Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 618: Uncertain stance (asking for monthly ticket)

Huizhou Trading House.

Qin Zhao sat in the main seat, and on the other side sat Li Wuwei, who was also a big boss of Huizhou merchants.

This time, Li Wuwei came to negotiate with Qin Zhao on behalf of dozens of Huizhou merchants in Beijing.

Qin Zhao said: "At present, all the grains have been collected and collected. The grains around the capital must be transferred here as soon as possible. After all, the court needs to transport them to the northwest, and there can be no delay."

"Master Qin."

Li Wuwei did not respond directly, but showed an embarrassed look and asked, "Didn't you say that we don't have to be afraid because we have the support of the court? Now you ask us to give up food in exchange for our own safety. Isn't this... paying a ransom?"

"Huh!? Why do you think so? Can the two situations be the same?"

Qin Zhao looked unhappy and said sternly, "There is a shortage of food on the northwest front. As merchants, we originally took our wealth from the people and should use it for the people. We should do our best to help the court overcome the difficulties. This is in line with our business principles.

"Besides, aren't all the shops and warehouses reopened one after another? How did you get through this difficult time so smoothly? Don't you know the inside story?"

Li Wuwei seemed very unwilling and said, "It was you who solved the difficulties, and everyone knows this. But some of our Huizhou merchants privately said that if you hadn't been close to Zhang Guozhang, perhaps we could have avoided this disaster. In the final analysis, this is the result of the court dispute, and we merchants were innocently implicated."

Qin Zhao narrowed his eyes and asked, "You mean you want to sever ties with me and no longer work together?"

Li Wuwei said cautiously: "You have a powerful backer now, but seriously speaking, do those superiors have any principles? They use us to raise money and food for the court today, but if they are short of money tomorrow, won't they come to us for it again?
"Master Qin, I only want to ask you one question. We have already raised the first batch of food, which has brought peace to all families. But I would like to ask if we will still be responsible for raising the money and food that is lacking in the northwest front?"

When Qin Zhao heard this, she looked annoyed, but she did not lose her temper immediately.

Xu Gong, who had been standing nearby, was very unhappy when he heard this and retorted: "Master Li, the money and grain raised this time are not given for free. Didn't we say that the salt fields can be paid for official salt as early as possible next year? The court has also given us enough benefits..."

“It’s not worth it!”

Li Wuwei said helplessly, "As long as the salt policy is not changed, no one will dare to transport grain to the northwest front in the future. For example, how many of our Huizhou colleagues have found people to farm the land they have bought in the northwest? It sounds good to exchange grain for salt permits, but the problem is that if you have salt permits but cannot pay for salt, what's the point of holding salt permits?"

Qin Zhao said: "The court is also implementing reforms step by step, so there is no need to rush."

Li Wuwei said: "Although it seems that our Huizhou merchants are in power and have won, the Shanxi and Beijing merchants are not far behind. After this incident, they will definitely fight back fiercely... You have a strong backer, but what about us?"

Qin Zhao said: "We are originally one... Besides, every family has made friends with one or two officials in the court. Do I have to rely on myself to hold the fort?"

"When the incident happened before, even you couldn't stop it. Weren't your properties also seized by the government?"

Li Wuwei said helplessly, "Everyone is afraid now. With the new emperor ascending the throne, the capital is showing a new look. Who will gain power in the future and what the court's attitude towards merchants will be are all unknown. Right now, it seems that withdrawing from the capital and establishing a foothold in the local area first is the best option."

Xu Gong smiled and said, "Master Li, you have been developing in the capital for the past ten years. Your business in Lianghuai, Guanzhong and other places has almost been cut off. You mean... you want to give up all the business share in the capital. Are you willing to do so?"

Li Wuwei said: "It's not about giving in, but shrinking. It's impossible to cut off all at once, but it's inevitable to recover the scale of the business. Does the Qin family dare to expand blindly at this moment? This money spent will most likely be wasted..."

Qin Zhao narrowed his eyes and said, "So, no matter what happens next, I won't have to come to you anymore, right?"

"This one……"

Li Wuwei said hesitantly, "I... definitely don't want to part ways with you, but all of us Hui merchants... are afraid. This is the result of collective discussion among Hui merchants in Beijing, not my opinion alone. Please forgive me, Mr. Qin."

……

……

It can be said that Qin Zhao's meeting with Li Wuwei was fruitless.

After walking out of the trading house, Qin Zhao looked up at the sky. He did not get on the carriage immediately, but walked towards the street corner.

Xu Gong hurriedly followed and asked, "Boss, are you afraid that they will go back on their word and take back the food they promised to give out? Some of them even moved their families away and refused to fulfill their promises?"

Qin Zhao said: "The first batch of 200,000 dan of grain needed by the court, the quota allocated to our Huizhou merchants is actually less than 50,000 dan. Even if a few people run away, what will happen? It's not that our family can't make up the shortfall. I'm just afraid that if the grain is transported from the capital, the local grain price in the capital will soar.

"Besides, the grain shipped north from various places has the capital as its final destination, and the bulk of it has to be requisitioned from major grain-producing provinces such as Huguang and Jiangnan."

Xu Gong nodded: "Yes, if we want to transfer grain, we have to go from the source. But judging from what the Zhang family said earlier, this matter is very urgent. Can they accept us transferring grain from the grain-producing areas? Will it be too late in time?"

Qin Zhao looked very cautious: "It would be best to transfer from grain-producing areas, but unfortunately it is not feasible because time is too short, so we have to use the Huizhou merchants in the capital, who have spot goods on hand.

"To put it bluntly, the value of all the property seized by the government before was probably more than 500,000 dan of grain. Now they are only offering this little bit. What does it mean to them?"

"Boss, now I think I understand what Boss Li and the others mean. Isn't this just a disguised form of paying the ransom?"

Xu Gong sighed, "What they expect of you is that you have Zhang Guozhang's family as your backer, so that you can solve problems at one time and deter other forces from asking us Hui merchants for money, instead of having to spend money to buy peace like now."

Qin Zhao shouted: "But if it weren't for me, they wouldn't even have a way to buy safety this time."

Xu Gong reminded: "The problem is that the merchants from other places don't seem to have this trouble this time... Perhaps because of this, they think that it is because we Hui merchants are too close to Zhang Guozhang that we have encountered disaster." Qin Zhao's face turned ugly.

Although she knew clearly in her heart that these were just misunderstandings of the Huizhou merchants, some truths were difficult to explain.

After all, in the eyes of other Huizhou merchants, you, Qin Zhao, will definitely speak in the direction of your backers.

The business you have cooperated with the Zhang family has made you a lot of money. Even if some of the goods are seized, it will not affect your ability to expand and strengthen your business. The Zhang family will also help you through the difficulties.

And us?

Our connection with the Zhang family is not that close. In the end, we still have to spend money to buy peace. It doesn't matter where the money is spent? It doesn't matter who it is spent on? Why do we have to hand over the money and grain to you and let you go to the Zhang family and the court to win good people?

"It seems that this basin of cold water still hasn't woken them up."

Qin Zhao sighed, "This time, the Zhang family's opponents were clearly coming with great force, but they were easily resolved by Zhang Guozhang and his son. It was a lot of noise but little rain, and now it's time to end. If we can't rely on the Zhang family, then... the Zhang family's full-scale counterattack against the opponents will put those with weak wills in danger."

Xu Gong said: "Perhaps in the eyes of Mr. Li and his people, since the ransom has been paid, there will probably be peace for a while, so they don't care about the follow-up."

Qin Zhao said angrily, "What benefit can we get from retreating when faced with difficulties? I will not go to the Huizhou merchants' gathering tomorrow and the day after tomorrow... You can tell them for me that they have to pay the money and grain now, whether they pay or not! Unless they plan to stop doing business in the future!
"Or... they should expand their business overseas, otherwise... they should know their way around it!"

……

……

Qin Zhao then went to see Zhang Yanling.

Also in the laboratory used as Zhang's workshop, Zhang Yanling was studying a set of assembly line operation procedures. Different craftsmen were responsible for different tasks, and manufacturing and assembly were completed under one system, which could greatly improve efficiency.

Zhang Yanling’s task was to plan everything that everyone was going to do in advance.

"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Qin."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "I guess you Huizhou merchants have a lot of complaints about this donation? I guess the pressure you are under is not small!"

Qin Zhao smiled and said, "We Huizhou merchants do have this sense of responsibility. Besides, the imperial court is in trouble right now. If we Huizhou merchants help the imperial court overcome the difficulties, we will also benefit in the future. It is a mutually beneficial relationship."

"hehe."

Zhang Yanling smiled brightly and said, "That sounds a bit hypocritical! Mutual benefit? Forget it. The court has always been thinking about how to get it, just like our Zhang family has been supplying money and food to the court. Do you see any benefit? It's still the same to be scolded and regarded as a traitor, isn't it?"

Qin Zhao asked curiously, "Those people attacked the Zhang family earlier, don't you plan to fight back?"

"Fight back? Not good, not good."

Zhang Yanling seemed very magnanimous, and said with emotion, "We in the Zhang family have always been committed to winning people over with virtue. We should reason with them. Wouldn't fighting back only create a bigger dispute?"

"..."

Qin Zhao was speechless for a moment.

Do you always say things against your will in front of me?
Still making sense?

When they came to cause trouble before, you didn't use your fists, but bricks and sticks instead. You were quite merciful. You didn't directly use bows, crossbows or swords. Does this count as "conquering people with virtue"?

"Besides, my father has been busy with the Yellow River works recently and can't take care of this for the time being." Zhang Yanling said, "He even entrusted me with the matter of raising money and grain."

"Leave it to you? Isn't it always the father-in-law who is busy all the time?"

Qin Zhao was very curious.

The task assigned to Zhang Luan by the emperor should be completed by Zhang Luan, right?
Recently, I have heard that Zhang Luan has been busy raising money and food for the court.

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "You think he is very busy, but he just wants people to think he is busy. I am also trying my best to help him create a busy appearance.

"By the way... since you think he's very busy, have you seen him attend any fund-raising events? What has he done?"

"Then may I ask you..."

Qin Zhao thought about it and continued, "What else did you do?"

Zhang Yanling said, "I am communicating with you. Alas! Actually, Li Zisheng had prepared everything he could before he went to the northwest. Although my father has not been very busy recently, he is still quite responsible."

Qin Zhao thought to himself, it seems that your Zhang family is just fooling the court?
They said that you and your son are the ones doing the work, but why does it feel like... Li Zisheng is the one running around?

(The coronavirus and influenza A have come one after another. Tianzi has been coughing for several weeks and has not stopped. It's uncomfortable! Please support a few monthly tickets to boost morale and spirit, thank you!)

(End of this chapter)