My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 348 Raising Huge Funds
July 6th marked the third day of the Japanese trading company's official share offering.

"Breaking news! Breaking news! The Japanese trading company has raised more than 200,000 silver dollars!"

This news was featured on the front page of all the major newspapers.

This amount is absolutely shocking!
Even the betting odds from casinos that predicted the total amount raised by Japanese trading companies didn't give such a large sum!

The newly opened betting market even offered an exaggerated figure of one million silver dollars.

In a meditation room at Lengyan Temple on the outskirts of Beijing, three monks and one layperson are drinking tea.

This man, dressed in a coarse cloth scholar's robe, was the youngest of the four, yet he calmly held his teacup.

The middle-aged scholar put down his teacup and asked, half-jokingly, "Old monk, how much of a stake did your Lengyan Temple acquire this time?"

Abbot Fayan of Lengyan Temple said with a smile:

"The Buddha said it cannot be spoken of. Benefactor He, did your *New Yuefu Daily* not invest in this?"

The scholar in coarse cloth was none other than He Xinyin. He said:
"Newspapers are much less profitable than your monasteries."

The other monk present was wearing a purple robe, and the two monks present looked at him with envy from time to time.

This monk is the Da Guan monk who often enters the palace to preach to the emperor. The purple kasaya he is wearing is not something that just anyone can wear; it can only be worn by imperial decree.

Da Guan and He Xinyin were old acquaintances, and he was also a fellow disciple of the monk Fa Yan of Lengyan Temple. When he came to the capital, he stayed at Lengyan Temple.

Compared to his two spirited companions, the other monk looked much more shabby.

This is Abbot Huayan of Dule Temple in Ji County.

After the Ministry of Works discovered the historical value of Dule Temple, the local government requisitioned the temple.

In the end, the Ministry of Works provided silver and gave the monks of Dule Temple a sum of severance pay. The monk Huayan knew that he could not win against the Ministry of Works, so he had no choice but to take the severance pay and leave Ji County for the capital, where he wanted to rebuild a temple near the capital.

Unfortunately, the monk Huayan was unlucky. He happened to be caught in the court’s strict control over monks and Taoists, and several of his disciples were forced to return to secular life because of issues with their ordination certificates.

As the Ministry of Rites tightened its management of temples, the monk Huayan finally realized in despair that he could no longer build new temples.

Seeing no hope of rebuilding the temple, the disciples left one after another, and in the end, the monk Huayan could only stay at Lengyan Temple.

Looking enviously at his two companions, Lengyan Temple had already become one of the major temples in the capital, and Abbot Fayan was skilled in financial management and had substantial assets.

The monk Daguan received a cassock bestowed by the emperor and often explained Buddhist teachings to the emperor and his concubines. He was also a frequent guest in the homes of high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital.

Thinking of himself again, Monk Huayan was somewhat moved to tears.

He Xinyin put down his teacup and continued:

“Venerable Master Fayan, Lengyan Temple prospered under your leadership, but prosperity inevitably leads to decline.”

“Da Guan, you have entered the palace to preach, but the emperor’s favor is fickle.”

"If you ask me, the one who has achieved the most in Buddhism today is still this Huayan monk."

"I?"

The monk Huayan was stunned; he was actually not qualified to attend the gathering.

A high-ranking abbot, a favorite monk of the emperor, and the editor-in-chief of a major newspaper.

He was dragged to the party.

The wise monk said with a mix of laughter and anger:
"When did you learn the skill of fortune telling, Benefactor He?"

He Xinyin said:

"Buddhism in China has reached the Dharma-ending Age, and both of you are imprisoned in the Ming Dynasty, but the Huayan monk is different."

The monk Daguan then said, "Haha, Benefactor He is talking about Buddhism again?"

He Xinyin said to the monk Huayan:

“Great monk, with the establishment of this Japanese silver trading company, our Great Ming Dynasty will inevitably have to deal with Japan. Why don’t you follow the example of the Great Monk Jianzhen and travel east to Japan?”

The monk Huayan was somewhat tempted after hearing this.

He Xinyin then said:

"Has the monk read the newspaper? Sakai Port does not prohibit monks and Taoists. Even Western monks can preach there and gather tens of thousands of believers."

"Now is the perfect time for the great monk to go to Japan!"

This time, the monk Huayan was completely moved.

However, He Xinyin did not delve into this topic and soon began to talk about other things.

The monk Huayan drank tea for a while longer, his mind filled with thoughts of going to Japan. Finally, he apologized to the three of them and left the table.

After Abbot Huayan left, Abbot Fayan feigned anger and said:

"Mr. He, you've already tricked several of your comrades into going to Japan. What do you mean by this?"

He Xinyin then smiled and said:

"With fewer monks staying at the temple, is Abbot Huayan unhappy?"

"Besides, I'm just pointing them in the right direction. Instead of staying cooped up in your Lengyan Temple, why not go to Japan and try your luck?"

The monk Daguan asked curiously:

"Mr. He, you refuse to serve in the government, and the New Yuefu Daily often contradicts the court. Why do you still try to trick them into serving in Japan?"

He Xin smiled and said:

"The deeper the love, the harsher the criticism; the New Music Bureau's dissenting opinion is also for the sake of the Ming Dynasty."

"Besides, even if I dislike the imperial court, I despise the Japanese pirates even more."

The two monks smiled, and He Xinyin said:
"Among all the ruthless strategists in the world, none surpasses Su Zilin. With the emergence of the Japanese Silver Company, Japan will never have a peaceful day again!"

The monk Daguan asked, "Wasn't it Li Wenquan, the heir of the Marquis of Wuqing, who submitted the memorial?"

He Xinyin smiled and said:
"I am the one who understands Su Zilin better than anyone else in the world. This memorial is in Su Zilin's style. How could Li Wenquan, a mere relative of the emperor, come up with such a memorial?"

Fa Yan and Da Guan thought about it and agreed with He Xinyin.
-
In the military prison.

The new student enrollment ceremony was held on July 2nd. This time, the emperor did not attend, but the deputy director of the academy, Xu Wenbi, and the dean of studies, Su Ze, attended the ceremony to welcome the three hundred new students of the academy.

Also divided into three departments, Li Rusong's batch of senior students moved up to the second year and became seniors to the new juniors.

It also became a rule that new students would enroll on July 2nd every year thereafter.

With a year of experience in running schools, the enrollment of new students this time is much more formal.

First of all, everyone was issued new military uniforms, which was great news for those military students from poor families.

Routine military training takes a lot of strain on shoes and clothing, and cavalry units also require expensive riding boots, which is a significant expense for ordinary families.

Now that the emperor pays for the clothes of the martial arts students, they naturally have no worries about the future.

Zhu Shikun, the class monitor of the second-year cavalry squad, looked at Mu Changyou, the younger brother of the Duke of Qian, who had just enrolled, and asked in confusion:

"Borrow money?"

"Brother Zhu, I'm really sorry, I came to the capital in a hurry this time and didn't bring enough silver dollars. I'd like to borrow some money from you to tide me over."

"That's easy. How many do you need?"

"Three thousand silver dollars." "What!?"

Zhu Shikun looked at Mu Changyou, thinking, "How can someone come up here and ask to borrow three thousand silver dollars for working capital?"

Unexpectedly, Mu Changyou said again:
“Brother, this isn’t a loan for nothing. I will draw up a written agreement and mortgage the villa of the Duke of Qian in the capital to you.”

Zhu Shikun suddenly said:
"I understand. You don't need the funds; you want to buy shares in the Japanese Silver Company."

"Brother Zhu, you are wise."

Zhu Shikun wasn't particularly interested in investing, and he did have money on hand. Besides, the other party was the younger brother of the current Duke of Qian, so credibility wasn't an issue.

However, he still asked:
"Can this Japanese silver company really make money? Brother Mu is also the second son of the family, are you really going to invest so much?"

In families like Zhu Shikun's, the second son usually receives a sum of money after his elder brother inherits the title.

When the father was alive, the son's expenses could be covered by the Duke's public account. However, after the father passed away and the elder brother took over the household, these expenses could no longer be covered by the public account.

This money is similar to the money for dividing a family property.

Both the Duke of Qian's Mansion and the Duke of Cheng's Mansion are Dukes of the highest rank, and the treatment of their second sons is roughly the same.

What Mu Changyou wanted to borrow was almost half of his personal assets.

Mu Changyou was sincere. Since he wanted to borrow money, he should make it clear. He said, "Brother, this is a benefit that the court is giving to its own people in the capital."

"One of our own?"

Mu Changyou said:
"Brother, think about it. There are only twenty days to raise funds, and the investment can only be made in cash. Apart from the capital and the surrounding areas, who can raise the funds so quickly?"

"To put it bluntly, this Japanese silver company is not short of money at all, nor will it be short of profits in the future. This fundraising is just to benefit the powerful families in the capital!"

Zhu Shikun had no talent for business, and he asked:

"Why do this? According to you, the Japanese Silver Company doesn't need to raise funds publicly at all."

Mu Changyou said, "The Japanese Silver Company is a business with no investment and huge profits, so many people are bound to be envious. The more funds are raised, the more those who want to deal with the Japanese Silver Company will have to think twice."

Zhu Shikun looked at Mu Changyou, surprised that the second son of the Duke of Qian's family had such a keen business sense.

“Brother, with your talent you should go to the Academy of Architecture, not the Military Academy.”

Zhu Shikun felt a growing distance from this junior from the same circle.

After enrolling in the military academy, he found a new purpose in life and longed for a pure military career.

Mu Changyou's mind is too active and he's too calculating, unlike a soldier.

Of course, everyone has their own ambitions, and Zhu Shikun will not make moral judgments.

Besides, given the state of the Duke of Qian's mansion, it's unlikely anyone without a sharp mind would grow up to be a decent adult.

Zhu Shikun said:
"Then tomorrow is your day off. I'll go with you to the bank to withdraw the money. Forget about the mortgage, forget about the villa. The Duke of Qian's mansion won't renege on its debt."

"Thank you very much, brother!"

After Mu Changyou left, Li Rusong, the class monitor of Class Two, came to visit again.

Compared to Mu Changyou, Li Rusong was much more straightforward. He began by saying:
"Zhu Banzheng, my father wrote to say he wants to buy shares in the Japanese Silver Company worth one thousand silver dollars. I'm here to borrow money from you!"

"Does General Li know about this?"

"Yes, my father somehow got the news that the silver from Liaoyang has already been escorted to the capital, but he was afraid of missing the deadline for fundraising, so my father asked me to borrow silver dollars first."

"After thinking it over, only Zhu Banzheng in the military academy could produce this amount of silver dollars."

Zhu Shikun considered his assets and nodded in agreement. Tomorrow was a day off for the military supervisors; should he also buy some things?

However, neither of them seemed particularly interested in the Woyin Company, and the conversation quickly returned to their secondment training next month.

Where is Li Ban heading?

Li Rusong said:
"Naturally, we're going to the Khalkha Army! Li Banzheng, do you still remember that Commander Wu who defeated me last time? He's been transferred to the new army of the Beijing Garrison this time!"

Zhu Shikun recalled that when Li Rusong was serving in the Beijing Garrison, he was misled by those corrupt officers and led his soldiers to charge against Qi Jiguang's suppressing army during the garrison mutiny, only to suffer a crushing defeat.

The cavalry general who led the troops to defeat him was Wu Zongqi, a subordinate of Qi Jiguang.

After Li Rusong was captured, he learned the truth, and the court naturally did not pursue his responsibility. He also got to know this Commander Wu and learned about the practical combat techniques used by Qi Jiguang to train cavalry.

Li Rusong then said, "But my father wants me to go to the Zhenbei Army. I don't want to go. What's the point of fighting those Jurchen savages in the snow?"

"Where is Zhu Banzheng? I've heard that many of you sons of meritorious officials want to join the Imperial Guard?"

Zhu Shikun also looked confused. He also wanted to go to the front-line troops, but as a family member, he could not refuse his elder brother.

Moreover, he knew his elder brother was right; advising the emperor on military and political matters was definitely better than fighting on the front lines.

On the battlefield, swords have no eyes; no matter your identity, you may die on the battlefield.

At that time, no matter how talented you are, you'll be nothing more than a handful of bones.

Zhu Shikun said, bewildered:

"I don't know how to choose."

Li Rusong, however, said nonchalantly:

“Zhu Banzheng, your hesitation means you have a place you want to go. If that’s the case, why are you asking me?”

"Why think so much in this life? We soldiers just follow our hearts. Otherwise, why bother studying for the military academy? Wouldn't it be better to take the imperial examinations?"

After saying this, Li Rusong said no more, gave Zhu Shikun a military salute, and left.

After thinking for a long time, Zhu Shikun finally made up his mind.
-
July 23rd was the last day for the Japanese trading company to officially raise funds.

"Breaking news! Breaking news! The Japanese trading company has raised over 600,000 silver dollars!"

In the cabinet, when the cabinet ministers opened the newspaper and saw the total amount of funds raised, they all gasped in unison.

Judging from the booming business of the railway company, the cabinet ministers had a premonition that this Japanese silver trading company would also be a hit.

But they didn't expect the total amount raised to reach this level.

Six hundred thousand silver dollars!
What a concept!
The problems within the Beijing garrison had been accumulating for so long, and the imperial court had put in a great deal of effort to cut spending by one million silver dollars.

The annual budget for forming the new Beijing garrison was less than 600,000 silver dollars!

Of course, the imperial budget is allocated annually, while the Japanese Silver Company's fundraising is a one-time event.

But 600,000 silver dollars was still a huge sum of money that was hard for the court and the public to imagine!
Zhang Juzheng, who held great power in the Ministry of Revenue, understood better than anyone else the impact such a huge sum of money would have on the entire situation in northern China!
The articles of association of the Japanese Silver Company stipulated that the company's headquarters would be located in the capital, but its main operations would be conducted in Laizhou Port.

These 600,000 silver dollars will boost the shipbuilding industry in Laizhou.

The new ships will also require more maritime personnel.

Zhang Juzheng learned from a letter from his son Zhang Jingxiu that an experienced seaman now earns a higher salary than a clerk.

After the Maritime Training Institute was upgraded to a naval academy, the Denglai Maritime Trade Office funded the establishment of a navigation school, which attracted a large number of applicants.

Just as Zhang Juzheng was pondering what the Japanese silver company would bring to the Ming Dynasty's navy.

Li Yiyuan, the Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, brought a pile of memorials to the cabinet and handed the top one, Su Ze's memorial, to Gao Gong.

A Memorial Requesting an Inspection of the Eastern Seas to Secure Trade Routes

(End of this chapter)