Prime Minister of Great Qin

Chapter 84 Does the world need big businessmen? ! (for collection)
"What's the second way?" Hu Hai asked.

Ji Heng closed his eyes slightly, and there was a deep look in his eyes, and he said clearly and slowly: "Grab money."

"Grab" Hu Hai's eyes were wide open, his eyes full of disbelief, and he said, "Ji Heng, are you really right? Steal money?"

"It can't, at least it shouldn't."

Hu Hai choked for a moment.

Fusu also frowned slightly, somewhat confused about the situation.

Ji Heng laughed lightly, with a calm expression on his face, glanced at the jug out of the corner of his eye, and said lightly: "It is indeed 'robbing money', but it is just grabbing money from merchants."

"Merchant?"

Fusu frowned even tighter, and said in a concentrated voice: "I'm afraid it can't be done?"

"The business tax of the Great Qin Dynasty is very heavy, and more than half of the tax is collected."

"The merchants have already taken two out of three of their profits, and if they robbed the merchants of money, they might not be able to get much."

"I'm afraid it won't work either."

Ji Heng said coldly: "Is it really not possible?"

Fusu thought for a while, then shook his head firmly and said: "No, the current commercial tax has reached its limit. If it is collected again, all merchants in the world will flee. Although Daqin imposes heavy taxes on merchants, it still needs merchants to deliver some goods. .”

"This is absolutely impossible."

"But I think it's okay." Ji Hengyun said calmly.

Fu Su was taken aback.

He thought about it carefully, and finally shook his head, puzzled: "Why?"

"Does it have to be exhausted and fished?"

"If you do this, I'm afraid merchants will choose to turn their backs on the court."

"This is not a good thing for Daqin."

Ji Heng leaned on his body, poured a bronze cup with some effort, and then said: "Does Feng Luo Yuqing know?"

"Of course I know." Fusu nodded.

"What about Shu Zhuo, Cheng Zheng, Wan Kong, and Cao Bing?" Ji Heng asked again.

Fusu nodded again.

Ji Heng put the bronze jue on the tip of his nose, took a deep breath, sniffed the fragrant wine, and said with an arc at the corner of his mouth, "They are rich merchants in Daqin, and Wu Shiluo is in the business of selling cattle and sheep. Baqing They operate cinnabar, and Shu Zhuo, Cheng Zheng, Wan Kong, and Cao Bing are known as the four "Iron Kings" of the Great Qin."

"Do they have money?"

Fusu's complexion changed slightly, he hesitated and said: "Yes, and the richest one, even richer than a prince."

"Didn't they pay heavy taxes?" Ji Heng looked at Fusu.

Fu Su faintly realized what Ji Heng wanted to say, and said bravely, "I've handed it over."

"Yes." Ji Heng sighed softly, drank the fine wine in the bronze jue in one gulp, and said indifferently: "These wealthy merchants have paid more than half of their gifts, but they can still become the top rich. Where are you from?"

"Business." Fusu's forehead was already dripping with cold sweat.

Ji Heng withdrew his gaze and said with a sneer, "Now do you understand?"

"The business tax in Daqin is indeed very heavy, but merchants are still profitable, and they get a lot of money."

"Businessmen are indeed mercenary."

"But the reason why the 'Feng Luo Yu Qing' and the 'Four Iron Kings' are able to become rich is actually related to Qin Zheng."

"Does the Great Qin despise merchants?"

"light!"

"Since the reform of Shangyang, Qin has almost degraded the status of merchants to slaves. Although merchants are called merchants, they are no doubt like slaves. Whether it is levying corvee or raising taxes, they will be considered first. Since the first emperor came to the throne, he has always Practicing "diligence" and "removing the end of the farmer'."

"But did the Great Qin suppress merchants?"

"no!"

"There is one item in Shang Jun's reform."

"Those who are poor at the end of the day, think that they will get it."

"The meaning of this law is very simple: businessmen who are not doing well or are on the verge of bankruptcy, as well as middle- and lower-class traders and small handicraftsmen who have returned to poverty due to their own business, will all be confiscated as official slaves."

"This law prohibits small traders with small capital and low profits."

"And those big businessmen who are rich and powerful will not be confiscated as official slaves."

"So doing business in Daqin can only lead to two outcomes."

"Either get bigger and stronger."

"Either be punished as an official slave."

"And once a merchant becomes bigger and stronger and becomes a wealthy businessman, not only will their business activities not be banned, but they will also be encouraged by the court."

"This is why Daqin clearly prohibits private sales of 'salt and iron' and other items, but there are still a large number of merchants selling 'salt and iron'. On the one hand, Daqin's own productivity is not enough, and merchants need to supplement it to meet social needs. On the one hand, merchants can provide Daqin with generous taxes."

"The Great Qin banned only middle- and lower-level traders."

"It's not an upper class merchant!"

"The absence of competition from small traders in the market is undoubtedly very beneficial to the great merchants."

"It will also increase the market share of big merchants."

"So under Daqin's policy, big merchants and the court are a win-win situation. The court encourages big merchants with strong financial resources to take over industries such as salt and iron, and then receives a lot of heavy taxes. With the support of the court, merchants quickly occupy local shares. And then monopolize the commercial operation of a region.”

"This is why, even if more than half of the tax is levied, the big merchants can still be rich."

Fu Su frowned.

He is aware of these.

However, some don't understand Ji Heng's intention.

He asked: "Commercial mining and production of salt, iron, and cinnabar require a lot of manpower and financial support. The imperial court prohibits small traders from participating and encourages large merchants to participate in it, so as to mobilize the enthusiasm of merchants and collect a lot of taxes."

"Is there any problem with this?"

Ji Heng said calmly, "No problem."

"But don't you think merchants make too much money?"

"and"

"Does the world really need big businessmen?"

Fusu was startled.

He raised his head abruptly, and looked at Ji Heng who was drinking, with a look of horror in his eyes.

At first he thought that Ji Heng wanted to raise taxes.

Unexpectedly, Ji Heng's idea was even crazier, and he clearly wanted to ban merchants.

a time.

Fusu was so shocked that he couldn't speak.

Seeing Fusu's horrified face, Ji Heng shook his head secretly, and said in a deep voice: "Don't think too much, I'll just say it casually, but in my opinion, merchants do exist, but big merchants may not .”

"Right now, what you should think about is competing with businessmen for profit!"

"Compete with merchants for profit." Fusu whispered, frowning and thinking deeply.

see.

Ji Heng shook his head in disappointment.

Fusu knows too little about business.

He rubbed his forehead, slowly closed his eyes, and said calmly, "Let's end here today."

"I mentioned Guan Zhong's reform before."

"Guan Zhong focuses on business."

"Some of his views are instructive. Although they are not necessarily suitable for Daqin, the content of Guan Zhong's reform can give you a certain preliminary understanding of business, and it will not be too difficult to understand."

Ji Heng yawned.

He also turned over and turned his back to the two of them, unwilling to talk to them any more.

Fusu's expression darkened.

He also knew that he had performed poorly this time.

The last time he heard Ji Heng talk about "Guan Zhong's reform", he didn't pay attention to it, and he didn't go down to read it at all. Now when he was asked about business, his eyes were dimmed, and he didn't know how to respond.

He knows too little about the world!

(End of this chapter)