Chapter 377: Heart's Stirring

The fiery red sun was about to sink behind the western mountains, but the air still held the day's lingering heat, a sign that summer was near.

In the study, he had a discussion with Mi Wen about matters concerning the Naval Academy.

Immediately after, he led Mi Wen to a courtyard less than three hundred meters from the Yan Prince Mansion.

This place was once a secondary residence of the Huang Family, a Rich Clan of Yan Commandery.

The grounds were spacious, with over a hundred rooms, and the scenery was beautiful.

"This shall serve as the site for the Naval Academy," Zhao Xu said to Mi Wen.

Later, he would also have officials from the Works Department renovate the place to make it look more like an academy.

"Many thanks, Your Highness."

Ever since entering, Mi Wen had been looking around, and he was very satisfied with the place the Yan Wang had chosen for him.

Nodding, he continued: "There will be people in the academy specifically to provide you with meals, so you need not worry about these menial tasks; in a few days, I will provide you with a set of teaching materials."

He was not particularly anxious about the Naval Academy's curriculum; after all, Chen Shou's Warship would not be completed for at least half a year.

The most important task for Mi Wen at present was to recruit Navy soldiers and then conduct at least three months of training, just like the Prince's Personal Army.

Besides physical training, they also had to master the use of the Flintlock and Artillery, and build their sense of discipline.

Of course, he would also come to the Naval Academy often to provide them with some basic knowledge.

Such as concepts like ocean currents and monsoons.

Handing the keys to the academy gate to Mi Wen, Zhao Xu returned to the Yan Prince Mansion.

He left the remaining miscellaneous academy matters for Mi Wen to handle himself.

This was also a test for him; there were some things he could only grow from faster if he handled them personally.

The Commercial Alliance.

Yang He pondered the list for a long time, and when the night had turned completely dark, he ordered the lamps to be lit.

Letting out a long sigh, he said to the official beside him: "Go to Lu Fu and summon Lu Lin;

tell him that I am inviting him to have Wine."

The official replied in the affirmative and turned to leave.

About an hour later, a carriage stopped in front of the Commercial Alliance.

A corpulent merchant walked into the Commercial Alliance, supported by a servant.

At this moment, a table of Wine was set in a private room inside the Commercial Alliance.

Seeing Yang He sitting inside, Lu Lin piled his face with smiles.

"For Magistrate Yang to summon me so late, it must be for a good thing," Lu Lin said with a bow and a smile.

"That goes without saying; I could forget anyone, but I could never forget Brother Lu." Yang He set aside his official demeanor, appearing very intimate with Lu Lin.

He and Lu Lin had known each other for a long time; back when the Zhang Family was still around, Lu Lin often transported silk from Yuzhou to Yan Commandery.

The Yang Family could be considered one of Lu Lin's major clients.

And after he became the head of the Commercial Alliance, Lu Lin's dealings with the Yang Family became even more frequent.

After all, what merchant in the world today didn't want to establish a connection with the Yan Prince Mansion?

However, compared to other big merchants, this Lu Lin had a somewhat thin financial foundation.

He could not compete with those wealthy merchants for the exclusive sales rights to the Prince Mansion's Fine Wine, Perfume, or Glass.

But he was unwilling to give up, so he kept waiting in Yancheng, hoping for a chance to strike it rich.

"Is that true?" Lu Lin had only said it as a polite remark, but seeing that Yang He did not seem to be joking with him, he immediately became serious.

Yang He nodded slightly, "I know that Brother Lu's ambition is to become a top-tier merchant of Great Song, and now the opportunity has arrived; I wonder if Brother Lu has the courage."

"Oh?" Lu Lin looked puzzled, "Please enlighten me, Brother Yang."

After a moment of contemplation, he said: "Our Yanzhou Trading Firm intends to establish a Commercial Alliance and recruit merchants from all over the world to join; for merchants who join the alliance, the firm will provide various benefits, but in return, the merchants must abide by the rules and orders of the Commercial Alliance."

Lu Lin's eyes darted around; he was not a foolish man, and he immediately guessed that this matter was unusual.

So he asked cautiously: "Is this the instruction of the Yan Wang?"

Yang He only smiled and said nothing.

Seeing this, Lu Lin had his own calculations in mind.

He was a merchant from Yuzhou, and every year he would pay tribute in Silver to the Wang Family, and he also held a Merchant Permit from the Wang Family.

It was just that there were many merchants with Merchant Permits, but those who could obtain goods from the Prince Mansion were few and far between.

Seeing the merchants who sold Prince Mansion goods in Yuzhou becoming wealthier by the day, it was impossible for him not to be envious.

It was precisely for this reason that he held his breath and waited in Yancheng, just to wait for the release of new goods from the Prince Mansion.

So when Yang He said he would give him a chance, he could not help but be tempted.

Yet he was also somewhat worried, fearing he would be dragged into the struggle between the Yan Wang and the powerful clans.

To join the Commercial Alliance, one must abide by the rules of the Commercial Alliance; this was the same as taking orders from the Prince Mansion.

So he gave a bitter smile and said: "A good thing is certainly a good thing, but a small fry like me cannot withstand the tossing and turning of the Yan Wang and the Wang Family."

Yang He sneered upon hearing this, and he said: "Brother Lu, do you know why the officials of Yanzhou treat merchants with courtesy and propriety?"

"I have heard a little about this; it is said that the Yan Wang promotes a pro-merchant policy in Yanzhou, treating merchants like scholars," Lu Lin said.

"And what about in Yuzhou, Brother Lu?" Yang He asked again.

"The Rich Clans and powerful families allow their children to engage in trade, but they all view trade as a dirty business and hold merchants in particular contempt," Lu Lin sighed.

"Since that is the case, why must Brother Lu remain a low-class person in Yuzhou?" Yang He stared at Lu Lin, "Of course, I only have this good intention because I see that Brother Lu is a talent worth molding; if Brother Lu is unwilling, I will not force you."

Pausing for a moment, he sighed: "It is just that once this village is passed, there will be no such shop; furthermore, joining the Commercial Alliance is not asking Brother Lu to march into battle or act as a spy; there is no danger."

"Not acting as a spy?" Lu Lin exclaimed in surprise.

Yang He was stunned for a moment, thinking to himself that Lu Lin had misunderstood, believing that joining the Commercial Alliance meant starting to oppose the Wang Family from this day forward.

With a hearty laugh, he said, "Brother Lu, oh Brother Lu, you have thought wrong; Yan Wang did not establish this Commercial Alliance to oppose others, but simply as a big family that gathers merchants from all under heaven."

Organizing his thoughts, he said, "First, in the Commercial Alliance, you can get to know merchants from other provinces; this is a network. Second, the Commercial Alliance will have its own rules; for example, if merchants within the Commercial Alliance go to other provinces to do business, the merchants of the local Commercial Alliance cannot bully you and can only compete with you fairly. In this way, a good business environment can be established, allowing the interests of every merchant to be preserved."

"Third, if a merchant is extorted by officials, the Commercial Alliance will also step forward for them. Fourth, the Commercial Alliance will unify the prices of goods in the region; for example, in Yan Commandery, the prices of rice and cloth will remain generally similar, preventing anyone from driving up or driving down prices..."

Yang He stated the rules of the Commercial Alliance one by one.

Finally, he said, "Of course, as the initiator of the Commercial Alliance, Yanzhou Trading Firm will provide discounts on the Prince's Mansion's goods to the merchants within the alliance, and furthermore, you will be able to trade freely in Yanzhou in the future, and the Government Office will protect your interests."

Then he smiled mysteriously and threw out a bombshell, "His Highness also said that in the future, you may be allowed to establish Workshops in Yanzhou, for instance, by selling the craft of the Soap Workshop to you."

"What!" Upon hearing this, Lu Lin could no longer remain calm.

Yang He merely smiled; according to Yan Wang, they only needed to keep the core of soap manufacturing, the Caustic Soda craft, confidential.

Selling Caustic Soda to merchants at a high price would guarantee the profits of the Prince's Mansion, while letting them establish Workshops in Yanzhou to produce it themselves.

In this way, the supply of Soap could be rapidly increased.

And to avoid the waste of manpower in Yanzhou and to enrich Yanzhou's population, the Prince's Mansion would also introduce preferential policies to allow merchants to bring craftsmen over from other provinces.

In this way, it would not only attract a large number of merchants to come to Yanzhou to build Workshops, but also conveniently introduce a large number of high-quality people, killing two birds with one stone.

"I will join, Brother Yang, you must let me join." Lu Lin suddenly gripped Yang He's hand tightly.

He admitted that he was tempted, and tempted quite madly.

Yang He revealed a satisfied smile; for him, the first step of the grand plan had been taken.