Chapter 324 Sending out invitations
After determining the categories of goods to be shipped back and forth, Yang Zhengshan said, "Then you can help prepare for Jiangnan first!"

Before going out to sea, it is natural to contact the source of goods and buyers in advance. For Tenglongwei, Yang Zhengshan can take care of it personally, but for Jiangnan, Luo Shang's help will be needed.

Over the years, Luo Shang has acquired many businesses in Jiangnan and made friends with many wealthy businessmen, so he does not feel embarrassed about this.

"Don't worry, sir. I will go to Jiangnan after the New Year to prepare for this matter?" Luo Shang said.

"Yeah!" Yang Zhengshan nodded slightly.

Luo Shang said, "Sir, can I buy two ships and go to sea with Tenglongwei's ship?"

Yang Zhengshan was a little surprised, but soon felt relieved.

There is no doubt that maritime trade is profitable.

Although the sea trade from Tenglongwei to Jiangnan has relatively large profits, the profits are probably the saved land transportation costs, but if sea trade relations can be established with several dynasties around Dayong, the profits will be ridiculously high.

Therefore, Yang Zhengshan sent the fleet to Jiangnan first, actually just to accumulate experience. Once the merchant ships and navy have accumulated enough experience, they will definitely open up the shipping routes to the Li Sheng Dynasty and the De Sheng Dynasty.

How could Luo Shang not see Yang Zhengshan's plan, so she also wanted the Luo family to make money together.

"Sure. Actually, you don't have to follow the government's fleet to go out to sea. You can form your own fleet and go out to sea by yourself!" Yang Zhengshan naturally had no reason to refuse Luo Shang.

Not only will he not stop Luo Shang from developing maritime trade, he will even encourage him to participate in maritime trade.

Not only him, he also plans to attract other wealthy businessmen to join in the future.

He had plans for all these, but that would have to happen after Tenglong Vanguard's navy grew up.

The sea is full of dangers, and natural and man-made disasters occur one after another.

Natural disasters cannot be avoided, but man-made disasters can.

The purpose of forming a navy is to avoid man-made disasters. Only with a strong navy can the safety of merchant ships be ensured.

Therefore, Yang Zhengshan's original plan was to wait until the Tenglong Vanguard navy had a certain combat effectiveness, and then attract other merchants to participate in maritime trade.

But now that Luo Shang has brought it up, it's not impossible for the Luo family to prepare in advance.

……

Luo Shang stayed in Tenglongwei for two days. He talked with Yang Zhengshan about maritime trade and bought a house and a shop in the Weisi Yamen before leaving.

However, he kept Luo Zhen, and from then on Luo Zhen would be the person in charge of the Luo family's business in Tenglong Health.

Luo Shang knew very well that the Yang family was their Luo family's biggest backer, so he had always let Luo Zhen stay with the Yang family.

After Luo Shang left, Yang Zhengshan sent out invitations, inviting families, wealthy businessmen, and even martial arts sects that were familiar to him to visit Tenglongwei.

Yang Zhengshan wanted to hold an investment promotion conference with the aim of getting many families, wealthy businessmen and martial arts sects to settle in Tenglongwei and participate in maritime trade.

The investment promotion conference was scheduled for the first day of the twelfth lunar month.

Around the eighth day of November, the Zhang family in Liaoan Prefecture was the first to receive Yang Zhengshan's invitation.

In the Zhang family's study, Zhang Maosheng, Zhang Qingsong and Zhang Qingyun, father and son, looked at Yang Zhengshan's invitation, somewhat confused.

"What does General Yang mean? Why did he invite us to visit Tenglongwei? And he even set the date on the first day of the twelfth lunar month!" Zhang Qingsong said with a frown.

He didn't have a very good impression of Yang Zhengshan because Yang Zhengshan had rejected the Zhang family's kindness last time and bought their merchant ship.

Although Yang Zhengshan paid very generously when buying the merchant ship, it seemed like he was taking advantage of the Zhang family.

Zhang Maosheng pondered for a while and said, "Recently, the Tenglong Guards have been training the navy. Inviting us may be related to this!"

In the past, Tenglongwei was poor and it was the territory of the Lan family, so the surrounding forces would not pay attention to the affairs of Tenglongwei.

When Yang Zhengshan first came to Tenglongwei, he did not attract the attention of surrounding forces. It was not until the last corruption case of the Salt Transport Bureau that Tenglongwei came into the vision of surrounding forces.

Many people began to pay attention to Tenglongwei's actions and development.

The Zhang family would naturally not ignore the Tenglong Guards. In fact, the Zhang family is one of the forces that pays the most attention to the Tenglong Guards.

"What does the navy have to do with us?" Zhang Qingsong asked puzzledly.

Zhang Maosheng thought about it, but couldn't guess what Yang Zhengshan wanted to do, so he could only say, "Forget it, you can go and see when the time comes. As long as General Yang's request is not excessive, our Zhang family will agree to it!"

Based on the principle of not offending Yang Zhengshan, Zhang Maosheng felt that it would be okay to give Yang Zhengshan some benefits.

……

The Shang family of Jing'an Prefecture.

Shang Mingde also received an invitation from Yang Zhengshan.

Although the Shang family is a martial arts family, they also have many industries. After all, a martial arts family needs a lot of money to practice.

"Invite me to visit Tenglongwei?"

Shang Mingde was also very confused, but he was not too worried.

Because he had a very good impression of Yang Zhengshan, Yang Zhengshan was synonymous with benevolence and righteousness in his mind.

The fact that Yang Zhengshan had taken back the Wang family's cotton cloth and paid the full amount of money to the Wang family without taking any advantage of the Wang family was enough to be considered a righteous person.

"Put it away for me, and remind me when the time comes!"

Shang Mingde even felt that it was an honor to receive Yang Zhengshan's invitation, so he naturally would not take it lightly, so he specifically asked the servants around him to keep the invitation.

……

Lu family in Anning County.

In a quiet courtyard.

Master Lu sat in the tea room, holding a book in his hand and sipping tea, looking particularly leisurely and contented.

Today, Mr. Lu is over sixty years old and his health is not as good as before, so he handed over the family affairs to the younger generations and lived in a leisurely manner in his small courtyard.

Just when Mr. Lu was taking some time off, footsteps were heard outside the tea room door.

"Second uncle!"

A voice came from outside the door.

"Come in!" Master Lu said casually.

Lu Qi pushed the door open and walked into the tea room. It was cold outside, so he quickly closed the door and shook off the cold air. Master Lu looked up and glanced at him, "What's up?"

"Well, there is something I would like to ask my second uncle for his decision!" Lu Qi bowed slightly and sat next to Master Lu.

"What's the matter?" Master Lu put down the book in his hand and asked curiously.

Nowadays, Lu Qi is in charge of most of the affairs of the Lu family. The eldest branch of the Lu family has three legitimate sons and four illegitimate sons. Among them, the eldest legitimate son Lu Zhi is already a prefect of the fifth rank, and the second legitimate son Lu Yue has the title of juren and has been preparing for the imperial examination. However, Lu Yue has participated in the imperial examination twice, but failed to pass.

Among the three legitimate sons, Lu Qi was the worst, barely managing to gain the title of scholar.

So the housework of the Lu family fell into the hands of Lu Qi.

"It's General Yang who sent an invitation!" Lu Qi handed the invitation in his hand to Mr. Lu.

Master Lu opened it and took a look. "Since General Yang sent someone to deliver it, you can just go and take a look!"

Lu Qi picked up the tea, lowered his head and sipped it, remaining silent.

Seeing him like this, Master Lu couldn't help but smile, "Just say it if you have something to say. What can I hide from you, Uncle?"

His relationship with Lu Qi is closer than that of an uncle and nephew. Ever since Lu Qi returned to Anning County to take part in the county examination at the age of fifteen, he has been taken care of by Master Lu, and it has been almost ten years now.

"Dad wrote to me saying he might retire next year!" Lu Qi said softly.

Lu Zhongdao, the head of the Lu family, has been serving as the Minister of the Honglu Temple in the court for more than ten years. He has not made any progress in more than ten years, which proves that his official career has come to an end.

Now Lu Zhongdao is 68 years old, which is not considered old among the high-ranking officials in the court, but Lu Zhongdao's health is not very good, and he is somewhat unable to do his job.

Therefore, Lu Zhongdao had already thought about resigning from his official position and returning home.

I plan to write a petition to beg for my remains next year.

"What? Do you have any other ideas?" asked Mr. Lu.

Lu Qi shook his head slightly, "No, Dad has been busy all his life, and it's time for him to come back and enjoy his retirement. But as for Big Brother, I want to help him make further progress!"

Lu Zhi is now only a fifth-rank prefect, and he has served as prefect for two terms. If he continues to sit in the position of prefect, he may never be able to enter Beijing in this lifetime.

The Lu family needs someone to support it, and at present, Lu Zhi is the best candidate for the next generation.

But Lu Zhi's promotion was too slow.

Master Lu fell into deep thought. After a moment, he said helplessly, "It's difficult!"

Although the Minister of the Ministry of Rites is one of the Nine Ministers, he does not actually hold much power, and the Lu family has little foundation in the capital.

In Anning County and Jing'an Prefecture, the Lu family is considered a family of officials, but in Kyoto, the Lu family is really nothing.

If Lu Zhongdao really had the ability to promote Lu Zhi, Lu Zhi would not have sat in the position of prefect for six years.

"I heard that General Yang and Mr. Liu are close friends. I wonder if he can help?" Lu Qi expressed his thoughts.

However, Master Lu shook his head without even thinking, "No!"

"Why?" Lu Qi asked.

"Haha, because it's not worth it!" Master Lu laughed and said, "I've had this thought before, and your father should have had it too, but we didn't mention it!"

"When General Yang started from humble beginnings, our Lu family helped him a lot, but those were small favors and not worth mentioning at all."

"Besides, we also asked General Yang for help before. General Yang helped us establish a relationship with the Ningguo Mansion. Your father has lived such a stable life in Kyoto over the years, and he also borrowed a lot of power from the Ningguo Mansion!"

"So General Yang doesn't owe our Lu family anything. Although our Lu family and the Yang family have a close relationship, this relationship cannot be relied upon!"

"To put it simply, these relationships lose one point each time you use them, so they can only be used at critical moments!"

Lu Qi frowned, "Isn't it important to help Big Brother get promoted?"

"Of course not!" Second Master Lu said with a smile, "In fact, it is enough for our Lu family to have your eldest brother now. Even if your eldest brother cannot enter the capital, it can still ensure the continuation of our Lu family!"

"For a family, only life and death are the most important!"

Although Lu Zhi was only a fifth-rank prefect, he was enough to support the Lu family's reputation as an official family.

After Lu Zhongdao retired, it was inevitable that the Lu family would decline, but as long as Lu Zhi was still in officialdom, the Lu family would not completely decline.

It's nothing more than lying dormant for a while, waiting for Lu Zhi to grow up, or waiting for the next generation of the Lu family to grow up.

And Lu Zhi is not completely without opportunities. Perhaps he will have his own opportunities in the future. After all, he is still young and there is no need to be too anxious.

"We can't use our relationship with the Yang family now. The commander of the Tenglong Guard is not the end of General Yang. General Yang's future is broader than our Lu family!"

"If you use this favor now, you will lose it!" said Master Lu with a smile.

The value of a favor does not lie in how deep the favor is, but in who the favor is for.

Now Yang Zhengshan is just a guard commander, what about the future?
All commanders?

Or become the general of a frontier town, or join the Five Military Commandery?
Lu Qi thought about it and understood what Master Lu meant. He said a little embarrassedly, "My nephew is short-sighted!"

"Haha, it's nothing. You can think about your eldest brother. This is a blessing for our Lu family!"

Master Lu smiled with satisfaction.

Only when brothers work together can the family survive for long.

"What about this invitation!" Lu Qi looked at the invitation again.

Master Lu thought for a moment and said, "Forget it. I'll go with you when the time comes!"

He hadn't seen Yang Zhengshan for two or three years, so this was a good opportunity for him to stop by and catch up.

Hearing this, Lu Qi felt relaxed immediately.

To be honest, he was still a little nervous facing Yang Zhengshan.

He thought back to when he first met Yang Zhengshan, it was in Yangjia Village.

At that time, Yang Zhengshan was just a country bumpkin. Although he was about to go to Chongshan Town to serve as a trial centurion, he was nothing in front of him, the seventh young master of the Lu family.

But now, Yang Zhengshan is the General Dingguo appointed by His Majesty himself and the commander of the third-rank Tenglong Guard, but he is still the seventh young master of the Lu family.

There had been a huge reversal in his status and identity, which made him feel uncomfortable when facing Yang Zhengshan.

(End of this chapter)