In Taiyuan, Li Xin had already learned the news of the defeat of the Mongol army by the Three Guards in Xuanfu, but the fact that Zhang Shi beheaded more than 10,000 people also shocked him. His intention was not to kill all the Mongols who had entered the army, but rather to capture them and move them to Taiyuan Province, away from the border walls, and then use them as a cheap labor force that could be used for free. In particular, the railway project is about to be launched, and having such a construction team that does not have to pay wages will save the trading company a lot of money.

After Zhang Shishi's suicide wife's case, it seems to have become a little extreme, which is inevitable, but how can Lu Jiu also mess around with him? Soon, he found the answer in the following military report, the city of Xuanfu was broken, and the shape was critical, judging from this, their way of dealing with it did not seem to be exaggerated, but the killing of more than 10,000 Mongolian Tatars, it is difficult to say that there is no act of killing and surrendering. Thinking that these more than 10,000 heads will definitely become a hot potato in the hands of the court bigwigs, how to reward merit is the top problem they have to face.

Let them worry about this kind of thing, Li Xin disdains to mix, what he really regrets is that the hundreds of thousands of stones of grain in Xuanfu City were actually burned by Li Fengxiang. It can be said that it was precisely because of this fire that a battle that was originally a great victory was burned into a big defeat.

That's right, a big defeat! Although the Manchus did not get grain, they did not lose anything after all, while the Ming Dynasty was different, hundreds of thousands of stone grains had to be used to produce a lot of grain. It burned down overnight, and his ultimate goal of the battle was in vain.

Therefore, Li Xin was not only not happy because of the military victory, but also a little depressed. Master Guo came to the door at this time, "General, General, good news, good news!" ”

Looking at Master Guo's eyebrows, Li Xin was bored for a while, he didn't think that there could be any good news, it was worth such a gaffe.

Seeing that Li Xin didn't think so, Master Guo didn't explain, but directly put a copper pipe on his desk.

"The general looks at himself, this news will definitely be able to relieve the general's worries!"

This is the contact information that is only used within the trading company, Li Xin will unscrew the copper pipe suspiciously, pull out the secret letter from it, and only look at it a few times, and his brows can't help but jump wildly.

"Is the message true?"

Li Xin laughed after asking this sentence, this kind of copper pipe communication is a secret contact method in a trading company, and the information in it is a secret that involves the core of the trading company, so naturally there can be no fake. Slowly, Li Xin immediately came to his senses, why did he use the way of a trading company to summon the interrogation?

"Tell me, what are you going to do with this batch of grain!"

Master Guo said with a smile: "The imperial court only knows that Li Fengxiang burned all the grain, and how hot it is is obvious to all. In fact, although the battle of gunpowder was large, in fact, only a small part of it was really burned, and it was only two or three out of ten. Zhang Shi and Lu Jiu are not suitable to handle this matter, and they have already instructed Huang Sheng to deal with it secretly, and it will be broken into pieces and secretly transported to Taiyuan in the next month! ”

Li Xin acquiesced to their behavior, as long as the grain is still in the territory of the Ming Dynasty, what difference does it make in whose hands? I'm afraid that in the hands of the trading company, it is much stronger than in the hands of the imperial court, after all, no one in the United Trading Company will dare to rip the grain layer by layer.

"Anything else?" Seeing Master Guo's appearance of wanting to speak and stopping, Li Xin knew that he still had something to say.

"There is really something, big or small."

Halfway through Master Guo's words, Tian Fuzhen held a stack of newspapers in his hand, and he came in a hurry. I heard that Master Guo also had something important to say, so I humbly conceded with him, saying that his own affairs were trivial, and it didn't hurt to talk about it first and then talk about it.

In the end, it was Master Guo who said it first.

"Recently, Taiyuan Mansion, especially Taiyuan Chengli, seems to have had a lot of trading companies overnight, specializing in salt and iron, and the competition with our joint trading company is fierce, and there is even a faint meaning of pressing us! The villain thinks that we can properly use the authority of the government and beat them, so that they know that they know that they are inferior and inferior! ”

I heard that there was a trading company in Taiyuan City, and Li Xin was interested, so Master Guo continued to talk in detail, but he couldn't say that Meridian Yin Mao was coming. Tian Fuzhen interjected on the side: "Tian has also heard a lot about this matter!" ”

"Then bother Tian Fuzun to talk about it in detail!"

"In the past month or so in Taiyuan, there have indeed been many more merchants, but only three of them are commendable, namely Zhou, Wang and Lu. These three families have lived in Shanxi for generations, but because of the sudden outbreak of the plague at the beginning of the year, they moved their families to Shandong for refuge, and they did not know that they escaped the scourge of thieves. It wasn't until today, after hearing that the situation was stable, that the family moved back! ”

It turns out that it's not that these merchants can catch up, but that they are already deeply rooted here!

Master Guo nodded frequently, "This will suppress their arrogance even more, and we must let them know who is the leader of Taiyuan City now!" ”

Li Xin glared at him, "Bad idea! Business competition is a good thing, don't you hear about the shop more prosperous city? I wish that our merchants in Shanxi would do business all over the world, not only could we not suppress them, but also supported them and made them strong......"

Some of Li Xin's statements stunned what Master Guo said, and he didn't say it, but he slandered in his heart, is the general lacking in heart and eyes, and handed over the money to the outside heat to earn!

"Do you want to absorb them into the trading company and let these people join the shares?" Tian Fuzhen also has another opinion on this matter, and feels that it is better to suppress than to win over. Li Xin rejected Tian Fuzhen's opinion again, "It would be more appropriate for them to stay outside." But he didn't say why.

"Why don't you ask them to buy some shares in the bonds issued?" Tian Fuzhen still hopes to carve out some visible benefits from these people.

"No need, let them develop on their own, Yangguan Road single-plank bridge, no one will interfere with anyone!"

Tian Fuzhen said: "I'm afraid that they may not be single-plank bridges!" ”

"How so?"

"Isn't it strange that these companies are mainly engaged in selling salt, but they have never seen them transport grain to the nine sides, but they have a constant stream of salt in their hands?"

What's strange, Li Xin doesn't think there's a problem. Tian Fuzhen patiently explained that since the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the "opening of the Chinese law" has gradually become the mainstream of the salt industry, that is, merchants transport a certain amount of grain to Jiubian, and then exchange it for the salt issued by the imperial court. It may sound cumbersome and unprofitable, but in fact, the violence involved is really unimaginable to ordinary people.

The company also sells salt, and until now, the profits from salt have been the backbone of the trading company's income.

Li Xin immediately understood what Tian Fuzhen meant, but he didn't feel strange, this is the case with China, businessmen can always better make huge profits by relying on the government, and it is not strange to see it.

"The heavy tax on the tax card is enough for them to drink a pot, and the tax amount should be raised for these people." Master Guo did not give up, and still hoped that Li Xin would use the power of the government to suppress them.

"I think you're dizzy, are you afraid that we won't have many enemies? Tian Fuzun, if they apply for a duty-free pass in Shanxi, they can take proper care of it! ”

Li Xin hoped that these businessmen would be able to bring about the entire commercial atmosphere in Shanxi, and that only when commerce flourished could his monetary plan be realized to the greatest extent possible. Although Shanxi is only engaged in bonds and grain stamps, which are disguised currencies, it is ultimately making credit preparations for the official introduction of currency.

"Huh? Tian Fuzun, don't you also have something to say? ”

Tian Fuzhen patted his head at this time, "No, look at my memory, the general looks at this newspaper." ”

Li Xin took the "Taiyuan Afternoon News" in his hand, read it up and down several times, and found no problems, so he asked, "Is there a problem?" ”

"Big problem! The general, and look at the signatures of these comments on the disadvantages of the times, they are all fresh faces. ”

"Questions?"

"These signatures are all from the people, Tian is afraid that some people must have ulterior motives......" When he said this, his eyes were full of worry, he had long realized that newspapers were a double-edged sword, which could help or hurt people.

Li Xin disagreed, "It doesn't hurt to say anything else, just send it out, and let the people supervise the government's law enforcement, which is not a good thing." At least the bottom line of this release can be widened, as long as you don't speak out about rebellion and subvert the imperial court, you can send it. He knew about this matter, and Huang Sheng, who was in charge of the newspaper at the beginning, had also asked for instructions.

In the east of Taiyuan City, at the guest inn, the young man impatiently urged a descendant who seemed to be less than thirty years old.

"I said Huang Gongzi, you have lived in this store for half a year, and the money you owe should be settled, or you can pay it back if you do chores in our store...... Gotta get it, let's not talk about it, don't you cry and lose your face, today's shopkeeper sent a message, no matter what, you have to settle this month's house payment first! ”

Hou Sheng dusted off the cotton robe on his body, and his face was difficult.

"I can't hide it, I was robbed when the thieves occupied the city, and I also wrote letters to ask people to bring some property, but they were all like stones sinking into the sea! Little brother, look at the cotton robe you are wearing in winter, and you will know that you are not in the bottom. ”

The little man's eyes were covered with a little sympathy, and he sighed: "We are just a little man, it is useless for you to tell us about this hardship, you can't be your master, it is better for you to go to the shopkeeper to talk about it yourself." ”

Huang surnamed Housheng said: "Today, I sent the manuscript to the "Taiyuan Afternoon News", if it can be accepted and published, the newspaper will pay the remuneration for the next manuscript...... Swear! ”

The young man waved his hand impatiently and interrupted the words of the surnamed Huang, "Seeing that you are also a solid person in the family, it is difficult to get mixed into such a field, let's take another day for you, Ming'er, no, Hou'er, the day after tomorrow At this time, you have to take the money anyway!" ”

The surname Huang was grateful, and he slammed the young man to the ground deeply, and thanked him for practicing in his mouth, and the young man hurriedly jumped away, "Don't, don't give me my life." In other words, if your manuscript is published by the "Taiyuan Afternoon News", how much and how much remuneration can you give? ”