"Lao Li, how much do you think this kind of salt can be sold for per stone?"
Looking at the refined salt that was like fine silver sand, Li Shimin shook his head solemnly.
"Ordinary table salt on the market today usually costs about forty or fifty cents per stone, and refined salt costs about seventy or eighty cents. There is no refined salt like yours on the market, so it's hard to estimate..."
Wang Zi'an glanced at Li Shimin, then at Li Shimin and Empress Changsun, while twirling the salt between his fingers, he said in a teasing tone.
"The salt and iron franchise has always been customized by the imperial court. I don't know what considerations the imperial court has today. They would rather have an empty national treasury and be so poor that they lose their pants, but also want to abolish this policy - tsk tsk, it is really a waste of martial arts...
"
Do you think I don’t want to?
There’s nothing I can do against those aristocratic families!
Li Shimin couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart and looked at Wang Zi'an helplessly.
My old Li family originally relied on these aristocratic families to get to power.
Nowadays, these aristocratic families not only control a large amount of resources, but also control a quite powerful private army. Even in the court, many of them are their relatives, friends, and even direct descendants.
I couldn't borrow any food even if I wanted to, so how could I dare to touch their lifeblood so easily?
"Maybe the imperial court has concerns about the imperial court——"
Li Shimin shook his head gently.
Wang Zi'an glanced at him, threw away the salt in his hand, and sat down calmly.
"But it doesn't matter that the imperial court doesn't specialize in salt and iron. At least it gives us a chance - Lao Li, are you interested in cooperating with me to start a small salt business and earn some pocket money..."
Everyone:…
Will you die if you don't pretend for a while?
Do you call the salt business a small business?
Is that pocket money?
That’s a mountain of gold and silver!
Not to mention Li Shimin and Empress Changsun, even Li Chengqian couldn't help but his heart was pounding, and Princess Yuzhang's watery eyes widened in surprise.
"You mean, let's buy coarse salt together and process it like we did that day?"
Li Shimin couldn't help but his eyes lit up. Although he had to go through it once, he also knew how much profit it contained.
If he really could do it, his empty Nenu would probably change completely soon, and he would even be able to use a considerable amount to fill the national treasury!
"What kind of job are you doing--what's the future of a second-rate dealer?"
As Wang Zi'an spoke, he pointed to the stove.
"Go, light the fire and cook the pot. Let's cook the dumplings and talk..."
"I'll come, I'll come -"
When Li Chengqian saw his father, he really stuck his butt out and wanted to go over to light the fire. He quickly took two steps forward and grabbed the living thing.
Although my coaxing master does not regard the emperor as the emperor, I, the prince, cannot but take his father seriously.
"No, what are we doing if we don't become second-rate dealers? Most of the salt mines in the world are owned by their owners..."
Seeing that his son had taken away the job, Li Shimin straightened up, dusted his hands briskly, and looked at Wang Zi'an with a confused look on his face.
He didn't believe that Wang Zi'an wouldn't know this fact.
"The most widely circulated and popular one on the market is of course well salt, followed by lake salt and sea salt - we probably can't get involved with these, but we can get mineral salt -"
Wang Zi'an laughed and picked up the dumpling wrappers again. He had to make more dumplings while there were many people, otherwise it would be too deserted by himself.
"Mineral salt?"
Everyone couldn't help but be stunned. Li Chengqian couldn't help but cautiously raised his head and glanced at his thick-legged gentleman, and gave a tentative reminder.
"Sir, there are too many impurities in the mineral salt, and it has killed people in the past..."
Wang Zi'an glanced at Li Chengqian who was careful in front of him with some surprise.
Isn't this a good child?
Also know to consider this.
How did it get so bad later?
Before Wang Zi'an could finish his emotion, he saw thick smoke rising under the stove...
"Lao Li, hurry up!"
You don’t know how to cook a pot, so what kind of filial piety are you showing off!
Wang Zi'an looked at him speechlessly, but he wasn't angry either. He was a dignified prince, and it was good if he was willing to cook pots. How could he expect him to have this skill?
After all, Li Shimin had burned too many times, so he pulled out the excess firewood in three strokes, five by two, and the red flames rose, making Li Chengqian's face turn red with embarrassment.
"Governing a big country is like cooking small dishes, and the same principle applies to cooking a pot. It's not that the more wood you put under the pot, the hotter it will burn. Instead, you have to pay attention to proportions, leave gaps, and take your time so that everyone can cook.
A piece of firewood will exert its maximum effect..."
Wang Zi'an gave him a casual pointer.
There is no big skill in cooking a pot, just a little instruction is enough.
Li Chengqian couldn't help but think deeply after hearing this. Li Shimin simply stood up and gave the stove to Li Chengqian.
"Come, try again yourself——"
This truth, if you tell him a thousand or ten thousand times, it would be better for him to actually practice it once. It seems that it is right to send Cheng Qian here himself.
It's a pity that Gao Ming is the prince and can't leave the East Palace for a long time. Otherwise, he really wants to keep this child here and accept Zian's training day and night.
After Li Chengqian carefully took over the task of cooking the pot, Li Shimin turned to look at Wang Zi'an.
"You mean that using your method can solve the problem of toxic mineral salt."
"Yes, you didn't hang out with me for so long in vain. It's because you are a little smarter than my son..."
Ignoring Wang Zi'an's teasing, Li Shimin couldn't help but have a look of surprise on his face.
"There is a mineral salt in the west of Chang'an City. It has a large reserve, but it has a lot of impurities. It has been abandoned there for a long time. We can just get it-"
As Li Shimin said this, he couldn't help but pace around a few steps, looking at Wang Zi'an excitedly.
"I will arrange the manpower. Tell me what equipment you need, and I will immediately arrange the manpower to build it -"
"You can make the tools yourself. Let's find the manpower from Dongshan first - two coal mines, a coal washing plant, and a briquette processing plant won't require so many people. It's freezing today, and the roads to the east of the city
There is no way to repair it for the time being, so let them go to the salt field first - remember to feed people and pay them for their work..."
Wang Zi'an waved his hand and simply settled the matter.
It can just relieve the food pressure in Dongshan. Although food prices are cheaper now, the pressure is still very high to support so many people. If you can find more ways out for them, try to find as many ways as possible.
People are in high spirits when happy events happen, and even the shadow of Chang Sun Wuji who just waved his sleeves away has faded a lot.
The hot dumplings were served, fresh and delicious side dishes were placed, and a jar of Erguotou was served. Several people sat neatly at the table.
"As the saying goes, nothing is more delicious than dumplings, and more fun than anything else—cough, sister-in-law, how about you try these dumplings—"