Merchant, this can be said to be one of the oldest professions in the world. After the most primitive barter appeared in mankind, some people gradually began to engage in this industry of transporting goods around and making profits from it.

As early as 4,000 years ago, Jian Di, the second concubine of the emperor, ate a black bird and gave birth to Uncle Yan (e). Therefore, the "Book of Songs and Shang Ode" says: "The black bird of destiny descended and gave birth to Shang." Uncle Yan was the descendant of Shang.

The ancestor, Yanbo's grandson Xiangtu, was the first to invent the carriage, and the sixth grandson Wang Hai invented the ox-cart. This is the record in the history books of "establishing soap bars and serving horses and oxen for the benefit of the people." The rapid development of agriculture and animal husbandry has made

The Shang tribe quickly became powerful and produced a surplus of things, so Wang Hai used oxcarts to pull goods and drive cattle and sheep to other tribes to conduct transactions. People from other tribes called them "merchants".

Since then, the term "merchant" has been used as a synonym for "businessman".

Merchants travel around, communicate with what is and what is not, distinguish between high and low, adjust surplus and shortage, and travel far and near, which can be said to be the foundation for revitalizing social vitality. However, in ancient society, businessmen did not obtain a high status. The reason is very simple: social productivity is not developed enough, and doing business

It is often a highly profitable act, and the rulers are very afraid that everyone will go into business instead of agricultural production.

But Zhao Weiji didn't think so at this time. He was planning to use this group of businessmen to do a big thing.

Businessmen are driven by profit-seeking nature, which leads to businessmen often doing things that benefit themselves at the expense of others. The consequence is that although people cannot live without businessmen, they do not like businessmen either. The most common thing is that neither being sharp nor engaging in business becomes a matter of not annihilating and not engaging in business.

Good representative.

But Zhao Weiji knows how powerful businessmen are. This is an immeasurable force, but they have not yet gathered this force together.

What Zhao Weiji has to do now is to gather this power for his own use.

After having this idea, he came into contact with a legendary group, the Huizhou merchants, through the students of his business course.

Although Huizhou merchants truly entered the stage of history after the middle of the Ming Dynasty, Zhao Weiji knew that this legendary business gang began to sprout in the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

Huizhou merchants are characterized by strong capital, wide scope of activities, many business projects, long-term prosperity and advocating culture. In particular, advocating culture is the most important thing for Zhao Weiji. The characteristics of Huizhou merchants as both Confucian and Jia are in line with what Zhao Weiji wants to launch next.

…

"I invited you here today because I want to discuss something with you."

In Huating County, in the palace of Prince Wuyue, the hall was full of people. Except for Zhao Weiji, who was sitting in the main seat, everyone in the hall was a group of decent people dressed in casual clothes. But although this group of people had a Confucian look

Their temperament also revealed their shrewdness in consolidating the ups and downs of the business world from their eyes.

This group of people is the legendary Hui merchants.

"You are the prince. Do you have anything to discuss with us small businessmen?" The man who choked out at the first opening was surnamed Cheng, also called Cheng Hui, also known as Zhongming. He was from Qimen, Huizhou. He mainly dealt in tea.

The reason why he was the first to jump out and choke at this time was because the new tea leaves produced by Zhao Weiji had affected his business. Now the tea farmers in Qimen County are more willing to sell tea leaves to the tea houses owned by Zhao Weiji, because Lapsang Tea

The purchase price of tea is higher and the sales volume is also better.

"Zhong Ming, please be patient. Since the prince has specially invited us here, he certainly has his intentions. With the prince's current financial resources, he probably can't afford to invite us here and then humiliate us."

The man who tried to dissuade Cheng Hui was named Wang Bin, also known as Wenwu. He looked to be about fifty years old. Mature, capable, and elegant could be said to be the most perfect description of this person. He was doing business among Huizhou merchants.

He is the biggest and has the highest prestige. Although the current Huizhou merchants have not yet formed a business gang that was as united as they later were, it can be seen at this moment that Wang Bin is already the prototype of a Huizhou merchant leader.

"Let me ask you first, you have been doing business for many years, what is the most important thing in doing business?" Zhao Weiji saw that some businessmen in the hall did not really agree with his own account, but he did not care too much, because he knew that what he was going to do next was

The rhetoric will impress this group of people.

"Of course you make money. Who would go into business if you don't make money?" Another person spoke to me. This person's surname was Jiang, and his name was Jiang Shao Wenhe.

"This is natural, the purpose of doing business is to make money, but do you want to make quick money that can be done in one fell swoop or long-term stable growth in income?"

"This is naturally a long-term and stable income growth."

"So who can tell me that in running a long-term and stable business, besides making money, what is the most important thing, or what can help you make long-term and stable growth of money?"

As soon as Zhao Weiji said this, the situation exploded, and everyone had different answers.

Some say it is a good product, some say it is a reasonable sales method, and some say it is a good relationship with the government. In short, there are a thousand Hamlets in the eyes of a thousand people.

At this time, Wang Bin spoke again: "It's credibility. People can't stand without trust, and businesses can't prosper without trust."

Although Wang Bin did not speak loudly when he said this, his words were like sharp arrows piercing the hearts of all the businessmen present, causing them to fall into deep thought.

Indeed, all the businessmen present know this sentence, but they rarely regard it as the most important principle when doing business.

When Zhao Weiji heard Wang Bin say these words, he knew that he had found the right person. General Wang Wen was the perfect executor of his next plan.

"I think what Mr. Wang said is absolutely correct. Reputation is the foundation of doing business. Have you ever encountered such a situation, for example, Brother Jiang? Has anyone bought the emblem paper sold by Brother Jiang?

, as soon as I heard it was your Brother Jiang’s, I immediately bought it without any hesitation.”

"It seems so. After the emblem paper I sold became famous, it seemed that the number of customers who were very happy gradually increased."

"Why don't they have any hesitation when buying your paper?"

"They all say that my paper is light and thin and easy to write on, and the quality of the paper I sell is always guaranteed, and the quantity is never in short supply."

"Isn't this the credibility of your brother Jiang Longxuzhi? And what about you, Brother Cheng? When your capital turnover is not working well, is there anyone who is still willing to supply you with raw materials on credit for you to sell, so that you can use the funds after selling?

How about turning it around and then paying it back?”

"Yes... yes."

"Then why is this?"

"They said I had never defaulted on paying for raw materials before, so they believed I would be able to pay them back."

After hearing these two conversations, everyone here felt a sense of déjà vu. The business here was not small, and the time was not short. This kind of thing had happened to each of them.

At this time, everyone understood the truth. Everything they said before was just a means to make a fortune, but after making a fortune, if you want to run a business for a long time, the most important thing is credibility.

Just like Cheng Hui, although his tea business was impacted by Zhao Weiji's new tea, he still survived the most difficult period with his reputation over the years. Although he is not as profitable as before, he still has not fallen.

.Once he can find something that can compete with Zhao Weiji's new tea, he may not be able to turn over, after all, the time-honored brand is there.

Just when the businessmen here had just figured out this problem, Zhao Weiji asked another question.

"Actually, I can be considered a businessman. Can everyone here, including me, think with conscience, have you ever thought about using despicable means to deal with others when your business is impacted by others doing the same business?

Spread rumors, find trouble, or even damage the other party's store or supply of goods?

You don’t have to do it, just think about it.”

At this moment, all the businessmen present lowered their heads, because Zhao Weiji's conditions were too harsh. As long as they have thought about it, there is no one here who has not thought about it. Everyone has a dark side, and not everyone is a saint. These businessmen

If you can control yourself and not do it, then it’s good. If you don’t think about it, how is it possible?

"What do you want to express by saying so much?" At this time, Wang Bin finally couldn't hold himself back. This King of Wuyue definitely didn't bring them to discuss business. The Tsinghua Academy he founded has a business major. It is said that this person

There are also many businessmen gathered there who occasionally give classes.

"What I want to say is that there are actually too many uncertainties in our industry. The status of our businessmen is not high to begin with, and there is a mix of good and bad. The behavior of many businessmen is simply discrediting our industry.

"

"Isn't there no way to do this? The status of us merchants is low, and the court often does not consider the interests of our legitimate merchants, and there is no law to protect us."

"It doesn't matter if the imperial court has not specially formulated laws to protect us businessmen. We can make them ourselves. As long as we legitimate businessmen unite and formulate our own laws and regulations, we can not only protect our own interests, but also improve our

The status of a businessman.”

As soon as Zhao Weiji said this, the whole place was in an uproar. What does this prince want to do? The businessman makes his own laws? Is he crazy?

But at this moment, there was a person in the hall who had a different mood. This person was not shocked, but rather a little expectant and a little excited. This person was Wang Bin, and he was becoming more and more curious about this King of Wuyue.

"Then, Your Majesty, what do you think we should do to formulate our own laws? Wouldn't this become a shackles for us when doing business?"

"Mr. Wang, first of all we have to ask one question: is it better to have order or chaos?"

"Of course it's good to have order." When business reaches a certain level, businessmen no longer think more about how to take advantage of the law, but hope that the law will protect their existing interests.

Zhao Weiji had already thought about this clearly, so he was sure that these big businessmen would definitely accept his proposal, because what he proposed would be an umbrella for the vested interests of these people.

"Since order is good, how can Mr. Wang be sure that the standards we will implement in the future will be shackles? After all, this is not something I alone have the final say in promulgating."

"That's right. The prince is not an official. How can the commercial law be binding?"

"This is the purpose of why I came to you today. I hope to unite you to establish a chamber of commerce."

Now everyone was dumbfounded again, what kind of thing is called a Chamber of Commerce?
Chapter completed!