Chapter 240 Merchants

Tang Hao led his army back to Qinghe Shipyard.

Hundreds of blacksmiths returned with him.

These blacksmiths all brought their families and voluntarily followed Lord Zhongshan.

To be honest, at first the blacksmiths thought that this dog official was just a guy who gave random orders, but who could have thought that he not only kept his word and gave every penny of silver, but also greatly increased the iron production of Laiwu Ironworks with magical skills, which was simply not something that ordinary people could do.

So, before Tang Hao left, he asked if there were any craftsmen willing to follow him to Qinghe Shipyard to settle down, and all these craftsmen were immediately tempted.

There was no way, Lord Zhongshan gave too much.

As long as they were willing to follow him to Qinghe Shipyard, the treatment of craftsmen was ridiculously good.

They only need to use these fine steels to make firearms, and they can get wages by piece. The more they work, the more they get. In addition to wages, Zhongshan Hou also set up a bonus measure. As long as there are craftsmen who can make the things in his drawings, there will be rewards ranging from 100 taels to 1,000 taels. That's real money!

At this moment, Tang Hao summoned the most experienced craftsmen among this group of craftsmen, led by the burly Li Daniu.

"Li Daniu, these drawings will be handed over to you for safekeeping in the future."

Tang Hao handed the drawings to Li Daniu and said in a deep voice: "As a reward task, all craftsmen can borrow them, and then try to make them in their spare time, but the drawings must not be leaked or damaged, otherwise don't blame this marquis for turning his face and being ruthless, do you understand?"

Li Daniu and ten other craftsmen nodded repeatedly.

It was not until they came to the Qinghe Shipyard that they finally understood the value of the three words "Zhongshan Hou". It is not an exaggeration to say that he is the most powerful noble in the dynasty!

After all, the person standing behind this Marquis Zhongshan is the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty!

"Your current task is to build the firearms workshop as soon as possible, and then use these fine steels to make standard firearms for the army, so that the firearms workshop can get on track, and then you can try to make the things in these drawings."

"In the future, every blacksmith will have a number, and each firearm must also have a corresponding number on it. Whoever produces it will leave his name. If there is a problem in the end, the accountability system will be opened. Things like shoddy workmanship and fraud will never be allowed to happen!"

Hearing Tang Hao's words, the blacksmiths were immediately shocked.

Li Daniu said with a stiff face: "My Lord, isn't this too... harsh?"

"Harsh?" Tang Hao chuckled: "I don't think so."

"I spent such a high price to invite you here, and also let you use fine steel to make firearms. Under such excellent conditions, if there is any shoddy firearm explosion, then I can only conclude that some of you think these are natural and think that I dare not kill people?"

"Since you enjoy the benefits, you must bear the obligations, so this matter cannot be discussed and must be implemented."

After a pause, Tang Hao simply added fuel to the fire.

"Let's put it this way. From now on, the ten of you will be the managers of the firearms workshop. Li Daniu will be the head of the workshop and will be directly responsible to me. All the blacksmiths in the firearms workshop will be evenly divided among the ten of you. You will be responsible for the production and life of these blacksmiths."

"If anyone has a problem, I will find you and punish you directly. Not only will I punish the person who has the problem, but the corresponding manager will also be punished. Deductions from wages and bonuses will be implemented simultaneously. Do you understand?"

With the order from Marquis Zhongshan, Li Daniu and the other ten people could only bow and accept the order.

It was not until this moment that they finally understood that the treatment given by Lord Zhongshan was good, but the money was really not easy to take!

However, as long as the blacksmiths under his command honestly made firearms, kept their heads down and did their work steadily, then these things would naturally not happen.

In a nutshell, Marquis Zhongshan did not spend money to support idle people.

"In addition, the bonuses are marked on those drawings. Li Daniu can spread the news to stimulate the enthusiasm of the blacksmiths. Whoever makes these things first will definitely get a full bonus. Go and get busy!"

After the blacksmiths left, Tang Hao set out to enter the Qinghe Shipyard.

At this moment, this long-abandoned super shipyard was already bustling with people.

In a month, Qinghe Shipyard has regained new vitality with the efforts of the craftsmen, and shipbuilding has gradually been put on the right track.

These craftsmen are involved in all aspects of shipbuilding, from carpenters to blacksmiths to painters. They are professional shipbuilders drawn from Nanjing Longjiang Shipyard and Huainan Qingjiang Shipyard. Under the command of Tang Mu, they immediately entered the working state.

Tang Hao inspected the shipyard while listening to Tang Mu's report.

"My Lord, all the craftsmen have been settled."

"In addition, the wood and building materials for shipbuilding have also arrived successfully, and we can officially start construction soon."

"Did any craftsmen cause trouble during this period?" Tang Hao asked subconsciously.

"No." Tang Mu chuckled, "The heads of those two unlucky guys are still hanging on the parade ground. No one dares to provoke the Ming soldiers again!"

"Besides, we have also distributed the money and food that should be distributed to each household, even those Ryukyu craftsmen are no exception, so now the craftsmen are still in awe of us."

Tang Hao hummed and didn't pay much attention.

The wood and building materials were ordered to be transported in advance by Zhu Houzhao, so they could arrive in a short time. The purpose was to build a fleet as soon as possible and then officially open up ocean trade.

"By the way, Lord, not long after you left, a group of merchants came to visit. They were all famous wealthy merchants in Jiangnan!"

Hearing this, Tang Hao's eyes suddenly lit up.

He almost forgot about this matter. Before leaving Beijing, he did ask Zhu Houzhao to gather some Jiangnan merchants. The purpose was naturally to prepare goods for going out to sea.

This time he went out to sea for trade, so he naturally had to prepare enough goods.

To put it bluntly, it was to exchange what they had, and then the middlemen made a profit.

When the fleet exchanged some foreign goods, it would also need a group of merchants to help.

"Well, meet them!"

"Let these guys come to the lobby to see me!"

After receiving the order, Tang Mu immediately went to make arrangements.

Half an hour later, Tang Hao walked into the lobby, and all the merchants stood up and saluted, with an extremely respectful attitude.

Even though they are all wealthy businessmen, they are still far inferior to the Marquis of Zhongshan in the Ming Dynasty.

After all, they are businessmen!

In the dynasties of China, most of the tax revenues were from agricultural taxes, so the basic national policy of building a country based on agriculture has always been advocated. Attaching importance to agriculture and sericulture is a national policy that emperors of all dynasties must adhere to.

For this reason, for the business of bartering and earning the difference, those businessmen who are full of copper smell and chasing money and profit have always been dangerous factors that interfere with the stability of the country in the eyes of the emperor.

Therefore, since Shang Yang, China has vigorously promoted the basic national policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce, and the Ming Dynasty is the same.

In order to confine the people in the fields and keep them in peace and farming, Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang tried every possible way, such as the "road permit" system.

The road permit must not only be marked with a series of things such as name, age, place of origin, appearance, reason for travel and return time, but also issued extremely strictly. Basically, the government will not approve it if there is nothing important!

To put it bluntly, without a pass, you will be treated as a refugee and cannot even enter the city.

The world is so big, I want to go and see it, but it is absolutely impossible in the Ming Dynasty. I will break your legs!

In this harsh environment, merchants who roam around to do business and pursue profits naturally become the eyesore of the government and the most unstable and dangerous elements.

Facing the Japanese invasion in the southeast coastal areas, Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang decided to implement a sea ban to eliminate all overseas trade among the people and avoid the merchant group from being too large.

There are two benefits to doing this. First, it can weaken the adverse effects of Japanese pirates on coastal residents and promote the normal life of coastal residents.

The second is to restrict commercial development, let more people develop agriculture together, and avoid the dominant position of the merchant group with too strong mobility.

At the same time, Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang also implemented a policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing business, restricting the status of merchants, and not allowing merchants and their descendants to take the imperial examination to enter the official career.

It can be said that in the early days of the Ming Dynasty, in order to stabilize social order, Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang first adopted a very strict system to crack down on wealthy merchants in the south, and strictly implemented the policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce throughout the country, lowering the status of merchants.

So far, the commodity economy that has gradually prospered since the Song Dynasty has been suppressed and has been unable to recover, and even some areas in the south that were originally commercially developed have shown a trend of decline.

Until Emperor Yongle rebuilt the Grand Canal from Beijing to Hangzhou, connecting the north and the south, promoting economic and cultural exchanges between the north and the south, and sending Zheng He to the West, industry and commerce became increasingly prosperous, weaving households were everywhere, and even large-scale handicraft workshops appeared, driving the development of the commodity economy of the Ming Dynasty.

After Yongle, Emperor Renzong and Emperor Xuanzong stopped fighting and devoted themselves to the development of people's livelihood, which also provided conditions for the development of the commodity economy of the Ming Dynasty. Until after the Civil Affairs Bureau, civil officials and gentry controlled the government, and collusion between officials and businessmen was everywhere, which further promoted the further improvement of the status of businessmen.

Scholars, farmers, merchants, and merchants seem to be strictly divided into classes, but scholars and merchants have been inseparable communities of interests from ancient times to the present.

After all, these civil servants are very proud. They want to make money but don't want to lower their status and be criticized. Therefore, most of them will keep one or two merchants to help them manage their industries and make profits. They are truly both a whore and a virtuous woman.

Then, during the Longqing period, private overseas trade was opened up, and a large amount of silver poured into China. The development of the commodity economy reached its peak. The hierarchy of scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans was broken, and the gentry class even embarked on the road of business. In order to make up for the lack of culture, the merchants who were satisfied with the material began to dabble in culture and had close contacts with the literati.

Then, the ban on the children of merchants not being allowed to take the imperial examinations and become officials was also broken. Shen Shixing, the chief minister during the Wanli period, was the son of Shen Shizhang, a wealthy merchant in Jiangnan.

However, it is now the Zhengde period, and scholars and merchants dare not do this. The gentry still maintain some dignity, while the merchants are still lowly merchants.

For example, these wealthy merchants in front of them all wore the same coarse linen clothes. Even though Tang Hao noticed that the lining inside the coarse linen clothes was all silk, these wealthy merchants could only wear coarse linen clothes when they were outside. This was the rule set by Emperor Taizu Gao!

"Please sit down. No need to be so polite."

Tang Hao smiled and waved his hand, signaling the merchants to take their seats.

"I called you here today. I believe you all know what I meant."

"I am following the order of His Majesty to form a fleet to start ocean trade, so it is inevitable to prepare and sell goods."

"Since you have all been selected by Jiangnan Weaving, I think your abilities and skills are recognized, so I won't ask any more questions."

Hearing this, everyone was excited and their eyes were burning.

Ocean trade!

This is really a huge profit!

Even if they are not knowledgeable, they know the benefits of the former Song Dynasty's ocean trade.

"May I ask the Marquis of Zhongshan, what do we have to pay?"

A tough-looking merchant stood up and asked, like a basin of cold water poured on everyone's head.

That's right, what do they have to pay?

The Emperor and the Marquis of Zhongshan are not good people, why do they have to make money for them for no reason?

Tang Hao looked at this man with a little surprise, and asked in a gentle voice: "Who is this..."

"I am Weng Can!"

Weng Can!

Tang Hao's eyes lit up.

Zi Liangyu, from Dongshan, Suzhou.

One of the representative figures of Jiangsu merchants in the middle and late Ming Dynasty.

He had a good way to make money, was wealthy, engaged in business, and was loyal and helpful.

During the Jiajing period, Japanese pirates invaded Dongshan. After Weng Shen sold a large number of goods, he recruited and trained local warriors, and finally repelled the Japanese pirates and saved Dongshan. Because of this, the people were grateful to him, the court rewarded him, and built a house for him.

Among the Jiangsu merchants, the "Dongting Merchants" were the best. People from the two mountains were good at business, and they went to all directions to do business, so there was a slogan in the rivers and lakes, called "Drilling the Sky Dongting".

Drilling the Sky Dongting is full of Hui!

One day and one land, equally divided the autumn colors of Jiangnan!

This is the Dongting Merchants!

When Tang Hao was killing in Linqing, Weng Shen also sent his brother Weng Xiong to help Tang Hao, and showed his willingness to follow Tang Hao, just asking Tang Hao to lead the army to destroy the Japanese in one breath!

"Are you Weng Shen?" Tang Hao smiled.

Weng Shen was still a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties at this moment, and he seemed energetic.

"Weng Shen has seen the Marquis!"

This was equivalent to directly expressing his attitude.

Tang Hao smiled and nodded.

"There is only one thing you need to do, which is to form a large chamber of commerce, stock up as much tea, silk, porcelain and other specialty goods as possible, and then send them here for sea trade. His Majesty will collect 30% of the trade tax, and 70% will belong to you, but you will also be responsible for selling foreign goods, or use barter."

Form a large chamber of commerce!

Hearing this, all the merchants were shocked by Tang Hao's generosity.

The twenty or so merchants present were all wealthy businessmen with good business sense, and their industries were spread across various fields in Jiangnan, otherwise they would not sit here in harmony.

As a result, now the Marquis of Zhongshan wants them to form a large chamber of commerce. What kind of courage is this?

"No need to question it!"

"Although our current trading partners are only Ryukyu, Japan and Korea."

"But it won't be long before this marquis will lead the fleet to sail to the West again. By then, the trading partners will be the countries in Southeast Asia. You can imagine the profits!"

Tang Hao made a direct promise that he would reproduce Zheng He's feat of sailing to the West!

Everyone was shocked and their blood boiled!

"But there is a prerequisite!"

Tang Hao said coldly: "No matter who you are, it's best not to turn to the gentry, otherwise this marquis will make you regret coming to this world!"

"Profits can be given to you, and the Chamber of Commerce also has great autonomy, but this marquis will only warn you once, keep secrets confidential, and don't say things that shouldn't be said!"

"Did you hear it clearly?"

Weng Can and others trembled and responded in unison.

In fact, this is a very common thing, because these wealthy businessmen will more or less deal with local gentry, and even be tools for these gentry to seize the benefits of the people.

After all, merchants are of low status. When facing the gentry in power, they either choose to become tools or bribe them constantly to keep their family business.

If a wealthy merchant did not have some connections behind him, they would have been divided up and swallowed up by the gentry!

The words of Zhongshan Hou are undoubtedly forcing the merchants in front of him to express their opinions.

Should they stand on the side of Zhongshan Hou and His Majesty the Emperor, or stand on the side of the gentry!

This choice is not difficult to make, after all, His Majesty the Emperor is the real master of the Ming Dynasty!

"As long as you work honestly for His Majesty, you can imagine the benefits without me saying much."

"For example, His Majesty will give a few places for donated students in the Imperial College and reward them to those merchants with outstanding performance."

As soon as these words came out, the whole audience was in an uproar.

All the merchants breathed quickly.

Donated students in the Imperial College!

This means that their children can participate in the imperial examinations!

After all, students of the Imperial College have the right to participate in the imperial examinations, but the prerequisite is that you have to enter the Imperial College!

As long as they can participate in the imperial examinations, they can change the fate of their family's generations of business!

It is also very sad to say that these merchants are all rich, but they are looked down upon by others. In front of those officials, they have to lower their posture to flatter and please them. When it is time to bribe, they must not be less, otherwise the business will not be able to continue!

This is the norm for merchants!

Because they have money, but no power!

In order to restrict their access to power, Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang also strictly ordered the sons of merchants to participate in the imperial examinations, which was equivalent to completely cutting off their access to power. It also directly led to the merchants never having the confidence to resist the scholars, and they could only rely on the scholars and become tools for them to make profits!

It is true that they have a lot of wealth, but this also brings them trouble.

Unless, they can hold... power!

Weng Shen resisted the throbbing in his heart and directly stated: "Please give the Chamber of Commerce a name, Lord!"

Then, all the merchants present spoke in unison.

"Please give the Chamber of Commerce a name, Lord!"

Seeing this, Tang Hao smiled and nodded.

"In this case, Weng Shen will serve as the president, and you will serve as the directors of the Chamber of Commerce. All major events will be voted on, and the president has a veto power."

"As for the name of the Chamber of Commerce... let's call it "The Sun Never Sets Chamber of Commerce"!"