Daming Town Haiwang

Chapter 692, the big family in Jiangnan

Above the Huangpu Restaurant by the Huangpu River in Songhu, a group of people are drinking tea and looking at the Huangpu River leisurely, while they seem to be waiting patiently for something.

These people are all dressed in extraordinary clothes, and there are a large number of entourages around them, which makes people know whether they are rich or noble at a glance.

"My lord, even if he Liu Jin is now the left servant of the household department, there is no need for us to curry favor with him, right?"

Beside Wei Guogong Xu Yu, Hu Xian looked at the rolling Huangpu River, thought for a while and said to Xu Yu.

Wei Guogong Xu Yuren is over fifty years old, but his body is very good, and there is not a trace of gray hair on his hair. Hu Xian, who is talking to him, is a middle-aged man in his forties. He was dismissed by Emperor Hongzhi for falsely speaking about disasters.

Wei Guogong is the top family in Nanjing and in the entire Jiangnan. Wei Guogong in the past dynasties is basically the garrison of Nanjing, the representative of the military general Xungui Group.

One family of two countries refers to Wei Guogong and Ding Guogong after Xu Da, the king of Zhongshan. Wei Guogong has guarded Nanjing for a long time, and Dingguo Gong is in Beijing. One is south and the other is north. One is two countries.

Hu Xian beside him is not an ordinary person either, the Hu family is also one of the top big families in the entire south of the Yangtze River, the family power is extremely huge, from the ruling and opposition parties, down to the local government, they have the power of their Hu family everywhere.

The Hu family can be regarded as a representative family of the big Jiangnan family.

The ancestors were businessmen, who started their business and accumulated wealth, and then began to sponsor the family's children to take the imperial examinations, and built an extremely large network of relationships through marriage and other means.

Jiangnan has been full of talents since ancient times, and literati and heroes have emerged in large numbers. In the Ming Dynasty, officials from Jiangnan accounted for half of the country. Therefore, the influence of a large Jiangnan family like the Hu family is very huge.

"I don't want to curry favor with Liu Jin, even if he is a senior official, it's not worth my initiative to make friends with him even if he is the chief minister of the cabinet."

Xu Yu smiled and replied.

He has this self-confidence. He is Wei Guogong. After Xu Da, the king of Zhongshan, he has been an iron rice bowl for generations.

So no matter who is an official, how big an official he is has nothing to do with Xu Chu. As long as he does not rebel, no one can shake his position.

"Then Xu Gong, why did you ask me to come to Songhu to meet this Liu Jin?"

Hearing Xu Yu's words, someone next to him asked again, this person is a middle-aged man in his thirties, dressed in gentle and elegant clothes, and looks handsome, his name is Zhang Yuan, the contemporary head of the Zhang family in the south of the Yangtze River.

The Zhang family is one of the most famous families among the Huizhou merchants. They are wealthy and talented, and they are big families comparable to the Hu family.

"For the money, of course!"

Xu Yu said with a smile.

"for money?"

When the others heard this, they were slightly surprised and looked at Xu Chu, not quite understanding what he meant.

"In addition to being the left servant of the household department, this Liu Jin is also known as the God of Wealth in the Beijing-Tianjin area. People who follow Liu Jin have made a fortune. Even Jianchang Bo Shou Ninghou is such an idiot because he followed Liu Jin. You can earn tens of millions of taels a year."

"Guess how much money the Duke of England, Duke of Ding, and Duke of Cheng can earn in a year?"

Xu Wu looked at them and asked back.

To be honest, he, Xu Yugui, is the Duke of the country. If he wants to go further, he can only wait for his death and become king later, and he has to make great contributions to make it possible.

Therefore, in the officialdom, these military generals and noble groups generally have no ambitions, and more are pursuing wealth and money.

Not only expensive, but also rich, not ordinary rich, but very rich.

Hearing Xu Yu's words, everyone couldn't help opening their eyes slightly.

Everyone said that the northerners are richer than those from the south of the Yangtze River. Everyone still feels a little unbelievable. Now that Xu Yu said this, they immediately understood.

Then think about the commercial firms, factories, workshops, etc. that everyone has invested in in the past two years, and immediately understand why Xu Chu came to Songhu to meet Liu Jin in person.

Seeing everyone's appearance, Xu Yu immediately smiled.

Both Dingguogong and Weiguogong are descendants of Zhongshan King Xu Da, so they naturally have an unusual relationship with each other. Xu Chu also regularly communicates with Dingguogong Xu Yongning, and he is very clear about the wealth that Dingguogongfu now possesses.

In the past, Wei Guogong guarded Nanjing because of the times, and he was the garrison of Nanjing. In a prosperous place like Jiangnan, the Wei Guogong family will naturally be richer by the Dingguo Duke in the north.

But now, in just a few years, Duke Ding's family followed Liu Jin's ass, and the wealth they now possessed was going to wipe out Duke Wei's family casually.

This made Xu Wei envious and jealous. Now that Liu Jin is going to expedition to Annan and passing through Songhu on the way, he naturally seized the opportunity to meet this high-ranking son here in Songhu to see if he can catch up with Liu Jin. The ship, followed to make a fortune.

"Master, the boat has arrived~"

At this moment, the servant of Duke Wei's mansion hurriedly came to remind him.

"Let's go, let's meet this high-ranking disciple together."

When Xu Wu heard this, he immediately regained his energy and took the lead to walk to the Huangpu River Wharf.

Here at the wharf of the Huangpu River, Liu Jin's boat docked slowly.

As soon as Liu Jin stepped off the boat, a large group of people including Xu Wu, Hu Xian, and Zhang Yuan walked over. Before they arrived, they all bowed to Liu Jin's side and said, "Grand Liu~"

When Liu Jin heard this, he was taken aback for a moment. He was called Mr. Liu when he was only in his twenties. Responding with a smile.

But soon someone around Liu Jin introduced Liu Jin one by one. After listening to these people's introduction, Liu Jin couldn't help raising his eyebrows.

"The big families, big businessmen, and big landlords from Jiangnan are all here?"

"What is this for?"

While Liu Jin greeted Xu Chu, Hu Xian, and Zhang Yuan one by one, he began to think about it in his mind.

These people definitely wouldn't come looking for me for no reason. Although I was the left servant of the household department, in terms of the status of these people, I wouldn't take the initiative to come to Songhu to greet me. There must be something.

"Liu Gong came from a long way, and the journey was tiring. I prepared some thin wine at the Huangpu Restaurant, and I invited Liu Gong to appreciate it."

Xu Wu carefully looked at Liu Jin in front of him, and said with a smile.

"Mr. Xu, please don't call me Mr. Liu again. That's offending me. You are Wan'er's uncle, so I should call you uncle."

"Just call me Liu Jin."

Liu Jin sorted out the relationship between Ding Guogong and Wei Guogong slightly in Liu Jin's mind. Xu Wu in front of him is the fifth generation Wei Guogong, counting from Xu Da, he is the sixth generation, and Ding Guogong Xu Yongning is the fourth generation Ding Guogong. Dasuan is the fifth generation.

Xu Wan'er is Xu Yongning's granddaughter, she can be regarded as the seventh generation, after all, Liu Jin wants to call him Uncle Xu Yu.

"Haha, then I'll take care of you once."

Xu Yu laughed happily when he heard it.

Soon, everyone came to the Huangpu Restaurant, watching the Huangpu River while tasting delicious food, and chatting and laughing.

"Liu Jin, come and taste our Jiangnan hairy crabs. This crab roe is a rare delicacy in the world."

Xu Yu gently pushed a plate of crab roe in front of Liu Jin, and said with a smile.

"I have long heard that Jiangnan hairy crabs are a delicacy in the world, and this time I finally have the opportunity to try them."

Liu Jin looked at the plate of crab roe in front of him, picked up the spoon, and took a sip, the ultimate deliciousness bloomed between his lips and teeth.

"Tsk tsk, this is the first time I've tasted authentic hairy crabs in my life, and it's purely wild hairy crabs. The taste is really delicious."

Liu Jin couldn't help but take another sip and savor it carefully.

After a lot of toasting and getting acquainted with each other, they gradually talked about national affairs, and naturally Annan and Nanyang were also talked about.

"In this small country of Annan Chuoer, Yelang is arrogant and has repeatedly provoked my Ming Dynasty. If I, Da Ming, don't punish me severely with thunderous fury, I am afraid that all countries in Southeast Asia will learn from Annan."

"My Ming Dynasty merchant ship was traveling in various countries in the South Seas, but it was unexpectedly levied by these small countries. Not long ago, there was even a incident where a merchant ship was ransacked by Nanyang pirates."

When it came to this matter, Hu Xian, Zhang Yuan and others seemed very angry. These big families and businessmen in the south entered Nanyang relatively late, so the money they earned was far inferior to those in the north. The scale and number of plantations It is not as good as the commercial firms in the north.

It was late, and all the good places were occupied by people from the north. Now the Southeast Asian countries have begun to impose heavy taxes on Ming merchant ships in response to the Ming vassal treaty issued by Ming at the end of last year, and in response to Ming's rejection of their tribute.

Of course, there may also be the meaning of trying Da Ming's reaction. If Da Ming doesn't respond, they will naturally go too far.

The actions of the Nanyang countries have also seriously touched the interests of the major commercial firms in Ming Dynasty, especially the newly emerging commercial firms in the south are the most uncomfortable.

They haven't earned much money yet, and haven't enjoyed much benefit, but the heavy taxes, pirates, thieves, etc. have fallen on themselves a lot.

Therefore, these big businessmen and big families in Jiangnan are very supportive of the imperial court sending troops to Nanyang. Take all the countries in Southeast Asia to clean up.

Let them know how powerful Ming is. In this way, they will not dare to impose heavy taxes on Ming's merchant ships. At the same time, the pirates and thieves in the Nanyang area will be wiped out, and their merchant ships and plantations will be safer.

Looking at the indignation of these people, Liu Jin thought of those officials from the DPRK and China who opposed the sea ban and the taxation of merchants. At this moment, this scene is too similar, but it is reversed.

(End of this chapter)