After figuring things out, Zhang Sheng looked at Doudouyan in front of him. He didn't talk about the switch, but started talking to him about family matters.
"I don't know what the relationship is between Master Zhen and his family Zhen Yi?"
The current head of the Zhen family should be the future Zhen Mi's father, Shang Cai Ling Zhen Yi.
"The general is joking, I'm just an old slave running errands, I really don't deserve the word proprietor." Doudouyan heard Zhang Sheng's question, thought about it for a while, and answered the question incorrectly.
smart people!
When Zhang Sheng heard Zhen Ping's answer, he secretly praised it in his heart.
Zhen Ping's words seemed to be wrong. In fact, he had already told Zhang Sheng the answer. He was just a domestic slave.
The four peoples of scholars, farmers, industry and merchants have become hierarchical with the advent of Confucianism. Businessmen will still give people a feeling of low social status.
However, in the Han Dynasty, this problem was not a problem for the wealthy families who had the right to speak.
People don't do multiple-choice questions, but ask all questions, including the name of the picture and the benefits.
In the Han Dynasty, the first wealthy merchants were often also craftsmen. They were both industrial and commercial, and their family wealth amounted to tens of millions. They were what Sima Qian called a "Sufeng" family, that is, although they did not have official titles or titles, they were as wealthy as the feudal princes.
The growing power of merchants has even reached the point where they are rampant in the countryside. Some businessmen and loan sharks even opposed the central government and joined the rebels. Some fled to the Kanto vassal states and combined with local vassals to become local forces.
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty learned the lessons of the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion and strictly implemented centralization. In addition to taking measures to weaken the power of local princes and kings, he also took measures to weaken the power of local merchants.
The purpose of implementing measures such as official management of salt and iron, equalization, equalization of transfers, and the withdrawal of minting rights was to keep the main financial resources in the hands of the court, cut off the economic ties between wealthy merchants and local princes, and weaken the material foundation of local separatist forces. .
In 119 BC, the Han government began to collect money, that is, property tax. The Suanmin Law stipulates that all kinds of merchants and craftsmen who make profits from selling goods in the market should declare their property and pay taxes to the state even if they do not have city registration.
However, not many people self-reported and paid taxes, which could not meet the Han government's requirement to increase fiscal revenue, so a decree was issued to reward those who reported false tax returns, which was called Gao Mi. As lawsuits were widespread across the country, wealthy businessmen went bankrupt one after another, weakening the economic power of some businessmen.
Simple businessmen were once restricted and unable to raise their heads.
However, although Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty weakened the economic power of wealthy businessmen, politically he broke the ban on businessmen not being officials and provided care for businessmen.
The state implements the practice of selling officials and conferring titles, attracting businessmen to participate in official business, and reusing some businessmen to participate in the management of national finances. This has brought many businessmen onto the political stage, in fact making businessmen bureaucratic.
According to "Historical Records", people who sacrifice slaves can be exempted from labor for life, and those who sacrifice sheep can become Langguan. You can also get an official position by offering gifts and grain. In 119 BC, salt and iron offices were established in various places, and wealthy merchants who had made fortunes from the salt and iron business were appointed.
By the Eastern Han Dynasty, Emperor Guangwu was originally a landowner and businessman. After becoming emperor, he was more lenient towards merchants, and merchant power rose again.
The bureaucratic gentry who control power and the original merchants who have initially controlled some power, while they flaunt themselves as scholars and act as a superior ruling class, they also keep slaves and servants to engage in industry and commerce for them, making a lot of money. As vested interests, they will only hide behind and control everything, and will not easily expose themselves to others.
"Brother Zhen, hehehe, I see you are alone these days. Where is your family?" Zhang Sheng asked knowingly.
People like Zhen Ping may sound like their surname is Zhen, but their surname is usually given by their masters. This can be regarded as a way to win people's hearts. Moreover, the fact that they can come out to take care of the master's family shows that this slave is quite capable. In order to make them work loyally and loyally, the master's family usually marries them, which not only wins over people's hearts, but also treats their relatives as their own. A bond to them in order to better control these people.
"Back to the general, as I am making a living by running around, it is safer for my family to stay at home." Zhen Ping gave a vague answer.
Zhang Sheng understood and changed the subject again, "Dr. Zhen, how much was the customs duty at Feihuxing before?"
"Five points."
After some hesitation, Zhen Ping spit out a number. He looked at Zhang Sheng with twinkling eyes and lowered his head.
Hearing this answer, Zhang Sheng was not annoyed, but looked at Zhen Ping with a smile.
Old boy, how dishonest!
What Zhen Ping said is half correct, but not entirely.
Five points refers to accurate trading products.
Border trade is a hugely profitable industry, and the trade goods specified by the imperial court include dozens of varieties such as grains, cloth, and silk that are in short supply among foreigners.
Of course, if there are commodities that are regulated for trading, there will inevitably be prohibited sales, such as ironware, crossbows, armor, etc.
Businessmen pursue profits!
Contraband is the biggest profit among huge profits. Coupled with the current corruption of the imperial court, wealthy businessmen like Zhen will definitely not give up the huge profits from the contraband smuggling business.
Zhen Ping's half-percent answer just now was just the commission that Gao gave to Zhen's caravan when their normal goods passed through Wuruan Pass and Black Rock Ridge, as well as the commission for contraband. Therefore, this person is still cunning and cunning.
"One, one and a half percent."
Although Zhen Ping lowered his head, the corner of his eyes did not leave the other person. When he saw the other person staring at him and smiling, he unconsciously connected the smile of the person in front of him with the thousands of heads hanging outside the city. He stood up, his heart skipped a beat, and he spat out another number.
If you don't vomit, you won't succeed. Zhen Ping knows in his heart that he can't be fooled.
If the other party can destroy the Guangchang family and control Guangchang, people will naturally learn about the affair between the Zhen family and the Gao family.
"Hehehe, Brother Zhen, the customs can't be opened for the time being. However, I think it's okay for you to stay here in Guangchang. Why don't you go home and reunite with your family? As for the goods in the Guangchang shop, we will take care of them for the time being. Zhen will keep it for safekeeping, and when Brother Zhen comes back, he will return a lot of the original items. Of course, he will send a message to the master's family for me smoothly. First, I want bamboo, arrow bamboo to be precise, the more the better, the thickness Quan Yao, when you go back, take the deposit of 100,000 yuan with you; secondly, our team is short of salt, and we can't afford official salt. Ask Zhen to send us some brine salt, the cost and reasonable profit I will pay for it, the more the better. Thirdly, the customs clearance fee remains the same, but I don’t want Han’er to appear in your goods.”
Since Zhen Ping told the truth, Zhang Sheng stopped beating around the bush and denied the current switch. At the same time, he sent Zhen Ping to deliver a message for the Zhen family...
