Ming Dynasty: Zhu Biao's younger brother, the most rebellious son in history

Chapter 28: Zhu Yuanzhang

"Dad, you are such a stingy person. Can you have children with this money? Let me tell you, if you can't spend the money, it's just a pile of metal and has no use at all."

Zhu Kai was very disdainful of Zhu Yuanzhang, and then said: "Look, I never asked you for money before, right? Now I am seventeen years old, why am I asking you for money now?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was suddenly led into a ditch by Zhu Kai.

I also forgot to continue discussing the price of the mattress with him, and followed Zhu Kai's train of thought and asked: "Yes, why are you asking me for money now?"

Zhu Kai told his plan: "I want to open a store in Yingtian Prefecture and sell luxury goods! The money you give me is my capital. Luxury goods are useless, but they are sold to establish a status! Only by using the products in my store can you live up to your status!"

"Think about it, how many princes and ministers are there in Yingtian Prefecture? Take the Duke and the Marquis for example. The Duke has a higher status than the Marquis, right? When the Marquis's family bought a house, what would the Duke think? People of lower status than him have bought one, so would he be worthy of his status if he didn't buy one?"

Zhu Kai told Zhu Yuanzhang about the concept of selling luxury goods in later generations, and Zhu Yuanzhang's face became increasingly darker.

Making money is making money, but Zhu Yuanzhang was indifferent to it.

He only takes the money he deserves.

If this little bastard Zhu Kai goes into business, won't that cause trouble for us?

If the princes and ministers knew that Zhu Kai was doing business, wouldn't memorials to the emperor fly onto their desks like snowflakes?
"You want to do business? No!"

Zhu Yuanzhang rejected him mercilessly. He did not call Zhu Kai a little bastard as he usually did. Instead, he said to Zhu Kai seriously, "As a prince, you cannot compete with the people for profit."

Zhu Kai refuted mercilessly: "What do you mean by competing with the people for profits? That's what the princes and nobles you appointed and the civil and military officials in your court said to deceive me! These princes and nobles, civil and military officials don't do business, but do their relatives do business? They are relatives of the princes and nobles in the court. Can the officials of Yingtian Prefecture control them?"

Zhu Kai's words left Zhu Yuanzhang silent.

What Zhu Kai said was right. According to the intelligence Guo Xing had gathered for him, 70% of the merchants in Yingtian Prefecture were run by relatives of the kings, dukes, civil and military ministers. Of the remaining 30%, 20% were merchants attached to the nobles in the court, and the remaining 10%...

Basically, they are unable to continue operating due to the run.

If the situation in Yingtian Prefecture is like this, what about in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Suzhou and Hangzhou, and other places in the Ming Dynasty?

There are so many complicated things going on, and Zhu Yuanzhang cannot take action easily even if the truth is revealed, as doing so will shake the foundation of the Ming Dynasty.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang understood and slapped his thigh:
"Yes! Those princes and generals can do business, why can't our son do it?"

Moreover, the luxury goods that Zhu Kai talked about were sold to kings, princes, generals and ministers. This was equivalent to sending the money they earned from the people to Zhu Kai. Zhu Kai was rich, so didn't that mean that his father was also rich?
Zhu Kai is a family member, so his money isn’t his own money?

Thinking that the money would flow into his pocket, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes turned into round square holes. Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, Zhu Kai immediately became alert: "Dad, let's make it clear first, that luxury store is mine, and all the money earned is mine."

"Of course. As a father, how can I betray my son?"

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke with great righteousness, not caring at all about Zhu Kai's contemptuous look. Then he looked at Zhu Kai's eyes full of relief, raised his hand and touched Zhu Kai's head, and said happily and sighingly: "Our Zhu family's cub has grown up!"

"..."

Zhu Kai did not relax because of Zhu Yuanzhang's sigh, but became more alert: "Dad, don't try to play tricks on me. You must be trying to get my money."

"inverse……"

Zhu Yuanzhang forced his rebellious son to go back.

After calming down the desire to hit Zhu Kai, he said to Zhu Kai:

"I said I would not steal my son's money. How can I not keep my word?"

"Of course you keep your word, but you have something else in mind, for sure!"

Zhu Kai acted as if he knew Zhu Yuanzhang very well, and said to him: "Dad must have heard that my shop can make money, so you want to take advantage of my shop... Do you want to invest in my shop? Let me tell you, no way!"

No way, a window would be fine. Otherwise, how would Tang He and Hua Yun watch the village widows taking baths?

Can't you just take advantage of any opportunity?

Zhu Yuanzhang had already made up his mind, so he said to Zhu Kai in a very generous manner: "One mattress costs one hundred taels of silver, right? Let's give it to you!"

"It's not one hundred ounces of silver, it's one hundred ounces of gold."

"Gold?"

"One hundred taels?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes widened and he roared, "You bastard, what's the matter with the mattress you're selling being inlaid with gold?"

Even Yuan Qi, who was standing next to him, looked at Zhu Kai with surprise on his calm face after learning that Zhu Kai sold a mattress for one hundred taels of gold.

Among all the princes of your majesty, only Zhu Kai dares to harm Zhu Yuanzhang, right?
Hiss... One hundred taels of gold for a mattress!
This is not cutting Zhu Yuanzhang's flesh, this is stabbing Zhu Yuanzhang's heart with a knife.

Lai Fu, who was standing opposite Yuan Qi, couldn't help but look at his master.

This son... is so cruel to his own father!

If I had a son, I would spoil him...ah, that's not right.

Lai Fu lowered his head and looked at his legs. Forget it, it’s peaceful without a son!

"No, but this is exclusive. I am the only one in the entire Ming Dynasty."

"You...you...OK, let's pay! One hundred taels of gold for a mattress, give me twenty... No, ten! Is ten okay? One thousand taels of gold, I'll have Yuan Qi deliver it later."

Zhu Kai did not speak, but looked at Zhu Yuanzhang more vigilantly. Zhu Yuanzhang was annoyed by Zhu Kai's suspicious look, and raised his hand to slap him:

"Rebellious son, do you doubt me so much?"

Although Zhu Yuanzhang was the emperor, he still had the foundation of charging into battle, and his hands were very strong. However, Zhu Kai seemed not to feel it. Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang was unwilling to relax his vigilance, he said, "My father told me that if you want to ask for something from others, you should do it first... The weasel is paying New Year's greetings to the chicken, and he has no good intentions."

If you want something from me, you must give me benefits first.

The principle of being grateful for what you have received and being grateful for what you have received has been passed down since ancient times!
Zhu Kai knew Zhu Yuanzhang's character very well. Asking for a copper coin was like cutting meat. Now he wanted to give away 1,200 taels of gold just like that?

impossible!
It's impossible!

This old guy must be up to no good!

Zhu Kai was not fooled at all. Instead, he said to Zhu Yuanzhang, "Tell me, Dad, what are your conditions?"

"I'm giving money to my son, and I have to make conditions?"

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, then changed the subject: "Kai'er, you asked me for money, how can I, as your father, not give it to you? Isn't it enough for me to give it to you? Besides, you are not going to do bad things with the money, how can your father not support you?"

"hold head high!"

Zhu Kai is 100% sure!
Zhu Yuanzhang has some bad intentions and is now feeling worse.

It would be better to pretend to relax your vigilance and wait until Zhu Yuanzhang shows his true colors.

Didn’t my father teach me that if I want to ask something from others, I should first offer it to them? The same tactic applies after Zhu Yuanzhang is exposed.

To catch Zhu Yuanzhang's fox tail, you must first hook out his fox tail.

(End of this chapter)