Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 748 Industrial Layout
In the main hall.

The large dining table had more than twenty plates, but they weren't filled with any delicacies; they were just simple vegetarian dishes.

There were no fancy carvings or decorations. Even Zhang Luan thought to himself, "Is this all you're going to serve me?"

I thought you were preparing some kind of vegetarian feast, but this looks rather bland. It's disgusting to look at.

"Lai Zhan, you can't drink alcohol, so let's drink tea instead of alcohol today."

Li Zisheng proposed.

"Row."

Zhang Luan nodded, "Minister Li has returned from his campaign and has undergone further trials. I should be the one hosting the banquet for you... Today, I'll take this opportunity to offer my congratulations to Minister Li on his successful campaign to control the river in the south."

"Thank you for coming to visit, my brother."

Li Zisheng raised his glass in a toast from afar.

Although Zhang Luan chose to drink tea, his colleagues continued to drink alcohol. In this kind of business setting, only drinking tea would make Li Zisheng feel that he lacked sincerity.

After a brief, half-hearted exchange in the air and a sip of tea, Zhang Luan asked, "Why didn't you invite Bingkun over? Such a large table of food, just the two of us enjoying it, isn't that too extravagant? Besides, it's too quiet here!"

"Why would I want to see him? That guy's words are unpleasant to hear, and he's always causing trouble. I'm getting annoyed with him." Li Zisheng laughed. "If you think this place is too plain, just find two hostesses to come and serve you tea and water."

As he spoke, he was about to call in the several beautiful women standing at the door.

Zhang Luan quickly said, "Minister Li, please don't torment me... You can see how I look now. There are some things I should give up, otherwise..."

"As you wish."

Li Zisheng would certainly not force his backer.

Li Zisheng waved his hand, dismissing the women who were waiting to come in and keep him company. He breathed a sigh of relief; this was for the best, as it would make it easier for him to speak with Zhang Luan alone later.

Li Zisheng then stood up, poured Zhang Luan a full cup of tea, and sat back down, saying with emotion, "Lai Zhan, this time we've finally returned to the matter of river management. Pang Qing said that the preliminary preparations are almost complete, and the site selection and exploration for the new river channel are proceeding in an orderly manner. Next, we should start large-scale construction..."

"Oh, by the way, Lai Zhan, do you have a rough estimate of the budget?"

"Shouldn't we ask you, Minister Li?"

Zhang Luan looked surprised. "You're the person in charge of the project, and you're asking me about the budget?"
If I say ten million taels, can you come up with that amount?
Li Zisheng shook his head and said, "How could I possibly know..."

Zhang Luan was taken aback: "You don't know it, but do you think I do?"

Then the two stared at each other, realizing that they seemed to have been tricked by the other, a feeling that was particularly strong in Li Zisheng's heart.

Li Zisheng was still thinking, "You don't even have a rough plan, yet you dare to give me such a big job?"
Li Zisheng was a shrewd man. After calming down, he immediately asked, "Lai Zhan, how much grain have you been able to supply over the past two years? Converted to silver, how much do you think that is?"

Zhang Luan countered, "How much is missing?"

Li Zisheng suddenly realized that the two of them were not on the same wavelength at all.

I ask you how much you can give, and you ask me how much I need... If we just brush it off like this, the conversation simply won't go on.

"Lai Zhan, you... really had no expectations at all?" Li Zisheng asked.

"Tell the truth."

Zhang Luan straightened his posture to prevent his sleeves from getting wet with tea, then said earnestly, "Go ask Yanling directly; he should be able to give you the answer. He's currently mining in Xishan, and he also has workshops in the city producing soda ash, glass, soap, and so on. He has close ties with Huizhou merchants, and he manages all of my family's money. As for how much I'll give you, it's pointless to say anything without his approval."

“That’s true.” Li Zisheng said with relief, “My nephew’s business acumen is indeed quite good. I heard that the cannons have opened the eyes of the people in the capital.”

Zhang Luan blinked. "Are we talking about the same thing?"

Li Zisheng laughed and said, "Isn't casting cannons to strengthen the Ming army and deter the barbarians a contribution to the country? Lai Zhan, do you have a general plan on your side? Nephew, no matter how capable you are, you are still just a child. Your words are always more effective."

"What Minister Li means is..."

Zhang Luan still didn't quite understand, looking completely bewildered.

Li Zisheng found it even more absurd.

You, as my father, actually said that your son should be fully responsible for supplying me with money and food?

Can't you just show some authority and give him a firm rule on how much he has to give me?
How could he not listen to you?
You insist on acting like a pushover in front of me... This puts me in a very difficult position!

Li Zisheng said, "This river repair will cost at least two million taels of silver. This is the minimum expense. After all, the laborers used for the river construction can be counted as money. But once it involves the use of earth and stone, many craftsmen and even soldiers will be needed. Just the manpower alone may require another one million taels of silver."

"That's... three million taels of silver?" Zhang Luan was also shocked by this astronomical figure. "Even if Yanling is good at business, he... can't come up with that much money, can he?"

Li Zisheng said helplessly, "If there weren't so many, I'm afraid..."

"That……"

Zhang Luan seemed hesitant, but then patted his chest confidently and said, "It's not convenient to talk here. When Yanling comes back, I'll have him give you a definite answer. It's just three million taels of silver, right? Since Yanling is the one pushing this behind the scenes, he should be in charge."

"Huh? Driven by age extension? Wasn't that what you calculated? And then... cough cough."

Li Zisheng practically said, "Never mind what I said."

The way you two get along is something outsiders really can't understand.

Even I, someone close to them, couldn't quite grasp it at first.

Zhang Luan said, “They say we’re fully responsible, but can the court really not give us anything? I’ve mentioned to His Majesty that I plan to stay in the Ministry of Revenue and not join the cabinet, so I can continue to strategize for you from behind the scenes… Allocate more money and grain to the local areas, and provide rations for the laborers building the dikes by the prefectures and counties. We can discuss any other issues that need attention later.”

"Then... let's do it."

Li Zisheng finally realized that it was wishful thinking to expect Zhang Luan to make a decision on the spot.

In matters concerning the Zhang family, perhaps it's truly a matter of listening to Zhang Yanling.

Especially when it comes to money and supplies, Zhang Luan, the head of the family, is no different from a charlatan.

……

……

The two had a simple meal that day, and then Zhang Luan made an excuse that he needed to go back to recuperate and left early.

Li Zisheng wanted to see him off, but Zhang Luan refused, meaning that they should not let outsiders see the two of them meeting privately, so as to avoid criticism.

Following Zhang Luan's instructions, Li Zisheng only escorted the person to the door and then stopped. When he returned to the main hall, he saw Pang Qing standing there with a smile on his face and a mischievous look in his eyes, as if asking, "You just sent the person away like that?"
"Didn't you deliver the things I asked you to?"

Li Zi Province's gasp and geology.

Pang Qing said helplessly, "Master Dao, is it my fault that the deal fell through? What exactly are you referring to..."

"Of course it's a woman!"

Li Zisheng said, "Don't you know what Lai Zhan likes?"

Pang Qing shrugged helplessly: "You saw his condition with your own eyes. In such a weak state, what evil thoughts could he possibly have? Right now, he doesn't think about anything, good or bad. In addition, I have specifically investigated and found that he is not faking it. For a long time, his son has moved him to another courtyard to live alone, truly cultivating his mind and character."

Li Zisheng said, "We can't just stay sick all the time, can we? Have any officials in the court been punished recently? Preferably those who have some kind of grudge against Lai Zhan!"

Does Liu Ji count?

Pang Qing asked.

"What a load of rubbish!"

Li Zisheng cursed, "Are you really that blind? Even if Liu Ji falls, he'll be treated like Wan An, enjoying the privilege of returning home to live out his days in peace. Hasn't anyone else ever clashed with Lai Zhan and now has their family confiscated because of a crime?"

"hehe."

Pang Qing gave a wry smile.

His expression was strange, as if to say, "Since you're not in the capital, no one will jump out to expose you. Right now, all the major political factions in the capital are at peace, and there aren't many underhanded dealings."

Asking is pointless.

……

……

Xishan, a coal mine that is currently undergoing trial operation.

What was once a desolate valley has become bustling with activity due to the influx of people. All the trees in the mountains have now been cleared away, and the miners recruited by Huizhou merchants are all in place and have begun mining coal.

"Its quality is very high."

When Zhang Yanling returned to the tent, he saw several people gathered together, examining the coal that had just been mined.

When everyone spotted Zhang Yanling, they quickly made way for him to approach.

Besides Qin Zhao, the representative of the Huizhou merchants, Li Wuwei, whom she had temporarily brought along, was also invited to Xishan this time.

Li Wuwei was incredibly respectful to Qin Zhao, let alone the young imperial uncle in front of him... He didn't even dare to look him in the eye.

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Master Qin, how is it? Are you satisfied with the quality of this coal? Or, would you like to come with me to take a look around the mine?"

Qin Zhao smiled and said, "Unlike the Second Young Master, I do everything myself, even mining. I prefer to stay behind the scenes and reap the benefits."

"How can this be possible?"

Li Wuwei quickly replied, "Since we have chosen to mine, we should take the lead and not fall behind. Second Young Master... Your Excellency, please give the order if you need anything. I am willing to go down into the mine to see for myself!"

At this point, Li Wuwei no longer cared about factional disputes, nor did he want to deliberately show that he was also one of the representatives of Huizhou merchants in the capital.

All he knew was that Qin Zhao now had the Zhang family as his backer, making him someone he needed to look up to.

As for the Zhang family...

That would be even more terrifying!

Huizhou merchants are the most well-informed and know many secrets of the imperial court in the capital. Li Wuwei is very clear that in the past period, the Zhang family has won almost every time in the court's struggles, even when Zhang Luan was recuperating and not coming out of the palace.

In that case, wouldn't they have to hurry up and curry favor with the Zhang family?

Zhang Yanling said, "There's no need to go down into the mine. My purpose here is to explore the mineral deposits, identify which places are suitable for mining, and then find people to carry out the mining. Based on the depth and breadth of the vein, we will determine the approximate reserves and decide how much manpower and resources to invest in that mineral deposit."

Li Wuwei laughed and said, "Your Excellency, the Imperial Uncle, is truly responsible. It seems you come from a family with profound learning, drawing on the strengths of many schools of thought, making you omnipotent! With you here, it's as if you can see through the mountains..."

Qin Zhao said, "Master Li, I brought you here just to let you see what's going on, not to involve you in this matter. Besides, once the Second Young Master finds the vein, all he needs to do is invest manpower and resources to continuously mine coal. It's too simple, like money falling from the sky. How can just anyone take it on?"

"It's natural."

Li Wuwei said, "I only want to do my part for the court and help the emperor's brother-in-law... I hope to get this rare opportunity."

Zhang Yanling seemed quite satisfied with Li Wuwei's attitude, nodding and saying, "This time I just sent you here to give you a general overview. I've discovered more than ten similar mineral veins, all of which will be mined. In a few days, I'll come to your Huizhou Chamber of Commerce to discuss it. What do you think?"

"well."

Li Wuwei said with tears of gratitude, "This time, we Huizhou merchants will definitely contribute money and effort to help you with all our might. Your Excellency, please don't let outsiders, especially the Shanxi merchants, have the opportunity."

Zhang Yanling laughed and said, "I've heard that there are also coal deposits in Shanxi. People can mine them right here in their own hometown, so why do they have to come here to take on mining projects around the capital?"

"It's convenient to make money here."

Li Wuwei said, “Many places in Shanxi are poor and remote. It’s easy to mine coal, but it’s difficult to transport it out! Besides, how many people in those places can afford it? For ordinary families, coal is not very useful either; it can easily kill the whole family… This is not like ordinary charcoal, which is only used more by blacksmiths.”

"But it's different under the emperor's nose. Coal has so many uses. Once it's mined, it can be easily transported to the capital and fetch several times the price. Besides, the quality of coal here is much better than elsewhere, so it's sure to sell for a lot of money."

Qin Zhao had been quite polite to Li Wuwei, but upon hearing this, he became somewhat impatient and immediately said, "Master Li, you can leave now. We can discuss this later. Don't disturb the Second Young Master's rest."

"Yes."

Li Wuwei realized that Qin Zhao had only brought him along as a formality, to show that he hadn't hidden anything from the Huizhou merchants, but that he might not necessarily share this business with him.

As Zhang Yanling said before, once you know where there is a mine, you can directly invest in resource extraction. It's like a windfall. Who would give up this business without paying a huge price?
Putting aside Zhang Yanling and the imperial court behind him, let's talk about Qin Zhao. Through his continuous investments in the Zhang family, he has become the Zhang family's front man, with powerful business channels and networks behind him. Why should we share some of the business with him?

……

……

Li Wuwei and the other Hui merchants who came with him went to the foot of the mountain to wait.

Qin Zhao stayed behind to further discuss cooperation matters with Zhang Yanling.

Qin Zhao asked in confusion, "Second Young Master, I don't quite understand. Why do you have to find outsiders to cooperate with such a good business? Business is business. Do you think that mining is just a temporary measure and won't last long?"

In Qin Zhao's view, Zhang Yanling's actions were clearly a waste of money, which was incomprehensible and led to various interpretations.

Zhang Yanling explained, "The mineral reserves here are enough to support mining for a hundred years. The reason I'm bringing in outside help is simply to share the risk."

"You mean to say that this business is unstable?"

Qin Zhao looked serious.

This time, Zhang Yanling gave away the benefits he had already gained. She could only look for loopholes from the perspective of a merchant. Although she knew it was inappropriate to ask certain questions, she didn't want to be a fool.

Given her understanding of Zhang Yanling, if there were any risks involved, she could have simply told her; if she wanted to take advantage of someone else, she could have done it to them.

Zhang Yanling shook his head and said, "There's nothing wrong with the mine itself. Although we can't guarantee that it will be profitable for a long time, the profits will be very stable for at least the next ten or twenty years. The risks I'm talking about are more due to policy considerations."

"Policy risks?"

Qin Zhao frowned slightly, considering the meaning behind those words.

She was thinking, "As the emperor's brother-in-law, and with the emperor's support for your mining operations, what policy risks do you need to worry about?"
Zhang Yanling said, "The capital for this mining operation will be divided into three parts: one share for His Majesty, one share for the merchants, and the remainder will be borne by the powerful and influential figures in the court."

"So...complicated?"

Qin Zhao thought to himself, "The so-called powerful and influential people, could it be your Zhang family?"
Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "To make money, you have to learn to share the profits. To put it bluntly, everyone has to benefit so that no one will undermine you. In this way, even if there are natural disasters, man-made calamities, or political infighting, those who benefit from the situation will continue to persevere in order to protect their own interests."

"This... is quite novel."

Qin Zhao still held a traditional merchant's mindset, believing that the emperor was the only authority, and that as long as he had the emperor's support, that was enough. He thought that ordinary people like them had no right to share the profits with the emperor.
Zhang Yanling said, “Master Qin, to put it bluntly, the reason why people in the court are not strongly opposing us is simply because they don’t think we can make any money mining here. They think that my Zhang family is just messing around. They’re just waiting for us to have trouble mining so they can make sarcastic remarks and impeach us, and finally force us to stop while ruining my Zhang family’s reputation in the court.”

"This……"

Although Qin Zhao was unaware of the current power structure in the court, he knew that Zhang Yanling would not speak without reason.

People in the court are all the kind of people who "laugh at those who have nothing and resent those who have something." If the Zhang family's mining venture fails, they will definitely be met with a barrage of ridicule and accusations.

Zhang Yanling continued, "On the contrary, if a large amount of coal is mined here and used for iron smelting and supplying the daily needs of the people in the capital, generating huge profits, they will jump out and say that this will damage the feng shui of the capital, violate ancestral rules, and compete with the people for profit. They will also say that mining coal for profit will cause farmers to abandon farming and turn to mining instead, which is putting the cart before the horse..."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Qin Zhao understood Zhang Yanling's meaning.

She wondered, "Do you really need to dissect the true colors of the court officials so thoroughly?"

Although it hasn't happened yet, after you described it, it feels as if I've seen it with my own eyes, and it seems like it will definitely happen in the near future.

Zhang Yanling laughed and said, "Therefore, in order to prevent this situation from happening, the benefits should not go solely to the royal family, nor solely to my Zhang family. All parties should benefit... Only by distributing the profits can this industry develop healthily."

"Healthy development?"

Qin Zhao smiled and said, "Second Young Master, you are very thoughtful, but I wonder if you have considered this? With His Majesty's support, there shouldn't be too much to worry about?"

Zhang Yanling sighed, "Actually, I'm also afraid that if the royal family runs it alone, the industry will gradually become rigid, old-fashioned, and even corrupt. Although it started smoothly, it will eventually end in failure."

"You mean..."

Qin Zhao was still very puzzled.

Zhang Yanling had many thoughts: "Now that I'm in charge, once resources are mined, everyone below will go all out, prioritizing profit above all else, and then we'll see the industry flourish. But because of the royal monopoly, it won't be long before eunuchs and officials get involved due to the huge profits, seize control, and then use their power to embezzle and corrupt. At that point, the profits will no longer belong to the court, but will go into their own pockets."

"You mean, those who take over each mine line their own pockets?" Qin Zhao asked cautiously.

"Yes."

Zhang Yanling said, "Although partnering with outsiders to mine is equivalent to sharing profits and there will be losses, the costs are within an acceptable range due to the checks and balances among all parties."

"On the contrary, if it is managed by eunuchs or officials, the industry will quickly become overstaffed, with everyone thinking about their own selfish interests. The end result is that even though there are excellent mineral deposits and a large number of people are engaged in mining, there will be no profit."

“What was originally a highly profitable business can turn into a loss-making venture after a few years, or even result in losses, and no matter how you investigate, you can’t find the reason. Even worse, a good mine that can be profitable for a hundred years may eventually have to be closed down.”

Qin Zhao asked, "Is that really the case?"

Zhang Yanling laughed and said, "The situation is only more serious than I described. Don't worry, if this industry is entrusted to your management and operation, His Majesty and the government will give you their full support and will definitely not let you end up with nothing."

(End of this chapter)