Chapter 448: Year-End Account Reconciliation

After three days of continuous light snow, it suddenly turned into a heavy snowfall.

Overnight, Qingzhou was again covered in a layer of shimmering white. But unlike previous years, even in the cold and snow, the merchants refused to stop their work.

At the docks, merchant ships came and went nonstop. They unloaded coal, iron ore, cotton, grain, fur, saltpeter, sulfur, and other goods, while also loading Qingzhou-produced soap, glass, wine, cotton clothing, coal stoves, and other products to ship out.

Everyone hoped to make a big profit during the New Year period, since for merchants these were the busiest days.

“Your Highness, the close-fitting clothes designed by the princess consort are really popular in Chang’an. The eight thousand sets we shipped there sold out completely, earning eighty thousand taels of silver.”

Every New Year was the time to audit the fief’s accounts. For the past two days, he and Pang Yukun had been busy with this, reviewing the year’s lessons and planning for the next year.

To do this, he instructed Pang Yukun to have all six prefectural government offices and the newly added Youzhou office come to Qingzhou for account reconciliation.

Besides government offices, the army, merchants’ guild, mines, shipyards, and military workshops were no exceptions. To prevent officials from corruption, Xiao Ming maintained a strict policy on this.

From now on, account audits would be conducted every year.

After reviewing the merchants’ guild accounts verified by the government offices, Xiao Ming picked up a pen, signed his name, and stamped it with his seal. The merchants’ accounts were approved.

“Eighty thousand taels? Not bad. That’s just Chang’an. If sold elsewhere, that’s a considerable income,” Xiao Ming said.

“You’re absolutely right, Your Highness. The textile workshop’s cotton-padded jackets and clothing sell well in other parts of the Great Yu Empire. Our prices are low, and the quality is superior. This year alone we earned three hundred thousand taels. With the new style clothing, I estimate next year the textile workshop will earn at least two million taels annually,” Li Kaiyuan analyzed.

Xiao Ming nodded in agreement. The textile workshop was just established this year and spent most of its time producing uniforms for the Qingzhou army. Only in the past half year did it start external trade.

Taking advantage of the tax exemptions in Jinling, Jizhou, and Chang’an, his products had an absolute price advantage.

After signing, Xiao Ming handed the merchants’ accounts to Li Kaiyuan, who breathed a sigh of relief.

The year-end account audit was the most tense time in the entire fief. If errors appeared, there was no comfortable New Year. A few days ago, there was a problem with accounts sent from Yizhou. Yizhou’s governor Yan Changhao was ordered to come to Qingzhou immediately to reconcile accounts. If the accounts really had problems, Yan Changhao would be in trouble.

“The textile workshop is thriving, but other products can’t be ignored. This year, soap and white liquor sales were normal, bringing in three million taels through the city’s merchants’ guild. But glass sales dropped significantly.”

Recalling the numbers, Xiao Ming frowned.

Li Kaiyuan explained, “Your Highness, this is unavoidable. Soap and liquor are consumables; once used, they must be repurchased. But mirrors don’t need replacing for a long time. To expand sales, we must find new markets. May I boldly ask, Your Highness, when can we begin maritime trade?”

Hearing this, Xiao Ming frowned.

Rhodes had just left. He wasn’t sure if the Dutch would accept the negotiation terms, but after seeing Qingzhou’s strength, he believed the Dutch would reconsider.

Actually, from the start, he never intended to completely drive out the Dutch; otherwise, he wouldn’t have negotiated with them.

Negotiations were to avoid total conflict.

Compared to the terms in Dengzhou, Rhodes lowered Dutch demands after coming to Qingzhou. He already allowed the Dutch to keep their presence in Fort Zeelandia.

The only requirement was that the Dutch couldn’t keep such a strong military force in Fort Zeelandia. He would also not station many troops in Ryukyu in the future. If the Dutch left 100% of their troops in Fort Zeelandia, it would be a threat to him.

His minimum was for the Dutch to keep only necessary self-defense forces in Fort Zeelandia. Negotiations were like bargaining: first, state a price the other party can’t accept, then slowly lower it. Getting a low price would be best.

“That depends on the end of negotiations,” Xiao Ming said to Li Kaiyuan. “But it won’t take long. At the latest, by April next year, we will control the Australian trade route.”

Li Kaiyuan smiled. “Hehe, then I’ll wait for good news.” Saying that, he took his leave.

Turning to the next account, Xiao Ming reviewed the army’s books, which listed annual grain consumption, ammunition use, and equipment purchases.

The huge expenses on each item made him a little alarmed. The army was truly a big money eater. He finally understood why countries constantly reduce their armies during peacetime—because the military drains the treasury.

After auditing accounts for half a month, Xiao Ming’s third spring festival in this world finally arrived.

Unlike the previous two years, this time he had a lifelong wife and someone to celebrate with.

On New Year’s Eve, Xiao Ming celebrated with Fei Yue’er and the mansion’s servants, while officials celebrated at home with their families.

Last year, Xiao Ming had invited them out of loneliness, but they still wanted to reunite with their families for the New Year.

A sumptuous feast was prepared, followed by fireworks, theater, and other events. The mansion was lively and cheerful, and everyone wore smiles.

“Your Highness, the fireworks are truly beautiful.”

Watching the fireworks explode above the mansion, Fei Yue’er’s eyes sparkled with a dreamy light.

“Yes, just as beautiful as you,” Xiao Ming flirted, making Fei Yue’er smile sweetly.

They stood side by side under the brilliant fireworks and the deep night sky, beside a stunning beauty.

Drunk resting on the beauty’s lap, awake to hold the world’s power. In this moment, a surge of boldness rose in him. Looking at the sky, Xiao Ming’s eyes were like stars and seas.

If he lived another life, he would live it wildly without regrets.

Closing his eyes, Xiao Ming seemed to see specks of starlight—proof of the technology crystals existing in his mind. After two years of struggle, he had finally secured a foothold.

From now on, he would truly play the role of a creator of civilization and lead this civilization to glory.