Yang Shen was not completely hindsight, at least when it came to the matter, he had a premonition that something bad was going to happen.
But most of the businessmen present did not know why.
It was said that the coal mines that were sealed by the imperial court were being auctioned by Zhang's maternal relatives. Why were the coal mines newly discovered by the imperial court suddenly being auctioned? What value could these coal mines have?
Actually, 20% of the coal produced is used as mining tax?
What a unique story!
The merchants present looked around to see which fools would come out to bid for this kind of coal mine.
"Before bidding, you must first find out the location of the new coal kiln, its reserves, the quality of the coal produced, etc. Here is a detailed information..."
As Tang Yin spoke, he asked a royal guard next to him to hold a scroll high and open it in front of everyone.
On the scroll, the location of the new coal mine was drawn, including many parameters, such as altitude, terrain height, etc., and even the best coal transportation route was designed.
Tang Yindao: "The gray level of the new coal kiln is less than 10%... The so-called gray level refers to the proportion of ash remaining after the coal is burned. Now the base price has been listed. After the coal kiln is auctioned off, you will be responsible for the profits and losses.
Please bid!”
"Wow!"
No one present had ever seen this way of buying and selling coal mines.
If you don’t talk about selling a newly discovered coal mine immediately, what else can you say about grayscale? We even draw a map for you to let you know how to open a coal mine and how to transport it. It’s really a great experience!
…
…
There was a lot of discussion among the people present, and many people were waiting and watching. In fact, most people inside would not participate in the bidding.
Yang Shen anxiously called his entourage downstairs to come up and give him a face-to-face instruction: "Hurry up and inform the people from the Ministry of Industry to stop this auction!"
Yu Chengxun said with relief: "Yongxiu, we are just here to watch the ceremony. What you said... may be difficult to achieve, right? And in my opinion, no one will bid for this coal kiln, so don't worry..."
"Five thousand taels!"
As soon as Yu Chengxun finished speaking, someone was already shouting the price in the square outside the armor factory.
Yu Chengxun immediately closed his mouth in embarrassment.
"Oh! I'll go find someone."
Yu Chengxun had no choice but to take people to the Ministry of Industry in person. At least he had to find a prominent person to come out to calm the situation. As Yang Shen, Yang Tinghe's son, it was inconvenient to show his face, so he could only do it for him.
"Six thousand taels."
"Eight thousand taels..."
The bidding in the square downstairs gradually increased.
Yang Shen came to the window with a serious look on his face.
Zhu Hao crossed his hands on his chest and silently looked at everything in front of him.
Yang Shen was upset for a while and couldn't help but turned his head and asked: "Jingdao, do you think there is something fishy about this matter?"
"Hard to say."
Zhu Hao shook his head.
"Ten thousand taels..."
"Eleven thousand taels!"
Yang Shen stamped his feet, but didn't know what to say.
Zhu Hao said: "Brother Yongxiu, don't worry too much. Maybe it's just someone making fun of you? Your Majesty's goal is to bring the newly opened coal mines under the management of the inner government and operate them yourself. Therefore, even if a new coal mine is discovered, it is impossible to sell it off...
…or just want to test the waters.”
Yang Shen couldn't listen to anything he said now. Although he felt that something was wrong, he actually couldn't grasp what the little emperor and Tang Yin were doing!
…
…
The bidding for the new coal kiln on site was extremely hot.
The officials from the Ministry of Industry who came with Tang Yin were confused for a while.
Didn’t we agree that we would just photograph the coal mine where the Zhang family’s relatives were sealed?
What does this auction mean now?
"Master Tang, this is so against the rules."
One of the armor factory officials approached to persuade him.
Perhaps the Ministry of Industry did not take this auction too seriously, and Yang Tinghe was only thinking about acquiring the coal mine owned by Zhang's maternal relatives to give the little emperor a blow. No one thought that the real purpose of the little emperor was to use this auction as a
Opportunity to create a precedent for auctioning mineral deposits and collecting taxes.
Because all parties were caught by surprise, the only ones who could temporarily stop it were humble officials from the Ministry of Industry like the Armor Factory.
Tang Yin was very happy when he saw the active bidding below. Hearing this, he looked at the person who suggested it coldly: "Aren't the rules set by humans? Is it true that we can only auction other people's coal mines, but not the coal mines of the inner government?"
"Ah? The coal mine in the inner palace?"
Several officials at the armor factory were very surprised.
The implication is that the proceeds from the coal kiln auction will not belong to the Ministry of Industry, but will go directly to the account of the inner government?
That's not a small thing.
Several low-status officials did not bother to persuade Tang Yin anymore and hurriedly sent people to notify the boss of the Ministry of Industry. Although these officials knew very well that even if Zhao Huang, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, came, they might not be able to stop the auction. After all, Tang Yin
Responsible directly to the Emperor, not the Ministry of Works, but give it a try anyway.
"Twenty-six thousand taels!"
"Thirty thousand taels!"
The auction is proceeding in an orderly manner and is getting more and more popular.
Most of the uninformed businessmen present felt that their outlook on life had been subverted when they saw the scene in front of them.
How dare you bid for 30,000 taels for a coal mine that has not yet been put into production?
You must know that the coal mines owned by Zhang's maternal relatives were sold for only 80,000 taels of silver. The coal mines owned by Zhang's maternal relatives are already the largest and most productive in Xishan.
.
Are these businessmen bidding for new coal mines crazy?
However, those who were interested immediately discovered a problem.
Those who came out to participate in the bidding did not show up in the previous round of auctions. In other words, these people came to the scene not for the coal mine owned by Zhang's relatives, but for the new coal mine.
Moreover, from the characteristics of their clothing to their accents and their pomp, they should be merchants from Jiangnan, and many of them have business dealings with the merchants present. It does not mean that the court has found a group of trustees, because these Jiangnan merchants are rich and wealthy.
It has the potential to really open a new coal mine.
"Forty thousand taels!"
Just when the auction price temporarily stopped at 30,000 taels and the scene reached a deadlock, another person came out and shouted loudly.
People all looked over.
Su Xigui!
The rich man Su was famous among the merchants in the capital.
Regardless of his connections or background, he can definitely be regarded as the leader of the merchants in the capital. He has the background of Huang Zan, the Minister of Nanhu, and is currently cooperating with Anhui merchants to open bank accounts all over the country. Everyone knows that he can afford the money.
.
"Forty-one thousand taels..."
Even if Su Xigui made a bid, there would still be people from Huizhou merchants participating in the bidding.
It is enough to show that the value of this coal mine has not been capped.
The merchants present, especially those Shanxi merchants who were entrusted by Yang Tinghe to come to auction the coal mines, began to whisper among themselves, wondering if they had missed any important information?
Why can’t they even understand what these southern businessmen are doing?
…
…
"Haha? More than 40,000 taels of silver, right?"
Zhu Si was watching the excitement in the teahouse, feeling very excited at this time. After all, he was the big owner of this auction. It seemed that he was not here to watch the excitement, but to count the money.
Zhang Zuo hurriedly went to the window to visit. After a while, he came back and said with joy, "Your Majesty, it's forty-five thousand taels."
"well."
Zhu Si was very excited.
Zhang Zuo said with a smile: "If we can shoot a few more coal mines, we will have all the money we can, and the shortfall in Southeast Coast Defense can be made up."
Zhu Sibian said flatly: "Why should I make up for the money gap in the imperial court?"
"ah?"
Zhang Zuo was stunned.
Wasn't it agreed that the proceeds from mining would be used to fill the gap in the southeastern coastal defense? This is the fundamental reason why Yang Tinghe agreed to the end of mining by the inner government!
"Zhu Hao said that selling mines is only a small part of the income. The most important thing is the continuous output later. Now it is just selling the discovered coal mines, selling three at a time, and then continuing to explore, and then continue
Sell."
Zhu Si took a sip of tea and felt proud.
Zhang Zuo originally wanted to remind him not to drink the tea outside the palace casually, but seeing that Zhu Si was in high spirits and Zhu Si had not discussed many things with him in advance, Zhang Zuo could only keep silent.
"Sixty thousand taels... is there any higher?"
Tang Yin's voice came.
People at the scene held their breath and held their breath.
A newly discovered coal mine was actually auctioned for a sky-high price of 60,000 taels of silver. Anyone who bids for this would have to be a fool, right?
"First time, second time...deal!"
As Tang Yin finished speaking, the auction of the first coal mine was officially completed.
The person who offered 60,000 taels of silver was none other than Su Xigui.
Su Xigui naturally knows that this coal mine is not actually worth 60,000 taels. In other words, from the surface value, 40,000 to 50,000 taels are worth the sky. It is estimated that the 60,000 taels of silver can be earned after eight to ten years of mining, and it must be smooth and smooth.
any unexpected circumstances.
But the money must be released.
The first step of the Ming Dynasty's mining tax reform was managed by the new emperor, Zhu Hao and Tang Yin. Since Su Xigui wanted to make a contribution to the new emperor and gain enough political capital for his brother-in-law Huang Zan, he had to take this step.
Su Xigui originally prepared more than one hundred thousand taels of funds.
Spend money to buy a style.
Sixty thousand taels of silver was a sky-high price to others, but to him it was very cheap and affordable. He won the bid and felt it was worth a thousand dollars.
…
…
"No. 001 Coal Kiln, the auction yielded 60,000 taels of silver."
Tang Yin announced in public, "Bidders are invited to come over, pay relevant fees, and apply for certificates. In addition, coal mine No. 002 is officially included in the auction...the base price is three thousand taels."
There is more than one newly explored coal mine being auctioned today.
Moreover, each coal mine has a number, which is equivalent to the serial number of a government-private joint venture coal mine. When these mines are mentioned in the future, they must be called by numbers to distinguish them from private mines.
While Tang Yin was talking, a diagram of the second coal mine was hung up.
Now the merchants present were restless again.
Merchants from Shanxi will definitely not buy this kind of coal mine, but merchants from the south are eager to try.
The best coal mines in the past were bought by Su Xigui, and they were not to be outdone. In addition to economic benefits, the first batch of coal mines were also most important for political benefits. They were equivalent to paying certificates of investment to the new emperor. Many wanted to do business in the new dynasty.
Especially those who wanted to get a share of the imperial business, all wanted to pay to be registered with the emperor.
…
…
"What? Tang Bohu pretended to be a public servant and actually auctioned off other coal mines?"
Yang Tinghe was working in the cabinet office, and learned from Fengxi, a Hanlin scholar who came to the palace urgently after receiving Yang Shen's oral message, that Tang Yin was auctioning a new coal mine outside the armor factory.
Fengxi said: "Mr. Ge, I guess the auction is still going on. Look..."
Yang Tinghe looked very bad.
The auction of coal mines was actually proposed by Yang Tinghe himself, or under the guidance of his son Yang Shen, who knew that it directly hit the muzzle of the new emperor's gun.
The little emperor actually took this as an opportunity to set a precedent for the Ming Dynasty.
Although Yang Tinghe had come up with many preventive measures beforehand, he did not take any action. He only asked Yang Shen to watch. The main purpose was to prevent the new emperor from using too much money from the inner palace.
Who would have thought that this time the coal mine was auctioned, the inner government did not have to pay for it, but made money...