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Although Zhao Deqing had just spoken, Zhao Junchen had already guessed Zhao Deqing's words based on the information provided by Xiao Wenxuan and Su Xiqing before.

Therefore, Zhao Junchen's brows frowned slightly unnoticedly.

But Zhao Deqing didn't notice the change in Zhao Junchen's expression, but talked endlessly, the content was naturally the alliance between the Zhao family in Yangzhou and the salt merchants in Huizhou and Zhejiang, and described the benefits of joining forces to Zhao Junchen in detail, and the content was exaggerated and exaggerated.

According to Zhao Deqing, he has now connected with Lin Yunpu, the president of the Yangzhou Salt Merchants Association, Lin Yunpu out of "respect for Zhao Junchen in his heart", is also willing to run a private salt business with the Zhao family, and once the Zhao family gets involved in the private salt business, they can get nearly one million taels of silver every year.

Of course, according to Zhao Deqing's statement, most of the income of nearly one million taels of silver will go to Zhao Junchen in the future - this is also Zhao Deqing's last resort to win back Zhao Junchen's trust.

However, after listening to Zhao Deqing's speech, Zhao Junchen secretly sighed in his heart.

Zhao Deqing's unrelenting disposition of failure certainly made Zhao Junchen somewhat appreciative, but such advantages could not cover up Zhao Deqing's short-sighted disadvantage.

Zhao Junchen agreed with Xiao Wenxuan and Su Xiqing on the position of the salt merchants in Huizhou and Zhejiang -- they could use it, they could cooperate, and they could even accept bribes, but it was absolutely impossible to join hands to run a private salt business.

After all, as mentioned above, the imperial court's attitude towards the salt merchants of Huizhou and Zhejiang was the same as raising fattening pigs, turning a blind eye to their tax evasion and tax evasion, and slaughtering them only when they were "fat" enough. At that time, the Wanguan family wealth of the salt merchants of Huizhou and Zhejiang will naturally be returned to the national treasury.

Therefore, the profits of the private salt business are so large and the income is so high. Although it is a well-known thing, it is rare for a high-ranking official of the imperial court to personally intervene in this business. It is because the high-ranking officials of the imperial court are afraid that they will not be able to get out of it and be implicated when the imperial court "slaughters fat pigs".

However, even after being reminded by Xiao Wenxuan and Su Xiqing, Zhao Deqing still couldn't understand this, and even regarded this incident as a hole card to redeem Zhao Junchen's trust, which was inevitably a little ridiculous.

So, after sighing secretly, Zhao Junchen wanted to tell Zhao Deqing in detail about the pros and cons of this matter, completely extinguishing Zhao Deqing's ridiculous delusions.

However, Zhao Junchen has not yet spoken. But suddenly my heart moved, and I thought of another possibility.

The financial resources, connections, and influence of the salt merchants in Huizhou and Zhejiang cannot be underestimated, and they are also the forces that Zhao Junchen must unite next, and Zhao Junchen himself has been planning for a long time for this, and has prepared many means to buy the Huizhou and Zhejiang merchants.

But after the two sides joined forces, Zhao Junchen lacked effective means of supervision over the salt merchants of Huizhou and Zhejiang, after all, the base camp of the salt merchants of Huizhou and Zhejiang was Nanzhili, and after Zhao Junchen returned to the capital, they were thousands of miles away and beyond the reach of the whip. Coupled with the speculative nature of businessmen, if the merchants of Huizhou and Zhejiang betrayed Zhao Junchen out of their own interests in the future, Zhao Junchen would inevitably suffer great losses.

This situation. In fact, it is because Zhao Junchen has no spokesperson among the merchants of Huizhejiang.

Since there isn't one, why not set one up?

Zhao Junchen actually had such an idea a long time ago. But first, I couldn't find the right person, and second, I couldn't find the right opportunity.

But nowadays. Since Lin Yunpu, the president of the Yangzhou Salt Merchants Association, is willing to arrange for Zhao Deqing to enter the Salt Merchants Association and help Zhao Deqing intervene in the private salt business. But finally let Zhao Junchen find the right opportunity and candidate!

Of course, due to the identity of court officials, it is not convenient for Zhao Junchen and Zhao Junchen's relatives to directly intervene in the business of the Huizhejiang Merchant Gang, but what if Zhao Deqing is "driven out" of the Zhao family in Yangzhou?

Taking this opportunity, he first drew a clear line between Zhao Deqing and the Zhao family in Yangzhou, and then arranged for Zhao Deqing to enter the Huizhejiang Merchant Gang, so that Zhao Deqing could become Zhao Junchen's spokesperson and supervisor in the Huizhejiang Merchant Gang, which would have many benefits to Zhao Junchen.

First of all, Zhao Junchen has a spokesperson among the salt merchants of Hui and Zhejiang, and he can always have some influence more or less, even if he can't control the Hui and Zhejiang merchants in his hands, but at least he can let Zhao Junchen understand the various dynamics of the Hui and Zhejiang merchants in detail, and if there is any change in the future, Zhao Junchen's eyes will not be hidden.

Secondly, although Zhao Junchen is hindered by the identity of the court official, it is inconvenient to directly intervene in the business of the Huizhejiang merchant gang, but after Zhao Deqing left the Zhao family in Yangzhou, there will be no problems, and not only will he have no obvious relationship with Zhao Junchen, but he and Zhao Junchen will still have some hostility on the surface, even if there is a problem in the future, it will not be completely implicated in Zhao Junchen.

Then, Zhao Deshun, the current new head of the Zhao family, is an unassertive person, easy to be influenced and manipulated by others, and Zhao Deqing is the former head of the Zhao family, and is also Zhao Deshun's brother-in-law, if he continues to stay in the Yangzhou Zhao family, then Zhao Deshun may be controlled by Zhao Deqing, and the future development direction of the Yangzhou Zhao family will inevitably have some deviations from Zhao Junchen's expectations.

Finally, many of Zhao Junchen's plans need strong financial support, although Zhao Junchen has not yet felt the pressure, but no one can say what will happen in the future, after arranging Zhao Deqing to enter the Hui Zhejiang Business Gang, Zhao Junchen can get a large amount of additional income every year, which can be regarded as a rainy day.

Of course, this matter is not without hidden dangers and flaws, the most obvious are two points.

First, Zhao Deqing is short-sighted and easily blinded by his immediate interests, so if he joins the Huizhejiang Merchant Gang, he may be played by those treacherous Huizhejiang salt merchants in the future.

Second, after Zhao Deqing left the Zhao family in Yangzhou, he joined the Huizhejiang Business Gang, will he still serve Zhao Junchen willingly? If Zhao Deqing, the spokesperson and the overseer, finally had a different heart, then wouldn't Zhao Junchen's investment in Zhao Deqing be wasted?

Of course, there are ways to solve these two hidden dangers.

Zhao Deqing is short-sighted, so he will arrange for Zhao Deqing to be assisted by a few keen and intelligent veteran staff; Zhao Deqing's loyalty cannot be guaranteed, so he and Zhao Junchen's interests are firmly bound, and while helping Zhao Deqing make a fortune, he can also secretly put Zhao Deqing in the air.

In this way, Zhao Deqing is just a signboard, a stepping stone for Zhao Junchen to intervene in the Huizhejiang Merchant Gang, and after the shape is stable, even if Zhao Deqing is used by others, or has a different heart, it will not have any impact.

*

Of course, this is just a temporary plan in Zhao Junchen's mind, whether it is feasible or not, and how it should be implemented, Zhao Junchen needs to carefully and carefully plan and deduce -- with Zhao Junchen's cautious character, he will definitely not make a hasty decision with a pat on his head.

Without careful preparation and detailed deduction, there is no difference between the so-called "flash of inspiration" and "assumptions".

Therefore, after Zhao Deqing finished talking about his plan, although Zhao Junchen did not directly deny it, he did not agree, but just muttered.

After pondering for a long time, under Zhao Deqing's anxious waiting, Zhao Junchen finally said slowly: "This matter, there are pros and cons, I need to think about it seriously, but you don't have to worry, after I think about it clearly, I will give you an answer...... During this period, you can continue to keep in touch with those Yangzhou salt merchants, and these relationships will always be useful in the future, but they cannot be wasted. ”

Hearing Zhao Junchen's reply, Zhao Deqing couldn't help but be a little disappointed, but since Zhao Junchen had already expressed his position, he didn't dare to force anything.

Then, although Zhao Deqing still wanted to talk about something with Zhao Junchen, he saw Zhao Junchen looking pensive and a little absent-minded, so he didn't dare to continue to entangle, and said goodbye with interest.

After Zhao Deqing said goodbye, Zhao Junchen still sat quietly in the study, continuing to deduce his new plan.

Then, Xiao Wenxuan came to report again, saying that Zhao Deshun, the new head of the Zhao family, asked to see him.

……

…… (To be continued......)