Li Yuanying was known for his decisive actions, and he had no intention of engaging in endless negotiations with the influential figures of Henan Road. After sending out the invitations, he proceeded to set up the venue according to his plan. Regardless of who showed up, the seating arrangements were in place. A quick glance would reveal who was present.
Those unwilling to participate in his game wouldn’t be included.
Li Yuanying had been preparing for the “Pearl of the East” project for half a year. Even though the letters sent to Chang’an had yet to reach their destination, the grand gathering, which had drawn in most of the prominent figures from Henan Road, was still scheduled to take place at Fengtai Tower.
Early in the morning, a steady stream of carriages arrived from various locations in Tengzhou. Most attendees had decided to send a representative, someone who could speak authoritatively and make decisions. As a result, the people of Tengzhou witnessed the arrival of numerous distinguished individuals. Some idle men gathered in groups, gossiping about the carriages and their passengers. The streets and alleys were abuzz with excitement.
Li Yuanying listened to reports about the city, pleased that everyone was giving him due respect. He and Wei Jiu divided the responsibilities – he was responsible for the male guests, while she handled the female guests. Their goal was to ensure that everyone was properly entertained!
Wei Jiu was now experienced and confident in her role. Upon receiving the guest list, she immediately assigned personnel to handle the reception duties. Li Yuanying, on the other hand, was even more relaxed, delegating everything to others and freeing himself from any worries.
Lu Zhaolin and Luo Binwang, however, were far more burdened. Li Yuanying had decided they were handsome and talented, and as Lu Zhaolin was from a prominent family, he was well-versed in the affairs of various aristocratic clans. Therefore, they were tasked with representing Tengzhou and greeting the most important guests.
Li Yuanying showered them with compliments, leaving Lu Zhaolin and Luo Binwang feeling unable to refuse. They resigned themselves to their fate and diligently took care of everything. The more detailed arrangements were entrusted to Wu Mei, Di Renjie, and others.
Li Yuanying ate and slept well, resting until he felt refreshed and full of energy before arriving at Fengtai Tower with Wei Jiu and Gao Yang.
Seeing Li Yuanying’s rosy complexion, a clear indication that he had been well-fed and well-rested, Gao Yang felt a pang of sympathy for Lu Zhaolin. “You seem to have it easy,” she said. “Lu Zhaolin and the others have been up for days, trying to figure out the order of importance for all these guests.”
Li Yuanying glanced at Gao Yang, finding her remark curious. “You’re not the one who has to deal with it, so why are you complaining?” he said. If Lu Zhaolin and the others didn’t want to do it, he wouldn’t force them. But since they were willing, Li Yuanying naturally let them take full responsibility. This was a rare opportunity for them to grow! He explained the advantages to Gao Yang. “They’ll gain experience and learn how to handle things, which will be useful when they eventually take official positions. Even if they don’t want to be officials, they’ll still need to organize banquets. It’s always good to learn.”
Gao Yang was speechless. After a while, she snorted. “That sounds all well and good, but why don’t you learn?”
Li Yuanying replied, “I don’t need to. People will do it for me. If I ever find myself in a situation where nobody can do it for me, even sending out invitations would be a problem, and I’d be too embarrassed to even try!” He was born into a wealthy family surrounded by beautiful women, shielded from the harsh realities of life. Everything that others would spend a lifetime striving for was readily available to him from a young age. He had never imagined himself in a situation where he would have to personally take care of everything.
Gao Yang wanted to argue on Lu Zhaolin’s behalf, saying “He doesn’t have to either,” but she felt her argument was weak and gave up, closing her mouth in annoyance. But once they reached Fengtai Tower, Gao Yang caught sight of Lu Zhaolin, standing gracefully among the guests. The young man was remarkably handsome and conducted himself with composure, looking like a noble bamboo plant adorned with jade ornaments from afar.
As if sensing their arrival, Lu Zhaolin looked up in their direction. His eyes met Gao Yang’s, and he gave them a bright and genuine smile.
If Lu Zhaolin was like a gentle breeze and bright moonlight, then Luo Binwang was a cold, distant star. Both were equally outstanding, but they gave off completely different vibes. Still, anyone who saw them would have to admit, “What a handsome young man!”
As the saying goes, seeing is believing. Many people had come to understand the depth of Li Yuanying’s network only after witnessing it firsthand. Regardless of their talent or skill, their good looks alone were enough to surpass many.
It wasn’t just a matter of men not caring about their appearance. Being attractive was beneficial for both genders, giving people a good impression. After experiencing the polite and efficient reception provided by Lu Zhaolin and the others, everyone was more curious about the “Pearl of the East” plan mentioned in Li Yuanying’s invitation.
Li Yuanying had promoted this port construction project with great enthusiasm, but many remained skeptical.
They couldn’t see the point of building such a large port in the middle of the sea.
The Grand Canal dug during the Sui dynasty connected north and south. Wasn’t it safer and more convenient to travel on the wide and smooth canal than on the sea? Travelling by sea was risky – there was always the danger of encountering stormy weather or hitting reefs! As for trading with Goryeo and Silla, those small kingdoms were said to be in turmoil, and no one was interested in risking their money in such unstable situations.
Most attendees had come to give Li Yuanying face, but they had no intention of donating significant amounts of money to build a port. They had decided to make only symbolic contributions.
As soon as Li Yuanying entered, the guests fell silent.
Li Yuanying, who disliked lengthy speeches, scanned the room. Seeing that most of the invited guests were present, he instructed someone to bring out a standing screen.
The screen depicted a detailed plan of the upcoming port, showcasing a spacious dock, well-organized warehouse, and straight, interconnected roads. The mere sight of the design impressed everyone with its grand scale. Looking at the area below the docks, countless ships were seen entering the port, bringing in various goods from all corners of the land. Some arrived from the north, while others came from the south. The bustling scene was a sight to behold!
Instead of asking for donations, Li Yuanying announced his intention to issue bonds in three denominations: large, medium, and small. These bonds would be called “Pearl of the East Bonds,” and citizens would be free to purchase them. Those who actively participated in this round would be given priority in purchasing future bonds, such as “Pearl of the East Bonds II,” “Pearl of the East Bonds III,” and so on.
The “Pearl of the East Bonds I” were not ordinary pieces of paper. They were limited-edition bonds with a small number of large denominations and a large number of smaller denominations. Everyone could purchase bonds according to their financial capacity.
All large denomination bonds featured sections from the port plan. When placed side by side, they would create a complete image of the port. The back of each bond contained detailed information about the purchase, and each person was limited to purchasing one. As for the medium and small denomination bonds, there were more of those, and they could also be arranged to form complete images of the port according to their serial numbers. The design was incredibly intricate!
Apart from the clever design, Deng Qing had specially selected the paper used for the “Pearl of the East Bonds I,” ensuring it was resistant to moisture and heat, and the ink was resistant to fading. The formula for making the paper was a secret, making counterfeiting nearly impossible.
Li Yuanying displayed the complete “Pearl of the East Bonds I” to the attendees and emphasized that he had prioritized gathering them in Henan Road because of his fiefdom there.
This wasn’t just about purchasing a piece of paper. It was a way for the “Pearl of the East” project to borrow money from them. Those who purchased the bonds could sell them back to Teng Wang Fu at their original price or register them to be transferred to someone else interested in acquiring them.
If they decided to keep the bonds, Teng Wang Fu would repay the principal once the port was completed and profitable, and then distribute dividends based on the principal for the next five years. Without investing a significant amount of money, they could potentially acquire a golden goose that laid eggs!
Li Yuanying declared that if nobody was interested, he would have to ask others in other locations for support. He only knew people like Duke of Wei, Li Jing, Situ Changsun Wuji, Sikong Fang Xuanling, and a few princes and princesses. He didn’t have many other acquaintances.
Looking at Li Dejian, who was standing there, Li Yuanying pointed out that he was the eldest son of Duke of Wei and the head of the team responsible for training new seafarers for the Tang Dynasty. And next to him was Du He, the son of Duke of Lai, Du Ruhui, and the husband of Princess Chengyang, his niece. He was the second-in-command of the Tang Dynasty’s new seafaring force. In the future, whenever people needed to sail, they could rely on the seafarers to lead the way and protect them. It would be a safe and secure experience!
Li Yuanying finished his speech, sparing no further words, and promptly announced the start of the bond subscription. Only the large and medium denomination bonds were available for purchase today. The small denomination bonds would be sold at the exchange to the public. Small households with one guan would be able to purchase a small denomination bond and could redeem their principal at the exchange whenever they wanted. There would be no deception or delays in payment!
Even the large denomination bonds didn’t require a payment that exceeded everyone’s expectations. Those who initially felt they would be fleeced were relieved, yet inexplicably felt a sense of disappointment. Why was Li Yuanying asking them to contribute less than the wealthy landowners in Hu County? Did he consider them less important than merchants from a single county?
Even though Emperor Li would definitely not grace them with a grand ceremony, and Li Yuanying hadn’t taught them how to grow watermelons, it felt as if they were being looked down upon by paying such a small amount!
Since Li Yuanying had promised they could redeem their principal at any time, everyone generously purchased a large denomination bond, giving Li Yuanying the respect he deserved.
Those who were a little slow in their actions had to settle for the medium denomination bonds. Buying only ten or eight bonds felt embarrassing, so many of them simply bought an entire set, bringing home the entire port plan!
With such a massive Teng Wang Fu standing before them, everyone believed that Li Yuanying wouldn’t swallow their money. They wouldn’t risk it for such a trivial amount!
Tang Xuan and the others immediately busied themselves, not only registering those who purchased the “Pearl of the East Bonds I” on the spot but also preparing for the upcoming wave of public subscriptions. Although the exchange wasn’t officially open to the public yet, news of the subscription would soon spread after today!
The common people might not be familiar with Prince Teng, Li Yuanying, but these aristocratic clans and wealthy landowners had been deeply rooted in Henan Road for years. If they were willing to purchase these bonds, which were said to provide dividends to their holders, how could ordinary households with modest savings resist? One guan wasn’t a small amount, but it wasn’t impossible to save up. They could think of it as a deposit at the exchange. They could claim their principal whenever they needed it.
Therefore, there would be no shortage of citizens eager to buy the “Pearl of the East Bonds I”!
It was conceivable that the Tengzhou Exchange would be bustling until the port was built and opened, five years from now. The academy would need to start training a group of mathematicians as soon as possible!
Even if the “Pearl of the East” project in Henan Road was successful, they still had the “Pearl of the East Bonds II,” “Pearl of the East Bonds III,” and so on. They had to get this right from the start!
Tang Xuan and the others were right. The entire Tengzhou erupted in a frenzy of buying the “Pearl of the East Bonds I” over the following period.
The exchange was crowded every day, filled with people seeking information or completing transactions.
The money and goods piled up in the treasury, growing at a visible rate, keeping Du He up at night. He spent his days patrolling the treasury, fearing that the allure of wealth might lead to robbery.
Fortunately, Li Yuanying didn’t let the money sit idle. As soon as people started buying the bonds, he immediately instructed Dai Ting and Dong Xiao’er to take action. Dai Ting was responsible for investing part of the money to generate further income, while Dong Xiao’er was in charge of organizing resources and overseeing the construction of the port.
Yan Liben and Li Chunfeng were amazed by Li Yuanying’s strategy.
Only someone as wealthy and influential as Li Yuanying could orchestrate such a grand spectacle!
It was worth noting that Li Yuanying had been actively developing Tengzhou since his arrival. He had built an academy and expanded the outer city, demonstrating that he was not short of funds. At the same time, he never did anything that could harm the common people.
The common people were not fools. They had witnessed many things. After Li Yuanying used the Teng Wang banner and convinced influential people from Henan Road to participate, the people immediately developed a high level of trust in his exchange.
This was the secret to Li Yuanying’s ability to pull off this seemingly impossible feat!
Truly, those who gain the trust of the people gain the world!
Li Chunfeng was deeply impressed by the spectacle in Tengzhou. He had been summoned to assist Li Yuanying in selecting an auspicious day, and now that the day was chosen and construction had begun, he had to return to the capital to report.
Before leaving, Li Chunfeng told Li Yuanying, “When I return to Chang’an, I might have to inform His Majesty about what I’ve seen and heard in Tengzhou.”
Li Yuanying replied, “Of course. Although I’ve written about it in my letters, His Majesty will probably want to hear a more detailed account. Tell him everything and make him happy.”
Li Yuanying felt confident in his actions. He had nothing to hide, so Li Chunfeng could tell his brother anything.
Li Chunfeng said no more and began his journey back to Chang’an.
By this time, the two letters Li Yuanying had written earlier had arrived in Chang’an. One was delivered to the Eastern Palace, and the other was sent directly to Emperor Li at Cuiwei Palace.
Emperor Li was reclining on a couch, eating watermelon and reviewing official documents. When he heard that Li Yuanying had written, he immediately set aside the documents and instructed his attendants to bring him Li Yuanying’s letter.
The author has something to say:
Shandong’s wealthy landowners: Why are we only paying this little? Do you think you can look down on us?
Young Prince: …?
Two hundred little red envelopes have been given out!
I’m leaving tomorrow for half a month. I haven’t planned out my itinerary yet, I’ve only booked my tickets and hotel. I want to go somewhere different and change my mood! I want to visit Xi’an, Luoyang, and Kaifeng. These are all places where the Young Prince and Wang Xiao’pāng have been! I’m excited!
A girl asked me earlier about where to find the Simple History of China course. It’s available on MOOC. Actually, it’s also on the Learning Strong app (haha). Some of the courses look quite interesting!
The Young Prince has fallen to last place on the cultivation list. I’m shamelessly asking for some nurturing. If you have any extra nutrient solution, please use it on the Young Prince. You can find the nurturing interface by clicking the three words “nutrient solution” at the end of each chapter. I will continue to update during my trip, although the update time will be unpredictable! But! The update time has always been unpredictable! After all, I don’t have any stockpiled chapters!
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