Time went back to the day when the generals in western Guangdong were sent out of the governor's office by Chen Kai in a few words. Everything in Guangzhou City was as before, and there was nothing completely different from usual days. Even the lawyer from the Qian Corps only received the invitation.

Once their services are needed, the Guangdong Commercial Alliance will pay them a salary, and that's it.

The scene in which more than a hundred litigants started a verbal battle with the generals in western Guangdong could not be staged due to the latter's retreat. It is really a great regret in the history of Chinese justice. Fortunately, in Hong Kong, at the headquarters of the Guangdong Trading Company

, another confrontation was quietly staged, and the delivery was enough to make up for today's schedule.

In the conference hall of the Guangdong Trading Company, Cai Cheng, the chief proprietor of the trading company and the chairman of the committee of the Guangdong Business Alliance, sat beside him. There were several people beside him, including managers of the trading company, members of the Guangdong Business Alliance, and another

The housekeeper of Chen Kai's house, representing Chen Kai's wife Zheng Xiyuan, who is currently the largest shareholder of the Guangdong Trading Company and the general backstage of the Guangdong Commercial Alliance, is here to better implement Chen Kai's will.

On the other side of the long table is a cousin of Hailing Island General Li Changrong. He has always been in charge of trade with the outside world and is very close to him. In this case, his cousin accepted Chen Kai's invitation and came before him.

to discuss matters related to business cooperation.

"My brother is now in charge of Yangjiang County, Hailing Island and the surrounding waters. He has always been led by Chen Fujun. However, Pisces, the guard of the two Qianhu Stations in Hailang..."

"Shopkeeper Li, we are only talking about business matters this time. I have no right to discuss military and political matters. Mr. Fujun has not ordered me to come down to discuss with you, and I have no intention of mixing other matters into commercial matters."

thing."

"What Shopkeeper Cai said is that my younger brother is talking too much."

For generals, especially today's military generals, the number of troops and horses under their command and the size of the territory can be directly linked to their status - Jin Shenghuan, Li Chengdong, anyway, they have their own title of Duke; Daxi Army

Supporting the Ming Dynasty to fight against the Qing Dynasty, there was a prince and two county princes. Zheng Chenggong had strong soldiers and horses, and his navy was the best on the southeastern coast. It is said that the court had to give a prince the title of nobility at all costs, and this was still in Zheng Chenggong's hometown.

Living in the southeast, too far away from the imperial court.

Li Changrong is a military officer on Hailing Island, and has been since a long time ago. A mere military officer cannot satisfy his desire for an official title. The rewards after the First World War in Guangzhou have not yet been distributed, so the title of the military officer is probably out of reach, but it can be divided among them.

In the area of ​​one county, he can still count on the generals and generals. However, if he wants to advance further, he can only try to expand the size of the army. In this way, having a larger territory will be more advantageous for this.

of.

During this time, Li Changrong's cousin wanted to fight for the two Qianhu Office sites for his brother, but was immediately rejected by Cai Cheng. The Pisces Office and the Hailang Office are located in the west and east of Yangjiang County respectively. This county

The two institutes jointly control the entire coastline of Zhaoqing Prefecture. According to Li Changrong and his cronies, they have a good cooperative relationship with Chen Kai. Fighting for control of these two thousand household institutes is beneficial to both parties.

harmful things.

However, Cai Cheng vetoed the matter as soon as he opened his mouth. After saying the words, Li Changrong's cousin couldn't help but think about it, thinking that maybe Chen Kai had no intention of quarreling with Liancheng Bi, the entire Western Guangdong Civil Service Group and the Western Guangdong Civil Service Group.

The generals started to fight. Since there was no intention to break out into a direct conflict, it was unreasonable to interfere in Zhaoqing Mansion's affairs.

If you can win, you must fight for it. If you can't win, don't force it. Otherwise, it will be tabooed by Chen Kai and affect future cooperation. In that case, the gain outweighs the loss.

Before setting off, Li Changrong told his cousin this, and his cousin naturally remembered it and didn't dare to forget it. At this moment, Cai Cheng was like this, so he immediately put the matter behind him and continued to talk about what he had just said.

Cooperation.

"What Shopkeeper Cai means is that my brother will form a trading company and join the Guangdong Business Alliance. I understand this, but is this what it means?"

"That's true." Cai Cheng nodded and continued to explain: "Once you join the Guangdong Business Alliance, you must act in accordance with the regulations of this organization, and any behavior that breaks the rules will be punished. At this point, it is to safeguard business

It is carried out in an orderly manner. When Mr. Fujun established this organization, he mentioned to his subordinates that no one can break the rules. I think Shopkeeper Li is also a rule-abiding person, right?"

"That's it, that's it. My brother is guarding the sea area in the south of Zhaoqing Prefecture and checking for smuggling. He has always done it according to Chen Fujun's request."

After determining the basis for cooperation, Cai Cheng also showed a kind smile. With a wave of his hand, someone stepped forward and handed the relevant regulations of the Guangdong Business Alliance to Li Changrong's cousin, who understood it word for word. If there is any

If he doesn't understand the reason, Cai Cheng will take the trouble to explain it, always making sure that the other party can understand the spirit of this organization.

The conversation lasted a whole morning. At lunch time, Cai Cheng invited Li Changrong's cousin to have dinner at the best restaurant on Hong Kong Island. It is said that the braised pigeon there is better than the famous chefs in the city.

Not bad. However, Li Changrong's cousin also knew the importance of this matter and quickly said goodbye and rushed back to Hailing Island.

Li Changrong has now moved from Hailing Island to Yangjiang County, and his life is naturally much more prosperous than before. However, he still never dares to neglect the patrol missions at sea and the training of the fleet. This time

Here, we are training the navy, but more importantly, we must ascertain the news in Hong Kong as soon as possible while avoiding the eyes and ears of the western Guangdong civil servant group.

Once the brothers met, under his cousin's explanation, Li Changrong quickly understood the purpose of the Guangdong Business Alliance in getting him to join the group. Trade-offs were inevitable. At the same time, Li Changrong was also asking over and over again.

The regulations of those organizations are not until about the moment you understand them.

"Chen Fujun, I'm afraid it's never been as simple as just doing business."

"Then, shall we follow?"

"Go! Why not go! This Guangdong Business Alliance may turn out to be a man-eating monster in the future. If you just join it now, is it possible that you will be eaten alive in the future?"

There is still a lot of distance between Hailing Island and Hong Kong Island. Li Changrong confirmed the matter of joining, and his cousin set off overnight to rush back. During this period, representatives of Cai Cheng and Chen Liangce also completed the joining process.

ceremony.

Latecomers like Chen Qice and Li Changrong, if they follow the regulations, must start as preliminary members and be considered formal members after the review period. However, when formulating the rules, Chen Kai made it clear that he wanted to give Zheng

The group left a backdoor and set up a co-membership system specifically to attract allies to join the group. Compared with formal members, this co-member enjoys all the rights of a formal member. They can only elect committees, join committees and vote on major events.

There are no rights. You still need to pass the review period before you can become a formal member before you can enjoy the relevant rights.

Originally, the back door was left to the Zheng Group, because Chen Kai has a deep connection with the Zheng Group. Now, Chen Kai needs to continue to expand the influence of the Guangdong Business Alliance, while dividing the opposition forces and cooperating with the committee in Guangzhou.

After the committee members deliberated, they directly sent people to recruit Chen Qice and Li Changrong to join the group - they have been allies for many years, especially the former, who have shared a life-and-death friendship. This is to better bind them through common interests.

.

Almost at the same time, in the city of Luoding Prefecture to the west of Zhaoqing Prefecture, Wei Yingdeng and Ye Biao, two commanders who originally occupied this prefecture, were sitting side by side. In front of them was a young man dressed as a businessman.

Here, talk freely.

"There are iron ores and lime here in Luoding Prefecture. The production of crude iron materials is famous in Guangdong Province. Foshan now needs crude iron materials to resume production and make weapons and agricultural tools..."

When the businessmen came, they were still talking about cooperation. The establishment of Foshan's manufacturing bureau branch was already a project in the Guangdong governor's office. Taking the example of Chaozhou manufacturing bureau, it will definitely require a large amount of steel. Foshan does not produce iron ore.

However, coarse iron materials can be finely processed. However, Luoding Prefecture, the largest supplier of crude iron materials in Foshan, is in the hands of the generals in western Guangdong. Even if it is shipped to Guangzhou, it has to pass through the boundaries of Zhaoqing Prefecture. In addition, Zhaoqing Prefecture City

A workshop has recently been established there to build and maintain weapons. As a result, Wei Yingdeng and Ye Biao cannot openly trade with Chen Kai, which requires the existence of middlemen, and this young man

The businessman then went to Chen Kai to recommend himself and took the job.

In front of Wei Yingdeng and Ye Biao, the businessmen talked eloquently, clearly stating the necessity of resuming crude iron production in Luoding Prefecture. Among them, the most important issue was the issue of profit.

"Two marshals, how much grain can be harvested per acre of land? Three stones is more. I wonder if this villain is right?"

The grain yield per mu in Luoding Prefecture can reach 400 kilograms. This figure is definitely higher than the national average, but in Guangdong Province, it is only an average level. Wei Yingdeng and Ye Biao both came from Guangxi.

The Ming army that entered Luodingzhou was not considered local, but they had been fighting here since the seventh year of Yongli. Although some were expelled by the Qing army during this period, they had been fighting here for many years. Since Li Dingguo entered Guangdong for the second time, he has occupied it for nearly a year.

After a year and a half, I still have a relatively good understanding of the situation here.

The businessman did his homework very carefully. The two looked at each other and nodded in affirmation. Then, as if he was inspired, the businessman continued to work hard: "Food, one stone is only one tael of silver. Now each government

The county is working hard to grow grain, and there are businessmen in Qiongzhou who buy grain from Annan. They are afraid that they can't survive even for one tael of silver. But in Luodingzhou, each iron furnace produces 3,600 kilograms of iron a day, which is enough in a year.

One hundred, three hundred and fourteen thousand catties!”

Such a huge output is also supported by a huge amount of manpower. According to historical records, each iron furnace in Luoding Prefecture requires nearly a thousand workers, miners, charcoal burners, transporters, etc., so that the iron furnace can be maintained.

The operation of the furnace and the output of iron materials. But with this scale of output, the wages of nearly a thousand people are not an issue worth mentioning.

In fact, according to the Ming Dynasty system, an iron furnace in Luoding Prefecture was taxed 18 taels and 5 cents per year, with an additional examination fee of 5 taels and twenty-one taels of silver for military ammunition, totaling more than forty taels. This figure

It may not seem like much, but it is more than the liquor tax and Xuchangshan lacquer native product tax collected by Luoding Prefecture. It is an important tax in the prefecture.

Nowadays, Luoding Prefecture is controlled by the military. In terms of taxes, even if it must be paid to Zhaoqing, the amount is actually negligible. The huge profits therein made the officials and gentry of Luoding Prefecture in the Ming and Qing Dynasties

Merchants and common people are eager to engage in mining and smelting.

There is no need for the lobbyist to say anything else. The eyes of Wei Yingden and Ye Biao have already been dizzy by the coming yellow and white ones. However, there is also a reality in this.

The problem needs to be solved, that is, the population of Luoding Prefecture has dropped sharply, the manpower is insufficient, and the local agricultural production has collapsed. There are neither people nor food, and it can no longer support a mining and smelting industry as it did in peacetime.

"Well, I once asked Mr. Fujun for advice on this issue. Mr. Fujun proposed a new concept at that time, called the rough iron-for-grain plan. I thought it was very interesting. The two commanders-in-chief can consider it."

………………

War causes food shortages and refugees. If you have food, you can try to recruit people from neighboring counties or hiding in the mountains. This is the most obvious reason.

Wei Yingdeng and Ye Biao still need time to weigh the pros and cons, especially since it may also involve the issue of political alignment. However, no matter what time it is, money is an unchangeable reality. In the face of real money,

What needs to be done is often how to operate, not whether to do it.

Here, negotiations between Foshan Manufacturing Bureau and Luoding Prefecture are still ongoing. Qingyuan Mountain in Shaozhou Prefecture was once the territory of the rebel leader Wang Han. Chen Kai regained Shaozhou Prefecture.

Guo Zhiqi was contacted by Liancheng Bi, and coupled with Chen Kai's sudden action, the two sides did not have any intersection. However, this time, Foshan did not intend to hold all the iron material in the hands of Wei Yingdeng and Ye Biao.

Iron mines in northern Guangdong were put on the agenda, and there were iron ores on Wang Han's territory.

Compared with Luodingzhou, Wang Han's situation is much worse. There is no formal establishment and no actual control area after the war. It is still a rebel armed force entrenched in the mountains. This time, Foshan sent people to negotiate.

The two sides quickly reached a tacit understanding in front of Guanzhi and Baiyin, much faster than the one in Luodingzhou.

The news quickly spread back to Guangzhou City. In Guangzhou City, the members of the Guangdong Business Alliance, including Chen Qice and representatives of the trading companies that Li Changrong had just formed, gathered in the branch conference hall of Guangzhou City and listened.

Chen Kai’s speech on the stage was met with applause.

"Guangdong is a province with a lot of waste waiting to be revitalized. If we follow the usual practice, the government will allow the people to resume production on their own. What they will do most is the maintenance and construction of official administration and infrastructure. That is the Taoist method of governing by doing nothing, letting go

It was fine in peacetime, but today, the situation where the captives are strong and we are weak has not changed. I think we should give full play to the strength of the merchants in this province and rely on commercial activities to speed up the recovery of people's livelihood."

"Guanzi once said that if you have enough food and clothing, you will know etiquette, and if you have enough food and clothing, you will know honor and disgrace. I firmly believe that whether you are farming, working, or doing business, as long as you pay taxes normally, you should be treated fairly. Therefore, anyone who dares to interfere with normal business will

Operations and behaviors that disrupt business order are intolerable!"

Note: The data on the iron production in Luoding Prefecture comes from "Guangdong News" written by Qu Dajun, a survivor of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Another work by him, "Chengren Lu of the Four Dynasties of the Ming Dynasty" records many details about the martyrs of the martyrs in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.
Chapter completed!