After reaching this conclusion, Zhu Mo smiled again, "Brother Taiyue, what you say makes sense... Imperial kilns, with oil scraped off at every level, it's normal for one or two pieces out of ten to be substandard..."
Oh? Zhang Juzheng was taken aback, and he also smiled, "Zi Xuan misunderstands... A few days ago, I had Shen Chun check the cellar stores, and there were still hundreds of thousands of substandard pieces... I also asked those folk kiln owners who sell substandard goods; their annual business is over ten thousand pieces, and their profit is hundreds of thousands of taels of silver... Zi Xuan, after the imperial kilns are rectified, there will still be substandard goods, and selling them will still be necessary... I think we should continue selling them, but collect a two-percent tax. This way, the imperial court will have another considerable source of income, what do you think?"
Oh, Zhu Mo chuckled and said, "That would be excellent."
In his heart, he thought: You truly are the child prodigy Zhang. With you saying this, I naturally can't stop you, but how much will you profit from this business? You, Zhang Taiyue, may not love money, but you love power. By opening this channel, how many factions can you win over... Zhu Mo could do nothing about this. After all, Zhang Juzheng was an old scholar-official; without money, he couldn't build his own power base.
Moreover, they were currently in a period of cooperation, and the anti-Yan reforms were the top priority. This minor matter was indeed not a big deal. At worst, if they fell out in the end, it could be revoked with a single document.
At that moment, the two had no further disagreements. They talked about the rectification of the imperial kilns for a while, and then, riding at full speed, they arrived at the Ci Ren Temple the following afternoon.
Shen Shixing was a noble young master from Southern Jiangsu and was very adept at dealing with foreign merchants. He was accustomed to all sorts of luxury. The foreign merchants, in turn, felt it was more comfortable dealing with him than with Yang Jin or Shen Yishi.
Zhang Juzheng and Zhu Mo exchanged a smile, both with the same thought in mind: they were both from humble backgrounds, and they couldn't compare to these young masters in handling such matters.
At this point, he gathered the foreign merchants at the large silk warehouse in Huating. This was originally just a warehouse, but Zhu Mo and Zhang Juzheng had them convert it into a "trading post," equipped with many yamen runners and silk shop clerks. Although newly established, it had already taken shape, with over ten streets, each having hundreds of shops, most of which were rented to workshops of various sizes. Whether merchants needed to source goods or workshops needed to sell products, all transactions were unified here. Firstly, it was to preempt smuggling, and secondly, it was to facilitate tax collection. After all, customs duties were essential. They couldn't let other countries grow rich from tariffs while Da Ming foolishly engaged in free trade, could they?
This was the first large-scale trade fair, attracting not only many foreign merchants but also a constant stream of merchants from all over. The entire trading street was crowded, bustling with people. Many sample silks were displayed, along with numerous finished embroideries, showcasing the utmost craftsmanship. Among the foreign merchants, five or six were from Nanyang, two or three were Hui people, and one or two were from the West. Shen Shixing led them on a tour, accompanied by four or five interpreters. Although there were occasional awkward moments, overall, both hosts and guests were pleased, and everyone was smiling. Zhu Mo and Zhang Juzheng, despite being high officials, were dressed as scholars. They simply followed along, unable to interject.
When Shen Shixing mentioned that this place had been besieged by Japanese pirates just a few months prior, the foreign merchants gritted their teeth in hatred. It was at this moment that Zhu Mo and Zhang Juzheng were also discussing the siege, talking about the performance of the Frankish artillery. A merchant, who had been following them for quite some distance, heard Zhu Mo elaborating on the cannon battle at Zuibai Pond and immediately realized who they were, exclaiming, "He is Zhu Mo!"
"Everyone, look quickly! He is Zhu Mo!"
A ripple, a surge! The crowd swarmed, and many surrounded them, seeing a young scholar chatting animatedly with a middle-aged man with a long beard.
"The Iron Bodhisattva cannons that lifted the siege were his!"
"This Huating street was also his idea!"
"He's the one who relieved the siege of Huating!"
"Such a young person has stirred up such a great storm..."
"Those who have always reformed, I thought they had three heads and six arms, but it turns out they are just young people..."
"Heh heh, they say Zhang Liang was as handsome as a woman; it's not surprising for someone like Zhu Mo..."
"That long-bearded man must be Zhang Taiyue..."
This was a gathering place for medium to large merchants. They spoke like no ordinary commoners, each having some experience of the world and not prone to surprise. Zhu Mo looked up and was startled to see so many people surrounding him. Shen Shixing saw the foreign merchants were also extremely surprised, and several of them had guessed that these two Ming dynasty scholars behind him were the planners of the Ming silk industry, their eyes widening. Just as he was about to formally introduce them to the foreign merchants, Zhu Mo quickly waved his hand, pulling Zhang Juzheng into a nearby wine house to hide. After hiding for a while, the murmuring gradually subsided.
This commotion echoed through several streets for a while, and the discussions gradually quieted down. Sitting upstairs, Zhu Mo and Zhang Juzheng looked out and chatted about taking the foreign merchants to Jiujiang. However, their attention was inadvertently drawn by some conversations:
"In previous years, it was all at the Directorate of Weaving, but this year it's changed to Huating..."
"Those under Director Yang don't get any perks this year..."
"Don't talk about those clerks; even Mr. Shen is having a tough time this year..."
"Heh heh, fortune turns, and no one can blame anyone."
"But are they willing? Don't you know? Boss Xu, Boss Shen, they can't supply goods anymore. Even if they do, the profit isn't what it used to be."
"That's true. With Zhu Mo and Zhang Juzheng doing this, their people are finished..."
"I heard the people at the Directorate of Weaving are cursing, saying that Zhu Mo's reforms are unfair and they can't make a living anymore..."
"Who cares? Do you believe these people won't have food?"
Both of them were secretly alarmed. Zhang Juzheng thought: It seems the Directorate of Weaving in Jiangnan will have trouble sooner or later, and Yan Shifan is probably already making his move... Zhu Mo, however, saw a more dangerous layer: the status of the Directorate of Weaving will be weakened in the future. Who will provide money for Jiajing? The businesses have all been taken by the Huating Trading Post, and the large workshops have been taken by small workshops. Then what about the palace's demand? If funds are directly allocated from the official monetary system, it would be improper and illegitimate. But if the Directorate of Weaving is allowed to continue recruiting large workshops to do the work, then what's the point of the reforms? It seems the reform of the Directorate of Weaving, like the imperial farms, imperial factories, and imperial pastures, is getting closer at critical moments.