Chapter 12 Shanxi Merchants and Huangshang (Asleep, forgot to replace)
"Damn it!"
Jiang Xiang gritted his teeth and suppressed his anger.
In the past two years, the Mongolian Khalkha tribe has also smelled the Manchu Qing's move to enter the customs, and they are eager to try and constantly want to invade the south.
And Datong is on the front line in Shanxi.
The frontier army is different from the internal army. The trend of fleeing here is very strong.
For example, Zhang Xianzhong.
Except for the hinterland in the south, the other three sides are grasslands. Once you kill a few people and run away, they will disappear immediately.
In this way, once the general is unable to seek benefits, no one can imagine how to live on the grassland and eat goat milk for a few years.
Moreover, because it was a local battle and the customs of hundreds of years, the army had a lot of hatred for the Tatars.
Deducting money and food will inevitably lead to a significant reduction in combat power. Once the war goes unfavorably, his prestige as a general will definitely be ruined.
The most important thing is that after deducting military rations, he will get less money.
"When I was in the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court deducted military pay, money and food. Now in the Qing Dynasty, the military pay is still insufficient."
Jiang Xiang couldn't help shouting: "Didn't this tmd Manqing come here in vain?"
Thinking of this, Jiang Xiang felt like he was holding his breath and felt extremely uncomfortable.
Suddenly, he turned his head and asked the attentive butler: "I heard that Mrs. Fan's birthday was very grand. How much money did it cost?"
"I heard it's no less than fifty thousand taels."
The housekeeper thought for a while and said.
"This is our military pay for one season!"
Jiang Xiang couldn't help but sigh, feeling extremely envious in his heart.
The Fan family is so rich.
In a blink of an eye, it was evening.
Suddenly, a servant sent a message: "Sir, there is a southerner who said he was your friend from three years ago and would like to meet him."
"A southerner, a friend from three years ago?"
Jiang Xiang was stunned for a moment, then looked solemn: "Let him come in through the small door in the backyard, and remember, don't tell anyone about this."
…
Jiexiu, the old residence of the Fan family.
The newly renovated house covers an area of several hundred acres, with pavilions, pavilions, rockeries, and luxury. It is almost as luxurious as a palace.
Two years ago, Fan Yongdou, the leader of the imperial merchants of the Qing Dynasty, spent a huge sum of one hundred thousand taels to build the most luxurious house in Shanxi.
This move made the Fan family become the top businessman in Shanxi and their reputation became even stronger.
This birthday banquet focused the attention of the entire Shanxi Province.
The governor, chief envoy, inspector, etc. almost all came to congratulate him, which can be said to have given the Fan family face.
Of course, it can also be said that it is the face of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Fan Yongdou is in his fifties. He greets guests at the gate in high spirits, with a humble attitude and generous clothes.
Not only for dignitaries, but also for ordinary people and neighbors, the Fan family showed great pride and opened a hundred-table banquet to entertain the villagers for free.
For a time, firecrackers went off everywhere, congratulations could be heard endlessly, and the entire Jiexiu was immersed in the excitement.
"Hmph!" At this time, a passing scholar glanced at his house angrily and sneered in his heart: "Slaves who build slaves will have no good end sooner or later."
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but caress his chest and forcibly suppress his excitement.
Making trouble at this time will do no good to you at all.
"However, when I go to the south to participate in Enke and win the Jinshi, I will definitely report it to the emperor. Emperor merchants like you will confiscate your family and exterminate your clan."
With that said, he resolutely headed south to study.
"Brother Fan, this move is a bit ostentatious?"
Wang Dengku, a member of the Wang family of the Eight Imperial Merchants, turned his head and said to Fan Yongdou, who was smiling.
"This is the time to show off."
Fan Yongdou shook his head and said, "I will talk to you in detail when we get to the house."
With that said, Wang Dengku had no choice but to enter.
The other major imperial merchants were not far behind and sent a large number of expensive treasures.
Coupled with the large Shanxi merchant group, the gifts alone were enough to cover all expenses and even create a slight surplus.
After all, he was the first imperial merchant of the Qing Dynasty, in charge of Zhangjiakou's trade with Mongolia.
In addition to running the Hedong and Changlu salt industries, he also monopolized the market for ginseng and other valuable medicinal materials in Wusuli, Suifen and other places in the northeast. Therefore, he was also known as a "ginseng merchant" among the people, and his family capital was millions of taels.
At the culmination of the birthday banquet, there was a reward from the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Beijing - a jade sculpture of longevity peach from Emperor Shunzhi.
This made everyone pay homage and the birthday banquet reached its climax.
In the afternoon, the birthday banquet ended and the other guests dispersed, except for the eight royal merchants who gathered together.
Fan Yongdou, Wang Dengku, Jin Liangyu, Wang Dayu, Liang Jiabin, Tian Shenglan, Zhai Tang and Huang Yunfa were sitting opposite each other.
The so-called imperial merchants were responsible for the procurement work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and had monopoly and privileges on certain businesses.
"Everyone, we are taking advantage of my mother's birthday party to discuss two main things."
As the head of the imperial merchants, Fan Yongdou was the first to speak, with a serious face.
"The first thing is to go to the imperial court."
"Now that the war is intensifying and the court's expenses have increased greatly, the regent is worried about insufficient expenditure, but he also does not want to increase taxes again and cause Chongzhen's incident."
"Do you have to donate money again?" Wang Dengku's expression changed and he said: "Business is not doing well now, where can I donate money?"
Several other people also started crying, and all of them looked ugly.
"Don't worry, it's not just you."
Fan Yongdou drank a cup of tea calmly and said calmly: "The imperial court's intention is very clear, that is, let us lead the entire Shanxi merchants to donate money and food."
"At that time, those people's money and food will be the main thing, and we may even make some profit."
At this moment, everyone suddenly realized.
The amount on the donation list can be tampered with. If it is moved a little at a later time, it will not only be a proxy, but it can even earn a reputation for loyalty.
"Let's decide on these three levels: 20,000, 10,000, and 5,000. Let's add them up."
Fan Yongdou showed a smile: "This matter is also a way for us to determine our status among Shanxi merchants. We must not be careless."
"fair and just--"
Shanxi merchants were married to each other and had deep ties with each other. Especially when they went deep into Mongolia, they collaborated a lot.
"The other thing lies in Jiangnan!"
Fan Yongdou sighed, his expression serious.
"But Shaanxi merchants and Huizhou merchants?"
Everyone was puzzled. The Ming court was far away from them, so how could it interfere with them.
Wang Dengku then spoke, attracting everyone's attention:
"Recently, Shaanxi businessmen are getting farther and farther away from us. The land of Shaanxi cannot accommodate us at all. Moreover, their wealth is getting stronger day by day. I heard that they have also taken over the well salt from Sichuan, and their influence has extended to the south of the Yangtze River."
Fan Yongdou nodded and said: "In the past, Shaanxi and Shanxi regarded our Shanxi merchants as the most respected. Now, the power of Shaanxi merchants has increased and they have begun to compete with us for business."
"Yeah, their iron pots are cheaper!"
"The price of horses has also been raised higher. Isn't this condoning the Tatars?"
"They also stole our salt sales business..."
The imperial merchants nodded one after another, indignant.
"I have already reported to the Ming Dynasty that Shaanxi merchants are helping the Shang Dynasty to suppress their evil deeds and put an end to Shaanxi merchants' operations in the north."