My Brother-in-law is the Prince - Chapter 406

Chapter 406 The Heart of the World

In front of the door of the United Bank, notices were posted one after another.

When the news came out, the capital was in an uproar.

Especially for Taiping Mansion, it is nothing more than worse.

In these days, people are panicked.

Not only major commercial firms, but even ordinary small and medium-sized merchants are now struggling to maintain.

Adding a lot of news makes people feel even more flustered.

Under this atmosphere, the United Bank has a problem.

If something goes wrong, you have to protect yourself, and the only way to protect yourself is to reduce the loan.

But this is a disaster for all merchants.

In the past few years, the market has been so good that many commercial banks and merchants have borrowed a lot in order to expand their operations.

After all, if you borrow money, you can generate countless profits. Even if you repay the loan plus interest, it will still be profitable.

But now, the news released by this bank basically tells everyone that everyone’s capital chain is broken.

“My lord, my lord…”

In Lide Firm, an urgent voice sounded.

A accountant came in a hurry, looking like a concubine, he entered the inner room at the back of the business, panting.

The owner of Lide Firm, Zhang Zheng, was sitting worriedly in front of the table at this time, when he heard the voice of the accountant, he barely cheered up.

Zhang Zheng used to be a scholar. Since then, he failed many times in the provincial examinations, and coupled with the poor management of his family, he had no choice but to go into business.

Unexpectedly, he got along very well in Qixia, and gradually his business started to grow.

This is actually easy to understand, after all, having studied and taking advantage of Qixia’s development, although the family was in decline, the money in hand was still richer than ordinary people.

Now this Lide firm has been operating a lot of business, contracted a mine, and has a printing and dyeing workshop. Its strength should not be underestimated.

As the name suggests, the reason why this Lide firm was named Lide is that it is an excerpt of the words meritorious service, speech, and morality. Zhang Zheng wanted to use this to show his identity as a former scholar.

In his life, he has failed in his studies, hopeless in the imperial examinations, and may have no hope of making meritorious service and making a speech, so he has no choice but to use the word Lide to show himself.

The past few years have been smooth and smooth, so in his extremely elegant study, he has collected a lot of calligraphy and paintings, rare copies, and ancient books.

In the past, Zhang Zheng loved to read books and observe some ancient paintings here, but now, he has no mood for this.

“What’s the matter?” Zhang Zheng looked closely at the accountant.

The cashier looked at Zhang Zheng with a miserable face, and replied: “I have already negotiated with the United Bank, and they said that it is really impossible to make a loan. This is not a credit issue…it is…”

After Zhang Zheng heard this, his face became even more ugly. He stood up unsteadily, his eyes suddenly lost their luster.

After a long time, he smacked his lips, and tried hard to say: “Where is the shopkeeper Zhou who has been on good terms with us on weekdays? What does he say?”

The accountant said with a bitter face: “He refuses to see the student, he just asks someone to tell the student that he has no control over this matter. Although he knows that the master is a trustworthy person, but now…everyone is in trouble, and this It is the meaning of His Royal Highness of Wuhu County. The chief shopkeeper of the firm, Mr. Zhu Jin, presides over it personally. How dare he be favoritism for a mere shopkeeper? Just say sorry to the master, and hope the master will forgive me, and think of a way.”

After hearing this, Zhang Zheng fell down on the chair as if his strength had been drained all of a sudden.

With a slumped face and trembling lips, he murmured: “You can figure it out, how can you figure it out… The steel workshop also encountered difficulties. They couldn’t pay for the ore supplied by our mine, and now the bank refuses to pay for it.” Borrowing. In this case, how can this business be maintained? Hundreds of people are waiting for a monthly salary, and there are so many goods in the warehouse…”

He seemed to be ten years older all of a sudden, and his previous high spirits disappeared at this moment.

Lide Commercial Bank has been in operation so far, this is all his hard work, but now, if the bank cannot get a loan, the capital chain will be completely broken.

Even the bank is unwilling to lend money, so in this world, who else is willing to lend him money to tide him over?

This also means that Lide Commercial Bank may be completely closed within a month.

And he… has a lot of debts on him. In the current market, even if he closes his business, the mines and workshops on hand are worthless, and he may not even be able to repay the debts.

Overnight, the former rich man suddenly became a poor ghost who was burdened with debts.

Who accepted this?

The accountant sighed and said, “Master, it’s time to find another way out.”

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

“correct.”

But the accountant suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly said: “Master, I heard from the bank…The bank has tightened up this time, and even the current market conditions are all because of…”

Speaking of this, the accountant suddenly stopped.

Zhang Zheng raised his head and looked closely at the cashier: “Go on.”

The accountant hesitated for a while, and finally continued: “It is because His Majesty and the County King were assassinated in Jiangxi Chief Envoy, which made Your Majesty and His Highness the County King lose confidence in the New Deal, and said…”

Hearing this, Zhang Zheng was furious and said: “The good new deal, just because of this, it was abandoned halfway?”

The accountant smiled wryly and said: “There is nothing to be done. Master, think about it. Now the whole world is against the New Deal. All the prefectures and counties, as well as the officials in the court, which one is not like this? Let alone how your majesty thinks, but His Royal Highness heard that he is now retreating. I heard that… now he sleeps wearing armor, and there are a lot of guards around him. I don’t want to think about it, how many people hate the King because of the New Deal. Although His Royal Highness is holy Pet, it’s a moment of glory, but…he’s also afraid…”

“I also heard that the king of the county has already started recruiting Wuhu guards. Obviously… this is to protect himself.” The accountant said with a bit of confidence: “After all, the current situation, the master, you are only losing money. But if it goes on like this, His Royal Highness will lose his life.”

Just this one word, Zhang Zhengwan suddenly fell into the ice cave, trembling all over.

He shuddered, and said involuntarily: “It’s not just that I lost money, it’s my life. My whole family is on this deal…”

As he spoke, Zhang Zheng choked up and lost his voice.

What despair this is, all of a sudden, there is nothing left.

The accountant sighed faintly, and he shook his head. In the firm, he was Zhang Zheng’s confidant, so he was naturally treated well.

But with the current market situation, Zhang Zheng’s boss is over, and he, the accountant, will probably leave the firm. It may not be easy for him to make a living in the future.

So the accountant couldn’t help but said: “It’s really strange, our New Deal is so good, how can it be hated by the people all over the world? Do the people all over the world really regard the New Deal as a thorn in their side?”

Zhang Zhengmo sat silently.

The accountant continued: “However, I heard that Qixia has many poems and articles that ridicule the New Deal, and there are also many great Confucian scholars…”

At this moment, Zhang Zheng suddenly shouted: “It’s just a bunch of jumping clowns.”

This shout suddenly startled the accountant.

Zhang Zheng’s eyes were red.

You must know that Zhang Zheng didn’t have such an attitude towards some great Confucians back then.

Zhang Zheng was also a scholar after all, and even many merchants who were not born as scholars also respected these great Confucians.

This is actually understandable. Merchants have been in a state of being suppressed. Although many people have earned money nowadays, they still feel inferior in front of great scholars and scholars. Famous Confucians made friends with scholars, gave money and goods, and purchased a large number of calligraphy, calligraphy and paintings.

It seems that as long as I can barely make friends with them, I will also have a bookish atmosphere.

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

Because people quoted scriptures and classics, what they said clearly and logically.

Because of this, although the Taiping Mansion has money, it also has a lot of great Confucian scholars, who are respectfully invited here, all kinds of transportation expenses are paid, and they are treated preferentially. They are invited to teach some knowledge.

Zhang Zheng was one of them. He paid a lot of money to make friends with a certain scholar, until the other party condescended to come, and he even sent people to greet him directly at his residence. This kind of hospitality is unmatched.

Therefore, there is an indescribable atmosphere in Qixia, and everyone hopes to climb this style of study.

It’s just that Zhang Zheng’s eyes are red at this moment, and there is only gloomy indifference in these bloodshot eyes.

In the past, he would not think about these issues, because these issues were the affairs of those big figures in the temple. The Taiping Mansion has always been protected by Zhang Anshi, they can earn money with peace of mind, and occasionally arty.

But now, everything is lost, but suddenly there is a feeling of being fooled.

His body was trembling, and he suddenly raised his head and said, “I heard that Mr. Zhou is still in Qixia these two days?”

The accountant frowned subconsciously and said: “Master, at this time, do you still have the time to pay homage to Mr. Zhou?”

Zhang had no expression on the front, he stood up.

The business world is ups and downs, and a person like him is by no means a good person, let alone a vegetarian character.

He half closed his eyes, and said in a deep voice: “People’s hearts…people’s hearts…yes, in our Ming Dynasty, everyone opposed the New Deal, and everyone thought the New Deal was a bad one… Your Majesty was assassinated when he implemented the New Deal, and the King of Wuhu is also I retreated…the hearts of the world…are here and there.”

The accountant stared at Zhang Zheng.

Zhang Zheng said with a smirk: “This old man is over, but even if he is about to be over, he can’t become a beggar silently…”

The cashier kept his face, he gradually understood.

Zhang Zhengtu sat down again, as if he had regained some energy at this moment, and said, “Master Zeng’s family, let someone make an appointment, and invite them to Zuiyue Tower for a drink tomorrow. Other than that Outside… at the mine, tell shopkeeper Wu that you can use it at any time, and about the wages… tell him… it is not impossible to pay the wages, but…”

Zhang Zheng’s voice is getting lower and lower.

The accountant listened, his expression changing.

At this time, he saw the fierceness exuded by Zhang Zheng again.

Those who dare to do business, but are able to achieve this level of business, can never be as simple as being kind to others and being good at dancing.

After taking off the cloak of always smiling and welcoming people, the ferocity of putting everything in one basket for profit was immediately revealed.

Zhang Zheng said slowly: “Also… over there in the printing and dyeing workshop, I asked some principals to come to see me tonight, I have something to ask.”

The accountant was surprised and said: “Master, this… will it be okay?”

Zhang had no expression on his face, just moved his lips lightly. He said calmly: “If they don’t teach us to live, I will teach them to die!”

The cashier didn’t say anything more, he just pondered for a moment and nodded.

In a sense, Zhang Zheng’s words didn’t touch his heart.

…

The capital… Qixia.

Many restaurants suddenly had many customers.

They went straight to the wing and closed the doors and windows.

Then, one by one, people in common clothes came out slowly.

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

There were quite a few pamphlets like this in the past.

Zhang Anshi ran the Mansion Newspaper, but because of the development of commerce, the cost of printing was greatly reduced, but Zhang Anshi did not dare to run other newspapers.

It’s not that this newspaper is unprofitable, but that this stuff is completely a propaganda weapon in this era.

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

He is not a fool. Once this thing comes out, he will be the first to be beaten.

After all, most of the knowledge in this world, the vast majority of people who play with words, are on the opposite side of Zhang Anshi. If this inspires those gentry and scholars, Zhang Anshi will surely be repeatedly rubbed on the ground by various newspapers, and then he will be rubbed by the scholars. Explosive hammer.

However, with the development of the printing industry, although newspapers did not appear, various printed pamphlets became popular, most of which were articles by scholars.

But now, a strange pamphlet has begun to appear in the past few days. This kind of pamphlet has been circulated in the capital and Taiping Mansion like crazy, and has penetrated into workshops and markets.

One bad news after another began to spread.

The funds are about to be cut off, and the major commercial firms, workshops, and even merchants are afraid that they will lose their insurance.

His Royal Highness the Prince of the County already has plans to retire, he is determined to be a happy prince with peace of mind, no longer care about world affairs.

If the business cannot be done, I am afraid that a large number of hired workers may have to be dismissed, and everyone will find their own way out in the future.

The teenagers and children studying in the school also began to notice at this time that their parents were worried and began to mutter in low voices about going back to their hometown and whether they would still be able to enter school.

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

The cold wind pierces through the bones, adding another chill here.

At this time, secret reports were also delivered to the desk of the county palace.

Yang Pu looked at each of the memorials and responded with a pen at the same time.

It’s just that these messages are intertwined. With Yang Pu’s many years of experience, why doesn’t he know what might happen?

All of this made him feel like a pain in the back.

Deep in my heart, there was an indescribable sense of fear.

But at this time, he had to calm down and pretend to be calm.

He knows better than anyone that this is not only Zhang Anshi’s trust in him, but at the same time, it is also a kind of temptation for him.

He closed his eyes, and he was very clear in his heart. After going through this incident, he was completely hooked up with Zhang Anshi. From then on, he was a real person on a boat.

He had an understatement, and occasionally chatted with the scribes who were also in the county prince’s mansion.

Of course, more often, he is deducing what might happen next.

The more he deduced, the less he dared to imagine.

So, he waited calmly.

Zhang Anshi directly entered the model camp.

Most of the model battalion has already entered the palace for garrison, and there is still a group of troops stationed in Qixia temporarily.

Zhang Anshi seems to be fine, and the outside world seems to have nothing to do with him.

The most important thing for young people is to protect themselves.

Otherwise, this young man must not live long.

Even, he didn’t even bother to read the report sent by the county prince’s mansion. Anyway, he was in the camp, and his wife and children had also been sent to the East Palace for a temporary stay.

Right now…

When the news about the bank spread, it was inevitable that someone would realize something.

It seems that both sides of each other are counting on being able to fight hard.

There have been a lot of censors about the United Bank.

After it was said that the United Bank stopped lending, people panicked, which shows the harm of the New Deal.

Zhu Di didn’t react too much to this, just smiled.

However, he still participated in court meetings and court meetings as usual.

In the court meeting held in Chongwen Hall, the scholar of the Imperial Academy suddenly mentioned the allusion of Lu Buwei.

Zhu Di just listened indifferently.

But Liu Zhan, a bachelor of attendants, said enthusiastically: “Your Majesty, Lu Buwei, a mere merchant, regards Prince Qin as a rare commodity and thinks it is a rare commodity to live in. It is precisely because of this that he became the Prime Minister of the Qin Kingdom. It can be seen from this that the harm of uneducated people in this world can be seen… Now I heard that there are complaints everywhere…”

Zhu Di asked casually: “People in the world, what are you complaining about?”

Liu Zhan immediately said: “Complain about some measures of the New Deal…”

His words are very precise. He did not oppose the New Deal, but only some measures.

In this way, it is possible to advance, attack and retreat.

Zhu Di was neither happy nor angry, and said casually: “In this way, this New Deal is everyone’s resentment.”

Liu Zhan said indignantly: “What I have heard and seen, there are a lot of people who are resentful. All the sages have always taken the heart of the world, the thoughts of the people of the world, and obeyed the hearts of the people…”

Liu Zhan spoke passionately.

Zhu Di suddenly interrupted him: “You say that, I want to be kind? But what is kindness?”

“The thoughts of the people are good.”

Zhu Di smiled and looked at Liu Zhan: “Where are the common people?”

“People are everywhere.”

Zhu Di said: “But I learned that… many people are grateful for the New Deal.”

Liu Zhan subconsciously said: “Your Majesty… How many people do you know of such people?”

Liu Zhan was actually a little pleasantly surprised. After all, the Imperial Academy had already chanted scriptures on this issue in front of His Majesty, and His Majesty always showed disdain.

Who knew that His Majesty would be interested in discussing with him today.

He is not afraid to have a patient discussion with Zhu Di, but he is afraid that Zhu Di will show up badly. After all, with the knowledge of Hanlin, it is obvious that Zhu Di, a “big boss”, will be beaten.

(end of this chapter)