Chapter 58: The Ministry of Revenue's Action Must Be Moved Up

"So this is the place Wei Liangqing picked?"

Zhu Xu stepped down from the carriage, looking at this shop that wasn't particularly eye-catching.

Less than five hundred meters from Vermilion Sparrow Avenue, two stories tall, it had previously been a medicine shop—the smell of herbs still lingered in the air.

"Rumor has it that Ke Guangxian chose it."

Only Zhu Xu and Cao Wenzhao were present now; Cao Wenzhao stepped forward and spoke at Zhu Xu's side.

Zhu Xu walked around it a few paces, somewhat satisfied, and said with a smile, "Mm, not bad. Have Ke Guangxian dig a secret chamber underneath for storing gold and silver later."

Cao Wenzhao looked both ways, then said to Zhu Xu, "Your Highness, would it be unsafe to keep gold and silver here? Why not put it in the palace instead?"

"It's fine," Zhu Xu waved his hand and said with a smile, "When the time comes, I'll perform a magic trick so everyone thinks the gold and silver have been moved away."

"Magic trick?"

Cao Wenzhao didn't understand, but he didn't ask further.

"Come on, let's go see the workshop."

Zhu Xu got back on the carriage and said to Cao Wenzhao.

"Yes."

Cao Wenzhao looked left and right again, confirmed no one was following, then mounted the carriage and drove toward the east of the city.

"Your Highness, I've confirmed no one is following."

When they were nearly at the workshop, Cao Wenzhao turned his head and said in a low voice to Zhu Xu inside the carriage.

Zhu Xu nodded inwardly, feeling a sense of urgency at the same time—if his identity were exposed, there would be a lot of trouble ahead. Many things needed to be sped up.

"Your Highness."

Li Deyong ran over, obsequiously handing Zhu Xu a stool and helping him down from the carriage.

The exterior of this workshop had never changed. Ordinary, desolate, unremarkable.

"I hear you've run into quite a bit of trouble lately?"

Zhu Xu walked with his hands behind his back, looking around as he asked.

Li Deyong's face showed embarrassment, and he said helplessly, "Your Highness, we've cut prices too aggressively. The original merchants have no business now, and they're all making a fuss. Many have filed complaints with the yamen, and the yamen isn't too happy either—they're siding with the original merchants."

Zhu Xu nodded and walked straight to the courtyard where the flour goods were made. People were coming and going, thump-thump-thump-thump sounds rang out without pause, and fragrant steam rolled forth with a clean, refreshing aroma. Rows of long tables were packed with workers—all women. They glanced at Zhu Xu's arrival, then continued busily with their heads down.

Steamed buns and pastries, like an assembly line, were continuously carried out through another door.

Zhu Xu looked around, picked up a pastry at random and tasted it, then asked, "How many people do you have now?"

"Your Highness, they're all refugees, about two hundred people."

Li Deyong said with some pride, "I found them myself outside the city and settled them here with homes. Though the children and men are harder to handle—I'm still working on that."

Zhu Xu tasted it—sweet on the palate and easy to preserve, quite close to what he had in mind. He smiled and said, "Don't rush. After this matter is settled, there will be a way."

Li Deyong's eyes lit up, and he said urgently, "Your Highness, what way?"

"The way?" Zhu Xu stroked his chin and said with a smile, "It's simple. Go talk to the original merchants—we'll give them seventy percent of the price, and they sell for us. That way they don't have to produce anything, no cost, and all the extra profit is theirs. If necessary, we can even deliver the goods to them."

Li Deyong was stunned—that wasn't what he'd asked about.

But it was indeed something that had been troubling him. He thought for a while, then frowned and said, "Your Highness, will this actually work?"

Zhu Xu waved his hand and said with finality, "Even if it won't work, it has to work. Send someone to each of their shops to help. If they're unwilling to work with us in the future, we'll build up our own channels anyway."

"Channels?" Li Deyong's eyes went wide, completely baffled by what this meant.

Zhu Xu glanced at Li Deyong and Cao Wenzhao, organized his words a little, and explained, "Simply put, it's connecting one stall and shop after another into a network. Right now we can sell steamed buns and pastries; in the future, when we have other goods, we can use these stalls and shops to spread out quickly."

Li Deyong had been racking his brains over these matters lately. Even hearing Zhu Xu's explanation, he remained doubtful, so he pondered in silence.

Zhu Xu patted his arm and said in a lazy manner, "Alright, prices are rising higher and higher these days. With what we're doing, they'll be more than happy. If they can't sell things, we can take returns, or give them extra silver as sales bonuses, and so on. In short, we need to make money, but we also need channels."

Li Deyong was somewhat overwhelmed by all this. He couldn't possibly figure it out all at once—they were still losing money now, so how could they possibly make a profit?

Zhu Xu naturally knew this as well, and said, "Alright, think it over slowly yourself. In a while I'll send you some accountants to handle cost calculations and floating profits—just leave those to them. All you need to do is manage them; don't overthink the rest."

Li Deyong thought this was the real good news of the day and quickly said, "Yes, Your Highness."

Zhu Xu shook his head inwardly—these people were far behind those cunning office workers of later generations. He thought to himself, 'You should be finding ways to solve problems for your boss, not making your boss solve problems for you.'

Li Deyong naturally couldn't hear any of this. He led Zhu Xu around the courtyard, reporting on recent matters, picking only the pleasant things to tell him.

Zhu Xu kept nodding with a smile—no matter the subordinate's ability, as long as they put in the effort, they deserved praise and encouragement.

"Alright, think carefully about what I said today and write me an action plan."

Zhu Xu said as he walked out of the courtyard. This kind of planning was something Zhu Xu had required and coached from the very beginning.

Li Deyong was now quite adept at writing these as well, and answered, "Yes, Your Highness."

Zhu Xu was basically satisfied with this visit. After getting on the carriage, Cao Wenzhao hadn't gone far before saying to Zhu Xu, "Your Highness, Wei Liangqing has been released. The Shuntian Prefecture didn't make things difficult for him."

This was within Zhu Xu's expectations. He said to Cao Wenzhao, "Mm, send someone to notify Wei Liangqing to open for business tomorrow. Regardless of the capital or how many people come to deposit money, seize this opportunity to build up the reputation."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Cao Wenzhao acknowledged, then drove the carriage toward the palace.

"Your Highness, word has come from Lord Fu."

Just as Zhu Xu entered the palace, Cao Huachun came over to greet him and said.

Zhu Xu walked into the bedroom, changing clothes as he asked, "What news does my uncle have?"

Cao Huachun stood outside and said, "Your Highness, Lord Fu's message says that the Ministry of Revenue is worried someone might leak information, so they will likely act ahead of schedule."

Zhu Xu's hand, mid-change, paused slightly. This news was both unexpected and expected.

"Good."

Zhu Xu walked out with a smile on his face and said to Cao Wenzhao, "Old Cao, this matter definitely isn't just the Ministry of Revenue acting alone. They'll probably join forces with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Eastern Depot, and even the patrol forces and the Shuntian Prefecture and other yamen. Work your connections to make sure the Huitong Trading Company isn't caught up in it."

Although Fu Changzong had said he could strike the Huitong Trading Company's name from the list, he still wanted to ensure complete safety.

"Rest assured, Your Highness. I'll go right away." Cao Wenzhao turned hastily and left the palace to make arrangements.

Cao Huachun watched Cao Wenzhao leave, then leaned in and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, we've traced the person watching the teahouse — it's the personal maidservant of Wei Liangqing's concubine."

"Wei Liangqing?"

Zhu Xu raised an eyebrow slightly, his expression odd, then a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth as he said, "Have Feng Zhu take some men to Wei Liangqing's residence and give that concubine fifty heavy strokes of the rod."