The purpose of letting Xu Fu and Ye Chan meet is to let them get to know each other, so that they can communicate with each other in Fuzhou City in the future.
However, the atmosphere of this meal was a bit awkward.
Ye Chan tried her best to find some topics and talk to Shen Yi. Mr. Shen also tried to talk to Ye Chan normally. However, Xu Fu, who was at the same table, never took his eyes away from his rice bowl and kept eating hard.
Before Shen Yi finished one bowl of rice, Xu Fu had already eaten two bowls of rice. He stood up, bowed slightly to Shen Yi and Ye Chan and said, "Master, Miss Ye, I've finished eating. You two, please take advantage of it." .”
After that, he got up and left the banquet, left the elegant room, and went out to look for Jiang Sheng.
There were only Shen Yi, Ye Chan and Xu Fu in the private room. Jiang Sheng did not come to the table. It was not that Shen Yi refused to let him sit down, but that he was determined not to.
After Xu Fu left, Ye Chan, who was sitting opposite Shen Yi, suddenly smiled and said, "It can be seen that this member Xu is very loyal to you."
Shen Yi lowered his head and took a sip of hot water, shook his head slightly and said: "He and I are not in a superior-subordinate relationship, and there is no such thing as loyalty. It's just that I helped him once or twice in the early years. He is a man who remembers kindness." , always treats me as a benefactor."
"If the young master was just showing kindness, he shouldn't be like this."
Ye Chan stood up, walked to Shen Yi, picked up the teapot and gave Shen Yi a glass of water, and said softly: "Young master, I'm afraid I have a great kindness to him."
Mr. Shen lowered his head and ate his food, and said vaguely: "It's old things, so don't mention them."
Shen Yi is naturally very kind to Xu Fu. If it weren't for Shen Yi, one or two of Xu Fu's six brothers and sisters might have starved to death and froze to death. Even if they were lucky enough to grow up on the streets of Jiangdu and had no chance to enter the world, even if Xu Fu This man is very smart, but he still may not be able to have enough food and clothing.
After all, the six of them didn't even have household registration. No one knew if they were beaten to death by a beggar leader on the road.
But now, not only are these six brothers and sisters rich, but they are at least wealthy people. Especially Xu Fu, who can be described as having a bright future.
Although Xu Fu's future is a bit more dangerous than the prosperous road of the scientific examination, it is already a great future that many people can only ask for.
For Shen Yi, he and Xu Fu helped each other. He helped Xu Fu a little, and Xu Fu helped him a lot. But for Xu Fu, this was a great favor that could cost his life in return.
Ye Chan sat back on the chair and said softly: "Sir, ten of the fourteen families you originally signed have agreed to join the Chamber of Commerce. In this way, the total number of businesses involved in the Fuzhou Chamber of Commerce is estimated to be twenty. More than one."
"If it is managed well, it should be of great benefit to the young master in the future."
Shen Yi put down his chopsticks, thought about it, and asked, "Can you estimate how much money the Chamber of Commerce can earn each year?"
Ye Chan was obviously prepared. She said calmly: "The 60% of the property of the fifteen families including the Ye family, based on previous years' rents and surplus income from shops, should be around 20 per year." Up to 10,000 taels."
Mr. Shen was stunned: "So few?"
Ye Chan smiled bitterly and said: "Sir, even if all 60% of our family's property is sold, it will only be worth three to four million taels of silver. Although Fuzhou is a provincial capital, it is not as good as Jiankang or Jiangdu. Lin'an is so rich..."
"With these industries, the annual income of 200,000 taels is already a good year."
"but…"
Ye Chan said softly: "This year the Fuzhou Chamber of Commerce will be established. In the second half of the year, it will be coordinated by the chamber of commerce. By next year, I am sure to increase this income to more than 300,000 taels. In the future, the business of the chamber of commerce will become more proficient and the business will be even bigger." Yes, there can be more.”
Shen Yi thought for a while, then stood up and stretched: "The money Fuzhou Chamber of Commerce gives to Dusi Yamen is set at two hundred thousand taels every year. I will report this amount to the court. As long as it is paid in full, the court will not Say more."
Ye Chan took a deep breath, bowed her head deeply to Shen Yi and said, "Young master, don't worry, I will keep the part over 200,000 taels for you..."
"I'm not short of money."
Mr. Shen touched his chin, then smiled and said, "But you can keep it for me. I can use it to pay bribes."
Shen Yi didn't have any fixed superiors in the court, nor did he have anyone to fawn over. The only big guy, Zhao Changping, was close friends with his father-in-law and didn't need money to support him.
And there is only one person who can allow him to pay bribes.
The current Emperor Hongde.
The emperor is very short of money. Mr. Shen is now supported by Xu Fu, and the family is not short of money for the time being. If Ye Chan can save some money here, she might as well give it to the emperor as a reward.
Of course, if he could keep it for himself, Shen Yi would definitely keep it for himself. However, he was surrounded by internal guards, and Emperor Hongde was very scheming. He might have placed people around him or even around Ye Chan. Eyeliner, instead of doing this, it is better to reward the palace with this money.
Think of it as money to buy an official position from the emperor.
Mr. Shen's own "private money" will be spent on trade with the West.
After talking about "official business" for a while, Ye Chan thought for a while and then looked at Shen Yi: "Master, will I go back to Xingyuan with you later?"
Shen Yi glanced at her and said with a smile: "Why, is there anyone in this Fuzhou Chamber of Commerce who wants to make things difficult for you?"
"When the Chamber of Commerce is founded, there will always be people who are not convinced..."
Ye Chan bit her lips lightly and said: "If I go to the apricot garden one more time, they will be more afraid. Besides, you don't have a maid to serve you, so I will go and make your bed and wash it." The clothes are also good."
Mr. Shen smiled hoarsely: "Miss Chan'er can you still wash clothes?"
"Of course I will."
She raised her head and glanced at the young imperial envoy in front of her, her face blushing slightly: "I'm just not very skilled."
"Well."
Mr. Shen nodded and said with a smile: "We will go back to Xingyuan together later. The day after tomorrow is Cheng Futai's fiftieth birthday. I don't know what to give him. I just asked Miss Chan'er to give the staff a gift. .”
Ye Chan said softly: "Then you don't have to worry about this matter, sir. Leave it to me. I guarantee that you won't lose face, sir."
Shen Yi hesitated for a moment, nodded and said: "That's fine, just don't make the gift too expensive, otherwise Cheng Futai probably won't accept it."
Ye Chan smiled and nodded.
After a while, the two of them walked off the Wanghai Tower together and returned to Xingyuan together.
That night, Ye Chan stayed overnight in Xingyuan.
…………
Cheng Tingzhi's birthday banquet two days later was held in a very low-key manner.
It was the Cheng family, including Shen Yi, and Wang Ji, the prefect of Yanping.
This is the extent of Cheng Futai's personal relationship in Fujian.
After having this meal at the governor's office, Shen Yi and the Yanping magistrate, who looked like an old farmer, got to know each other and chatted for a long time.
When it came time to give gifts, Shen Yi gave Cheng Tingzhi a brush made of rabbit hair. It was not particularly expensive, but it was not easy to get.
The prefect Wang brought a pot of orchids he had picked in the wild and gave it to Cheng Tingzhi.
Cheng Futai liked both gifts very much. He dragged two people with him that afternoon and refused to let them leave. The three of them drank from afternoon to night, and Master Shen returned to the apricot garden to rest in a daze.
The next four or five days were uneventful.
Shen Yi spends most of his time in Xingyuan every day dealing with various paperwork. Occasionally, when he is free, he will take Jiang Sheng out for a walk.
However, he will not be out for too long, so as not to increase the work pressure on the inner guard brothers who follow him.
Five days later, in the morning, Mr. Shen got up early early, put on a single suit, went out to have breakfast, and then rode to the North Gate of Fuzhou.
Shen Yi waited at the North City Gate for almost half an hour. At the end of the hour, he finally saw about forty or fifty riders on the official road, running towards Fuzhou City.
Shen Yi rode up to meet them. About two hundred steps away from Fuzhou, he met this group of people. Master Shen jumped off his mount, bowed his hands to the young man at the head, and said with a smile: "Welcome Li Dushuai, your Majesty." Fuzhou City!”
The leader, Li Mu, jumped off the carriage, walked up to Shen Yi in a few steps, helped Shen Yi up, and said with a smile: "Don't make fun of me."
Both of them handed over the reins to their attendants. Shen Yi smiled and said, "I thought the prince was coming in a carriage, but I didn't expect that he would arrive in Fuzhou in a few days."
"The carriage is too slow."
Li Mu stretched and said, "Besides, this time of year is neither cold nor hot, so it's just right for riding a horse, so I just rode over here."
He turned to look at Shen Yi and said with a smile: "How is Ziheng's progress in Fujian during this period?"
"not bad."
Shen Yi replied: "Good news came one after another from Guangdong. The Japanese pirates in Zhangzhou Prefecture, Fujian were also eliminated. After the prince went to Fuzhou to take charge of Dusi Yamen, I was able to leave Fuzhou and go south."
Li Mu rolled his eyes at Shen Yi: "Let's talk first, I'm here to taste Fuzhou delicacies, other things have nothing to do with me."
Mr. Shen smiled dumbly and did not answer.
Li Mu rolled his eyes, remembered something, and asked, "By the way, Ziheng, how are you and that Fuzhou woman doing now?"
He winked, his face full of gossip: "How is it going?"
Master Shen coughed.
"…Okay."
(End of chapter)
