Upon hearing this, the head of the Tian family couldn't help but take a few steps forward.
"Even so, Your Majesty can't completely erase our contributions over the years, right? You have to know that back then..."
When Bao Chong heard this, he knew that the head of the Tian family wanted to use the merits before the Qing army entered the pass to pressure him. Bao Chong raised his eyebrows and interrupted him directly.
"Since Patriarch Tian wants to settle accounts with me, I will grant your wish!"
"Someone come!"
Bao Chong shouted outside, and everyone looked in the direction he was looking and saw that it was several officers carrying three large boxes walking in.
"These are all the account books of the business dealings between the imperial merchants and the Imperial Household Department from the founding of the Qing Dynasty until now."
Bao Chong looked at the head of the Tian family, with a half-smile on his face.
"The Emperor knows full well how much the Tian family has profited over the past few decades by using the title of Imperial Merchant. If the head of the Tian family finds business difficult, he can simply give up his title as Imperial Merchant. I believe there are many among you who would like to take over!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell into silence.
Everyone's eyes unconsciously focused on the faces of the leading imperial merchants, and the expressions in their eyes were inexplicable.
Nowadays, all the leading families among merchants are of royal merchant origin. If they get the qualification of royal merchant, let alone paying 35% of the gross profit, even if they pay 50%, they will still make a profit.
Patriarch Tian had not expected that things would develop in a completely different way than he had imagined. He couldn't help but glance at the "allies" next to him, and found that the others were not even looking away.
Not to mention speaking up for him, she wasn't even bothered to give him a glance.
These treacherous dogs!
The head of the Tian family cursed inwardly, then looked at Bao Chong with a wry smile on his face.
"Father-in-law, you're joking..."
Bao Chong snorted coldly and glanced at the others.
"Do you have any objections?"
Everyone is looking forward to several major imperial merchants coming out to challenge Bao Chong. Whether successful or not, they can gain some benefits from it.
However, to their disappointment, no one dared to embarrass themselves at this time.
"No one objects, right? Then the transportation tax issue is settled."
When everyone heard this, a trace of sadness appeared on their faces. They were afraid that their lives would be difficult in the future.
Bao Chong noticed everyone's reaction, and then he stopped keeping everyone in suspense and conveyed Yinreng's other intention to everyone.
"In fact, the emperor still remembers your contributions to the court, and he asked us to show you a way forward. As long as you follow the emperor's instructions, we guarantee that you will earn more than you do now."
"Um?"
"What clear path?"
When everyone heard this, they all perked up and looked at Bao Chong expectantly.
"The Emperor said that the neighboring small countries will soon completely open their trade ports to the Qing Dynasty. I ask you all to prepare. If you go abroad to trade, after paying customs duties, you will not have to pay additional transportation taxes."
Bao Chong smiled and dropped a bombshell.
"ah?"
"Open ports?"
"What's the meaning?"
Most people don’t understand the hidden meaning of Bao Chong’s words, but several major imperial merchants have done business with neighboring countries, so they can naturally understand what Bao Chong means.
Is the imperial court going to expand outward again?
The imperial merchants looked at each other and saw the shock in each other's eyes.
Bao Chong had no intention of keeping everyone in suspense, and in a few words he explained the emperor's intention to everyone present.
In addition to reminding merchants to make preparations as early as possible, Bao Chong also pointed out the channels for them to buy ships.
After that day, merchants frantically tried to find ways to meet Prince Rui, hoping to have priority in purchasing merchant ships that could go out to sea.
Each merchant ship equipped with a steam engine costs more than 20,000 taels of silver.
Apart from a few major imperial merchants who have the capital to purchase multiple ships, those small and medium-sized families can only buy one ship at most.
There are even some families that cannot afford even one.
As a result, these small families were all worried to the point of losing their hair.
Originally, after they learned about the price, they didn't want to get involved.
After all, the price of merchant ships is really not low for them.
But when they found that several major imperial merchants had withdrawn one after another, and even each of them had purchased several merchant ships, they realized that what Bao Chong said about earning much more than now might not really be empty talk.
But most of their assets are in shops and land, and the cash at home is not enough to buy merchant ships.
But if they sell the shop and land at a low price in a hurry, they will be reluctant to do so, and they will be caught in a dilemma.
Finally, Yinzhen took the initiative to find a solution for them. He asked them to pay a down payment of 30%, and then repay the specified amount every month with a monthly interest rate of only 1%, until they paid off the loan.
When the heads of the small families heard this, they thought it was feasible and signed the loan agreements one after another.
The first business deal for a state-owned bank was concluded so easily.
At the beginning of the fourth year of Xiangyi, after Japan completed its ten-year repayment, the Qing army launched a war against it without any warning.
Yinzhi led 50,000 naval forces from Fujian and arrived in Japan in just three days.
It took less than a month from the time the army landed on the island to the time the King of Wa received the news and surrendered.
Yinreng still felt regretful.
The Japs are just Japs, there is not a single tough bone in their body.
If anyone dared to say anything more, he would let the Qing army flatten the wheels.
After the King of Wa surrendered, he thought that it would be the same as last time and that he only needed to pay some money to solve the problem.
But would Yinreng let him go so easily?
The answer is no.
Yinreng introduced a whole set of historical models to the Japanese invaders, including ceding territory and paying indemnities, opening ports, concessions and stationing troops.
In the treaty, Japan must unconditionally cede all the land in Kyushu to the Qing Dynasty for three hundred years. No Japanese people except local people are allowed to enter Kyushu. Even the King of Japan must submit a petition when visiting.
Only with the approval of the Qing government could the King of Wa set foot there.
Secondly, the King of Wa must provide the Qing Dynasty with 5 million taels of silver in military expenses for its garrison every year until the end of the lease period in Kyushu.
Third, Qing troops must be stationed in the Japanese capital and all counties, and Japan must provide the garrisons.
Fourthly, Japan must unconditionally open its trading ports with the Qing Dynasty and must not refuse Qing Dynasty merchants from doing business in Japan for any reason.
This obviously bullying clause really touched the sensitive nerve of the King of Wa. He tried to bargain with Yinzhi and Yinxiang to lower the "price" in the clause.
Yinzhi simply took out his pistol and put it against his head.
The King of Wa decisively admitted his mistake.
Without delaying for a moment, they signed the "Treaty of Heian-kyo", which marked the beginning of the Japanese people's generations of debt repayment.
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