Liu Han looked at Ding Xuan's back expressionlessly, and was a little puzzled in his heart, Ding Xuan's actions were very different from the actions of the scholars he knew.

Seeking beauty is nothing in this era, it's normal.

Under normal circumstances, if the master values you, as long as you show special attention to one of his singers and dancers or even concubines, he will not hesitate to give it away, which will be reprimanded by the women who have risen in women's power in the previous life, but in this era it will be regarded as a bold and virtuous corporal, and will be praised everywhere.

But a move like Ding Xuan's today is a bit out of place, and if he can't ask for it, he will be furious, and then walk away, which is seriously against the current etiquette, and will be criticized by Shilin if it is spread out.

Liu Han was still wondering, so Gu Wei smiled and said, "What Mr. Liu did is not like what a merchant did. ”

"Oh, why did Lord Gu say this?" asked Liu Han with a pretended puzzlement.

"Mr. Liu calls himself a businessman," Gu Wei said as he looked at Wang Qiuge and others of Yanping County, as if to explain: "But the businessman puts profit first, but Mr. Liu puts 20,000 silver and does not earn it, and he also offends a high-ranking official like Lord Ding, which does not seem to be done by a businessman." ”

Liu Han chuckled, lifted the wine jug and poured wine into the empty wine glass, and said as he poured: "Although I am a businessman, I have also read the Taoist classics, and the Taoist classics say that there are things to do and things not to do, and besides, businessmen are not completely profitable. ”

"Merchants don't make profits, why is that?" said King Yanping with a somewhat mocking smile.

"Businessmen naturally want to make money," Liu Han still smiled, and did not seem to be affected by Ding Xuan: "In the eyes of the world, businessmen are mercenary, but on the other hand, how many people in this world are not mercenary? If they are not mercenary, why are there so many corrupt officials and corrupt officials? The family is not mercenary? Why do they occupy so much land?"

The king of Yanping frowned slightly, wanting to say a few words but didn't know what to say, Lu Fan didn't think so, Qiu Ge was thoughtful, and Xiao Yu showed a smile.

"So, everyone is mercenary, so I don't know why we businessmen should look the other way?" Liu Han asked rhetorically

Neither the king of Yanping nor Gu Wei Qiu Ge Lufan could answer, and the banquet fell silent again, Qiu Sanniang looked left and right, but didn't speak for some reason.

"Brother Liu has a point," Qiu Ge said slowly, "However, this is just your idea, the reality is."

"The reality is that the social status of businessmen is low," Liu Han interrupted him, then looked at Gu Wei and the king of Yanping County and said: "I admit the reality, but I don't allow others to underestimate me, Lord Ding opened his mouth to ask for Qingjin, this is to win people's love, from the bottom of his heart he looks down on me, since he looks down on me, why should I rush to please him? Although I Liu Han disdain, I can't do such a thing. ”

"This is the truth," the king of Yanping County closed the paper fan and sighed, "Lord Ding is a little arrogant. ”

"Don't talk about him, sweep people's interest," Gu Wei also said, looked at Liu Han and asked: "I'm interested in Brother Liu's trip to Jiangnan, to be honest, everyone looks at my scenery, but how do I know that I am living in Duzhi Cao like a year, Brother Liu is a good hand at making money, I really want to ask Brother Liu for advice." ”

"I don't know this, Master Gu, don't laugh at me. Liu Han smiled bitterly.

Gu Wei was very serious: "Brother Liu, don't be modest, in just over ten years in the Western Regions, he has broken into such a big business with his own hands, just ask, how many people can do it, when he reaches the imperial capital, he earns millions of silver in an auction, how many years has Tan Ying been in the imperial capital, and he has not been able to be so beautiful." ”

The king of Yanping County also smiled: "Mr. Liu, don't be polite, just talk about it." ”

Liu Han shook his head again: "Lord Wang, Lord Gu, these are completely two concepts, they can't be discussed on the same day at all, I am just a small shop, just making a profit, Lord Gu is in charge of the degree of support Cao, and the treasury is in charge, these are completely two levels, not the same day, not the same day." ”

"I think it's about the same," Qiu Ge shook his head and said, "It's all about collecting money and spending it, what's the difference there." ”

"Collect money in and spend it out, this collection and spending are completely different," Liu Han shook his head and said, in this era, there is no fiscal policy, let alone a budget, no one understands this: "Lord Gu is in charge of the treasury, and I run a small shop, which is like, like," Liu Han hesitated, and couldn't think of any suitable metaphor for a while, so he changed his words: "However, the treasury and the small shop are one thing the same, that is, to spend money in a planned way." ”

Gu Wei smiled bitterly: "I want to plan, but now I can't make ends meet, and I can't plan no matter how I plan." ”

"If you can't make ends meet, then it's even more planned. Qiu Ge looked at him in confusion.

Liu Han smiled and didn't speak, and the King of Yanping County smiled and said, "What Lord Gu means is that no matter how you plan, you can't make ends meet, and it's useless to make plans." Ladies and gentlemen, don't you understand it now, Lord Gu is overstretched, and I'm here to ask the big guy for advice, right? Lord Gu. ”

Gu Wei smiled and didn't deny it, Lu Fan frowned slightly when he heard this, he didn't know what to say, Qiu Ge smiled and teased: "This is nothing more than opening up sources and reducing expenditures, you say yes, right?"

"How to open source, how to throttle?" Gu Wei asked rhetorically.

Qiu Ge hesitated slightly: "Open source is nothing more than raising taxes, throttling is nothing more than reducing expenditures, what other ways are there to do?"

"Tax increase?" Gu Wei looked solemn, shook his head and said: "The people of the world are already very bitter, and if the tax is increased again, the people will be overwhelmed and will have to be forced to become homeless, this law will not work." ”

"In my opinion, if all those corrupt officials are eliminated, the treasury will naturally be full. Lu Fan was already a little drunk, and shook his head and said.

Gu Wei was a little disappointed, this Lu Fan and Qiu Ge both have the reputation of talents, but the proposed method is almost useless, and it seems that it is just two embroidered pillows.

"It would be nice if it was so easy," Gu Wei sighed, and the king of Yanping also shook his head and said: "Tax increase, who doesn't know, this is drinking to quench thirst." ”

"Alas," Gu Wei sighed: "If you are like Lord Xiao, you will be able to take over such a large piece of land in one fell swoop, and the wealth will be rolling." ”

Xiao Yu laughed dryly: "I'm not as good as Lord Gu, Lord Gu holds the treasury, that's the real wealth rolling, Xiao is just contributing to the court, isn't this worrying about silver!"

"You fought a wonderful battle, Fang Zhen actually confessed like this. Gu Wei sighed appreciatively: "The owner of Xiao Lou is joining forces with Luoma Water Village, but I heard that the second master of Luoma Water Village died some time ago. ”

Liu Han was suspicious in his heart, but his expression showed a little surprise just right, and he turned his head to look at Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu smiled bitterly, he didn't expect this to spread so quickly, Chang Meng seemed to be missing, but in his heart, he had already frozen him dead.

"I also received news that He Dong, the big boss of the fallen horse water village, is investigating. ”

"This gang is still powerful. Gu Wei sighed, looking very sorry.

Xiao Yu also sighed deeply, Gu Wei turned his head to look at Liu Han: "Does Mr. Liu know about this?"

"I just heard Lord Xiao mention it, but I didn't know it before. Liu Han's expression was very sincere: "Chang Meng's cultivation is very high, and the person who can kill him is probably not simple, and that He Dong may not be able to deal with it." ”

Gu Wei was stunned for a moment, and then showed a smile: "Mr. Liu has seen that second-in-command before?"

Liu Han nodded: "Didn't the Cao Gang hold a funeral, and also sent me a post, I sent a few hundred taels of silver, and watched a wonderful battle at the funeral, Chang Meng and He Dong were in the limelight, and they were extremely majestic." ”

"I don't know much about cultivation," Gu Wei looked puzzled: "Mr. Liu looks good at cultivation?"

"Master Gu doesn't know," Qiu Ge said lazily: "Brother Liu is a grandmaster cultivator, it's not a good word, it should be profound." ”

As soon as these words came out, not only Gu Wei, but even the king of Yanping County were a little surprised, the grandmaster was not a big road commodity in this era, the king of Yanping County was the king of the county, and there was no grandmaster under his hands.

Liu Han suddenly had an idea, and he smiled: "Those who beg for food on the trade road in the Western Regions, who don't have two hands under them, and those who are slightly weak, I'm afraid they have all become dry bones on the trade road." ”

"I have heard that the trade route in the Western Regions is very dangerous, and the desert scenery is infinitely beautiful, and I always want to go and see it, but unfortunately I have never had the opportunity. The king of Yanping County sighed regretfully.

"The desert is lonely, the sun sets on the long river, and the charming scenery of the desert is the end, Mr. Liu, just this sentence, you can leave a name for eternity. Gu Wei toasted to Liu Han and congratulated.

"Although the desert scenery is beautiful, it is also dangerous," Liu Han said: "Most of the caravans on the desert that can last more than three years are big merchants. Hehe, in fact, isn't Lord Gu worried about the emptiness of the treasury, so he simply organized a few caravans to go to the Western Regions Desert and make money for you. ”

Gu Wei shook his head with a smile, and the king of Yanping County also shook his head, Lu Fan picked up his wine glass and shouted: "That's right, instead of raising taxes, it is better to take the Western Regions Trade Road." ”

Qiu Sanniang watched Liu Han hide behind Qiu Ge and pursed her lips, Liu Han said with a straight face: " The treasury is empty, Lord Gu is worried, tax increase is not a way, the burden on the people is already very heavy, and then increase taxes, I am afraid that most of the people in the world will have to be homeless, in fact, I have a way, in Liangyong and secluded, as well as Shu, set up a market, open trade, and levy tariffs, I estimate that this move can increase the tax revenue of the imperial court by thirty percent, and set up a few more trading ports on the southern seaside, I estimate that this move can bring about twenty percent of the income to the imperial court, with this four or five percent of the income, Lord Gu should no longer be stretched. ”

Gu Wei and the king of Yanping County looked at each other, and they both felt that this move was incredible, opening a market to collect taxes, and actually adding four or fifty percent of the tax revenue to the imperial treasury, which was unimaginable, too incredible.

"Don't you believe it?" Liu Han shook his head and said: "Actually, there is another way to increase the commercial tax, for example, the silk tax, the tea tax, the salt and iron tax... ”

"Salt and iron are the monopoly of the imperial court. King Yanping reminded.

"Then open the salt and iron," Liu Han said, "I don't know how much tax the imperial court can receive from the salt and iron every year, but after the salt and iron are opened, I don't think the annual tax collected will be less than when the imperial court was monopolized." ”

It was another earth-shattering suggestion, but this time, Gu Wei and the King of Yanping shook their heads almost at the same time.