In October of the first year of Taixing, the merchants of the entire Yan Kingdom gathered in Qingdao Port. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

makes Qingdao, which is already very lively, more like a huge event.

Wei Shuo knew the intention of the merchants, and he just wanted to win the title of the emperor.

At that time, Laoshan Trading Company was able to surpass the major merchant families in a short period of time and become a powerful trading company, which was absolutely inseparable from the support of various preferential policies.

The merchants have long coveted the various preferential treatment enjoyed by the Laoshan trading company, and now Yanwang intends to break the monopoly position of the Laoshan trading company and distribute all kinds of preferential treatment to other merchants, which will naturally cause the merchants to be crazy to pursue.

In a restaurant in Qingdao Port, several businessmen who are close friends gather together to exchange information with each other.

For businessmen, if they can grasp key information in advance, they will definitely have an advantage in business transactions.

As a result, some businessmen who often cooperate with each other often exchange information with each other.

Among the businessmen who whispered at each other, there was a table of businessmen who stood out from the crowd, especially the middle-aged people who were the leader, did not have the common philistine temperament of the businessmen, but had a faint temperament of a child of a family.

"Regarding the establishment of the 'Imperial Merchant' by King Yan, what rumors have you all found out?"

"Please forgive the head of the family, the tone is very strict everywhere, and the subordinates have not found any inside information!"

The middle-aged man frowned when he heard this, and suddenly relaxed: "It's no wonder you, this world is different now, officials at all levels are obedient to King Yan's rectification, if there is no permission from King Yan, they will never dare to reveal the slightest to the outside world." ”

"Thank you for your magnanimity!" A few young people quietly touched a cold sweat.

Just when the middle-aged man was thinking hard about what to do, he suddenly heard someone shouting, "Huh? Isn't this seeing an only brother? ”

Zhen Che looked up when he heard this, only to find that the person who greeted him was actually Su Ze, a business partner and competitor. The Su family and the Zhen family are in Zhongshan together, and they have been doing business for many generations, and the two families are not only good friends, but also compete with each other. But on the whole, the relationship between the two companies is quite friendly.

"It turned out to be Brother Runzhi, and you are also here to compete for the name of the imperial merchant?"

Su Ze sat opposite Zhen Che and said to Nunu all around: "There are many merchants in the entire restaurant who are not here for the imperial merchants!" ”

"That's just as well!"

Zhen Che looked around, looked at the businessmen who were discussing enthusiastically, and was immediately relieved. At present, all the businessmen can be said to be eyeing the name of the imperial businessman, and they are all determined to win. How important the name of the imperial merchant is, you only need to look at the development trajectory of Laoshan Trading Company to know.

"The status of businessmen has always been low, and having the name of the emperor gives businessmen confidence, who do you say will let go of the opportunity in front of them?"

As a giant, although Su Ze's status is a few points higher than that of ordinary merchants, compared with traditional families, they are still untouchables. Therefore, he understands very well the desire of major businessmen for the name of the imperial businessman, but he is a little puzzled that Zhen Che, who was born in a wealthy family, also came to compete for the name of the imperial businessman.

The Zhen family is not an ordinary business giant, they are a real famous family, and there have been high-ranking officials, concubines, and queens in the family. From the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Wei and Jin dynasties of the Three Kingdoms, the Zhen family skillfully attached themselves to the three major military group leaders of Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Sima who dominated the Central Plains, and accepted rewards many times.

And Zhen Che's great-grandfather Zhen De, as a relative of Cao Wei, successively married the daughters of Sima Shi and Sima Zhao, and became the brother-in-law of Sima Yan, Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty.

It was not until the outbreak of war in the Central Plains that the once-prosperous Zhen family gradually declined due to its separation from the court.

"My brother's family is a famous family, why did he also come to compete for the name of this imperial businessman?"

Hearing this, Zhen Che smiled bitterly and said: "What kind of famous family is my family, since my grandfather passed away, the Zhen family has been completely dead, and now it has been decades since I left the court." In order to revitalize the family, Brother Wei had to compete for the name of this imperial businessman. Only when the family has money can they have the ability to run a family school and take the imperial examination. ”

Su Ze nodded slightly in agreement, "Well, I heard King Yan say a long time ago: Having money is not everything, but you can't do it without money!" Truth and even reason. ”

"Let's not talk about these unhappy people, for the matter of the imperial businessman, has my brother found out any inside information?"

"Some of the Zhen family's connections have long been cut off due to the war, and I have mobilized all the connections to inquire before, but I have never obtained more detailed information except that I know that King Yan intends to set up ten imperial merchants."

"Hehe, don't hide it from my brother, my younger brother has found out some news here." Su Ze lowered his voice and said.

"Oh? Please also ask the virtuous brother to tell me, and my Zhen family will have a good reward in the future! ”

"Brother, don't worry, listen to the younger brother one by one."

Su Ze's choice to share inside information with the Zhen family was deliberate. If you really want to say that the Zhen family has more hope of winning the title of imperial businessman than the Su family, it is inevitable that the Su family will ask the Zhen family in the future.

I saw Su Ze leaning over and whispering in Zhen Che's ear: "According to reliable sources, this selection of imperial merchants is said to be ten places, but in fact, there are only five, and the other five have already been determined. ”

"What?! How so? King Yan has always been fair, why would he be favoritistic this time? Zhen Che's face was full of shock.

"Brother don't worry, and listen to the younger brother's explanation. King Yan did this as a last resort, Laoshan Trading Company made great contributions to King Yan to pacify the world, and now King Yan wants to split it, in order to appease Zhu Wen and other high-level trading companies, he has to make compromises. ”

"So that's the case, it's understandable, but the competition is even more fierce when we wait!"

Zhen Che's tone was worried, originally he still had some confidence in competing for the imperial merchant, but now after listening to Su Ze's remarks, he suddenly became anxious.

"Who's to say it isn't? But in the face of the decision made by King Yan, who has the ability to overturn it? At the moment, the younger brother is not counting on it, if the elder brother is lucky enough to be selected in the future, please take care of my Su family. ”

"Brother Xian laughed, in the face of the only five places left, he was not completely sure of his brother!"

"Eh, brother is too humble! The Zhen family in Zhongshan is not an ordinary businessman, and there is still great hope. Su Ze comforted.

……

Early one morning in October, the Fu Ji Restaurant in the south of Qingdao Port City was taken over by hundreds of guards. In order to ensure the smooth progress of the event, and for the sake of safety, the streets on both sides of Fu Ji Restaurant are three steps and one post, five steps and one sentry, and they are heavily guarded.

Only those who are innocent and have an invitation card are allowed to enter, and the rest of the idle people are not allowed to approach the restaurant. Although there is still an hour before the official start of the event, the restaurant is already full of businessmen from all over the world.

When there was still a moment before the hour, Yan Wang Weishuo came to the restaurant surrounded by a large number of guards, and the merchants present stood up to greet him.

Wei Shuo didn't stop outside, but walked straight to the box on the second floor. Looking from the box, there is a platform in front of the lobby on the first floor of the restaurant, which seems to be specially used for the host of the event. On the opposite side of the platform, rows of tables and chairs covered with red cloth have been placed, which are the seats of Zhen Che, Su Ze and other businessmen.

Wei Shuo sat in the box, accompanied by Zhu Wen, Zhang Dalang, Zhang Fang, Zhao Yuanlang and other senior executives of Laoshan Trading Company. Everyone basically knew the news that the Laoshan Trading Company would be split, and although it was a little sad, everyone was in a stable mood because they learned that the Ministry of Internal Affairs was established and the Imperial Merchants were established.

"Yuen Long, it's up to you next." Wei Shuo commanded Zhao Yuanlang beside him.

Zhao Yuanlang hugged his fist at Wei Shuo and got up to leave, and as he appeared on the stage, this eye-catching business event finally kicked off in the expectations of businessmen.

"In Xia Zhao Yuanlang, I specially presided over this grand ceremony for the awarding of the name of the imperial merchant on the order of King Yan, and then I will tell you how to be eligible for the title of imperial businessman."

As soon as Zhao Yuanlang said this, the scene suddenly became quiet, and countless pairs of eyes stared at Zhao Yuanlang firmly, as if they wanted to melt Zhao Yuanlang, thanks to Zhao Yuanlang's knowledge, otherwise he would really not be able to hold his breath.

"As we all know, our Yan Kingdom is different from the previous dynasties, and it implements a policy of simultaneous development of agriculture and industry. Under this policy, the commerce of Yanguo has been greatly developed. For example, the well-known Laoshan Trading Company has great influence in the country, and it has also made great contributions to the development and growth of Yan State. But the success of Laoshan Trading Company has its peculiarities. Therefore, with the consent of King Yan and the approval of the cabinet, the government intends to continue to promote this model, which is what everyone hears of the imperial merchant system. (To be continued.) )