Chapter 64: This Soup Is a Bit Too Hot to Handle, Yet You Dared to Drink It?

The business model of home delivery and product marketing implemented by the Great Ming Gazette had been operating for barely a month. Yet, Qin Feng had already amassed an exclusive revenue of one million eight hundred thousand taels in treasury silver.

His truly lucrative channel, however, lay in the continuous stream of product endorsement fees. Any merchant wishing to advertise in the gazette was required to pay a specified advertising fee. The greater the volume of products, the more advertising revenue the gazette generated. This was one source of income; the other came from the logistics and delivery fees borne by the merchants themselves. Combined, these two revenue streams filled Qin Feng's coffers to overflowing, arousing the envy of countless individuals.

Many merchants, utterly tormented by this new business model, found themselves forced to join its ranks. Those who refused to adapt were inevitably eliminated by the market. Consequently, the survival of the fittest in the commercial environment became increasingly pronounced, and the commodity economy gradually flourished under Qin Feng's stimulus.

The resulting chain reaction was a month-by-month increase in the tax silver collected by the imperial court. With the treasury growing richer by the month, the court's financial situation improved correspondingly. To ensure the steady collection of tax silver, the imperial court was currently discussing further pro-business policies to form a closed-loop commodity economy.

However, after days of deliberation in the Wuying Hall, no clear strategy had emerged. Within the current imperial court, only Qin Feng truly understood commerce. Aside from him, Emperor Zhu could think of no one else capable of devising better policies. Consequently, the Emperor penned another confidential memorial to Qin Feng, issuing him a direct command and task.

Upon receiving the confidential memorial, Qin Feng could sense the Emperor's helplessness—the monarch was likely quite exasperated by Qin Feng's exclusive pocketing of two million two hundred thousand taels of treasury silver. As a businessman, Qin Feng could certainly propose numerous pro-business policies, but they had to be grounded in the current reality of the Great Ming. At present, Great Ming's industrialization was still far too backward, and the current commodity economy was merely a flash in the pan. To genuinely stimulate the process of commercialization, an epoch-making Industrial Revolution was essential. Yet, an Industrial Revolution was far too premature for the current Great Ming; it lacked any foundation whatsoever!

After much deliberation, Qin Feng concluded that the only viable course of action to maintain the current tax revenue was to elevate the status of merchants, reduce taxes, and ensure they could turn a profit. Only by securing stable tax revenues could the imperial court truly benefit. With this realization, Qin Feng drafted a confidential memorial in reply to the Emperor.

***

Meanwhile, the Huaixi nobility had entered a moment of revelry. Hearing that Qin Feng had used the gazette to earn three million taels of treasury silver in a single month, they had already gathered together to figure out how to carve up the cake. To them, Qin Feng was truly a windfall!

The Huaixi nobles gathered at the estate of the Duke of Weiguo.

"Duke of Weiguo! You truly had discerning eyes back then, personally stepping forward to recruit Qin Feng. Your contribution is immense!"

"I hear the gazette earned three million taels of silver this time. How does that lad Qin Feng plan to handle it?"

"Is it true that His Majesty still doesn't know the exact profits of the gazette?"

Deng Yu sat in the seat of honor, smiling as he addressed the assembled nobles: "His Majesty is currently unaware of the gazette's earnings. Given Qin Feng's clever methods, he should be holding back at least one million taels of silver."

One million taels!

The nobles present widened their eyes in anticipation of grabbing a share of the spoils.

"Duke of Weiguo, how shall these profits be distributed?"

"The gazette's earnings are making far too many people envious."

"If we don't spend money to grease the palms of officials at court, I'm afraid Qin Feng will become the target of jealousy!"

"We must never let this cash cow fall!"

"Indeed! Qin Feng has boundless potential; our future depends entirely on him."

Deng Yu waved his hand. "Do not be anxious. I will personally negotiate the specific distribution of the treasury silver with Qin Feng. We need only protect his position at court, and he will send silver to us every year."

"Isn't Qin Feng heading to the riverworks in a couple of days? With Qin Feng managing matters there, you need not worry."

At the mention of the riverworks, the expressions of the nobles tightened. But upon hearing the Duke of Weiguo assure them that Qin Feng would keep them safe, their expressions eased considerably. Without one of their own people overseeing the riverworks, they could never truly rest easy. However, since Qin Feng had only recently been recruited, they still harbored doubts in their hearts and would have to judge by his concrete actions.

Therefore, the division of this batch of treasury silver was of paramount importance. In truth, many of them doubted whether Qin Feng would actually hand over the gazette's earnings to share with them. Deng Yu's purpose in gathering the nobles was precisely to placate them and foster a certain degree of trust in Qin Feng.

Seeing their grim expressions, Deng Yu quickly added: "I know what you are all worrying about. As I said before, leave this matter to me! Not a single fraction of the profits you are due will be missing!"

By the time the nobles dispersed from the Duke of Weiguo's estate, Emperor Zhu's Embroidered Uniform Guard had already probed into all of these activities. This gathering of nobles lacked the Duke of Song and the Duke of Han; they were mostly Marquises and Earls who maintained close ties with Deng Yu. Caught in the web of court intrigues, none of them could easily extricate themselves.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard hurried back to report the situation to Emperor Zhu, while Deng Yu set off for the gazette to hold secret talks with Qin Feng.

Now sitting upon a hoard of two million two hundred thousand taels of treasury silver, Qin Feng naturally possessed the capital to bargain with Deng Yu. Deng Yu, meanwhile, continued to fight for the interests of the Huaixi nobility.

When the two men spoke in the inner chamber, the atmosphere grew somewhat tense and combative.

"Qin Feng, thanks to the support of our people in the imperial court, the gazette has made a fortune."

Qin Feng smiled. "Duke of Weiguo, that is the imperial court's treasury silver. I wouldn't dare touch a single coin of it."

"Qin Feng, with your intelligence, you must have a way. Our people are all staring at the soup in your pot."

"Duke of Weiguo, is this soup a bit too scalding for you to drink directly? Shouldn't you allow me to smooth things over first, and then bring everyone along to enjoy it?"

Seeing Qin Feng's composed expression, Deng Yu began to feel impatient. Could this fellow actually be planning to monopolize the treasury silver? With so many people behind him reaching out their hands for a bowl of soup, how was he supposed to answer to them when he returned?

"How long do you need to smooth things over? Many people behind this old man are waiting for this bowl of soup. Do not wear out their patience, or I cannot guarantee what desperate measures these fellows might take. I have already tried my utmost to persuade them to trust you, but you have yet to establish firm trust in their hearts. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prove yourself; you must not miss it."

Qin Feng smiled amiably. "Of course! Duke of Weiguo, we are all in the same boat now. You must give me a little more time!"

"How about this? I will scrape together two hundred thousand taels first. You can use it to appease the lords, and once I have finished handling the preparations, I guarantee a massive return for everyone. Duke of Weiguo, how does that sound?"

"Brother Shen!"

"Hmm!"

Shen Changqing walked along the path, exchanging nods or greetings with familiar acquaintances he encountered.

Regardless of who they were, no one wore any superfluous expressions on their faces, appearing utterly indifferent to everything around them. To this, Shen Changqing had long since grown accustomed.

Because this was the Demon Suppression Division, an institution dedicated to maintaining stability in Great Qin. Its primary responsibility was to slay malevolent demons and ghosts, though it also handled a few secondary duties.

One could say that every single person in the Demon Suppression Division had blood on their hands. When a person grew accustomed to witnessing life and death, they naturally grew indifferent to many things.

When he first arrived in this world, Shen Changqing felt somewhat out of place, but over time, he grew used to it.

The Demon Suppression Division was vast. Those who remained within it were either formidable experts or individuals with the potential to become experts.

Shen Changqing belonged to the latter category.

The Demon Suppression Division was divided into two official ranks: Guardian Envoys and Demon Extermination Envoys. Anyone who entered the Demon Suppression Division started at the lowest tier as a Demon Extermination Envoy, then rose step by step, ultimately aspiring to become a Guardian Envoy.

Shen Changqing's predecessor had been a probationary Demon Extermination Envoy within the Demon Suppression Division—the lowest rank among the extermination envoys.

Possessing the memories of his predecessor, he was intimately familiar with the environment of the Demon Suppression Division.

Without taking too long, Shen Changqing came to a halt in front of a pavilion.

Unlike the other stern and oppressive areas of the Demon Suppression Division, this pavilion stood out like a crane among chickens, radiating a tranquil aura amidst the blood-stained surroundings.

At this moment, the doors of the pavilion stood wide open, and figures occasionally entered and exited.

Shen Changqing hesitated for just a moment before stepping inside.

Upon entering, the atmosphere abruptly shifted.

A wave of ink fragrance mixed with a faint trace of blood washed over him, causing his brows to twitch instinctively before smoothing out again. The bloody scent clinging to everyone in the Demon Suppression Division was virtually impossible to wash away entirely.