As soon as Zhou Xuexi heard Zhang Tinglan mention Changlu Saltworks, he almost spit out a mouthful of tea. The old man's face turned red from choking. It took a long time for the old man to return to normal.
"I have to say, although salt is a huge profit, I advise you not to get involved. There are so many things going on there, it's just a quagmire, and you might get stuck in it."
Zhou Xuexi only thought that Zhang Tinglan was young and saw only benefits but no harm, so he said sincerely: "The salt policy of the Republic of China followed the system of the Manchu Qing Dynasty. The salt policy of the Manchu Qing Dynasty was already full of disadvantages and had reached the point where it was unsustainable.
situation, but since the Republic of China, several attempts to reform it have been given up due to too much resistance. In addition, Yuan Gongbao made a large loan for the aftermath, which was mortgaged with salt tax. In addition, the Boxer Indemnity and so on were also mortgaged with salt tax.
, so the foreigners have set up a lot of censorship structures. If you want to touch the salt farm, you have to touch the interests of all aspects, which is a hornet's nest!"
What Zhou Xuexi said is absolutely correct. Since salt is a daily necessity for everyone, it contains huge benefits. All dynasties have repeatedly gambled on salt politics.
During the Ming Dynasty, a salt merchant group appeared in China. They used their huge wealth accumulated over hundreds of years to bribe officials and formed a huge interest group. At the turn of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, these salt merchants collectively defected to the Manchu and Qing Tatars.
Zi, relying on the protection of the Manchus, continued to maintain the salt policy that was full of loopholes.
After hundreds of years of accumulation, salt has become the most important tool for profit-making by salt merchants, bureaucrats, gangs, and governments at all levels. The interest chain inside is intricate and intricate, affecting the whole body.
Especially after the late Qing Dynasty, the addition of foreigners added another layer of trouble to the already chaotic salt policy. Therefore, Beiyang tried to reform several times, but to no avail. Zhou Xuexi was well aware of the problems, so he did not want Zhang Tinglan to get involved in salt.
politics.
But Zhang Tinglan had his own calculation in mind. The profits from salt were really too great. Currently, the total annual salt tax in the Republic of China exceeds 70 million, and will soon exceed 80 million. The proportion is only
Second to land tax. And this is only collected by the government. The profits shared by other salt merchants are even more astonishing. The profits of the entire industry are conservatively estimated to be more than 500 million.
Changlu Saltworks is the largest saltworks in China, accounting for a quarter of the country's output. As long as the Changlu Saltworks is controlled, it is not a problem to get a profit of 20 to 30 million a year. It is definitely a very stable source of wealth.
In addition, salt is definitely the most important livelihood issue in this era. The common people are all suffering from salt. Due to exploitation at all levels, the price of salt remains high. Ordinary people basically have to use their spare money to buy salt. They are unable to buy other things.
of goods.
Moreover, Zhang Tinglan has also observed the salt that ordinary people eat. At least one-third of it is soil and grass powder, and only two-thirds, or even about half, is coarse and large-grained salt. Needless to say how dirty this thing is, but
The common people had no choice but to endure it.
Obtaining the salt field will not only make huge profits, but also benefit the people all over the world. This is also one of the means to win over the people. Therefore, the salt industry is something Zhang Tinglan has to get involved with.
"I am very aware of the issue of salt administration, Duke Zhou, but this problem cannot be avoided and must be solved sooner or later. A large number of immigrants are coming to the three eastern provinces. Within five to ten years, the number of people in the three eastern provinces will exceed 30 million. If we do not solve the problem,
After solving the problem of salt, how can we get the people to support us? Moreover, due to the bad administration of salt, how much tax revenue has been lost. If we can recover 10% or 20% of the profits, it will be tens of millions, and at least ten steel plants can be built. The three northeastern provinces need to
If we want to develop, the salt problem must be solved."
Although Zhou Xuexi had not been in contact with Zhang Tinglan for a short time, he also knew that he meant what he said. Since he was planning to attack the salt industry, he must not change it. However, Zhou Xuexi still reminded Zhang Tinglan out of concern for Zhang Tinglan: "I'm sorry, if you want to do anything,
The salt policy must also be carried out step by step. If you ask Lao Duan directly for the salt farm, he can't decide. I advise you to come up with a complete set of action plans."
Zhang Tinglan also nodded: "You are well-informed. I have some ideas about salt politics and would like to ask you for advice."
"Let's not talk about asking for advice. I also participated in the management of the salt administration and know a few things. We can refer to it for details."
"I have already thought about it. When starting the salt policy, I must not offend too many people and choose the smallest entry point. I plan to contract the salt tax first, which means that I must ensure that the amount of salt tax paid to Beiyang remains unchanged.
The portion of the repayment of loan compensation will remain unchanged, so that Beiyang and the great powers will not interfere. Then the knife of reform will be slashed at those salt merchants. It just so happened that this time when I checked the properties of the Eight Banners princes, I found many Eight Banners nobles and salt merchants.
There are business contacts, and there are even shares of Manchu princes, so we can use the name of tracking down the members of the restoration party to win them down in one fell swoop!"
Zhang Tinglan often puts forward a very big idea when doing things, which is almost beyond the capacity of people of this era. This is the case for recovering the Middle Road, the same for immigration, and the same for road construction. But when it is time to actually take action, Zhang Tinglan will dismantle the huge goals.
into many steps.
Step by step, the resistance will become much smaller. This time Zhang Tinglan planned to get involved in the salt policy. He did not immediately harm the interests of everyone. Instead, he ensured the income of the great powers and Beiyang and concentrated on dealing with the salt merchants, who due to
Being connected with the princes of the Eight Banners means that Zhang Tinglan has the leverage to suppress their arrogance.
After such analysis, Zhou Xuexi suddenly realized that Zhang Tinglan was not dreaming, and there was indeed a way to this matter.
"I would like to say that there are many types of salt merchants. There are big merchants who hold salt and have privileges, there are merchants who are responsible for transportation, and there are merchants who sell. How are you going to break their chain of interests?"
"The two most important problems in the salt administration since the Ming and Qing Dynasties are production and sales. There was a salt introduction system in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Simply put, it gave some big businessmen the privilege of experiencing salt. They relied on it.
Yanyin goes to the salt field to extract the salt, and then traffics it to designated areas for sale. In this process, there is no way to guarantee the quality of the salt, and due to privileged operations and layer upon layer exploitation, the price remains high."
Zhou Xuexi nodded: "What I said is correct. Not only that, salt merchants will bribe officials to over-issue salt, and there is also a large amount of private salt. All kinds of problems are entangled together. It is complicated."
"When it comes to producing salt, we used to boil it, but Fan Xudong's Jiuda Salt Company has developed a method of drying salt. In this way, the salt produced is clean and even, and the cost is extremely low. It controls the salt field.
After that, I am going to promote this method and greatly increase the output of the salt farm!"
Only then did Zhou Xuexi suddenly realize, and said with a smile: "Sorry, you have been thinking about salt for a day or two, otherwise how could you have encouraged Fan Xudong to go to Fengtian and take him under your command?"
"I asked Mr. Fan more to want to develop the chemical industry. The salt industry is still too rudimentary." Zhang Tinglan explained casually, and then continued: "The production problem has been solved. Next is the sales problem. I am ready to completely abolish the salt introduction system.
In the salt industry, to promote free competition, any businessman, as long as he pays a reserve of 500,000 yuan, can go to the salt farm to purchase salt and transport it to various places for sale. In addition, I am also preparing to launch a new initiative, that is, the government proposes salt sales
Guide price. Depending on the distance and shipping cost, the price of salt can be adjusted somewhat, but it cannot exceed too much."
The current salt policy is monopolized by big salt merchants. They are not only responsible for transporting and selling salt, but also have the power to collect salt taxes. At any time, taxation is the power of the government. This power is handed over to a group of businessmen, resulting in
The consequences can be imagined.
The salt merchants deceived the superiors and deceived the subordinates. The common people had to bear several times the tax, but the government could not even collect the money it should collect. According to Zhang Tinglan's method, when the salt merchants purchased salt at the salt farm, they paid taxes directly, so that the tax was settled at the salt farm.
, which ensures the source is stable.
In addition, since the privileges have been abolished, all salt merchants will compete with each other, and the price of salt will naturally be suppressed, and ordinary people can also profit from it.
"I would like to say that your plan was actually proposed by someone at the end of the Qing Dynasty. The essence is to cut off the unfair profits of salt merchants, and then ensure the national tax revenue and reduce the burden on the people at the same time. However, there was too much resistance and it was not implemented.
, I don’t know now whether I have implemented this bill that benefits the country and the people?”
"Gong Zhou, my biggest support for doing this is tens of thousands of gun barrels. If those salt merchants want to fight me, they should first ask my gun barrels if they agree?"
"I'd like to say, please don't act recklessly. If these merchants cut off the supply of salt, the world will be in chaos. Aren't you doing something bad with good intentions?"
"If they dare to do this, I can't help but wish for it. There are many businessmen in the three northeastern provinces, and they are all jealous of the huge profits from salt. Now these salt merchants are leaving their jobs, and I have plenty of spare personnel. I wish they would get out."
Zhou Xuexi heard this and completely understood that Zhang Tinglan wanted to get involved in the salt industry, not just on a whim, but with full preparation. Moreover, Zhang Tinglan also had enough strength, not only military power, but also huge economic influence.
Moreover, Fengjun's rise outside the customs does not have too many intricate relationships with these salt merchants, so he does not need to be dragged down. Now it seems that only Fengjun has the ability to break the salt merchants' dirty interest chain.
"I would like to say, now that you are fully prepared, I will talk to Duan Qirui now and ask him to hand over the Changlu Salt Farm."
After Zhou Xuexi finished explaining, he hurriedly went to find Lao Duan. After reporting the matter to Lao Duan, Duan Qirui was also surprised. It was expected that Feng Jun would ask for Rehe, and he promised not to betray the three eastern provinces.
It is said that although Old Duan feels pain in moving some factories and schools, it is not beyond negotiation.
Only the problem of Changlu Saltworks horrified Lao Duan. He never imagined that Feng Jun wanted to get involved in the salt industry. According to Lao Duan's idea, he was ready to refuse. The salt policy was already chaotic enough. If Feng Jun was allowed to do it again,
If the military intervenes, I'm afraid it will be even more troublesome.
At this moment, Xu Shuzheng suddenly interrupted: "Zhiweng, the salt policy has always been a bad policy. If Fengjun is willing to contract it, it will not damage the government's tax revenue anyway, and the indemnities from the great powers can be guaranteed. Let Fengjun do it.
If it succeeds, it will be a great merit."
When Xu Shuzheng said this, he paused again: "However, the salt administration involves too many aspects and cannot be handed over to Fengjun all at once. I suggest that about half of the salt fields from the south of Shanhaiguan to Tanggu should be handed over to Fengjun.
Other saltworks are still doing it the old way!”
Xu Shuzheng made this suggestion rashly. Lao Duan didn't understand what was going on for a while, but with their tacit understanding, Lao Duan nodded in agreement.
"Zhiweng, destroying someone's wealth is like killing one's parents. Fengjun just offended the prince of the Eight Banners to death, and then went on to offend the salt merchants. This is seeking death. Why should we care about this? It is better to watch Fengjun's excitement and let
The salt merchants will cause trouble for them first, and we will take the opportunity to drive away Bodhisattva Li."
Lao Duan and Xiao Xu were discussing how to deal with Feng Jun, while Zhang Tinglan was also listening to reports from his men.
"The Feng army has currently raided the residences of fifty-four princes and ministers, arrested a total of 932 nobles of the Eight Banners, and seized oceans, bank deposits, gold and silver worth a total of 47 million taels; and 142 manors.
There are 27 million acres of land and more than 10,000 shops of various shops!"
Listening to these astonishing numbers, Zhang Tinglan just felt that countless gold and silver fell down and hit him directly on the head! (To be continued, please search Piao Tian Literature, the novel is better and updated faster!