bayedsolid Chapter 36 Reaching Cooperation
Chapter 36 Reaching Cooperation
But now he wants to leave, yet he doesn't dare to leave at all.
If he were to leave now, he would definitely be suspected, and the Imperial Guards would come to his door and slaughter his entire family.
Left with no other choice, Zhou Li could only bow and say, "Please give your instructions, Your Highness Prince Shou."
Li Mao smiled faintly and said, "Minister Zhou, there's no need to be so nervous."
"What follows is a good thing. After I finish speaking, Minister Zhou will surely agree."
"Appreciate further details."
Despite saying that, Zhou Li looked as if he had eaten shit and was in great pain.
I even regretted coming here in the first place.
Li Mao gestured for Zhou Li to sit down.
Zhou Li slowly walked to the chair, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
"Presumably, Vice Minister Zhou has been an official for many years and has a lot of gold hidden in his mansion that cannot be seen in the light of day."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Li immediately stood up again.
"Your Highness, I am an honest and upright official, and I would never dare to do anything corrupt or bribery."
Zhou Li spoke very seriously, but in reality, he was already starting to panic.
Some have even begun to speculate that Li Mao possesses some evidence, though they are not entirely certain.
The reason for asking this question now is simply to extract information from him.
As long as they deny it to the death, no one will be able to find them.
Li Mao smiled faintly and said, "Minister Zhou, there's no need to explain. This is only human nature, and I can understand it."
At this moment, Zhou Li was like a plaything in Li Mao's hands, wanting to escape but unable to.
"Your Highness Prince Shou has misunderstood, this humble official truly..."
“Minister Zhou, I am speaking to you calmly now, so don’t be ungrateful,” Li Mao interrupted him forcefully.
With just one sentence, Zhou Li dared not defend himself any longer.
Although he hadn't said anything at that moment, Zhou Li was already convinced that Li Mao must have obtained evidence.
Li Mao glanced at Zhou Li indifferently, watching as sweat slowly appeared on Zhou Li's forehead.
He then sneered and said, "Minister Zhou often appears at my horse farm."
"There will always be a few good friends who travel with you."
"Sometimes Minister Zhou needs certain people to do him a favor, and sometimes he needs to visit some people. As for what he said to these people, I may or may not remember it."
Hearing this, Zhou Li felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
Today, I fear I am doomed.
"Your Highness Prince Shou, you might as well speak frankly," Zhou Li said, seemingly resigned to his fate.
He believed that Li Mao would definitely extort a large sum of money from him today.
As long as I can save my life, everything else is trivial.
Li Mao sneered and said, "All the princes and military governors will place bets at my horse farm."
“On the first, third, fifth and seventh days of each month… they would come to gamble on horse racing, and they would always lose.”
"Losing ten taels on the first day, winning back thirty taels on the second, losing thirty taels on the third, and winning back ninety taels on the fourth..."
"Has Minister Zhou understood what I have said?"
Zhou Li was, after all, a craftsman by trade, had a few years of schooling, and entered officialdom through connections.
After hearing this explanation, I didn't immediately grasp its meaning.
"This humble official is dull-witted; please explain in detail, Your Highness Prince Shou."
Li Mao was also speechless. He had explained it so clearly, but Li Mao still couldn't understand.
"Simply put, if the money in Vice Minister Zhou's household goes through my horse farm, then if anyone investigates in the future, I can openly say that it was won from my horse farm."
"In this way, as long as I am here, Minister Zhou can use his illicit gold openly and honestly, no matter how much it is."
Hearing such a straightforward explanation, Zhou Li finally understood.
No wonder, many people in Chang'an followed Li Mao's example and opened horse racing betting venues.
In the end, to get the horse farm up and running, it required connections and maneuvering, which cost a lot of money.
When the last horse farm was finally opened, it was completely deserted.
In contrast, Li Mao's racecourse was the most popular.
Among them, high-ranking officials and nobles were the most numerous.
Outsiders simply couldn't understand why these princes and military governors were so obsessed with Li Mao's racetrack, and it wasn't even for the purpose of forging connections.
It now seems that the intricacies of this matter are something that only insiders could know.
At the same time, I also admire Li Mao's thoughts.
But Zhou Li was conflicted. Was this thing reliable or not?
What if you invest all your savings and then lose?
Would I dare to sue the authorities?
Or should we go and file a complaint with the emperor?
If I were to file a complaint, wouldn't that be like putting a butcher's knife to my own throat?
Li Mao also saw the doubt in Zhou Li's heart, and then said with a smile: "Minister Zhou, there is no need to panic. Anyone who wants to cooperate will have this doubt. It is only human nature."
"However, in my opinion, losing a long-term partner for a little bit of gold is the worst possible deal, and I would never do it."
Even after all that had been said, Zhou Li still hesitated.
Li Mao smiled faintly and said, "Minister Zhou's family has only a little over ten thousand taels of gold. If he wants my help, I will only take a small cut, which is absolutely nothing to Minister Zhou."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Li was completely convinced.
It was as if Li Mao had completely under his control, and he couldn't even muster the slightest thought of resistance.
Li Mao had thoroughly investigated his family's finances.
Left with no other choice, Zhou Li could only bow politely and say, "I am honored by Your Highness's favor and am willing to cooperate with Your Highness."
Li Mao was not surprised at all when he heard this.
In his view, this was an open conspiracy; once you stepped through this door, you had to cooperate, even if you didn't want to.
Because he had already heard things he shouldn't have heard.
It's either cooperate or die.
A thought flashed through Li Mao's mind, and he immediately changed the subject, saying, "Now, the matter of repairing the palace will be handled by Minister Zhou. If Minister Zhou does a good job, I can also entrust you with the task of dredging the river."
These two projects may seem neither big nor small, but the profits involved are considerable.
Zhou Li had resigned himself to his fate; he was now one of Prince Shou's men.
So when he heard about these two tasks, a smile immediately appeared on his face.
"Thank you for your generous gift, Your Highness Prince Shou."
Li Mao smiled faintly and said, "Now that everything has been explained, I will not linger any longer."
"Your Highness, please wait. This humble official will take his leave."
Zhou Li left with a smile on his face.
Li Mao couldn't help but think that this was originally a task given to him by Li Longji, which he then passed on to someone else, and the person who took over the task was expected to be grateful to him.
As for the river, it can be developed into its own dock.
Thinking of this, Li Mao summoned his men again.
"Someone, convey my order: recruit boatmen."