Under Li Jin's persuasion, Lan Yu and Zhu Di had to return angrily, leaving Zhu Biao alone. He also wanted to discuss the next chamber of commerce with Li Jin.
Seeing the two people leaving, Zhu Biao found a place to sit down and then spoke:
"Now the Chamber of Commerce has been established for nearly three months, and there are hundreds of businessmen joining the association. These businessmen all cover all walks of life, and the number is increasing."
"In order to facilitate future management, I want to set up multiple sub-departments in the chamber of commerce to be responsible for overseas affairs of each industry."
Hearing this, Li Jin nodded and said in agreement:
“This is a good idea. In addition, we can also establish elders’ councils in each industry. As representatives of each industry, they can directly respond to us with their demands.”
Zhu Biao listened with seriousness, and Li Jin continued to provide his thoughts without hesitation:
"Members of the Council of Elders do not have to be top businessmen in every industry. They share the same party and oppose dissidents. The most important thing is to be obedient."
"As long as he is obedient, even if he is a beggar, I can still make him become the number one in the industry. If he is not obedient, I can make him penniless and living on the street, even if he is extremely rich."
Having said this, Li Jin asked Zhu Biao, who looked like a good student and was listening:
"Master Huang, do you know the essence of the Chamber of Commerce?"
When asked suddenly, Zhu Biao was surprised and immediately devoted himself to asking for advice:
"I don't know, please give me some advice, Mr. Li."
"Ha ha…"
Li Jin smiled and said bluntly:
"It's not like giving advice, it's just some experience."
"When it comes to the role of the Chamber of Commerce, we can understand that the government can use the Chamber of Commerce to control business."
"In the past, the imperial court adhered to the principle of not competing with the people for profit, allowing merchants to buy and sell on their own and grow wildly. Only if something went wrong, the imperial court would directly issue an order to confiscate their homes and behead them, and destroy the merchants humanely."
"But by doing so, not only has a big mistake been made, but it is also extremely detrimental to business development. Therefore, even after Ming Dynasty has been established for such a long time, Ming Dynasty's business is still like a pool of stagnant water."
Thinking of Zhu Yuanzhang's methods of suppressing businessmen in the Ming Dynasty, Li Jin sighed slightly in his heart. Although businessmen's pursuit of profit has disadvantages, it is not without its benefits.
"I established the Chamber of Commerce in Shanghu County. In just three years, under my control, business in Shanghu County began to flourish."
“This has in turn led to economic growth for local people, and their lives have also been greatly improved.”
"I'm not bragging. Looking at the various provinces of Ming Dynasty today, there is really no area that can be singled out and compared with the development of Shanghu County!"
Thinking of Shanghu County, which he built with his own hands, Li Jin had a hint of pride on his face.
Of course, Zhu Biao could not deny this. Li Jin was indeed very capable. At least, he had never seen such a capable person in the imperial court.
Li Jin continued:
"Now that we have established a chamber of commerce in Hepu County, coupled with the support of the opening-up policy, you have also seen the development here. I believe it will not be long before this place will become the second Shanghai County."
After hearing this, Zhu Biao couldn't help but said in surprise:
"Master Li, you mean that all this is the result of the Chamber of Commerce?"
After all, he understood that the only role of businessmen for his father was to use them to make money when the treasury ran out of money. If it really had a big role, he didn't know.
Li Jin nodded and explained patiently:
“The Chamber of Commerce is part of the reason, but it’s an integral part of the reason.”
"It is precisely because of the establishment of the Chamber of Commerce and the endorsement of the imperial court that commerce can develop rapidly. Without the Chamber of Commerce, even if Hepu County develops, it will not be so fast."
Zhu Biao was thoughtful, pondered for a moment and then said:
“Then if the model of the Chamber of Commerce is extended across the country, will it have the same effect?”
Li Jin didn't nod or shake his head, he just said:
"Hepu County and Shanghu County both have geographical advantages. It will definitely be difficult to reach the heights of these places."
"But if chambers of commerce are established, or even the imperial court sets up a department other than the six ministries, and the Ministry of Commerce is responsible for managing these chambers of commerce, I believe that the economic development of the Ming Dynasty will definitely be different."
"Of course, this also takes a long time to do!"
Zhu Biao was very happy to hear this, and even became more and more excited the more he thought about it, with a little excitement on his face. He had been immersed in his own thoughts, and turned around and left Li Jin's house without even saying hello.
Li Jin looked at Zhu Biao's leaving figure with a meaningful smile on his lips.
The establishment of a chamber of commerce will indeed help the development of business, but there is still a crucial thing missing, which will completely change the economic structure of the Ming Dynasty.
Naturally, when Li Jin talked so much nonsense to Zhu Biao, it was not for the so-called Ministry of Commerce. His purpose was exactly that indispensable thing.
Of course, Zhu Biao didn't need to know what it was.
After Zhu Biao on the other side went back, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that everything Li Jin said made sense.
Zhu Biao also felt that as long as he adopted Li Jin's idea, he would be able to do what he did with Shanghu County, or even replace the old with the new in the entire Ming Dynasty.
After thinking about it like this, Zhu Biao couldn't restrain his restless mood and immediately wrote a memorial and rushed it to the capital eight hundred miles away.
...
Ying Tiancheng, go to the study room.
After Zhu Yuanzhang received Zhu Biao's memorial, he opened it and read it. He didn't know what to look at, and the more he read, the more frightened he became. He didn't expect that Li Jin had such a deep understanding of the Chamber of Commerce.
After watching them all, Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon chair in shock, his eyes gradually becoming dark.
After a while, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered his people to summon Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen eagerly.
Soon, Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen hurried over. As soon as they entered the palace, they saw Zhu Yuanzhang holding a memorial and reading it carefully, with a look of hard thinking on his face.
Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen looked at each other and were about to salute when Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand to stop him. Then Zhu Yuanzhang handed a memorial to them and said:
"This is a memorial written by Biao'er himself. You two should read it carefully and tell us what you think!"
After Li Shanchang took it, he opened the memorial, and Liu Bowen also came over. The two of them looked at it seriously. At first, their expressions were very natural. The more they looked down, the more shocked they became.
After reading everything, Li Shanchang took the lead and said:
"Your Majesty, just based on Li Jin's few words, I think these words of Li Jin are not credible."
"And Li Jin only managed Shanghu County better, but if you want to compare the small Shanghu County with the entire Ming Dynasty, this is really an exaggeration!"
"Everyone can talk about it on paper, but when it comes to actual situations, all kinds of difficulties will arise!"
"After all, Li Jin has only governed one county. How can he understand the difficulties of governing a country?"
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, and then looked at Liu Bowen:
"What do you think Bowen thinks of Li Jin?"
Liu Bowen paused, then raised his hands and said:
"Back to the emperor, I have some different ideas from Mr. Li."
"Li Jin was able to build Shanghu County, which was in dilapidated conditions, into what it is today. This ability is unmatched by anyone."
"I think Li Jin is very talented, and his idea of establishing the Ministry of Commerce is very strange. It is something that none of us have ever heard of, just like what we have seen in Shanghu County."
After all, Liu Bowen had followed Zhu Yuanzhang and others in secret to pay a private visit to the officials in Shanghu County.
Scenes from Shanghu County in the past appeared in Liu Bowen's mind. Those children, those people, and those businessmen in Shanghu County were all the first time he had seen them in his life.
"If you can use a small businessman to transform the entire Shanghu County into something different from what it was in the past, I think Li Jin is a man of great ability."
"And he proposed to build Hepu County as an example of Shanghai County, or even build various regions in the Ming Dynasty. I think this idea can be tried."
"From a small perspective, I thought we could try it out in the Ming Dynasty. If it is true as Li Jin said, then our Ming Dynasty will definitely be able to prosper.
