The Ming Dynasty: The opening scene features Zhu Di angrily accusing him of illegitimate succession.

Chapter 102 Lin Yue is going to trade stocks (Please continue reading)

Lin Yue said to Li Jinglong, "Nowadays, the gentry in Jiangnan harbor resentment towards His Majesty, and many people in the court are secretly echoing him. We need to get more of His Majesty's confidants to hold the contracts and form a united force."

He leaned forward and lowered his voice: "Immediately send someone to deliver the remaining contracts to His Majesty's close ministers, Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, and the residences of minor meritorious officials who have contributed to the pacification of the country."

The price can be lowered, and it doesn't matter how much or how little people buy, but it must be ensured that everyone buys shares in the glass factory.

Upon hearing this, Li Jinglong nodded quickly: "I understand. I will definitely ensure that all important officials in the capital receive a copy."

"There is one more thing." Lin Yue raised his hand to stop him. "It is already the end of June. On the first day of July, you should pay the first month's dividend to all shareholders, distributing gold and silver at 20% of the share capital. There should be no delay."

For example, those who held one share would receive twenty taels of silver, with the transaction to be completed in person so they could see the tangible benefits firsthand.

"Twenty percent?" Li Jinglong was shocked, his face full of astonishment.

"Lord Lin, isn't such a high profit share a bit too extravagant? The glass factory hasn't even started production yet, so where will this money come from?"

"That's exactly what we want – extravagance. If we don't spend money, no one will join us," Lin Yue said with a slight smile.

"What we want is not to save money, but to let shareholders taste the benefits and let the public see real advantages, so that the deeds can be sold at a premium in the future."

The world is bustling, all for profit; the world is in turmoil, all for gain. Who doesn't like making money?

Li Jinglong nodded again upon hearing this. Without asking any further questions, he said directly, "I understand. In early July, we will distribute dividends at 20% of the share value."

"How much silver did you sell each share for?" Lin Yue changed the subject and asked.

"Thinking of generating more revenue for the imperial court, I sold it at a high price. The glass factory was divided into one thousand shares, each priced at one hundred taels of silver. All the shares sold were at this price," Li Jinglong said.

Lin Yue shook his head slightly, his tone somewhat dismissive: "Only one hundred taels per share? Duke Cao, you underestimate the value of this glass. This transparent glass produced by the official kiln is unique in the world; how could it be worth only one hundred thousand taels?"

Listen carefully, the next step is as follows...

'

"I will go to the palace immediately and request His Majesty to replace all the windows of the palace with transparent glass, starting with the Qianqing Palace and the Wenhua Hall, so that all officials can see the clear and bright windows when they attend court."

They sought to make glass a royal exclusive, forbidden to anyone but members of the royal family and nobility, thus significantly increasing its value.

"Then you sent people disguised as wealthy merchants to pawnshops and teahouses in Langxia City, Sanshan Street, and Jubaomen area of ​​Nanjing to buy glass deeds at high prices."

The initial contract, valued at one hundred taels, was bought back at three times the price, and then the off-market price was driven up to five hundred taels per share within half a month.

Lin Yue continued, "Those who buy the deed must act convincingly, chatting with pawnshop owners and tea drinkers, saying that glass is a royal treasure and will become a scarce commodity in the future, and that having the deed in hand is like having a treasure trove, creating a trend of people rushing to buy it."

Li Jinglong pressed further, "And then what? Is it just a matter of prices being inflated?"

"Of course not." Lin Yue shook his head. "Once the price rises to five hundred taels, you can release the news."

His Majesty will issue an edict to establish a Glass Monopoly Bureau, with the Capital Glass Factory as the sole manufacturer. Those who privately produce transparent glass will be punished as if they were manufacturing royal artifacts.

At the same time, I will have the glass factory pay excessive taxes to the Ministry of Revenue, and deliberately leak the tax payment records so that everyone in the world knows how profitable this glass factory is.

"When the price of contracts reaches its peak, around 800 to 1,000 taels per share, we will sell off our inventory in batches."

With over 600 shares in our hands, this operation should yield at least 500,000 taels of silver in profit.

As for how to proceed, I'll tell you later.

Li Jinglong was horrified; this operation was tantamount to ripping off the wealthy families of the capital.

However, he dared not say anything more, and simply cupped his hands and said, "Your plan is brilliant! This intricate scheme not only binds the court to its power but also allows for rapid wealth accumulation."

"I will arrange the men immediately. Today, I will send people to various pawnshops and teahouses to purchase the deeds. I will not delay the matter!"

Lin Yue looked at his expression of loyalty to His Majesty and smiled, saying, "I naturally trust Duke Cao to handle things."

However, one thing must be remembered: when acquiring the deed, one must not reveal one's identity and must spread different versions of the information to keep the public guessing.

Once this matter is resolved, His Majesty will also value you.

Li Jinglong's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly replied, "I understand! I will be careful and will not let a word of it slip by."

Lin Yue nodded, stood up and said, "That's very good. I will go to the palace to meet the Emperor and request that the palace windows be replaced."

"We'll each do our part, and the results will be clear in half a month."

After saying that, he turned and left, leaving Li Jinglong alone in the private room, staring at a stack of contracts and lists of names, his expression dark and uncertain.

Li Jinglong, the first war god of the Ming Dynasty, shook his head inwardly and mocked himself, thinking that he, the Duke of the Ming Dynasty, had to do such a money-grubbing thing under the command of a favored minister.

It's all about timing and fate.

Lin Yue bid farewell to Li Jinglong and descended the stairs of Zuixianlou.

As dusk approached, candles were lit inside the building, and the lively chatter of diners filled the air.

Lin Yue left directly, and inadvertently glanced at the counter, noticing that the bartender in charge of the accounts had a brand-new red silk ribbon tied around her waist, with a small "囍" character embroidered on it, which was particularly eye-catching.

The bartender was about forty years old, with her hair styled in a simple bun. Upon seeing her, Lin Yue casually uttered a few auspicious words.

"Bartender, look at you dressed up in red silk with auspicious patterns, is it because your children are having a wedding? Congratulations!"

Lin Yue is actually someone who enjoys strolling around, mainly because he likes talking to people.

Upon hearing this, the bartender looked up and gave him a gentle smile: "Thank you for your kind words, Lord Lin. It's not a happy occasion for my children; it's just that I'm getting married."

"Oh?" Lin Yue paused, slightly surprised.

While it wasn't entirely unheard of for women in the Ming Dynasty to remarry at the age of forty, it was still quite rare, especially for a woman like Zuixianlou who made a living in the public eye.

He couldn't help but ask, "I misspoke. My wife is fortunate to have found a good match. May I ask who she has married?"

The bartender smiled gently and said, "He's a scholar who now teaches at the local school in the west of the city. Although he doesn't have any official rank, he's a well-educated, reasonable, and considerate person."

Lin Yue noticed that she spoke with refined manners and had a scholarly air about her, unlike an ordinary woman from the marketplace. This piqued his curiosity, so he chatted with the bartender for a while longer.

During their brief conversation, Lin Yue learned that the bartender was also a woman with a tragic past. She looked to be forty years old, but was actually only in her thirties. She had been abducted and sold to a brothel when she was very young, and it was only after much hardship that she was able to work at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Once she started talking about the hardships she had endured in the past, the bartender couldn't stop rambling on and on.

She sighed softly and said, "Back then, I was quite good-looking, with delicate features and fair skin. The madam was very pleased with me and wanted to train me to be her top courtesan. She taught me music, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing, and social skills every day, hoping that I could fetch a good price in the future."

But fate had other plans. Less than two years later, I contracted a strange illness. My face inexplicably swelled up, my eyelids became so swollen I couldn't open them, and my cheeks became round and puffy, while my body remained thin. I looked quite strange.

"When the madam saw me like this, she gave up hope and stopped forcing me to learn those skills to please men. She also spared me the hardship of entertaining customers and only let me do some rough work in the courtyard, such as washing clothes, cooking, and cleaning the courtyard."

Later, the brothel was raided by the authorities, and I ended up at this Drunken Immortal Pavilion. The manager, seeing that I could read and do some accounting, let me stay and manage the books, and I've been there for many years.

She changed the subject, a faint smile appearing on her face, and her eyes brightened slightly.

"I should actually thank this illness. If I weren't in this state, I'm afraid I would have already fallen into prostitution, wasting my youth in the brothels of the Qinhuai River. How could I have the peaceful life I have today?"

However, the bartender was actually quite relieved about gaining weight due to her illness, because it meant she wouldn't have to work as a prostitute anymore.

Hearing this, Lin Yue was a little surprised, because the other person did not look sick, and there was no swelling on his face as she had described. Although he was a bit old, he looked very handsome, and his eyes had a gentle quality.

He couldn't help but ask curiously, "But my wife looks very well now, with a healthy complexion and no signs of illness. Could it be that she has recovered?"

The bartender raised her hand to touch her temple and smiled, "Just this year, for some reason, the swelling on my face suddenly disappeared. At first, only my eyelids stopped swelling, and later my cheeks gradually returned to normal. Even my chronic cough has been cured."

Perhaps it was Heaven's mercy, seeing that I had suffered most of my life, that allowed me to live a peaceful life.

The bartender continued her rambling story, and Lin Yue listened with deep emotion.

Her life was full of hardships. She was abducted and forced into prostitution before she was even ten years old. She was able to escape due to a strange illness. She struggled to make a living at the bottom of society for more than 20 years. Finally, she met a good man after all her suffering. It was truly a rare blessing.

"After enduring many hardships, my wife finally found a good match; it was truly the will of Heaven."

Although the scholar repeatedly failed the imperial examinations, he recognized the woman's character; she did not covet wealth or despise his background, and was a loyal and affectionate person.

A person who knows how to cherish.

Lin Yue couldn't help but offer a few more words of blessing.

May you two live in harmony, enjoy a life of mutual respect and happiness, and have good health and prosperity year after year. May your days be filled with smooth sailing and good fortune.

Upon hearing this, the bartender's smile widened, and she quickly bowed to express her gratitude: "Thank you for your kind words, sir..."

'

After bidding farewell to the bartender, Lin Yue turned and strode out of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. He mounted his chestnut horse and galloped off toward the Treasure Shipyard.

Inside the shipyard, craftsmen were working hard, sweating profusely.

As soon as Lin Yue stepped into the core workshop area, he met up with Zheng He, Wu Fu, and Huangfu Gui. Lin Yue had met the three before, but without exchanging pleasantries, he looked at Wu Fu and asked directly.

"Steward Wu, what is the current production capacity of the glass factory? If we are going to use glass to decorate the palace, the output must keep up."

Wu Fu bowed and replied, "Your Excellency, thanks to your improved furnace, the official kiln now produces more than three dan of glass material per day, and thirty dan per month is no problem!"

Small utensils such as cups and candlesticks can be produced more than three thousand pieces a month. Fifty panes of window glass, each three feet square, can be produced monthly. Even larger panes, half a zhang square, can be produced twenty pieces a month after numerous casting experiments!

"Very good!" Lin Yue nodded upon hearing this.

Lin Yue then asked someone to bring him brush, ink, and Xuan paper. With just a few strokes, he sketched out all sorts of objects, including French windows and glassware. In short, he drew every glass object he could think of.

Lin Yue tossed the blueprints to Wu Fu: "Start making these items immediately, all of them must be made of transparent glass. Are there any difficulties?"

Wu Fu took the blueprints and was overwhelmed by their beauty, but he still said decisively, "Your idea is brilliant! Although these styles are novel, they are all within the limits of craftsmanship. I will arrange for the craftsmen to make the molds immediately."

Just kidding, even if there are difficulties in doing things for the emperor, you have to face them head-on.

"Wait a minute." Lin Yue suddenly remembered something and added, "What if we built a huge greenhouse out of glass and placed it in the Imperial Garden? In winter, we could grow flowers and plants to keep warm and protect them from the cold. Would that be feasible?"

"A glass greenhouse? Made entirely of glass?" Wu Fu asked in surprise.

Lin Yue nodded.

Seeing this, Wu Fu hesitated for a moment, not daring to give a reply easily.

He began to discuss the matter in hushed tones with several craftsmen.

"Transparent glass should have a good heat retention effect, but building a load-bearing frame is somewhat difficult."

"This is hardly a problem. We can use nanmu wood for the beams and pillars, supplement them with brass supports, piece together glass panels, and seal the gaps with tung oil putty. It will definitely work."

After discussing the technical issues at length, Wu Fucai said to Lin Yue, "Lord Lin, this is feasible, but it will take some time, probably one or two months."

Lin Yue nodded upon hearing this: "If it's feasible, then start construction as soon as possible. Naturally, the bigger the better. It must be completed within a month and a half, without any delays!"

Wu Fu bowed and accepted the order, then hurriedly left with the blueprints to make arrangements.

Seeing that Lin Yue had finished speaking, Zheng He stepped forward and said, "Scholar Lin, may I have a word with you in private?"

"Of course."

The two walked to a secluded dock, and Zheng He said, "Sir, you are learned and knowledgeable, and you must know about overseas shipping routes."

"Although the court has a precedent of using land routes for this mission to Korea, it is far less efficient than sea routes. However, nautical charts are now scarce, and it is difficult to predict coastal reefs and monsoon changes. I wonder if Your Excellency has any reliable route to advise us?"

The reason Zheng He asked Lin Yue these questions was quite simple: Lin Yue had always given the impression of being a mad dog, stubborn, and short-tempered, but also very knowledgeable.

Zheng He thought he would ask Lin Yue to see if there would be any unexpected gains, and it turned out that there really was.

Lin Yuehe and others, he is the future people of the motherland, the most knowledgeable in natural science since the Ming Dynasty, Lin Qingtian who never forgot himself even after he was seriously ill and on his deathbed.

He immediately replied, "This is not difficult."

He then summoned a blank piece of silk, dipped a brush in ink, and quickly drew a simplified world map.

The East Asian continent is in the center, with the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese archipelago to the northeast, the Southeast Asian archipelago stretching southward, and the South Asian subcontinent...

The Arabian Peninsula is clearly visible, but Europe and the Americas are conspicuously omitted.

The main problem is that the Ming Dynasty people hadn't really been to the Americas and Europe, so it would be difficult to justify their boasting.

"Please look, Eunuch Zheng, this is the territory of my Great Ming Dynasty, and this is Korea." Lin Yue pointed his finger at the silk. "Starting from Taicang at the mouth of the Yangtze River, we travel east along Chongming Island, passing the northern edge of the Zhoushan Islands, taking advantage of the summer southwest monsoon, and then heading north along the Yellow Sea coast."

After passing Chengshantou, sail along the southern coast of the Liaodong Peninsula to Miaodao Islands for resupply. The waves are calm here, making it suitable for repairing ships and replenishing fresh water and food.

Then, sailing south along the west coast of North Korea, passing the mouth of the Taedong River and the mouth of the Han River, one can reach Incheon Port. This is the most reliable near-shore route. If there is a southwest wind, and the journey continues day and night, it can be completed in as little as twelve or thirteen days.

This route avoids rough seas in the open ocean, allowing for easy access to shore in case of danger.

[Miaodao Islands: The Ming army established a patrol station in Penglai Water City to oversee the supply of ships bound for Korea (see *Dengzhou Prefecture Gazetteer*).]

Lin Yue then marked the reef area and the harbor on the map: "This is the Blackwater Ocean reef belt, which needs to be detoured; this is Heishan Island, which can be used as a stop to wait for the wind. If we set off in July or August, the south wind will be prevailing, and we will have smooth sailing all the way."

Zheng He gazed at the map and shipping routes on the silk, overjoyed, and repeatedly bowed, saying, "Scholar, you are truly a scholar! This map of sea routes has solved my urgent problem. Thank you so much for your guidance!"

After giving his instructions to Zheng He, Lin Yue did not delay, mounted his horse, and headed towards the palace.

He's exhausted today. He has to find Zhu Di to figure out a way to release Kuai Yue out of the palace. Such a beautiful woman is kept in the palace, and he doesn't even have a chance to admire her or ride her during the day.