Capital, Shen family.
Shopkeepers Sun and Yang were anxious, looking at the calm and calm Shen Yiyuan, they couldn't help but feel even more sad.
Shopkeeper Yang couldn't help but said again: "Master, moving the capital will be very detrimental to us Huizhou merchants. Once the imperial court moves the capital, many of our businesses will suffer. Compared with previous years, we will lose at least 30% of our profits."
Shopkeeper Sun nodded repeatedly and echoed: "Our business is large, and most of it is in the capital, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Yangzhou and other places. Now we have Hongjiang. Which business is not in the south? We rely on the capital and the large number of gentry to survive. There are so many shops. If the imperial court moves the capital to the north, it will be difficult for the shops to operate, and some of them will have to close their doors, and the clerks will have to go home."
Shen Yiyuan drank the tea leisurely, and Run Niang didn't say anything. She refilled the tea cup when she saw it was empty. Just when shopkeepers Sun and Yang were at a loss, Butler Wu walked over with a smile, followed by Shen Yiyuan's eldest son Shen Xiude.
Some rich gentry paid money to let their children enter the Imperial College, but they only learned to be romantic and arty. However, Shen Xiude kept in mind Shen Yiyuan's instructions, made friends, treated people with sincerity, and studied knowledge and business skills.
Eighteen-year-old Shen Xiude was in his prime, with an extraordinary demeanor and as gentle as jade. Seeing Shen Yiyuan's inquiring eyes, he said: "Father, I heard that the officials of Zhan Shifu collectively submitted a letter to support the move of the capital. The Fifth Army A number of military honors from the Governor's Office also wrote letters in support of moving the capital. Xie Ge excused himself from illness and stayed home, so the cabinet and the six ministries did not express their position, but there is still a lot of opposition to moving the capital among the civil servants."
Some of the students in the Imperial College are the sons of officials. As long as you put some thought into it, it is not difficult to find out about the disturbances in the court. Although this kind of inquiry cannot obtain confidential information, nor can you know the details of the struggle in the court, it can still find out who has the attitude. , still no problem.
Shen Yiyuan thought for a long time, drank another cup of tea, and then said solemnly: "We are going to move our business north."
"this……"
Runniang was a little reluctant to give up. If the business moved north, Shen Yiyuan and her extended family would also have to move north. By then, they would be too far away from their hometown in Wuyuan, Huizhou.
Shopkeeper Sun was puzzled: "My boss means that the imperial court will definitely move the capital?"
Shen Yiyuan said seriously: "You don't know what kind of person Emperor Jianwen is? He proposed the relocation, so he will naturally push it to the end. Now that the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is about to connect the north and the south, there is nothing that can stop him."
"But the court officials objected..."
Shopkeeper Yang said hurriedly.
Shen Yiyuan stood up, walked around and thought for a while, looked at Shen Xiude and asked, "What is Yang Jijiu's attitude?"
Shen Xiude was a little surprised. He didn't know why Shen Yiyuan suddenly asked about Yang Shiqi's attitude, but he still replied seriously: "Yang Jijiu was not involved, and he had no support or opposition."
Shen Yiyuan snorted: "For such a major event as moving the capital, if you don't oppose it, you support it. No one can stay out. In this way, Yang Shiqi is also in favor of moving the capital, but due to his status as a wine festival in the Imperial College, it is inconvenient to submit a letter publicly. The general trend has been achieved, so prepare in advance and move 30% of the Shen family’s business to Huai’an, Xuzhou, Linqing, Tianjin, Tongzhou and Peiping.”
Shopkeepers Yang and Sun took a deep breath. 30% of the sales were made. This was a nerve-wracking move.
Runniang looked troubled and asked: "Is there no other turning point? After all, the cabinet and the six ministries have not expressed their stance, and civil servants are opposed..."
Shen Yiyuan shook his head, with a hint of helplessness: "Jie Jin is sick, Yang Shiqi is silent, Xia Yuanji has no objection, and what matters most is the collective support of Zhan Shifu."
"The officials of Zhan Shifu are just small people..."
Shopkeeper Yang said.
From the perspective of official positions, Yang Rong, Hu Hui and others were ranked fifth or sixth grade in Zhan Shifu. They were not really big shots in the capital where high-ranking officials gathered.
But Shen Yiyuan attached great importance to it and said seriously: "Don't underestimate the officials of Zhan Shifu. It has been five years since the Jianwen Dynasty. In these five years, how many outstanding newcomers has Emperor Jianwen hired? Xie Jin, Yang Shiqi, Yao Guangxiao , let’s not talk about these characters, let’s talk about Yang Rong, Hu Bi, Yang Pu, which one is a simple person? Although Jin Youzi is unknown, he was also the first imperial examination winner in the Jianwen Dynasty.”
"The emperor placed these people beside the prince. His intention is not just to assist the prince. After all, the emperor is in his prime and the prince is young. The prince will not be able to come to the court within ten years, and within ten years, these officials from Zhan Shifu will inevitably enter the court. Hold important positions! With their cooperation with Emperor Jianwen, how could the capital move not be successful?"
After hearing Shen Yiyuan's explanation, Runniang realized that the matter could not be changed and said nothing more. Shopkeepers Yang and Sun had no choice but to nod and prepare to move their business.
Taiping Bridge, the Chang Family Residence.
Chang Baiye sat behind the desk and looked at the map. Hou Qianqian on the side pointed Xuzhou with her delicate fingers and said, "This place is too important. Our previous preparations were somewhat inadequate."
"It's true. Before, we only prepared the sale of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, but not the sale of moving the capital. Once the imperial court really decides to move the capital, Xuzhou, as the middle place along the Grand Canal, will definitely prosper. Send Uncle Twelve to go Let’s go there, it’s best to discuss it clearly with Pan Boyong, the prefect of Xuzhou, and buy a few large warehouses.”
Chang Baiye sighed.
Hou Qianqian nodded slightly and rubbed his slightly bulging belly: "Linqing, Tongzhou, and Peiping cannot be ignored. Fortunately, we took advantage of Shanxi's immigration and settled many businesses in these places. Now the life of immigrants is getting better. , and the profits have also increased a lot.”
Chang Baiye smiled so hard that his eyes narrowed. Others thought that moving the capital would be disadvantageous, but Shanxi merchants did not think so. If the imperial court really moved the capital to Beiping, it would be a great benefit to Shanxi merchants based in Shanxi. After all, the distance from Shanxi to Peiping is closer. Besides, Well, there are hundreds of thousands of Shanxi people around Peiping, and it will be easier for Shanxi merchants to establish themselves there.
"Chief manager, shopkeeper Chang Jinchang is here."
The steward informed.
Chang Baiye and Hou Qianqian looked at each other and asked for help.
Chang Jin walked into the room, and after seeing the ceremony, he said: "There is news about the Shen family. Through inquiries, I learned that the Shen family will move part of its business northward."
Hou Qianqian chuckled and said: "This Shen Yiyuan is indeed not simple. He actually started taking action before the court situation was unclear. It seems that this smart businessman is not just my husband."
Chang Baiye clicked his tongue twice: "Shen Yiyuan arranged this, I'm afraid he has seen through the government situation."
Hou Qianqian sighed with emotion: "Businessmen have a much keener sense of smell than courtiers."
Chang Baiye shook his head and did not agree with Hou Qianqian's words: "It's not that businessmen have a keener sense of smell than courtiers. The Gonggun princes in the court have long understood it, but they had to object."
"Why?"
Hou Qianqian was a little confused.
Chang Baiye took out a copper coin, flicked it with his fingers, and reached out to grab the copper coin from mid-air: "The disputes and objections of officials in the court are not about the pros and cons, but the copper coin itself."
Everything is a benefit!
Support is an interest, opposition is an interest, silence is also an interest.
All voices come from interests and ultimately fall above interests.
"Boss, it's not good."
The housekeeper ran over and handed over a document.
Chang Baiye didn't know what had happened, so he quickly picked up the document and looked at it. He was suddenly struck by thunder, and his face turned pale: "This, this, Uncle Cao is confused!"
Hou Qianqian frowned slightly, took the document and looked at it, and couldn't help being surprised: "How could Uncle Cao do such a thing? This is not to give the imperial court authority!"
Chang Jin read the words on the document clearly:
Cao Youshan, Zhou Dajiang, Liang Wenxing and other businessmen visited the palaces of King Liao, King Min and King Dai to lobby the three kings against moving the capital!
Chang Jin wiped cold sweat. Are these people crazy? Do they dare to directly participate in the affairs of the court?
Chang Baiye wiped his cold sweat and gritted his teeth and said: "Uncle Cao has his name in the Heroes Chamber of Commerce. Some time ago, the Ministry of Industry inquired about matters related to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. He even stole the show. He thought this was a great opportunity for Shanxi merchants to come to the court. By chance, he got very close to Huang Fu, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, and he also curried favor with the three kings. He has just moved many sales and businesses to the capital, so he naturally does not want the imperial court to move the capital!"
Hou Qianqian stamped her feet, worried: "He doesn't want to move the capital? He is looking for death! How could such a smart person in the past make such a big mistake!"
Hou Qianqian is not worried about how Cao Youshan wants to die, but the problem is that Cao Youshan is one of the eight major Shanxi merchants. He has a close relationship with the Chang family and the Hou family, and is an important figure in the Shanxi merchants' chamber. If something goes wrong with him, it will inevitably be implicated. The Shanxi Merchants Chamber of Commerce affects all Shanxi merchants!
Chang Jin couldn't imagine that a businessman would now try to influence national policy and go to the three princes' mansions to lobby. This was simply unimaginable! As a businessman, just do business well. Are you allowed to participate in the affairs of the court?
Even a small shopkeeper like me knows this truth, but as a big Shanxi businessman, he doesn't understand?
Chang Baiye walked a few steps and then came back irritably: "The Shanxi merchants will both prosper and suffer. The most important thing right now is to stop them and let them stop immediately!"
Hou Qianqian looked at Chang Baiye sadly: "Stop it? Can you still stop it? Our guys can find it, but the court security bureau can't find it? Can't the censor find it? Once this matter is revealed to the court, what will happen in a few years? All Shang’s strategies will come to nothing, and we merchants will surely return to the Hongwu Dynasty!”
Chang Baiye had a look of struggle on his face. What Hou Qianqian said makes sense. The imperial court loosened its grip on merchants in order to hope that merchants would do well, do business, and transport supplies, rather than cultivating the power of merchants to influence the imperial court's decision-making!
If you want to influence the court's decision-making, you must have your own people in the court, but the three kings are not your own people. Their surname is Zhu, and they are Zhu Yunwen's people!
"Damn it!"
Chang Baiye has never been so uneasy.
If the court uses this as an excuse to tighten the rope around the merchants' necks, will Shanxi merchants still have fun? For example, if the eight major Shanxi merchants lose their right to exit customs, how can they still do business? How can we still live after losing our mineral rights in Shanxi?
