is still a long way to go for the new station city from the blueprint to the completion and then to its function. In the meantime, there are innumerable difficulties and obstacles. If there is any mistake, all efforts may fail." He looked solemn, and his words revealed deep worry, as if he had foreseen the many challenges in the future.

After hearing this, Zhu Biao's smile froze slightly, then he nodded vigorously: "Brother-in-law, you are absolutely right. I was so excited that I forgot myself a little. The construction of this new city is related to the future destiny of the Ming Dynasty and must not be taken lightly. In the future, I will need my brother-in-law to take more care and give me advice. I must ensure that this new station city is completed as soon as possible to benefit the people." Zhu Biao looked serious and spoke sincerely, his eyes full of trust and expectation for Ouyang Lun.

Ouyang Lun bowed again and said firmly: "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will do my best to live up to your trust. However, in the process, it is inevitable that some people's interests will be affected. I hope that Your Majesty will support me in the court and not let me down." He raised his head and looked at Zhu Biao with determination in his eyes.

Zhu Biao patted his chest and said loudly: "Brother-in-law, just go ahead and do it! I will protect you in the court. Whoever dares to interfere and hinder the construction of the new city, I will not let him off easily!" His voice was loud and clear, with unquestionable majesty, and it echoed in the warehouse for a long time.

At this time, a young official stepped forward cautiously, bowed and said: "Your Majesty, Lord Ouyang, now that the funds are in place, the top priority for the construction of this new city is to determine the site selection and planning layout. I wonder if you two gentlemen have any preliminary ideas?" His clear voice broke the brief silence.

Ouyang Lun frowned slightly, pondered for a moment and said, "Site selection is of vital importance. Many factors need to be considered, such as convenient transportation, flat terrain, and sufficient water resources. In my opinion, the eastern suburbs of the capital have open terrain and are close to the canal, which is convenient for cargo transportation and can be used as the first choice. As for the planning and layout, the station should be the core, and surrounding supporting facilities such as shops, inns, warehouses, etc. should be built to form a fully functional business circle." He spoke clearly and eloquently, and his words were full of professionalism and confidence.

"Since we have sufficient funds this time, we can start construction of Beijing East Suburb Station and Baoding Station at the same time. This way, one in the south and one in the north will serve as benchmarks for other stations and new towns in the future!"

Zhu Biao nodded repeatedly and said, "What my brother-in-law said makes sense. I'll leave this matter to you to discuss with the Ministry of Works and come up with a detailed plan as soon as possible. I want to see the new city construction break ground in the shortest possible time." Zhu Biao's eyes were firm and he was full of expectations for the construction of the new city.

After receiving the order, Ouyang Lun turned to the officials of the Ministry of Revenue and said, "My lords, this amount of money is huge, and the subsequent management and allocation work is very complicated. I hope you will be cautious and careful to make sure the accounts are clear and accurate. If there are any omissions, they will be severely punished." He swept his eyes over the officials present, his eyes revealed a cold and majestic look, which made the officials feel nervous and they nodded in agreement.

Zhu Biao's face was filled with excitement, his eyes full of admiration and praise for Ouyang Lun. He exclaimed sincerely: "Brother-in-law, your bidding system is simply a stroke of genius! It not only allows merchants to compete fairly, but also allows the court to accurately select capable and sincere partners, and it also greatly enriches the national treasury. I never thought that attracting investment could be done so beautifully, so efficiently and in an orderly manner. It is really eye-opening!" As Zhu Biao spoke, he paced back and forth excitedly, gesticulating with his hands unconsciously, as if the scene of the new station city rising from the ground and a prosperous scene had already emerged before his eyes.

Ouyang Lun nodded slightly, with a humble look, but a warm current surged in his heart because of Zhu Biao's recognition. He looked up at Zhu Biao, his eyes flashing with wisdom, and said seriously: "Your Majesty, this system is not my imagination, but it is in line with the development of the times and the past experience. Today, the Ming Dynasty is prosperous in business and there are many merchants. If the old system is still used, it will not only be inefficient, but also easy to breed corruption. The core of the bidding system lies in openness, fairness and justice, so that all merchants stand on the same starting line and compete with their own strength. In this way, it can not only stimulate the enthusiasm of merchants, but also ensure that the court obtains the greatest benefits." Ouyang Lun's words were clear and organized, and every word hit the hearts of everyone like a heavy hammer, causing the officials present to nod and secretly admire his foresight.

Zhu Biao listened attentively and nodded continuously. After Ouyang Lun finished speaking, he could not wait to ask, "Brother-in-law, in your opinion, is it possible to further promote this bidding system?" Zhu Biao's eyes were full of anticipation, as if he had already seen the bidding system flourishing in various parts of the Ming Dynasty and bringing endless prosperity to the country.

Ouyang Lun took a deep breath, looked into the distance with a firm gaze, and said solemnly: "Your Majesty, I think this system can not only be used to attract investment, but also be promoted in many fields. For example, engineering construction and material procurement can all be introduced into the bidding system. In the past, the court often designated officials to build palaces, cities, or purchase military supplies, which was full of problems. Officials may choose high-priced and low-quality suppliers for personal gain, or collude with merchants to embezzle the court's money. If the bidding system is adopted, merchants from all over the world are invited to participate and let them compete with each other, the court will be able to obtain the best products and services at the best price. In this way, it can not only save the court's expenses, but also ensure the quality of engineering and materials, and effectively curb the breeding of corruption. It is really killing two birds with one stone." Ouyang Lun's voice was loud and his words were full of confidence. His eyes flashed with a vision of the future, as if he had already seen the Ming Dynasty moving towards a new journey of greater prosperity under the promotion of the bidding system. (End of this chapter)