Li Xiang briefly told this guy that he was going to make him the first official stationed in Wa City, and he had already sent someone back to get the official seal.
For these businessmen, what they pursue throughout their lives is the status of an official, or to be more precise, the status of a scholar, which is always much better than their original status as a businessman.
Take Cao Lian for example. He knew that he would not be able to study in this life, so he honestly went out to do business, earning a lot of money for his family, and then sent the money back to let those in the family who could study hard.
Now the one who is best at studying is his youngest son, so he is very motivated when he works outside. As long as his youngest son can pass the imperial examination, he will not have to kneel down when he sees him. No one will dare to look down on him as a businessman. When he buys some land, the family will prosper.
But unexpectedly, he didn't have to wait for his youngest son to study hard for more than ten years. Now Li Xiang could let him become an official directly, and he was a seventh-rank official.
"What's wrong with you? Didn't you hear His Highness ask you a question?"
Chang Sunze knocked on the table. This guy had been keeping his mouth open for a long time, and there was still something in his mouth that he hadn't eaten completely. It was really disgusting.
"Thank you, Your Highness, thank you, Your Highness..."
After hearing Chang Sun Ze's reminder, this guy knelt down in front of Li Xiang. He really didn't know what to say. This simply changed the fate of dozens of generations of his family. He had originally thought of waiting for his son to take the imperial examination before changing it, but now he suddenly became a seventh-rank official, and was under the name of the Lifanyuan, which was many times higher than those local officials.
"Don't be so quick to kowtow. I can give you this position and I can also take it down for you. You're not living the life of a master here, especially since you're still in Wa City. Many people here are unfriendly to the Tang Dynasty. When you become an official, in addition to protecting the interests of Tang merchants, you must also understand all the surrounding situations clearly. Remember, I mean everything."
Li Xiang asked someone to help this guy up and found a piece of rag for him. This guy was crying with tears and snot everywhere. Of course, Li Xiang could not understand his feelings. If he found another businessman and locked them both in a cage, whoever won would be able to become a seventh-rank official. I guess the two of them would kill without hesitation.
In this era, the social status of scholars is very high, but if you can become a juren, then the fate of your whole family will be improved. The guy in front of you originally thought that he would have such treatment ten years later, but he didn't expect that the thing he had been looking forward to for ten years would come true today. How could he not lose his composure?
"Your Highness, do you want to occupy this place?"
Cao Lian had traveled extensively over the years and was a very knowledgeable man. After hearing what Li Xiang said, he immediately figured out what Li Xiang wanted to do. It was definitely not just for the news here, but he must have taken a fancy to the land here.
What's more, Li Xiang is famous and he will never do useless work. Whenever Li Xiang arrives at a new place, he will immediately have new plans.
When Li Xiang went to Nanzhao to get married, he turned around and destroyed Nanzhao. All the merchants in this area understood this.
Although many people know that Li Xiang's actions were not fair, these merchants now want to erect a memorial archway for Li Xiang. Because Li Xiang conquered the Nanzhao Kingdom, their goods can be shipped directly from Chang'an City to Wa City, and they do not need to pay too much tax in the middle. This has indeed made them rich.
"Your vision is indeed good. Since our Great Tang is rich, why can't we own the whole world? You see the situation here. You are also a foreigner here. Why not let you become a native? Don't you want to enjoy the same rights and interests here as you enjoy in Nanzhao?"
Li Xiang knew that many people in this era wanted to live a peaceful life. They had no intention of expanding abroad. The most important thing was that they felt that the surrounding lands were relatively poor and could not compare with the land of the Central Plains of the Tang Dynasty. Why bother to come to this place and mess around?
"Your Highness is absolutely right. When Nanzhao Kingdom didn't belong to us, although no one bothered us in Nanzhao Kingdom, there were too many customs clearances. Not only did it waste a lot of our time, but the most important thing was that we felt uneasy. But if there were Tang troops everywhere, we merchants would feel much more at ease."
This guy does have a longer-term vision than others. He won't talk about the big principles, but from his own experience, he can indeed see the benefits of the areas occupied by the Tang Dynasty.
"Then you need to explain the business you're dealing with. Since you're a court official, your business affairs must be kept separate from yours. If I find out you're colluding with officials, don't blame me for being rude to you."
Li Xiang knew the disadvantages of collusion between officials and businessmen. Of course, there were some things that only the officials were allowed to do, and the people were not allowed to light a lamp. He himself was the big boss of Zhidaobao, and Zhidaobao also used his power to prosper all over the country.
But it does not mean that Li Xiang will allow others to do so. He can control himself and not exploit other businessmen and people because of huge profits. But if other officials and businessmen are allowed to do so, then those people will easily lose themselves in the face of interests, which will cause big mistakes to the national economy.
"Please rest assured, Your Highness. I have accumulated a small fortune over the years and am now a seventh-rank official. How could I possibly engage in business? Wouldn't that be embarrassing for the official?"
This guy just became an official and immediately wanted to cut off his identity as a businessman, completely forgetting how he earned this fortune over the years. But it’s okay this way. As long as he doesn’t get involved in business and works patiently for Li Xiang, his future will definitely be good.
The two talked about some other things and then went back to rest. At noon on the third day, dozens of Tang Dynasty soldiers arrived in Wa City on horseback.
Although the border between the two sides is blocked, people often come here to do business, so the border area will not stop these dozens of Tang Dynasty cavalry.
What they brought were official documents from the Tang Dynasty government and Cao Lian's official uniform.
The other is Chang Sun Ze’s handwritten letter. Of course, Chang Sun Ze wrote it on the spot and just stamped it with the official seal. This is not the first time he has done this. He also did it once when Nanzhao was fooling the King of Zhennan.
