Daming Town Haiwang

Chapter 276, Questions About Salt

Selling all the seafood in his hand at once, Qin Quan was also in a good mood, and even more cleverly wanted to hug Liu Jin's thigh tightly. There is a very high demand for such large orders specially sent to the factory. Stable, although the price will be lower, but the quantity is large, and they are their favorite customers for doing business.

Who knows the name of the glass factory in the entire capital?

There are also big customers like Xishan Coal Industry, which are everyone's favorite. They are rich, have large quantities, and stable demand. As long as they get involved, they will make money.

So after Qin Quan gave a few simple instructions to his staff, he also chatted with Liu Jin with a smile.

"Boss Qin, what is your best seller?"

Naturally, Liu Jin came to the fish store not specifically to buy fish, but to inquire about various news and understand the market demand, so that he can also follow the market to make changes in the future.

"These large yellow croakers, small yellow croakers, pompano, and squid are all selling well, mainly because they are cheap and have a lot of meat. The price is very important in this seafood business. It is difficult to sell if it is expensive, but it is easy to sell if it is cheap. a lot of."

"As for the best-selling one, it's actually this kind~"

Qin Quan said with a smile while pointing to the various fish on the stall, and picked up a few dried salted fish and said.

"Is this dried salted fish?"

Liu Jin looked at it and said, the dried salted fish was dried in the Tianjin port, and each piece of salted fish had a label of Tianjin port on it. Of course Liu Jin knew it.

"Yes, it is dried salted fish. The price of this kind of dried salted fish is not too expensive, and it is easy to store for a long time, and it is also convenient to transport. Of course, the most important thing is that there is a lot of salt on the dried salted fish. When cooking, put some dried salted fish Go in, there is meat and no need to add salt, it is the most popular."

"However, the production of this kind of dried salted fish is too small, and it is often out of stock. Every time there is a stock, it will be sold out quickly. After all, it is pickled with salt, and this salt is very expensive."

Qin Quan smiled and said to Liu Jin that salt is still very precious in this era, and the price is also very high. This kind of dried salted fish with salt can save salt for ordinary people, so it is naturally very popular.

"That's it~"

Liu Jin smiled and nodded after listening.

Of course, Liu Jin knew about this a long time ago, otherwise he wouldn't have come up with such things as dried salted fish. Asking now is also to confirm his own judgment.

Sure enough, as I judged, salted fish is very marketable in this era.

"It seems that the matter of setting up a salt farm must be settled as soon as possible. If there is no salt farm, the salted fish will be too expensive. Those salt dealers are masters who eat people without spit out bones. Salt is too expensive."

Thinking of this, Liu Jin couldn't help but want to set up a salt farm.

It's just that the salt and iron in this era are all monopolized by the imperial court, but this monopoly of salt and iron not only did not bring much benefit to the imperial court, but also did not bring any benefits to the common people. In fact, it was the salt merchants who benefited in the end.

Relying on the monopoly of salt and iron, these salt merchants were all wealthy, cultivated a huge group of spokespersons, and slowly infiltrated into the power center of the empire. In the late Ming Dynasty, they even directly controlled the entire court. This good river and mountain was ruined.

It is definitely not an easy task to set up a salt farm, and it is even impossible.

However, Liu Jin has the support of Prince Zhu Houzhao. Zhu Houzhao is very keen on making money now, and the timing is very good now.

Not long ago, the case of the theft of official food has been still being investigated, and from time to time, big shots in the court will be found out, and these people who are found out are basically related to the big salt merchants, big families, and big businessmen in the Jiangnan area. The inextricable connections are their spokespersons.

This wave of blows is very heavy for them.

Taking advantage of the fact that they hadn't calmed down, and taking advantage of the limelight they were being suppressed, Liu Jin felt that there was a glimmer of hope that this matter could be done. If it was before, Liu Jin would never have dared to mention this matter.

Because that is definitely looking for death, and those big salt merchants will never allow anyone to touch their interests.

"I don't know if Zhu Houzhao has forgotten this matter."

Liu Jin thought for a while and shook his head.

After chatting briefly with Boss Qin for a while, Liu Jin also continued to wander around in the sea fish shop.

After visiting the sea fish shop, Liu Jin also returned to his house.

"Old Liu, you are back, hurry up and enter the palace with me."

Liu Jin had just returned home when Zhu Houzhao came to the door in a hurry, as if there was something urgent.

"Enter the palace?"

Liu Jin said in a daze.

"Yes, the last time you mentioned to me about the establishment of the salt farm, I told my father, and my father has a lot of things I want to ask you."

I really came here on my mind, I was still thinking about the salt field in Yuhuohang, but I didn't expect Zhu Houzhao to come to him immediately, and it was also because of the salt field.

Hearing Zhu Houzhao's words, Liu Jin didn't waste time. It was a rare opportunity to visit the imperial palace of this era, so naturally he couldn't miss it.

Soon, following Zhu Houzhao, Liu Jin walked towards the palace.

After entering the imperial palace, Liu Jin looked carefully as he walked. It was similar to what later generations saw when he went to the Forbidden City. There was not much difference, except that there were more imperial guards everywhere.

In the study room of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Emperor Hongzhi was also thinking about salt.

"Xiao Jing, ask someone to investigate the situation of the major salt farms in the south of the Yangtze River, and also investigate the salt merchants to see if what the prince said is true."

Emperor Hongzhi learned a lot about the salt industry from Zhu Houzhao. Since the fifth year of Hongzhi, when the grain-supplying center was opened for Nayin, Emperor Hongzhi felt that he was doing the right thing in the salt industry.

In the past, it was very difficult to sustain the payment of grain. If there were no reforms, the frontier soldiers would not even have food. After the opening of the payment of silver, the imperial court received an additional million taels of silver every year, which greatly eased the financial difficulties of the court. , although it is still very difficult.

"Yes~"

Xiao Jing replied respectfully.

Now Emperor Hongzhi likes to leave many things to himself. Through Jinyiwei and Changwei, Emperor Hongzhi can learn more and clearer information, and slowly begins to rely on himself. Not long ago, he even allocated money from the internal funds. [-] taels of silver was used for the office of Jinyiwei and Factory Guard.

It can be seen that Emperor Hongzhi now attaches great importance to the power of factory guards, which was something that he could not have even imagined before.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness the Crown Prince, please see me~"

"Xuan~"

At this time, Zhu Houzhao took Liu Jin to the study of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The first time Liu Jin entered the palace, Liu Jin was not as excited as he imagined, because later generations have been to the Forbidden City and watched many court dramas. However, Liu Jin was still very curious about Emperor Hongzhi's study, and he walked casually take a look.

"Anything here will be a national treasure if it is brought to future generations~"

"These hanging paintings and words..."

In the study of Emperor Hongzhi, there are many kinds of calligraphy and paintings, which can be seen everywhere, and there are also all kinds of porcelain, all of which are absolutely high-quality goods. This makes Liu Jin's small eyes shine continuously, and he doesn't know why in his mind. Thinking about the years when these things will be sold in future generations.

"Father~"

"Grassman Liu Jin pays homage to Your Majesty~"

Zhu Houzhao and Liu Jin saluted Emperor Hongzhi respectively.

"Excuse me, give me a seat."

Emperor Hongzhi said in a very easy-going manner.

"Liu Jin, do you want to run a saltworks?"

Emperor Hongzhi didn't mean to waste time, and asked directly as soon as he came.

"Yes, Your Majesty, please allow Your Majesty."

Liu Jin nodded and replied.

"Then do you know that salt and iron are all monopolized by the imperial court and are absolutely granted to private individuals."

Emperor Hongzhi was expressionless and said very seriously.

"Grass people know~"

Liu Jin looked at Emperor Hongzhi's face, and felt a little confused about what Emperor Hongzhi was thinking.

"Since you know, why do you still want to set up a saltworks?"

Emperor Hongzhi looked at Liu Jin, put down the pen and memorial in his hand.

"Your Majesty, the reason why the grassroots want to build a salt farm is because the minister's running a salt farm is beneficial to both the country and the people."

Liu Jin thought for a while and replied.

"Is it good for the country and the people?"

Emperor Hongzhi smiled lightly, and then said: "Let's hear what are the benefits?"

"As long as His Majesty allows the grass folks to run the salt farm, I will pay the imperial court a tax of two million taels of silver every year. In addition, the grass folks can also guarantee that the annual dividends from the salt farm to His Highness will not be less than two million taels of silver."

Liu Jin thought for a while and said.

"Two million taels of silver?"

When Emperor Hongzhi heard this, he couldn't help but take a deep breath.

The imperial court is accepting silver, and the tax silver collected in a year is only one million taels. Liu Jin opened a saltworks, and even said that he would pay two million taels of silver to the imperial court, and the key is that there are still profits. Give Zhu Houzhao a dividend of no less than two million taels of silver every year.

"How much are you going to sell this salt for a catty?"

After thinking about it, Emperor Hongzhi asked coldly, paying so much tax and silver, there is still money to be made. Apart from the high price of salt, Emperor Hongzhi really couldn't figure out how Liu Jin could maintain it.

"Your Majesty, my salt is not only at least [-]% lower than the market price, but the quality is definitely better than other salts on the market. This is another benefit I mentioned. It is also beneficial to the people of Li. Let people eat cheaper and better salt."

Liu Jin replied confidently.

"Do you treat me like a three-year-old child?"

"It is necessary to earn a lot of money and the price is low. How can there be such a good thing in the world."

When Emperor Hongzhi heard this, he immediately said sharply.

"Grass people dare not~"

Liu Jin quickly pretended to be terrified and said.

"Hmph, what are you afraid of? Salt and iron are the exclusive property of the imperial court. You dare to get your hands on it. What else are you afraid of?"

Emperor Hongzhi snorted coldly.

"Your Majesty, please forgive the grassroots for their boldness. How much salt tax can this imperial court collect in a year?"

"I don't know if Your Majesty knows how much a catty of salt is bought in the market? And do you know how much the salt is when it comes out of the salt field?"

Liu Jin is a little confused about today's Emperor Hongzhi. It feels like a different person. He is less approachable than before and more domineering. It makes people feel like accompanying the emperor like a tiger.

If the former Emperor Hongzhi was a good man, the current Emperor Hongzhi is more like what an emperor should be.

"The imperial court can collect a million taels of salt tax every year."

"The salt in the market probably only sells for [-] to [-] yuan a catty. As for the salt from the salt farm..."

Emperor Hongzhi thought for a while and said, when it came to how much the salt from the salt field cost per catty, he was suddenly at a loss for words, because he didn't know how much the salt from the salt plant cost per catty.

"Your Majesty, the salt merchant gets the salt from the salt field, and his cost can actually be almost zero."

Liu Jin thought for a while and wanted to mention Emperor Hongzhi to finish speaking.

"The cost is zero?"

When Emperor Hongzhi and Zhu Houzhao heard this, their eyes widened immediately, which was really appalling.

"Your Majesty, since the fifth year of Hongzhi, it has been changed from the payment of grain to the payment of silver. I don't know if your majesty has discovered that the salt tax collected is getting less and less every year, while the military expenditure of the frontier army is increasing every year. More than a year?"

Liu Jin nodded, thought for a while and asked again.

When Emperor Hongzhi heard it, his eyes were a little dazed. As an emperor educated by Confucianism, he always paid attention to governing the country with benevolence and virtue. For things like financial data, he just listened to the Zhou Jing and recited them, and he would not take a closer look at them. The various data changes, of course, are not clear about these things.

"So what?"

Emperor Hongzhi thought for a while and said.

"Your Majesty, why does the salt tax decrease every year?"

"There are so many salt farms in the imperial court, why can they only receive a salt tax of one million taels a year?"

"Your Majesty is wise and wise. I think His Majesty is very clear about many of these things."

"I don't know if Your Majesty has ever been to the salt farm? Take a look at the situation of the stove households? I think as long as your Majesty goes to take a look, you will understand why I said that the cost of salt these salt merchants get from the salt farm is almost zero."

Liu Jin has a lot of things to say in his mind, but he can't say them after thinking about them. Although he knows some things, he can't say them. Why can't the implementation of this good payment plan be implemented? In fact, the main reason is the emperor. Whether it is Emperor Hongzhi or the Ming Xianzong in front of him.

Salt is often rewarded to the royal family, nobles, ministers and the like. This is tantamount to occupying nests in disguise. Merchants who have worked hard to transport grain to the border cannot get salt, but those who have not contributed at all can get it. Salt.

If there is too much salt in the reward, the system of accepting grain and opening the middle can no longer be implemented, because the merchants who transport grain to the border have no salt but can't get it, because the salt production of the salt farm is limited, and it must be limited to satisfy those who Salt quotations from powerful officials.

But can you say the emperor's fault?Obviously not, even though the Emperor Hongzhi in front of him was notoriously good-tempered.

The salt merchants who can get salt from the salt field are people with all-hands and eyes. Some of these people evade taxes by means of tax evasion, which is why the salt tax they receive is getting less and less.

It was okay in the Hongzhi Dynasty, but in the late Ming Dynasty, the salt tax was even more pitiful, not only the salt tax, but all other taxes were pitifully low, and a county in the Jiangnan area could not collect much. Ten taels of silver is unbelievable when you think about it.

This is the disadvantage of the opening of the bank, and tax evasion is too serious.

The previous grain payment is different. This food is related to the frontier army. The frontier army will only give it to the salt when it receives the grain. If you want to evade taxes, there is no place to steal it. After all, everything related to the frontier army is event.

If the frontier army has no food to eat, it will cause trouble. Since ancient times, military mutiny has been a major event, and it will be uploaded to the sky immediately.

Hearing Liu Jin's words, Emperor Hongzhi frowned and pondered. Salt and food are matters of great importance, and they also involve huge interests. Of course he knows how serious the corruption is.

It's just that he doesn't know much about salt all the time, because these officials in the lower court will not let Emperor Hongzhi know too much about salt.

The impression given to Emperor Hongzhi was that after the Nayin was opened, it would be a good thing for the country and the people. The court increased the salt tax, and the salt merchants would not have to work hard to transport grain to the border towns, and the common people seemed to be able to eat it. Cheaper salt.

Because of this illusion, Emperor Hongzhi knew that the salt was like grain, and corruption was rampant inside, but he had not carried out some rectification and reform. Of course, Emperor Hongzhi had limited wisdom and relied more on the officials below. It is better to rectify No matter whether it is changed or changed, in fact, there is no way to touch the interests of those people.

"Father, the wages of ordinary people are about [-] to [-] yuan a day, and a catty of salt costs dozens of yuan, which is too expensive. The current salt and iron system is not good for the court, but for the common people. What's more, ordinary people often can't afford salt at all."

"The biggest beneficiaries of this system are those salt merchants and officials in those salt farms. They are all rich and rich."

At this time, Zhu Houzhao also spoke. He either didn’t do something, and he was very serious when he did it. He asked people to investigate the salt merchant’s affairs in advance, and collected what he knew when he was outside.

Hearing Zhu Houzhao's words, Emperor Hongzhi's face became even more ugly. Originally, in his opinion, the salt worth tens of pennies a catty was not that expensive, but Zhu Houzhao said that ordinary people can only buy a catty of salt for a day of work. At that time, he knew that the salt was really expensive, very expensive.

Ordinary people do not have many opportunities to work, and it is difficult to make money. The salt of tens of pennies per catty is really unaffordable. This is like the salt of later generations. It is also absolutely unbearable.

　The writing is very messy, but the number of words is about [-] words~ the amount is large and full
　　
　
(End of this chapter)