Li Shimin's words made Wang Gui want to cry, but he had to put on a happy face. He wanted to refuse, but he couldn't bring himself to say it.
Real estate isn't so easy to deal with! Quite a few families have been ruined and people have died, Qin Mu thought maliciously to himself.
"Let's try digging a pit for the Wang family!" Qin Mu thought to himself, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Wang Gui.
"Your Majesty! It is also my responsibility to share the burden of the court. I am willing to accept the transformation of a market town and to accept the supervision and standards of the court!"
Qin Mu's words stunned everyone again. Just moments ago, he had been saying there were many difficulties and no benefits, but now he was willing to take on the task. No one does good deeds for no reason; it's human nature to do things against your will.
"Could there be huge profits involved?" Everyone, including Li Shimin, had this thought.
"Could it be that you can also build a commercial street? If so, I can grant your request," Li Shimin said.
“One food street is enough. Even if it's renovated, it can't replicate the success of this place. Although Chang'an is vast, other areas have their own advantages. The East and West Markets, and Pingkang Ward are all places for consumption. Of course! If others want to build them, I have no objection.” Qin Mu shook his head slightly and said.
Don't let the simplicity of the snack street fool you. Located right next to the imperial city, it boasts royal boutiques, its own furniture store, and numerous well-known shops selling everything from snacks to gold and silver jewelry. With such a perfect combination of location and resources, anyone trying to replicate it is likely to end up with a poor imitation.
If business isn't picking up, rent collection will be even more difficult, making losses highly likely. Therefore, Qin Mu wasn't worried, as long as he maintained his reputation. Thinking about this, Qin Mu couldn't help but smile; he was already hoping others would follow suit.
"Alright! We've seen the excitement today. My dear ministers, you may all disperse and go see what's new and interesting, and think about how to set standards." Seeing that Qin Mu's words made sense, Li Shimin said somewhat listlessly.
"Young Qin, stay here and tell me what's going on on the fifth floor?" Just as he was about to leave, Qin Mu was stopped again.
"Speak! What are you thinking?" The door closed, leaving only Li Shimin, Qin Mu, and two eunuchs standing in the corner with their heads bowed and eyes fixed straight ahead, as if they were asleep.
"Your Majesty is wise! Your humble servant wishes to help renovate one of the poorest market towns in Chang'an," Qin Mu said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.
"Oh! Why is that?" Li Shimin asked in surprise.
"To share His Majesty's burdens and to serve the court," Qin Mu replied respectfully.
"I am very pleased that you have this intention! But I'm afraid that's not the main reason, is it?" Li Shimin sat down with an air of authority and asked with a smile.
"Your Majesty is wise, that is indeed the case. I did this mainly for Ruoxi's sake," Qin Mu replied solemnly.
"Changning? Why? Is it because of her health?" Li Shimin frowned, then asked, though his tone was certain.
Qin Mu thought to himself that Li Shimin, or rather the Li family, had indeed guessed that Princess Changning's condition was due to a curse.
“Yes! Doing things for the people should be a great act of kindness. Even if it doesn’t help her, it won’t do her any harm.” Qin Mu nodded in agreement.
"You've put your heart into it! Changning has excellent taste in you. But does your Qin family have that much money to rebuild a market town?" Li Shimin asked gently.
"My Rugui Tower and the commercial street have earned enough for initial use, and the income from later can be gradually invested. After all, it doesn't take much time to rebuild a market town," Qin Mu explained.
"Hmm! That's good. If you don't have enough money, just tell me. For the sake of Changning, the Li family can also contribute." Li Shimin nodded in agreement.
"Your Majesty understands."
"Can't we really build another food street?" Li Shimin, having already seen the benefits of a commercial street, asked after taking a sip of water.
"Building it is definitely possible, but making a profit won't be so easy," Qin Mu said with a smile.
Li Shimin raised an eyebrow. He understood what this meant: professional matters should be handled by professionals, and it was perfectly normal for others to lose money.
"We can't do a food street! But we can do a shopping street!" Qin Mu changed the subject and continued.
"A shopping street? What's the difference between that and a food street?" Li Shimin asked curiously.
"Of course there is a difference! People strolling through the food street mainly enjoy the snacks, while those strolling through the shopping street mainly shop."
"Isn't this just like a shopping mall?" Li Shimin asked, rubbing his forehead.
"Your Majesty is wise, it is indeed similar, but the shopping street is larger and has more similar stores, making it easier to satisfy the pleasure of shopping!" Qin Mu explained. As he spoke, he couldn't help but shake his head when he thought of those women who had the patience to walk through every single store on the entire street.
"Fun!" Li Shimin didn't quite understand this.
"Yes! Nowadays, the Royal Boutique on the fifth floor serves almost exclusively people of high status and wealth. It's a bit too high-end for ordinary people. What if it were located in the shops downstairs? Each shop could be a separate store, allowing customers to choose for themselves. Just imagine, dozens of clothing and fabric shops lined up in a row—wouldn't that make people dazzled and greatly increase their interest?" Qin Mu explained, gesturing as he spoke.
"Interesting!" Li Shimin leaned back and said thoughtfully.
"Nowadays, most places only sell fabrics! But shopping streets don't sell fabrics, they only sell ready-made clothes! Customization is available, and as soon as you enter, there are a dazzling array of clothes hanging there for you to choose from. Even if you don't buy anything, you can still try them on! Wouldn't that make people want to visit every day?"
"Hmm! Not bad, continue!" Li Shimin picked up his teacup and gestured slightly.
"The layout is similar to a commercial street, but the central shopping mall will not sell the current goods. Instead, it will sell chilled or spicy juices and some pastries! We will open a large performance venue so that people can come in to rest and watch a show when they are tired from shopping."
"The marketplace still belongs to the royal family," Li Shimin said with a smirk. After listening to Qin Mu's explanation, he knew it was another place to make money.
"No! This time, the royal family's interests lie outside, because only the royal family has the technology and strength to open so many clothing stores," Qin Mu shook his head and objected.
"Outside?" Li Shimin was somewhat displeased. In his mind, the royal family should naturally occupy the best locations. What kind of nonsense was it to compete with others outside?
"Your Majesty, don't underestimate the outside world. The royal family owns ten clothing stores, which are more profitable than department stores. Department stores only make money from ticket sales for performances. With such a large investment, there must be some profit, right?" Qin Mu explained with a headache, somewhat understanding Li Shimin's mindset.
Seeing that Li Shimin was still thinking, Qin Mu continued, "Now the fifth floor is full of people arranged by the Empress. Not only can the Empress have people open clothing stores in the shopping street, but Your Majesty can also have other imperial concubines open one. This will not only enrich the variety of goods in the shopping street and increase its competitiveness, but Your Majesty can also give it as a reward to the imperial concubines."
After listening to Qin Mu's advice, Li Shimin smiled with satisfaction. Giving his concubines several business deals was far more attractive than bestowing small gifts or money. He could imagine that he would receive a great deal of tenderness in return.
The difference between voluntary and enthusiastic initiative is quite significant; it's a direct feeling. Thinking about another period of comfortable yet tiring life filled Li Shimin with warmth, and he found Qin Mu increasingly pleasing to the eye.
"Okay! It's settled then! Where do you think would be a good location for the shopping street?" Li Shimin readily agreed.
"It's in Fuxing Ward!" Qin Mu said. Fuxing Ward is separated from the current Buzheng Ward by a market town and is also on the edge of the imperial city. Similar to Buzheng Ward, although there are many residents, most of them are not in good condition and are the families of soldiers who have followed the court over the years. Of course, the better areas belong to nobles and wealthy people, which is why only the commercial street in Buzheng Ward was rebuilt.
The commercial street, along with the six gates, occupied 30% of the Buzheng Ward. The rest were either occupied by the wealthy or in some corners. This is a characteristic of most wards and markets: a small number of wealthy people occupy a large amount of land.
"Why not in Banzheng Ward? The two wards are closer together, wouldn't they complement each other better?" Li Shimin asked, puzzled.
"That may be true, but does Your Majesty still remember the tricycles and rickshaws?" Qin Mu asked.
“Of course I remember, what does it matter?” Li Shimin asked.
"There are two markets, separated by another market. This allows us to arrange for many carts to transport people between them. For just a copper coin or two, it's not expensive to have someone take you between the two markets, right? They not only enjoy the pleasure of shopping but also don't need to walk. This way, not only the two markets but also the Banzheng Market in between can be redeveloped," Qin Mu explained. He had just come up with this idea. Originally, he only planned to establish a tricycle and rickshaw system to solve some employment issues. However, he suddenly realized that building a recreational area in Banzheng Market would greatly enhance the experience. Connecting the three areas together would be enough to keep people entertained for a whole day.
"Oh? What are you building in Buzhengfang?" Li Shimin asked with delight. If two wards could be transformed at once, this area around the imperial city would look much better. Like Buzhengfang, although planting trees is prohibited near the wards and the imperial city, a few low-lying flowers and grasses have greatly enhanced the scenery.
"Build a zoo! Capture some ferocious beasts and animal races and lock them up. Arrange for people to explain their weaknesses and habits. This way, the people's fear of ferocious beasts will be greatly reduced, and they will also know how to deal with them. Some small and cute birds and beasts will also be a sight to behold. After all, where would the young ladies and gentlemen of Chang'an City have the opportunity to see these?" Qin Mu suggested.
"This...is also an admission fee?"
"Yes."
"Capturing these things will require a lot of manpower. In addition to the renovations, how much should the ticket price be? If it's too expensive, will anyone come to see it?" Li Shimin hesitated.
"Of course it can't be too expensive! But Your Majesty, think about it: after the capture, they'll just be locked up. They'll only need to be provided with some food, and there won't be any other investment. Although the return on investment will be slower, it's better in the long run!" Qin Mu explained. With such a large population in Chang'an, even charging one copper coin per person would be a considerable income.
"That makes sense!" Li Shimin thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. He had never imagined that capturing some ferocious beasts could be used for exhibitions and making money.
"That's right! Your Majesty, think about it, what is our main purpose? It's to renovate the market! The court invests money, and we can get it back. We renovate the market and also solve the employment problems of many people. It's a win-win situation. Even if we lose a little, what does it matter?" Qin Mu persuaded, using his silver tongue.
"Excellent! Excellent! I almost got things backwards." Li Shimin nodded in agreement.
"Yes! Your Majesty, I suggest that you issue an imperial decree to build the Chang'an Zoo, in the name of the royal family, for the people to visit and learn from. At that time, only a small management fee will be charged. Who would not be willing to do that?"
"Haha! Not bad! Not bad! I am very satisfied. The Imperial Household Department will allocate funds for the renovation of Banzhengfang." Li Shimin said with a hearty laugh.
"Your Majesty, I suggest that you and the Wang family simultaneously renovate the Yongyang and Heping markets," Qin Mu said, bowing respectfully as Li Shimin was in a good mood.
"You brat, you're trying to screw over the Wang family!" Li Shimin said with a sneer, his eyes narrowing.
"Your Majesty, I knew I couldn't hide it from you. With me and the Wang family taking the lead, others are likely to follow suit. In this way, the slums in Chang'an can be rebuilt very quickly," Qin Mu said frankly, feeling no pressure whatsoever about ripping off the Wang family.
Li Shimin was of course even less concerned. The Wang family was not so obedient in the court, and they wielded considerable power. Getting them to contribute funds to rebuild Chang'an was something he couldn't ask for.
According to Qin Mu, with him and the Wang family taking action, it's highly likely that others will also get involved. This is a good thing, and Li Shimin is already considering how to cooperate with Qin Mu to get as many people involved as possible.
Having solved a major problem, Li Shimin no longer cared about waiting for his eldest grandson and returned to the palace in high spirits.
Qin Mu lost interest in patrolling, told Yuchi Baolin what was going on, and returned home to begin considering the issue of renovating the market town. There were three areas that needed renovation, and many factors to consider.
The blueprints, the number of people to recruit, and the required investment all need to be calculated. Of course! Yongyang Ward in the corner of Chang'an City doesn't need anyone else to join, because it was renovated by Princess Changning for charity; she can invest alone.
Compared to Qin Mu, many others who were interested in the commercial street were having their family advisors calculate whether it was possible to replicate this model and build similar structures elsewhere. This was especially true today, when Li Shimin requested the reconstruction of Chang'an's market districts.
Wang Gui was one of them, of course. He'd made a grand entrance in front of so many people today, all for the sake of making a quick buck. So, upon returning to his family, he sent his advisors to investigate the commercial district. Then came the anxious wait.
Fortunately, Wang Gui had served as an official for many years and was highly skilled in self-cultivation, remaining seated quietly. Of course! If he hadn't remained completely engrossed in the book before him, his state of mind would have been even more tranquil.
70
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