Chapter 40: A Business That Yields Ten Thousand Times the Profit

The autumn days grew heavy, and in the blink of an eye, the day for the Provincial Examination results arrived.

On this day, Zhang Yunxiu rose early, sitting before his desk with a tense face, like a criminal awaiting sentencing.

Although he was the son of the Senior Grand Secretary, his answers were... well, just passable.

But one always fears the "what if"—what if that hot-headed examiner didn't select him? Wouldn't that be a massive loss of face?

Just as he was thinking this, the sound of footsteps came from outside the door, and Zhang Yunxiu straightened his body in a jolt.

Zhang Fu pushed the door open and, looking at Zhang Yunxiu, said with radiant joy, "You passed, Young Master, you passed."

"Fifty-seventh place in the Shuntian Prefecture Provincial Examination."

*Hoo. * Zhang Yunxiu's hanging heart settled back into his belly; passing was enough, passing was enough.

The Provincial Examination admitted over a hundred people in total, and 57 was right in the middle—neither high nor low, which was just right.

With the dust settled, Zhang Yunxiu's mind suddenly became active, and he smiled as he asked Zhang Fu, "By the way, have the things and money I asked you to prepare been gathered?"

"They have, but Young Master, can this thing really make money?" Zhang Fu asked with slight hesitation.

"Just you wait and see, it is definitely a lucrative business."

"Then this servant will follow the Young Master to make big money."

"No, no, no, this money is being earned for the Emperor; we are only earning a bit of hard-earned money." Zhang Yunxiu smiled and waved his hand, pacing to the window to gaze into the distance.

Previously, he had advised the young Emperor that opening more mines to collect taxes was exhausting the people and draining the treasury.

For many mines, the common people made no money at all, yet they were forced to mine them just to collect taxes for the Emperor.

The Emperor had also heard the impeachments against the eunuchs from various places, but he needed money, so he could only bite the bullet and carry on.

For this reason, Zhang Yunxiu had boasted that as long as the Emperor closed some of the unprofitable mines, he would find a way to make up for it elsewhere.

The Emperor pondered for a moment and reluctantly agreed to Zhang Yunxiu's request.

Just as his thoughts were interweaving, an imperial decree-bearing eunuch paced into the Zhang Family residence.

Having received the Imperial Edict, Zhang Yunxiu did not linger and headed straight for the Forbidden City.

Upon entering the East Warm Pavilion, Zhang Yunxiu saw the Wanli Emperor sitting on a pear-wood armchair with a dark face, with Wei Qing standing behind him.

"Your subject—"

Just as Zhang Yunxiu was about to pay his respects, the Wanli Emperor widened his eyes and asked with a cold face, "Don't speak yet. I ask you, where is the money you promised me?"

"Very soon, Your Majesty will have a business that yields ten thousand times the profit." Zhang Yunxiu was unhurried and smiled in defense.

"Why haven't you said it yet?! My Inner Treasury is about to be empty."

Didn't he just get three hundred thousand taels from Zhang Jing a few days ago? How is it empty again?

Zhang Yunxiu muttered to himself, took a copper coin from his sleeve, and waved it in front of the Emperor.

"What is this?" the Wanli Emperor asked, puzzled.

"A copper coin," Wei Qing interjected.

"I know it's a copper coin. I'm asking what he is doing taking this thing out." The Wanli Emperor glared fiercely at Wei Qing and pointed at Zhang Yunxiu.

"This is the method to make money." Zhang Yunxiu took two steps forward and pointed at the copper coin. "Your Majesty, a single copper coin is small, but if one copper coin can earn fifty copper coins, that is a business that yields ten thousand times the profit."

"Tell me about it."

"Using the small to gamble for the big, one copper coin gambles for fifty wen. As long as everyone pays one wen, they can participate in this 'competition.' One hundred people start a round, and the one who takes the top prize naturally takes away fifty wen."

"I thought it was something else." The Wanli Emperor shook his head and muttered, "Only earning fifty wen at a time, when will I ever earn enough of my two hundred thousand taels of silver?"

Wei Qing, standing to the side, slapped his thigh and shouted, "This method is brilliant!"

"You dog, what are you shouting about?!" The Wanli Emperor was startled. Wei Qing bowed to the Emperor and then sheepishly explained, "Your Majesty, this competition is truly as Minister Zhang said.

It yields ten thousand times the profit. In our Great Ming, with thousands of counties, even if each county only earns five hundred wen a day, that is still a massive amount of silver."

Moreover, this matter is purely a case of one willing to bet and the other willing to lose.

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and nodded, continuing, "This one-wen-per-round is only the lowest level. I also have methods of one tael of silver per round to gamble for fifty taels, and ten taels of silver per round to gamble for five hundred taels."

At this, the Wanli Emperor understood.

He could earn half the silver every time without needing to put up any capital himself. In this world, there really was such a good thing; why hadn't he discovered it before?

He shifted his body and instructed solemnly, "Very well, you will handle this for me in the capital tomorrow. I want to see if you can do it or not."

"Your Majesty, rest assured, it will certainly work."

Zhang Yunxiu said this and stood with his hands hanging down.

The Wanli Emperor sat on the armchair, listless, his face full of exhaustion.

It was said that in the sixth month, the Honorable Consort became pregnant, and in the eighth month, she was promoted to Consort Zheng; after Consort Zheng became pregnant, he felt that half the joy in his life was gone.

The consorts and palace maids in the palace were like wooden statues; how could they compare to even a fraction of Consort Zheng's charm?

Yet, half a month ago, Wang Gongfei had given birth to a son.

He did not like this palace maid; he only regarded it as a moment of indulgence after drinking.

Now that the Empress Dowager was holding her grandson and was overjoyed with Gongfei, he still had to pretend to be intimate with that woman.

It was truly mentally and physically exhausting.

Zhang Yunxiu had the intention to leave, but since the Emperor hadn't spoken, he couldn't leave, nor could he stay, so he could only stand blankly in place.

"Your Majesty, do you have any other instructions for Minister Zhang?"

Wei Qing's mind stirred, and he smiled to remind the Emperor. The Wanli Emperor woke as if from a dream, glanced at Zhang Yunxiu, and asked, "Zhang Yunxiu, do you have a woman you like?"

"Your subject... your subject does not."

Zhang Yunxiu did not know why the Emperor asked this, but he bit the bullet and replied.

"Hahaha," the Wanli Emperor laughed loudly in his armchair and mocked, "I thought that since you have read so many books and understand so many crooked principles, you would be a romantic talent. I didn't expect that only your mouth is sharp."

Without waiting for Zhang Yunxiu to refute, the Wanli Emperor ordered Wei Qing, "Wei Qing, pick a charming palace maid in the Qianqing Palace and let Zhang Yunxiu take her out of the palace."

"Yes."

"I hope Your Majesty will reconsider; I have no merit to speak of and cannot accept such a great gift," Zhang Yunxiu said, firmly refusing.

"That is not for you to decide," the Wanli Emperor said with a smile, then suddenly thinking of something, he asked, "You aren't... incapable in that regard, are you? Is that why you are pushing back and refusing to accept my reward?"

Screw you, you're the one who's incapable.

Provoked by this, Zhang Yunxiu had no choice but to accept this palace maid.

The Wanli Emperor and Wei Qing shared a smile and beckoned for Zhang Yunxiu to go and choose a palace maid.

In the end, Zhang Yunxiu chose one who was about his own age, a tall palace maid with an oval face and phoenix eyes.

For some reason, the moment he looked at her, he felt this palace maid was different.

She did not have the timidity of an ordinary palace maid; instead, she carried a hint of feistiness.

Once the selection was finished, the Wanli Emperor gave Zhang Yunxiu a few hypocritical words of warning before letting the two of them leave the palace.

(End of chapter)