PNB Chapter 266: Merchants are named imperial merchants?
Chapter 266: Merchants are named imperial merchants?
The representatives of the aristocratic and powerful families had never expected that these lowly merchants could have such means.
He actually drew up a list in advance.
They watched as Xia Lin took the list from Jiang Xiang and handed it to Ying Zheng.
The representatives of the aristocratic and powerful families all felt a little dissatisfied with other people.
If they hadn't all been vying to show their faces in front of His Majesty.
He had already written the list, and he went to the palace alone to meet the emperor.
It's a pity that such a good opportunity was snatched away by these lowly merchants.
It's all their fault!
The representatives of the aristocratic and powerful families all rebuked and resented in their hearts.
I don't like the people around me.
Ying Zheng looked at the donation list Xia Lin handed over.
The first one written down is Jiang Xiang, who donated 10,000 taels of silver.
Ying Zheng was slightly surprised and looked towards Jiang Xiang.
This was just the amount of silver donated by a merchant, but it was many times more than what was donated by the representatives of the aristocratic and powerful families.
It seems that the merchants have also invested a lot of money.
Ying Zheng then looked down.
The second place was Gao Liu, who donated 8,300 taels of silver.
Third place.......
Fourth place......
Fifth place.........
Some of the merchants behind donated money, and some donated grain.
The total amount of silver and grain donated by all the merchants was extremely huge.
The representatives of the aristocratic and powerful families were crushed to pieces.
The amount of silver donated by Jiang Xiang, who ranked first, alone crushed most of the representatives of the aristocratic families.
Ying Zheng put the list down and looked at Jiang Xiang and the other two merchants.
"Do you have any difficulty in donating these silver coins?"
Jiang Xiang and the other two merchants were stunned when they heard Ying Zheng's words.
Your Majesty actually asked them if it was difficult to donate these silver coins? !
The first thing Your Majesty thought of was not how much silver they donated?
But is it difficult for them to donate this money? !
Jiang Xiang and two other merchants said immediately.
"Your Majesty, I...have no difficulty."
"Your Majesty, I am the same."
"The donation of these silver and grains is the kindness of the common people."
"It is not difficult for us common people. It is our honor to share your majesty's worries and contribute to the construction of the Great Wall."
Jiang Xiang and the two merchants had choked voices when they spoke.
There was unconcealable excitement on his face.
Actually.....they do have difficulties.
The silver and grain donated this time almost emptied their savings.
He was suppressed by the powerful families.
After they return this time, they will probably face even more intense and frantic suppression from the aristocratic families.
The representatives of the aristocratic families nearby did not know how much silver the merchants donated.
But it can also be guessed from Ying Zheng's attitude at this time.
There must be quite a few!
And more than them!
They just don’t know how much more.
Feeling that they were being overshadowed, the representatives of the aristocratic and powerful families all looked unhappy.
The way he looked at these three merchants was like looking at dead people.
They were already thinking about how to deal with them after they left the palace.
Conventional means are definitely not going to work.
Jiang Xiang and the other two businessmen clearly sensed the gazes of the representatives of the aristocratic families, and they felt a chill on their backs.
Ying Zheng and Qi Pan both saw this scene.
Qi Pan had never thought before that the status of merchants in Daqin was so low?
It was just the amount of donated silver that was different, but those wealthy and powerful people looked at him as if they wanted to kill someone.
Qi Pan walked to Ying Zheng and took the list from Ying Zheng's men.
Seeing this scene, the representatives of the noble families and the three businessmen all widened their eyes in shock.
This, this, this........
The Imperial Master actually walked directly to His Majesty and took the list from His Majesty? !
And judging from His Majesty's expression, he doesn't seem unhappy at all? !
Instead, he looked like he was used to it? ! ! !
Does the Imperial Master often do this?
Without even asking, you just snatch things from His Majesty?
And His Majesty did not react at all, just indulged her like this???
At this time, the representatives of the aristocratic families and the three merchants had no time to pay attention to why the legendary national teacher was so young.
Instead, they were all there, hoping to take something from Ying Zheng.
After Qi Pan read the list, he understood why Ying Zheng asked that question.
The difference between the amount of silver donated by merchants and that donated by aristocratic families is really huge.
The largest amount of silver donated by the aristocratic families was only three thousand taels.
It was donated in the name of the family.
As for the merchants, Jiang Xiang, which ranked first, donated as much as 10,000 taels of silver.
It was seven thousand taels more than the representative of the aristocratic family.
This is an overwhelming amount of donations!
Not to mention the donation amounts from the second and third place winners.
That is far more than the amount of donations from the aristocratic and powerful families.
When I think about the status of merchants today, I also think about what I have seen in other dynasties in history.
Qi Pan said: "Why not give them the title of Imperial Merchant?"
Royal merchant?
Although this was the first time that Ying Zheng heard the term "imperial merchant".
But it’s not hard to understand what this means.
He looked at the three merchants below.
Jiang Xiang and the other two merchants were stunned when they heard what Qi Pan said, and then their faces were filled with disbelief.
Imperial... Imperial Merchant? ?
them??
With their clever minds as businessmen, the other two merchants from Jiangxiang instantly understood the meaning of this imperial merchant.
If they were really named imperial merchants by Ying Zheng himself, they would have the title of imperial merchants.
When they are in Xianyang, they can speak with confidence!
No, not just Xianyang.
Even if it is the entire Qin Dynasty, they can still speak with their heads held high!
No need to worry about being bullied or persecuted at any time.
The representatives of the aristocratic and powerful families immediately sounded the alarm!
If these merchants were named imperial merchants and had the protection of Your Majesty, how could they oppress them and legally gain profits from them?
Several of them, representatives of aristocratic families who once held official positions in the court, stepped forward and spoke.
"Your Majesty, Imperial Master, this imperial merchant... has never existed in the history of the Qin Dynasty."
"If you suddenly make a merchant an imperial merchant, it will damage your majesty's dignity..."
"Among the three classes of officials, farmers, merchants and artisans, businessmen have always been ranked at the bottom and are despised by people..."
These people are saying, implicitly and implicitly, that merchants cannot be crowned as imperial merchants.
Otherwise it would damage Ying Zheng's dignity and face.
They believed that they had once held an official position in the court.
He can have a say in front of Ying Zheng and has a bit of face.