Under Han Feng's instruction, news of the appearance of a peerless jade in the Jinchuan Chamber of Commerce spread quickly.
Bianjing City is neither big nor small.
On the day Luo Lan was exhibited, most of the princes and well-informed wealthy businessmen received the news.
By the third day, even ordinary people knew about it.
Restaurants are full of people discussing water jade.
In the end, even the emperor Chen Ji was alarmed.
Chen Ji loved calligraphy, painting and curios the most. After he ascended the throne, he set up a department called "Ying Feng Bureau" to collect treasures such as rare stones and curios from all over the country and transport them back to the capital to build royal gardens.
The Dakang Water Transport consists of ten ships, and the fleet that transports these treasures is called the "Hua Shi Gang".
Wherever the Huashigang fleet passed, the people not only had to bring their own dry food to pull fibers to escort them, but also encountered some low bridges. If the fleet could not pass, the bridges would be demolished.
The people in Jiangnan were often harmed by Hua Shi Gang.
Even though the treasury is now empty, Ying Feng Bureau has not banned it, but has only restrained it a little.
Chen Ji loves literature and entertainment so much, and since there is a fine jade in the capital, he will naturally come to join in the fun.
Fortunately, Chen Ji has always regarded himself as an elegant person. In order to show his feelings of enjoying the people together, he did not come with a big fanfare. He just sneaked nearby, found a restaurant to rest, and then sent someone to notify Luo Lan.
Luo Lan quickly took people to the restaurant to greet him.
"My maid Luo Lan pays her respects to Your Majesty, long live our Emperor!"
In the private room of the restaurant, Luo Lan kowtowed respectfully.
"Get up. I heard that your auction house is going to auction water beads today. I'm here to see the excitement. No need to be polite."
Chen Ji was in a good mood today, and his words were particularly approachable: "I heard that you have some friendship with Wuyang, just think of me as the father of an ordinary friend."
"I don't dare!"
Luo Lan lowered his head and held up a box: "Sir, the treasure appears in Dakang because of His Majesty's great kindness and auspiciousness. He told me to give the biggest one to Your Majesty. However, my ability is limited and I haven't had time yet.
Send it to the palace and ask Your Majesty to atone for your sins!"
"Hahaha, the little girl said it well!"
Chen Ji smiled happily and waved his hand to the eunuch to take the box.
The chief eunuch checked the box to make sure there was no mechanism or anything like that before he presented it to Chen Ji.
Inside the box was a purple glass bead that was larger than a walnut. It was crystal clear, round and smooth, and Chen Ji's eyes suddenly lit up.
Compared with this bead, the batch of water jade beads paid tribute by the Japanese envoys is not worth mentioning.
"Tell me, what reward does Baron Qingshui want?"
Chen Ji played with the glass beads and was very happy.
The emperor's arrival was unexpected. Jin Feng didn't mention it at all. Luo Lan presented the largest glass bead to the emperor. He had already made the decision privately. How could he dare to talk nonsense now?
He lowered his head and said, "Sir, he said he has nothing else to ask for. He only wishes His Majesty's holy body to be in good health and to protect the great prosperity of the country for thousands of years!"
"Baron Qingshui is interested!"
Chen Ji became even more happy. He stood up and said, "Let's go to the auction house."
When he arrived at the gate of the auction house and looked at the crowded crowd, Chen Ji asked, "Do you have a back door here?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, please come with me!"
Luo Lan quickly took Chen Ji into the alley.
"Your Majesty, the back door is where the servants come in and out. How can you go to such a place with a body worth of millions of dollars?"
The eldest eunuch frowned and advised.
"It doesn't matter. I'm here to have fun with the people today. I don't have to pay too much attention to it. If I go through the front door, what's the point of this auction?"
Chen Ji didn't take it seriously at all, and reminded Luo Lan: "You can arrange another private room for me later. Don't reveal my identity. Do you understand?"
"yes!"
Luo Lan quickly bowed and agreed.
Tang Xiaobei told her clearly in the letter that Jin Feng was in urgent need of money recently and sent the jade to the capital in order to sell it at a good price.
What Luo Lan is most worried about is Chen Ji's grand appearance. Who will dare to compete with the emperor for things then?
Now that Chen Ji has taken the initiative to hide his identity, Luo Lan would be stupid to object.
The capital is the political center of Dakang, and there are too many bigwigs of all kinds. Several private rooms are reserved at the auction house every time, in case bigwigs such as princes or dukes come unexpectedly.
Luo Lan led Chen Ji to one of the reserved private rooms, then bowed and left.
Because of the good publicity work, Luo Lan specially invited the oiran from the Jiaofang Division who was best at mobilizing the atmosphere to host the auction. This auction was extremely successful!
All the glass beads were sold for more than 60,000 taels of silver!
That purple walnut-sized bead alone sold for nearly 30,000 taels due to competition among several wealthy individuals!
Dakang's silver is still very valuable. More than 60,000 taels of silver is a huge fortune in Chen Ji's opinion.
In the feudal era, the entire world belonged to the royal family, and the emperor could take whatever he wanted.
How could such an elegant scholar like Chen Ji be interested in something that smells like copper? He was just surprised and did not think about taking advantage of it.
Tens of thousands of taels of silver were just a string of numbers in his eyes, far less valuable than the beads in his hand or an authentic painting by a famous artist from the previous dynasty.
…
Knowing that Jin Feng was in a hurry to use money, Luo Lan took Tang Fei to many banks early the next morning and exchanged nearly 50,000 taels of gold ingots, silver ingots and copper coins, which filled dozens of carts.
The main reason is that copper coins take up too much space. One tael of silver is equivalent to a thousand coins, which can be strung together in a handful.
It wouldn't work if we didn't exchange it. Most of the wages paid to the workers were copper coins. Guangyuan was too remote. If Jin Feng were to bring tens of thousands of taels of silver there at once, he wouldn't be able to exchange that many copper coins in the Year of the Monkey and the Horse.
"Brother Tang, when you go on the road with so much money, you must pay attention to safety!"
Luo Lan looked at the motorcade with no end in sight and felt frightened.
This much money is enough for any bandit to fight for his life.
"Don't worry, sister, I have brought three hundred brothers with me this time, waiting outside the city. All of them are veterans!"
Tang Fei said confidently: "We have brought thirty heavy crossbows. It is enough to fight a tough battle with the party members on the border. The bandits dare to rob us because they are tired of living!"
Luo Lan felt relieved after hearing this.
Nowadays, the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau often escorts goods on trips, and all the veteran escorts can be said to be battle-hardened.
Three hundred veterans plus heavy crossbows and catapults, ten times the number of bandits, can't even hope to stop them.
"Sister Luo Lan, sir, I'd like to remind you that it's best not to keep too many banknotes in your hand. Exchange them into silver and copper coins as soon as possible. If you can't buy food, you can send it back."
Tang Fei looked around, leaned into Luo Lan's ear and whispered: "Sir, there may be a war. Once a war breaks out, the banknotes will become useless paper if they cannot be redeemed."
"I see!"
Luo Lan's pupils shrank and she nodded quickly.
Once a war breaks out, a run on banknotes is very likely, but it is safer to exchange them for real money.
[The author has something to say]
In my outline, the character Zuo Feifei did not originally exist. It was a temporary addition. I wrote it too hastily. I have been feeling uncomfortable these days. I need to revise it. Today there is only one chapter. I’m sorry. From now on.
Chapter 419 has started to be revised. You can refresh it and read it again the day after tomorrow. Beichuan didn’t handle it well this time. I’m sorry.