Datang: Huchi served as a bodyguard, but refused to enter the court as an official

Immediately, he completely forgot about Cheng Chumo and Chai Lingwu, and walked quickly to the study.

Chapter 45: New mission "Annex Cui's business property", Cast Iron Industry

Seeing that Liu Bai ran away without a trace, Cheng Chumo and Chai Lingwu couldn't hold on anymore, they sat down on the ground, their legs were as soft as noodles, and they couldn't stand up no matter how hard they tried.

Shen Wansan ran in in a hurry, looked around, saw no one, and was about to go to the study to look for Liu Bai, but when he turned around, he suddenly saw two people in the corner, which made Shen Wansan jump.

"What about the young master?"

He seemed to have something urgent and wanted to find Liu Bai.

Cheng Chumo pointed at the study room weakly, he didn't even have the strength to speak.

The two of them were punished, and Shen Wansan had long since accepted the blame, and ran towards the study without saying a word.

"Master, news of the Cui family's death has spread, and many companies are discussing how to take down the Cui family's business. The subordinates think that we should take the opportunity to make a fortune!"

Walking into the study, Shen Wansan directly stated his purpose of coming back.

Regardless of the low status of merchants, who doesn't know a few officials?

The news that Dai Zhou came to the Liu family to ask for evidence had already spread throughout the court. In a few days, the Cui family would be convicted. At that time, the land would be confiscated, and the gold, silver and jewels would be handed over to the state treasury. Business becomes a thing without an owner!

Among them, not only the shops, restaurants, and inns under the name of the Cui family, but more importantly, there are a lot of business channels!

Everyone knows that the Cui family is famously domineering in the Hebei Road area, and almost monopolizes all profitable industries!

Only then did Shen Wansan hurry back home, if he was one step later, he might be robbed by others!

"I was just about to talk to you about this, but Dai Zhou had someone take away the evidence. Within three days, all the descendants of the Cui family will be executed. We must act quickly!"

"The subordinate and the young master thought of going together!"

Shen Wansan did not expect that Liu Bai had already planned it.

He didn't know that Liu Bai was interested in the Cui family's business not only for money.

Also because, the task just released by the system!

[Annexation of Cui's business property]

Moreover, the more annexed, the richer the mission rewards will be!

Liu Bai is in great need of talents now.

The Liu family's business is getting bigger and bigger, Liu Bai's status in the eyes of Li Er and Baiguan is getting higher and higher, many things are a little bit powerless, especially in dealing with the locust plague, Liu Bai has to do everything by himself.

If someone could help, Liu Bai would be free to start other plans.

"Master, my subordinates have already checked. The Cui family's properties are mainly concentrated in Hebei Road, including restaurants, warehouses, silk and satin shops, etc. There are at least a thousand of them. This is a big piece of fat!"

Shen Wansan, who has always been very steady, when he mentioned big business, his eyes lit up immediately, and he couldn't control his excitement.

But Liu Bai shook his head and said, "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter if others take it."

He is very clear that with the current strength of the Liu family, although they can be regarded as big merchants, their influence is limited to the Guanzhong area.

Most of Cui's shops are located in Hebei Road.

The distance is far away, and no one can tell what problems will arise in management.

Shen Wansan was taken aback, and asked, "What does the young master mean?"

"cast iron!"

Liu Bai said firmly.

He had thought about it a long time ago, the Cui family could have a thousand-year foundation, definitely not relying on those shops, or even, not relying on the officials of the clan!

Since the Han Dynasty, salt and iron have been firmly controlled by the imperial court, and selling salt and iron privately will be punished by death.

However, the Three Kingdoms melee, until the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the imperial court still banned the sale of private salt, but relaxed the ban on cast iron.

This is because the population is increasing day by day, and it is difficult to meet the demand for ironware only by government-run ironmaking workshops.

Soldiers need iron swords and armor, farmers need iron farm tools, and common people need iron daily necessities.

It can be said that the iron casting industry is related to people's livelihood, and mastering the iron casting industry is like mastering a golden mountain!

And the Cui family has completely monopolized the iron casting industry in the entire north!

Liu Bai can even conclude that more than [-]% of the Cui family's property is earned from cast iron!

Instead of trying so hard to compete with others for the Cui family's store, it is better to directly start from the foundation of the Cui family.

If you want to grab, grab the most profitable business!

Shen Wansan was stunned for a long time, then slapped his forehead, and said, "Why didn't I think of it!"

"Not only the iron casting industry monopolized by the Cui family, but also the iron ore in their hands, as well as the commercial roads used for transportation, cannot fall into the hands of others!" Liu Bai said.

In fact, he knew very well why Shen Wansan didn't think of the iron casting industry.

Although Shen Wansan has no memory of his previous life, he has retained all his experiences.

You know, in the Ming Dynasty, selling iron privately was a major crime against the Jiu Clan. Subconsciously, Shen Wansan never regarded the iron casting industry as a business at all.

In his experience, the cast iron workshop is completely an institution of the imperial court, no matter how big a merchant is, it cannot get involved.

Even now, little attention is paid to the foundry industry.

In their view, the cost of mining iron ore is too high, plus transportation costs, it is a loss-making business.

They didn't know that the Hebei Road area is full of open-pit iron mines, and the cost is more than a hundred times lower than they imagined!

Of course, this is also due to the Cui family's secrecy work, which is really good.

Shen Wansan immediately stood up and said: "This subordinate will rush to Hebei Road, and must take down the Cui family's cast iron business in the shortest possible time!"

"Chai Guogong led the army to go out and happened to pass Hebei Road. I will write a letter. If you encounter trouble, you can go to Chai Guogong for help!"

"My subordinate understands!"

Datang does not prohibit officials from doing business, but on the surface, no one is ashamed to admit it.

They are all famous people, counting up several generations, and even many are relatives of the emperor. Who would admit that their family is a merchant?

Therefore, they either arranged for their distant relatives to do business, or secretly controlled some businessmen.

Everyone is tacit to each other, it is impossible to pierce this layer of window paper.

Not long after Dai Zhou handed over the evidence, news spread from the palace.

All the descendants of the first family and the second family of the Cui family were beheaded for public display, and the rest were exiled to the land of Lingnan.

This news did not cause much disturbance, after all, it was expected by people a long time ago.

And when the big merchants from all over the place frantically rushed to Hebei Road, others didn't realize it.

The Cui family is gone, but the business is still there. Without the big backer of the Cui family, wouldn't it be robbed by others?

Soon, more people rushed to Hebei Road, wanting to get a share.

The eldest grandson's house!

Chang Sun Chong walked up and down the yard, looking very anxious.

"Drop the sedan!"

Hearing the voice from outside, Chang Sun Chong rushed to meet him.

"Father, all the major families have sent people to Hebei Road. If we don't do it, the Cui family's property will be taken away by others!"

Changsun Wuji hiccupped and said with a smile, "I'm happy for my father today. In Xiao Gong's mansion, it's inevitable that I drank a few more glasses."

Chang Sun Chong became even more anxious, and said, "Father! Without your seal, no one would dare to act rashly. If you delay, you won't even be able to drink soup!"

"It's just a small matter!" Changsun Wuji waved his hand.

"You come with the father!"

Chapter 46: Old Fox's eldest grandson Wuji, governor of Youzhou

The second floor.

Under the service of the servant girl, Changsun Wuji washed his face and changed into Yanju clothes.

Then he turned around and patted Changsun Chong on the head moderately.

"Remember, when you do anything, don't be impatient. It belongs to our eldest grandson's family, so you can't run away. If you don't belong to our eldest grandson's family, you can't force it!"

Chang Sun Chong nodded in a daze, but still didn't understand what Chang Sun Wuji wanted to say.

The eldest grandson Wuji chuckled, and said, "Recently, my father has visited most of the important ministers in the court. As long as I get their support, my father will be able to enter the Ministry of Education next year!"

He took a sip of sober tea, and said, "Entering Zhongshu means being a father and becoming a prime minister. Compared to this, what are a few shops?"

"But the Fang family and the Du family are also secretly sending people to buy the Cui family's shop."

Changsun Wuji sighed, and said, "You are too young to understand their thoughts."

He looked out of the window with his hands behind his back, and said leisurely: "When you are in the position of prime minister, not thinking about making progress is the best way to save your life. Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui did this to tell His Majesty that they just want to leave more retirement money. Power, without any greed, otherwise, how could they be interested in such a small amount of money?"

Chang Sun Chong was even more confused. He always felt that there was something awkward about Chang Sun Wuji's words. After thinking about it for a long time, he said, "But you are about to enter Zhongshu soon, shouldn't you also put on a show for Your Majesty?"

Changsun Wuji pointed to a certain direction outside the window, "Look, what is that place?"

Changsun Chong looked over, recognized it for a moment, his face sank, and said, "The Liu family!"

He still remembers the loss he suffered at the Liu family back then.

As the current empress' nephew, how could he bear this tone?

"From my father's point of view, no one is smarter than Liu Bai. What does it mean that the Liu family didn't compete for those shops of the Cui family?"

Changsun Chong gritted his teeth and said, "It means that Liu Bai must be holding back his anger again!"

Changsun Wuji smiled casually, stroked his long beard, and said, "Chong'er, you have to take a long-term view. My father heard that Shen Wansan, the big treasurer of the Liu family, is also on Hebei Road, but he is not in Boling, but is going to Youzhou!"

"What did he go to Youzhou for? Cui's shop is mostly around Boling."

Changsun Wuji turned his back to Changsun Chong, so he didn't see that Changsun Wuji's eyes were full of light at this moment, and the drunkenness before was gone!

"Youzhou was Luo Yi's territory back then. He is such a stupid person, he was secretly engaged in the iron casting business. How could the Cui family be an exception? In recent years, the Cui family has already made a lot of money from the iron casting business!"

Chang Sun Chong was shocked, and blurted out: "Liu Bai wants to steal the Cui family's cast iron business!"

He was so surprised not only because the Liu family was going to grab the cast iron business, but also because the eldest grandson's family originally started from the iron ore business!

It's just that the iron mine of Changsun's family is in the east of the river.

If the Liu family gets the iron mine in Youzhou, doesn't it mean that the Changsun family has a huge competitor?

"Boy, let's go to Youzhou!"

Chang Sun Chong couldn't wait any longer, the last thing he wanted to see was the rise of the Liu family.

"Don't worry, Weifu has already sent your younger brother to Youzhou. Hebei Road is our hometown, and most of the local officials are Weifu's protégés. The Liu family can't make much trouble!"

The next day, just before dawn, Liu Bai set off for the county.

There was no way, Shen Wansan went to Hebei Road, Liu Wan'er and Liu Rong'er were preparing for the New Year, only Liu Bai, the Patriarch, made a trip in person.

For other things, Liu Bai didn't bother to run around, but when the caravan went out to purchase supplies, someone had to take over and inspect them.

It's about next year's locust plague, Liu Bai is worried about leaving it to others.

Cheng Chumo and Chai Lingwu hadn't entered the city for a while, and ran out as soon as they arrived at Liu's warehouse.

Liu Bai brought Xu Chu to the backyard of the warehouse.

When the shopkeeper saw it, he hurried forward to salute.

"Master!"

Liu Bai nodded and said, "Have all the supplies arrived?"

"It's all here, just wait for the young master to come and check it himself!"

The shopkeeper led Liu Bai to the warehouse and fetched the ledger.

"It's all here, young master please!"

Liu Bai took the ledger and began to check it carefully.