Ming Dynasty: Evolution from snake to national guardian beast

Chapter 35 Huge profits from coal
  Zhu Gaoxu's words shocked Zhu Yuanzhang.

This was not the first time that Zhu Yuanzhang saw one million taels of silver. There were a full 13 million taels of silver in Zhu Yuanzhang's small treasury, and the national treasury was even fuller.

But Zhu Gaoxu was just a playboy, how could he get so much money?
  Zhu Yuanzhang's cloudy eyes were fixed on Zhu Gaoxu.

"No jokes before you!"

Zhu Gaoxu puffed up his chest and replied loudly:

"Grandpa Huang, even if my grandson lies to others, he will not lie to you!"

Zhu Yuanzhang could tell that Zhu Gaoxu was not joking.

"Where did you get this money?"

Zhu Gaoxu laughed loudly, took out a letter from his arms, and presented it with both hands.

"There is a secret letter here, written by my father to Grandpa Huang. Grandpa Huang will know it as soon as he reads it."

The little eunuch quickly walked to Zhu Gaoxu and delivered the letter to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Gaoxu with a deep look, then opened the letter and read it carefully.

When Zhu Yuanzhang saw the content of the letter, he was greatly shocked.

The fourth child actually wants to open a coal shop all over Ming Dynasty, and he wants me to give him a name? For this reason, they are even willing to transfer 70% of the shares to themselves?

A generation of vassal king still wants to do business? For a time, the thought of competing with the people for profit suddenly came to mind.

Zhu Yuanzhang originally wanted to reprimand Zhu Di, and asked Zhu Di to come to Peking to resist the Tartars, not to negotiate business with him.

But when Zhu Yuanzhang saw the daily coal money, he immediately calmed down.

In fact, it wasn't that he didn't want to reprimand the fourth child, it was just that the fourth child gave him too much.

Now Zhu Di just transports these coals to places in Shandong and northern Henan for sale, making a profit of more than 5,000 taels a day.

Five thousand taels of silver? Day by day!
  This is the reason why Laosi deliberately lowers the price.

If you open a store in Daming, how much money can you make in a day?

One hundred thousand taels of silver? Two hundred thousand?
  What happens every year? three million? Six million?
  Zhu Yuanzhang's heart was beating hard.

You know, the Ming Dynasty's annual tax revenue is only seven million taels.

Just the coal industry can make so much money?
  Zhu Yuanzhang fell into deep thought and began to think about the feasibility of this plan.

Zhu Yuanzhang still thought too simply when it came to coal mines.

Based on the price of 20,000 taels of silver a day, it would take an unknown number of people to dig coal in a day. It would be almost impossible to do this.

Moreover, the winter in the Ming Dynasty only lasted about three or four months. In several northern provinces, it took longer, but it would not exceed half a year.

Sales of three million a year are simply impossible.

However, with enough manpower and good operations, it is not impossible for annual sales to exceed 200 million.

This is not a small amount. Zhu Di can use it to arm an army of 20,000 people.

Zhu Yuanzhang thought about it but couldn't come up with a good idea.

Zhu Gaoxu, on the other hand, looked at Zhu Yuanzhang with a proud expression.

"Grandpa Huang, what do you think?"

"My grandson didn't lie to you, did he?"

"This is real money."

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he remembered that Zhu Yunwen once said that Zhu Di had made a lot of money at the price of fifty cents per catty. He narrowed his eyes slightly and said coldly:

"I heard that your father set the price of coal at fifty cents per pound."

"In order to make money, they even bribed military generals and sold coal to the army. I wonder if it is true?"

When Zhu Gaoxu heard this, he became furious and shouted: "Which bastard dares to slander my father?"

"My father, for the sake of the people of the world, has priced coal at two cents per pound."

"Citizens of Beiping Prefecture, who doesn't give a thumbs up to my father and praise him for his kindness?"

"From the time my father sold coal to now, no one has frozen to death this winter."

"Even if he is a beggar, he will be taken to the Western Mountains by his father to earn wages through hard work to support himself."

"Grandpa Huang, you can't be blinded by these villains, you must seek justice for my father!"

Zhu Yuanzhang did not speak, but looked at Zhu Gaoxu closely, observing his every move.

In his opinion, Zhu Gaoxu was probably not lying, so who was lying?

Couldn't he be my good grandson? But Zhu Yunwen has always been obedient, how could he deceive him?

Zhu Yuanzhang was a little flustered. Seeing that Zhu Gaoxu wanted to explain again, he quickly waved his hand to stop Zhu Gaoxu from continuing.

"I already know about this matter. I will send someone to investigate. If someone frames your father, I will definitely clear his name."

"If it's okay, you can go down first."

Zhu Gaoxu was overjoyed, but Zhu Gaoxu remembered his purpose of coming here and couldn't help but ask:

"So regarding coal, Grandpa Huang, what do you think?"

"I need to think about this."

Zhu Yuanzhang rubbed his forehead and waved his hand towards Zhu Gaoxu.

The hall was empty, Zhu Yuanzhang closed his eyes, thoughtful.

During this period of time, the fourth child was quite capable of doing things. How could a small coal mine make so much money?

But how could the grandson, who had always been well-behaved and obedient, go against the fourth child? Did you get some rumors from somewhere?
  As Zhu Yuanzhang got older, things became more and more complicated and he had to slowly sort things out.

After all, they are a family, and Zhu Yuanzhang does not want his nephew and son to get into trouble. In that case, the old Zhu family will lose face.

East Palace.

Huang Zicheng and Zhu Yunwen were in the lobby, talking quietly about what had just happened.

The two young masters of the Zhao family have returned, and the results they brought back this time made Huang Zicheng very dissatisfied.

However, Huang Zicheng found out from the information obtained from the Zhao family that coal was not as simple as he thought.

The thing invented by Zhu Di is not only more effective, but also cheaper.

In other words, coal has the potential to replace charcoal in the future.

Huang Zicheng immediately discussed with Zhu Yunwen that Zhu Di must be prevented from selling coal again. Only in this way can Zhu Di be prevented from getting bigger.

The two discussed it for a long time and finally decided to let Zhu Yunwen report the matter to Zhu Yuanzhang.

It would be best if Zhu Yuanzhang became suspicious of Zhu Di, so that Zhu Di could be recalled to the capital.

After hearing Zhu Yunwen's words, Huang Zicheng breathed a sigh of relief, which showed that Zhu Yuanzhang was also suspicious of Zhu Di.

As long as Zhu Yuanzhang becomes suspicious, Huang Zicheng can be sure that Zhu Di will never get anything good.

While the two were talking, a loud noise came from outside.

When the two of them walked to the door, they saw Zhao Chengxi, the second son of the Zhao family, standing at the door with a worried look on his face.

As soon as Zhao Chengxi saw Zhu Yunwen, he said something that made both Huang Zicheng and Zhu Yunwen shudder.

In the East Palace.

Zhu Yunwen was discussing with Huang Zicheng how to deal with Zhu Di. He thought everything was perfect, but a person suddenly appeared and shattered all their dreams.

(End of this chapter)