Hongwu twenty-five years, April 28th.
Peiping, Prince Yan's Mansion, sunny.
Zhu Ying looked at Zhu Di in front of her and couldn't help but feel a little sad for a moment.
It has been ten years since he came to this early Ming Dynasty. Who would have thought that he could sit in front of Emperor Yongle and talk.
"Having cooperated with me for so long, I certainly trust you. Please discuss the details with Sanbao."
Zhu Di looked at Zhu Ying and said with a smile, his expression seemed gentle.
"Thank you, His Highness King Yan, and I will take my leave first." Zhu Ying said with a smile. Even when facing Zhu Di, he was still neither humble nor overbearing.
After Zhu Ying got up, like Zhu Di, and next to Zhu Di, Daoyan master Yao Guangxiao signaled and left.
The Three Treasures mentioned by Zhu Di are the later Zheng He, who has not yet been given the "Zheng" nature, and his real name is Ma He.
Sanbao followed, bowed slightly to Zhu Di, and left with Zhu Ying to discuss the details of the transaction.
After seeing the two people disappear, Zhu Di sighed to Yao Guangxiao: "I have seen them many times, and every time I see them, I feel extremely incredible."
"There are two people who look so alike in this world."
"If I hadn't known that my eldest brother had never had any romantic affairs outside, I would have thought that this must be my eldest brother's illegitimate child."
When Yao Guangxiao heard this, he also felt a little emotional: "The poor monk was shocked when he saw him for the first time. Later, after careful investigation, he confirmed that this son has no connection with His Highness the Crown Prince."
When Zhu Di heard this, he was a little silent. After a while, he said in a deep voice: "This matter must be confirmed again and again."
"This son's age is similar to that of my nephew who died young. Master, please be careful."
Zhu Di naturally sent someone to investigate carefully and got the same information as Yao Guangxiao.
But there is always a kind of uneasiness in his heart, mainly because Zhu Ying is not only similar in appearance, but more importantly, his elegant temperament is very similar to his eldest brother Zhu Biao.
As for Zhu Ying, he was just a small businessman. The temperament of a scholar was not something that a businessman could possess.
Anyone who meets Zhu Biao and Zhu Ying and says that these two people have nothing to do with each other will not be able to believe it.
"Don't worry, Your Highness, this matter is relatively old, but after several months of investigation by the poor monk, it is enough to ensure that this person's background is clear."
"This son Hongwu is five years old, two years older than your highness's nephew. Although his parents have passed away many years ago, everyone in the village knows him."
"Those country folk are not capable of making up such lies."
After Yao Guangxiao finished speaking, he continued to sigh: "But this son was born at the wrong time, so smart and smart, but he was born into a businessman's family."
"If this were not the case, it would not be difficult to win the imperial examination. If you are lucky enough to be able to enter the palace examination and be seen by your majesty, with this face, the number one scholar will be no problem."
"Even His Highness the Crown Prince will love me very much."
After Zhu Di heard this, he did not respond directly, but fell into deep thought.
After a long time, he finally said: "We will try our best to prevent this son from leaving Peiping."
"This son cannot be allowed to go to the capital. If someone comes from the capital, he cannot be seen."
Zhu Di's voice was extremely dull, but Yao Guangxiao could feel the hidden message in it.
Faced with King Yan's attitude, Yao Guangxiao was very pleased.
Three months ago, he met Zhu Ying for the first time while visiting the city, so he tried every means to make friends with him, and then contacted the King of Yan, Zhu Di.
In the name of trade, he cooperated vigorously with Zhu Ying and delayed it in Beiping.
"This son will be of great use in the future."
Yao Guangxiao said calmly.
Zhu Di nodded slightly in approval.
............
"Don't worry, Mr. Zhu. Your snowflake salt is so crystal clear and has no astringent taste. Now that you have His Highness's support, it will definitely flow smoothly in Beiping."
Ma Sanbao said politely to Zhu Ying.
Ma Sanbao also had a good impression of Zhu Ying. He was just a eunuch, so he was bound to receive some strange looks.
But in Zhu Ying's eyes, he felt a kind of respect treated as an equal.
That's not because of his identity. The superficial flattery is actually treating him as a real man.
"I'm just a matchmaker. I've been dealing with those extra businessmen for a long time, and I've gained their trust." Zhu Ying said with a smile.
Salt and iron are all official products, and no matter how strong Zhu Ying is, it is impossible for him to take out the snowflake salt and sell it himself.
The only way is to import it and sell it to the Ming Dynasty government in the name of merchants to obtain profits.
"This quantity is indeed a bit too little. I would like Mr. Zhu to tell the merchants if they can supply more for the sake of share."
"There are so many people in Peiping, and His Highness doesn't know how to distribute this little snowflake salt."
"If Mr. Zhu can accomplish this, the price can be easily discussed."
Ma Sanbao said that as soon as this snowflake salt was born, it was robbed by nobles in Peiping, and the amount Zhu Ying brought each time was only a mere hundred kilograms.
These more than 100 kilograms of snowflake salt are more than enough to supply only Prince Yan's palace, but it is a bit stretched to supply all the dignitaries in Peiping.
The distribution of snowflake salt can only be arranged by Prince Yan's Mansion, and Ma Sanbao is the main person in charge.
Ma Sanbao felt like he had a headache every time he faced those noisy noble servants.
Some of these details are related to the reputation of His Highness King Yan.
After not affecting the supply of Prince Yan's Mansion, which family has more and which family has less is very important.
"I'll try my best, but this snowflake salt is expensive and the output is rare. In addition, bandits are rampant in the border fortress. It is not easy to deliver more than a hundred kilograms to Peking."
Zhu Ying sighed with regret, her eyes flashing with memories, as if she was remembering the hardships of transporting salt.
And in fact, this snowflake salt was originally made by Zhu Ying according to the methods of later generations. You can get as much as you want.
It's just that the processing methods are different. Snow salt can be obtained by secondary processing of well salt.
However, the Ming Dynasty controlled private salt. After Zhu Ying did some research, he hired a group of merchants as his subordinates, and the salt production areas were also located outside the Ming Dynasty.
In this way, it can only be regarded as an import. Even if the Ming officials and merchants are jealous, there is nothing they can do about it.
It's just that the blood and blood in this salt trade is not enough for outsiders to understand.
"Okay, then I'll bother you more, Mr. Zhu."
Ma Sanbao said helplessly.
Of course, King Yan sent people to investigate the source of the snowflake salt, but the whereabouts of the merchants were very secretive, and there seemed to be a very strong secret force protecting the matter.
Many of the spies sent out disappeared on the vast grassland.
If you can't find out the source, even if the army is dispatched, there will be nothing you can do.
It was at this moment that the sound of galloping horses' hooves was heard at the end of the street.
I saw a man on horseback running wildly in the middle of the main road in the distance, and at the same time he shouted:
"Hurry up for eight hundred miles, anyone who stands in my way will die!!!"
