Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 286: Marriage is the first level, wooing is the second level, checks and balances are the third level, and changing the power structure is the fourth level.
Li Yu said again:
"We will give you 20 mining quotas in Wannan, and we will give you 3 tier 2 liquor dealer quotas, and you can allocate them freely. In the future, you can travel back and forth between Suzhou and Hangzhou, and you don't have to stick to working in Suzhou."

"In addition, you need to urge these people to invest in industry and not always engage in trade. They need to produce!"

I'm afraid that Fucheng and those Zhejiang businessmen won't understand.

Li Yu also hinted:
"I value factory owners very much. In the future, factory owners will have a higher status than traders, and traders will be higher than landlords."

Fucheng stood up and raised his hands:

"Xiaguan understands. Xiaguan will definitely convey it to every big household,"

"Are you full?"

"full."

"Go back, and give your father a message by the way."

Fucheng walked away with red eyes, which stayed until Fucheng, when he let the tears flow.

"Butler~"

"Quick, quick, mobilize all the people in the house to prepare Shujie and Shuzhen's dowry."

"Mom, I finally remembered us."

"You will be stationed in Yangzhou Mansion, pay close attention to the movements of the camp in the north of the Yangtze River, provide intelligence to the navy, and ensure the safety of the south of the Yangtze River. You can act cheaply when necessary!"

"The prince asked me to bring a message to my father. I was so touched that I couldn't stop crying."

Liu Wu, the naval commander stationed in Chongming, also received the order.

The main force was deployed to escort the naval fleet and went up to Chizhou Prefecture to repair and supply supplies in preparation for entering Poyang Lake.

The Yangtze River is calm and the water flow is not turbulent as long as you avoid wind and rain.

From Songjiang Prefecture to Chizhou Prefecture, in the 1000-mile long strip of land along the river, only a few hundred to a thousand militiamen were left stationed in various cities.

And the Jiangbei Camp, which is staring at them across the Yangtze River, has at least 6 green soldiers, and it is difficult to guarantee that they will take advantage of the opportunity to cross the river for a sneak attack.

……

The Li Jiajun assembled more than half of their troops.

After practicing the coordination of infantry and cavalry, and the coordination of infantry and artillery for so long, it was finally my turn to go to the battlefield.

"We still have to crack the hard nut with our 1st mixed battalion."

The battalion commander made Li Ergou happily slap the table:

The prince will personally command the battle, with the goal of capturing Jiujiang and annihilating all Qing troops including Agui.

Liu Qian was full of assurance.

Except for the 1st Army Corps, which was divided into two locations to guard Jiangning and Suzhou.

Hangzhou City.

Be ready to board the ship at any time and go to Chizhou Prefecture to participate in the war.

……

Not surprisingly,

Battle of Jiujiang.

late autumn,

A group of captains are also gearing up.

He had just browsed half the page when he threw his head back and laughed in surprise.

Fucheng cried and said:

Fighting means the opportunity to get promoted and make a fortune, and the opportunity to stand out.

The heavy responsibility falls on the shoulders of the remaining navy and the Intelligence Agency.

Ships that had completed the transshipment of autumn grain gathered in the Huangpu River to carry out troop transport tasks.

Chamber of Commerce President Zhao Lixia received a personal letter from Vice Minister of Commerce Fucheng.

"What are your orders from the master?"

When the people from the government office saw it, they asked what was going on.

Before leaving, Li Yu specifically told Liu Qian:

His father burst into tears again in public. After crying, he became more energetic and continued to scold the Qing Dynasty.

……

He is a qualified eagle dog, and his viciousness and cruelty are vividly displayed. The work of the Intelligence Agency is very satisfying.

1000 people were busy packing all their equipment and weapons.

station,

Also receiving the transfer order was the 4th Army Corps. Except for two battalions left behind, the rest set off for Chizhou Prefecture.

The 3st Mixed Battalion of the 1rd Army, which was training in Zhili Prefecture, Taicang, finally received the order to set off.

"But the Prince Wu's Mansion gave the letter of approval?"

"Your Majesty is very kind. The wedding will take place two years ago. Time is tight and the task is heavy. You have to take care of it yourself."

"Don't worry, boss. However, could you please give us a budget?"

Zhao Lixia raised 5 fingers.

The housekeeper frowned and asked uncertainly:
"5 taels?"

"50 taels!"

……

The butler frowned and prepared to leave.

Was stopped by Zhao Lixia:
"Did you think it was a total of 50 taels?"

"Yes."

"Hey, you are too conservative. 50 taels per person! Half of the land, houses and shops, and half of the gold, silver and silk."

Hiss, the housekeeper took a breath of cold air. Look at the owner's serious expression and stable mental state.

Got it~
This is a bankrupt bet, betting that King Wu will enter the Forbidden City.

So he let out a sigh of relief:

"I obey, little one."

"Go ahead and let the whole of Hangzhou and Zhejiang know about it."

Zhao Lixia was in the study, excitedly reading the letter several times.

Fucheng told him personally that the prince had agreed to the marriage and would definitely get married before the Spring Festival.

Industry Minister Du Ren has also set off to visit Hangzhou and is preparing to summon hundreds of powerful businessmen from Hangzhou, Jiaxing and Huzhou to publicly announce the good news.

Give the business gang confidence.

Another purpose is to encourage these people to open silk and cotton factories, as well as car factories, shipyards, porcelain factories, and iron products factories.

……

The sun hasn't set yet.

The Zhao Mansion welcomed a wave of guests who came to congratulate them. Fortunately, the Zhao Mansion had prepared two courtyards in advance, one to receive guests for tea and one to place gifts.

There are even more lanterns and decorations outside the door.

Even the government office sent a group of armed militiamen to maintain order. This is tantamount to official acknowledgment of the authenticity of the news.

The most famous restaurant in Hangzhou City is temporarily closed, and the Zhao family has hired all the manpower to entertain distinguished guests from all walks of life.

There are even 100 tables of running water banquets temporarily opened. Whether they are beggars or coolies, they only need to say congratulations and they can be served and fed.

Folks in Hangzhou jokingly say: President Zhao will go bankrupt if he marries his daughter.

A dowry of 100 million taels is too much money.

The Zhao family's assets have shrunk by at least half.

That night, Zhao Lixia, who was very drunk, drank two bowls of sobering soup and washed his face with cold water.

Thoughts gradually calmed down:

"Someone is coming."

"Call the second and third ladies to come over."

……

Zhao Shuzhen and Zhao Shujie walked into the study lightly.

"Daddy?"

"Presumably, you all know this too, right?"

Zhao Shuzhen smiled without showing her teeth:
"The maids and ladies came one after another to announce the good news, and my daughter was given five rounds of rewards."

"This is a good thing. For your life-long event, dad is not afraid to spend money, even if it costs you everything!"

Zhao Lixia is telling the truth,

He is very clear-headed. All the money he spent this time will be earned back in the future, and he will make it back several times!

He carefully inquired about King Wu's aesthetics, residence, and political preferences.

A king who is keen on mining and maritime trade is a huge benefit to merchants. Investing in the King of Wu is a huge profit, not to mention that it also comes with the title of abbot.

From now on, he can legitimately enter the fattest and most profitable industry. He even figured out Li Yu's hidden intention without any knowledge, using the rising merchant group to suppress the gentry group.

In the future, the power of merchants cannot be said to be completely superior to that of the gentry, but at least they will be on an equal footing.

He guessed correctly.

According to Li Yu's vision, businessmen are one of the basic players. As long as the bundling of interests is completed, the internal drive of this group is sufficient.

The only thing that can defeat one interest group is another!
……

"You are about to marry into the prince's palace. Dad has something he is worried about and wants to explain to you."

"Dad, please speak." The two girls said in unison.

As the legitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman, her maternal grandfather's family was also a wealthy silk merchant in Nanxun. They were more rational and clear-headed than ordinary women.

Zhao Lixia leaned back on his chair and spoke in a calm tone:
"Father likes the King of Wu, so he will marry you."

"What dad wants to say is that you must always remind yourselves that the emperor's feelings are unreliable, and there is no family affection in the emperor's family."

"After entering the palace, you must find out the prince as soon as possible and fall in love with him. The king is always beautiful and is easily forgotten. So you need to provide a unique long-term emotional value."

The two women looked at each other and nodded.

Being in this kind of family, with all the warblers and swallows in the back house, I understand naturally. Women who stay in the house are fiercely competitive and rarely get the true affection of their husbands.

This is different from ordinary households, mainly due to the difference in input costs.

The king's feelings for his wives, concubines, and children are weak because there is no investment in them. In a word, just a shiver.

To put it bluntly, it's not familiar at all.

Unless they work together from humble beginnings, they can gain the respect of the king. For example, Queen Ma!

……

But one thing is the same.

Fertility!

"You two sisters must support each other and support each other. The key is to give birth to a prince as soon as possible. Don't fight among yourself!"

"Dad, don't worry, my daughter has taken note of it."

Zhao Lixia sighed:

"Don't really fall in love with King Wu, but treat marriage as a profession. Just like the housekeeper in our house treats dad."

"A person's value is actually his use value."

"Do you know what use value is? It means whether it is of use to others. This is true for traffickers and lackeys, and even more so for kings. Although the words are cold-blooded, the truth is absolutely correct."

"Okay, you go down."

Zhao Shuzhen and Zhao Shujie opened the door and left, but were shocked to find their mother standing outside the door under the moonlight.

No gold hairpin was inserted, and she was wrapped in a pure white fox robe.

Still so graceful and calm.

……

"Mom, did you hear everything dad said?"

"Your father is right."

"Mom, isn't it a bit~"

"Too ruthless? Too cold-blooded?"

"Ah."

Zhao Lu, who was born as a giant silk merchant in Nanxun Town, laughed silently.

Looking at the moonlight, he sighed:

"In this world, no matter what choices you make, there is no perfect life. Whether you marry a poor scholar or a rich young man, it's just a matter of different worries."

"Zhuo Wenjun's pain is different from Princess Wencheng's pain. But they are both in pain."

"Instead of choosing between right and left, it is better to believe in fate. Manage your marriage well and try to treat your husband with an employment relationship and treat him as an employer."

"You will be favored when you first enter the palace, and you mistakenly think this is love?"

"Mom wants to tell you that the emperor only sees the country. He may have some emotions outside of the country, but he has to share them with so many women!"

"It will be of great benefit to you to recognize these things. If you don't have too much hope, you won't have a lot of pain in the future."

"I usually do small favors to the servants of the palace. I don't have enough money, so I sent someone to send a letter back with the number. Zhao and Lu have plenty of money."

……

The two daughters were silent.

The atmosphere was a little dull for a while.

Mrs. Zhao Lu tightened her robe, blushed slightly, and whispered:
"Once the palace is called, time will be tight. Mom has found a nun for you, and they will teach you what you need to know."

Zhao Shuzhen blushed slightly, while Zhao Shujie looked confused.

No need to ask, Shuzhen must have secretly read some books in private.

Looking at the backs of her two daughters leaving, Mrs. Zhao Lu sighed:

"The moonlight is so beautiful. It reminds me of the night before I left Nanxun Town 18 years ago. It was also so peaceful."

……

A boudoir decorated with restrained luxury.

A slightly fat old nanny bent down slightly and forced a smile on her face:
"You two ladies, my maid, Rong, is here to teach you some etiquette knowledge on the orders of the master and his wife."

Zhao Shujie was a little unhappy.

Because this Rong Mama was the teacher who managed the singing girls and dancers in the mansion. She was cruel and had a bad reputation.

It is said that

When the singers and dancers were training, she would hide in the back window from time to time and peek out to see if anyone was slacking off. Her face once scared a naughty little hoof to the point of going insane.

I also heard that
This person always has a needle hidden in his hand. As soon as she gets angry, the singers and dancers will be so scared that they tremble like a flock of quails hugging each other.

Seeing the two young ladies looking embarrassed,
Grandma Rong worked hard to change her usual teaching style, with a bright smile on her face:

"The maids are all avoiding me, the master has called me."

"Yes."

The four personal maids quietly exited the room and locked the door.

……

There were only 3 people left in the house.

"This old slave has overstepped his bounds. The two young ladies are naturally beautiful, and the prince will naturally like them. But you still have to understand the rules of the prince's palace, and don't want others to laugh at Zhao's lack of etiquette."

"These are etiquette and health books treasured by my family. They are colorfully painted, clear and true, and are rare for ordinary girls to see."

"Please look carefully."

As soon as the two girls took a look, they covered their eyes and screamed in horror.

However, upon closer inspection, Shuzhen's scream was mixed with a hint of excitement, and Shujie's scream was truly tragic.

Grandma Rong was frightened by the scream.

I almost got used to pinching the little hooves, but as soon as I stretched out my hands, I realized that these two were not singing and dancing girls, so I didn't dare.

So he turned the color book to the first page:
"Let's start with the basics. Lesson one, understanding Yin and Yang."

……

The four personal maids came back happily.

The master promised to give each of them 50 acres of paddy field as a gift. This grace is to buy their loyalty.

And Grandma Rong's son also got a small fortune - a silk and satin shop in the downtown area, and became a real shopkeeper.

Zhao Lixia took such great pains to eliminate all hidden dangers for his own path as the heir of the country.

In short, he has been very successful recently.

Industry Minister Du Ren arrived as scheduled.

During the meeting, he sat on the right side of Minister Du, and on the left were Liu Akun and Zhou Shihao.

The long-standing "seating" culture embodies very complex things.

The fact that businessmen can sit together with ministers is a very strong signal in itself.

In short, the businessmen in Hangjiahu have taken another step towards Li Yu, and their expectations have also increased significantly.

During the Western Expedition, northern Zhejiang must have been internally stable.

even,

With Li Yu's acquiescence, the arms ban was opened to the "Jiangnan Sea Trade Association".

Members of the Chamber of Commerce are allowed to equip ordinary artillery and guns on sea ships, but they must be registered, purchased from King Wu, and counted for consumption each time they return to port.

Businessmen rushed to tell each other.

"Jiangnan Sea Trade Association" is an exclusive association that produces and sells its own products, unifies prices, travels in a shared fleet, shares risks equally, and distributes profits in proportion.

There are two main destinations: Nagasaki and Manila.

……

(End of this chapter)