Chapter 254 254. As soon as we kissed, the other party started shouting "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy"...
The Meng family's tree is tall and attracts the wind.
This trend might be coming from the throne, and they want to reap the Meng family, the "richest family in Dayou Dynasty", and include the "family" series into the scope of state-owned enterprises, and put the money into the national treasury.
Rich enough to rival a country.
Once a business becomes too big and too powerful, it is not impossible for merchants to be richer than the imperial court. Moreover, the imperial court's money almost all comes from taxes, and it has to be used for various national expenditures. For example, when the previous dynasty was in trouble, it could not even pay the salaries of officials.
Merchants will not make money in business. Even if they make a loss, the profit will be greater than the loss. Otherwise, the Meng family would not be able to make money and become the richest family.
"The Meng family initially engaged in the grain business, opening a chain of rice shops. Their stores were concentrated in the three prefectures of Zhongchuan, Xiling, and Nanjiang, but they also had branches in other prefectures."
Lei Li said, "After starting the catering business, specifically the 'Yijia' series, in order to stabilize supply channels and reduce costs, the Meng family's fleet expanded rapidly, absorbing other small merchant fleets and even acquiring their own craftsmen to build ships."
The Meng family's ships crisscrossed the waterways within the Dayou Dynasty, connecting to the sea. Some of the maritime merchants' goods were also transported to various prefectures via the Meng family's fleet.
Red fluttering triangular flags can be seen on almost every river, and the trademark that combines a heart knot, the word "Meng" and a river is particularly eye-catching.
"Meng Zhui, the second elder brother of the Meng family, may seem upright and dull, but he actually has a quick mind."
Zhou Yi continued, "He initially expanded his fleet to transport raw materials for catering, such as fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat. After learning about the takeout business that Sanliuzi and his team were involved in, I mentioned the logistics escort agency to him, and he became more active."
"I started by testing the waters with small things like delivering letters, and then gradually expanded it to train my own escorts to help people transport goods, charging a certain amount of tax."
"There are only a few fixed water routes. If we take care of the officials along the way at the beginning of each month, we won't have to spend much money on additional ones. The customs duties between prefectures will also be low, and the local government will also give the Meng family face."
"We lose money on one trip, but over time we make a lot more money. Especially after word of mouth spread, customers keep coming in. Mengjia Logistics is the only one in the market, and now we have a virtual monopoly."
"Restaurant chain, logistics monopoly, the largest rice merchant, it would be strange if the emperor didn't touch the Meng family."
Once the emperor wants to take action against the Meng family, then the Lei family will be the best point to attack the Meng family.
Among the Lei family, Lei Li is the most criticized. He has done too many "unruly" and "untraditional" things, and he has even killed people.
Once Lei Li gets into trouble, Lei Shengjiang will be the first to suffer. He is the most vulnerable to attack and the easiest to be used as a pawn in the officialdom.
With both career and life threatened, anyone with a weak will would definitely turn against the Meng family and betray it.
"Isn't Mengjia Logistics cooperating with the government?"
Lei Shengjiang was slightly puzzled. "Father said that this is a government-supported public-private partnership project. The Meng family is working for the boss, so why would they want to get rid of the Meng family?"
"monopoly."
Lei Li uttered two words softly, "Officials and citizens can cooperate, but citizens cannot overshadow officials."
Meng family stores that have penetrated deep into the grassroots can be seen everywhere, and the monopoly of Meng family logistics makes Meng family merchants more famous and more influential than local government offices that are confined to one place.
The threat from the Meng family alone is enough to outweigh the massive maritime merchant association.
It is estimated that the emperor could not have imagined that the small rice merchant Meng family could develop to its current scale. The longer the emperor was in power, the more suspicious he became. Not touching the Meng family now does not mean that he does not want to touch it or that he will not touch it in the future.
"What about Uncle Meng and the others?"
Lei Shengjiang frowned slightly, feeling a little worried.
Uncle Mengluo and Aunt Mei watched him grow up and treated him very well. Every year after the New Year, they would bring gifts for him, his brother Xiaobao, and Zhouzhou when they returned from Zhongchuan.
Uncle Meng's sister Tian is also very good. She just got married and has a child. Her husband's family is good but their financial situation is average. If the Meng family collapses...
"Before the higher-ups take action, take the initiative to hand it over to the national treasury."
Lei Li said, "Not to mention handing it all over, the logistics are definitely not going to work. The court has to take care of it, otherwise, sooner or later, they'll be charged with treason."
In order to protect the goods of its customers, Mengjia Logistics has hired many strong and burly bodyguards, using the same method Zhou Yi used to train soldiers. All of them are well-trained, obedient and capable, and are stronger than many regular armies of government agencies.
In comparison, they are already private soldiers. How could the imperial court possibly accommodate so many private soldiers?
"Lei Li and I discussed this issue with Meng Luo a few years ago. We also went to Zhongchuan to discuss it privately with Meng Zhui, the second brother of Meng."
Zhou Yi lowered his voice and said, "He mentioned it vaguely at the time, saying that the Meng family logistics was actually directly controlled by the emperor. The Meng family only had the title and a share of the profits, but had no actual decision-making power."
"If that's the case, shouldn't the person above us touch the Meng family?"
Miao Yurui couldn't understand.
"That's the truth."
Lei Li shook his head and sighed softly, "But the people don't think so. Since it's flying the Meng family's flag, it's naturally the Meng family's escort agency and the Meng family's ship, and it also promotes the Meng family's name and power."
"And the escorts also eat the Meng family's food and take the Meng family's money. How could they know that their boss is the emperor and that they are actually working for the emperor?"
"So, the boss is definitely going to take back Mengjia Logistics and give it the official name."
"It actually involves so many things..."
Lei Shengjiang also sighed softly. He thought he had just passed an exam and became a small official, but he didn't expect that he had already become a chess piece on someone else's chessboard.
"We can't stop what the higher-ups want to do, and there's no need to stop them."
Lei Li returned to his cheerful and nonchalant demeanor. "Even if the sky falls, there's someone taller to hold it up. The Meng family isn't worried yet, so why should we be anxious?"
"Meng Zhui and his men must have known that when the time came, they would hand over power and gain a reputation as being open-minded, righteous, patriotic, and caring for the people."
As long as the Meng family does not resist and has no ulterior motives, everything will be fine.
The emperor directly nationalized the Meng family's logistics and incorporated those bodyguards into the organization, allowing them to enjoy the treatment of regular soldiers. He also appointed a few officials who seemed impressive but had no real power. The bodyguards must have been happy to eat public food and would not have followed the Meng family in rebellion.
Then comfort the Meng family.
Give them a plaque, draft an imperial edict, praise the Meng family lavishly, and confer a glorious but empty official title on them. You don't even need to pay them silver, and the matter is settled.
Although the Meng family lost control of logistics and the bulk of the money from logistics, they can only get the share of the profits. They may also lose control of the "One Family" series and a lot of money, and their business territory will be greatly reduced.
But the Meng family got a plaque, an imperial edict and an official title!
And no one will die, how great!
——Bullshit!
No one would want to give away their things, let alone such huge benefits. It would be like cutting flesh and sucking blood from the Meng family.
Even if Old Man Meng Fuguang and Meng Zhui can tolerate it, those merchants and local officials whose interests are related to the Meng family may not be able to tolerate it.
Therefore, whether peaceful evolution can be achieved remains unknown.
After all the talk, we still come back to the starting point: Who will the emperor target, when will he target it, and will it affect Lei Shengjiang's career and the lives of the Lei Meng and two families.
"Don't be too anxious."
Seeing Lei Shengjiang and Miao Yurui both lost in thought, Zhou Yi gently comforted them, "Things haven't gotten this bad yet. Besides, if it really comes to that...your father and I have a plan."
The emperor had given him and Lei Li an imperial edict in those days. They actually took the edict out and brought it to Kyoto City. They kept it at the bottom of a box and never told anyone.
If the day really comes when the monkeys scatter when the tree falls, this imperial edict will allow the emperor to save their Lei family for the sake of their past.
"At worst, I won't be an official anymore, and we won't stay in Kyoto anymore. We can go back to the village. Yu Rui and I will teach and support our family."
Lei Shengjiang said firmly.
Miao Yurui also nodded repeatedly.
"Your father has been doing business for so many years and has saved a lot of money. Why would he need you two to teach and support him?"
Lei Li smiled and teased the young couple, "You two should hurry up and give daddy a big fat baby to play with. Otherwise, I, your daddy, will be too old to help you take care of the child."
“Daddy…”
Lei Shengjiang's face turned red instantly.
He was very embarrassed, but when he thought of the baby, he subconsciously glanced at his husband, and met Miao Yurui's gaze. The two of them separated in an instant as if they were scalded, both with red faces.
Miao Yurui was also shy, but he was older and more stable after all. He said softly, "Sheng Jiang just joined the company, and we are still young. There is no rush for children..."
As he said this, he suddenly felt a little guilty.
Lei Shengjiang is young, not even twenty years old, so tender that you can squeeze water out of him, but he is already twenty-six. If he were another boy, he would have had several children.
"Too."
Lei Li smiled and teased them, "You should have fun when you are young. You won't have time to play after having a child. The moment we kissed, the other party started shouting 'Daddy, Daddy, Daddy'..."
“Daddy!”
Lei Shengjiang's face turned red.
When he was a child, he liked to call his father "Daddy" and therefore interrupted the intimacy between his two fathers countless times. Then Lei Li lied to him and said that brother Xiaobao was looking for him. When he ran to find brother Xiaobao, the two fathers were stuck together again.
In the past, Lei Li would always tease me about these things, but in recent years, he has grown older and is not as loud as he was when he was a child, so he stopped teasing me.
Now bring it up again!
This bad dad!
His father Zhou Yi's ears also turned red, and he glanced at Lei Li with a hint of annoyance in his eyes. Lei Li smiled even more and raised his eyebrows at him. He pursed his lips and looked away.
Zhou Yi's face is still not as thick as Lei Li's.
He thought to himself, he is already an old man, and he is not ashamed at all to say these messy things in front of the younger generation.
"What's that?"
Lei Li raised his eyebrows and said jokingly, "Look at you two blushing like this. Yu Rui is not as embarrassed as you. Yu Rui is really promising."
This time, Miao Yurui's face became even redder.
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