Xi Benzhen said seriously: "The prince is busy with all his life and does everything he does, so he naturally will not calculate the meal cost... But this is not a small amount. There are teachers in Jiangnan College, with more than 10,000 students. Based on the current six cents per meal, a meal costs more than 60,000 yuan, and a silver discount of 2,400 yuan. However, more than 6,000 teachers and students of the Military Academy provide three meals a day, which is equivalent to nearly 5,000 taels per day. The sum of these two colleges alone will cost more than 7,000 taels per day... It should not be underestimated!"

Wu Zheng was silent.

Huang Zongxi said, "There is also a military workshop... When Mr. Mo was there, the silver that was allocated to the military workshop every month was as high as more than 100,000 taels, and at least as high as 80,000 taels... Now that the Northern Expedition has been completed and the war has gone, can the prince be slightly restrained... For example, the payment has been cut by half?"

Xi Benzhen added, "The most money-consuming and ineffective one is Dongfanghong Technology Co., Ltd.... Not to mention that it has been more than any output in more than a year, just say that the monthly salary of its officials and craftsmen is... I heard that an ordinary craftsman has a monthly salary of up to five or sixty taels of silver... It is almost the same as the prefect of Xiaozhou. This... is not right, the prince!"

Wu Zheng was helpless, had different positions and different opinions.

You can't blame the two.

"I just want to ask the two to take over the Finance Department to share my worries." Wu Zheng said in a deep voice, "I am not asking you to guide me on how to manage it, or be a family for me!"

Huang Zongxi and Xi Benzhen were stunned and hurriedly bowed and said, "I dare not!"

He surrendered and expressed his acceptance of the position of the Finance Department.

"The two of you only manage the Finance Department and the Chamber of Commerce... Whether it is to increase revenue or reduce expenditure in the future, you have your own plans... The money you need is indispensable!"

"yes!"

Wu Zheng stood up, "No need to delay... Let's take office tomorrow!"

At this time, Xi Benzhen said: "The prince stays there... I have something to report."

"speak."

"The stock price of the Chamber of Commerce is chaotic... I have always seen it, but in fact I guessed... it was Mr. Mo who was stirring up a pool of spring water behind me." Xi Benzhen said carefully, "I only watch and don't participate, because I don't want to interfere with this matter... Please understand!"

"I understand... it's all over!"

"But in recent days, an unknown force has secretly acquired shares of the Chamber of Commerce and is gradually expanding its scale... Prince, the stock price of the Chamber of Commerce has lost a lot of money at this time... We cannot sit idly by and grab meat from our bowls and eat it!"

Wu Zheng listened, his expression remained unmoved, but he actually understood what was going on in his heart.

"Then what good advice do you have?"

Xi Benzhen and Huang Zongxi looked at each other and said, "If the prince allows him to approve, I will also acquire the shares of the Chamber of Commerce at the current price... In this way, there is no need to expand the Chamber of Commerce's capital as the prince said before!"

Wu Zheng sighed in his heart, it was another transaction!

"No need!" Wu Zheng said decisively, "Just do your part and don't get involved in the stock price... I already have a suggestion. If someone mixes in without authorization, once he loses all his money, don't say anything!"

Xi Benzhen and Huang Zongxi were shocked and hurriedly bowed: "Since the prince has made a decision... I will obey the order!"

....

On the way back, the new right-level governor Li Yong could not contain his curiosity in his heart.

Logically, he shouldn't have asked.

But as an aide who has been with Wu Zheng for more than a year, he also said that he is used to asking questions openly.

"Your Majesty, don't you want the Chamber of Commerce's stock price to rise?" Li Yong in the car asked softly, "With Huang Zongxi, Xi Benzhen and others mobilized shareholders of the Chamber of Commerce to raise money to buy it, wouldn't it be easy? Besides, they also said that they could not repay the 5 million taels invested in the Finance Department... This is a huge silver!"

Wu Zheng looked at Li Yong with a smile.

Li Yong is young and talented, but unfortunately he is not good at managing his business.

That's right, no one is perfect.

"What is the total share capital of the Chamber of Commerce?"

"I... I don't know very well. It should have been more than 20,000 taels before, right?" Li Yong hesitated, "But now that the stock price has fallen to the bottom, it may be less than 10,000 taels!"

"Why would Huang Zongxi, Xi Benzhen and others mobilize shareholders of the Chamber of Commerce to raise money to buy it... how many can they buy?"

"This... can buy at least 10% or 20%?"

"How much is one or two percent worth?" Wu Zheng asked and answered, "Can you buy 1 or two percent of the shares at such a low price, and there is at least two or three million surplus?"

Li Yong was stunned, then reacted, slapped his knees and exclaimed: "Sure enough... no businessman is traitor... they want to trade five million taels for tens of millions of taels!"

Wu Zheng shook his hand and said, "It's understandable that businessmen pursue profits. The huge risk investment naturally requires excess output returns... I don't agree that it's not because the surplus they are about to get is too generous."

"Then the prince...please give me advice!"

"You all know that the Chamber of Commerce's stock price rebounded... Huang Zongxi, Xi Benzhen and the others would not know?" Wu Zheng said happily, "Huang Zongxi, Xi Benzhen and the others could know, how could he not know the secret opponent?"

Li Yong had a mistress, he couldn't understand.

Wu Zheng had no choice but to explain: "The enemy is in the dark and I am in the bright. The enemy knows my intentions, so he is naturally prepared... If I allow Huang Zongxi, Xi Benzhen and others to buy back, the enemy will have two possibilities for counter-measures. One is to sell the prepared Chamber of Commerce shares to kill Huang Zongxi, Xi Benzhen and others, and let the stock price that just recovered fell to the bottom again..."

"That's right... can the prince buy it back at a low price?"

Wu Zheng glanced at Li Yong angrily, "A million taels of stock, you have to buy back at least tens of millions of silver... Besides, the market is now in a panic, and you only recognize the silver... How can you have so much silver on your hand?"

Li Yong quickly accused him of crime.

"There is another possibility, that is, the opponent quickly follows Huang Zongxi, Xi Benzhen and others buy back, competing for chips." Wu Zheng sighed lightly, "In this way, the shareholders of the chamber of commerce will be reshuffled. It will be even more difficult to sort out who has a large number of shares!"

Li Yong had a slight understanding and nodded subconsciously, "But... the prince has military power in his hands... If the people don't fight with the officials, the ministers don't believe it. With these merchants, they can compete with the prince!"

Wu Zheng laughed, "Do you want the orphan army to... grab money?"

Li Yong's face was flushed, "I... I didn't mean this!"

"The rules set by Gu will be destroyed by Gu's own hands... Where is Gu's reputation?" Wu Zheng sighed, "Reputation is invisible and intangible, but one day, if you lose it, you will feel... it is difficult to move!"

"In recent years, the prosperity of business in Jiangnan has been hard-won... Unless it is absolutely necessary, I cannot break the rules and defame my reputation!"

Li Yong nodded and said, "My minister, I've received my teaching!"
Chapter completed!