The atmosphere in the capital is becoming increasingly lively.
The news that the imperial court was about to dispatch 200 merchant ships to sea spread like wildfire, attracting merchants from all over the country to flock to the area.
Every day, carriages and horses lined the gates of the Ministry of Revenue outside the Forbidden City. Merchants, carrying account books and invoices, rushed to register, afraid of missing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Zhu Shi, the Minister of Revenue, was so busy that he barely had time to breathe, and the registers on his desk were piled up like a small mountain.
He rubbed his aching temples and sighed to the vice minister beside him, "This spectacle is even more exciting than the announcement of the imperial examination results!"
The Vice Minister laughed and said, "Your Excellency is unaware of the truth; these merchants are quite shrewd."
The imperial fleet is escorted by the navy, ensuring its safety; if we can hitch a ride on this favorable wind, our goods can be sold overseas, and the profits will more than increase tenfold!
Just then, a commotion broke out outside the door.
A slightly plump man in a brocade robe pushed through the crowd and shouted, "Sir! I am the representative of the Chen family of the Thirteen Factories of Guangzhou. I am willing to offer 100,000 taels of silver to book the cargo hold of three ships!"
Before he could finish speaking, another tall, thin merchant immediately retorted, "The Chen family has quite the nerve! My Lin family from Quanzhou is willing to offer 120,000 taels of silver, plus 100 dan of spices from Southeast Asia!"
The two argued back and forth, and the surrounding merchants joined in, with bids rising and falling.
Zhu Shi raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and picked up his pen to take notes: "Please do not be impatient, everyone. The court has its own regulations. The types, quantities, and prices of goods must all be reviewed one by one, and the best will be selected."
---
When the news reached the ears of the Manchu nobles, even the Eight Banners descendants, who had previously been dismissive of maritime affairs, could no longer sit still and began to discuss countermeasures.
Where will the money come from if we don't go to sea? Who would complain about money being too hot to handle?
When you see others making a fortune, won't you be green with envy?
At Ninth Master's residence.
The steward stepped forward and whispered in Ninth Master's ear, "Master, the coastal merchants are fighting tooth and nail for a piece of the pie, shouldn't we also get a share?"
Ninth Prince Yuntang leaned back on the couch, playing with a jade thumb ring, and laughed, "Of course, I've been waiting for this day for far too long."
He's been studying English a lot these days, and he's already figured out what goods to bring.
He pondered for a moment, then ordered, "Go, call the tenth brother over here. I'll ask him what his plan is."
The butler hesitated, "Sir, our men don't understand maritime trade. What if we lose money..."
Ninth Master narrowed his eyes: "What's there to be afraid of? Since the Emperor has opened the sea, he has tacitly approved everyone's participation. Making money is a skill, and losing money is also a way of supporting the court."
Those Manchu nobles are still clinging to their ancestors' merits, living off their past glory, but I'm not like them.
If it weren't for the fact that I couldn't leave my business here, I would have gone myself.
Before long, Tenth Master arrived in a great hurry.
"Ninth Brother, what's the matter that you're in such a hurry?"
Ninth Master was playing chess by himself when he heard this. He looked up and said calmly, "Tenth Brother, do you have any plans for this voyage? The cargo slots are being snapped up like crazy."
Yun sat down opposite him with a thud, scratched his head, and gave a simple, honest smile: "Ninth Brother, you know I'm a rough man and know nothing about these kinds of business dealings."
Ninth Master chuckled: "It's alright. You just need to convert your land into cash, exchange it for tea and porcelain, and leave the rest to me."
He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Silk is good, but the competition is too fierce. Tea and porcelain, plus some rouge and face powder from Yunxiang Pavilion, will surely give us the edge."
A hint of hesitation flashed in Yun's eyes: "But the land was left to us by our ancestors..."
Ninth Master interrupted him: "Tenth Brother, times have changed. Fourth Brother now values practical benefits. If we don't act soon, we'll be trampled underfoot by those Han merchants sooner or later."
He lowered his voice, "Moreover, if this voyage succeeds, your status in Fourth Brother's heart will be different."
After a moment of silence, Yun finally nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to Ninth Brother!"
---
The investment boom even extended to the imperial harem.
Inside Yanxi Palace, Lin Yun was reading a letter from Chunlan. Her brother, Lin Feng, mentioned in the letter that the chambers of commerce in Shangyang County and surrounding provincial capitals were jointly raising funds to bid for cargo space on merchant ships using silk and lacquerware, and he had come to ask for his sister's opinion.
Lin Yun smiled slightly, picked up her pen and replied: "Brother, you don't need to worry, feel free to participate. But remember to prioritize quality and don't inflate prices, lest you attract criticism."
She had just put down her pen when Xia He came in to report: "Your Majesty, Consort Qi requests an audience."
After entering, Consort Qi looked somewhat flustered. She hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Your Majesty, I have heard about the imperial court's recruitment of merchants. Several of my good-for-nothing nephews also want to give it a try... I wonder if Your Majesty could offer some guidance?"
Lin Yun understood and said softly, "Sister, don't worry. This is a fair competition. As long as the goods are compliant, the Ministry of Revenue will make the decision. If you need an introduction, I can ask His Majesty to arrange someone to take care of you."
Consort Qi bowed gratefully: "Thank you, sister!"
---
On the last day of the investment promotion, the crowd in front of the Ministry of Revenue reached its peak.
A cloth merchant from Songjiang held up a sample of his goods and exclaimed, "Sir! This is cotton cloth produced on a new type of loom. It is fine and dense, and the price is only 70% of that of foreign cloth!"
Another Huizhou merchant retorted, "Our Huizhou inkstones and Xuan paper are beloved by scholars and literati, and they will surely sell well overseas!"
In a corner, several Manchu youths couldn't squeeze in and were sweating profusely with anxiety.
One of them, quick-witted, pulled out his waist badge and shouted, "I am the nephew of the Banner Commander of the Bordered Yellow Banner! I am willing to offer ten boxes of ginseng from Laoshan Mountain in Liaodong, and I only ask for a cabin on a ship!"
The crowd gasped, some muttering, "The Manchus are trying to steal our business too? How are we supposed to compete now?"
Upon seeing this, Zhu Shi solemnly slammed his hand on the table: "The imperial court recruits merchants based solely on their talent, without distinction between Manchus and Hans!"
Anyone who uses their status to intimidate others will be expelled!
The Manchus immediately fell silent and had no choice but to obediently line up to register.
---
As night fell, Emperor Yongzheng sat in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, reviewing the list of merchants to be recruited presented by the Ministry of Revenue.
Su Peisheng whispered, "Your Majesty, people from the Ninth Prince's and Tenth Prince's residences are involved, and even the Prince of Khorchin has sent people to deliver cattle and sheep hides."
Yongzheng chuckled: "It's quite lively."
He closed the booklet, a look of satisfaction in his eyes. "Issue my decree: the results will be announced in three days. Also, order Lan Tingzhen to intensify the training of the navy and ensure the safety of the fleet."
Just as Su Peisheng was about to leave, Yongzheng called him back: "Go to Yanxi Palace and tell the Consort that I will be there for dinner later."
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