"Haha! You people, when something goes wrong, you blame others and ask you to solve the problem, but you push back and hold back!"
"This salt matter can be easily solved, didn't Zhao Buru also say that?
The inventory in the hands of those salt merchants can probably last for fifteen days!"
"We will give them fifteen days to sell salt. Once the fifteen days are exceeded, whoever dares to sell salt will have their homes confiscated and their families exterminated. We will never tolerate it!"
"This is forcing those salt merchants to sell salt. This is the countermeasure!"
Lin Fan said with a sneer.
Zhao Buru was being held by the Liangmin Jinyi Guards. His face originally had a look of despair, but after hearing what Lin Fan said, his hope of survival suddenly rose again.
"Your Majesty! Marquis Diwu is talking nonsense. Once Your Majesty issues such an imperial edict, those salt merchants will definitely resist and even store the salt in their hands without selling any of it!"
Zhao Buru said hurriedly.
Emperor Chongzhen frowned. What Zhao Buru said was exactly what he was worried about.
"Lin Fan, I also feel that there is something wrong with this matter!"
Emperor Chongzhen said in a deep voice.
"Shit! This old guy still dares to refute me. What do you know? I have already mastered the method of purifying salt. In the Ming Dynasty, there was not much clear salt and coarse salt, but not much mineral salt?"
"Not to mention anything else, in the hands of the Capital Transport Salt Envoy, there is an immeasurable amount of mineral salt. These things are scattered all over the mountain!"
"As long as it is pulled back and purified, it will become refined salt that is cleaner and clearer than clear salt. Moreover, not only mineral salt can be refined, but also clear salt and coarse salt."
"That's not all. Refined salt can also be extracted from seawater. The cost of this refined salt is much lower than that of clear salt and coarse salt. It sells for 150 Wen per pound, which is a huge profit!"
Lin Fan complained in his heart.
Emperor Chongzhen was shocked when he heard that mineral salt could be purified into refined salt!
Moreover, this refined salt is actually better than clear salt and coarse salt, and the cost is lower. Sounds like this, why is it so unrealistic?
"Your Majesty, I don't think there is anything wrong. Zhao Buru is in charge of salt. In the early stages of the rise in salt prices, he did not make any response and failed to report it. This is already a capital crime!"
"In my opinion, let's just confiscate the family and exterminate the clan."
Lin Fan said coldly.
"There are many people like Zhao Buru in this court, so if you find one, you must kill him with heavy punishment!"
"I still don't believe it. After Zhao Buru's family was confiscated and his family was exterminated, someone still dares to collude with the salt merchants!"
Lin Fan thought in his heart.
Emperor Chongzhen was shocked by Lin Fan's methods. He loved the people like his own son, but he treated these officials as ruthlessly as an executioner.
Isn't this Emperor Taizu?
Could it be that his son is as talented and knowledgeable as Emperor Taizu?
Emperor Chongzhen was shocked in his heart, but on the surface he pretended to be casual and said: "Lin Fan's suggestion is very good. I decree that Zhao Buru's family will be confiscated and his family will be exterminated! Any official who dares to remonstrate will be dealt with in the same way!"
"Ah! Your Majesty, have mercy on me! Your Majesty, please have mercy on me!"
"Lin Fan! You are evil-minded and have harmed the lives of my whole family. I, Zhao Buru, will never let you go even if I am a ghost!"
Zhao Buru yelled and was led down by Jin Yiwei.
At this time, all the officials of the Salt Transfer Department were trembling. Some of them were kneeling on the ground and almost lying on the ground because of their old age.
All of them knew that the soaring price of salt was closely related to Zhao Buru, but they also knew that the emperor would not kill Zhao Buru because of this.
However, who could have imagined that Lin Fan would be so decisive and murderous.
"Your Majesty, I have another suggestion. All the officials in the Salt Envoy Department will be punished. If the price of salt can be quickly controlled this time, they can survive."
"If the price of salt cannot be lowered, we will kill them without mercy! Not even their families will be spared!"
Lin Fan said coldly.
hiss!
All the officials of the Salt Transfer Department fell on the ground. Emperor Chongzhen felt so happy when he saw the cowardice of these officials!
Since he came to the throne, he has never seen so many officials in such a mess. Officials from various ministries watched as they transferred officials from the Salt Envoy Department to being directly condemned and no longer dared to speak out.
Lin Fan said: "Your Majesty, I will resolve the salt issue as soon as possible. However, I would like you to issue an edict first."
"Okay! I now decree that the salt quotation will be invalidated after the fifteenth day, and all salt merchants must sell out all the salt in their hands within the fifteenth day!"
"After fifteen days, if there is another salt merchant who dares to sell salt, the nine tribes will be killed!"
Emperor Chongzhen said coldly.
After the imperial edict was issued, this matter was considered a foregone conclusion. All the officials looked ugly. If this matter did not go well, the court would be in chaos.
Lin Fan received the imperial edict and turned around to leave the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The officials looked at Lin Fan's leaving figure and gritted their teeth one by one, wishing to eat Lin Fan alive.
Especially the officials who were transferred to the Salt Envoy Department. They were charged with an extra crime for nothing, and if they were not good enough, they would be beheaded. Who could bear this?
"What should we do now? If the price of salt cannot come down quickly, our heads will be in danger!"
One person said.
"Alas! What else can we do? We can only go to Emperor Wuhou. He is the one who can save us now!"
One person said with a grimace.
"It's him who caused us to be in such misery!"
One person is dissatisfied.
"He did harm us, but he is the one who can help us now. Let's go visit the Lin Mansion now!"
"As the saying goes, it's not strange to be polite to many people. If we keep a low profile and beg for mercy from him, I still don't believe it. How can he drive us all away and kill us?"
"That's right, let's admit our mistakes to him. I believe he is not the kind of unreasonable person. As long as he can save his life, I can kneel down for him!"
After discussing with the officials of the Salt Envoy Department, they took the gift to the Lin Mansion.
Lin Fan had already guessed that these people were coming to find him, so he was waiting for them at Lin Mansion.
The servants of the mansion brought officials from the Salt Envoy Department to the backyard of Lin's mansion. When these people saw Lin Fan, they all walked over with their bodies hunched over.
"Hey! Lord Diwu, I'm here to pay you a visit."
The officials said in unison.
"Huh! What's the use of coming to visit me?
The most important thing now is to bring down the price of salt. If you have any strategies, you might as well tell me."
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
this……
These people, you look at me, I look at you, and finally said in a deep voice: "Marquis Diwu, we are so stupid that we really can't think of a way to deal with it!"
"Alas! What a bunch of rubbish. Let me ask you, how much clear salt and coarse salt does the Salt Envoy still have now?"
Lin Fan asked.
"Master Wuhou, we all transferred the salt from the Salt Envoy Division. There was still a lot of it left alive, but a few days ago, it was all sold out by that Zhao Buru!"