In a large mansion in Dongcheng, Yangzhou, a Jiangnan garden called Shangfang Garden is located in it. The rockery and strange stones in the garden are winding and secluded, and all kinds of strange flowers and plants can be seen everywhere.

This house is the home of Xu Qiming, a large merchant specializing in timber in Yangzhou City, and is also the main place for him to have sex and banquets.

On the afternoon of the afternoon, the sky was still very bright, and the lanterns in various halls and courtyards in the Shangfang Garden had been lit. More than ten servants from the Xu family, dressed in green hats, delivered all kinds of delicious food to the moon gate of a courtyard, and handed it to two rows of beautiful maids waiting outside the door, and then these maids sent the dishes into a flower hall in the courtyard.

The spacious flower hall is brightly lit, and the two are not far apart. The Eight Immortals Tables made of rosewood are already filled with delicious food and wine. Xu Qiming, the owner of the Winter Garden, was chatting with several guests who arrived first on one of the tables.

"Old Huang, I heard that you are planning to open a car dealer recently, specializing in transporting goods with people in the near future. Is there really such a thing? Isn't you going to do your cotton business? If you want to say that in this area of ​​Nanzhili, you are a large cotton shop owner, how could you suddenly change your business?"

Xu Qiming took a sip of fragrant tea, put down the teacup and asked a middle-aged man who looked skinny and skinny.

"Hi! I really have no close friends from thirty miles away! Although this matter is true, it is not used to transport goods with others, but only for my own transportation!"

The businessman surnamed Huang replied with a disapproval.

"Oh? Didn't your cotton cloth transportation be used to travel by water? Why did it be changed to land transportation? Delivery of cars and horses is time-consuming, labor-intensive and silver. I really don't know why Mr. Huang, who has always been very smart, wants to do this clumsy thing!"

Another fat businessman on the table sarcastically said.

"Didn't I think of this method in a helpless way? Who doesn't know the benefits of going to the water route? But once the court imposed commercial taxes, what would I do when I arrived in Linqing, Xuzhou and other places? No matter where you transport the goods, you only know that taxes are calculated according to the amount, and a single penny is indispensable. In this way, it is not cost-effective to go to prefectures and counties south of Shandong to go to water routes!"

"Hey! Lao Huang, you are so good! The nickname of this iron abacus is not in vain! Why did you say that I never thought of such a trick? If this accumulates, you can save a lot of money in a year, right? No! I have to learn from you, and I will also go to a carriage after I go back!"

Fat businessman Wang Zuohai slapped his thigh and sighed.

"This method is good, but this person consumes a lot of money for eating horses. In total, he saves a few thousand taels of silver a year, which is just enough to buy a few Yangzhou thin horses. After all, the largest piece of goods must be sold to the north of Shandong and it needs to be transported by water. If it is replaced with a carriage, it would be unprofitable! It is said that the tax revenue was ruthless when Master Wanli was ruthless, but now it is even more ruthless than in the Wanli period, just like an open robbery!"

Huang Zhi's tone was filled with annoyance, and he didn't seem so happy because of Wang Zuohai's flattery.

"There are treacherous ministers in the court! I wonder if it was the treacherous villain who came up with such a bad idea. Isn't this a competition for profit with the people? The court should charge those mud legs if they lack silver. How many households are there in our gentry family? In this world, hundreds of millions of farmers will charge a few more silver per household every year, and the more silver in the Taicang can flow out! This matter must be done for us! This emperor wants to share the world with the gentry, not those mud legs! The emperor is blinded by traitors!"

Xu Qiming sighed.

While the few were talking, another guest came outside the flower hall. Xu Qiming, the host, said to Wang, Huang and the other person, said aloofness and then stood up and went to the door to welcome the guests.

It was right at the right time, and the sky was getting darker. The two tables in the flower hall were filled with guests. All the guests invited by Xu Qiming were here.

"All of you here are my old friends, and most of them are familiar with each other. Today, you can take your time to come to the mansion in your busy schedule. I am deeply honored to be very happy! Come on, Xu, please give me a glass of wine to express your gratitude, do it!"

Xu Qiming, who was covered in spring breeze, stood up and raised his wine glass to signal to the guests on both tables with a smile.

In addition, Xu Qiming, there were 16 people on the two Eight Immortals tables, all of which were wealthy businessmen from Yangzhou, Huai'an, Changzhou and other prefectures. These people were engaged in various businesses, but they had no conflicts or conflicts in interest. Many people had met on different occasions. Some of them did not know each other but had heard of each other's fame, so they sat down and chatted for a few words and became familiar with each other.

After most of the guests drank the wine in their glasses, Xu Qiming smiled and said loudly: "The guest rooms have been arranged, and there are two Yangzhou skinny horses in the world that are famous all over the world! I would like to ask everyone to have fun tonight!"

Although the wine on the table was extremely beautiful, the people present were all big people with hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars, and they did not value these. However, when they heard the Yangzhou thin horse, the enthusiasm of everyone was quickly ignited. With the cheers, the atmosphere on the court became instantly warm.

After three rounds of wine, Xu Qiming toasted one by one and returned to the main table. He winked at the inner ward manager at the door. The manager waved his hand after knowing it. Several beautiful maids who served tea, wine and vegetables in the flower hall left the flower hall and left quietly. There were only sixteen people left in the hall in the whole courtyard.

"You guys have a cup of tea and sit down for a while. Liu Junwai of the Liu Family Trading Company has something to say to you!"

After seeing that everyone was drunk, Xu Qiming stood up and said loudly.

A person in the guest seat of the main table slowly stood up and bowed to everyone. It was Liu Zuo's cousin-----Liu Xingwen.

The protagonists of today's banquet are Liu Xingwen and Xu Qiming.

Since he had a secret negotiation with Liu Zuo and Li Junshan nearly a month ago, Liu Xingwen has taken on the responsibility of contacting several wealthy families in neighboring prefectures to strike together.

The first thing that Liu Xingwen thought of was Xu Qiming, who was also in Yangzhou City.

The reason why Xu Qiming earned a huge fortune was that his second uncle was Xu Wenyuan, who is now the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel in Nanjing.

But Xu Qiming was well aware of the county magistrate, and although he had a strong backer, he still showed enough respect to Liu Xingwen, who had a background in Yangzhou prefect. With his deliberate flattery, he soon became close friends with Liu Xingwen.

Liu Xingwen found Xu Qiming the next day and was detained for the official ship's private dealer. After returning, he secretly discussed the matter with his cousin. Xu Qiming, who was thinking of this, immediately expressed his support. After the two hit it off, Xu Qiming immediately began to ask someone to come to Yangzhou for a banquet.

Xu Qiming must be enthusiastic about this, because his timber business cannot be separated from water transportation, and water transportation cannot circumvent the canal, so commercial taxes cannot be avoided.

Xu Qiming was naturally optimistic about the plan to strike against the court and force the court to remove taxes. From the big merchants he made friends with, Xu Qiming heard extreme dissatisfaction and resentment towards the court without exception. He believed that as long as someone took the lead, there would definitely be people who responded. In the north, the court would not bow down when it was likely to face a long-term shortage of materials.

After nearly months of communication and contact, today's banquet was successfully held.

"I am Liu Xingwen, the owner of the Liu clan business in Yangzhou. There are people who are familiar with Liu and who have first met each other. However, whether they are familiar or not, we are both merchants and are considered decent families. The purpose of gathering here today is that you must have already made a general clear understanding of this, that is, everyone joins hands to fight with the evil government of the court, and give me a fair place for me! As long as I work together and have many officials, gentry and people with great righteousness, this matter will be accomplished! Liu also asks you to show off a little bloody courage and seek justice for the people of the world! If you have any suggestions on this matter, we will discuss all this matter tonight!"

Just as Liu Xingwen and Xu Qiming were having a big banquet for guests and discussing major events, a "pop" sound came from the darkness not far outside the Shangfang Garden.

"Oh, I'm so biting me! These bastards enjoy delicious food inside, but they have to wait here to be bitten by mosquitoes! Grandma! When this matter is learned, I will definitely drive their clothes to the wilderness for a night and try this taste!"

"Master Flag, most of these guys come from other places and will definitely live in the Xu family tonight. Why do we suffer here? Why don't we come back after dawn tomorrow and follow them separately when they leave!"
Chapter completed!