As the expiry date of the salt debt approaches, a large vacuum area begins to appear in the northwest region, and not a grain of salt can be seen for hundreds of miles.
Especially after Hezhong Prefecture announced that it would issue new salt bonds this year, the salt shortage situation was further exacerbated, because Hezhong Prefecture stated that old salt bonds can be replaced with new salt bonds after receiving interest.
In everyone's opinion, the government just wants to replace the old with the new to avoid the shortage of salt in various places.
The area currently most deficient in salt is Bianzhou.
Before Fan Xiang's salt banknote reform, there were frequent salt panics in the northwest border states. The main reason was that these places were too far from the salt ponds, and there was too much smuggled salt, making it impossible to get salt solutions. Of course, the salt merchants were not willing to come here.
Compete with cheap smuggled salt.
However, smuggling salt from Xixia will help Xixia's economy, so the imperial court often cracks down on smuggled salt. Every time it cracks down on smuggled salt, there is a salt panic in Bianzhou.
However, in the past ten years, it has been relatively stable, especially after Zhao Xu came to the throne, he issued strict orders that anyone caught smuggling salt would be killed without mercy.
But in the past six months, salt panic has begun again in this state, but this time it is not caused by smuggling of salt, but by salt debt.
Everyone knows that there will definitely be a shortage of salt this year, and the price of salt will definitely rise. Banknote merchants have locked up the salt in Hezhong Prefecture, while salt merchants are holding on to their own salt, waiting for the day when the salt debt expires.
Now, there is only one month left before the salt debt is due.
There is no grain of salt in the market anymore.
This is also the first time that a salt bond has expired, and everyone is waiting to see how far the salt price will rise.
There has been public dissatisfaction all over the border states, which is very scary.
However!
Overnight, a large amount of green salt suddenly appeared in Weizhou, which is close to Xizhou, and spread to the surrounding areas at an alarming speed.
It’s not just the salt merchants who are stupid!
The people were also stunned.
How long have you not seen Qingyan? Why are there so many of them suddenly?
Xizhou.
This is also the headquarters of the Public Security Bureau in the border states. Because Fuzhou and Yanzhou have not yet established a Public Security Bureau. After all, the warlords there have considerable influence. If the Public Security Bureau enters rashly, problems will definitely arise.
Cao Ping, Lu Dajun, Fan Zhen, and the three giants of public security, procuratorate, and law sent by the imperial court all came directly to Xizhou.
Now that the Public Security Bureau is taking over the administration of justice in various places, the government saw so much green salt, and according to their investigation, this green salt also came from the Xihe area, so they immediately responded to Xizhou.
This is a crime punishable by beheading.
No one dares to neglect.
Today the three giants and Wang Shao gathered in the imperial court for a meeting.
Fan Zhendao: "According to the information currently known to the Procuratorate, all these illegal salts should have flowed out of the Xihe area."
"Our police station has just been established, and we haven't recruited all these people yet. How can we see it?"
Without saying a word, Cao Ping first clarified his responsibilities.
When Wang Shao heard this, he felt something was wrong, so he frowned and asked, "What do you mean, Superintendent Cao, this is all my fault?"
"I never meant that."
Cao commented: "But this place has always been under the jurisdiction of the military."
"Then you're blaming me."
Wang Shao said with an excited expression: "I lead troops to fight every year, so I don't have time to prevent those smugglers. I don't have magical powers."
Cao commented: "Anyway, I have just arrived, so this matter cannot be blamed on the police station."
Lu Dajun, who is the president of the court, suddenly said: "You two, please don't argue anymore. No one is to blame for this matter. After all, our army has just taken over the Xihe area. It is reasonable for some places to be neglected. I invite you today."
The main reason I came here is to find a solution to this matter."
Cao commented: "Leaving this matter to our police station will help our police station establish its prestige."
Fan Zhen immediately asked: "What does Superintendent Cao plan to do?"
Cao commented: "Of course the punishment will be severe. The officials issued a strict ban. But please rest assured, Prosecutor General Fan. Although I have just arrived, our police station will definitely be able to complete anything. It will be done in less than half a month."
Seize all the illicit salt and bring all salt traders to justice."
Lu Dajun frowned when he heard this and opened his mouth, but when he saw that Cao Ping was the first relative, and Wang Shao had just made a great contribution, he was just a young gentleman not long ago, so he swallowed the words that came to his lips.
Fan Zhen said: "Superintendent Cao, calm down. I heard that there is a salt panic in the Bianzhou area recently, and it is very serious. The people have not seen salt for a long time. Although the crime of selling illegal salt is unpardonable, this group of illegal salt
Salt just solves the urgent need of Bianzhou."
Cao Ping frowned and said, "Did Prosecutor Fan want to protect those smugglers?"
"No no no!"
Fan Zhen waved his hands repeatedly and said: "That's absolutely not the case. Those who smuggle illegal salt from Xixia must be severely punished, but those who are selling green salt today are all common people and vendors from all over the country.
I remember that when President Zhang was still Erbi, he fought a lawsuit in the capital about illicit salt. During the salt panic, people buying salt was equivalent to buying medicine to save their lives. Selling salt was the same as selling medicine, and it could not be counted.
Illegal.
Nowadays, the government's solution to the problem of salt has been delayed, and the people cannot be blamed for this, and the salt traders are also not guilty."
Cao commented: "This is different. This is Xixia's private salt. Anyone who violates it will be killed without mercy. I cannot bear this responsibility."
Fan Zhendao: "I will be responsible for this matter alone. When the time comes, I will personally write to the court to explain the matter."
Cao Ping glanced at Fan Zhen in surprise, his expression softened, and he nodded and said: "Since Prosecutor General Fan said so, I have no objection."
Fan Zhen looked at Lu Dajun and Wang Shao again.
Lu Dajun nodded and said: "I agree with the prosecutor general's approach."
He also wants to do this, but he doesn't have enough status to dare to say it.
Wang Shao said: "I will also order people to trace where the illegal salt flows from, but the Xihe area has not been completely settled recently, and it may not be possible to prevent it."
This is a new border defense, and there is nothing we can do about any omissions.
Lu Dajun and Fan Zhen nodded to express their understanding.
After leaving the imperial court, Cao Ping immediately rushed back to the police station and ordered him to go down. The royal police would ignore the matter.
Wang Shao, on the other hand, went to the Ma family's residence.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "The villain has met Wang Xuanfu."
Ma Tianhao and Lu Bin bowed their hands.
"You two don't need to be polite."
To the two of them, Wang Shao was really pleasant and asked in a gentle voice: "I heard that the money has been put into the treasury?"
He and Cao Ping were among the few people who knew the trick, but they all found out later. Wang Shao controlled the Xihe border defense, so it was impossible to hide it from him.
Ma Tianhao nodded.
Wang Shao asked again: "How much money do you have?"
Ma Tianhao said: "One million and six hundred thousand dollars."
The real amount is 2.8 million yuan, but Zhang Fei has told him to hide part of it. The more you pay, the more unscrupulous the frontline generals will be. You should use this money sparingly!
Wang Shao immediately gasped, "This money should be specially for my Xihe area, right?"
Ma Tianhao nodded and said, "Yes."
"Then there should be no problem in paying bounties to the soldiers this year, right?" Wang Shao asked again.
Ma Tianhao said very readily: "No problem."
"That's good!"
Wang Shao smiled and nodded, and suddenly looked at Lu Bin again, "Master Lu, what's the matter with the oil on your mouth?"
"ah?"
Lu Bin was stunned for a moment, waved up his sleeves, and quickly wiped it clean.
Wang Shao frowned and said, "As an eminent monk, you still have to pay attention."
Lu Bin hurriedly explained: "Master Wang Xuan, I am here to help Brother Ma, not to promote Buddhism."
"It is now." Wang Shao said.
Lu Bin didn't know why and looked at him in confusion.
Wang Shao said: "I hope to build a temple similar to Xiangguo Temple in Xizhou."
"Xiangguo Temple?"
Ma Tianhao and Lu Bin were immediately stunned.
Wang Shao nodded and said: "According to my observation, many local Qiang and Tubo people believe in Buddhism very much. It would be more convenient to use religion to manage."
Lu Bin quickly said: "But I don't study Buddhism deeply!"
Wang Shao said: "I know this. I have invited eminent monks to come here to preach Buddhism. Master Lu was in charge of the finance of Xiangguo Temple before, so Master Lu is still in charge of the finance of the temple when he comes here."
Ma Tianhao said: "Wang Xuanfu's intention is to open Ma's Jiakupu in the temple."
"That's right, just like the Xiangguo Temple in the capital."
Wang Shao said: "Neither the Qiang people nor the Tubo people here are Han. If we openly make money, once they pay back, some people with evil intentions may take the opportunity to cause trouble and use the temple to make money. As long as we do enough."
Smart, they will definitely not blame the temple."
Of course Ma Tianhao was reluctant. He originally wanted to leave Xiangguo Temple, but..., but he had no choice. After all, it was still quite chaotic here, and he had to put safety first. He could only nod, "Wang Xuanfu
That makes sense, and I have no problem with that.”
Lu Bin sighed: "I thought that when I came here, I could drink, eat and drink freely...ahem...!"
...
However, this wave of private gossip was more terrifying than they imagined. The sheer number and speed made everyone dumbfounded.
You must know that Zhang Fei has been operating Xixia Green Salt for three years.
In the blink of an eye, a large number of private individuals emerged in Jingzhao Prefecture, not to mention Yanzhou and Fuzhou.
The landowners and salt merchants were all stunned.
The dignitaries of the Jingzhao Mansion had previously thought of using salt debt to attack the Public Security Bureau, but now that it was about to expire, this wave of private salt directly threw them into chaos.
Of course, they couldn't just give up. They teamed up with the salt merchants to bring all those selling salt to the imperial court.
Jingzhao Mansion, Imperial Court.
Cai Bian said: "After investigation by the procuratorate, our imperial court will decide to dismiss your lawsuit."
"Why?"
Chen Tianfu, the largest salt merchant in the area, said excitedly: "These illegal salts are clearly green salt from Xixia. It is prohibited by the government. Selling illegal salt from Xixia is punishable by death, and those who protect it are also punished by death."
Su Zhe said: "These are indeed green salt from Xixia, and yesterday we also received a message from Xizhou. According to their investigation, it is all due to the opening of the Xihe River, which has created another river between our country and Xixia."
Border defense, that’s where these private salts are smuggled from.”
Chen Tianfu said: "We dare not blame those border defense generals, but this is illegal salt after all. How can the government turn a blind eye? Their illegal salt should be seized immediately."
Su Zhe said: "Now they are trying their best to track down the smugglers. Once they are caught, they will be punished severely. However, as for the private salt that has been sold to the people, after the review of the Xizhou Imperial Court and the Procuratorate, it is believed that the people in Bianzhou lack salt.
, has panicked, affecting the logistics of Xihe and the stability of the border, so the local royal court issued an order to pardon this batch of illegal salt."
Chen Tianfu hummed: "That is the Xihe Imperial Court, what does it have to do with our Jingzhao Mansion?"
Cai Bian explained: "The main reason is that the Xihe Imperial Court quoted the capital's previous case of smuggling salt. This salt is needed for people's lives. If you don't eat salt for a long time, your body will suffer from illness and even death. If it is
In this case, the salt is medicine and should not be treated as private salt. Now that there is a salt shortage in Jingzhao Prefecture, we have also decided to refer to this case."
"Where did this precedent come from? How come I haven't heard of it?" a salt merchant said very dissatisfied.
Cai Jing, who was standing by, suddenly said: "This precedent was written by the Chief Justice. Its purpose is to prevent some salt merchants with evil intentions or officials who bend the law for their own interests from speculating on salt prices and exploiting the people."
Su Che and Cai Bian both nodded.
When Chen Tianfu heard the name of Chief Justice, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. It was this brat who made life miserable for rich people like us. He said: "The lack of salt in Jingzhao Mansion is not caused by us salt merchants."
Su Zhe originally planned to hold them accountable, so he said: "No matter who caused it, as far as our public prosecutors are concerned, the people will always have the right to buy salt to save lives. This is the legitimate rights and interests of the people."
Chen Tianfu added: "I really don't know who is so capable and can smuggle so much salt from Xixia. If this continues, how will we sell the salt?"
In fact, it is alluding to the military. In the past, the military often smuggled private salt.
Su Zhe said: "This matter will be strictly investigated by the Xihe side, and the prosecutor general of Xizhou has also written to the court to explain the matter, but after the results have not been released, we can't do much for the time being."
Chen Tianfu could only return in despair.
For salt merchants like them, it’s actually not too painful. After all, it’s not difficult to sell the salt, but the price may not be high and the profit won’t be much. What hurts the most is the group of people who are still staying in Hezhong Mansion.
Banknote dealer.
It’s really costing my life!
According to this salt bond contract, when it expires, you can actually ask for money, or you can choose to ask for salt. It is precisely because of this temptation that people will actively buy it, but they must raise the Changping position three months in advance.
Be prepared, because this is a salt debt of one million yuan. Whether it is salt or money, the government has to prepare for a long time and must make a decision in advance. This is reasonable and is also written into the contract.
Now there is less than a month left, and the banknote dealers have already completed the application, and all of them have filled in the request for salt, with the purpose of locking in the salt to be sold this year.
This directly leads to the fact that the salt debt in their hands is salt, and it is no longer possible to turn it into money. But with the situation outside now, if they get salt in their hands, isn't it a hot potato?
Because no salt merchants dare to buy salt now, the salt debt has suddenly fallen below its original price.
The banknote dealers, who were already used to litigating, quickly asked Li Min, a lawyer from Dalian, to go to the procuratorate to initiate a lawsuit.
but.....!
"I can't complain!"
Li Min shook his head regretfully and said to Duan Chaobei and other banknote dealers.
Duan Chaobei said in surprise: "Why can't you sue?"
Li Min said: "Because... because the illicit salt has not entered Hezhong Prefecture. According to the current investigation by the police station, there is only a very small amount of illicit salt in Hezhong Prefecture, and some wealthy families have entrusted people to go to Jingzhao Prefecture.
bought."
Zheng Aoping wondered: "Why doesn't this private salt enter Hezhong Mansion?"
Li Min said: "I heard that the reason why the Xihe Imperial Court pardoned this batch of illegal salt was because it had just been recovered and the border defense had been neglected, which is reasonable. Secondly, it cited the illegal salt lawsuit in the capital.
In this case, when people cannot buy salt, private salt will be regarded as medicine.
But the people of Hezhong Prefecture have always been able to buy a small amount of salt. This precedent does not apply to Hezhong Prefecture, so those salt sellers dare not enter Hezhong Prefecture."
Duan Chaobei almost vomited blood after hearing this, and couldn't help but wonder: "When did these private salt dealers become so powerful?"
Li Min said: "It is said that they also invited Erbi to study this matter specifically."
Duan Chaobei looked at Li Min helplessly, "Then... what should we do?"
Li Min said: "We still don't know how much green salt has flowed in, and all the salt merchants are rushing to buy this kind of green salt. If you exchange the salt debt for salt, you will definitely not be able to sell it for a while. I suggest you go and raise it."
Let Changping Division renew its salt debt for another three years."
Duan Chaobei and the others looked at each other, feeling unwilling to do so!
Damn it...!
But they had no doubt that there was something fishy going on here, because the opening of the Xihe River was just an accident and could indeed lead to an influx of illegal salt.
And when these big money dealers were nervous, Yuan Jiang and Cai Yanqing naturally breathed a sigh of relief. This empty city plan could really cost their lives!
I scolded Zhang Fei half to death in my heart. You only took action when he was about to die. Our psychological quality is not as strong as you think!
"It seems that what we thought before was not wrong. We still smuggled cheap private salt from Xixia to fill this hole."
Yuan Jiang said with lingering fear.
Cai Yanqing said: "But now is not the time to relax. Now we should assume that those salt merchants will not come to exchange the salt. That means we will have a lot of salt in our hands. Now is the time for us to be nervous."
Yuan Jiang nodded and said: "That makes sense, how do you think we should respond?"
Cai Yanqing thought for a while and said: "We should immediately order the police station to conduct a comprehensive inventory of the illegal salt in the territory, and at the same time ask the imperial court to order those who are caught selling illegal salt to be severely punished. We should also negotiate with the Jingzhao Prefecture and ask for
They also check for illegal salt. Otherwise, how can we sell our salt? Oh, we also need to write a letter to the court. In short, we can’t let them see that we don’t have salt in our hands.”
Yuan Jiang nodded and said: "Then we have to discuss with the imperial court to see if withdrawing the decree to replace the new salt debt is considered a breach of contract."
For a salt debt of one million pounds, even though they expected that the money dealer would not dare to exchange for salt now, they were still very nervous because they had no salt in their hands.
This play must be done in full.
The government has directly ordered the police station to mobilize. If illegal salt comes in again, our salt will not be sold, and all your year-end bonuses will be lost.
When the police station received such an order, it was as if it was a chicken-blooded one. Thousands of police officers were dispatched.
At the same time, the imperial court also quickly issued an order, saying that Hezhong Prefecture will never accept private salt. Don't think that if Jingzhao Prefecture doesn't care, we won't care. We, the imperial court of Hezhong Prefecture, are the boss. You must distinguish between the big and small kings.
On the one hand, they sent people to negotiate with the Jingzhao Prefecture and asked them to investigate strictly. On the other hand, they sent a letter to the court stating that illegal salt was rampant and must be strictly investigated.
And there is news that the government plans to withdraw the decree to replace the salt debt.
After this set of operations, the banknote merchants suddenly realized that if they did not redeem the salt debt, it would mean that the government was hoarding a large amount of salt.
The officials are old gangsters, and they might be forced to take the salt home.
This banknote merchant will definitely not be able to bear it. They don't sell salt in the first place. They just want to speculate on the salt debt and then sell it to those salt merchants. But now there is no sign of the salt merchant anywhere.
The entire salt market has been flooded by Xixia salt and has become a mess. The key is, you don't know, how much salt do they have?
So these banknote dealers rushed to promote Chang Pingsi and immediately replaced the salt debts in their hands with new salt debts, as if they were afraid that the government would regret it. After all, the salt debts still received 6% interest, and they would not lose money.
.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! This directly leads to the sale of new salt bonds, because what happened this time is enough to prove that the government is still very trustworthy and would rather not sell salt than sell it.
The salt debt was paid, and the banknote dealers also received full interest. The annual interest was 6%, which is a lot!
Many salt dealers have not purchased any salt, and they predict that the salt market may not be so good from this year to next year. After all, the salt output has not changed. With such a large wave of Xixia high-quality salt coming, the future salt solution can still be
Is it easy to sell? It's better to buy some salt bonds and earn interest.
...
However, at the beginning, Zhao Xu made repeated orders to prohibit the trade of salt with Xixia. Now that there is such a large influx of Xixia salt, the government and the public are shocked when the news reaches the capital.
Those ministers who actively opposed the opening of Xihe border also took the opportunity to impeach Wang Shao, stating that this was all Wang Shao's fault and seeking personal gain.
Zhao Xu also quickly convened a council meeting to discuss the matter.
"The opening of the Xihe border is the largest territorial recovery of our country since Taizong. The new border defense has some omissions, which is reasonable. On the contrary, it is the people who impeached Wang Xuanfu. Your Majesty should really ask them what they are.
What's your intention?"
Wang Anshi said extremely angrily.
Zhao Xu immediately nodded and said: "Although I have repeatedly strictly prohibited trading salt with Xixia, this situation is extremely special and Wang Xuanfu's contribution is unquestionable. I will not listen to those slanderous words."
Jiang Zhiqi asked: "How to deal with the illegal salt that flows into the country? With so much illegal salt, the salt cannot be sold, which will seriously affect fiscal revenue."
Zhao Xu asked: "Why didn't the local government investigate strictly?"
Sima Guang immediately stood up and said: "Because there has been a salt panic in the border states recently, and the people cannot buy salt, Xizhou will use the original salt illegal case as the standard, regard salt as a life-saving medicine, and will not pursue it."
Zhao Xu asked again: "Why is there a salt panic in Bianzhou?"
Jiang Zhiqi immediately said: "This is all caused by the salt debt. When the Hezhong Prefecture issued the salt debt, Yin ate the grain, so that the banknote merchants and salt merchants knew that there would definitely be a shortage of salt this year, which is why the salt panic in Bianzhou was triggered."
"That's nonsense."
Wang Anshi angrily said: "There is only so much salt every year. No matter whether the government eats the grain or not, the people should not be short of salt. This is all because those salt merchants deliberately used the salt debt as an excuse to hold back the salt in their hands and not sell it, waiting for the price to rise.
, this is a man-made disaster.”
He has always been very hostile to these businessmen, and many of the regulations in his new policy are aimed at cracking down on these wealthy businessmen.
Jiang Zhiqi argued: "That's because the salt debt gave them this opportunity."
Wang Anshi smiled and said: "Then they will reap the consequences now."
Jiang Zhiqi said: "But issuing salt debts for a long time is not acceptable!"
"Why not."
Wang Anshi said: "This Xihe war was all paid for by the northwest finance, and it did not harm the people of the northwest. This feat has never been done before."
Having said this, he glanced at Sima Guang.
Sima Guang was immediately embarrassed and speechless.
Due to this incident, news from the northwest states reached the capital, including logistical support for Xihe, which indeed did not deplete the people of the northwest.
They all found it incredible.
However, when opening the border, Sima Guang and others were very worried. Now adding another battlefield would seriously damage the people's power in the northwest.
He also heard Wang Anshi say: "There is also a contribution to this from the salt debt. If grain and grass were transported from the capital at that time, do you know how much manpower and material resources it would cost? At the same time, this money should have been allocated by the national treasury. Now the national treasury
It should also bear part of the burden for the northwest finance, and in total, the national treasury will also save a lot of losses."
Such a big battle should not have been shouldered by the northwest finance. However, due to the sudden incident, the court was in a hurry. Almost all the money came from the northwest. It is just that the court allocated all the money that should have been paid to the court to Xihe.
.
Zhao Xu nodded and said, "What Scholar Wang said makes sense!"
Jiang Zhiqi was blinded by Wang Anshi's rhetoric, and shouted repeatedly: "You are wrong, the salt debt means Yin eats Mao grain. If the imperial court is only responsible for the money that should be paid, the Hezhong government's finances will not be able to afford it by then.
.”
Wang Anshi proudly said: "This means that the people do not pay taxes but the state uses money. Part of the money earned from issuing salt debts is used for disarmament expenses, and part of it is used to develop water conservancy and people's livelihood, so that the tax revenue of Hezhong Prefecture is increasing every year."
If the price rises, the money earned will be far greater than the interest on the salt debt, so there will naturally be a surplus."
Zhao Xu said in surprise: "Really?"
Wang Anshi was silent and looked at Lu Gongzhu.
Lu Gongzhu immediately stood up and said: "Your Majesty, the finances of Hezhong Mansion have indeed increased year by year, especially last year. Compared with three years ago, it has increased more than three times. However, all of it has been used for the Xihe War.
Just go into the treasury.”
"three times?"
Many ministers were immediately shocked.
A government's finances have tripled. This is truly unprecedented!
Lu Gongzhu further explained: "Half of this is because disarmament has led to reduced fiscal expenditures."
The benefits of this savings have gradually emerged.
If it hadn't been for the war, the finances of Hezhong Mansion would have blinded everyone. Unfortunately, it was all sent to Xihe, and not a penny went into the treasury, so it didn't attract much attention.
Wang Anshi immediately said: "The cost of disarmament at the beginning was mainly based on salt debt."
Sima Guang immediately stood up and said, "The public prosecutor and the procuratorate also played an important role in this."
Wang Anshi chuckled and said, "I'm not denying this."
Zhao Xu laughed and said: "Okay! Okay! The success of Hezhong Mansion is enough to prove that my original choice was not wrong."
Everyone began to compete for credit.
Wang Anshi added: "As for those illegal salts, there is no need to make a fuss about it. Your Majesty banned the trade of salt with Xixia in the first place in order to weaken Xixia's finances. Now that all the salt has entered the country, Xixia has already received the money it deserves. It will be more difficult to pursue it again."
What’s the point? Anyway, tax is calculated based on income over there now, and those who sell private salt also have to pay tax!”
Zhao Xu nodded and said: "That's right. It doesn't matter if we recover the five states of Hehuang and let Xixia make some money. However, we still need to urge envoy Wang Xuan to take good care of the border to avoid such omissions again.
.”
This is my business and no one is allowed to get involved.