Chapter 561 The T-shaped chest hides the beauty

 The lobby became quiet.

Those who can sit in this position, even if they are not considered to be the top group of people in the Shanshan-Shaanxi business gang, can still be called the mainstay group.

They have huge business networks and industries in Beizhi, Shandong and even Liaodong, not to mention Shanxi and Shaanxi, where they are the base. Even when the Ming Dynasty and the Great Zhou Dynasty were established, they could penetrate deep into the south of the Yangtze River with their early capital advantage.

 It was only with the rapid growth of local business gangs in Jiangnan that their power was counterattacked by new business gangs such as Jiangnan and Huguang. Their prosperity turned into stable development and they were on standby.

In their view, the introduction of the sea ban during the Great Zhou Dynasty was a huge opportunity. It was most likely an opportunity or a crisis. If the Shanshan and Shaanxi merchant gangs could not participate, then it would be an opportunity for the Jiangnan merchants and a crisis for the Shanshan and Shaanxi merchants.

So it seems that the opening of the sea is mainly a matter of Jiangnan maritime merchants. It has a certain connection with the merchants who dominate the land, but the relationship is not too big. But the real leaders can naturally see further and see this The crisis lurks behind it.

At present, the only thing that the Shanshan-Shaanxi merchant gang can exert a greater influence on the court is the logistical support brought by Kai Zhongfa, but this situation is due to the fact that the imperial merchants and honorary families and even the imperial court The "nest-occupying" phenomenon caused by nobles with connections to the middle and important ministers asking for salt has become increasingly serious and is quickly disappearing.

The method of Kaizhong has gradually declined. From the beginning, 90% of the grain supply from the border areas was shipped by Kaizhong merchants or from the merchants' merchant villages, but now it has dropped sharply to less than 30%.

 This brought about a skyrocketing price of grain in the border areas. Most of the grain in the border areas was shipped from various places, with high prices and low quality. However, the influence of Shanxi and Shaanxi merchants on the imperial court also declined rapidly.

 “Then Mr. Fan, how should we respond?” Someone finally interrupted, and others also agreed.

 “Shao Quan, what do you think?” Fan Gong ignored those guys who followed others’ opinions, but asked the representative of the new force of the Wang family in front of him.

"To untie the bell, you must tie the bell. We have not yet been able to get a full glimpse of this strategy of opening up the sea. Although we have received a lot of information from various channels, they are all scratchy. We still have to find Feng Keng, the person who proposed the idea. , can we understand the court’s final thoughts, but I don’t know if this guy is waiting for a price, or if he is confident, or the court intends to let him do this. Logically speaking, such a big move cannot be without the support and efforts of our business gang. Could it be that the imperial court really intends to exclude us merchants from Shanxi and Shaanxi?"

Wang Shaoquan's words made the old man surnamed Fan with a dull face across from him shake his head decisively, "Shao Quan has gone astray on this matter. How can the imperial court let a family of Jiangnan merchants dominate? But the reliance on Jiangnan merchants is inevitably becoming more and more obvious. This pair We are at a disadvantage.”

“Mr. Fan, I’m afraid we can’t sit still and wait for death. We have to take a multi-pronged approach and think of solutions from all aspects. We can’t wait until the overall situation is decided and we can’t even get a share of the remaining water, then...”

Wang Shaoquan carefully considered his words, "Judging from the situation in the past few days, this Feng Xiuzhan mainly went to Wenyuan Pavilion. Well, he also went to Rongguo Duke's Mansion. The news I found out is that he will not take a bath tomorrow. He may have to go to the Wenyuan Pavilion. Accompany his mother to Dinghui Temple to offer incense."

“Oh?” The old man surnamed Fan’s eyes lit up slightly, “Rong Guo Gongfu? What is his relationship with the Jia family?”

"They must be family friends. Feng Keng has a close relationship with Jia Lian, the eldest son of Jia She, the Duke of Rongguo. It is said that Jia Baoyu, the eldest son of Jia Zheng, the eldest son of Rongguo Duke, and Jia Huan, the concubine, serve him as brothers..." Wang Shaoquan is obviously also determined. At that time, "Feng Keng went to the south of the Yangtze River to Yangzhou. It is said that he stayed in Si Yamen for a long time while transporting salt in the Huaihe and Huaidu capitals. Lin Hai, the censor of the salt patrol in the two Huaihe Rivers, was the sister-in-law of Jia She and Jia Zheng of the Rongguo Mansion..."

The old man surnamed Fan stroked his beard and nodded, "He is going to Dinghui Temple tomorrow. Can Shao Quan go with him?"

Wang Shaoquan knew that the old man surnamed Fan could not sit still, so he nodded: "If Mr. Fan is interested, Shaoquan will accompany him."

　　************

  Suzhou Hutong, Dongting Guild Hall.

Comparing to the grandeur of Shanshan Guild Hall, Dongting Guild Hall is much smaller and more exquisite.

  But a smaller scale does not mean that the energy is smaller.

 Dongting does not refer to Dongting Lake, but to Dongting Mountain, located in Suzhou.

 Suzhou has always produced officials. This was true in the Ming Dynasty and even more so in the Zhou Dynasty. However, at the same time, the relationship between the gentry, merchants and officials in Suzhou was the closest.

  Dongting Guild Hall is a gathering place for the elites of Suzhou business gangs.

 “Is this guy so difficult to deal with?”

 Several people were sitting in official hat chairs, drinking tea with light expressions and casual faces.

“A representative figure of northern scholars, his teachers are Ge Lao and the left deputy censor of the Duchayuan, how can he be a good person to be with?”

“It’s just that at the age of seventeen, isn’t it too exaggerated?”

“I heard that he is not good at poetry and poetry, but he is particularly good at discussing current policies, which is exactly in line with today’s imperial examination system.”

 “No wonder the Holy One is so favorably favored today,…”

There was a burst of laughter in the hall. Today, it is a secret that the Holy Emperor does not like poetry. It is widely spread among the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River, and many literati and poets even ridicule it.

"Not entirely true. It is said that this son also competed with fellow students from his hometown who were famous for their poetry at the Enrong Banquet, and he was not inferior. Later, there were rumors that this son just didn't bother to spend more time on poetry. There are different opinions. …”

 “Hmph, I am a warrior, no wonder such vulgar people do not follow the Dao...”

"Don't you know the Dao? Can this strategist who opened up the sea be called the Dao? If it is not the Dao, why would you and I bother here just to meet each other?"

 “You! It’s simply insulting to politeness, you Xishan people are like this...”

Seeing that several people are about to start a dispute, the leisure and understanding before will no longer be there, but no one is willing to resolve it.

"Okay, there's no point in talking about this. The situation is stronger than the people, and we have to think about our own affairs." An old man in brown shirt who had been silent until now finally spoke.

"Mr. Xu, it's not an option to sit and wait like this." A middle-aged man sitting next to the old man in brown shirt also glanced at the people who were still chattering with some displeasure. There are connections with merchants from across the land and sea, and there are also contacts with merchants in Ningbo, but we Suzhou people are the only ones left out..."

"The Ningbo merchants want to go north to set up a shipyard. This is the intention of the imperial court. Those people in Ningbo may not be willing to go, but they may not be able to withstand the pressure of the imperial court." Xu Gong said calmly: "If you, the Xu family of Xishan, are willing If you participate, the imperial court will surely be happy to see the results."

Being squeezed by the old man, the middle-aged broad-faced man was a little embarrassed. He was just looking for a topic, but he didn't expect that this wealthy businessman would not give him any face.

“Is there any news from the Huizhou Guild Hall?”

"They didn't do much. Their posts have been sent in a long time ago, but just like us,..." Although the man surnamed Xu felt resentful in his heart, he still did not neglect the old man surnamed Xu's inquiry, "But the Long You gang People seem to have received the message, but they are not sure yet..."

"What? Longyou's group received the post? Is it true? Why?" The old man surnamed Xu suddenly became nervous.

If everyone is in trouble, then he can still feel at ease, but if someone else takes the lead, he will have to be frightened.

The plan to open up the sea involves maritime trade only superficially. More importantly, it involves the transformation of the entire commercial system from Liaodong, Beizhi, Shandong, Nanzhi, Zhejiang and Fujian, and Guangdong and Guangxi, and even includes Huguang and Jiangyou along the Yangtze River.

 This means that as soon as the sea ban is lifted, the maritime transport industry will usher in a huge development, and the huge cost advantage of water transport compared to land transport will quickly become apparent.

Originally, the most important ones were the golden waterways along the Yangtze River and on both sides of the canal. However, in a few years, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian and Zhejiang, Shandong, Beijing and Liaodong will form another broader golden waterway for maritime transport. These three waterways are connected. As one, no one can predict what changes it will bring to the commercial trade within the entire Great Zhou territory.

Even these three waterways will be connected to the future long-sea trade with North Korea, Japan and Nanyang. With the huge consumer market system and production system in Dazhou, both imports and exports will bring unpredictable benefits.

The man surnamed Xu shook his head, "I don't know about that. In addition, I also learned that Feng Xiuzhan also sent a message to Jiangyou Guild Hall, but who received it from Jiangyou Guild Hall is unknown. "

The old man surnamed Xu was thoughtful and silent. This is not the way to argue.

Feng Keng was originally from Shandong and grew up in Shanxi. His teachers were Qi Yongtai, a native of Beizhi, and Qiao Yingjia, a native of Shanxi. The Shen family to whom he was engaged was from a well-known and scholarly family in Suzhou. They knew all these connections very well.

You said that he was on good terms with the Shanshan-Shaanxi merchant gang, which makes sense. He had contacts with Fujian maritime merchants and Ningbo merchants. That was when he sailed from Liaonan to Denglai. However, Hui merchants, Shanshan-Shaanxi merchants, and the Dongting merchant gang are the most powerful in the Zhou Dynasty today. He did not contact any of the three groups. Even the Huangshang group seemed not to have been invited. Instead, he contacted Longyou and Jiangyou merchants. This was incredible.

Although the power of Longyou and Jiangyou merchants is not weak, they are inferior to Hui merchants, Shanshan merchants and even their own Dongting merchants. This is recognized by the world. Even the Yangzhou salt merchants who are the richest in the world are Hui merchants and Shanshan merchants. The Shaanxi merchants were evenly divided, so why did the Longyou merchants and Jiangyou merchants have their turn?

 “Mr. Weng!”

There was a commotion of tables and chairs in the hall, but an old man was seen walking in proudly accompanied by several people.

 “Mr. Weng!”

 “Old man!”

His beard and hair are all white, but he is in good spirits. Even the old man named Xu rarely gets up: "Brother Qiyang."

This is Weng Qiyang, the second son of Weng Ji, a representative of the Dongting merchant gang.

"Brother Chengdong, this Feng Xiuzuan is not a simple man. He has a bright mind. He unites Anfu merchants and Longyou merchants with the intention of eastward." Weng Qiyang made a big move as soon as he sat down.

 (End of this chapter)