Chapter 9 Ticket Number (Part 1)

  Kangxi is not in the capital, does not need to attend court, and Yin Zhen has no official duties, but he spends half a day every day wandering around, Wangfujing, Dashilan, Liulichang, Tianqiao, Xiaoshi Street, Yaowang Temple... aimlessly wandering wherever.

  Yin Zhen wandered around like this, Bao Fuquan and a group of guards didn't have any objections, but the few who were following behind to keep watch were exhausted. Yin Zhen deliberately chose places that were easy to expose himself, which was the most testing for the surveillance team's skills. They couldn't be detected nor could they lose their target, so they had to constantly switch people, but how many people could follow him out at once?

  Yuan Zhen was secretly laughing so hard he almost choked, stalking and counter-stalking were his specialties, and you guys are just too amateurish. However, after figuring out the general situation of the other party, he didn't bother to mess with them anymore, who was tailing whom, he could guess with his feet, it must be someone pretending to be stupid on purpose.

  Hai Feng has been busy these past few days, searching around the Xuanwu Gate area for several days before finally finding a suitable house in Da'er Hutong. Yin Zhen went to take a look and found that it wasn't too far from the South Hall, with convenient transportation, although it was a bit secluded, but it made up for its quietness, and what's more, it had a spacious yard.

  Yin Zhen nodded in satisfaction: "Alright, let's acquire this place, then find someone to renovate it and hire a few guards."

  "Fourteenth Master, this place is good, but the price is a bit old." Hai Feng said with some embarrassment.

  "Oh, how much?"

  "Twenty-six hundred taels."

  "It's worth it." Yinzhen said without hesitation, "Go, go back and get the silver."

  On the way back, Yong Zheng naturally thought of silver tickets. With silver tickets, it's so convenient! Cash transactions are really too troublesome. When did these silver tickets appear? Anyway, they haven't appeared yet. At this current level of printing technology, it's not even worth thinking about - counterfeiting is just too easy.

  Anti-counterfeiting, anti-counterfeiting, although the anti-counterfeiting technology of later generations is as numerous as cow hair, Yinzhen doesn't understand it at all. Those who know a little about the skin and hair can't even make it out, they all need chemical raw materials, simple ones, Yinzhen stopped in his tracks, sealed, Shanxi ticket number seal, isn't that the simplest anti-counterfeiting?

  Draft number. In the late Qing Dynasty, Shanxi's draft numbers were known as the hub of the world. Thinking of the banks in later generations with branches all over the country, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement.

  Looking at the bright eyes, fourteen with a excited face, and Haifeng both vigilantly looked around, didn't see any unusual place, Dachun couldn't help but suspiciously called out in a low voice, "Fourteen Master, Fourteen Master."

  "Wait a minute." Yongzheng waved his hand, then clenched his fist and muttered, "What's the point of having a secret code? I have an even more powerful anti-counterfeiting method."

  "Hai Feng, is there a ticket available in Beijing?"

  "What's a ticket number? I've never heard of it, but silver numbers are many."

  Yuan Zhen asked: "Which family in the capital has the largest silver account and the best reputation?"

  "Hai Feng thought for a moment and then blurted out: 'The Four Great Constants!'"

  "Four Great Constants, Four Great Constants." Yong Zheng furrowed his brow and muttered to himself. Could it be that "foot on the inside, waist wrapped in four great constants" was referring to the Four Great Constants ticket number? If so, then this was indeed a hundred-year-old shop. "Hai Feng, take my card and go see the proprietor of the Four Great Constants, tell him I'd like to invite him over for a chat."

  "Go now?" Hai Feng was taken aback.

  "All right, I'll go at once." Xian Zheng's heart was burning with desire. If there was a ticket number that could be used all over the world, he would never have to worry about money again.

  The owner of 'Si Da Heng', Zheng Shichang, is a 65-year-old from Zhejiang's Zhenhai. He entered Beijing in the 42nd year of Kangxi and established 'Si Da Heng'. Zheng Shichang has a broad vision and a spirit of adventure. Since its establishment, 'Si Da Heng' has placed credibility as its top priority. With a large amount of capital, it quickly made a name for itself in Beijing. He is well aware that without a strong background and extensive connections, it would be impossible to establish a lasting presence in the city. Therefore, after gaining fame, he actively absorbed deposits from officials and nobles in Beijing and distributed dividends to them on time.

  In this way, he quickly wove an invisible web of relationships in the capital, and the "Four Great Constants" finally had a dominant position in the capital.

  There's a saying that every family has its own unsolvable problems. Although the 'Four Great Money Pits' were once extremely popular, Zheng Shichang was secretly suffering. The annual dividend payouts were a huge expense, and it had already become so overwhelming that he could hardly breathe. What's more, as the reputation and fame of the 'Four Great Money Pits' continued to grow, there were still people he didn't dare offend coming to deposit their silver, and his current situation was like dancing on the tip of a knife.

  Zheng Shichang met with Wanyan Haifeng in his residence, and upon hearing that he was invited by the current Fourteenth Prince to visit his mansion for a chat, he couldn't help but feel perplexed. He had never met this Fourteenth Prince before, so why would he think of inviting him over today? Could it be that he also wanted to store silver in the 'Four Great Constants'? That didn't seem right either, as such matters were usually handled by the steward, not personally received by the prince himself.

  Zheng Shichang was anxious, and asked Hai Feng in a roundabout way. Hai Feng hurriedly replied that it was just an urgent matter, and Zheng Shichang had no choice but to explain the situation to his family members before following Hai Feng into a sedan chair carried by two men.

  Into the Fourteenth Prince's estate, Zheng Shichang didn't dare to look around and only followed Hai Feng with his head down. He didn't know how many courtyards they had passed before arriving at a small courtyard entrance, where he heard Hai Feng say: "You wait here, I'll go in and report."

  Before long, Hai Feng led him out and came to a house door, saying softly: "You go in yourself."

  Zheng Shichang also managed to keep his temper, and walked in calmly. As soon as he entered the door, he saw a handsome young man standing behind a desk, wearing casual clothes and smiling at him.

  Zheng Shichang hastily stepped forward two steps and knelt down: "Your humble servant pays respects to Young Master Fourteen."

  "Get up, no need for formalities." Yinzhen said as he quickly walked over and gave Zheng Shichang a slight assist, smiling: "I didn't expect that Storekeeper Zheng has become so old. I hastily summoned you to the manor today, but it was in vain."

  "How dare you, how dare you, Fourteenth Master's words are really killing me."

  "Mr. Zheng, no need to be formal, please sit down." Then Yin Zhen instructed the servant outside: "Bring tea."

  After the servants withdrew, Yongzheng smiled and said: "I invited Zheng Zhuang today to discuss a matter."

  Zheng Shichang dared not be presumptuous, and humbly said: "I dare not, what instructions does the Fourteenth Master have, please speak."

  Rong Zhen saw that being polite wasn't getting anywhere, so he got straight to the point: "Mr. Zheng, have you ever heard of a draft?"

  "Draft number." Zheng Shichang's eyes lit up instantly. For the past two years, he had been constantly thinking about how to expand the new business of "Four Great Constants". This inter-regional remittance draft business was purely a lucrative business in the banking industry, with a handling fee of 5% per transaction alone. He didn't know how many banks were envious of him, and he had also worked hard on this aspect, but unfortunately, he couldn't make progress in terms of anti-counterfeiting and confidentiality of drafts, so until now, he didn't dare to put it on the agenda. But unexpectedly, he heard Yin Zhen mention draft number here? Did this Fourteenth Master want to open a draft bank?

  Zheng Shichang's spirit shook, and he said slowly: "In the capital city, there are also silver notes that can be used for remote remittance, but they are extremely simple and rough. Although 'Si Da Heng' has a good heart, it lacks effective measures to prevent counterfeiting and maintain confidentiality. The tickets issued are often in the tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands, which is a huge transaction. For the safety of customers and for the reputation of 'Si Da Heng', we can only sigh with admiration."

  Upon hearing this, Yin Zhen knew he had found the right person and immediately said with ease: "Director Zheng, I have perfect anti-counterfeiting and confidentiality measures in place. Director Zheng, are you willing to join hands with me?"