To be honest, if the papermaking workshop wasn’t owned by Zhao Hanzhang herself and the costs hadn’t decreased significantly, these things simply couldn’t be done, because the sheer consumption of paper would have collapsed the finances.

Oh, by the way, the court owes her a lot of money; in the current transactions between the papermaking workshop and the court, each time she can only recover thirty percent of the accounts.

Zhao Hanzhang picked up the pen to do the calculations, adding and subtracting, feeling a bit undecided, so she called Ji Yuan over to ask, "Mr. Ji, how much share should I take from the profits of the newly opened papermaking workshop and bookshop?"

Ji Yuan paused for a moment before saying, "The lady still wants a share of the profits and isn’t giving it to the local governmental offices?"

Zhao Hanzhang replied, "No."

She leaned back and said, "It doesn’t show now because I can’t recover the money, but once this difficult period is over, the papermaking workshop and bookshop will definitely be the two most profitable industries, even more so than the Glass Workshop."

Currently, in order to support the construction of local governmental offices and schools, the papermaking workshop and bookshop are only operating as breakeven transactions, just keeping accounts, recovering only twenty to forty percent of accounts each time, merely to maintain the workshop’s operation.

It is only outward transactions that are profitable.

But when the court has money in the future, during transactions, the bookshop and papermaking workshop certainly can’t continue to operate as breakeven transactions.

At that time, each workshop will be able to be profitable.

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Do you know how many counties and nations are under my control in the nine provinces now?"

Without waiting for Ji Yuan’s response, she proudly said, "Ninety-nine counties; even if each county only sets up one bookshop and one papermaking workshop, there would still be ninety-nine of each. By then, once they are profitable, how much money would they make me each year?"

Ji Yuan couldn’t quite understand, "But... eventually, the whole world will belong to the lady; why bother struggling to divide that account?"

"It’s different," Zhao Hanzhang said. "Mine and the court’s are still separate."

"Public is public, private is private. Right now, because there is no money in the public funds, I have to use my private assets to support public affairs. But that doesn’t mean I will always do so," Zhao Hanzhang said. "If they are not separated, then how will I handle personal use of funds in the future, if I withdraw from the treasury funds?"

She advised Ji Yuan earnestly, "Sir, you must be on guard against me."

Ji Yuan laughed and said, "I trust the lady; with the lady’s talent and virtue, she will only use private funds to support public affairs, not the other way around."

Zhao Hanzhang murmured, "But I don’t quite trust myself."

She still had self-awareness, and now she was thrifty, only because if she used a bit more, someone outside might starve, so she could restrain herself well.

When one day, the situation stabilizes, she may not be as selfless, so it’s better to separate things clearly from the start.

"How do you feel about me taking a thirty percent share?" she said. "As for the land, it’s provided by each county, and the workshops are built by the local governmental offices. As for me, I will provide the technology and send craftsmen over to teach them, and after deducting costs each year, I will take thirty percent of the profits. How does that sound?"

Ji Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Wouldn’t it be too much? Since the lady is keen to build bookshops and papermaking workshops in various counties, naturally it’s in hopes of allowing local governmental offices to gain some benefits and alleviate financial crises. If so, why not be more generous and just take ten percent as a token?"

He said, "Ten percent profit, as long as the bookshops and papermaking workshops are around, the lady will always have earnings, and even if the dynasty is gone someday, they will remain, which is a benefit to future generations beyond measure. Ten percent profit is sufficient; more might lead to future disputes."

Zhao Hanzhang raised her head to look at him, "Ten percent profit?"

Ji Yuan nodded seriously, "Ten percent profit!"

Zhao Hanzhang bit her lip and shook her head, "No, that’s too little. My heart aches; I still want thirty percent profit. I thought you would suggest I take fifty percent."

Ji Yuan said warmly, "This matter is not small; after all, it involves so many states and counties. Why not bring it up for discussion in court tomorrow?"

Zhao Hanzhang frowned.

Ji Yuan said, "This is considered a national matter, a major national affair. How can it not be discussed?"

Thinking over, Zhao Hanzhang agreed.

In the afternoon, after returning home from work, Zhao Hanzhang went to the radio room with hands clasped behind her back and chatted with Fu Tinghan across mountains and waters, saying, "Mr. Ji is no longer my Mr. Ji, but the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat for the court," explaining the events of the day in detail.

Fu Tinghan listened to the radio, noted down a number, then picked up a book on Confucian Analects for translation. Once translated, he couldn’t help but smile, his eyes curling as he replied to her.

"Focus on your position and responsibilities; you can haggle further, down to twenty percent."

Zhao Hanzhang translated the number into text, humming unconsciously, "Professor Fu sure doesn’t know how to do business; retreating to twenty percent so easily, we’ll surely be pressed down to ten percent in the end."

Zhao Hanzhang sighed, unable to stop herself from scratching her face; it’s her fault for not transitioning in time, and she still regarded Mr. Ji as her dear adviser, but he has already changed his identity, becoming her revered Minister of the Imperial Secretariat.

Thinking about what Ji Yuan said earlier, it was clear he had already started treating her as a monarch.

If that’s the case, then between them, ruler and subject, it can’t just be harmony, disputes will also occur; for example, Ji Yuan will represent the court and the people’s interests and compete with her.

Alas, actually, ten percent is not impossible, the money going into her private treasury will still be spent, and in the end, it will have to be subsidized back into the national treasury.

It’s not right, it’s not right; subsidies can be granted, but the money must be in her hands, so the choice of subsidy rests with her, not be handed over from the start. Hmm, she should think about how much technical value she can occupy.

Deciding on a plan, Zhao Hanzhang told Fu Tinghan, "I’ve decided, I will still insist on thirty percent at court tomorrow; I think my technology deserves thirty percent." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Fu Tinghan asked, "And the bottom line?"

Zhao Hanzhang replied with difficulty, "Two and a half percent."

Fu Tinghan couldn’t help but laugh out loud; it’s rare to see her being so greedy at times.

Thinking it over, he told her, "The salt fields in Qingzhou and Guangzhou have stabilized and are producing salt; in a couple of days, I’ll set off back to the capital, and this time I’ll bring a batch of salt back. Besides salt, there’s a map; over the past few months, I’ve traveled along the coasts of Guangzhou and Qingzhou and drawn a map. I’ve collected the data you wanted, but I’m not too familiar with this field and can’t determine which area is suitable for building a seaport."

"But one thing I can be sure of, both states can build it."

Reading the translated text, Zhao Hanzhang was thrilled and asked, "How many guards are escorting you back? Do you need me to send someone to assist?"

Fu Tinghan responded, "No need, I’ve brought back the thousand guards you gave me; safety along the way shouldn’t be an issue."

He felt confident, but Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t so assured.

Fu Tinghan’s safety is no less crucial than hers; in this world, the number of people wanting to kill him isn’t less than those targeting her because, aside from his abilities, he is also her fiancé.

After contemplating for a moment, Zhao Hanzhang still ordered Zhao Ju to send troops for assistance.

The Yan State isn’t far from Qingzhou, once Fu Tinghan leaves Qingzhou, the Zhao Family Army from Yan State can meet him and escort him to Luoyang.