"This?" Shen Wang was stunned for a moment. A smile forced his way onto the fat face: "Your Majesty... His Majesty is joking. I've been in Yingtian for a long time, so how can I know the situation in Suzhou..."
"You, Mr. Shen, are well-rounded, smart and capable. This Suzhou is your Shen family's home. Don't you know what's going on in your home?" Zhu Su smiled.
If Shen Rong didn't know, Zhu Su would still believe it. But Shen Wang, the second eldest son of the Shen family, is good at dancing. This is something that all Yingtian merchants know very well.
Compared with Shen Rong who knew "business ethics", Shen Wang only valued "profits". Although his business talent is several times greater than that of his brother, in terms of his character, he is far inferior.
If these two brothers can complement each other, the Shen family will naturally prosper. But Shen Rong was old and lacked energy, so he naturally couldn't take care of many things. Zhu Su had every reason to suspect that Shen Wang's tacit consent was what Shen Haidabaotian did to hoard 80,000 shi of grain and grass.
Otherwise, how can Shen Hai, a descendant of a second wife, make the entire Suzhou Shen family obey orders? He was prosperous, so why should he be so frightened that he even acted out this drama of asking for forgiveness?
Over there, Shen Wang was sweating and trembling all over. For a moment, I didn't know how to answer Zhu Su's words.
She was obviously topless in the twelfth lunar month, but her whole body looked like it had been fished out of oil.
Zhu Su looked on coldly, and after waiting for a while, he said:
"That's all. I won't ask these questions anymore."
"Whether you know there are people hoarding or not, you always know who are the powerful merchants in Suzhou City?"
"Tomorrow at noon, I will hold a banquet in Shen Garden. Please ask Uncle Shen to send greetings to the merchants on my behalf. I want to do a big business with the merchants in Suzhou."
"Can you do this?"
I originally wanted Wei Guan to pay his respects to the merchants in the name of the prefect. But now that I think about it, it might be more effective to ask the Shen family to invite him.
After all, they were all merchants, and the Shen family came forward, so those merchants were less wary. Earlier, Ru Taisu had squeezed a lot of money out of these merchants. If the government were to come forward again, some merchants might deliberately excuse themselves from coming.
"I can do it, I can do it!" Shen Wang nodded like a chicken pecking at rice. He kept wiping the oily sweat from his head.
"Then get ready." Zhu Su raised his chin.
After dismissing Shen Wang, Zhu Su himself lost his appetite. He put his chopsticks on the table and sighed: "The Shen family has a lot of problems."
"Sigh. I'm afraid this Shen Laoer is just like his son, not a fuel-efficient lamp."
"Don't worry, Your Highness. If you don't like it, the dog will go and take the heads of his father and son." On the side, the dog said firmly while putting away the dishes for Zhu Su.
"...It's not necessary." Zhu Su was a little speechless. After the dog's body grew, his temper actually became rude. This conversation made him sound like a bandit on the mountain, not like a chamberlain serving the prince in the palace. ? "The Shen family is quite obedient for the time being, and it is useful. If we want to open up the situation, we need the Shen family to set an example."
"...It's just that tomorrow, those businessmen from other families may not be so easy to deal with."
He pinched his eyebrows with a headache. It's not easy to do something. I am a prince, but tomorrow I may have to do something that only bandits can do.
…
Under Zhu Su's pressure, the Shen family was very efficient. Early in the morning, the Shen family's slaves went out to deliver invitations to the homes of prominent merchants in Suzhou Prefecture. At the same time, a reception place was arranged in Shen Garden and a valuable banquet was ordered.
At noon, various merchants arrived at Shen Garden early. The gathering of various merchants at the Shen family was considered a major event in Suzhou's business community. It's just that these "business giants" are plainly dressed and their faces are even more uneasy. They don't have the aura of those businessmen in later generations who would give advice and scold Fang Qiu at gatherings.
Thinking about it, among the scholars, farmers, industry and commerce in the Ming Dynasty, the status of merchants was the lowest. Was An You nervous and flustered when being invited to see him by Zhu Su, who was the prince?
"Second Master Shen, what does His Highness King Wu mean by calling us here?" Shen Rong is old, so Shen Wang is mainly responsible for hosting this banquet. At this time, beside Shen Wang, a square-faced businessman was pulling his sleeve and asking in a low voice.
This person is none other than Zhao Yunyan, the second largest businessman in Suzhou and the largest rice merchant in the city. The Shen family was forced by His Highness King Wu to donate 80,000 shi of rice and food. This matter had already been widely spread among businessmen. As rice merchants, the Zhao family was most nervous about this.
He was afraid that His Highness King Wu would plunder the Shen family's treasury and be greedy, so he would operate on the Zhao family's granary.
"How dare I speculate on His Highness King Wu's intentions?" Shen Wang also whispered. "Alas, we merchants are just free to act like mermaids. If His Highness wants to attack us, we will have to suffer."
"Is it possible that I can still resist?"
"Just be silent. If His Highness hears that you and I are making arrogant remarks about him here, we will all be devastated and walk away."
"Alas..." Zhao Yunyan also let out a long sigh. "Even if we are really going to be attacked, it would be better to make it clear as soon as possible."
"It's noon, but it's almost noon... Slowly cutting meat is not the way to do it..."
"I'm so anxious..."
Zhao Yunyan looked at the sky and looked eagerly at the entrance, but Zhu Su was nowhere to be seen. My mind became anxious unconsciously.
Are other merchants not like this? Originally, due to the prince's invitation, everyone sat upright and did not dare to whisper to each other. But now that so much time has passed, the real owner is still missing, and the venue slowly begins to become noisy.
"Your Highness is here!"
Following a loud announcement, all the merchants were shocked. First, a few soldiers with crotch knives and halberds were seen filing in, occupying all four sides to protect the leader's position. Immediately afterwards, a young man wearing loose robes and still yawning walked in, escorted by a soldier and a strong chamberlain.
"This...is His Highness King Wu? He is so young..."
"This stature... I might as well say he is just a child..."
"These soldiers are indeed mighty and majestic, but His Highness King Wu...why does he look a little tired?"
"Hush! Silence! Don't let Your Highness listen..."
There was a lot of discussion in the field, but Zhu Su didn't listen carefully. He walked straight forward and sat down on his superior, smiled and said: "I slept a little late last night, and accidentally got up late today."
"I have kept you waiting for a long time. Don't blame me, don't blame me!"
"Don't dare, don't dare..." The merchants returned the favor quickly, and some of them looked even better. Although the young prince was a bit out of place in his dress and manner, he seemed to be quite easy to talk to based on his tone.
Moreover, being out of tune also has the advantage of being out of tune...
"I have asked the Shen family to invite you all to come here today. I have a business to discuss with you." Zhu Su smiled slightly and said straight to the point. As soon as he said this, many merchants present immediately started to listen.
The Shen family's glass business originated from His Highness King Wu. Who is a businessman who doesn’t know that His Highness King Wu is a philanthropic boy who makes money and sells the prescriptions from the palace?
Who is not jealous that the Shen family is attached to the thick legs of Prince Zhu?
Could it be that His Highness King Wu was disgusted with the Shen family because of their hoarding and was planning to find a new businessman as his partner?
(End of chapter)
