Chapter 520: Profiteering, Five Hundred Million in Three Months! [2]

In the front hall.

Jia Dong stood at the doorway, holding the account books for Jinyang for the past three months.

The earnings before July had already been sent when Duan Yu first arrived in Liangzhou.

If it weren't for the need to escort the seed grain harvested from Jinyang, Jia Dong wouldn't have made the trip himself.

The main thing was escorting the seed grain, and bringing back the profits of these three months was secondary.

Since Duan Yu arrived in Liangzhou, the consumption of money and grain had suddenly increased.

The income from Bingzhou had become increasingly important.

Duan Yu had previously thought about moving the industries in Bingzhou to Liangzhou.

But later he gave up on it.

One reason was that Liangzhou was too far from Jizhou.

The basic materials for salt had to be obtained from Hedong Commandery, then transported to Liangzhou, and then transported out from Liangzhou to Jizhou; the consumption on this road was a huge expense.

Bingzhou was adjacent to Jizhou and also bordered Hedong Commandery, so it was more convenient.

Therefore, after leaving Bingzhou, Duan Yu handed over all matters related to trade to Jia Dong.

Previously, after producing snow salt, Duan Yu gave a portion of the profits to Taiyuan Commandery Prefect Liu Wei, and now the usefulness of that had become apparent.

Duan Yu was not in Taiyuan Commandery, and although he still had some prestige, it was not as convenient as Liu Wei, the Prefect of Taiyuan Commandery.

Now Duan Yu was Liu Wei's god of wealth.

Liu Wei, who originally wanted to leave Taiyuan Commandery, now couldn't be driven away even if you beat him.

"Lady, in these three months, the two items of salt and paper have made a total profit of five hundred million *qian*…"

"Cough…"

As soon as Jia Dong's voice fell, Niu Yaodi, who was holding a water cup and drinking water, coughed violently.

Some water in the cup in her hand splashed out.

"Sister-in-law." Dong Yi looked at Niu Yaodi and asked with concern: "Are you okay, sister-in-law?"

Niu Yaodi shook her head hurriedly: "No… nothing, it's just that the water was too hot."

Dong Yi looked at the maid beside her and said: "Go change a cup."

Niu Yaodi's eyes glanced imperceptibly at the account book in Jia Dong's hand, and then she immediately pretended that nothing had happened.

Jia Dong didn't notice anything unusual and continued: "This already deducts the cost of raw materials, including the production of paper, as well as the cost of transporting salt from Hedong Commandery and labor costs."

"However, with the winter, the cost of manual transport and the cost of transportation may increase by about twenty percent. I have already noted this in the account books."

"A portion of the money has already been converted into gold."

"The seed grain transported from Bingzhou has all been sealed according to the Lord's wishes."

"The township where Lady Ren's family is located has now been transformed into a factory for paper and salt, and all the villagers in the village have entered the factory to work."

Jia Dong said toward Diao Chan.

Diao Chan smiled gently and asked: "Are the villages and townships doing well now?"

Jia Dong nodded repeatedly and replied: "All good, all good. Thanks to the blessings of the Lord's wife, now the villagers in the village work in the factory except during the busy farming season."

"The Lord also ordered that we must not neglect the villagers."

"Wages are paid in full every month, and before festivals and sacrifices, there are gifts of wine and meat. The villagers in the township are all grateful for the kindness of the Lord and the Lord's wife."

Diao Chan nodded with a smile: "That's good, that's good."

Jinyang was the place where Duan Yu started his career.

And Diao Chan's hometown, besides producing Tie Shitou, Wang Hunu, Chen Qing'an, and Liu Bai Tu—several of Duan Yu's right-hand men—also had dozens of young people from the village in Duan Yu's Personal Guard camp.

These were fellow villagers and could be considered Duan Yu's most trusted group of people.

Placing the factory in Diao Chan's hometown was Duan Yu's arrangement.

Since ancient times, fellow villagers have been the most reliable people. It was only natural to place the production workshops for white paper and snow salt in Wucun Township.

With the families of Tie Shitou, Wang Hunu, Chen Qing'an, and Liu Bai Tu, as well as the families of those guards in the Personal Guard camp in the village, there was no safer place than there.

With the care of Taiyuan Commandery Prefect Liu Wei, it could be said to be foolproof.

Dong Yi took the account book from the maid's hand and placed it to the side without rushing to check it.

Instead, she praised Jia Dong.

"The Lord left you in Jinyang and entrusted you with important tasks; he definitely didn't misjudge you."

Dong Yi looked at Jia Dong with a smile: "I will report your merits to the Lord. Please put more effort into the matters in Jinyang and maintaining the matters in Jizhou."

"In the future, when merits are discussed and rewards are given, the Lord will not forget you."

Jia Dong hurriedly said he didn't dare: "I don't dare, I don't dare, little one doesn't dare to hope for that."

"If the Lord hadn't brought me out of the market in the beginning, I would still be struggling for a living. Being able to have this life of luxury today is all bestowed by the Lord."

"Little one doing things for the Lord and doing my best is my duty; I absolutely dare not claim credit."

Dong Yi smiled and nodded: "The Lord is clear about rewards and punishments; those with merit are rewarded, and those with faults are punished. You are naturally a person with merit and should be rewarded. There is no need to decline this."

"You have also come from afar, and the Lord doesn't know when he will return. You can stay in Jixian for a while. If the Lord returns early, you can also meet the Lord."

Jia Dong thanked her gratefully.

Just as Jia Dong was about to take his leave,

an attendant came to deliver a message from outside the hall.

"Lady, Chief Clerk Gai is outside asking to see you, saying he has something to inform the Lady."

"Quickly invite Chief Clerk Gai in."

Not long after Dong Yi gave the order, Gai Xun, wearing an official robe and draped in a black cloak, walked in from outside the mansion.

Two months had passed since Duan Yu sent troops to Jincheng Commandery.

During these two months, the allocation of grain and grass, the transportation of grain and grass, and the various affairs in Hanyang Commandery were all handled by Gai Xun, Yang Fu, and others.

This also included the autumn harvest.

Coupled with the fact that they had scrambled for grain before the expedition, and that Gai Xun and Yang Fu had gone to rescue Dong Yi and the others when they encountered an ambush while coming to Hanyang Commandery, Gai Xun and the others were now hot figures in Hanyang Commandery.

Everyone knew that Duan Yu relied heavily on Gai Xun, Yang Fu, and others, while Liangzhou Inspector Liang Hu had ended up in prison.

In Hanyang Commandery, and even the entire Liangzhou, Duan Yu's strong rise was now unstoppable.

As people relied upon by Duan Yu, Gai Xun, Yang Fu, and others had also risen to a higher level and enjoyed high prestige in the commandery.

And Yang Fu, Gai Xun, and others also knew who was the real heaven in Hanyang Commandery now.

They naturally treated the matters handed down by Duan Yu very seriously.

"Chief Clerk Gai, please sit down quickly."

Seeing Gai Xun arrive, Dong Yi supported her lower abdomen with one hand and prepared to stand up.

"I dare not, I dare not. Lady, please sit down quickly."

Gai Xun bowed and said: "I received a letter from the Lord early this morning."

Hearing that there was a letter from Duan Yu, Dong Yi, Diao Chan, and Su He all looked at Gai Xun eagerly.

"The Lord sent a letter?" Dong Yi asked with pleasant surprise.

Gai Xun nodded and said: "Early this morning, the Lord sent word back saying that the war in Jincheng Commandery has basically ended."

"The Lord's troops have turned to Longxi Commandery. Originally, they were prepared to return directly to Jixian to withdraw the troops, but halfway through, the Baima Qiang Old King sent someone to find the Lord, hoping to negotiate with the Lord."

"The Baima Qiang Old King said he had some friendship with the Lady's father. One is to send someone to confirm if this is true, and the second is that the Lord decided to place the place of negotiation in the Lady's hometown, Lintao, and sent a letter for this reason." ===== CHAPTER 522 =====