Ming Empire

Chapter 175
(Thank you Gongsun Tang Shuyou for your reward)
Chinese New Year will be here soon.

Several months have passed since Cao Yue came to Nanjing.

After several months of hard work, everything in Nanjing is on the right track.

The new army already has a certain combat effectiveness, and if there is an emergency, it can be pulled to the battlefield at any time.The firearms workshop in Nanjing has been operating at high load, producing firearms and gunpowder with maximum efficiency.The newly built Nanjing Arsenal also started production. Unlike other firearms workshops, this largest armory in the Ming Dynasty did not produce matchlock guns, but began trial production of new flintlock muskets.

Through the efforts of many people, the technical barriers to the production of flintlock muskets have been broken, but the construction of the arsenal is destined to be a long-term process, and it is already a miracle that it can be put into initial production after a construction period of several months.In the coming time, Song Yingxing, Fang Yizhi, Wang Zheng and other directors of the arsenal will continue to devote all their energy to building the arsenal and producing more firearms.

With so many abilities gathered around him, Cao Yue is quite satisfied.However, he was not satisfied and continued to send people to search for talented people.

In troubled times, it is not difficult to find those talented people. Give them protection, let them have a place to display their talents, and give them enough respect, and they will recognize you and work for you.

When the New Year's day came, Cao Yue also temporarily stopped training, and distributed benefits to each soldier, so that the soldiers could live a comfortable New Year.For those talented people recruited, Cao Yue also gave them vacations and gave them benefits above that of generals, but what is surprising is that these people were unwilling to rest. Develop firearms.

In the end, Cao Yue had no choice but to follow them, but he also told them to pay attention to rest and not to get tired.He also ordered the logistics department to provide better living security for these people who forget to eat and sleep, and must not let them starve and freeze.

After arriving in Nanjing, Cao Yue had almost no time to be idle. During the day, he basically had no time to stay in the Princess Mansion. Only at night could he go back to the mansion to accompany Aimee Zhu.Aunt Zhu had some opinions on this, but after listening to Cao Yue's explanation, she also expressed her understanding.Later, Aimee Zhu became pregnant. In order not to make Aimee Zhu lonely and boring, Cao Yue suggested that she often go to live with her mother, Wu Shi, and have someone to talk with.

Aimee Zhu was quite obedient, and she didn't put on airs like a princess in front of Wu Shi, but treated her as a daughter-in-law. This surprised Wu Shi very much, and she took more care of Aimi Zhu.

After Cao Yue arrived in Nanjing, he spent very little time with Aunt Zhu, and even fewer opportunities to go back to see his mother and other family members.In the past six months since he came to Nanjing, he visited his mother twice, and left after only having dinner each time.Wu also understands this very well. If something happens, she will go to Cao Yue in person, so as not to waste Cao Yue's time.

During the Chinese New Year, Cao Yue finally had time to eat and chat with Aimee Zhu and his mother.

Taking advantage of this time, the Wu family and Cao Yue discussed the development plan of the Cao family for the coming year.

Taking advantage of Cao Yue's status as the admiral of Nanjing, the Wu family planned to let the Cao family participate in the trade of military supplies, because this was what Cao Yue said at the beginning, and the Cao family had already participated in the trade of some military supplies.However, Mrs. Wu was worried about Cao Yue's future, so when doing these things, she was careful and tried not to leave any excuses for others.

Trades in grain, silk, steel, and arms are all very profitable, and another very profitable business is the sex industry.Today's pornography industry is also a very decent industry, which can be operated openly and above board.When the Cao family first came to Nanjing, although they also set foot in the pornographic industry, their scale and influence are far from comparable to other established brothels.

Wu hopes that Cao Yue and Cao Chao can use their influence to help the Cao family make achievements in this regard.

On New Year's Eve, after Aimee Zhu fell asleep, the mother and son were discussing this issue.Mrs. Wu first told her two sons about the current business situation of the Cao family, and told them all the properties of the Cao family.

In the end, Mrs. Wu didn't show politeness to her two sons, and directly said something that she wanted to talk about, which she was a little worried about: "Brother Yue, Brother Chao, the most famous brothels in Nanjing today are mainly the following ones, presumably You also know that Jiangyun Building, Meixiang Building, Qingxiang Building, Nuanxiang Pavilion, Meilou, Yuxiang Pavilion, Yunfeng Pavilion, and Yichun Garden are the most popular brothels on the Qinhuai River. The scale of the building is far inferior to theirs, mainly because we have not been able to find Honggu who is as famous as these oirans. What Yue Keer said is right, this is the business that brings in the fastest money. Although it is stable, the profit is not high, and the money comes in slowly. Brother Yue now needs a lot of money to train soldiers, and with the operating conditions of our Cao family, Cao Yue, I am afraid that one day we will be unable to make ends meet!"

Cao Chao took his mother Wu's words and told Cao Yue about the current situation in Nanjing brothels.In today's Nanjing brothel industry, the most famous ones are the ones mentioned by Mrs. Wu just now. The main reason is that each of these eight brothels has a very famous top Honggu, that is, Qinhuai Bayan.Among them, Liu Rushi is in Jiangyun Tower, Li Xiangjun is in Meixiang Tower, Chen Yuanyuan is the top card in Qingxiang Tower, Dong Xiaowan is the housekeeper of Nuanxiang Pavilion, Gu Meisheng is in Meilou, Bian Yujing, who dances very well, is in Yuxiang Pavilion, Kou The white gate is in Yunfeng Pavilion, and the oiran of Yichun Garden is Zheng Ruying.

Cao Yue knew the names of Qinhuai Bayan, and he also knew who the beauties were, and he even had direct contact with Chen Yuanyuan.When he followed Chang Yanling to Qingxiang Tower, he didn't think much about it.When I heard my mother talk about this matter today, I immediately understood that my mother hoped that Yunmenglou under the name of the Cao family would also have such a famous Honggu.In this case, there will be more customers, and the money will continue to flow into the account.

"Brother Yue, maybe you don't know that you have a great reputation in Nanjing now, and the stories about you are spread by word of mouth among the women in the brothels. Many of the eight beauties of the Qinhuai River also admire your reputation, why don't you think about it The way is to dig one or two people over, so that our family's Yunmeng Tower can quickly become famous and earn more money for you?" Wu tentatively told Cao Yue her thoughts.

"Mother's idea is good," Cao Chao immediately agreed, and said meaningfully: "Third brother, I heard that last time you went to Qingxiang Building with Chang Yanling and the others, Chen Yuanyuan personally accompanied you, and wanted to keep you from staying overnight with her." Boudoir, I'm sorry you didn't agree. Hee hee, do you want to find a way to poach Chen Yuanyuan here. If you want to take her into the room, this would be more appropriate!"

Cao Yue was stunned for a moment, then glared at Cao Chao, and after thinking about it, he agreed to his mother: "Mother, I will find a way to do this, but our Cao family now has more opportunities to grow and develop than others. I left most of the commercial trade related to the new army to the property under the name of our Cao family. As for the brothel, let's not worry, let me figure out a way!"

"Okay, no rush!" Seeing that Cao Yue didn't refuse, Wu also heaved a sigh of relief.

Next, the mother and son continued to have a heated discussion on the industrial development of the Cao family.

(End of this chapter)