While the two brothers were deciding on the choice of the Mei Clan.
Jizhou, Zhongshan Wuji.
Many merchants from the Great Han Dynasty were elated by the Heaven's Path Stele's second ranking.
Lu Su, who was first on the roll, was soon found out. However, he left his hometown with a group of villagers two years ago and disappeared.
Occasionally, they would pass by Linhuai County by boat and give out food.
Only then did the villagers know that he had gone out to sea to do business and made a difference.
Seeing that the top ranker had been living overseas for a long time and could not be traced, everyone focused their attention on the second ranker, Zhen Zhangshi.
The Zhen family's doorstep was almost broken by people from all walks of life.
In the backyard of the Zhen family mansion.
Five young girls with delicate faces and delicate facial features sat in the garden pavilion, admiring the first snow.
They were all wearing a red satin cloak and a red feathered jacket.
There were seven bird-shaped heating stoves at the edge of the pavilion, emitting waves of heat.
The five girls 'faces were flushed red from the heat, and they had a unique charm.
Among them, the youngest girl was extremely beautiful, like a blooming hibiscus under the heat.
"I didn't expect that the cotton produced by King Guangyang's vassal state would not only be beautiful, but it would also be able to resist the cold in winter. It would also be like the heating stove he invented.”
"You little girl, in the past two years, what did Lord Guangyang produce?”Zhen Jiang tapped his sister's forehead.
"Since you like the things of King Guangyang's fief so much, then let mother marry you over.”
Zhen Dao pouted." That's exactly what I want. Besides me and my sister, none of you want to marry into the remote Yan Land."”
Zhen Mi's head was steaming as she said shyly,""Third Sister, I didn't say that I wanted to marry into Yan Land.”
"Little girl, you're usually so clear and logical when it comes to major matters. Why are you so stupid when it comes to marriage? Can't you tell that this is your third sister?”
"Third Sister, think carefully. If Mother decides to cut ties with Prince Guangyang, you will be jumping into a fire pit if you marry him.”
"It's not just a fire pit. If an ordinary aristocratic family were to commit such a betrayal, even if they did not kill their wife to vent their anger, they would still be reduced to slaves from then on, living a life worse than death.”
Zhen Dao's face turned pale." Elder Sister, is Mother really going to cut ties with Lord Guangyang? We've earned a lot of money in the past two years with white sugar and white paper."”
The eldest Zhen Jiang lifted the teacup gently and took a sip.
"It's not that mother wants to cut ties, but that mother listened to the words of the Hebei aristocratic families and joined forces with Runan's Yuan family to seek refuge with the Great General. She will definitely cut ties with the Prince of Guangyang who is fighting for the throne.”
"Although our Zhen Family is a famous family in Jizhou, we are only a first-class family in the Central Plains. No matter how much wealth we have, it is difficult to add to the foundation of a family. For example, the snow in winter looks magnificent, but in spring, it will turn into wisps of snow and disappear without a trace.”
The Zhen family of Wuji had once been famous for a time, with two thousand stone officials. Even though they had declined, the father of the five daughters, Zhen Yi, had also studied under the three dukes.
The five girls had received complete nurturing from aristocratic families since they were young.
He was also very clear that wealth could be a huge asset to ordinary people.
However, to influential people such as aristocratic families and aristocrats, it was just something they could casually take.
If it weren't for the fact that the Wealth Rankings were announced and the Heavenly Dao rewards were too rich, it would be difficult for merchants to enter the eyes of the rich and powerful.
Under the traditional small-scale peasant economy, businessmen were the best choice for the past dynasties to exploit.
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty once recruited tens of thousands of rich people to move to Guanzhong and live in Chang 'an.
The first choice for the Ten Generals to cause trouble was not the aristocratic families or the powerful families, but the rich people who had no power or influence.
Merchants were lowly. If they did not rely on aristocratic families, it would be difficult for them to move forward in the Great Han Dynasty.
If merchants did not rely on the aristocratic families and opened up trade routes through the channels of the aristocratic families, it would be difficult for them to sell their goods across counties.
Every commandery had merchants trained by the local aristocratic families to control the trade routes, just like how the aristocratic families controlled the way to promote filial piety and honesty.
For example, if there was no local aristocratic family to sell the goods of King Guangyang, it would be difficult to take more than half of the profits.
It would probably take more than ten years, or even decades, to open up the trade route.
For someone like the Mi Family to rise from a wealthy family to an aristocratic family, it could be said that they had stepped on dog sh * t luck and were rarely seen in decades.
For example, the Zhen family, with their background as a top-notch family, could amass huge sums of money in just a decade by focusing their family strategy on business.
Speaking of which...
It was precisely because wealth was insignificant to aristocratic families.
On one side was the leader of the aristocratic families, the Yuan family, and on the other side was the prince of the border princes, Prince Yu.
The five women understood that their mother wanted to restore the former glory of the Zhen family and knew what the Zhenzhang family would do.
"Mother doesn't want to completely offend Lord Guangyang, so she will definitely choose one of us to marry into Youzhou.”
Zhen Rong, the fourth brother, had a worried look on his face.
"Mother isn't afraid of angering His Highness Prince Guangyang. He sent an army to destroy our Wuji Zhen family like the Wei family of the east of the river.”
"Impossible." A crisp sound that sounded like jade colliding rang out.
All the girls turned to look at their little sister.
Zhen Mi, who was holding a steaming hot tea bowl, curled up slightly like a little beast that was afraid of the cold in winter.
"The reason why Prince Guangyang massacred the Wei family was because the Wei family of the east of the river colluded with the foreign tribes and betrayed the Great Han Dynasty.”
"The aristocrats in the world will definitely regard him as an enemy. Don't even think about recruiting another aristocratic family disciple under him.”
"And Lord Guangyang has been enduring for three years. It is obvious that he is after the entire world. If he wants to ascend to the throne, without the support of the gentry, he has no chance at all.”
"Yes."
"I see. Little sister, you're really smart.”
Although Zhen Jiang and his sisters agreed, a trace of doubt flashed in their eyes.
She was a few years older than her younger sisters and had experienced the chaos during the Yellow Turban rebellion.
Even though the aristocratic families had deep roots, they were still quickly swallowed up by the Yellow Turban bandits who covered the sky and covered the earth like a beach under the tide.
Looking at King Guangyang's behavior, it did not seem like he wanted to cooperate with the aristocratic families.
Otherwise, a few years ago, when he sent people to the Zhen family with white sugar, white paper, and other divine items, it would not have been just a shallow cooperation to split the profits.
At that time, Zhen Yi, the head of the Zhen family, who was still alive, requested to become in-laws to further bind their interests.
In the end, he was rejected by King Guangyang.
However, if he really had the ambition to become a ruler, how could he not cooperate with the aristocratic families!
Zhen Jiang was amused by the idea that suddenly popped up in his mind. He shook his head and continued to talk to his sister about which aristocratic families his mother was planning to marry into.
……
"Bullsh * t aristocratic families!"
"One day, I will lead the cavalry to eradicate you from the Great Han Empire.”
Liu Yu, who was standing at the head of Guangyang City and admiring the first snow, was originally overjoyed because of the four years of good weather rewarded by the Heavenly Dao.
The first snow in winter wasn't as heavy as usual, but it was dense and continuous.
It meant that more than half of Youzhou would not suffer from snow disasters this year. The commoners could have a good winter.
On the other hand, the moist snow heralds a bumper harvest.
A sufficient amount of snow could keep the soil warm, accumulate water for the fields, and turn it into fertilizer.
If nothing unexpected happened next year, it would be a bumper harvest year.
However, he suddenly heard two pieces of bad news related to the Hebei aristocratic families.
Liu Yu's good mood was ruined.
"Zilong, I didn't expect your fellow Chang Shan villager to have the ambition of Mi Yue and Lu Zhi.”
Zhao Yun cupped her hands and replied,
"This woman is just foolish. It was because of the lord's prosperity that she tried to bet on both sides.”
Liu Yu shook his head, his hands on the battlements of the city wall as he looked into the distance at the vast expanse of white wilderness.
Relying on Zhuge Xuan's family's secret array, the entire Guangyang City and the surrounding forest were faintly shaped like the Eight Trigrams.
"As a widow, not only did she manage to maintain the Zhen family's huge business for the past two years, but she also maintained her family's status as a direct descendant.”
The woman they were talking about was Zhen Zhangshi.
Zhang was born in a powerful family in Changshan and had some relationship with Zhao Yun.
After Zhen Yi died of illness, the two sides were mainly the Zhang family and Zhao Yun, who were from the same hometown.
"Unfortunately, her ambition is too great. She wants to use the opportunity of the release of the Wealth Rankings to rely on marriage to invest in the four forces and seek a future for the Zhen family.”
"I never expected that she would look down on me so much and want to marry her daughter to me.”
"It's fine if my precious daughter Zhen Mi chooses Prince Bian who has the potential to inherit the throne.”
"Then, the eldest daughter Zhen Jiang and the second daughter Zhen Tuo also secretly promised Runan Yuan and Hongnong Yang.”
"Leaving the worst three and four women for me to choose from, and even saying that I'm treating them equally.”
The fierce-looking Dian Wei said,"My lord, give me a thousand cavalrymen. I will definitely seek justice for my lord.”
Xu Chu's chest was wide open, and his entire body was emitting hot air."Give me 500 pieces of armor and I will be like the Wei family in the east of the river.”
The king insulted the minister and died.
Zhang shi had looked down on Liu Yu in the matter of marriage, and the many generals who were enjoying the snow together on the city wall were instantly indignant and asked for revenge.
"This time, I don't need you. Since she relied on my Guangyang City's goods to get to the second rank and had second thoughts, I will let her return to where she came from.”
Guo Jia stepped forward and smiled lightly." Don't worry, my lord. Times are different now. We no longer need to rely on local aristocratic families to sell our goods like we did three years ago.”
"In just seven days, I will make the Zhenzhang clan offer five women as my lord's maidservants.”
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]