Chapter 28 Disrespectful

When he said this, he was already sweating profusely.

It’s not that Deng Qianqiu is a coward, because even though he has lived two lives, he is actually just an ordinary person. His only advantage is that he stands higher than people of this era and has more experience.

Zhu Yuanzhang was silent at this time. He couldn't help but look up and down at Deng Qianqiu, who had a frightened face, and actually seemed a little surprised.

Zhu Yuanzhang then stood up and paced slowly for a long time. Suddenly he asked, "Where did the 90,000 taels of silver in the treasury come from?"

"I earned it." Deng Qianqiu said without hesitation.

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows and said, "Earned? What good thing is there in this world that can earn so much money in just a few months?"

"Because... because my medicine works wonders."

Zhu Yuanzhang said word by word: "We have already inquired about it. Your medicine is indeed quite effective. But there are many effective elixirs in the world. Why can't you earn 90,000 taels in just a few months?"

Deng Qianqiu slowly relaxed. He realized that in front of this person, he didn't dare to have any bad thoughts at all, as if he was under a spell.

“Because of the business model.”

"Business model?"

Deng Qianqiu said very honestly: "First lose money, then build a reputation, just like this self-proclaimed gynecological expert, and treat patients at low prices, in fact, it is to capture people's hearts."

"Ok?"

"People like to watch the fun. If they hear something sensational, especially self-boasting, they can't help but want to see the joke. Slowly, everyone spreads it around as a joke. One person spreads it to ten people, ten to a hundred, and it forms public opinion."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned after hearing this. He glanced at Deng Qianqiu more suspiciously and said, "Go on."

"That's spreading the word. Since it's become a hot topic, there will inevitably be people who are curious about it. Over time, when everyone knows that this medicine is effective, this kind of joke will naturally become popular with the efficacy of this medicine."

Zhu Yuanzhang sat back in the chair, put his hands on his knees, and tapped his knees slowly with his index finger.

"that's it?"

"Having a good reputation is actually secondary. The most important thing is to make people feel that it is profitable."

"You mean, those merchants?"

"Yes, people must be convinced that they can make money with this drug."

Zhu Yuanzhang found it novel, but after Deng Qianqiu's guidance, he quickly began to understand it.

Deng Qianqiu continued, "Since people are convinced that we can make money, the next model is to collect deposits and promise to supply the goods. Your Highness and I will divide the nearby prefectures and counties into districts, and recruit a merchant to underwrite each district. In order to underwrite this medicine, the merchant must pay gold and silver in advance, and we can also charge them an underwriting fee."

"After we get their deposit, we can build the workshop, recruit staff, and purchase raw materials. Then the medicine can be produced on a large scale. Moreover, with these underwriters, we will have a steady stream of orders, which will allow His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin and I to produce and supply the medicine with peace of mind."

Zhu Yuanzhang: "..."

They actually got something for nothing?

Deng Qianqiu continued, "Not only that, all the underwriters we recruited have paid a price, so naturally, they are tied to His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin. In this way, in order to sell these medicines, they must brag about the efficacy of the medicines. In each prefecture and county, the merchants who can underwrite this medicine are mostly local tyrants. They will create momentum and will surely make the efficacy of this medicine deeply rooted in the hearts of the people! In this way, His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin and I don't have to spend any effort at all, and someone will spread the word for us."

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "..."

Deng Qianqiu added: "This will form a virtuous cycle. The more people praise it, the more popular this medicine will be. Merchants from other parts of the world will come here to ask for underwriting, and the orders and sales of this medicine will naturally expand like a snowball."

Zhu Yuanzhang was already quite shocked by this set of new gadgets.

He couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart.

At this moment, the pair of tiger eyes seemed to have light in an instant. He stared at Deng Qianqiu for a long time without saying a word.

It was eerily quiet in the cell.

Then, Zhu Yuanzhang closed his eyes and said, "Wouldn't this become salt and iron?"

In ancient times, salt and iron could generate huge profits, so starting from the Han Dynasty, salt and iron were monopolized by the imperial court and regarded as a form of taxation.

After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang mainly adopted in-kind taxation, that is, collecting cloth and grain as the main means of taxation.

The court's real gold and silver came from the salt and iron monopolies. Therefore, during the Ming Dynasty, the court collected approximately three million taels of silver each year.

Deng Qianqiu said: "This medicine is a far cry from salt and iron."

"Oh?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "Do you know how much profit the court can make from salt and iron every year?"

Deng Qianqiu said: "How much the court can collect is one thing, but the actual profit of salt and iron is another. The profit of this medicine may be far less than that of salt and iron, but no matter how much is earned, it will be recorded in the account and put into the warehouse. As for salt and iron..."

Zhu Yuanzhang understood something instantly. A hint of murderous intent flashed across his eyes, and the bloody smell on his body seemed to be even stronger.

The profits from salt and iron were greater, but where did the money go?
Zhu Yuanzhang's lips curled up with an anxious arc, but he said: "Interesting, interesting, I benefited a lot today."

Deng Qianqiu was stunned as he didn't expect the person in front of him to say such words.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked again: "Where did you learn these?"

"Yes... yes..." Deng Qianqiu wanted to evade the question, but he couldn't think of a reason at the moment, so he could only say, "I just figured it out myself."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Deng Qianqiu deeply.

Then he stood up, as if he had decided to leave.

"I...I have a request."

Zhu Yuanzhang stopped and looked back at Deng Qianqiu: "Anything else to say?"

Deng Qianqiu said, "I know that I have committed a capital crime. Now that I am being interrogated, I would like to ask... if you are kind-hearted, when you make a report... could you please... beg His Majesty... to spare my father's life? My father is an honest man, he... he..."

Zhu Yuanzhang pursed his lips and looked at Deng Qianqiu for a long time.

Suddenly he said in a deep voice: "Who told you that the emperor wanted to kill your father?"

Deng Qianqiu smiled bitterly and said, "I just know that if you can say something good for my father, I...I will be grateful."

Zhu Yuanzhang: "..."

At this moment, a trace of shame and anger flashed across Zhu Yuanzhang's face.

He still said in a deep voice: "You have committed a crime, so I will kill your father. Do you think the emperor is a natural killer?"

"Ah..." Deng Qianqiu didn't know how to answer.

Zhu Yuanzhang said angrily: "You are slandering me..."

He paused, as if searching his brain for words, and then scolded: "This is unbecoming of a subject, and extremely disrespectful!"

Deng Qianqiu: “…”

Faced with the rebuke, Deng Qianqiu was speechless.

What can he say? He's going to die anyway, right?
(End of this chapter)