"This this……"
Xi Duanfan carefully took the paper and just glanced at the contents on the paper. His forehead was instantly covered with dense cold sweat.
With his head lowered, his eyes were filled with regret and helplessness.
As the saying goes, 'The Tao is as high as the devil, and the grievances are carried with them, and they must be repaid eventually.' He was smart, but he forgot that the sword in the emperor's hand was sharper than he imagined.
Most of the contents recorded on the paper were matters they discussed seriously at the Nanjing Dongting Guild Hall, including his speculations and some arrangements on business affairs.
Chongzhen almost stood up in shock when he saw the information sent by Jin Yiwei yesterday morning.
Xi Duanfan guessed that the department store supply and marketing cooperative was his handiwork, guessed the purpose of opening it, also guessed that it would promote the development of commerce, and even guessed that it would open sea trade.
People have even been arranged to go to some coastal counties to inspect ports and start preparing merchant ships and sailors.
The most important thing is that he understands size and how to maximize benefits.
If he hadn't known Yuan Keli, Sun Chengzong and others, he would have suspected that these people had leaked the news about the sea ban.
"If it weren't for the supervision of Jin Yiwei, after the sea ban is imposed, you will be the people who benefit the most from maritime trade in the entire Ming Dynasty, and the imperial court may not be able to compare."
After hearing these words, Yuan Keli and others' pupils instantly dilated, and they looked at Xi Duanfan with sharp eyes.
Sun Chengzong stepped forward and took the paper from Xi Duanfan's hand, and then looked at it together with Yuan Keli and Bi Ziyan. Just one glance, and the three people's eyes were full of shock.
Then he looked at Xi Duanfan, his eyes filled with wonder and admiration.
"Xi Duanfan, tell me now, do you have any selfish motives in supporting the development of business?"
"No!"
Xi Duanfan responded categorically: "By fully promoting the development of commerce, our Dongting Merchant Gang can certainly make more money, but compared to the entire Ming Dynasty, it is only a drop in the bucket, and the beneficiaries are hundreds of millions of people.
Caomin started doing business at the age of seventeen. It has been fifty years now. He has traveled far and wide and seen too many tragic situations.
Caomin prides himself on being very smart. When he was young, he also wanted to enter the court, rule the country, and benefit the people.
But the court is dark, treacherous ministers are in power, interests are conveyed, and favors are exchanged. Even being an official cannot change anything.
So I chose to go into business, hoping to use the power of the caravan to influence some people and make real improvements.
Now His Majesty is promoting the full speed development of commerce and opening up sea trade, which has made the people of Ming Dynasty rich. This is the same goal as becoming an official, so the common people fully support it. As for..."
Having said this, Xi Duanfan paused for a moment and seemed to be organizing his words: "As for arranging people to inspect the coast, preparing merchant ships and recruiting sailors, these are all done casually and are all guesswork by ordinary people.
The ordinary people have neither official status nor fame, and their private chats do not seem to violate the laws of the Ming Dynasty. Please be clear to your majesty! "
Everyone in Dongnuan Pavilion was silent, and even Chongzhen could not refute.
No one leaked the information and people guessed it by themselves. Can you still convict me of this?
"That's it, this matter ends here, and I won't pursue it any further!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Chongzhen waved his hand, took a sip from the tea cup, and said calmly: "Since you are already prepared, I will give you a fortune. Are you interested in becoming the first caravan to go to sea?"
"There will be no pie in the sky, what are your Majesty's conditions?"
"What conditions do you think I will impose!"
"Eighty percent of the net profit will be given to the court!"
"So generous? Why don't you go back and discuss it with everyone in the business gang?"
"A commoner can still make the decision on such a trivial matter!"
"You are so courageous!"
Chongzhen smiled: "Since you are so sincere, I will accept it. After you are busy with the Ningyuan Mutual Market in the capital, you can go back and start preparations.
As early as June or July next year, or as late as the end of next year, the caravan will set off. How much it can eat depends on your own ability. You are not required to keep this matter strictly confidential, but don't make a big deal about it.
In addition, I will dispatch a navy from the general flag to assist you in training sailors for half a year. You will be responsible for food, clothing, and accommodation. "
"The common people thank Your Majesty for His grace!"
Xi Duanfan was overjoyed and knelt down directly, then stood up and exited Dongnuan Pavilion.
Is 80% profit a lot?
It is indeed a lot, but it also depends on what it is compared to.
If compared with the first batch of qualifications to go overseas, and from a long-term perspective, 80% profit is nothing.
Because this means seizing the opportunity and identifying more future customers, whether they are in the New World or in the Ming Dynasty.
If you wait until the market is fully opened and go by yourself, you may earn 10,000 taels of silver per trip, but as the number of caravans increases in the future, you will earn less and less.
But now, if you go with the Ming Dynasty Navy, you can earn 20,000 taels per trip, and even if there are more caravans in the future, you will maintain your share and earn more and more. This is the effect of taking advantage of the opportunity.
Compared with this, turning in 80% is nothing?
Looking at Xi Duanfan leaving, Bi Ziyan said softly: "Your Majesty, Xi Duanfan is really a talented person. He has vision, structure, courage, and knows how to advance and retreat. It's a pity that he is old.
If he had been ten years younger, I would have dragged him down to the household department to take over my position no matter what. "
"It's no pity. Everyone has his own ambitions. Perhaps these are all tempered by decades of doing business. If you enter the officialdom, you may not be able to achieve the results you have now!
Besides, don’t you have Guo Yunhou, Yang Qingyun and Sun Chunyang? I have also come into contact with these three people, and with more experience, I am really good at it! "
"Mr. Yuan Ge, there is no shortage of talents. Right now among the six departments, our household department is the busiest.
When commercial affairs are fully promoted, commercial taxes will be collected in an all-round way. The workload in this area is too large and there is no room for any mistakes. The taxation area must be made independent;
Secondly, sea trade will be launched next year. Once the scale is established, overseas branches will also be established, and people will be needed to control the overall situation and be responsible for taxation, resource acquisition, mutual market control, etc.;
Also, if according to what His Majesty said, the imperial court is not exclusive but can participate, this also requires the establishment of a department to control it.
There is also the Royal Bank of Ming Dynasty. All four of these require people who understand business. There is a shortage of people! "
When Bi Ziyan said this, he unconsciously touched his beard, his eyes filled with sadness.
Sun Chengzong and Yuan Keli opened their mouths, wanting to persuade but didn't know how.
Among the six departments, the most leisurely are the Etiquette Department and the Work Department. They have a set of customizations. They have been held countless times at what time and what to do. Just follow the steps.
The Ministry of Industry is responsible for the construction. This was something that my predecessor had explored countless times. Whatever is needed, just follow the regulations.
Next is the Ministry of Punishment, which is mainly responsible for formulating the laws of the Ming Dynasty, accepting local appeals, reviewing major local cases, and hearing cases involving central officials. But how many such cases are there?
Although the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel are busy, they are relatively stable.
Only the Ministry of Revenue is the money bag of the imperial court, and the work of the other five ministries has to be allocated money by the Ministry of Revenue.
The tasks of the Ministry of Household Affairs include managing the country's land, taxation, household registration, military supplies, salaries, food and wages, financial revenue and expenditure, etc.
Each one requires complicated calculations and meticulous work, and there is no leisure time all year round.
