Red Mansion Jia Enhou

Chapter 85 Discussion (please subscribe!)
  There was no sea salt.

Sea salt can be traced back to the Shennong period, and coastal residents began to consume sea salt during the Northern Wei Dynasty.

Until the end of the Qing Dynasty, the salt-drying method was continuously improved.

It can be seen from this that sea salt has a long history in our country.

But there is no sea salt in this.

The emperor walked in from the small door at the back. People in the room saw the emperor wanting to salute, but the emperor waved his hand to stop him.

"Sea salt tastes bitter and is inedible, which is why it has not been promoted."

"But it's also found in Huizhou and Zhejiang."

"Please tell me more about state-owned enterprises."

The emperor asked Jia She to explain it more carefully.

Jia She spoke again carefully, and the emperor was moved.

If the imperial court could really run this state-owned enterprise, how could the imperial court be short of money?

The emperor turned his attention to Pei Mian.

"Mr. Pei, is it possible to implement what Enhou said?"

Pei Mian smiled bitterly and shook his head towards the emperor.

"cannot!"

"At that time, Taizu originally wanted to follow Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and establish a salt and iron monopoly. However, the process of making and extracting Jing salt was too complicated and the court could not support so many people to work on it, so he had no choice but to give up and switch to salt production."

Yanyin is a transportation and sales license. Only with a license can we do things.

The incomplete system has led to the proliferation of private salt.

If the state-owned enterprise system can be activated, and the court can intervene to produce salt on a large scale and sell it uniformly to salt merchants, it can effectively curb the proliferation of private salt and drive up prices.

This is how it is done in modern times.

This is also the real purpose of establishing state-owned enterprises. Everything is to ensure people's livelihood and effectively maintain the normal operation of the market.

The emperor nodded after hearing this.

Salt cannot be produced due to technical problems, but grain can be produced.

From now on, the people's grain would be purchased on a large scale by the imperial court, and then resold to large grain merchants. This would achieve multiple benefits with one stone. The imperial court would not only have abundant grain and grass, but also unify grain pricing to prevent unscrupulous merchants from driving up prices.

The emperor's eyes became brighter and brighter, but when the energy passed, the emperor's eyes darkened again after he had pondered for a while. This was a wonderful idea.

I'm just afraid that it will be difficult to implement unless he can defeat the landowners and gentry all over the world.

Otherwise, if you want to achieve it, it will be a fantasy and a fool's dream.

There were not many ways for the court to raise money, other than taxation, of which salt and grain accounted for most of the money.

The salt policy cannot be touched because output cannot be achieved, and the grain policy cannot even be touched in order to stabilize the country.

The emperor's face was full of decadence and he looked at Jia She apologetically.

"Ai Qing's method is a good way to solve the problem of the court's finances and people's livelihood. It's a pity that I and the court are not capable enough to support your implementation of this method."

Jia She frowned.

"Why is it not capable enough?"

Jia She asked the emperor, who was speechless for a moment.

No matter how he explains this, it can't be said that he can't convince the public yet.

Pei Mian explained for the emperor.

"General Pardon, does he know what it means not to go to the countryside under imperial orders?"

Jia She understood instantly.

This decree will definitely harm the interests of many parties.

In ancient times, transportation was inconvenient and information spread slowly.

Even good things can be spread as bad things. For example, Qin Shihuang's policy of unification and the system of prefectures and counties were hindered by many parties when they were implemented, leading to the death of the second generation.

So this matter needs to be done slowly.

Jia She closed his mouth and said no more.

But the emperor grabbed Jia She and refused to let him go.

"Does Enhou have a way to solve the problem of the emperor not going to the countryside?"

"Dibao!"

Jia She softly uttered two words.

The reason why the emperor ordered not to go to the countryside was because information was underdeveloped. In later generations, when there was no Internet, if everyone wanted to know something, most of it was spread from person to person or through newspapers.

Di Bao is the predecessor of newspapers. It was first established in the Han Dynasty and was dedicated to conveying military and political information.

Later, with the development, in the Song Dynasty, it began to be sold and disseminated on a large scale. With the formation and use of movable type printing, in the Ming Dynasty, the scale of Di Bao further expanded.

The emperor and everyone present suddenly became enlightened.

Di newspapers have always been there, but they were not used properly.

If he could make good use of it, would the court still be afraid that Xiao Xiao would confuse the people into causing chaos?
  The emperor's eyes lit up again. The only problem left with the impossibility of implementing such a salt policy was the court's manpower and technology. If the salt administration is done well, the court will not be short of money.

In particular, salt and iron have been state-owned since ancient times.

Just like this, why are you still afraid of a few flamboyant salt merchants and a few unpopular small clans?

"What do you think, Mr. Pei?"

"If Your Majesty thinks it's okay, then that's okay."

"It's just the Emperor's place"

Pei Mian became worried again. The Supreme Emperor had protected the Zhen family not once or twice.

Although the salt administration restructuring is difficult, it is not a problem.

As long as the monarch and his ministers are united and solve technical problems, it will be relatively easy to make changes.

The emperor said silently: "Father will agree!"

Pei Mian nodded.

It's just that the emperor has a droopy face.

Shouldn't you be happy that you are about to accomplish something big?

Jia She was curious as to why the emperor's face became unhappy when he heard the words "Tai Shang Huang".

Pei Mian is also curious, but the key issue has not been resolved yet.

Yield!

Pei Mian raised the key issue. If the output cannot solve it, it will all be an illusion.

Jia She laughed.

"I wonder if Mr. Pei still remembers the sea salt I mentioned?"

Pei Mian was startled.

“Sea salt tastes bitter and should not be used frequently!”

"I have a question for you."

“What makes salt taste bitter?”

Pei Mian was slightly startled, why is salt bitter?
  He had never been deeply involved in salt production, so he really didn’t know this.

Pei Mian shook his head sincerely.

Jia She smiled and spoke.

"I don't know either, but I guess it's because of the brine and impurities in it."

"As long as these impurities are extracted, I think we can get sea salt with a pure taste."

"How to extract it?"

Pei Mian asked Jia She.

He didn't know this, so Jia She spread his hands.

Jia She and Pei Mian's eyes glanced at several of the emperor's confidants who had never spoken once.

The scene was silent for a while, and Niu Ben opened his mouth quietly and told what he saw and heard when he was fighting the rebellion of the Southern Barbarians in the south.

The actual salt-drying method has become popular in the land where barbarians are mixed.

It is only because of the propaganda of some salt merchants that this sea salt cannot enter the market.

Hearing this, the emperor was so angry that he broke a cup. It would have been all because of these salt merchants, if not for them.

How could the common people become without salt to eat?

The emperor made a final decision.

"This method works!"

"When the disaster of the salt merchants is resolved, we will implement this method!"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

All the ministers saluted the emperor and then straightened their waists.

The emperor looked at Jia She with more and more enthusiasm.

He really found a treasure. He didn't expect that the unlearned Jia She could still have such talent.

He has a good eye!

The emperor secretly rejoiced in his heart and immediately rewarded Jia She with many things.

Jia She became happy.

He is not averse to yellow and white things, so please hit him more in the future.

Jia She happily saluted the emperor again.

The emperor discussed with his confidants who would lead the Northern Expedition.

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  (End of this chapter)