Invincible Zhengde

Chapter 51
The status of merchants in Taizu period?Zhu Youtang thought for a while, then turned to look at his son and said, "What exactly do you want to say?"

During the period of Zhu Yuanzhang, not to mention the status of a businessman, the status of a scholar was not good enough, and he could be killed if he said so. Whether it was Zhu Yuanzhang or Zhu Di, killing a person was like killing a chicken.It has the demeanor of the Han Dynasty, but since Taizong and Taizu, the Ming Dynasty has not had such a powerful emperor.

Zhu Houzhao said with a smile: "Why was the status of merchants so low in Taizu's time? Scholars at that time didn't seem to have the arrogance they have today, right?"

After hearing Zhu Houzhao's words, Zhu Youtang nodded. This is indeed the case. In the past, everyone thought that it was because the Emperor Taizu's voice shook the world and his prestige shook the sky. Looking at it now, it seems that this is not the case at all!
"People in our royal family can't understand it, but the people below can see it very clearly." Zhu Houzhao sighed and said: "This is because of the integration of scholars and businessmen, not only the integration of relationships, but also the blurring of their own positioning. People are not only businessmen, but also scholars. In the past, scholars had status, after all, they were scholars, farmers, businessmen, and businessmen, but they had no money! In this world, whether it is now or in the past, nothing can be done without money, whether it is for individuals or for the country, we Wouldn’t it be impossible if the court didn’t have money?”

"A merchant has money, but he has no status!" Zhu Houzhao spread his hands and continued: "The son of a merchant is not even allowed to take the imperial examination, and he has to wear sackcloth when he goes out, let alone silk and satin."

"One has status but no money, and the other has money but no status. The rich want status, and the status wants money, and the result is a hit-it-all. The status wants to be rich, so they start business, and the rich want status, So the imperial examination began, and both sides tried to blur the status of businessmen and scholars. Don’t you think it’s ridiculous that Confucian merchants even appeared? A lowly businessman with a stinky body? But they are willing, why? Because they themselves are too."

"The integration of scholars and merchants has made them form a group. They are not pure scholars, nor are they pure businessmen. They are very powerful and difficult to deal with."

"Father, do you know what my son is most angry with? What I am most angry with is not that they do this, because it is human nature. What I am most angry with is that they do this, and they are still shouting about scholars, farmers, businessmen, and making money. When I was a merchant, I was a scholar in normal times. I really didn’t suffer at all, but what about farmers and workers? Facing the loess and their backs to the sky, they couldn’t eat enough, couldn’t wear warm clothes, and couldn’t afford to read, but merchants could afford it. Well, dress warmly."

"Farmers have low income and heavy taxes, but what about them? All of them are full of fat, thinking about how to suck blood from the court all day long, and they are almost moths."

Zhu Youtang could see that his son was not pleasing to the eyes of this group, so he got off the dragon chair and walked around Zhu Houzhao, Zhu Youtang said: "Then what do you want to do?"

"Simple!" Zhu Houzhao said with a smile: "Didn't they confuse themselves? Then let's be ambiguous. I hope that when they are businessmen, they will be businessmen, and when they are scholars, they will be scholars." Isn't the salt field controlled by them? Then let's give him a drudgery. After all, Yanyin is a qualification, but Yanyin is messy and there are many salt merchants, which is not conducive to management. "

"The imperial court can set the number of salt merchants. For example, the Jianghuai Salt Farm will set ten salt merchants, and the imperial court will issue qualifications. Only those who have obtained the imperial qualifications can be salt merchants and sell salt. Otherwise, they will be punished as salt smugglers."

In Daming, smuggling salt was a serious crime. If the crime became too serious, it would be decapitated. Zhu Houzhao's move can be said to be a drudgery from the bottom of the pot.

"A special yamen was set up to manage the salt field, and the salt field was completely separated from the place where the salt field was. It’s easier to handle, don’t the relatives always cry about being poor? Let them find someone, they should all have someone? Let them do it. Of course, this qualification must require money, and it’s not enough to pay less .”

"The salt class will still be as it used to be. This is basically the way it is. Erchen estimates that the salt class will increase a lot. With the money for buying qualifications, it is estimated that the treasury will have a lot of money."

Zhu Youtang looked at his son, and didn't know what it was like in his heart. How could his youngest son, who was originally happy, be so sinister?As the emperor, Zhu Youtang knew that this was a good thing, but he just felt uncomfortable in his heart.

Regarding the matter of qualifications, Zhu Youtang certainly knows the meaning of doing this. To put it bluntly, it means that whoever I ask to do it can do it. It’s not that the merchants take the salt and bribe themselves, use the money to bribe, and get the salt by themselves. The power over the salt field was taken over.For example, Ye family, can't you be able to do it locally?If you are not qualified, you will not be allowed to do it. What can you do?You stare so mad.

Let Xun Qi do it, and Zhu Youtang also knows that Zhu Houzhao is not seeking any benefits for Xun Qi at all, it is just letting Xun Qi jump into it.

Sure, it makes money, right?It must be profitable. The salt merchants are the most profitable in Ming Dynasty, but Xunqi used to cooperate with salt merchants. They have no chance to end up. Those salt merchants can’t let Xunqi end. You are over, we How to play?It's different now, with quota restrictions, whoever is let go and who won't be let go, what you say doesn't count, what the emperor says counts, then the advantages of honor and relatives are highlighted.

In addition, the honorable relatives have recruited a group of close salt merchants, and the remaining salt merchants can't make trouble if they want to. Besides, the emperor is still here, and this biased referee must be blowing all kinds of black whistle.

Those people can only find a way in the local area, and find a way to make a stumbling block. The emperor is beyond his reach, but don't forget, who are these nobles and relatives? Can they get used to your problem?The emperor doesn't have time to fight with them, but these nobles and relatives have time to block my money, grandma!

"By the way, this quota can't be permanent. Yierchen thinks that ten years is a good time." Zhu Houzhao said with calculations: "Let them make a fortune for a few years, and then they can continue to pay for food after a few years. When the grain is sent to the border, the salt class can be exempted, and the grain sent is paid off with the salt money. Those who send the grain can get the salt first, and that will be a little far away. When the merchants walk, the border will be lush, and the merchants will be able to rise .”

"In the first ten years, the auction price may not be high, but in the second time, it must be very high, and it may break the bank. Forget it, ten years is too long, and five years is just right. What do you think?"

(End of this chapter)