Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 382 Shanxi Merchants and Imperial Merchants (Asleep, Forgot to Replace)

"Damn!"

Jiang Xiang gritted her teeth, suppressing her anger.

In the past two years, the Khalkha tribe of Mongolia has also smelled the move of the Manchus to enter the customs, and they are also eager to try, constantly wanting to invade the south.

And Datong is the front line in Shanxi.

The frontier army is different from the internal army, and the atmosphere of fleeing here is very strong.

For example Zhang Xianzhong.

Except for the inland area to the south, the other three sides are grasslands. If you kill a few people and slip away, you can't find them immediately.

In this way, once the main general is unable to seek benefits, if the guarantee is not complete, who really can't figure it out and wants to go to the grassland to eat goat milk for several years.

What's more, due to the fact that it is a local battle, coupled with the customs of hundreds of years, the army hates the Tartars very much.

The deduction of money and rations will inevitably lead to a great reduction in combat power. Once the battle is unfavorable, he, the general, will definitely lose his prestige.

Most importantly, after deducting the military rations, he got less money.

"When I was in the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court withheld military pay, money and food, and now in the Qing Dynasty, the military pay is still not enough."

Jiang Xiang couldn't help but yelled: "This tmd Manqing, didn't it come for nothing?"

Thinking of this, Jiang Xiang felt that he was holding his breath, extremely uncomfortable.

Suddenly, he turned his head and asked the housekeeper who was concentrating and holding his breath: "I heard that the birthday of Mrs. Fan's family is very large. How much money did you spend?"

"I heard it's no less than 50,000 taels."

The butler thought for a while and said.

"This is our military salary for one season!"

Jiang Xiang couldn't help but sigh with emotion, feeling extremely envious again in her heart.

The Fan family is really rich.

In a blink of an eye, it was evening.

Suddenly, a servant sent a message: "Master, there is a southerner who said he was your friend three years ago and would like to ask to see him."

"Southern, friend from three years ago?"

Jiang Xiang was taken aback, and then his face was serious: "Let him come in through the small door in the backyard, remember, don't tell anyone about this."

……

Jiexiu, the old house of the Fan family.

The newly renovated house covers an area of ​​hundreds of acres, with pavilions, towers and pavilions, rockery and water, luxurious and luxurious, almost no less than a palace.

This is two years ago, Fan Yongdou, the head of the imperial merchants of the Qing Dynasty, spent a huge sum of 100,000 taels to build the most luxurious house in Shanxi.

With this move, the Fan family became the top businessman in Shanxi, and their reputation was even stronger.

This birthday banquet focused the attention of the whole Shanxi.

The governor, the chief envoy, the inspector, etc., almost all came to congratulate him, which can be said to have given the Fan family face.

Of course, it can also be said to be the face of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Fan Yongdou was in his fifties, and he greeted guests in front of the gate energetically, with a humble attitude and generous clothes.

Not only high-ranking officials and dignitaries, but for ordinary people and neighbors, the Fan family also showed their pride and held a hundred-table banquet for free meals for the villagers.

All of a sudden, firecrackers were set off everywhere, congratulations were heard endlessly, and the whole Jiexiu was immersed in the excitement.

"Hmph!" At this moment, a passing scholar looked at his house angrily, and said with a sneer in his heart: "The slaves of Jiannu's house will not end well sooner or later."

Thinking of this, he couldn't help stroking his chest, and forcibly suppressed his excitement.

Making trouble at this time is not good for you at all.

"However, when I go to the south to participate in Enke and become a Jinshi, I must report to the emperor, like you imperial merchants, who will confiscate your family and exterminate your family."

With that said, he resolutely traveled south to study.

"Brother Fan, is this a bit ostentatious?"

The Wang family of the eight imperial merchants, Wang Dengku, turned his head and said to the smiling Fan Yongdou.

"At this time, it's time to show off."

Fan Yongdou shook his head and said, "I'll explain it to you when we get to the house."

With that said, Wang Dengku had no choice but to enter.

The rest of the big imperial merchants also sent a lot of expensive treasures, not to be outdone.

Coupled with the huge group of Shanxi merchants, the gift alone is enough to cover all expenditures, and even a slight surplus.

After all, it was the number one imperial merchant in the Qing Dynasty, in charge of Zhangjiakou's trade with Mongolia.

In addition to running the salt industry in Hedong and Changlu, he also monopolized the market of ginseng and other precious medicinal materials in Northeast Wusuli and Suifen, so he was also called "Shenshang" by the people, and his family owned several million taels.

At the climax of the birthday banquet, it was a reward from the Beijing House of Internal Affairs—a jade carving of longevity peaches from Emperor Shunzhi.

This made everyone worship, and the birthday banquet reached its climax.

In the afternoon, the birthday banquet was over, and the other guests dispersed, only the eight imperial merchants gathered together.

Fan Yongdou, Wang Dengku, Jin Liangyu, Wang Dayu, Liang Jiabin, Tian Shenglan, Zhai Tang, and Huang Yunfa sat facing each other.

The so-called imperial merchants are responsible for the procurement work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and at the same time have monopoly and privileges for certain businesses.

"Everyone, taking advantage of my mother's birthday banquet this time, there are mainly two things to discuss."

As the head of the imperial merchants, Fan Yongdou was the first to speak, with a serious face.

"The first thing is to go to the court."

"Nowadays the war is tense and the court's expenses have increased greatly. The regent is worried about insufficient expenditure, and he doesn't want to increase taxes again, which will cause Chongzhen's incident."

"Need to donate money again?" Wang Dengku's face changed, and he said, "Business is not doing well now, where can I have money to donate?"

Several other people also cried and became poor, and their faces were ugly.

"Don't worry, it's not just you."

Fan Yongdou drank a cup of tea calmly, and said lightly: "The imperial court's intention is very clear, that is, let us drive the entire Shanxi merchants to donate money and food together."

"At that time, those people's money and food will be the main thing, and we will even make some money."

Now, everyone is stunned.

The amount on the donation roster can be tampered with. If it is moved a little at that time, wouldn't it be handed over, and even earn a reputation for loyalty.

"Let's decide according to the three grades of [-], [-], and [-]. Let's add up."

Fan Yongdou showed a smile: "This matter is also for us to confirm our status among Shanxi merchants, so we must not be careless."

"fair and just--"

Merchants from Shanxi are allied with each other, and they are intertwined, especially when they have been going deep into Mongolia, and they have united and cooperated a lot.

"The other thing lies in Jiangnan!"

Fan Yongdou sighed with a serious expression on his face.

"But Shanxi merchants and Huizhou merchants?"

Everyone was puzzled, Ming Ting was far away from them, how could they disturb them.

Only then did Wang Dengku speak, attracting everyone's attention:
"Recently, Shaanxi merchants are getting farther and farther away from us. The land of Shaanxi can't accommodate us at all. Moreover, their family resources are getting stronger and stronger. I heard that the well salt in Sichuan has also been taken down, and their influence has extended to the south of the Yangtze River."

Fan Yongdou nodded and said: "In the past, Shanxi and Shanxi were respected by our Shanxi merchants, but now the power of Shanxi merchants has expanded, and they have begun to compete with us for business."

"Yeah, their woks are cheaper!"

"The price of horses has also been raised higher. Isn't this pampering the Tartars?"

"It also robbed us of our salt business..."

The imperial merchants nodded one after another, full of indignation.

"I have already reported to the Ming court, saying that Shaanxi merchants are helping the emperor to do evil, and put an end to the operation of Shaanxi merchants in the north."

　Accidentally fell asleep, shit, sorry
　　
　
(End of this chapter)