Qin Official

On January 15, the thirty-fourth year of Qin Shihuang's reign, a plaque reading "Haidong Trading Company" was hung in front of a building amidst the noise of gongs and drums.

Participating in the listing were not only Jiaodong County Sheriff, Shexian County Magistrate, Cangcao, Jinbucao, Bingcao and other court officials, but also thirteen Qidi merchants, led by Langya people in charge of banquets and Jiaodong people Daojian.

Governor Heifu's speech at the listing meeting was nothing more than an expression of his intention to imitate the national trade organization of Guan Zhong's period, the "Nine Prefectures of Light and Heavy Industry", to accumulate wealth through currency, and to allow Qi merchants to participate in the government-led Haidong trade, and ultimately achieve the goal of "no taxation" And the treasury is sufficient" purpose.

The Haidong trading company will monopolize all trade in Liaonan and Haidong, and the government will distribute and supervise it. Finally, the trading company will uniformly pay taxes to the government.

Heifu gave an impassioned speech above, while Jiaodong soldier Cao Yu and Cao Shen were below, whispering to Chen Ping next to him:

"All Qin officials despise merchants, except for the county princes. I find it strange to recruit merchants to help the government do business, but these merchants don't find it strange at all."

Chen Ping said with a smile: "Qi merchants have long been accustomed to these things. You forgot that Junjun said that this matter also came to his mind after reading "Guanzi"."

Scholars from Linzi Jixia Academy once worked together to write a book called "Guan Zi", which fictionalized many of Guan Zhong's "economic war" deeds.

For example, the textile technology of the State of Lu was advanced, and the silk weaved was thin and fine, and was famous throughout the world. Guan Zhong asked Duke Huan of Qi to wear clothes made of Lu silk, and the people of Qi followed suit one after another. At the same time, he asked the Nine Prefectures of Qing and Chong to encourage merchants to import Lu silk in large quantities. People in the State of Lu saw that weaving silk silk was profitable, and it gradually developed into a pillar industry. Mulberries were planted in the fields and silkworms were raised. A large number of farmers were engaged in the production of silk silk, and agricultural production was abandoned.

Guan Zhong saw that the time was ripe and asked Duke Huan of Qi to issue an order that the people of Qi were prohibited from wearing Lu silk. As a result, Lu's economy was in serious trouble, its export-driven economy plummeted, and food prices soared. Lu was forced by its economic collapse to succumb to Qi without a fight.

Guan Zhong directed similar economic wars many times, such as purchasing deer skins against Chu State, purchasing fox skins against Dai State, raising the price of salt, and making the princes of the Central Plains surrender.

Most of the above are fictitious under the name of Tuanzhong. With the scale of trade in the Spring and Autumn Period, it was impossible to achieve it. However, the idea is not bad. It was the imagination of the Qidi scholars after being exposed to the prosperous Linzi city, or some big people. Jia has done more or less similar things.

After Qin Shihuang issued the order to seize the book, "Guanzi" was also banned and confiscated. Heifu used his power for personal gain and made a set of handwritten slips to read.

After all, although his husband was from a humble background, he was famous for his "love to learn": with the reputation of being good at learning, he would learn a little bit about everything. If he said something shocking in the future, it would not be easy for others to doubt him, and he would also be able to teach future generations. Things cover.

Sure enough, after Heifu read it, he was full of praise for "Guanzi" and said that some of the ideas in it provided him with a reference for governing the county. He even recruited several Mr. Jixia who had studied "Guanzi" all his life to do it. Disciples, discuss the possibility of "restoring the administration of Guanzi"...

At present, Heifu is establishing Haidong Trading Co., Ltd., and he is doing it under this banner, which is easily accepted by the people of Qi.

Anyway, Guan Zhong was considered a Legalist, and he entered the Jingbian Temple and received official sacrifices from the court. His doing so would not become an excuse for being attacked in the court, but instead made Qi merchants have a good impression. Heifu Pingping a year ago Most of those who rebelled and killed were Zhutian and Qingxia. The merchants did not speak out because they were neither of them. Fortunately, Heifu's sword did not cut them. He even spoke up for them and withstood the pressure of the court...

To reciprocate the favor, thirteen wealthy businessmen from all over the land, whether they are willing or not, have to join the trading company. The money that should have been given to the government to settle misfortunes is now being used as funds for trading companies to establish strongholds in southern Liaoning and Haidong.

In the first batch of funds, each family contributed 200,000 yuan, a total of 2.6 million yuan!

And what this money bought was just the privilege of going to Haidong and Liaonan to conduct commodity and colonial trade!

After the listing was over, the merchants who had been smiling just now began to show sad faces. Langya merchant Guan Yan sighed: "This is a bet. If it can really make a profit, it's okay. If not, our money will be lost." drift!"

Everyone nodded, but they could only say: "Now that the money has been invested, we can only find ways to make money from Haidong!"

Daojian naturally has no worries. He started his career by serving concubines. I heard that the governor of Heifu is very interested in the people of the Three Koreas and Nine Barbarians. Those barbarians are honest and friendly. If they can be transported to Jiaodong to work as coolies, it will be a good business.

The fur goods businessman was also full of expectations and said with a smile: "I am worried about the increasing number of people in Qi and the lack of minks and foxes in the mountains. I heard that there are many furs in Haidong. It seems that there will be a lot of mink furs in the Central Plains this year!"

Those who deal in silk and lacquer also have their own plans. Although the utensils of Qi Di are known as "the crown, the clothes and the shoes in the world", that was in the past. Nowadays, if silk and silk are transported to the Central Plains, they cannot compete with the gorgeous and lightweight Lu Can. The lacquerware in Qi is not as good as that of Song and Chu. Therefore, except for fish and salt, to a large extent, the things in Qi are only Able to produce and sell by oneself.

But when these things were shipped to Liaodong and Haidong, they were very popular with local nobles and could be sold at high prices! The only thing worth worrying about is, how big is the market over there? Liaodong County has only more than 100,000 people, and the same is true for North Korea. Add in the Sanhan and Zhenfan, and it is not necessarily much more than Jiaodong. Merchants are worried that even if Haidong Trading Company can make a profit at the beginning, within three to five years, the business will decline.

However, Heifu gave everyone two more reassurances.

"The conquest of Haidong has not yet ended. If people from the Haidong trading company transport grain from the mainland to the port for the government, they can get salt leads, carry the sea salt back to the counties and villages, and sell it at a fair price..."

Once this policy was announced, merchants all over the country were shocked. Although they all operate different businesses, they have one thing in common, that is, they all own a large number of cars and boats!

If this is the case, doesn't it mean that anyone who is a big businessman of Haidong Trading Company is qualified to take a share of the sea salt trade?

This is also Heifu's attempt to change the direct sale of salt from the government to indirect sale. The government monopolized the source of supply and was only responsible for drying and pricing salt. The retail work was done wholesale by large merchants who were willing to cooperate with the court. In this way, the cost of transporting grain and salt can be saved, and the government can earn more money.

It is not good to have too little government control, but it is not good to have too much control. Reducing government functions appropriately is also a good way to streamline costs. This can also be regarded as an attempt by Jiaodong's "Special Economic Zone"...

This was the first one, and the second reassurance made the thirteen businessmen laugh out loud, because it was sweet...

"Non-members of Haidong Trading Company are allowed to sell sugar!"

…

"Congratulations, lord!"

After the listing of Haidong Trading Company was completed, Chen Ping returned to the mansion and immediately congratulated Heifu.

"What are you congratulating me for?"

Chen Pingdao: "Three years ago, when the Lord first entered Jiaodong, he only had a few staff and dozens of servants. At that time, the Lord placed a few white stones on the chessboard in the car, which represented the people of Jiaodong: the fields, the small nobles, and the craftsmen. , businessmen, intellectuals, small farmers, leftists, light knights..."

"So that's what happened." Heifu said with a smile, "I almost forgot about it, but you still remember it!"

Chen Ping said: "How dare you forget it? I especially remember that the Lord said that politics means more and more friends and fewer and fewer enemies!"

Indeed, three years have passed, and the situation where everyone in the county was an enemy has completely changed. The small nobles left over from the Jiang Qi era were first won over by the black husband, and then the proletarian Lu Zuo.

After the book-repairing and book-burning debate, the "reactionary intellectuals" were suppressed, and most of the sensible people defected to the government. With Qin Shihuang's eastward tour, the fields were uprooted and the young knights were half dead. As farmers settled in, the yield per mu of small farmers increased slightly, and their lives became a little better.

In the end, only the businessmen were left, and now the wealthy businessmen among them were all co-opted by Heifu and stuffed into Haidong Trading Company, where they could both supervise and exploit them.

After reviewing the above, Chen Ping said: "The master's three-year plan has finally been completed today!"

"Is it complete?"

Heifu smiled, looked at Chen Ping, who was the most thoughtful among his subordinates, and said meaningfully:

"As long as the Eastern Expedition army stays for a long time, Jiaodong will not have the final say in Haidong. He will have to wait for the battle on the other side to be completely fought, behead Cang Haijun, completely wipe out the remnants of the Six Kingdoms, and establish the Qin Army Only when you are majestic and majestic can things be considered perfect!”

After saying that, he looked at Chen Ping: "Do you understand what I mean?"

Chen Ping's heart tightened, remembering what he did in Liaodong last year, he bowed and said, "I understand!"

Hei Fu nodded at him and said: "So this time you are going to supervise the food supply. When you see the young master, say hello to me."

"promise!"

Chen Ping was stunned and even more shocked, but he still only agreed and tensed up, waiting for Hei Fu's next words.

Maybe it's a warning like "I'll give you another chance" or "Don't make your own decisions again."

But Heifu didn't say anything. He waved his hand and told Chen Ping to step back.

After walking out of the Sheriff's Mansion, Chen Ping was already covered in sweat.

Twelve years ago, Chen Pingshang was a weak young man. He was invited by his black husband to join the Qin army camp for the first time. At that time, he thought that this black man was as good as Long Yang and coveted his beauty, so he was trembling with fear. But even that time, he didn't Today’s fear…

Sometimes not telling the truth is scarier than telling the truth.

If you tell him, the previous matter is over, but if you don't tell him, it will be like watching Chen Ping at any time to see his subsequent behavior. Chen Ping only feels that if he continues to seek death, he will not only lose trust.

After a long time, he sighed secretly:

"It is obvious that the power of a master, who lives in a deep place and speaks little, is more powerful than the wrath of thunder. Even I am intimidated by it. But why are you willing to succumb to Qin Shihuang and his son? Princes, generals and ministers would rather have their own kind. My lord, my lord, don't you Are you really satisfied if you become Chehou, General and Prime Minister?"

Chen Ping likes and hates such a lord at the same time. He likes that he is an outstanding person and is worthy of selling his wisdom and service. He hates that he is limited to the position of a minister. He is unworthy because he cannot go further!

"Could he really not see that no matter how well he did in Jiaodong today, if the emperor loses his trust, he may be destroyed at any time!?"