Anti-Qing: Starting from the Reincarnation of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 381 Monkey and Chicken

The successive news made the Chang family unable to react, and they couldn't help but fall into pessimism.

Because no one knows how Ming Dynasty plans to treat these Shanxi merchants next.

Needless to say, the eight great imperial merchants from far away are the kind of traitors who cannot be cleansed.

They are the ones who betray their country and seek glory!

Even when the Manchus entered the customs, they were inseparable from it.

Now that the Ming Dynasty has been restored, it is not an exaggeration to confiscate the families of the eight imperial merchants.

No one can say anything!

The closest ones are the big Shanxi merchants like the Chang family, the Qiao family, the Kong family, and the Cao family. Although they started their business after the founding of the Manchu Qing Dynasty.

There is no dark history of betraying the country and seeking glory!
But then again, although they have no dark history of betraying their country and seeking glory, they also contributed a lot of money and efforts to the Manchu Qing Dynasty during the war between the Qing Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty.

Everyone was talking and discussing how to deal with this matter.

At this moment, there was a burst of chaotic footsteps outside, and a servant of the Chang family strode in and said with an ugly face.

But he is also powerless when facing real power.

Only then did he realize what it meant that money was worthless in the face of power.

"Shopkeeper, besides that, there is one more thing."

"Shopkeeper, something happened. The latest news is coming from Taiyuan. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has ordered Shanxi to capture the entire family of the eight imperial merchants of the Manchu Qing Dynasty who have collaborated with the enemy and betrayed the country. Now, except for the Fan family who defected to Rakshasa, the other seven families of the eight imperial merchants have All have been confiscated.”

Although this was not done voluntarily by them, but was forced to donate by the Qing Dynasty.

Now, even if he wants to lose money and avoid disaster, he can't find a way.

When Chang Binggong heard this, his expression changed obviously.

This is the saddest thing!

However, no one knows what Daming will think.

Don't look at Chang Binggong as the head of the Chang family of Shanxi merchants. He has a huge family fortune, is as rich as the enemy, and is usually very majestic.

They really couldn't help but worry that after Ming Dynasty occupied Shanxi, they would severely liquidate Shanxi merchants like them.

Although the Ming Dynasty is now targeting the eight imperial merchants of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, not ordinary merchants like them.

But we are all Shanxi merchants, and we have had many interactions with each other in the past. Now that the eight imperial merchants have suddenly had their homes confiscated and their families exterminated, it is inevitable for them to feel a bit sad.

"Things are going to get worse!"

Now, the Ming Dynasty can use such cruel methods to deal with the eight imperial merchants. After some time, it is possible that the same means will be used to deal with them.

After the servant finished talking about the eight imperial merchants' homes being confiscated, he continued.

"The Eight Imperial Merchants are definitely going to die..."

Everyone around him couldn't help but gasp.

Chang Binggong took a deep breath and said helplessly.

Chang Binggong heard this and asked.

"speak!"

The servant took a deep breath and spoke.

"When I go back to the shopkeeper, there are rumors in Taiyuan that the Ming Dynasty has broken up with the Rakshasa in the north and is planning to ban trade with the Rakshasa and strictly investigate smuggling."

"The official document from the imperial court should be coming out soon."

Everyone in the Chang family couldn't help but gasp again, and their faces were quite ugly.

The Chang family's fortune mainly relies on trade with the Rakshasa in the north.

At its peak, the Chang family could handle more than one-third of the trade volume in the Trading City in a year.

The amount of gold and silver earned is immeasurable, and it is the main source of income for the Chang family.

Once the imperial court really wants to ban trade, wouldn't this mean cutting off the Chang family's livelihood?
Just when everyone was frowning, suddenly Chang Binggong clapped his hands and spoke.

"Good thing, good thing!" When everyone heard this, they couldn't help but look shocked.

Hearing this, the head of the fourth room of the Chang family asked.

"What does the patriarch mean by this? Where does this good thing come from?"

Chang Binggong heard this and explained with a smile on his face.

"The reason why I say it's a good thing is because the imperial court wants to ban trade with Rakshasa."

"Since the court said this, it means that the court has no intention of taking advantage of legal businessmen like us."

"Otherwise, the imperial court will first confiscate our homes and exterminate our clans along with the eight royal merchants, and then issue an order banning trade."

Chang Binggong realized that his family now belonged to the monkey who was warned, not the chicken that was killed.

When everyone heard this, they looked thoughtful at first, and then nodded in agreement.

Obviously, they all understood it too!
If the imperial court wanted to touch them, it would not have let them know that it was banning trade with Rakshasa.

If they guessed correctly, the eight emperor merchants were actually the chickens that were killed to scare the monkeys.

The imperial court is using the fate of the eight imperial merchants of the Qing Dynasty to warn other Shanxi merchants in Shanxi: Don't jump, otherwise I will kill you!
The kind that confiscates homes and exterminates families!
Taking a deep breath, Chang Bing publicly gave instructions.

"Every house should go back and notify the various trading houses below. Please stop all business outside the customs for the time being. We will wait and see the court's decision later."

"Our Chang family fully cooperates with the imperial court's policies and will never engage in smuggling, collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country."

"It is better to suffer some losses in business than to have your family confiscated and your family exterminated by the imperial court."

"This time, let's treat it as a waste of money and disaster!"

"If anyone in each house has short-sightedness and cannot bear to see the loss of gold and silver treasures, and wants to engage in smuggling business, don't blame me for annihilating relatives out of justice!"

After hearing this, everyone took a deep breath to express their understanding.

Although they are also greedy for money, they can still grasp the importance of money and life.

At this moment, a housekeeper ran in from outside again. The housekeeper came to Chang Binggong, leaned over and said.

"Sir, people from the Cao family and the Kong family in Taigu are here."

"The person from the Cao family is Master Cao, and the person from the Kong family is Master Kong San."

"Now those two are outside the door asking to see you!"

Chang Binggong heard the words, took a deep breath, and then spoke.

"Quick, go and invite people in!"

During this sensitive period, the Cao family and the Kong family sent people to the door, it was definitely something serious.

Of course, Chang Binzong cannot be negligent.

Soon, I saw the housekeeper inviting Cao Qiye, Cao Rui, and Kong Sanye, Kong Mingduan.

"Shop manager Chang, you're fine!"

"How are you doing, Shopkeeper Chang? Business is booming!"

Chang Binggong saw the two people entering the lobby and went to greet them.

"Haha, you two have come from afar. Some of you are greeted from afar by Chang, and some are welcomed from afar!"

"Quick, please come in, two of you!"

While talking, the three of them entered the Chang family's lobby.

Chang Binggong asked while ordering people to serve tea.

"I wonder if Mr. Cao Qi and Mr. Kong came all the way here for something?"

Cao Rui heard this and whispered.

"Does Shopkeeper Chang know that Ming Dynasty issued a batch of war bonds in Taiyuan?"

(End of this chapter)