Chapter 646 Shanxi Merchants Are Coming

  Weighing the post, Feng Ziying pondered for a long time, and finally decided to meet.

   After all, he was an old friend, so of course he had done him some kindness, even though the other party had other ideas, but this was the truth.

   It is impossible for the group of Shanxi merchants to keep them out of the door. Even Master Qiao came to ask what his plan was.

   Master Qiao is also from Shanxi, so he can't get rid of the fetters of this kind of rural relationship.

   "Grassman Fan Yongzhan (Jin Liangcai, Tian Shenggui, Wang Shaoquan) has met the adults." The four of them bowed deeply as soon as they entered the room.

  Feng Ziying glanced at the four people in front of her. Fan Yongzhan was undoubtedly from the Jiexiu Fan family, Jin Liang was from the Luzhou Jin family, Tian Shenggui was from Pingyao, Wang Shaoquan was an acquaintance, and he was from Lingshi.

   "You're welcome, sit down." Feng Ziying raised her hand as a gesture.

   These companies should be the best among Shanxi merchants.

Unlike salt merchants, most of these Shanxi merchants are mainly engaged in border trade, and Tumet, Chahar, Ordos, Horqin, and of course Jurchens, just like Buyangu and their Yehe tribe. It was also these Shanxi merchants who connected them with the inland of Dazhou.

The news about this aspect from the Ministry of War is still too rough. I only know that there are a dozen or so Shanxi merchants who have done relatively large trade outside the border wall. The Fan family, the Wang family, the Jin family, the Tian family, the Huang family, and the Cao family family, Zhai family, Liang family, Chang family, Qu family, etc., but not much is known about the close contacts between these families and the tribes outside the border wall, the specific types of business, and more detailed contacts.

  Especially the trade with the Jurchens, Feng Ziying was originally the most concerned, but this is precisely the weakest part of the Ministry of War.

   I have to admit that the national destiny of the Great Zhou Dynasty is less than a hundred years old, and now there are already signs of decline, which can be felt in many ways.

  The theory shouldn’t be like this, but basically following the model of the previous Ming Dynasty as a whole, it made the entire imperial court worsen. This is definitely not something that can be reversed by any one person, or even a certain emperor or chief assistant.

However, the Supreme Emperor before Emperor Yonglong—Emperor Yuanxi, happened to be a grandiose emperor who advocated extravagance. His 40 years of administration made the entire Great Zhou suddenly turn from prosperity to decline, which made Feng Ziying feel like Li Longji of the Tang Dynasty. , but the Anshi Rebellion turned into the Imchen Japanese Rebellion, which greatly shook the foundation of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

  When a dynasty is on the rise, even if there are some contradictions and problems, they can be hidden under the rising waters, and when it turns from prosperity to decline, many problems will be magnified rapidly, and even non-problems will become problems.

  In the era of Xiao Daheng, the Ministry of War was in a state of step-by-step monk hitting the clock, and many affairs could not be carried out. Even with a diligent character like Geng Ruqi, it was still difficult to change the overall situation.

  After Zhang Jingqiu and Chai Ke took over, Feng Ziying hoped that the situation would be improved, but this did not happen overnight.

Among the few in front of us, the Fan family is undoubtedly the leading figure among Shanxi merchants, and the border trade involved may cover the entire Nine Sides, and the Wang family is not much inferior, but Wang Shaoquan is not yet the head of the Wang family. The two elders are in charge. The Jin family should have close contacts with Chahar, while the Tian family has contacts with Horqin, the Xibo tribe, and the Jurchens.

   This is the basic information that Feng Ziying can learn about these people, but it is not enough.

Sometimes Feng Ziying feels that she seems to be busier than the prime minister of the current dynasty, and the affairs she is involved in are all over the fields, including finance, trade, industry, military affairs, and intelligence, all kinds of things, at least equivalent to the modern A vice premier of the State Council in the government, maybe even an executive, but look at yourself, but he is still a sixth-rank Imperial Academy editor, what a sad thing this is.

"Master Feng is busy with work. It is really difficult for me to see Mr. Feng." Fan Yongzhan is in his early fifties, skinny, but in good spirits. His small eyes sparkle brightly, his goatee is gray, and he is dressed in a gray silk shirt. With a black-faced folding fan, it really looks like a Confucian businessman.

  Feng Ziying knew that this guy should have found Qiao Yingjia, otherwise Master Qiao wouldn't have spoken to her.

  The ability of Shanxi merchants is not small, and it has penetrated into the entire court of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Even Ye Xianggao, Fang Congzhe and other important officials who are backed by Jiangnan gentry and merchants are not willing to dismiss these Shanxi merchants easily.

"Fan Gong, understand, this year, I went from the capital to Xijiang and then back to the capital. Before my **** was hot, I rushed to Jiangnan, and I went to Jiangnan again after a few days. Didn't I just come back and see you guys?" ?" Feng Ziying said half-truthfully.

He won't get used to these Shanxi merchants. The princes in the court are unwilling to turn against these Shanxi merchants. It is more or less related to their interests. He has nothing to do with them. His father and Datong Duan's family, It's still not my turn to think about it, and acting freely is in line with my current identity.

"Hehe, I don't dare to complain. I just want to sigh. My lord is now a busy person in the court. Everyone knows it. We naturally understand that the plan to open the sea is related to the government. The emperor and the cabinet ministers are extremely important. Only a young man like an adult can take on such a heavy responsibility." Fan Yongzhan is also used to wind and rain, and flattery and flattery come out of his mouth.

   "Mr. Fan is serious, I am just following the teachings of you, to live up to the emperor's grace, and to do small things." Feng Ziying waved his hand.

"My lord, I am not lying. Although I am waiting in the north, I have long heard that merchants in the south of the Yangtze River want to see you even if they wait for ten days and a half months. It’s blowing.” Fan Yongzhan smiled, “We should also be thankful that this is not in Yangzhou.”

  Feng Ziying was also amused by Fan Yongzhan's words. Although this person may not be a friend in the future, at least what he said is very pleasant at this time.

"Fan Gong was joking, um, maybe it just happened to catch up with Ziying, and the things in his hands during this time made many people feel that they want to be prophets, but in fact, there is no need. I can have a better harvest." Feng Ziying said lightly.

  Fan Yongzhan took a deep look at the other party. He knew that he could occupy a high position at such a young age and win the attention of many people.

"My lord, maybe everyone is in a different position, so their thoughts are also different. Just like us, now we feel that the imperial court has completely left us merchants from the north, and the merchants from the south of the Yangtze River have gone to the next level. We You can only watch them like fish in water, you may not feel this feeling, um, let me make an inappropriate analogy, just like the imperial court Chunwei, who suddenly gave many more places to the southern provinces, while we have fewer places in the north After a long time, this is the feeling, how uncomfortable,..."

  Feng Ziying has to admire that Fan Yongzhan is very good at talking and can easily arouse people's emotions. This metaphor is very vivid.

"Fan Gong's analogy is inappropriate. I am in Yangzhou. Kaihai Bonds is also shared by Huizhou merchants and Shanshan merchants. Haitong Yinzhuang also welcomes Northland merchants to join. However, it seems that we Northland merchants are not very interested in this. " Feng Ziying said without exception: "I know what Fan Gong wants to say. Maritime trade is not the head of the merchants in the north. If you look at Liaodong and Shandong, it is almost blank. On this point, I am also a smart woman who can't cook without rice."

Fan Yongzhan shook his head, "My lord, we are not the same people as the salt merchants. Please don't confuse us with them in the future. In addition, Haitong Yinzhuang is a shareholder. Cao Min is here to express his attitude. If we Shanshan businessmen are willing to buy shares, how much is up to your lord to decide." Yes, we have nothing to say."

   "Oh?" Feng Ziying was taken aback. I didn't include these Shanshan businessmen in the calculation of what this guy was going to do. Of course, I wouldn't reject them if they wanted to join. "Fan Gong is so optimistic about Haitong Yinzhuang?"

   "Of course Haitong Yinzhuang is good, but we are more optimistic about Mr. Feng." Fan Yongzhan's tone was affirmative.

  Feng Ziying finds it more and more interesting. Is this guy trying to imitate Lu Buwei by placing bets to win others? Do you feel that the destiny of the son of the plane cannot be fulfilled?

  He didn't even have such confidence in himself, so this guy dared to make a big bet, or was he just talking nicely?

"Fan Gong, I feel a little sincere and fearful when you say that." Feng Ziying rubbed her chin unconsciously, "Well, let's see, I roughly understand the purpose of Fan Gong's visit, but opening the sea is an established plan of the imperial court, and it will not be changed. If you have any ideas, you can also bring them up to me, and I can choose the opportunity to report to the cabinet ministers."

"My lord, I heard that my lord has a lot of ideas about the iron smelting in our Northland. He thinks that our Northland is incomparable with Jiangnan in silk weaving and cotton spinning, and that Jiangnan is superior in tea and porcelain. The only advantage is in iron smelting." , is that so?" Fan Yongzhan said every word.

I see!

Feng Ziying remembered that she had only mentioned this point of view to a few people, including Qi Yongtai, but not Qiao Yingjia, and occasionally mentioned it to Cui Jingrong, Wei Guangwei, Wu Liangsi, etc. when she went to Jiangnan, but she did not expect it to spread. In the ears of these Shanxi merchants.

When the iron smelting industry in Foshan, Guangdong was the best in the world, Feng Ziying mentioned that Beidi had more potential in the iron smelting industry. If it were someone else, he would have been sneered at and even sprayed with blood. But he is Feng Ziying , but few people really dare to do this.

  Even these Shanxi merchants couldn't help but be moved by the news after hearing such news, and finally decided to come and go through this experience at any cost after planning to find out what happened.

But this is a good thing. No matter what these Shanxi merchants have done before or what they are doing now, the money in their bags is good. If we can guide these Shanxi merchants to take the road of saving the country through industry, wouldn’t it be a great deed? what?

  Of course, if someone wants to be obsessed with obsession, then there is no one to blame.

  (end of this chapter)