Needless to say, the big businessmen in Suzhou who have been severely beaten by Boss Zhu are well-behaved and sensible, and understand the value of having a solid backer.
Unlike those wealthy people at the Laba Banquet, they actually didn't care about the olive branch extended by His Royal Highness the King of Chu. This really made Lao Liu twist his nose in anger.
Since they have sworn allegiance to His Highness and become the lackeys of King Chu, naturally Zhu Zhen will accept all the terms of future cooperation, and these people will accept them all.
According to Lao Liu's design, the future Suzhou Textile and Dyeing Bureau will become an organization similar to a general contractor, responsible for accepting orders uniformly, and then subcontracting the orders to various factories. It will also supervise the factory production to ensure that it is completed with quality and quantity.
Task.
These people present will serve as the first batch of 'subcontractors' of the Suzhou Dyeing and Weaving Bureau and sign a thirty-year contract with the Suzhou Dyeing and Weaving Bureau. The contract stipulates that the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau must guarantee the profits of the subcontractors, and the subcontractors must
Give priority to completing orders from the Dyeing and Weaving Bureau.
But this contract is far from fair. Unsurprisingly, the Dyeing and Textile Bureau occupies a dominant position over the subcontractors and has various unilateral means of punishment, while the subcontractors can only be at the disposal of the Dyeing and Textile Bureau.
If it were those big people at the Laba Banquet, they would definitely not agree.
But these people in front of them agreed without hesitation. It was all in order to repay the kindness of His Highness the King of Chu that they had been working as cows and horses for him for thirty years...
After their experience in Fengyang, they truly realized that working as oxen and horses for others was much happier than being ownerless wild dogs.
Seeing how well-behaved they were, Lao Liu gave them some reassurance and said, "You don't have to go back to Fengyang. Lao Shen, just arrange for them to stay and wait for good news."
"Yes." Shen Rong quickly stood up and responded.
"Your Highness, should we go back and raise money quickly?" Xu Bi quickly asked for instructions: "The redemption of the factory and the future start-up expenses..."
"The citizens are waiting for the rice to be cooked. I don't have time to raise money for you." Zhu Zhen waved his hand grandly and said: "I will advance the payment for you first, and I will slowly deduct it from the payment in the future!"
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Everyone was very happy when they heard this. They would not be cheated without paying. Your Highness is so kind!
"Go." Zhu Zhen served tea to see the guests off.
"Yes, the common people retire." A group of wealthy people bowed happily and left.
~~
After they retreated, Zhu Zhen ordered his cousin Hu Xian, who was the captain of his bodyguard, to bring the big dogs in the prison.
After having lunch and taking a short nap, Hu Xian reported to His Highness and a group of prisoners were brought there.
"His Royal Highness has arrived..."
When Zhu Zhen stretched himself and turned out from behind the screen, he saw this group of tortured big dogs in prison uniforms, shivering and kneeling on the ground.
"Have you all tasted my king's Laba porridge?" King Chu asked with a yawn as he sat down on the throne.
"Yes." Everyone nodded. Thinking that yesterday they were His Highness's guests and today they were prisoners, how could they not feel as if they were in another world?
"Tell me about you. When I told you carefully, no one listened." Lao Liu said with a face full of resentment:
"Did I tell you at that time that anyone who wanted to profit from sea trade could join the fleet of the Shipping Company? We share risks and profits, right?"
"Yes, yes." All the prisoners nodded in response.
"Are we also guaranteeing the personal and property safety of all shipping merchants? Guarantee that you will get a lot of money from you, and you will not get a penny from what you don't deserve?"
"Yes." Everyone nodded again.
"Tell me about you. I have ripped out my heart, but you treat me like a donkey." Zhu Zhen said with a sad look on his face: "If you don't join me, you will make trouble together against me. Why are you so vicious?
"
"Your Highness, we were wrong." The prisoners kowtowed in apology and explained with tears:
"But it's not that we are ignorant, it's because someone from above is forcing us to go against His Highness."
"Who is so bold?" Zhu Zhen deliberately made a serious face.
"It's Hu Weiyong, Prime Minister Hu!" Some people kept saying without surprising: "He is Lu Zhonghe's backstage. Three years after Hongwu, Lu Zhonghe dominated the sky in Suzhou, and it was because of his support!"
"Is there any evidence?" King Chu asked expressionlessly.
"No." The man shook his head and said: "How can there be any evidence for such a most confidential matter? The villain is also the fourth brother-in-law of the Lu family. I heard him mention that he often drank with Prime Minister Hu's nephew in Nanjing.
Only then did I realize that the backstage of the Lu family is the Prime Minister of the current dynasty!"
"It could also be that the fourth son of the Lu family is bragging." Zhu Zhen waved his hands and said: "In short, there is no conclusive evidence, and we cannot accuse the prime minister of the dynasty casually."
"Yes." The man quickly stopped.
But there was no fool present, and everyone knew that His Highness the King of Chu must have heard it in his heart. The King of Chu knew that his arms could not hold his thighs, so his dislike for them would naturally be lighter.
~~
After deeply repenting, someone bravely asked: "May I ask, Your Highness, what will you do with us?"
After being executed that day, these wealthy people were sent back to prison. They knew that they could avoid the death penalty but could not escape the living penalty.
"Ordinarily, you will be punished by death for inciting a civil uprising." Zhu Zhen said calmly: "But my brother, the prince, is extremely kind and unwilling to kill you without teaching, so my third brother just educated you and did not kill you."
"Thank you, Your Highness, Your Highness." Naturally, the prisoners had no words to express their gratitude. After being executed, they now understand the preciousness of life. After finally recovering their lives, they must survive no matter what.
"We are willing to accept any punishment."
"Then exile to Qiongzhou." Zhu Zhen suggested happily: "When you get there, reflect carefully and be a good person in the future..."
"Your Highness, can you not go..." the prisoners begged pitifully.
In the eyes of people of this era, being exiled to Qiongzhou would mean a narrow escape from death.
"The villain is willing to dedicate all his family property, half to the court and half to His Highness. I beg Your Highness to have mercy..." Someone kowtowed and begged: "Your Highness, the villain is old and can't bear the trouble anymore. Just treat the villain as a human being."
Just let it go."
"This villain is willing to give up all his wealth, just asking His Highness to let him go." The others also expressed their opinions one after another.
This account is easy to settle. Anyway, if you are sent to Qiongzhou, you will have nothing. It is better to give everything and be released in another place.
"I have strict family education and cannot take your property." Zhu Zhen shook his head and said, "As for you dedicating your property to the court, that is your freedom. Does it have anything to do with this king?"
"Then..." Everyone couldn't figure out what he wanted for a while.
"First of all, return the property that you have robbed in the three years of Hongwu to others." The King of Chu asked Hu Xian to distribute the pile of documents and deeds to everyone for viewing.
"Yes." They are the cutlery and I am the meat and fish. At this time, they have no choice but to refuse.
"Then, tell your family members to fully cooperate with me during this period. Whoever cooperates well will be let go when the king's troubles are over." Zhu Zhen gave another reason that was not excessive at all.
This group of people couldn't help but secretly sigh, His Royal Highness King Chu is so kind... He is completely opposite to the terrifying King Jin!
