In the ancient times, there was a merchant named Zhao Xuan who had been striving in the business world for years. However, he always felt that his business was like a huge ship stranded on the shoal, unable to sail into the broader and vaster business ocean. His fortune seemed to be bound by invisible ropes, remaining stagnant in a narrow space without any growth or breakthrough.

One day, as the sunlight spilled over the ancient path, Zhao Xuan, with a heart full of melancholy and confusion, encountered an old Taoist priest in a Taoist robe on the winding mountain path. The old Taoist priest had an otherworldly and noble demeanor, with deep and serene eyes that seemed to be able to perceive all the mysteries of the world. Zhao Xuan, as if seeing a savior, hastened to pour out his long-accumulated confusion to him. The old Taoist priest slightly raised his eyes, looked at Zhao Xuan carefully, and said slowly, "Fortune, although seemingly predestined by heaven, is actually based on self-cultivation, which is the foundation of establishing a career. If you can cultivate your moral character, keep your family in harmony, treat your employees kindly in business, and always keep benevolence and good intentions in your heart like a clear and flowing spring that never dries up, the wealth bestowed by heaven will surely come to you like blooming flowers, one after another."

Hearing these words, Zhao Xuan seemed to have a flash of inspiration in his mind, as if he had caught a glimmer of hope in the thick fog. He decided to change his previous way of doing business. In the past, he had only focused on chasing profits, demanding much from his employees while rarely caring about their hardships and difficulties. Since then, he began to attach great importance to the welfare of his employees. Not only did he increase their salaries and benefits, but also created a comfortable working environment for them and cared about their daily lives. Within the company, he vigorously advocated moral values, integrating integrity, friendliness, and mutual assistance into every business deal and transaction.

At first, the road of change seemed to be full of thorns, with many old habits and new ideas colliding and rubbing against each other. However, Zhao Xuan was firm in his belief and was not deterred by difficulties. As time went by, wonderful things happened quietly. The employees felt the care and respect from their employer, and their enthusiasm for work burned like a raging fire, greatly improving their work efficiency. Business partners, attracted by the reputation of Zhao Xuan's company for its integrity, came one after another to seek cooperation. The door of business opportunities seemed to be opened by the spring breeze, and opportunities came one after another.

As the years passed slowly, Zhao Xuan's company, under his meticulous management and adherence to the right path, gradually stood out, rising like a bright star in the business sky. Its business scope continued to expand, from a small town to the surrounding counties, and then across mountains and rivers, spreading to a broader area. Eventually, his company stood proudly in the business world of that time and became one of the most influential commercial giants. Wealth flowed in like an endless river, pouring in continuously.

The principle contained herein is just like the concept of "cultivating oneself, regulating the family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world" advocated by Taoism. When a merchant makes a living in the mortal world, if he can cultivate his moral character deeply in his heart, removing flaws like carving a piece of beautiful jade, and manage business affairs with good intentions externally, caring for employees and treating others with integrity, so as to achieve a harmonious coexistence between himself and the surrounding environment, how can wealth not flow in abundantly? It's just like that only with deep roots can the leaves be lush, and only with a dredged source can the water flow long. Only by laying a solid foundation in self-cultivation can one bear the rich fruits of wealth in the business world and make fortune follow closely like a shadow, lasting continuously.

Looking at the long history, many examples can prove this principle. In the past, there was Fan Li, also known as Tao Zhu Gong. After helping King Goujian of Yue achieve hegemony, he was well aware of the danger of overshadowing the monarch with his great achievements, so he quietly retired. Adhering to Taoist thoughts, he cultivated his mind and body and engaged in business by the Taihu Lake. He valued righteousness over wealth and treated his neighbors and business partners kindly. In every business deal, he always took integrity as the foundation. Although he didn't deliberately pursue profits, wealth came to him like a tidal wave, making him one of the richest people in the region and being respected by merchants in later generations.

Another example is among the Huizhou merchants. There was a merchant surnamed Li who came from a poor family but had lofty aspirations. In his early years, he was lucky to receive guidance from a Taoist master and deeply understood the importance of cultivating oneself and regulating the family for business. Therefore, he advocated a harmonious atmosphere within the family, respecting the old and loving the young, and making his brothers united. In business operations, he paid attention to his own moral cultivation, never bullying others in the trade or being greedy for small profits. During the years of famine, he opened his granaries to distribute food and relieve the victims. His kind deeds won the praise and good reputation of his neighbors, and his business grew bigger and bigger. His merchant caravans traveled throughout the country, and the goods he dealt with were all famous for their high quality and fair prices. Eventually, he accumulated a huge amount of wealth and became an outstanding figure among the Huizhou merchants, and his family thrived for several generations.

It can be seen that the concept of self-cultivation advocated by Taoism is like a bright lamp in the business field, illuminating the way forward for merchants. It warns the world that wealth is not obtained merely by chance or by unscrupulous means, but comes from the accumulation of inner cultivation and moral character. When a merchant can take self-cultivation as the foundation and integrate benevolence, integrity, and kindness into every aspect of business activities, he will be in harmony with the way of heaven and earth, conforming to the laws of nature. In this way, fortune will no longer be an unreachable mirage, but will turn into tangible rewards and come to him.

In today's era, business competition is becoming increasingly fierce and the market environment is changing rapidly. However, the Taoist thought that "wealth flows in abundantly, rooted in self-cultivation" still has profound implications. Modern merchants can draw nourishment from the ancient Taoist wisdom, attach importance to their own moral cultivation, care for employees, actively assume social responsibilities, and establish a good corporate image. In this way, they will surely be invincible in the fierce market competition and reap continuous wealth and reputation.