Chapter 406 – The Heart of the World

In front of the United Chambers, a bulletin began to be posted.

The capital was in an uproar as the news spread.

Especially for the Taiping House, it is no less than adding insult to injury.

Originally, these days, people were on edge.

Not only the major trading houses, but even the unusual small and medium-sized merchants are now trying to maintain with difficulty.

This, coupled with the many messages, adds to the panic.

In this atmosphere, Union Chambers had problems.

When things go wrong, you have to protect yourself, and the only way to do that is to reduce your loans.

But this is nothing less than doom and gloom for all the merchants.

In the past few years, the market has been so good that many business firms and merchants have taken out a lot of loans in order to expand their business.

After all, borrowing silver to generate countless profits, even if the loan is repaid plus interest, but also profitable.

But now, this money changer is putting out such news basically telling everyone that everyone’s money chain is broken.

“Master, Master ……”

Inside the Lide Merchant House, an urgent voice rang out.

A bookkeeper came hurriedly, as if bereft of life, and he entered the inner room at the back of the merchant’s house, panting for breath.

As for Zhang Zheng, the proprietor of Lide Merchant Company, who was sitting worriedly at the heel of the table, he heard the voice of this bookkeeper and barely managed to raise his spirits.

Zhang Zheng used to be a scholar, since then many times failed in the countryside examination, coupled with the poor management of the family, had no choice but to go into business.

Who knows that he is in the Qixia mixed up in the wind, slowly the sale began to do big up.

This is actually good to understand, after all, read a book, plus riding the development of Qixia, although the family was defeated, but the hand of silver is still more than ordinary people to be rich.

Nowadays, this Lide merchant firm operates a lot of trading, contracted a mine, has a printing and dyeing workshop, the strength should not be underestimated.

As the name suggests, the reason why this Lide business firm is named Lide two words, since the excerpts of the words of merit, speech, virtue, Zhang Zheng wants to take this, highlighting his former status as a scholar.

In his life, reading is not possible, the imperial examination is hopeless, I’m afraid there is no hope for success and speech, then he can only use the word “virtue” to show himself.

It had been a smooth ride for a few years, and as a result, he had searched out a lot of paintings and calligraphy and orphaned and ancient books in his extremely elaborate bookstore.

In the past, Zhang Zheng loved to read books and observe some ancient paintings here, but nowadays, he did not have a single mood for this.

“How is it?” Zhang Zheng looked closely at the bookkeeper.

The bookkeeper looked at Zhang Zheng with a miserable face and replied, “He has already negotiated with the United Money Bank, and that side said that they really can’t release the loan, and it’s not a credit problem …… it’s ……”

When Zhang Zheng heard this, his face became even more ugly as he staggered to his feet, and his eyes lost all of a sudden.

After a long time, his lips hemmed and hawed, and with an effort he said, “What about Boss Zhou, who is usually good friends with us, what did he say?”

The bookkeeper said with a bitter face: ”He refused to see the student, but only entrusted someone to tell the student, saying that this, he can no longer do the main, although he knows that the master is a person with credit, but now …… everyone is difficult, and this is the meaning of His Highness, the king of Wuhu County, the chief treasurer of the merchant bank, master Zhu Jin, personally presided over, he is just a How dare he show favoritism? Only said that I can’t apologize to your lordship, but I hope your lordship will forgive me and think of a way for himself.”

Hearing this, Zhang Zheng fell into his chair as if his strength had been drained all of a sudden.

His face was disheveled, his lips trembled, murmured: “Think of your own way, how do you think of your own way …… Iron and Steel Workshop side, also encountered difficulties, our mine supply of ore, they can not pay, and now the money bank is not willing to lend. Now the bank is not willing to lend money. In this case, how can this merchant bank be maintained? Hundreds of people are waiting for the monthly salary, and …… so many goods in the warehouse ……”

It was as if he had aged ten years all of a sudden, and his former spirit was all of a sudden gone at this point.

Lide merchant bank operation so far, this is his heart and soul, and now, if the money bank can not get a loan, the capital chain will be considered completely broken.

If even the money changers won’t lend him money, who else in the world is willing to lend him money to tide him over?

This also means that the Lidl Merchant Company may have to close its doors completely in less than a month.

And he …… has a lot of debt on his body, and now this market, even if it is closed down, the mines on hand and the workshop, but it is not worth it, and even the possibility of paying off the debt is not.

In one night, a man who used to have a lot of money in his pockets has now become a poor man burdened with debt.

Who accepts this?

The bookkeeper sighed and said, “Master, it’s time to think of another way out.”

“There is no way out.” Zhang Zheng paled and shook his head, “It’s over, it’s all over ……”

“Right.”

Rather, this accountant suddenly remembered something, busy saying, “Master, listening to the money bank side said …… this time the money bank tightened, and even the current market quotation, is because ……”

At this point, the bookkeeper but suddenly paused.

Zhang Zheng raised his head and looked closely at the bookkeeper, “You continue.”

The bookkeeper hesitated for a moment and finally continued, “He said it was because of the assassination of His Majesty and the Sheriff King in the Jiangxi Prefecture, which made His Majesty and His Highness the Sheriff King lose confidence in the new government, and also said ……”

When Zhang Zheng heard this, he immediately said angrily, “A good new policy, but because of this, it was abandoned halfway?”

The accountant laughed bitterly and said: ”This can’t be helped, master you think about it, now the whole world is opposing the new policy, all the capitals and counties, as well as the hundred officials in the court, which one is not so? His Majesty how to consider and not to mention, but His Highness the county king heard that now also began to beat the drum of retreat, heard …… now sleep all wearing armor, the side also arranged a large number of guards, your lordship do not think about it, now how many people because of the new policy, the county king will be hated to gnash their teeth. Although His Highness the county king has been favored by the Holy Spirit, the scenery is a moment, but …… he is also afraid of ah ……”

“I also heard that now the county king has begun to recruit Wuhu guards, apparently …… this is intended to self-preservation.” The accountant with a few deep thought flavor said, “After all, this is now the way, the master you lose only silver, but this goes on, the county king is losing his life ah.”

With just these words, Zhang Zheng was like falling into an ice cave all of a sudden, trembling all over.

He shivered, mouth involuntarily said:” I not only lost money, this is to my life which, my family can be pressed on this sale ……”

Saying that, Zhang Zheng choked and lost his voice.

What despair this is. All at once, there is nothing left.

The bookkeeper sighed quietly, he shook his head, in the merchant house, he was Zhang Zheng’s beloved, naturally he was treated well.

But now this market, Zhang Zheng the proprietor is finished, he this accountant is afraid to leave the firm, want to make a living in the future, I’m afraid it’s not easy.

So the accountant couldn’t help but say, “It’s really strange, our New Deal is good for nothing, how come it is hated by the people of the world? Do people all over the world really regard the New Deal as a thorn in their side?”

Zhang Zhengmu sat silently, not saying a word.

The accountant then said, “But I heard that now Qixia quite a few poems and articles are ridiculing the new government, and there are quite a few great Confucian …… s.”

Right at this moment, Zhang Zheng suddenly shouted, “Just a bunch of jumping clowns.”

The bellowing, however, startled the bookkeeper at once.

Zhang Zheng’s eyes were red.

One must know that Zhang Zheng did not have such an attitude towards certain great scholars in the beginning.

Zhang Zheng, after all, is also a scholarly background, and even many merchants who are not from the scholarly background are also polite and respectful to these great scholars.

This is actually understandable, the merchants have been in a state of suppression, nowadays many people although earned silver, but in front of the great Confucian and readers, still inferior, and there are even a lot of people, in order to attach to the elegance, efforts to want to befriend with some of the famous Confucian and readers, send money and goods, to purchase a large number of ink and calligraphy and painting.

It’s as if by barely making friends with them, they themselves are bookish.

As for the words of the great Confucian, many people are quite convinced, although they don’t understand them very well.

Because people quote scripture and say what they want to say.

Because of this, although the Taiping Mansion has silver, but also many more great scholars, was respectfully invited, out of a variety of carriage fees, extremely favorable treatment, and invited them to teach some of the learning.

Zhang Zheng is one of them, he was in order to make friends with a certain scholar, but spent a lot of money, until the other party is willing to condescend to come, he even let people directly send cars and horses to the people’s residence to meet, such attentiveness, very human.

As a result, all up and down the Qixia, there is an indescribable atmosphere, and everyone is counting on climbing on this academic trend.

Only Zhang Zheng at this moment, his eyes were red, and these bloodstained eyes were just gloomy and cold.

In the past, he would not think much about these issues, because these issues, are the affairs of those big shots in the temple. The Taiping Mansion has always been blessed by Zhang Anshi, so they can earn money without worrying about it and occasionally attach themselves to it.

But now, with everything lost, there was a sudden feeling as if he had been made a fool of.

His body trembled as he suddenly looked up and said, “I heard that that Mr. Zhou, is still in Qixia these two days?”

The bookkeeper subconsciously frowned, “Master, at this hour, you still have the leisure to think about paying a visit to Mr. Zhou?”

There was no expression on Zhang’s face as he stood up.

Business sea floating, like him, like this person, also is never a good, not to mention what vegetarian role.

His eyes were half open and half closed, and he said in a deep voice: “The hearts and minds …… of the people …… Yes, we are in the Ming Dynasty, everyone is against the New Deal, everyone takes the New Deal as a malpractice … …His Majesty’s implementation of the New Deal was actually assassinated, and the Wuhu County King, now also beat a retreat …… The hearts of the people in this world …… are not in this ah.”

The bookkeeper stared at Zhang Zheng.

Zhang Zheng, on the other hand, is a leathery smile and added: “The old man is considered to be finished, but even if it is to be finished, but also can not be reduced to a beggar …… without a sound.”

The bookkeeper showed no sign of it, and by and by he understood.

Zhang Zheng abruptly sat down again, seems to have a few more spiritual gas in this moment, said: “Zeng Dongjia and a few of them, let someone go to make an appointment, tomorrow please invite them to drink at the Drunken Moon Building. In addition …… to the mine side, tell Wu boss, ready to listen to use, the matter of wages …… tell him …… that this wages issued, it is not impossible, however ……”

Zhang Zheng’s voice, getting lower and lower.

The bookkeeper listened, his face changing.

At this moment, he saw the ruthlessness that Zhang Zheng exuded again.

Those who dare to do business, but can make it to this point, can never be as simple as just being good with people and having long sleeves.

Underneath the veneer of the ever-smiling face, the ferocity of the kind of desperation for the sake of profit was immediately revealed.

Zhang Zheng slowly said, “And …… the workshop side of the printing and dyeing, call a few masters to come to see me this night, I have something to command.”

The bookkeeper was surprised, “Master, this …… will not happen, right?”

There was no expression on Zhang’s face, just a light movement of his lips as he calmly said, “If they don’t teach us to live, I will teach them to die!”

The bookkeeper didn’t say another word; he nodded after only a brief pause.

In a sense, Zhang Zheng’s words did not speak to his heart.

…………

Capital City …… perch.

Many of the restaurants suddenly had a lot of customers.

They went straight up to the compartment and closed the doors and windows tightly.

And then, one by one, people in cloths came out slowly.

A copy of the booklet began to appear in the mines and workshops.

There were actually quite a few of these pamphlets in the old days.

Zhang Anshi ran the Di Di newspaper, but because of the development of commerce, making the cost of printing greatly reduced, Zhang Anshi did not dare to run other newspapers.

It’s not that the paper is unprofitable, but the thing is a total propaganda tool in this day and age.

Precisely because it is a sharp weapon, Zhang Anshi would never dare to touch it.

He’s not a fool, he’s the first one to get hit once this thing comes out.

After all, the knowledge of the world, the vast majority of people who dance and write, are on the opposite side of Zhang Anshi, which if you give those squires and readers inspiration, Zhang Anshi guaranteed to be all kinds of newspapers pressed to the ground repeatedly friction, and then by the readers of the explosive hammer.

However, the development of the printing industry, although newspapers did not appear, made a variety of printed pamphlets popular, which were mostly articles by readers.

But now, in the past few days, a strange kind of pamphlet has begun to appear, and this kind of pamphlet has been circulating like mad in the capital and the Taiping Province, and has penetrated into the workshops as well as the marketplace.

Bad news after bad news began to circulate with it.

The funds are going to be cut off, and the major trading houses and workshops and even the merchants are only going to be unprotected.

His Highness the County King has already had the intention to budge out, he is determined to be a free king at ease, and no longer cares about world affairs.

When the sale fails, I am afraid that a large number of hired workers may have to be dismissed, and we will all look for our own way out in the future.

The young people and children studying in the school, at this time also began to notice that their parents are worried, has begun to mutter in low voices back to their hometowns, but also into the school and other words.

At this time, the capital city and Qixia, ushered in the early winter.

The wind was generally bone-chilling, adding another chill to the place.

And at this time, a secret report was sent to the County King’s desk.

Yang Pu looked at a copy of the report while holding the pen to make a response.

It was just that these messages were intertwined, and with Yang Pu’s years of experience, how could he not know what might be about to happen?

All of this was driving him up the wall.

Deep in his heart, there was actually an indescribable feeling of fear.

But at this point, he had to settle down and make a calm face.

He knew better than anyone else that this was both Zhang Anshi’s trust in him, but at the same time, it was also a kind of test for him.

He closed his eyes, his heart was very clear, after experiencing this one thing, he even completely hooked up with Zhang Anshi, and from now on, was truly a person on the same boat.

With an air of understatement, he occasionally made small talk with the clerks who were also in the county king’s residence.

Of course, more often than not, he was projecting what might happen next.

The more he extrapolated, the less he dared to imagine it.

So he waited calmly.

Zhang Anshi, on the other hand, went straight into the Model Battalion.

The bulk of the Model Battalion has already entered the palace garrison, and there is still a group of men and women, temporarily stationed in Sukhumvit.

Zhang Anshi seemed as if he was fine, and everything that happened outside seemed to have nothing to do with him.

The most important thing for young people is to take good care of themselves.

Otherwise this young man must not have lived long.

Even, he didn’t even bother to read the report sent by the county king’s residence, anyway, he was in the camp, and his wife and son, had been sent to the East Palace for temporary residence.

Right now ……

When the news of this money bank got out, it wasn’t uncommon for people to realize what was going on.

Both sides of each other, it seems, are counting on being able to put up a fight.

There have been a large number of imperial reports on the matter of the United Chambers.

Said that after the United Chambers no longer lending, people are in fear, see the harm of the new policy clouds.

Zhu Di did not react too much to this, but just smiled.

As usual, however, he attended court meetings and court deliberations.

In a court meeting held in the Chongwen Hall, the Hanlin minister suddenly spoke of the allusion to Lu Buwei.

Zhu only had one thing to listen to.

This ministerial lecturer Liu Zhan is interested in speaking: “Your Majesty, Lu Buwei district a merchant, but the Prince of Qin as a strange goods, that the strange goods can be lived, but also because of this, he took this to become the prime minister of the State of Qin, from this we can see, this world without the dangers of indoctrination can be seen …… Now I heard, everywhere are is full of complaints ……”

Zhu asked casually, “The people of the world, what are they complaining about?”

Liu Zhan immediately said, “Complain about some of the initiatives of the New Deal ……”

His wording was precise; he didn’t oppose the New Deal, just some of the initiatives.

In this way, it is a way to attack and retreat.

Zhu Di was not happy or angry and said carelessly, “In that case, this new policy is everyone’s grudge.”

Liu Zhan but indignantly said, “I heard and saw, the resentment is extremely much, all the saintly kings, are to the heart of the world as the heart of the people of the world as the idea of the people, and to comply with the people’s public opinion …….”

Liu Zhan spoke with excitement.

Zhu Di is sudden interrupted him: “You so say, I want to readily accept good? But what is good?”

“The thoughts of the people are good.”

Zhu Di smiled and scrutinized this Liu Zhan, “Where are the people then?”

“The people are everywhere.”

Zhu Di said, “But I have learned …… that many of these people are grateful for the new policy.”

Liu Zhan subconsciously said, “Your Majesty …… knows this kind of people, and how many people?”

Liu Zhan’s heart is actually a bit of a surprise, after all, the Hanlin’s in front of His Majesty on this issue has read the scriptures have been read badly, His Majesty has always acted as if he does not care about it.

Who knew that today, His Majesty was actually interested in having a discussion with him.

He was not afraid to have a patient discussion with Zhu, but he was afraid that Zhu would swing for the fences, after all, with the Hanlin’s knowledge, it was obvious that he was hanging on to Zhu as a ‘big old man’.