Merchants in the Edo period often used their place of birth as their house number, so shops opened by Echigo people were basically called Echigoya.

Therefore, we often see this interesting phenomenon during the Edo period: although the shop owners have the same house number, they are not relatives, and the businesses they engage in are very different.

Echigoya Bunzaburo was a liquor merchant specializing in the liquor business. He was very powerful and had a wide range of business.

Not only the water produced in Gyeonggi Province is sold to Kanto, but also the soju produced in Kanto Province is sold to Gyeonggi Province.

It is said that for every 10 bottles of wine consumed by Edo people, at least one bottle passed through the hands of Echigoya Bunzaburo.

With his profound qualifications, excellent reputation, and good character, Echigoya Bunzaburo has always played a decisive role in the Edo business community.

A few years ago, he was jointly recommended by many colleagues and successfully became the talkative person among Zhu Zhongma in the liquor industry in Edo.

In the early Edo period, as free business was allowed, many merchants gathered in Edo. As each day passed, the number continued to increase. As a result, competition became increasingly fierce and bad business wars could be seen everywhere.

Therefore, in order to avoid the increase of foreign businessmen, Edo businessmen organized a trade union called "Zhu Zhongma" without authorization to monopolize management rights.

"Nakama" means "partner" in Japanese, and each participating business is called "one" - this is why in modern Japanese, stocks are called "co., Ltd." and "co., Ltd." is called "co., Ltd."

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The members of the Zhuzhongjian group work together to jointly issue business franchises, restrict the presence of businesses other than members of the organization, make price agreements with each other, and report members who violate the regulations.

Seeing this behavior of merchants, the Edo shogunate was worried that the merchant organization would dominate the market price and cause the shogunate's rule to be shaken, so it banned the Zhunakama organization several times.

However, Zhuzhongjian has made a great contribution to stabilizing the market.

Therefore, when the Eighth Dynasty Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune carried out the Kyoho reform, he adopted the organizational structure of the Zhu-Nakama as a guideline and recognized the establishment of the Zhu-Nakama.

To a certain extent, Zhuzhongjian is equivalent to a modern chamber of commerce, which plays a role in exchanging needs for members within the organization, protects the interests of members within the organization to the greatest extent, and greatly inhibits the emergence of unscrupulous businessmen.

Although some profiteers and gangsters still appear from time to time, in normal years, prices in the Edo period were relatively stable due to the coordination between Zhu and Zhong.

In other words, the old man appearing in front of Suzune and others now is the leader of the liquor merchants' guild in Edo.

Why does such a top business tycoon appear here and now?

The reason is quite simple - because the main person in charge of inviting Qingto to dinner today is Echigoya Bunzaburo.

"Mr. Echigoya."

Qingdeng nodded to the old man, and then said half-jokingly:

"It's been a while, I haven't seen you for a while, you seem to be getting younger again."

Echigoya Bunzaburo smiled generously.

"Hahaha, it would be great if I really had the ability to rejuvenate myself!"

As he spoke, he looked around, doubts gradually appearing on his wrinkled old face:

"Master Tachibana, what's going on?"

"It's nothing, it's just that something happened that made me quite unhappy."

Aoto told Echigoya Bunzaburo in a concise and concise manner the detailed cause and effect of "Hayakawa Danshichiro bullied civilian girls".

After hearing this, the old man's face suddenly darkened.

He walked slowly to Hayakawaya Danshichiro without saying a word.

"Danshichiro... I have a destiny with your Hayakawa house. I have visited your house several times. Do you still remember me?"

"Remember, remember, remember..."

Hayakawa Danshichiro nodded as if he was pounding garlic.

I saw that his knees were bending uncontrollably, and his legs were trembling, as if he would fall to the ground at any time.

Although he is a hopeless playboy, he still maintains the IQ level expected of a normal human being.

He was very clear in his heart: not only could he not offend the "Benevolent King", but he could not offend even the old man in front of him!

Not to mention that he could only use his family's name to show off his prestige, even if his father Hayakawaya Shotaro was here, he had to be respectful in front of Echigoya Bunzaburo.

The alcoholic beverage industry is one of the most profitable and influential industries in Edo besides the rice and grain industry.

In this repressed society that lacks entertainment, alcohol has become the best medicine for the middle and lower classes to soothe their souls and relieve their physical and mental pain.

It is no exaggeration to say that Shu Nakama of the Edo liquor industry holds great energy.

Offending Echigoya Bunzaburo was equivalent to indirectly offending the entire Edo liquor industry.

Such a serious price is unbearable even for Zha Chai!

"I have issued a call several times that all sons of wealthy businessmen should set an example. They should not seek to be a superior person, but should also be a kind person."

"However, there are still some people who turn a deaf ear to my honest words."

"Danshichiro, today... no, your performance has really disappointed me."

At this time, Qingdeng intervened.

"Mr. Echigoya, you are a businessman. There are some things that you can do more conveniently than me."

"Can you please do your best in the next period of time to persuade the Edo disciples to restrain their stubborn characters and become law-abiding people?"

"It just so happens that the town chief of Kitabansho has been complaining to me recently, saying that some young men are really too arrogant and domineering. The despicable behavior of some people has even had a very bad impact on the public security situation in Edo."

Based on Qingdeng's current identity and status, it would be a shame to personally deal with these little guys who only know how to eat, drink and have fun.

Let others do such small things for you.

Qingdeng believed that these big business people who were eager to establish friendship with him would be happy to help him handle these simple things that were not too troublesome.

Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, Echigoya Bunzaburo hurriedly replied:

"Tachibana-sama, please rest assured, leave this matter to me, Bunzaburo!"

Does the old man really care about the mess caused by the dandies in the Edo business district?

That's not necessarily the case.

All he wanted was to show off in front of Qingdeng in exchange for Qingdeng's friendship.

To rectify the entire Edo business district - the old man definitely does not have this ability.

But it wouldn't be a problem for Hayakawa Danshichiro to learn a lesson - and this was exactly Aoshito's original intention.

As a veteran who has been in the business world for decades, how could the old man not understand Qingdeng’s subtext?

Pretending to be silly and acting appropriately are essential social skills for adults.

As a result, the old man tacitly followed Aonto's words and shouted "Leave it to me!". In reality, he would only focus on Hayakawa Danshichiro.

The questions and answers answered by Aoto and Echigoya Bunzaburo made Hayakawa Danshichiro feel like he was struck by five thunders.

He knows his father's character well.

Whether he was spending money lavishly or playing with women unscrupulously, his father could turn a blind eye.

But only when it comes to major events involving the future of the family... there is no room for compromise!

If his father knew that at this critical moment when the country and society were extremely unstable, he had accidentally offended the "benevolent king"... God knows how his father would teach him a lesson!

The best outcome he could imagine... was to be beaten up, then "exiled", and moved to a remote rural area. For at least a few years in the future, although he would not have to worry about food and drink, his life would be boring.

Maddeningly lonely days…

When he thought of this, his face suddenly turned earth-colored, his thin body swayed violently, and then he fell to the ground as soft as a soaked noodle.

Aoto didn't even look at Hayakawaya Danshichiro, who was paralyzed with fear, and turned to leave.

Echigoya Bunzaburo stood half a step to the side, giving way to the road, and then walked behind Aoto, intentionally trailing half a step behind Aoto.

At this moment, a timid and delicate female voice suddenly attracted the attention of Aoto and Echigoya Bunzaburo.

"Tachibana, Tachibana-sama!"

Qingden was stunned for a moment, stopped, turned around, and faced Suzune.

"Thank you...I really don't know how to thank you..."

As she spoke, Suzune tightened the shamisen in her arms, her eyes wandered, her pretty face flushed, and her cute toes wrapped in cloth socks kept scratching the tatami.

The strong look he had shown when he rejected Hayakawa Danshichiro's excessive demands just now disappeared without a trace.

Seeing this, Qingdeng smiled politely but without losing a sense of distance.

"Miss Suzuyin, you're welcome. I just did what I was supposed to do. There's no need to thank me specifically."

"If you feel guilty... please play the piano for me when you have the opportunity."

After saying that, Qingteng withdrew his gaze from Suzune and left quickly without any further pause.

"Ah, Tachibana..."

Ling Yin also wanted to say something.

But the figure of the other party had already left her sight.

The large room returns to the configuration of two men and one woman.

However, compared to just now, the expressions and states of the three people have undergone earth-shaking changes.

Yoshikuro, who had been unable to speak since Aoto's sudden appearance, had not yet recovered from his shock. Even now, his mouth is still open, and his chin seems to be about to drop to the ground at any time.

Hayakawa Danshichiro seemed to have lost his soul, his face was as white as a layer of white paint, his eyes were straight and empty, and his body slumped on the tatami was motionless.

Suzune stood there for a long time, her eyes staring blankly in the direction Qingto left, her eyes filled with elusive and complex emotions.
To be continued...