Green Mountain
Chapter 131 - 96, Industry_2

Chapter 131: 96, Industry_2

One of the happiest things in youth was doing something together with friends.

And what could be happier than succeeding in that very thing?

He saw the smile on Liang Mao’er’s face and, almost unconsciously, his own lips curled slightly, as if the days of his youth were passing over him once again.

But as he watched, the light in Liang Gou’er’s eyes dimmed again. He tugged at the brim of his hat, completely covering his face beneath the straw hat.

"Chen Ji."

At that moment, Prince Jing spoke up, his command stopping all laughter abruptly.

The Princely Heir and Liang Mao placed Chen Ji gently on the ground. Chen Ji straightened his disheveled clothes and said calmly, "Please speak, Prince."

Prince Jing, however, held a brick he had knocked down, his fingers brushing over the cement clinging to it, "Let’s talk about this business deal. Since you are close friends with Yunxi and Bai Li, I won’t take advantage of you. I offer a flat rate of five thousand silver taels for your cement formula."

Chen Ji fell into deep thought.

Seeing him not answer, Prince Jing said earnestly, "The Lianghuai Salt Administration barely brings in 950,000 silver taels a year, while the court’s annual revenue is just 550,000 silver taels. Five thousand silver taels can afford an ordinary person a lifetime of glory and riches. Don’t miss out on this overwhelming fortune."

She Dengke slowly looked at Chen Ji, his voice trembling, "Chen Ji, five thousand silver taels!"

Liu Quxing was also visibly tempted: What did five thousand taels mean? An ordinary civil servant, with all the hospitality and gift-giving, spent no more than one hundred silver taels a year!

Not to mention these two apprentices being tempted, even Bai Li felt that his father was being quite generous this time.

Yet, Chen Ji began to laugh, "The Prince is setting a trap for me."

Prince Jing raised an eyebrow, "Explain."

Chen Ji meticulously calculated, "The Prince says the court’s annual income is 550,000 silver taels, but does not mention that the court’s finances are primarily in-kind grain payments, which when converted to silver, could be tens of millions of taels. The Prince says the Lianghuai Salt Administration only yields 950,000 a year, but does not bring up the entrenched malpractice in the Lianghuai Salt Administration, and the embarrassment of failing to collect taxes."

Prince Jing’s smile slowly faded.

Chen Ji continued, "The Prince also didn’t mention that in the Ning Dynasty, families like the Liu Family, a civil servant family, control a whole province’s finances, with seventy percent of the proceeds entering the Liu Family’s coffers, and only the remaining thirty percent going to the court. The Prince uses the court’s revenue to mislead, I can hear the beads on your abacus clacking from five thousand miles away."

He looked at Prince Jing sincerely, "The Prince and I both know the value of this cement. Let’s have an open and honest discussion."

Prince Jing stared intently at Chen Ji as if trying to see into the soul of this young man before him, but Chen Ji neither avoided nor hid, simply waiting for his answer.

Prince Jing suddenly laughed, turning to Wang Kezhi, "Have you learned the formula?"

Wang Kezhi honestly replied, "We have, Dr. Chen didn’t avoid us."

Prince Jing nodded, "Good, we can modify the kiln ourselves, and we can also produce the cement ourselves. There’s no need to bother Dr. Chen further."

Bai Li’s eyes widened, "Dad?!"

Prince Jing folded his arms and chuckled, "Bai Li, do not interfere. Cement involves national policy; it cannot be controlled by a few young men. Nowadays, the court’s treasury is strapped for cash; offering five thousand silver taels is already my utmost sincerity. If you are willing to accept, good; if not, then there’s nothing I can do."

The Vassal Prince, in not being able to outmaneuver a mere apprentice, resorted to shameless tactics.

Chen Ji earnestly said, "Prince, this matter is too significant. I must return to the Chen Family to consult. If Mr. Chen Liqin cannot make a decision, then he should write to the head of the Chen Family to inquire whether they are interested in this deal and how much they think I should sell it to you for."

Prince Jing’s smile once again faded, "Didn’t you not want to return to the Chen Family?"

Chen Ji’s eyes were sincere, "I can go back."

Prince Jing was silent, seriously weighing the pros and cons. After a moment, he looked at Chen Ji and asked, "What did you just say?"

Chen Ji replied, "I must return to the Chen Family to consult?"

"The sentence before that."

Chen Ji recalled, "Let’s have an open and honest discussion?"

"Good."

Chen Ji: "..."

Prince Jing paced with his head down in the kiln factory, and when he looked up again, he candidly discussed the pros and cons, "Chen Ji, you are very intelligent, so you must know this business is impossible for you to conduct successfully on your own, and it may even cost you your life."

Bai Li frowned, "Father, don’t scare people..."

Chen Ji raised his hand to stop Bai Li, "The Prince is right. Wealth stirs the heart, and the path to profit is always bloody and cruel."

Prince Jing nodded, "You haven’t been blinded by profit, which is good. Then you should also understand that even if you bring the cement back to the Chen family as a bastard, the legacy will not end up in your hands, but will be divided by the main and second branches of your Chen family. Thus, your best option is actually Prince Jing Mansion, where at least we conduct our affairs more fairly than they do."

Chen Ji acknowledged, "I understand."

Prince Jing looked at Chen Ji, about to say more when he saw a carriage slowly come to a halt at the kiln factory entrance.

Everyone looked and saw Old Yao being helped slowly down from the carriage by the coachman.

Old Yao walked leisurely to the group, scanning the faces of all present before asking, "What are you discussing that is so solemn?"

Liu Quxing quickly said, "Master, the Prince wants to buy Chen Ji’s cement formula!"

Old Yao made a sound of realization, "How much did the Prince offer?"

Liu Quxing answered, "Five thousand taels, but Chen Ji has not agreed, and the argument is at a standstill."

Old Yao made another sound, then took six copper coins out from his sleeve, tossed them onto the ground, and then turned to Prince Jing, "Five thousand taels per year."

"How much?!"

Liang Gou’er suddenly sat up, his straw hat falling to the ground.

Bai Li was stunned; the valuation of the cement had changed from a one-time five thousand silver taels to five thousand taels annually?

Old Yao looked at Prince Jing, speaking slowly, "You will not suffer a loss by purchasing this item."

After saying that, he turned to Chen Ji, "That’s enough. No matter how much more money there is, you won’t be able to keep it."

Everyone silently looked at Prince Jing, fearing that such a steep demand might enrage the influential Vassal Prince.

But Prince Jing suddenly smiled and said, "Deal."

Chen Ji was stunned.

Deal?

Just like that?

Chen Ji looked quickly at his mentor, not understanding what kind of relationship his skinny master had with Prince Jing to persuade him this way, changing the price from a one-time offer of five thousand taels to five thousand taels annually.

This relationship was surely not something that could be summed up in a few sentences.

"Master," Chen Ji asked, "Did you come here specifically to help me?"

Old Yao glanced at him, "Why such a big ego? I just came to see what you were getting up to."

Chen Ji: "... Oh."

At this moment, Liu Quxing looked at She Dengke, disbelieving, "I’m not dreaming, right? Five thousand taels annually?"

She Dengke punched Liu Quxing in the chest, causing him to cough several times, "Does it hurt?"

"You son of a bitch!"

Liu Quxing was about to lunge at She Dengke when Prince Jing raised a hand to stop him, "Wait, let me finish. The five thousand taels annually is not without conditions. Besides the cement formula, I want the carburization steel-making technique."

Chen Ji smiled, "All right."

He wasn’t greedy; he just wanted to secure a stable enterprise to sustain the teachings of the Mountain Lord Sect’s Scripture.