Chapter 33

Ma Cheng'en was a short and sturdy man with a broad face and large ears. His long and powerful arms had thick calluses on the tiger's mouth, and he walked in with a slight bow-legged gait... This was the typical image of a cavalry general. In a family like the Ma family, who were known for their military prowess, the young would certainly practice riding and archery from a young age, so such an appearance was not surprising.

However, Ma Cheng'en had a soft voice and a gentle manner, which was much better than the rough appearance of Lai Tongxin.

Upon hearing Du Shenming's words, Ma Cheng'en's expression changed, and he said, "Zunlu, you have indeed worked hard. The goods are important, but I have been worried about your safety these past few days. There might be bandits and robbers on the road, but fortunately, you have returned safely."

Then, Ma Cheng'en turned to Zhang Han and said with a smile, "You are quite a fine young man, with a noble bearing and an extraordinary demeanor. To travel hundreds of miles for business at the end of the year is truly commendable. I wonder if your elders are at home and if they are worried about you."

Zhang Han was too young, and although Ma Cheng'en trusted Du Shenming, he still couldn't help but test him a bit.

Zhang Han smiled and replied, "General, my grandfather and father have both passed away. I am now in charge of the business. My mother usually stays at home, and I consult her on important matters."

Ma Cheng'en nodded and said, "I see."

At this moment, Du Shenming smiled and said, "Young Master Zhang has lofty ambitions and many ideas. I also believe that his approach of combining mule and cart services, footmen, and security services is indeed appropriate."

Ma Cheng'en glanced at Zhang Han and smiled, "These businesses may not be very profitable. However, the idea of security services is quite novel. If done well, it could be quite profitable."

In fact, the idea of combining mule and cart services, footmen, and security services was likely something that people in the Ming Dynasty had thought of before. The reason no one had done it was that the boundaries between these services were not very clear. Mule and cart services often included footmen, and footmen could provide mules and carts. The boundaries were blurred, and these businesses were often run by ruthless people, making it extremely difficult to succeed and scale up.

The nobles and relatives of the imperial family, who had the ability to do such things, would not care about the profits from these businesses.

Ma Cheng'en thought quickly. Zhang Han's idea required a military backing. Without the "security services," he would have probably dismissed Zhang Han.

"I also plan to set up a ledger office in the mule and cart business... It's not a money shop. I don't buy or sell coins, nor do I exchange or lend money. Instead, I will store the silver used for purchasing goods in the ledger office. For example, if you deposit silver in Datong, you can withdraw the equivalent amount from my shop in Xinping Fortress with a voucher. This way, you don't need to carry a lot of silver to Xinping Fortress, only enough for the journey. Even if you lose it or it's stolen, the loss will be minimal."

"That's a good idea. It's similar to the 'flying money' of the Tang Dynasty."

"Exactly, General, you are truly knowledgeable."

Zhang Han was genuinely surprised. In this era, the literacy rate among Ming Dynasty soldiers was probably the lowest. Many high-ranking officers, even at the level of generals, were illiterate and relied on secretaries for writing and reading. They only led their troops into battle, and while military strategy was complex, the quality of Ming Dynasty generals had indeed declined. Generals like Qi Jiguang and Yu Dayou were rare.

Ma Cheng'en remained calm, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. His gaze on Zhang Han was now different. Du Shenming smiled, as Zhang Han's performance had not disappointed him. This was a good sign.

"If you deposit ten thousand taels and withdraw it later, what would the fee be?"

Zhang Han couldn't help but smile. In this era, people had no concept of banking, and depositors had to pay fees to the ledger office, which was perfect for him.

"A fee of one percent, one hundred taels for ten thousand taels."

Ma Cheng'en nodded, "The fee is reasonable, neither too high nor too low. Even a frugal person wouldn't find it excessive."

At this point, Ma Cheng'en was somewhat interested. Zhang Han had already started the business and had gathered a team. Even if he tried to do it himself, it would take time to succeed, and he might not have the right people. The silver flowing between Datong, Xinping Fortress, and Taiyuan, and even Zhangjiakou, amounted to several million taels a year. The ledger office alone could earn tens of thousands of taels a year, which was a significant amount.

Du Shenming added, "Young Master Zhang's roots in Datong are shallow. If General could invest in his business, it would be much easier to do business in the future."

Zhang Han quickly added, "That's exactly what I was thinking. I would like to invite General to invest thirty percent, and we can share the profits monthly based on this investment."

If the person in front of him were a civil official, he wouldn't have been so direct. Fortunately, Ma Cheng'en, though somewhat educated, was still a military man. He chuckled and said, "Let's settle it this way."

After leaving the inner quarters, Du Shenming had many things to attend to. The goods from Xinping Fortress needed to be sorted and distributed in the next few days, including the New Year gifts for the governor and the inspector-general. Many officials would visit during the New Year, and he would also need to visit his superiors, so he might not even be able to spend New Year's Eve at home.

Du Shenming was a hardworking man. While arranging things, he also needed to finalize the thirty percent investment with Zhang Han... He was surprised by Zhang Han's generosity. The thirty percent investment would earn at least five to six thousand taels a year, enough to buy influence with high-ranking officials. According to Du Shenming, the Zhang family's total assets were less than forty thousand taels, and he didn't expect this young master to be so generous and decisive.

"Mr. Du will also benefit. I will take thirty percent of the thirty percent, which is your share."

Du Shenming smiled and waved his hand, "I already have a share with General. Taking more from you, though it would be a lot of silver, would not be good for my reputation. It's not right."

This man was indeed principled and seemed to plan for a long-term relationship with Zhang Han. Otherwise, he wouldn't refuse such a lucrative offer.

"With General's support, you should first choose a store in Datong, preferably near the West Gate or the North Gate. You can open for business after the New Year and start taking orders and earning silver."

Du Shenming thought for a moment and added, "I was a bit late in coming out, and General asked if you wanted a military position. I said you were from the Zhang family of Puzhou and might not want a military post. General didn't seem very happy. You should think carefully about this."

Zhang Han wasn't really interested in a military position. To have real power and benefits, one needed to be a high-ranking general. The lower-ranking military positions were useless. The commander of a garrison was just a minor officer, and the head of a hundred households was like a village chief. He thought for a moment and said, "We can discuss the position later. After choosing the location, I will return to Xinping Fortress."

"Alright, that's best..." Du Shenming looked at Zhang Han and smiled, "If it were someone else, they would surely be taken to a brothel for some fun and to build camaraderie. Unfortunately, you are too young, and your family is strict. You probably don't like such places. So, if you have time tonight, let's go to a tavern and have a few drinks. We can discuss the details further."

Zhang Han felt quite wronged and almost wanted to grab Du Shenming's sleeve and say he was willing to go to a brothel. Before he came to this era, he had been a man of the world. Now, he was sixteen and in the prime of his youth, the age when just thinking about certain things could make him hard... It was truly frustrating that Du Shenming mentioned the brothel but didn't take him.

...

It was already March of the 46th year of the Wanli era.

"Charge!"

Liang Xing and Yang Qiu held three-foot-long round shields, advancing together, their feet sinking into the muddy ground in the rain.

Wang Yong and Liu Dequan held long spears behind them, while Jiang Kui and Jiang Yi, brothers, each held a long spear. Wen Zhongfa and Yang Sijun held tridents, and the last two held long knives.

On the opposite side were ten men, holding the same weapons. However, the leader of the opposite side was a footman, and the men behind him, holding spears, tridents, and long knives, were also footmen.

The idea of pitting footmen against the tiger soldiers was suggested by Wang Changfu.

The tiger soldiers were known for their bravery and willingness to fight, but they lacked strength and skill. The footmen were also brave, but they had less combat experience. The footmen's strength lay in their size and power, as only strong men could do their job.

Both sides had their strengths and weaknesses, and there was a natural rivalry. Wang Changfu, though rough, was quite cunning. He suggested that the two groups train against each other, which greatly increased the tiger soldiers' enthusiasm for training. The footmen were also motivated, and they fought with all their might, often causing injuries. The most serious incident was when a tiger soldier lost two fingers, for which Zhang Han gave him fifty taels of silver and reassigned him to clean with Old Cai, still earning a monthly salary.

"Liang Xing, grip the shield tightly. Are you not eating? Don't stab anywhere else, aim for below the shield! If you hit, his shield will be off balance, and the others can strike. Don't think you have to hit him yourself; your position is to break the formation, not to seek personal glory!"

"Jiang Kui, your dagger is made of steel, not paper. Don't slash, stab! What's the rush? Aim for the stomach, chest, or heart!"

"The trident bearers must help clear the enemy's short weapons to prevent them from breaking the formation. If short weapons enter the formation, the trident bearers will be blamed for the deaths of their comrades."

Wang Changfu, wearing a leather belt and a half-new padded jacket, looked like a border army officer again. However, his training was extremely strict, and his words were harsh, often targeting the tiger soldiers. He had been cursed many times in private, and if not for the strict rules, there would have been many fights.