Xuzhou, Pengcheng, and Xu Ji did not stop long, and went to the East China Sea, the base camp of Mizhu.

The most important reason why Xu Ji was in such a hurry was because he still had plans to go to Luoyang, after all, it was the imperial capital, and there were more opportunities to participate in the situation in the world.

Mi Zhu's reputation in the East China Sea is indeed very good, Mi family has been doing business for generations, it is said that the wealth is more than 100 million, and the door servants are all over, plus Mi Zhu can be regarded as a good person, and the East China Sea is a township after all, they all say that the eldest prince is a great good person, Xu Ji does not pay much attention to these, these reputations can not be blessed in troubled times, and the name of the Qing Dynasty is a good thing, and the troubled times are just empty words.

And Mi Zhu's younger brother Mi Fang seems to be very mediocre, obviously in the eyes of the county people is far from being comparable to his brother, but compared to Mi Zhu, Xu Ji values this not very important businessman Mi Fang, because Mi Zhu rarely cares about business matters, that is to say, Mi Fang is actually the personnel of Mi Fang, and Mi Zhu is only a representative on the surface, or rather, Mi Zhu is the political representative of Mi Fang, and its resources are controlled by Mi Fang, This is also about a very powerful place for the old lady Mi, avoiding brothers from harming each other, because the two brothers can't leave each other's help to each other.

Xu Ji went to the East China Sea to ask for a meeting with Mi Zhubao, whose name was Sima Hui's disciple, and it was nothing more than rumors that Mi Zizhong had a hospitable study tour so far, so he came to visit before. Of course, Xu Ji knew that Mi Zhu would probably not really come to receive him in person, but what Xu Ji really wanted to see was not Mi Zhu, although Mi Zhu was undoubtedly easier to deal with than Mi Fang, a pure businessman.

The reception of Xu Ji and Chen was really the second son Mi Fang, Mi Fang's face was gentle, with a short beard under his chin, not as delicate as a literati, but a heroic spirit, and he was dressed up without the vanity of a rich family, but a clean and neat ranger.

Mi Fang also politely showed his identity when he came recently: "Master Xu, my brother has not returned from visiting friends in Xiapi at this time, forgive me, let me receive the two of you for my brother." ”

Xu Ji bowed his hand and asked, "Didn't ask for advice?" ”

Mi Fang stretched out his hand and motioned for Xu Ji and Chen Zhi to go with him, and replied: "Contemptible Mi Fang, the word is square, thank you Xu Gongzi for not disliking it, just call me the word." There is also a reason for Mi Fang's humble attitude, since ancient times, the status of merchants has been the most despiseful, and the status of scholars is the highest.

Xu Ji said with a smile: "How dare you, Wen Lie is nothing more than a yellow-mouthed child, Zifang has already supported this piece of family business, but I am still white, how dare I dislike it if I am self-sufficient?" ”

Mi Fang, who led the way in front, also smiled: "What Xu Gongzi said is really embarrassing, if it weren't for his father's Yu Yin, I'm afraid that Zifang would just be a ranger in the rivers and lakes." ”

Xu Jizheng said: "Everyone in the world despises businessmen, but do you know that businessmen are like flowing water, and Yunyun is like a river." If there is no flowing water, the river will be unsustainable, Wen Lie has always admired Lü Buwei very much, the business to the phase, the strange goods can live but still vividly. ”

Mi Fang Ha Lu Ha smiled, didn't say anything more, just took the two of them to the guest room to live, said to live with peace of mind, and Mi Zhu would inform him as soon as he came back. When he arrived in the East China Sea, Xu Ji was not in a hurry, today's words must soon be known to Mi Zhu, but Xu Ji is sure that Mi Zhu will inevitably meet him, because Xu Ji's words are directed at Mi Zhu's heart.

In fact, Xu Ji still wants to meet Chen Qi, but it doesn't seem to be very practical, although this scholar who can be regarded as a member of the Yingchuan family is not a direct line, it is difficult for Xu Ji to make friends with him, if he is just visiting Xu Ji is really unwilling to waste time.

However, the tree wanted to be quiet and the wind did not stop, Xu Ji still wanted to wait quietly for Mi Zhu to come, but something happened that made Xu Ji interested.

Mi Zhu came to visit the next day, and behaved very affectionately, but unfortunately Xu Ji no longer mentioned the topics that Mi Fang said yesterday, although Mi Zhu knocked on the side of the inquiry, it seems that Mi Zhu is also extremely confused about his future, Xu Ji can also understand this, Mi is not a family of poetry and books, only by virtue of family wealth to become a big family, they are not fame at all but money, Mi Zhu has not yet understood that he will hardly be accepted by the real upper class, this is the gap in family background.

Even Sima Hui didn't like businessmen very much, which was the limitation of the times.

Xu Ji knows that he can't say everything at once, the so-called sending charcoal in the snow is the most grateful in the world, and the current Mi Zhu is far from that time. If you want Mi Zhu to work for yourself, you need to wait for the opportunity, and this opportunity must be before Tao Qian lives in Xuzhou. If you can't wait, you can't say, you have to create it yourself.

And this opportunity appeared immediately, the Chen family and the Mi family have business dealings, and it is also very interesting to say, these scholars look down on merchants on the surface, but how many families are not in business? Xu Ji couldn't help but laugh every time he thought of this.

To put it bluntly, the industry is Mi's and the official dredging are carried out by Chen, that is, Chen provides legal channels for Mi, after all, selling illicit salt is a big crime, and this time Chen has increased the share of the share, which is almost known to everyone in the East China Sea, and Chen does not cover it up at all. And this is just the opportunity.

Mi Zhu, who knew about this matter, obviously couldn't have time to spend time here with Xu Ji, so he immediately needed to convene the clansmen to discuss. Xu Ji understood this, and said meaningfully: "A gentleman should strive for self-improvement, and the lifeline is to be more stable in his own hands after all." ”

Mi Zhu didn't say much, but Xu Ji could feel the undercurrent under Mi Zhu's peace, obviously this sentence pierced his weakness, the reason why Mi Zhu wanted to advance to the official career so hard was because he didn't want to be constrained by these clans anymore?

It's night.

"Brother, the Chen family has deceived people too much, the Mi family has been based in Xuzhou for generations, and the Chen family is too domineering, right? It was already fifty-five points, and now it is even more, which is really deceitful! "Mi Fang's temperament is indeed still hot, but Mi Zhu is an understanding person.

"The Chen family has this capital, after all, we are just businessmen, but the Chen family is a family, who in Xuzhou can not give them some face? To put it bluntly, if the business is not done without them, I am afraid that it will not be possible. It's just that I wrote down this account, and sooner or later I will make them all spit it out! ”

Mi Fang was stunned: "Brother, what do you mean this time we will admit it like this?" ”

"What else? The people do not fight with the officials, the Mi family is just a flat head of the people in the final analysis, but the Chen family has been an official for many generations, Xuzhou does not know how many protégés, Guangling's trade portal is controlled by them, we are weak and refuse to agree to the business will be less than half, Qingxu's industry points to this road to survive. Zifang, it's not that my brother doesn't know that it is not easy to run a family business, but in fact, this world is ...... Eh......"

Mi Fang said hatefully: "Can't it be sold to the north?" If the lifeline is in the hands of others, isn't everything constrained by others? Xu Gongzi's words are right, how can our own lifeline be controlled by others? ”

Mi Zhu sighed: "But it is the truth, but what can we do?" Not to mention the current situation in Xuzhou, let's just say that the Mi family is now not as good as before, my father's family business is handed over to you and me, now not only can not only be the lintel but everywhere is restricted, Zifang, we still need to wait for the opportunity, Xu Gongzi, maybe the timing is not accurate, I can't see through him, he can't guess like Chen Jue's old fox, I can't say what it feels like, he is like plain water, don't get close and don't understand what it is. Zifang, how close you are, I think he must have another meaning when he comes to visit me. ”

Mi Fang took a deep breath: "I know, it's just Chen's business, brother, I will never just forget it." Xu Gongzi's side, I will look at it, I will go back first. After that, he turned around and left, and Mi Zhu behind him sighed faintly in the face of the flickering candle flame: "Xuzhou, the water is indeed too deep, father, the child is incompetent, and he can't be as comfortable as you, Mi's burden is really a bit heavy." ”

This night, the Mi brothers could not sleep peacefully, Mi Fang had already realized the contempt of the Xuzhou scholars for the Mi family, but Mi Zhu saw the powerlessness of not being able to hold the authority. This is also due to the difference in realm, Mi Zhu is looking farther after all, and he begins to faintly realize the injustice of this social system. And this is exactly what Xu Ji needs, he doesn't need to tell others, because others may not be convinced if they lose, only when they realize the problem will they think and recognize it.

If people don't save themselves, how can they save them? Xu Ji is not a great benevolent person, his most essential goal is just to survive, and the essence of everyone is nothing more than survival, and the rest are nothing.

And all the seemingly noble reasons are just the so-called fame pursued after being unable to survive, and this is exactly what Xu Ji, who is a human being in two lives, disdains the most, and the ants are still stealing their lives, let alone people? When people die, they can't do anything, only by living can there be possibility and hope, even if it is slim, but at least you exist and understand.

For the Mi family, Chen's inch of progress is just a boring temptation, Xu Ji concluded that Mi Zhu at this time has not met someone worthy of his investment, so he will not fall out with the Xuzhou family, but this time of forbearance will only make people feel that the Mi family is weak and bulliful, and there will be more unsatisfactory waiting for the Mi family, and these, of course Mi Zhu understands, but he can't help but forbear, this is a big family, not his business alone, he is also waiting for the opportunity, to be precise, he is waiting for a worthy lord, and Xu Ji is different, Xu Ji only needs an opportunity and an identity, and he clearly knows what he can and should do.

And just like hundreds of people, the Mi clan is now like a fatty fish on a knife, and the sanctimonious clear streams of Xuzhou Shilin are the sharp blades that shine cold. The culprit of all this is that the Mi family has thousands of family wealth but is not a scholar family, if it were not for the fact that the East China Sea was run by the Mi old lady, the Mi family would have ceased to exist.

Just when Mi Fang was still angry about Chen's gains, Mi Zhu had already seen the crisis that Mi couldn't avoid.

Maybe, it's time to ask for advice, maybe Xu Gongzi can give me some advice, Mi Zhu, who was in a hurry to go to the doctor, thought.

And this also means that Mi Zhu has begun to find the way for the family to survive independently. Whether it was good or bad, no one could give him an answer, only the lonely first quarter moon outside the window reflected Mi Zhu's frowning brows, like a pool of thick ink that could not be dissolved.