Chapter 437 – The Great Outbreak of the Taiping Mansion

Many readers were still waiting for news in the tea house.

Especially after hearing that the Ma family’s father and son went to the county king’s residence to cause trouble, suddenly, the readers who usually live in deep seclusion, as if after the rain, spring up.

A few days ago held back too long, the brocade guards around the stalking of the readers, teaching people the wind.

So much so that everyone lived deep in their homes, and even when they did go out, they went to great lengths to avoid being recognized.

But now people can’t hold it in.

This is actually understandable, having been bullied and humiliated by the Brocade Guards like this on a daily basis, it’s hard to get a chance to vent.

This temple of the tea house, rare today this lively, the past do not like to open the mouth of the tea customers, at this time also have to open their mouths.

“I heard that His Majesty personally went there, such a big thing, it’s strange not to reach heaven. To say that the Ma family is really poor, it’s not easy for the family to produce a scholar, but in the end, it is unknown whether he is alive or dead. Hey, even fell into this kind of miserable situation.”

“Definitely dead.”

“Even the Scholarly Lord is like this, do we still have a chance to live?”

The crowd gritted their teeth, greeted the ancestors of the Brocade Guards in their hearts, and discussed with their mouths in a heated manner.

“If His Majesty doesn’t chastise even for such a great matter, then I see that the world is truly beyond redemption.”

“This is the Scholar Gong ah, now they Ma family father and son, break the boat ……”

As he was talking, someone suddenly came hurriedly, panting, “Oops, oops ……”

The crowd rose up with open arms or craned their necks to look at the visitor.

The man came up for air and said, “Scholar Gong …… has found …… it.”

The moment these words came out, the people in this tea house held their breaths, and each of them looked at this person with wide eyes.

“Found it, alive or dead?”

“Still alive.”

“This is also a great life, it must not have suffered much.” Someone revealed a look of concern.

“He went into business ……”

Once these words came out, the tea house was surprisingly quiet in vain, and it could be said that a needle could be heard.

Someone subconsciously coughed, then said, “No way, no way, who forced him to do that?”

“No one’s forcing it.”

“Heh …… nobody forced? A good scholar goes into business? This is possible? This must be the trick of the brocade guards …… but it is just a means to bend and beat.”

But this person’s face is strange: “At first Qixia side, no one believe. But then I heard …… heard …… Qixia dock there is a called Ma’s boat line, is this Scholar Gong’s industry, now we only know it, this Ma’s boat line, under the head of a dozen ships, listen to the merchants over there said, this business is not small, not to mention the other, just say This shipping line, I’m afraid the value of more than 100,000 taels of silver, if you really want to buy and sell, 200,000 taels of silver, people may not sell.”

The tea house was dead quiet again.

The crowd bowed their heads slightly, and there was a moment of silence.

Two hundred thousand taels of silver, only for the readers, even if they come from a good family, how many acres of land at home, but also do not dare to look at this two hundred thousand taels of silver as a joke.

As for the person who could come up with 200,000 taels of grain silver, even if all the people in this tea house were tied up, it might not be possible to extort such an amount from their homes.

You have to say that this Ma Yu is forced, but this value of people is enough to make anyone sweat.

But they still can’t figure it out, the good end of the scholar, should have entered the Hanlin, become the Hanlin Academy Cultivation, which is the dream of almost all the scholars, the people here, I’m afraid that even dare not think of such a thing.

But this Ma Yu was not interested in it, and even went to engage in the business that everyone despised the most.

Some people nerdily lowered their heads, very incomprehensible, and then hastily pulled out a few copper plate tea money, a look of tastelessness, will be accounted for and left.

Others were thoughtful and seemed to be pondering something.

Some even sighed, not knowing whether they were sighing at Ma Yu’s pity or lamenting themselves.

The lethality of this news was too strong, it was even more of a direct hit to one’s psychological defenses than the Brocade Guards arresting them directly and sending them into exile on a sea vessel.

After all …… all that horse Discovery did was voluntary.

There are readers, too, who are very confused.

Although such people are in the minority, they are, in the end, rushed away.

They could neither find an answer, nor could they resist looking for one.

When they arrived at Qixia, the Ma family’s mansion, everyone had already recognized it, after His Majesty’s personal visit, this Ma Yu became even more famous, and even the Di Di Newspaper, had informed about him.

Consequently …… here the cars and horses.

There were many merchants and businessmen who came, and many of them also wanted to cooperate, especially after determining Ma Yu’s identity, they always felt that investing and doing business with such a person was at least reassuring.

Scholarships, after all, are a guarantee of credit.

What’s more, his shipping business, began to have a sound and color, this Qixia’s shipping, has already had a place for Ma Yu.

Of course, there are quite a few readers.

Ma Yu was coming along for the ride.

For the merchants to come, he seemed very enthusiastic, doing business, but where there is an opportunity for cooperation, who is not willing to cooperate? Even if it is a small business, the size of the fly is a piece of meat.

Naturally, he was even more enthusiastic about treating the readers, and even personally went to the center door to greet them, ushering them in, and in the face of some people’s angry questions, he answered them one by one, until some people went away in a fit of anger.

Of course, there are a hundred kinds of people, each with its own differences, some people come purely to scold, and others, is to hope to relieve the doubts in the heart.

In the face of such a person, Ma Yu was extremely patient and explained: “Wuhu County King, on what basis is he favored by His Majesty? It’s nothing more than being a businessman. By doing this, I want to prove to the world that I, a scholar, can also be a businessman! Using the reasoning of the sages, one can still become the best in business. The way of the saints, as vast as the sea, I and other readers, nowadays from business is not as good as people, doing labor is not as good as people, only in the academy in the Hanlin, sleeve talk than people, this is why, many people shame me and other readers, a hundred useless.”

Ma Yu continued to elaborate, “The sages’ learning is more than just making articles. The more I read the Four Books and Five Classics, the more I feel that the learning of the sages is really profound and profound, thus, I have to fight for this breath, not to tell others that the readers are so marvelous, but to tell others that what other people can do, we, the readers, can do the same, and do it better than others.”

Come is a jiangxi to the capital to catch the examination of the scholar, he listened, pondering, and quite touched.

Ma Yu is the scholar, he went from business. But he this section, but the name is down, to say really ashamed, thus he said: “But the saint’s learning, can not talk about profit?”

“Why not?” Ma Yu said with a frank face, “Is it noble to read in the study hall every day? The sages said that cultivate oneself and align one’s family, rule the country and pacify the world, but many readers only think that they have read the Four Books and Five Classics in the study hall, and then they think of ruling the country and pacifying the world, but they don’t know that, in order to rule one’s country, one must first align one’s family, and this is the way of doing business, which is not the way of aligning one’s family? If you can’t even do such a thing, ruling the country and leveling the world, will it become empty talk?”

The man listened and was again thoughtful, apparently different from some of the ones who stormed off and brushed their sleeves off, and after a moment’s contemplation, he said, “Teachable.”

It also seemed sincere when those two words were said.

“Where is Brother Liu from in Jiangxi?”

“It is from Furuang County.”

Ma Yu thought for a moment and said, “Fuliang County, the ceramics here, on the contrary, are world-famous.”

The man humbly said, “Where, where.”

Ma Yu smiled and said, “Porcelain from Fuyang County, I heard that it is not expensive in Jiangxi.”

“Yes, if it was shipped to the capital, the price would at least double or more.”

Ma Yu said, “If it goes overseas, it will be at least five times as profitable.”

This scholar with the surname Liu froze.

Ma Yu as if he did not see the man’s surprised expression, then said: “Moreover, if the large-scale acquisition, the cost of the price can be even lower, if there are a few kilns in the Fuuliang County, a steady stream of freight to Nanjing, and then through the sea here, as I see …… is profiteering. ”

This scholar surnamed Liu hung his head slightly low, as if he was pondering over something.

Ma Yu said: “But …… that said, can really talk about it, but it is much more difficult, along the way need to go through a number of wharf transshipment, coupled with the difficulties of the government, this ship of porcelain, to be transported here, the cost can not be low. The most important thing is that there are too many uncertain places ……”

Liu surnamed readers pondered: “These things, said difficult and difficult, said easy and easy, students are the local scholar-gentry families of the Fuuliang County, is considered to have some prestige, if it is to repair the book to the local magistrate, or along the way of some of the wharf …… in fact, are good to point out that, in this case, the cost of the cost is afraid to be a lot lower! As for the kiln is also good to say, floating Liang County, there are official kilns and kilns, official kilns and regardless of the kiln, the most difficult kiln is coveted by the smallest …… students to think about this in fact do not have to worry about …… Liu’s in the local, always still have a few thin face.”

“The most difficult, but the transit, have to need the boat on the river, but also need to business guide …… But the business guide thing, can rest assured that the students have a fellow students, in the Jiangxi Transportation Department in the public work ……”

Ma Yu laughed: “If so, then it will be a huge profit. The boat thing is good, not only that, this boat from the floating Liang County, transported porcelain to, and so on the return trip, I have here from the various clans of pepper, sugar, and other goods, and can be transported back to Jiangxi to go on sale, so that, this round trip, will earn the silver of both ends.”

This Liu lifer heard, pondered: “Brother Ma means …… also need to distribute flowers, sugar and other Western specialties?”

“Naturally.”

“I’ll have to think about this one.” Lifu Liu said, “This is actually not difficult, it’s just a matter of preparing a few storefronts and inns in the prefectural and county cities. But it’s a breeze, the Liu family has, more or less, some access in the area of Gan Dong, so it’s always not a nuisance.”

Ma Yu was overjoyed, his eyes brightened, and he said, “If that’s the case, you and I will be able to make a profit out of this.”

Lifu Liu hesitated, “It’s just ……”

Ma Yu, however, said, “If this deal is done well, not to mention more than one or two million silver per year, it is a handful, and may earn more in the future.”

As soon as this statement was made, this Litigator Liu stopped making a sound.

Any lifer may be unassuming in the capital, but if he’s in his hometown, he’s bound to be a big shot.

After all, not to mention the fact that a lifer’s merit in the local area would have had the strength to influence local decision-making, not to mention the fact that a family that can provide for a lifer must also have deep connections in the local area.

So …… although there is no new government in Jiangxi, merchants and businessmen from business, it can be said that everywhere is inconvenient, but if the Liu family is willing to dye, things are much smoother.

At this time, Liu Zhuren thought about it and said, “This …… student has to repair the book and discuss the discussion with the family.”

“This is not urgent.” Ma Yu smiled as he took Lifu Liu’s arm and said, “In any case, Mister Ma is waiting for good news.”

This Mr. Liu is gone.

Ma Yu was in a rather happy mood, took a pen and ink, and wrote down the name of Liu Ju Ren.

This roster, there have been seventy or eighty names, this Liu Ju Ren is actually just one of them.

Ma Chao probed outside, and then slipped in, saying, “Brother, this lifer …… why are you so polite? We are not unable to buy porcelain, why do we need his family. Even if we acquire it in Qixia, naturally there are merchants and businessmen who will find a way to send this Furiang’s porcelain …….”

Hearing this, Ma Yu laughed and said, “Why, how is it on Father’s side?”

Ma Chao said, “Father is thinking of arranging the new mansion, next month, the family’s female family members will be going to the capital, and if they don’t arrange it early, I’m afraid it will be inconvenient.”

Ma Yu, however, said abruptly, “Father is a good judge of character.”

“What?” Ma Chao rubbed his head, looking bewildered.

Ma Yu smile, but is aside from the topic, said: “Acquisition of porcelain, acquisition of whoever is collected, in fact, the price is not very different.”

Still puzzled, Ma Chao said, “Then ……”

Ma Yu patiently said: “But this Liu Ju Ren, but the Fu Liang County of the family origin, the acquisition of porcelain here, we can earn a little less, but after cooperation with them, and can borrow their hands, we purchased back in the Western goods, penetration into the Gandong counties, Western specialties and goods …… Western specialties and goods are certainly worth money, but if you can not distribute out, is not.”

“The demand for these specialties in Taiping Province is indeed not small, but if we compete with other merchants in Taiping Province, over time, the profits are bound to be thin. If you want to really do well in this long-lasting business, you have to think of a way to open up new sales routes.”

Ma Yu paused, paced a few steps, then said: “This world, in addition to the Taiping Province, other places, are not the new government, goods transportation and distribution, much inconvenience, not only easy to be difficult, and if once encountered the official bandits, may be blood money. Not to mention the various prefectures, most of the merchants in Qixia are wary.”

“At this time, this Liu Ju Ren will be useful, his family is a big family in Gandong, where the squires of the various provinces and counties, if they are not his family’s in-laws, they may be worldly friends. As for the government side …… is often also friendly with the Liu family, they come to be responsible for the transshipment and distribution of our Western specialties, it is like creating a new market out of nothing.”

Ma Yu said, and smiled and nodded to the other names in the roster, continued: “There is this Changsha’s Wu, Changde’s Zhou, these people …… you don’t underestimate, if they are willing to cooperate with us, than many merchants and traders, the merchants and traders are proficient is the purchase and sale, and they are the head of the ground, other people can not do things, for them, but it is a breeze.”

Hearing this, Ma Chao came to a realization and said in amazement, “So big brother, you are pulling a good woman into the water.”

The smile on Ma Yu’s face instantly closed, and she couldn’t help but glare at him, scolding, “What nonsense are you talking about, this is a sale!”

Ma Chao was resentful, and hastened to apologize, fiercely, he remembered something, then said, “Big brother, you said that these readers, if they also do business, then they are in fact readers, or merchants?”

Ma Yu laughed and said, “Mouths may still be readers, but if there is really a day when their own interests are involved, they will stand with us.”

Ma Chao hemmed and hawed and said, “Understood, understood, our Ma family has become merchants. Hmph! In the future, no one should be a scholar, all of them should be merchants for me, lest they look down on us.”

Ma Yu only guffawed and didn’t respond.

…………

By the beginning of the spring of the following year, countless ships, sailing out to sea, and countless more, had returned.

At this time the Taiping Province, not to mention the county, that is, the town’s wharf, but also a large-scale, moored a variety of cargo ships, filling the river.

Prefect Gao Xiang, who has to deal with this water clogging on a daily basis, hardly touches his feet.

Thus, among the expenses of the Taiping government this year, the biggest expenditure is to clean up the silt of the rivers in various places, widen the surface of the rivers, and build new canals.

“Your Highness, this is the river situation for this year, please take a look at it.”

Gaoxiang sought out Zhang Anshi.

Zhang Anshi is not even look at, directly will be this charter aside, do not really care about: “These you to dispose of can, in fact, the king also can not read.”

In the past, when the amount of work was not large, Zhang Anshi could still read, but now, everywhere is the project, the need is countless manpower, machinery and money and food, Zhang Anshi only read the briefings, I am afraid that the day and night, can not see the end.

Consequently, he only left those bookkeepers in the governor’s office in charge of organizing the situation.

Zhang Anshi remembered something at this time, so he said, “How is the situation on the customs side?”

Gao Xiang said: “Already in the settlement. However, the customs, directly belongs to the county king’s residence, the subordinate side, many things do not dare to ask. Why don’t you ask Mr. Yu to come and ask?”

Zhang Anshi shook his head and said, “Forget it, he is also very busy, so many tax collectors, he has to watch, so many ships enter the harbor every day, I don’t know how many things.”

Gao Xiang smiled and said, “The next official also heard, heard that this is located in Mr. can be described as an iron face, everyone is afraid of him, he is under the tax collector, but also each and every one is not tolerant. Nowadays, the rumor is spreading up and down this Taipingfu, saying that …… he is not afraid of the brocade guards, but is afraid of the customs tax collectors.”

Zhang Anshi said, “Under the sky, if you want to make things happen, first of all, you need silver, and secondly, you need intelligence, without silver, everything is just empty talk, so this tax collector is more important than the brocade guards, and that’s not wrong.”

Zhang Anshi stood up, sighed, then said, “I now look forward to day and night, is this customs tax accounts, just this Yu Qian, now has not submitted accounts to, he is not anxious, this king is anxious.”

Gao Xiang looked at Zhang Anshi and said, “Why don’t you press the issue?”

“At his own pace.” Zhang Anshi shook his head and said, “Lest this king go and make a mess of things, it’s better to wait for him to deliver it himself.”