At about the same time, Zhao Hao, led by Ji Sizheng, arrived at a storage yard on the east bank of Lugou Bridge.

There was a simple adobe wall outside the yard. When we entered the gate, we saw piles of coal inside.

"Where does this place come from?" Zhao Hao stood at the door, looking at the rectangular yard that was two hundred feet long and one hundred feet wide from north to south.

"This was originally a warehouse for the royal family. Lugou Bridge was where goods from the north and south gathered, so our ancestors built this open-air yard for the royal stores to temporarily store the goods they purchased and shipped."

"During the Zhengtong period, the Tartars began to pay tribute to the emperor, but His Majesty did not want them to come to the capital, so he ordered them to be settled outside the capital. Moreover, they brought thousands of livestock and hundreds of carts of furs every time, so they needed a spacious place, and finally this place was vacated for them to use." Then he heard Ji Sizheng's introduction: "But starting from the previous emperor, the Tartars were no longer allowed to pay tribute, and this place was idle for twenty years until Your Highness took over the affairs and took it back from the Honglu Temple."

"But the Imperial Store already has another yard, and it would be too troublesome to move it back. Your Highness has let the merchants use it, and they can earn several thousand taels of rent a year."

"Of course." Zhao Hao nodded in agreement. Lugou Bridge was the only way for the capital to enter and exit the Central Plains. Although there were not so many people on the street because of the New Year, looking at the shops lined up along the Yongding River and the long trestle bridge that stretched for miles, you can imagine how prosperous it would be on weekdays.

He couldn't help but secretly complain in his heart, it turned out that if it wasn't his own, he wouldn't be so careful with money. If he owned such a large yard of 180,000 square meters, he would definitely build warehouses all over it like Bailuzhou.

In that case, the warehouse fees alone would be several times higher than now.

But the place Ji Sizheng chose is indeed perfect.

If it was too close to the capital, so many refugees would gather there, and the government would be nervous; if it was too far away, it would be remote and inconvenient. Placing it at Lugou Bridge perfectly solved these two problems.

Moreover, the Yongding River is connected to the moat through the Jinkou River, and the prepared coal lotus roots can be directly transported to various city gates in the capital by water, so transportation is also very convenient.

"Your Excellency has excellent taste. Let's decide on this place!" Putting aside the regret in his heart, Zhao Hao made the decision on the spot.

"Okay. This is our own place, so there's no need to rush the formalities. Today, this place belongs to you, young master." Ji Sizheng said, and then took credit:

"When you first mentioned it, we thought of this place. We asked someone and found out that there are more than 30 million kilograms of coal here. If you are interested, we will let them sell it at a lower price."

"No need to be cheap." Zhao Hao smiled faintly and said, "Loose coal in Beijing is 100 coins per 100 catties, so let's buy it at this price."

After a pause, he smiled meaningfully at Ji Sizheng and said, "Sir, please help me to the end. From now on, I will leave all the coal collection matters to you. It will be at this price."

Thirty million jin sounds like a lot, but converted into the later weight unit, it is only 15,000 tons of coal. Not enough to burn for 20,000 households for a whole winter...

"Oh?" Ji Sizheng's heart trembled immediately. He knew that Zhao Hao was a shrewd man and would not let him down.

But I didn't expect Zhao Hao to be so generous...

Since His Highness wants to invest in the coal business, Ji Sizheng, as a competent external steward, naturally has to do his homework in order to be a consultant.

After a few days of intensive study, he knew that the wholesale price of loose coal in the dining hall was seventy or eighty wen per hundred catties, and when it was transported to the capital and sold, the price could rise to one hundred wen.

Although Lugou Bridge is less than 20 miles away from the capital, it is on the Yongding River and can be shipped directly downstream from Zhaitang, so the price of loose coal is no more than 90 cents per hundred kilograms.

However, Zhao Hao offered him a hundred coins, and the difference of ten coins was naturally the commission given to Ji Sizheng.

Even though ten cents may not seem like a lot of money, thirty million jin means three hundred thousand ten-cent coins, which is a full three thousand taels of silver!

The princess was too smart. Ji Sizheng worked very hard for a whole year and only earned a few thousand taels of silver. This amount exceeded his income for a season...

Even if Zhao Hao no longer buys coal in the future, this money will be a windfall for Ji Sizheng.

"Sir, this is too much..." After all, he was a mature and prudent man, and he was a little worried about whether Zhao Hao was as stupid as the young master.

"It's okay. I'll have to rely on you a lot in the future." Zhao Hao smiled nonchalantly, then said seriously:

"My only request is that you must deliver the coal on time and in good quality in quantity. Otherwise, I will have to find another way to avoid delaying the construction period."

"Don't worry, sir!" Ji Sizheng patted his chest and said, "If I delay your business, I will spit out everything I ate."

He then replied, "I will also buy all the large carts that you use to transport coal to the capital as a gift for your grand opening!"

The flatbed cart is easy to manufacture and very cheap; even a thousand of them would not be worth more than a thousand taels.

But the quantity Zhao Hao needed was too large, and even if he had money, he couldn't buy so much. Even if he asked a carpenter to make it, it would take more than a month.

Only someone like Ji Sizheng, a steward who had countless royal estates and stores under his command, could gather a thousand cars for him within a few days.

"That really solves this young master's urgent need." Zhao Hao was overjoyed when he heard this and said, "I really rely on you a lot, sir."

"You're too kind, sir. I'm glad I could help." Ji Sizheng also smiled.

Both of them felt the friendship between them and took a big step forward.

~~

The two walked around the yard, and Ji Sizheng said, "By the way, His Highness, considering that the young master is short of manpower, he asked us to select a hundred loyal and steady servants from the store and give them to the young master."

One hundred slaves...

Give it to my son...

To the son...

Young Master...

Zhao Hao was stunned when he heard this. Isn't my mother too generous? She even sent hundreds of people...

Although he cannot accept human trafficking, what should he do if someone gives it to him as a gift?

"Isn't the store short of staff?"

"I didn't lie on New Year's Day. The store was really packed. We were hoping for someone to help share the burden." Ji Sizheng tightened the collar of his mink coat and said with a smile, "But don't worry, sir. I have carefully selected all the capable men. None of them are fools."

"Forget it, I'll keep it for now. I can't let my mother down..." The filial son thought without any principles, and smiled gratefully, "It's my luck to be able to make friends with you, my Lord."

"It is our honor." Ji Sizheng smiled humbly, then ordered the eunuch to call people.

Soon, about a hundred men wearing sky-blue silk cotton jackets and various winter hats filed into the yard.

As soon as they saw Ji Sizheng, they hurriedly trotted up to him and started greeting him from afar.

"Look everyone, this is our prince's beloved godson, your new master, Master Zhao!" Ji Sizheng frowned and shouted at those people.

After hearing this, the hundred people knelt down in front of Zhao Hao and shouted together:

"I am here to see the master, please teach me a lesson!"

As expected of a royal servant, he was so imposing... He almost broke Master Zhao's eardrums.

"Call me Young Master from now on." Zhao Hao corrected their address while enduring the buzzing in his ears.

You rough men, are you worthy enough to call me "Master"? It's disgusting...

"Yes, sir!" a hundred people said in unison again.

"Get up."

"Thank you, sir!"

After the servants stood up, Ji Sizheng lectured them again, saying that being able to marry into the young master's mansion was a blessing earned in the previous life; if anyone did not cherish it, don't blame him for being rude.

Although the servants regarded this as a cliché, they still acted appropriately to show their honor and happiness.

Then Zhao Hao announced three temporary disciplines to them - no abuse of workers, no withholding of wages, and no betrayal!

Anyone who dares to violate one of these rules will be immediately returned to Ji Sizheng.

Ji Sizheng also nodded in agreement, revealing a sinister look and said, "Sir, if you return one, we will kill one! If you return a pair, we will kill a pair! Do you understand?"

"Understood!" The servants felt a chill down their spines. It was well known that Ji Sizheng was cruel and ruthless.

If he wants to kill someone, that person will not live long...

Ji Sizheng would neither tell Zhao Hao nor tell them that the eldest princess's move was actually an attempt to change the cage and replace the bird in preparation for starting a new business in the future.

How can we allow these young and energetic guys to become decadent so easily?

ps. Fourth update, 7100 votes plus more, asking for monthly votes and recommendation votes, meow~~