roccoschili Chapter 045 The Embroidered Uniform Guard Salesman
Chapter 045 The Embroidered Uniform Guard Salesman
Chapter 045
Chen Ying didn't really care about this deal. Although the guns and knives cost 50,000 taels, the total price was only 75,000 taels of silver. Out of respect for Wei Zhongxian, he could only get 90%, which was 67,500 taels of silver.
In theory, there was still a profit to be made, but the problem was that if it were that simple, it would be a gross underestimation of the Ming Dynasty officials' ability to make money. They would use cheap, old grain or craftsmen to offset the payment for the goods.
The crux of the problem is that Wei Zhongxian also needs to send another copy, so he's basically working for free.
Chen Ying feigned a pitiful expression and said, "Oh dear, this is a huge loss!"
"Losing money?"
Lu Jiucheng asked incredulously, "How could we lose money?"
"The imperial court is too greedy for money. It's only been a few months! If we want the money, we'll have to wait until the summer grain harvest is complete and the summer taxes are delivered to the capital. At the earliest, it will be July or August, meaning it will be held for more than half a year!"
Chen Ying said with a wry smile, "Isn't this going to kill me?"
Lu Jiucheng looked astonished: "Lord Chen, you mean...?"
"To please His Majesty, I underreported the expenses!"
Chen Ying said helplessly, "I thought it was just a matter of ten or twenty thousand taels of silver, and I could afford to lose a few thousand taels. But now it's fifty thousand taels... sigh..."
Chen Ying knew very well that a baby that can cry will be fed, and he hoped that Lu Jiucheng could convey this message to Wei Zhongxian.
Chen Ying didn't need to worry about the production of muskets, since Huang Yongxiang was in charge of the musket production at the Ordnance Bureau. Because Huang Yongxiang invented the musket, which was a triangular bayonet, Chen Ying promoted Huang Yongxiang to the position of captain of the Ordnance Bureau.
Although a seventh-rank officer (bazong) is considered a junior officer in the border army system, managing 500 men and equivalent to a battalion-level officer, in the garrison system, this seventh-rank officer is only equivalent to a flag officer.
Huang Yongxiang was not only promoted to the rank of general, but was also granted ten mu of land, plus a one mu plot of land for his home. As for the bricks and tiles used to build the house, Chen Ying directly waived the cost.
This caused a sensation at the Shahe Garrison Command. At this time, Chen Ying gave away more than 270 mu of the 2,600 mu imperial estate that Emperor Tianqi had given him.
At the same time, Chen Ying also established a craftsman system within each bureau. Instead of classifying workers according to the eight levels, he classified them into five levels: apprentice, junior worker, intermediate worker, senior worker, and technician.
Each level of craftsman received different treatment. For example, apprentices received the same treatment as ordinary migrants, receiving half the grain rations of junior craftsmen, which was one and a half liters of grain per day. They received four and a half shi of grain per month, without any wages.
The entry-level worker corresponds to an ordinary military household, who receives one shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain and five qian (another unit of cash) of wages per month. Although this may not seem like much, the problem is that the price of grain is currently hovering between one or two liang (another unit of dry measure) and one or three liang (another unit of cash).
This means that an ordinary military household or junior craftsman could actually receive the equivalent of one tael and seven or eight mace of silver, which was considered a high salary in the Ming Dynasty.
Job opportunities were scarce in the Ming Dynasty, and there were no fixed, uniform amounts. Generally speaking, the monthly income of ordinary workers ranged from three qian to seven qian of silver, but most of the payment was not in silver, but in grain.
In the Ming Dynasty, only skilled craftsmen could receive such treatment as Chen Ying, who were given both food and money. However, the problem was that the junior workers of the Shahe Garrison were merely qualified craftsmen, meaning that they could complete the work independently.
As for intermediate-level workers, they can complete their work independently, possess certain skills, and can be responsible for section management and technical guidance. They can enjoy the treatment of officials of the seventh rank.
Such treatment meant a monthly salary of seven shi of grain. Chen Ying's side provided three and a half shi of grain, plus three liang and five qian of silver. However, the problem was that Ming Dynasty officials were theoretically entitled to seven shi of grain, but in reality, they could not receive it.
Anyone who can be rated as an intermediate worker in Shahe can easily earn a high income and support a family of five.
The high income greatly stimulated the craftsmen's enthusiasm for work. They were all working hard to study technology, improve production tools, or try their best to improve production processes and increase production efficiency.
Just like with the work of the musket, Huang Yongxiang is also working hard to improve. For example, the current musket is prone to falling off during actual combat because it does not have a locking groove. However, the problem is that the firearms of the Ming Dynasty did not have a uniform caliber, so it was impossible to achieve a perfect fit.
Huang Yongxiang, working at the gun and cannon bureau, produced the breechblock structure for the breech-loading cannon, and his double-bolt structure perfectly solved the problem of instability. At the same time, he optimized the production process and reduced production costs.
The current 50,000 guns actually cost less than the first batch of 20,000, but Chen Ying just showed impatience and complained about being poor.
Now he understood how much money it would take to build a school similar to Shandong Lanxiang Technical School. Such a school couldn't be built with just tens of thousands of taels of silver.
Lu Jiucheng naturally relayed Chen Ying's complaints to Wei Zhongxian. Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian burst into laughter: "Chen Boying is truly amusing. My eyes aren't blind; how could I not know how many taels of silver a 1.5-pound, finely crafted steel knife is worth? One tael and five mace of silver... You've really lost out this time!"
Wei Zhongxian understood that Chen Ying wanted benefits, after all, he had already given him 40,000 taels of silver, which was the largest bribe he had received so far.
When Wei Zhongxian, the notorious corrupt official of the Ming Dynasty, was raided in the first year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, only 39,000 taels of silver were confiscated. So here's the question.
What happened to Wei Zhongxian's money?
The answer is simple: he amassed a considerable amount of silver, but Emperor Tianqi needed money. When the troops in the nine border regions protested for their pay, Tianqi demanded the national treasury provide funds. However, the treasury was short of funds. To appease the troops, Wei Zhongxian would also contribute his own money to handle state affairs. Moreover, although Emperor Tianqi trusted Wei Zhongxian, Wei Zhongxian had no access to the Ministry of Revenue's treasury or to the Ministry of Works' imperial estate taxes, so naturally, he couldn't accumulate any money even if he wanted to.
But that doesn't mean Wei Zhongxian didn't have ways to make money. He immediately thought of Song Shixiang, the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, who didn't do his job properly and spent his days impeaching this person and attacking that person.
Wei Zhongxian looked at his trusted eunuch and said, "Song Shixiang, the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, has acquired three estates in Changping?"
"Yes, sir. At the beginning of the year, we acquired an estate in Qinghe, which is said to be over 3,000 mu. Later, we also acquired one in Shahe..."
"Shahe?"
Wei Zhongxian made up his mind: "Have someone send a message to Xu Xianchun, instructing him to deal with Song Shixiang, confiscate his property, and give the Shahe estate to Chen Boying!"
Wei Zhongxian was very good at judging people. Although he had no evidence, as a member of the Donglin Party, Wei Zhongxian believed that Song Shixiang was no good and that he was sure he could get rid of him.
Xu Xianchun was extremely efficient. Not to mention the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, a third-rank official, even a second-rank or first-rank official would dare to take it if Eunuch Wei gave the order.
As for proof, once inside the Jinyiwei prison, under the command of Sanmu, all means were employed, how could there be no evidence?
Within just one day, Song Shixiang, the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, who could no longer bear it, confessed. Song Shixiang was originally from Yaozhou, which was located within the territory of Yingkou City during the Ming Dynasty. Yaozhou had already fallen as early as the first year of the Tianqi reign.
Song Shixiang's family fortune, accumulated over generations, was all plundered by the Jurchens, and all his hard work was lost. In his position as the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, he did only two things: embezzle money and slander others.
In fact, he was not from Jiangnan, the core of the Donglin Party; he was from the north. But the problem was that the Donglin Party paid him a lot, so he became an accomplice of the Donglin Party. He was also known for being principled, doing things for whoever paid him, without any principles whatsoever.
Whether he confesses or not, it makes no difference, because the Imperial Guards found over 173,000 taels of silver in his house, along with over 7,700 acres of land, various antiques and curios, and over 100 concubines.
Another war of words erupted in the capital as the Donglin Party impeached Wei Zhongxian for persecuting loyal officials. This time, Wei Zhongxian acted openly and brazenly, directly presenting the confiscated account books, large-sum deposit records from various banks, as well as land, shops, and residences...
The Tianqi Emperor discovered that the person he had promoted, the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, had embezzled more than 300,000 taels of silver in just over a year. Enraged, he immediately ordered the Prefect to be dismissed and demoted to a commoner.
According to Emperor Tianqi's original intention, he should have been beheaded. Unfortunately, the Donglin Party and other officials collectively cried out for leniency. The Donglin Party was afraid that if Wei Zhongxian had acted first and reported later, none of them would have escaped.
Xu Xianchun then personally rode his horse to the Shahe Garrison Command.
Upon receiving the report, Chen Yingde hurriedly went out to greet him: "Chen Boying greets Lord Xu!"
"Commander Chen, there's no need for such formalities."
After Xu Xianchun took his seat, he got straight to the point: "I'm here on the orders of the Grand Eunuch to deliver a small gift to the Commander!"
With a wave of his hand, Xu Xianchun had a Jinyiwei guard behind him bring over a land deed and spread it out on the table in front of Chen Ying.
"The former Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, Song Shixiang, owned a farm with 1,400 mu of land, including upper, middle and lower grades, along with farmhouses, livestock, and farm tools. The eunuch said that instead of confiscating such stolen property, it would be better to make the best use of it and hand it over to Commander Chen to resettle displaced people and encourage agriculture, which would also help alleviate the burden on the court."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ying felt a little uneasy. He had only complained to Wei Zhongxian about his poverty and hardships, but he hadn't expected that Wei Zhongxian would truly understand his difficulties.
Because Wei Zhongxian did many things like Chen Ying, spending his own money to show off his abilities.
"I am deeply grateful for the kindness of Eunuch Wei and the generosity of Lord Xu. This estate has come at the perfect time. The number of refugees we have taken in at Shahe is increasing daily, and we are just worried about finding a place to settle them and cultivate the land. On behalf of thousands of soldiers and civilians, I thank you, Eunuch Wei and Lord Xu!"
Xu Xianchun nodded slightly and said calmly, "Commander Chen is a sensible man. The Grand Eunuch will naturally not let those who do their best suffer losses. However... the guns and swords of Liaodong, the armor of the Warriors Battalion and the Imperial Horse Administration, one case after another, are becoming increasingly widespread. The burden on Commander Chen's shoulders is not light."
Having lived two lives, Chen Ying knew very well that while high emotional intelligence, as Prison A said, might get you along well with foreigners, it was actually useless within the system.
When it comes to emotional intelligence, how many people can compare to Wei Zhongxian?
Wei Zhongxian needed capable people. Xu Xianchun and Tian Ergeng, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, were both Wei Zhongxian's adopted sons. Tian Ergeng's status was clearly above Xu Xianchun's, but in fact, Xu Xianchun replaced Tian Ergeng, who was better at flattery. This speaks volumes.
Now Chen Ying is not involved in the struggle against Wei Zhongxian; he is only focused on industrial manufacturing, which can bring sufficient benefits to Wei Zhongxian.
"Lord Xu, you are wise!"
Chen Ying understood perfectly, but a troubled look appeared on his face: "With spring plowing just around the corner, farmers have long suffered from the old-fashioned wooden plows and stone seed drills. After much thought, I have created the Tianqi Plow, such a powerful tool. If it is widely adopted, it will surely save time and effort and increase grain production. This is a good thing for both the country and the people."
Xu Xianchun naturally knew about Tianqi Li, and he also knew that Chen Boying definitely had his own ideas.
"What Lord Chen means is..."
"However... this business is too far-reaching. The trade of ironware involves mining taxes, furnace taxes, and market taxes. It is transported to all directions, requires passing through checkpoints, and dealing with the difficulties posed by local powerful families and garrisons. It is also inevitable that it will affect the livelihoods of ironware merchants and agricultural implement merchants in various regions."
Xu Xianchun understood that what Chen Boying said was true and accurate. While the iron-shafted plow was highly efficient at tilling the land, especially suitable for the muddy soil of the north, the problem was that Chen Boying must have accumulated quite a few plows and seeders during this period.
"I am but a humble official with little influence. How can I, from such a small place as Shahe, possibly cope with the storms from all directions? Therefore, I have no choice but to shamelessly beg Lord Xu for your assistance."
Chen Ying pondered for a moment and said, "As Lord Xu surely knows, each Tianqi Plow is forged from forty-five catties of refined steel. I am willing to give each Tianqi Plow to Lord Xu and his Jinyiwei brothers. No matter how much silver they sell for, I only need eight taels of silver as capital!"
Xu Xianchun was clearly tempted. He knew very well that many soldiers in the Jiubian army were still using iron sheets for their equipment. Regardless of how much manpower this plow could save, the steel alone would be enough to make a fortune.
"this……"
Chen Ying bowed deeply again: "This humble official dares not let Lord Xu waste his efforts. We wish to follow the old precedent and offer tribute of the profits from these agricultural tools every year without fail. We only ask that Lord Xu allow the plows and seeders made in Shahe to be used in Beizhili, Shandong, Henan, Shanxi and other places without being obstructed or exploited without cause. If Lord Xu could send one or two capable people to assist in the sales and smooth things over, we would be even more grateful, and the profits would naturally be shared."
Xu Xianchun remained silent. Chen Ying wanted to use Xu Xianchun's power in the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Although he was one of the fourth-rank commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he was not even considered a high-ranking member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
The problem is that, because of Wei Zhongxian's influence, even Tian Ergeng, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and even Liu Qiao, his superior and the commander of the Northern Garrison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, dared not disrespect him.
Farm tools are indeed a business that may seem insignificant, but has immense potential.
Unlike military equipment, which is sensitive, this plow is related to every household. More importantly, the Tianqi plow is registered with the emperor. If it is promoted, it can also gain praise from the Tianqi Emperor.
If they could monopolize the sales channels in several provinces, the profits would likely surpass even robbery.
Moreover, Chen Ying made it clear that he only needed eight taels of silver for costs; whatever price they made was his. More importantly, he would also receive additional benefits.
"Lord Chen, we are both under Eunuch Wei's command, and we should help each other out. I agree to this!"
Xu Xianchun was now concerned with another question: "Lord Chen, how many Tianqi plows and seeders are there here now?"
"This... ten thousand!"
Chen hurriedly explained, "It's just that we don't have enough iron; otherwise, we could build at least 20,000 units every month!"
"Rest assured, Lord Chen, leave this matter to me, Xu!"
Xu Xianchun was calculating in his mind that with a mere 10,000 Tianqi Plows, and the Jinyiwei having 17 thousand-household units, each of which was assigned a sales task of 500 or 600 plows, wouldn't they be able to sell them all in just a few days?
The Imperial Guards are coming to our door to sell their wares? Who would dare refuse?
If they don't know what's good for them, then let them know the power of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Of course, the key point is that there's no risk involved. Even if we report it to the Tianqi Emperor, what can he do? Xu Xianchun is promoting the Tianqi Plow; he cares about the common people and the world.
Chen Ying was secretly delighted. This iron plow was a powerful weapon in itself. If it were widely promoted, it could not only improve the efficiency of farming, but also increase production and income.
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