Jiang Yan composed himself, "Father, Jiangnan Governor Ma Guozhu released Fan Yuqi, saying that it was just a wrong payment, not tax evasion. The Fan family was unscathed this time, and they only paid two hundred thousand taels of tax silver." p>
"Well," Jiang Guomao sighed, "The Fan family has deep roots and rich heritage, and the foundation is deeper than we thought! We must be especially careful in the future. If you don't kill a snake, you will be bitten by one."
"Father, that Ma Duxian took so much money from us but didn't do anything. Damn it!"
"Shut up," Jiang Guomao shouted, "What do you know? Based on the relationship between our family and Ma Duxian, he must be towards us. But it's just that his words don't count. If my father expected it to be true, this must be the case.
Jingli tried his best!"
"Father, are you saying there is someone in the Fan family?"
"Of course, he is an imperial businessman," Jiang Guomao snorted, and then said to Jiang Yan seriously: "Yan'er must remember that if one day in the future, our family can establish a relationship with the royal family, even if it means spending everything,
You must also curry favor with these noble people. Only in this way can your business grow!"
Jiang Yan replied seriously: "Father, don't worry, I will remember it."
He indeed remembered it, not only himself, but also passed it down from generation to generation. Decades later, his grandson Jiang Chun became ingratiated with Emperor Qianlong.
During Emperor Qianlong's six visits to the south of the Yangtze River, Jiang Chun received them all. In order to welcome him, Jiang Chun built eight gardens. Among them, Jiang Garden was named "Jingxiang Garden" by Qianlong, and "Kangshan Thatched Cottage" was named "Yixing Hall".
The Jiang family also sent their four Anhui troupes to Beijing to perform operas to celebrate the birthday of Emperor Qianlong, which eventually developed into Peking Opera that became famous at home and abroad.
It's a pity that the emperor is not easy to serve! He got close to this big tree, and at first, the business was booming. But Emperor Qianlong was too fickle, he was very face-saving, pompous, and stingy, and he couldn't bear to spend even a tael of silver.
Jiang Chun paid for all the six trips to Yangzhou. Each time it cost tens of millions of taels. No matter how rich the old Jiang family was, they couldn't bear such trouble. After the sixth trip to Jiangnan, Jiang Chun owed a lot of debt and ended up in poverty.
Died in despair.
It is said that salt merchants are rich, but they could not withstand the emperor's several southern tours. The richest man in the world is not a salt merchant, but an emperor who eats people without spitting out their bones.
??
"Mom, dad, good news, the price of salt in the salt shop has been reduced." Zhang Qier returned home happily and brought back two bags of salt.
"Oh, are you trying to kill yourself? You can't live without buying so much salt?"
Qi Er Niang scolded her son angrily.
Salt was a luxury item in the Ming Dynasty. Ordinary families could only buy a small bag at a time, which could last for a long time. After eating, they would soak the salt bag in water to make soup. They were reluctant to waste it.
Today my son actually bought two bags of salt in one go. All the money was spent on salt. What will the whole family eat?
"Mom, the price of salt today is only 30% of what it used to be. A pound of salt only costs 50 cents. In the past, a pound of salt sold for 150 cents. My son saw that salt was cheap, so he bought two bags for preparation."
/p>
Qi'er's mother was doubtful, "Don't they lose money by selling it so cheaply?"
"I don't know the specific reason. I heard Tuesday, who works as a clerk at Fan's Salt Shop, that Mr. Fan wanted to punish Mr. Jiang and deliberately kept the price of salt low."
"Idiot," Qi'er's father scolded, "Since there is such a good thing, why not buy two bags? The war is in chaos, and salt will only become more and more expensive."
??
In the main hall of Jiangyuan, Wang Biao said to Jiang Guomao anxiously: "Brother Jiang, Shanxi merchants and Shaanxi merchants are forcing our Huizhou merchants to die! You have to make an idea!"
Jiang Guomao is very calm, and staying calm during big events is his motto.
"Wang Xiandi, what do those merchants say?"
"They are unwilling to lower the price, saying that if we don't accept it, they will sell it all to Shanxi and Shaanxi merchants."
At this time, the salt administration in the Qing-occupied areas implemented the "Gang Yuan Law", which compiled a gang book. The country was divided into ten gangs by region, each with two hundred thousand quotations and three hundred kilograms each. Each year, one guideline was used to accumulate quotas.
, Jiugang Xingxin introduced that merchants with strong capital designated by the government were responsible for the tax collection of the same line, and were called "gang merchants", also called "general merchants". Salt merchants who controlled kitchen households in salt-producing areas were called "market merchants"
.
As the chief merchant of Huizhou merchants, Jiang Guomao theoretically has the qualifications to transport and sell salt worth 200,000 yuan and 60 million kilograms of salt. But for one thing, he has hundreds of Huizhou fellows under his command. He cannot live alone. The entire Huizhou business gang must discuss it.
Distribution; secondly, although there are many salt sources, the annual output is limited. Therefore, you must have a good relationship with the "traders" in various salt-producing areas. Otherwise, they will not sell to you, but will sell to Shanxi and Shaanxi merchants.
Even if there is salt, I can’t get any salt.
When Wang Biao said that traders in salt-producing areas were unwilling to sell at lower prices, Jiang Guomao frowned and said, "Then we'll charge last year's price."
"But the current price of salt has dropped to 50 cents per catty, which is only 30% of last year's price. If we purchase salt at last year's price, plus the government's nest silver and tax money, we will make at least a loss for every pound of salt sold.
Ten articles!"
"I know. However, if you don't buy salt from the dealer this year, you will definitely offend the dealer. It will be difficult to buy salt next year. You have to buy salt even if you lose money! At fifty cents per catty, we will lose money, and so will the merchants from Shanxi and Shaanxi.
Losing money. I want to see how long they can hold on."
"But Brother Jiang, Shanxi merchants and Shaanxi merchants have formed an alliance. They have much more money than us. I'm worried that we can't support them!"
Jiang Guomao suddenly smiled, as bright as a summer flower, "Good brother, don't be anxious, foolish brother has his own way. The sky will not fall!"
This smile was like the sun driving away the dark clouds. Wang Biao immediately felt much calmer. He looked at Jiang Guomao with admiration. After so many years of hard work, this brother could always lead the Huizhou people to ride the wind and waves. No matter how painful or difficult it was, everyone saw him
When Jiang Guomao smiles, he feels at ease.
"Brother Jiang, we will do whatever you say. Even if we lose money, we will still listen to you."
After Wang Biao left, Jiang Guomao said to Jiang Yan: "Yan'er, I'm sending an invitation to Fan Yubin, saying that as my father, I want to treat him to a drink."
??
Yangzhou Shiweitian Restaurant, the leaders of the two major business gangs of Yajian, South and North, had a meal together. The meal was fake, mainly for negotiation and testing. Fan Yubin wanted to know how long the Hui merchants could last; Jiang Guomao wanted to know what the Shanxi merchants wanted to do
No matter which step we take, is there any possibility of making peace?
The dishes are good, such as Yangzhou salted goose, crab meat and lion's head, boiled dried shreds, etc.; the wine is good, Qionghualu wine.
Four people, Fan Yubin, Fan Yuqi, Jiang Guomao, and Jiang Yan, were eating and talking.
"Nephew Fan Xian, I have offended you many times in the past, please forgive me." A man can bend and stretch, so Jiang Guomao gave in first.
"What did Uncle Jiang Shi say? We are all businessmen. We are talking about business, so why should we offend?"
Fan Yubin said it politely, but his words about business clearly showed his attitude. The shopping mall is like a battlefield. I am going to make a move. If you have the ability, just take it. It is useless to beg for mercy.
Jiang Guomao frowned. It seems that Fan Shi in Jiexiu is unwilling to make peace, so he must make sure things are done!
"Humph", Fan Yuqi snorted. A while ago, he evaded tax and money, and was caught by Huizhou merchants and sued to the government. He finally let it go. He was angry and wanted to vent, "Uncle Jiang Shi, I heard that you
Huizhou merchants have strong financial resources and have so much gold, silver and jewelry that they can’t even be counted. Is this true?”
Jiang Guomao hurriedly humbled himself and said, "My dear nephew, this is ridiculous. We are just making a little money to live on. You Shanxi businessmen are the real rich people!"
Fan Yuqi ignored Jiang Guomao and started reciting a poem by himself: "If you want to know the gold and silver, you often travel from Huangbai. You will never dream of going to Huizhou in your life."
Upon hearing this poem, Jiang Guomao and Jiang Yan turned pale with anger.
This poem was written by Tang Xianzu. At that time, Tang Xianzu offended Zhang Juzheng and was suppressed. Xu Guo, a scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion, retired from official service and lived in seclusion in Huizhou. His friends persuaded him to go to Huizhou to find Xu Guo and seek connections. He refused and wrote this
Poems clarify aspirations.
What does it mean? If people in the world want wealth and official positions, most of them go to Huangshan Mountain and Qiyun Mountain. There are many places that fascinate me in my life, but Huizhou is not the place I want to visit in my dreams.
This poem described Huizhou as a place full of copper odor. Fan Yuqi recited this poem loudly, which made Jiang Guomao and Jiang Yan, both Huizhou natives, indignant.
"Father," Jiang Yan said loudly to Jiang Guomao, "I went to the merchant house earlier and heard someone write a poem praising Shanxi merchants. I would like to recite it to these two dear friends."
After saying that, without waiting for Jiang Guomao to speak, he chanted loudly: "His shoes are high and low, and he is stepping on the mud, and his sheep's head robe is even with the heels. It makes people feel green and peppery, and they don't even wait to hear the sound to recognize the old man."
"Insolent", Jiang Guomao was furious, turned around and bowed deeply to Fan Yubin and Fan Yuqi, "You are so rude, please forgive me, my nephews!"
