The celebration banquet lasted until the end of the night, when the lights were on, and the Forbidden City at night was illuminated by countless palace lanterns, which looked more luxurious than usual. Outside the imperial city not far away, ordinary people can only be illuminated by kerosene lamps the size of bean seedlings.

Chongzhen summoned Zhu Cihong to the imperial study and dismissed everyone.

Seeing this, Zhu Cihong asked puzzledly: "Father is so late, what is the so-called matter of calling his sons and ministers?" ”

Chongzhen said expressionlessly: "It's not a big deal, this capture of the Jin Merchants also has your share of the credit, I just want to hear your opinion, according to your opinion, how I should deal with the Jin Shang." ”

Zhu Cihong is breezy on the surface, but he is turbulent in his heart. What a joke to ask a three-year-old such a question.

Zhu Cihong thought for a while, bent down and saluted and said, "If the son's words are inappropriate, I also ask my father to forgive me." ”

Chongzhen waved his hand and said, "But it's okay to say, I forgive you for your innocence." ”

Zhu Cihong paused and said: "According to the opinion of the ministers, collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country is a big crime, and its nature is worse than rebellion. Collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country for their own interests, our people suffered greatly from war. According to Erchen's opinion, Jin Shang must be severely punished for this move. Not only should they be severely punished, but they should also make an example of the monkeys, so that those who collaborate with the enemy and betray the country will be frightened, and they will never have contact with foreign enemies from now on. ”

After speaking, Zhu Cihong looked up at Chongzhen's eyes, and found that Chongzhen was not angry, and then said: "Erchen thinks that the Jin merchants should confiscate their family property and connect the nine clans. However, since ancient times, God has the virtue of a good life, and Erchen believes that the Jin merchants collaborate with the enemy, except for the mastermind who should be punished, the rest of the people who do not know should be exiled to the border and never return to Beijing. ”

After hearing this, Chongzhen sighed and said, "Hong'er is still too young after all, and he is reluctant to make a heavy hand. Can Hong'er know the truth that cutting grass does not remove roots, and the spring breeze blows and grows? ”

After hearing this, Zhu Cihong hurriedly said: "Back to my father, my sons know that it is only the confiscation of the property of the Jin merchants, and the mastermind is ambushed, and the rest of the people are just shrimp soldiers and crab generals, and they can't afford to make any big waves." It's better to let them go, as a way to show the kindness of their father. When the world knows about this matter, they will only sigh at the kindness of their father, and I believe that some people will be lost. ”

Chongzhen sighed and said, "Hong'er, for the sake of these Jin merchants, have you ever thought about the people who have suffered from the war at the border pass?" The Jin people have repeatedly violated our borders, and the invasion has been accompanied by those brutal killings and heinous crimes. The Jin people are good at riding and shooting, and every time they invade our border pass, they will surround the village after a short period of galloping horses. ”

"Last time, Sun Chuanting sent an excerpt, there are only more than ten families in a small village on the border, and they usually live by hunting, and there are only fifty or sixty men, women and children combined. What are they guilty of? The Jin people rushed into the village, dragged the villagers from the bed from house to house, and drove them to the open space in the middle of the village. Then they carried out a brutal massacre, and the villagers were unarmed and outnumbered, so how could they be the opponents of the Jin? But in the blink of an eye, dozens of Jin people swarmed up, raised their knives and fell, and the corpses of those villagers were all over the ground, and the blood flowed like a river. ”

"The fate of the remaining women, who were not killed, was even more tragic. The Jin people set them up and committed violence without saying anything, while the rest of the Jin people broke into the house and looted food. After looting the food, a fire set the house on fire, and the women were taken captive. When Sun Chuanting arrived, the Jin people had already left. ”

"Hong'er, I know that you are merciful, but you feel sorry for these Jin merchants who collaborated with the enemy and betrayed the country, who will feel sorry for those people who have suffered from war? And so many more and more. Every time I hear about this, I feel very sad, don't I want to end the trouble? Now that the Manchu Dynasty is civil and military, all of them are intriguing, how can I trust them? If they are allowed to go to war with the Jin people, it will be to force my Ming soldiers to their death. ”

After speaking, Chongzhen glanced at Zhu Cihong meaningfully. Zhu Cihong couldn't help but be taken aback when he heard Chongzhen finish speaking. I didn't expect Chongzhen to think so much, he really looked at the emperor's appearance and scenery, and held the power of life and death for everyone, but who could know the emperor's helplessness? If you have the intention to kill a thief, you can't return to heaven, and there is nothing more aggrieved in the world than this.

Thinking of this, Zhu Cihong lowered his head in shame, because he thought it was too simple. Zhu Cihong lowered his head and said, "Erchen has been taught!" ”

Chongzhen hurriedly comforted: "Hong'er, you are still young after all, and your knowledge will inevitably be shallow. But I give you the opportunity to grow, you are the smartest person I have ever met, and I believe you will live up to my expectations. This time I raided the Jin merchants, Hong'er, you are very satisfied, what reward do you want? As long as it's not too much, I'll promise you. ”

Zhu Cihong thought for a while and said, "Back to my father, my son wants a business shop for Jin merchants." ”

After hearing this, Chongzhen asked puzzledly: "Hong'er, do you want to do business?" ”

Zhu Cihong nodded and said: "Yes, Erchen wants to take over the business of the Jin merchants, and Erchen has calculated that the business of the Jin merchants can make a profit of six million taels of silver in a year." My annual tax payment in the Ming Dynasty is only five million taels of silver, which shows how high the profits of doing business are. ”

"But Shinong Industry and Commerce, commercial auction is at the bottom, have you really decided to go into business?"

In Erchen's view, all occupations are equal, and there is no distinction between high and low. The world only knows that businessmen are treacherous, but they don't know how smart businessmen are, and how much a patriotic businessman can help a country. ”

"Overseas, there's a country called Spain, and there's a shortage of food, and basically everybody is hungry. The king of that country was very distressed by this, and his land could only produce a small amount of food, and he could not eat enough at all. ”

So the king set his sights on the neighboring countries, and he wanted to send troops to conquer the enemy country, so that there would be fertile land to grow food and his people would not suffer from hunger. But the treasury was so empty that it was impossible to pay the soldiers, let alone prepare weapons and equipment to attack the enemy. ”

At this time, a Spanish merchant stepped forward, and again contributed money and efforts, and finally Spain succeeded in occupying the enemy country. The following year, when the grain was about to be harvested, another country came to attack Spain. At this time, the grain could be harvested in another half a month, and there was no food in everyone's home to supply the army. At this time, it was the merchants who stood up and paid their own money to buy enough food overseas to deliver the food to the army, so that Spain could hold its homeland. ”

Finally, the king asked the merchant why he had to give money and help himself, so that he was not afraid that in the end the bamboo basket would be empty. The merchant just said, 'I'm not just a merchant, I'm a Spaniard.'"

After hearing this, Chongzhen couldn't help but sigh: "Good one, I am not only a businessman, but also a Spaniard. If I had such a businessman, I wouldn't have to worry about money. ”