Honestly, if the paper mill weren’t Zhao Hanzhang’s own, and if costs hadn’t decreased substantially, these tasks simply couldn’t be done, because paper consumption alone could bankrupt the government finances.
Oh, by the way, the court owed her quite a lot of money for this. In the paper mill’s current transactions with the court, they could only collect thirty percent of the payment each time.
Zhao Hanzhang took up her brush to calculate accounts, adding and subtracting, somewhat unable to make up her mind. So she called Ji Yuan over to ask, “Minister Ji, what percentage of profit should I take in the newly opened paper mills and publishing houses?”
Ji Yuan paused, then said, “You still want to take a share of profit? Aren’t you giving them to the local offices?”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “Not giving.”
She leaned back and said, “It doesn’t show now because I can’t collect payment, but as long as we get through this difficult period, paper mills and publishing houses will definitely be the two most profitable industries, more profitable than even glass workshops.”
Now, because they had to support local office and school construction, paper mills and publishing houses only engaged in break-even transactions, just keeping accounts. They only collected twenty to forty percent of the payment each time, just to maintain workshop operations.
Only external transactions were profitable.
But once the court had money and engaged in future transactions, publishing houses and paper mills of course couldn’t continue break-even transactions.
By then, every workshop could turn a profit.
Zhao Hanzhang said, “Do you know how many commanderies and kingdoms are currently under my control across the nine provinces?”
Before Ji Yuan could answer, she said proudly, “Ninety-nine commanderies. Even if only one publishing house and one paper mill are established per commandery, that’s still ninety-nine of each. Once they become profitable, how much money will they earn me annually?”
Unfortunately, Ji Yuan couldn’t quite grasp it. “But… in the future the entire realm will be yours. Why bother going to such effort to divide up the accounts?”
“It’s different,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “Mine and the court’s still have a distinction.”
“Public is public, private is private. Now it’s because public funds are lacking that I must use private assets to supplement public needs, but that doesn’t mean I’ll always do so.” Zhao Hanzhang said, “If we don’t separate them, what if in the future I want to use money privately and misappropriate from the national treasury?”
She earnestly taught Ji Yuan, “Minister, you must guard against me.”
Ji Yuan smiled and said, “I trust you. With your virtue and ability, you would only use private assets to supplement public needs, not misappropriate public funds for private use.”
Zhao Hanzhang muttered, “But I’m not very confident in myself.”
She still had self-awareness. Now she was frugal only because if she used a bit more, people outside might starve to death, so she could restrain herself well.
Once things settled down one day, she might not be so selfless, so it was better to separate things clearly from the start.
“What do you think of me taking thirty percent?” she said. “The land belongs to each commandery, the workshops are built by each commandery office, and I’m responsible for providing technology and sending craftsmen to teach them. How about I take thirty percent of the annual profits after costs?”
Ji Yuan thought for a moment, then said, “Wouldn’t that be too much? Since you intend to build publishing houses and paper mills in each commandery, you naturally want each commandery office to have some revenue to ease the financial crisis. If so, why not be more generous and just symbolically take ten percent?”
He said, “With ten percent profit, as long as the publishing houses and paper mills exist, you’ll always have profit. Even if the dynasty eventually falls, they’ll still be there. This could benefit your descendants endlessly. Ten percent profit is sufficient. More than that, I fear there will be conflicts in the future.”
Zhao Hanzhang looked up at him. “Ten percent profit?”
Ji Yuan nodded seriously. “Ten percent profit!”
Zhao Hanzhang bit her lip and shook her head. “No, that’s too little. It pains me. I still want thirty percent profit. I originally thought you would suggest I take fifty percent.”
Ji Yuan said gently, “This matter is not small. After all, it involves so many provinces and commanderies. Why not bring it up for discussion with everyone at tomorrow’s court session?”
Zhao Hanzhang frowned.
Ji Yuan said, “This also counts as state business now, major state business at that. How can we not discuss it?”
After thinking it over, Zhao Hanzhang agreed.
When she got off work in the afternoon and returned home, Zhao Hanzhang walked with her hands behind her back to the radio room to chat with Fu Tinghan across mountains and rivers. “Minister Ji is no longer my Minister Ji, but the court’s Chancellor.” She recounted the day’s events in detail.
Fu Tinghan listened to the radio and recorded a page of numbers before picking up a copy of the Analects to translate. Once translated, he couldn’t help but smile, his eyes crinkling as he sent her a reply.
“Do your duty in your position. You can counteroffer—down to twenty percent.”
Zhao Hanzhang translated the numbers into text under them and couldn’t help but snort. “Professor Fu really doesn’t know business. Retreating to twenty percent so easily—in the end it’ll definitely be beaten down to ten percent.”
Zhao Hanzhang sighed, unconsciously scratching her face. This was her fault—she hadn’t adjusted her mindset in time. She still treated Minister Ji as her dear advisor, but he had already changed identities, becoming her respected Chancellor.
Recalling what Ji Yuan had said earlier, it was clear he had already begun treating her as a sovereign.
If so, then their relationship as sovereign and minister couldn’t be only harmonious—there would also be conflict. For instance, Ji Yuan would represent the court’s and people’s interests in contending with her.
Sigh, actually ten percent wasn’t unacceptable. This money would go into her private treasury, and she couldn’t spend that much anyway. In the end she’d still supplement the national treasury.
No, no—supplementing was fine, but this money had to be in her hands. The choice to supplement had to be hers, not something she handed over from the start. Mm, she couldn’t think about these things. Just think about how much profit her technology should rightfully command.
Zhao Hanzhang made up her mind and told Fu Tinghan, “I’ve decided. Tomorrow at court I’ll still insist on thirty percent. I think my technology is worth thirty percent.”
Fu Tinghan asked, “What’s your bottom line?”
Zhao Hanzhang replied with difficulty, “Twenty-five percent.”
Fu Tinghan couldn’t help but laugh heartily. It was rare to see her so money-grubbing.
After thinking it over, he told her, “The salt fields in Qingzhou and Guangzhou have stabilized salt production. I’ll set out to return to the capital in a couple days. This time I’ll bring back a batch of salt, and besides salt, also a map. These past months I’ve traveled the entire coastline of Guangzhou and Qingzhou, drawing it all into a map. I’ve measured all the data you wanted, but I don’t understand this area very well and can’t determine which location is suitable for building a seaport.”
“But I can confirm one thing—both provinces can build one.”
Zhao Hanzhang looked at the translated text, extremely excited. She asked, “How many guards are escorting you back? Do you need me to send people to meet you?”
Fu Tinghan replied, “No need. I’ll bring back all one thousand guards you gave me. Safety along the way should be no problem.”
He felt there was no problem, but Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t very reassured.
Fu Tinghan’s safety was no less important than hers. There were no fewer people in this world who wanted to kill him than her, because besides all his abilities, he was also her fiancé.
Zhao Hanzhang lowered her eyes to think for a moment, then still gave orders to Zhao Ju, commanding him to send troops to provide support.
Yanzhou wasn’t far from Qingzhou. Once Fu Tinghan left Qingzhou, Yanzhou’s Zhao Family Army could meet up with him and head to Luoyang.
—