Daming: I help my wife be the empress

Chapter 531 Eight Shanxi Merchants Conspired at a Gathering, Li Laiheng Was Ordered to Inspect!
Datong Mansion, Yanghe Acropolis.

This was originally a border city used to defend the northern captives, but Qi Jiguang and other famous generals have repeatedly defeated the northern captives in the Wanli year, coupled with the changes in the policy of the Ming Dynasty towards the northern captives, so that there are few major border troubles in northern Xinjiang, but the border trade has become more and more Prosperity.

Under such circumstances, Yanghe Weicheng developed as well as other inland counties.

On this day, in a certain mansion in Yanghe Weicheng, a group of businessmen dressed in ordinary low-key clothes gathered together.

Among them, the leader is a middle-aged man in his 40s, named Fan Sanbo, who is the direct son of Fan Yongdou, one of the eight great Shanxi merchants.

"Fan Sanbo, your father didn't come. It seems that your Fan family doesn't pay much attention to this gathering?" An old man in his fifties said with a strange expression.

This person's name is Jin Liangyu, and the Jin family ranks third in strength among the eight Shanxi merchants, so they are a bit at odds with the Fan family.

But it's just a small conflict between the families, and it doesn't affect their business cooperation.

What's more, in the current situation, it has become necessary for the eight families to keep warm together, otherwise the financial resources of each family will be cut off.

Fan San smirked and said: "Uncle Jin, my father has a cold leg and is not good at walking. It's not that he didn't come on purpose. Besides, I can make decisions about most matters in the Fan family now."

"I think your father is afraid of death." Jin Liangyu snorted, but didn't say any more, and went to sit in the main room.

Not long after, the rest of the eight major Shanxi merchants, such as Wang Dayu, Liang Jiabin, Tian Shenglan, Zhai Tang, and Huang Yunfa, arrived one after another.

Wang Dengku, who ranked second among the eight Shanxi merchants, was the last to arrive.

This person is nearly sixty years old, but his hair is still black, and he doesn't look old at all.

Although he was the last to arrive, Wang Dengku couldn't help asking when he saw Fan Sanbo: "Is it safe here? If we get together, it will be bad if someone notices us."

Fan San po laughed and said: "Uncle, don't worry, Wang Chong, the chief of the garrison stationed in Yanghewei, is an old friend of ours. Besides, he didn't say anything when we were full, and promised to bring their Wang's family with us next time. He is definitely a reliable winner." .

Besides, we all came here in disguise this time, even Wang Chong's people may not notice us, let alone other people. "

Wang Dengku frowned when he heard this, "If Wang Chong didn't know we were here, how could he guarantee our safety?"

Fan Sanbo smiled confidently, "I have placed someone beside him, if something happens, that person will remind him to cover me and wait."

Hearing this, Wang Dengku was a little relieved, and went in with Fan Sanbo to discuss the matter.

"This gathering is intended to redefine the trade routes." After the meeting started, Wang Dengku was the first to speak.

Because although Wang Dengku's family is the second most powerful among the eight Shanxi merchants, they are more popular than the Fan family. Moreover, Fan Yongdou did not come this time, so he could only preside over the meeting, and Fan Sanbo, as a junior, could only serve as an assistant.

"You all know that since the current man launched the Northern Expedition, drove the Qing and Northern captives out of the customs, reorganized the officers and troops from all over the country, and re-allocated the army bases, most of the ways we used to operate can no longer be used.

However, the Qing captives, the northern captives, and even Wu Sangui and Geng Zhongming are unable to enter the pass to plunder, and they can only rely on us for what they need.

In this case, everyone must know how high the price is.

So, this way is gone, we have to reopen, otherwise the main business of each company will be cut off. "

The rest of the people nodded slightly.

Although the eight Shanxi merchants not only did business with the Qing and Bei captives, they also had business in Daming, but the profits from those businesses were nothing compared to the huge profits made by smuggling the supplies needed by the Qing and Bei captives.

Leaning slightly, Wang Dengku continued: "This time we divide the smuggling share according to the old rules, depending on how much each company contributes to opening up business routes, managing contacts, and transporting outside the customs.

If you pay more, you get more, if you give less, you get less. Presumably everyone has no opinion, right? "

"No objection." Jin Liangyu was the first to express his opinion, "If you don't do this, how can each family try their best?"

The rest also agreed.

For the companies with lower strength, it is actually a good thing to redefine the smuggling share and profits this time.

Because each family has been in business for hundreds of years before, with deep roots, and the channels they have mastered are relatively fixed.It is not easy for families with lower rankings to choose to turn up.

Reopening the road now is tantamount to giving the Eight Great Families a chance to divide the plate again.

Fan Sanbo also agreed.

Although the foundation laid by the Fan family in the Zhangjiakou army and court was gone, the family's financial resources and contacts were there, and they still had a certain advantage in re-opening their doors.

For example, the Fan family has put in a lot of effort to open up Yang and Wei's connections this time.

The mature and prudent Wang Dengku saw that everyone was full of confidence and seemed to show their talents, so he couldn't help reminding: "Everyone, pay attention, the Ming court is no different than before. It doesn't matter that the officers and soldiers are all new, and the rules of the officials are also different. It's a little different from the past, and the top and bottom are extremely strict about corruption.

Therefore, if we give benefits to those who are officials and soldiers, it must not be as obvious as before, but more obscure, and it is best not to be found out.

For example, Wang Chong, the chief executive of Yang and Wei, who was bought by the three groups of nephews, did it very cleverly.He first asked people to sell the land to the Wang family at a low price, and then through a middleman, he sold several shops to the Wang family at a very low price.

He even bought bandits, and then used bandits to give Wang Chong military merit.

Knowing that Wang Chong is lustful, he used a Yangzhou skinny horse bought at a high price to act as a refugee woman. He was bullied by hooligans on the road of Wang Chong's patrol, and gave Wang Chong a chance to save the beauty, so he took the Yangzhou skinny horse into his house.

After swallowing these benefits, even if Wang Chong didn't want to be our man, he had already boarded our boat and couldn't get off. "

Having said that, Wang Dengku smiled on his face.

When the others thought of bribing officials and generals of the Ming Dynasty, they also laughed out loud, and began to wantonly exchange experiences——

"Which emperor doesn't want to investigate corruption? But corruption is not so easy to find out. Not to mention anything else, if I want to bribe someone, there are hundreds of ways. How do they investigate?"

"Brother Liang is right. There are ways to bribe someone. If he is rich, we will give gold and silver; if he is lustful, we will give beauties; if he is famous and powerful, we will give him fame and power."

"Money can connect ghosts and gods. There is nothing in this world that money can't do."

"The imperial court thinks that by changing the people and the rules, we can prevent the generals and officials from being bribed by us. It's just a dream!"

"···"

The more the several Patriarchs talk, the more interested they become, and the more confident they are about the future, and the small conflicts between them are nothing at this time.

Seeing that everyone had finished talking, Fan San turned around and said: "Since all uncles are so confident in opening up smuggling channels again, let's discuss specific matters next.

If there is a need for cooperation, everyone is welcome to cooperate.Furthermore, in order to avoid overlapping goals, waste time, financial resources, and even cause conflicts. "

"Nephew Sanbo is right, this matter should be carefully discussed."

···
When the eight major Shanxi merchants were discussing secretly in the house, a general frontier guard appeared outside Yanghe Weicheng.

Wang Chong, who was stationed at Yanghewei, heard the news and immediately boarded the city wall. At the same time, the soldiers of the garrison army were vigilant—although it was the border guards who came to see the flag, they still had to be vigilant. After all, military regulations are now being implemented much more than before. up.

When the general frontier guard came to the city gate, Wang Chong was relieved to see that it was indeed the equipment of the frontier guard.

At the same time, I feel inexplicable-how could there be border guards coming to Yanghe today?He didn't receive the notice from above either.

So a routine inquiry was made.

"May I ask who is leading the army? What do you mean by coming here? Is there a military order?"

The leader of the border guards is a young general under 20 years old, riding on a red-maned horse, and said: "I am Li Laiheng, the general of the first battalion of the sixth town of the border guards. And armaments, military discipline!"

Wang Chong was slightly stunned when he heard this, then shook his head and said in a low voice: "It seems that the new officials took office as three fires, but how did they burn Yang and Wei so quickly?"

At this time, an unremarkable captain behind him approached and whispered: "General Wang, the frontier guards here came here strangely. I'm afraid they have other purposes. Please hold them back for a while."

Wang Chong asked puzzled, "Why?"

The captain hesitated for a moment, but said: "Today the Eight Great Masters are gathering in Yanghe."

Wang Chong was shocked when he heard it, and wanted to speak, fearing that the voice would be too loud, so he pulled the captain aside, and said in a low voice, "Why didn't you tell me about such an important matter in advance?"

The captain said: "It's also for the good of General Wang—time is tight, so I won't say more here. General Wang must make sure to hold back the border guards."

Wang Chong's face changed a few times after hearing this, but he still gritted his teeth and said, "I see, you can go."

The captain got off the city wall and immediately walked towards a certain place in the city, but he didn't notice that someone followed him after he left the city wall...
　Second more.

　　Good night~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)