A small soldier of the frontier army in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 582 Secret Discussion
Lao Bainiu: Every time I ask for a monthly ticket, there are so many tickets. I am grateful and happy. A new volume has begun. Try to write wonderfully.

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In October of the 14th year of Chongzhen, Taiyuan.

The weather is getting colder and colder, and when the deadly north wind blows, people's faces will turn blue, their lips will turn purple, and a layer of fine snowflakes will float in the sky from time to time. Grinding glutinous rice flour to make small dumplings, the joy of the festival dilutes the growing chill.

Taiyuan was known as the most magnificent city in the world and the city of splendor. This is the location of Prince Jin's Mansion. At this time, there was a burst of noise in a courtyard on Chaoyang Street, Yinghuimen. They are all gorgeously decorated, Jingdezhen's sacrificial red, Beijing's thread-sprinkling show, and Suzhou's gold wares seem to be placed for free.

There is also a series of fire sandwiched walls, making the whole house warm like spring, comparable to the air conditioning and heating of later generations, and even more environmentally friendly.

At this time, a banquet is being held above the main hall, and there are many maids and women waiting on it. All the guests are seated on huanghuali official hat chairs and huanghuali eight-legged round stools, covered with Bozhou Yijin silk. Even the elders of the cabinet will bow down when they see each other.

On the main seat, there is an old businessman who is too old to speak. His face is full of dimples, full of vicissitudes of life, his trembling demeanor, and his face full of wrinkles, he can still see the sharp edges and corners of the old days The square face is typical of Shanxi.

His old eyes seem to be drunk, but the occasional flashes of light in the cloudy eyeballs let people know that this person is not simple, just like an old fox, sometimes looks ugly, but if anyone plots against him, he doesn't know when he stumbles.

All the people present did not despise him because of his old age, and all of them looked respectful or respectful. There was also a person sitting beside him, who was middle-aged and shrewd. The eldest son of the Fan family who has appeared before, Fan Sanba.

It turned out that this old man was the famous Fan family in the late Ming Dynasty, Fan Yongdou.

He just said something a while ago, maybe he is afraid of the cold in his old age, even though the walls of the hall are thick fire sandwiched walls, and a few exquisite copper plates in the corners are also burning red charcoal wood, he subconsciously tightened his skin Qiu Weizi is a black fox fur fur, which is produced on the East Road.

The furs on the East Road are now not only famous in Xuanzhen Town, but also in Shanxi, and there are many fans. Their craftsmanship may not be so exquisite, but they are more atmospheric, thick, and full of materials. Like some profiteers, they claim that their material is fox fur, but in fact they use dog fur as a fake.

These Shanxi businessmen, although they used to prop up their doors when they went out, and their houses and bridges were magnificent, but their daily necessities of life were mostly based on practicality, so the style of Donglu was very suitable for their taste.

Looking at the people present, all of them were wearing East Road sable fur or squirrel fur. Fan Sanba also wore a purple gold mink fur coat produced on East Road.

Pursuing goods from the East Road has become a fashion and trend in many places in Shanxi. Anyone who doesn’t have many goods from the East Road makes people laugh, especially the firearms and weapons of the East Road, which are popular items on the black market. .

This made many businessmen faintly feel that something was wrong. Although they didn't understand what dumping meant, they instinctively felt threatened.

At the same time, they also wondered, where did so many high-quality furs come from this east road?Where do so many craftsmen come from?
Many people know some news. Those merchants on the east road are capturing Tartars outside the Great Wall. Many of these Tartars are very skilled in the leather industry. When talking about their harvest, merchants from all over Shanxi all Full of envy, jealousy and hatred, but also thinking about whether he was going to capture a group of Tartars and come back.

"Come, come, shopkeepers, eat some dumplings."

Fan Yongdou greeted again tremblingly, and added: "These fasting ingredients were made by the masters of Chunyang Palace to ward off disasters and bring blessings in advance."

All the merchants flattered him: "Fan Lao really has a lot of friends and is a master of Chunyang Palace, but it is difficult to invite him."

After eating a few glutinous rice balls, the hall became quiet. Everyone knew that Fan Yongdou made great efforts to invite these well-known businessmen from Shanxi, not just to eat glutinous rice balls.

However, Fan Yongdou first glanced at the maid next to him, before he tightened his clothes, this girl didn't know how to poke the fire with copper fire chopsticks, she was really stupid, Fan Sanba noticed his father's expression, and the housekeeper whispered, Soon, the dull maid disappeared and was replaced by another timid maid.

As for the stupid maid who lost her livelihood, whether she died of starvation or freezing in the cold, or caused her family to die of starvation or freezing to death, this is not what Fan Yongdou and Fan Sanba care about.

Fan Yongdou glanced at the crowd, his turbid blistered eyes gave off a cold light like a poisonous snake, and he said sullenly: "I wonder if all the shopkeepers have heard that this Liaodong War, Master Wang, won."

"Yes, we won."

"The news from the capital has arrived."

"Your servant's eyeliner in the capital and Liaodong have all sent information. Daming won and gained a lot..."

Everyone in the hall made a noise, but there was not much joy in their words, some even gritted their teeth.

"It's a good thing to win the battle. We are all subjects of the Heavenly Dynasty. Of course we are happy that Master Wang won. However, our loyal uncle, General Zhenshuo, has become more majestic, and everyone will be in trouble."

Fan Yongdou laughed, but there was no smile in his eyes.

He said: "I heard that the surnamed Wang is going to be a Marquis. He is currently in a town, and he will be stationed in the Xuan Mansion in the future. Is there any way for me to survive?"

He looked at the people below with a smile, the hall was silent, and after a while, a businessman on the lower left said: "Is Mr. Fan being too serious? There are now businessmen on Guandong Road, and they live a very happy life. We may not be able to be with you." Let’s cooperate and make a fortune together.”

His words caused a burst of agreement.

Fan Yongdou is getting old, and he seldom goes to the front of the screen. Most of the business in the clan is managed by his son Fan Sanba. Not to mention Fan Yongdou's age is the number of his wealth, and he is also the first among all merchants. of.

He also has a lot of friends and has supporters in the court and localities. He has been the leader of various merchants for many years, and his prestige is well known. This is why he lives in seclusion as the leader of Shanxi merchants. Few dare to refute.

At this time, he went out in person, and there were a lot of people responding, but the person who spoke below was not an idle person, but the head of the Wang family, one of the Eight Great Families. The emerald green big finger, a strong aura of wealth and nobility.

Their Wang family is engaged in raw silk, silk, cotton, grain, sugar, tea, medicinal materials and other industries, and their family assets are in the millions. Without their full support, it would have been impossible for the general officers of the town. They also sponsored a large amount of money and food for the establishment of the new barracks.

With such an identity, it is natural to calmly question Fan Yongdou's words.

Fan Yongdou was not angry either, he chuckled, picked up the silver chopsticks, picked up a dumpling and chewed slowly.

Fan Sanba stood up with a smile, bowed in circles, and bowed to the head of the Wang family: "Master Wang."

The Patriarch of the Wang family said carelessly: "Well, let's talk."

Fan Sanba is just a junior in his eyes, so naturally he doesn't need to be so cautious about Fan Yongdou.

Fan Sanba said calmly: "Elders, all the shopkeepers, there is a saying that is to plan ahead. We all know Wang Dou. Looking at his life, he can be described as ruthless and greedy."

He said: "After he got up, wherever he went, there was blood and blood. The Zhang family on the East Road, everyone here knows, but Zhang Guowei, the former deputy commander of Xuanfu Town, was killed by him. His old man just wants to feel at ease. What is the crime of doing some business?"

"It is said that the shopkeepers on the East Road are living a very healthy life, but what does that have to do with us? To put it bluntly, they live by sucking our blood. Tell me, after the arrival of various commercial goods, , how much has the shopkeeper’s business been affected?”

His words aroused a lot of sympathy. Immediately, some small businessmen in the hall began to cry, especially a skinny businessman surnamed Zhao, who was crying loudly. Many shopkeepers knew that he opened a mink fur shop in Taiyuan, and specially ordered furs for wealthy households. Yigao is now facing bankruptcy, and his plump body has become thinner all the way, becoming what he is now.

Seeing his grief-stricken expression, everyone present felt a little embarrassed. Originally, many of them were customers of this businessman surnamed Zhao, but now they all wore Donglu fur coats.No wonder they, Donglu's winter clothes are gorgeous and solid, anyone with discernment knows his choice, it's normal that his mink fur can't be unfurled, but speaking of it, this is also one of the evidences of Donglu's crimes.

Fan Sanba observed everyone's expressions, smiled slightly, and continued: "This is just one, and second, everyone knows about the matter on the East Road, and all businessmen must pay taxes according to the law, otherwise it's a trivial matter that they will lose their fortunes." At worst, you will be imprisoned and spend the rest of your life in the mine. I dare to ask those present, who is willing to pay for this pocket?"

At this time, even the face of the head of the Wang family changed. He has a lot of business, although the focus is on Taiyuan, Datong, etc., but he also has a lot of property in Zhangjiakou. Wang Dou will soon enter the town, and his tentacles will definitely extend to Zhangjiakou. If one had to pay taxes, the amount would be quite a lot, and the Patriarch of the Wang family was not willing to pay this amount.

Fan Sanba raised his finger again: "Thirdly, Wang Dou strictly forbids private transactions. I don't know this, how many people can do it?"

Everyone's face changed, and they smuggled outside the Great Wall, but their money is the most important thing. If there is no such thing, or there are restrictions, they will want to die.Moreover, since the rise of Donglu, their trade with the Qing Dynasty has been greatly restricted, and their income has dropped sharply. Many people hate Wang Dou to the bone.

That was when Wang Dou was serving as a general on the East Road, and now he will be serving as the commander in chief. Thinking about it, the prospects are gloomy, especially the people's property in Zhangjiakou, which makes them unparalleled care and worry.

Fan Sanba continued: "East Road is a lot of weird places. Now they have opened official grain stores and banks. They are not allowed to lend money without permission, and they are not allowed to collect grain at will..."

He smiled and looked at the Patriarch of the Wang Family, who had an even uglier face, and then turned his gaze to the gloomy businessman on the lower right: "Wang Douguan is prosperous, from a pier army who eats bran and swallow vegetables in a fire road pier, to the chief soldier of a town , and now it is even more important to become a Marquis, if in the future he really takes charge of Xuan Da, as my father said, will the big guy still have a way to survive?"

"By the way, his cheap father-in-law is already the current Viceroy Xuan...every time Wang Dou takes a step forward, we all have to take a step back?
"What do shopkeeper Kangda think?"

(End of this chapter)