The Ming Dynasty started with caution

"As long as His Highness lends his name to students and becomes a partner of Silk Quilt, he can earn a large amount of money steadily and gain fame without having to invest capital or operate the business," Yan Chengjin said.

Zhu Houzhao looked suspicious: "Is there such a good thing in the world?"

Zhu Houzhao thought about it and suddenly felt that something was wrong. If he borrowed my name, wouldn't he be selling silk quilts under my banner? When the time came, his father would blame me and beat him to death?

There was a hint of shrewdness in his eyes, and he said coldly: "Old Gao, you tricked me and wanted me to be the scapegoat!"

Yan Chengjin looked like he would be put down if you didn't do it: "Your Highness, what you said is wrong. It's freezing cold. What Your Majesty is most concerned about right now is how the people spend the winter. Your Highness, do you think, why don't the people wear cotton-padded jackets and eat rice like Your Highness?" That's because there is no silver. If Ning Guogong weaves silk quilts on a large scale, which requires the hiring of a large number of workers. These people can earn money through their own work. With money, everyone can buy clothes and food rations for the winter. This is an eternal reputation that benefits the people. , Why did you harm His Highness?"

The so-called economic base determines the upper class...

Nowadays, sweet potatoes have not yet been introduced, so it is still a long way to go to rely on growing sweet potatoes to survive this winter.

The Ming Dynasty under the rule of Emperor Hongzhi was not poor, and even very rich.

It’s just that the wine and meat in the rich families stink, the roads are frozen to death, and the money is all in the pockets of the gentry. They rely on them to keep the people through the winter.

When they see something they like, they are naturally willing to pay for it, just like Zhou Shou spent thirty taels of silver to buy a silk quilt.

The rich are not afraid of expensive things, but they are afraid that money spent will not be worth it.

The rich spend money to buy things for the merchants, and the merchants hire the poor to work. In this way, the entire capital cycle comes alive.

Hearing what he said, Zhu Houzhao also figured out the key point: "Why didn't I think of it! Just take my name. If my father wants to beat me, I will carry it!"

Yan Chengjin looked disgusted: "His Highness's name has been scolded by others, and the student wants to use the name "Zhao Houzhu"."

We won the battle a few days ago, and now it is the time when Zhao Houzhu is popular. Your Majesty knows that he is the prince, but the people don't know, so the gentry must be rushing to buy it.

"Why do we bother Duke Ning for such a good thing?" Zhu Houzhao said unhappily.

"Your Highness has forgotten, how much silk will be needed for mass production? If Ning Guogong is involved, the silk will be free of charge. Ning Guogong can also pay the workers, wouldn't it save a lot of money?

However, the student was not familiar with Ning Guogong, so he had to go to his Highness to tell him. "

After struggling for a long time, I told Zhu Houzhao that the primary purpose was to get Zhu Houzhao to join the group, the intermediate purpose was to let Zhu Houzhao do the talking, and the ultimate purpose was of course to let Zhu Houzhao take the blame.

If something happens, don't offend Ning Guogong.

Zhu Houzhao was happy: "Old Gao! I now know why Master Yan is so famous!"

Yan Chengjin said: "Your Highness can split it with Ning Guogong thirty-seven percent. The cost of this silk quilt will never exceed five taels of silver. He wants 30%, and Your Highness wants 70%. If Your Highness still has a conscience, you can divide the 70% again." For half the students, if they don’t have a conscience, they won’t force it.”

Zhu Houzhao said matter-of-factly: "I hate people without conscience the most, and the Dog Emperor has no conscience! I made suggestions, helped the army capture Helan Mountain, and rewarded people based on their merits, but I have no share in it."

Thinking of this, Zhu Houzhao felt very angry.

Yan Chengjin thought for a while and found that although Zhu Houzhao was smart, he was not experienced in the world and was not necessarily Ning Guogong's opponent.

He reluctantly taught him one more trick. He must make sure that he established a written pledge. With the written pledge, he would not be able to refuse the debt. This Wang Bu Sui was very experienced, so I asked Wang Bu Sui to take him with him.

Wang Busui rolled his eyes in fright and fainted.

Zhu Houzhao patted Yan Chengjin on the shoulder: "Lao Gao, I used to wonder why you were named 'Lao Gao', Gao! How to get to Duke Ning's mansion?"

Yan Chengjin pointed at Wang Busui, who was stunned by fright. Zhu Houzhao impatiently dragged Wang Busui out of the door.

A few days later, Yan Chengjin heard that a large cloth workshop outside the capital was recruiting a large number of workers, paying five cents a day, and anyone with quick hands and feet was wanted. It was probably Zhu Houzhao who negotiated the deal.

Suddenly, all the refugees in the capital disappeared overnight.

Ning Guogong probably wanted to drive out a large amount of goods before the cold winter came. The refugees would work if they were given food. Naturally, he would not let such cheap workers go.

A few days later, the first batch of quilts were put on the market, bearing the Zhao Hou Zhu brand.

Suddenly, the news spread throughout the capital that the great scholar Zhao Houzhu stopped writing books and sold quilts instead.

At the end of the day, Li Dongyang's sedan passed by the east gate and asked the bearer to stop. Every winter when he passed by here, he would give some money to the refugees.

He was born into a military family, and his father was a soldier guarding the border. He knew how difficult winter was for the poor.

After getting off the sedan, the streets were empty, with no trace of the refugees at all.

"Where have all the refugees gone?"

The bearer said: "Sir, I heard that a big cloth shop opened on the outskirts of the city. If you pay five cents a day, all the refugees will go there."

After careful questioning, Li Dongyang found out that a quilt has become popular in the capital recently and costs thirty taels of silver. Isn't this a piece of cake for the common people?

Back at home, he changed his clothes and asked about the cloth shop that sold silk quilts. He went into the store and touched the fabrics. The upper layer was cotton and the lower layer was silk. Using silk as a quilt was a bit luxurious.

"If you like it, please lie down and try it. There is a bed over here." The waiter was very enthusiastic.

Li Dongyang hugged a quilt and lay on the bed to try it out. It was very warm and unusually light. He felt comfortable everywhere when covered with it, and fell asleep.

He had been busy with government affairs all year round, and he hadn't slept so well for a long time.

………………

Warm room,

Emperor Hongzhi looked at the expenses presented by Prince Shou for the enfeoffment. He asked for 900 ships, one car for two military officers, and four taels of silver for each driver. Just this Zhao Houzhu brand quilt alone cost 500 taels of silver?

Zhao Houzhu?

Why do I feel familiar and strange?

"What is this Zhao Houzhu brand quilt, and why is it so expensive?!" Emperor Hongzhi asked Xiao Jing.

Xiao Jing said: "According to Prince Shou, this Zhao Hou Zhu brand quilt costs thirty taels of silver per piece. The owner gave him a discount for his sake, five hundred taels for twenty pieces!"

"I asked you which merchant produced it, and you actually charged thirty taels of silver!" Emperor Hongzhi was a little angry.

Xiao Jing hesitated and said: "Some time ago, the prince used the name of Zhao Hou Zhu..."

Hearing this, everything was clear. Is there any need to say it? Emperor Hongzhi ordered someone to call Zhu Houzhao.

While Zhu Houzhao was not here yet, Emperor Hongzhi said: "This Zhao Hou Zhu brand is absolutely not allowed. As for other expenses, what do you think?"

Since ancient times, the royal family has spent a lot of money on vassalage.

In fact, it doesn't cost that much. The vassal kings like to beg for a lot of ships, but only a few are actually used, and the extra ships are used to load private salt.

It is equivalent to the court helping them build ships and giving them to them as transportation tools for grain transport.

Even, they begged for a large number of carriages and then sold them to merchants in the market in exchange for silver.

There were countless such practices, and the people were overwhelmed.

When Emperor Hongzhi was the crown prince, he had seen many of them and felt that this trend should not be allowed to continue.

Li Dongyang said: "When Prince Shou was enfeoffed, he should be treated according to the specifications of Prince Yi. He was given 600 ships and 300 carriages. The palace servants were self-sufficient in food and salary. The military school had four people in one carriage, and each carriage was given 2 taels and 4 coins of silver. I beg you to follow this example in the future!"

Emperor Hongzhi said: "What Mr. Li said is not unreasonable. In the future, we will follow this example. If any official in the palace dares to secretly expand the expenses and flatter, he will be punished without pardon!"