Holidays off.
In the Shangshu Mansion, Xu Wenshu was at his desk at home, holding a newspaper and reading attentively.
There are several newspapers beside the table, from different newspapers.
Although the imperial court ran its own newspaper, Xu Wenshu personally cared more about Banshan Daily.
The content of Banshan Daily is complicated, but the only thing that remains unchanged is the daily price list of various districts in the capital.
This price change is extremely accurate and comprehensive, far exceeding the Ministry of Household Survey. Folks even use it to arrange shopping plans, so Xu Wenshu pays special attention to it.
Another point is that the news headlines of Banshan Daily are always very popular.
【Shocking! Everyone in the capital cried after reading this man's story! 】
【Shock! A woman actually did such a thing in broad daylight! 】
【Shocking scam! You can’t eat these things, are you still eating them? 】
[It’s so scary! The latest discovery by scientists from Eastern Suburb University...]
News headlines like this appear over and over again every day, although every time I read Xu Wenshu I feel like I've been fed shit.
The whole city cried, but it turned out that the man was chopping onions and garlic while shedding tears and teaching everyone some tips on life.
Women read in broad daylight, and women are encouraged to learn to read and write.
Bird's nests are not as nutritious as eggs, and bird's nests are stained with feces and can cause illness after eating them.
Eastern Suburbs University found that alcohol abuse can lead to impotence...
Although he was disgusted enough, he couldn't help but want to pick it up and take another look.
However, in the past two days, news appeared in the newspapers that made him feel refreshed.
The section that was originally filled with all kinds of shocking news has been replaced by a section on food merchants.
What about the division of labor and cooperation, the increase in the stock of private wealth, the relationship between supply and demand, etc.
Although the writing is easy to understand, the content has a completely different thinking perspective, and several simple cases are cited in it.
Xu Wenshu read it with gusto, but every time he got to the end, he couldn't help but become curious.
The authors of these articles are all unsigned. I don’t know whether it is an oversight by the newspaper or for other reasons. It’s strange...
Just as he was getting excited about watching, Xu Hongcai suddenly came to report in a hurry, with an anxious look on his face: "Dad, Fang Zhengyi is here and he brought a gift."
Xu Wenshu stood up suddenly, and an unpleasant feeling arose in his heart.
Sure enough... there is indeed a problem, this guy actually came to visit today.
"Hongcai, go and invite him in... That's all, you come with me."
After saying that, Xu Wenshu rushed out, explaining as he walked: "When I talk to my father, you should listen carefully and remember it carefully. Don't interrupt."
"I understand, Dad."
Outside the gate, Fang Zhengyi was waiting with a gift, and a cloth bag was tucked between the creaks.
Seeing Xu Wenshu walking out, he cupped his hands with a smile and said, "Master Xu, I'm disturbing you again."
"Rare guest! Rare guest! I'm so grateful for it, Master Fang."
Xu Wenshu was extremely enthusiastic and pulled Fang Zhengyi inside.
He also introduced: "This is my youngest son, his name is Xu Hongcai. Hongcai, why don't you say hello to Mr. Fang?"
Xu Hongcai quietly looked at Fang Zheng for a moment or two and said, "I have met Mr. Fang."
When Fang Zheng saw that he was just a boy of sixteen or seventeen years old, he didn't pay much attention and nodded in response.
After the two of them were seated, Xu Hong went to prepare tea. Xu Wen wrote: "Why did Mr. Fang come here today?"
"Oh...it's okay, I just passed by Mr. Xu's house. I remembered our conversation before..."
Before Fang Zheng finished speaking, Xu Wenshu raised his palms and said, "Master Fang, forget about the polite words. This is not my first time in the court. I have visited many times, so there must be something important."
"You might as well speak more clearly."
Fang Zheng was speechless, smiled, took out the memorial from his sleeves, and handed it over: "Since you are quick to speak, I won't hide it. This is the memorial I am going to hand over. Sir Xu, please read it."
Xu Wenshu took the memorial and read it carefully, his face changing as he read it.
The contents of the noodles here all refer directly to one thing, wide business.
Abolition of inter-city tariffs, allowing merchants to travel by car, loosening restrictions on trade... there are ten of them.
Xu Wenshu fell silent, glanced at Fang Zheng suspiciously, and asked, "I don't understand, what do these things have to do with you, Mr. Fang? Why do you want to speak for the merchant?"
Is it possible that this kid is addicted to stealing jobs? We just had a stalemate with the Ministry of Works, and now we have reached out to the Ministry of Household Affairs?
"Hey, that's what Master Xu said. You and I are both court officials, what's wrong with asking for orders for the people? I heard you say before that the revenue from commercial taxes has increased, isn't it to generate more revenue for the national treasury? Master Xu , what do you think of what I wrote?"
"Dad, Master Fang, please have some tea." Xu Hongcai had already prepared the tea and brought it over.
Xu Wenshu glanced at him, and Xu Hongcai put down his tea and stood aside to listen.
Then Xu Wenshu silently pushed the memorial back and said: "What Mr. Fang wrote is naturally excellent, but it is not realistic."
"There are many consequences for indulging merchants, and merchants are not engaged in production. They can only act as intermediaries to make huge profits among the people. This is tantamount to competing with the people for profits, and this is absolutely impossible."
The current situation was all expected, and Fang Zheng took back the memorial in no hurry.
Then he said: "I don't agree with this. If there were no intermediaries, the world would be in chaos. This businessman is like a gear in a waterwheel connecting producers and buyers. Without him mediating resources, buying and selling would be impossible." Both parties are extremely difficult to establish, and the profit is no more than his due reward.”
"The more business merchants facilitate, the more the world's wealth will increase. If merchants seek profit at the expense of other people's interests, how can our situation get better and better year by year, and the revenue of the national treasury get higher and higher every year? Perhaps Sir, do you think so or not?"
As soon as Fang Zheng finished speaking, Xu Wenshu's mind suddenly jumped out of the newspaper he had read a few days ago.
He couldn't help but nodded: "It makes some sense, but why is Mr. Fang telling me this? If you just want to ask for my opinion, I'll tell you from the bottom of my heart, it's better not to hand it over. If you hand it over, it will be half-hearted at best."
"Besides, to put it bluntly, this should be the responsibility of my household department, not Mr. Fang."
Fang Zheng nodded in acquiescence.
"Yes, this is indeed a matter of the Ministry of Finance. But if I don't mention it, I'm afraid no one will mention it."
After speaking, Fang Zheng lowered his head and rummaged through the cloth bag he carried with him.
A stack of letter paper was taken out of the bag and handed to Xu Wenshu.
Xu Wenshu took the letter, glanced at it, and his expression immediately changed!
There was a trace of unconcealable fear in his eyes.
"Master Fang...what are you..."
...
