Xie Chen was confident of victory and glanced towards Pei Yun inadvertently.
Pei Yun was seen sitting at the table with a dazed look in his eyes, as if he was in a daze. The beautiful guard next to him had her forehead resting on the table with her head down, and no one knew what she was doing.
Xie Chen couldn't help but sneer in his heart, you must be stupid, you don't understand.
Yes, the rough guys in the army only know how to fight and kill, how could they understand the conversations between these noble families?
Wait until I marry the princess, and then I'll find a way to deal with you, a mere centurion.
Just as she was feeling proud of herself, she heard Xiao Zhiruo say, "Xie sir, I understand what you said, but I think that doing business is not just about the circulation of goods, it is also a kind of learning. Only if you can personally participate in it can you truly understand the way it is."
"If I marry you, will your Xie family allow me to go out in public and do business?"
Xie Chen's face changed slightly. This is definitely not okay. You married me and you still go out in public to do business. Isn't this bringing shame to my Xie family?
If you don’t know, you would think that my Xie family can’t afford to support you.
He said solemnly, "My lord, the property of the nobles in our dynasty is managed by someone else, and the nobles have never really participated in business. The court emphasizes agriculture and suppresses commerce, which is not without reason. If the lord insists on doing so, it may cause criticism in the court and even affect the reputation of the palace. Please think twice."
Xiao Zhiruo shook her head slightly, and said firmly: "Master Xie, business is not a lowly profession. In ancient times, there was Fan Li, who helped King Goujian of Yue to restore his country. He then gave up his official position to do business and became a business saint, whose name will go down in history."
"It shows that there is a great way in business, and it is not as bad as you think."
(Note: This fictional world has both the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, but the historical trend has changed since the Qin Dynasty.)
Xie Chen was speechless for a moment. Although he claimed to be extremely talented, he knew very little about business, and was unable to refute the example of Fan Li cited by Xiao Zhiruo.
"Thank you, Master, please take a seat."
Xie Chen sat down sullenly. Seeing that even Xie Chen's answer could not satisfy Xiao Zhiruo, everyone at the table did not dare to speak easily for a while.
Xiao Cheng frowned slightly. He did not expect Xiao Zhiruo to ask a question about business. These nobles despised merchants, so how could they answer such a question?
It seems that although my daughter doesn't say it, she is still dissatisfied with choosing a son-in-law in public, otherwise why would she give such a difficult question.
It’s just that you’re almost 19. When I was your age, your older brother was already born, but you didn’t even have someone you liked.
She is about to become an old maid, and my father is anxious, so he has no choice but to use this method.
Most of the nobles in Yizhou are here. If there is no suitable one, do we have to go to the capital to find one for you?
Somehow he regretted that he should not have let his daughter ask the questions, but let him ask them instead. However, the words have been said and it is no good to regret it. He can only hope that his daughter's next two questions will not be so tricky.
Otherwise, if these nobles couldn't answer, it would mean that my daughter looked down on everyone.
Xiao Zhiruo looked at Pei Yun at this time, and seeing that he was daydreaming, she felt a little uncomfortable for some reason.
Everyone was actively answering my questions, even the captains expressed their ideas, but Pei Yun looked calm and composed, although Xiao Zhiruo didn't expect Pei Yun to be able to answer anything.
But the important thing is to participate!
She raised this question to see how many people opposed her doing business, but it turned out that everyone opposed it, not a single one supported it. Although this was expected, she still felt disappointed.
Seeing Pei Yun's look at this moment, he was a little angry and said, "Captain Pei, if you have any ideas, you can also tell me."
Pei Yun: ???
Seeing Xiao Zhiruo looking at him, he could only say, "I don't have any ideas. If the princess wants to do business, then she can do business."
Xie Chen said coldly: "You can't spit out ivory from a dog's mouth!"
Pei Yun was unhappy now. You are a dog, why are you biting me so hard? He didn't want to argue at first, but now he got angry.
He stood up and said, "The princess is interested in doing business. Pei believes that this is a great act. Business is a matter of national economy and people's livelihood."
"In the previous dynasty, there was the Silk Road, which connected the east and the west, promoted cultural exchanges, and prospered the economy. Without merchants, how could there be such a grand occasion? If the princess can use business to help the world and benefit the people, it will be a blessing for Yizhou and a blessing for the people."
Xiao Zhiruo's eyes lit up. Although Pei Yun's words were empty and false, she had never had any hope in him in the first place. Now that his answer exceeded her expectations, her mood naturally changed.
Xie Chen said disdainfully, "What a joke! You actually said that the business affairs are a matter of national economy and people's livelihood. Then why does the court emphasize agriculture and suppress commerce, instead of emphasizing commerce and suppressing agriculture? Pei Yun, are you saying that our national policy is wrong?"
After these words were spoken, everyone's expression changed.
If a thousand households say that the national policy is wrong, if someone with ulterior motives makes a fuss about it, he will most likely be beheaded.
Even Xiao Zhiruo became nervous. She just asked Pei Yun a question casually, but she didn't expect that Xie Chen would seize the opportunity to make a big fuss about it.
The atmosphere in the hall was silent for a moment. All the nobles knew that Xie Chen had just lost face and now he wanted to get it back.
Pei Yun had walked into trouble. Yuan Zheng's expression was also a little stern. These literati were ruthless and could kill people without shedding blood. He couldn't help but feel a little worried about Pei Yun.
I thought you just wanted to flatter the princess and just said a few words, but why did you bring it up with the national economy and people's livelihood?
If I don’t give a good answer now, it will be a bad ending.
Pei Yun said calmly: "Who said that my national policy is wrong? Emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce does not mean completely denying commerce, but rather it has a certain emphasis. The court suppresses private merchants, not official merchants."
Xie Chen sneered: "Flower words, emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce, is there any difference?"
"Of course there is a difference. The imperial court suppressed merchants, but it was suppressing private merchants who hoarded goods and disrupted the market, not official merchants. The salt and iron monopoly was a form of official merchants. Did the imperial court suppress it?"
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