The Silk Road, in fact, has never had this name in Chinese history.

It was not until the 19th century that the German geographer Richthofen first mentioned the name "Silk Road" in his book.

And this trade route that runs through the Eurasian road was not known for silk at the beginning.

How so?

The Silk Road started from the Central Plains, and it was also opened up by the Han people, which originated from Zhang Qian's envoy to the Western Regions in the Western Han Dynasty.

However, it has not been used as a trade route, and its political significance is far greater than its commercial significance.

To put it bluntly, the Central Plains Dynasty does not need any business, what it needs is the prosperity of all nations.

At that time, most of the people who came and went on this road were envoys from various states who came to pay tribute.

It was not until the Sui and Tang dynasties, that is, the period in which Wu Ning lived, that the Silk Road had a bit of a trade route.

However, in the eyes of the Han people, it is not called the Silk Road, but more like the Jade Road.

Because the Han people in the Central Plains needed jade output from the Western Regions, the Han people who walked on this road were either jade merchants or exiles.

It was the Arabs and Jews who really brought the silk of the Central Plains to West Asia and Europe.

Thanks to the openness and prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, the Persian Empire in West Asia, as well as Jewish merchants, came to Chang'an through the Silk Road, and brought silk and porcelain from the Central Plains to the West, earning huge profits.

Therefore, later scholars actually divided the Silk Road into two sections:

The eastern section, the distance from Chang'an to the countries of the Western Regions, was controlled by the Han Chinese, mainly in the jade trade.

The western section, which stretches from the Western Regions to the Mediterranean, was dominated by Arab and Jewish merchants, mainly engaged in silk and porcelain.

Looking back at Wu Ning's "Western Commercial Bank", do you know what was the first thing that flashed through his mind when he wanted to find a point of interest to replace Yongyetian?

It was the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century!

This royal mandate has been crisscrossing the seas for nearly three hundred years, with foreign trade and aggressive colonization as its growth point!

It is precisely this behemoth, which was mainly established by the joint-stock system, that pushed the Netherlands, a small land, to the throne of European hegemony.

East India Company!!

Can I establish the Han "East India Company" during the Wu and Zhou dynasties in the seventh century?

“......”

People are like this sometimes, and once a certain thought grows in the heart, it will be out of control.

That thought will haunt you all the time and make you want to stop.

Wu Ning is like this, once this idea is born, if Wu Laojiu doesn't get it out, he will be uncomfortable.

However, the question is, is it feasible?

Can a Central Plains civilization, ruled by Confucianism, allow something so advanced?

And then what? How to maintain the growth point, now that there are a large number of vested interests in the maritime trade, it is difficult for Wu Ning to implant the aristocratic group into it in the short term. But apart from the maritime trade, where can we make such a big profit to support this big guy?

In addition to the imperial power, was another armed official bandit group like the East India Company allowed to exist?

After thinking for a long time, Wu Ning came to a conclusion.....

Maybe it's really possible!

First of all, perhaps in other dynasties, such a joint-stock group would not have been accepted by Confucianism. But during the Tang Dynasty, there was really no problem.

Because this is the era when the Han people are the most enlightened and receptive to new things, including Confucianism, which is not as rigid as later generations.

The current Chang'an is the most realistic example, this is an international metropolis.

Even in later generations, no country or city could be like Chang'an, where there were people of all races everywhere and there was no discrimination at all. (Except, of course, slaves.) ）

Here, the Tang people welcome all foreign people and foreign things, and the Central Plains civilization is like a sponge, frantically absorbing supplies from all directions.

Something new happens every day, and this joint-stock company may not be the freshest.

Secondly, the current situation, that is, there is a great contradiction between Wu Zetian and the nobles of the gate, and a breakthrough is urgently needed to break the impasse brought about by the land.

It is precisely because of the need to transfer these contradictions that there is a breeding ground for joint-stock companies.

In addition, let Wu Zetian occupy a large share, this is not a power group outside the imperial power, right? At best, it can only be regarded as a commercial armament outside the army.

Finally, how to support this system with huge profits?

That's not a problem either.

In front of you is a bright road! That's what Li Ke said in his mouth - the Silk Road!!

In Wu Ning's eyes, on this trade route, only selling jade is completely tyrannical.

Why am I just wandering around the eastern part of the Silk Road? Why don't I take the western sector as well?

Why should I let Hu Shang enjoy the huge profits alone? Lao Tzu ate all the way, and he couldn't feed a joint-stock company?

Thus, the Western Commercial Bank was born.

This is a commercial company established with the help of the power and power of the nobility under the guarantee of Wu Zetian's imperial power.

Replacing the feudal system with the power of capital not only solves the contradiction between the imperial power and the aristocracy, but also can borrow these two forces to create unlimited wealth.

When the time comes, the emperor should not pick and swish, the title of knight is like cutting meat, and you have to ponder for a long time to enjoy a meal.

Whoever you want to be sealed, whoever has merit can be sealed.

You don't have to reward the land to get along with yourself, just give dividends.

The dividends of the western commercial bank, the old lady's sixty percent of the shares, is used for this.

The first batch, which was also the Chang'an Gate Valve, let go of these people's blood, and even if they copied it, they not only kept Yongye Tian, but also shares.

After that, there will be no such a good life, only dividends, no shares.

When the time comes, whether this "dividend right" is hereditary or withdrawn after death is all up to the emperor alone.

Every year, there is no need to consider whether Yongye Tian is enough or not, and the more you earn, the more you earn, the less you earn, the less you earn.

From the perspective of property, it can be timely regulated and set aside for unexpected expenses, how good is it?

As for why you asked Li Kelai to talk to each family about this? The reason is very simple, Li Ke is the archdeacon of the Western Commercial Bank selected by Wu Ning.

Because of the Silk Road, Li Ke is more familiar than anyone else. He was one of the few Han Chinese who traveled through the western section of the Silk Road and made a lot of money from it.

......

That's right, although Li Ke is said to be the richest man in Bashu, few people know that Li Ke was not born in Shu, but in broken leaves. That is, the location of Kyrgyzstan in later generations, at the intersection of the eastern and western sections of the Silk Road.

And Li Ke originated in Broken Leaf City.

"Do you know what price the silk of Chang'an is sold for when it arrives at broken leaves? Do you know what the price of the Roman city that was transported to Daqin? ”

Li Ke narrowed his eyes, "If the silk and porcelain of the Western Commercial House are sold to Daqin, then Li doesn't dare to say anything else, but everyone's one-year dividend is definitely worth buying a piece of first-class land in Chang'an!" ”

......

"Really?" The eldest grandson Yan and the others were a little confused.

I never knew that it was so profitable to transport goods to the Western Regions, so it was no wonder that those Hu merchants were extravagant.

The eldest grandson Yan thought about it:

This time I bought land, but I hollowed out the family of the eldest grandson, do you want to try this western trading house......

I don't want to think about it, does he have any other choice?

......

，

.。 m.