Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 178
Monthly salt produces 200,000 stones, and the annual output is 2 million stones.

The official tax of the Ming Dynasty was about [-] Wen per catty, so at least [-] Wen per stone, that is, two taels of silver.

In other words, the court could theoretically collect 4 million taels of well salt alone! ! !

Zhu Yixi was shocked: "With the well salt, it has reached the total business tax of the imperial court for one year."

The salt tax in the Ming Dynasty was only [-]% of that in the Song Dynasty, but the retail price was five or six times that in the Song Dynasty.

Needless to say, the price difference was almost wiped out by salt merchants, dignitaries, and bureaucrats.

However, the imperial court owns Sichuan salt, Shaanxi salt (green salt), Jin salt (Jiechi), Huai salt, and sea salt, and can only collect at most 2 million taels a year.

It can be seen that the loss of salt tax is terrible.

Facing the Shaanxi merchants, Zhu Yixi directly ordered: "The price of salt should not exceed [-] Wen per catty, and the tax should be [-] Wen per catty."

In other words, the price difference between the salt merchants is only twenty yuan, and the real profit that the salt merchants have to pay for the purchase is only ten yuan.

It looks like a small amount, but this is a costless and monopolistic business. You just sit and collect money and make a profit.

He Zongcheng, the head of the Shaanxi Commercial Bank, couldn't help but babbled when he heard the words, pretending to be distressed: "Your Highness, the profit is too thin."

"Thin margins?"

Zhu Yixi smiled, and said straightly: "Don't think that I don't understand your thoughts. If you earn less, you will lose money. You are not qualified to negotiate the price if you lie on the winning deal."

Since ancient times, the salt industry has been a heavy profit, making a fortune is just a matter of leisure, and Zhu Yixi is too lazy and long-winded.

"In addition, Huguang originally belonged to Huaiyan, and now Shuyan can also be exported to the east to fight for a profit."

"Your Highness!!!"

He Zongcheng's complexion changed drastically, and he was overwhelmed with surprise: "So, we will naturally obey."

Huguang has always belonged to the sphere of influence of the Lianghuai salt merchants, and the salt merchants are subordinate to the Jiangnan officials and gentry, that is, the Donglin Party.

Therefore, under normal circumstances, Chuan could not defeat Huaiyan, but who made Huguang the territory of King Hanyang now?

"Your Highness!" He Zongcheng hurriedly patted his chest and said, "The annual output of 2 million stones is only a rough estimate. I have confidence in digging more salt wells to produce 5 million stones per year."

"En!" Zhu Yixi believed in these words.

Because Zigong Well Salt is well-known in history, when it was in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Sichuan salt was used to help Chu, and the annual output reached an exaggerated 4 million stones.

Later, during the Anti-Japanese War, the entire rear was supported entirely by Sichuan salt.

Sichuan, Sichuan soldiers and Sichuan salt, the real rear of the country!

However, Shaanxi merchants included Jingyan and attacked Huguang, which was equivalent to fighting against Huizhou merchants and Huaiyan, forcing them to move closer to him again.

"Grain, salt!"

Zhu Yixi was drinking tea, thinking softly, and seeing He Zongcheng's careful flattery, he couldn't help saying: "The tea shop will also be established."

"This?" He Zongcheng hesitated.

If it is said that the salt industry belongs to the expansion of power, but the tea is directly digging their foundation.

The Ancient Tea-Horse Road was created step by step by Shaanxi merchants.

But, looking at King Hanyang's confident smile, how dare he talk too much?

With one hundred thousand soldiers and horses in his hand, and several provinces on his feet, he is a first-class big shot in the world, and Shaanxi merchants are completely different.

"Don't worry, Your Highness, the tea shop will be established in a few days."

Gritting his teeth, He Zongcheng squeezed out a smile.

"Tea, tax one out of ten!"

Zhu Yixi looked at his tangled appearance, and said with a half-smile, "You always leave your mouth open, don't you?"

Compared with the salt tax of ten taxes and six, the tea tax is relatively light.

After all, the Maori of tea is equally astonishing, almost equivalent to salt in the plateau and southwest regions.

He Zongcheng also smiled, squinted his eyes, and breathed a sigh of relief: "Your Highness is open, and I will naturally be happy to wait for the Shaanxi merchants."

"If the Shaanxi merchants try their best to help me, if I have a mouthful of rice, you will have a mouthful of soup."

Zhu Yixi said without hesitation that he wanted to completely bind the Shaanxi merchants to himself.

Information, finance, and supplies are all Shanxi merchants are good at.

These words were too obvious, and He Zongcheng hesitated for a moment.

"Your Highness, there are many Shaanxi merchants, and I can't promise you everything."

"Of course I understand!"

Zhu Yixi waved his hand and said casually, "I hope to get a definite reply by the end of September."

"After all, every moment, there is a large amount of gold and silver hidden."

After saying something with a little deep meaning, Zhu Yixi stopped talking.

After he left, Zhu Yixi stood up this time, looked at the turbulent river, and couldn't help muttering: "The Manchu Qing is approaching, the situation waits for no one, we have to hurry up."

The breeze is blowing, it is advisable to travel.

Leading the large army in the rear, Zhu Yixi finally started his return journey.

On the wharf, hundreds of bureaucrats from Sichuan Province bowed their heads respectfully to send King Hanyang away.

This mighty King of Hanyang stayed in Chengdu for a day, and they had to be very careful when making money, and they were extremely uneasy.

After finally leaving, the officials finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Liu Fantai, we need to cooperate more in the future."

Seeing the boat going away, Wang Yingxiong turned his respectful smile back and turned his head, facing the serious Liu Linchang, he couldn't help saying kindly.

"I still have to rely on Futai." Liu Linchang also replied.

Wang Yingxiong nodded, and then Shi Shi ran away.

The officials were very knowledgeable, so they hurriedly followed and fawned on them.

The latter swaggered forward, enjoying the pleasure of being surrounded by stars, and the smile on his face became brighter and brighter.

Liu Linchang watched him go, his eyes full of thought:
"His Royal Highness asked me to take care of this person, and he was really rebellious."

Pulling back his long sleeves, Liu Linchang said softly, "Since you are the chief minister, you have to take good care of the treasury."

With that said, he left step by step.

……

Zhu Yixi took a boat, went down the river, and arrived in Chongqing in two or three days. This slaughtered city was once again full of people.

It is located in an important place, with convenient water conservancy, and it is difficult to decay.

After that, it will go to Fengjie, Kuizhou Prefecture, and then the Three Gorges.

When he arrived in Jingzhou, it was already August 25th.

Relying on water conservancy, Jingzhou Mansion is several times more prosperous than Xiangyang. After visiting for a few days, he had some intention of setting up his residence here.

Not to mention anything else, here is adjacent to Dongting Lake, but the center of Huguang, and the geographical advantage is extremely obvious.

More importantly, Dongting, which is [-] miles away, is very suitable for training naval forces, and you can reach Jiujiang by going down the river.

However, he considered it again and again, and finally gave up on this very tempting idea.

Without him, the enemy is in the north!

The small court in the south of the Yangtze River has been infighting all the time, except for nominal coercion and temptation, there is no other threat at all.

He could swallow Zuo Liangyu in Jiujiang in a few days, but now he is kept because he wants to separate the two places.

After all, it smells far and near.

Once close to neighbors, Nanjing will be startled three times a day, and his mind might be put on him, which is pure internal friction.

When he returned to Xiangyang, he was naturally greeted eagerly.

He was forced to come to the Military and Political Department without even getting close to his tender Xue Niang.

Zhao Shu couldn't help but smiled bitterly and said, "My lord, which one do you agree to? King Gong? King Yi?"

"A dozen or so envoys have come to Nanjing, just to get some definite news."

Zhu Yixi heard the words, looked at his anxious face, and said unhurriedly: "I don't want any of them."

(End of this chapter)