Physician of the Song Dynasty: Zhang Kai and Li Qingzhao have a private life-long contract

"Business Department!"

"Evil doctor Fan Zheng reported to the imperial court to form the seventh department, the Shang Department!"

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The news spread throughout the government and the public, causing an uproar.

"I heard in my early days that the evil doctor Fan Zheng loves to come up with evil prescriptions. However, the evil doctor Fan Zheng is more than that. Now I am afraid that he has gone down the wrong path! How dare a humble businessman to form his own business!"

"Yes, merchants are a harm to the world. They do not engage in production and drive up prices, which is of no benefit to the country. How can He De be ranked in the seventh department of the imperial court."

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"No! It is precisely because merchants are harmful that it is more necessary for court management. I agree with Fan Taicheng's policy. Just as Fan Taicheng proposed the strategy of diverting trouble to the east and allowing merchants to open up the Maritime Silk Road, today the Song Dynasty has established the Ministry of Commerce, which can not only do everything possible While reaping the benefits of merchants, you can also avoid harm from merchants. Isn’t it the best of both worlds?”

Some people also agreed with the establishment of the Ministry of Commerce based on Fan Zheng's proposal of the Maritime Silk Road.

After all, as Fan Zheng said, the proportion of land tax in the Song Dynasty has dropped significantly, and commercial tax has become the main force of taxation in the Song Dynasty. This is related to the finances of the Song Dynasty, and it naturally needs to be managed.

"Those profiteers are cunning and treacherous, and they often deceive and defraud. Naturally, they must be strictly managed."

There are also people who hate the harm caused by merchants. Now that the imperial court has established a Ministry of Commerce to directly govern the affairs of merchants and severely punish unscrupulous merchants, it is naturally very popular.

For a time, the government and the opposition were divided into two groups regarding the establishment of the Ministry of Commerce, with some supporters and more opponents. The two sides argued endlessly with each other, and no one could convince the other.

"Establish a commercial department?"

This proposal caused even more uproar in the business world.

Since ancient times, the status of merchants has been extremely low. Even though many merchants have great wealth, they can't even wear silk, let alone participate in the imperial examination. Even weddings, funerals, or daily interactions are discriminated against by the world. Now Fan Zheng The proposal to establish a Ministry of Commerce gave merchants hope of changing their status.

Of course, some merchants have doubts. Now that they have been blackmailed repeatedly, if the Ministry of Commerce is established, then they will be fish on the chopping board, ready to be slaughtered.

Some merchants who have colluded with government and businessmen are panic-stricken. If the imperial court establishes the Ministry of Commerce, they will no longer be lawless and may even be liquidated. However, the establishment of the Ministry of Commerce will be beneficial to merchants, so they can only secretly do so. On the surface, they still agree with both hands.

"Three Ming Dynasty merchants from all over the world would like to thank my employer for speaking up for justice!"

In Kaifeng Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Fan Sanming saluted Fan Zheng solemnly.

As a businessman, how could Fan Sanming not know the status of businessmen? He was once a victim of collusion between government and businessmen. He was obviously wronged but had no way to reason. Now Fan Zheng took the initiative to speak out for the businessmen and proposed the establishment of the Ministry of Commerce, which made Fan Sanming completely Homecoming.

Fan Zheng said calmly: "You are also a merchant, so you naturally understand the nature of a merchant. Once the Ministry of Commerce is established, it will be like a sharp sword hanging over the merchant's head. Do you really think it is a good thing?"

Fan Sanming was silent for a moment, then solemnly nodded and said: "Yes! This is a good thing for merchants. For thousands of years, merchants have been slaughtered by others and ridiculed and ostracized by the world. We have had enough of this kind of life, and now merchants If the Ministry is established, merchants can be treated fairly, and even if they pay high taxes, we will have no regrets."

Everyone in the world knows that merchants are rich, and they are envious and jealous of merchants, which in turn leads to suppression. Almost every merchant will be made difficult and extorted by officials. In the least case, they will lose their money and eliminate disasters, and in the worst case, their families will be destroyed. Since ancient times, all famous merchants have Businessmen rarely end well.

Merchants have been living in the cracks of the imperial court. They seem to be rich, but in fact they are frightened. Even in times of trouble, they are like fat sheep, becoming the fat meat of countless people, being coveted by others, and even causing disasters.

Fan Zheng's proposal to establish a commercial department gave Fan Sanming hope of changing the status of merchants, and Fan Sanming was naturally excited.

Fan Zheng glanced at Fan Sanming appreciatively and said, "You should know that the reason why merchants are suppressed is that the world covets the wealth in the hands of merchants, but the real reason is the merchants' own inferiority."

Although Fan Zheng sympathizes with the situation of merchants, he is also well aware of the shortcomings of merchants. There are many reasons for merchants to be reduced to their current situation, and it is not an exaggeration to say that they are themselves to blame.

Fan Sanming's face suddenly darkened. As a merchant, he didn't know the bad nature of merchants - greed. This evil root is not only the reason why merchants become rich, but also the reason why merchants are despised.

Fan Zheng changed his words and said, "Have you ever thought about reforming businesses?"

"Reform merchants? Can merchants also reform?"

Fan Sanming was suddenly shocked and looked at Fan Zheng in disbelief.

"Of course businessmen can also change their ways! Since you are a doctor, you should also understand medical principles. When a person is sick, good medicine can only save him for a while, but he cannot fully recover. The key to recovery is to be strong. The same is true for merchants. Even if Fan proposes to form a Ministry of Commerce, I am afraid that it still cannot change the status of merchants. If merchants want to change the status quo, they can only make reforms to become stronger, just like the Great Song Dynasty's reforms."

Fan Sanming's breath suddenly stagnated, and a flash of light flashed in his eyes: "Please give me some advice on how to reform the business!"

He has been following Fan Zheng and personally pioneered Fan Zheng's reforms, which allowed the Song Dynasty to go from being repeatedly pressured by Liao and Xia to now fighting against Liao and Xia. If Fan Zheng is allowed to teach merchants how to reform, it will definitely change the oppressed status of merchants.

Fan Zheng pointed out: "The three provinces and six ministries have been operating for hundreds of years and have been praised by all generations. Now that Fan proposes to form a Ministry of Commerce, why will the officials tolerate it and discuss it later?"

Fan Sanming said without hesitation: "Because the court is short of money, the proportion of commercial taxes in the Song Dynasty is getting larger and larger. The establishment of the Ministry of Commerce can provide more taxes for the court."

It is well known to the whole world that the Song Dynasty court was short of money, otherwise it would not have gone to war this time to reform the French camp.

Fan Zheng nodded and said: "Yes, but you have also forgotten that the reason why the officials did not allow the discussion to be discussed later was because they were worried about the harm caused by the merchants, who would cause trouble in the future. Now Fan has proposed the establishment of a Ministry of Commerce, and the merchants' task is Only by setting an example and letting the officials and the court lower their guard can they accept merchants."

"Let the officials and the court lower their guard?" Fan Sanming couldn't help but was stunned, and suddenly fell into silence.

How can the court be reassured? Is it possible to put the money in the court and let it be used by the court to reassure the court, or to bear more taxes?

"Of course not!" Fan Zheng naturally saw Fan Sanming's thoughts, and said loudly: "What the imperial court wants is not money, but a stable Song Dynasty. The imperial court wants a child who is honest, fair and just, and takes the initiative to pay taxes. , a merchant who does not hoard or drive up prices, but takes the initiative to solve problems for the court, a merchant unique to the Song Dynasty - Song Shang!"

"Song Shang!" Fan Sanming breathed rapidly and suddenly fell into reverie. What an honor it would be for a merchant to be named after the Song Dynasty.

"If a merchant wants to become a merchant of the Song Dynasty, he must gain the trust of the court, cure his own shortcomings, and contribute to the court and the country, instead of sucking blood from the Song Dynasty and becoming a parasite of the Song Dynasty. Such merchants He will only be shouted at by everyone, and he will be ostracized by the government and the public for generations." Fan Zheng said bluntly.

Fan Sanming nodded with deep understanding. He was once a victim of collusion between government and businessmen, and even joined a medical family to become a drug dealer. He has personally experienced the difference between drug dealers and ordinary businessmen. It can be said that he empathizes with what Fan Zheng said.