Huangming

Chapter 493 Hidden Edge in the Cold Snow, Da Ming Real Estate

The snow in the eastern part of Chongqing's old city is falling more and more heavily.

Snowflakes, like goose feathers, accompanied by the cold wind, pelted the gray courtyard walls, freezing the copper rings atop the vermilion gate until they gleamed coldly.

This luxurious courtyard, hidden deep in the alley, is usually seldom visited, but now it is like a lurking beast, exuding an eerie silence amidst the swirling snow.

"Squeak~"

The heavy wooden door was pushed open, and She Yan, dressed in a black sable fur coat, strode in.

The guards at the door were all dressed in tight-fitting clothes. Upon seeing him enter, they immediately knelt on one knee, placed their right hand on their left chest, and bowed in a deep voice:
"Little Lord!"

She Yan nodded without pausing, her gaze fixed on the training ground deep within the courtyard, and she strode through the snow-covered corridor.

On the training ground, the snow was already ankle-deep, but a burly figure was seen shirtless, practicing his fist techniques with a sword in the snow.

That man was none other than Fan Long, the most valiant general under She Chongming.

This man was eight feet tall, with muscles as bulging as granite. His bronze skin was covered with snow and sweat, which dripped down the crisscrossing lines and instantly froze into fine ice crystals on the snow.

The longsword in his hand gleamed coldly, and each slash was accompanied by a whooshing sound, with snowflakes being swept up by the wind from the blade and scattered like mist.

"Uncle Fan Long!"

The performance's voice pierced through the wind and snow, landing in the training ground.

Upon hearing the sound, Fan Long abruptly sheathed his sword, the long blade returning to its original sheath with a "hum".

He turned to look at She Yan, his dark face carrying a fierce and menacing air. He casually tossed the knife aside, the heavy blade striking the snow and sending up a cloud of snow mist.

Two guards quickly stepped forward with a thick fox fur coat. Fan Long took it, wrapped it haphazardly around himself, and strode off the training platform. The snow crunched under his feet.

"Has what the young master asked for been accomplished?"

Fan Long's voice was as loud as a bell, with a hint of urgency.

His purpose in coming to Chongqing with She Yan was to keep an eye on the progress of expelling Qin Liangyu. As long as the White-Spear Army is not eliminated, the She family's grand plan to conquer Sichuan will be difficult to carry out.

She Yan smiled and nodded, walking up to Fan Long, her eyes gleaming with determination:
"That old scoundrel Xu Keqiu has truly been blinded by greed! In order to force Qin Liangyu to leave, he has already relented and agreed to let us transfer 3,000 troops from Yongning to infiltrate Chongqing as merchants and refugees."

Fan Long's brows furrowed suddenly, his rough hands stroking the stubble on his chin, his tone tinged with wariness:

"Is it really that smooth? Without the imperial warrant to mobilize troops, privately summoning the chieftain's troops into the prefectural city is a serious crime punishable by confiscation of property and extermination of the entire clan!"
Even though Xu Keqiu is the governor, he wouldn't dare to act so recklessly, would he? Could there be a trap involved?

Although he was known for his bravery, he was by no means a reckless person.

Although Xu Keqiu had a deep conflict with Qin Liangyu, he was, after all, an official appointed by the imperial court. How could he easily collude with the chieftain and take such a great risk?
"Don't worry, Uncle Fan, that old man has no way out."

She Yan took out a roll of letter paper from her sleeve and handed it to Fan Long, a sinister glint in her eyes.

"This is a secret memorial that Qin Liangyu recently sent to the capital. It was intercepted by our men on the secret post road. Take a look and see what it says."

Fan Long took the secret letter, unfolded it, and saw that the entire letter was Qin Liangyu's accusations against Xu Keqiu:

He was accused of colluding with the wealthy and powerful of Yongning, condoning people impersonating White-Spear Soldiers to harass the people, and deliberately making things difficult for the soldiers of Shizhu...

Every word and sentence points directly to Xu Keqiu's secret collusion with the She family and his ulterior motives.

"That Qin Liangyu! She actually wants to use the emperor to bring down Xu Keqiu!"

After reading it, Fan Long suddenly clenched the secret letter in his hand.

"exactly."

She Yan laughed:

"I have already shown this secret letter to Xu Keqiu."

He was already seething with hatred for Qin Liangyu, who wanted to kill him. Now he was only thinking about forcing Qin Liangyu away as soon as possible, and he didn't care about any serious crimes.
As long as we can get rid of Qin Liangyu, this thorn in his side, he'd be more than happy if we sent more people to help him.

Fan Long suddenly realized what was going on, his tense brows gradually relaxed, and a look of understanding appeared in his eyes:

"So that's how it is! Xu Keqiu and Qin Liangyu fighting like dogs gave us an opportunity."

He looked up at She Yan, his tone solemn.

"When does the young master plan to mobilize the troops? I will return to Yongning to make the arrangements."

"I urge Uncle Fan Long to set off immediately and return to Yongning to summon five thousand elite troops."

She Yan's tone suddenly turned serious, and a hint of ambition flashed in his eyes.

"Five thousand?"

Fan Long was taken aback and immediately pressed for an answer.

"Didn't the young master just say that he reported three thousand men to Xu Keqiu? Why are there suddenly two thousand more?"

"Xu Keqiu only knows that we need to mobilize troops, but he doesn't know how many we need to mobilize."

"With three thousand people disguised as merchants and refugees, even if Xu Keqiu notices, he will only think that we brought too many followers."

The extra two thousand, however, were the elite of the elite, secretly lurking outside the city, waiting for the opportune moment to launch a coordinated attack from within and without.

"Besides, five thousand people are just an appetizer."

When you return, be sure to tell your father to immediately reorganize the entire army.

Once Qin Liangyu leaves, Xu Keqiu will be like a fish on a chopping board. At that time, we will first take Chongqing Prefecture, and then use Chongqing as a base to sweep through Sichuan!

This southwestern half of the Ming Dynasty will belong to the She family sooner or later!

The wind and snow intensified, whipping up the snow from the ground and hitting their faces.

Seeing the ambition in She Yan's eyes, Fan Long felt a burning fighting spirit ignite within him.

He had followed She Chongming for many years, and this was the day he had been looking forward to.

Now that the time is ripe, as long as they take Chongqing, the She family can become the overlord of the southwest and no longer be subject to the constraints of the imperial court.

"it is good!"

Fan Long nodded emphatically. "Young Master, rest assured, five thousand elite troops will arrive in Chongqing within half a month! I will immediately depart for Yongning to have the lord prepare the army and await orders!"

However, just as Fan Long was about to turn around and leave, he seemed to remember something, and suddenly stopped and turned back.

"By the way, young master, there's something I'm still worried about."

He raised his hand to brush the snow off his shoulder and looked toward Yongning.

"Although our She family has soldiers, we are ultimately weak and powerless to start a rebellion on our own."

Even if we manage to capture Chongqing Prefecture, if the imperial court mobilizes troops to suppress us, and the surrounding chieftains remain neutral, we fear we won't be able to hold onto this city.

Should we contact some allies beforehand?

Upon hearing this, She Yan shook her head.

"Uncle Fan, you're overthinking it. We certainly have allies, but it's not the right time to make contact yet."

He straightened up, gazed at the swirling snowflakes, and slowly said:

“An Bangyan from Shuixi, Guizhou, is my father’s nephew. The two families have always been very close.”

An Xiaoliang of the Wusa Military and Civilian Government has always been dependent on An Bangyan. He would never sit idly by if An Bangyan made a move.

The chieftains of Dongchuan, Wumeng, and Zhenxiong had long-standing connections with my father through trade and marriage alliances.

These people are, in fact, our potential asset.

At this point, She Yan's tone suddenly turned serious:
“But if we go to them now, they will only be so frightened that they will shut their doors and refuse to see us, and they will never dare to agree to anything contrary to our wishes.”

Fan Long nodded silently.

How could he not know the reason?

The fate of Yang Yinglong, the Tusi of Bozhou, remains a lingering shadow in the minds of the Tusi of Southwest China.

Back then, Yang Yinglong commanded 100,000 troops and occupied Bozhou for decades, believing he could rival the imperial court. However, Emperor Wanli issued an imperial edict, mobilizing troops from Sichuan, Guizhou, and Hubei provinces to besiege him. In just one year, Bozhou fell, Yang Yinglong committed suicide by burning himself, his family was massacred, and the entire territory was converted from native chieftainship to direct imperial administration, with the area divided into prefectures and counties.

The burning city of Bozhou and the Yang clan members whose heads were displayed like a thorn in the heart of every chieftain.

"Although the Ming Dynasty was already showing signs of decline due to the peasant uprising in Jiangnan, it was still a force to be reckoned with, and its strength to quell the rebellion remained."

She Yan's voice carried a hint of coldness.

Even if those chieftains were driven to the brink of despair by the officials, and even if they were seething with hatred, they dared not be the first to raise the banner of rebellion.

No one wanted to become another Yang Yinglong; everyone feared becoming the 'chicken' used by the imperial court as a warning to others.

He walked up to Fan Long, a sharp glint in his eyes:

"Therefore, we can't wait for them; we have to force them."

"As long as we first take Chongqing, then sail down the Yangtze River to seize Luzhou, and then march straight to Chengdu, occupying the heart of Sichuan, and raise the banner of rebellion against the Ming, they will naturally take action without us even needing to make contact."

"Why?" Fan Long pressed.

"Because the imperial court's 'abolition of the native chieftain system and its replacement with centrally appointed officials' aims to sever the roots of all native chieftains!"

She Yan's voice suddenly rose, filled with long-suppressed anger.

“The appointed officials replaced the local chieftains, took back military power, and seized financial power.”

The territory that our chieftains have managed for generations, the troops we command, and the salt and horse trade that we rely on for survival will all be taken away by the imperial court little by little!

This isn't just a reduction of our power; it's turning us from mountain bandits into lambs to the slaughter!

"My She family has been operating in Yongning for decades, controlling the salt and horse trade routes between Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou. The silver in our treasury is piled up like mountains, and our soldiers are skilled in battle. This is why Yongning is the richest place in the region."

Anbangyan's Shuixi region occupies half of Guizhou. Miao and Yi tribes all obey his orders. With a strong army, he has long been a powerful regional ruler in the southwest.

With our strength, why should we be at the mercy of the imperial court?

"Moreover, the current imperial court is no longer the prosperous era of Hongwu and Yongle."

She Yan's tone turned somber again, tinged with sarcasm.

"The war in Liaodong had been intense for years, and the national treasury was already empty. They have plugged all the holes in our southwest!"
Taxes were imposed one after another, and the taxes on salt, tea, and horses—trades we depended on for our livelihoods—had increased more than three times compared to the early Wanli period!
My father petitioned the court countless times, but the court never even responded!

He paused, a hint of pain appearing in his eyes as he thought of the soldiers who had been conscripted to Liaodong and Korea:

"And those brothers, at the order of the court, were sent to fight in Korea and defend Liaodong. Countless of them died in foreign lands. But what did the court ever give them?"
Compensation? No!

Fame and fortune? None!
Not even a word of comfort!

Our people aren't their soldiers, they're their cannon fodder!

Upon hearing this, Fan Long clenched his fists. His younger brother had been conscripted to Korea ten years ago and died outside Busan. His remains had not been returned to Korea, and the court had not even given him a title.

"If we don't rebel against such a court, we'll be squeezed dry until we're nothing but meat on their chopping block sooner or later!"

She Yan's eyes blazed with fury, her tone resolute.

"As long as we raise the banner of rebellion first and take over the important towns in Sichuan, those chieftains will understand."

Following the imperial court is a dead end.

Only by following us can we survive!
At that time, An Bangyan will bring his Shuixi troops over, An Xiaoliang will lead the Wusa troops to respond, and the chieftains of Dongchuan and Wumeng will also bring their troops to surrender!
"If we combine the strength of the southwestern chieftains, not only can we defend Chongqing, but we might even be able to conquer the Central Plains!"

Fan Long was filled with excitement; all his doubts vanished. He suddenly knelt on one knee and said in a deep voice:
"Young Master is wise! I will return to Yongning immediately, mobilize five thousand elite troops, and then inform our Lord Ming to prepare the entire army! I am willing to follow you and our Lord Ming to accomplish great things, overthrow the Ming Dynasty, and establish hegemony in the southwest!"

She Yan reached out and helped Fan Long up, patting him on the shoulder, her eyes gleaming with determination.
"Good! Uncle Fan Long, the situation in the Southwest is about to change! When you return with your troops, that will be the day we make our move!"

While turmoil was imminent in the southwest, Beijing was bustling with activity on the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month of the second year of the Tianqi reign.

The streets outside Zhengyangmen were bustling with people.

The bright red Spring Festival couplets were stacked high on the stall. The stall owner, with his hands red from the cold, smoothed the edges of the paper and shouted loudly, "Gold-sprinkled Spring Festival couplets! Five coins a pair, paste them on your door and you'll have a prosperous year ahead!"

The copper spoon used for sugar painting spun on the bluestone slab, and in the blink of an eye, a majestic tiger was drawn, attracting children in cotton-padded coats to clap their hands, their candied hawthorns still dripping with sugar syrup.

There were also shops selling lanterns, hanging revolving lanterns and palace lanterns, the candlelight flickering inside, making the inscriptions "Abundant Harvest" and "National Prosperity and Peace" on the lanterns even brighter. The unrest in Jiangnan and the situation in the southwest seemed to have no effect on this city.

The old men basking in the sun at the foot of the city wall, twirling walnuts in their hands, chatted about things like "Butcher Zhang in the west of the city slaughtered thirty pigs this year" and "The young man from the Li family in the east alley passed the imperial examination." Occasionally, someone would mention that "Jiangnan is in chaos," but they would immediately be interrupted by others.
"The chaos won't reach Beijing! Look at the rice prices at the grain stores, they haven't gone up in six months. We have enough to eat, why should we care about anything else?"

This is true.

If the grain transport from Jiangnan had been disrupted for a month during the Wanli era, the price of rice in the capital would have tripled. People would have been saving every penny, and wouldn't have been able to afford meat for the New Year.

But now, the rice price sign at the entrance of the grain store is firmly fixed at "five qian per shi," exactly the same as it was at the beginning of spring.

In the grain store, dried sweet potatoes were piled up like small mountains, and a penny could buy a big bag. Even poor families could cook a pot of sweet potato porridge and eat it with pickled vegetables to celebrate the New Year.

This stability is entirely due to the new policies Your Majesty implemented two years ago.

First, Hong Chengchou was sent to Beizhili to survey the land, clearing out the wasteland and idle land that had been seized by powerful families and distributing it to displaced people for cultivation.

They also introduced sweet potatoes from the Western Yi people. This crop is not picky about the land and can be harvested in both drought and flood. Last year, the sweet potato harvest in Beizhili was enough to feed hundreds of thousands of people.

Even the people who fled from Jiangnan did not cause any trouble.

The government set up resettlement points in Tongzhou and Zhuozhou, distributing seeds and farming tools to them. Those who wanted to go to Liaodong were given travel expenses, while those who wanted to stay in Beizhili were incorporated into the Lijia system and given plots of land to cultivate.

Many of these people from Jiangnan who fled the disaster brought their family fortunes with them.

A silk merchant from Suzhou opened a new shop in Wangfujing, selling brocade at a lower price than his old shop.

A bookseller from Hangzhou brought a ship full of rare books and set up a stall in Liulichang, attracting literati and scholars to visit every day.

There were also cloth merchants from Songjiang who hired local women to weave cloth and sold Songjiang cloth to Xuanfu and Datong.

The money and skills they brought actually made Beijing even more lively.

The most bustling place was the Daming Bank located on Qipan Street.

These past few days, the bluestone steps in front of the bank have been crowded with people from morning till night. Even the stone lions at the entrance have been surrounded by a group of people who are standing on tiptoe to peek inside.

The bank's vermilion doors were wide open, and behind the counters inside, the clerks, dressed in matching blue long gowns, were using abacuses, the clattering sound of which could be heard across the street.

"Shopkeeper, I'll deposit fifty taels for a year. How much will I get back then?"

A small vendor dressed in shorts clutched a cloth bag containing his savings accumulated over many years; his voice trembled slightly as he spoke.

The clerk behind the counter smiled and nodded, then took out a Tianqi Treasure Note deposit slip with a dragon pattern printed on it, explaining as he filled it out:
"Don't worry, sir. Our Great Ming Bank is run by His Majesty. Not only do we not charge any handling fees for deposits, but we also offer interest."

The interest rate is 1% for a one-year term. If you deposit 50 taels, you can withdraw 51 taels on this day next year.

With principal and interest, not a penny less.

If you deposit for three months, you'll earn one percent interest.

"Save for six months, with an interest rate of 3%. Which option would you like to choose?"

"Save for a year! Save for a year!"

The vendor nodded eagerly, his eyes lighting up.

He used to hide his silver under his bed, always afraid of it being stolen. Now, not only is it safe, but he can also get an extra tael. Where else can you find such a good deal?
Not far away, a butler wearing a square scarf was directing two porters to carry a heavy silver chest to the counter.

This is the steward of the Wang family, salt merchants from Jiangnan. He just brought his family to Beijing last month, and with all the silver piled up in the side room, he can't sleep soundly at night.

"Shopkeeper, here is two thousand taels. Please deposit it for one year."

The butler handed over a silver note.

"We trust His Majesty's bank; it's much safer than our own cellar."

The clerk took the banknote, quickly completed the formalities, and handed back the Tianqi Treasure Banknote deposit slip:

"Don't worry, Steward Wang. This deposit slip is stamped with the Ministry of Revenue's seal. It can be replaced if lost. You can withdraw the money with your waist token."

Such scenes play out every day at Daming Bank.

In less than a month, the bank had absorbed more than ten million taels of deposits.

There were small amounts of silver saved by ordinary people, funds for merchants' business operations, and even more wealth brought by the gentry of Jiangnan.

Having witnessed countless instances of soldiers looting grain and bandits robbing people in Jiangnan, they knew all too well that "money is not safe to keep at home." The Ming Bank, however, was personally run by the emperor and backed by the Ministry of Revenue, making it more reliable than any other money shop.

Do you think this bank can survive?

Someone was whispering at the door.

Someone immediately retorted: "How could His Majesty's business not be able to survive? Didn't you see last month that the Li family's shop in the west of the city caught fire, and all the silver was burned? They went to the bank to withdraw their deposits and immediately opened a new one!"

As they were talking, a burst of firecrackers came from across the street. A shop was opening, and red paper scraps were scattered all over the ground, landing on the heads of the crowd in front of the Daming Bank.

The workers were still busy with their abacuses, handing out deposit slips one after another. The sounds of abacuses, conversations, and firecrackers mingled together, creating a peaceful and festive atmosphere.

The private room on the second floor of Daming Bank was completely different from the hustle and bustle downstairs.

Silver charcoal burned in the copper brazier, and sparks occasionally flew up, filling the room with warmth.

A pot of freshly brewed Biluochun tea sits on the table, its fragrant aroma wafting through the carved wooden window, mingling with the scent of firecracker debris drifting in from outside.

Prince Xin, Zhu Youjian, sat upright in a pear wood chair, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

He had just come from the palace and was quite puzzled when he heard the steward's report that they had received ten million taels of new deposits.

"Your Majesty, what do you mean?"

He finally couldn't help but speak.

"Since ancient times, when people deposit money in banks, it is always the common people who pay the safekeeping fee. How can the government pay interest instead?"
They deposited their silver, and we not only had to safeguard it for them, but also give away 100,000 taels of interest for nothing.

They've got all the good stuff; what's the court getting out of it?

The bank manager standing to the side was a middle-aged man nearing fifty, dressed in a dark blue silk robe, with a badge issued by the Imperial Household Department around his waist, and a gentle smile on his face.

Upon hearing Prince Xin's words, he not only remained calm but also bowed and smiled:
"Your Highness, please calm down. You only saw the 'interest payment' aspect, but you didn't see the intricacies behind these millions of taels of silver."

In reality, we used a 'proof of ownership' to secure all this hard-earned money in our hands.

"A piece of paper?"

Zhu Youjian suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with surprise.
"You mean... the Apocalypse Treasure Note?"

"Exactly."

The steward nodded, walked to the table, and took out a brand new Tianqi Treasure Note.

The paper is printed with dragon patterns and stamped with the seals of the Ministry of Revenue and the Daming Bank. The face value is fifty taels.

"Your Highness, as you can see, when the people deposit their silver, we don't directly keep the cash, but instead exchange it for these precious notes for them."

With these precious notes, they could spend them at any shop in the capital and exchange them for silver at any time at the bank.

But think about it, if you don't need money urgently, who would carry cash around every day?

These precious notes are lightweight and safe, so they are naturally willing to use them.

It's like we exchanged 'paper' for real gold and silver.

Zhu Youjian held the precious paper in his hand, his fingertips able to feel its thickness, yet he still remained puzzled:

"But they still have to pay it back eventually. If they all try to cash out their money at the same time, what will the bank use to pay them?"

"Your Highness, rest assured, this is precisely where His Majesty's brilliance lies."

The manager explained with a smile.

"Firstly, people save money for security. As long as the bank has a good reputation, no one will withdraw all their money without a reason."

Secondly, even if someone withdraws their money, we can retain the funds through "continuation of deposit".

You get one cent of interest for a year, and the longer you save, the higher the interest. As long as there is profit to be made, most people will choose to continue saving.

And His Majesty can use this silver left in the bank to engage in 'money-making businesses,' earning back double the 'interest paid out.'

"A business that generates money?"

Zhu Youjian put down the banknotes, leaned forward slightly, and was clearly intrigued.

The steward walked to the window and pointed southwest:

"Your Highness, do you still remember the 'First Academy of the Capital' that was just built in the outer city?"

The more than five hundred houses surrounding the academy were built with silver from the bank.

Those houses may look small, but they are laid out with a front hall, a back hall, and a small courtyard. Most importantly, the children of the families living there can directly enter the academy for their early education.

"Just those small houses?"

Zhu Youjian frowned. He had passed by the academy a few days ago and noticed that the buildings were indeed small, even smaller than the side courtyards in the Prince's Mansion.

"Can it be sold?"

"It's selling like hotcakes!"

The manager couldn't help but laugh, his tone full of admiration.

"Your Highness may not know this, but living in the capital is extremely difficult. For ordinary people, it is as difficult as climbing to heaven to get their children into a good primary school."

However, the teachers at Tianqi Academy were all scholars from the Hanlin Academy who were sent out to teach not only the classics, but also arithmetic and the study of things.

So many families are desperate to get their children in.

Although those houses were small, they became "stepping stones to school admission." They sold out within three days of going on sale last month; even salt merchants from the south of the city used their connections to buy them, saying they were for their illegitimate sons.

He paused and added:
“The cost of each house is no more than 100 taels, but His Majesty sets the price at 2,000 taels, so each house will earn 1,800 taels. After building 500 houses, that's a net profit of 900,000 taels.”

This doesn't even include the rent for shops around the academy.

You see, using bank loans to build houses not only generates enough profit to cover interest but also enriches the national treasury. This is the principle of 'making money from money.'

Zhu Youjian was stunned.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word for a long time.

He originally thought that his elder brother opened a bank simply to make it easier for people to deposit money, but he never expected that there was such a deep secret involved.

From surveying fields and planting sweet potatoes to opening banks and building houses, the emperor's "money-making ideas" were increasingly ingenious, even turning "admission qualifications" into a tool for making money.

Zhu Youjian looked out the window at the bustling streets and at the people queuing to deposit money at the bank, and suddenly felt a surge of admiration.

It turns out that the Emperor's "great undertaking to restore the dynasty" was not just empty talk, but was hidden in these seemingly ordinary new policies, implemented step by step in a steady and pragmatic manner.

"Your Majesty...you are truly a genius."

He muttered to himself, his brows gradually relaxing, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips.

"This 100,000 taels of interest was well spent, absolutely well spent!"

The steward bowed and echoed:
“Your Highness is wise.

His Majesty often says, "When the people are at peace, the world is at peace."

Banks pay interest to reassure the public.

Building houses and establishing primary schools is to make people feel at ease.

Only when the people are at ease will they be willing to follow the imperial court.

This is the most cost-effective 'deal'.

Zhu Youjian nodded, picked up the account book on the table, and began to look through it again.

This time, his eyes were devoid of anxiety, filled only with understanding and admiration.

We're all family. My brother is so smart, why isn't mine?

(End of this chapter)