What is the secret of Shanxi merchants' success? Why did Shanxi merchants make the noble Empress Dowager Cixi look at others differently?

The reason why Shanxi merchants made Cixi, the actual authority in the late Qing Dynasty, regard her with special respect is because they treated her very generously, which can be said to be the representative of national loyalty in her mind. This is because of the following three things that lead Cixi's awareness of Shanxi businessmen to change from thinking that she is a group of smelly businessmen to a loyal group of the country.

The first thing: After Eight-Nation Alliance entered Beijing, before Eight-Nation Alliance rushed into Beijing, the frames of two palaces escaped from the gunfire of Eight-Nation Alliance. At that time, Cixi fled from Deshengmen with Guangxu, a caring eunuch and a small number of guards. After all, it is to escape, even only a few cars. Cixi and Guangxu, who have always been spoiled, can be said to have nothing to want. After Shanxi merchants fled to the Shanxi border, they vigorously developed their hometown, and finally they and their entourage could be satisfied with food, clothing, housing and transportation. After Cixi arrived in Qixian, she set up her own palace on the most famous Shanxi merchant "Dadetong" in Qixian at that time, and Cixi and her party were given a grand reception. Later, when she arrived in Pingyao County, officials from Pingyao County and dozens of businessmen from Pingyao firms met her at the post office, and she was treated and received by the emperor accordingly.

The second thing: In fact, when Cixi and her party arrived in Shanxi, Shanxi merchants already knew the news of Cixi's arrival. Among them, Qiao, a famous Shanxi merchant, was the earliest, because Qiao had always been closely related to the Qing court. Therefore, knowing that Cixi was short of money, Da Deheng took the lead in donating 3,200 silver, and also explained the benefits of donating silver in detail, indicating the patriotic thought of Shanxi merchants. Other Shanxi merchants were not stupid, and then they received a huge sum of 65,438+2 million silver in less than half a day. Then the above-mentioned Dadetong firm directly designated its headquarters as the palace of Cixi.

The third thing: Cen Chunxuan asked Shanxi merchants for money and food under the guise of Cixi, and Shanxi merchants made three suggestions, which finally succeeded in letting Cen Chunxuan retreat. After Cixi knew it, she also praised them for being good at managing money and being very smart.