Chapter 323 Wind and Thunder on Flat Ground (Part 2) (900 votes added)
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The economic scale of the Song Dynasty accounted for 60% of the world's total, far exceeding any empire in later generations. Naturally, it learned to use economic means to attack enemy countries, especially those countries that were highly dependent on the Song Dynasty, such as Xixia.
In the trade between the two countries, the commodities provided by Xixia mainly include green salt, various livestock and their fur products, and various medicinal materials. The commodities provided by the Song Dynasty include grain, cloth, tea, copper and iron, woodware, and incense.
Spices, silk, etc. Basically Xixia wants everything because they lack everything except salt and livestock.
This made the trade between the two sides extremely unequal. Once the Song Dynasty cut off trade, the Dangxiang people would have no tea to drink, no clothes to buy, and expensive food. They would not even be able to buy an iron pot for cooking, and they would have no choice but to return to the nomadic life of eating raw hair and drinking blood.
Life.
The Xixia people did not sell anything from the Song Dynasty, so it had little impact on the Song Dynasty because they did not have the goods that the Song Dynasty had to buy.
Therefore, theoretically speaking, as long as the Song Dynasty banned bilateral trade, the Xixia people would be in chaos, and they would have no impact.
Therefore, as long as the Xixia people caused trouble, the Song Dynasty would use the big stick of sanctions to teach them, and the effect was often good. But it was just good, and it could not reach the level of suffocating the Xixia people. Few people investigated the reason, but Sima Guang was a diligent person.
A thinking person has an accurate understanding of this.
"The main reason is that the private salt trade cannot be banned." He said to Chen Ke: "And green salt is the Xixia people's main source of income."
"Why can't it be banned?" Chen Ke asked.
"It's still our own fault." Sima Guang said in a low voice: "The soldiers and civilians of the Fourth Route of Shaanxi Province mainly eat the salt produced in Jiezhou. It is patented and sold by the Salt Salt Production Department, and the price can be said to be... very high. But
On the other hand, the green salt of Xixia not only tastes much better than salt salt, but the price is only half of it... This is still the price in the Song Dynasty. It is said that after the market went out, the salt merchants of Xia State had no legal sales channels and could only sell it as salt.
Sell it to private salt dealers in the Song Dynasty for one-tenth of the original price. Do you calculate how high the profit is?"
"Dozens of times." Chen Ke said softly.
"It's dozens of times more profitable. Even if you use half of it to open the joints and half of it is confiscated, it can still make people rich overnight." Sima Guang said: "So even though the border control is very strict, there is still a steady stream of green salt.
The people in the northwest are not as afraid of officials as the Bianliang people. The people will not buy the cheaper and high-quality green salt and sell the salt solution monopolized by the government. As a result, the Xixia people still gain
The profits are huge. And when doing transactions, they don’t need money, just tea, ironware, cloth and other livelihood items, so even though life is a little tight, they can still get by."
Chen Ke sincerely admired Sima Guang's insight. He only understood the secrets because of the guidance of former Northwest great merchant Li Quan. He was also planning to show off to Sima Guang, but everyone knew...
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"What if we completely cut off the benefits of green salt?" Chen Ke said with a slight smile.
"Then Xixia is doomed." Sima Guang said categorically: "The country's domestic wealth is all spent on the sweet and cheap green salt. The salt production is endless and the source of wealth is inexhaustible, so the national supply is inexhaustible. It is cut off.
This way of making money is equivalent to cutting off their income. It would be strange if their country is not in chaos!"
"Why does it keep cutting off?" Chen Ke asked again.
"Repeated bans," Sima Guang looked at him and said, "I said it's because the profits here are too high."
"It'll be fine if you suppress the profit." Chen Ke said calmly.
"How to press it?"
"Let the price of salt be lowered." Chen Ke said softly: "Isn't your green salt cheap? My salt salt is cheaper. You buy five hundred coins. I sell it three hundred coins. Let's see who will risk being cheated."
The danger of being caught is buying private salt.”
"Oh..." Sima Guang's eyes widened. He felt a little hot on his body, so he paced quickly in the sun with his hands behind his back: "Let me think about it, let me think about it, how could it be so simple? Why did it happen before?"
I didn’t expect that…”
"There are so many unexpected things..." Chen Ke rolled his eyes, what is insight? Insight is to pierce the window paper.
In Chen Ke's view, such a simple truth has never occurred to the wise men of this era. Because people in the Song Dynasty have lived in a world of salt monopoly since they were born, and have long been accustomed to the high price of salt. Just like a tiger after it reaches adulthood,
I am still afraid of the animal trainer's whip... Because I have long been used to it, I feel that everything is natural and I have never thought about changing it.
Therefore, Sima Guang has analyzed it to 99%, but he just can't make this final kick. Is this the so-called 'historical limitation'?
Now Chen Ke told him that if you push the door, you will be free, but he couldn't believe it. He walked half a circle around the door with his hands behind his back, but he didn't dare to take a step out: "Is it possible to reduce the price of salt solution?"
"Why is it not feasible?" Chen Ke smiled bitterly and said: "In the second year of Zhihe, Jingdong East Road reduced the "silkworm salt money" collected from the people. Isn't that just a price reduction?"
"That's right..." Sima Guang immediately remembered that because salt cooking was a common practice among coastal people, the military salt ban in Ziwei, Qingqi, Yimi, and Xuhuai on Jingdong East Road was abolished. The government had no choice but to allow merchants four years ago.
Free selling. Later, Gun, Yun and other states also opened up trade and allowed sea salt to be sold in these areas. In fact, this abolished the monopoly system in which the government monopolized the sale of salt in these areas.
Originally, during the period when the government was selling salt, people from all over the country had to pay a certain amount of "silkworm salt money" to the government every year, and then the government distributed a certain amount of salt to households. Therefore, the silkworm salt money can be regarded as the people's money to buy salt.
money.
Now because of the breaking of the monopoly, the price of salt has plummeted, and the people are no longer willing to pay this money. The government does not want to give up this revenue, so in the end it can only reduce the tax, which is regarded as a license for the people to buy salt. In this way, although the people are not above the salt price
, I still have to pay a "silkworm salt money", but because salt is so cheap and can be purchased freely, I still feel that the price of salt has dropped.
"This is an example." Chen Ke said solemnly: "With the precedent of Qingzhou, the price of the salt solution of Shaanxi Fourth Road can naturally be reduced, and the reason for the price reduction is more sufficient. It is to combat Xixia and complete the court's foreign strategy as soon as possible!"
Just listen to him say with murderous intent: "Who dares to stop this blind person?!"
"So..." Sima Guang thought about it over and over again, and felt that it was feasible, so he said, "We can give it a try."
"Of course." Chen Ke nodded.
"As long as you convince the court..." Sima Guang added, he knew very well how much things would be delayed by this inefficient court.
"For the imperial court, now is a golden opportunity." Chen Ke said in a low voice: "Master Bao, the third envoy, understands the righteousness and acts vigorously and resolutely, so he will not be held back! And I heard that the newly appointed Duzhi judge is Wang Jiefu.
, just in charge of this area."
"It's good..." Sima Guang was completely moved. What is this called? It's called "If you don't get it from heaven, you must suffer the consequences"!
Sima Guang was really moved. Because of his wrong ideas, Qu Yehe was defeated, the relationship between Song Dynasty and Xia Dynasty broke down, and the two sides are still hostile to this day! This is the shame engraved on his face. It seems that everyone will whisper when they see him.
:'Look, this is the man who has caused unrest in the northwest until now.' 'Yes, Xianggong Pang's reputation has been ruined by him...' He still has the nerve to stay in Bianjing.
He had already found a nook to hide...'
How can you let him sleep peacefully, how can he look good, how can he not feel guilty, how can he not yearn for avenging his shame!
Unexpectedly, the opportunity came so lightly, so casually, so easily... that he felt unreal.
After talking to himself for a long time, Sima Guang realized that he had lost his composure, smiled apologetically at Chen Ke, and said seriously: "You should report this plan to the Privy Council as soon as possible."
"I..." Chen Ke smiled bitterly and said: "As long as Mr. Han is here, he will definitely be dirty."
Sima Guang was silent. That's right. How could Han Qi let Zhao Zongji's people be in the limelight again?
"Then report it to Mr. Fu."
"Added a taboo 'leapfrog report'." Chen Ke said with a smile: "It can't be more obscene."
"Alas." Sima Guangzhen said anxiously: "Then wait and see?"
"How can we wait for important national events?" Chen Ke said seriously: "It's just for personal reasons."
"What should we do?"
"It's very simple. You came to report it. It was you who came up with it." Chen Ke said with a sincere smile: "I just helped you pierce a layer of window paper."
"Absolutely not." Sima Guang shook his head and said, "How can I steal Zhongfang's achievements and take credit for myself?"
"What's not allowed..." Chen Ke waved his hand and said in a deep voice: "In the face of national interests, personal gains and losses are as light as a feather. If you continue to care about these small things, I will look down on you."
"Zhong Fang..." There was some moisture in the corners of Sima Guang's eyes.
"I'm also evading responsibility. It's easy to come up with an idea, but it will definitely be extremely difficult to implement it. Just thinking about it makes me nervous," Chen Ke said with a smile: "Now that I'm pushing it to brother Jun Shi, I immediately feel relaxed and ready to go...
"After that, he turned around and walked away.
Looking at his tall figure, Sima Guang's expression was extremely complicated. He dared to bet that there would not be another person in the world who would give up this incredible contribution. But Chen Ke did not feel sorry at all, nor did he make any demands.
...Why would a man who is so indifferent to fame and fortune still get involved with Zhao Zongji? Is it for the sake of brotherhood, or is Zhao Zongji really worth following?
You have to look carefully...
After gathering his mind, he realized that Zhao Zongji had come to his side and whispered: "Sir, we have almost found out everything."
Sima Guang nodded, and suddenly a thunder exploded out of thin air.
