Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 646 It's you, it's you, it's you

The nobles were a very special existence in the Ming Dynasty. They had connections everywhere and were always at the front of the queue when it came to purchasing official salt. If the cost price was still low, no one would be able to compete with them...

In contrast, salt merchants could not exchange salt for the corresponding salt after receiving the salt permits, and the cost price was even higher...

In this way, salt merchants have to spend huge manpower, material resources and time to sell official salt, but they will not have much competitiveness in the market.

If salt merchants can't make money, their enthusiasm for buying salt permits will naturally be dampened, and in the end, no one will support the new salt law...

Isn’t this a vicious cycle?
The more Qin Ji thought about it, the more worried he became. He said anxiously, "Eunuch Huai, there are some things that even a blockhead like me can think clearly about. Are you sure you want to do this?
"This is the first day of the new law. Do we have to take action now? Moreover, with the abilities of Zhang Guozhang and the second son of the Zhang family, even I don't believe that they don't have a back-up plan... Why don't we wait and see how the situation develops before deciding on the next step?"

Huai En smiled and asked, "Then Hou Fang, what do you think the Zhang family father and son can do besides reforming the salt law or forcing Huizhou merchants to purchase official salt permits? Can he eradicate the problem of salt field defense at one time? Or can he cancel the countless old salt permits on the market?"

"This……"

Tan Ji was speechless for a moment.

"He can't do either of these two things... If he can't do anything about these difficulties, then why do you think this salt policy reform will be effective?"

Huai En became more and more excited as he spoke, with an ambiguous smile on his face, and continued, "This has not even mentioned the issue of reduced reserves in the northwest. That is what the court officials and soldiers in the nine borders care about the most... Hou Fang, do you still think that the resistance to this salt policy reform is not strong enough?"

Qin Ji lowered his head and said hesitantly: "In this case, it is best for me not to ask about it, because..."

"Because you are timid and unwilling to share His Majesty's worries, is that right?"

Huai En frowned, looked at Qin Ji coldly, and spoke harshly.

Qin Ji was speechless for a moment, because there were some things that he himself could not deny. This salt administration reform would affect the interests of many people, and the resistance would be unimaginable.

Huai En added, "Based on what Maochun has investigated today, the nobles and civil officials in Beijing, including the feudal lords with a large amount of salt permits in various places, seem to be waiting to see the joke of His Majesty and Zhang Guozhang. As a key figure who is capable of turning the situation around, I ask you to seek help from the various dukes and marquises in the capital, and ask them to take out money to support you, so that at least His Majesty can save face... What's wrong with that?"

Qin Ji asked with a sad face: "Then... why don't you let Maochun go?"

You, the eunuch Huai, didn't allow your current chief Li Rong to do such a good thing, and instead gave the opportunity to make a contribution to me?
I don't believe you have good intentions!

Huai En said with emotion: "Hou Fang, you have to know that a hundred years after I die, the person in charge of the Imperial Household Department will most likely be you, or in other words, there will be no other candidate except you.

"You must be prepared for everything, both physically and mentally. You usually like to shirk responsibility and make excuses. Since you are in a high position, you must face all challenges and cannot easily entrust the responsibilities of the Imperial Household Department to an outsider... You know what I mean, right?"

"How can Zhang Guozhang be an outsider?"

Tan Ji asked back.

Huai En's tone was cold: "Is he a eunuch?"

"This……"

Tan Ji was speechless again.

Huai En said coldly: "I asked you to visit those dukes in the capital so that you can better adapt to this work rhythm, because no one can take care of everything, and it is common to make mistakes...

"Do you mean that if Zhang Guozhang did something wrong or even implemented some evil law, you would just let it go? Someone has to step up and make amends.

"This person is you today, and it will be you in the future!"

……

……

Zhang's Mansion. Zhang Luan, who was drunk last night, got up very late, so he did not go to the palace to pay New Year's greetings to the new emperor who had just changed the reign. After noon that day, the banquet in the palace was over, and Xu Qiong and Shen Lu came to visit together. Zhang Luan received them at home.

Apart from these two people, all other guests who came to visit today were turned away. It seemed that Zhang Luan was also very clear that the best way to avoid being attacked was to minimize contact with others.

The three of them closed the door of Zhang's study and talked for about an hour. Zhang Luan came out to see the guests off, and then began to pack up, preparing to take his two sons into the palace. However, after searching for a long time, there was no sign of Zhang Yanling.

"Why did you come back?"

After waiting in the central courtyard for a while, I saw Zhang Yanling walking in from the moon gate.

When the father and son met, Zhang Yanling began to blame them first: "Dad, today is the first day of the implementation of the new salt law, and you don't seem to be in a hurry at all... As the leader of the salt administration appointed by His Majesty, don't you need to run around for it?"

Zhang Luan glared and asked, "What are you running around for? Didn't you see that I didn't even go to the palace to celebrate the New Year's Day? Stay away from those people... This is the proper way to be an official."

"Oh."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Dad, you are really open-minded... You are not worried at all that you can't sell the salt permits, and end up with nothing, and then be laughed at by the government and the public, right?"

Zhang Luan frowned and said, "It's New Year's Day, why are you saying such depressing words? Don't you still have me? What do you need to worry about?"

As they were talking, Chang Shun's voice came from outside: "Master, the Duke of England is here to ask for an audience... Do you want to see him?"

"who!?"

Zhang Luan couldn't believe his ears and asked loudly.

Zhang Yanling reminded: "Duke Ying... Dad, are your ears not working well?"

"You little brat, I'm only in a good mood during the New Year, otherwise I would think you're making fun of me!" Zhang Luan complained, then asked, "Where do you think I should see you?"

"Of course."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "The Duke of Ying came to see you today only to discuss military affairs. A new emperor appoints new ministers. Now you can be a big hit with my brother-in-law. If he wants to continue working in the Beijing camp, he must curry favor with you.

"And to curry favor with you, they have to buy the salt permits you issued. With the Duke of Ying taking the lead, many merchants around the capital have no choice but to bow down... This is the so-called alpha wolf effect."

Zhang Luan pursed his lips and stiffened his neck and said, "Hey, so you want me to face a wolf? Then I'd better disappear...you go meet the guest."

"do not!"

Zhang Yanling quickly tried to persuade him, "Dad, it's too late now, don't be angry with your son, go meet your guests... I'll go in and help you pack, and then take my eldest brother with me, and we'll go to the palace as a family!
"Oh, by the way, aren't my aunt and my younger sister going to the palace together?"

Zhang Luan said, "You really think the palace is your home? Today, our family is going to celebrate the New Year. We will go to the palace for a walk and then come back with your mother. It's not right to bring your family with you... But don't worry, your father will not be partial. Everyone in the family will have a good time this New Year, and I will never treat your aunt and little sister badly."

"Dad, you are so generous. Do you think you are generous or I earn more?"

Zhang Yanling asked with a smile.

"Okay, okay, it's all thanks to you. It should be okay now, right?"

Zhang Luan said unhappily, "I didn't get paid at the end of the year, and all the money was used to pay other people's salaries... Alas, in the end I still have to sacrifice my own fortune to be an official. Sometimes I think it's really fucking depressing!
"Take the salt permit for example. Did I sell it for myself? Wasn't it for your brother-in-law, the emperor, and for the Ming Dynasty?

“I’m so tired!”

(End of this chapter)