ps: The word 'King Yong' at the end of the last chapter is a typo. It should be 'King Su'. After all, it is the 'Su Chamber of Commerce'. Sorry.
The following text
When the Su Chamber of Commerce was formed, the Household Department was the first to feel that something was wrong.
You must know that before this, household transportation (household trade transportation) accounted for the largest share of Wei's commercial trade. No matter whether it was local princes or famous families, it could not compare with the transportation volume. No matter whether it was aristocratic merchants or civilian merchants, it could not shake
Under the Ministry of Revenue.
Just think about it, no matter how wealthy the princes, kings or local nobles are, how can they compare with the Ministry of Household Affairs, which controls the country's finances? There is no need to talk about personal connections.
However, the appearance of the house made the household department feel a huge threat.
For example, the nobles in Huangyi, the Shen family in Huangyi, the Zhao family in Anling, etc., when these nobles opened up trade routes alone, the Ministry of Household Affairs did not care. After all, their financial resources and connections were not comparable at all. But when these noble forces were
When we join forces, raise funds together, and share connections, this is far from the concept that one plus one equals one.
For example, Anling is one of the best cities in Yingshui County.
In the past, the trading model of the merchants in Anling City was to work alone, that is, to purchase trading goods in other places through their own family's caravans and connections. Because they did not have the financial resources to own large transport ships, they generally used horse-drawn carriages for land transportation.
It is time consuming and expensive.
However, as the noble merchants in Anling City were led into the embrace of the Su Chamber of Commerce, the former land transportation model was abandoned and replaced by a water transportation model with a carrying capacity no less than that of household transportation. Compared with land transportation, water transportation is faster and more cost-effective.
Convenient and less expensive.
Every once in a while, the large transport ships attached to them are loaded with goods and dock near Yanling and Anling. The local aristocratic merchants unload the goods directly at the port and transport them back to their respective warehouses. Compared with those who once fought alone
The container transportation mode reduces consumption to a minimum, which not only reduces transportation costs, but also shortens transportation time and increases profits in disguise.
This is the role that container logistics is going to play in the entire trade network: in view of the fact that local merchants are unable to support a large transport fleet, goods are delivered to local merchants in a way that enables
The latter become retailers.
The money earned from wholesale is definitely not as much as from retail, but as the saying goes, eating alone is easy to be punished by God. It leaves a place for retail merchants in various places, and it is also easy to attract more aristocratic forces to defect to the King's Supremacy Party.
What's more important is that in this model, those who control the transportation channels are equivalent to holding the pulse of retail merchants everywhere. If anyone is disobedient in the future, it doesn't matter, just kick them out of the entire trading network and make them
Return to the original land transportation model, and then find a replacement, and casually defeat it through economic means.
With the current economic status of Wei State, the channel side is undoubtedly the boss.
In the past, the largest channel merchant in Wei State was from the Ministry of Household Affairs, but now, there is another one that is rising rapidly.
In late July, Li Liang, the Minister of Household Affairs, received a report from his government officials and businessmen. The latter reported that a huge force in the country was competing with them for Sanchuan and domestic transactions.
At first, Li Liang, the Minister of Hubu, felt very funny. After all, his Hubu represented the financial resources of the entire Wei State. Who had the strength to compete with their Hubu for food?
But when he saw the comparison of the tents sent by his affiliated officials and merchants, Li Liang couldn't help laughing, because in this area alone, their trading volume was a large amount less than last month.
The Shangshui pearls mentioned here refer to the pearls smuggled from Chu State to Shangshui. Once upon a time, the Ministry of Revenue made huge profits from this, but now, the share of pearls has suddenly dropped by a large amount.
Block, Li Liang felt heartbroken.
Who in the country actually has a transportation volume comparable to their household department?
After an investigation, Li Liang learned a name: Su's Chamber of Commerce.
An emerging force that already owns dozens of large transport ships.
Li Liang was shocked and speechless.
You must know that this kind of transport ship is the classification of the latest large transport ship built by the Construction Department of the Metallurgical and Manufacturing Bureau, and it is also the large transport ship currently being used by household transportation.
This type of transport ship was built by the Construction Department of the Smelting Bureau. It was based on the design drawings of the large warships of the Chu State and was improved, becoming the current mainstream transport ship of the Wei State.
In Xiangfu Port, the Construction Department of the Metallurgical and Manufacturing Bureau has built more than a dozen shipyards, and many transport ships are completed every month. In the past, these transport ships were basically sold to the household department, and occasionally a few were sold to businessmen.
But so far, no force has ever owned dozens of Class A transport ships. Firstly, the cost of building such large transport ships is extremely high. Secondly, the transaction of such large transport ships is in the hands of the Smelting and Manufacturing Bureau, which is not qualified.
There are connections that even money can't buy.
But Su's Chamber of Commerce is different. As far as Li Liang knows, the Smelting Bureau is providing it free of charge this time.
Because it's very simple. Behind the Smelting Bureau is Prince Su Zhao Hongrun, and behind the Su Chamber of Commerce is Prince Su Zhao Hongrun.
If it were someone else, Li Liang would definitely invite the other person to the Ministry of Household Affairs and have a good talk with him, but if the other person was King Su, Li Liang would have no confidence.
Immediately, Li Liang, the Minister of Household Affairs, ignored the official duties and went to Prince Su's Mansion to see Prince Su Zhao Hongrun.
After learning that Zhao Hongrun was at the Smelting Bureau, Li Liang went to the Smelting Bureau without stopping.
Why is Li Liang so anxious? Because this model of the Su Chamber of Commerce is gradually threatening the originally unshakable status of household luck.
"Your Highness Prince Su, you cannot repay kindness with enmity!"
Maybe he was too impatient. When he met Zhao Hongrun, Li Liang, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was a little arrogant. Before Zhao Hongrun could react, he played the emotional card and said that Zhao Hongrun still owed a huge debt to the Ministry of Revenue.
But the department never pressed for payment.
Zhao Hongrun was neither anxious nor annoyed, looking at Li Liang with a smile.
In fact, when preparing for the Chamber of Commerce, Zhao Hongrun guessed that the Ministry of Household Affairs would come to visit him sooner or later. After all, the Chamber of Commerce model was enough to threaten the existence of household luck.
If it weren't for Zhao Hongrun's special status, otherwise, the Ministry of Revenue would have been preparing to suppress it. After all, the Ministry of Revenue, which controls the economy of Wei State, would not allow such a threat to their existence, and would not stand idly by even if it was the slightest threat.
.
In response, Zhao Hongrun smiled and comforted Li Liang and said: "Li Shangshu, compared with today's household fortunes, our Chamber of Commerce is just a baby waiting to be fed. Why should Li Shangshu be so vigilant?"
Unfortunately, Li Liang was not fooled at all, and said seriously: "Even though he is still a baby now, one day, this baby will grow up."
He knew very well that maybe today he still couldn't compare with the Ministry of Household Affairs, but what about in the future? If more and more local businessmen from various places defected, then this "baby" would grow rapidly and even be strong enough to compete with the Ministry of Revenue in the end.
The Ministry of Finance contends.
Thinking of this, Li Liang added solemnly: "His Royal Highness, Prince Su, you have let an evil tiger out of the gate."
Zhao Hongrun glanced at Li Liang and secretly marveled: Mr. Li Liang, who was able to become the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, has really extraordinary vision. He saw the threat of the Chamber of Commerce model to the Ministry of Household Affairs so quickly.
"So what does Li Shangshu mean?" Zhao Hongrun asked with a smile.
After Li Liang looked at Zhao Hongrun and hesitated several times, he bit the bullet and said: "Please take back your life, His Majesty Prince Su."
"Impossible." Zhao Hongrun shook his head and said seriously: "Now I not only have to feed the Shang Navy Army, Yanling Army and several other armies, but there are still many people behind me who are counting on me to make a living, let alone the Shang Dynasty.
The reconstruction of Shuijun, as well as the continued investment in Bolangsha and Xiangfu Port...everything costs money."
Hearing this, Li Liang quickly said: "My household department is willing to lend a huge amount of money to His Highness King Su for free. As long as His Highness King Su opens his mouth, our household department will do whatever it takes."
It can be seen that Li Liang, the Minister of Household Affairs, was indeed a little panicked, even making such a promise.
But Zhao Hongrun still shook his head. After all, the Ministry of Revenue only lent him money. Although it did not stipulate when to return it, he still owed a huge debt to the Ministry of Revenue. Firstly, the reputation was not good, and secondly, Zhao Hongrun felt uncomfortable.
.
What's more, if there is clearly a way to make money, why do you need to borrow money from the account department?
Give up all the market to the Ministry of Household Affairs and then borrow money from the Ministry of Household Affairs? Is Zhao Hongrun stupid? Isn't it good to make money directly by himself?
Moreover, while making a lot of money, you can also attract domestic civilian businessmen, why not?
Thinking of this, Zhao Hongrun assured Li Liang: "Li Shangshu, I can assure you that the status of household luck will not be shaken...Li Shangshu, you must know that once it is completed, Qilu will join us in the Wei Dynasty.
Trade routes, when the time comes, even the Ministry of Revenue will be too busy. I am just picking up some money that leaked from the fingers of the Ministry of Revenue. What's more, the chamber of commerce under me has to pay taxes to the Ministry of Revenue.
…”
Li Liang was speechless by Zhao Hongrun.
After leaving the Smelting Bureau, Li Liang rode straight to the palace, went to Ganlu Hall to ask for an audience with Emperor Wei, and told the latter exactly what had happened.
After listening to Li Liang's story, Emperor Wei was a little bit dumbfounded, because his most favored son seemed to cause trouble from time to time, making the court restless.
However, compared with the power of looking at this issue, what Emperor Wei saw in this matter was Zhao Hongrun's change in attitude towards those nobles and his grasp of the local nobles' connections.
...The kid finally changed his mind and learned how to win over a group of nobles. This should be the teaching of his third uncle (Zhao Laiyu), right?... Having said that, this trick is really clever. Although he took a piece of the pie from those people, he still
At the same time, he also grasped the opponent's veins, so he was not afraid of those things in the future.
People are disobedient, tsk tsk, this is even more cruel than the original favor order. After two years, those people have tasted the sweetness, who dares to speak loudly in front of that scoundrel? Tsk tsk tsk, that boy Hongrun, his mouth
I said I don't like my position, but this is what I do, hehehe...
Emperor Wei thought with a half-smile.
That day, Li Liang finally failed to get the reply he wanted from Emperor Wei...