diymy Chapter 131 Borrowing Flowers to Present to Tianqi: An Unexpected Joy
Chapter 131 Borrowing Flowers to Present to Tianqi: An Unexpected Joy
Chapter 131 Borrowing Flowers to Present to Tianqi: An Unexpected Joy
Chapter 130 Jiang Chun boarded the carriage. He had just tried to sit down when he winced in pain. Although he had been recuperating for over half a month, his injuries only appeared to be healing well. In reality, it would take him at least a year and a half to fully recover. Looking at the Chen residence, his eyes were bloodshot, and he gasped for breath. Wang Wende slapped him across the face and roared, "He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Ming Dynasty! You will pay with your life for killing him!"
Wang Wende, panting and looking pale, said, "He killed you, so he only needs to go to jail."
Jiang Chun covered his face and looked at Wang Wende, saying resentfully, "He's just a good-for-nothing. If he hadn't sucked up to Wei Zhongxian, he would be nothing at all—"
Wang Wende moved closer to Jiang Chun's face, sneering and breathing heavily.
As Wang Wende got into the car, he glanced at Jiang Chun and immediately smelled a fishy odor. He frowned slightly.
Jiang Chun, panting heavily, said in a low voice, "I will kill this beast—"
Jiang Chun, as the vice president of the Huizhou Merchants Association and one of the three giants of Yangzhou salt merchants, controlled nearly one-fifth of the salt production of the Ming Dynasty and was once jokingly called the Salt King. Unfortunately, this Salt King was tortured like a dog by Chen Boying for nearly twenty days.
However, before he could finish speaking...
With a snap.
He said, "You almost died at the hands of this good-for-nothing!"
Jiang Chun said dismissively, "He wouldn't dare kill me."
"Ha ha----"
Wang Wende, enraged, laughed coldly and roared at the Chen residence not far away: "Do you know how many people he killed? In Nurgan, he killed thirty to forty thousand Jurchens. He cut off their heads and piled their corpses outside Xianping City into a Jingguan (a mound of corpses), and even carved a stone tablet that read, 'Anyone who crosses this line will be beheaded!'"
Jiang Chun was stunned.
Wang Wende's chest heaved violently as he pointed at Jiang Chun and said, "You still dare to say he wouldn't dare kill you? He doesn't even need to lift a finger to kill you. With tens of thousands of troops under his command, there are plenty of people willing to risk their lives for him. Even if you have money and a large retinue, his men can kill you from the beginning of the year to the end, leaving you penniless—"
"He's just a nobody commander. Dealing with him is easy. Cut off his pay, cut off his food supply, and then bribe the officers under his command. If there's any mutiny or rebellion, he'll be dismissed on the spot. Once he's out of office, he's just—just a stray dog that nobody will care about even if he dies in a ditch."
Jiang Chun became increasingly excited as he spoke, his eyes flashing with murderous intent: "I have money. If I don't avenge this, I swear I'm not a man!"
At this moment, Jiang Chun's voice was somewhat high-pitched. Only he knew what kind of life he had been living these past few days. In particular, the several professionals that Xu Xianchun had transferred from the Embroidered Uniform Guard not only played the pipa (note: one of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's cruel tortures) but also gave him a bath. Although he was not missing any of his body parts, he had lost his function. As a man, to be used and ruined was incredibly cruel. Even though Chen Boying was an official, he still wanted revenge.
Wang Wende retorted angrily, "He's the emperor's darling now. The emperor has repeatedly called him the Huo Qubing and Yue Fei of the Ming Dynasty. If he becomes Yue Fei, what would we be if we went against him? Qin Hui? You want to be Qin Hui? I wouldn't dare. Our Wang family is even afraid of having our ancestral graves dug up—"
Although Wang Wende did many things that harmed the interests of the Ming Dynasty, such as instructing the Donglin Party to obstruct the court's tax reform, of course he evaded taxes and framed officials in charge of tax reform, he still had some bottom line and knew what he could and could not do.
The Donglin Party was actually a very loose political alliance. Not to mention that he could not completely control the Donglin Party, even a big shot like Sun Chengzong was betrayed by the Donglin Party. The Donglin Party had idealists, but most of them were scoundrels who would follow whoever offered them benefits.
Wang Wende was very dissatisfied with Jiang Chun. After this incident, he realized that Jiang Chun, who usually fawned over him, was not on his side. He sent Jiang Chun, the vice president of the Huizhou Merchants Association, to negotiate with Chen Boying on behalf of the Huizhou merchants. His purpose was to clear up the misunderstanding. The life and death of the Jurchens had little to do with him. His main business was salt, iron, silk, and maritime trade.
Unfortunately, he was now caught in the middle. For the sake of the Huizhou merchants organization, he had to step in and help Jiang Chun solve his problem. After all, nominally, he was the head of the Huizhou merchants and their leader. Seeing Jiang Chun's unconvinced expression, he felt a headache coming on. He and most of the Huizhou merchants were just businessmen, and a businessman's biggest goal is to make money. But some of them were still daydreaming, wanting to become some kind of high-ranking official.
Is it so easy to become a high-ranking official in plain clothes? For them, the worst that can happen is bankruptcy, but when it comes to political struggles, it can mean the confiscation of their property and the extermination of their entire family. Shen Wansan is a prime example of this. Wouldn't it be better to quietly make a fortune? Why did he have to court death?
No, we absolutely have to set some rules for Jiang Chun.
When Jiang Chun arrived at the back hall of the Anhui Merchants Association, he noticed that the atmosphere was a bit off. Normally, as the vice president of the Anhui Merchants Association, the members would welcome him with a banquet or a group of beautiful women to serve him. However, the back hall was brightly lit, but the atmosphere was so gloomy that it could be squeezed out of water.
Wang Wende sat in the main seat, flanked by several core members of the Anhui Merchants Association, each with a solemn expression. Jiang Chun was helped to sit at the lower end of the table; his face was pale, and he occasionally let out a suppressed cough.
"Gentlemen, I have gathered you all here today to discuss something."
Wang Wende glanced at Jiang Chun, his gaze somewhat complicated, and said, "Everyone knows about Vice President Jiang's affair at the Chen residence."
He suffered hardship and injustice, and the reputation of the Huizhou merchants was utterly ruined. But the deed is done, and there must be an explanation.
Jiang Chun raised his head, his eyes filled with resentment and venom: "Chief, that beast Chen Boying, I will kill him—"
"Shut up!"
Wang Wende slammed his hand on the table, interrupting Jiang Chun: "How dare you say that?"
Jiang Chun was stunned.
Wang Wende stood up, walked up to him, looked down at him, and said coldly, "Jiang Chun, I'm asking you. What did I tell you before you went to the Chen residence?"
Jiang Chun opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.
"I'm telling you to talk, to lower your stance, to admit defeat and back down."
Wang Wende's voice grew louder and louder, "But what about you? You caused trouble at the Chen residence, insulting officials of the imperial court and their parents!"
Who do you think you are? You're a salt merchant, not royalty or the commander of the five armies! What right do you have to insult Chen Boying?
Who gave you the courage?
Jiang Chun's face flushed red. He wanted to argue, but when had any member of the Huizhou Merchants Association ever treated a mere military commander as a nobody? Not to mention the military commander, even the commanders of the Five Armies Commandery, which one would dare to disrespect them? However, before he could finish speaking, Wang Wende raised his hand to stop him.
"besides,"
Wang Wende continued, "You were detained at the Chen residence. What cost did we pay to rescue you? Three hundred four-wheeled carriages, three million catties of iron. Do we lack iron? Do you know how much silver each family lost for that iron? Do you think this is just your personal matter?"
He turned to face the assembled crowd, his voice deepening, "Gentlemen, Jiang Chun's actions have severely damaged the interests of the Huizhou merchants. According to the association's rules, how should he be dealt with?"
The crowd exchanged glances, none daring to speak first. However, Ma Chaozong, one of the three giants of the Yangzhou salt merchants, said, "Since no one is speaking, I will. Jiang Chun, you have seven charges. First, you acted without authorization, disobeying the leader's orders. Second, you insulted an official of the imperial court, causing trouble for the Huizhou merchants. Third, after being detained, you failed to relay messages in a timely manner, delaying the opportunity. Fourth, during negotiations, you were inflexible and stubborn, leading to a deterioration of the situation. Fifth, you refused to admit your mistakes and instead threatened retaliation, putting the Huizhou merchants in danger. Sixth, as vice-president, you did not prioritize the overall situation, only acting out of personal ego. Seventh, you colluded with outsiders, betraying the interests of the association."
Upon hearing the final charge, Jiang Chun's face changed drastically. He struggled to his feet and hissed, "I didn't! I didn't collude with outsiders!"
Ma Chaozong sneered, "No? What about Fu Yingxing? Do you think we don't know? You spent five thousand taels of silver to have him intervene, hoping to use his influence to pressure Chen Boying, and what was the result? You tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead. Who is Fu Yingxing? He is the nephew of the eunuch Wei Zhongxian. You colluded with Fu Yingxing, and you dare to say you didn't? We know about Fu Yingxing, but you know perfectly well what we don't. Jiang Chun, you've been in business for half your life, you're smooth and shrewd, adept at handling affairs, and incredibly charming. Everyone knows your nickname 'Smiling Tiger.' Why did you provoke Chen Boying and escalate the conflict between us Donglin comrades and the eunuch faction?"
"Don't you know that Chen Boying is Wei Zhongxian's confidant and favorite, or have you been living a life of misery all these years?"
Let alone Jiang Chun, no shopkeeper would make such a low-level mistake. So the problem is actually very simple: he did it on purpose. Now the Donglin Party and the eunuch party are having a decisive battle. If they anger the Tianqi Emperor, neither the eunuch party nor the Donglin Party will benefit. So who will benefit? The answer is obvious: the Zhejiang Party, the Chu Party, and the Western Law Party led by Xu Guangqi.
Looking beyond the surface of events, the essence is actually not complicated.
Jiang Chun slumped into the chair, his face ashen.
"According to the association's rules," Wang Wende said, emphasizing each word, "seven offenses warrant twenty lashes, removal from the position of vice president, and a three-year ban from participating in association affairs. Do any of you have objections?"
Everyone shook their heads.
Jiang Chun lowered his head, trembling all over.
"Execute."
Wang Wende waved his hand.
Two burly men stepped forward and pinned Jiang Chun to the ground. The whips fell, striking his still-healing wounds with dull thuds. Jiang Chun gritted his teeth, refusing to utter a sound. After twenty lashes, new wounds appeared on his back, blood soaking through the bandages.
"Take him away," Wang Wende said coldly.
After Jiang Chun was carried away, Wang Wende looked at everyone and sighed, "Gentlemen, I hope you will all learn from today's events. We are businessmen, not politicians. Making money should be our top priority. Don't mess with money, no matter who else you're after."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Wang Wende looked out the window and murmured, "Chen Boying is not someone to be trifled with. We can't afford to offend him, but we can at least avoid him. From now on, let's do business with him properly and stop with those underhanded tactics."
Meanwhile, at the Chen residence.
Chen Ying stood in the front hall, with in front of him the silver that Jiang Chun had transferred from various money shops in the capital. Three million had almost emptied the working capital of the four major money shops.
Chen Ying asked for one million taels of silver notes and two million taels of silver in cash. All two million taels were in 100-tael silver ingots. In fact, the Ming Dynasty not only had 100-tael silver ingots, but also the largest denomination of 500-tael silver ingots. Generally speaking, only silver that went into the national treasury was cast into 500-tael ingots, symbolizing the wealth of the national treasury.
These are 20,000 one-hundred-tael silver ingots, gleaming alluringly in the candlelight.
"grown ups----"
Holding the account book, Su Mei said softly, "Jiang Chun sent two million taels of cash and one million taels of silver notes, and they have all been deposited into the account. As you instructed, they have been divided into three parts."
Chen Ying nodded: "Yongren!"
"Your child is here!"
"Let's go, let's go into the palace first."
Even transporting one million taels of silver is a very difficult task, but fortunately, the distance Chen Ying needs to transport is not far.
Qianqing Palace, West Warm Pavilion.
The Tianqi Emperor was fiddling with a newly made ship model when he heard Wang Tiqian's report. He looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Chen Boying? Wasn't he recuperating? Why is he in the palace?"
Wang Tiqian whispered, "Your Majesty, Lord Chen said he has important matters to report in person."
"Announce".
Chen Ying entered the warm pavilion, knelt down and bowed: "Your subject Chen Boying pays respects to Your Majesty."
Get up.
The Tianqi Emperor put down the model ship, looked at him, and said, "Minister Chen, why aren't you at home recuperating? What are you doing here in the palace?"
Chen Ying stood up, took out a list from his sleeve, and presented it with both hands: "Your Majesty, I have come to the palace today to deliver silver to Your Majesty."
The Tianqi Emperor took the list, glanced at it, and his eyes immediately lit up: "One million taels?"
"Yes."
Chen Ying smiled and said, "I won a great victory in Liaodong and captured a lot of spoils. I also did some business with Huizhou merchants and made some money. I thought that Your Majesty is busy with many affairs and needs money everywhere, so I left one million taels and sent it to the palace."
The Tianqi Emperor's hands trembled slightly as he held the list. One million taels! In all his years on the throne, he had always been the one handing out money; no official had ever given him silver. Of course, thanks to intelligence from the Judicial Bureau, he knew that this silver was not some kind of spoils, but rather money Chen Boying had extorted from Jiang Chun.
"Minister Chen, what—what do you want me to say?"
Chen Ying bowed and said, "Your Majesty need not say anything. I am a subject of the Great Ming Dynasty, and it is my duty to share Your Majesty's burdens."
The Tianqi Emperor remained silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "Good, good! Minister Chen, I appreciate your kind intentions."
He paused, then said, "I can't just take your money for nothing. Here's what we'll do: I heard you're short of craftsmen. There's an ironworks in Zunhua, under the jurisdiction of the inner court, that's been losing money for years. Last year it lost over 130,000 taels, and I'm worried about what to do with it. You can take it and manage it for me. If it makes a profit, just give me a share."
Chen Ying's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained impassive: "Your Majesty, the Zunhua Ironworks—that's a massive ironworks. What merit do I possess to deserve this?!"
Zunhua Ironworks was the largest state-run ironworks in the Ming Dynasty to date, with 25 blast furnaces. It could melt 2,000 catties of iron sand a day, which is more than 50,000 catties in total. According to the Ming Dynasty standard of 596 grams, this is approximately 30 tons.
A steel mill producing 30 tons per day would be considered a family workshop in later times, but in the Ming Dynasty, only the Foshan Ironworks could boast such a scale, even in the entire world. Of course, the Foshan Ironworks was also state-run. However, due to its remote location, a large amount of production capacity was underreported. In the court's accounts, the Zunhua Ironworks was the largest, but in reality, the Foshan Ironworks was the largest.
"Just take it."
The Tianqi Emperor waved his hand, "I know you are capable. The workshops in Shahe, the salt fields on Dalu Island, the shipyard in Yongning Port—which one wasn't managed by you with great success? I trust you with the Zunhua Ironworks."
Chen Ying bowed and said, "Your subject obeys the decree."
After leaving the Qianqing Palace, Chen Ying went to Wei Zhongxian's residence.
Wei Zhongxian was resting with his eyes closed on the couch when he heard Chen Ying arrive. He opened his eyes and smiled, "Boying, is the matter settled?"
Chen Ying cupped his hands in greeting: "Thanks to the Grand Eunuch, it's all settled. Jiang Chun's three million taels of silver have arrived in my account. As previously agreed, one million taels were sent to the palace, one million taels were given to the Grand Eunuch, and the remainder is for me. This is for the Grand Eunuch; please take a look."
"6
PS: Many thanks to reader Fengyu Wufei for the 6666 points reward. Congratulations to Fengyu Wufei for becoming the second steward of this book. I, Lao Cheng, will do my best to add an extra chapter today, even if it means sleeping less.
>