Xi Benzhen exchanged a few polite words with Fang Yuan, and said straight to the point, "Governor Fang, you came to Weng's house with a lot of people, and even used the Hongyi cannon, what do you say?" ”

Fang Yuan took a sip of tea and said unhurriedly, "This is my grudge with the Weng family, and it has something to do with the Xi family and the Shen family?" ”

Xi Benzhen Zhengrong said, "What Governor Fang wants to do in Suzhou during this trip is Sima Zhao's heart, everyone knows. The Xi family, the Shen family and the Weng family are all Dongting merchants, and they still understand such a simple truth! ”

Shen Xiang was young and vigorous, and his anger was even greater, and he said angrily, "When the Dongting Merchant Gang was established, it was agreed that one would be prosperous and one would be lost, and Governor Fang would clean up the Weng family, and even the Shen family should also clean up!" I, Shen Xiang, entered Governor Fang's barracks today, and I didn't think about getting out alive. ”

Fang Yuan stared coldly at Shen Xiang who dared to blackmail him, and said sharply, "Shen Gongzi is threatening me?" Do you think that if the law does not hold the people accountable, I will not dare to punish you?! ”

Shen Xiang got up angrily and said, "My uncle is the political envoy of Zhejiang, if you punish me, it will be a big deal that the Shen family's family business will be transferred to Zhejiang." ”

Xi Benzhen took Shen Xiang's arm, calmed him for a while, and said slowly, "Governor Fang, whether you are an official or a businessman, you should always be reasonable in everything, right?" Governor Fang wants to slaughter people at every turn, is he still the governor of the imperial court? What's the difference with those bandits? ”

"If under the rule of Governor Fang, the government is so rampant and domineering, and rob if you want, which rich businessman would dare to stay in Suzhou Mansion to do business? The rich merchants were all forced away, and Governor Fang went to rob whose silver? I, Xi Benzhen, came to negotiate with Governor Fang on behalf of the entire Dongting Merchant Gang this time, and if we can negotiate, we will continue to stay in Suzhou Mansion to support Governor Fang. ”

Fang Yuan's original intention was not to be incompatible with the Dongting Merchant Gang, the Dongting Merchant Gang was gone, and the economy of Suzhou Mansion would collapse, Xi Benzhen was willing to sit down and negotiate on behalf of the Dongting Merchant Gang, instead of blindly resisting as before, that was the best, "Okay, how does the head of the Xi family want to talk?!" ”

Xi Benzhen gestured a finger and said, "First, let's talk about the arrears of land dues first. ”

Fang Yuan smiled and said, "The list of arrears is clearly written in black and white, the Xi family owes 73,526 taels; The Shen family owes 54,630 taels. Does the head of the Xi family have any objection to the amount owed? We can check it one by one! ”

Xi Benzhen shook his head and said, "I agree with the amount of arrears, but if we want to pay so much silver, it will be difficult for a strong man." ”

Fang Yuan pretended to be stunned and asked, "What is the reason that the head of the Xi family is talking about?" ”

Xi Benzhen said lightly, "Because when we owe the field tax, we spent money to the Suzhou government office, and we want to pay the field tax in full, which is okay, but the Suzhou government must return the silver we spent." ”

Fang Yuan was stunned for a moment, what Xi Benzhen said was also reasonable, because the outstanding land tax was by no means something that a rich merchant could eat alone, and he had to spend money to buy the tax collector, and the tax collector would wipe out the arrears of the land on his behalf.

After so many years, the promotion of the officials who collected taxes in that year, the transfer of transfers, and the Zhishi of Zhishi, I don't know how many allocations have been changed? It was impossible to track it down at all, and it was out of the four mansions of Nanjing, and it was beyond Fang Yuan's territory. If only one part of it is tracked, the rest will cause trouble.

Speaking of which, this is a confused account that is difficult to trace, and can only be confused and confused.

Fang Yuan groaned and said, "What are the conditions of the Xi family master?" ”

Xi Benzhen and Shen Xiang glanced at each other and said, "We can only pay fifty percent, if Governor Fang is willing to make another step and only pay thirty percent, Xi and Shen are willing to collect the outstanding land endowment of the Dongting Merchant Gang, collect all of them and hand them over to Governor Fang." ”

In this kind of negotiation, there is absolutely no argument that Fang Yuan's family is sitting on the ground and raising the price, and others are not allowed to bargain. If you really want to be so domineering, you have to eat meat, and you don't let go of soup, who would dare to do business with Fang Yuan?

The process of business negotiation is a process of compromise between the two parties and finally reaching a mutually acceptable outcome.

I have to say that the conditions proposed by Xi Benzhen made Fang Yuan quite excited, if the Xi family and the Shen family, led by the Dongting Merchant Gang, went to collect it on their behalf, although they could only collect 30% of the outstanding field endowment, it could save a lot of unnecessary trouble, so as not to let Fang Yuan's family come to the door to ask for it.

Fang Yuan is not a mother-in-law's person, anyway, these outstanding Tian Fu are not the silver in Chongzhen and his plan, and the extra one or two is earned, not to mention that the Dongting Merchant Gang alone needs to pay 300,000 or 400,000 taels, so he readily agreed, "Okay, the paid Tian Fu will be handed over to the Xi family and the Shen family to collect on their behalf, and they will be handed over to the government after collecting all of them." ”

Xi Benzhen and Shen Xiang glanced at each other, the matter of arrears of land endowments could be passed so easily, and only thirty percent of the total amount was paid. If you operate from it again and apportion some more to other wealthy merchants, the actual amount of silver paid by the Xi and Shen families will be less.

Fang Yuan didn't seem to be as difficult to communicate as they imagined.

Xi Benzhen said, "Since Governor Fang is so happy, the matter of paying the field endowment will be negotiated." Next is the Weng family's business. ”

Fang Yuan coughed and interrupted him and said, "My grievances with the Weng family, the Xi and Shen families had better not come to muddy the water." ”

Shen Xiang was displeased and said, "Why did the Weng family offend you?" ”

Fang Yuan said in a deep voice, "Bought the Liangshan Liukou and attacked the governor and the prince; Don't you know about the blatant murder outside the gate? ”

Shen Xiang was slightly surprised, Fang Yuan's statement, it was really the first time he had heard it, if such a serious incident was involved, if the Shen family was involved, I was afraid that he would also be taken to the funeral together.

Xi Benzhen has already said, "Governor Fang, the Weng family discussed with me about buying Liangshan Liukou, and at that time, I also strongly opposed this absurd act of colluding with Liukou and attacking the officials of the imperial court. At least we should wait for Governor Fang to arrive, and then talk about it after contact, I didn't expect that Weng Lao was really too anxious, here, I will apologize to Governor Fang on behalf of the Weng family! ”

Fang Yuan said in a deep voice, "Master Xi, are you joking?" The lives of thousands of Liangshan Liukou, the lives of dozens of sergeants under my command, and the lives of five Jinyi guards, can it be done simply to make amends? ”

Xi Benzhen asked tentatively, "If the Weng family hands over their eldest son Weng Gongjin to give an explanation, and then compensates for the silver, can it be over?" ”

This is not a question of compensation at all, Fang Yuan still shook his head and said, "It's far from enough, the Weng family must be ruined!" ”

Xi Benzhen sighed and said, "The Shang Gang has the rules of the Shang Gang, since the Xi and Shen families have agreed to be this peacemaker, they can't abandon the Weng family, and Governor Fang really can't give this face?" ”

Fang Yuan said without giving in, "Given, how can I lead the troops?" How to convince the public? Since the Weng family dares to take this step, they must bear all the consequences. ”

The conditions of the two sides were at odds with each other, and the atmosphere of judgment was once again awkward.

Fang Yuan suddenly stood up and said, "The head of the Xi family, the Weng family, must have a broken family to apologize." But I see that the Xi and Shen families have come to intercede, and they can give a promise to solve the Weng family in the business war. ”

Xi Benzhen didn't understand the meaning of his words, and asked in amazement, "This, what does Governor Fang mean by solving the Weng family in the business war?" ”

Fang Yuan said coldly, "I originally respected the rules of your Dongting Business Gang, in business, if I force the Weng family to go bankrupt and the family is ruined in the business war, will the two of you still intervene?" ”

The Dongting Merchant Gang has a clear division of labor in the scope of business. The Weng family is engaged in the textile industry and porcelain industry in Suzhou Prefecture; The Xi family is in the mining and tea industries; The Shen family, on the other hand, controls the salt industry and the wood paint industry.

The textile industry is the leading industry in Suzhou Prefecture, and the silk of the Weng family is not only supplied to half of the north, but also exported overseas.

Fang Yuan, a newcomer governor, in addition to force, power, and connections, could not be compared with the Weng family in the silk industry, how could he force the Weng family to go bankrupt and ruin in the business war?

Xi Benzhen really can't see through the mind of this Governor Fang, but since he agreed not to use force and only rely on the mall to settle grievances, the Weng family is at least safe today, Xi Benzhen can be regarded as fulfilling his promise to the Weng family, what else can he say?

Xi Benzhen and Shen Xiang discussed for a while, and reached a consensus, accepting Fang Yuan's proposal to solve the problem in business, all grievances, and fight it out in the shopping mall, and promised Fang Yuan that Xi Shen's family would never interfere again.

Fang Yuan smiled and said, "One word is a certainty!" Today, the Weng family handed over their eldest son, Weng Gongjin, and 100,000 taels of land that should be paid, and I will withdraw the troops. ”