In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 766 When the State Advances and the People Retreat, Everything Can Prosper

The Fengtian Hall stands majestically on the central axis of Yingtian City, surrounded by a spacious and solemn plaza in front of the hall.

The Fengtian Hall is like a bright pearl, inlaid on it.

Lu Yunyi and Liu Sili arrived here.

A sense of solemnity and grandeur rose from the bottom of their hearts, causing them to quicken their pace slightly.

Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the main hall and met Marquis Guo Ying, who was on duty there.

He was tall with long arms and a dignified face.

Holding a long sword, he scanned his surroundings with sharp eyes.

Upon seeing the newcomer, his eyes narrowed.
Upon seeing Lu Yunyi, his expression eased slightly.
Make way for the two to go inside.

The two men cupped their hands in greeting and were about to step forward when...
But when Lu Yunyi walked to Guo Ying's side, Guo Ying whispered a reminder:

"Your Majesty is troubled and should be cautious in your words and actions."

Lu Yunyi raised an eyebrow slightly, paused briefly, nodded gently, and said:
"Thank you, Your Excellency."

Stepping over the high threshold, I entered the Fengtian Hall.
The vast emptiness and coolness enveloped the two of them, as if the sweltering heat outside had been instantly shut out.

The two men's expressions relaxed somewhat, and their furrowed brows loosened a little.

But Lu Yunyi's eyes remained filled with doubt.

He was quite surprised by the inexplicable closeness between Marquis Wuding, Guo Ying and him.

This can be seen from the fact that Tan Wei was transferred to Beijing.

Marquis Wuding's proactive approach must mean he has something to ask for.
His words of reminder today have made Lu Yunyi think twice.

As he drew closer, Lu Yunyi gradually calmed his thoughts, becoming completely focused, and the solemn atmosphere grew even more dignified.

Inside the hall, the eunuchs standing on both sides looked like wooden or clay sculptures.

With his head bowed, he only added to the chilling atmosphere.

Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty sat at the head of the table.
He wasn't wearing Lu Yunyi's usual casual clothes, but rather a bright red dragon robe and a crown.
He leaned quietly against the wide dragon throne, gazing at those below.

It was as if he were sitting in the capital, overlooking the world, exuding extraordinary power.

The two men arrived at the lower seat, paused for a moment, and bowed in unison:
"Your subject Lu Yunyi pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Your subject Liu Si pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked quietly at the two people below him and spoke calmly:
"Look at the seats."

The head eunuch standing to the side remained silent, simply waving his hand gently.

Two eunuchs dressed in green then carried up two soft chairs.

He placed it behind the two of them and silently retreated.

The father-in-law and son-in-law exchanged a surprised glance upon seeing this, both seeing the doubt in each other's eyes.

However, the two slowly sat down and said at the same time:

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Bring me the ledger."

A loud voice rolled down from the head of the hall.

The chief eunuch personally descended from the seat of honor.
He took a thick document with a deep blue cover from Liu Sili's hand.

When he returned to the head of the table, Zhu Yuanzhang still had his hands on the armrests and said:

"read."

"Yes"

The chief eunuch opened the document, stood beside him, and began to read it aloud in a soft, moderate voice.

It was a way to ensure that His Majesty could hear it clearly without making a fuss.

"As of June 30, Yingtian Trading Company employed a total of 3,166 people."

The number of people involved in its upstream and downstream operations is nearly 30,000.

The business dealings involved a wide variety of goods.

They deal in everything from rare and precious treasures to everyday necessities.

The merchants' guild was located in Yingtian City, with shops lining the streets. Every day, merchants came and went in droves, and the sounds of trading filled the air.

Regarding the profits from hiring workers, calculations show that the business earns over one million taels of silver annually.

Excluding various expenses and material losses,

There were 3,166 hired workers, with an average wage of five taels and three fen per person.

Among them were highly skilled craftsmen, such as master artisans and accountants.

Due to the heavy workload and the scarcity of skills, the annual income can reach thirteen taels.

Ordinary laborers, such as porters and handymen,

Although the work is hard, the income is slightly less, but the annual income is still about two taels.

This income is already quite substantial compared to that of ordinary people.

Households employing laborers mostly rely on this to make a living, with a slight surplus.

Upstream and downstream members also profited handsomely from the business.

The raw material suppliers were originally rural farmers who also engaged in commerce to supply the needs of trading companies.

The stable acquisitions by the trading company ensured its income, increasing its profits by about 35% compared to the past when it had to find its own sales channels.

Taking mulberry farmers as an example, in the past, the silk they produced was often sold at low prices due to poor sales channels.
Now that the merchant has acquired the property, each household will see an increase in annual income of approximately nine taels.

Transport teams, consisting of carts, horses, and boats, traveled between land and water to deliver goods for merchants.

Because the trading company transported a large volume of goods, its business was booming.

Those who transport goods can earn an average wage of six taels of silver per person; if they transport large quantities of goods, the earnings will be even greater.

The red-robed eunuch held the document and read it silently, his face extremely solemn.

The personnel roster and accounts of the Yingtian Trading Company were top secrets of the imperial court.

Only the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, and the Military Governor's Office had access to this information.

Now it's the first time he's known about it.
The accounts recorded on it made him shudder.

Zhu Yuanzhang listened silently.

Time passed, half an hour later, and the head eunuch was still reciting.

His breath, voice, and speech speed remained completely unchanged, demonstrating his profound skill.

Lu Yunyi, sitting to the left, was also hearing Yingtian Trading Company's actual accounts for the first time, which surprised him somewhat.

Liu Sili was already very familiar with the accounts.

This moment feels somewhat agonizing.

This half-sitting position, in particular, made his lower back very uncomfortable.
Two quarters of an hour later, when the specific list of employees of the merchant guild began to be read aloud, Zhu Yuanzhang gently waved his hand.

The red-clad eunuch immediately stopped talking.
He respectfully placed the document on the imperial desk and silently retreated.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony fell silent; everyone was completely still.
After a long silence, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang finally spoke calmly:
"Liu Sili, are the account books genuine?"

Liu Sili was startled, stood up, and bowed deeply:
"Your Majesty, the account books were jointly produced by the merchant guild and the Ministry of Revenue, and were also supervised by the Censorate. They are absolutely genuine and there is no falsification whatsoever."

"sit."

Liu Sili sat down silently, his gaze fixed intently on the person above him, his heart pounding.

It would be self-deception not to be afraid of this emperor who has just issued an edict to unleash a massacre.

"How much commercial tax has the business paid in its first year of operation?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked silently.

Liu Sili's expression turned serious, and he answered in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty, Yingtian Trading Company pays a total of 73,167.3 taels of silver in commercial tax, customs duty, shipping tax, wine and vinegar tax, deed tax, and miscellaneous taxes in one year."

With yet another top-secret number emerging...
The atmosphere in the entire hall froze again, and the head eunuch lowered his head even further.

A strange light flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, and his hand clenched slightly, veins bulging:

"Have the upstream and downstream merchants paid commercial taxes?"

Liu Sili's mind went blank for a moment, and he spoke softly:
"Your Majesty, most of the upstream and downstream merchants are small businesses."
The purchased goods included some farm tools, cloth, and writing implements.
"His Majesty's grace is boundless; he has granted this tax exemption."

"That means they didn't pay."

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke calmly, his voice serene.

But Lu Yunyi's pupils contracted slightly as he sensed some deeper meaning in what he heard.

Lu Yunyi pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said loudly:

"Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty's commercial tax of one-thirtieth is an act of supreme benevolence. While the court and the people have long felt Your Majesty's grace, they have not known the specifics."

Now that I've started a business and have a little money left over, I realize how great His Majesty's kindness and virtue are.

Upon hearing this, Liu Sili glanced at him discreetly and coughed lightly as a reminder.
Lu Yunyi remained unmoved and continued to maintain a respectful posture.

"You think commercial taxes shouldn't be levied?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was straightforward and direct, without any beating around the bush.

"Your Majesty, commercial taxes and land revenues are the foundation of the nation; cutting off either one will make progress impossible."
Commercial taxes should not only be collected, but collected in large quantities.

In my opinion, all large-scale businesses, shops, and even brothels, taverns, and teahouses...
All should pay commercial taxes to replenish the national treasury.

Otherwise, the strong will remain strong, and the poor will become poorer.

Lu Yunyi's voice was clear and resonant, but Liu Sili felt his lips dry and his pupils dilate violently.

My son-in-law is incredibly audacious.

Nowadays, the Ming Dynasty court has no wealthy merchants; it's full of local gentry and officials.

Trying to collect taxes from them is simply outrageous.

After all, no one would be foolish enough to stab themselves in the back.

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression relaxed slightly, and he glanced at Lu Yunyi with great satisfaction.
However, this sliver of satisfaction quickly turned into a chilling, murderous look:
"Lu Yunyi, I ask you, what benefit does the way of commerce bring to the country?"

Lu Yunyi frowned slightly and said directly:
"Your Majesty, although merchants are lowly, the common people who depend on them for survival are noble. This is of great benefit both morally and logically."

Zhu Yuanzhang tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of his chair, his eyes deep-set, as if deep in thought:
"Yingtian Trading Company is the only one of its kind in the entire world."
Most of the people supported by other merchants barely scraped by and struggled to survive.

The shopkeepers, however, made a fortune. What benefit did this bring?

Lu Yunyi looked thoughtful, somewhat puzzled by the Emperor's thoughts.
Is this protecting merchants or reprimanding them?
Lu Yunyi spoke in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, if the entire world were filled with Yingtian Merchant Guilds, even ordinary merchants could support countless people."

I am a man who leads troops into battle.

They knew that without competition, an army would soon decline and weaken, and the same principle applied to merchants.

With the establishment of the Yingtian Trading Company in the capital,
Many merchants in the upstream and downstream industries have increased the wages of their employees and workers.

Perhaps not as good as the employees of Yingtian Trading Company, but far superior to those of the past.

If it weren't for the Yingtian Merchant Guild stirring things up, the entire capital would be stagnant.
Merchants, driven by profit, will exploit the common people as much as possible.

Lu Yunyi spoke in a clear and melodious voice, and spoke fluently and eloquently.

Liu Sili, who was standing to the side, had already lowered his head. He wasn't stupid; he had already seen through some things.

Your Majesty is intentionally taking on too much responsibility.

The imperial court not only had to support officials, but also had to support the common people through business guilds controlled by government agencies, such as the "Yingtian Trading Company," and fight against those private merchants.

Liu Sili asked himself honestly and felt that this was a good thing for the country and the people.

The taxes levied on these merchant guilds alone could bring the imperial court a great deal of money.
However, cutting off someone's source of income is like killing their parents.
Even for the imperial court, obtaining this money would not be an easy task.

As expected, the Fengtian Hall fell into a deathly silence.

After a moment, Zhu Yuanzhang slowly straightened up and snorted coldly:
The Biographies of Upright Officials once said that a state should not compete with its people for profit.

"You mean the imperial court is going to compete with ordinary people for wealth?"

Lu Yunyi spoke in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, this statement is greatly wrong. The Great Learning states that a family that raises horses for riding does not concern itself with chickens and pigs; a family that harvests ice does not raise cattle and sheep; and a family with a hundred chariots does not employ ministers who amass wealth."

It should be that wealthy families should not compete with ordinary people for profit.
As the saying goes, water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.

The establishment of workshops by the dynasty to employ ordinary people is a benevolent act.
Even assuming the worst, the dynasty established trading companies and employed people...

They must at least outperform the wealthy merchants; how can this be considered competing with the common people for profits?

The group in the main hall were filled with admiration for Lu Yunyi's audacity.

Even Zhu Yuanzhang was somewhat surprised, and he slightly twitched the corner of his mouth:

"You've got some nerve. Everyone in the court knows this principle."
But they were afraid—afraid of being vilified, afraid of being falsely accused—so they dared not speak out or mention it.

"Your Majesty, I am a commoner from the northern borderlands."

My greatest dream in life is to ensure that the people of my hometown have enough to eat, that they don't go hungry, and that they don't freeze.

But, despite the Ming Dynasty's strength...

With external enemies being defeated one after another, Qingzhou became increasingly prosperous, and the number of merchants grew. Life improved significantly.

But it was far from what I had imagined.

After much contemplation, I suddenly realized...
Most of the money was taken by merchants, leaving less than a fraction of it for the common people.

Your Majesty, I believe that if the imperial court and government offices could establish trading posts and oversee commercial affairs, surely the distribution wouldn't be reduced to just a fraction of what the common people receive.

Upon hearing this, both the chief eunuch and Liu Sili were drenched in sweat.

If these words were to get out, they would surely cause a huge uproar.
After all, there are countless merchants in this world, and even if the imperial court wanted to manage them, it couldn't.

Zhu Yuanzhang fell silent; the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Only a gentle breeze was blowing, carrying the coolness of ice, which relaxed and soothed the goosebumps on the faces of those in the hall.

A quarter of an hour later, Zhu Yuanzhang spoke in a deep voice:
"Huangzhuang also engages in business and earns a considerable amount of money every year, but it is not as outstanding as Yingtian Trading Company."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yunyi stood up and bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty, I beg for forgiveness."

"What crime?"

"I am speaking my mind frankly, and there may be offensive remarks."

"Stop arguing, just say it!"

Lu Yunyi took a deep breath and said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty, the businesses operated by the imperial estates are mostly government-run."

Trades such as salt, sugar, tea, porcelain, minerals, and grains.

In my opinion, the fact that the imperial estates are engaging in such activities is a way for them to seize existing market share by leveraging their power and influence.

Corruption was rampant there, with officials at all levels lining their own pockets.

Zhu Yuanzhang clenched his fists tightly, his gaze turning sinister.

The Grand Eunuch noticed this change and knelt down with a thud.
Trembling, he dared not utter a word.

Lu Yunyi merely glanced at it indifferently before continuing to speak:
"Your Majesty, the Yingtian Trading Company is also a government-run enterprise, but its effects are completely different."

This involves exploring villages in the capital region to expand into new markets.
To gather rare and exotic goods from all directions and promote the prosperity of industry and commerce.

This will drive technological advancements and benefit countless people across the upstream and downstream sectors.
It creates a large number of jobs that people need to make a living.

In my opinion, the Imperial Estate should be enterprising and willing to take risks.

While controlling the nation's lifeline, including rare and precious commodities like salt, sugar, tea, and minerals, efforts were made to expand into newer markets.
Instead of remaining stagnant and digging deep into the small patch of land we already have.”

Zhu Yuanzhang's lips twitched, a forced smile.

"He came from a military background, yet he spoke with such eloquence that he was more articulate than any scholar."

"Your Majesty, this matter also reflects the principles of military discipline."

"explain."

"Before our dynasty, battlefield combat consisted nothing more than axes, halberds, swords, spears, clubs, infantry and cavalry, bows and arrows."
All the skills that could be dug up had already been exhausted by the famous generals of the previous dynasty.

Sun Tzu's Art of War was written in the late Spring and Autumn Period.

It has been 1,902 years since then.

However, the strategies and tactics employed are still applicable today, which is a sign that the potential of the army in battle has been exhausted.

Even if we dig deeper, it's nothing more than patching things up, no different from the imperial estate.

However, since the rise of firearms in the Ming Dynasty...
In just twenty years since its founding, the country has seen a rapid increase in the availability of firearms and artillery, and its tactics have also been constantly evolving and improving.

I ask myself, what have I accomplished in the field of firearms?
I assert that our understanding of firearms warfare tactics is less than one ten-thousandth of what it has achieved.

In such circumstances, like the Yingtian Trading Company,
Just take one step forward, pick up a shovel, and dig anywhere—and you'll find mountains of gold and silver.

The energy gained is far easier to obtain than what is gained through exertion in cavalry and infantry battle formations.

The sound echoed in the main hall.
Liu Sili frowned, seemingly lost in thought.

He knew nothing about the military and was somewhat confused by what he was saying.

The head eunuch at the head of the table looked completely bewildered.
I don't understand why fighting wars and doing business are being discussed together; they are clearly two completely unrelated things.

However, Emperor Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang, understood.

He was the most skilled warrior in the chaotic late Yuan Dynasty and the most adept at development in the early Ming Dynasty.
Such thoughts and ideas can even be extended further, and one can draw inferences from one instance to another.

For a moment, the hall fell into a deathly silence once more.

It wasn't until he had sorted out his thoughts that he spoke in a deep voice:
"It is said that the Minister of Revenue is Zhao Mian."

(End of this chapter)