Hua Kefang took the two big businessmen to kneel respectfully in front of the three halls of the Qi Palace, and as soon as he saw Li Zhi walking in, he knelt on the ground and saluted.

"The common people have seen the prince! The prince is a thousand years old, a thousand years old! ”

Li Zhi sat on the throne and said lightly: "Get up." ”

Hua Kefang and the two businessmen heard Li Zhi's words and slowly got up from the ground. Hua Kefang took a step back after getting up, and then stood respectfully. His action forced the two big businessmen behind him to take a step back in the same way, which made the three of them look very humble.

Li Zhi looked at Hua Kefang.

It was a middle-aged man in his forties with a black goatee. He is quite tall and has a slight fat face. The stomach was a little erect because of obesity, and an arc was pushed out on the Lu silk round neck.

Probably because of the middle-aged Dezhi's business, which is getting bigger and bigger, he looks very confident. If you compare it with the other two middle-aged businessmen, you will feel that this Hua Kefang is full of energy, and it seems that she can do great things at any time.

Li Zhi opened his mouth and asked, "You are Hua Kefang, who recently established the Chamber of Commerce?" ”

Hua Kefang arched his hand and said: "The prince is Mingjian, and the common people are Hua Kefang." The common people took the lead in setting up the Fanjiazhuang General Chamber of Commerce. ”

Li Zhi said lightly: "I heard that you set up this chamber of commerce to seek status for businessmen?" Looking for a way out? ”

Li Zhi's words were a little unkind.

The two businessmen behind Hua Kefang both took a breath when they heard this. The two of them glanced at each other, and secretly said that something was wrong.

However, Hua Kefang didn't care.

Hearing Li Zhi's questioning, Hua Kefang was not surprised at all.

With the energy and power of King Qi, Hua Kefang said that he wanted to seek political status for businessmen, and King Qi would definitely know about this matter. But Hua Kefang did things in a measured manner and would not provoke King Qi's suppression.

And Hua Kefang is also confident in the correctness of what she did.

In terms of the overall energy of the private businessmen of Fanjiazhuang and Tianjin Acropolis, these non-governmental forces have reached a critical point. It can be said that even if they do not come out to organize the Chamber of Commerce, this non-governmental force will participate in the political life of one town and nine provinces in one way or another.

Perhaps the businessmen will choose to support a particular local official to make political achievements, or use their financial resources to influence the local people's hearts, in short, since the entrepreneurs and businessmen have the strength they have today, this strength will eventually be demonstrated.

Hua Kefang understands this, and Hua Kefang believes that Li Zhi, the king of Qi, also understands.

It is precisely because King Qi must understand this that Hua Kefang dared to stand up and say that he was seeking status for the merchants, because Hua Kefang was just following the trend, and he was really moving with the trend. He believed that such a self would not be punished by the King of Qi.

Hearing Li Zhi's words, Hua Kefang arched his hand and said: "Lord Mingjian, Hua does have the idea of seeking a future for businessmen. ”

Li Zhi looked at Hua Kefang and did not speak.

Hua Kefang arched his hand and said: "Lord Wang, the Ming Dynasty has always despised businessmen, and in the rules of the Ming Dynasty, there is the order of agriculture and commerce. In this order, the merchant is the lowest and the lowest. In the heart of Emperor Taizu Gao, I am afraid that I hope that there are no businessmen in the world, and it is better if there are no entrepreneurs! ”

However, even such a Ming court gave merchants a clear way. If a merchant earns money, he can donate it to the prison. As long as you pay enough money, you will be a prisoner from now on, and you can be regarded as a well-dressed person and a social reputation! ”

Hearing Hua Kefang's words, Li Zhi didn't say a word.

Hua Kefang paused and looked up at Li Zhi's face. Seeing that Li Zhi was not angry, Hua Kefang continued: "King Qi rose on the shore of the Haihe River, taking industry and commerce as the foundation of the country, and the most important industry. His Royal Highness built roads, built ports, opened courts, and established stock markets, so that market vendors like us were able to do some things with the support of King Qi, and now we have all become businessmen and business owners. ”

"In the Fanjiazhuang Chamber of Commerce, there are 172 business owners listed on the stock exchange alone."

"The total number of people employed by our members of the Chamber of Commerce, after recent detailed statistics, is 116,000. That's more than I originally estimated. And these 110,000 people are scattered in various factories on the outskirts of Fanjiazhuang, which may have led to the employment of more than 100,000 vendors. ”

"Lord Wang, to tell you the truth, the common people really feel that the merchants of my Fanjiazhuang have indeed done something for the people."

Hearing Hua Kefang's statistics, the guards around Li Zhi were a little surprised. I can't imagine that a private enterprise with no political status and never listed above the court would employ so many people. In this way, a small half of the citizens of Fanjiazhuang and Tianjin Acropolis rely on the business of private merchants.

Hua Kefang continued: "Not to mention the rest of the nine provinces in one town. You must know that there are no state-owned factories in other places, and all local industries and businesses are run by private businessmen. ”

"But Lord Wang, at this level today, we businessmen still don't have a little right to speak. Our business benefits hundreds of thousands of people, or more, without getting the honor they deserve. On the road, you encounter playful naughty children, idle and lazy people who don't work, they may be pointed at and abused. ”

"Lord Wang, I'm afraid this kind of situation is not good. I think the prince should give us a background and a way out. Let us donate money, let us contribute to the cause of the prince, in the end, we should always give us a head, a hope, so that we can get an official body and achieve a respected status. ”

Hua Kefang said a lot, and finally looked up at Li Zhi.

Listening to Hua Kefang say the request in one breath, he said it neither humbly nor arrogantly, and the two big businessmen behind him were also a little excited. The two also raised their heads and looked at Li Zhi hopefully.

Li Zhi tapped his fingers on the armrest of the throne.

After a long time, he said: "What you said is that you want the widow to open a channel so that you can buy officials with money, right?" ”

Hearing Li Zhi's words, Hua Kefang and the two people behind him had a pang on their faces, and their faces suddenly turned white.

When King Qi said such ugly words, he was obviously not ready to agree to them.

Li Zhi said with a smile: "It's best to buy an official to get privileges, so that the business can be bigger and more profitable." In this way, you can make more money and buy bigger officials in the future. In such a virtuous circle, it is good for you to do all the business in the world, and you to direct and influence the world's policies. ”

Hua Kefang frowned and said, "Lord Wang, all I want now is an official body." ”

Li Zhi said unhappily: "I don't think it's that simple. As business owners and big businessmen, where do you go? Enough of the scenery. “

"I think the official status you want is, to put it bluntly, a privilege above the law. What you want is for the court to favor you after you have a conflict with the people, and what you want is for the police to spare you if you break the law. What you want is not a simple office, but the privileges that this office represents. ”

"Further, you still want to spend money to be an official and take charge of policy, right?"

Hua Kefang saw that King Qi said it so bluntly, and he didn't dare to answer.

Li Zhi shook his head and said, "Your business is big, and you have already made enough profits. Your money can allow you to eat three wives and four concubines, and the widow thinks that this is enough. ”

"If you want to spend money to buy an official, or if you want to spend money to do something like a real official, don't mention it in the future."

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