back to ancient times to be emperor

Chapter 667 Newspaper Guidance
"Xu Qing's method, I think it is feasible. Let's go back, Xu Qing, organize it into a law, and then submit it to me for approval. After I read it, I will submit it to Dali Temple and the Ministry of Punishment for approval. Is it consistent with the "Da Shun Law?" "Conflict. If there is no, then the "Da Shun Law" will become a new law and be announced to the world." Lu Chengqi is also vigorous and resolute, although the previous loose political environment has given businessmen a lot of convenience.Some businessmen also took advantage of the loopholes, played around and did some illegal things.This trend is gradually spreading.

Lu Chengqi wants to revitalize business, but not all businesses are revitalized.Previously, he took action to rectify the salt merchants hoarding salt, and severely smashed the human trafficking case, which gave the world a wake-up call.There is a limit to the patience of the imperial court, once it gets serious, you will be the one who is unlucky.These hints released by politics, I believe that many shrewd businessmen have already smelled a hint of danger and stopped in time.But there are still some who fall into the eyes of money, just make money, what is conscience, can it be eaten?

Lu Chengqi suddenly remembered the first story in Xu Chongguang's memorial, and thought it made sense.Xu Chongguang was born as a Jinshi, so there is nothing to say about his writing style, but the original text is too obscure, and Lu Chengqi's level of ancient prose can only be approximated.The general idea of ​​this story is: There was a businessman in Huizhou, who at first only took a thousand dollars to go out to do small business, and later became a rich man.Returning to his hometown, he boasted that he had thaumaturgy to get rich, so he accumulated millions in no time.

So, the people from the village heard the news and came to ask him about the thaumaturgy of getting rich.The businessman waited for the guests to sit down, and then said, "It's not difficult to get rich. You must first deal with the external thieves, and then the internal thieves. Then, you have already learned half of the way to start a family and become rich." Everyone was busy. Ask: "What are foreign thieves?" The businessman said: "There are five foreign thieves: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body." Eyes are greedy for beauty, but beautiful wives and concubines, how can you hide beauty without a golden house? I will pay a few pennies to buy an ugly woman, regardless of whether the eyes like to look at it or not, it can still pass on the family line and continue the incense. The ears like to listen The melodious music, as well as the shengge club and the like, are all big items that cost money. If you don’t use money to support them, where can you get a hall singer and a home class? I ran to Tiantou Ridge to listen to Yangko, It's right to be a clear sound of silk and bamboo. The problem with the nose is nothing more than putting on a treasure tripod and buying ambergris. In the horse dung heap, I also feel very happy. As for the collection of delicacies from mountains and seas, it is nothing more than being deceived by my tongue. I choose food without distinguishing its taste, and I don’t care about the delicious taste of my tongue. I drink sour and rotten food every day. Vegetable porridge is not enough. Finally, let’s talk about this bulky and heavy body. It is really a stinky one, but it is also the one that has caused the worst disaster. In summer, you wear fine kudzu, and in winter you must be wrapped in heavy fur. In fact, it is just for others to see. It's just beautiful, but what's broken is the hard-earned money accumulated by my family. I respect the ancient system, cut leaves into clothes, and knot grass into crowns. From head to toe, I don't spend a penny. This is how I cure the 'five thieves' The Dharma Door.” The listener may nod his head, or be at a loss, or appear to be in deep thought.

After a while, he hurriedly asked again: "What is an internal thief?" The answer: "There are also five internal thieves: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith." "Benevolence is the first evil. The so-called generous charity, if you really do it, Yao and Shun can't stand it. I swore before God that I would never do a good thing in vain. In this way, I will save a lot of squandering and wasting money. Every man acts a chivalrous man with righteousness and prestige. I succeeded for a while, but in the end my family and property were ruined, and in the end I suffered from it. I thought about it simply and forgot righteousness and enjoyed it for a lifetime. As for reciprocity, the ancients were not afraid of trouble. My purpose is to come and not go, and take advantage of others first. Wisdom is the most taboo thing of the Creator. A wise person will be empty and poor, so I only want to be confused and chaotic all my life, so that I can always keep the mean and keep the happiness. Useful. You might as well be very generous with your words and clever in your heart, so that everyone in the world will know that I am a person without trust, so that no one will ever come to visit me. Please ask. These five things are my way to get rid of these five internal thieves The key. Be smart and clear, don't love face, don't have a bad tongue, don't hesitate to be ashamed, and don't care about laughing and scolding. If things go on like this, it's easy to become a millionaire." Everyone who heard it fell down.

Lu Chengqi knew that when Xu Chongguang told this story, he only wanted to illustrate one point. If merchants are indulged, then merchants are all evil. If they destroy Confucianism, then the foundation of Dashun will be lost.This is somewhat similar to the "Das Kapital" of later generations, with the same approach but the same effect.

But what is Lu Chengqi's ruling philosophy?Without agriculture, there is no stability, without work, there is no wealth, and without business, there is no life.Lu Chengqiyin went to have no work, no wealth, just to set up factories and workshops, and wanted to intensify production.It has been mass-produced, so it has to be sold!If you don’t sell them, how will you pay the workers?
These three concepts are indispensable.Agricultural production, in this era, is too unstable.Once there is a natural or man-made disaster, it is common for crops to fail.If the imperial court wants disaster relief, it also needs money and food, right?
Agriculture is unstable, and workshops are also affected.Except for the factory opened in Huangzhuang, the rest are small workshops.The biggest one is probably the printing workshop outside Chang'an City, which employs more than one hundred workers. Is it the "emergence of capitalism"?Although there is no steam engine or anything, Dashun has a big spinning wheel, which seems to be no worse than any Jenny spinning machine.The cotton spinning factory in Youzhou also uses this kind of water to turn the large spinning wheel. It only needs two people to take care of it, and it can spin a hundred catties of cotton in one day and one night. The efficiency is still good.Lu Chengqi remembered that the Jenny machine in the textbooks of later generations was not only eight ingots, but also hand-cranked.This water-turning spinning wheel has now increased to fifty spindles, and it is still hydraulic, and the Jenny machine is already scum in front of this.

As for business, it was previously managed extensively and dominated by the market.But Lu Chengqi is someone who has experienced it, and knows that such an economy can easily go to extremes, and he needs guidance.Lu Chengqi also complied with the laws of the market, first boosting the confidence of businessmen, and then regulating them.Otherwise, it would be very difficult for business to develop in this country where ethics are the mainstay.

"It seems that we still have to respect the legacy of Duanmu..." Lu Chengqi murmured in his heart.

This "Duanmu Legacy" refers to the honest business atmosphere left by Confucius' disciple Zigong. Even Sima Qian commended Zigong, a business giant, in "Historical Records Huozhi Biography" and affirmed him. The role played in economic development and the cultivation of benevolence, righteousness and integrity.Because Gongfu's surname is Duanmu, and his full name is Duanmuci, this style of doing business with integrity is called "Duanmu legacy". The style of "a gentleman loves money and gets it in a proper way" has been respected by honest businessmen of all ages.

Among the disciples of Confucius, Zigong is not only intelligent, studious, benevolent, righteous and filial, but also a business prodigy. Confucius once called him "the weapon of Hulian".Zigong is very good at doing business. He once did business between Cao and Lu and became rich. He is the richest man among the disciples of Confucius. Zigong used his wealth to support his teacher Confucius. the most force. "Duanmu Legacy" was summed up by Sima Qian as: "The emperor loves money and gets it in a proper way" wealth concept.

Since the pre-Qin period, Confucianism has a very dialectical understanding of wealth, benevolence and righteousness. Although "benevolence and righteousness" is the most important thing in Confucianism, Confucianism does not oppose the pursuit of "benefit", and believes that "righteousness" and "benefit" do not conflict, but the acquisition of "benefit" should conform to the principle of "righteousness". In "The Analects of Confucius", Confucius said: "Wealth and honor are what people want; if you don't get it according to the way, you don't get it. Poverty and lowliness are what people hate; if you don't get it according to the way, you don't go Also." "Wealth and honor are what people desire", "Unrighteousness and richness and honor are like floating clouds to me", "Wealth can be sought after, even if a man holds a whip, I will do it" etc., It all explains these eight words "a gentleman loves money, and he gets it in a proper way."These are not rejections of "benefits", but just advocates putting righteousness first and then benefiting, emphasizing that "righteousness and benefit coexist".

It's just that the rulers of the past dynasties were tired of the poor management of merchants traveling north and south, so they had to deliberately suppress merchants.In the Qin Dynasty, merchants were not allowed to wear silk clothing. In the Han Dynasty, merchants made false declarations and confiscated their wealth. The same was true in the early days of Dashun.It is true that there are profiteers among businessmen, but there are also good businessmen, which cannot be generalized.If Lu Chengqi wants to promote "Duanmu Legacy", he naturally starts with his best weapon - newspapers.

(End of this chapter)