Chapter 165: Each Has His Own Calculations

It seemed that the actions of the Fanhaijin were increasingly changing the course of history. However, in history, the matter of switching to sea transport had always faced great resistance. This time, it was so smooth, obviously, some factors he did not know about had played a role.

Shen Tingyang was very talkative. It was clear that the opportunity to try out his long-held ambitions had made him extremely excited. From his words, Zhao Yigong roughly knew that the proposal to directly transport grain and provisions from Jiangnan to Liaodong this time was made by the Minister of War, Xiong Mingyu. This Minister Xiong, due to the Fanhaijin’s intervention, had appeared decisive and capable in the whole process of suppressing the Dengzhou rebellion. Therefore, his position in the emperor’s mind was still acceptable. Although he had received a reprimand, he had not lost his post as he had in the old timeline, and he continued to muddle along in the increasingly difficult position of Minister of War.

It was not surprising to Zhao Yigong why this consistently timid and slick bureaucrat, Xiong Mingyu, would suddenly make such a bold proposal. He was now eager to regain the “emperor’s favor.” He could only take a risk to show his “talent” and let the emperor recognize that he was still “useful.” The consequences of the Dengzhou incident this time were by no means something that could be compensated for by “suppression.” Sun Yuanhua, who was busy with the aftermath in Dengzhou, was still carrying the punishment of “dismissal from office.” The Chongzhen Emperor would not easily forgive these main responsible persons.

However, the reason why Xiong Mingyu could make such a bold proposal was obviously that someone had given him great confidence.

This person was probably not just the grand secretaries like Zhou Yanru and Xu Guangqi, who were in the open. It must be the result of the behind-the-scenes maneuvering of a very powerful figure in the court.

Could it be the “master of all,” Zhang Pu? Zhao Yigong felt this was the most likely possibility. Since he had personally gone to Taicang last time and advocated for the abolition of the canal transport and the switch to sea transport, he had felt that this Master Zhang was very interested in it. The Fushe largely represented the interests of the gentry and landlords of the Southern Zhili region, and the canal transport had always been a burden they complained about most. Therefore, they were the most motivated.

Xiong Mingyu’s memorial received support from all sides. Because Shen Tingyang had already been maneuvering for this matter in the capital, Xiong Mingyu recommended him and also presented his Book of Sea Transport and Map of Sea Transport. After a court discussion, the emperor and the ministers all felt that it was worth a try to solve the urgent problem in Liaodong. So they gave him the nominal title of a secretary of the Grand Secretariat and gave him full authority to handle this matter.

“If this matter can be accomplished, it will be possible to switch the tribute grain to sea transport in the future!”

As long as they could directly transport grain from Jiangnan to Liaodong this time, it would prove that sea transport was reliable and cheap. Then, they could discuss switching the white grain of Taicang to sea transport, and even expand to abolishing the canal transport and switching to sea transport, step by step.

Zhao Yigong knew that things were not that simple. The power of habit and the obstruction of vested interest groups would cause any reform to encounter great resistance. In history, Shen Tingyang’s sea transport experiment was a complete success, but in the end, the tribute grain still went through the inefficient Grand Canal.

However, since history had already been changed by their arrival, this change would inevitably cause a series of chain reactions. The butterfly effect was not just a saying.

Zhao Yigong appropriately showed a look of “joy and excitement” and echoed a few words, waiting for the other party to speak. Shen Tingyang had specially invited him to discuss this matter, so there must be a specific cooperation to be discussed.

However, Shen Tingyang’s happy expression did not last long and soon became solemn. “To be honest, I have specially invited you to Shanghai this time to discuss some important matters.”

“If there is anything I can do to help, I will certainly do my best,” Zhao Yigong nodded repeatedly, his expression very solemn. The crux of the matter was coming. Shen Tingyang must have found some things difficult to handle, which was why he had specially come to find him.

Since he had come to find him, it went without saying that the China Merchants’ Bureau would also be involved in this business. If he could take this opportunity to bring the coastal shipping routes into the hands of the China Merchants’ Bureau, his company would become a legitimate “Ming official ship,” and he could smuggle and trade along the coast with complete justification. Thinking of this, Zhao Yigong couldn’t help but feel a little excited.

Only then did Shen Tingyang talk about the details of this grain and provisions transport.

The grain and provisions to be transported to Liaodong this time were for the Guanning garrison, fifty thousand shi of coarse rice. This amount of transport was not a heavy burden for Shen Tingyang’s sea transport force. A brand-new large sand ship could carry about four thousand shi, and thirteen or fourteen large sand ships would be enough to meet the demand. The Shen family had one or two hundred sand ships, many of which were already sailing on the northern shipping routes. It was more than enough to complete the grain transport task.

But things were often not as simple as they seemed. After Shen Tingyang submitted his memorial with Xiong Mingyu’s support, although he quickly received the decree to trial-transport the grain and provisions, the subsequent problems made him feel very troubled.

These fifty thousand shi of grain were to be allocated from Jiangnan—the amount would be deducted from this year’s tribute grain from Jiangnan.

This was originally a mutually beneficial method, but when Shen Tingyang went to the provincial administration commission yamen to handle it, he was met with a cold shoulder.

The provincial administration commission yamen refused to allocate the grain, saying that many prefectures and counties in the Southern Zhili region had suffered from floods and droughts last year, the local grain reserves were insufficient, and a large amount of seed grain was urgently needed in the spring. The provincial treasury had no grain to allocate.

“I originally thought this was just the usual practice of demanding bribes, but the official in charge was incorruptible. No matter who went to intercede, he would not even accept bribes. He just said there was no grain and insisted on allocating the funds in cash.”

“In cash?” Zhao Yigong was stunned. In cash, as the name implies, meant not allocating grain, but allocating silver according to the price of grain. This was very common in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Because silver was easier to transport than grain and also easier to use, for remote areas with poor transportation conditions, converting to silver was much cheaper than transporting grain.

Converting to silver involved issues such as the fineness of the silver and wastage, and there were also many opportunities for corruption compared to transporting coarse rice. Most importantly, after embezzlement, the procedure of converting to cash was eliminated, so it was very popular among officials.

“…You also know that now is the so-called lean season of May and June. The price of grain outside is three mace per dou. For one shi of rice, even if you buy it in bulk from a grain merchant, it will cost more than two taels of silver per shi. And the current grain price is still rising, so it might be even more than that.”

Zhao Yigong now understood: most likely, the provincial administration commission’s conversion to cash was based on the “official price.” He asked, “How much is the official price?”

“One tael and two mace,” Shen Tingyang said with a wry smile. “With one tael and two mace, you can only buy six or seven dou of rice in bulk. To get fifty thousand shi of rice, you’ll have to put in at least forty thousand taels of silver.”

The provincial administration commission’s conversion price was one tael and two mace, but when they reported to the Ministry of Revenue, it was at a price of two taels per shi. In this way, the forty thousand taels became the benefit of the person in charge!

Compared to these forty thousand taels, the mere few hundred taels of “customary fees” and “bribes” were nothing. No wonder they used such a high-sounding reason.

Zhao Yigong cursed the officials for being shameless and excessively greedy.

“What can be done about this? Brother Jiming can’t possibly pay for it himself.”

“Exactly,” Shen Tingyang said resentfully. “I am also half a businessman. There are countless ways to do business in the world, but a losing business is something that cannot be done. Although I am undertaking the transport of the Guanning grain and provisions to serve the court, I cannot use my own money to fill the pockets of those corrupt officials.”

In the past, since the Shen family was a shipping family, they also had a commercial network. No matter where the waterway grain wharves were, as long as there was cheap grain, they could buy it in large quantities. Not only would they not lose money, but they might even make a small profit.

But this time, Shen Tingyang encountered an even more troublesome matter. It turned out that the clerks of the Guanning garrison who were in charge of coordinating the transport of grain and provisions in the capital had secretly let it be known that Guanning would absolutely not accept “rotten old warehouse rice” and had specified that they wanted the funds in cash.

“Wouldn’t that solve the problem?” Zhao Yigong was puzzled. Since the Guanning army wanted silver, wouldn’t it be easier to just transport the sixty thousand taels of silver, and also avoid the trouble of the price difference?

Shen Tingyang shook his head with a wry smile, “Brother, you still know too little about the ways of the officialdom. The Ministry of Revenue’s reimbursement is two taels of silver per shi. How could the Guanning army accept the converted silver at one tael and two mace?”

No matter how you calculated it, Shen Tingyang, who was undertaking this sea transport, would lose money. And this was just the loss on the “main item.” The other various “expenses” and “bribes” added up to a considerable sum. In the past, as long as a portion was “lost at sea,” this part of the expenses could be offset, and there might even be a small profit. But this time, the shortfall on the main item was too large, and Shen Tingyang also felt helpless.

“Moreover, for this sea transport, many high-ranking officials in the court have put in a lot of effort, and each of them must be given something.” Thinking of this huge subsequent expense, Shen Tingyang couldn’t help but frown.

These personnel expenses could absolutely not be saved. Otherwise, he probably wouldn’t even be able to get the converted silver for the sea transport from the yamen on time. If they wanted to make things difficult for him, they had a whole set of methods, and they would never let you find any fault. Without the intercession of the high-ranking officials in the court, he wouldn’t even be able to pass the first hurdle.

Originally, according to his idea, this sea transport of grain and provisions was to serve the court. Even if he couldn’t make money for a while, it didn’t matter, as long as he could break even. If he could abolish the canal transport and switch to sea transport in the future, it would be of great benefit to both the country and himself. The current small profit could be put aside.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the decree for this sea transport of grain and provisions was issued, he found himself suddenly at the center of a storm. All sorts of people seemed to think he had gotten a huge lucrative deal and were eyeing him covetously, wanting to devour him.

“I never thought it would be so difficult to get things done!” Shen Tingyang couldn’t help but sigh at this point. “I wonder if you have any good ideas, brother?”

While he was speaking, Zhao Yigong had already had several ideas. He recalled the information in the Compilation of Ming Dynasty Political and Social Conditions given to him by the Foreign Intelligence Bureau and the various commercial intelligence collected by Shanhai Wulu over the past year. He already had a countermeasure in mind.

He coughed lightly, “In my opinion, this matter is not impossible to do…”

Shen Tingyang seemed to be waiting for these words. He looked at him with a solemn gaze, “Please teach me, brother!”