The task of artificial sheep breeding was thus assigned.
All that remained was to wait for some time to see if the ewes would indeed conceive.
Upon returning to the manor, Liu Meng and Wu Yong were already waiting in the front hall.
And behind Liu Meng stood a group of people, young and old. Judging by their attire, they were undoubtedly merchants. A quick glance revealed over a hundred of them.
Fang Er slapped his forehead.
My god! I was so engrossed in the breeding sheep that I completely forgot about these two matters!
He checked the time; it was already five in the afternoon.
Seeing Fang Er return, Liu Meng brought the merchants over to pay their respects, but Fang Er waved them off, stopping them.
Mengzi, take them to the front hall to wait, and Wu Yong, come with me.
Taking Wu Yong to the backyard, he retrieved a thick stack of letters from inside the house.
These letters must be delivered.
There were also ten chests in the room. Take them to the palace; they are for His Majesty.
Yes, Your Excellency!
Wu Yong collected the letters and carefully put them away.
Su Feng, Su Mu, help Wu Yong carry the chests out of the manor.
After giving his instructions, Fang Er returned to the front hall alone.
In the front hall, everyone was whispering to each other. Upon seeing Fang Er approach the entrance, Liu Meng directly shouted at the top of his lungs: "The Great General of Zhen Guo, the Duke of Shenyang County, has arrived!"
This fellow's antics made Fang Er pause for a moment. He hadn't realized Liu Meng had picked up Lai Yifa's style.
Greetings, Duke Fang!
The people in the hall quickly rose to bow to Fang Er.
Fang Er nodded to everyone as he walked towards the main seat. Reaching the chair, he turned to face the crowd and said with a smile.
Hahaha, I was tied up with official duties today, making all of you wait for so long. My apologies, my apologies!
After speaking, he cupped his fists and bowed.
There were too many people, and the front hall only had eleven chairs, one of which was Fang Er's main seat.
Therefore, only ten of the over a hundred people could sit, while the rest stood in groups of three or five behind the chairs.
Seeing this scene, Fang Er silently gave Zhao Gang a thumbs-up. Fortunately, the front hall was a full four hundred square meters, and the machine tools that had been placed there were moved to the side hall, otherwise, it would have been impossible to fit so many people.
Not at all, not at all, Your Excellency. It is our fortune that you have summoned us amidst your busy schedule, so waiting is only proper!
An old man sitting to Fang Er's left rose and returned the bow.
Hahaha, good!
Since that's the case, I won't stand on ceremony any longer. Let's get straight to the point!
Mengzi, have Bao Ju prepare a banquet. After we're done talking, I'll treat everyone present to a drink!
Liu Meng withdrew from the front hall upon hearing this.
Thank you for the imperial feast, Your Excellency!
The merchants rose again and thanked him.
This was the Duke of Shenyang County!
In those days, merchants were considered a lowly profession. When had they ever been treated with such respect by a Duke of the current dynasty?
Just thinking about it made them extremely excited.
Fang Er stood up and, amidst the confused gazes of the crowd, walked behind a nearby screen, took out several boxes of "Mai Dong" (a drink), and returned to his seat with one bottle in hand.
Everyone, there are refreshments prepared for you behind the screen. Please help yourselves. There are too many of you for me to serve personally.
Looking at the blue transparent bottle in Fang Er's hand, the merchants' eyes lit up, and they instantly left their seats and went behind the screen to fetch a bottle.
Then, returning to their original spots, they examined the bottles carefully. They were not made of gold, jade, iron, or wood, and they were quite different from the colored glaze sold in Chang'an.
How magical!
Fang Er raised the bottle in his hand towards the crowd and gently twisted the cap open.
Come, twist it like me, and the cap will open. You've all waited all day, take a sip of water to moisten your throats.
For the matters that follow, I will speak, and you will listen first. If you have any questions, feel free to speak your minds after I am finished!
Thank you for the water, Your Excellency. Please speak, we are all ears.
The crowd responded in unison.
After taking a sip of water, Fang Er placed the bottle on a nearby table.
The court is preparing to open a market in Shenyang. I believe this news has already reached your ears.
I have summoned you all here today for this very reason.
I will simply explain the rules of the market.
All large transactions must be conducted within the market, registered, and taxes paid truthfully.
For anyone who conceals information, falsifies records, engages in monopolistic practices, or evades taxes, do not blame me for my frankness. All such offenders will have their property confiscated and be exiled!
I will give you the time it takes for one stick of incense. Those who can accept these rules, please stay. If you feel you cannot accept them, you may leave now.
After speaking, Fang Er sat back in his chair and quietly observed the reactions of the people below.
As soon as his words fell, there was a moment of silence in the hall.
Then, a man in his thirties walked out from among the crowd. He first bowed, then cupped his hands and said.
Your Excellency, Liao Dong still has four years of tax exemption. Is it not a bit inappropriate to collect taxes at this time?
Tax exemption only refers to agricultural taxes. Commercial taxes have never been mentioned for reduction or exemption!
Therefore, there is nothing inappropriate about it.
Fang Er looked at the others and continued, "Does anyone else have any questions? Speak up early if you have any, and if you can't accept it, you can leave."
There were no fools present. If they left this door today, they likely wouldn't be able to stay in all of Liao Dong by tomorrow.
Seeing that no one spoke, Fang Er nodded.
It seems everyone here is a law-abiding merchant!
Then let's get to the main course!
With that, he took out a piece of paper from his pocket and passed it around for everyone to see.
It was a sketch drawn with a 2B pencil, clearly detailing the size and planned layout of the market.
The entire market covered over 200 mu, located east of the main road leading out of the city to the north.
Further east of the market were the planned residential areas, hospitals, schools, and other buildings.
The entire area was named Shenyang New District by Fang Er, with a total area of 1,500 mu, approximately one kilometer in length and width, almost a quarter of the size of the current Shenyang city. It certainly lived up to its name as a new district.
As the people looked at the map and compared the size of the new district with that of Shenyang city, they were all stunned by this grand undertaking.
Your Excellency, may I ask how the shops in the market will be sold?
Old ginger is the spiciest. The old man to Fang Er's left, after looking at the map, stood up immediately and asked.
Only for rent, no sale!
Fang Er shook his head.
Sell? That would be foolish. We don't lack money now, so why would we sell?
Then may I ask how one rents, Your Excellency?
The old man was Liu Huzui, the largest fur merchant in Shenyang. Previously, the fur trade in Shenyang was dominated by the Wang family of Taiyuan.
To secure the monopoly on furs, the Wang family had also purchased over 200,000 in national debt.
In the end, the Wang family was gone, and thus, no one brought up the fur monopoly anymore. Liu Huzui was a dark horse who emerged during this period.
By simply monopolizing fifty percent of Shenyang's fur business, he had earned no less than three thousand guan in the past two to three months.
If he could rent a good shop in the market, it was conceivable that the profits would be immense.
The sheepskins and cowhides from the grasslands were highly sought after in the Central Plains.
The rent is also the reason I have summoned you all today.
The market is divided into four areas, and each area is further divided into two halves.
One half is reserved for the various tribes of the grassland, and the other half is reserved for you.
Excluding the roads, this portion totals ninety mu. It is divided into half-mu units, and you will decide the rent.
Everyone present can make an offer, and the highest bidder gets it.
What do you all think?