In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 857: Wealth Hidden Among the People—Who Are the People?
Han Yike left Yingtian Trading Company and sat in the carriage, lost in thought.
All I could think about was Liu Sili's affirmative answer.

"Even better than before?"

According to Liu Sili,

A bountiful sweet potato harvest will ensure that all people in the land are well-fed, thus attracting even more people to Yingtian, the capital city.

These people may be ordinary people who have gone out to work, or they may be laborers selected by the government.

As the population of Yingtian City increased,

Good farmland near the capital will also become incredibly expensive, even more so than before.

The current price drop is only a temporary panic.

The fact that farmland near Yingtian is a thousand times, ten thousand times more expensive than other farmland does not mean it can produce ten million times more grain.

It was because it was in Yingtian, the capital city, right under the emperor's nose.

Han Yike searched her mind for any flaws in these words.
But he found that he had already been persuaded by these words.

Judging from the scene of major trading companies vying to make a move,

The best farmland near Yingtian is in no trouble selling.

Those dukes' mansions that bought land at low prices may never sell it again, or they may only sell a small portion of it.

A decrease in available land will lead to a rise in land prices.
"call"

Han Yike breathed a sigh of relief, having figured out how these people made money.

They relied on having a lot of money to instill fear in the wealthy and powerful merchants of the capital.

"Master, where are we going?"

The driver's voice interrupted Han Yike's thoughts.

He thought for a moment and said, "Go to the Crown Prince's residence."

"Yes!"

The carriage swayed and rocked, and soon arrived at the Crown Prince's residence.

After announcing his arrival, he met Crown Prince Zhu Biao, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince in the garden of the mansion.

Two children were playing on skateboards in the spacious garden courtyard, their silvery laughter filling the air.

Han Yike pursed her lips.
These new items from Yingtian Trading Company are very popular with children, and his grandson kept asking to buy one.

"Your subject Han Yi may pay his respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Well, sit down."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao appeared to be in his early thirties.
Dressed in a brown casual outfit, with deep-set eyes, he was squinting, enjoying the sunlight.

Even when Han Yike arrived, he didn't make many moves.

"What's the matter?"

Seeing that Han Yike had not spoken for a long time, Zhu Biao raised his eyebrows slightly and asked a question.

"If it's about the business, I can't help you. How big the Market Exchange Bureau can become depends on yourself."

Han Yike was taken aback, then felt a little embarrassed.
Recently, due to the authority of the Market and Commerce Bureau, he has visited the Crown Prince's residence many times.

"Your Highness, I am deeply grateful for the assistance provided by the Market and Exchange Bureau."

With His Highness the Crown Prince's assistance, the Market and Commerce Bureau has already established some regulations, and it is believed that it will soon be on the right track.

I have come here today not for matters concerning the Market and Exchange Bureau.
But it is indeed somewhat related to matters of commerce.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao glanced at Han Yike:
"what's up?"

Han Yike stood up straight, her voice firm and powerful:

"Your Highness, I have discovered the greatest thief in the land!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the sporadic rustling of leaves in the wind seemed to come to an abrupt halt.

The surrounding palace maids and eunuchs remained silent and lowered their heads.

The crown prince slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them.

The atmosphere suddenly shifted from the height of summer to late autumn, carrying a hint of chill.

"A national thief? What has Lord Han discovered?"

Han Yi didn't hide anything; he took several documents from his attendant and handed them over.

At the same time, he revealed what he knew, along with his guesses.

Finally, Han Yike said in a deep voice:

"Your Highness, the many dukes and marquises are the pillars of the nation."
Such practices that compete with the people for profit should not be encouraged, much less allowed to flourish.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao frowned, glancing at Han Yike and then at the document in his hand.
His expression became more serious as he flipped through the pages one by one.

The sound of pages turning continued for a long time.

The crown prince raised his head and asked:

"Lord Han, land prices fluctuate. If I remember correctly, this is a common occurrence."
Such scenes occurred before and after several northern expeditions.

Some people may profit from it, but it doesn't affect the overall situation.

Furthermore, since it's a mutually agreeable transaction, is there any question of forced buying or selling?

Han Yike shook her head:
"Your Highness, no, these large merchant houses are all hidden in the background. Not many people in the capital know that they were involved in this matter."

"So they are taking actions to control the market and prices?" Zhu Biao asked again.

Merchants had flourished for a thousand years, but after the emergence of the Yingtian Merchant Guild...
The imperial court's control over the prices of all kinds of items reached its peak.

He knew what kind of wealth was contained within it.
If someone were to control land prices in the capital, they would indeed be considered a national thief.

Han Yike shook her head again:

"I did not discover this matter, or perhaps I have only known about it for a short time and am not yet aware of it."

The Crown Prince's somber expression quickly melted away, and he broke into a smile:
"So you've come here today to investigate thoroughly?"

Han Yike froze on the spot, unsure how to respond.

He paused for a long while before saying:
"Your Highness, it is improper for the current Duke to be involved in business matters."
If the truth is found out, it will only further damage one's reputation.

"I implore Your Highness to issue an order prohibiting the various dukes' residences in the city from participating in this matter."

Seeing that His Highness the Crown Prince still did not take the matter seriously, Han Yike said:
"Your Highness, the money earned in just these three days may be equivalent to what Yingtian Trading Company earns in a year."

"Ok?"

Crown Prince Zhu Biao, who had been dozing off, suddenly widened his eyes upon hearing this.

He looked at Han Yike with some suspicion.
He leaned against the stone pillar again and laughed:
"Lord Han, last year Yingtian Trading Company earned 690,000 taels of silver, and its scale has increased several times. It's absurd that you can make so much money from buying and selling land."

Han Yike pursed her lips:
"Your Highness, the price of inferior farmland outside the city has nearly quadrupled in the past three days."
If you invest 100,000 taels of silver, it can turn into 400,000 taels in three days!
And those prime locations have now fallen to less than half their original value.
Buy all 400,000 taels of silver, and once land prices recover, you'll double your money.
One hundred thousand taels of silver became eight hundred thousand taels.

Liu Sili also told me that if the timeframe were extended,

Land prices in Beijing will not only recover, but will surpass previous levels, leading to even greater profits.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao finally snapped out of his dazed state and looked at Han Yike with a serious expression.

"They took 100,000 taels of silver?"

Han Yike frowned and said in a deep voice:
"Your Highness, at a time when the sweet potato harvest is bountiful and the lower-grade fields are beginning to swell..."
People at all the major brokerage firms in the city were constantly selling their wares.

There was as much as they wanted, and it took three days for sales to slow down.

Although lower-grade land isn't expensive, there's a lot of it.
The figure of 100,000 taels of silver is merely my estimation; the actual amount may be much higher.
Several large trading companies, plus Yingtian Trading Company and Construction Company,
If they were truly risking their lives, they could produce 200,000 taels of silver; that would be terrifying.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao pondered what Han Yike had said.
If that's true, it would certainly be disgraceful if word got out.

And how could this be so profitable?
However, what made Zhu Biao so solemn was something else entirely.
Many dukes and the two major merchant houses purchased farmland in the capital.

In the past, this would not have caused any problems.
But now, he is about to go to Guanzhong to investigate the matter of moving the capital.

With such a large sum of money being poured in,
Are they really not afraid that the imperial court will order the relocation of the capital, leaving them with nothing but losses?
Or perhaps they simply lacked confidence in moving the capital.
Are they even certain that success is impossible?

Zhu Biao thought to himself, his expression growing more and more serious, and his fatigue becoming increasingly apparent.

After a long while, Zhu Biao slowly spoke:
"I am aware of this matter. You may return now."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will continue the investigation."

Seeing that the crown prince was deep in thought and did not speak,

A hint of joy flashed in Han Yike's eyes; this was undoubtedly an admission.

The midday sun gradually faded, and a thick white cloud covered the sun.

The shift between black and white made Crown Prince Zhu Biao feel a sudden darkness before his eyes, and a wave of dizziness surged up for no apparent reason.

Upon seeing this, the eunuch Steward Sun's expression changed drastically, and he rushed forward with lightning speed.

"Your Highness!"

He steadied the prince's swaying body.
His gaze was sharper than ever before, and his face grew increasingly pale.

At this moment, the expressions of the surrounding waiters changed drastically.

Hearing the exclamation, the two young princes also looked over.

At this moment, the prince felt the darkness before his eyes gradually fade, and the dizziness slowly subsided.

He let out a long sigh, staring at the mottled stains in the corner of the stone bench in front of him, remaining silent for a long time.

"Your Highness, are you alright?"

"Call the imperial physician, call the imperial physician!"

"No"

The prince gestured to stop him, pointing to the ice bucket on the stone table in front of him.

"Bring the herbal tea over."

"Hey"

Steward Sun hurriedly stepped forward, took out a pot of chilled tea, and handed it to the Crown Prince. "Your Highness, please drink slowly, it's a bit cold."

The prince opened the pot without a second thought and gulped down half of it before letting out a long sigh.

Only then did he feel like he had returned to normal.

"What just happened must not be told to anyone. Anyone who does will be beheaded!"

A cold glint flashed in Crown Prince Zhu Biao's eyes.

Manager Sun suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and quickly bowed:

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Summon Chang Sheng and Jing Long to my residence. I have something to ask them."

"Yes, Your Highness."

At the beginning of the hour of Wei (1-3 PM), Duke Chang Sheng and Duke Li Jinglong arrived at the Crown Prince's residence on horseback.

When I saw the magnificent plaque of the Crown Prince's residence,
The two exchanged a quick glance, both feeling somewhat apprehensive.

No matter how arrogant they are outside, when facing the Crown Prince,

We can't just pretend to be indifferent; we're actually terrified.

Reaching the door, Li Jinglong stopped and tentatively asked:

"Tell me, what does the Crown Prince want with us? Has our plan been exposed?"

Chang Sheng shrank back, even more frightened, and shouted:
"Don't jinx it, maybe it's something that happened in Guanzhong."

Li Jinglong's expression was strange; he felt uncomfortable with this kind of self-comfort. He said as he walked:

"What should we say if the Crown Prince asks?"

"What else can I say? There's nothing shameful about making money. We haven't done anything dishonest, so what's there to be afraid of?"

Chang Sheng glanced at Li Jinglong's cowardly appearance and said disdainfully.

Li Jinglong shook his head; he was already used to Chang Sheng's behavior.
He said nothing more, but followed the eunuch to the study with a worried expression.

Before long, they found Crown Prince Zhu Biao in the study, who looked perfectly normal and seemed to be fixed to the chair in the study, never having moved.

"Your subject, Li Jinglong, and Chang Sheng pay their respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince."

The two bowed deeply.
The crown prince did not react at all, his attention was fixed on the documents in front of him.

The two tilted their heads, exchanged a glance, and their hearts skipped a beat.

Silence fell over the study as the two remained frozen in their worshipful posture.

The crown prince, on the other hand, wrote quickly and processed the documents swiftly.

Book after book, until Li Jinglong felt his back was about to break...
The Crown Prince finally put down his pen and paper and looked at the two of them:

"Hmph, you must have done something wrong, who are you trying to fool with this humble act?"

The prince's voice suddenly rose in pitch.
The two men secretly thought to themselves, "Oh no! They're so guilty they've forgotten they're all family."

Li Jinglong quickly straightened up and patted his back with a smile:

"Your Highness, we're just a little scared because you've been in a bad mood lately."

Chang Sheng, who was standing to the side, nodded repeatedly.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao didn't move his head, glanced at the two of them, and gave a soft snort:
"Tell me, who gave you permission to do this?"

Upon hearing this, Steward Sun, who was standing to the side, lowered his head slightly and quietly retreated.
At the same time, the palace maids and eunuchs standing in the room slowly left the study.

The atmosphere suddenly became heavy.
Li Jinglong and his companion exchanged a glance, and both felt their legs go weak.
This scene felt like a signal to smash a cup, with executioners ready to strike.

"Say!"

Seeing that the two remained silent for a long time, the Crown Prince suddenly let out a loud shout, his eyes sharp and fierce.

Chang Sheng was startled.
His carefully constructed aura suddenly vanished, and his facial features scrunched up.

"Brother-in-law, I didn't know about this."

It was him, Li Jinglong, who said there was a lucrative business opportunity, and that's why he dragged me into it.
He said if you throw money in, it will double in three days!
Yes, it was his idea!

Li Jinglong, who was standing to the side, suddenly widened his eyes and stared at him in disbelief.

"Chang Sheng, don't talk nonsense. What do you mean I made the decision? You're not going to do a profitable business?"
"I didn't even need to pull you; you just came over on your own!"

"You're the one talking nonsense! It wasn't you who contacted me a month ago!"

"I'm here to talk to you about the war in the north, not to make money."
You were the one who said you didn't have enough money, that's why I brought you along.

And now you're turning around and blaming me! What a bastard!

The two started arguing, exchanging words back and forth.

Zhu Biao raised his head, his brow twitching wildly.
"Chang Sheng! You're almost thirty years old, how can you still be arguing with a child!"

Li Jinglong's eyes widened again. What child am I?
"And you!"

Zhu Biao glared at him, and Li Jinglong instantly reverted to his obedient child demeanor.

"You're in your twenties, not a child anymore."
A duke, making a ruckus all day long, what kind of behavior is this!

Is it because the money the imperial court gives you isn't enough to spend?

Why do you have to use this method to make money?

Is it that you're lacking food, or that you're lacking clothes?

The two of them were like wilted eggplants.
He became listless and drooped his head.

Zhu Biao snorted coldly.
"Tell me, how much money did you guys make from all that chaos and turmoil?"

Just as the two were about to look at each other, Zhu Biao shouted:
"Li Jinglong, you come and tell me the truth!"

"Brother, it's really not much, just a few thousand taels of silver, enough to earn some pocket money."

Li Jinglong's eyes darted around, and he scratched his head with a wry smile.

"Are we talking about the same thing?" The prince glanced at him.

"Huh? Brother, didn't you say you were talking about changing cars at the dealership?" Li Jinglong looked completely bewildered.

"call"

Zhu Biao took a deep breath, stood up, picked up the feather duster hanging on the clothes rack, held it in reverse, walked up to Li Jinglong, and poked his shoulder.

"I'm asking you about buying and selling land, don't try to evade the issue with me!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jinglong completely deflated and gave an awkward smile:
"Brother, it's not much silver, just a few tens of thousands of taels."

"Tens of thousands!"

Noticing the gaze fixed on his face,

Li Jinglong grew increasingly listless, gently brushing away the feather duster poking him.

"Brother, brother, please calm down."

These wealthy and powerful men were ruthless; they had amassed considerable amounts of prime land by using the pretext of lending money as a form of social obligation.

It's a good thing that this land is now in our hands.

Consider it revenge for those people.

"Don't say yes!"

Zhu Biao's voice suddenly lowered.
Li Jinglong shuddered and quickly uttered a number.

"More than 200,000 taels."

Zhu Biao's feather duster, which was about to fall, suddenly stopped in mid-air, a look of confusion flashing across his eyes.

"How much? Over two hundred thousand?"

"Two hundred and ninety-three thousand six hundred and fifty-seven taels and eight mace."

Li Jinglong quickly shrank back and hid behind the table.

Zhu Biao's pupils contracted slightly, as if he could hardly believe his ears.

"Brother-in-law, look at him. He's rich but heartless. He's a duke, yet he's still making this much money. It'll be a disgrace if word gets out," Chang Sheng said, pointing and whispering.

Zhu Biao suddenly turned around and stared at Chang Sheng:

"How much silver did you take?"

I, Chang Sheng, suddenly took eight steps back and shrank into the corner of the window.

"Not much, just some spare money from the household."

"How many!"

"Twenty thousand."

Zhu Biao took a deep breath and nodded to Chang Sheng:

"You, you're not smart to begin with."

"If you throw in twenty thousand taels of silver and lose it all, don't come crying to me!"

"Brother-in-law!"

Chang Sheng lunged forward and grabbed Zhu Biao's arm, his eyes gleaming.

"Brother-in-law, this is the first time I've ever realized that making money is so easy."
My 20,000 taels have all turned into 70,000 taels.

Maybe in another month, it will become 100,000!
When the time comes, I'll replace all this junk in your mansion.
Look at this cabinet, the corners are all chipped and broken, it's so shabby!

Zhu Biao finally calmed down. The Yingtian Trading Company was such a large business, with tens of thousands of people working tirelessly for a year.
With stalls spread all over Yingtian, they barely managed to earn less than 700,000 taels of silver.

Those bastards made half their money in just a few days.
This left Zhu Biao at a loss for words.

Instead, I felt a mix of emotions that I couldn't quite explain.

These wealthy and powerful people in the capital are truly rich.
The saying that wealth should be stored among the people is indeed true.

(End of this chapter)