For the next few days, Su An locked himself in his room, writing and revising on paper.
She spread the three sheets of paper, filled with writing, on the table, stretched, and exclaimed with a beaming smile, "Finally done!"
As she looked up, she saw the words "Investment Promotion Conference Plan" prominently displayed at the very top of the paper.
Just then, Fu Zhun pushed the door open and came in.
She quickly waved to Fu Zhun and showed him.
"You've come at the perfect time! Come quickly and help me see if there's anything that needs to be changed."
After all, this investment promotion conference is unprecedented, so it would be more prudent to let Fu Zhun take a look.
Walking up to her, Fu Zhun picked up the investment promotion conference plan on the table and examined it carefully.
The next moment, he was at a loss for words, both amused and exasperated.
In their quest for the title of Imperial Merchant, many merchants did indeed secretly spend money, but most of them kept it to themselves. This was the first time he had ever seen someone like Su An so openly and aggressively recruit merchants.
But it must be said that this method is quite good.
After all, the laws of the Great Chu state did not explicitly stipulate this.
Fu Zhun was surprised for a moment, then nodded and praised.
"I was worried that you wouldn't be able to handle the various affairs of the Imperial Household Department, but now it seems that I was overthinking it. That person wanted to take the opportunity to make things difficult for you, but he probably didn't expect that you could resolve the matter so easily."
But then, as if he had thought of something, his brows furrowed slightly, and he muttered with some worry.
"But most of the merchants in the capital are connected with the powerful and influential people there. Although the fact that the Great Chu treasury is empty has never been explicitly stated, everyone knows it but keeps it to themselves. I'm afraid these merchants are too shrewd and won't cooperate properly."
Seeing that Fu Zhun was satisfied with the result, Su An was overjoyed.
She had already considered the point he mentioned.
Su An curled her lips into a smile, crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Fu Zhun with a grin.
"You're right, so this task depends on you, Your Highness!"
"I?"
Upon hearing this, Fu Zhun pointed to himself in confusion, looking puzzled.
He had never seen or organized any of these things before, so what could he do?
Su An nodded, pacing back and forth as he enthusiastically explained to Fu Zhun.
“That’s right. There’s some truth to the saying that no merchant is honest. As you said, they all know that the national treasury is empty. It’s not really appropriate to do business with the royal family right now. Anyone with a brain would definitely not rush to do business with the royal family.”
"So I need you to send some people to muddy the waters, to make it seem both real and fake, and I have my own ways of getting them involved."
Upon hearing this, Fu Zhun agreed without hesitation.
"Okay, I'll go find someone."
He dared not speak of anything else, but arranging a few people was just a piece of cake for him.
After discussing the matter, Su An began to make preparations.
She ordered notices to be posted throughout the city, indicating that the Imperial Household Department would be seeking investment.
Although the Imperial Household Department didn't offer much profit, becoming a royal merchant at least gave one the opportunity to establish connections with the imperial family and relatives. A few merchants with this goal in mind planned to participate appropriately.
As for those who weren't interested, after being egged on by passersby, they also came with the intention of watching the spectacle.
These people were naturally the men arranged by Fu Zhun.
The day for the investment promotion conference arrived quickly.
There's a saying that goes, "You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub."
For this investment promotion conference, Su An even paid out of his own pocket to book the most famous Bao'an Hall in the city as the venue.
Wealthy and powerful merchants from the capital all came to visit.
Su An stood on the stage, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and said in a clear voice:
"Welcome everyone to the investment promotion conference hosted by the Imperial Household Department. I am Su An, a lady-in-waiting appointed by His Majesty. All of you are outstanding individuals in the capital. It is truly not easy for us to gather together. I would like to thank you all once again for coming to support us."
As she spoke, she bowed slightly to the crowd.
The ancient people had never seen such a scene before, and they all stared at Su An with great interest, waiting for her next move.
"Everyone's time is precious, so let's skip the small talk and get straight to the point."
"Our Imperial Household Department is fully responsible for all matters concerning the inner palace, so choosing the right partners is of utmost importance to us. Therefore, I am here today to solicit business in areas such as fabrics, tea, and the Four Treasures of the Study. I hope everyone will participate enthusiastically."
As she spoke, she clapped her hands.
A line of maids dressed in official robes filed in, carrying trays with various tokens on them.
These tokens differ slightly in their patterns and the inscriptions they bear.
Su An reached out and swept his hand over each of the tokens, explaining with a smile.
"These are special imperial merchant tokens made by our Imperial Household Department. There is only one batch available, and the highest bidder will receive them. In the future, our Imperial Household Department will only cooperate with holders of these tokens. If you are interested, you can participate in the bidding. This is a rare opportunity, so don't miss it."
Then she waved to the accountant.
"Our auction is now beginning. First up is the fabric item. The palace needs to purchase two thousand bolts of fabric and brocade every year. Those interested can participate in the auction now. The starting price is one thousand taels."
The people in the audience looked at each other in bewilderment, and no one participated in the bidding.
The scene became somewhat awkward for a moment.
Suddenly, in an inconspicuous corner, a man dressed in fine clothes raised his hand in greeting.
"I'll offer two thousand taels!"
Upon hearing this, the crowd burst into laughter and couldn't help but make sarcastic remarks.
"You're from out of town, aren't you? Doing business with the royal family may seem respectable, but you can't risk your fortune for the sake of appearances. I've heard the national treasury is empty right now, and it's uncertain whether we even have any money left!"
The man wasn't annoyed at all. He stood up without changing his expression and pointed at Su An with his folding fan.
"That's not right. Do you know who's standing on this platform?"
Who else could it be? Isn't it Su An, the female official appointed by His Majesty?
The crowd didn't understand his meaning and looked at Su An with puzzlement.
Before anyone could respond, the man snorted and held up five fingers, saying to himself.
"Before coming here, I did a special investigation on Lady Su. She has at least a hundred shops under her management, and her silver reserves must be at least this much. Not to mention, Lady Su is also acquainted with the Prince of Zhenbei."
"With this relationship in place, even if the national treasury is empty, we will not be short of the silver we deserve."
As soon as he finished speaking, a servant dressed as a maid quickly tugged at him and muttered anxiously.
"Oh dear, young master, weren't you planning to participate in the auction? Now that you've revealed everything to them, what are you going to do if they compete with you?"
Good, good, good! This acting is excellent!
Su An gave them an approving look, secretly cheering them on.
Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but reconsider the investment promotion conference.
The next moment, another person raised their hand to participate in the auction.
"I'll offer two thousand five hundred taels!"
Some people, not daring to show weakness, followed suit and raised their bids.
"I'll offer three thousand taels!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
