Chapter 210: The Dividend of 10,000 Silver Taels and the Invention of "Glasses"
"Sir, did you know she would choose to become an 'imperial merchant'?"
Walking out of the duty room, the young secretary Qian Kerou tilted her head and asked curiously.
Zhao Duan laughed and asked, "Why do you say that?"
The new female official thought for a moment and said:
"I feel like you're not surprised at all."
Zhao Duan never denied:
"People like Lin Susu won't willingly leave their fate to luck."
Qian Kerou blinked thoughtfully again:
"Then why is her name on the contract? She's not a merchant... Oh, I understand. It's to give her some support."
Zhao Duan said nothing, but stood with his hands behind his back looking at the lanterns hanging in the yamen.
Things like love are always unreliable.
No one knows what attitude the businessman named Hu will have when he is released from prison after this incident and faces his wife who has been raped by the young cabinet minister.
Although Zhao Duan fulfilled the deal, the future of the couple had nothing to do with him.
But as the saying goes, if you send a Buddha to the west, giving Madam Lin a little bit of leverage may save a person who is desperate and seeking death.
"grown ups……"
The round-faced, big-eyed, increasingly capable female secretary suddenly pursed her lips and said:
"You're actually quite soft-hearted, aren't you?"
You are the weak one, your whole family is weak... Do you know what it means that good people don't live long, but bad guys live for a thousand years... Zhao Duan glared at him and drove him away.
Qian Kerou walked away with a smile, but the corners of her mouth were raised.
No one really likes to follow a cold-blooded wild animal.
Zhao Duan shook his head with a helpless expression, yawned, and walked towards home.
"I always feel like I've forgotten something..."
…
…
After nightfall, Xu's family.
Xu Hanlin paced anxiously. After he betrayed the young cabinet minister yesterday, he followed Lihuatang's instructions and went home to wait for news.
A day of near torment.
It was not until he heard that the "Li Party" had changed its stance at the morning court that he finally realized that the matter was settled.
Xu Mingyuan went to the imperial court in broad daylight to look for Zhao Duan, hoping to curry favor with him and receive a reward, thus taking the opportunity to join the imperial party.
After all, after this incident, he has become a complete traitor and is in urgent need of a big shot.
Unfortunately, the only news he got was that "the master went to the palace and has not returned yet."
"Knock, knock, knock..." The doorman suddenly came to report:
"Master, someone is looking for you outside."
Xu Mingyuan was cheered up and his brows were filled with joy. He thought to himself that maybe his new mentor had come to help him. He hurried out of the house and saw a carriage parked.
But the closer I get, the more uneasy I feel.
When he saw the people in the car clearly in the darkness, he was horrified:
"Teacher..."
Chen Zhengru looked at him expressionlessly. In his hands were documents handed to him by someone about Xu Mingyuan betraying his relatives and friends.
"You're fine, really fine."
The Grand Secretary of the Hanlin Academy said calmly and threw the paper in his hand at him.
Xu Mingyuan took a look and felt his eyes go dark and he felt dizzy. He realized that he had been sold out by the man named Zhao and collapsed to the ground.
Traitors never have a good ending. He suddenly realized it, but it was too late.
…
…
That night, the news that the court's new policy had been finalized spread throughout the capital.
For a time, countless onlookers heard the news and took action.
It is unknown how many spies hidden in the capital were delivering the news to the major provincial capitals at the fastest speed.
As the center of the Dayu Dynasty, any disturbance here will affect the hearts of countless people.
However, only a very few people know that the one who really made the final decision was the infamous Zhao.
…
The capital city finally bid farewell to the heat and headed towards early autumn.
This was the next morning, Zhao Duan judged from the slight chill in the morning air.
After Zhao Duan finished his meal, he went to the government office to check in and learned that the new policy had entered the implementation stage.
The scholars of Xiuwenguan were very busy.
He shook his head, with no intention of helping, and rode straight to the Tianshi Mansion.
I haven't been here for a few days, but the Tianshi Mansion is still as majestic as ever.
Inside the square building complex, the towering clock tower is extremely eye-catching.
Zhao Duan reported his identity, thinking that the Taoist boy guarding the gate would go and report it.
Unexpectedly, this time the other party smiled and said:
"Please follow me, Envoy Zhao. Senior Sister Jin Jian has instructed that if you arrive, you should be received and seated first, and then we can inform her."
Huh... Jin Jian's EQ has improved. He actually made arrangements in advance and showed his goodwill to me?
Or... you know I'll come?
Zhao Duan was greatly surprised.
Following the Taoist priest into the house, I could see from afar the Tianshi Mansion, where buildings were lined up one after another. The layout was very different from the Taoist temples I had in mind.
Different small building complexes are scattered all over the place, each with a different appearance.
The guide explained:
In addition to the executives who are responsible for the operation of the Tianshi Mansion, the management of industrial shops, and some spiritual fields and precious lands are managed by professional priests.
The main building complex of the Tianshi Mansion consists of six buildings, each of which is registered in name by the six disciples of the old Tianshi... but they are just in name only and have almost no business.
Zhao Duan sat in a waiting room for a while.
Outside the door.
A petite, pale-skinned, delicate-faced female priest with a distracted gaze appeared with an expressionless face.
Jin Jian was still wearing the same priest robe embroidered with gold thread that had remained unchanged for thousands of years.
At this time, the little expression was a little alert:
"I gave you the scroll. Is there anything else? I'm very busy."
Busy sleeping, right? ... Zhao Duan complained, with a half-smile:
"Your Excellency the High Priest is often forgetful. I am here today to collect my share of the profits from the ice business."
He is here to ask for money!
Upon hearing this, Jin Jian clenched her hands in her sleeves, her body tensed, her eyes wandered, and she looked around and talked about something else:
"The weather is so nice today, hahaha."
Shit... This girl wouldn't be like Lao Wang, wanting to get something for free, right?... Zhao Duan frowned:
"Don't change the subject. You don't want the news of Tianshi Mansion's fraud to be exposed to Zhang Tianshi."
Seeing that pretending to be stupid was futile, Jin Jian sighed dejectedly.
Reluctantly, she used her two small hands to flip the Tai Chi fish-shaped purse on her waist:
"Here, here you go... I've prepared everything, but the accounts haven't been fully settled yet, and some money hasn't been collected yet. If you want it now, you can only take the portion that's already been credited..."
Only then did Zhao Duan smile and rub his hands in anticipation.
When talking about money, the young priestess became a little more human, unlike before when she was like a wandering ghost.
The first thing Jin Jian pulled out was not silver, but a small handwritten account book, which said in a serious tone:
"Take a look at the accounts first... You only provided the formula. We paid for the manufacturing and sales costs upfront, so we have to deduct them before we can make a profit... There are also taxes to be paid to the court... You asked me to help you, but I also charged you for the scrolls you used..."
The girl was counting on her fingers, looking like a miser.
Finally, she gritted her teeth, took out a stack of banknotes from her purse, closed her eyes, and reluctantly handed it to him:
"This is yours, more than ten thousand taels..."
If you can't see it, you won't feel heartache.
Zhao Duan reached out to take it and pulled it.
It didn't move.
"...Let go."
"profound."
Still didn't move.
"Let go! Or I'll tell your Master..."
“…”
When he finally got the thick stack of banknotes in his hands, Zhao Duan couldn't help but smile.
The profit from an ice-making formula in about a month was as high as 10,000 taels. This speed of making money was enough to make people's jaws drop.
Of course, if you think about it carefully, it's not surprising.
With the capabilities of the Tianshi Mansion, how could it be sold not only in the capital in the past month?
In fact, after realizing the money-making ability of this thing.
The Tianshi Mansion launched a massive attack, and the surrounding areas were also fully deployed.
This was because the formula was too simple, and the large-scale purchase of saltpeter could not be concealed at all. Later, there were many competing imitators on the market.
This is the reason for the price war.
Otherwise, the profits would be even higher.
In one month, I can buy a big villa in Beijing... Zhao Duan's smile spread, thinking that he had the money to buy a house.
Jin Jian felt extremely painful. After handing over the silver note, he staggered, grabbed with his small hands, and finally covered his chest in pain.
I feel so heartbroken that I can't breathe.
At the beginning, Zhao Duan offered eight thousand taels to buy out the formula, but she did not agree.
As a result, now, only 10,000 yuan has been distributed in the first batch, and this is after deducting a lot of miscellaneous fees.
"What's wrong with the priest?" Zhao Duan pretended to be concerned.
"...No, there are already counterfeits of this formula. I'm afraid next year, I won't be able to sell this much. My senior brother said that I could make a profit by reselling it a few times before the formula spreads. What do you think?"
Jin Jian turned his head away and said painfully.
Tsk... patent authorization... a very wise decision... Zhao Duan smiled:
"It's all up to the priest."
Well, in this way, I can get at least another 10,000 or 20,000 yuan later... As I said, you can make a lot of money without corruption...
Jin Jian didn't want to see him, so he waved goodbye and was about to leave.
Zhao Duan suddenly became curious:
"Excuse me, why are the priest's eyes so strange?"
He has always been curious about what was going on in Jin Jian's eyes.
"...I looked at the stars too much at night, so it became like this. It's hard to see clearly." Jin Jian explained weakly.
"Will practitioners also be like this? I mean, their eyes are damaged." Zhao Duan had a strange expression.
He thought that a magic pill or something could solve the problem.
Jin Jian said dejectedly:
"My cultivation isn't good enough... As for pills, there aren't many that can cure this."
Zhao Duan hesitated for a moment, then suddenly said:
"I know something that might help. Well, it's probably like this..."
He saw that there was also paper and pen in the room, so he took it and drew a simple diagram and a general principle, then handed it to him and said:
"You can find a craftsman and have him try making one. Of course, it might not work."
He suspected that the girl in front of him had a bit of astigmatism...
Jin Jian picked up the blueprint in confusion.
Looking at the two big words "Glasses" and the strange perspective pattern on it, she gave him a strange look and asked cautiously:
"This...how much do you want to sell it for?"
Zhao Duan took the banknote and smiled warmly: "This is for you, no money required."
Even though opticianry is a big business, he only knows the basic principles and has no finished product drawings, let alone the skills...
Moreover, although crystal exists in this world, it is very expensive and not everyone can afford it...
Watching Zhao Duan's back as he left, Jin Jian held the blueprint in his hands, tilted his head, and seemed a little distracted.
Suddenly I felt that my heart didn’t hurt anymore.
…
Deep in the Tianshi Mansion.
In that building with its own entrance and courtyard, on a clear blue day, a huge banyan tree stretched out its branches, providing a shade.
The old Taoist priest, who was tall, dressed in a black robe, had narrow eyes and a gentle expression. He was lying on a bamboo chair, reading a letter.
In the courtyard, there is a crane with a small bundle hanging around its neck, drinking water gracefully.
"Huh? Crane."
The translucent golden tablet passed through the courtyard gate, revealed its shape, and looked at the crane in surprise:
"Did someone send a letter to Master?"
Zhang Yan raised his head, smiled, and handed her the letter:
"yes."
Jin Jian used magic to correct his gaze, focusing it, and said in surprise:
"It's a letter from Fourth Senior Brother."
The fourth senior brother is the red-dot boy of the previous generation. He is now traveling outside and is a compulsive gambler.
The deity he mainly studies is related to luck, and he has a signature talisman in his hand called the "Luck Dice".
Every time you throw it out, you will be randomly gifted with a modification to your own luck for a period of time. When you are lucky, everything will go smoothly. It can be called an experience card for the son of luck, and opportunities and magic weapons will automatically gather.
When you are unlucky, you will suffer a series of misfortunes, which can be described as a star of misfortune, and everyone will try to avoid you.
"Why did Fourth Senior Brother suddenly write back a letter?" Jin Jian was curious.
Zhang Yan sighed and said quietly:
"He had shaken off a period of 49 days of bad luck and was worried he would die outside, so he asked the Master for help."
Jin Jian's face was full of worry:
"Then Master, will you use the methods of Heaven to take the blame for him?"
Zhang Yan said "Oh" and said:
"Master, just pretend that you don't have this disciple."
“…”
…
…
Capital city, outside the west gate.
On the official road, a merchant convoy was moving straight ahead.
In the convoy, the curtain of a carriage was lifted, and a young man about sixteen or seventeen years old, as fat as a pig, with acne scars all over his face and greasy skin, leaned out.
He would point to the towering city gate in front of him and shout excitedly:
"We've reached the capital, we've reached the capital, hurry up! Someone, hurry up and make the carts ahead go faster! I want to stop in the city, stay in the best inns, and eat the best meat! I don't want to suffer on the road! Why are you so slow?"
The young man shouted loudly, bossing people around and urging them on. Many outsiders who came into the city looked at him sideways.
Inside the car.
A middle-aged woman dressed in jewels but with a gloomy expression due to the long journey was annoyed by the noise, but she did not try to stop it.
He just turned his head, curled his thin lips, looked at the middle-aged man in the car, and complained:
"We've finally reached the end of our journey. Didn't you send a letter to your niece in advance? Why is there no one to meet us? Are you letting us go into the city on our own?"
He was born in Xipingdao You's branch family. He is the current head of the family and the "second uncle" mentioned by You Jinhua. He is a middle-aged man with a well-proportioned figure, a beard, a rich face and a steady gaze.
He frowned and said:
"Things are different now. My niece is now married into the Zhao family and has someone to rely on.
I heard that Zhao Duan was favored by the Saint...Now, since he is a mother who has gained status through his son, I don’t know if he will acknowledge me as his uncle and you as his aunt.
The woman raised her brows and said unhappily:
"What do you mean by a mother's status due to her son? He's just a stepson, and a gigolo at that..."
"Shut up."
The middle-aged man suddenly spoke, scolded his wife, and pulled his youngest son back.
Looking to the side, another carriage was coming from behind and gradually driving side by side.
To be precise, he was looking into the car, at the man he had just met on the road, with whom he was having a pleasant conversation.
He claimed to be from a prominent family and was also in Beijing to visit a friend. He was a man of extraordinary bearing and majestic manners.
He smiled and said, "My son is naughty. I'm sorry to have made you laugh."
…
ps: I am in a bad state today, so this is the only update I will make. It is a good opportunity to sort out the subsequent plot.
(End of this chapter)
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