After the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar year, the imperial court began to work as usual. In this era, it was called the opening of the yamen. Zhu Yijun also attended the morning court, but he didn't say anything serious.
It was a Chinese tradition to not cause trouble during the New Year. Otherwise, the whole year wouldn't go smoothly.
After the court, Zhu Yijun returned to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and saw Li Zhonghang waiting there.
Li Zhonghang had changed into an official's robe and was no longer dressed like a Shanxi merchant. However, he seemed to lack a bearing.
His eyes darted back and forth, giving people the impression that he was calculating his debts.
Zhu Yijun had heard of the legend of Shanxi merchants. They were stingy even when they were rich. Not only were they stingy to others, but they were also stingy to themselves.
Many wealthy Shanxi merchants wouldn't flaunt their wealth like the Huizhou merchants, who lived in large mansions with women.
Although Shanxi merchants also had large mansions, they didn't look luxurious. Many of them wore leather hats, tucked in their sleeves, rode donkeys, or drove handcarts.
Originally, Zhu Yijun didn't believe in such a saying. However, after seeing Li Zhonghang, Zhu Yijun started to believe it.
After sizing Li Zhonghang up, Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "You look good. You look like an official."
Li Zhonghang smiled and said, "It's all thanks to Your Majesty."
Waving his hand, Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "Alright, let's not talk about this. Let's talk about the first thing the Ministry of Internal Affairs needs to do!"
"I've always felt that it's right to live off the mountains and the rivers. After all, these things are the foundation of the local people.
The Shanxi merchants are indeed wealthy, but they rely on salt. To put it bluntly, they don't bring anything to the people of Guanzhong other than making money. "
"This is not beneficial to the country. Perhaps it was better when we were in the Shang Dynasty, but now … Haha!"
Glancing at Li Zhonghang, Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "Of course, I can't blame you. This is how the salt policy of the imperial court is. You didn't violate the law, so I can understand your actions."
"But in my opinion, merchants should have their own integrity. You should know that while doing business, you should be beneficial to the country and the people. What do you think?"
Li Zhonghang bowed and listened with a serious expression. After hearing Zhu Yijun's question, he hurriedly said, "Your Majesty's words are deafening. I am enlightened. Your Majesty's words have enlightened me. Your Majesty's words have enlightened me."
Zhu Yijun didn't care how Li Zhonghang understood or thought, but he needed to follow this principle in the future. At the same time, he would also use this principle to demand of others.
Zhu didn't care about Li 'Li's understanding or what, but he had to say. Year. Zhu Dynasty Dynasty's Dynasty's Dynasty.
"When I established the Ministry of Internal Affairs, I wanted to guide merchants down this path. They needed to have Confucian ethics and patriotism. Finally, they needed to pursue the business of profit.
"Gentlemen love," he or he That by Wang. "This applies. of the Dynasty of year, I,"
"Since you are from Shanxi, the first order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will be placed in Shanxi."
"You must always remember that the Ministry of Internal Affairs guides the businessmen. The Ministry of Internal Affairs does not participate in the operation itself, but it can become a shareholder and make the rules."
Zhu Yijun picked up a book with a smile and said, "I wrote this. You can take it back and have a look."
Li Zhonghang respectfully received the booklet and said, "This official will definitely study it diligently."
Zhu Yijun nodded his head and said, "Let me tell you how to live off the mountains and rivers. I know about the situation in Shanxi and Shaanxi. The local products are not plentiful. This is also the reason why Shanxi merchants can be found everywhere."
Although these words made Zhu Yijun feel guilty, Shanxi and Shaanxi were not rich in resources, but they were rich in minerals!
However, in this era, mining and transportation were both problems, so Zhu Yijun decided not to think about it for the time being.
Zhu Yijun had also heard about Shanxi merchants. They were the most hardworking among the businessmen. In the future, there was also a famous "Go West".
In Guanzhong, there was a nursery rhyme, "Hequ Baode, there is no harvest for ten years. Men go to Guanzhong, and women dig for wild vegetables."
Due to the location of Shanxi merchants, it was destined that their business would be difficult. Once the border was not peaceful, it would be hard for them to do business.
At this time, many people would choose to smuggle goods from Daming to the border. After all, the profits were too high.
Marx once said that if capital had 50% profits, it would take risks. If it had 100% profits, it would dare to trample on all the laws in the world.
If it had 300% profits, it would dare to commit any crime, even at the risk of being hanged.
Due to the location of Shanxi merchants, it was destined that this would happen. This was not a problem that could be solved by killing a group of them.
This required the guidance of the imperial court. When they had their own businesses and profit margins, most of the businessmen would not take the risk of being killed to smuggle goods.
Of course, there would never be a lack of greedy criminals in the world. However, it would be much easier to control the majority of the people and crack down on a small portion of them.
Li Zhonghang heaved a sigh of relief when he heard Zhu Yijun's explanation. It was good that the Emperor was aware of the situation in Shanxi and Shanxi.
Li Zhonghang was afraid that Zhu Yijun would ask him to do something unrealistic. It would be troublesome if he was asked to do it.
"As a successful businessman, you must learn to look for possibilities in the impossible. That is how a successful businessman is.
"As a Shanxi merchant, you need to understand the local situation. For example, what products are produced and what are the profits.
What are the advantages of Shanxi and Shanxi?
It is close to the border and can trade with Wala.
"This is something that other places do not have. That is why you need to look for a breakthrough."
The reason why Zhu Yijun put in so much effort to explain all these to Li Zhonghang was to change his mindset. He wanted Li Zhonghang to learn how to look at the bigger picture.
Don't just stare at the land and the salt. That won't do.
Although he didn't think much of it now, he would change his mindset completely when he succeeded in Shanxi and Shanxi.
Li Zhonghang was an intelligent person. Zhu Yijun knew this a long time ago. He believed that Li Zhonghang would understand it very quickly.
"I know that the border towns have been doing a lot of business these few years. However, I also know that the profits are being controlled by many merchants.
The key is how to find new business, and a big business at that. "
"There are three hundred and sixty industries, but they are all inseparable. That is clothing, food, shelter, and transportation."
"In terms of basic necessities, food, housing, and transportation, clothing is ranked first. What I want to talk about is clothing."
"Since ancient times, there have been silk, linen, and now cotton. The number of clothing materials has been increasing.
I don't know if others have discovered this, but I have discovered that wool can also be used to weave cloth. "
After hearing Zhu Yijun's words, Li Zhonghang was stunned. He immediately raised his head and looked at Zhu Yijun.
"You don't believe me?"
Zhu Yijun glanced at Li Zhonghang and said, "I have already sent people to search for this technique from the Qiang people outside Jiayuguan.
However, they aren't very skilled, but I don't think it's a problem. "
"We have skilled craftsmen in Daming. We can try to make new looms specifically for spinning wool and weaving cloth."
"Wool!"
Zhu Yijun glanced at Li Zhonghang and said, "Do you know how many sheep there are in Wa?
Do you know how much wool costs?
Once wool can be turned into wool thread and woven cloth, do you know how much profit there will be? "
As a merchant, Li Zhonghang naturally knew how much profit there was.
Planting mulberry, raising silkworms, and weaving cloth required a lot of manpower and resources. Even linen had to be planted and harvested.
If wool could be made into thread, the cost would definitely be very low.
After all, wool could be used after it was sheared, and the wool itself didn't cost much!
Zhu Yijun looked at Li Zhonghang and said with a smile, "In that booklet, I have written how to build a large factory. You can find a partner among the Jin merchants, but remember, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has to own 70% of the shares.
"I have also written about the wool trade. When the wool is spun, it can be made into garments and traded for horses, cows, and sheep in Wa."
Li Zhonghang listened to Zhu Yijun's words and subconsciously swallowed his saliva. He felt that if the Emperor went into business, he would definitely be the most successful merchant in the world.
However, when he thought about how the Emperor wanted him to find a partner, his heart instantly burned with passion.
In fact, Zhu Yijun had also thought about the government, but there were too many drawbacks.
Corruption and bureaucracy would seriously slow down the development of the entire industry. It was better to just adopt a public-private partnership.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs could directly invest in the business and recruit businessmen to do it. This would be much more efficient.
This way, the profits of the Ministry of Internal Affairs could be guaranteed, and the initial investment would be reduced.
Zhu Yijun didn't have the money to invest in the textile factory in the northwest. It was more appropriate for the Jin merchants to fork out the money. It would save the money from being buried in the soil.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Li Zhonghang quickly bowed and said, "I will make sure the textile factory is well done."
Zhu Yijun nodded, then smiled and said, "Don't be too impatient. What you need to do now is to find someone to make a loom. How can you spin wool into yarn quickly and with a high yield? That's the key."
"I understand!" Li Zhonghang nodded and said respectfully, "I will not let you down."
"Do a good job. If you do these things well, I will not mistreat you, and I will not mistreat the Li family!" Zhu Yijun looked at Li Zhonghang and said with a smile.
Li Zhonghang left in high spirits. Zhu Yijun sighed. Sure enough, money was powerful.
In fact, the Jin merchants in this era were still doing well. The main reason was that there were fairs at the borders.
Ever since the Daming's and Wala's tributes were granted, they got along well and did not reach the stage of smuggling.
Everyone could trade legally, and there was very little room for smuggling.
Of course, this was not to say that there was no smuggling. After all, smuggling salt, iron, and other contraband goods was very profitable.
However, Zhu Yijun knew that those who could do this kind of business basically all had connections in the border army.