The salt merchants in Yangzhou are even more profitable than the current sea merchants. They don’t need the court to open up dumping land for them, and the entire Ming Dynasty is a huge market.

Everyone needs to eat salt, and even animals have to find ways to absorb salt. The bigger the demand is, the bigger the market is, the bigger the profit is.

Since we decided to run the imperial factory, we need to set a level to arrange officials and recruit people to work. More importantly, we should appease the salt merchants and let them give up this hereditary monopoly golden rice bowl.

The four words "hereditary monopoly" are like golden signs, and no one wants to give up.

Hou Xuanyan decided to stay in Yangzhou for a few days, and then leave for the first time after dealing with this matter thoroughly.

Liao Jingqing was not angry because he would not be promoted for five years. After all, five years in the officialdom were not long, and the prefect of Yangzhou also had great potential.

After leaving early in the morning, accompanied by Liao Jingqing, Hou Xuanyan inspected Yangzhou City for two rounds. It was already sunset. Early autumn in the south of the Yangtze River was still raging with high temperatures. Hou Xuanyan's back was wet and settled in front of Dongguan Street.

After Hou Xuan dismounted, he stopped in a teahouse and said, "Just have a cup of tea here and have a rest."

After walking around Yangzhou, under the introduction of Liao Jingqing, he had already learned the current situation in Yangzhou. Various courtyards and mansions are spread all over the most prosperous streets, which are no less than the imperial palace. Although they do not occupy more land than the imperial palace, they spend a lot of money, with pink walls and green tiles, and green courtyards everywhere. These are all the best salt merchants in Lianghuai, and the real estate in Yangzhou is evident.

The teahouse is located in Dongguan Street in Yangzhou, which is the main site of the Water 6 liang transportation. There are many merchants coming and going. Qin He and others guarded outside a private room. After Hou Xuanyan sat down, he called out: "Go to tea!"

After a while, the shop brought the tea. Hou Xuanyan's eyes lit up. The girl's actions of pouring tea were not slow, revealing the rhythm and beauty. Her voice was a sweet and soft Wu dialect. Hou Xuanyan couldn't help but take a look at it again. No wonder the teahouse is so good.

The girl noticed his eyes and smiled sweetly and said, "Uncle, the tea has been poured down, please drink it slowly." After that, she bowed and retreated.

Hou Xuanyan's face turned bitter, and he touched his chin and found that there was a stubble. He said embarrassedly: "Salt making and selling salt is a big business that concerns people's livelihood, and it cannot be concentrated in the hands of a small group of people."

Liao Jingqing's eyes lit up when he heard this. He had been an official in Yangzhou for a short time, but he had already felt the power of the salt merchants. He did not dare to say more, but just clasped his fists and said, "The prince's reputation is."

It is no exaggeration to say that the main canal transportation route of Lianghuai is the world of salt merchants. They seize amazing wealth and naturally have huge energy.

When Hou Xuanyan started his uprising, he relied on them to support him. His father-in-law Gu family controlled the large number of salt yin in Lianghuai. Although the Gu family's main business has now been transferred to the Siling factory, and its main source of income is also shipping, salt yin is still a pillar of them.

"Although it's a bit unkind, the salt incense must be brought back. I think it's better to start with the Gu family." Hou Xuanyan took a sip of tea, and the fragrance of tea was filled with refreshing hearts. It was indeed the best Maojian.

Seeing that he took the initiative to mention the Gu family, Liao Jingqing knew that the prince was very determined, otherwise he would not have even taken back the Gu family. You should know that Hou Xuanyan's first batch of troops were still servants of the Gu family.

It is rumored that Mr. Gu is keen to know heroes, but when he sees Hou Xuanyan, he exclaims: This is really a hero.

After saying that, he bowed and betrothed his granddaughter to the great hero. The eldest lady of the Gu family is also a beauties who love heroes. When she saw Hou Xuanyan, she secretly agreed and never left her since then.

This story has been circulated quite a lot, and Hou Xuanyan has heard of it himself, and after hearing it, he just smiled and didn't say anything.

At that time, the old fox Gu Youde colluded with him and cheated Wu Zhikui. His original intention was to support himself in occupying Suzhou and have his own armament in troubled times.

Such things are often lost. No matter which force attacks, the soldiers will definitely die. So the Suzhou heroes elected Hou Xuan as the emperor, which made him successful. As for Miss Gu's heart, she was still wearing a braid and eating a pear with three bites...

In any case, the relationship between the Gu family and the emperor's father is well known. Since the prince wants to start with the Gu family, it also shows his determination. Liao Jingqing felt quite comfortable when he opened his eyebrows.

If an official in Yangzhou can disband the salt merchant and listen to the prince accepting it to the court, then the political achievements of his Yangzhou prefect will not be as small as several times.

Hou Xuanyan looked at his pride and didn't get angry. He ate a table of saltless dishes after being hungry for a long time, but he still remembered it in his heart.

"Let's go out and go out for a walk. As Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, let's take a look at the night view of Yangzhou."

Liao Jingqing then looked out of the window. Sure enough, the sky was getting dark. Hou Xuanyan had already stood up, and Liao Jingqing hurriedly followed.

Neither of them wore the government, and even Qin He and other personal soldiers were dressed in casual clothes. People came and went to Yangzhou City, and more than a thousand guards sneaked into the crowd to protect them secretly, but they were all hiding in the crowd.

"Uncle, walk slowly."

With a crisp and nice giggle, Hou Xuanyan turned around and glared at her fiercely, and turned around and left.

I led my horse across a wooden bridge on the canal. There shouldn’t be many people in the evening, but there were more people on the street near the Mid-Autumn Festival.

There were many people in front of me surrounding a place, with occasional teasing sounds and a few women's voices mixed with.

Hou Xuanyan was happy and came! Finally, he came. Isn’t this a plot to tease the folk girl and let me see the hero save the beauty?

Hou Xuanyan, who was full of evil, quickly walked forward with his horse and raised his feet. The guards in the secret accidentally squeezed out the crowd, making a way for him.

In front of me was a family with green tiles and white walls, a small courtyard with red doors, and a plaque on the lintel, with beautiful handwriting and three big words "Yueyanlou".

Hou Xuanyan curled his lips and turned out to be a brothel. Although the place seemed very elegant, the veteran driver Hou Xuanyan knew that the high-end brothels of this era were all so elegant.

Just as Hou Xuanyan was about to leave, he saw a little girl walking out of the door, with picturesque eyebrows and pretty face flushed, her hands were inserted into her waist, and she pointed at the person in front of her and said, "My lady was personally pardoned by the prince. You guys are still talking nonsense here. Are you questioning the prince?"

When Hou Xuanyan heard that there was something about him, he turned around and took a closer look. The little girl was very handsome and didn't recognize her.

At this time, a young man in the crowd who was wearing a brocade robe and swayed a fan with a slightly fat body, it was difficult for him to pretend to be elegant.

"Miss, don't scare people with the title of the prince. Who doesn't know that the prince hates traitors the most? Your master is the number one traitor in Tianzi. How could the prince hide the family of the traitor?

You are still staying in our Yangzhou and opened this Yueyan Building. You are so arrogant when you come out to sell laughter. Why don’t you let us in?"

Only then did Hou Xuanyan realize that it was this group of people who were going to come in to spend money and were turned away.

Although the little girl was young, she was smart and stingy. Facing a group of men, she shouted angrily: "Bah, you group of vain and slutty children want to come to our Yueyanlou. My lady said that she only welcomes old friends and talented men here, and wants to buy a smile and find another place."

A slightly sad voice came from the gate of the courtyard: "Forget it, close the door and ignore these people."

Hou Xuanyan felt a little familiar, and when the person came out, he suddenly realized that it was her.

The woman wore a moon-white white silk skirt and tied a snow-covered bun, which was as charm as the three autumn osmanthus flowers and June diamonds.

When a group of rich and rich children saw her, they were no longer as arrogant as before. They smiled and said, "We are also the name of Mrs. Jiumu. Why are we so cruel to us?"

Hou Xuanyan couldn't stand it anymore. He walked out of the crowd and kicked the fat man in the butt. After so many years of battle, he was very strong. The kick made the liberty who was hollowed out by the wine and staggered and fell to the ground.

The little girl who had previously blocked the door and fought with the "Confucian" group of people was happy and clapped her hands and smiled: "What are you doing with Mr. Lu? It's the New Year and the New Year are not the holidays. I don't have a red envelope for you to give this gift."

The fat young master Lu got up, and the servants around him rolled up their sleeves and stepped forward, making him a little brave, and grinned and cursed: "Where are you from? Do you know who I am?"

Before Hou Xuanyan could speak, Liu Rushi was already seeing a ghost, and her face turned red. She was so familiar with the person in front of her. She appeared in her nightmare several times and was embarrassed every time she thought about it.

Hou Xuanyan's face turned cold, and the momentum that had been in power for a long time was so overwhelming that the people couldn't breathe. Mr. Lu's arrogant and domineering eyebrows gradually became dodging, and he almost didn't dare to look directly.

The prince who came out of the sea of ​​corpses and blood would make people feel trembling when he glanced at others.

"roll!"

Mr. Lu was granted a general amnesty, turned around and ran away with his legs trembling. The thug beside him also fled in panic.

Qin He slowly let go of his hand holding the hilt and continued to stand silently behind him.

Liu Rushi looked at him with a complicated expression. This person was his husband-killing enemy, but he had also seen him naked.

She married Zhou, a senior secretary who was over 60 years old, as her concubine at the age of fourteen. Later, she experienced several men, but none of them faced the feeling of Hou Xuanyan.

The people around who were watching the fun, who didn't know his identity, were pointing fingers.

"This uncle is so powerful. He scared away the abominable Lu Saner just after a glance." The little girl clapped her hands and praised. Hou Xuanyan smiled bitterly, and she would shave her beard next time she went out.

Ignoring another young girl who said that he was old in disguise, Hou Xuanyan turned around and said, "When Qian Qianyi surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, Liu Rushi had stopped her. This was also considered a national integrity. I forgive her for this. Whoever comes to make trouble in the future will just ignore my words. A group of good men will know how to bully women every day if they don't work hard and make progress."

When everyone heard his tone, they started to discuss it in a loud voice. Liao Jingqing stood up and said, "I am the prefect of Yangzhou, and this is the regent of the emperor's father."

With a bang, the people realized that their eyes were full of excitement, and they looked at Hou Xuanyan in front of them.

The little girl covered her mouth and waited for her eyes to be round, unable to believe it.

Hou Xuanyan said angrily: "Go and get a pair of pens and ink, I'll write you a talisman, so you won't have to fight against the evil young man in the future."

The little girl hurried into the house and jumped out her pen and ink. Hou Xuanyan picked up the pen and wrote: No, please stay away.

The people around him read it with his pen. Liu Rushi went to the first two games to thank him: "Thank you, the prince..."

Hou Xuanyan smiled softly, turned around and left, lamenting in his heart. This was also considered a woman in troubled times.

Liu Rushi looked at his back and took a few deep breaths before calming down. The expression in his eyes gradually relaxed, and he let go of a moment of thought and felt much more relaxed. From then on, Tianya was a passerby, and if he had no connection with half a trace of prosperity, he might never see him.

Liao Jingqing looked like she was watching gossip, but when she saw Hou Xuanyan, she left, she was disappointed.

He quickly followed and said while adding fuel to the fire: "The young master Lu just now would be the third son of the big salt merchant Lu Guan'an of Yangzhou. He relied on the money at home and acted very arrogantly."

Hou Xuanyan stopped and cursed: "You are the prefect of Yangzhou. If he commits a crime, you will send someone to take him. Otherwise, you will tell me something, will I still be responsible for the public security in Yangzhou?"

Liao Jingqing hurriedly accused of guilt and said, "What the prince taught me is that the subordinates knew they were wrong."

"In the future, learn to be smarter, seek more wisdom for people, and use less careful thoughts."

"The officials have received the education."

After experiencing this, Hou Xuanyan felt a little tired and had no intention of traveling to Yangzhou again.

After returning to the temporary residence, under the scorching light, a girl with a slender waist stood in the hall with a clever smile.

Hou Xuanyan said in surprise: "Why are you here?"

"The master is reluctant to go back to Beijing, so Yao'er has to come to find you." Lingyao said playfully, sticking out his tongue.

Hou Xuanyan laughed and took her into her arms, touched her small head with a doting heart, and said, "I have something to do in Yangzhou, are you unable to wait?"

"We have been preparing for so long, Yao'er thought the master had other thoughts."

Hou Xuanyan knew that she was worried about her becoming emperor, and this matter was a foregone conclusion. Of course, she would not change her mind at this time, as that would make her subordinates feel disappointed.

Although Lingyao and her father were not the most concerned, they were also filmed in the top few. Seeing Hou Xuanyan staying in Yangzhou, they couldn't help but come in in person.

When Hou Xuanyan mentioned that he was preparing to take back the salt guild, the spiritual medicine seemed a little uncommon. His master's attainment in this area is much higher than his own, so he just needs to follow him.

Hou Xuanyan was also very happy. No matter what the reason was, the arrival of the spiritual medicine made it easier for her to deal with salt induced matters, because many things are now done by her figures.

"The master has been walking for a day, and the medicine is waiting for you to wash your feet." The spiritual medicine slid out of his arms and jumped to fetch water.

"Oh... I took back the salt ray, this matter is a bit unauthentic." Hou Xuanyan sat on the chair, frowned and murmured.

Of course, he was just talking. The least needed thing for the rise of an empire is a moral model. Reclaiming salt is just the beginning of people's livelihood, military industry, smelting and other heavy industries. With the restoration of Chenyang, the Qing royal family was taken down in one fell swoop, and war was no longer the main contradiction. The court's hands should begin to dominate the direction of the economy.

Although the salt merchants at the beginning had funded the Northern Expedition, they did not completely ruin their minds to force themselves. The dividends based on shares would only make them less profitable.
Chapter completed!