Just before New Year's Eve, Zhu Cixuan received a report from Wen Anzhi that the huge merchant from Chengdu, Han Wong, colluded with the enemy to sell the country and openly sold the grain to the Qing army in Hanzhong.

The emperor couldn't help but feel furious.

He repeatedly told the ban on selling grain to the Qing Dynasty. Unexpectedly, there were still people who dared to take the risk and cross the line.

At first, Zhu Cilang only believed that the Shanxi merchants had relatively low personal ethics and could not resist the temptation to cooperate with the Qing Dynasty.

Now it seems that it is not just a problem for Shanxi merchants.

The merchants in this era had a weak concept of family and country, and everything was for the sake of interests.

The ancients said that businessmen are not traitorous, and it is not unreasonable for merchants to pursue profits.

However, at such a critical moment, when the Ming Dynasty blocked grain from the Qing Dynasty, the Korean won secretly sold grain to the Qing Dynasty, which made Zhu Cilang feel unbearable.

There is naturally no problem with killing a Korean won side, but Zhu Cilang is afraid that there will be a second one and a third one.

What if such people can't kill them one after another?

Zhu Cixuan asked himself that he was worthy of the world, so which link was wrong?

The Ming Dynasty's collection of commercial taxes is not heavy now. Although the tax system of thirty taxes has increased slightly compared to the previous thirty tax and one tax, it is far from unbearable.

Zhu Cilang believes that there is no problem with the tax system.

It can only be said that the benefits given by the Qing Dynasty were too great.

The Qing Dynasty is probably only money left now.

The wealth accumulated over the years of robbing the West is huge, and using this wealth to buy black-hearted businessmen is indeed a great move.

Zhu Cilang also understood that it was impossible for merchants to sell grain to the Qing Dynasty.

From the perspective of human nature, there will always be people who take risks for the sake of profit.

What he needs to consider is how to supervise it and minimize the impact of such personal behavior on the Ming Dynasty.

In this regard, Zhu Cilang cannot be said to be experienced, he can only say that he has crossed the river by feeling the stones.

Zhu Cilang summoned Lu Zhenfei into the palace for this purpose, and the monarch and ministers discussed countermeasures together.

After all, personal power is limited, and even the emperor is no exception.

After Lu Zhenfei entered the palace, he was shocked when he heard Zhu Cixuan talking about the Korean Won colluding with the enemy and treason.

He frowned for a moment.

Merchants and scholars and generals are different, and they are not doing things for the court.

Naturally, the court's supervision of them could not be as good as that of civil and military officials. This gave some opportunities for those who are interested.

"Your Majesty, I have something I don't know whether to say it or not."

Lu Zhenfei hesitated for a moment and bowed and said.

"I'm just saying it's okay."

Zhu Cilang waved his hand.

"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, it is probably impossible to solve this problem by killing."

Lu Zhenfei paused and said, "The Ming Dynasty and Altan were incompatible with each other's market. Some people went to the grassland to exchange salt and tea for the skins of Tartars and horses. It can be seen that what caused this was the evil thoughts in people's hearts."

Zhu Cixuan frowned and said, "I didn't say that I could solve this problem by relying solely on killing. But according to my soldier's statement, there is no solution to this matter?"

"Of course not."

Lu Zhenfei hurriedly said, "The merchants are for the benefit of Tonglu. But what if the court can give them greater benefits?"

Zhu Cilang felt something interesting, so he nodded and said, "Speak."

"Does Your Majesty still remember Zheng Zhilong? Just two years ago, Zheng Zhilong from Fujian had almost monopolized all maritime trade. Any maritime merchant who wanted to do maritime trade had to pay taxes to Zheng Zhilong. Zheng Zhilongguang could earn more than 10 million taels of silver in one year by collecting taxes."

Lu Zhenfei paused and continued: "How did Your Majesty do it later? Your Majesty wins over those maritime merchants who are dissatisfied with Zheng Zhilong in the name of the Huangming Trade Chamber of Commerce, and gradually snatches the share of maritime trade."

"Yes, but what does this have to do with the merchants and the clans?"

Zhu Cixuan asked.

"Although there is no direct relationship between the two, their essence is the same."

Lu Zhenfei said without hesitation: "Zheng Zhilong can give benefits to maritime merchants, so maritime merchants are willing to pay taxes to Zheng Zhilong. Later, His Majesty could give them greater benefits, so they are willing to get rid of Zheng Zhilong and follow His Majesty."

Lu Zhenfei sighed with deep emotion: "The same is true for the merchants Tonglu. They believed that the Donglu could bring them greater benefits, so they took risks."

Seeing that the emperor was in deep thought, Lu Zhenfei continued: "I gave an example. When the Ming Dynasty used the legal salt system for Kaizhong, merchants rushed to transport grain to the border in order to obtain salt. It was not profitable to transport grain itself, but they obtained salt. As long as they took the salt to the designated salt pond to raise salt, they could make a fortune by selling it."

"So what I mean is to let me win over these merchants with my interests?"

Zhu Cilang suddenly said.

"No, I mean to ask your Majesty for his kindness and power."

Lu Zhenfei talked eruditely: "If you only give kindness, the merchants will feel that Your Majesty is good and can't do things for the Ming Dynasty sincerely. Perhaps they will privately share the enemy and sell the food to the Donglu. If you only establish authority, the merchants will feel that Your Majesty is mean and has no kindness, and they will also share the enemy out of revenge. Only by giving kindness and power can they truly make it use by the court."

"How to do both kindness and power?"

Zhu Cilang asked.

What he wants is not a great principle, but a method that can be implemented in detail.

"Your Majesty, this is an opportunity. Your Majesty ordered people to confiscate the family of the Korean Won to establish their authority. But this can only shock the group for less than a moment. If you want to completely control them, you must also show kindness. Your Majesty might as well follow the Kaizhong Law of the year and allow merchants to transport grain to important military camps and towns in various Ming Dynasty, and then grant them privileges. This privilege may not be salt trading, but also qualifications to join the Imperial Ming Chamber of Commerce."

As soon as Lu Zhenfei finished speaking, Zhu Cilang felt a lit up in front of him.

This statement is really novel.

The current salt trading system is completely different from that of the past, and China and France have become in name only.

It was not so easy for the imperial court to restore the salt induction system.

However, it is not difficult to control merchants by referring to the China-French salt introduction system.

Why do businessmen sell salt? Isn’t it because of selling salt to make money?

And what is the most profitable thing to do now? Of course it is Hai Trade.

After Zheng Zhilong's fall, the imperial court had taken over all maritime trade affairs.

If you want to go overseas, merchants must register in the Huangming Trade Chamber of Commerce founded by Zhu Cixuan.

Only licensed merchants are eligible to go overseas for maritime trade.

When the Huangming Chamber of Commerce was first established, there was no threshold for attracting merchants to join to fight against the powerful Zheng Zhilong.

But one time and another.

The court now occupies the entire share of maritime trade, and the merchants have no choice but to choose to join the Huangming Chamber of Commerce.

Now those who want to join the Huangming Chamber of Commerce have stolen the heads, but the quota is limited, so it is naturally impossible for everyone to be qualified.
Chapter completed!