Shao Yunan asked knowingly, “Big brother, our Great State of Yan is very poor, right?” Jiang Kangning nodded with a sigh, “Yes. The court can only impose taxes and after the taxes are imposed, the people become even worse off, making the court even poorer.”

Shao Yunan said: “This is a vicious circle. If you ask me, if the court wants money, it can’t always only keep an eye on the farmers. Farmers depend on heaven for a living, how many acres of land can a family grow? If they want to be rich they need to develop business.”

“What do you mean?” Jiang Kangning’s tone was suddenly a little eager. Shao Yunan said, “No matter which dynasty, merchants are the most profitable and the richest. The imperial court should vigorously develop commerce. The merchants will become very rich and if the imperial court’s taxation focuses on the merchants, then not only will the pressure on the farmers be reduced, the imperial court’s taxation can also be guaranteed.” 

“As the pressure on the farmers is reduced, their days will become better and the imperial court will also become more stable. Although the merchants will pay more taxes because of the court’s support, they will also earn more. While the imperial court will use the taxes collected to build homes, improve people’s livelihood, and strengthen military equipment. In this way won’t our country become safe and secure?”

Jiang Kangning licked his lips, “There is indeed some truth in that. But how to develop business? Also, if everyone goes into business, who would plant the fields? Without food it is absolutely not going to work.” This was also the main reason why most of the dynasties in history have valued agriculture over commerce. 

Shao Yunan said, “Our Great State of Yan definitely has the most farmers, even if we open up commerce and encourage people to do business, how many of them can really do it? Business is not the same as farming. The intricacies and twists and turns are not something that ordinary people can understand. For farmers, having a field and land is always fundamental.”

“In other words, on the one hand, the court will have money and on the other, it encourages business. It will also increase support for households to plant, reduce taxes, and improve the purchase price of food, while the farmers will naturally try their best to plant more. This is complimentary. At that time, not only will there be no shortage of grain, but there will be even more grain.”

Jiang Kangning nodded again and again and urged, “Go on, how can you develop business?” Shao Yunan… “The development of commerce should be multi-dimensional. The first thing is to expand domestic demand. That is, to enhance the commercial exchanges between the subjects of the Great State of Yan and increase tax revenue for the court. As an example, jam and chrysanthemum tea are sold within the Great State of Yan, earning uncle Lizheng and patriarch Sun’s families a lot of money as a result. This could be used for internal needs and develop commerce, so that the people become rich and let money flow.”

Jiang Kangning nodded, his eyes burning. “Second, it is to raise external demand. Although we have just finished a war, not all surrounding countries are enemies of our Great State of Yan, right? Those countries that are good friends with our Great State of Yan or do not have much contact with each other, must have something that our Great State of Yan does not have.” 

“On the other hand, our country must have something they do not have, making it a profitable exchange for both sides and making trade and merchants moved by profit. The things we take out can be exchanged for the rare things we don’t have or even real money. What we do not have, can also be exchanged from other countries for real silver and gold at home. With this back and forth, the imperial court can collect more money than by taxing farmers right?”

The way Jiang Kangning looked at Shao Yunan gave Wang Shijing a sense of crisis once again. “The third is to enrich the commercial content and motivate people. Take jam and chrysanthemum tea as an example. Before there was no such thing, so people wouldn’t think of using it to make money. Now everyone knows that chrysanthemum tea and jam can earn money. Since there are so many people willing to buy it, it means that there is money in making it. As long as similar commercial content is enriched, won’t money just roll in? In addition, salt, grain, mining, and other more profitable businesses must be firmly in the hands of the court.” 

“We can’t let the merchants who are in contact with these businesses make a lot of money, while the court, who really holds these resources remain poor, right? These large transactions can be handed over to the people at the bottom, but the court should ensure that the largest portion of the profits go to the court. When the court encourages commercial activities, it is natural for intelligent people to find ways to make money. I could come up with  jam and chrysanthemum tea, so others would also come up with other good ideas.”

“What else?” Now only Shao Yunan was in Jiang Kangning’s eyes.

“When the court is rich and the people are rich, there will be internal stability. Externally, we strengthen our business relations with other countries and develop our advantages in the process. Sometimes, war is not just a sword and number of people, sometimes commerce can also be used as a weapon. If a certain country’s business is particularly dependent on our country, as soon as we block trade with them, they will be in chaos. With the territory of our country, if we really want to do business, our country will definitely have the upper hand.” Jiang Kangning nodded his head vigorously, his blood boiling.

“If the court has money, many aspects can go more smoothly. For example, when conscripting soldiers, military pay can be raised to attract soldiers. In addition, if someone from any family joins the army, the court will not only give a certain reward, but also exempt a certain amount of field taxes. Also if they die in battle for the county, their children and parents will have pensions and preferential treatment. If you become disabled while fighting for the county, the court will not only give you a pension, but also exempt a few acres of land from taxation for 100 years. There would be plenty of people who would be willing to join the army.”

“What else!” Jiang Kangning really wanted to see how many ‘strange’ ideas Shao Yunan’s head was loaded with.

“By the same token, if the bulk of the tax revenue is not from farmers, then the court can also set up some incentive measures when recruiting people for corvee from peasant households, so that the court will not become very passive. Although the court has no money now and the country is poor, there are still many rich people. Just like the marquis’ house that has money.”

“Then our first step is to earn the money from these rich people and then develop commerce step by step. Just as more and more people from the Zhao clan have joined in making jam and more and more people have earned money, by this analogy, sooner or later there will be more and more rich people and people will have more and more spare money in their hands. Making the country richer and richer.”

Shao Yunan pointed to the tea in the cup. “Let’s not talk about overnight success. If this tea can reach my expectation, big brother can integrate all the tea resources in Yongxiu County next year. We will make a large quantity of tea and then the eldest brother will hold a tea tasting party to invite tea merchants and businessmen interested in the tea business from all over the province to spread the popularity of the Yongxiu [New Tea]. This will not only drive the province’s people to grow tea and make tea in the future, it will also make our province rich.” 

“If done like this, the experience of our Yongxiu tea can be popularized nationwide. As long as there is a place where tea is produced in abundance, they can also do the same thing. There are thousands of kinds of tea. The tea that you just tasted is only one kind of green tea. There is also black tea, white tea, and so on. You have also tasted this tea. I believe that this tea will not only set the wind in our Great State of Yan, but it will certainly be used in exchange for real money in other countries!”

He was kidding, he long since knew that tea was a good thing that has been exported through the centuries. Jiang Kangning was short of breath. “If the eldest brother wants to build our Yongxiu Tea Country, in fact there are two backers that no one else can compare to. If you can pull these two backers into the partnership, then no one will try to snatch this business from the hands of big brother.”

“Who?”

“The emperor and old teacher Weng.”

“Yunan!” Wang Shijing was startled. No one should speak of the emperor so freely. Jiang Kangning, however, encouraged him. “Tell me about it.”

“Just imagine old master Weng invites three or five five friends to his home to have a cup of tea, drink tea, recite poetry, or simply have some other activity. Those people will naturally ask what kind of tea it is and old master Weng will only say it’s good tea for him. Then he came up with a simple way to make tea. Do you think those people would also like to make such tea?”

“Definitely!”

“Old Master Weng drinks a tea that has never been seen before. With his prominent status, anyone who thinks they also have status will want to also drink this tea. In this way they can only ask big brother.”

“Just imagine the emperor hosting a banquet and giving one person such a unique cup of tea and then revealing with his words that it was made by your elder brother. Just think, the tea drunk by the emperor is definitely a symbol of status. At that time, not to mention being rich, you also need to have some status before you can even buy it.”

“As you said, you will not only have the two most unshakable backers in the tea business, they can also advertise for you for free, um, like sign boards. Even if more people make tea in the future, those who have money and status will definitely want the best tea. I dare to slap my chest and promise that the tea I give to your brother will definitely be the best of best.” 

“Not to mention a hundred taels of silver a kilo, a thousand taels a kilo can also be made, depending on whether you want to sell it. Can the son of a marquis be more powerful than the emperor and old master Weng? So big brother, I sincerely recommend that you pull these two into the partnership. Isn’t the emperor also short of money?”

Jiang Kangning’s heart fluttered due to Shao Yunan’s words, but he still pointed at him, “You, you, you must never say such words again. You need to be careful or you might be accused of defying the emperor.”

Shao Yunan laughed. “I just gave my big brother a suggestion. I will not say things like this to others. Big brother, why don’t you wait until the wine is ready and take it to the emperor and old master Weng to taste it together? If the two great gods are willing to join him, your brother’s business will be foolproof and we will just need to wait to make money.”

Jiang Kangning slowly put away his smile and said, “Yunan, big brother accepts your heart. He also doesn’t know how he might be able to repay it in the future. But big brother will promise you and Shijing that as long as he is an official, he will be your family’s backer.”

Shao Yunan… “Big Brother!”

Wang Shijing… “Big Brother!”

As soon as the thanks were over, Shao Yunan said, “Brother, I want to enroll Brother Qing in White Moon Academy, please think of a way. Qing will be seven years old next year so it is not impossible for him to go to a private school, right?”

Jiang Kangning was so happy, that after thinking for a moment he said, “Bring me some tea first and I’ll give it to Dean Cen. I won’t say who gave it to him at first, but when he takes the bait your wine should already be ready. Then I will also take it to him, greet him, and make a request. Tea and wine have always been Dean Cen’s favorites.”

“Then I’m counting on you, Brother! I will give you some of each of these four classes of tea and you can keep them for yourself. After the wine is made and you taste it, you can also arrange what you want to do yourself. I have nearly seventy kilos of fourth-grade tea here, 30 barrels of wine in large barrels, and 15 barrels of wine in small barrels.”

“Good. Big brother should also not be polite with me. After the wine is brewed, your big brother will personally go to the capital to talk about this sale.”

“Good!”

Shao Yunan gave Jiang Kangning a tea jar for each class of tea and also gave him a jar of ordinary chrysanthemum tea and fifty golden silk royal chrysanthemums. He also took out three jars of red sour fruit jam that were kept in his space. Next, Jiang Kangning had a careful chat with Shao Yunan about his business idea, only feeling that he was in no mood for the New year meal. It was not until the afternoon that Jiang Kangning returned to the county town with what Shao Yunan had given him and his great ambition for the future.

Edited by: Jaisland

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