Hou Xuanyan came to the Gu Mansion, and the disciples of the Gu family now know their aunt and know that he is the big backer of the family.

Greeted into the Gu Mansion with courtesy, the officials in Suzhou had dispersed, and Gu Youde, who had been busy all day, was about to rest. Seeing that Menzi led Hou Xuanyan here, he knew that Hou Xuanyan was angry because of Li Chengdong's matter. With a roll of his eyes, Gu Youde expected that there must be something wrong with him going and returning, so he stood up and greeted him, and asked, "Wen Yuan, don't worry too much about Li Chengdong's affairs." After all, he entered the court of the Ming Dynasty, and it was not that he disappeared from the world, and there was a way to take revenge. ”

Wen Yuan is Hou Xuanyan's cousin, and now Gu Youde, as Hou Xuanyan's elder, naturally can't call him by his name.

Hou Xuanyan smiled faintly and said, "Let's not talk about Li Chengdong's matter for the time being, I turned back today because I have a big deal to ask our Gu family to help." ”

Gu Youde said: "But it doesn't hurt to say it." ”

Hou Xuanyan looked around, and the living room was full of servants who were cleaning up the tableware for the banquet, and he took Gu Youde's hand: "We are talking inside." ”

At this time, the family members of the Gu family also walked out of the inner hall, and Gu Youde said to his three sons: "You guys come too." ”

Coming to the inner room behind the living room, Hou Xuanyan got straight to the point and said: "The Qing army is large, Jiangsu and Zhejiang bear the brunt, if you want to resist the Qing army, the soldiers, horses, money and food are the top priority." Jiangnan is rich, half of it is rich in fish and rice, and half is in businessmen. I want to collect business taxes, and I hope that the princess and the Gu family will support me. ”

Gu Shouye was anxious when he heard this, and finally supported a son-in-law, and before he had taken any benefits, he was going to collect his own taxes. Collecting business taxes? Who doesn't know that the Gu family is the biggest businessman in Suzhou, isn't this a white-eyed wolf. He stood up and was about to speak, but was scolded by Gu Youde: "Sit down for me!" ”

Gu Shouye's face was flushed, his brows were tightly locked, and he shouted, "Dad! ”

"I'll sit you down." Gu Youde tapped his fingers on the table, not angry.

Gu Shouye didn't dare to disobey, so he had to hold back his stomach and sit on the chair angrily.

The second brother Gu Shouzheng hurriedly came to his eldest brother's ear, and instilled a great truth. Gu Shouye, who was already irritable, trembled with anger, and simply pretended to be dead, squinting his eyes and saying nothing.

Gu Youde paused and said, "Wen Yuan, our Ming Dynasty's commercial tax, salt tax, tea tax, and customs duties have always been a bad debt, do you know the reason?" ”

Hou Xuanyan raised his eyebrows and said: "It's nothing more than wealth that moves people's hearts, and if someone makes a profit from it, they want to stir up the wind and rain." ”

"That's right, these people have big trees and deep roots, calling for wind and rain in the south of the Yangtze River. You are now sitting in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, your foothold is not stable, and there are Hong Chengchou's troops pressing the border, and 100,000 Qing soldiers can go to the city of Suzhou overnight. If you act rashly, the old man can ensure that you implement it in Suzhou, but in other places, how do you deal with it? ”

Hou Xuanyan slapped the table, his eyes were resolute, and he said coldly: "One word, kill!" ”

Gu Youde was full of energy, and he didn't feel heartbroken at all that he was about to lose a lot of money, he glared at Hou Xuanyan, shook his head and said, "It's not enough." ”

The murderous aura on Hou Xuanyan's face was swept away, like ice glass falling off in winter. He smiled, his handsome face was full of treacherous things that did not match his age, and he chuckled: "Jiangnan business taxes are not clear, and only a few people at the top are the ones who benefit, and below them, there are people who are ambitious but have no way to go to heaven." Now I'm going to give them this opportunity and give them a way to heaven.

I have changed the tax reform, and I will cut off which head pops up. Then let the people below him take the position, support a group of upstarts, and promise benefits such as opening up the sea and trade. ”

After saying this, in the scorching summer, several people in the room were cold.

Gu Youde's eyes were blazing, and he asked: "Do you know that there is a huge Jiangsu and Zhejiang, how many people do you need to kill to do this?" The energy in the hands of these people is enough to turn the world upside down. ”

"Taigong, you're right, you didn't exaggerate their strength, but you saw one thing wrong."

"What's the matter?"

"If any of these people have the courage to gather together and resist the butcher's knife, then Jinling, Yangzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou... None of these places will be lost. And they are not of the same mind, there are always a few enlightened people who know which is more important and know where to go. ”

This sentence has a bit of a heart-wrenching meaning, and the people of the Gu family understand in their hearts that there is a temptation in his words.

Gu Youde smiled, without the slightest hesitation, and said, "Wen Yuan, since you have decided, the old man has nothing to say here." I am more familiar with the situation in Suzhou than you, so I will leave it to me here, you go back and get ready, and go to Zhejiang to gnaw those hard bones. ”

Hou Xuanyan was overjoyed in his heart, this Gu Youde will satisfy himself every time there is a major event.

"Old lady, Wen Yuan has taken it to heart. Without further ado, I'll stay soon, and we'll talk about the details another day. After saying that, he rushed out in a hurry.

As soon as Hou Xuanyan left, Gu Shouye couldn't sit still, he got rid of his second brother and asked, "Daddy, he Hou Xuanyan is standing firm in Suzhou, we are making great efforts." Why is there no benefit to this, we must be rectified first. ”

It was rare that Gu Youde did not reprimand him, he could see that he was in a good mood, stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Your father and I were originally a side concubine of the Gu family, what do you rely on to achieve this family business today?" ”

"Daddy has a way of doing business."

Gu Youde snorted dissatisfiedly: "Business? Our money can't be spent in a few lifetimes, why can't you still fall in the eyes of money? In everything you do, you have to have a vision. Since you talk about business, who is the most successful businessman in your opinion? ”

Gu Shouye pondered for a moment and said: "Shen Wansan of this dynasty, even Taizu is greedy for the wealth of his family, can he be regarded as him?" ”

Gu Youde looked at him and asked, "Then what's the good end for him, huh?" Now that it is a troubled time, think about how many wealthy giants are in Yangzhou City, and their family collections are rich and rival the country. However, when Duoduo gave an order, the Qing soldiers and swords arrived, the savings of several generations were robbed, and the wives and daughters were molested and played with by others, and at that time, what was the use of money? If you want me to say, the most successful merchant was Lü Buwei of the Qin Dynasty.

Hou Xuanyan's luck is not bad, from having nothing, to now sitting in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Suzhou, and Songjiang. What's more, this kid is ruthless and poisonous enough, and he is a figure who has achieved great things, and such a person is born for troubled times. Whether our Gu family can get rid of the identity of a businessman and rest with the country like the Xu family of this dynasty depends on this. ”

He raised his head and twisted his beard, breathed a long sigh of relief, and muttered to himself: "It is said that I am Gu Youde and a natural businessman, I hope that this time my vision will not be bad." ”