Wang Caozhi, Shopkeeper Ma and other wealthy businessmen looked at each other after listening.
"I see."
They looked at the drawings being passed around and couldn't help but ask:
"So what Mr. Ouyang means is..."
Ouyang Rong nodded: "Isn't it just 'Gold Sheng Shui'? I can do it too."
He pointed to the twin peaks outside the city and said calmly:
"There was nowhere to place the Donglin Giant Buddha in Xunyang City, so I cut the two peaks on the west side of the city in half to divert the Xunyang River to flow through it.
"At that time, grottoes will be dug on the mountain walls on the east and west sides to create a grand scene where mountains and rivers are interdependent and metal and stone generate water.
"Please take a seat at the Donglin Giant Buddha!"
The whole audience could hear the needle drop.
Ouyang Rong's words were sonorous and powerful, and the lingering sounds of the last few words echoed in the box.
Wang Caozhi and other wealthy businessmen had some shock in their eyes.
They looked at each other, not knowing what to say for a moment.
Wang Caozhi couldn't help but smile bitterly and put down his chopsticks:
"My brother-in-law is a bit too ambitious. He made such a plan and prepared for a rainy day, especially..." He sighed: "He also understood the thoughts of the Holy Sage so well and followed the trend."
Ouyang Rong shook his head, his expression unchanged.
Wang Caozhi lowered his head, looked at the drawings and slips, and asked:
"Brother-in-law, what do you need us to do?"
"money."
Ouyang Rong's words are simple and shocking.
In the first half of the year, floods occurred in many counties in Jiangzhou, with half of the county submerged and the government warehouses empty.
Except for the Broken Wing Canal in Longcheng County, which turned a profit, the state and county finances were tight and they couldn't squeeze out much money.
The court couldn't help much either.
If nothing else goes wrong, after the Yuanzheng and Winter Solstice holidays, Empress Wei calmed down the opposition.
The decree to build the Donglin Buddha will arrive at the desk of the Jiangzhou lobby, and an envoy from Luoyang will be sent to supervise it.
The construction of the Donglin Giant Buddha was promoted by Empress Wei.
Master Di and the princes of the Zhengshi Hall will definitely not give much money for the construction.
She might donate some token money, but it's still far from enough.
And without the intervention of Ouyang Rong and others, based on past experience, Jiangzhou and several surrounding states would probably be required to increase taxes, or assign officials, transfer responsibilities, and recruit civilians.
Although the people of Longcheng County were saved from a lifetime of mediocrity by the empress.
But what about the people in other counties in Jiangzhou?
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips.
Therefore, he and Jiangzhou Hall need to make advance preparations before this happens.
Now that we have all the feasible plans, we just need the money.
This is also the reason why Ouyang Rong called everyone here tonight.
Wang Caozhi, Shopkeeper Ma, Shopkeeper Li and other wealthy businessmen had experienced cooperation with Zheyiqu, so they naturally knew what Ouyang Rong meant, and there was a tacit understanding between the two parties.
The box was quiet for a while.
Ouyang Rong suddenly raised his hand and dipped it in tea in front of everyone.
He wrote down a series of numbers on the table that he had already calculated and streamlined to the point where he knew them by heart.
This is the financial gap for Jiangzhou Hall to dig canals and build the Grotto Buddha.
Everyone glanced at it and pondered for a moment. Wang Caozhi kneaded the secrets with his fingers under his sleeves, calculated, and nodded slowly:
"Brother-in-law, this gap is a bit big. Compared with the Broken Wing Canal in Longcheng County, we alone may not be able to fill it this time."
Ouyang Rong smiled: "No, no, no, this is not a gap, it is a pastry."
He carefully corrected:
"Of course, no matter how big your appetite is and how much cake you want to eat, if you can't eat it, you can call some friends from the same hometown who have strong financial resources to come over.
"I actually don't like meeting new friends, but you are old friends who have been with Longcheng all the way. You left early in the middle of the trip, so I can naturally trust you."
The index finger points to the number written on the table with water stains:
"So you all have an opportunity to recommend someone to me to add a chair to the next dinner party in this box and share this big cake together."
Ouyang Rong smiled half-heartedly, brushing off the water-stained numbers with his palms.
Shopkeeper Ma, Shopkeeper Li and other wealthy businessmen opened their eyes slightly. They looked at each other in unison, and they all saw the light in each other's eyes.
Recommend someone to get a seat for the next dinner in this box?
Isn’t it the friendship of a governor of Jiangnan Province?
Moreover, he is a young man with a prosperous official career and a bright future.
This gift is not a big one.
However, some people are more interested in Ouyang Rong's pastry remarks.
Wang Caozhi looked over and asked curiously: "Brother-in-law, you said this is dividing cakes. What do you mean? Isn't it just a small loss and a big profit?"
A series of glances came quickly.
Ouyang Rong slowly poured a cup of tea and tasted:
"After reading the plan and calculating the accounts, do you think that if you invest money in shares this time, you can only make a small loss, or at most protect your capital?"
Wang Caozhi and others looked hesitant, nodded, and then shook their heads. The tall shopkeeper Ma couldn't help but say:
"Sir Ouyang, we are all familiar with each other, so I won't hide my words when I speak. Please forgive me if I am offended."
"Well, you tell me." Ouyang Rong said calmly.
"Sir Ouyang, if we only dig the canal with the two peaks, we can still make money. The successful experience of the Zheyi Canal is there, and we can just copy the gourd.
"After the canal is dug and the two sides are so wide, some ferries must be built there. After the Xunyang Grottoes are built, they will be able to attract some literati from afar...
"Master Ouyang must have a plan for this kind of business opportunity. If this is the case, if the business continues, we can slowly recover our capital, even though we will have to earn some hard-earned money.
"After all, this new canal is located far outside the city. It is definitely not as important as the Zheyi Canal. The new ferry built cannot prosper as quickly as Tanlang Ferry and divert the passenger flow of Xunyang Ferry."
Shopkeeper Ma shook his head and said in a regretful tone:
"Xunyang Ferry is already the golden ferry with the best location in this section of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. It is difficult to replace it."
Ouyang Rong praised: "Shopkeeper Ma's analysis is good."
Shopkeeper Ma nodded and smiled, then turned a bit bitter:
"It would be good if we just dig the canal to control water and benefit the people, but there is also the construction of the Xunyang Grottoes later, which is a real loss-making business."
This experienced shopkeeper who has traveled all over the world shakes his head:
"I can see that Mr. Ouyang has tried to reduce costs as much as possible.
“For example, the location of the selected twin peaks is very close to Xingzifang, where a large number of civilian workers gather.
“For example, we can only excavate grottoes and build giant Buddhas leaning against mountains and rivers to save costs.
“But this time, the Donglin Giant Buddha was built according to the highest standards of praying for the country and blessing the great Zhou Dynasty.
"Master Ouyang also said that we need to melt and cast copper and iron, grind gold powder, and cast a hundred-foot golden body.
"All of this will be spent for nothing, alas."
Shopkeeper Ma sighed, and Wang Caozhi and others also fell silent, looking a little embarrassed.
"The calculation is correct."
Ouyang Rong nodded, took a bite of the dish with chopsticks, and chewed it twice.
Without waiting for disappointment to show on everyone's faces, he suddenly spoke:
"But who said that we have to pay all the money to build the giant Buddha? And who said that only a few giant Buddhas were built at a huge cost."
"What does this mean?" Everyone was stunned.
Ouyang Rongzhi pointed to Kuanglu Mountain in the distance outside the window and asked with a smile:
"There is not only one Donglin Temple in Jiangzhou, nor is the Lotus Pure Land Sect the only one.
"There are so many noble and proud eminent monks and celebrities in Kuanglu Mountain, and there are many famous temples and ancient temples with huge private wealth.
"Seeing that this small Donglin Temple that came out of a poor ravine is so popular, how can we be convinced that the Donglin Giant Buddha is being built right under our noses at the most conspicuous place on the bank of the Xunyang River?"
Ouyang Rong put down his chopsticks and blinked:
"Its small Donglin Temple can build the Donglin Giant Buddha. I will also build a Xilin Giant Buddha. Why can't I build the Beilin Giant Buddha?"
"At most, it lacks the emperor's writings and the official documents of the Ministry of Rites. It cannot be built higher than the Donglin Buddha, and it cannot occupy the centermost throne on the shore.
“There is no way to compete in terms of height, location, etc.
“But there is no rule that it cannot exceed it in terms of exquisiteness and meticulousness, as well as inscriptions and murals, Yi Que Buddhist niches, tribute incense, etc.
"Well, I was robbed of the limelight because their skills at Donglin Temple are not as good as others. Their Buddhist, Taoist, and Zen methods are not as exquisite and magnificent as our temple's. I can't blame anyone for that.
"There is no way to complain to His Majesty, who worships the Buddha."
Everyone opened their mouths slightly and looked at Ouyang Rong who was smiling slightly and said leisurely:
“Therefore, the Xunyang Grottoes did not simply complete the task of building a Donglin Buddha.
"In addition to the nearest Kuanglu, eminent monks from any temple in the whole Jiangnan and the world can come to us to build the Buddha of our sect. They can also promote Mahayana Buddhism in this Jiangnan Road, which has the most developed water transport passenger flow and is a prominent place in the world!"
He nodded:
"You are all in business. There are some truths that I should not elaborate on. As the scale of this statue increases, the cost of building a single statue will naturally decrease."
Ouyang Rong stopped and leaned back in his chair comfortably. He looked at the smart businessmen with a half-smile:
"Shopkeeper Wang, Shopkeeper Ma... do you still think that building the Xunyang Grottoes is a loss-making business?"
"Wonderful!" Shopkeeper Ma, who had hesitated before, suddenly stood up and exclaimed:
"Why didn't you think that those eminent monks in Kuanglu and those famous temples in the south of the Yangtze River are full of incense, but they don't know how much wealth they have hidden away.
"And these bald donkeys spend the most money on Buddhism. If we cause them to compete with each other and build statues first...
"Then we not only control costs, but we also have a lot of room for operation!"
Shopkeeper Li laughed, twisting his beard and adding:
"Furthermore, once the Xunyang Grottoes are completed, they will gather the sculptures of giant Buddhas from all sects in Jiangnan Province, and even all over the world. Wouldn't it become a spectacle? Since the folk Buddhism in Jiangnan Province is so widespread, how can we worry about the lack of pilgrims in the future?
"In this way, hey, if we dig a new ferry by the Xun River, we can regain a lot of blood."
A group of wealthy businessmen straightened up, their eyes shining.
Some people even stood up and wandered excitedly,
They wished they could immediately put the money of the Kuanglu monks into their own pockets.
Wang Cao looked at Ouyang Rong with a convinced expression and said with emotion:
"Brother-in-law, it turns out that you want to make money from these bald donkeys. You are not competing for profits with the people, but robbing the rich and giving to the poor.
"With such a large construction like the Xunyang Grottoes, and with so much money spent during the construction process, the workers in Xunyang City will definitely be able to work without worries for a period of time, and even because of the shortage of workers, wages will rise.
"There are also those eminent monks and celebrities in Kuanglu Mountain. If Xi falls into this trap, he will probably be manipulated by his brother-in-law later."
Ouyang Rong glanced at Wang Caozhi who was drawing inferences, and shook his head slightly: "These are not the most important."
Wang Caozhi paused and asked doubtfully: "Then what is the most important?"
Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes and whispered:
"Xunyang City has not been expanded for a long time, mainly because the urban area has expanded to the extreme of the current terrain.
"The terrain in Xingzifang in the outermost area is already very low, and it is frequently troubled by flooding in the Xunyang River every summer. Going further out, the terrain outside Xicheng is even lower, and the flooding is more serious, making it difficult to live for a long time.
“These are the main obstacles restricting the expansion of Xunyang City. Either it will not be built or it cannot be built.
“But now, once the double peaks can be excavated and the water in Xunyang can be dredged, the flooding problem around Xunyang City will be completely solved.
"Then abandon the city wall and let Xingzifang gradually expand, even to the point where it can extend all the way to the Xunyang Grottoes at the top of the twin peaks.
"In other words, we can directly follow Xingzifang, re-plan, and build a new square.
"It just so happens that the construction of the Xunyang Grottoes requires a lot of civilian labor to be stationed near the Shuangfeng Peak. The construction work is in full swing day and night, which will definitely attract ordinary people and merchants to set up stalls... In addition, there is also the transportation of materials from all parties, which can make
The surrounding areas prospered rapidly, which in turn promoted the prosperity of Xunyang Ferry and the whole city.
"All of the above can be used as a starting point for the expansion of Xunyang City to the west gate area. This is a time-consuming process, but it is an opportunity for Xunyang City to take off again."
Ouyang Rong nodded calmly:
“Who said that the new ferry in the future cannot gradually replace Xunyang Ferry?
"The century-old plan of Xunyang City started from the Xunyang Grottoes!"
As soon as this statement came out, everyone was shocked.
Wang Caozhi, Shopkeeper Ma, Shopkeeper Li and others were stunned and silent, thinking about it.
The whole place fell into silence.
…
"Are you sure you saw clearly? Is it the handsome Chang Shi?"
"Madam, it is the newly appointed Lord Chang Shi. Yes, I saw his noble face at the banquet where I received the wind and wash away the dust.
"My servant saw that he appeared in the building today in his regular clothes. He was very low-key. He walked into the private room called 'Peony' on the third floor and didn't come out for half an hour."
In a private box on the highest floor of Xunyang Tower, it was quiet for a moment, and then a woman's lazy voice sounded:
"Well, who is this young Master Changshi coming here to see? Do you see clearly?"
"They are some businessmen with unfamiliar faces. I have been following my wife for so long. I have never seen them in Xunyang City. They must be from other places. They are generous and wealthy."
"Are you a wealthy businessman from other places? How did you get connected with this Lord Chang Shi... Okay, you can retreat."
"Yes, ma'am."
In the private box, there is an ancient incense burner emitting curls of green smoke, and gold-inlaid tea sets are placed on the red sandalwood table.
A cup of cloud tea brewed with clear spring water from Gulian Spring emits hot tea mist.
I listened for a while to the melodious sound of pipa playing outside.
The noble lady wearing a purple lotus silk blew lightly on the tea mist and murmured with her red lips:
"This handsome young gentleman has finally come out. Why did he come to Xunyang Tower? Could it be that... someone wants to be one step ahead of the slave family?"