Shoufu's favored wife is sweet and sassy

Chapter 578, Improved Saltworks

Hearing some familiar voices, Xiaoqing turned her head and smiled at the handsome man:
"Young Master Qian, I didn't expect such a coincidence."

"It's not a coincidence. I heard people say that there is a lady who stops by the salt field every day to see if anyone covets things from the imperial court. I didn't expect to see the lady when she came."

"Mr. Qian was joking. No one in such a high position as the magistrate has ever been tempted by the saltworks. What's more, I am a little girl. I come to the saltworks every day. I just want to see if I can improve the efficiency. It's really hard work, Hai Mingming is right in front of us, but he has to spend a lot of effort to bring in loads of water, but I am also worried, if these workers don't have to carry water, will there be a lot of less work and fewer workers needed? , it will make those people who rely on salt production to support their families get a career because of it.”

"I didn't expect Madam to be so concerned about the country and the people. It was Qian who was abrupt, but Madam, don't worry. As long as we are willing to work hard in the coastal areas, it is not a problem to have a full stomach. Now there are four major salt farms in the imperial court, and Anton is just one of them. Madam really has a good plan to reduce the labor of the workers. It will only increase the grain production of our Anton Salt Field. If the grain production goes up, the court will give more money, and it will only feed more people. And Anton’s fishery is also inseparable. Open salt, with enough cheap salt, seafood can be preserved more, and its value is far more than the salt itself, so no matter what, it is a good thing for the country and the people.”

"Speaking of which, it's really great. Madam, have you gained anything from observing these days?"

"Well, but it depends on whether the prefect is willing to do it."

"Is there really a way?"

Qian Jiang was very surprised. Originally, he just wanted to ask casually. This salt farm was built by the Ministry of Industry. After hundreds of years, it also absorbed the wisdom of countless working people.

This lady looks like she is from a rich family, let alone a woman who would be good at it.

"Mr. Qian, can you call some experienced workers over? After all, I have never done this before. There are some things that can be done or not, and the person concerned has to say."

"What's so difficult about it, you'll be here later."

Not long after, several ragged workers were called over.

"Mr. Qian, look, these tens of thousands of workers carry water from the sea to the shore every day. This is the hardest work. A lot of effort is only used to carry water. Points for improvement.

The second is to cut down wood and burn brine. If my prediction is correct, the nearby forests would have been cut down long ago, right? "

"To tell you the truth, Ma'am, the entire forest land in Anton has been cut down. The firewood is brought from other places by car. The Anton saltworks have been cut down for hundreds of years. The local trees have been cut down, and the people can only use firewood. It can be bought with money, but if it is a few years later, there will be no forests to cut down in the nearby places.”

"Yes, it's been like this for a hundred years. What if it takes hundreds of years, or even longer? If the entire Haihe River has no firewood, do you know what will happen?"

"This... I am afraid that someone will be dedicated to cultivating the forest..."

"That's right, but the speed of forest cultivation can't keep up with the speed of your felling. The forest land is getting less and less, and the water will not stabilize the soil, which will cause a lot of soil erosion, let alone the flood disaster. In the long run, the harm outweighs the benefit. .”

Qian Jiang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, he couldn't laugh anymore,

"Madam is right, but all the saltworks are doing this, but I don't know what Madam can do?"

"There are many cloudy and rainy days in the south. Even in winter, it is cloudy and rainy, and it is difficult to see the sun, so this method can only be used. However, the whole autumn and winter in the north are mainly sunny, and there are many sunny days in spring and summer. Sun exposure can be used instead. decocting, saving a lot of wood."

(End of this chapter)