Chapter 76: The Founding of the Merchant Alliance

Li Yi swallowed the words he was about to say and, after a brief consideration, he understood. Li Er was offering him a benefit! Granting Li Yi a half percent more in shares made it seem as though he now held an equal stake with the royal family, but the two-tenths portion handed over to the imperial court still ultimately belonged to the royal house. So, granting Li Yi an additional half percent was no loss to the royals, and they could earn his gratitude as well—a thoroughly worthwhile bargain.

Having figured this out, Li Yi chuckled to himself. Since Li Er was voluntarily offering such a favor, it would be foolish of him not to accept it.

Meanwhile, the expressions among the others varied. Though it was only a small half percent share, they could discern from this just how much Li Yi was valued by Li Er, and thus, in their own eyes, Li Yi's significance only grew.

"Very well, we shall do as His Majesty proposes. The royal family and I will each hold one and a half shares. Good. Now, let us move to the second matter: have you all made up your minds? Who among you wishes to take part in this Confucian Merchant plan? A word of advice: this is a one-time opportunity, fraught with both risks and rewards. Should the Confucian Merchant endeavor fail, you may face utter ruin and disgrace; but if you succeed, your names will be remembered for generations. Do not think to wait and observe before making a decision—there will not be another chance. In the future, entry to the Confucian Merchant plan will require passing through several layers of selection, each more arduous than the last. By then, even if you join and the plan succeeds, unless your contributions are extraordinary, your merit will never match that of those who joined at the outset—for it is always the pioneers who are most admired!"

When Li Yi finished, everyone fell into deep contemplation. After a moment, Fang Yiai was the first to speak: "Brother Yi, after becoming a Confucian Merchant, what are we expected to do?"

"In truth, not much will be required of you. Joining this plan is more about granting you an identity. Yet, with this identity comes a shackle—henceforth, your actions must strictly adhere to the standards of a Confucian Merchant. You will become exemplars, your task to show the world precisely what a Confucian Merchant is by your own conduct. Of course, this is only the baseline; if you are unable to do more, then fulfilling this alone is sufficient."

"And what do we stand to gain?"

"Heh, if you do only as I have mentioned, then once the merchants' alliance succeeds, your status as Confucian Merchants will be a badge of supreme honor, no less dazzling in the eyes of the people than a noble title. But if you wish to go further, you must learn the ways of commerce, transforming yourselves into paragon businessmen who are models of Confucian virtue. You must possess both the morality and wisdom of a scholar and the wealth and acumen of a merchant—the ideal Confucian, elite of the business world, cultivating yourselves, conducting business with integrity, possessing high cultural refinement, valuing cooperation, and demonstrating a strong sense of responsibility. These are the qualities of a Confucian Merchant. For instance, when our alliance grows, the two-tenths of profits paid to the state will be split in two—one portion to the treasury, the other to be used for charitable works through the Golden Cauldron Charity. By then, you will travel across the land performing good deeds, your reputations spreading far and wide, your achievements recorded in history, for you are the first—Confucian Merchants!"

Li Yi’s words set their blood boiling. All of them, being youths in their teens, were full of ardor and vigor. Once they deemed something worth doing, they would pour their hearts into it, caring little for the consequences.

Cheng Chumo slapped the table with a bang. "Brother Yi, count me in!"

Li Yi, face stern, glanced at Cheng Chumo and said in a grave tone, "You are not fit. I do not trust your character!"

Cheng Chumo was taken aback, his face turning sour. "Come now, Brother Yi, the incident the other day truly was not my fault. You know how little say I have at home!"

Seeing Cheng Chumo’s woeful expression, everyone burst out laughing, the solemn atmosphere instantly lightened.

Li Yi could not help but smile wryly. He had only been teasing Cheng Chumo, venting a little in the process.

"Enough, I was only jesting. As I said, whoever wishes to join now is welcome! But from this day forth, you must mend your rough manners!"

Cheng Chumo’s face lit up. "Rest assured, Brother Yi!"

Li Yi shook his head with a smile. "Who else?"

They all exchanged glances. Li Zhen then asked, "Brother Yi, can a Confucian Merchant still serve in the military?"

"Uh, that’s not a problem—as long as you don’t join the logistics department!"

Li Zhen clapped his hands and smiled. "Then there’s no issue, count me in!"

Yuchi Baolin added, "Count me in as well!"

Fang Yiai: "Me too!"

Qin Huaiyu: "I’m in!"

Duan Gui, Li Chongyi, and Li Xuan all said, "We’re in as well!"

Wei Shuyu scoffed, "With all you boorish lot, if I’m not among you, this Confucian Merchant image would surely be ruined! Count me in!"

Li Yi was momentarily surprised. "Shuyu, you’re an only child—has your father agreed?"

He chuckled. "My father said, though this venture of yours seems unreliable, if you succeed, it will be a true service to the nation. So he wants me to lend you a hand. Besides, I’m sure you’ll need someone to keep you on your toes!"

Li Yi laughed heartily. "Indeed! That’s exactly what we’re lacking!"

Zhangsun Chong wore a troubled expression. "Brother Yi, I wish to join too, but you know I must enter government service in the future."

Li Yi frowned. "Hmm, that is a problem."

He stood up and, after a moment’s thought, said, "I have it. Both you and Shuyu can become honorary shareholders in the merchant alliance. Honorary shareholders bear the title of Confucian Merchant, but have no role in management or authority over the alliance. However, you may offer suggestions to the alliance’s leaders about internal matters. This way, you can be both Confucian Merchants and pursue official careers—one does not hinder the other."

Zhangsun Chong and Wei Shuyu exchanged delighted glances; this was the best possible outcome for them.

"And you, Weide?"

Li Ke managed a bitter smile. "Brother Yi, do you think I have any other choice?"

Li Yi patted Li Ke’s shoulder in understanding. The reason was clear: once Li Ke became a Confucian Merchant, he would forfeit any claim to the throne. Li Er’s assigning him this role was, perhaps, a way to make him abandon any such ambitions—a perfect solution from Li Er’s perspective.

"Heh, don’t be disheartened. I truly believe that what matters most in life is not one’s position, but what one accomplishes. As the saying goes, ‘The rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every man.’ Offices may differ in rank, but merit is open to all. Just think—if you can make the merchant alliance flourish, do you think history will forget you?"

Li Ke’s eyes shone. "You’re right. If I succeed with the alliance, what does it matter whether I have that title or not?"

Li Ke shot Li Yi a grateful look. The two exchanged a smile, their understanding unspoken.

"I say, you two look awfully sentimental for a pair of grown men!"