After the businessman surnamed Zheng finished shouting, he almost collapsed on the ground. This was all the live money that could be misappropriated in the account book. The rest was buried in the goods and could not be taken out for a while.
Su Ziji listened without expressing his position, his expression was indifferent.
From the perspective of the four people kneeling on the ground, this was even more terrifying than getting angry directly.
When the businessman surnamed Sun saw that the gentleman looked wrong, his heart beat like thunder, and he shouted: "I am willing to donate five hundred taels!"
As soon as I finished speaking, my heart suddenly felt painful.
A house with two entrances and three entrances in the mansion only costs about 130 taels. Five hundred taels can buy two or three good houses in the city. He manages three gangs every year, which only costs 230 taels. This
Five hundred taels were taken out at once, and cutting off a large piece with one knife was even more painful than cutting the flesh in pieces.
Some people even saw that the adults above were still unmoved and directly shouted out a donation of 600 taels. This was just to survive and did not care about anything.
Su Ziji looked at them and couldn't help but ponder when he saw that the four of them had expressions on their faces like "The villain tried his best to survive."
In the agricultural era, due to restrictions on people's migration (if the restrictions are not good enough, refugees will form), and transportation information is really underdeveloped, people will not leave their hometown until they have no way out, so the urban population is relatively stable, and so is the wealth.
Su Ziji read a case file. Both his father and brother were officials, and he was the official of Dai Zhongdao. His land was only 600 acres, and his annual income from business in the city was only 100 taels of silver.
Even businessmen only have this little income, and even if they are squeezed out, these businessmen will go bankrupt and will not be able to recover for ten years.
The former prefect provoked a civil uprising because the farmers originally had little oil, and once they were squeezed out, they would lose even less. If they encountered natural disasters, they would not be able to survive, so they had no choice but to revolt.
Su Ziji's original intention was not to squeeze these businessmen, he smiled, and only then said slowly: "I don't need you to donate five hundred taels, as long as each of you donate one hundred taels of silver.
"
As soon as these words came out, the four people present immediately breathed a sigh of relief. This was much less than the amount they had just paid. Of course they would not be unwilling if it would reduce bleeding.
"The villain is willing to donate one hundred taels of silver!"
"The villain is also willing, so I will send someone to offer it immediately."
But obviously, they relaxed too early.
Seeing that the four people agreed immediately, Su Ziji said: "But there is a condition. You have to make everyone in the whole government, no, the businessmen and landowners in the three nearby provinces, donate one hundred taels."
What?
Let all the businessmen and landowners in the three nearby prefectures donate one hundred taels?
Not to mention a businessman like myself, even the prefect of Shun'an and even the governor would not be able to accomplish this!
The four people present were all desperate. For a moment, they wondered whether the Lord Fu Cheng had no intention of letting him go, so he said such an impossible thing?
This is basically a cat catching a mouse, deliberately playing tricks on yourself, right?
Each of the four of them is just a businessman with some reputation and financial resources. They are not even big businessmen. How could they possibly accomplish this?
"Sir, this matter is impossible for me to do. Please forgive me!"
"Please forgive me, sir!"
"I beg you, sir, to take back your life. I am willing to donate one thousand taels."
The four of them kowtowed, and this time they were really serious. After several times of kowtow, their scalps became swollen.
"You guys should stop making noise and listen to what I have to say." Su Ziji waved his hand and said coldly: "It won't be too late for you to say that you can't do it after I finish speaking."
"Don't worry, since I proposed this matter, I must have a way to complete it."
Seeing these four people kneeling on the ground, after hearing this, they looked at themselves with expressions of confusion and disbelief. Su Ziji was not going to tease them and asked: "You know the Xiaodushan Coal Mine in Hongping County, do you think?
How much is a ten-year mineral right worth?”
He casually pointed to the person who had just made the highest bid: "You tell me."
The man pondered for a moment, managed to calm down, and replied: "Based on the previous situation, you can earn one thousand taels as an annuity. If you get ten-year mining rights, you can get up to 5,000 taels. After all, mining requires labor, so you have to earn something."
.”
Su Ziji smiled and nodded: "That's right. This price is indeed profitable. How much is the ten-year mining rights of the Laining Copper Mine in Fun County worth?"
Seeing Su Ziji's calm expression, the businessman surnamed Zheng boldly said: "This little man has heard of it. I don't know the specific annuity, but it should be more than Xiaodushan. In my opinion, it can be seven thousand taels."
.”
Su Ziji nodded and said: "Now I have thirty-seven mines in my hands. The officials will write them on the sign respectively, and put them into a big box together with the blank sign. Whoever pays one hundred taels can win the prize."
Participating in the lottery, do you think this method can make them all donate?"
After he finished speaking, he glanced around at the people present and found that they were all stunned.
For some wealthy landowners and businessmen, a hundred taels may be a bit of a pain in the butt, but it won't break their muscles. In order to compete for a mine that may earn hundreds of taels a year, most of them will be tempted to draw lots.
This method is very fair, everyone has a chance, it just depends on luck, and before the results come out, who would think that they will not have such luck?
The key is to draw lots, whether it is fair or unfair.
The people present didn't understand at first, but the businessman named Zheng thought faster and understood it first. He immediately looked up in shock at the young official in front of him.
There are thirty-seven mining rights, which are actually a few hundred taels in size. The two mentioned just now are the best mines.
The total sum is up to thirty to fifty thousand taels.
Now, with this method, I am afraid that the amount will be collected several times?
He thought to himself: "Does this lord have an exquisite heart? Not only can he obtain fame, but he has become a sixth-rank official at such a young age. He is actually a hundred times better than me in business matters. Instead of becoming an official, he goes into business.
, can’t he also become a big businessman!”
Thinking about it, he immediately nodded like a chicken pecking at rice: "Yes, I definitely can."
Although the reaction of the remaining three people was a little slower, since they were doing business, they were not much slower.
Seeing that their companions were so excited, after a second thought, they also understood. They all looked at Su Ziji with surprised eyes, as if they were looking at a monster.
It was the first time that Su Ziji was stared at with such intense eyes by several businessmen. With a smile on his lips, he said, "In that case, I will leave this matter to you."
"You don't need to publicize it in a big way, but secretly connect with people you know, and say that you have secretly found a way to make a fortune."
"For every contribution you make, you will receive a 5 tael kickback."
"I'll give you fifteen days to make sure that the whole government, even the businessmen and landowners of the three nearby provinces, know about this matter. Can you do it?"
"this……"
The four businessmen didn't understand it at first, but after thinking about it carefully, they understood that many people couldn't believe the government's open recruitment, but everyone believed it because they had found a way in secret and had the opportunity to make a fortune.
As for every time you pay a share, you can get 5 taels of rebate, and 20 people can get 100 taels. If it is more, you can make a fortune. At that moment, the four people kowtowed: "I understand, I will do it now."