Frost for a Thousand Years

Chapter 284 Song Shi'an Gets Promoted Again
Sixty taels of silver.

In Sheng'an, Dayu, the total annual living expenses for a family of four are about six taels of silver.

The printing workshop, including several sons and daughters-in-law, as well as grandchildren, only had a dozen or so people in total.

You might not even earn two hundred taels of silver a year.

But Song Shi'an casually spent a full 60,000 coins. This really startled him. He looked up at Song Shi'an and tentatively asked, "Young master, do you mean to buy our work for a month with these sixty taels?"

“No, I’ll buy you for a month,” Song Shi’an explained.

There is a very fundamental difference between the two.

Because he can earn at most 60,000 yuan a month, that's his sales revenue.

With the novel industry flourishing in the Great Yu Dynasty, there were many people involved in the printing business, and printing workshops could only compete by lowering their prices as much as possible.

In a normal format, a book would cost five coins, but the actual cost of paper and ink was almost three coins.

Therefore, the peak monthly printing was 60,000 coins, with a gross profit of around 30,000 coins.

If he gives away 60,000 yuan, it means he's giving this guy two months' salary for free.

That's equivalent to three or four months in normal times.

Even a fool wouldn't do that!
Therefore, the burly man immediately realized: "Young master, you mean that you'll have many printing needs coming to me in the future, and you want me to supply them exclusively for you?"

"Do you have any seals for Yuewen Pavilion?" Song Shi'an asked.

“They are very wealthy merchants with a huge collection of books. They have their own dedicated printing presses and can produce hundreds of thousands of copies every month. We couldn’t keep up with their demand even if we ran out of printing presses,” he said with a smile.

"So," Song Shi'an said, "if I need printing in the future, will you be able to supply it?"

The big man understood now.

He wanted to cut off all other employers and supply only his own.

Otherwise, if there are any order conflicts and I take on other orders, he won't be able to supply them.

"Twelve thousand books a month, absolutely no problem."

“No, at least 20,000 copies.” Song Shi’an held up two fingers.

He gasped, and asked skeptically, "You're not kidding?"

“If that’s possible, I’ll use these sixty taels to buy you a month’s supply,” Song Shi’an said. “If not, I’ll look elsewhere.”

Hearing this, he gritted his teeth and said, "If there really are 20,000 copies, I can just ask for more people. But you can't make fun of me."

"Am I that kind of person?" Song Shi'an asked jokingly.

Indeed not.

Look at this outfit. Even if it's not the kind that's too rich or flashy, it's still embroidered brocade, something that ordinary people wouldn't even be worthy of wearing.

“I can temporarily refuse other employers for a month, citing other work, but we’re just trying to make a living,” the burly man said quite seriously. “If you don’t come back after a month, these sixty taels are mine. And the printing shop can continue operating.”

"make a deal."

As Song Shi'an spoke, he handed him a slip of paper with an address written on it.

That's one of Xiao Wei's properties, which Song Shi'an had previously borrowed, and it's currently where San Gou lives.

After the deal was struck, Song Shi'an and San Gou left together.

“Young Master, I don’t quite understand,” San Gou said, puzzled. “Why would you need sixty taels to buy him for a month? He could probably agree to thirty taels too.”

Originally, he could only earn thirty taels a month at his peak, and that would require working himself to the bone. Now, he's offered sixty taels a month for a contract.

That's such a huge rip-off!

"Sixty taels is enough to rent a printing workshop. Is that a loss?" Song Shi'an said calmly with a smile.

"This... is definitely not a bad deal!"

He can make a stable profit of two hundred taels a year from his business. If you want to take it over, he won't agree to do so for less than a thousand taels.

Now, it's simply a matter of buying an exclusive partnership.

Song Shi'an's main job was still serving as an official, and he didn't have the extra energy to do business, nor could he take the risk.

Therefore, the best solution is to hire labor dispatch companies for all of them.

All you need to do is write it down.

The printing is outsourced, and the sales are then outsourced to bookstores like Yuewenge.

As for why it was sixty taels instead of thirty taels.

On the one hand, it demonstrates financial strength.

On the other hand, it also facilitates cooperation.

You should know that the reason he earns 30,000 yuan a month is gross profit is because his family members don't need to be paid wages.

In reality, after taxes, the net profit might only be ten thousand dollars.

To put it simply, your small factory has a net profit of 100,000 yuan a month, but someone offers you 600,000 yuan as a deposit, requiring you not to accept any orders for a month and to be ready to receive their orders at any time, with the machine running every time the phone rings. Would you do it?
If there is a client with whom you have a long-term partnership, you might hesitate to spend 300,000.

But 600,000 is a price to pay, and it's hard to refuse.

What? It's possible that a competitor is deliberately trying to sabotage your business?

Who would throw 600,000 yuan into the water to start a small factory with an annual net income of less than one million yuan?

Are capitalists just sitting around doing nothing?

There's only one possibility for them doing this: their policy endorsement is coming soon, and they're about to secure a massive order that could bankrupt even a printing press.

“There are a few brothers from the Imperial Guards in the army, all of whom returned from Shuofeng,” Song Shi’an said. “I’m counting on you guys to do the work for me, and you’ll keep it a secret.”

"Don't worry, young master. Anyone with scars on their hands or who's been drinking can easily get themselves killed with just a word from you," San Gou said with absolute certainty.

"You are the ones who truly belong to me."

Although Song Shi'an had four thousand taels of gold.

But when he went to Huai County, he was under the watchful eyes of the entire world, making it difficult for him to be greedy, and he didn't want to be greedy either.

Money is something you can't have.

The reason why "Ming Dynasty" is so good and so realistic is that in the middle and later stages of the dynasty, all the conflicts in the country could be summarized in one word—money.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, official positions and titles were sold.

The Single Whip Law of the late Ming Dynasty.

The Qing Dynasty ceded territory and paid indemnities at the end of the dynasty. As long as order exists, the fundamental conflict is only one thing—money, money, money!

Mr. Wu Cheng'en, please allow me to borrow your book to help Yu Shi.

As he left the south of the city and prepared to enter the imperial city, Song Shi'an also shaved off his beard and tucked it inside.

From now on, we can hand this matter over to San Gou and the others.

Once the necessary public appearances are made, that's it.

"Huh? Why are there so many people?"

As they approached the Song residence, San Gou noticed several carriages and some people dressed as eunuchs parked in front of the mansion: "Lord, they are people from the palace."

"I saw it." Song Shi'an appeared calm and murmured, "Didn't you say you'd give me a few more days off? Why are you here now?"

"So this is to promote the young master?" San Gou said with great delight.

He's only twenty-one years old, and he's already a fourth-rank official.

To rise further, wouldn't that mean...?

How terrifying!

He was about to become a groom for a high-ranking official in the imperial court, having previously served as a guard for a county magistrate.

"calm down."

Song Shi'an was quite composed.

Before he could even walk over, Jiang rushed out of the door, ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and scolded anxiously, "You child, where have you been? Do you know how long the people in the palace have been waiting? Your father searched the entire city of Sheng'an for you, asking Xin Yue, Chun Hou, and all your other cronies!"

"Have you inquired about the brothels?"

"Didn't you say you'd be back after noon? You've been gone until now!" Jiang said, patting his shoulder hard, clearly very anxious.

After all, no one dares to neglect the people in the palace.

"We played outside a little longer..." Song Shi'an was pulled forward and asked in confusion, "It's just an official appointment, my father can just accept it for me."

"You can't say that! Your father is with Eunuch Chen right now. Go over there later and apologize properly."

Jiang didn't dare to delay at all, and led him to the mansion with swift steps.

Inside the lobby, Chen Bao and Song Jing sat together in the seats of honor, chatting and drinking tea.

Upon seeing Song Shi'an arrive, Song Jing finally breathed a sigh of relief: "That brat, he's finally back!"

"Hey, you're a third-rank official now, you can't be scolded anymore," Chen Bao joked.

“Yeah, he’s going to be a higher-ranking official than me soon, he’ll be the one scolding me.” Song Jing joked as well.

The two of them laughed and then slowly stood up, extending their hands in a gesture of invitation.

And so, they left the main hall.

"Eunuch Chen, I apologize for keeping you waiting. I had just gone to meet with some friends for a while. Please forgive me." Song Shi'an bowed.

"This was already a leave granted to you by His Majesty." Chen Bao remained quite amiable, without any airs or difficulty. "So, may I accept the decree now?"

After he finished speaking, Song Shi'an respectfully prostrated himself on the ground.

Song Jing also followed suit, bowing before the imperial edict.

The Emperor of the Great Yu Dynasty decreed:
Song Shi'an, the Deputy Envoy of the State, wielded the crimson ribbon of the imperial court and traversed the frosty blade of the Black Tortoise. He entered the imperial court thrice with the imperial insignia, his words like thunder and fire from the deepest abyss; he single-handedly quelled the rebellion at the Goose Desert, his heart filled with the spirit of ten thousand fierce warriors. Thus, the land of Yan was sworn to peace, and the borders of Yu were no longer dared to be invaded.

He was specially promoted to the rank of Military Advisor of the Third Grade and awarded four thousand taels of gold.

He was also bestowed with a "Panbian Sword".

The decree is as follows; upon receipt of the warrant, it shall be carried out.

This imperial edict gave Song Shi'an another imperial sword.

But more importantly, the emperor made the matter public.

It's alright, actually. People spend money to win people's hearts.

It's not just about one's own heart, but also the hearts of people all over the world.

However, this only made Song Shi'an even more conspicuous.

"My lord, accept the order."

Song Shi'an raised his head and his hands.

Chen Bao slowly handed the imperial edict to him.

Then, he and Song Jing got up together.

"I have something to do at home today, so I'll be leaving now." Chen Bao had been waiting for so long, so after putting down his things, he was ready to leave without delay.

"Father-in-law, walk slowly."

Song Jing and Song Shi'an bowed together.

"Shi'an, may I see you off?" Eunuch Chen asked with a smile.

Song Shi'an feigned a simple surprise, then quickly stepped forward.

And so, they helped him out of the mansion.

"Is it understandable that I'll first raise your rank and then later transfer you to the position of Prefect of Huai County?" Chen Bao asked.

"Please give me your guidance," Song Shi'an said modestly.

"The Grand Secretary is aware of this matter and has already discussed it with His Majesty," Chen Bao said. "The remaining officials in Huai County have all been replaced and will gradually take office. You can go there after they have all arrived."

Shi An understands the court's good intentions.

The logic is simple: if a place is to implement reforms first, it will definitely need to appoint special officials or increase the number of officials.

Therefore, the middle or lower-level officials should be replaced first, and then the top leader should be parachuted in to ensure a smooth transition.

One of the disciplines of political science.

“Once things in the north are completely settled, you’ll be Lord Song.” Chen Bao teased.

"It's all thanks to His Majesty's grace," Song Shi'an said, bowing his head.

The two of them walked to the gate of the mansion.

As he was about to leave, Chen Bao slowly turned around, placed his hand on Song Shi'an's hand, and smiled, "You walk very fast, slow down a little."

(End of this chapter)