King Luhuang of the Ming Dynasty: My father, Ming Taizu

Chapter 127 So what about Fujian merchants! King Lu suppressed him casually!

Ying Tianfu.

Changlong Restaurant.

The private room on the top floor.

Several people had serious faces.

No one has touched the wine in front of them.

If anyone sees several people, they will all exclaim!
  This is calling all the elite children from several major Fujian merchant families!
  Who has such a big reputation to invite them to gather together?
  Suddenly, someone said: "Brother Bo Liang, tell me, what does His Highness King Lu want to see us this time?"

The middle-aged man named Chen Boliang shook his head and said: "His Royal Highness King Lu is so valuable. How can we guess his thoughts?"

Suddenly, someone laughed and said: "What can he do with businessmen? It's just cooperation! Do you still remember that a few months ago, His Highness King Lu held an investment conference for Changlu Salt Farm!"

Chen Boliang was stunned.

"Brother Shang Ping is saying that His Highness King Lu is looking for us to discuss cooperation?"

Then he smiled bitterly and said: "That's too much for us! What resources do we have in our hands that he can appreciate!"

Lin Shangping said with a smile: "Brother Boliang is begging to be underestimated again! We are all holding on to the routes to the south and west! Isn't this resource attractive?"

Chen Boliang's eyes lit up.

"Brother Shang Ping, are you saying that His Highness Prince Lu wants to come with us?"

Lin Shangping affirmed: "Although His Royal Highness Prince Lu is a member of the royal family, he is neither pedantic nor greedy! Instead, he does things more like us businessmen!"

Chen Boliang smiled and said, "We businessmen are all quite greedy!"

Lin Shangping laughed dryly.

"Then who should we compare our scores with? Compared with those princes and nobles in power, what does the greed of us businessmen mean?"

Several people nodded after hearing this.

"That makes sense!"

Lin Shangping smiled and said: "Don't talk about others, just His Highness King Lu!

I also arranged for people to visit the investment promotion of Changlu Saltworks!

The people who came back told me that the conditions were too harsh and no one was willing to cooperate.

After hearing this, I felt it was harsh, so I gave up the idea.

Unexpectedly, it can be seen afterwards that His Highness King Lu was actually very sincere in the conditions for cooperation!

Nowadays, the salt from Changlu Salt Farm is sold all over the country. If you can hold more than half of the shares, you will probably earn hundreds of thousands of taels of silver every year!
  The original investment was only about two million taels of silver!

No matter what, it's a huge profit. "

Everyone nodded when they heard this.

Chen Boliang couldn't help but ask: "Commander Lin, tell me, why is His Highness Prince Lu looking for us this time?"

Lin Shangping smiled and said: "What else can we do for this purpose? Besides going to sea, what else can we Fujian merchants do?"

Everyone was silent for a moment.

Chen Boliang swallowed hard and said: "Except for Mr. Lin, His Royal Highness Prince Lu is a member of the imperial court after all, and this sea ban was personally spoken by his father!
  Will he violate it? Should we be cautious?
  Could it be that His Highness King Lu wanted to test them, maybe even to fish? "

Lin Shangping smiled.

"Let's see what His Highness King Lu says first! I don't believe he is such a short-sighted person! Speaking of which, he was able to find us, wasn't it because we took the initiative to expose him?"

Chen Boliang frowned and said, "How have we been exposed? I'm sure not!"

Everyone also shook their heads.

"Neither did we!"

Lin Shangping smiled and said: "That's not the news I got! Many of us have contacted people from Lushang Salt Company in Yingtian Mansion!
  I want to buy salt from them, but I don’t want them to enter the account. Is this a problem? "

Chen Boliang laughed dryly.

"It's true, but it's not a big deal."

Lin Shangping smiled and said: "I believe His Highness King Lu is a very shrewd person. He must have heard the report from his subordinate shopkeeper, and then guessed our purpose! So this time he must be here to discuss cooperation! If he wants to deal with We don’t need to send anyone to invite them at all, we just need to send troops to arrest them.”

Chen Boliang was delighted when he heard this: "If that's true, what a great relationship! The salt from Changlu Saltworks is really not an ordinary thing!

If it is sold overseas, we can easily sell it out for only three taels of silver per catty, or even five taels or ten taels!

Not to mention exchanging those expensive spices, rare woods and gems! "

Lin Shangping nodded and said: "Originally, everyone's business was silk, tea, and porcelain, but now there is an extra salt!

It's just that it's inconvenient to buy salt. If you can buy salt directly from Changlu Salt Farm, haha! "

When everyone heard Lin Shangping's words, their eyes lit up!
  If this is really possible, everyone present will be prosperous!
  Nowadays, the more the imperial court bans the sea, the more popular the products of the Ming Dynasty are in overseas markets, and the higher their prices are. It is not uncommon for them to reach more than twenty or thirty times at a time.

The purchase price of this salt is only 4 cents of silver per catty, and when sold overseas, considering that overseas silver is cheap and goods are expensive, it may cost more than taels per catty!

Moreover, salt is different from silk and porcelain. Only wealthy people can afford it.

Everyone needs this!
  The salt from the Changlu Salt Farm is of such high quality that when you encounter some overseas islands with abundant products, you can change the rare items in their hands in one go!

In short, all maritime merchants have set their sights on this piece of fat!
  Just traveling from salt to salt is too little and too slow!

It simply cannot meet the needs of an overseas trade.

Every time everyone goes to sea, they can only use salt as a small profit supplement. If they really specialize in salt, they may not be able to get the goods together even if they take a year.

This is why the heads of several major families in Yingtian approached the shopkeeper of Lushang Salt Store and wanted to pay bribes to buy salt.

Unfortunately, they were all rejected.

After all, the salary given by Lushang Salt Company is extremely high, with fifty taels of silver a year.

These people can also guess what those maritime merchants want to do.

After all, Lu Shang Salt Shop is the business of His Highness King Lu.

Who would be willing to give up the comfortable life in front of them, take such a big risk, accept money from maritime merchants, and do things for them?

If you offend His Highness Prince Lu, you will not only lose your job, but you may even lose your life.

Chen Boliang sighed and said: "It's just that I heard that His Highness King Nalu acted absurdly and incoherently!

Many ministers in the court were dissatisfied, and even secretly said that His Royal Highness King Lu was not a king, and something would happen sooner or later! "

Lin Shangping smiled and said: "This is a great thing! His Royal Highness King Nalu may know that overseas trade is lucrative, but he doesn't know how lucrative it is! The more absurd he is, the more money we can make! Haha .
  Others buy salt for 4 cents a pound, but we give it 2 cents! Do you think he will be moved? "

Everyone nodded and smiled.

To be honest, the price is crazy enough.

After all, maritime merchants sell hundreds of thousands of kilograms of salt at a time!

Large merchants such as the Chen family and the Lin family can eat millions of kilograms of salt at a time.

By then, the profits from this alone will be tens of millions of taels!
  It is impossible for His Highness Prince Lu not to be tempted!

Of course, it is the maritime merchants who make the biggest profit in the end!
  When everyone thought of this, they wanted to raise their glasses to celebrate.

Just a pity.

The real owner didn't come, so no one dared to touch the wine glass.

just.

As Lin Shangping finished speaking.

Everyone's mood changed from apprehension to expectation!

at last.

"Creak-" a sound.

Someone pushed open the private room door.

Zhu Tan wore regular clothes and walked into the private room with Chen Huwei behind him.

Wow——!
  Several people who were chatting in the private room stood up and looked at Zhu Tan.

I was just amazed.

very young!
  Zhu Tan is only sixteen years old this year.

Of course young.

All of them were elites sent to Yingtian Mansion by the major Fujian merchant families, and they were all considered to be the younger generation.

However, I don’t know about the Zhutan in front of me. In comparison, everyone can be regarded as uncles.

Subsequently.

Everyone pushed away their chairs and knelt down.

Zhu Tan waved his hands and said: "Stand up, everyone! I don't have so many rules!"

When everyone heard this, they couldn't help but glance at Zhu Tan in surprise.

Although these maritime merchants are also used to being lawless.

After all, they have already violated the imperial court's sea ban, which would risk beheading them.

Therefore, everyone did not have much respect for the imperial court and the powerful.

However, the atmosphere of the Ming Dynasty was such that from the beginning, it followed the path of focusing on agriculture and suppressing business.

The low status of merchants makes it difficult for these people to hold their heads high in daily life.

Even now, no one dares to wear silk and satin, and only appears in front of Zhu Tan in common clothes.

Everyone originally thought they had to kneel down in front of Zhu Tan, but now Zhu Tan just said no kneeling, and instantly won everyone's favor.

Zhu Tan looked at everyone and asked with a smile: "Don't be nervous, everyone. I am here only to ask one thing."

Everyone laughed and said, "Your Highness, just ask! The villain will definitely tell you everything he knows!"

Zhu Tan nodded and said, "I wonder if you know a Shanxi businessman named Wu Qingchen?"

Upon hearing this name, everyone suddenly became silent.

Zhu Tan was not surprised by this silence.

These maritime merchants in front of me seemed to have great respect for me, but in fact, they must have done a lot of illegal things behind the scenes!
  After all, it was just a violation of the maritime ban, and these people were risking their heads to do it.

And this silence made Zhu Tan even more delighted.

If they all deny it and say they don't know each other, it will be difficult to investigate!
  If you remain silent now, even if you deny it later, the meaning will be different!

The former means that they may really not know each other, while the latter means that they know them, but they have concerns! Finally, Lin Shangping laughed dryly and said: "Wu Qingchen? He, the villain knows! My father mentioned it. Back then, the legendary businessman and other villains didn't know about the leading task of the Shanxi merchants."

The words fell.

Other maritime merchants seemed to have gotten the standard answer.

They all started plagiarizing.

"Yes, I just heard my grandpa talk about it, but I don't know about it now."

"We really don't know such a legendary figure!"

"That's an old man. We've heard of him, but we've never seen him before! Let alone knowing him."

Zhu Tan smiled slightly and was not angry.

He just waved his hands and said with a smile: "Be sincere!
  Stop talking to me about this!
  I don’t want to show off!
  If I can come to you merchants, I know what you want!
  Do you want the overseas sales rights of this king’s Changlu Salt Farm? "

Everyone was stunned when they heard this.

Then he looked at Zhu Tan, his eyes instantly glowing with enthusiasm!

Chen Boliang was relatively cautious and was the first to react.

He laughed dryly and said: "Your Highness, did you ask the wrong person? How do we know anything about overseas affairs? The imperial court has banned the sea, and selling goods overseas without permission is a serious crime of beheading."

Zhu Tan nodded and said with a smile: "Okay! You are a good subject of my Ming Dynasty!"

Chen Boliang smiled when he heard Zhu Tan's compliment.

Zhu Tan continued: "If that's the case, then I have nothing to talk to you about.

For the rest of you, let’s talk about the sales of salt from Changlu Salt Farm overseas! "

The words fell.

The smile on Chen Boliang's face froze.

I even want to cry a little bit!
  Why are you so clever when you have nothing to do?
  His Royal Highness King Lu actually found him. How could people like him not know their details?
  Well now, the first one is kicked out!

Everyone looked at Chen Boliang with gloating faces!

Live it!

Why are you pretending to be a big-tailed wolf in front of everyone!
  It’s as if you are the only smart person in the world who knows the imperial court’s sea ban.
  The Chen family occupies a very important position among Fujian merchants, and can even be said to be the top one!

Only the Lin family is second to them.

If everyone else could get the right to sell salt from Changlu Saltworks this time, the Chen family didn’t get it!

Next, I'm afraid life will be difficult!
  The happiest person is naturally Lin Shangping!
  Before he could take action, the Chen family committed suicide and kicked him out.

If the Lin family could obtain the overseas sales rights of the Changlu Salt Farm's salt production, it would be best if they had exclusive sales rights.

Then the rise of the Lin family is just around the corner!
  Chen Boliang looked at Zhu Tan with a sad face, still wanting to struggle.

"Your Majesty!"

Zhu Tan smiled.

"What? Do you know the whereabouts of Wu Qingchen?"

Chen Boliang said hurriedly: "I know! The villain knows! Your Highness! Give the villain a chance."

Zhu Tan frowned.

If Chen Boliang really knows the whereabouts of Wu Qingchen, then he has to ask him.

however.

next second.

The words fell.

Many Fujian businessmen in the room started making noises.

"Your Highness, isn't it the news about Wu Qingchen? Even this villain knows it!"

"Your Highness! I also know the whereabouts of Wu Qingchen! This person has not gone far!"

"Your Highness, this news is an open secret in the Fujian business circle! Everyone knows it clearly."

When Zhu Tan heard what everyone said, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

The most feared thing in the world is involution.

As long as it's rolled up there's no winner.

For example, these people in front of me.

Of course, as long as the Chen family is kicked out this time, everyone will be a winner.

After all, if the Chen family’s share is less, everyone’s share will be more.

Zhu Tan smiled slightly at Chen Boliang.

"If that's the case, then please get out, I only need honest people here.

You don't seem very honest! "

The words fell.

Beside Zhu Tan.

Chen Huwei pulled out his sword, the blade was bright and sharp.

Chen Boliang felt a chill in his heart when he saw such a scene.

Sighing bitterly.

He left the private room in a hurry.

Zhu Tan smiled.

Looking at everyone, he said: "Now I ask again, who knows Wu Qingchen?"

talking.

Zhu Tan smiled and said: "The irrelevant person has left, so the topic is still the same as before.

The overseas sales rights of Changlu Saltworks salt production are exchanged for Wu Qingchen! "

The words fell.

Lin Shangping said hurriedly: "Your Highness! This villain knows! Wu Qingchen has not gone to sea! He is still in Zhili!"

When Zhu Tan heard this, she was immediately ecstatic!
  it is good!
  Very good!
  but.

Out of caution, Zhu Tan couldn't help but ask: "How dare Wu Qingchen stay in Zhili after he committed such a big thing! Don't you want to live?"

Lin Shangping laughed dryly.

"Your Highness, it's not that he is too bold, it's actually"

talking.

Lin Shangping whispered to Zhu Tan.

Zhu Tan couldn't help being stunned after hearing this.

"Is there such a thing?"

Lin Shangping and other merchants nodded.

"This news about Your Highness, I only dare to tell you!"

Zhu Tan nodded and said with a smile: "Now that the confusion in my heart is relieved, let's continue to talk about the overseas sales rights of salt produced in Changlu Salt Factory!"

When everyone heard this, they all looked at Zhu Tan, their eyes full of eagerness!
  In fact, Zhu Tan has always had his own ideas about overseas trade.

Nowadays, Japanese pirates are rampant, and there are still many remnants of Fang Guozhen and Zhang Shicheng at sea. It is obviously unrealistic to impose a sea ban.

Once it is opened, not only the people on the seaside will be easily induced by these people to commit crimes at sea, but also become a border trouble on the Ming Dynasty.

At the same time, beacon smoke will be lit everywhere along the coast of the Ming Dynasty, and Japanese pirates will become more rampant.

The biggest threat to the Ming Dynasty is still in the north, where there are hundreds of thousands of Mongolian cavalry, always coveting the mountains and rivers of the Central Plains.

Coastal areas, especially the south, are now important areas for money, food, and taxation.

The court doesn't want any problems to arise.

This is the biggest reason why Zhu Yuanzhang always advocated banning the sea.

But for Zhu Tan, sea trade has all benefits and no harm.

The salt in Changlu Salt Farm is always available in quantity.

Now that it has been sold nationwide, the production capacity has become excess.

It is better to continue selling overseas and get money back.

At the same time, these maritime merchants have opened up maritime trade.

You only need to provide the goods to them, and you do not need to take any risks.

Under such circumstances, it is equivalent to getting a sum of income for nothing, which is naturally a good deal.

Changlu Saltworks currently has no involvement from the Ministry of Household Affairs.

Everything is up to you.

How much salt is produced and sold every day will not be exposed at all!

Zhu Tan smiled and said: "I know that you sea merchants have great powers, and the Ming Dynasty's sea ban is in vain for you. The salt from Changlu Salt Field is of the highest quality, and it can be sold to overseas people." It can’t be as cheap as selling it to people in Daming!

You name the price! How much money can I make if I give you a pound of salt? "

As he spoke, Zhu Tan also stressed: "There is as much salt as you need from the Changlu Salt Farm, you don't have to worry about the output!"

Everyone looked at each other.

In the end, Lin Shangping stood up.

He looked at Zhu Tan and said with a smile: "Your Highness, the salt from Changlu Salt Farm, the villain thinks that even if it is sold overseas, it may not be so easy to sell."
  What's more, His Highness also knows that the maritime business is difficult or even impossible to do now!

In addition to the imperial court's maritime ban, there were also harassment by Japanese pirates, and there were even pirates in Nanyang!

So for this price, the villain calculated the cost and estimated that the profit could be tripled overseas!

That’s one penny or two cents of silver or about a pound!
  After deducting the costs and meager profits of the little people, the price that can be given to His Highness is at most eight cents of silver per pound! "

As soon as the words fell, everyone's eyes turned to Zhu Tan!

　There may only be 5000 words left. I’m too busy during the Spring Festival, so please forgive me! Thanks to the author! The author will try to make time to make updates next time!
  　　
  　
  (End of this chapter)