After thinking about it for a while, Bai Xiaoyi finally shook his head blankly. Shen Wansan smiled, and explained with a few pieces of pastries on the table separately:

"It's no wonder that you don't know, the four great families are generally very low-key, except for me, Shen Wansan, it seems that no family head would be so swaggering. There are not many people in the market who know about the four major families, and I am afraid that only those who are in business will hear about it. ”

The scoundrel boy blinked his eyes, and said with all his thoughts:

"When you say this, I seem to have a little impression, I remember that last year, there was a Hu merchant from the Western Regions who asked me. At the time, he also said something smooth, and I remember it like this. It is said that it is 'the antiques of the Jin family, the goods of the Lu family.' The ore of the Yu family, the gold of the Shen family. "Presumably referring to the four great families in your mouth, right?"

Nodding with satisfaction, Shen Wansan smiled and said:

"You see, our name is still very loud, even the merchants of the Western Regions know it. That's right, what he mentioned in his casual mouth was the four great families who controlled the finances of the Ming Dynasty behind their backs. Our Shen family has the most money, the Jin family has been in the antique business for generations, and the Lu family has the largest 'Wanbao Firm' in the country. And the jade family is doing ore business in Yunnan. Each family has huge reserves of gold and silver and shop mates, and once we join forces, it has a terrible power to shake the regime. ”

Frowning slightly, Shen Wansan's tone softened and said:

"Our grandfather and I will also say these words in private, if we let the Jinyiwei gang hear it, they will raid the house and destroy the door. The old man looked around for a moment, and after making sure that no one was eavesdropping, he continued: "Therefore, if you have more money, there will indeed be a lot of trouble, but on the other hand, your status and identity in this world will be much higher. You saved my life, although I can't transfer all the inheritance to you, but you might as well consider joining my Shen family. I happen to have a granddaughter of the same age as you who has not yet married, and when the time comes, you will become my grandson-in-law, and this wealth will be enough for you to live without worry. ”

Blinking his thief's eyes, a new battle between heaven and man started in Bai Xiaoyi's brain. This is a big pie falling from the sky, let's put it aside, anyway, he is an orphan, and it doesn't matter who he thinks is his father. But the thought of this Wanguan family wealth and the name of the Shen family's grandson-in-law made this young man who had been born in the market yearn for a while. But somehow, a beautiful girl with a big tail flew in his mind, and the hero who screamed in the mouth of the people after saving the carriage that day.

At this time, on the trail, the housekeeper of the Shen Mansion hurriedly ran over and bowed down to report:

"Master, Boss Zhao from the Yingtian Chamber of Commerce came to visit and wanted to talk to you about funding for the poor in the city. ”

His brows furrowed slightly, and Shen Wansan asked in a low tone:

"How much money do they want this time?"

"Back to the master, Boss Zhao said that he wanted 100,000 taels. ”

With a heavy cold snort, the old man scolded sharply:

"A bunch of insatiable moths, blast them away for me, and say I have no money. ”

Hearing the master's command, the butler bowed and exited the pavilion.

After calming down the anger in his heart, Shen Wansan smiled and asked:

"What's the little brother thinking about?"

After being stunned for a moment, the rogue boy said with some unhappiness:

"Courtesy of Shen ...... Outside the staff love, boy, I have been idle since I was a child, and I can't seem to stand the rules of your big family. I like money, but I prefer to make money on my own. Earn as much as you want, although you can't be rich in your life, but at least you can spend it with peace of mind. ”

Frowning slightly, Shen Wansan looked at the young man in front of him with a gloomy face, and said in a heavy tone:

"Xiao Yi, in your heart, are we rich people a little mercenary and unkind to the rich?"

Standing up slowly, Bai Xiaoyi looked at the koi swimming in the pond and said:

"It's hard to say, but if I had that much money, I would use it to help the victims, instead of building such a big house. I was born in the market, and I have seen many people beaten to death for a few pennies, and I have experienced the sadness of grabbing food from dogs for a full meal. Those tens of thousands of taels of silver may be just a few stones and a few fish in your eyes, but for those who are alive at the bottom, it is a full meal and a new dress that can prevent them from freezing to death. ”

Sighing helplessly, Shen Wansan said earnestly:

"Child, you are still young, and you can't just look at the surface of things in this world. The old man walked up to the young man, pointed to the rockeries, and said, "Do you think that I spend a lot of silver taels on these gardens and landscapes just for the sake of beauty and enjoyment? You are wrong, these things are not for me to see, but for others to see." Only by showing your wealth and power will those dignitaries think that you are richer and will be afraid of your wealth. ”

"This world is very sinister, if you only know how to use the money you earn for good deeds, do you think that people will ask you to do business and be friends with you? Of course there is, but those people will only think that you are a loser with too much money to spend, and those local officials will treat you as a ready-made treasury that can withdraw silver at any time. However, once you learn to show all your wealth to those people, they will be worried about your potential strength and will take the initiative to make friends with you and cooperate with you. ”

"Xiao Yi, this is not for the sake of being rich, but for the survival of our people. Do you really think that the folks at the Chamber of Commerce are talking about charitable giving and giving to the real thing? No, they're just putting on a show. The iron rooster surnamed Zhao was unwilling to pay for it, so he pleaded with Fu Yin to act in this play. More than half of the money donated by the wealthy businessmen went into their own pockets, and less than 10% actually went to the people. Instead of giving money to those corrupt officials, I should do something practical!"

Turning around angrily, Shen Wansan patted the young man's shoulder and said:

"I'll take you out on the streets, and you'll know where my money goes. ”

Looking at the firm light in the old man's eyes, Bai Xiaoyi hesitated for a moment, and then nodded lightly.

After a stick of incense, Shen Wansan, who changed into civilian clothes, left the Shen Mansion under the protection of five guards. He took Bai Xiaoyi and walked towards the Jian'an Fang in the west of the city, where the poor gathered.

Along the way, from time to time, you will see Bai Xiaoyi, who is begging along the street on the road, and Bai Xiaoyi, who thought that the old man next to him would turn a blind eye, was surprised to find that Shen Wansan actually took the initiative to give money. Although it was only a few grains of broken silver, this mercenary old man was really giving.

But after watching it for a long time, Bai Xiaoyi found that Shen Wansan would pick a target when he gave money. He will give to the old and weak women and children, and he will also give to the physically disabled, but only those men who have hands and feet, the old man will not only give nothing, but will also order his guards to beat these people away.

The young man who looked all the way asked a little puzzled:

"Shen Yuanwai, why are you also a beggar, but you pick the fat and the thin to give money?"

Shaking the shriveled money bag, Shen Wansan pointed to the beggars squatting in the corner and said:

"It's not easy for these people, and it's not a shame for them to sell their dignity for the mercy of others and a meal. But those who obviously have hands and feet, but only think about living on other people's alms, are a little insatiable and even inferior to pigs and dogs. Throwing his sleeves angrily, the old man said disdainfully: "Even pigs and dogs know how to rely on the care of the home and the fat of that body for food, why can't those people?"

Nodding approvingly, Bai Xiaoyi added helplessly:

"Maybe they don't have the ability to make money. ”

Shaking his fingers slightly, Shen Wansan commented indifferently:

To put it mildly, the biggest gap between the poor and the rich is actually only three points. As he spoke, the old man pointed to his head, heart, and hands, "The key is that the poor dare not think, believe, or do." ”

"Although some rich people have made their fortunes on the gospel of their ancestors, the vast majority of them have relied on their own abilities, identities and hands. The ancestors of our four major families all started from scratch, so what's so difficult? In the minds of the poor, money is accumulated little by little by hard work. This idea seems to be correct, but it is precisely because of this thought that they have been poor all their lives. ”