Fan Yubin has been suspecting that he was dreaming since the morning. Emperor Zhenwu visited Taiyuan today and his Majesty actually stayed at his home. Although Emperor Kangxi also visited private homes during his southern tour, the person he received was not a noble person from the court. He is an old man who has retired to his family. Although the Fan family has a flag hung by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it is only a false flag and has not entered the flag. He is neither an official nor a royal servant. Strictly he is just a businessman, not even a gentry. :Reading novels
After being nervous and excited for a long time, he welcomed Zhenwu into his home and began to organize a meal and fruit. He had never received Zhao Fengzhao, the prefect of Taiyuan who was responsible for guiding him, and had no experience of receiving him. He only knew that the courtesy of meeting him was. After the tribute fruits were carefully inspected, he realized that picking up the driver was not an easy task. Even though it was honorable, there was a slight difference that even a large family would be accompanying him, so he became cautious.
When it was reported that Fan Yubin was presenting to Guo Zhenwu outside, he nodded slightly and said: "Let him come in."
Fan Yubin nervously went to the toilet and kowtowed respectfully according to the rules: "Fan Yu, a common man, respectfully wishes His Majesty's blessing."
Hearing the sound of his voice, Wu knew that this was the first time he met and he was nervous. He was able to keep his words to himself. Many officials who met him for the first time would be too nervous to say hello just like this. In comparison, Fan Yubin was quite good.
Seeing him kneeling on the ground, Zhiqi Zhenwu couldn't help but smile and said, "Don't be flat."
Hearing Zhenwu's words, Fan Yubin relaxed slightly and smiled lightly. Then he remembered and kowtowed again: "I'd like to inform the emperor that the Kucao people in Shanxi have prepared some seasonal melons, and I beg the emperor to accept them."
Zhenwu nodded slightly. He was not very interested in fruits. But he didn't want to upset Fan Yubin's heart, so he smiled and said: "I can't help but give it to you with all my heart."
Fan Yubin originally selected a few outstanding maids to present melons and fruits, but unexpectedly after inspection. The guards took the fruit plate directly without giving Nian a few maids any chance. Upon hearing the order, the guards came in carrying the fruit plate like water.
Seeing that there were more than ten Guo Zhenwu, he couldn't help but smile and pointed at two of them: "Keep these two. The rest will be withdrawn to Yin Pang and the guards."
After all the guards had retreated, Zhenwu looked at Fan Yubin and then pointed at the chair in front of him and said, "Give me a seat."
Fan Yubin glanced at the chair, which was as high as Zhenwu's seat. He couldn't help but secretly thought that Zhao Fengzhao had deliberately made it clear that it could not be as high as the emperor's seat. This was something he had neglected when arranging the furniture. He couldn't even sit down at the moment. I can't help but feel very cramped if I don't sit down.
"This is not a formal ceremony and there is no need to be formal." Zhenwu said with a smile.
After hearing Zhenwu's words, Fan Yubin bowed and said: "The common people thank you for your grace." Then he cautiously sat half-assed on the chair, consciously bowed slightly and looked at the ground, Zhao Fengzhao, and looked directly at you again and again. It is also a taboo for ministers.
Seeing Fan Yubin looking cautious. Zhenwu smiled slightly and said: "Shanxi merchants have contributed a lot to the establishment of the country. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, Shanxi merchants have spread their footprints all over the world and their pioneering spirit. No one can compare with the Shanxi merchants. Now the Qing Dynasty can be compared with the Shanxi merchants. Only the Hui merchants .¡±
Hearing this, Fan Yubin hurriedly bowed and said: "Serving the country is a businessman's business. The reason why Shanxi businessmen actively open up to the outside world is also due to the situation. Shanxi is not only densely populated, but also arid and poor. They can only lead carts to serve distant merchants."
Zhenwu nodded slightly and said: "Although Huizhou merchants despised business and valued businessmen, and were good at doing business, they supported their children to study and enter. However, Shanxi merchants valued business and education, and the best ones valued business. This is deeply rooted in their bones.
I have often heard that Shanxi officials are so interested in accumulating profits in Shanxi that they value their handsome and handsome children in trade, so as to obtain Chinese talents so that they can study and become officials. Shanxi's successive academic administrators complained about Shanxi's pro-business culture and the lack of quotas for every subject, especially in Shanxi.
I have always wondered why Shanxi places so much emphasis on business but not on officialdom? Where did this custom of focusing on business come from? As a Shanxi merchant, the Fan family should know this very well. "
Fan Yubin couldn't help but feel a bit strange when he heard this. The status of businessmen in this year is very deviant. A word can prosper a mountain, and a word can destroy Shanxi.
Seeing Fan Yubin's careful attitude, Wu Zhenwu simply stated his attitude and said with a smile: "Although the Qing Dynasty is based on agriculture, I have no business, and Shanxi merchants play a decisive role in the Qing Dynasty. I have always been quite important in the Qing Dynasty." Queshi, I like pure commerce. As the Qing Dynasty continues to expand overseas, the importance of commerce has become more and more prominent."
Hearing this, Zhenwu and Fan Yubin couldn't help but feel completely relieved. He bowed slightly and said: "Back to the emperor, the Shanxi business tradition has a long tradition. The origin of the mercantile style can be traced back to the barren land and the cold and windy living environment of the people. However, the emphasis on business over others is not something that has existed since ancient times but started in the pre-Ming Dynasty.
In the former Ming Dynasty, the official career was difficult and the risks for officials were very high. Most of those who served as eunuchs in Shanxi ended up miserable, and those who died well were not as good as they were. This led to the children of wealthy families turning to business. After all, compared to the official career, the risks of business were less and the profits were much greater. "
It turns out thatZhenwu nodded slightly before continuing: "I suggest that the children of Jianxi Shanxi should be encouraged to enroll in school?"
Western learning? Fan Yubin couldn't help but think slightly about the construction of Western learning in Taiyuan City. He had heard about it, but he had never left any descendants of the clan. Who had nothing to do to learn Western learning? After a slight sigh, he said truthfully: "Back to the emperor, Shanxi rich merchants are all different. The clans all have private Western learning, and the common people really don¡¯t care about it.¡±
"Western learning does not teach classics, but the focus is on calculations and geography." Zhenwu said slowly: "In the future, the children of Shanxi merchants cannot be limited to traveling around Europe and the United States, and they must learn more about Western learning. Knowledge is good for business.¡±
"The emperor must remember to train the people to immediately arrange for their children to learn Western learning." Fan Yubin hurriedly bowed and ignored it. Since Wu Zhenwu had started this, he still had to take it.
Katazada Wucai pondered slightly and said: "Shanxi merchants are not limited by success, have the courage to forge ahead, are honest, are good at justice, are good at sharing the same boat, are unique in management, operation and employment, etc. It is really unfortunate that I have the voice of Shanxi." Shang Weiran has two opinions: one is that he likes to hoard money, and the other is that he is too profit-oriented.
What is silver? The hoarding of silver is of no use to the country, not to the people, not to business, and has no benefit at all. Currency cannot be hungry and cannot be cold, and its value can only be reflected by its flow. I conservatively estimate that the silver buried in the Shanxi silver cellar should be as high as hundreds of millions. It is actually far away. Is it much higher than this number?"
What Fan Yubin heard was secretly Zhenwu. What did he mean by this? Are you trying to target Shanxi merchants? People outside Shanxi have no idea. He, the head of the Fan family, who is known as the richest man in Shanxi, is naturally a well-known wealthy businessman in Shanxi who has a lot of money. Hundreds of thousands or millions, such as the Yuan family in Kangtai Valley in Pingyang, the Yuan family in Quyuci in Caoqi County, and the Hou family's silver collection is at least hundreds. To say that the silver buried underground in Shanxi is over 100 million, I'm afraid it's a bit high, but tens of millions There are two.
Seeing that Fan Yubin didn't say anything, Zhenwu couldn't help but glance at him and realized that he didn't understand the rules and didn't pursue the Shanxi merchants anymore. He knew very well that since he wanted to include Shanxi merchants in the northwest expansion plan, he had to mobilize the Shanxi merchants to be active. He then continued: "Besides, the Shanxi merchants' emphasis on businessmen's pursuit of profit is natural, but if it is too much, it will lose its roots. The interests of the Qing Dynasty are the foundation of all merchants in the Qing Dynasty."
Hearing this, Fan Yubin's face immediately turned pale. Zhenwu's words were an allusion to Shanxi merchants betraying the national interests of the Ming Dynasty in the future and collaborating with the then Jin Kingdom (the predecessor of the Qing Dynasty). This was what Shanxi merchants were most worried about, but unexpectedly Zhenwu said it mercilessly. He was shocked and couldn't sit still anymore, so he knelt down unconsciously.
Zhenwu glanced at him and softened his tone and said: "Although there is nothing wrong with merchants, they should abide by the interests of the country. During the naval expedition to Japan, I also discovered that the Qing maritime merchants betrayed the Qing Dynasty to Japan for trade. I have no objection to it." It seems that the imperial court has also neglected to guide businessmen."
When he said this, he glanced at Fan Yubin and said, "Get up and sit down. I don't mean to blame Shanxi merchants."
Hearing Zhenwu did not blame him, Fan Yubin relaxed a little and stood up cautiously. However, he secretly wondered why Zhenwu mentioned this? Selling love is a big deal, and the importance of it, whether in business or intelligence, is self-evident. He knew very well, but what did maritime merchants have to do with Shanxi merchants selling Qing intelligence to Japan? Not many Shanxi merchants were involved in maritime trade.
Thinking of this, he suddenly felt that the entire northwest was run by Shanxi merchants. Is Fan Chaoting going to use troops in the northwest? Who to fight? Junggar or Russia? This is another glorious opportunity for Shanxi merchants.
Soon he was worried that Zhenwu¡¯s words were obviously worried that Shanxi merchants would betray the Qing Dynasty. How would altruism prevent Shanxi merchants from selling intelligence to the enemy or doing business with the enemy? To be continued.
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