Chapter 125: First Volume, Chapter 125: One Million Liang Profit

First Volume, Chapter 125: One Million Liang Profit

Although Liu Hongyan could hardly believe it, the ledger clearly recorded in black and white: "Though this is recorded as income over three or four days, the little rascal had been laying groundwork and operating for a long time—this is thick accumulation, sudden breakthrough. Previous white sugar inventory was sold in total for about five ten thousand liang of silver, all small change; the real big money comes later."

"Just from auctioning sugar distribution rights alone, income approached one million liang. Sugar cane distribution rights: thirty thousand liang per year. Sugar frost distribution rights: one hundred thousand liang per year."

Qin Tianhu, though skilled in commanding troops, was not entirely ignorant of commerce; hearing Liu Hongyan's report, he was utterly astonished: "Old man remembers, some sugar traders in the city earn barely a hundred or so liang per year. This little rascal's so-called distribution rights fetch thirty thousand liang per year—and people still buy them? Are those people mad?"

Liu Hongyan couldn't help sighing: "At first, I thought the same. But Qin Feng has thoroughly rectified the entire Beijing Sugar Industry—sugar traders will probably never be seen again…"

"All sugar distributors are established merchant houses in the city. Though sugar supply hasn't increased, since sales rights are concentrated in the hands of a few, distributors' profit margins have soared dramatically—that's why many merchants are fighting tooth and nail to bid high for distribution rights."

"Moreover, many merchant houses are actually after the white sugar distribution rights…"

"After all, Qin Feng made an agreement with the Sage—white sugar's intellectual property rests entirely with Qin Feng. Not only can outsiders not replicate the white sugar production method, even if they did, intellectual property protection forbids them from touching white sugar."

Qin Tianhu slowly sat down; he finally understood—Qin Feng had monopolized the entire Beijing sugar industry.

Every sugar merchant in the city was essentially working for Qin Feng.

Qin Tianhu swallowed hard; he had never dreamed such a way to make wealth existed.

Before he knew it, his own son had become the Beijing Sugar Tycoon…

Qin Tianhu's emotions were extremely complex; he stared at Liu Hongyan, heart pounding: "Isn't the total profit one hundred twenty thousand liang? One million came from selling distribution rights—where did the remaining twenty thousand liang come from?"

Liu Hongyan's face flushed red, seeming embarrassed: "It… it was deducted from the fundraising assembly funds."

At these words, Qin Tianhu was about to rage—but recalling the astonishing accounts just now, he forcibly calmed himself and said sternly: "This little scoundrel commits such shameless acts—doesn't he fear being despised?"

Liu Hongyan couldn't help smiling bitterly: "I warned Qin Feng before—the fundraising assembly funds should be fully delivered to the National Treasury. But Qin Feng said the fundraising assembly counts as charity work; he worked hard managing the charity accounts—can he be expected to work for free? He even claimed that ten percent of charitable donations may be retained by the organizers—that's the international standard."

"He also said… only if the organizer profits can he be more diligent and responsible in handling charitable funds, ensuring every single tael reaches those in need."

Qin Tianhu wanted to curse the nonsense and summon that shameless brat for a good scolding.

But then he thought again—and realized it wasn't without logic.

If there's no profit to be made, who would bother expending effort to raise charitable funds? Without funds, how can those in need be helped?

Leveraging profit to maximize action, fully realizing the maximum value of charitable donations.

Yet… Qin Tianhu still found it hard to accept—this kind of thing wasn't something everyone could understand; it damaged reputation too severely.

To avoid exerting effort without reward, Qin Tianhu ordered that Qin Feng henceforth be forbidden from touching "charity work." If he wanted to do charity, he must use his own money—otherwise, one misstep could earn him a lifetime of condemnation.

Qin Tianhu picked up his tea cup and only then realized the tea had long gone cold—but he drank it down in one gulp.

In just one month, with expenditures of fifty thousand liang of silver, he still netted over one hundred thousand liang—this kind of commercial audacity made Qin Tianhu, who had fought on battlefields for decades, feel his scalp prickling.

Probably not a single merchant house in all of Beijing would dare operate like Qin Feng.

Qin Tianhu let out a bitter laugh: "This boy's boldness is even greater than mine!"

After reporting the accounts, Liu Hongyan took the ledger back to the accounting room and locked it in a cabinet.

Yet no sooner had she left than someone broke into the cabinet…

A dark shadow seized the entire ledger, stepped across rooftops, entered and exited the Shangshu Mansion as if it were empty, heading straight for the Imperial Palace.

Within the time of one stick of incense, the thick stack of ledgers lay upon the Dragon-head Desk in the Imperial Study.

Li Zhan picked up one, calmly reading it aloud to the Liang Emperor—but as he read further, his voice trembled: "Qin… Qin Feng, in just one month, amassed such immense wealth… one hundred twenty thousand liang of silver—enough to equip an elite Border Army! Yet Qin Feng hasn't deposited this fortune into the National Treasury…"

The Liang Emperor, reviewing the memorials from the Ministry of Revenue, smiled faintly: "That boy is one who won't stir unless there's profit. If there's no profit, how could he ever work diligently to earn money for me? As long as he delivers my funds on time and in full, how much he personally earns—I don't care."

"But…"

Here, the Liang Emperor suddenly shifted tone, turning to Li Zhan, his voice thick with curiosity: "Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Eunuch Gonggong, have you ever seen anyone in your life who could earn one million liang in just one month?"

Li Zhan didn't hesitate: "Never! Qin Feng Xiao'er is simply a commercial genius!"

"Forget the gambling gains from petty tricks or the embezzlement of charitable funds—just from sugar alone, it's astonishing."

"Probably… even when Qin Feng first produced white sugar, he had already begun planning."

"Within mere days, he monopolized the entire Beijing sugar industry—distribution rights for even the lowest-grade sugar cane cost thirty thousand liang per year! If this continues, should Qin Feng ever monopolize all of Shedynasty's sugar industry, wouldn't that…"

Li Zhan didn't finish—he dared not speak; the wealth was simply too immense, so vast even he had to tread carefully.

The Liang Emperor, however, wore a look of longing: "This is only sugar."

Hearing this, Li Zhan trembled: "Your Majesty, this old servant has a question—whether or not I should speak it."

The Liang Emperor waved his hand dismissively: "I know what you want to say. Since I've entrusted Qin Feng with responsibility, I know his character. Let him monopolize sugar products—eventually, even if I don't ask, Qin Feng will himself surrender authority. Then, private becomes state-run—doesn't that still fill the National Treasury and enrich Shedynasty?"

"Many businesses, the court cannot directly intervene in—fear of stirring public unrest. But with Qin Feng's purely commercial approach, it's much easier."

"As for Qin Feng's profits, let him accumulate freely for now—I'll turn a blind eye."

Li Zhan exhaled in relief and immediately bowed deeply: "Your Majesty's strategy is peerless, your vision extraordinary—this old servant is utterly awed."

The Liang Emperor chuckled softly, picking up the imperial memorial before him, yet couldn't help sighing: "A mere fundraising assembly—covered the Qingyi Ceremony costs, yet still forcibly scraped a fortune from the pockets of Beijing's youth… hah…"