Daming Town Haiwang

Chapter 70, the emperor is also poor
"This briquette that costs 2 cents a piece can actually earn millions of taels a year. What's going on?"

Emperor Hongzhi couldn't believe this figure either. He originally estimated that he might still lose money. For 2 cents a briquette, it had to be mined from the mountain, crushed, mixed with yellow mud, pressed into shape, plus Transportation and so on, all aspects of expenditure are very large, and it is good to be able to maintain the operation.

I didn't expect to earn 5 taels of silver in just the first half month. This is 5 taels of silver, not [-] Wen copper coins. The purchasing power of silver in this era is still very strong, and the silver from America is not yet big. scale inflow.

"Mr. Zhu, this honeycomb briquette is sold for 2 yuan a piece. It seems that it does not make money. Our profit is actually not high for this honeycomb briquette, but it depends on the quantity. If the quantity is large, the profit will be very considerable."

"This briquette is equipped with a briquette coal stove. It can be used for boiling water, cooking, heating, and making tea. It can be said that even if it is not winter, people's demand for it is still very strong."

"Every household uses it every day, among other things, in our Beijing city alone, there are hundreds of thousands of households and a population of millions. Each family burns 2 pieces of honeycomb coal every day, which is 4 Wen Money, the entire capital city will spend hundreds of thousands of briquettes on this day, a business worth nearly a million Wen."

"Calculating the honeycomb coal that will be used in the entire Beijing city on this day, it costs several thousand taels of silver. It is really nothing for us to earn 5 taels in half a month."

"Now our output is still limited, and coal stoves are not popular enough. When everyone uses honeycomb coal and our output can keep up, we can earn more money every month."

"Mr. Zhu just wait for the day to make money."

Qian Youcai smiled, and then began to calculate the account for Emperor Hongzhi with his fingers. It was only a simple calculation, and everyone present realized that this seemingly inconspicuous briquette actually had such a huge potential hidden in it. profits.

"So that's it. It seems that the price has been set a bit higher."

Only then did Emperor Hongzhi suddenly realize, and then he thought about it and said.

Qian Youcai was taken aback by what he said, and he quickly said, "Mr. Zhu, the honeycomb coal at 2 yuan a piece is already very cheap. If the price is lowered, we may lose money. We are still relying on small profits. The more you sell, the more money you can make.”

While talking, Qian Youcai looked carefully at Emperor Hongzhi and Liu Jian, Xie Qian, Li Dongyang and others around him again. He really didn't understand why this Emperor Hongzhi had money but didn't make money. It was really puzzling.

"I'm just saying that~"

Emperor Hongzhi smiled and replied, in the past, he really didn't want to make money from this briquette, but now he knows that this briquette can earn millions of taels of silver a year, and he is the major shareholder, accounting for 6%. This briquette business alone can bring Emperor Hongzhi at least 60 silver in revenue a year.

With such a huge income, he, the emperor, is not calm anymore.

There is no way, the emperor is also poor, and the Ming court is even poorer.

He, Emperor Hongzhi, had been emperor for 10 years, and he only saved a million taels of silver by saving food and money. The annual tax revenue of Ming Dynasty would not exceed 300 million taels of silver, and the national treasury was actually empty most of the time. The kind that even mice don't bother to patronize.

This year's 60 taels of silver income, how could Emperor Hongzhi not be tempted, how could he give up easily, this is obviously impossible.

"That's good~ that's good~"

Qian Youcai wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was really afraid that this Mr. Zhu would say that he would cut the price again. He finally had a profitable business, and he was counting on this to save some money.

"Let's go to Xishan to have a look."

Emperor Hongzhi was in a good mood, with a smile on his face. After thinking about it, he was planning to go to Xishan to see Liu Jin. If it wasn't for Liu Jin, it would be a fool's dream if he wanted to earn 60 taels of silver a year.

Don't look at him as an emperor, claiming to be rich in the world, but in fact his life is really miserable, he can't bear to eat or wear, there is no way, he is really poor.

His own internal funds could not afford to save some silver, and the court was watching from top to bottom, always trying to get Emperor Hongzhi to use money from the internal funds to subsidize the national treasury.

Emperor Hongzhi could foresee that once the news spread, some ministers would probably write a letter the next day to include the proceeds from the coal into the treasury.

This money is hard-won, but it is like flowing water when spent. It can add 60 taels of silver a year.

"This Liu Jin is really a talent. Not only did he solve the problem of heating for the common people in winter, but he was able to make money, which is really rare."

On the way to Xishan, Emperor Hongzhi was in a good mood. Sitting in the carriage, he also smiled and talked to Liu Jian, Xie Qian, and Li Dongyang beside him.

"He is indeed a talented person. Of course, what is more important is that His Majesty has the insight to recognize real gold and know how to use it well. He also has a bodhisattva heart, loves the people like a child, and is thinking about the problem of ordinary people staying warm in winter. honeycomb."

Liu Jian also nodded with a smile, and then took the opportunity to flatter Emperor Hongzhi.

This time, Emperor Hongzhi was very useful. Thinking about it carefully, it was really because he cared about the heating of the common people in winter that he met Liu Jin in Qian Youcai's charcoal shop, and there was also the matter of briquettes.

Emperor Hongzhi and his party were walking towards the west mountain in a carriage, and just when they left the gate of Beijing, a little accident happened.

It turns out that the sky is freezing cold at this time, and the weather has become very cold. As in previous years, many people who cannot survive this winter will become refugees, and those who are closer to the city of Beijing will move towards the city of Beijing. coming.

After all, this Beijing city is the capital of the Ming Dynasty, with a large population, and it is also a place where rich and powerful people gather. When refugees come here, it is much easier than other places to beg, find a job, buy coolies, etc. I can always get a bite to eat and get through this winter.

As long as the winter is over, when the weather gets warmer and everything recovers in the coming spring, the most difficult winter will be over. These refugees will naturally return to the place where they came from, pick up their hoes again, and work hard in the fields. Work up.

However, this winter is really too cold. The number of refugees this time is much higher than before. They can be seen in every corner of the entire Beijing city. Now there are a few people gathered here at the gate of the city. Hundreds of refugees who want to enter the city.

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(End of this chapter)