Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 61 Developed

"I want sixty percent."

Zhu Houzhao stretched out his finger and waved it in front of his two uncles.

The Zhang brothers looked a little unhappy. We are all family, why should we be so cruel? You don't even want to split it equally, and you want 60% of the profit right away?

Zhang Heling smiled and said, "Nephew, let me calculate it for you."

"Your second uncle and I will be responsible for getting information from the Ministry of Industry. When the Ministry of Industry starts selling farming racks to the public, the people will know the news."

"Also, we need to find craftsmen to manufacture the tillage racks in large quantities in advance."

"You are responsible for providing ideas. You see, the three of us have clear division of labor."

"How about this, your second uncle and I will each take 30%, and you will take 40%. Is this fair?"

Zhu Houzhao smiled and said, "It's fair, but I don't want fairness, I want unfairness, so I want 60%."

You can't possibly not give anything, right? It looks like there are three of us, but in reality, there are four of us sharing the money.

Zhang Heling's smile froze. Why was his nephew so stubborn? Wasn't this bullying?

Zhu Houzhao said calmly: "Well, I'll take 40% and I'll go tell those uncles, aunts and princes that you were beaten to the point of wetting the bed in the East Palace."

Zhang Heling's body trembled, and he said righteously: "Sixty percent! You want sixty percent! It doesn't matter if you suffer a little loss as an elder. Suffering a loss is a blessing."

Zhu Houzhao smiled happily, and nodded like a chicken pecking at rice, saying, "Yeah, it's a blessing to suffer a loss. It's settled then. Let's get to work and make a good profit!"

Zhang Heling looked at Zhu Houzhao suspiciously and asked, "You are not just giving me an idea, are you?"

Zhu Houzhao shook his head and said, "Of course not! I have to keep your secret. If anyone spreads the rumor that you wet the bed, I will beat them to death."

Well, that's no more talk.

……

Although the Zhang brothers felt that they had suffered a loss, they were always happy to make some money. Now it seemed that Emperor Hongzhi was planning to default on his debt.

I heard that both the harem and the Eastern Palace have cut back on spending, so I'm afraid I won't be able to get the reward. My chances of getting money from Emperor Hongzhi are slim.

Then do it yourself.

They first went to the Ministry of Industry, and learned from the side that the Ministry of Industry was already busy manufacturing farming racks, and that they would probably be distributed to the prefectures in northern Zhili and the capital the day after tomorrow, and the prefectures would be responsible for selling them to the people at low prices.

Time was running out, so the Zhang brothers divided the work and started to cooperate. Zhang Heling was responsible for fooling the wealthy and wealthy gentry. He secretly found some businessmen and gentry and told them that the Ministry of Industry had invented a new farm tool that could achieve the efficiency of ox-drawn plowing without the need for oxen.

He even personally cleared a small field in his backyard and asked his servants to demonstrate the power of the tilling rack to these wealthy businessmen.

Of course, they were not allowed to look closely, lest they learn how to make it.

It doesn't matter if you look closely, but it's not easy to study the structure of the tillage frame.

Several big merchants and gentry in the capital were stunned and gasped at the same time.

A natural disaster caused a lot of livestock losses in Beizhi, especially oxen. If they could get this kind of farm tool and sell it to people from all over the country at a high price, they would definitely make a fortune.

Zhang Heling was very smart in business. He did not sign the order with them immediately, but only said that the goods would be delivered after the signing the next day.

The main thing is to spread the news privately through these few merchants in order to attract more people to buy farming racks.

Zhang Yanling was also not idle. He secretly found a number of craftsmen from the Ministry of Works and forced them to make farming frames. The more the better. They were not allowed to rest from night to day and were forced to work like oxen.

In total, more than 500 sets of farming racks were made during that day and night.

On the evening of the second day, many big merchants and gentry gathered at Zhang's house. The crux of the problem appeared. Zhang Yanling asked Zhang Heling with a bitter face: "Brother, how much does this thing cost?"

Zhang Heling frowned and said, "Yeah, I wonder how much this thing costs?"
do not care.

Zhang Heling, with his hands behind his back and an air of superiority, went to find two representatives of the merchants and gentry.

He said calmly: "I have already made the farm tools, a full 500 sets!"

Upon hearing this number, many people at the scene became excited. This would mean they would make a lot of money!

A mule was selling for about fifty taels on the market, and the price of a cow was higher than a mule but lower than a horse, at least sixty taels.

The minimum value of cattle and farm tools is 65 taels. The minimum value of farm tools is 5 taels.

A businessman asked Zhang Heling, "My Lord, what is the price of this?"

Zhang Heling held up three fingers mysteriously. He estimated it was three taels, but he didn't say it.

Zhang Yanling was full of admiration. What a great move, big brother! Pretending to be an expert!

Let you guess it yourself, whether the price is high or low, there is always room for bargaining.

A gentleman said excitedly: "Three taels? Well, this price is very fair."

It worked, Zhang Yanling suppressed his joy.

The money was not wasted. The iron was scraps from the Ironware Bureau, the wood was from the Inner Palace Bureau, and the craftsmen were borrowed from the Ministry of Works. It was a no-cost business, and I could make three taels for a farm tool. Five hundred would be... fifteen thousand taels!

Developed!
Isn’t this more than what Emperor Hongzhi earned as a reward for himself?

But Zhang Heling said seriously, "Do you think I'm stupid? I said thirty taels!"

I rely on!

Brother, please behave yourself. You raised it ten times! How can others be happy with it?
As expected, the merchant gentleman's expression froze, his cheeks stiffened, and he said with a wry smile: "My Lord, please stop making trouble. The price of a normal plow is only a little more than five taels."

Zhang Heling was not panicked at all, and said calmly: "Sorry, I was just joking."

Zhang Yanling: “…”

He even had the urge to cover his face and leave. It was too embarrassing!

As expected, you have to be the big brother when it comes to being a man. For money, what does face matter?
Zhang Heling snorted and said, "But weren't you the one joking with me first?"

"You also know that a plow sells for more than five taels. I didn't extend three fingers, and you dare to say three taels? Are you bullying me because my Zhang family's sword is not good?"

He also said something pretentious, which looked quite impressive.

"Forget it. Considering your sincerity, I'll give you six taels. If you want it, take it or not. If not, I'll find someone else."

"I have only one thing to say. If you buy something from me, no government will give you any trouble, and no one will say that you are privately reselling farm tools. I can guarantee this!"

Now that things have come to this, what are you waiting for?
Six taels of silver is not expensive. There are so many villages in the capital. If the common people in each village save for one or two years, they can still take out seven taels of silver and have a good time.

Buy six taels and sell seven taels, there is a difference of one tael in the return. It is basically a no-cost business, you make as much as you take.

So this group of merchants and gentry began to sign contracts and pay money enthusiastically.

In the blink of an eye, more than 500 farming racks were sold out. The Zhang brothers looked at the mountain of silver in front of them and their eyes lit up for a moment.

More than three thousand eight hundred taels of silver, almost four thousand taels!
Developed!
(End of this chapter)