is also a huge wealth in Handan, and the history of Handan Zhuo's family is very different from that of Handan Guo. The rise of the Guo clan relied on the support of the Zhao regime, while the accumulation of wealth by the Zhuo clan relied on the hard work of generations.

The ancestor of the Zhuo clan was not originally from Handan, nor was he a very wealthy businessman. With the prosperity of the Zhao State and the increasing prosperity of Handan, the Zhuo family discovered the business opportunities in Handan City, so they moved to Handan.

Zhao was a country that attached equal importance to agriculture and commerce, and mercantilism was a major feature of Handan City, so the Zhuo family was not discriminated against and suppressed in Handan. So the ancestors of the Zhuo family started as a small businessman, and they have been doing business for generations. They sold horses, timber, stones, and cloth, and because they were shrewd and capable, they were able to speak and calculate, and the trade became more and more prosperous, and gradually accumulated capital, and became a well-known wealthy merchant in Handan.

During the Warring States Period, merchants often made friends with high-ranking officials and nobles, like the Guo family, so that they could monopolize the industry with the help of privileges and obtain huge profits. The Zhuo family stands out from the crowd, not only does not rely on officials and uses power for personal gain, but also can destroy the family and relieve difficulties, so it has a good reputation in Handan and even in Zhao State. Zhao Wuling King Hu Fu cavalry shooting, they sold a large number of horses from the Xiongnu in the grassland, so that the cavalry troops of Zhao quickly grew and galloped through the northern hinterland.

The Zhuo family has a genius-like keen business sense, and they do not follow the trend, but develop the industry according to their own ability and understanding of the market. During the reign of King Zhao Huiwen, the wealthy Zhuo clan entered the iron-smelting industry, a profiteering industry, and began to smelt iron to produce ironware. The iron ore resources near Handan are quite abundant, and the iron-smelting workers in Handan City are quite abundant, and the time and place are all right, and soon Zhuo's occupies a place in Handan's iron-smelting industry.

Soon, however, they were suppressed by the monopolist, Guo. After several business wars, Guo successfully cut off Zhuo's road to becoming an army weapons manufacturer, and Zhuo's stubbornly gained a firm foothold in the iron-smelting industry market with huge capital. The Zhuo family, which lost the order of the army, had no choice but to focus on the mass user group, hoping to find a different way to rise. However, in order for iron to become popular among the common people, it is necessary to reduce the price of iron and improve the quality of iron tools, that is, to make them cheap and good, and to achieve this, it is necessary to improve technology, which is the only way.

Fortunately, the Zhuo family has never been only a shrewd businessman family, but also a family that is good at reform and innovation. The Zhuo family has made every effort to innovate smelting technology, improve the grade of ironware, and reduce production costs. The whole process was long and difficult, but with the joint efforts of the Zhuo clan, they succeeded. They developed steadily, quickly building a glorious smelting empire and becoming a force to be reckoned with in Handan City. Although Guo still used his privileges to suppress them openly and secretly from time to time, he could no longer stop their momentum of progress.

The above is the information of the Zhuo family that Zhao Jie obtained in advance. In the face of such a family that has grown up in the adversity, Zhao Jie is full of reverence for it on the one hand, and is revered for its perseverance and never-give-up spirit; On the one hand, he was in awe of it, afraid of losing money in cooperation, and was sold by him and helped him count the money.

"This is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of the current Zhao Kingdom, our collaborator in the iron-smelting industry, and the master behind the ironwork workshop of the Northwest Acropolis." After introducing his family to Zhao Jie, Zhuo Bufan introduced Zhao Jie to his family.

The people of the Zhuo clan, regardless of men, women and children, saluted Zhao Jie and said, "Meet His Royal Highness the Prince." ”

"No need to be polite, get up quickly." Zhao Jie said again: "This time, Gu did not come to visit as a prince, but as a collaborator of iron smelting to discuss cooperation. ”

Hearing this, everyone in the Zhuo clan said a promise, and then sat down again. After a period of greetings, Zhao Jie discussed cooperation with the Zhuo clan.

The essence of business is the exchange of interests, and after several bargains, Zhao Jie finally signed a contract with Zhuo's:

1. The Northwest Acropolis Iron Workshop was renamed Zhao Zhuo Iron Workshop, Zhao Jie owned 50% of its shares, and Zhuo's owned 40% of its shares.

2. Zhuo's owns all the right to operate the ironware workshop, and Zhao Jie is not allowed to interfere with Zhuo's operation. Zhao Jie, on the other hand, had full authority to supervise the ironsmith workshop, and Zhuo was not allowed to interfere with the exercise of Zhao Jie's supervisory power.

3. Zhao Jie has the right to decide on major events, which refer to important decisions related to the development of the workshop, such as the dilution of shares, the relocation of the workshop, and the establishment of sub-workshops.

Fourth, the double reverse is required to invest 1,000 taels of silver in the workshop every year (additional as appropriate) until the workshop occupies a dominant position in the Zhao Guoye iron market.

5. Zhao Jie has the privilege of using the resources of the workshop to develop secret products; Zhao Jie has the privilege of having priority access to the products produced by the workshop, but he needs to pay at a price that exceeds the market price of the same period.

6. Zhuoshi has the privilege of receiving profits and dividends in advance; Zhuo has the prerogative to determine the seller; Zhao Jie needs to use his own advantages to protect the safety of the members of the Zhuo family.

7. Zhao Jie needs to use his own advantages to protect the production and operation of this workshop, while Zhuo needs to fully support the production and operation of this workshop.

In this contract, Zhao Jie put forward the concept of shares and dividends for the first time and applied them to practice. Although this contract still has = many imperfections, it still cannot stop the praise of later generations, and later generations once called it "the first contract book in ancient times".

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When Zhao Jie pressed the seal on the contract, in the inn in Xianyang City of Qin, the envoy of Wei was sorting out the goods of the envoy.

"Your Excellency, there is a ragged man outside the pavilion who claims to be your old friend." A guard ran to Suja to report.

"Old friends? Come with me and see! Suja commanded with a little confusion. After a while, Su Jia came to the door of the inn.

Su Jia looked in the direction of the guard's finger, and it turned out that the person in front of him wearing shabby clothes was Fan Sui, his former companion on the Qi State. Su Jia couldn't help but be shocked when he saw Fan Sui: "Uncle Fan didn't die!" God forbid! ”

Fan Sui pretended to smile when he heard this: "Yes, God forbid, I am lucky to have survived!" I came to see you today to talk about the old feelings, but I still ask Brother Su to help hide my news in the Qin Kingdom. ”

Hearing this, Su Jia said with pity: "Uncle Fan has suffered today, and I also have a certain responsibility. Don't worry, I won't leak your news, and I'll be able to atone for my sins! ”

Fan Ju leaned over and bowed, "Then I thank Brother Su here!" All I want to do now is save my life! ”

Hearing this, Su Jia exhorted: "Uncle Fan is quick to think and has the ability to travel through heaven and earth, why don't you lobby in the Qin Kingdom?" If you can be appreciated by the nobles, you should at least be able to worry about food and clothing, why be so poor and miserable as you are today? ”

Fan Sui pretended to smile bitterly and said: "I offended the prime minister of Wei before, so I fled here, how can I dare to lobby!" If I meet someone like the Prime Minister of Wei again, I'm afraid that my good luck will be gone, and this life can still be saved! ”

Knowing that Fan Ju was not wealthy, Su Jia's behavior began to have a hint of arrogance, and he continued to ask, "Since you don't lobby, what are you doing now?" ”

Fan Sui continued to pretend to be poor and poor, and he replied: "When I came to Qin, I was fortunate to meet a nobleman, and now I am working as an errand for others. ”

Errand is a lowly job, and Su Jia couldn't bear to listen to it, and felt some pity for Fan Ju. So he left Fan Sui to sit down to eat together, and said sympathetically: "How can Uncle Fan be so poor!" ”

At this time, the accompanying maid brought a thick silk robe to put on for Su Jia. Su Jia stopped the maid's movements, gave it to Fan Ju, and personally dressed it for him. While dressing Fan Ju's robe, Xu Jia asked, "Zhang Jun, the prime minister of the Qin State, do you know him?" I heard that he was very favored by the King of Qin, and the King of Qin followed the advice of Zhang Jun of Xiangguo in all major matters related to the conquest of the world. What I did this time was related to the life and death of the Wei State, and the success or failure also depended on Zhang Jun. You have been in Qin for a long time, do you have any friends who are familiar with Xiangguo Zhang Jun? If so, it is inconvenient for me to be introduced. ”

Fan Sui thought for a moment when he heard this, and then said: "I have heard my master say that he has a very good relationship with Xiangguo Zhang Jun, and they are quite familiar with each other. Therefore, even if it is Zhang Jun of Xiangguo that I can ask to meet, please let me do one last thing for Wei and introduce you to Zhang Jun. ”

Su Jia couldn't help but be overjoyed when he heard this, but on the surface, he still looked serious, and said hesitantly: "My horse is sick, the axle is broken, and it is not etiquette to visit the ruler of the kingdom with a cart that is not drawn by four horses, according to the regulations, what do you think I should do?" ”

Fan Sui said without hesitation when he heard this: My master is a nobleman, and there are three or four four-horse horse-drawn taxis in the family. I am willing to borrow a four-horse cart from my master for you, and I am willing to drive it for you. ”

Su Jia's heart was excited again when he heard this, he respectfully thanked Fan Ju, and then said, "Thank you Uncle Fan, this envoy is thanks to your help." ”

Fan Ju also returned the salute when he heard this: "No need to be polite, this is what I should do as a Wei person!" Please wait in the guest house for a day, and tomorrow morning, I will come to pick you up in a carriage. ”