Not impressed.
Zhu Yunwen pondered for a while and said softly: "Although it is my first time to come to Yangzhou, people in the government still know a little about it, but I have never heard of Liu Zhan..."
Seeing Zhu Yunzhen's confusion, Chen Dashan sighed bitterly: "Liu Zhan is rarely mentioned by anyone, so he is known as the Everlasting Pine. This man has a very good background. I heard that he once served Taizu, and was later appointed as the transshipment officer for the Huaihe River." Although he only served for two years, he retired from the job. Since Yaxing reopened, its influence has become more and more important. Even the transportation envoys and colleagues of the Salt Envoy Department in Lianghuaidu are in need. Just to give him face, I heard that there are people from him at the Salt and Inspection Institute and the Inspection Department."
Zhu Yunwen squinted his eyes. He was a colleague of the Lianghuai Salt Transport Department. He could be said to be the first person under the Salt Transport Department and had real power. Although this person only worked for two years, he was able to install so many cronies. It has a great influence on the Salt Transfer Department of the Huaihe River and the Huaihe River, which is probably not simple.
"There are such powerful people in Yangzhou."
Zhu Yunwen sighed.
Chen Dashan and Chu Han nodded repeatedly.
But everyone is interested in profit, and people can harvest countless profits with just a few clicks of their fingers. Who cares about the life and death of border merchants. Here, we suppress the border merchants, buy them at low prices, and then hoard them and sell them to domestic merchants at high prices. The benefits are not just a few thousand taels.
"You should have heard that the emperor is about to tour the north, and the first stop is Yangzhou."
Zhu Yunwen reminded.
Chen Dashan and Chu Han looked at each other and shook their heads.
Chu Han sighed: "Mr. Nian, the Emperor is on his northern tour. Firstly, we can't see it easily. Secondly, even if we see justice redressed, will the Emperor be able to take care of it?"
"Is there anything else that the Emperor cannot control?"
Zhu Yunwen looked solemn.
Chen Dashan waved his hand: "It's not that the emperor can't control it, but that the emperor has many things to deal with every day. It's impossible for him to interfere in such a trivial matter and delay the trip. Besides, even if the emperor is careful, he will send the censor and the household department to verify first, but No matter how you investigate the Yangzhou officialdom and check the accounts, there is no problem. How can you convict someone for something that is so flawless?"
Chu Han said sadly: "Even if the court finds out about Liu Zhan, the old pine tree, there is nothing we can do. You must know that the salt in the hands of our border merchants cannot be sold, just like the grain brought in cannot be sold, and the merchants cannot sell it. Who in the court will take care of goods? If the court takes care of this matter today, and other businesses cannot be sold tomorrow, does the court also have to take care of it? Once the court intervenes too much, it will be detrimental to the merchants. "
Zhu Yunwen finally understood. They did not believe that the imperial court could deal with Liu Zhan. They knew that this man was cunning and had no loopholes, and they were worried that the imperial court would interfere too much in business because of this matter.
"Now businessmen have no way to solve the problem..."
Zhu Yunwen looked deeply at the two of them.
Chu Han and Chen Dashan lowered their heads. Yes, this is the truth, but at most it will be a loss. But if the court can't find it in the end, they may not be able to engage in border trade in the future, and they will probably not be able to enter Yangzhou City in the future. .
It is better to suffer an immediate loss than to cut off the future.
Seeing this, Zhu Yunwen stood up and said: "How many border merchants are stranded in Yangzhou and how much salt are in their hands? If I take them all, what will happen?"
"you?"
Chu Han and Chen Dashan stared at Zhu Yunwen back and forth with their eyes widened.
Where did this stupid young man come from? You, a border trader, want to cross the industry and become an internal trader? Do you know that internal businessmen also need to listen to Bu Laosong and Liu Zhan? Otherwise, if you go to the Lianghuaidu Salt Transfer Department, who will get you a certificate, when you go to the salt field, who will give you the salt, and when you go to the batch laboratory, who will give you the approval? ?
Do you really think you will make money by accepting Yan Yin?
Once you break the rules and offend Liu Zhan, there will be no place for you in Yangzhou.
Chen Dashan kindly reminded: "Master Nian, please don't be impulsive. If you become a domestic merchant, you still need to go out to sell salt. The door is very deep. Without acquaintances to lead the way, you can't even bring a pound of salt out of the salt field. Besides, it's not like that." If Lao Song becomes an enemy, it may bring harm to the family..."
Chu Han also advised him.
This matter really shouldn’t be overheated. If you don’t talk about it, you’ll offend this big shot in Yangzhou. If they really have some backstory, even if they say something, they will have government officials come to find trouble and check fire prevention measures, sanitation, and safe passages. kind of thing.
Zhu Yunwen did not accept the kindness of the two people, and made up his mind: "I will accept the salt in your hands. I will accept it at whatever price it was last year. If you two have no objection, we can go to the Royal Central Bank now." trade."
"Mr. Nian, you have to think clearly. This matter is very important. Do you want to discuss it with your family?"
Although Chu Han wanted to trade, the young master in front of him was obviously young and energetic, and he didn't know the depths of the world. If he made a wrong move, he might be doomed.
Zhu Yunwen chuckled, picked up the wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp: "I have the final say in this family. Why, you two are unwilling to trade?"
"No, no, we do."
When Chu Han and Chen Dashan saw Zhu Yunwen's persistence, they no longer forced themselves. Anyway, what they wanted was just profit. If they could pay the previous year's price, they could still make at least a few hundred taels.
"Let's go."
Zhu Yunwen took Xie Jin, Xia Yuanji, Liu Changge and others to the Central Bank.
On the basis of the support provided by the Ministry of Household Affairs and the credibility guarantee provided by the royal family, the number of royal central banks increased. There were more than 500 branches in the entire Ming Dynasty, but some were unevenly distributed.
More than 300 companies are concentrated in South Zhili, North Zhili, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, Henan and Shandong. The further west, the smaller the number. Shanxi and Sichuan are better, like Shaanxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, In Huguang, there are not many central banks in general. For example, in Sichuan Province, there are only eight branches.
This cannot be done in a hurry. Expansion must ensure sufficient funds as reserves and the ability to absorb and lend. People in some western provinces are not living well. They don’t have much money in their hands and cannot absorb deposits. They can only rely on merchants as businessmen. Main body, if the merchants don’t come and go, then the bank will not be able to operate.
Although Yangzhou is not a big city, it has three royal central banks. One is located near the Grand Wharf of Yangzhou Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, one is located in the gradually expanding west city of Yangzhou, and the other is located in the middle city area. The location advantage is very obvious, because of the bank's The diagonal door next door is the Lianghuai Capital Salt Envoy Department. The distance between the two gates is only fifty steps.
No anti-theft
The place where Zhu Yunwen, Chen Dashan and others went was the Royal Central Bank next to the Lianghuai Capital Salt Transfer Department. The business here was good, with many merchants coming in and out, and there were more than 20 people sitting in line not far away waiting to be called. Number.
"Get your number outside the door first."
When Chen Dashan saw that Zhu Yunwen wanted to walk in, he quickly reminded him.
Zhu Yunwen looked at Xia Yuanji. Xia Yuanji had no choice but to take out his jade sticker. Those who entered the Royal Central Bank with jade stickers did not need to line up, and the chief received them personally.
Chen Dashan and Chu Han were shocked. They heard that since the opening of the Royal Central Bank, the number of jade stickers issued was less than twenty, and only wealthy households with no less than 500,000 yuan in banknotes were eligible to enjoy it.
Not many merchants are willing to put half a million dollars in a central bank unless they are worth more than a million dollars. Only in this way will their daily operations not be affected. But there were few such wealthy businessmen in the entire Ming Dynasty.
Six hundred years?
A merchant whom I had never heard of actually came up with such a precious and rare jade sticker?
It seems that the other party wants to acquire the border merchant Yanyin, so it is not without strength.
What they don't know is that Xia Yuanji has invested a lot of capital in the Central Bank on behalf of the Ministry of Revenue. Such rapid growth of the Central Bank would have been impossible without the capital support of the Ministry of Revenue. It is normal for him to hold jade stickers, even like Xie Jin and Liu Changge. Yes, it would be nice to have a copper card, but I really don’t have the financial resources.
When Lou An, the head of the bank, heard that someone was coming with a jade sticker, he couldn't help but go out to greet him. This scene also shocked many businessmen. They watched Lou An nod and bow, and respectfully led Zhu Yunwen and others to the guest room. They couldn't help but speculate about what happened. identity.
Lou An led everyone to sit down, tea was served, Lou An personally identified the jade sticker, and after it was confirmed to be authentic, he said, "I don't know if the young master came here today to withdraw money or to deposit money."
Zhu Yunwen pushed the tea bowl aside and said seriously: "I plan to ask the Central Bank to make a trick for me and hang it outside the door."
"Trick? What trick?"
Lou An was a little confused. Besides, this was not the business scope of the bank.
Zhu Yunwen said softly: "I am willing to buy all the warehouse notes or salt coins from the border merchants at the price of 650 yuan per dollar. When the warehouse notes or salt coins are received, the bank will withdraw the money immediately and pay it off immediately."
Lou An looked at Zhu Yunzhen in surprise, hesitated, and said, "The Central Bank will take care of the money when the young master withdraws it. But this trick is not easy for the bank to do. If the young master doesn't mind, you can find someone to tell the news." "
A bank is not someone's servant. Although it has to serve customers, it is not the bank's duty to advertise to them. Lou An did not dare to do anything beyond his authority and scope.
After all, the Central Bank Branch has a strict management system, and must report details and accounts to the capital every month. If someone accuses you of violating regulations, the consequences will be serious.
Seeing this, Xia Yuanji helped Lou An and said, "He is also a man who understands the rules. His tricks are quite simple. I believe these two will help us."
Chen Dashan and Chu Han nodded immediately and agreed: "No problem. Although we are small businessmen, we still know a lot of border merchants in Yangzhou City, so it's no problem to spread the word."
Zhu Yunwen nodded and asked the Central Bank to prepare one hundred thousand taels of banknotes. Naturally, it was Xia Yuanji who provided the tokens and certificates. Considering the confidentiality of the identity, Xia Yuanji and Lou An checked their identities in another room, and Lou An Some were swaying, and their legs and feet were shaking badly.
The Minister of the Ministry of Finance came to withdraw the money in person, so what is the identity of the young man outside?
Lou An's mind was spinning very fast. When he came out to see Zhu Yunwen, he almost fell to his knees. He suppressed his excitement and trembling hands before explaining the matter clearly.
Zhu Yunwen just calmly asked Xie Jin to take out 1,300 salt notes, and then said to Chen Dashan and Chu Han: "According to 650 notes per yin, these are enough to buy the 2,000 salt notes in your hands. Let's trade." .”
