The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 409 Discussing with Xue Gong

Not only the people of Jiangning were curious about the high official coming from Kaifeng and the emperor's special envoy, but also the old mother Wu Youdi and Zhu Wu's family.

When Zhu Xiu led Xue Juzheng to a courtyard near the garden pond, Yang Qiaolian supported Wu Youdi and followed far behind. Zhu Liang and Zhu Fang, two children, ran forward laughing. Whenever Zhu Xiu turned around and glared, they He ran away laughing.

Xue Juzheng smiled and said: "Presumably they are the long-lost relatives of Marquis Dingyuan?"

Zhu Xiudao: "They are the two children from my brother's family."

"Haha, she is lively and cute."

Xue Juzheng stopped, turned around and waved to the two dolls.

Zhu Liang held Zhu Fang's hand, and when he saw that Zhu Xiu nodded without stopping him, he approached a little shyly and bowed awkwardly.

Xue Juzheng took out a few candies from the purse on his waist and stuffed them into Zhu Liang's hand: "Try these new candies that are only available in Kaifeng."

Zhu Xiu couldn't help but smile when she saw it. Banana leaves were wrapped with twine. This was not candy packaging only found in Guanghe shops.

Wu Dachuan recruited craftsmen and learned from papermaking techniques to invent a new technology that softens banana leaves while ensuring toughness and preventing them from drying out within three to five days. It is specially used to make banana leaves wrapped in soft candies.

For this reason, Wu Dazhuan rewarded several craftsmen who invented new technologies, which caused quite a stir within Guanghe shops. Many pastry workshop masters worked hard and wanted to produce a few new products.

Wu Dazhi has no objection to this, but also encourages it.

After two years of development, Guanghe Shop has expanded its stalls to a very large size and has become a famous large trading house in Jingzhao and Henan Prefectures.

Wu Dazhu Wu Dazhu also rose to fame.

Many people only know that he is from Jingzhou and don't know if there is anyone behind him.

Anyone with some knowledge can guess that since Wu Dazhuan is from Jingzhou, he made a fortune from Guanghe sugar and created a major industry like Guanghe Commercial Exchange. I am afraid that it is inseparable from the support of Jingzhou Zhangyi Army.

The representative of the Zhangyi Army was not Jiedushi Shi Kuangwei, but Dingyuan Marquis Zhu Xiu!

Xue Juzheng obviously didn't know about the hidden relationship between Guanghe Shanghui and Zhu Xiu. He watched lovingly as Zhu Liang and Zhu Fang carefully peeled off the banana leaves and put a piece of candy in their mouths. The two dolls were instantly surprised.

"Haha, Guanghe has a wide variety of candies with unique tastes. They are good, but the price is much more expensive than ordinary fruit snacks.

The little girl in the family keeps pestering a certain person every now and then, insisting on eating the rose jelly candies from Guanghe Shop, which cost him [-] to [-] percent of his salary in one month."

Xue Juzheng shook his head with helplessness.

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "The candies and snacks of Guanghe Shop are made of exquisite ingredients and are fresh. There are more than [-] people in the Kaifeng workshop who make and sell them every day, ensuring that the time from production to sale of the goods will not exceed three days.

Now that it is midsummer, the production cycle will be shortened to ensure that every fruit snack sold to customers is fresh enough.

Taking into account product research and development, raw material costs, housing taxes, and labor expenses, the cost of a Guanghe shop specializing in selling fruit snacks is three to five times that of similar shops, so the selling price of the products is also slightly higher.

Guanghe Sugar basically focuses on mid-to-high-end products. On the 15th of every month, it will also use the remaining ingredients to make some cheaper fruit snacks for sale.

Regardless of any product, Guanghe Shop can guarantee to be the best in its category, which is the fundamental reason why Guanghe Sugar is so popular."

Xue Juzheng was stunned for a moment after listening to it. Many of the words felt very fresh, and even when they were put together, he couldn't understand them.

He was born in a serious imperial examination and served as a criminal law officer for many years. He knew nothing about how to do business.

"Marquis Dingyuan knows the business conditions of Guanghe Shanghui very well. I guess he did some in-depth research?" Xue Juzheng said in surprise.

"Haha, Wu Dazhan, the big proprietor of Guanghe Shanghui, is also from Jingzhou and has an old relationship with me." Zhu Xiu said with a smile. "I see." Xue Juzheng suddenly realized, but he immediately realized that the relationship between Guanghe Shanghui and Zhu Xiu was probably not simple.

Xue Juzheng added: "I heard that Marquis Dingyuan vigorously developed commercial relations when he was in charge of Jingzhou. It seems that he had an optimistic and supportive attitude towards merchants.

Xue would like to ask, if the imperial court encourages business, and the profits from business are more than farming, wouldn't it encourage people to abandon farming and engage in business, and strive for profit in everything?

If things continue like this, is there a risk that acres of land will be barren and agricultural and grain production will be reduced?
The country is based on agriculture. Farming is not prosperous and the country is unstable. Wouldn't encouraging commerce run counter to the country? "

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "Xue Gong asked well. How to balance the development and relationship between commerce and agriculture is indeed the top priority in governing the country.

Generally speaking, handicraft business is limited by backward production technology and the upper limit of industry scale is low. In most cases, production can only be increased by increasing manpower.

The backwardness of agricultural technology also requires a huge amount of manpower for farming, which requires control from the court level to avoid situations where cheap grain hurts farmers and expensive grain hurts the people.

Regulation should focus on balance, neither dampening the enthusiasm of merchants nor allowing them to develop without restrictions.

It is natural for businessmen to seek profit and it is unavoidable. In order to make profit, if they are not restrained, they will do whatever it takes.

This requires the court to start from the aspects of supervision, regulation, taxation, etc.”

Under the verandah, Zhu Xiu was talking eloquently with his hands behind his hands.

Xue Juzheng stood with his hands down, listening carefully, his upper body leaning forward slightly, his frown never relaxing at all.

Regarding the governance of the country, Xue Juzheng often thought deeply from the aspects of law and farming.

As an official who was educated in the traditional imperial examination, Xue Juzheng believed that if the country wanted to have long-term peace and stability, it must clearly establish laws and regulations, clear the administration of officials, and vigorously develop agriculture.

As for merchants, they are just a group of profit-seeking people. Their biggest use is to supplement the government's water and land transportation capabilities to traffic bulk goods to various prefectures and counties.

Important strategic materials such as salt, iron, tea, wine, and horses were managed by the imperial government and managed by the government.

In addition, all the merchants can earn are petty profits.

But after listening to Zhu Xiu's words today, Xue Juzheng had a deeper understanding of so-called business.

"Marquis Dingyuan thinks that commerce, like farming, is of great benefit to the development of the country?" Xue Juzheng asked doubtfully.

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "That's right! Not only that, if the handicraft business develops, the country's tax revenue will be greatly increased, and it will even become the main source of national treasury revenue in the future."

Xue Juzheng twisted his beard and frowned. He couldn't imagine what a country with merchants all over the world would look like.

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "The topics related to farming and commerce are too broad and cannot be discussed in a moment. How about we discuss it another day?"

Xue Juzheng nodded, cupped his hands and said seriously: "I have heard for a long time that the erudition of Marquis Dingyuan is rare in the world. After listening to your words today, I realized that there are no empty men under the great reputation. Someday, I hope Marquis Dingyuan will give you some advice!"

"Mr. Xue's words are serious, you and I can discuss it with each other.

Mr. Xue please! "

"Please, Marquis Dingyuan!"

The two smiled at each other and walked side by side along the corridor.

They also wanted to discuss the meeting with the Tang monarchs and ministers behind closed doors.

(End of this chapter)