hsntnovel Chapter 2073 The Beating Must Be Worth It
Chapter 2073 The Beating Must Be Worth It
"Cooking the accounts? Who told you that I am going to cook the accounts?"
After hearing Pei Mingli's words, Li Shen's face showed confusion, curiosity, surprise and other expressions.
"But, isn't that what the prince just meant? If you tamper with the costs, the costs will be too high and the profits will be reduced."
Why is it too costly not to cook the books? Pei Mingli didn't understand what King Ji meant.
"Of course it can raise costs, Mingli, cooking the books requires skills, the real thing cannot be fake, and the fake thing cannot be real.
The labor and other costs can be easily checked. Your Majesty can find out by just asking.
There is no way to manipulate these costs, and even if you do, you won’t make much money.
One piece of donkey-hide gelatin costs one hundred strings of cash. Falsifying the accounts is nothing more than making a few more strings of cash. Is my butt so worthless?
Since I have to be beaten anyway, I want the beating to be worth it."
Li Shen said this without blushing or feeling embarrassed at all.
This surprised Pei Mingli a little. As a prince, shouldn't he pay attention to his face? Even in front of his confidants, he should pay attention to his image.
But Prince Ji just opened his mouth and got beaten up, not caring at all.
"Your Highness is wise, but you are too modest. Looking at the entire Tang Dynasty, how many people are lucky enough to be favored by Your Majesty and be personally beaten by Your Majesty? It's an honor for me.
Even if I wanted to, I would never have such a blessing."
Just when Pei Mingli was surprised, Wang Hongfu on the side had already started to flatter him.
Pei Mingli opened his mouth wide and turned to look at Wang Hongfu. Is this possible? Wang Hongfu has been in the Ji Palace for more than ten years and he is indeed a lackey.
"Hahaha, no, no, keep a low profile. This is just a friendly communication between me and your Majesty and his son. It's nothing to worry about."
Li Shen grinned.
Alas, Pei Mingli sighed and thought to himself, will he become like these two shameless people in the future?
Li Shen laughed for a while before stopping:
"Okay, let's get back to the point. What we need to do is the raw materials. Fortunately, Your Majesty does not raise donkeys with me.
The most important raw material for making donkey-hide gelatin is donkey skin, and we can raise the price of donkey skin.
There are many excuses, such as our donkeys are fed with traditional Chinese medicine and the donkey skin has more outstanding effects, or we tell them that our donkeys are improved and are not available elsewhere.
Anyway, in the first year, I will take 90% of the net profit, leaving 10% for Your Majesty."
"One percent? Your Majesty, I'm afraid it's hard to get through to His Majesty."
This time Wang Hongfu felt that it was a bit too much. He was thinking that giving 30% and earning an extra 20% would be enough, but he didn't expect that Prince Ji had such a big appetite and actually wanted to earn an extra 40%.
"You are wrong. Whether we earn 10% more or 40% more, the result will be the same. Your Majesty will be able to see it in a year.
Since you are going to be beaten anyway, you might as well make more money. If it weren't written in the contract that you have to return the one million strings of cash if you don't make any money, I would not give him even a tenth of it.
Old Prince, our Ji Palace is in a very difficult situation this year. I remember you told me that our Ji Palace suffered a loss of millions of strings of cash this year.
This king can only use some unconventional means, otherwise we may not be able to fill such a big hole this year, and my sister can't come up with millions of strings of cash."
Li Shen had no choice. He had already borrowed 1.5 million strings of cash last year, and this year the deficit was even greater, amounting to several million strings of cash.
Li Shen now feels like he was paying off a mortgage in his previous life. As soon as he opens his eyes, he sees a huge debt.
Who could have thought that such a big business as Prince Ji’s Mansion could actually make ends meet.
"Thank you for your hard work, Your Highness. It's all because of my incompetence. If it weren't for Wang Wencheng, our Ji Palace wouldn't have lost such a large amount of wealth.
I deserve to die." Wang Hongfu pleaded guilty with red eyes.
"This can't be entirely your fault, eh? When you mentioned Wang Wencheng, I remembered that he seemed to have a separate courtyard somewhere on the border of the Western Regions.
Have you sent anyone to look for this villa? Maybe Wang Wencheng's wealth is still there."
When Li Shen heard Wang Hongfu mention Wang Wencheng, he suddenly remembered that Wang Wencai also had a yard.
At that time, Wang Wencheng's wife handed over all the land deeds and other things.
"Your Highness, I have already sent people there, but they have not returned yet. One reason is that the journey is too long, and the other reason is that they are unfamiliar with the place and need to look for it."
Wang Hongfu hurried to report.
"Well, where exactly do you think his villa is?" Li Shen nodded and asked.
"It seems to be in Yanqi."
"What did you say? Yanqi?" Li Shen sat up quickly when he heard Qiuci.
"Is it Yanqi that we are going to attack now?" Li Shen asked for confirmation.
"Yes, it is indeed Yanqi, and also Qiuci." Pei Mingli nodded in affirmation.
"It's over. What about my money? If Wang Wencheng hides his money in Yanqi, won't it be plundered?"
In ancient times, there was a custom of looting cities during wars, and even if there were generals to restrain them, it would still happen.
When they saw a wealthy family, soldiers would enter and rob them of their money and property.
An example of this is Hou Junji allowing his soldiers to rob the imperial city of Gaochang.
The house Wang Wencheng bought must not be small. Li Shen was very worried that the Tang army might take his money for themselves.
"Your Highness, this shouldn't be possible. Our Great Tang is a country of etiquette and strict military discipline. How could we do such a thing as robbing the people?"
Pei Mingli was a civil servant and had never been to the battlefield, so as a scholar he always thought the world was a beautiful place.
"Mingli, many things are hard to predict, and anything can happen.
No, I must go to Anxi immediately and wait for news.
You two should complete the tasks assigned by this king, and you will be rewarded when this king returns."
Li Shen was extremely anxious, because the house was his after all.
Wang Hongfu and Pei Mingli stood up and saluted:
"Yes, I will obey."
Then the two of them took their leave.
As soon as the two of them left, Shitou came in.
"Your Majesty, several young men from the Wei family have been waiting in the front hall for a long time."
"Okay, let's go. Oh, and call Wang Xuance as well."
Li Shen stood up, left the study and went to the front hall.
At this moment, the four brothers of Yungongfang were already waiting here.
"Brother, His Royal Highness Prince Ji returned to Chang'an yesterday and summoned us today. I wonder what important matter is there."
Wei Siren asked Wei Siyan.
Wei Siyan thought about it and shook his head:
"I don't know either, but since King Ji is so anxious to summon us today, there must be something important. We will know later."
They also found it strange. As soon as they heard that Prince Ji had returned to the capital today, he summoned them. They were a little puzzled and didn't know why.
"His Royal Highness Prince Ji has arrived~~~" After a report, Li Shen walked in in casual clothes.
"See His Highness Prince Ji."
(Oops, it’s six o’clock. Write quickly, or I won’t be able to upload it.)