The literary giants of the late Ming Dynasty began by copying books

Chapter 23 Confucian Businessmen
After Gao Yin introduced the two of them, they entered the room. Wang Wenlong said to Li Guozhu: "Since you like my novel, why don't you go to the banquet to discuss it in detail."

Li Guozhu nodded: "That's right."

After saluting Gao Yin, he returned to his seat with Wang Wenlong. Halfway through the banquet, the seat was already empty. Everyone came and went to toast, and Wang Wenlong sat with Li Guoshu.

Wang Wenlong took the initiative and said to Li Guozhu: "Young Master has read "The Scholars", which chapter do you like?"

Wang Wenlong originally just wanted to start the conversation through Li Guozhu's hobbies, but he didn't expect that Li Guozhu would become embarrassed as soon as he asked this question.

He thought for a long time and seemed to be arranging his words. After a long time, he stuttered and said: "I like the section about Mr. Lou's head banquet the most, because he... is quite funny."

Wang Wenlong reacted instantly. Although Li Guozhu was wearing Confucian attire, his cultural level was obviously not high and he couldn't even give a speech about reading.

He remembered that according to historical development, Li Guozhu would later take over his father's team and go to Japan to do business, and he also obtained the seal of the Shogun's franchise.

Wang Wenlong hurriedly asked a few more questions, and became more and more certain that Li Guozhu had probably read "The Scholars", but his understanding was very superficial. As for the fact that he liked to listen to Kun Opera "The Peony Pavilion", it was probably just a businessman deliberately arty.

In order to avoid Li Guozhu's embarrassment, he quickly changed the topic.

"Young Master's family is a merchant from the sea. Have you ever traveled to the West?"

Li Guozhu said: "I've been there a few times."

"I wonder where you've been?"

"It's probably the Champa Kingdom and the Balni Kingdom."

Wang Wenlong instantly showed an expression of envy: "I have heard long ago that there is an island in the Kunlun Mountains outside the country of Champa. I wonder if the young master has ever been to it?"

Li Guozhu was quite surprised: "Sir, you also know about overseas affairs? There are Kunlun Mountains and Islands in Champa, and there are many maritime merchants who don't know about it."

Wang Wenlong smiled inwardly. When he went to Vietnam to shoot a video, he was told by a local tour guide that there was an island called Kunlun Mountain outside Vietnam. When he went up to see it, there was nothing but snakes, and he was defrauded of hundreds of dollars in admission fees and boat fares. If not for the filming, Video, going up there is just a mistake.

Moreover, Wang Wenlong also learned that this island was actually called this name in the Ming Dynasty, and it had deceived many Chinese people into traveling throughout the ages.

Wang Wenlong nodded and said: "That's natural. I grew up in the West since I was a child and traveled to many Western countries. I only returned to Daimyo in the past two years. There is a Kunlun Mountain in Champa City, which I have heard from maritime merchants since I was a child."

Li Guozhu often traveled overseas since he was a child. When he heard that Wang Wenlong was also a return guest from another vassal, he instantly felt close to him.

"I see. It's really remarkable that my husband, who grew up in a foreign country, could write such exquisite articles. He is no better than us who only know how to do business."

Wang Wenlong quickly complimented: "A great businessman is the same as a great Confucian. If you can do business well, you will naturally have great wisdom and courage."

Li Guozhu was quite surprised when he heard this. They were maritime merchants, but after getting rich, they naturally needed to pursue social status. When Li Guozhu grew up, he often felt inferior because his family had been maritime merchants for generations. He always felt that he would be discriminated against and inferior to others. .

Hearing what Wang Wenlong said at this time, Li Guoshu asked curiously: "How do you say this?"

Wang Wenlong said: "Master, have you ever heard of Confucian businessmen?"

Li Guozhu shook his head. This word sounded very strange to him but also had an inexplicable appeal. He had never thought that someone could put a high-status Confucian scholar and a low-status businessman together.

Haven't you heard of it?Historically, the concept of Confucian businessmen was not proposed until the Qing Dynasty. In the society before that, how could any businessman dare to put such gold on his face?After Wang Wenlong became famous in his previous life, the business management materials he memorized when he occasionally made a living as a guest lecturer came in handy at this time.

He smiled and said: "Businessmen should not be too harsh on the management of their subordinates and should treat them with sincerity. This is benevolence. Businessmen cooperate with their companions in business and cannot harm their friends. They should help each other when in trouble. Doing this is righteousness. Businessmen do business. , being polite when facing customers makes people feel like spring breeze, this is etiquette. Businessmen have a clear mind when buying and selling, buy high and sell low to seize the right time, wisdom lies in it. As a businessman, the most important thing in doing business is credibility. If there is no integrity, , how to gain a foothold?”

"Benevolence, justice, propriety, wisdom, trust, and the five points are all in one. Even the Confucians of the time may not be able to achieve it. But if you want to become a big businessman, you must have these advantages. Your father's business is spread across the two oceans, so he is naturally a great Confucian businessman."

Wang Wenlong didn't blush at all when he said this. In fact, Li Dan was a pirate and had done a lot of murder and arson. It was rare to have anything to do with Confucianism.

However, Li Guozhu's cultural level was suitable for listening to such half-literate truths, and he found it very useful at the moment.

“It really enlightened me!”

Mainly because Li Guozhu had never heard anyone praise a merchant's home in this way. At this time, Wang Wenlong's words were both convincing and made them, the merchants, very comfortable.

He even wanted to tell his father about this truth, thinking that this would definitely make Li Dan happy.

By the way, Li Guozhu also had a good impression of Wang Wenlong. He only felt that Wang Wenlong was knowledgeable and did not look down on them like other scholars like other maritime merchants.

Not long after Gao Yin entered the house, his men came out and invited the guests to drink tea inside.

In this era of banquets, no one with a bit of decency would get drunk. They would just start the second half while they were still a bit drunk.

Li Guozhu made a special trip today to deliver gifts on behalf of his father. He was young and could not get along with his uncle's elder maritime merchants, but he regarded Wang Wenlong as a confidant.

He stood up with a smile and said: "Brother Wang, let's go in together."

Wang Wenlong nodded and followed Li Guozhu to the living room.

These days, except for family banquets, men and women are generally not allowed to sit at the same table at banquets. Today, the female family members have their own Gao Yin's wife to entertain them.

When the two entered the house, the female guest was also walking towards the back hall. Li Guoshu suddenly smiled and said hello to the woman walking behind the screen, and said to Wang Wenlong, "This is my roommate."

Wang Wenlong looked around and saw a pretty woman behind the screen smiling and saluting. Sure enough, it was the woman in the sedan chair he had seen at Li Dan's house that day.

When Wang Wenlong and the others entered the room, they found several people already sitting in the living room. Unlike the first banquet, those who could come to the second tea party were all prominent figures.

Among the guests, the one with the highest official position was Chen Xingxue, the chief envoy of Fujian. There were also Han Zhuo, the governor of Zhangzhou, and several officials from Fuzhou. Then there was Long Guolu, the magistrate of Chenghai County where Yuegang was located, and some maritime merchants who made a special trip to curry favor with Gao Yin. Celebrities and the like.

After hearing everyone's names, Wang Wenlong couldn't help but look at Chenghai County Magistrate Long Guolu.

He knew that this man was known as "Iron Bone Bing Xin" and was one of the Fujian officials that Gao Yin could not control the most.

After Long Guolu arrived in Chenghai County, he stiffened his neck and fought against the powerful. Gao Yin went to Yuegang to collect taxes. Long Guolu did not give Gao Yin any face. He openly ordered his subordinates "not to listen to Gao Yin's orders", and Gao Yin collected taxes. Once Long Guolu's minions committed a crime, he quickly complained to Zhangzhou Prefect Han Zhuo several times to punish him.

Han Zao was determined to protect Long Guolu, so he advised Gao Yin that this was a thorn in the side, and he might do something if he got anxious. Gao Yin had no choice but to find a way to transfer Long Guolu away.

At this time, Wang Wenlong took a look and saw Long Guolu sitting on the Grand Master's chair slowly drinking tea with a half-smiling smile.

(End of this chapter)