In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 675 Can This Game of Thrones Really Be Played Like This? (Supplement: 319)

Around noon, at Kanglelou in the north of the city,
Duan Zhengze, the Vice Commander of the Capital Garrison, hosted a grand banquet for many merchants from the city.

A large portion of them were involved in the sale of white sugar.

The Mi, Hu, Wang, and Huang families were among those present, creating an unprecedentedly enthusiastic atmosphere.

After three cups of wine, everyone's face was flushed, and their laughter almost shook the roof beams.

But as the drinking session progressed, the atmosphere became increasingly strange.

Some of the managers of the trading company seemed to be drunk, sitting there in a daze, their minds wandering.

Sitting at the main table, Mi Chen lowered his head, looking at the teacup in front of him, his mind filled with thoughts.

He would occasionally glance discreetly at Duan Zhengze, who was talking animatedly there, and mutter to himself:
"A weasel offering New Year's greetings to a chicken is up to no good."

Since that Lord Lu arrived, this section of the code has become a messenger.

He never uttered a single good news item again, causing merchants in the city to avoid him like the plague.

Today, Duan Zhengze displayed unprecedented enthusiasm.
This has made many people uneasy.

And there are quite a few people who think this way.

Duan Zhengze, who was drinking incessantly there, also noticed the strange atmosphere.
After setting the glass down, let it settle for a moment.

He glanced subtly at the crowd and felt it was time.

He looked at the many shopkeepers present, and began with the usual pleasantries and flattery:
"Oh dear~ all the managers here have contributed their time and effort to the construction of our Great Ning City."

Not only me, but also the other officers in the military command will forever remember your kindness.

"I dare not accept such praise."

Although everyone wanted nothing more than to strangle Duan Zhengze
However, the necessary formalities must still be observed.

"Gentlemen, have you seen the road construction outside the city?"

"I saw it, I saw it!"

Duan Zhengze looked remorseful and kept his head down.

"This matter is a long-term plan for our Great Ning City!"
If the road could be completely repaired,

From then on, trade between Ningxia and Beiping flourished, and travel between them was incredibly smooth.
Even bicycles and tricycles that appeared in Yingtian could run on it.

The group exchanged bewildered glances, their hearts sinking.
Oh no, they're asking for money again. They're definitely up to no good.

Hu Chongyi sat there, smiling as he spoke:
"Lord Duan, please speak frankly if you have any instructions."

If we are capable, we will certainly not shirk our responsibilities.
After all, the road repairs will be of great benefit to us.

Isn't that right, everyone?

"Yeah yeah."

Many people quickly chimed in to agree.
But some people still looked at Mi Chen, waiting for him to make a statement.

Until Duan Zhengze's gaze fell upon them,
Mi Chen's aged face was now etched with wrinkles, but he smiled and spoke:
“Of course, we will obey any orders given by the Commander.”

"it is good!"

Duan Zhengze made no attempt to conceal his purpose, letting out a loud shout and looking at everyone present with excitement.

"What you all may not know is that road repairs cost a huge amount of money."
A full 800 li (approximately 400 kilometers) of road, 20,000 people working non-stop for two years,
This still requires cement and concrete.
If we follow the old method of cultivation...

Eight hundred li. It would take ten years to repair.

"That's true."

One merchant nodded in deep agreement.

He was in the business of building houses and repairing roads, and he also had some knowledge of the roads outside the city.

Duan Zhengze shook his head with a wry smile:

"But while this speed is fast, it comes at a price."

The amount of money spent was enormous; in less than two years, it amounted to nearly 250,000 taels of silver!

The dozen or so people present held their breath, their faces turning serious, startled by this terrifying number.

Although I knew it would cost a huge amount of money.

But this was the first time they had heard an exact number from the Commander.
With such a large expense, it's no wonder that they were so eager to donate money for a meal right at the start of the year.

Mi Chen took a deep breath and was the first to express his opinion:
"Lord Duan, although we merchants are of lowly status, we must still do our part."

I've heard that the Commander-in-Chief and the Prefectural Government will be holding a fundraising event soon, and we will give it our full support.

"Yes, yes, we may not have much else, but we do have some money." The group echoed.

Duan Zhengze immediately beamed with joy and nodded repeatedly.
"Then thank you very much, shopkeepers. I hope you will support me when the time comes."

"only."

Upon hearing this, the faces of the many shopkeepers who had been smiling suddenly froze, and they cursed inwardly.

Mi Chen's breathing was slightly rapid, but he still maintained the composure expected of a business leader.

She watched Duan Zhengze quietly, waiting for him to speak.

"Gentlemen, I have summoned you here today."

It wasn't about raising funds in a few days.
Instead, I have another small matter to share with everyone.

Everyone held their breath and waited, while Duan Zhengze made no attempt to be polite:

"Now that the people in the city have money, they bought a lot of white sugar for the New Year."
As a result, Wanshou Sugar Mill's production capacity could not keep up.
Therefore, the price of white sugar produced in the future will increase slightly.

Upon hearing this, everyone present turned pale.
Everyone turned their gaze to Dai Qiufeng, who sat there like a nobody.

Dai Qiufeng's expression remained unchanged until she noticed their gazes.

She simply smiled slightly, without saying a word.

Seeing that he remained silent, they turned their attention to Duan Zhengze.

Duan Zhengze cursed Dai Qiufeng in his heart for being so unethical!
He forced a smile and began:
"That's right, the commander originally planned to raise the price by 50%, to 75 coins per catty."
This was done to force the city's residents to buy brown sugar.

This way, Wanshou Sugar Workshop can keep up with the workload.

"Seventy-five coins?"

Hu Chongyi let out a startled cry.
"Sir, this is too expensive. We'll probably get scolded if we do it this way."

"Yeah yeah."

"Who can afford sugar that costs seventy-five coins?"

Duan Zhengze listened to their chatter.

He scoffed inwardly, but spoke with a forced smile:
"The sugar that costs seventy-five coins a pound is much cheaper than the sugar we had before. Please don't be joking, shopkeepers."

The atmosphere froze for a moment, then Duan Zhengze changed the subject:
"However, Lord Lu and Lord Liu, with the managers in mind, also felt that this price was too expensive."
Therefore, despite all opposition,

The price has only increased by 30%, and it will be sold for 65 coins per catty.

The atmosphere became even more eerie, and Mi Chen lowered his head slightly.

Even including the ten coins given to the people, it's still seventy-five coins per catty.

Many people realized this and their hearts were bleeding!

Although fifteen coins is insignificant compared to the selling price,

But a price increase is a price increase.
For a major merchant, it is fundamental to be ruthless in managing every penny.

The group looked at each other, none of them speaking first.

Duan Zhengze's face darkened, and he let out a soft snort:
"Gentlemen, do not forget..."
Who is strongly supporting your business?

"If it weren't for Wanshou Sugar Mill, you probably wouldn't even have this opportunity to make money."

Despite saying that, everyone present still felt uneasy.

Dai Qiufeng glanced around, chuckled softly, and slowly stood up:

"Lord Duan, esteemed managers, please enjoy your meal."

I suddenly remembered that I have some matters to attend to in the workshop, so I'll take my leave now.

After saying that, he walked away quickly without waiting for anyone's response.

The group's eyes were fixed on his retreating figure, filled with envy.
Serving important people requires a sense of detachment from worldly affairs.

"I still have some matters to attend to at my office, so I'll take my leave now. Please enjoy your meal and drinks here."

Having finished speaking, Duan Zhengze didn't want to linger any longer. After exchanging pleasantries, he decisively left.

After he left, everyone started talking at once.

Everyone was filled with righteous indignation, and the atmosphere was heated.

"The commander is robbing us! He's robbing us!"

A shopkeeper in his forties slammed his fist on the table, his eyes red-rimmed, clearly furious.

"Yes, yes, this is all our money."
He has to submit so much in just one sentence.

"That adds up to several hundred taels of silver a month, and it just disappears like that," another person added.

Strangely, Mi Chen and Hu Chongyi, who controlled the grassland channels, remained silent, as did Huang Huai and Wang Ze, who were also able to transport goods out.

As soon as they stopped talking, the heated discussion gradually subsided.

The table fell silent, as if everyone was preoccupied with their own thoughts.

Finally, Hu Chongyi let out a long sigh:

"The commander is out of money."

Mi Chen chuckled and slowly shook his head:

“The commander is rich. Your more than 100,000 taels of silver are just piled up in the yamen, and are guarded by special people every day.”

Hu Chongyi heard the sarcasm in his words.

His expression suddenly changed, and he slammed his hand on the table with a bang:

"Mi Chen, what do you mean?"
This time we're paying, next time it'll be your turn!

Mi Chen shook his head and remained silent, but Mi Bin, standing to the side, spoke up with a smile:
"Manager Hu, there's some news I'd like to hear, it's something that concerns you."

"what news?"

A hint of doubt flashed in Hu Chongyi's eyes.

"The leader of Dragon Tail Mountain has been arrested, and the commander is already writing the notice."
The notice should be posted around this afternoon; Manager Hu can go and take a look then.

Mi Bin's voice was erratic, and his lips curled into a half-smile, which looked anything but malicious.

Hu Chongyi's face stiffened, and his fist, which was under the table, clenched tightly.
"I knew it! After so long without any news, he must have been arrested."

Hu Chongyi roared inwardly, a look of fear flashing in his eyes.

He can now conclude that the previous warehouse fire was the work of the commander, a warning to him.

It's laughable that he did this after hearing that the commander would repair his warehouse.

He was even smug, thinking that Du Si was pretty good, since he was spending his own money!
"No, I'm intentionally avoiding this matter; I'm just deceiving myself."

After much self-consolation, Hu Chongyi finally regained his composure.
"The commander is now being cut like meat with a dull knife."
They're raising prices little by little, taking money from us bit by bit.

Wang Ze, in his thirties, sat there with deep-set eyes.

His wounds seemed to throb with pain at that moment, and he gritted his teeth as he said:

"That road outside the city wasn't built by the military command; it was clearly built by several of our families pooling our money."
"All the money in the military headquarters' office is our money!"

Huang Huai, who shared a similar plight, was much calmer, simply pointing lightly to the roof.

He put his finger to his lips and whispered a "shh."
"Watch your words. This is the Kang Le Building. Be careful, the walls may be listening."

After this reminder,

The person who had spoken earlier suddenly changed his expression, and his legs trembled slightly.

They were terrified of the two new adults.

At this moment, the two Mi brothers were the first to stand up.
Mi Chen looked at everyone present and spoke calmly:
What's the point of us rambling on about things that can't be changed?
"Isn't this business still being done the way it's supposed to be?"

Mi Chen glanced at Hu Chongyi, then looked at the others:

"Of course, you can also follow Manager Hu's example and take some unconventional approaches."

"Mi Chen!"

Hu Chongyi suddenly stood up, glaring angrily.

Mi Chen ignored him, simply waved his hand lightly, and walked out of the private room.

"The Mi family's business will continue as usual. If any manager wants to quit, that's fine too."

"You can sell it to the Mi family; I'll buy it all."

Hu Chongyi's breathing was slightly rapid. He didn't sit down again, and also walked away.

Huang Huai and Wang Ze quickly followed.
Seeing that the leaders had all left,

There was no need for the other merchants to stay any longer, so they all stood up and left.

Soon, at the entrance of Kang Le Building
The merchants who had just come out were slightly taken aback when they saw the two distinct groups of people at the entrance.

A group of people dressed in armor, followed by a dozen or so soldiers,
The man in the lead, who appeared to be in his early twenties, was smiling and talking to the two Mi brothers.

The other group was clearly composed of officers from the military command.
The leader appeared to be a seventh-rank official, and he was talking to Hu Chongyi, Huang Huai, and others.

What does this mean? Are they waiting at the door asking for money?

However, everyone quickly realized that something was wrong.
The Mi brothers and Hu Chongyi were all beaming with joy.

It doesn't look like they're being asked for money at all.

Before long, to everyone's surprise, the two groups left one after the other.

The carriages of the Mi family and the Hu family followed, heading towards the city.
"What's going on? You were just speaking with righteous indignation, and now you're kneeling down?"

Someone muttered under their breath, their expression extremely strange.

"Keep your voice down, the walls are listening!"
Besides, if someone offers you good fortune, won't you go?

"Of course I'll go."

The first person to speak muttered again, his face full of resentment.

Inside the carriage, Mi Bin's smile vanished, replaced by a grave expression.
He looked at his elder brother sitting opposite him and said in a deep voice:

"Brother, what does Lord Lu want with us?"

Mi Chen slightly opened his tightly closed eyes and chuckled softly:
"How would I know? But it should be a good thing."

"Why?"

"That man was Feng Yunfang, a personal guard of Lord Lu, a seventh-rank official serving in the Prime Minister's household."
He was waiting at the door with his men, clearly wanting something from us; otherwise, they would have gone up to call us long ago.

Mi Bin thought this made sense and asked:

"Brother, could it be a case of trying diplomacy first, then resorting to force?"

Mi Chen thought about it carefully, then slowly shook his head:

"It shouldn't be. The price increase of white sugar has already caused dissatisfaction among many people in the city. Lord Lu must know that."

"Trying to squeeze more money out of us now is not in Lord Lu's style."

"What style?" Mi Bin asked, somewhat puzzled.

Mi Chen glanced at him with a hint of helplessness:
"You really wish you wouldn't ask me about everything."

"With your older brother around, your younger brother doesn't need to think so much."

"Lord Lu has always acted with a combination of kindness and severity."

Either give them a beating first and then a sweet treat, or give them benefits first and then take the money.

Although they made a lot of moves, they still followed the rules and their behavior wasn't too bad.

This time, I reckon,

"The commander must be short of money, and a good business opportunity has come knocking."

Mi Bin's eyes suddenly lit up, and he said excitedly:

"Brother, could it be that you're transporting other goods to the north?"

"It's hard to say, but with the current scale of the operation, selling white sugar alone is far from enough."

Mi Bin understood what he meant, and clenched his fists tightly:

"Brother, I've made some money this time, and I'm going to buy a big house in Beiping to get married!"

Mi Chen's expression darkened slightly:
Why treat a prostitute like a treasure?

Why are so many respectable women in Daning City and Beiping City fixated on her?

"Brother, you don't understand."

Mi Bin didn't want to say anything more to him, so he simply turned his head away.

Mi Chen was breathing rapidly.

"How many times do we have to argue over a prostitute?"

Listen to your elder brother, find a respectable woman and don't get involved with these prostitutes.

"Brother, the wife of Commander Liu is the owner of a brothel."

If he can marry her, why can't I?

"He can keep his wife in check at home, but can you keep Yueyao in check?"

"Yueyao is very obedient!"

Mi Bin's voice suddenly rose, and he appeared extremely angry.

"You...you're beyond saving!"

Mi Chen angrily flicked his sleeve and started cursing.

(End of this chapter)