In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 972 Dividend of 800,000

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye, and the oppressive atmosphere in the capital gradually dissipated.

The imperial guards stationed in various locations gradually withdrew.

Finally, this afternoon, they completely withdrew to the main camp in the capital.

The 10,000 troops from the capital's northern camp also gradually returned to Puzikou City.
The somber and oppressive atmosphere seemed to vanish completely.

Caravans and ordinary people reappeared on the streets.

The Dagongfang and Fudong Street have also returned to their former bustling state.

However, regarding the turmoil of a few days ago,

Whether common people, clerks, or officials, everyone kept it a closely guarded secret.

Three ministers fell at once.

Even the notorious commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was to be beheaded.

The seriousness of the matter is self-evident.

The unpredictable changes in the court's situation made it even more difficult for people to discuss the matter.

Ru Chang, the Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, was transferred to the position of Minister of War.

Fu Youwen was promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and put in charge of all affairs of the Ministry of Revenue.

Yu Xinchao, a senior official in Beiping, was promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

Yan Zhenzhi, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, was promoted to Minister of Works.

News also came that Li Yuanming, the Minister of Rites and the head of the civil service, was preparing to resign and return to his hometown.

The situation in the capital was suddenly turbulent!
Today, the shareholders' meeting of Yingtian Trading Company was held again.

This time, the entire east side of Fudong Street has been sealed off.
Only officials attending the meeting were allowed to pass through the gates of the capital's government offices.

Both sides were lined with yamen runners and soldiers.

Even under the scorching sun, their gazes remained unwavering, vigilantly scanning their surroundings.

One after another, heavy horse-drawn carriages drove along Fudong Street.
The wheels creaked and groaned as they rolled over the flagstones.

Just by looking at it, you can tell it's very heavy.

Since the assassination attempt,
Officials of sufficiently high rank requested protective carriages from the palace, with four layers of inner lining and reinforced with fine iron.

Ordinary officials and the powerful flocked to the workshops that made carriages.
No expense spared in customizing

As a result, the blacksmith shop and the carriage shop suddenly became very lively during this period.

Kong Rui, the Vice Prefect of the Capital, stood in front of the prefectural government office.

He watched as carriages passed by and sighed softly.

After Yingtian Trading Company opened, horse-drawn carriages were prohibited from passing through Fudong Street to prevent congestion.

Now that the assassination has occurred, the ban, while still in effect, has gained some leeway.
For example, right now, if these officials weren't allowed to enter the trading company directly in their specially made carriages...

If another assassination attempt were to occur, the entire government would likely be imprisoned.

One carriage after another stopped at the side gate of Yingtian Trading Company.
The officials, dressed in plain clothes, quickly alighted from their cars and hurried into the trading company, not daring to linger.
As soon as one carriage drove away, another immediately followed, and so on.

The atmosphere in the large conference hall on the fifth floor of Yingtian Trading Company was somewhat somber.

Marquis Guo Ying of Wuding entered the room dressed in armor.
He immediately noticed the worried faces of the crowd and said loudly:

"Why are you all looking so long-faced? Did someone in your family die?"

Li Yuanming's face darkened, and he shouted sharply:

"My lord, watch your words!"

Guo Ying waved her hand dismissively, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
"Today is a great day for dividends; we should be happy on such a joyous occasion."
"You all have such gloomy faces; it annoys me."

The newly appointed Minister of Works, Yan Zhen, looked directly at the heavy armor he was wearing and shook his head helplessly:

"Lord Wuding, aren't you hot wearing armor in this sweltering heat?"

Minister of War Ru Chang replied with a smile:

“From now on, we’ll wear armor when we go out, and we’ll have to trouble Marquis Wuding to give us a note. Then we’ll all gossip about you.”

"Hahahahaha!"

Guo Ying burst into laughter, her gaze sweeping across the entire room.
They discovered that the officials of the Governor's Office were all wearing armor.

The civil officials' robes were also bulging, presumably because they were wearing soft armor.

For some reason, he suddenly found the scene somewhat comical.

Seeing him laughing heartily, Minister of Personnel Zhan Hui had no choice but to speak:
"Marquis Wuding, the Imperial Guards have been searching for so long, yet they still haven't found that spear?"

Marquis Wuding's smile faded, and he asked with a hint of surprise:

"Hasn't Du Pingping already been found? What are you still worried about?"

Zhan Hui's face darkened:
"Let's get down to business!"

At this moment, Zhu Shou, the Left Army Commander, leaned back in his chair and cursed:
"Damn it, I don't know where that bastard is hiding. I haven't seen a single hair of him."

Upon hearing this, the officials present all showed disappointment, which quickly turned into anxiety.

It is extremely dangerous for such a weapon to remain unaccounted for.

Guo Ying knew what they were thinking and said calmly:
"Don't worry, maybe the people and things have already escaped from the capital."

You don't have to hide all day long and be afraid to go out.
They dared to assassinate Yun Yi; they were driven to desperation.
"You haven't offended any rebels, so who would bother to kill you for no reason?"

At this point, Guo Ying raised an eyebrow and said with a teasing expression:
"Besides, what kind of logic is it for our own people to kill each other?"

"Guo Ying!"

Li Yuanming suddenly sat up straight and slammed his hand on the table.
"The turmoil has not yet subsided; wouldn't saying such things further disrupt the stability of the court?"

The officials present exchanged glances, but surprisingly remained silent.

After the crown prince returned to the capital, the previously suppressed dispute over moving the capital was reignited.
The conflict between civil and military officials has intensified, truly a case of one wave subsiding only for another to rise.

"It's already rotten to this extent, and you won't even let people say it? You're not a competent Minister of Rites."

Guo Ying remained unconcerned, shaking her head and making sarcastic remarks.
"Zishan, you're almost seventy."
Go home and rest; you can't handle this kind of turmoil.

Li Yuanming fell silent, his aged fingers slowly twisting together.

He should have retired and returned to his hometown two years ago, but he stayed because of the sudden rebellion by the rebels.

Now that the rebels have resurfaced, he has long harbored the intention to leave.

However, His Majesty remained unwilling to let him go, and many officials in the Six Ministries also did not want him to leave.

After all, he was highly experienced and had considerable influence among officials and scholars.

They could also compete with the faction advocating for relocating the capital and the military generals.

The atmosphere inside the room instantly became deathly silent.

No one spoke.

Shortly after, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.
Liu Sili, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, hurried in, carrying two large red documents.
Behind him followed a dozen or so managers from the Yingtian Trading Company.

They were all holding documents in their hands.

As soon as he entered the room, Liu Sili sensed the oppressive atmosphere and slowed his pace.

He walked to the front and sat down, spreading the documents out on the table.

After everyone was seated, he scanned the room and said in a deep voice:
"Today is the second shareholders' meeting of Yingtian Trading Company, which is also the dividend distribution meeting."

The presence of esteemed officials and governors brings great honor to Yingtian Trading Company.
Gentlemen, your time is precious, so Yingtian Trading Company will not waste your time. Let's get straight to the point.
Next, Han Yike, Deputy Director of the Market and Trade Department,
To summarize the operating performance of Yingtian Trading Company over the past year for all of you gentlemen,

And regarding this year's plans, please feel free to offer your corrections.

Han Yike walked in through the side door, carrying a thick ledger.

He walked into the hall and placed the account books on the long mahogany table.

He bowed to the senior officials at the head of the table, his voice steady and firm:
"My lords, today I am acting as the acting head of the Market and Exchange Bureau."

I hereby submit to all the government departments that hold shares in Yingtian Trading Company a report on Yingtian Trading Company's operating performance for the entire previous year and its plans for this year. Your feedback is welcome.

Li Yuanming sat on the far left, his white beard hanging down to his chest.

His fingers tapped lightly on the edge of the table, his gaze fixed on the ledger with a hint of curiosity.

Even after deciding to retire, he still had high expectations for the business's performance.
The reason was simple: the trading company had earned enough money for the Ming Dynasty court.

"Lord Han, get straight to the point."

Marquis Guo Ying of Wuding leaned back in his chair, the metal parts of his armor making a soft clanging sound against the wooden chair.
“We’re all rough men; we don’t like listening to fancy words. We only look at the actual accounts.”

Han Yike nodded, opened the ledger, and her fingertips fell on the yellowed pages:
"The total turnover of Yingtian Trading Company last year was 4,236,000 taels."

Of this, the workshops' production and sales accounted for 2.16 million taels.

The village assistance resale accounted for 1.08 million taels.
Horse and carriage transport and retail sales accounted for 943,600 taels.

He paused, glanced at the crowd, and seeing that no one interrupted, continued:
"Based on the 30% profit target set at the beginning of the year..."
Last year's net profit was 1,261,080 taels.

The shareholders' dividend was 816,000 taels, an increase of 20% compared to 690,000 taels last year.

Two hundred and thirty-two taels of commercial tax were paid to the Ministry of Revenue.
The commercial tax paid to Yingtian Prefecture was 185,184 taels.
Both taxes increased by 20% compared to last year, in line with the growth rate of turnover.

Upon hearing this, the officials present all straightened up slightly, their faces showing solemnity.
so much?
"Eight hundred and one thousand taels?"

Left Army Commander Zhu Shou suddenly sat up straight, tapping his knuckles on the table, his tone full of surprise.
"Last year it was only 690,000, but this year it has increased by more than 120,000?"

The Left Army Commandery holds a 20% stake.
Last year I received 130,000, so shouldn't I receive 160,000 this year?

Han Yike smiled, nodded, and waved.
The merchants' employees then presented the officials with red slips of paper listing their profit-sharing amounts:

"The Left Army Commander-in-Chief's Office should receive a dividend of 165,600 taels this year."

The Ministry of Works holds 18% of the shares and should receive 146,880 taels.
The Marquis of Wuding's estate holds a 70% share and should receive 57,120 taels.
The quotas for the other departments and offices were clearly written down.

You gentlemen may verify this yourselves.

Yan Zhenzhi had just taken over as Minister of Works

When he received the red letter, his fingers paused slightly, and his whole body tensed up.

When he was first transferred to the position of Vice Minister of Works last year
It is then known that Yingtian Trading Company is highly profitable.

I never expected that the dividends alone would be so substantial!

He looked down at the accounts on the note, his eyes reddening.
So much money! No wonder everyone in the Ministry of Works is doing their utmost to protect Lu Yunyi.
Such a big spender deserves to be treasured and protected!

He looked up at Han Yike:

"Lord Han, last year there were only eighty workshops, this year there have increased to ninety-six."
What types of workshops are the twelve new ones?

The Ministry of Works has not yet received a detailed report.

Han Yike was prepared; she pulled out a roll of drawings from beside the ledger and unfolded it on the table:

Of the twelve newly added workshops, eight are cotton spinning workshops.

Distributed in Jiangning and Jurong counties surrounding Yingtian,
New and improved foot-operated spinning and sewing machines were adopted.

The daily production capacity of one machine has increased by 30% compared to the old machine.

The other four are porcelain workshops located in Zhenxing Village outside the city.

They specialize in firing household porcelain. Last year, after three months of trial production, they made a profit of one thousand taels of silver, and this year they plan to expand their operations.

Yan Zhenzhi bent down to examine the workshop layout map and various drawings closely, his eyes revealing approval:

"Good, good! Yingtian Trading Company has truly done something worthwhile!"
The sewing machine came from Beiping, so which workshop improved the textile machine?

If this technique could be popularized, it could solve the people's clothing problem.

"He is a folk craftsman recruited by Yingtian Trading Company. His surname is Chen. He previously worked as a craftsman in the Suzhou Weaving Bureau."

Han Yike replied:
"This person has been hired by the business as the chief technician of the workshop."
If Minister Yan is interested in promoting this, the trading company can send him to the Ministry of Works workshops to teach the craft.

"Very well, after this matter is over, I will have someone contact the merchant."

Yan Zhenzhi put away the red letter, and a smile finally appeared on his face.

He has just taken office and needs tangible achievements.
Promoting spinning machines is a good pretext.

The atmosphere in the hall gradually became more lively, and the previous dullness dissipated considerably.

Seeing that everyone had no objections to the data, Liu Sili stepped forward and added:

"In addition to the reported results, the firm plans to make three new investments this year, totaling 450,000 taels of silver, which need to be discussed and decided by all shareholders."

"Four hundred and fifty thousand?"

Sun Ke, the Commander of the Rear Army and Marquis of Quanning, spoke in a deep voice, his tone tinged with doubt.

I earned 1.26 million last year.
"Investing nearly 40% at once, will it affect subsequent dividends and taxes?"

Liu Sili took out another ledger from his pocket and opened it to a page:
"Rest assured, my lord, this 450,000 is not entirely from last year's surplus."

Of the 200,000, it came from the bank's advance payments for goods this year, and 250,000 came from retained profits.

Moreover, all three investments are necessary.
"The first item is an investment of 200,000 taels of silver."

A large warehouse was built in each of the three cities of Yingtian, Kaifeng, and Beiping.
It was used to stockpile grain and cotton, which could both stabilize prices and respond to sudden disasters.

The second item is an investment of 100,000 taels of silver.
The roads in the north of Yingtian City were renovated, the road surface was widened, the alleys were leveled, and cement pavement was laid.

The third item was to invest 150,000 taels of silver to establish a commercial loan office under the Market Exchange Bureau.

Providing low-interest loans to small and medium-sized businesses and villages supports their development and also expands the business scope of the trading company.

Fu Youwen, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, frowned slightly. The first two measures were both beneficial to the country and its people.

He believed the business could complete the task smoothly, but the third item, the Commercial Loan Agency, gave him some concerns.

"Is the Commercial Loan Agency going to lend money to merchants and villagers? What are the interest rates?"

Liu Sili looked at Han Yike and gestured for him to answer.

Han Yike nodded, picked up another book, and said in a deep voice:

"The Commercial Loan Bureau was an idea proposed by Minister Lu when he first arrived in the capital, with the initial intention of helping villages in various places."

During the two years of assistance provided by Yingtian Trading Company, we discovered that...
Even with the assistance of businesses, many villages still struggle to survive and are unable to develop new livelihoods.

Because the villagers were originally farmers, let alone money,

The family might not even have enough food, let alone the initial start-up funds.

Even more remarkably, many villages, after receiving financial and material assistance from the merchants,

Instead, they resorted to cheating and shirking their duties, losing their initial enthusiasm.

In light of these circumstances, the Market and Commerce Bureau decided to allocate a total of 500,000 taels of silver from the Yingtian Trading Company, the Yingtian Construction Company, and the Yingtian Cement Company.

We will provide assistance to eligible villages and businesses that are willing to make progress!
The initial interest rate is set at 2% per annum.

Rest assured, Your Excellencies, every loan issued by the Commercial Loan Bureau...
Its purpose and repayment period must be registered.

The report was submitted monthly to the Ministry of Revenue, Yingtian Prefecture, and the Market and Commerce Bureau, and was subject to supervision by the three parties.

If any irregularities in lending are discovered, the consequences range from dismissal to serious punishment!

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone present looked at each other, their expressions strange.

Since Han Yike took office as deputy director, he has gone to great lengths to raise funds from three merchant houses.

After working for almost a year, I only managed to raise a little over ten thousand taels of silver.

Now that Lu Yunyi has returned, he has easily and without any trouble transferred 500,000 taels of silver!
Such a disparity is truly striking.

The government officials, especially those who came to observe but did not own shares, were particularly envious.

Seeing that the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of War, and the Military Governor's Office had received so much money...

How could one not be envious when one has no money at all?
Moreover, the annual interest rate is two percent.

Compared to the 20% or 30% interest rates commonly found in the market,

It's practically like giving away money; even if you wanted to object, you couldn't find a reason to.

Left Army Commander Zhu Shou had no objection to the commercial loan, and then inquired about other matters:
"Lord Liu, the storage center is stockpiling grain and cotton."
If grain prices soar, should merchants sell at market price or at par?
If it's priced at cost, wouldn't we lose money?

"My lord, although the business aims to make a profit, it also needs to bear social responsibility."

Liu Sili explained with a smile,

"Last year, when Henan was flooded, the merchants sold grain at a fair price, which stabilized the grain price in Beijing."

In the event of another disaster, the grain and cotton stored in the warehouse must be sold at market price.
This is not only for the sake of the people, but also for the stability of the imperial court.

As for profits, my lords, please rest assured.
The storage center can normally store and resell grain on weekdays, only selling it at cost price during disasters, and is still profitable overall.

Moreover, for such a large-scale project concerning people's livelihood, as long as it doesn't lose money, it's a huge profit.

Zhu Shou was relieved after hearing this and nodded, saying:

"Alright, you guys are professionals at doing business. As for me, I'll just wait to get my share of the profits."

Guo Ying then clapped his hands and laughed heartily:
"People like us, who are rough and uncouth, should not get too involved in the business operations, nor should we interfere, lest we turn a good thing into a bad thing."

I, the Marquis, approve of these three investments, and I also approve on behalf of Consort Ning.

The officials echoed this sentiment without objection.

Li Yuanming looked at everyone in the hall, then at the numbers in the account book, and sighed softly.

He felt that he was falling behind the changing times.

He had witnessed everything the business had done over the past two years.

They were doing thankless and exhausting work, yet somehow they could make a lot of money from it, which was puzzling.

Those merchants who cheated and exploited their employees only earned a pittance after a year of hard work.
They also suffered infamy and were criticized behind their backs; it's unclear what they were trying to gain.

He stroked his beard and said slowly:

"Since everyone has no objections, the Ministry of Rites will not object either."

However, the Commercial Loan Bureau needs to be strictly supervised to prevent unscrupulous merchants from taking advantage of loopholes, and to prevent the Market and Exchange Bureau from using this as a means to enrich itself.

"Don't worry, Lord Li," Han Yike quickly replied.

"The subsequent regulatory plan will be submitted to Your Majesty."

If the imperial court is still concerned, it can order the Three Departments to send people to supervise the use of funds and grain.

Li Yuanming nodded and said no more.

Seeing that everyone had agreed, Liu Sili picked up the cinnabar seal from the table.

Stamp the large red seal of Yingtian Trading Company at the end of the performance record:
"Since you gentlemen have no objections..."

That concludes the assessment of this year's operating results and new investments.

Next, I would like to ask all of you to check the red slip.
After signing and affixing your seal, you can go to the fourth-floor warehouse to collect your dividends.

This year's dividends will still be in cash and paper money.
The goods have been pre-packed to make handling easier for everyone.

As soon as he finished speaking, a waiter came forward with a brush and ink.

The officials took turns signing the red slips of paper, pressing vermilion ink onto the paper to make the accounts on the slips even more conspicuous.

After signing the document, Zhu Shou stood up impatiently:

"Let's go collect the money!"
We'll need to send more people to move it this year; 160,000 taels is no small sum!

His voice grew louder and louder, his boastfulness evident in his words.

Guo Ying also stood up with a smile and patted Yan Zhenzhi on the shoulder:

"Minister Yan, once you've received your silver, you must get to work hard. Hurry up and manufacture the Imperial Guards' weapons."

"The work is finished! I'll treat you to a drink to celebrate your new appointment!"

Yan Zhenzhi smiled and agreed, and the atmosphere in the hall became completely lively.

The shadow cast by the assassination attempt and the dispute over moving the capital
Finally, at this moment, some of it dissipated.

Han Yi watched as the officials walked out of the meeting hall one after another.

He glanced down at the performance record book on the table, a hint of emotion in his eyes.

He tidied up the account books and red slips of paper, and said to Liu Sili beside him:
"Lord Liu, today's matter can be considered settled."

Lord Lu is still recuperating; these accounts and investment plans still need to be sent to his residence.

Liu Sili nodded:

"Don't worry, someone will be sent over later."

(End of this chapter)