Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 151 If you can't move the mountain in front of you, I'll send people from all over the world to level it for you!
Xi'an Prefecture, the main hall of the former Qin Dynasty Prince's Palace.

This place was once a place where the nobility indulged in a life of debauchery, but now it is as desolate as the Hall of Hell.

In the center of the hall was the enormous rosewood chair that belonged to the Prince of Qin, and now sat the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Youjian!

Below the emperor, dozens of merchants knelt in a dense crowd.

These people were practically dug out from underground in Shaanxi by Sun Chuanting's men, encompassing all the big merchants still breathing in this land.

Grain dealers, salt sellers, fur smugglers, owners of dozens of pawnshops... normally they are the kind of people who can shake the prices of the entire prefecture with a stomp of their feet, but today they are kneeling here, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Because the person in the hall is the emperor.

Furthermore, on either side of this hall stood two completely different things, yet both exuding the same deadly aura.

To the left were dozens of Imperial Guards dressed in flying fish robes, their hands on embroidered spring knives. They stood like lifeless sculptures, their gazes as cold as the wind blowing from Liaodong. Just their quiet presence made the merchants feel a chill down their spines, as if a blade was gently scraping against them.

The right side, on the other hand, is more impactful.

Those were gold and silver treasures confiscated from the Qin King's treasury; they weren't packed in boxes, but simply piled up into a small mountain.

Gold ingots, silver ingots, and various jewels and jade artifacts... radiated a dazzling and mesmerizing brilliance.

On one side is death, on the other is wealth.

On one side was a cold knife, on the other was scorching gold.

The two items were placed so crudely together, along with the expressionless young emperor on the dragon throne, creating an absurd yet extremely oppressive scene.

Kneeling at the very front was the top figure in the Shaanxi rice and grain business, surnamed Qian, named Sihai.

He had lived for over fifty years and considered himself a seasoned veteran of many storms, but he had never seen anything like this before. He quietly raised his eyelids and quickly glanced at the emperor on the dragon throne.

The young emperor didn't look at them. Instead, he was engrossed in playing with a jade pendant he had picked up from a pile of gold and silver. His expression was so focused that it seemed as if the pendant was far more important than the lives of the dozens of people kneeling below and the rise and fall of dozens of families.

Time slipped away little by little in this suffocating silence.

Sweat seeped from Qian Sihai's forehead, slid down his fat cheeks, and dripped onto the cold floor tiles.

He felt like his knees no longer belonged to him, and only one thought occupied his mind: What exactly did the emperor from the capital want? To confiscate his property? To extort him? He needed an explanation. Enduring this was worse than being beheaded.

Finally, the emperor seemed to have grown tired of the jade pendant. He casually tossed it aside, and the pendant traced a graceful arc in the air before falling back into the golden mountain with a clink.

"Gentlemen, please rise."

The emperor's voice was calm, and no emotion could be heard.

But these words were like heavenly music, granting the merchants a pardon, and they stood up shakily.

"I have invited you all here today not to interrogate you," Zhu Youjian said, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "I have seen these things in the Prince of Qin's residence, and they are shocking. But I also know that the corruption of the dynasty did not happen overnight, nor is it the fault of one person. I do not wish to dwell on the past; I only wish to discuss a business deal with you all."

Discuss business?
The merchants looked at each other, feeling even more uncertain. Was the emperor really going to do business with them, a group of money-grubbing merchants?
Qian Sihai, steeling himself, bowed and said, "Your Majesty is rich beyond measure, but this humble subject...this humble subject is foolish and does not know what business Your Majesty is referring to..."

Zhu Youjian smiled, a smile that seemed devoid of any warmth. "It's very simple. I want to establish a 'Royal General Chamber of Commerce'."

"General Trading Company?" This term was completely unfamiliar to everyone, especially to the several wealthy merchants from Shanxi in the hall. They only knew their own trading company and had never heard of such an unheard-of name.

“Yes, a ‘general trading company’ that spans the entire country.” Zhu Youjian’s gaze swept over the several wealthy merchants present. His tone was calm, yet every word carried immense weight. He pointed to the Imperial Guards on his left and then to the dazzling mountain of gold on his right.

"I know you are the wealthiest people in the land, your fortunes no less than this mountain of gold before me. But you don't spend your money with peace of mind." His words, like a sharp knife, dissected the merchants' deepest fears. "In the past, part of your silver was used to bribe officials at every level, to buy a protective talisman; the other part probably ended up in the hands of bandits in Shaanxi, buying a 'safe passage.' Am I right?"

No one dared to answer, but the deathly silence in the hall was the best answer.

"Now, I'm giving you a new, aboveboard choice." Zhu Youjian's voice carried an undeniable authority as he pointed to the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard beside him. "My personal guard—the Embroidered Uniform Guard—is the backer of this 'Royal General Chamber of Commerce'!"

"This means that once you enter this trading company, your trade routes will become the royal trade routes! Your goods will become the royal goods! No one will dare to exploit you at will! You only need to contribute a portion of your family wealth as shares to obtain a 'share' in this general trading company, and from then on you can live and die with the country and share the profits with me!"

"A gift?" Qian Sihai was even more confused.

"You can think of it as proof of joining," Zhu Youjian explained patiently. "The more silver you contribute, the larger your share in the business, and the more dividends you will receive at the end of the year. I, in the name of the Ming Dynasty imperial family, will be the largest owner of this general business."

The merchants' breathing began to quicken; it sounded like another form of donation, yet it seemed somewhat different.

Zhu Youjian seemed to see through their thoughts and continued:

"Of course, I won't take your money for nothing. What will you get by joining this General Chamber of Commerce? First, a monopoly. The General Chamber of Commerce will exclusively operate the salt, tea, iron, and coal monopolies in Shaanxi Province, which used to be obtained through layers of exploitation. Anyone who dares to interfere will be an enemy of me. These Imperial Guards and all the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty are here to clear obstacles for you."

Upon hearing this, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

monopoly!

This is the supreme situation described in the book: "The world is prosperous, and all profits come from one source!"

"Secondly, official procurement. Tianzitun already has tens of thousands of households, and there will be more in the future. All the supplies they need, as well as the food and weapons needed by the army, will be supplied by the General Chamber of Commerce with priority. You can figure out how big this business is."

Qian Sihai's heart began to pound wildly!
Government procurement has always been the most lucrative area, but it is also the riskiest, with delays and deductions being commonplace.

But now the emperor himself has spoken. What does that mean? It means an inexhaustible gold mine!
"Finally, and most importantly," Zhu Youjian stood up and walked to the front of the crowd, his gaze piercing.

"Franchise! Beyond Shaanxi lies the vast grasslands and the prosperous Western Regions. Before, if you wanted to go there, you would either be exploited by the border troops or robbed by bandits. By joining the General Merchant Guild, your caravans will be escorted by elite troops from Yansui Garrison. You can use Shaanxi's salt, tea, and cloth to exchange for the Mongols' horses, cattle, and sheep; you can use silk and porcelain to open the door to the Western Regions. How much profit can be made here?"

The emperor's voice wasn't loud, but every word struck the merchants' hearts like a heavy hammer.

Fear is dissipating, and greed is rising.

They were all shrewd people, and they instantly understood the terrifying nature of this "General Trading Company".

This is to use imperial power to forcibly bind the commercial lifeline of the entire Shaanxi province into a single rope, and then use the army, the sharpest sword, to open up a channel to the sea of ​​wealth for this rope!
Of course, they also know that there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

"Of course, I have given you benefits, so you should naturally share my burdens." Zhu Youjian changed the subject.
"All trade conducted by the General Chamber of Commerce must be subject to commercial taxes paid to my private treasury in accordance with the regulations. The higher the profits, the higher the tax, ranging from one-tenth to one-fifth. In addition, the General Chamber of Commerce is also responsible for selling all surplus materials produced in the Imperial Garrison. I intend to use this money to provide relief to disaster victims and to support an invincible army."

He paused, his cold gaze slowly sweeping over everyone.

"I know some of you are unwilling. You feel that your money was earned through hard work, so why should you hand it over?" He pointed to the mountain of gold and said coldly.
"The King of Qin thinks so too. Now, he has gone to complain to the King of Hell. Today I'm giving you a choice: either take your money and go with the King of Qin, or hand over a portion of your money and come with me to earn ten or a hundred times more money."

"I'll give you a day to consider. Tomorrow at this time, Sun Chuanting will be here to register. Those who are willing to join, please state your assets and we will determine your share. Those who are not willing..." The emperor didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood the meaning behind his smile.

After saying that, he turned and left, leaving behind a hall full of merchants, a floor covered in gold, and a room filled with cold air!

Qian Sihai's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down again.

He knew he had no choice.

No, or rather, none of the merchants in Shaanxi had a choice!
...After the merchants dispersed like zombies, Sun Chuanting approached the emperor with a solemn expression.

“Your Majesty, this ‘General Chamber of Commerce’ strategy is indeed groundbreaking. However… there is one thing that I find very puzzling.”

"Is it grain?" Zhu Youjian asked without looking up, as if he had expected him to ask this question.

Sun Chuanting bowed and said, “That’s right. Shaanxi is suffering from a severe drought, the treasury is empty, and nearly 100,000 soldiers and civilians are farming and starving. Relying solely on local plundering is tantamount to drinking poison to quench thirst. Transferring grain from Huguang is the only way to survive. But... it’s thousands of miles away, and the road is long and arduous.”

He took a deep breath and voiced the problem he had pondered countless times: "The grain from Huguang can be transported upstream along the Han River, but it can only reach Hanzhong Prefecture in the south at most. The Han River has many shallows and rapids, making it difficult for large ships to navigate, which is already time-consuming and laborious. And from Hanzhong to the Guanzhong Plain where we are, there is a natural barrier in between—the Qinling Mountains."

"I have examined the maps and records. Since ancient times, there have only been a few treacherous ancient plank roads traversing the Qinling Mountains, such as the Ziwu Road and the Baoxie Road. These plank roads are suspended on sheer cliffs, narrow and difficult to traverse, barely wide enough for people and animals to pass through. Large quantities of grain and supplies could not be transported by carts and horses. Once a ship of grain reached Hanzhong, it had to be unloaded and then divided among countless people and animals to traverse the mountains and valleys. The losses and waste involved in this process were immense..."

Sun Chuanting didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear: the emperor's entire plan was based on the premise of having enough to eat. However, the Qinling Mountains were a major obstacle preventing them from getting food.

This is almost an unsolvable dead end.

He walked to the west in front of the huge map.

“You’re absolutely right. So I’m not transporting grain all the way from Huguang, Jiangzhe, and other places to Shaanxi.” His voice became resolute. “Instead, I’m having the entire Ming Dynasty provide a lifeline to Shaanxi!”

"Their granary shortages will be made up by grain from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Southern Zhili, Fujian, and Guangdong. As for the granaries of the coastal provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong, they will be filled by my fleet!"

Zhu Youjian raised his head, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, as if piercing through the palace and looking towards the endless blue waves of the South China Sea.

"I have already ordered Zheng Zhilong's fleet to set sail for the South Seas in conjunction with the newly expanded Ming navy! They will transport cheap rice from Siam and Annam directly to the nearest port to Shaanxi that they can reach along the long coastline of our Great Ming!"

Sun Chuanting was so stunned by the emperor's groundbreaking idea that he was dizzy and speechless.

Zhu Youjian's cold voice continued, as if he were driving the final nail into this terrifyingly massive plan:
"In this way, it becomes a chain reaction, with each link connected to the next, creating a chain reaction of supply! Rice from Southeast Asia will nourish the southeast coast; grain from Jiangsu and Zhejiang will replenish the Central Plains; and the strength of the Central Plains will then be used to save the Northwest!"

Looking at Sun Chuanting, whose face was ashen, he seemed to have guessed his biggest concern, so he took the initiative to speak: "I know that according to the rules of past dynasties, for such a long-distance transport, if thirty or forty shi of grain out of a hundred shi of grain reach the destination, it would be considered a great stroke of luck. The losses incurred would be enough to deter anyone from undertaking such a task."

The tone suddenly shifted, and Zhu Youjian's voice became chilling and piercing:
"But there is no such rule here! My men will watch every step of the process from leaving the warehouse to transporting and storing the grain, and my sword will be hanging over the heads of every grain official, clerk, and escorting soldier!"

"I don't care who they are, how great their achievements, or how powerful their connections. Anyone who dares to reach out will have their hand chopped off! Anyone who dares to make false claims will have their entire family arrested! I want to see how much of their wealth will be left under my blade!"

"This is the life-saving net I have laid for Shaanxi. It is a net that uses imperial power as the warp, violence as the weft, and the profits from all over the world as its food, a net that forcibly provides blood transfusions! Even if only 30% of the grain reaches Shaanxi in the end, it is far better than watching Shaanxi decay and receive nothing!"

He turned to look at Sun Chuanting, his gaze sharp as a knife: "I want the world to see whether the officials and granaries of the Ming Dynasty can still function under my decree!"

Sun Chuanting was deeply shaken.

He had expected the emperor to use some ingenious scheme, but to his surprise, it was another straightforward yet domineering plot!

This was no longer a strategy for a single province or region, but rather a strategy that treated the entire Ming Dynasty as a unified chessboard, forcibly leveraging the resources of the most prosperous regions to fill the most critical gaps.

This scale and boldness... have exceeded all of Sun Chuanting's previous understanding!

"To facilitate the settlement and payment of rewards across several provinces," Zhu Youjian took out a beautifully crafted piece of paper from his sleeve, "I authorize the General Chamber of Commerce to issue this with 20 million taels of silver from the imperial treasury as the base."

It was a "Da Ming Bao Tong Silver Note," exactly the same as the one Sun Chuanting had seen before.

"Such a large-scale transfer must cost far more than ten thousand! Are we really going to make soldiers and laborers carry countless copper coins and silver coins on the road?" Zhu Youjian sneered.
"All wages for hired laborers, purchases of materials, and rewards for officers and soldiers along the route will be paid for with these silver notes. With this paper, they can exchange it for grain, cloth, salt, or cash at any exchange point set up by the government or the general merchant guild along the way. I intend to use this earth-shaking massive grain transport to provide the strongest endorsement for the credibility of my imperial power!"

Sun Chuanting held the light silver note in his hand, yet it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

This—mobilizing the nation's grain reserves, issuing silver notes, cultivating merchants, and intimidating officials—was all connected by an invisible thread by the emperor.

This is using wildly imaginative ideas, coupled with absolute violence and supreme imperial power, to forcibly reverse the course of the entire empire!
At this moment, Sun Chuanting had no more doubts in his heart, only a kind of awe that was almost trembling. He took a deep breath, his knees buckled, and he was about to kneel down again to perform the great salute between ruler and subject.

"No need to kneel."

Zhu Youjian's voice rang out, stopping his actions.

The young emperor had turned away from the huge map at some point, and the chilling aura of killing intent on his face had quietly faded, replaced by a weariness that seemed to seep into his very bones.

He sighed softly, the sigh echoing in the empty hall, carrying a hint of desolation and self-mockery that seemed incongruous with his imperial status.

"Crazy, isn't it?" Zhu Youjian's lips curled into a bitter smile. "I know, this is crazy. Crazy, not like what an emperor should say, but more like a gambler who has gambled away his entire fortune and is going to tear down the roof beams to gamble one last time."

He walked up to Sun Chuanting, his gaze no longer looking down at him, but level with him.

“But if I don’t go mad, Shaanxi will die. If Shaanxi dies, the Ming Dynasty will not be far from its demise.” His voice was soft, but every word struck Sun Chuanting’s heart. “Sun Chuanting, this is the craziest, and only, solution I can come up with for Shaanxi, for you, and for these millions of soldiers and civilians.”

"Your subject... would not hesitate to die ten thousand times!" Sun Chuanting's voice was hoarse, and his eyes were even a little hot. Even though his heart was as hard as iron, he was deeply moved by the emperor's words, which were almost a confession of his true feelings.

"I don't want you to die, I want you to live, to live well, and to hold the situation in Shaanxi up for me." Zhu Youjian patted his shoulder, a gesture filled with unquestionable trust and a heavy responsibility.

"From today onwards, Shaanxi is initially pacified. But I know this is only the beginning. The establishment of the General Chamber of Commerce, the implementation of banknotes, trade with Mongolia, the backlash from officials, the obstruction from local gentry... there will certainly be many more and greater difficulties waiting for you in the future."

His eyes suddenly sharpened, filled with expectation and encouragement: "I still have the same decree as before, and the same requirements I have for you. In Shaanxi, you can do whatever you want without having to ask for permission for everything! Anyone who dares to disobey on the surface and delay military operations, no matter how high their rank or how powerful their background, can be executed first and reported later! If your sword isn't sharp enough, I'll lend you the sword from the capital! If you can't move the mountain in front of you, I'll send people from all over the country to level it for you!"

These words were tantamount to giving Sun Chuanting a real imperial sword, a supreme authority that surpassed that of previous governors-general!

"However," Zhu Youjian's tone shifted, becoming serious, "you must report more and communicate more. I need to know what you have done, what difficulties you have encountered, and what you need me to do for you in the capital. You and I, ruler and subject, one in the Northwest and the other in the capital, should be like left and right hands, working together with one heart and one mind, only then can we reverse this downward trend!"

"Your Majesty's decree is my solemn command!" Sun Chuanting could no longer contain himself. He knelt on one knee, his voice strong and resounding.

Zhu Youjian watched him silently for a moment before gently helping him up. His gaze went over Sun Chuanting's shoulder and looked towards the distant east, which was the direction of the capital.

"I am also returning to the capital." His voice became calm again, even somewhat cold.

Sun Chuanting was taken aback: "Your Majesty, won't you stay a little longer?"

“We can’t keep him here.” Zhu Youjian slowly shook his head, a storm-like fierceness flashing in his eyes. “I have been away from the capital for more than three months. In these three months, I have been suppressing the rebellion and building up farms in Shaanxi. The situation in the capital has probably changed from undercurrents to raging waves.”

He thought of the ministers who had been stirring up trouble since he left the capital, the deeply entrenched noble families, and the Donglin gentlemen who considered themselves pillars of the nation but opposed him at every turn, and so on!

With the emperor gone, who will keep them in check?

With the emperor gone, how much of the Ming Dynasty's vitality will those parasites devour?

"Too many people are eyeing my throne. Too many people want a piece of my empire." Zhu Youjian's lips curled into a cold smile. "If I don't go back soon, they might forget whose sky this Ming Dynasty truly belongs to!"

Zhu Youjian strode towards the palace gate. When he reached the entrance and was bathed in the sunlight streaming in from outside, his shadow stretched long, lonely yet incredibly resolute!
“Sun Chuanting,” he said without turning around, his voice carrying clearly throughout the hall with the force of a storm about to sweep across the land, “You will guard the northwest gateway for me in Shaanxi and keep out the sandstorms from the west.”

“And I,” he paused, his tone filled with absolute confidence and domineering presence as an emperor.

"We must return to the capital to quell the turmoil that has gripped the court!"

　It's getting crowded, it's getting crowded!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)