The Emperor's Son-in-Law

"Report to the young master."

"We are among the general's bodyguards."

"There are many people whose relatives and former colleagues work in Shangxuanfang."

Zhang Wu replied.

"Okay then, let's go change clothes."

Duan Chun briefly asked about the status of all the guards.

I already have some confidence in my heart.

In the three workshops of Shangxuanfang, almost all the people working now are my father's former bodyguards.

These personal guards risked their own lives to protect Dad's safety in battle after battle.

And my father’s character is so upright.

Every time they fought, they charged forward with their bodyguards, so the bodyguards who protected their generals were killed and wounded in batches.

Their relatives and the disabled old guards who were lucky enough to survive.

They were all properly arranged in the workshop by their father to ensure that they would not suffer in the rest of their lives.

This is my father's repayment of gratitude.

Well, it seems that I have to be more careful when dealing with matters in the workshop.

But these relatives and veterans of Dad's old army can no longer be kept in the workshop.

It must be properly arranged, leaving only some skilled people.

When all the guards took off their armor and put down their weapons, they appeared in front of Duan Chun wearing civilian clothes.

Duan Chun asked them to go to Shangxuanfang first, and he took a carriage with only Zhang Wu and Zhao Changlong.

Walk all the way towards Shangxuanfang.

Shangxuanfang is a gathering area for merchants in the Imperial City of Kangxi.

The streets here are criss-crossed and crowded.

Countless merchants and horse teams are buying goods on various streets, creating a busy scene on the streets.

Duan Chun was pleasantly surprised when he saw it.

He had already asked Zhang Wu and Zhao Changlong on the road.

It is learned that in the Imperial City, Shangxuanfang is located in the center of the city, with the West Market on the west side and the East Market on the east side.

The West Market is specifically a place where foreign caravans from distant merchants purchase large amounts of supplies.

The East Market is the distribution center for food, slaves and various living supplies.

Shangxuanfang is located right between the East and West markets. Everything is sold here, but the scale is not large.

But the most popular thing about Shangxuanfang is the large number of courtyards along the street.

Therefore, the business owners of the East and West markets all regarded Shangxuanfang as the location of their warehouses.

Looking at the backyards of each shop, there are such large courtyards.

Duan Chun felt his heart bleeding.

When Dakang was founded, His Majesty the Emperor rewarded my father with twenty shops!

Before coming to Shangxuanfang, Duan Chun thought that shops were just facades.

Now I discovered that a shop has at least two and three entrances to the courtyard!

Nowadays, it is the location of the warehouses of major commercial banks!

He still has ten shops, but Duan Chun has read the lease deed.

The ten shops and courtyards are all leased by those merchants at low prices for long periods of time.

The shortest deed is still more than a year before the lease expires!

There was also an agreement to give priority to the lease renewal, and the rent was far lower than Duan Chun's estimate by more than half.

My father, in addition to leading troops in war, you are loyal to His Majesty.

What else can you do?

Duan Chun sighed in his heart and sat in the carriage.

Zhang Wu and Zhao Changlong introduced the locations of their shops one by one.

Ten shops on a street.

No, there are ten two-entry courtyards connected together.

"What are the backgrounds of those who rent these shops?"

Duan Chun asked.

"Sir, the people who rent the shops here are from noble families and relatives."

"To be honest, sir, the owners of the shops in Shangxuanfang have been constantly changing over the years."

"If it weren't for our father-in-law's identity, our shops would have been taken away by everyone."

Zhang Wu replied while riding a horse at the window.

"It's no use talking about it now."

"We have twenty shops gifted by His Majesty."

"Hasn't half of it been bought now?"

Duan Chun rolled his eyes.

How dare these guys take advantage of my family...

When Dakang was founded, the world was war-torn and trade was blocked.

Now eleven years have passed, and after the commercial revival, the shops here are all very valuable places!

But Duan Chun already knew that the ten shops that were bought were located on the corner street on the other side of the long street.

There are all three courtyards there!

Duan Chun felt his heart bleeding.

"Sir, do you want to go to the store and have a look?"

Zhao Changlong asked from the window on the other side.

"No, let's go to the workshop first."

"My time is limited, I just came here to familiarize myself with the situation today."

Duan Chun shook his head.

The carriage passed the corner under the guidance of the two men.

The street ahead is wider and the business atmosphere is more prosperous and lively.

There are also many taverns and inns, as well as banks and pawn shops.

When the carriage passed the end of the long street, Duan Chun had already seen the corner on one side of the street.

A blacksmith shop with countless iron tools hung three doors away appeared in front of me.

The blacksmith shop was deserted, except for three people whose upper bodies were naked and covered with scars.

There was even a middle-aged man with a broken arm and a limp sitting in front of the stall.

At this time, his eyes widened and he looked at the arrival of Zhang Wu and Zhao Changlong in surprise.

The carriage stopped, Duan Chun jumped out of the carriage and walked curiously towards one of the blacksmith shops.

Three disabled men limped over quickly.

He had to kneel down to salute Duan Chun.

"Three uncles must not do this."

"As a junior, this is my first time to visit your uncles."

Duan Chun quickly helped the three of them up and took them into his blacksmith shop.

Looking at the spacious shop, it was full of all kinds of ironware.

Duan Chun casually looked through the goods one by one, but was secretly surprised in his heart.

Each piece of ironware here was made very well.

But according to the account book he saw, the three blacksmith shops have always been supported by the Duke's Mansion at a loss.

What happened?

"I checked the account book of the account office."

"Our three workshops have not been doing well in recent years."

"But I have seen the goods here."

"Didn't find any problems?"

Duan Chun asked in confusion.

"Master, the ironware of our three blacksmith shops."

"They are all made by the craftsmen under the command of the Duke, who specialize in making weapons."

"The materials are sufficient, and the temperature is far higher than other peers."

"But in recent years... our three workshops have been caught in the middle."

"Whether it is price or other things, the subordinates can't compare with other workshops."

"That's why..."

A one-armed man looked at Duan Chun's eyes and hurriedly introduced.

"Young Master, what the Third Brother said is right."

"Over the years, the ironware of our workshop has been expensive."

"And we can't accept large orders."

"That's why business has been so bleak."

"There are other blacksmith shops on both sides of this street."

"We are stuck in the middle, and there's nothing we can do about it."

Zhang Wu said.

"I looked at the account book, and your iron purchase price is obviously too high."

"Plus the output is indeed too low."

Duan Chun nodded and walked towards the back door of the blacksmith shop.

As soon as he walked to the door, he heard the sound of clanging from the backyard.

This blacksmith shop is a two-courtyard shop, and the middle courtyard has been transformed into a blacksmith workshop.

The backyard is where the craftsmen usually live.

Looking at the flames of the blacksmith furnaces in the middle courtyard.

A dozen shirtless disabled strong men are still swinging hammers hard.

The sweat on their bodies is shining.