The government was of course aware of this, and they recruited a large number of Liao people to build rammed earth foundations, official residences, warehouses, etc. at a rapid pace.
A large number of Liao people were relocated here by the government and would settle down here. They didn't have any land yet, but they would become the first citizens of Qingdao and their main occupation would no longer be agriculture.
Once the commercial port is opened, the flow of people coming from the south and the north will be even greater. Food, clothing, housing, transportation, and all walks of life will usher in explosive development.
For those who are strong, the easiest job to find is at the docks; those who can sew can open a shop or set up a stall to earn a living; blacksmiths, carpenters, bricklayers, etc. also have no worries about having no food to eat.
With so many jobs to choose from, you're sure to find something to choose from. If you don't know how to do it, then why not learn it? If you have the energy to farm, how can you do something else?
A row of tall and spacious houses is under construction, and in a two-story building that has already been built, dozens of businessmen have gathered to discuss important matters.
"Everyone, have you read these regulations? If you have any suggestions, please share them."
Wu Dazhang, president of the Tongzhou Chamber of Commerce, clapped his fat hands on the table, his face showing an undisguised sense of superiority. "Wait until the report is submitted to the court and a decision is made. It will be too late to make irresponsible remarks."
The so-called charter is somewhat similar to the rules and regulations of commodity exchanges in later generations.
It's a bit rough to read, but it covers the main points, such as the exchange membership system, how deposits for contracts and performance are delivered and refunded, and the price marking and trading of commodities.
Needless to say, this was another thing created by Zhu Youxiao.
Provide an orderly trading venue, open trading prices and unified trading rules, and use rules to achieve smooth information flow, fair prices, and fair buying and selling.
The ultimate goal, of course, is to speed up the circulation of goods in order to collect more taxes.
For merchants, the most important thing is to transport the goods and turn them into real money as soon as possible.
If the goods are hard to sell, they have to stay in hotels. It costs money to store goods in the warehouse, and it also costs money to eat, drink, live and travel, not to mention the lack of capital turnover, which affects the next business.
If you bring goods to the exchange, you don't have to ask around to find buyers. You just need to indicate the types and prices of your goods, and interested buyers will naturally come to negotiate the deal.
If the goods being shipped are in high demand, sometimes we may not even need to put them into storage, and can just move them directly to the dock and transfer them to other ships.
"This charter is excellent," a businessman with a Jianghuai accent said, bowing to Wu Dazhang. "Although there are still some details that need to be improved, there are generally no problems."
After a pause, the merchant suggested, "If we could get information from merchants in various places, know the approximate prices of goods from other places, and post it publicly, it might be more convenient for merchants to purchase goods."
Wu Dazhang gestured to the person beside him to take notes and said with a smile, "Whether the court approves or not, it's always worthwhile to express your ideas and suggestions."
Wu Dazhang raised his eyebrows, looking rather boastful, but deliberately lowered his voice, cupped his hands, and said mysteriously, "Everyone should know that this has to be reviewed by His Majesty."
Oh? Huh?!
When the merchants heard the words "Your Majesty, May You Read" that Wu Dazhang had deliberately emphasized, they made noises of surprise and looked at each other.
Wu Dazhang grinned proudly, and the eyes on his fat face narrowed into slits.
Who would have thought that not long ago, among the big businessmen in Tongzhou who were fined and cried bitterly because of Li Sancai's corruption case, there was Wu Dazhang!
Wu Dazhang had never expected that being punished so hard that he slept like a baby (crying for a while, sleeping for a while) would actually lead to such a dramatic turn of events.
Because of his son Wu Zheng's defense, Wansui actually gave Tongzhou merchants another chance to regroup.
As long as they paid taxes and appropriate freight according to the law, they could not only use empty grain ships to transport commercial goods, but also have all the customs clearance along the way exempt from any charges.
When Qingdao was opened as a port, the Tongzhou Merchants Group took the lead. Not only did they enjoy some preferential policies, but they also knew about it at least half a month earlier than other merchants and started fifteen days in advance.
With these, Wu Dazhang firmly held the position of president of the Chamber of Commerce. And his son, Wu Zheng, who wrote the petition, had been selected by the emperor as an envoy to Japan.
It was a blessing in disguise. Wu Dazhang looked at the businessmen below who were discussing and studying, with a smile on his fat face, but he felt a little contempt in his heart.
Smoke is rising from the ancestral tomb of our Wu family. I am also doing the mission ordered by the emperor. How can I be the same as you?
………………
The "Shanghai Town" named in the Southern Song Dynasty continued to the Shanghai County in the Ming Dynasty, which is Shanghai in later generations. Lin Huazhong's father Lin Yuanqing was doing the same thing as Wu Dazhang.
In Xiamen, it was the Yang Tiansheng family; in Guangzhou, it was the maritime merchant Huang Cheng.
No one expected that the imperial court would lift the maritime ban with such force and move so decisively.
Not only were Chinese businessmen in Japan caught off guard, but many domestic businessmen were also in a panic.
You know, if maritime merchants don't have domestic contacts to purchase and acquire goods for them, how can they make money? Just relying on robbery is impossible!
For example, the great sea merchant Li Dan and his sworn brother Xu Xinsu built a supply network in the mainland; Quanzhou Jinjiang businessman Yang Tiansheng served Yan Siqi.
The new customs policies and fee standards, the "letter-raising" permit system, and the "purchase permit" to control the supply of goods that will be gradually implemented in the mainland are a multi-pronged approach that has strangled the lifeline of maritime merchants.
Will smuggling continue? Yes, it is unstoppable, just like there will always be people evading taxes.
But apart from the risk of being seized and arrested, the big problem is who you sell the smuggled goods to.
Merchants who paid a fortune to obtain the "letter of servitude and flag-raising" will be disqualified if they are caught buying smuggled goods. This isn't just the case with the Ming Dynasty; Japan, too, will no longer allow you to dock and trade.
The losses are too great compared to the profits from smuggling, so many people will make wise choices.
Smuggling it to the Western Barbarians is theoretically feasible. If it is done, even the Emperor Zhu Youxiao would admire it.
Of course, if you can afford the crime of treason and dare to risk the execution of your entire family, then there is nothing to say.
This is a major reshuffle for maritime merchants, and also an opportunity and challenge for mainland merchants.
Those who are sharp-eyed and adapt in time will prosper, while those who are slow to react and hesitate will fail. The business world is like a battlefield, nothing more than this.
Just as businessmen were thinking and planning for the sudden changes in order to adapt as quickly as possible.
Zhu Youxiao, the Ming Emperor who started this trend, did not pay attention to this.
Lifting the ban on sea trade, establishing maritime commerce, building exchanges, and recruiting sea merchants all went through a gradual process of improvement. Although there were flaws, it was unlikely that they would cause unrest.
Therefore, as long as he can't kill the person, he dares to make bigger trouble.
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