Li Er was sullen and silent, as if he was about to go berserk. The county government had just sent someone to report that the sales of rock salt were good. Thirty thousand shi had been sold. There were still many people queuing up. It was expected that 60,000 shi would be sold today.
However, this news did not make Li Er happy at all. On the contrary, he had a premonition that there was something wrong behind it. The sale was too fast, which was unreasonable. After all, snowflake salt was also selling well. When did the purchasing power in Chang'an City become so great?
After pondering for a long time, Li Er couldn't think of any problem behind it. This feeling was even more uncomfortable, as if the whole thing was developing in an unpredictable direction.
Damn sense of loss of control!
Li Er didn't know when he started to feel out of control with the court, the courtiers, and the people. It seemed as if everything was getting away from him and he became a loner. This feeling made people crazy.
Not long after, Fang Xuanling, who had arrived on orders, entered the palace and saluted respectfully.
Li Er waved his hand and asked: "My dear, the speed of salt sales in the imperial court has suddenly increased significantly. I think there is something strange behind this matter, so I have specially summoned you to discuss it. What do you think about this matter?"
"Go back to your Majesty." Fang Xuanling said solemnly: "There are only two ways to deal with this matter. One is to continue to sell, and the other is not to sell. If you don't sell, it will end at the beginning and end at the end. You may be criticized and attract criticism from the people. Since you can't
If you don’t want to sell it, then let nature take its course. Anyway, if the salt is sold, it will still be in Chang’an and fall into the hands of the people, so there is no harm in it.”
These words were a bit perfunctory. Li Er didn't like it and frowned and said: "But what if there is a conspiracy behind it?"
"Your Majesty, can the court take back the salt and not sell it?" Fang Xuanling asked.
Li Er shook his head and fell silent. If he didn't sell it, public opinion would plummet and the people would be resentful, and the court couldn't bear the consequences. But if he sold it, he would be worried that there was something weird behind it. This feeling of embarrassment made Li Er crazy.
Seeing Li Er shaking his head, Fang Xuanling continued: "Since the imperial court has to sell it, even if there is a conspiracy behind it, it is best to buy the salt and hoard it for the future. But the salt is still in Chang'an and will wait for some time in Jiangnan."
After the flood subsided, a large amount of sea salt entered Chang'an, and hoarding it is a joke."
Li Er also thought that someone was hoarding goods, but he didn't think it was like it. He reminded: "Xuanling, if someone hoards goods in a strange way and waits for Jiangnan Sea Salt to arrive, they will throw it all away. It is impossible for the other party to not think of this, why do they do this?
Aren't you afraid of losing money when you act? I'm worried about ulterior motives."
Fang Xuanling couldn't understand the reason, and always felt that there was Qin Huaidao behind it. However, when he went missing last time, Fang Xuanling had already guessed Qin Huaidao's intention of not wanting to get involved. After thinking about it, he said: "Your Majesty, maybe
They feel that the floods in the south of the Yangtze River will not subside so quickly, and if they take the salt to remote cities and sell it at a higher price, it will be easier to sell it if they take it to the border, so there is no loss no matter what."
"You mean there are people who are hoarding goods, waiting for a price, and even selling them to the border?" Li Er's eyes widened and he asked, "Can the imperial court sell it to the border itself?"
Fang Xuanling's face changed greatly, and he quickly reminded: "Your Majesty, it may not be appropriate to compete with the people for profit. It is feasible for the court to ask the county government to sell in the name of relieving the people, but the price must be low and the people can afford it. If it is sold at a high price, the nature
If it is different, it may cause more trouble."
Li Er also knew that he could not compete with the people for profit, but he was unwilling to do so. If such a large batch of salt were sold, the internal treasury would make a huge fortune, and he would no longer have to live a tight life. After thinking for a moment, he said: "What Aiqing said is
, we cannot sell it at a high price and compete with the people for profit. It is not easy for the people. Several salt mines of the Hou family were confiscated by the court. I plan to send someone to take charge of the mining and transport more salt to Chang'an. Who is better?"
"I don't know much about salt mining, so please make your own decision," Fang Xuanling refused.
Recommending talents is a sensitive topic. If the recommended person is in line with the Holy Will, everything is easy to say, but the credit will definitely not be achieved. However, if the recommendation is wrong, there will be joint and several liability. Moreover, when Li Er asked about this matter, he must have already had a candidate in mind. He has been an official for many years.
Fang Xuanling knows this well.
Seeing that Fang Xuanling was on the road, Li Er smiled with satisfaction and said: "I intend to implement the salt review law and set up a salt department to be responsible for mining, production, distribution and transshipment. Although the governor of Lizhou, Warrior Xun, is guilty,
I am familiar with the affairs of Shannan West Road. I am demoted to the second level and appointed as the Salt Secretary Yin. What do you think?"
Fang Xuanling's face changed drastically when he heard the words "Gaoyanfa", and he quickly said: "The Gaoyanfa was a system of monopolizing salt production and marketing implemented by the imperial court during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. It was also one of the reasons that led to the demise of the Han Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty followed the Sui Dynasty system.
There is no question about the salt method, but now the Holy Spirit is going to introduce it, I am afraid there is something wrong with it, so please think twice."
The core of the Salt Law is the civilian system of official collection, that is, civilians are recruited to prepare their own living and production expenses to boil salt. The government provides tools for frying salt. The boiled salt is paid by the government at a certain wage according to the pot and is collected by the government.
Sell it to businesses at a certain price, and then sell it to the people if there are businesses.
To put it simply, the original production and sales of merchants became the production of common people, and the imperial court unified the purchase and distribution to merchants for retail. With the addition of the imperial court, many more people would reach out to ask for cards, and the cost would increase greatly, and the price would be high.
Many people can't even afford salt.
What's more, His Majesty spared no effort to support the new forces by putting a guilty person in charge. Fang Xuanling, a good old man, was also angry, but he still endured his anger and continued to remind: "Your Majesty, the warrior Xun is guilty, and the matter has not been investigated.
Don’t entrust heavy responsibilities before you know it, otherwise you will be criticized.”
Li Er's face instantly became gloomy and he was cold and silent.
It was a matter of great concern to the country and the country, so Fang Xuanling did not give in and quickly figured out countermeasures.
The hall suddenly became depressing and solemn.
The floods in the south of the Yangtze River and the lack of salt in Chang'an made Li Er realize the importance and huge profits of salt. He wanted to take back the imperial court and control it himself to increase the internal treasury income. However, he also knew the disadvantages of doing so, so he just started by hoping that the house would be profitable.
Xuanling was able to stand up, write to the court, and go along with the situation. If there were any problems in the future, he could blame Fang Xuanling on him. Unexpectedly, Fang Xuanling not only did not agree tacitly as usual, but also refused with a firm attitude.
The feeling of losing control came to me again.
Li Erlai became angry. Fang Xuanling was ignorant and uncooperative. There were many people in the court who cooperated. He waved his hands with a cold face and said: "We will discuss this matter later. Please step aside."
Fang Xuanling wanted to say something more, but when she saw Li Er's gloomy expression, she knew there was nothing to say. She left with a sigh and hurried out of the hall, her heart full of worry.
The floods in the south of the Yangtze River have not yet been resolved. Once the salt law is announced, the world may be in chaos.
"No, we must not let it go."
Fang Xuanling warned herself, hurriedly left the imperial city, got on the carriage and said, "Go to Qinjiazhuang, quickly!"
Start quickly and head out of the city.
Along the way, Fang Xuanling was thoughtful and silent, thinking about the last time he was calmed down and injured, and then the prince rebelled, and Li Er's temperament changed drastically, becoming suspicious and jealous. If this continues, the world may be in turmoil and the war will start again.
It's been such an eventful time.
Fang Xuanling rubbed his painful head, his face looked very bad.
When he arrived at Qinjiazhuang and was stopped, Fang Xuanling was worried that Qin Huaidao was missing again, so he said to the guard: "Go and report, saying that I have something very important and you must see him."
The team members protecting the village did not dare to make their own decisions and hurriedly went to report it.
At this time, a carriage came over, and it was Qin Huaidao who was returning from a secret investigation of the sales situation. He could not avoid it. Qin Huaidao could no longer hide, so he went up to meet him and asked: "Uncle Shi, why do you have time to come here?"
Fang Xuanling said with a straight face: "It's not easy to meet you. Find a quiet place to chat for a few words."
"Come with me." Qin Huaidao nodded knowingly, expressing his peace of mind.
The two carriages entered the village and soon stopped at the gate of the courtyard on the top of the mountain. Qin Huaidao led Fang Xuanling to the study, and no one was allowed to approach.
The two of them sat down, and Fang Xuanling said directly: "Have you heard of the method of salt removal?"
"I'm not sure, what's wrong?" Qin Huaidao asked in surprise.
Fang Xuanling explained the core essence of the Salt Process, and finally added: "The Holy Emperor wants to launch the Salt Process and establish a Salt Department to take charge of the world's salt industry, with the warrior Xun as the Salt Secretary Yin."
Qin Huaidao's expression changed. Although he didn't know about the warrior Xun, he knew that the Tang Dynasty died on salt. The two major rebel leaders in the late Tang Dynasty, Huang Chao and Wang Xianzhi, both sold private salt. It was because of the high price of salt that the people were miserable.
, couldn't survive, and eventually rebelled.
However, those things only happened at the end of the Tang Dynasty. The court is not involved in salt now. What does Li Er want to do? He thinks his country is too stable and wants to find some excitement?
Seeing Qin Huaidao's silence, Fang Xuanling asked, "The salt-eating method has hundreds of harms but no benefit. Do you have any way to stop the Holy Spirit from doing this?"