The Three Kingdoms

"He is indeed threatening the court!" Zhou Yu nodded after hearing this, but finally sighed helplessly, and said, "But we don't agree, and we can't do it!"

"A group of businessmen can turn the world upside down!" Zhang Zhao's eyes turned cold, and he said coldly, "If I offend the old man, I will directly increase his tax by three levels, and see how he is proud!"

"This can't be done. Adding a tax is equivalent to damaging the majesty of the court, and the commercial tax is already heavy enough!" Zhou Yu shook his head quickly and said: "It's not that the former kings have never used this trick, but it can't cure the Jiangdong Chamber of Commerce. A giant, they have plenty of money, they don’t mind the tax, no matter how heavy the tax is, they grit their teeth and carry it, so why don’t we pay them more every year?”

"Could it be that we are threatened by them like this?" Zhang Zhao clenched his fists tightly. Few people could threaten him these years, but he never expected to be threatened by this group of businessmen whom he had never looked down upon.

"Now we have been caught by him. The amount of 80 billion donated to the treasury for free is enough to buy the hearts of the entire court."

Zhou Yu smiled wryly: "They are rich and powerful, and they just use money to get the way. We can do this. The most important thing is that we really need this sum of money to support the operation of the court!"

Inadvertently.Wu's business community has grown to a force that can directly influence the court.

Zhou Yu not only sighed in his heart.

Is this because Sun Quan's eyes are too sharp?Or was he just lucky?

A group of lowly merchants who were not in the eyes of anyone in the past have grown into a behemoth that cannot be ignored.

Since the separation of the Jiangdong Chamber of Commerce in Wu State, large and small chambers of commerce have been established in various places. The most influential ones are the Jiangdong Chamber of Commerce and the Jiaozhou Chamber of Commerce.Liaodong Chamber of Commerce, Youzhou Chamber of Commerce, these four giants.

It is not too much to say that these chambers of commerce are as rich as the enemy.

"My lord, last year there was a flood in the east of the Yangtze River, then the Western Expedition, and then the king died in battle, and the civil strife in Wu. Although we have all survived, the treasury is already empty. Without the funds from the chamber of commerce, we are very sad to get through this hurdle."

Zhou Yu glanced at Zhang Zhao who was still a little angry, and said carefully.

Now it's up to Zhang Zhao to open his mouth.

"Hmph, a certain family doesn't believe it. I am a majestic state of Wu, with tens of millions of people under my jurisdiction and countless territories. I can't pass this hurdle!" Zhang Zhao became more angry when he heard this, and his eyes shone coldly.He said fiercely: "Without relying on the Chamber of Commerce, our court can pass this hurdle!"

Now there is a huge deficit in Wu's treasury, and it's almost unresolved, so.When he said this, he had no confidence at all, but was just too angry.

As a scholar who has read the books of sages, Zhang Zhao can open his eyes and close his eyes when he was a businessman in the past, but now the way of business wants to enter the court from the common people.Going directly into the room touched his bottom line a little bit.

"My lord, now that the war is on hold, the Western Expeditionary Army has suffered too many casualties, and the morale of the soldiers in the army is very low. All the generals in the military are waiting for the pension and consolation money that the Prime Minister's Mansion pulled out to restore morale. , Drought has already begun to appear, half a month of high temperature, no drop of rain, the water level of the river is constantly dropping, this year's harvest will definitely have problems, Guangzhou, Yuzhang, Luling, and other places have already experienced drought, disaster relief That’s a lot of money too!”

Zhou Yu shook his head and said in a low voice: "Besides, we are located in Jiangdong. After the drought, no one knows whether there will be floods, but in previous years, there have been floods after droughts, and it is not uncommon. At that time, we will need a sum of money. , it’s only May this year, and we’ve already overdrawn next year’s tax share, we still have a lot to live through, how can we get over this hurdle?”

It's not that he is willing to help Mi Zhu and the others, but that he really has to let go now.

"Could it be that their chamber of commerce is the only one that has money?" Zhang Zhao felt a little depressed when he heard this, and was furious.

He knows what Zhou Yu said, and he understands it in his heart, but he is still a little unwilling. If he makes such an opening, it will be difficult to suppress these merchants in the future.

"So far, only the chamber of commerce in the state of Wu can come up with a huge amount of funds to allow the court to survive the predicament safely!" Zhou Yu nodded helplessly, and said: "The capital turnover is no longer available. Without this money to supplement, our court Unless the Tang is willing to smear his reputation, he will not be able to do many things in the future. You and I both know that no one can get this money out. If the king hadn't sold the assets of the entire Donghou Mansion in advance to replenish the treasury, we It is estimated that it can no longer be supported!"

The state treasury had problems early on. It was because Sun Quan sold the assets of the entire Donghou Mansion and injected the funds into the treasury that the Prime Minister's Mansion stabilized the court and Jinling City transitioned smoothly during this chaotic time.

"Does Your Majesty just ignore them?" Zhang Zhao said unwillingly, "If Your Majesty stepped forward, I believe they would not have such arrogance!"

"My lord, you are wrong about this again!"

There was a wry smile on Zhou Yu's handsome face, and his eyes flickered: "If there is no king to give Mi Zhu the courage behind this matter, he would not dare to provoke the prime minister's mansion!"

Without Sun Quan's backing, the prime minister's mansion could overwhelm this group of chambers of commerce in minutes, officials and merchants, officials first, merchants after, official words, how to say, what's the matter!

But if the businessman is backed by an official higher than the prime minister's mansion, then everyone can only call in the rules.

"Gongjin. You mean?" Zhang Zhao's expression turned ugly when he heard the words: "This is what the king meant!"

"Ninety-nine are inseparable, the king's attitude towards businessmen, you and I are very clear!" Zhou Yu nodded.

"How can the king do this?"

Zhang Zhao couldn't believe it.He gritted his teeth and said angrily.

"Your Majesty did the right thing. Before he made a move, he was already concerned about his own identity. He just let the businessman decide his own destiny. He was just a partial helper in the middle, which is understandable!"

Zhou Yu's face was startled, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he said analytically: "In the past, a certain person also thought that what he did was a little too much, that a businessman could use it, but it was difficult to become a master, but over the years, we have all seen this group of people with our own eyes. The energy exerted by the humble businessman in the state of Wu."

Zhang Zhao heard the words.Immediately felt a little bit in his heart, what Zhou Yu said was right, merchants had their unique abilities, standing in his position, he understood more clearly that the prosperity of Wu State today was due to the merchants.

"One more thing, my lord, think about it. At the beginning of the civil turmoil in Wu, the king died in battle, and the king took command of the front line to conquer Chu, but Jinling City was controlled by the Marquis of Fuchun and Marquis Jiang. It was too late to produce food and grass, but this group of businessmen But to be able to unconditionally guarantee the food and military consumption of his hundreds of thousands of troops, this is a favor for the king!"

Zhou Yu continued: "So it is understandable for the king to help them if they want to step into the imperial court. Therefore, on this matter, I agree that the Department of Economics and Commerce can be established, and it can also be paralleled with the Jiuqing Department, but Officials must be selected by our hands!"

"I still need to think about this matter carefully!" Zhang Zhao narrowed his eyes slightly, thought about it carefully, and then said: "Even if I am willing to let go of my views on businessmen, if I set up an economic and commercial department, it will be beneficial to Wu Guochaotang." In terms of advantages and disadvantages, a certain company must carefully weigh it!"

Sitting in his position, every decision is very important.

"It really needs to be carefully considered, but it's only a few days away!" Zhou Yu nodded and said, "Before the king ascends the throne, the Prime Minister's Mansion must show an attitude!"

"Someone knows!"

Zhang Zhao rubbed his temples with both hands, feeling a little headache.

This is really aimed at the prime minister's mansion. The prime minister's mansion must take responsibility in this regard.

Not only should the court be considered, but also the emotions of the scholars in Wu State.

——————————————————————————————————

At this moment, in the royal palace, in the royal study.

Sun Quan was sitting alone in the spacious wing room, his face was a bit gloomy, and his eyes were flickering coldly. He was about to ascend the throne, and the court magnates Cheng Pu and Zhang Hong had already returned to Jinling, but the great general Pan Feng Delayed return.

This made him a little uneasy.

Pan Feng was not a person who didn't understand the rules. Although he had always been loyal to Sun Jian, he was recruited by Sun Quan. Sun Quan had saved his life in the past, so he had absolutely no objection to Sun Quan's ascendancy.

He received Sun Quan's order, but now he is stranded in northern Xinjiang. He must not complain to Sun Quan. There is only one possibility. Something happened in northern Xinjiang, and this matter is more important than his accession to the throne.

Could it be that Zhou Yu was really right?

Sun Quan's heart moved slightly. Jin Yiwei had no news of returning from northern Xinjiang, which made him a little anxious. These days, even if Jin Yiwei's speed, to deliver a message, it can be as fast as a day, and as slow as three or four days.

"Your Majesty!" At this moment, an eunuch with a sword came in hastily.

"Cao Yang, what's the matter?"

Sun Quan looked at the eunuch, who was about 23 or [-] years old, and asked with a smile.

Cao Yang is a soldier of the Tiger Warrior under the chariot. He has good military strength and has just entered the realm of Qi training. However, during the bloody battle between him and Cao Cao in the East China Sea, he injured his lower body.

Although he was crippled before, but his mind was firm, so he was appointed as a tiger under the chariot all the time and never left the army. Later, when Sun Quan ruled the King Wu's palace, he reckoned that Sun Quan didn't have many confidants in his heart, so he entered the palace. Became Sun Quan's confidant.

The tiger under the car has always been Sun Quan's largest direct descendant. Every soldier regards Sun Quan as his faith, and Sun Quan's trust in them is also unconditional. Therefore, Sun Quan directly bestowed him as the permanent servant of the royal city, the head of the eunuchs of the royal city, and commanded the city. The big and small eunuchs and maids of the royal city.