Rule the Ming Dynasty Alone

The front hall was brightly lit, and there was a constant sound of glasses being pushed and lamps being placed.

Although Huang Yu, the obese president of the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce, faced the toasts of people around him, he was also a shrewd businessman with an eye for all directions and an ear for all directions, so he successfully captured Liu Cunye's reaction.

It's just that he didn't understand the big deal Zhang Sui said, let alone why Liu Cunye was suddenly afraid. He always felt that there was an unknown secret here.

In fact, he still had a doubt in his mind. It was okay that he didn't pay attention to Zhang Sui just now, but now that he discovered that Zhang Sui was extraordinary, he suddenly realized that Zhang Sui, a foreign official, should not appear in the capital.

Tables full of fine wine and delicacies were served one after another, making the people here enjoy themselves.

Although this incident made Liu Cunye, a Hanlin editor, unhappy, and everyone could see that Liu Cunye was hostile to Zhang Sui, it did not affect the overall atmosphere.

After finishing the meal, Huang Yu picked up his glass and made a request: "I am not talented, my surname is Huang, and my single name is Yu. Thanks to the blessing of my ancestors, I have accumulated a little wealth in Beijing and Guangzhou over the years, but I just don't want to sit back and have nothing, so I want to We will be looking for trade routes in the spring, so I would like to ask all of you to give me some advice!"

"What's happening here?"

"This Chairman Huang can be said to be the richest man in our Guangdong business community, but his years have been unfavorable!"

"I remember that he ran a pawnshop and lent money to our Guangdong Juzi. Could it be that the pawnshop was closed?"

…

Zhang Sui turned around and asked Zhang Hong about the situation. After hearing a little bit of information, he immediately made a bold guess based on his own memory.

The matter is similar to what Zhang Sui guessed. Huang Yu can be said to be a victim of the imperial court's financial consolidation.

The Jinyu Pawnshop founded by Huang Yu not only lent money to Guangdong officials, but also undertook the Beijing debt of Guangdong officials. Many officials who were released to Guangdong borrowed money from Jinyu Pawnshop.

Due to sufficient funds and the support of people in the imperial court, he also took both black and white in Guangdong, resulting in him having an almost monopoly on the Beijing debt lent to Guangdong officials.

It is precisely because of the income from Guangdong's Beijing debt, and the fact that many Guangdong officials borrowed money from him, that he has been living a prosperous life these years.

However, something unexpected happened. The Ming Dynasty ushered in the most courageous tyrant in history. In the spring of last year, it rectified its finances and severely cracked down on loan sharking.

Although Jinyu Pawnshop was not found guilty of any evil deeds, its business plummeted after being rectified by the imperial court. Huang Yu's pawnshop is now closed due to his failure to obtain a financial license from the court.

"The pawnshop has indeed been closed, but it doesn't stop there! President Huang has a really strong sense of business. Real estate in Beijing was very popular last year. He made a lot of money by investing in real estate in Beijing, but now the luxury tax is not Has it been announced?" Xu Hong added with a look of gloating.

With the smallpox epidemic in the capital being quickly brought under control, the imperial court has officially promulgated the latest luxury tax to the two capitals and thirteen provinces after discussions at the Supreme Council.

The luxury tax hits the wealthy the hardest, starting with their basic necessities, food, clothing, housing and transportation, but the biggest impact is actually on real estate.

The group of people who were so complacent last year because they joined forces to speculate on real estate in the capital for profit, now that the imperial court has officially introduced the luxury tax, it can be said that these people are reaping the consequences.

Now, property prices in Beijing are not only falling in response, but these speculators are facing high luxury taxes.

The wealthy Huang Yu is one of the many victims. He owns three houses that are subject to luxury tax. Fortunately, his involvement was not too deep, and the starving camel was bigger than the horse, so it would not fall directly.

Now through this hometown gathering, Huang Yu really wants to seek help from the people present, especially the wise Guangdong officials, so as to find a new way to make money.

The Xinke Gongshi and the failed candidates who were present knew how much they weighed, and they immediately looked at the officials present silently, especially the number one scholar who was like a star holding the moon.

Although Liu Cunye is a typical mama's boy, he has already entered the court as an official, and he is also a highly sought-after Hanlin editor. He is also full of maturity at the age of thirty.

"Executive Officer Huang, I think you should stick to your old business!"

"Dr. Sun is right, if you can't do it in the capital, why not go back to Guangzhou!"

"No matter what you do for a living, you should operate with integrity. This is the Confucian business way!"

…

Officials such as the doctor from the Ministry of Justice and Liu Cunye seemed very enthusiastic. However, most officials suggested that Huang Yu return to his old business, but they wanted Huang Yu to return to Guangzhou and continue his money lending business.

"I won't come again next time!"

"Brother Zhang, why are you doing this?"

"A bunch of clowns are extremely ignorant!"

…

Zhang Sui took the proposal of the people over there into his eyes and felt extremely disappointed. However, he could not change his venomous nature and directly despised the enthusiastic officials.

Xu Hong has been in the capital for a long time, but he knows that these officials are short-sighted, but he has long been used to it, and he shook his head bitterly.

It’s no wonder that Li Si, the Minister of Household Affairs at that time, did not form the Guangdong Township Party. If he tried to rely on this group of people to intervene in court battles, he would only die miserably.

"Zhang Xunshi, what do you mean by this? Why were you shaking your head just now?" Liu Cunye had been paying attention to Zhang Sui and immediately asked what was going on.

The officials of the Ministry of Punishment, the doctor, were naturally on Liu Cunye's side, and they immediately cast unkind glances at him, but they looked down upon this little censor of Liaodong.

Zhang Sui took a sip of wine and said bluntly: "As the saying goes, eating the emperor's salary and sharing the emperor's worries, as officials of the Ming Dynasty, are you really worthy of your majesty by encouraging Huang Yuanwai to return to his old career?"

"Don't talk nonsense here. What does this have to do with His Majesty?" A middle-aged official immediately questioned.

Zhang Sui put down the wine glass in his hand and said in the face of everyone's hostile eyes: "Your Majesty's rectification of the financial industry last year was just to provide a way for the people at the bottom who were burdened with loan sharks. If Huang Yuanwai can't get a formal license to operate legally in the capital, What do you want to do by encouraging Mr. Huang to return to Guangzhou? Does Guangdong really lack a loan shark businessman? "

He was not targeting anyone specifically, but he was very disappointed with this group of short-sighted officials.

The logic here is actually very simple. Huang Yu was previously engaged in loan sharking, so if he reopens a pawn shop, he is destined to still engage in loan sharking activities.

If Huang Yu is unwilling to run a pawnshop honestly and legally in the capital, now encouraging him to return to Guangzhou to operate is just to give Guangzhou another powerful loan shark operator.

Exactly like this, at least there is another veteran of loan sharking in Guangzhou, at worst these officials are going against the will of the current emperor and even destroying the achievements of the imperial court in rectifying finance.

this……

The middle-aged official who had just questioned quickly understood the logic and was speechless.

"I would like to thank all of you for your suggestions, and I also thank Zhang Yushi for your reminder. I will carefully consider your opinions. I will punish myself with a drink first!" Huang Yu saw the conflict again and hurriedly picked up his glass and stood up to apologize.

Zhang Sui looked at Huang Yu who drank all the wine in one gulp, but directly warned: "Exceptor Huang, if you can run the pawn shop honestly now, it's fine, but if you still want to make a lot of money by running the pawn shop, you still Give up this idea as soon as possible! The court won’t allow it, your Majesty won’t allow it, and I am also opposed to this phenomenon!”

In fact, when he spoke here tonight, he did not specifically target Huang Yu. Because he came from a lower class background, he had witnessed the cruel methods of loan sharks and witnessed the destruction of his neighbors' homes.

That's why he fully supports His Majesty's financial rectification. A dynasty in which financial institutions seize the fruits of people's hard work through high interest rates will definitely not last long.

Xu Hong felt that Zhang Sui was too aggressive tonight, so he couldn't help but turn his head to look at the sufferer Huang Yu.

"Thank you Zhang Yushi for the suggestion. I'm just short-sighted, but I wonder if you have any good suggestions?" Huang Yu did not resent Zhang Sui's arrogance and seemed to be asking for advice humbly.

"His mouth will only hurt people, how can he have any good suggestions!" Liu Cunye rolled his eyes and said sarcastically.

Zhang Sui met Huang Yu's humbly asking for advice, and couldn't help but feel soft in his heart: "Although today's emperor is rectifying the salt industry and the financial industry, he is also developing the textile industry, so many textile workshops in the capital have benefited from it in recent years. And today's emperor is a saint, If Mr. Huang wants to be rich, he only needs to follow His Majesty's will. From now on, don't always worry about the people's pockets. The right way is to benefit the country and the people. Although the golden age of the textile industry has passed, the imperial court has always advocated exchanging cotton cloth for overseas resources. , this year is the best time to go to Southeast Asia for trade."

Huh?

Xu Hong had always thought that Zhang Sui was like a piece of wood, but after listening to Zhang Sui's words, he suddenly realized that he still underestimated Zhang Sui's business acumen.

This business analysis alone not only fully understands the court's policies, but also points to the next business opportunity to make a fortune.

Of course, going to Nanyang is an opportunity, but it also comes with great business risks. After all, it is a field full of unknowns.

"Going to Nanyang?"

Huang Yu's expression was solemn, as if he was thinking seriously.

In fact, he has realized the problems in his own business. Whether it is early finance or last year's real estate in the capital, it is essentially a kind of business speculation.

Liu Cunye and others suggested that he return to Guangzhou and resume his old career. He also seriously considered the financial direction, but he was not tempted from the beginning to the end.

As for the textile industry, he certainly still has the strength to build factories, but he has indeed missed the best opportunity to build factories. On the contrary, Zhang Sui went straight to Nanyang, and he suddenly felt a sense of enlightenment, and he could vaguely see a bright road.

Zhang Sui saw Huang Yu's reaction in his eyes, but he had already said it for this reason. Whether Huang Yu took the risk or not was up to him.

In fact, he very much agrees with the current emperor's approach, which is quietly leading these capitals to the sea. Whether they can become rich depends on their luck.

After all, if businessmen want to make huge profits, they have to go to sea, but if they want to squeeze profits from the pockets of ordinary people, they will only die.

The Guangdong hometown association did not last long. Some officials and scholars were already drunk. Some were settled in the association hall, some were sent home, and the rest dispersed.

Due to the postponement of this year's joint examination, the palace examination needs to be postponed accordingly.

Perhaps because Enke was just held last year, the attention on this year's palace examination is obviously lower. After all, the top pick here is likely to be the loser last year.

This is true in many fields. It is often not how good an individual is, but the blessing of the goddess of luck.

However, in the Hongzhi Dynasty, the factor of luck seemed to be being squeezed out, and the officials appointed were often capable ministers, rather than those top scholars who were favored by the goddess.

A few days later, the truth about Zhang Sui's return to the capital was revealed.

Just when many people were still confused about why Zhang Sui returned to Beijing, when they saw that another expatriate director of the Sixth Department was recalled, many people remembered last year's Xiao Chuanlu.

Xiyuan, this is now the real center of the Ming Dynasty.

History seemed to be repeating itself again. Twelve newcomers to the officialdom once again came to the gate of Xiyuan together, but their identities were no longer the best new scholars who came to participate in the Xiaochuan.

Liu Cunye, the top pick, Qian Fu, and Jin Gui, the top pick, seemed to be standing in the front without hesitation, but it had nothing to do with their rank, but because Hanlin officials have always been "superior".

Xu Hong and other nine officials almost all serve in the Sixth Department. Everyone has received experience and growth. They are standing silently at the back, looking at the Xiyuan Gate in front of them with respect.

What's strange is that each of them is carrying a wooden basin.

Liu Jin, who was wearing a bullfight uniform, walked out of it. After confirming the identities of the twelve of them, he said calmly: "You all carry grass carp and go in with the Za family to face the saint!"

The one-year appointment has finally arrived, and Xiao Chuanlu’s exam questions have come to an end.

The three Hanlin officials who had just seemed to be straight-backed suddenly felt like deflated rubber balls. Jin Guigang, the Hanlin editor, wanted to be discouraged, but he quickly straightened his back again.

Last year, the three of them chose to raise fish themselves, but they succeeded in impressing the current emperor, so they were awarded the title of Jinshi.

But in this short period of one year, some unpleasant things happened.

Even if they use an extra-large bathtub to raise fish, they need to change the water and feed them frequently, and changing the water can easily make grass carp sick, so grass carp cannot last for a year.

Faced with the recurring situation, Liu Cunye wrote a letter back to his hometown to ask about his mother, but as soon as the letter left the capital, the grass carp had already become a smelly fish.

Qian Fu was very free and easy. He had already stewed the grass carp before it had completely cooled down. He even wrote a poem for the grass carp, "The fish dies and is buried in my belly."

As for Jin Gui, when the grass carp was about to die, he left it to his servants to take care of it, and the grass carp miraculously survived.

The nine people behind him had different expressions, ranging from joy to sadness. Just wanting to raise a grass carp for a year is definitely not an easy task.

Twelve people followed Liu Jin to the front of Tingchao Pavilion, and then Liu Jin walked into Tingchao Pavilion.

"Zhang Sui, your grass carp is so big, can it be fake?"

"This fish is a whole circle bigger than my grass carp. It's obviously unreasonable!"

"Why is it unreasonable? I often see grass carp much bigger than this one on the street!"

…

Where there are people, there is right and wrong. Since everyone is carrying a wooden basin, it is easy to see who is older and who is younger, so Zhang Sui becomes the focus of everyone's attention.

Xu Hong raised grass carp in the pond at his wife's back house, but found that it was much smaller than Zhang Sui's grass carp. He couldn't help but asked doubtfully: "Zhang Sui, where do you keep your grass carp? Why is it so fat?"

"Of course grass carp should be fed in fish ponds!" Zhang Sui responded matter-of-factly.

Qian Fu has always been an arrogant person who relies on his talent and arrogance, but he turned around and asked in confusion: "Fish pond? Where did the fish pond come from in this capital? Even if there is one, you can't afford it, right?"