Chapter 166: Small Merchants

The Dong Family.

Dong Yuan, Lv Ran, and a group of other Rich Clans who had submitted to the Prince's Mansion gathered in one hall.

After Yang Cheng told them of Yan Wang's plan to establish a merchant caravan, they immediately came to the Dong Family to deliberate.

"Gentlemen, back then Yan Wang exchanged our farmland for Silver and promised not to treat us unfairly. During this time, His Highness Yan Wang has indeed kept his word. Regarding this caravan matter, I, Dong, feel it cannot be wrong. Following His Highness, if he eats meat, we will definitely have a mouthful of meat broth to drink." Dong Yuan glared at Yang Cheng.

This old fellow had a face full of smugness.

He felt regret; if he hadn't been muddle-headed at that time and influenced Dong An's judgment, the manager of the merchant firm would be his son now.

How could he have let the Yang Family get the advantage of being close to the water?

Regarding this caravan matter, the Yang Family was the first to take out Silver, which would inevitably make His Highness's favor for the Yang Family increase greatly.

Therefore, since he could not be first, he would still snatch the second spot.

Moreover, in order to suppress the Yang Family, he decided to buy twenty-five shares of the profit-sharing rights.

"Brother Dong's words are very true. My Lv Family is not as wealthy as your Yang Family and Dong Family, but we are also willing to buy eighteen shares." Lv Ran stood with his chest held high.

His son had been promoted to Captain and had even captured Charha alive.

He had been bragging about this matter until now.

Among the many Rich Clans that had submitted, he had always considered his own family to be Yan Wang's most loyal servants, and he would do this without hesitation.

With the Dong Family, Yang Family, and Lv Family all expressing their stance, the remaining twenty Rich Clans had their own calculations in mind.

"Nowadays, we prosper and suffer together with Yan Wang. Not to mention taking out Silver to buy these profit-sharing rights, even donating them to the Prince's Mansion would be fine. Otherwise, if Yan Wang is in trouble, we won't have good days either," one Rich Clan member said.

"That's right. In this Yanzhou, besides Yan Wang, who else can defeat the Northern Di? If the Northern Di come, it won't just be a matter of grabbing Silver; they will be killing people."

"I just trust His Highness. Since it is something His Highness is doing, it will definitely make a fortune. I'm buying."

"......"

The Rich Clans whispered among themselves, then one after another they shouted.

"My family buys five shares."

"My family, eight shares."

"......"

Yang Cheng had already had people recording on the side; now, the matter his son had entrusted to him was secure.

And from the bottom of his heart, he hoped that these old subordinates of his before Yan Wang would seize the opportunity.

During this time, merchants from other places were constantly pouring into Yancheng to befriend Yan Wang.

They did not want to lose.

Therefore, whatever Yan Wang said, they had to be the first to support it, no reason needed.

Before noon.

The Rich Clans of Yan Commandery had all signed their names, and Yang Cheng sent the list to the merchant firm.

"Hmm, they still have a conscience. In the future, they will definitely be grateful for today's decision," Yang He nodded.

Then, he said to the merchant firm official beside him: "Post the notice."

The official acknowledged and left.

In the afternoon.

The notice was posted on the wooden board in Dong Shi.

The news immediately spread among the merchants.

Inside a restaurant at Golden Scale Pond, a table of merchants from the south sat around.

One of them said: "Yan Wang must be crazy for Silver. Ten thousand taels per share; I wouldn't even take it for one hundred taels."

"

"Who doesn't know that the Liang Family monopolizes maritime trade? He wants to snatch food from the tiger's mouth; can he out-snatch them?"

"Exactly. The Prince's Mansion's goods are good, we admit that. Can't they just honestly sell their own goods? They have to get involved in this matter."

"In short, I don't think highly of it."

"......"

Not far from this table of merchants, there was another table of merchants.

These merchants had witnessed the battle when Yancheng was besieged.

One person heard the discussion from that table of merchants and curled his lips: "During the Northern Di's Autumn Hunt, many people thought Yan Wang couldn't hold Yancheng, but Yan Wang held it. Now many people think Yan Wang's caravan won't work, but I think Yan Wang will definitely succeed. It's just a pity that my family's assets are meager, and I can't even afford one share of the profit-sharing rights. Otherwise, if I joined the caravan and became a merchant under Yan Wang's command, it would be a wish fulfilled."

"Sigh, that's right. We small merchants have the heart but can't take out so much Silver, sigh."

"What is there to sigh about? Besides, the merchant firm didn't say it could only be bought in an individual's name. Can we pool our Silver and work together to buy a share?"

Hearing this, everyone immediately turned their eyes to that person.

Then they didn't even finish their meal, stood up, and headed toward the merchant firm.

When they arrived at the merchant firm, they found that the merchant firm was already overcrowded.

They took a look; most of the people inside were small merchants like them.

Finding Yang He, they threw out their questions.

"This official is just about to report to His Highness. You wait here for a moment, I will be back immediately," Yang He said.

Not long after the notice was posted, merchants came to inquire.

But many of those who came were small merchants.

They couldn't take out too much Silver, and many people wanted to buy together.

When Yan Wang left, he hadn't given instructions on this issue.

So he could only ask for instructions.

Arriving at the Prince's Mansion, he saw Yan Wang in the study and told him about the situation at the merchant firm.

"Your Highness, the small merchants are very enthusiastic, but the big merchants are not very active; they believe the Liang Family..." Yang He reported the current situation to Zhao Xu.

"Of course that is fine," Zhao Xu agreed immediately. "The big merchants do not lack Silver; they seek stability, and they all have the shadows of powerful clans behind them to some extent, so they will not rashly join this King's merchant fleet. The small merchants, however, come and go freely and are more willing to take risks, wanting to seize the opportunity to obtain rich profits. In fact, I also hope more small merchants join the fleet, letting them grow stronger along with it; in this way, they will be more willing to pledge their loyalty to the Prince's Mansion."

Yang He nodded.

With Yan Wang having spoken, he felt at ease.

In fact, by comparison, he also preferred these small merchants.

They were more obedient and worked harder.

Once the merchant fleet was established, attracting a multitude of these small merchants would surely make it full of vitality.

Returning to the merchant firm, he told this news to the small merchants who were waiting eagerly, and a burst of cheers erupted in the firm instantly.

"We will buy one share."

"And us too."

"..."

The small merchants crowded forward, one after another requesting to purchase the profit-sharing rights.

Yang He immediately had the officials register them, until evening, when the merchant firm quieted down.

After tallying the number of profit-sharing rights sold, Yang He smiled with satisfaction; adding those of the Rich Clans in Yan Commandery, there were a total of two hundred and thirty-seven shares.

Over the next few days, more merchants who heard the news arrived from various places.

The merchant firm sold another one hundred and sixty shares, but gradually, they stopped selling.

At this time, Yang He took the account book to the Prince's Mansion.

"Your Highness, a total of three hundred and ninety-seven shares have been sold so far; three hundred of these were bought by merchants within the fief, and the remaining ninety-seven were bought by merchants from outside the fief, though these merchants all have the intention of settling in Yan Commandery," Yang He said.

Zhao Xu listened and smiled helplessly.

In the end, it was still his own people who supported him the most.

But this was also fine; the fertile water would not flow into outsiders' fields.

"Since that is the case, the method of selling these profit-sharing rights shall be changed. Starting today, they will only be sold to merchants within the fief. Merchants from outside who wish to buy them may do so, but they must move their household registration to Yan Commandery or Shanggu Commandery," Zhao Xu said.

Raising these three million-plus taels of Silver was enough to alleviate the current financial crisis.

The remaining profit-sharing rights would be like flowers, used just to attract bees.