Although everyone here has some grudge against Li Ji Trading Company, and when the Wen family came to their door, they were already prepared to be retaliated against by Li Ji Trading Company later.
But as the saying goes, harmony brings wealth, and it's best to avoid unnecessary conflict.
Either the Wen family completely eradicates the Li family's business, allowing them to reap the benefits, or the Li family directs their hatred towards the Wen family, leaving them with a share of the spoils.
Shen Yu'an had been secretly observing these people, trying to see the slightest movement of each one. In the silence, he suddenly spoke up: "Merchant guilds, as the name suggests, support each other and work together in harmony. In our territory, we become the price setters."
This is somewhat similar to how Li's Trading Company squeezed out other small trading companies, and then re-established prices for grain, traditional Chinese medicine, etc.
At this moment, everyone put aside their own thoughts and listened carefully to what Shen Yu'an was about to say: "At the same time, the merchant guild also prohibits internal strife. While strengthening themselves, they can use the power of the collective to better protect themselves."
Am I right?
The shopkeepers nodded slowly.
Although there are no merchant guilds in the northern desert, there are merchant guilds in the capital, Jiangnan, and Lingnan areas.
As it turns out, these merchant groups have all developed very well.
Shen Yu'an said, "To be honest, for the Wen family at present, our goal is simpler: to use the power of the collective to protect ourselves."
Upon hearing this, the shopkeepers began to speak up again. Clearly, they did not want to miss out on the salt permits, but they were also not entirely willing to work for the Wen family and were striving to gain more benefits for themselves.
Merchant guilds, it sounds nice that everyone helps each other, but in reality, it's not the guild leader who calls the shots!
If they don't take advantage of this opportunity to gain more benefits, they will only be able to watch the Wen family run rampant in the northern desert like the Li family did.
They refused to back down, but Shen Yu'an's attitude was much tougher than that of the Wen family members they had encountered before.
His confidence stemmed from the Emperor's promise to the young prince!
The negotiations reached a stalemate. Shen Yu'an, unhurried and unhurried, treated the guests to good food and drink before leisurely returning to his residence.
At this moment, everyone in the mansion was gathered in the center of the courtyard, marveling at the several boxes in the yard.
Shen Yu'an struggled to push through the crowd, just as he was about to report the day's events to His Highness, when he saw the young prince struggling to carry a roll of cloth taller than himself, a big smile spreading across his face.
The tiny people were buried in the crowd and the cloth, almost drowning.
He grunted twice, quickly put the cotton cloth back, patted it hard with his little hands, and the smile on his face lessened slightly.
Sigh, he had boasted to his elder brother that he would give him a really good New Year's gift, but now it seems that won't be possible.
He touched his clothes and felt that silk clothes were more comfortable.
Gu Yuzhi puffed out his cheeks and said dejectedly, "I was even thinking of having my brother wear cotton clothes."
Hmph, my elder brother would definitely not be interested in someone like that.
Let alone the emperor's brother, even the emperor's wives probably wouldn't like this.
Gu Yuzhi looked melancholy and sighed deeply like a little adult.
Wen Xiuzhu said, "Your Highness, why don't you think about it another way? Even if the Emperor doesn't wear it, he can still bestow these cotton fabrics upon his ministers."
Silk clothing was not something everyone could afford. Apart from royalty and nobility, ministers generally wore silk for their official robes and coarse cloth for other garments. Even poorer officials would wear hemp cloth at home.
Although cotton cloth is not as good as silk and the royal family and nobles look down on it, that doesn't mean that these officials and wealthy merchants look down on it.
This cotton cloth, when woven and dyed, is much more upscale than kudzu cloth.
Gu Yuzhi tilted his head and looked at Wen Xiuzhu, his big eyes darting around. After a while, he clapped his hands and said, "That's right! I can ask my brother to give me these bolts of cloth as a reward!"
Just like how he reserved a portion of the cotton cloth specifically for Xie Changshi and Chen Dianyi!
Gu Yuzhi waved her little hand, and her childish voice returned to its previous cheerful tone: "Pack them all up, and have Guard Qi send them to the capital in a couple of days."
Chief Secretary Xie had everything arranged, and Guard Qi was to escort Guard Shen and the various shopkeepers to the capital to purchase salt permits.
Once the people from Li's Trading Company realize they can't buy salt permits, they might attack Shen and his men on the way.
Gu Yuzhi hummed twice, secretly thinking that he should send more people to protect Guard Shen and his men this time, since Guard Shen was going to pass through the Jiangzhou area to reach the Huizhou salt fields.
At that time, they will not only have to face Li Yanping, but also the King of Chu.
At Gu Yuzhi's command, the guards closed the box and carried it directly onto the carriage. In two days, the guards and others could take it away.
After watching the excitement, everyone in the mansion finally dispersed and went about their own business.
Shen Yu'an then had a chance to step forward and whisper about what had happened that day.
Gu Yuzhi's face tightened, and she nodded repeatedly. After Shen Yu'an finished speaking, she looked at Chief Secretary Xie with a worried expression and asked, "Chief Secretary Xie, will these shopkeepers agree tomorrow?"
If they don't agree, then their merchant group won't be able to be established, right?
Wen Xiuzhu opened his fan with a flick of his wrist, and Xie Changshi stroked his beard; both of them looked exceptionally relaxed.
Gu Yuzhi's gaze darted back and forth between Manager Wen and Chief Secretary Xie, his cheeks puffed out as he wondered if Guard Shen's situation wasn't actually that difficult today.
He scratched his head and heard Chief Secretary Xie explain, "Your Highness and I have different ideas. These managers will definitely agree tomorrow."
The next moment, Wen Xiuzhu's voice rang out: "The argument is because they don't want the huge fortune they're about to acquire to slip away."
Gu Yuzhi looked puzzled. If it weren't for the profits, these shopkeepers wouldn't have come to Changzhou!
Manager Wen is just stating the obvious!
However, this thought was fleeting, because both Teacher Shu and Chief Secretary Xie taught him to respect his teachers...
Gu Yuzhi shrugged, secretly stuck out his tongue, and darted around with his big eyes. He didn't look at Manager Wen, nor did he think too much about it. He muttered to himself, "Why?"
Wen Xiuzhu chuckled: "Your Highness, you can ask Guard Shen if any of the shopkeepers mentioned leaving today?"
Gu Yuzhi quickly turned to look at Guard Shen, only to see Guard Shen shake his head and say, "No!"
As Xie Changshi and Liu Dianyi had said, if any manager showed even the slightest intention to leave, he would immediately terminate the negotiations and send someone to take them away.
But now that I think about it carefully, even though these shopkeepers were arguing fiercely, they didn't show any intention of leaving.
Chief Secretary Xie said in a low voice, "Your Highness can rest assured that tomorrow is the deadline, and these shopkeepers will compromise by then."
Shen Yu'an was testing them, but weren't these shopkeepers also testing Shen Yu'an?
If Shen Yu'an showed even the slightest hesitation or worry today, he would be led by the nose by these shopkeepers.
Shu Xiaohan obviously understood as well, and sighed with regret, "They're all old foxes, what kind of ghost story are they playing at!"
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