March.

The weather is getting warmer, and the earth is recovering.

March and April of each year is the default truce for all countries in the entire Central Plains.

Because March and April are the spring planting period, the essence of war is to plunder resources, if a war is started in the spring planting period, then even if the war is won in the end, it will only lose both.

After entering March, most of the projects in Hanzhong have been temporarily suspended, after all, although Hanzhong is now the 'commercial capital', but now the overall environment of the entire Qin State is still a small peasant economy, no matter how Hanzhong develops, but food is still fundamental.

Of course.

These are only for the local civilians in present-day Hanzhong.

For those merchants who came from other places to trade, what they cared about was not spring planting, but that after the winter had passed, they could continue to do business again.

With the spread of news of Hanzhong's 'free trading market', the number of businessmen who came to Hanzhong just arrived in early spring this year.

Even some foreign merchants gradually began to appear in Hanzhong.

This also led to the fact that the scale of [Shengping Town] was forced to expand again, quickly surpassing the town, and developing towards the scale of the county seat······

And under this lively scene, no one noticed that thirty businessmen were quietly invited to the county guard of Hanzhong County.

"This ······ Shopkeeper Huang, do you know why Lord Commander invited me to come here today? ”

"It's not a secret, and I don't have any clue so far." Among the thirty businessmen invited, one of them was Huang Huan, who had traveled with Yingzheng before.

At this moment, he sat in the center of the crowd, facing a businessman next to him who had worked with him, and shook his head in confusion.

"Alas~~ It's hard to survive a little, I hope nothing will happen!" When the merchant who asked heard this, he couldn't help but sigh and said with a worried face.

The situation of the merchants of the Qin State has always been not very good, except for a very small number of merchants who have been manipulated by high-ranking officials and nobles, in the past, these retail merchants were basically like rats in the cracks.

Now that they have finally found a place to live in Hanzhong, they don't want any accidents to happen.

It's a pity that the more these retail merchants think about it, the more they have little confidence in those upper-class nobles of the Qin State today.

"There shouldn't be any accidents!"

Although Huang Huan's eyes were also a little gloomy, he was generally calm, and said: "Don't forget, who opened up the 'free trading market' in Hanzhong now, and there are few people who sit on it and dare to come to Hanzhong to stretch out their hands now." ”

Hearing Huang Huan mention 'that', the worries on the faces of several businessmen around him were also slightly relieved.

However, although there has been some relief, it has not completely dissipated.

After all, the reputation of 'that one' is indeed very deterrent, but it will inevitably cause people to worry about another thing, that is, what if the accident itself was created by 'that one'?

Just when the thirty merchants were each uneasy, they saw a figure slowly walk in outside the door of the lobby of the county guard's mansion.

Meet this person.

The thirty merchants present stood up one after another, bowed their hands, and said, "I'll wait to meet the county guard." ”

"Everyone's polite, please take a seat!"

Chen Jinghui bowed back with a kind face, then came to the main seat and sat down, and slowly spoke: "During this time, Hanzhong County has been able to develop to this point thanks to your care, and the old man would like to thank you in advance." ”

As he spoke, Chen Jinghui arched his hand towards the thirty merchants.

When the businessmen present saw Chen Jinghui's actions, they immediately hurriedly returned the salute.

"The county keeper is gracious."

"I'm just a businessman, and I don't deserve such a big gift from the county guard."

"Speaking of which, we also rely on Shengping Jun."

······

Everyone was talking nonsense.

See here.

Chen Jinghui also smiled and continued: "You don't have to be so humble. During this period of time, there have been countless merchants who have come to Hanzhong to do business, but you are the thirty merchants who pay the most taxes and have the best reputation among these merchants. That's why the old man specially invited you to come today. ”

In fact, to be precise, the 30 businessmen invited by Chen Jinghui this time should be the 30 people with the best reputation and the most taxes among the retail businessmen.

Hearing this, the thirty merchants looked at each other a few times.

Then I saw an older businessman hesitate for a while, walked out, and saluted Chen Jinghui and said, "Lord County Shou, these retail merchants such as me have relied on the convenience of Shengpingjun and Hanzhong to develop so far. Therefore, Hanzhong County is also a 'blessed land' for us, so if the county keeper is in difficulty, he might as well say it bluntly, and we will definitely not shirk it. ”

"Yes! The county keeper can just speak up if he has something. ”

"We have also inherited the kindness of Shengpingjun and Hanzhong County to survive to this day, so if Hanzhong is in trouble, we will definitely not stand idly by."

Seeing that these businessmen in front of him looked even more 'anxious' than himself, Chen Jinghui couldn't help but smile, and then said simply: "Since everyone said so, then the old man will not sell it." ”

"Here's the thing, now Hanzhong is about to build a few new academies, but the early construction funds are still a little lacking······

Hearing this, the thirty businessmen present felt a little helpless, but also a little relieved.

Helplessly, they didn't expect that they would not be able to escape the set of high-ranking officials and nobles after all.

I was relieved because, fortunately, this time Chen Jinghui just 'asked for money', and he didn't open his mouth.

Adhering to the principle that more is better than less.

The thirty businessmen present did not hesitate, and soon someone stood up and said: "The construction of the academy is a great thing for the benefit of the country and the people, if the county keeper does not dislike it, then I am willing to donate 3,000 gold coins for the repair of the academy in Hanzhong." ”

"You can also donate 2,000 gold coins in the future, and I hope that the county keeper will not dislike it."

"I can donate 4,000 gold coins in the future, which is a little bit of heart."

······

As the first person stood up, after a while, he saw that the thirty businessmen behind him all expressed their attitudes one after another.

Seeing that he hadn't even spoken much, he had already raised a large amount of 'charity' for no reason, which made Chen Jinghui a little crying and laughing.

"Don't worry, I think you may have misunderstood what this official meant."

"Huh?"

Chen Jinghui's words fell, and many businessmen present were stunned.

Later, I saw that a merchant couldn't help but ask, "What does Lord County Guard mean, isn't it because of 'lack of money'?" ”

Perhaps because he has been following Mo Jun for a long time, Chen Jinghui is now also infected with a bit of 'honesty' good habits, in the face of this businessman's inquiry, Chen Jinghui said directly: "Of course not, if the official is 'short of money', with the income of Hanzhong County now, where can the official not get money?" ”

"Ahh

The businessmen below couldn't help but be stunned by Chen Jinghui's 'sincere' words.

But when I think about it, it seems that this is really the case.

The current Hanzhong is no longer as good as before, with the current wealth of Hanzhong County, if Chen Jinghui, who is the county guard of Hanzhong County, is really 'short of money', no matter where he gets it, it seems that he is more oily than from a few of them.

"What does the county keeper mean ······?"

"This official invited you to come this time, not to ask you to 'donate' money, but to make a deal with you."

"Deal? What is the deal? ”

"The academy built in Hanzhong this time, because you are the thirty most reputable businessmen in Hanzhong today, someone specially instructed you to give you a chance, and you can spend money to buy a few admission places in this new academy."

After listening to Chen Jinghui's words, the businessmen present were suddenly stunned.

Ahh

Spend money to buy a place.

Is this any different from 'donating'?

Although the status of these businessmen is not high, no matter what, it should not be a big problem to find a few private schools for their descendants to study!

It seems to see the confusion and confusion of these businessmen.

Chen Jinghui took a sip of tea indifferently, and suddenly said a sentence.

"By the way, I can't reveal too much about this matter for the time being, so I can only remind you a little. The academy to be built in Hanzhong next, the eldest son of the Qin State will also be enrolled in school. ”

Chang Gong ······

it!

When Chen Jinghui finished saying this, many people really didn't react at the first time.

And when everyone came back to their senses, their eyes suddenly widened in shock.

Some people were even so shocked that they couldn't even speak:

"County ····· Lord Gunjo, this ····· Is this true? ”

"You don't think that this official is qualified to build such a academy!"

Chen Jinghui didn't mention much, just glanced at the man and said lightly.

This time.

The crowd below blew up.

As businessmen, if it was just an ordinary private school, of course they wouldn't care, but a academy where even the eldest son of the Qin State would enroll in school, how could this be an 'ordinary academy'.

To put it bluntly, once such a academy is built, then the threshold of this academy represents a layer of 'class'.

For the current merchants of the Qin State, this seemingly simple 'layer of class' is often a barrier that they may not have crossed after several generations.

Merchants are pariahs.

These five short words sound like nothing, but only these retail businessmen themselves can personally understand the cruelty that these five words represent.

The word 'lowly' has never affected just one person at the moment, but several generations may be affected by it.

Officials from merchant and merchant families.

Both of them seem to be 'big businessmen', but in fact, the status level of the two is not above the same level at all.

How can they not be thrilled that these businessmen have not been able to cross the threshold that they have not been able to cross after generations of hard work, but now they can buy it for only money?

······

(End of chapter)