Chapter 306: Tax Affairs and External Coordination

() PS: Begging for monthly tickets.

A No. 2 Fujian junk fully loaded with tobacco leaves docked at the Tianjin Weihe pier, flying the blue military flag of the Dengzhou Naval Force. Chen Xin led his retinue to the pier. Just now, Tianjin Provincial Governor Zheng Zongzhou had personally escorted him to Zhenhai Gate — a treatment Chen Xin had never received before. He was beginning to feel that his status had indeed risen far higher than before.

Deng Keshan, who had come to see him off, also followed onto the deck, eagerly helping the other officers board the ship. The Wendeng officers were all very familiar with Fujian junks and each went below to the second deck to find their rooms, shouting and hollering as they prepared to drink.

Geng Zhongming followed behind them. He did not belong to the Wendeng system and had been defeated by the Wendeng Battalion. Dai Zhenggang and the others looked down on him. Although Geng Zhongming tried his utmost to curry favor with them, this group of Wendeng officers still largely ignored him. Throughout the journey, only Chen Xin and Song Wenxian spoke with him.

Geng Zhongming was unfamiliar with this kind of large ship and did not know how Chen Xin had arranged things. He stood there awkwardly with his two guards. Song Wenxian went over and led them to a cabin. Deng Keshan, naturally sociable, warmly helped Geng Zhongming carry his luggage.

Chen Xin took a walk through the hold. The cabin was packed with tobacco leaves purchased in Tianjin. Chen Xin instructed Dai Zhenggang and the others not to use fire, then returned to the deck.

This Fujian junk was the very same one Chen Xin had sailed to Japan that day. The sails had been replaced once, but the layout was completely unchanged, only much cleaner than before. There were over thirty sailors on board, dressed more neatly than before. After greeting Chen Xin, they each busied themselves with their tasks.

Chen Xin stood at the starboard bulwark. This Fujian junk had not seen battle in these past few years, and the damaged spots there had long been repaired. That day, Chen Xin had lain right here to take part in the first battle of his life, and gained the opportunity to rise. A feeling of the vast changes wrought by time rose in Chen Xin's heart. The same ship, only time had changed. In just a few years, he had gone from an accountant to a military officer commanding over ten thousand soldiers, governing over a hundred thousand people, and soon he would become the great power dominating Jiaodong.

"Lord Chen! I never expected to meet you here." A pleasantly surprised voice rang out.

Chen Xin turned his head and saw it was Lu You, the former assistant of Dongyuan Shop. He had come aboard with an attendant. The moment he saw Chen Xin, he hurriedly knelt in greeting.

He was now the Shopkeeper of the Tianjin trading house, also managing the business of the Orchid Garment Shop. This garment shop still brought in seven to eight hundred taels of silver in profit each year, considered the private income of Liu Minyou and Chen Xin. Every year, Lu You entrusted the trading company to deliver it to Liu Minyou, who then split it with Chen Xin. So every year when Chen Xin received the money, he would remember this old assistant, which showed that Lu You had become somewhat shrewd now.

Chen Xin smiled warmly from the heart, pulled Lu You up, and said, "Shopkeeper Lu, the last time I passed through Tianjin on my way to the capital, you happened to have gone to Baoding. Erdaojie was bustling that day, what a pity you weren't there."

Lu You shook his head with a face full of regret. "That day I happened to go to Baoding to buy some saltpeter. I never thought I would miss meeting you, my lord. But today is a fortunate coincidence — I can travel the same road as you and listen to your teachings again."

This formerly simple and honest shop assistant could now speak so glibly. Chen Xin could only sigh that circumstances changed people. Hearing that Lu You was going to Dengzhou, he could not help asking, "Lu You, you are also going to Dengzhou? Did the trading company summon you for business?"

Lu You said, puzzled, "It was Lord Liu who notified me, telling me to leave the shop in the care of the Assistant Shopkeeper and take a ship to Dengzhou. He said there is some kind of organizational restructuring meeting. Could it be that you, my lord, are not attending?"

Chen Xin slapped his forehead. The Four Seas Trading Company was also going to reorganize — that had been decided long ago. Liu Minyou had summoned these shopkeepers to tell them face-to-face about their respective areas of responsibility, and also about the matter of ding shen shares. These ding shen shares were essentially phantom shares given to senior managers. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, large trading houses also had them, but generally one could not get them until one was seventy or eighty years old. Liu Minyou naturally would not operate that way.

Chen Xin was not very clear on the details of the trading company's restructuring and said perfunctorily, "Naturally I will also attend, but it is mainly Mr. Liu who manages things. You mentioned just now going to Baoding to buy saltpeter — was the purchase successful?"

Lu You glanced around and said in a low voice, "It's in the bottom hold, three thousand jin, worth only sixty taels of silver. However, the court is now exercising some control, so it's not as smooth as before, especially going out to sea."

Chen Xin nodded. The best saltpeter in the Ming dynasty came from Henan, where the output was also very high. At that time, the saltpeter refining process was complex and even required egg whites — two chicken eggs per jin, more for saltpeter with many impurities. Water was added to a height of two fingers above the saltpeter, then egg whites were added and boiled. After boiling, it was filtered once through a bamboo winnowing basket, then filtered again through hemp cloth. The price was roughly two fen of silver per jin, making it an important strategic resource.

After Chen Xin occupied Wendeng, charcoal was not in short supply. Sulfur was top-grade goods bought from Japan. Only saltpeter lacked a stable supply, so they also began producing saltpeter locally. Wendeng had no natural saltpeter soil resources, so they generally dug up old soil at the base of old walls and beside latrines. The used waste material had to be backfilled, and after two or three years it could be refined again. The scope of saltpeter production was gradually expanding.

All three components of gunpowder required meticulous production. Even charcoal, the easiest, required selecting lightweight wood and pounding it over ten thousand times with a wooden pestle. Only after passing testing could it be used as an ingredient. If any one component was inferior, the final power would be greatly reduced. These production methods and precautions were known to everyone, but under corruption at all levels, most of the gunpowder produced by the court had problems. The frontier troops' self-produced powder was much better.

For ordinary Ming troops, everything from ingredients, formulas, storage, matchlocks, to training was rotten to the core. No matter how good the firearm design, it was useless. Every time they engaged the Jianzhou Bandits, their firepower was weaker than bows and arrows, and their rate of fire was far worse. It would be strange if they were not defeated. Later, many commanders came to believe the firearms themselves were the problem and became even more unwilling to use them.

Chen Xin instructed Lu You, "In the future, you will likely remain in Tianjin. Pay more attention to military supplies there, and also gather more intelligence."

"This humble one understands. Zhou Shifa has already come to explain. We are to compile reports every five days, and a dedicated person will come to collect them. If there is urgent business, we place a broom outside the door..."

"Enough, no need to go into such detail." Chen Xin hastily cut him off. In key locations like Tianjin, the intelligence station was separate. Even Lu You did not know where the intelligence station was. The trading company was merely an additional channel for gathering information. Each branch had two external coordinators. In some smaller places, only the trading company was tasked with intelligence gathering.

Chen Xin admonished, "Do not let those assistants know about this matter."

Lu You bowed and said, "This humble one understands. I have told no one. According to what Zhou Shifa said, two people in each shop know, and the other one is this person." He pointed to the assistant beside him.

"Is he the Assistant Shopkeeper?"

"No. His name is Chai Zhi, a Tianjin native. He is honest and steady in his work."

Chen Xin glanced at him. The man was tall and big, but his demeanor was somewhat timid.

At that moment, Deng Keshan came up onto the deck. Seeing Lu You, he immediately nodded and bowed in greeting. Lu You was the Shopkeeper of the Tianjin trading house and usually had many dealings with Deng Keshan, the broker.

Deng Keshan saw that the sailors were all ready to set sail. After bidding farewell to Chen Xin, he headed toward the gangplank. Chai Zhi happened to be standing there, blocking a gap. Deng Keshan waved impatiently. Chai Zhi turned his head, realized he was blocking the way, and awkwardly dodged to the side.

As Deng Keshan passed him, he scolded, "Big Chai, you need to be sharper. On the ship, keep your eyes open and do more, and take good care of Lord Chen."

Chai Zhi said nothing. With an extremely unnatural expression, he bowed slightly. Deng Keshan descended the gangplank. Chen Xin also cupped his hands in farewell. The sailors maneuvered the ship away from the shore, then raised the sails. The Fujian junk sailed out to sea with the current.

Chen Xin's heart raced homeward; he wished the ship could go faster. A mountain of matters awaited him in Dengzhou. Never mind the organizational restructuring — the gold mine in Zhaoyuan alone was losing several hundred taels of silver every day. After receiving Liu Minyou's urgent letter last time, he still feared it would affect his trip to the capital and had them conduct reconnaissance first, holding off for the time being. Now that the capital trip was over, he would absolutely not tolerate this business, with a fixed annual income of over a hundred thousand taels, flowing into the hands of those gentry for nothing.

Lu You chatted enthusiastically with Chen Xin, talking about what had later become of some old neighbors. Several households had already moved their entire families to Dengzhou and were doing quite well there. Lu You also planned to visit them this time, and asked how far Pingdu was from Dengzhou. Upon learning it was several days' journey, he shook his head and sighed, saying he had to accompany his family and probably could not make it to the Wendeng household.

Chen Xin asked in surprise, "Lu You, your family has all gone to Dengzhou?"

Lu You replied, "Yes, in the middle of last year, Zhou Laifu required all shopkeepers' families to go to Wendeng. Last year they lived in Weihai. Last month, a letter from home said they had moved to Dengzhou."

Chen Xin recalled that at the time, local shopkeepers had not been required to send their families to Wendeng, including Ding Ding in Yangzhou. It was probably something Zhou Laifu demanded later.

"That's not bad either. Now that Dengzhou and Laizhou are peaceful, with our Dengzhou Garrison here, they are safer than in these other places."

Lu You sighed, "Who says otherwise? It's just that Zhou Laifu is too strict. Even concubines have to be sent. I am left with only one maidservant to use. All letters and goods sent to Wendeng must go through the trading company. No sealed letters are allowed, only open letters. All goods must be inspected by the head office before they can be received."

Chen Xin could not help laughing. Zhou Laifu's method was indeed a bit harsh, but he guessed it was to prevent outside shopkeepers from colluding with relatives and the like — a common practice in chain businesses of this era.

"But this humble one can understand. Laifu is doing it for everyone's good. Even if it's a bit uncomfortable, it's still far better than the days before. This is all thanks to your blessing, my lord."

Chen Xin hurriedly demurred. Although their statuses were now far apart, he still did not put on airs with Lu You.

Lu You led Chai Zhi to find their own quarters first. Chen Xin moved a stool over himself and sat at the bow to rest. After a while, Geng Zhongming's voice sounded behind him.

"My lord, if you are tired, please go rest in the lower cabin. This humble one and Wang Mafu have tidied up the cabin for you together."

Chen Xin turned his head to look at Geng Zhongming, seeing his face full of caution. He chuckled, pulled over another stool, and had Geng Zhongming sit.

Chen Xin asked Geng Zhongming with a smile, "General Geng, why did you not wait to travel with Lord Wang this time?"

Geng Zhongming slightly lowered his head. "This humble one is Lord Chen's man. As for Lord Wang's side, it is merely a formal subordination."

Because Wang Tingshi had some relatives, friends, and old acquaintances to visit in the capital, even though the Ministry of Personnel required him to take up his post as soon as possible, he still planned to stay a while longer. Most officials in the late Ming period had this style. Some even failed to take up their posts for two or three months after the appointment was issued. If one encountered a more dawdling official, the time was even longer. For example, in the original history, Wang Zheng, after receiving his appointment, first went to the capital to decline. The Emperor insisted a bit, and he then agreed, then leisurely went to Dengzhou and Laizhou, taking a full half year. Chongzhen had specifically rebuked these officials, saying they were not as proactive as eunuchs.

Chen Xin stared at Geng Zhongming for a moment. This man, one of the Three Turncoat Kings, had already changed his fate. Chen Xin actually bore him no real prejudice, but there would always be some wariness in his heart, so in the future he would not give him any chance to go to Liaodong.

"General Geng, during this trip to the capital, His Majesty offered you much encouragement. The Dengzhou matter can be considered settled. General Geng need no longer worry about past events. However, future matters require careful consideration."

Geng Zhongming said without blushing, "This humble one only listens to my lord. Whatever my lord orders this lowly general to do, this lowly general will do."

Chen Xin shook his head and smiled. "You must also listen to Lord Wang and Lord Lu."

"This humble one's life was not saved by Lord Wang, but given by you, Lord Chen. If not for you showing mercy that day, this humble one would have been standing on that platform with Li Yingyuan a few days ago."

Chen Xin laughed inwardly. He should have been one of the Three Turncoat Kings. If Geng Zhongming could know both outcomes, he wondered which one he would prefer. He asked casually, "Has Lord Wang decided what assignment to give General Geng?"

"Lord Wang's side has already decided on Liu Zeqing for the Left Battalion. The day before yesterday, he assigned this humble one to guard Ying'en Gate. This humble one has thought it through — I will give Lord Wang and Lord Lu the customary tributes, but will only listen to Lord Chen's words."

Chen Xin pondered for a moment. Geng Zhongming's position in Dengzhou was awkward, caught between Wang Tingshi, Lu Zhi, and himself. Ostensibly he was currying favor with all three sides, but in reality, none of the three considered him one of their own. He was probably somewhat at a loss. Now he had decided to fully commit to Chen Xin's side, and Chen Xin happened to have use for him.

"General Geng can rest assured. As long as General Geng does not cause any outrageous trouble, when it is time for this official to speak up, I will naturally speak up for General Geng."

Geng Zhongming was relieved to hear this. Back in Dengzhou, he had deeply despised Chen Xin, feeling only that this man was too sinister. Later, the incident at Pingdu — killing the chicken to warn the monkey — had scared him out of his wits, turning into pure terror. Later, through more contact in Dengzhou and on this journey, some admiration had also grown, especially when Chen Xin personally joined the gang fight in Laizhou, which gave Geng Zhongming a natural feeling of being comrades-in-arms.

At this moment, after hearing Chen Xin state his position, Geng Zhongming's spirits lifted and he said, "When my lord came, you said you wanted this humble one to think of a way to collect commercial taxes. This humble one has thought it through these past few days."

"Oh? Assistant Regional Commander Geng has come up with a plan so quickly. Would you share it so I may hear it?"

"Setting up checkpoints on the roads is easy. This humble one sets the banners, and my lord sends men to collect the tax. In the cities like Dengzhou, Pingdu, and Jiaozhou, it's more troublesome. My lord must act discreetly. In the days before, this humble one couldn't think it through clearly. Only these past few days, seeing that Deng Keshan in Tianjin, did I recall that we could establish a brokers' guild in Dengzhou. We control this guild. By routing it through this way, even if others wanted to impeach us, it would not be easy for them to obtain solid evidence…"

As soon as Chen Xin heard the words "brokers' guild," he knew Geng Zhongming was indeed a man of quick wits. One must realize Geng Zhongming was a man from Liaodong who had never been to the Grand Canal before, yet in only two days he had thought of this method, far surpassing the average person. Moreover, this man held considerable demonstrative influence over the Dongjiang Garrison.

"Assistant Regional Commander Geng, this is a good method. I will give you personally ten percent of the tax revenue. Additionally, I have a trading company here. If Assistant Regional Commander Geng is interested, this official will reserve a share of five hundred taels for you…" (To be continued.)