Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 652: The Master of the Interior and the Outside
A few days after the New Year, Zhang Luan stayed indoors to cultivate his mind and character.

He is afraid of death.

It seemed that because he had become powerful, he cared more about his life. He followed the tonic prescription prescribed by his youngest son and took his tonic wholeheartedly at home.

Even so, Zhang Luan still didn't feel any improvement in his health and was worried all day long.

The fifth day of the New Year.

Shen Lu came to ask for an audience. After seeing Zhang Luan, he was surprised that Zhang Luan, who was rumored to be seriously ill, could actually get out of bed and even stand there to drink boiled water. He couldn't help but ask curiously: "Laizhan, are you feeling better?"

Zhang Luan frowned upon hearing this and asked, "Who told you that I'm sick?"

Shen Lu said, "I haven't heard from you since I met you on New Year's Day. You didn't participate in the sale of salt permits by the Ministry of Revenue after the New Year. I went to the Ministry of Revenue to inquire about it, and they said you were seriously ill, so I hurried to visit you."

"Cough cough..."

Zhang Luan had difficulty breathing and kept coughing because of his own saliva.

"If you're not feeling well, you should just lie down and rest more. It's not good to keep holding on like this. It's so cold out here... Eh?"

Shen Lu suddenly felt that something was wrong, because the main hall where Zhang Luan was was not as cold as outside.

In other words, the temperature in Zhang's house is very different from the temperature in Shen's house.

But he didn't notice anything wrong.

Zhang Luan waved his hand and explained, "I am sick, but not as seriously as you say. Are you here just to visit me? If you have something to say, just say it."

Shen Lu smiled and said, "Then Lai Zhan, I'll be frank. Many people in the capital want to ask if you have any salt permits... can they be exchanged?"

"Ruxue, it's not good for you to do this!"

Zhang Luan looked a little worried. "You didn't make empty promises outside based on your relationship with me, did you? Issuing salt permits is the court's business, not just my job... Did you see a permit pass through my hands? You ask me, don't you want me to abuse my power for personal gain? I won't do that!"

Shen Lu hurriedly explained: "Don't get me wrong, I'm just a middleman. I'll pay as much money as I should, not a penny less. And I can also make some money from it... I'm definitely not abusing my power for personal gain..."

Zhang Luan frowned even more and asked, "You are charging other fees besides the regular fees, and you still say that you are not enriching yourself? I won't do such a wicked thing.

"Since I am the leader of the reform, I will never take advantage of a penny. Besides, since I became an official, my family has been filling the gaps in the court. Didn't Eunuch Tan say that I was sick from overwork? I am worried..."

Although Shen Lu was a little disappointed, he still said: "It doesn't matter if it can't be done. I will tell them directly that this thing can't be done. Lai Zhan, you don't know that now the whole capital is discussing the issue of the court's collection of salt tax. Many people admire you."

"Admire me? Well...please tell me in detail."

When Zhang Luan heard that his reputation seemed to be turning around, his eyes widened instantly, as if waiting for Shen Lu to relay other people's praise for him.

Shen Lu smiled and said, "They all say you are very courageous. With one salt tax reform, you changed the old law that had been in effect for hundreds of years in the Ming Dynasty, and you were able to achieve such good results right from the start. After this year, the court repaid the salaries that were owed in the past. Many people think that your majesty cares about his subjects and say that you are a capable minister in governing the country."

"Haha. Really?"

Zhang Luan felt instantly refreshed.

Shen Lu said, "Laizhan, why did your expression change so drastically when I just repeated a few words from others?"

"Eh! You don't know. Since I entered the court, I have done a lot, but no one is sure of what I did. They all say that I am disturbing the government as a relative of the emperor. No matter what I do, they always criticize me, as if I am a criminal of the Ming Dynasty. How can I feel comfortable?"

Zhang Luan sighed, "Finally one day, others said that I did a good job. I was very pleased."

Shen Lu thought, so you, Zhang Luan, don’t seek profit, but only fame?
That's easy. Next time when I come to your place, I will flatter you and make you satisfied by flattering you in all kinds of ways, right?

Isn't this what I'm good at?

"Since you, Ruxue, said so, I will go and ask Yanling to see if I can get a batch of salt permits from Hui merchants and put them on the market." Zhang Luan said.

When Shen Lu heard this, he instantly became energetic. I wonder if you can do things for me just by saying a few flattering words? Even bring me real benefits?

Shen Lu said quickly: "Don't force you and our nephew. After all, this salt permit issue is not for me. We can't break the rules."

"It doesn't matter!"

Zhang Luan waved his hand and said, "I didn't ask much about the salt permits. By the way, Ruxue, why don't you tell me? There are already a lot of salt permits on the market. Why are there so many people buying them this time? What are they going to do with them? Can they exchange them for salt at the salt works?"

"This one……"

Shen Lu's heart began to beat fast after hearing this.

I thought to myself, you, Zhang Laizhan, really don't play by the rules. You've just achieved some success, and already you're falling into self-doubt?

"Laizhan, in fact, no matter how many salt permits there are on the market, or how long it takes to defend the government, the official salt business is always profitable." Shen Lu said.

"Of course." Zhang Luan replied, "I know that. If there is no profit, why would merchants buy salt permits to exchange for official salt? Why not just throw the salt permits on the street? No one will want them."

Shen Lu said: "In the past, if you wanted to apply for a place in China, you had to go to the northwest. Even if it was closer, you had to go to Shanxi. This might not be a big deal for Shanxi merchants, but it was too far for merchants in Jianghuai and even Lingnan."

The Ming Dynasty inherited the system of calling merchants to deliver grain to the border for salt permits from the Song and Yuan dynasties, and regularly opened the market to recruit merchants. Merchants who sold salt in the border areas had to transport grain and other military supplies to remote areas, and they would apply for salt permits with the delivery ticket voucher, which was called "reporting".

Shen Lu continued, "It costs too much to transport food to the northwest. We can't transport too much at a time. We have to send people to escort it along the way. We can't transport it if the Tatars attack, or if there is a famine or abnormal climate... There are too many restrictions."

"Oh."

Zhang Luan understood and said, "So it is more convenient and quicker to spend money to buy salt permits directly?"

"Yes, yes, isn't that why you're implementing the changes?"

Shen Lu was also surprised at the hot sales of salt permits. He probably analyzed the reasons at home, so he talked about it nonstop. "With this change, you can directly use silver to exchange for salt permits, saving the pain of transporting money and grain to the northwest.

"You don't know that in the past, if the merchants in Jiangnan, especially the Huizhou merchants, wanted to exchange salt, they had to either hire tenants to open up farmland in the northwest, or buy grain from grain merchants to pay for it. Do you know how much it cost?
"Their lifelines are almost all controlled by local forces in the northwest, such as Shanxi merchants. Now, they can exchange for salt permits directly in the capital. With the salt permits, they can go to the salt fields and wait for the salt to be dispatched. Even if they cannot pay out for the time being, they will definitely get a place to pay after waiting for a while!
"Besides, now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, those nobles who have occupied their positions dare not do too much. After all, they are all waiting to see how the situation develops. Those powerful ministers who were in power before, such as Wang Zhi, Shang Ming, Liang Fang and others, have either passed away or been demoted. Even the once-powerful Wan family has now fallen from power. The output of salt from the salt fields is no longer restricted by these people, but instead..."

Zhang Luan asked curiously, "What is it?"

Shen Lu smiled and said, "Now the situation is very clear. Whoever is close to you is close to your majesty. As the object of special attention of the new dynasty, you can go to the salt field with the new salt permit to exchange for official salt. No matter you are an official, a civilian, or just a merchant, the salt field cannot but give you special care..."

Zhang Luan looked at Shen Lu and asked, "Is there any difference between the old and new salt permits? Can I get priority in salt purchase with the new salt permit?"

"Isn't that right?"

Shen Lu smiled and said, "Everyone knows that after the new law, there will not be many new salt permits issued. If any company takes a new salt permit, the people at the salt field will know that this person is a close minister of the emperor, or a disciple of your father-in-law Zhang, or an official or businessman behind the current eunuch Huai?"

"what?"

Zhang Luan thought to himself, I have finally broadened my horizons. There are so many explanations for this.

Shen Lu said: "The people in the salt fields will think that since the new policy has just been issued and they have new salt permits, they must have a strong background in the new dynasty. How dare they offend them? No matter what, we have to take good care of these people first. As long as they have new salt permits, they will definitely be able to make a living in all the major salt fields."

Zhang Luan looked as if he had eaten bitter gourd, and his face was extremely ugly. He asked, "Then wouldn't I become a new occupier, helping some people to do evil? What should people with old salt permits do?"

Shen Lu asked curiously, "Laizhan, the new salt permit you promoted has caused such a big response. You can become a meritorious official of the Ming Dynasty and bring such a huge profit to the court. Why do you care about the lives of those people?
"The old salt permits were all issued when the previous emperor was alive. Many of them are in the hands of the Wan family, Liang Fang and other powerful people. Do you still feel that they are not worth it?"

Zhang Luan hesitated and said, "I just think that doing this is a bit..."

Shen Lu laughed and joked, "You really have a compassionate heart. It seems that His Majesty has chosen the right person to lead the reform, because only you can ignore factional interests and the distinction between the old and the new, and consider the benefits of the implementation of the new law while taking care of the people in the past and taking into account fairness and justice."

"Huh, really?"

Zhang Luan looked expressionless after hearing the flattery and did not feel honored at all.

Shen Lu thought, oh no, my brother-in-law only likes to hear me repeat other people’s compliments, and when I praise him a few times... he remains unmoved.

We have to change our strategy.

Shen Lu said: "But let's look at it from a long-term perspective, we must be careful not to over-issue salt permits."

"How could I not know this?" Zhang Luan pursed his lips and said with disdain.

"Think about it. If too much salt is generated and the salt fields cannot pay for it, the new policy will become useless. Some people may even criticize you as the leader. At present, His Majesty is very respectful to the courtiers who were lecturers in the Eastern Palace. Their opinions... may put you in a disadvantageous situation."

Shen Lu used his own experience to remind Zhang Luan.

You have to know when to stop and not do anything to make money. Otherwise, even the emperor will not want to protect you, and you will become a rat crossing the street and everyone will shout and beat you.

Zhang Luan said, "Ruxue, don't worry. My son Yanling has already said that he will implement technical transformation and innovation in all major salt fields this year, which will definitely greatly increase the output of the salt fields. By then, the salt permits will be paid in time, and there will be fewer complaints from the court."

"This... can be done?"

Shen Lu was quite surprised.

The starting point of you two is really unexpected. You actually want to open source? But this is a bit... ridiculous, right?

Zhang Luan said, "Don't ask me. You've said it before. Everyone in the court knows that I'm recuperating at home. What can they know? Even if you ask me for a salt permit, I still have to discuss it with my son to see if he can give you some face.

"To the outside world, I am the father-in-law of the emperor, the head of the Zhang family, and I can make some decisions... But if you enter this door, it will be better for you to ask Yanling for help than to ask me for help."

"Laizhan, you... this..."

Shen Lu was almost speechless by Zhang Luan's frank words.

Zhang Luan lifted his sleeves and said, "It's not the first day I've known that guy. Don't you, his uncle, know his abilities? I advise you to go find him as soon as possible. If you're late, you won't even get a sip of soup. Don't blame me then."

(End of this chapter)