"Since the queen mother asked Gu Gu to take care of you and your uncle," Zhu Cihong collected the letter from Empress Zhou and said with a smile, "then Gu Dao really has a great deal that can make grandpa and uncle rich."

When he heard about making a fortune, Zhou Kui's eyes lit up, "What's a good deal? Can you tell me about it?"

"Grandpa, does he know about Shanghai's commercial port?" Zhu Cixiang asked back.

"I know!" Zhou Kui nodded, with an annoyed look on his face, "When Shanghai opened as a port, your mother wrote to me and asked me to buy more land in Shanghai's commercial port... It's a pity that I don't think so

The land there was too expensive, so I didn’t buy it, and now it’s increased tenfold!”

What, only ten times?

Zhu Cihong said in his heart: If you let me run it, it will have to increase at least a hundred times! No, I have to buy more land in Shanghai. I have to buy Nanjing Road, Huaihai Road, the Bund and so on, and then run it well...

...From now on, let’s be a real estate emperor in Shanghai!

"Now we have another chance!" Zhu Cixiang suppressed his desire to become a real estate emperor and began to fool his own grandfather, "Guazhou will be opened as a port soon!"

"Really?" Zhou Kui's eyes widened, "Why haven't I heard about it?"

Zhu Cixiang lowered his voice and said: "It's true, I am responsible for this...Grandpa, do you know what the topography of Guazhou is? The intersection of the canal and the Yangtze River! It is a crossroads on the water, and you can enter the sea to the east.

, you can reach Bashu to the west, Huai'an to the north, and Hangzhou to the south. It is really the hub of waterways in the world!

Once the port is opened, it will be as good as Shanghai! Grandpa, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Hurry up and buy as much land as you can near Guazhou, and you will definitely make money!"

Zhou Kui frowned, "The land near Guazhou belongs to Yangzhou salt merchants. I am willing to buy it, but they may not be willing to sell it!"

"Yes, absolutely yes!" Zhu Cihong said, "Because they are about to spend a lot of money!"

"Spend a lot of money?" Zhou Kui asked, "How big is it?"

Zhu Cixiang smiled and said: "It's so big that we need to sell off our land to raise it."

Zhou Kui frowned, "They have already given five hundred and fifty thousand taels..."

"How can you do it with such little as 550,000 taels?" Zhu Cixiang waved his hand, "Grandpa... your heart is still at peace!"

My heart is still peaceful? Zhou Kui thought to himself: Then I should ask those people how much they want?

Zhu Cixiang smiled and said: "Five hundred and fifty thousand taels is not enough to fill the dog hole...Grandpa, please return all the money immediately!"

Zhou Kuixin said: If we all withdraw, it will only be 2.55 million taels!

Zhu Cixiang glanced at him and said with a smile: "If Gu returns the money to them, they will have to double it, or even triple it, or triple it before sending it back! Their wealth and life are all in Gu's hands! How can Gu be willing to do it for them?"

Let them go with just 550,000 taels of silver?"

That's right! Zhou Kui also felt that Zhu Cixiang's words made sense. For such a good opportunity, only two million taels of black money was too little. He had to make at least four million taels!

"Okay!" Zhou Kui nodded heavily, "I'll return the money right now!"

After Zhou Kui directed a large group of domestic slaves to move boxes of silver out of the yard, loaded them on carts and left the governor's Yamen back house, Zhu Cixiang sent for Bai Xiu Niang.

"Xiu Niang, go see your father Bai Siwen right away and tell him not to give the emperor any more money... If you do, Gu Huitou will confiscate his home!"

In fact, what Zhu Cihong wanted to raid most was Zhou Kui's home - this old guy is so outrageous! The Yangzhou salt merchant paid Zhu Cihong 2.55 million, but he actually dared to eat 2 million! Who gave him this?

courage?

If Zhu Cixiang hadn't had the power this time, Zhou Kui's home in Suzhou would have been confiscated by Li Zicheng!

"I will definitely tell you this!" Bai Xiu Niang saw that Zhu Cihong was angry and quickly agreed.

"Also," Zhu Cixiang said again, "ask your father to tell the general manager again that he is not allowed to give any money to the abbot of the country... Only Gu can decide their life and death! Talk to them directly in three days. There is no need for Gu.

middleman!"

What is the most annoying thing about middlemen! If the profiteers below want to send money, just send it directly. Zhu Cihong is not afraid of impeachment by the censor!

"Master Qiansui," Bai Xiu Niang glanced at Zhu Cixiang and asked timidly, "Then...how much money will my father and the others prepare?"

Bai Xiu Niang knew that Zhu Youjian's trump card was 130 million taels!

"A family can prepare one million."

"Only one million?"

Zhu Cixiang nodded and said, "Yes, just one million, and I don't want their one million... This money is just a deposit for them to be the general merchant, and it can be deposited in the Salt Bank."

"Thousand-year-old Master," Bai Xiu Niang was a little worried, "Then how can you raise 130 million taels? Long-lived Master is still waiting!"

Zhu Cixiang saw that this woman was really thinking about himself, so he smiled and said to her: "Don't worry, 130 million is just a piece of cake for Gu... Don't forget, Gu still has something in his hands."

There are 50 million acres of land coupons!”

"But can these land coupons really be sold?" Bai Xiuniang was still a little worried.

"It can't be sold!" Zhu Cixiang laughed, "but it can raise 100 million taels of silver for Gu's Salt Bank!"

He paused and then said: "Xiu Niang, I want to raise 130 million taels of silver for the imperial court. I can't let your father and the others know about it yet!"

"I understand," Bai Xiu Niang said, "I must keep my mouth shut!"

...

The place where Zhu Cihong and the nine major salt merchants in Yangzhou (including Zheng Yuanhua) met directly for negotiation was Pingshan Hall in the Daming Temple at Zhongfeng in Shugang.

This time Zhu Cixiang brought "Twelve Golden Hairpins", five hundred fine cavalry, and a large number of eunuchs, palace maids, staff, and servants, almost a thousand people. The Huaidong Governor's Yamen in Yangzhou City was too small. Zhu Cixiang simply borrowed money to live in Shu.

He went to the Daming Temple on Shugang Mountain, which was much more spacious, quieter, and better for defense. He also planned to locate the headquarters of the Salt Bank on Shugang Mountain, so he had to choose a high ground to build a fortress for depositing money.

After it was completed, it was called Shugang Yinshan Fort to symbolize the strong credit of the Salt Bank!

On the first day he moved into Daming Temple, nine major salt merchants from Yangzhou were invited.

"Did the emperor return the money to you?"

Seeing the nine salt merchants finishing their salutes, Zhu Cihong asked about the money refund.

"Retreat, everyone retreats!"

The salt merchants nodded one after another. It seemed that Zhou Guozhang let Zhu Cihong fool him and vomited out all the fat in his mouth!

Zhu Cihong said: "I asked you to come because I have a big deal to do with you... If you want to do this business with me, then from now on, you don't have to give money to anyone other than me!

You are Gu's people, and Gu is the foundation of the Ming Dynasty and the future emperor! Isn't it enough for you to have Gu Gu look after you?"

Of course the salt merchants dare not say no... and Zhu Cixiang is indeed the biggest backer they can fawn over! More importantly, Zhu Cixiang is still in charge of them!

The magistrate of Yangzhou was Zhu Cihong, the governor of Huaidong was also Zhu Cihong, and the salt transport envoy of the six major capitals was also Zhu Cihong.

If you offend Zhu Cihong, the disaster of confiscating his house is just around the corner. The Donglin Party and the Nandu nobles are all far away and cannot extinguish Zhu Cihong's close fire.

But after fawning over Zhu Cixiang, at least no one can touch them now!

Zhu Cixiang saw a group of salt merchants who still knew the seriousness of the matter, so he smiled and said: "Gu De has stayed in the southeast for a long time. Long live the Lord's expeditions here and there. He spends a lot of money. Only Gu can raise money for him.

And if Gu wants to raise money, he can't leave Southeast. So you don't have to worry about having people deal with it after Gu leaves...at least for now, you don't have to worry."

He paused and then said: "Okay, I should tell you about the big deal... There are three big deals, and the first one is of course the subcontracting of salt!

The Gu will divide the world's salt industry into nine parts. Each part has a corresponding salt field and salt market. It is responsible for the salt affairs of one or two provinces, and will be fully contracted by one of you... Gu will only be responsible for four things.

The first is to collect salt taxes, the second is to control salt prices, the third is to suppress salt smuggling, and the fourth is to manage salt diversion. And if you want to get this contracting right, you have to deposit 1 million taels of cash in the Salt Bank as a guarantee.
Chapter completed!