In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 1043 Creating a Pretext to Turn Enemies into Friends

Li Zhigang and Ma Dake also quickly stood up and bowed, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Especially Li Zhigang, he knew very well that

During the land price turmoil in Beijing, the Market and Exchange Bureau targeted the merchants of the Zhou Prince's Mansion.

Today, King Zhou has suddenly visited; I wonder if it's a blessing or a curse.

King Zhou waved his hand, signaling everyone to rise, and his gaze swept across the hall.

Finally, the gaze fell on Lu Yunyi, and he said with a half-smile:
"When the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince passes through Henan, can it be resolved simply by not disturbing the local people?"
I came here specifically because I heard that Your Excellency was returning to Daning.
Firstly, it's to welcome you back, and secondly, I'd like to have a few words with you privately.

Lu Yunyi straightened up, his expression calm. He looked at Li Zhigang and Ma Dake and said indifferently:

"You guys go down first."

"Yes."

The two bowed in agreement and carefully withdrew.

Only Lu Yunyi, Prince Zhou, and a few guards remained in the hall.

King Zhou waved his hand:

"You guys get out too!"

The next moment, the guards brought by King Zhou strolled away.

But Lu Yunyi's personal guards remained motionless, their eyes even becoming more profound.

King Zhou was slightly taken aback upon seeing this, then smiled and said:

"Lord Lu is truly skilled in military administration."

Lu Yunyi offered no explanation, simply waving his hand dismissively, and Basong and his guards withdrew.

The door opened, and a cold wind slipped in through the crack.

Blowing on the candlelight, the flickering light and shadow instantly created a somber atmosphere.

King Zhou walked to the main seat and sat down, poured himself some tea, took a small sip, and sighed with emotion:

"It's so cold."

Seeing that Lu Yunyi didn't respond, he said casually:
"Lord Lu's return to Daning this time is a long journey, and the Henan region is much more peaceful than in previous years."

Lu Yunyi sat opposite him, holding a cup of hot tea, and nodded slightly upon hearing this:

"Thanks to Your Highness, the flood control efforts in Henan have begun to show results, and sweet potatoes have also been successfully cultivated here."

This year's harvest was decent, so things are naturally more stable for the people.

King Zhou raised his eyes, a hint of interest flashing within them, but he quickly suppressed it:
"I have heard that these sweet potatoes were introduced from Luchuan by Your Excellency."

The crops are thriving in Yingtian now, which has even led to a significant increase in taxes levied on the imperial court.

"Your Highness is well-informed," Lu Yunyi said, neither humble nor arrogant.
"Sweet potatoes are drought-resistant and high-yielding, and they can relieve people's hunger. It's just doing our duty."

The two chatted back and forth, discussing everyday matters concerning the people and businesses of Henan.
His tone was as polite as that of an official he was meeting for the first time.

Yet every word he uttered conveyed a sense of estrangement.

King Zhou's gaze swept over Lu Yunyi from time to time, with a scrutinizing look.

Lu Yunyi remained calm throughout.

They handled the situation flawlessly, showing no fear of his status as a vassal king.

We chatted for about half a cup of tea's time,
King Zhou suddenly put down his teacup, the bottom of which collided with the table, making a crisp sound.

His face darkened, and his tone turned cold:

"Lord Lu, I have heard that Zhou Lin of the Dongning Trading Company died on the streets of Yingtian?"

The topic suddenly shifted, and Lu Yunyi understood, but his expression remained calm. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly said:
"This is indeed true. Zhou Lin offended someone and was assassinated with a flintlock pistol."

This case was to be investigated by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

I've heard that the murderer hasn't been found yet, and I don't know any further details.

King Zhou chuckled, leaning forward slightly, a sharp glint in his eyes:
"Lord Lu is joking. The flintlock musket was invented by Lord Lu, how could you not know the details?"
In the capital, there weren't many people who could hide their secrets from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

They've investigated for so long, but they still haven't found anything conclusive.
You say you don't know?

Lu Yunyi put down his teacup, met the gaze of the Prince of Zhou, and remained calm and composed:

"Your Highness, the Embroidered Uniform Guard always acts independently when handling cases."

As the head of the Market and Commerce Bureau, I am only responsible for regulating businesses. How can I interfere in criminal cases?

I am truly unaware of the details of Zhou Lin's death.

If Your Highness wishes to know the details, you may ask Lord Mao.

King Zhou sneered, his fingers tightening around the jade belt at his waist, and slammed his hand on the table:
"He has just been reinstated and is too busy to take care of himself. What can I possibly get out of him if I ask him?"

"His Highness Prince Zhou is indeed well-informed."

The Zhou king's previous composure vanished, replaced by a surge of rage in his eyes:

"Lord Lu, you don't need to play dumb!"
"I've come today not to inquire about Zhou Lin's life or death. That sycophantic scoundrel is dead, so be it!"

Lu Yunyi's heart stirred, but he remained calm on the surface, waiting for him to continue.

"What I want to ask about is the Dongning Trading Company!"

King Zhou's voice suddenly rose, carrying a hint of suppressed rage:
"Now that the trading company has gone bankrupt, we've lost all our money."
"Lord Lu, tell me, when will this money be returned?"

A hint of surprise finally flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes.

He had previously assumed that the money for the Dongning Trading Company was secretly supported by Duke Feng Sheng of the Song State.

Unexpectedly, the money actually came from King Zhou.

Is it really possible for someone to be that stupid?
A strange glint flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes as he looked at King Zhou again, his tone becoming more serious:
"Does Your Highness mean that the funds of the Dongning Trading Company came from Your Highness?"

"Who do you think you are?"

King Zhou glared at him, his chest heaving slightly.

"I merely wish to earn some money through the trading company to supplement the expenses of the royal palace."
When did I ever think of going against the Market and Exchange Bureau?
It was that fool Zhou Lin's insatiable greed that led him to wade into troubled waters, ultimately resulting in his death and loss of all his wealth!

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of pressure:

"Although he acted rashly, that silver was still my money."

The Municipal Bureau of Market Regulation's crackdown on land speculation by the rebels is something I, the King, have nothing to say.
But now that the storm has passed, I can't just let my money go down the drain, can I?
"Lord Lu, as the Director of the Market and Exchange Bureau, you should give me an explanation."

Seeing Zhou Wang's anxious expression, Lu Yunyi slowly shook his head:

"Your Highness, can't you be a little more at ease?"

Having just returned from Yunnan, he was about to meet with the Duke of Song in private, and now he's gotten involved in the land speculation by the rebels.

Forgive my bluntness, but if it weren't for the treacherous individuals within the Three Departments of Henan,
The imperial court needs flood control measures again, so you'll likely have to go to Yunnan again.

King Zhou's face darkened: "What do you mean?"

"Means nothing."

Lu Yunyi's tone was flat:
"Your Highness, in the business world, there are gains and losses. It is the rule to accept the consequences of one's bets."

Dongning Trading Company's involvement in land speculation disrupted land prices in Beijing.
This has caused countless people to be displaced, that is a fact.

The Market Regulator's stabilization of market prices is simply a matter of following the rules and is not improper.

As for where the money of the Dongning Trading Company came from...

"I don't care, nor do I need to know."

He looked up at King Zhou, his gaze sharp:

"As a prince, Your Highness should abide by the rules of the vassal state and assist the court in stabilizing the region."

It is now inappropriate to give money privately and allow merchants to disrupt the market.

If I were to return this money today because of Your Highness's status...
What will happen if other powerful and wealthy people follow suit? What will become of the rules? What will become of the law?

"you!"

King Zhou was speechless, and suddenly stood up.

The jade belt around her waist jingled, and her face flushed crimson.

"Lu Yunyi, don't try to lecture me with these grand principles!"

I don't care about rules, all I know is that it's my money!

"If you don't give me an explanation today, don't even think about leaving Henan safely!"

The atmosphere inside the post station froze instantly.

The flickering candlelight made King Zhou's angry face appear even more ferocious.

Lu Yunyi remained seated, his tone unyielding:
"I did not intend to make things difficult for Your Highness. Business matters have their own rules, and the court has its own laws."

As the chief official, I cannot let personal matters interfere with my official duties.

If Your Highness feels the treatment was unfair,

This matter may be submitted to Your Majesty for a decision; I will certainly comply.
But before that, I must not break the rules.

King Zhou stared at Lu Yunyi, his eyes blazing with anger, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
He seemed about to explode, but he forced himself to hold it back.

If such a matter could be reported to His Majesty, he would have gone long ago!

It was precisely because he couldn't be brought to the light of day that he rushed here.

The candlelight flickered violently, casting King Zhu Su's shadow, sometimes long, sometimes short, onto the mottled wall, mirroring his state of mind at that moment.

The rage from before was extinguished by cold water, leaving only a heart full of anxiety.

He never expected that, as a vassal king, he would be disrespected by a mere subject.

King Zhou slowly loosened his fist, and his tense shoulders relaxed.

The anger on his face gradually faded.

Instead, he showed a hint of embarrassment that was hard to hide.

He avoided Lu Yunyi's gaze and looked at the cold tea on the table:

Do you think I want this to happen?

Of that silver, 60% was borrowed from wealthy merchants in Kaifeng.
3% monthly interest
If I cannot repay this debt, I will have utterly lost all face as a prince.

He paused, a barely perceptible plea in his voice:

"My father has always disliked members of the imperial family engaging in business and accumulating wealth."
If he finds out that I not only privately run a trading company, but also borrow money to speculate on land, I will at least be reprimanded.
In severe cases, they might have to reduce their salary or even be forced to relocate.
"Lord Lu, for my elder brother's sake, please help me out." "A loan?"

Lu Yunyi's hand holding the teacup suddenly stopped, his eyes filled with astonishment.

He stared blankly at King Zhou, his face expressionless.
How could a prince of the Ming Dynasty, who possessed his fiefdom and taxes, resort to borrowing money?

Or was it to get involved in land speculation, a matter that disrupts the government?

For a moment, Lu Yunyi couldn't tell whether the person in front of him was pretending to be clever or truly stupid.

After a long while, a complex smile appeared on his face, tinged with helplessness:

"Your Highness, is this true?"

"Of course it's true. How could it be false if I, the King, have already said it?"

Lu Yunyi shook his head helplessly:

"Your Highness has certainly broadened my horizons."
I have seen powerful and wealthy people being corrupt, and officials scheming for personal gain, but I have never seen a prince borrow money to do business.

Your Highness, your mind far surpasses that of the most skilled craftsmen in the workshop.

"What do you mean?"

"You have a really unique idea."

King Zhou's face instantly turned bright red, as if he had been slapped in public.

He wanted to argue, but then he dejectedly lowered his head.

"I cannot break the rules."

Lu Yunyi's tone regained its composure, carrying an undeniable firmness:
"I don't care how Dongning Trading Company lost money, but the Market Exchange Bureau cannot return a single penny."

King Zhou's heart sank to the bottom, despair appeared on his face, and he even swayed.

Just when he thought all hope was lost, Lu Yunyi's voice slowly rang out again:
"However, although I cannot repay your money,"

But for His Highness's sake, we can give you a chance to make money.

This can both cover the deficit and provide some income to supplement the family income.

King Zhou suddenly looked up, his eyes regaining their light.
Like a drowning person grasping at a last straw, desperately leaning forward:

"What opportunity? Please speak, Lord Lu!"
"As long as I can earn money to pay off my loans, I'm willing to do anything!"

Looking at his anxious expression, Lu Yunyi sighed again:
"His Majesty intends to repair the official roads from north to south, and to pave cement roads in all the prefectures and counties along the route from Yingtian to Beiping."

In addition, large amounts of cement are needed for water management and city construction in various places.

Yingtian Construction Firm has decided to open nearly two hundred cement workshops in Henan, Shandong, Beijing, and other places.

He paused, his gaze falling on King Zhou, his tone carrying a hint of meaning:

"Although these workshops are directly managed by the merchant guild..."
However, in order to get local cooperation and reduce obstacles, the merchants would allocate some of their shares to local dignitaries.

Your Highness is the Prince of Henan. If you are interested, the trading company can offer you a share of the profits.
Annual dividends based on shareholding will yield returns comparable to those from a commercial firm.

King Zhou's eyes widened, and his breathing became rapid.

Although he didn't understand how cement workshops worked,
But they also knew that the cement used in flood control was hard and durable.

If both the north and south official roads were paved with cement...

The required quantity must be enormous, and the profits involved are self-evident.

"Not only that."

Lu Yunyi continued:

"Cement workshops require a large amount of raw materials, such as sand, gravel, limestone, as well as coal and ironware needed for calcination."

If Your Highness could supply raw materials to the workshop,

Settling at market price provides another stable source of income.

At this point, King Zhou could no longer contain his excitement.
He stood up and paced quickly around the hall.
His hands were rubbing together unconsciously, and his eyes were sparkling with excitement.

This is much safer than land speculation!
This way, he could both earn money to pay off his debts and demonstrate to his father that he was serving the court while working in the provinces.

Maybe we can salvage some of that impression!

But just as he was overjoyed and almost agreed on the spot,
Her steps abruptly halted, the smile on her face gradually faded, and her wary gaze returned to Lu Yunyi.

He thought of Lu Yunyi's reputation.

Whether in the military, business, or in the imperial court,

This person is known for his ruthless and unscrupulous methods.

He and I have a long-standing feud, so why would he be so kind as to give me a chance to make money?

Could it be a trap?

Could they use the pretext of making money to seize on my weaknesses and blackmail me later?
King Zhou stopped in his tracks, the excitement in his eyes fading, replaced by deep doubt.

He stared at Lu Yunyi, his tone tinged with a hint of probing:

"Why is Lord Lu being so generous to me today?"
This cement workshop's shares, the job of supplying raw materials,

"I'm afraid many people are watching, so why did it have to be me?"

Lu Yunyi was somewhat stunned again, not expecting him to suddenly become so cautious, and said calmly:
"Your Highness need not worry. I have always been generous in my business dealings, cultivating good relationships with others."

If you don't believe me, you can take a look at the major trading companies in Yingtian, the capital.

Some shareholders take nearly a million taels of silver from the trading company every year. Have I ever said anything about that?

Upon hearing this, King Zhou's expression softened slightly.
That's true; those who were initially involved in the business...
They've already made a fortune, more than they could ever spend in several lifetimes.

Lu Yunyi continued:

"Most of these two hundred-plus cement workshops will be located in Henan."

Not only should the road be built, but it should also be used for future flood control.

Without His Highness's coordination, local officials and merchants would inevitably make things difficult and delay the construction.

Your Highness's involvement allows you to both make money and help the business overcome local obstacles, making it a win-win situation.

Regarding shares and raw material supply, there are indeed quite a few people eyeing them.

But Your Highness is surely aware of the current situation at court.

Such a highly profitable business should not be given to the enemy.

It's better for His Highness to benefit than for others.
This is a good thing for His Highness, for the merchants, and for the court.

King Zhou's brow remained furrowed, and his doubts had not completely dissipated.

He knew Lu Yunyi was right, but he really didn't dare to trust him easily.

He paused for a moment, then tentatively asked:

"How much silver is needed to buy shares? How are dividends calculated? If raw materials are supplied, how are market prices determined? Are there any unforeseen circumstances?"

Lu Yunyi seemed to have already prepared his answer, and calmly said:

"The funds for building the cement workshop will all come from the Market and Exchange Bureau."

Your Highness, what you need to do is to protect and safeguard the cement workshop.

As for the shareholders, they can make their own decisions and give you 10%.

By the way, this time, a cement workshop is being built.
The Market Exchange Bureau and Yingtian Construction Firm are prepared to invest 200,000 taels of silver, with each 10% share being 20,000 taels.

"Your Highness can pay this money if you wish, or not if you don't; the merchant guild has no shortage of funds."

King Zhou's heart was pounding, and his eyes were even a little red.
He got 20,000 taels of silver worth of shares for free.

There will be a continuous stream of dividends in the future. Is there really such a good thing?

"As for the supply of raw materials, sand and gravel will be settled at market prices, and a written agreement will be signed at that time."

If Your Highness does not wish to do this business, you are free to do so.

But let me make it clear from the start: once you've accepted the benefits from the business, you have to do the work.

These cement workshops must be absolutely safe and error-free.
The artisans among them must also be protected; they were the most skilled road builders of the Ming Dynasty.

King Zhou listened carefully, and his doubts gradually dissipated.
Still somewhat uneasy, he pressed on, asking:
"What if the workshop incurs losses? Surely I won't have to pay for it again?"

Lu Yunyi reached out and pinched the space between his eyebrows, then sighed:
"I have never lost money in business, Your Highness. Rest assured, even if we do lose money, the business can afford to lose several hundred thousand taels of silver."

"That's good, that's good"

These words were like a reassuring pill, completely dispelling the Zhou king's doubts.

A long-lost smile finally appeared on his face.
The previous embarrassment and wariness vanished without a trace.

Instead, excitement and anticipation replaced it:

"Alright! We'll do as Lord Lu says!"
Don't worry, as long as the workshop is in Henan, no one will dare to touch them!

If this succeeds, I will remember Lord Lu's kindness!

Lu Yunyi smiled faintly:
"Your Highness need not thank me. I was merely doing my duty."

I hope that Your Highness will remain mindful of your duties in the future and refrain from engaging in any more opportunistic or shady dealings.
"Serving the court and governing the local areas with peace of mind is the right path for a vassal king."

"That's nature! That's nature!"

King Zhou nodded repeatedly, his face full of smiles, a stark contrast to his previous rage.
"I will certainly behave myself and serve the court from now on!"

"By the way, next spring, a group of craftsmen will enter the pass from Daning and head to Beiping, Henan and the surrounding areas."

At that time, the craftsmen in Henan Province

Please take good care of them, Your Highness, and make sure nothing goes wrong.

King Zhou waved his hand:
"Don't worry! They're just some craftsmen. I'll protect them; there won't be any problems!"

Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded, then continued:

"As for the money His Highness Zhou borrowed from the merchants, I will order the Market Exchange Department to send silver to repay it first."

Of course, Your Highness should give the Market and Exchange Bureau an IOU, without interest.

"We can pay you back when the workshop makes money."

King Zhou's eyes widened suddenly, filled with surprise.
Lu Yunyi, whom he had previously disliked, now seemed exceptionally agreeable. He nodded repeatedly:

"I won't stand on ceremony, thank you very much, Lord Lu!!"

(End of this chapter)