I will be the master of Xuande

Chapter 597 The Mi family’s little thoughts

No one expected that Liu Bei was so fast.

According to the assumptions of the local people, every time a new governor or governor, even if it is a pastor, takes office, he should first make friends with the local prominent families, and after gaining the local political voice and support, then With the unanimous consent of all parties, we started to manage Xuzhou's government affairs bit by bit, or to change the original system.

But such a drastic reform from the very beginning is really unacceptable.

Although Chen Gui expressed his support for Liu Bei and also expressed his support for Liu Bei's implementation of farming and imperial examinations, the thorough implementation of these two new policies in Xuzhou would have significantly changed the local structure, not to mention touching the interests of local wealthy families. explain.

But now, Liu Bei is obviously not satisfied. While thoroughly implementing the farming system and the imperial examination system, he also needs to continue to strengthen the power of the government and implement new policies.

The first thing is of course the axes used to pacify Jizhou.

The Hebei Business Association was once again led by Liu Bei and entered Xuzhou, absorbing local families in Xuzhou who were willing to transfer their interests to form a new interest chain and distribute industries.

Most of those who are willing to re-seize this interest chain are from the middle and lower classes in Xuzhou.

And when Xuzhou's top noble families and aristocrats reacted vigorously, the planning of the interest chain had been redrawn.

In fact, logically speaking, after the interest chain of Xuzhou's main body is re-established, as long as they express disagreement, or express their opposition to Liu Bei, and tightly hold on to the existing interest chain in their hands, they will not let it go. It is impossible for Liu Bei to do anything to them for a while. He may have to overturn his original plan and negotiate with them again.

But the problem now is that the industrial chain structure Liu Bei wants to establish is the original industrial chain in Hebei.

In other words, Liu Bei wanted to introduce industries and re-establish a new business system.

Is this kind of thing possible?
Of course it is possible.

Because the Liu brothers have too many chips in their hands.

If nothing else, the four prefectures of Hebei are now the largest granary of the Han Dynasty.

Jizhou was originally the granary of the world. After Liu Jian's farming reforms over the years, including the introduction of various waterwheels, including the widespread dissemination of agricultural and industrial matters.

As a result, the grain output in Jizhou, Qingzhou, and even Bingzhou and Youzhou has increased significantly.

In this era, food is undoubtedly the most important hard currency.

Especially when the Central Plains is desolate and rebels everywhere continue to rebel, food is a top priority.

There is no shortage of food in Xuzhou, but this does not mean that Xuzhou’s food production is higher than that of Jizhou.

Once Hebei's grain is transferred to Qingzhou, or enters Xuzhou's market through Xuzhou and Qingzhou, it will disrupt the most important grain industry chain that originally belonged to local prominent families in Xuzhou.

Especially now, the local prominent families in Xuzhou have limited food control. Because the war in Xuzhou caused by Cao Cao delayed Xuzhou's spring plowing this year and almost depleted the Xuzhou treasury's grain reserves.

Perhaps before Cao Cao went north to attack Xuzhou, Xuzhou had no shortage of food.

But now, there is no doubt that Xuzhou is missing!
In addition to food, the second most powerful weapon is salt.

Looking at the entire southeast, although Xuzhou also produces salt, its output is too low compared to Qingzhou's.

No one in the Han Dynasty was short of salt, and in addition to the well salt in Western Shu, the source of many salts in the southeast, including Hebei north of Qingzhou, also relied on Qingzhou.

Regarding salt affairs, Liu Jian and Liu Yu have also made a lot of arrangements in recent years.

The original salt business was scattered among various families in Qingzhou, and even among the powerful hands of neighboring counties in Qingzhou.

However, after Liu Yu's long-term layout in Qingzhou, the industrial initiative of Qingzhou Salt Affairs gradually returned to the hands of the officials.

Although Qingzhou's sea salt industry is not explicitly advertised, it has actually become an industry exclusively monopolized by the government to control people's livelihood.

After all, in Liu Jian's concept, industries such as food, ironware, and salt are very important to people's livelihood. Industries that can influence the current situation cannot be scattered outside and must be in the hands of the government.

Otherwise, once someone takes advantage of a disaster or war to speculate on the price of grain or salt, it is likely to cause the death of countless families and turn into large-scale chaos and rebellion.

Qingzhou's salt industry is in the hands of the government, so Qingzhou's salt industry also has a great impact on the people's livelihood in surrounding counties. To put it another way, Liu Jian can use Qingzhou's salt to influence Xuzhou's delayed layout.

In addition, there is hard currency such as Qingzhou brocade, including new books from Qingzhou Book Company and Qingzhou paper, which is highly sought after by Xuzhou scholars.

These things can be said to reshape the economic and humanistic pattern of Xuzhou in all aspects, from people's livelihood to spiritual culture.

Even if these things cannot completely reshape Xuzhou's pattern, Liu Jian still has a killer weapon in his hand, and that is Hebei's ironware.

The quality, price and craftsmanship of Hebei's ironware are already superior to those of other states and counties.

It’s cheap, large in volume, and full of control. How do you expect ironware manufacturers from other states and counties to survive?
Important industries are gradually concentrated in Hebei, which is the greatest confidence that Liu Jian can confidently reshape his newly controlled states and counties.

Politics is an extension of economics, and this has been true since ancient times.

Therefore, Liu Bei had the ability and courage to carry out industrial restructuring in Xuzhou in such a drastic manner, and he was not afraid of offending the local prominent families, because the right to speak has always been in their hands, but there was no suitable opportunity to show it.

Liu Bei was so domineering that the local noble families were a little panicked.

Not only the local prominent families, but also wealthy people like Mi Zhu could not bear this kind of pressure.

Although Mi Zhu knew that taking refuge in Liu Jian was the right choice, he really didn't expect that Liu Jian would be so arbitrary.

Of course, the Mi family has joined the Hebei Chamber of Commerce and Industry, but the Hebei Chamber of Commerce and Industry has extremely strict control over these families.

Although Liu Jian did not block their financial path, whatever business they did and how they did it, including the pricing of various projects and industries, all required the approval of the Hebei Chamber of Commerce and Trade.

The rules Liu Jian set for them were that he would not prevent them from making money, and would even support them in making money, but he would not allow them to both make money and influence political current affairs.

Liu Jian wanted to make the big families in Xuzhou look like the families in Hebei... a family that could only be rich but not a threat to politics.

This is an iron rule set by Liu Jian.

Although she knew that this was what Liu Jian was bound to do, Mi Zhu still felt unhappy.

After all, they were originally the richest men in the East China Sea, and Tao Qian shared most of the local business interests and political rights with them in Japan.

Now they are helping Liu Jian to deal with Tao Qian, but if you think about it carefully, their power in Xuzhou is far less than before.

But do you think the Mi family regrets it?
They won't regret it either.

Because compared to Liu Jian, Tao Qian's power is too weak and he will be destroyed sooner or later.

Although the political benefits Liu Jian gave them were far less generous than those given by Tao Qian, he never treated them badly in terms of monetary benefits. Moreover, there was one thing Liu Jian could give the Mi family that others could not give, and that was security. Assure.

Who in this world can wipe out Liu Jian's Mi family within Liu Jian's power?No such person exists.

Moreover, Mi Zhu could see that Liu Jian was a man with the ambition to be a hegemon.

It is truly an honor for him to be able to follow such a person.

His Mi family may become a famous family in the world in one fell swoop.

But it's an honor, but Mi Zhu still has to make comprehensive preparations for the future of the Mi family.

Compared with when they were under Tao Qian's command, the Mi family is definitely not as prosperous as before. Mi Zhu knows this very well - money management is enough, but when it comes to political matters, you rich and powerful people should not get involved too much.

At most, you can allow people from your family to enter the official career, but it is impossible to allow those of you who enter the official career to make too much profit for your family.

This is Liu Jian's purpose.

In fact, for Mi Zhu, this is not a bad thing.

But he is still young after all, and some things still cannot be let go so easily.

If he wants his family to live like this from now on, he doesn't know for sure.

Although it was impossible to completely overturn the rules Liu Jian had set for the major clans, Mi Zhu hoped to allow her family some privileges and exceptions.

But how can we have privileges and special cases?
Mi Zhu thought of a way, so he asked Mi Fang to discuss it with him.

After all, Mi Fang was not a political person, nor did she serve in the government, so she did not have as deep an understanding and experience as Mi Zhu about the series of improvement measures that Liu Jian carried out after letting Liu Bei occupy Xuzhou.

But even if she didn't feel deeply, after Mi Zhu's explanation, Mi Fang still understood.

"Brother, according to your wishes, what should our Mi family do now?"

Mi Zhu said to Mi Fang seriously:

"As of now, it is impossible to change the general's attitude towards the families in Xuzhou. All we have to do is obey. However, in this obedience, we can also do something that other families cannot do. matter."

Mi Fang asked in confusion: "What's going on?"

"You said, what would happen if the general was allowed to see our sister?"

"Sister?" Mi Fang didn't react too well at first.

Then, he narrowed his eyes and began to think carefully.

Finally, he suddenly slapped his forehead and said, "Brother, do you want to dedicate your sister to the general?"

"It's just that I heard that the general already has a wife, who is Zheng Xuan's daughter. Can we still let the general divorce his wife and marry our sister?"

Mi Zhu glared at Mi Fang fiercely and said, "I'm confused, Zheng Xuan's daughter, her status is not comparable to that of our family. How can the general not want his current wife, but our sister? What you said is simply ridiculous. Let people..."

When he said this, Mi Zhu reached out and made a fanning motion, as if he wanted to slap Mi Fang.

But in the end, he put down his hand

He sighed with a sad look on his face.

"You, when can you help me save my worries, share some of my burdens with my brother, and make my brother feel more relaxed?"

Mi Fang said with a playful smile: "Don't I share enough worries for my brother?"

"When I went to Hebei last time, I got involved with the general and the hussar general."

"Now our relationship is very good. Now Liu Xuande has become Xuzhou Mu, and I have a very close personal relationship with him. With this relationship, doesn't it count as sharing my worries with you as my brother?"

When Mi Zhu heard this, she couldn't help but reach out and rub her eyebrows.

"You think quite simply. Do you think Liu Xuande is really friends with you? He is friends with you just to be friends with you!"

Mi Zhu's words made Mi Fang a little confused.

"What does it mean to go out of your way to be friends with me just to be friends with me? Does it mean that for Liu Xuande, does he have anything else to ask of me?"

Mi Zhu sighed, shook his head, and said, "He didn't ask you for anything, he did it for me to make friends with you."

When Mi Fang heard this, she seemed to feel a little disappointed.

Brother, why can't you recognize his strength and ability?

Having to say such words to hit him really made Mi Fang feel uncomfortable.

Then Mi Zhu brought the topic to the main topic.

"If our sister can be the general's concubine, wouldn't this be a good thing for our Mi family?"

When Mi Fang heard this, she was immediately startled.

He looked at Mi Zhu back and forth in surprise, and said doubtfully: "Brother, haven't you always wanted our sister to marry into a rich family and become the official wife? Then she can help our Mi family to move forward to a higher level. Why do you want to let our sister get married now?" My sister has become a concubine."

"Isn't this a sign of surrendering to our Mi family? And I'm afraid my sister won't be willing to do it, right?"

Mi Zhu said to Mi Fang with a straight face, "Who should be your wife and who should be your concubine cannot be generalized."

"In my opinion, if my sister can be a concubine for a general, it is better than being a wife for a high-ranking family. How can the general's status be compared to that of an ordinary person from a distinguished family?"

Mi Fang listened carefully, then nodded and said: "Brother, this is true, but can it be done? Sister, can she agree?"

After Mi Zhu heard this, he seemed to be hesitant.

He knew his sister's temperament quite well.

Although he looks gentle and virtuous on weekdays, he still has a relatively high vision, and at the same time, his temper can sometimes be a bit stubborn.

Although she won't refuse you something face to face, if it's something she doesn't want to do in her heart, there's usually nothing others can do about her as a younger sister.

In particular, the daughter of the Mi family, who is known as the most beautiful woman in the Eastern Navy, actually asked her to be someone else's concubine. Mi Zhu thought that his sister would also resist.

Mi Zhu suddenly said to Mi Fang: "Brother, why don't you go find our sister and talk about this matter?"

When Mi Fang heard this, he suddenly became a little anxious.

"Why don't you tell me? Why do you have to tell me?"

"You came up with this idea, why are you blaming it on me!"

Mi Zhu's face was stern, and he said rather dissatisfied: "As the father-in-law and your brother, am I even unable to do this for you?"

Mi Fang thought seriously for a while and then said with certainty: "It can't be done."

As soon as he said this, Mi Zhu almost went crazy.

"Bastard, you, you...I asked you to handle such a small matter, but you resisted. How can you help me take on the responsibility of the Mi family in the future?"

Mi Fang's face turned red.

"If you ask me to take on the Mi family's business, then of course I have nothing to say and I will definitely support you to the fullest! But look at what you are asking me to do now, where is the responsibility for the Mi family's business?"

"Why is this not taking on the Mi family's business?"

"It is not!"

The disputes between the Mi brothers became louder and louder, even causing servants outside the hall where they were to look in curiously.

The sound of the argument then led a beautiful girl in front of them.

She is wearing a light blue dress, her face is as flawless as crystal jade, her plump lips are crystal clear, and her eyebrows are silky. Although she is young, her curvy figure is more like a ripe peach.

It was Mi Zhen, the most beautiful woman in Xuzhou.

"Brothers, what's wrong with you? Why do you need to argue like this?"

With the appearance of Mi Zhen, Mi Zhu and Mi Fang were suddenly speechless. The two people actually stopped arguing. Instead, they looked at each other tentatively.

Seeing the strange looks of her two brothers, Mi Zhen became even more confused.

She frowned slightly and asked softly: "Brothers, what happened? Is there anything that we, brothers and sisters, can't say between us?"

Mi Zhu coughed slightly and pointed at Mi Fang.

"Your second brother has something to tell you."

Mi Fang looked at Mi Zhu in surprise.

This... just sold yourself out like this?
Where in the world can there be such a brother?

When she thought of this, she saw Mi Fang's heart twitching, and then said: "I have something to tell you, sister. Your eldest brother is going to give you to someone else as a concubine. What should you do with this matter? .”

After saying these words, Mi Zhu's lungs almost exploded with anger.

This beast!
Mi Zhen's pretty face turned pale, and she seemed a little unresponsive at first.

After a while, she saw her looking at Mi Zhu: "Brother, is what my second brother said true?"

Mi Zhu glared at Mi Fang fiercely.

Then, he was seen sighing: "Sister, please listen to my brother explain this matter slowly."

Afterwards, Mi Zhu fully described the entire incident to Mi Zhen.

"Sister, although I am just a concubine, she is the top person in the world."

"Even if it's just a concubine, it's still better than someone else's wife."

"This is a rare opportunity for our Mi family. After thinking about it, this matter is good for the Mi family, and it is also good for you, sister."

Mi Zhen was silent for a while, then suddenly said: "Brother, I want to ask you something."

"Sister, please tell me."

"If that General Liu is indeed the person you say he is, and you gave me to him as a concubine, it's such an obvious thing. Couldn't he see that you have other motives behind this?"

"This one……"

"So, from my sister's point of view, this matter is absolutely undesirable, and I ask my brother to give up this idea."

　My mother has pneumonia and is being cared for in the hospital. The signal in the hospital is not very good. I will update these things today. After the National Day...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)