These Jin merchant families may not be famous in modern times, but in the 400 years from the middle of the Ming Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty, they were all famous and influential families in China. They had even led the course of history.
Among the various forces that pushed the Manchurian Qing to enter the Central Plains at the turn of the Ming Dynasty, the Jin merchant families that provided money, food, weapons and manpower were the most important ones.
They started to get rich in the middle of the Ming Dynasty, and then began the long road of helping others in their studies. These leaders of the Jin merchant families had a unique insight into the nature of politics in China. They realized that in an era where agriculture was valued and commerce was suppressed, they had to have their own political spokespersons to ensure that their wealth would not be easily taken away by the government.
Without protection from above, how could the people below live in peace?
Even the wind and rain could not stop them, and they could only break up the family. In order to ensure the long-term prosperity of the family, the Jin merchant families came together and started to help students. They donated money to poor scholars to study, and then married them to the Imperial Scholars.
Through this method, the Jin merchant group became a giant that spanned across the four fields of military, politics, commerce and education. No matter which field they were in, they had their own spokespersons. They were not afraid of anything, and they dared to go against anyone. They were almost invincible.
At their most powerful time, the Cabinet Chief Zhang Siwei was a Jin merchant, and so was Wang Chonggu, the Governor of Xuan. Among the most terrifying group of Mad Dog Censors in the imperial court, there were many mouthpieces that spoke for them.
These Jin merchants all had a very good family tradition. Before they became rich, the family would provide money and food to take care of them. They would also help them find a wife and take care of their children. After they became rich, they would use their power to repay the family.
What they received was definitely much more than what they had given.
Of course, they weren't invincible in the end, because the business groups of other regions also learned this trick and began to support the students in their own territories, pushing aside the merchants of the Jin faction. Gradually, the business groups of all the major regions formed a united effort to support the local poor scholars, and then in return, they would be rewarded, forming a political and business alliance of a community of common interests.
Later on, the Jin merchants were attacked by the local factions and gradually lost their initial advantage. In order to develop and survive, they gradually hooked up with Nurhachi, who was getting more and more powerful in Liaodong, and from then on, they began their glorious journey.
After the Manchurian Qing entered the pass, the eight imperial merchants were all Jin merchants. It was clear that the Jin merchants were of great help to the Manchurian Qing.
No one knew how rich they were. Even if they knew, they wouldn't leave behind much information for future generations to refer to. However, based on the existence of these four or five years old grains, Xiao Ruxun could roughly estimate how much grain they had and how much wealth they had.
The Ming government was unable to collect business taxes. This was a very interesting topic, and it could be discussed for a long time. The current consensus was that the officials obstructed it. Why did the officials obstruct it? It was because collecting business taxes was collecting their money. Why collecting business taxes was collecting their money? It was because only the officials could use their power to collude with the merchants to earn money.
If the Emperor collected the commercial tax, wouldn't it be the same as taking money from the pockets of the scholars? How could that do?
The poor owner-farmers, tens of millions of owner-farmers, bore 75% of the tax of a great empire with a population of more than 200 million, while the rich officials and merchants only had to bear about 10% of the tax.
Zhu Yijun was really not stupid. He even sent eunuchs to the local areas to fight with these scholars for wealth. Chong Zhen was tricked into becoming a cripple. Not only did he cripple his right-hand man, he also had to increase taxes on the owner-farmers. The poor got poorer and the rich got richer. The Ming Empire finally collapsed under the combined attack of this internal cause and the external cause of Li Zicheng and Dorgon.
The Jin merchants were one of the important groups that dug out the foundation of the Ming Empire.
In fact, not only Chai Guozhu had heard about the Jin merchants smuggling ironware and daily necessities to Mongolia to earn high profits, even Xiao Ruxun, a general who was stationed in the south all year round, had heard about it. It was obvious that this was an open secret.
Their so-called smuggling was actually an open and aboveboard business. As long as they paid the border guards some money, they could smuggle things safely.
Could this still be called smuggling?
The Jin merchants had accumulated a huge amount of wealth through this smuggling business and the salt and iron business. These wealth did not have to pay taxes, so the imperial court had no way to deduct even one tael of silver from their hands. These people held onto their money tightly until they died. They would rather give it to Li Zicheng than hand it over to the Ming government.
They were not tumors, but cancer cells. Xiao Ruxun did not dare to imagine the extent of cancer in the Daming Empire.
He even felt that saving the Daming Empire had become a delusion, because there were several groups like the Jin merchants in the Daming Empire. The Jin merchants had occupied the north, and there were even more powerful groups in the economically developed south.
What kind of method could be used to defeat them?
This was going to be a decisive battle with all the civil officials!
Thinking of this, Xiao Ruxun's expression became very ugly. Looking at the old grain, Xiao Ruxun could not help but pull out his saber and stab it.
"The commoners and soldiers are cold and hungry, but these unscrupulous rich merchants are still hoarding. They are not even willing to take out a grain to help the army! How dare they take it out to help the Northern Barbarians! This is an act of treason! With this irrefutable evidence, this supervisor will definitely harshly accuse them in front of His Majesty! These rats! "
Before Xiao Ruxun could say anything, Chai Guozhu was shocked.
"Commander, although I am also very angry, I have to say that you cannot do this."
Xiao Ruxun glared at Chai Guozhu and asked angrily, "Why?"
"Commander, even if I did not say it, you should know that the former Grand Secretary Zhang Siwei and the former Governor Wang Chonggu were both Jin merchants. Although they have passed away, their families and influence in the imperial court are still there. Even I knows that the Jin faction has great influence in the imperial court.
The imperial court forbids the sale of salt and iron to the Northern Barbarians, but when have the Northern Barbarians ever lacked salt and iron? Other than what they pillaged, most of it was bought from the Jin merchants. They have been unscrupulous for a long time, but has anyone in the imperial court ever mentioned it?
Commander, even the civil officials cannot go against them. As generals, our words carry little weight and we cannot participate in the affairs of the imperial court. Even if His Majesty knows about this, what can he do? Commander, you should know better than I that officials protect each other. When the time comes, His Majesty will not be able to do anything, but Commander has offended the Jin merchants. What should we do then? "
Chai Guozhu's words were very pertinent and reasonable.
The Emperor has no power and his subordinates are protecting each other. The Emperor cannot do anything related to the economy. If you offend a powerful organization for the Emperor, who cares who you are? Do you think you are invincible just because you are a noble? Even the two dukes of the Xuda family have to hide their heads, let alone a marquis like you.
Do you think you are invincible just because you have the Emperor's backing? The Emperor is invincible?
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