Super Cultivation System of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 383 Business Leaders
The onlookers applauded and cheered, while the nobleman, with a sullen face, quietly backed away.

"Want to leave? That's not that easy, stop him!"

Liu He shouted loudly, and a group of guards, as well as some of the people watching nearby, rushed over and surrounded the young man.

"You...you unruly people, what do you want to do? Do you know who I am?"

"Oh? I would like to hear who you are. Why don't you tell me?"

Liu He said this calmly.

The young man felt a little guilty at first, but he soon gained courage.

"Hehe, you Liu He are just a country bumpkin. You got lucky and are where you are today. Your family background is extremely humble. If I were to tell you my identity, I'm afraid you would be so scared that you would fall over."

"presumptuous!"

Qian Li shouted angrily.

However, the nobleman seemed fearless and didn't even look at him.

Even the onlookers around were so angry that they started cursing, but Liu He himself did not look angry at all.

He just sneered a few times: "Then Liu will listen attentively to see how you can scare me."

The young master was no longer afraid at this moment. He held his head high and walked in front of Liu He.

"Then you must have heard it carefully. My surname is Wei, my given name is Zhong, and my courtesy name is Yongde. I am the only son of the Wei family in Chenliu!"

After hearing his self-introduction, Liu He didn't react much, but Zhang Ding's face changed.

"Chenliu Wei Family! Who is Wei Hong to you?"

Wei Zhong glanced at Zhang Ding and sneered, "This old man is more knowledgeable than Liu He. He actually knows my father."

"You are Wei Ziyang's only son? No wonder, no wonder..."

Liu He was certainly familiar with the name Wei Hong, who appeared in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and funded Cao Cao's uprising. Historians in later generations have always believed that he was a fictionalized version of the historical figure Wei Zi. It was rumored that Wei Hong was a wealthy man in Yanzhou, with a huge business and thousands of acres of fertile land. He only took out part of his property to let Cao Cao recruit the first batch of soldiers and buy weapons, war horses and food.

He didn't expect that he would actually see Wei Hong's son in person at this time, which surprised him a lot.

"Uncle, do you know Wei Hong?"

When Liu He asked this, Wei Zhong couldn't help but sarcastically said, "You haven't even heard of my father. You are really a country bumpkin."

Liu He didn't bother with him and just asked Zhang Ding for advice.

Zhang Ding also hurriedly replied: "This Wei Hong is the largest merchant in Yanzhou. His business has always been mainly antiques, calligraphy and paintings, porcelain and other goods. I and Brother Su have rarely interacted with him, but I have heard a lot about him. This man's business is very prosperous, and he has close relationships with many ministers and noble families. In terms of assets, he can be said to be rich enough to rival a country. Brother Su, Brother Zhen and I are not as rich as him."

After hearing what he said, Wei Zhong couldn't help but raise his head higher.

Zhang Ding changed the subject and said, "But I have heard for a long time that Wei Hong had a son at an old age. He had a son at the age of 29, and then he had no more children. Therefore, he doted on this only son very much, which made this son arrogant and domineering. He is a complete prodigal son."

This made Wei Zhong very angry.

"What are you talking about, old man?"

"Bang!" Liu He broke the flagpole of one of the flags at the restaurant at the door with one palm.

"You can't be so unruly in front of me. You'd better shut up unless I ask you a question!"

This Wei Zhong is also a bully who only bullies the weak and fears the strong. Seeing Liu He being so strong, he couldn't help but swallow his saliva. Zhang Ding continued, "This Wei Hong has a younger brother named Wei Zi. He had a son later than Wei Hong. About ten years ago, when he was thirty-three, he had his first son. In addition, I also know that the Chenliu Wei family is a branch of the Hedong Wei family. The main family is an official, and the branch family is engaged in business. It is also considered a first-class family among the gentry."

"I see. No wonder this boy is so confident and dares to act so arrogantly in front of me."

Liu He was naturally familiar with the Hedong Wei Family. During the Three Kingdoms period, there were two main representatives of this family, one was Wei Ji and the other was his son Wei Guan. Among them, Wei Ji's most well-known achievement was not his official career, but his calligraphy.

During the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, there were only two top calligraphers, Zhong Yao and Wei Ji. Later, during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the calligrapher Wang Xizhi combined the strengths of these two calligraphers. It is no wonder that the main family of the Wei family has such literary and artistic attainments that the branch family would engage in the business of antique calligraphy and paintings.

According to Zhang Ding, Wei Hong in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Wei Zi recorded in historical materials are brothers. It is natural that the money for supporting Cao Cao could be said to be contributed by either of them, which solved a doubt in Liu He's mind.

"Wow, it turns out that he is the eldest son of the Wei family. Wow, he is indeed extraordinary."

Liu He said this jokingly, but Wei Zhong didn't know what was good or bad. He thought Liu He was really scared by his identity. After all, his family was not an ordinary family of merchants. His Wei family was a real aristocratic family that was also engaged in business. Therefore, he had been arrogant since he was a child and did not take those tycoons who cooperated with his family seriously.

He glanced at Liu He and said, "If you are afraid, you'd better apologize to me immediately, and then offer me the best shops in the city for me to choose from, and exempt my Wei family from all taxes for doing business here. Then I can go back and discuss with my father to send more caravans here. Otherwise..."

Liu He raised his eyebrows and said with great effort, "Otherwise, what else can we do?"

"Hehe, otherwise, I will return home. From now on, my Wei family will never do business with your six northern counties again. At the same time, hundreds of business partners of my Wei family will also cut off all business dealings with the areas under your rule. When the time comes, hehe, you will all go out to starve!"

Wei Zhong was very proud of himself, but he made many of the merchants around him very angry.

"There are so many businessmen in this world. Don't think your Wei family can cover the sky with one hand!"

"Although your Wei family owns 20% of the porcelain business, we can still make a living without you!"

"If Mr. Wei were here, we would have given him some face. How dare you, a young waiter, be so arrogant and rude in front of Governor Liu? You really don't know your place!"

How could Wei Zhong endure being condemned by so many people?

He pointed at the numerous merchants and cursed, "You...you all, remember this, my Wei family will be enemies with you from now on. Don't even think about doing business in Yanzhou! No, don't even think about Yuzhou or Sili!"

He was not really crazy, and he would not say that there was no place for them in the whole world. Although the Wei family was one of the most influential among merchants and had a noble background, their influence could only extend to these three states.

However, this threat was enough. When the merchants heard his words, many of them shut up and took a few steps back. No matter how reliable Wei Zhong's words were, for businessmen, profit was the first priority, and it was better to have less trouble than more. It was rare for them to stand up and say a few words for Liu He. It was impossible for them to fight against the behemoth Wei family for Liu He.

As a result, Wei Zhong became even more proud, and the look he gave Liu He was even more provocative.

Liu He was already unhappy, and now seeing his expression, he could hardly suppress his anger.

"Why, are you threatening me? Do you know that under my rule, no one has ever escaped punishment for breaking the law or military discipline, not even me. You are just a kid from a small family, and you want to threaten me? That's ridiculous! The law is like a mountain. If I don't punish you according to the law today, I will write my name Liu He backwards!"

Wei Zhong didn't care at all: "If you dare to touch a hair of this young master, all the big families and merchants in Yanzhou will completely ban you. Hehe, in terms of the scale of business travel, Yanzhou, Jizhou, and Xuzhou are the best in the world. Liu Taishou, please don't make a mistake."

Liu He couldn't help getting angry when he saw him like this. Just when he was about to explode, he was held down by Zhang Ding.

"Don't be impulsive, nephew. The Wei family dotes on this boy very much. Although his words are not reliable, if he is humiliated here, his protective father and uncle will probably hate you. Although the Wei family is not a top family in Yanzhou, most of those families are aristocratic families and do not participate in business. Only the Wei family has a great influence among merchants and powerful people. Once offended, not to mention affecting the prosperity of the three major pass cities and merchants in various places in the future, even many merchants who are still trading here today may be forced to retreat."

Liu He didn't care about that. He waved his hand to interrupt Zhang Ding and shouted at Wei Zhong, "Who do you think I am? Since I was a teenager, I have been wearing armor and fighting bandits. Whenever the Black Mountain Army and the Xianbei Army attacked me, they were several times larger than me and I was in danger of death. So what? Have I ever been afraid?"

"I am not a useless person like you who was raised under protection. I, Liu He, fought my way through mountains of swords and seas of fire. Last year in Shuofang County, I never frowned when facing 170,000 enemy troops. How can I let a shameless and incompetent person like you bury me now? You want to abolish my laws with your own strength, which is simply wishful thinking! Ignorant lunatic, if you have any tricks, just use them. Liu will accompany you! Come, arrest him!"

"well said!"

A very abrupt voice sounded, attracting everyone's attention.

I saw a carriage parked on the street more than ten steps away, and a young man in gorgeous clothes walked out of the carriage. He stood beside the carriage, clapping and praising, and smiled respectfully at the look Liu He gave him.

(End of this chapter)