Chapter 135: Silver Dollar District

The sun hung in the center of the sky, and bright, shimmering sunlight fell from the dome, landing on the floor of Chongwen Street to form patches of light in a well-ordered pattern.

On both sides of Chongwen Street, the original dilapidated and cluttered shops had undergone a massive transformation.

They had become clean, tidy, and brand new.

This stroke of work was naturally the doing of the capital's merchants, represented by Hao Ren.

The imperial court was about to begin abolishing the payment of salaries in kind and issuing Silver Dollar.

Fearing that the common people would not recognize them at first, Zhang Yunxiu sent Zhang Fu to find Hao Ren and have him mobilize his connections to take the lead in using the Silver Dollar.

As a merchant, Hao Ren was the type who wouldn't cast his eagle until he saw the rabbit.

But thinking that the Emperor and the Senior Grand Secretary were both keeping an eye on this matter, if he could pull off this "foolish task," the benefits he would receive in the Higo would be beyond his imagination.

With so much business from the imperial court every year, he only needed to scrape off a fingernail's worth to eat until he was fat and greasy.

After thinking this through, he gritted his teeth, thinking that even if it meant a loss, he had to take this job on.

Consequently, he secured forty or fifty storefronts on Chongwen Street, specializing in selling rice, flour, grain, oil, cloth, and other goods. The other merchants, seeing someone taking the lead, followed suit—this one taking five, that one taking four.

The entire Chongwen Street thus became a dedicated Silver Dollar district.

Furthermore, to curry favor with officials, using Silver Dollar for purchases could even be slightly cheaper than the prices outside.

At midday on this day, every household was busy cleaning and tidying up, preparing for the grand opening seven days later.

Inside a restaurant located in the middle of the street, a table of drinks had just been opened. Three people sat at the table; two of them were Zhang Yunxiu and Hao Ren.

The other person wore a bean-green, round-collared summer cloth robe with a gold-thread texture, shaking a high-quality mud-gold paper fan in his hand; as he fanned slightly, the corners of his robe fluttered.

At first glance, he even had a bit of the demeanor of a scholar.

Two large thumbs each wore a gold ring embedded with an emerald, and when he opened his mouth, three or four gold teeth were revealed, ruining the temperament he carried completely.

That was the city's largest grain merchant, Yang Youcai.

Clearing his throat, Yang Youcai closed his folding fan, looked at Zhang Yunxiu, and said, "Young Master Zhang, this old Yang has really bet everything this time; you must not let this old Yang fire a dud."

"Old Yang, this is where you are in the wrong." Hao Ren glared at him, pointed at Zhang Yunxiu, and said, "What kind of person is Young Master Zhang? He is the son of the Senior Grand Secretary, a great favorite by the Emperor's side. If you say such things and they spread, people will laugh at you."

"Yes, yes, yes, it's my mouth that's clumsy, I deserve a beating." Yang Youcai gave a foolish laugh and took the opportunity to slap his own mouth.

Zhang Yunxiu waved his hand to interrupt him and explained to the two of them: "In the Higo, not to mention Beijing, even the entire Great Ming will use this kind of Silver Dollar, and even overseas they will have to use this kind of Silver Dollar."

"You two can just secretly rejoice later."

Yang Youcai and Hao Ren exchanged a glance; Yang Youcai raised his hand toward him, and Hao Ren understood, carefully stating his request: "Young Master Zhang, it really isn't that this little one is complaining, but this Silver Dollar is underweight; even if it can be promoted in the Higo, that is something that will take a long time."

"During this period, we will all be tightening our belts to get by; you must be considerate of us."

Yang Youcai took the opportunity to climb higher and chimed in, "That's right, Young Master Zhang. Although we have some family business, you also know that doing business requires greasing palms up and down, and one word means a whole family of people to feed; you must give us some real benefits."

"Hey, Old Yang, you are wrong there." Hao Ren glared again, saying with a bit of reproach, "When we say this, it is not to ask for rewards from Gongzi; you saying this is a misunderstanding of us."

"Besides, as long as we handle things well, could Young Master Zhang let us suffer a loss?"

When Hao Ren finished speaking, he blinked his small eyes and looked at Zhang Yunxiu.

Singing a duet with me, are you?

Zhang Yunxiu muttered to himself, looked at the two with a smile, and replied: "I know that if you want a horse to run, you have to let the horse eat grass. I have reserved one thousand mu of vacant land for you in Songjiang Prefecture."

"Really?!" Yang Youcai exclaimed in shock.

Ever since Songjiang Prefecture was placed under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, land prices had already doubled, reaching twenty taels of silver per mu.

In some prosperous areas, you couldn't even buy it with money. Hao Ren also looked at Zhang Yunxiu with eager eyes. Zhang Yunxiu waved his hand and added: "However, you two shouldn't be happy too soon; that land is not being sold to you, but leased to you."

The faces of the two fell instantly.

You are playing us for fools, aren't you?

If it weren't for their concern for Zhang Yunxiu's status, the two would have likely started cursing loudly long ago.

Even so, Yang Youcai still pouted and hummed with a bit of dissatisfaction: "Young Master Zhang, this isn't very kind of you. We are here cheering for you, and you are playing mind games with us."

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and said nothing, holding the teapot to pour himself a cup of tea.

In an instant, the atmosphere turned cold.

The two couldn't gauge Zhang Yunxiu's temper and didn't know how to speak. After a few seconds of silence, Hao Ren clapped his hands and smoothed things over: "Hahaha, Old Yang, you are too reckless. Young Master Zhang said he would lease it to us; why don't you ask about the rent first?"

Yang Youcai gave a foolish laugh and took the step down: "That's right, Young Master Zhang, tell us about your rent."

"One tael and five mace of silver per year." Zhang Yunxiu said, picking up the tea and drinking it in one gulp.

Hao Ren frowned and asked again: "Then what about buying it directly? Gongzi, name a price, and we will just buy the land outright to save Gongzi the trouble."

"Twenty-five taels of silver. This location is very good; it is only six or seven li from the wharf, and it probably isn't far from the Shipping Commissioner. If you buy it and open shops, are you worried about having no business?"

Very good, and you are still selling it to us?

Wait, six or seven li from the wharf.

Hao Ren remembered that in those coastal counties of Songjiang Prefecture, the area by the wharf was a desolate wasteland.

So it's wasteland.

Hao Ren's face darkened instantly. Zhang Yunxiu saw Hao Ren's expression, shook his head, and patiently explained to the two: "Boss Hao, didn't you say that good things must be bought when they are cheap to be profitable?"

"Don't look at how desolate it is now, but think about it, Songjiang Prefecture used to be just a stretch of mudflats. The future prosperity of this place will definitely far exceed your imagination."

Hao Ren shook his head and smiled.

Yang Youcai, who had been silent for a long time, interjected: "Even if it's fast, it will take ten or even twenty years; Young Master Zhang is just telling us grand, empty promises."

"Then you name a price." Zhang Yunxiu leaned back and rested against the chair.

After bowing his head in thought for a moment, Yang Youcai looked up at Zhang Yunxiu and said seriously: "Eight mace of silver rent per year, and we can lease it for five years first to try it out."

"One tael of silver per year, signing a ten-year lease contract at once," Zhang Yunxiu replied.

"That's too long."

"It's not long; ten years is just a snap of the fingers."

Upon hearing this, the two whispered to each other for a long time before saying dejectedly: "Young Master Zhang, we agree, but you must promise us that you will help us grease the palms of the local government, otherwise we won't be able to carry out your business."

"That goes without saying; not to mention you two, my own business is also there, right next to your plot," Zhang Yunxiu said with a chuckle as he stood up. "With the two of you moving into Songjiang Prefecture, the glory of Songjiang Prefecture is just around the corner."

"Then we shall borrow Young Master Zhang's auspicious words."

The two of them smiled and accepted the sentiment.

Just as they were speaking, a servant came "thump-thump-thumping" up the stairs and called out respectfully, "Three masters, our shop is all prepared; would you like to go and take a look?"

"Let's go, let's take a look."

Zhang Yunxiu became interested and was the first to stand up and head downstairs, with Hao Ren and Yang Youcai following closely behind.

(End of this chapter)