What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 182 arranged for a famous courtesan to be specially arranged for Su Mo!

Zhang Xuzu never dreamed of this.

Invite Su Mo to visit a brothel, and take the opportunity to discuss the matter of gift money in a friendly and harmonious atmosphere.

Who knew they'd actually manage to invite the Empress over!

Zhang Xuzu was at a loss for words.

This Su Mo has no sense of martial ethics!

Cao Feng, Han Yu, and others want to invest. This is a good opportunity to expand the soap business and broaden their network. But from a business perspective, it's impossible for them to pay all the shares they want from their side!

Isn't it normal to ask Su Mo to share the cost?
They even helped him expand his network!
Either way is acceptable, right?

After the two parties agreed on the profit sharing, even though the soap business made tens of thousands of taels of profit, he never thought of using any means to cheat Su Mo out of his share of the profits.

Su Mo brought up the Empress; isn't that bullying?
What terrified Zhang Xuzu the most was...

What exactly is the relationship between the Empress and Su Mo that would lead her to personally visit the Jade Sound Pavilion?
Even if the Empress covets the profits from the soap business, sending Nangong Sheyue, the commander of the Fengming Division, would be enough!

Is it...

Su Mo...could he be...could he be...His Majesty's man?
Did she invite His Majesty's man to a brothel?
Zhang Xuzu thought about it more and more and it seemed very likely!
This perfectly explains why the Empress came along!
Zhang Xuzu shuddered, a chill suddenly rising from his lumbar vertebrae!
If you take the Empress's man out to prostitutes, will you get away with it later?
Zhang Xuzu's face turned pale, and he only came back to his senses when Li You tugged at his sleeve.

"Lord Leng... Lord Nangong, Lord Su, please take a seat."

It took him a lot of effort to finally manage to squeeze out a complete sentence.

Leng Liuxi then shifted her gaze away from Zhang Xuzu.

Cao Feng and Han Yu were unaware of Leng Liuxi's true identity.

Seeing Zhang Xuzu suddenly appear lost and dejected, Cao Feng frowned slightly. He first looked at Nangong Sheyue and the Empress, and finally his gaze fell on Su Mo.

Despite his rugged and fierce appearance, he was a man of principle, first bowing to Su Mo and the others with his hands clasped in greeting.

"Greetings, esteemed sirs!"

"Since Lord Nangong knows that I am from the family of Marquis Hanping, he should also know the origins of my other brothers, so I will not waste my breath introducing myself!"

After a pause, Cao Feng got straight to the point and said, "I heard from Brother Xu that Lord Su has 50% of the profits from this soap business!"

"Several of us are very interested in this soap business!"

"But Brother Xu said that this matter requires Lord Su's consent, so he asked Brother Xu to invite Lord Su here and introduce us!"

Hearing Cao Feng say this, Zhang Xuzu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, someone can help share the firepower!
When the Empress later blamed him, she said it was because of Cao Feng!
A dead Taoist friend is not a poor Taoist!
Cao Feng had no idea that the "Brother Xu Zu" he was talking about was already plotting how to sell him out. He then said in a deep voice, "I am a rough man and do not know how to beat around the bush."

He pointed to the other nobles: "We want a 40% cut of the soap business."

"We guarantee to expand our business to the prefectures near Hanping, a region with tens of millions of people."

"Lord Su, please name your price!"

Han Yu smiled and said, "Brother Cao is right."

"As long as it is within our capabilities, we will find a way to raise the funds and will not make things difficult for Lord Su and Brother Xu Zu!"

Su Mo smiled at the two of them, then turned to look at Zhang Xuzu.

Seeing his trembling fear, she guessed that he knew Leng Xixi's identity.

After all, people with the surname Leng are quite rare.

However, Zhang Xuzu was, after all, the eldest son of the Duke's mansion, with an extremely noble status. Seeing Leng Xixi, he acted like a mouse seeing a cat, which still surprised Su Mo slightly.

"Brother Zhang, what do you think?"

Zhang Xuzu took a breath and composed himself slightly: "With Brother Cao, Brother Han and others joining us, and by leveraging the channels of both companies, the soap business can quickly expand to the local area."

"In principle, there is no problem between Wen Bi, Li You, and me regarding these four components."

He paused slightly: "Of course, it mainly depends on your opinion, Lord Su."

Cao Feng and the others immediately focused their attention on Su Mo!

Su Mo pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Forty percent is too much!"

"In my opinion, we can divide 30% among Brother Cao and the others, and Brother Zhang and I can each contribute 20%!"

Cao Feng frowned slightly: "There's still 10% left?"

Su Mo smiled and said, "This share is quite interesting, Lord Nangong. Does Brother Cao have any objections?"

Cao Feng squinted at Nangong Sheyue.

Although Marquis Hanping was practically a half-feudal lord in Hanping, he was still quite wary of Fengming Si.

It is very clear that this component is managed by Fengming Division on behalf of Su Mo.

It's even possible that Su Mo's share was actually a share from Fengming Division.

Cao Feng could only nod and said in a deep voice, "That's certainly possible!"

Su Mo then said, "Given the current profit situation of soap, this share is priced at five thousand taels. Do you all think that's appropriate?"

Cao Feng, Han Yu, and the others exchanged glances and nodded without hesitation, saying, "Lord Su is indeed straightforward!"

"Fifteen thousand taels, we'll pay!"

He paused, then laughed and said, "I'll accept you as my brother, sir!"

"If you encounter any trouble in the Hanping region in the future, just mention my name!"

Su Mo suddenly waved his hand: "Brother Cao, don't be in a hurry, I have another request."

Cao Feng was taken aback: "Please speak, sir!"

Su Mo said slowly, "The production of soap must be controlled within one million units in the next two years!"

Everyone was stunned by these words.

Wen Bi, being the most impatient, immediately frowned and asked, "Why must it be kept under one million?"

"A bar of soap yields a profit of about fifty coins. A million bars would only yield a profit of fifty thousand taels. Wouldn't that be less than it is now?"

Su Mo shook his head and said, "That's not how you calculate numbers."

"The soap has sold out in the last two months. The soap is durable, and the next big sales will probably be six months from now. In my estimation, the capital city can earn about 150,000 taels of silver a year."

Wen Bi frowned and said, "That's still fifty thousand taels more than you said!"

"Didn't Brother Cao and the others invest for nothing?"

Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, Su Mo suddenly sneered: "Even making money has its priorities!"

Have you ever considered this?

"Making soap requires a lot of fat!"

"Fat is the main source of oil for people!"

"If we recklessly purchase fats to make soap, the price of oils will definitely skyrocket, which will have a huge impact on the people and may even lead to social unrest!"

"If His Majesty finds out, will he forgive us?"

Everyone was stunned.

These sons of noble families would never consider issues from the perspective of ordinary people.

Now, after hearing what Su Mo said, I realize that this problem is indeed extremely serious!

In particular, Zhang Xuzu knew the reason why an empress had personally visited the Jade Sound Pavilion!
Ninety-nine percent of them are here to give themselves a warning!

I broke out in a cold sweat even more!
Leng Liuxi, who had been silent all along, turned her head and looked at Su Mo.

He certainly knew the consequences of mass-producing soap!

Of course, it was truly surprising to the Empress that someone as talented as Su Mo was unaware of the advantages and disadvantages involved.

Seeing the shocked and disappointed expressions on everyone's faces.

Su Mo suddenly laughed again: "However, this is only temporary!"

"As far as I know, there are many giant Kun in the ocean."

"This giant Kun is a treasure from head to toe!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xuzu became excited and momentarily forgot about the Empress's divine might. He hurriedly nodded and said, "That's right!"

"The main reason I invited Lord Su here today is to discuss the matter of this giant Kun!"

He glanced at the Empress next to Su Mo out of the corner of his eye, then mustered his courage and said, "I stopped buying fat from the market as soon as I saw the price had risen significantly!"

"I have heard Lord Su say that the giant Kun in the sea can provide a lot of oil, so I dare to ask for your guidance!"

Su Mo laughed and said, "A mature giant Kun can weigh up to 100,000 jin. Just by hunting one, you can get tens of thousands of jin of oil, enough to make 20,000 to 30,000 soaps."

"Furthermore, the skin of the Kun is incredibly thick and can be used to make leather armor, even more effective than cowhide..."

Before she could finish speaking, Leng Liuxi suddenly asked curiously, "Is what you say true, my lord?"

Upon hearing the words "young master," Zhang Xuzu suddenly shuddered again!
Last time, the Empress even called Su Mo "Young Master Su"!

Now they're practically husband and wife! Their relationship has taken a huge step forward!
He would never believe that Su Mo and the Empress had no affair!
Without personal feelings, how could Su Mo concurrently serve as the head of the Fengming Division and the Jinyiwei, and also obtain the position of the clerk of Tianchang County?

And the Baron of Lone Peak!

Ok……

We also need to add the flying fish outfit! And the tiger outfit!

This robe was a gift bestowed only upon officials of the third rank!

Even the Empress's illegitimate son wouldn't act like this!
Su Mo turned to look at Leng Liuxi, his expression instantly turning serious: "Your Excellency, how could this humble servant dare to speak so presumptuously about such matters!"

"A fully grown giant Kun can probably produce a hundred sets of leather armor without much trouble."

"Furthermore, the giant Kun can yield tens of thousands of kilograms of meat, and its bones, when crushed and buried in the soil, can greatly improve soil fertility and increase grain production!"

He saw that everyone was looking at him in shock.

Su Mo raised his voice and slowly stated his final conclusion: "The income from a single adult giant Kun will not be less than three thousand taels of silver!"

The moment this number was revealed, even the Empress gasped in shock!
Although Su Mo usually acts carefree and irresponsible, he has never really uttered any boastful words, except for concealing his abilities!

He has always been very cautious.

If it's worth three thousand taels of silver, then it's definitely more, not less!

For example, regarding the restaurant business, he even said that the monthly profit was several hundred taels of silver, but it turned out to be several thousand taels!
The soap business could earn 10,000 taels a year, but in just two months, he earned 30,000 taels!
The reason why cowhide became a strategic material was precisely because Dawu was short of iron.

If the skin of a kun can replace cowhide, then its strategic significance will be immense!

This is what the Empress values ​​most!

Wen Bi couldn't help but exclaim in surprise: "Damn! Three thousand taels for one! Isn't the giant Kun made of silver?!"

This was the first time Cao Feng and the others had seen Su Mo, and they were even more shocked by Su Mo's prowess.

Taking a deep breath, Cao Feng stared intently at Su Mo: "As Brother Su said, the giant Kun is indeed a treasure trove! Since we know there is such a natural treasure, we should seize it, or we'll shorten our lifespan!"

"But the ocean is unfathomable, and hidden within its boundless waves are numerous dangers."

How can we capture such a colossal creature weighing tens of thousands of kilograms?

Su Mo nodded: "Of course they're not easy to catch, otherwise whales would have been on people's dinner tables long ago!"

"but……"

Everyone's eyes immediately fixed on Su Mo.

The Empress and Nangong Sheyue beside them couldn't help but lean towards Su Mo!
Su Mo didn't beat around the bush: "I happen to know a little about shipbuilding."

"If you can find enough shipbuilders, I am confident that I can build a giant whaling ship that can sail on boundless waves!"

A sharp glint flashed almost imperceptibly in Leng Liuxi's eyes, then her pretty face showed curiosity, and she smiled sweetly, "A giant whaling ship?"

"A giant ship sailing on the sea?"

She blinked: "My lord can build ships?"

Building warships at sea is not something that can be done simply by having money.

This requires enormous human and material resources, and even more so, the support of the imperial court!

Su Mo spent so much time explaining, especially pointing out the function of the whale skin, just to lure Leng Xixi and Nangong Sheyue into the trap, right?
He had originally prepared a second plan.

If the allure of whales isn't enough, then flaunt the abundance of spices and gold found overseas.

It seems that it is no longer useful now.

For these penniless bumpkins, a whale worth three thousand taels of silver was enough to make them drool!

At this point, you definitely can't say you can't do it!

Su Mo smiled and said, "This humble servant is not very knowledgeable and knows very little, but I happen to know a little about shipbuilding!"

The Empress and Nangong Sheyue were speechless.

What a shrewd shrew!
This was the first time the Empress had ever heard Su Mo admit that he was knowledgeable!

After a moment of silence, the Empress smiled again and said, "Building this giant whaling ship must have cost an enormous amount of silver?"

"This is natural!"

Su Mo replied without hesitation, "A giant ship sailing on the sea is more complex than a ship sailing on a river or lake."

"It would probably take at least ten thousand taels of silver to make one."

Zhang Xuzu was taken aback: "Ten thousand taels?"

"Isn't that twice as many as a warship?"

Su Mo smiled and said, "If we can catch a few whales after ten or eight days at sea, Brother Zhang still thinks the cost is too high?"

"Of course, if the shipwrights have more experience, the cost might be reduced a little."

Han Yu hesitated for a moment, first glancing at Nangong Sheyue, then lowering his voice to ask, "Such a massive whaling ship capable of sailing the seas, what about the imperial court?"

The imperial court did not issue a ban on maritime trade.

Because there's no need for it!
The sea is extremely dangerous, and there are even sea monsters and evil spirits causing trouble. For fishermen in coastal areas, going out to sea to fish is like walking through the gates of hell.

But anyone with eyes can see that a giant ship capable of going out to sea to hunt whales must be incredibly powerful and may also be able to enter inland waterways!
With such a powerful weapon, how could the imperial court stand idly by!

Leng Liuxi gave Han Yu a deep look, then smiled and said, "If you all offer three-tenths of the giant ship to the Phoenix Cry Bureau, the Kun skin you obtain will also belong to the Phoenix Cry Bureau."

"I might try to persuade the Emperor to allow you to build ships and go to sea!"

Han Yu's heart skipped a beat!
That woman in the green shirt has quite the nerve!

However, seeing that neither Su Mo nor Nangong Sheyue, the commander of the Fengming Division, spoke, he could roughly figure out what was going on.

After a moment's hesitation, he asked again, "Besides taking the Kun skin, does the third-rate member of the Phoenix Cry Division also participate in the profits from capturing the Kun?"

Leng Liuxi said calmly, "Of course it needs to be divided."

Han Yu and Cao Feng exchanged a glance.

Cao Feng said in a deep voice, "Please forgive my rudeness."

"The skin of the giant Kun can be used to make armor, which is already the greatest benefit. If the Phoenix Cry Division wants another 30% of the profits, wouldn't we have worked for nothing?"

Su Mo suddenly said, "In my opinion, it would be better to do it this way!"

"We'll take out 28,000 taels of silver first."

"These 28,000 taels can be divided into 10 portions. After deducting the 30% that Fengming Division will take, the remaining 70% will each be 4,000 taels!"

He glanced at everyone and said, "Business doesn't have to be amicable, and neither does cooperation!"

"I would like three to five portions!"

"If Brother Zhang and the others are interested, they can share the profits. If not, I will find other partners!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Feng was instantly speechless!

It's no longer a matter of whether or not he gets a share of the Fengming Division's profits; it's about whether or not they'll include him in their business!
Zhang Xuzu didn't even need to consult with his two henchmen, Wen Bi and Li You, before resolutely saying in a deep voice, "There are very few people I admire!"

"Lord Su is one of them!"

"I believe Lord Su would not deceive us. Of the seventy percent, the three of us should take two percent!"

Han Yu hesitated for a moment.

Based on the calculation that a giant Kun is worth three thousand taels, even if the Kun's skin is lost, there will still be a profit of two thousand taels.

You only need to catch two or three Kun per month, and you can break even in less than half a year.

If we don't get involved, our soap business will be completely controlled by them, as we'll need to obtain Kun oil from them in the future!

Thinking of this, Han Yu looked up at Su Mo and smiled, "Lord Su, please leave us 20%!"

Su Mo didn't actually care how many sons she had.

First, build the warships, then find a way to deploy manpower to control two or three of them, leaving an escape route.

Hmm, we also need to pay attention to some habitable islands and have our trusted confidants take control of them.

Thinking of this, Su Mo nodded: "In that case, the shipbuilding business will be split 30% between me and Lord Leng."

"The three Zhang brothers and the others, along with Brother Han and the others, will each take 20%!"

The words fell.

Three loud bangs suddenly came from outside!

Wen Bi's spirits immediately lifted: "The Little Orchid Pavilion Poetry Gathering is about to begin!"

"hey-hey!"

"Let's not let business spoil everyone's enjoyment!"

As he spoke, he turned to Zhang Xuzu and said, "Third Brother Zhang, didn't you say before that you had specially arranged famous courtesans and singers for Lord Su, so that Lord Su would not be disappointed?"

Why haven't you called her over to perform yet?

Zhang Xuzu felt like a million alpacas were stampeding through his mind!
(End of this chapter)