Four days later, Li Tingbiao asked to see him and handed over two lists.

One is a list of all wealthy businessmen in the capital with a family of more than 100,000 taels, and the other is a list of all officials in the capital with a family of more than 100,000 taels.

Zhu Cihong took a look at it and sighed in surprise, this is simply the rich list at the end of the Ming Dynasty!

Especially for those who are officials, the Ming officials are not high, but these officials are all so rich that they can fatten two acres of land when they pee.

Zhu Cihong planned for a while, and finally selected 150 wealthy businessmen and 50 officials on the list, and sent people to their homes to distribute invitations, saying that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would entertain you at the Duanwang Mansion tomorrow.

I heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had a treat, and the next day, many wealthy merchants and Beijing officials were invited to Duanwang's Mansion, and everyone was elated.

Although many wealthy businessmen know that Donggong is now under order to appease the people, it is estimated that they have no money to ask them to sponsor it, even so, they are still very excited.

Because in that era, Shinong was a businessman and a businessman, and the status of merchants was the lowest, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, as the prince, could invite them, which was naturally their blessing, and invisibly improved the status of merchants.

However, in front of the Duanwang Mansion, the dignitaries waiting for Xuanjin were divided into two circles, one side was full of merchants, and the other side was Beijing officials.

The merchants were smiling, but the Beijing officials were frowning, they didn't expect the prince to actually send them to a banquet with the merchants, and the officials felt that they had been insulted by His Royal Highness the prince, and many people showed annoyance.

"We are scholars, how can we be in the company of merchants?" An official said angrily, which immediately attracted the echo of many officials.

When the merchants heard this, they were a little unhappy, and said in their hearts, you all look like dogs now, and this is not the case when you collect money.

The merchants did not dare to say anything openly, the dynasties and dynasties discriminated against the merchants, and the status of the merchants was not even as good as the peasants, let alone these officials.

"Quiet!" Wu Zhong pulled his throat and suppressed these officials who were talking to each other, and he secretly made a gesture to ask the little eunuch behind him to report to His Royal Highness the Prince.

Although the crown prince is young, he is also a king, they are ministers, and they must have the necessary respect. Although these officials are angry, at most they only express their dissatisfaction with dry coughs and shaking their bodies.

"Why, could it be that His Highness really wants us to have a banquet with this group of unpopular merchants?" Chengguo Gong Zhu Chunchen stood up and sneered.

As a hereditary prince of Chengguo and holding the power of the Beijing camp, Zhu Chunchen does not have the respect of others for the young East Palace, and he has always been angry about Zhu Cihong's cutting off his financial route, so it is a good time to strike.

If Zhu Chunchen knew that the capital's 'Brother Haonan' was the current prince, it was estimated that he would be able to fry the pot.

"Chengguo Gong, please be careful!" Wu Zhong stared at Zhu Chunchen and said, Wu Zhong was very unhappy with Zhu Chunchen's targeting of his master.

"Humph! What is it! Zhu Chunchen flicked his sleeves and snorted lightly, no one knew whether he was talking about Wu Zhong or scolding the crown prince in disguise.

Wu Zhongqi's face was pale, but he was helpless, the other party was a hereditary prince with a superior status, and it was not for him to be a small seven-rank leader eunuch who could talk back, but when Wu Zhong remembered Brother Haonan's matter, his heart was a little more comfortable.

The rich businessmen on the side saw this, and the greasy in their hearts was, the more they looked at these officials, the more unhappy they became, especially this Chengguo Gong, if the other party did not have an official rank, he would have been beaten to death by these rich businessmen on the street with sticks.

At this time, the little eunuch who had just gone in to pay a respectful report came back, secretly said a few words in Wu Zhong's ear and stepped aside.

Wu Zhong took two steps forward and said, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ordered that everyone have a banquet, if anyone is unwilling to enter, they can come again tomorrow, and there will be a banquet tomorrow." ”

After listening to the decree, the people hesitated, what does this decree mean? Can it be divided into two shifts?

The rich merchants wanted to enter the palace, but they didn't dare to take the lead, after all, the officials on the opposite side had not yet entered.

"Everyone, please!" Wu Zhong smiled and made a gesture of please to the rich business district.

"Don't dare to bother my father-in-law!" Some wealthy businessmen with strong eyes hurriedly stepped forward and said politely, and took the lead in entering the palace.

The wealthy businessman who was the first to enter the palace turned around and secretly spat the officials outside the door, and at the same time said in his heart: "What is it, you still look down on the uncle, isn't the uncle still ahead of you?" ”

Seeing that someone had entered the palace, many merchants followed suit, and no longer bothered with the iron-faced officials.

"These Diao people are really getting more and more disagreeable!" An official said angrily.

"I will not feast with these people!" An official threw his sleeves away.

"Forget it, go back, and come back tomorrow." Several more officials left.

Not long after, all the officials left, and many of them said before leaving that they would play His Majesty and join the crown prince.

In the carrying hall, various dishes have already been prepared, although they are good, but in the eyes of these rich merchants who are accustomed to eating delicacies from the mountains and seas, they seem a little shabby, but they don't care.

To everyone's surprise, there was a pot of special dishes on each banquet table, and a person with rich experience called out the name on the spot: "This is hot pot!" ”

"Hey, it's really a hot pot in Dezhuang hot pot!"

Many wealthy businessmen know that there is a Dezhuang hot pot on Qianmen Street, although it has not been opened for a long time, but its reputation has spread throughout Beijing, where the taste of the town building is called 'hot pot' new dishes, the taste is unique, it is very exciting, the more you eat, the more you want to eat!

Many people present have eaten it, but they didn't expect that there was such a fashionable dish in the banquet set up by His Royal Highness the Prince, which is really incredible.

Wu Zhong said in a loud voice: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has decreed that His Royal Highness will be delayed in a matter of time, and he will arrive later, so that you don't have to be restrained, eat and drink at ease, and if you lose your manners, you will be exempted." ”

When these gold owners heard this, they were all excited, and they were faintly moved, His Royal Highness the Prince, so benevolent and righteous, it is really amazing!

These low-status businessmen, they were afraid of being tricked and ate well, so suddenly a guard jumped out and took him down, saying that the king had lost his honor, and he would be beaten first, and then all the family property would be confiscated.

Now that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has issued an order, they don't have to worry anymore, they are happy one by one.

Throughout the day, Duanwang's Mansion was extremely lively, and in the sound of bells and drums, the cups and lamps of the banquet were very happy.

Especially this spicy hot pot, paired with fine wine, everyone is in full swing and addicted.

In such a scene, it is rare that no eunuch went up to stop anything, and everyone cheered.

When the banquet was nearing the end, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince came out, and the people who were slightly drunk after eating and drinking hurriedly saluted, and some even stood unsteadily, and some were out of order.

In this regard, Zhu Cihong was not surprised, but smiled, which moved the wealthy businessmen.