Salt production was actually a rudimentary technology, but it was controlled by the court because everyone needed it.
Su Ren's salt-making method only had one more step than the salt-making method used by the Han Dynasty, using charcoal to remove impurities. This was a great improvement.
Seeing that Su Ren stopped talking, Chang Shi chuckled: "It seems that I am still impatient. I have already reported to me in detail what happened last night. Master Su's method of making salt will be sold for one hundred gold to reward Leng Dao."
It’s a life-saving grace. Unfortunately, I have been an official for many years and don’t have so much money. I am still too greedy. Things given by God cannot be sold cheaply.”
Although this is said euphemistically, it is the best card. Su Ren looks very smart, but in fact he is just pretending. He has more than two thousand years of experience than others, and it is difficult to think he is smart or not. In fact, he is just pretending.
He is a person who attaches great importance to friendship. If others try hard, he would rather die than bend. If others play the emotional card, Su Ren will lose his opinion in an instant.
Chang Shi bowed to Su Ren, which made Su Ren jump: "Your Majesty, where is this coming from?"
Chang Shi actually shed tears: "Salt and iron are a national plan, and salt is an indispensable thing for the people. However, Wenshui is located in a remote place. First, there is no money and food, and second, there are border dangers. The people's life is miserable, but I have no virtue and no virtue."
It’s hard for me to protect the tens of thousands of people in the county, and I can’t even afford a hundred gold. It’s a pity! Chang Yuan, immediately prepare a pen and ink for me, and then write your resignation to the prefect, hoping that the prefect will choose someone wiser, so that I don’t have to give up all my money.
The people of the county are suffering." As he spoke, he wiped the two big tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeves.
Su Ren really didn't want to compromise. But his heart was moved by Chang Shi's compassionate feelings. He rubbed his hands back and forth, not knowing what to do.
Leng Jun saw that Chang Yuan had already brought the bamboo slips with pen and ink, and said quickly: "Don't worry, Lord County. The common people are willing not to take this hundred gold. I just hope that the people in the county can receive your blessing."
After saying this, Leng Jun and Chang Shi both turned their heads and looked at Su Ren.
"Hey!" Su Ren sighed: "Forget it, forget it, I admit defeat, you win, County Lord!"
Chang Shi threw away the brush in his hand and smiled. Only then did Leng Jun realize that he had fallen into the county magistrate's trick and looked at Su Ren with some embarrassment.
Su Rendao: "I can donate the method of making salt, but please give me a salt certificate from the county magistrate. Since someone wants to kill me, how can I let him live comfortably?"
Changshi nodded: "This is easy to say. I have no problem writing it now. But do you know who is going to kill you?"
Su Ren snorted coldly: "Although I'm new here, I can still see things in the world clearly. Regardless of other things, the key to doing business is monopoly. Only by monopolizing a business can we get the maximum profit. The whole county sells official salt."
There are only a few of them, and if they monopolize private salt together, they will surely make a lot of money."
"Okay!" Chang Shi nodded: "That's very good, Chang Yuan, give the salt certificate I wrote in the morning to Mr. Su. From today on, Mr. Su will be the second person in the county who can sell salt."
"No!" Chang Yuan agreed and went out to do errands.
Changshi invited the two of them to sit down, with an Eight Immortals table and three Taishi chairs. The three of them were admiring flowers in the back garden. Those dying orchids were really nothing to look at. Soon, Chang Yuan brought the salt voucher and handed it to Changshi. Changshi
He took a look and handed it to Su Ren. This was the first time Su Ren had seen this salt. In addition to the name and date, there was a five-clawed golden dragon on it. This represented the royal authority and there was no ambiguity in it.
Changshi said: "Boy, taking this thing means that you have broken your skin and gone against them. They are Wen Shui's dominant force. I will show courtesy to you when I see you. Have you really thought about it?"
Su Ren nodded: "He is in the first grade and I am in the fifteenth grade. There is nothing wrong with that."
I ate something at the magistrate's house, but it wasn't very good. It was far from the breakfast style of later generations. When he came out of the back door, the doorman stood respectfully at the door. Su Ren nodded and took out two sticks from his sleeves.
He handed a copper coin to the disciple: "Yes, work hard. If you can't work anymore, come to me and give you something to eat."
"Thank you, Master!" Menzi's face lit up with joy. After many years, he would tell everyone he met that he deserved to be beaten.
The Wenshui County official's surname is Zhang Minghu. He was originally a butcher in the county. Because he knew how to punch and kick, he was brought into the county government office and became a government official. This person can be considered to have come from the business market. He can handle things and see things.
With his eye-catching eyes and generous personality, he quickly stood out among the public servants. After his husband retired, he naturally became the public servant.
Su Ren walked out of the county government office and as soon as he turned the corner, Zhang Hu was waiting at the entrance of the alley. He also carried a baggage on his back. When he saw the two people coming out, he hurried over and held the baggage in both hands: "The two gentlemen have finally come out.
, I’m really sorry for last night, come on, come on, I just went home to pick up two sets of clothes, and the two young masters quickly changed into them. Walking on the street like this will damage your image. "
Su Ren was not polite and opened the bag. Inside were two linen robes. After taking off his coat and putting them on, they turned out to be just the right size. He laughed and said, "Brother Zhang has really good eyesight. The size is just right. It's really hard for me."
"What are you talking about? From now on, you and I are a family. It's foreign to say this." Although Zhang Hu did not enter the county government office, I don't know what the county magistrate and these two people talked about. Just last night, he
When he told the county magistrate that someone was going to deal with Su Ren, he knew from the magistrate's reaction that the magistrate wanted to promote these two people.
Su Ren wants to give money, but Zhang Hu refuses life or death.
Su Ren pulled Zhang Hu and whispered to Zhang Hu: "Brother, how about helping me with something?"
Zhang Hu nodded without hesitation: "Okay! As long as brother asks, I will definitely help."
"There is a family named Huo in Baihua Lane in the east of the city..."
Before Su Ren could finish speaking, Zhang Hu raised his chest and said, "This matter is all mine, isn't it Huo Laosi? Go now, brother, wait a moment, and you will definitely tie Huo Laosi up without a cup of tea."
Come to your brothers."
After listening to Zhang Hu's words, Su Ren immediately understood that the two of them had not escaped Zhang Hu's surveillance since they entered the city yesterday. In Wenshui County, although Liu Wen controls one side, the common affairs are not without merit. At least the leader is still right.
There is a certain amount of loyalty in common things.
Su Ren shook his head: "If you can't do it during the day, it's best to do it at night. I'm going to meet that Huo Laosi tonight, and I asked Brother Zhang to help me out. What happened last night must not happen. Brother, my thin arms and legs can't stand it."
The second time I was beaten."
"Hahaha!" Zhang Hu laughed loudly: "That's it, good! Don't worry, brother, I understand how to do it."
Su Ren and Leng Jun did not leave the city. They bought some things on the street and found a shady place at the gate of the city. They ate and rested, and asked Leng Jun to tell him more about Wenshui County. He came to Dahan
It had only been more than a month, including a month of cooking salt in the mountains. I knew too little about many things. It was already confirmed that Liu Wen was the one who dealt with them last night. Dealing with Liu Wen was not an easy task.
Liu Wen's salt shop is right at the gate of the city. It is the only one with no other branches in Wenshui County. If everyone in the county wants to buy salt, they have to come to buy it even if they are thousands of miles away. All shops in the county,
Only the salt shop of Liu Wen's family is the busiest with people coming and going. Those from big families send a servant to buy, and those from small families come to buy in person. If the journey is too far, then choose a representative to buy.
Big bags and small bags of coarse salt were carried out of the store, but what was left behind was about the same amount of copper as the bag of salt. Even such expensive salt has to be calculated on a per capita basis. Each person only has three taels per month. It is difficult to buy more.
No.
After saying that, he looked at Su Ren coldly: "Are you really sure that it was Liu Wen who wanted to deal with us last night?"
Su Ren shook his head: "It's so dark, how do I know if it's him?"
"Then why do you say that to the county magistrate?"
Su Rendao: "You don't understand this. The county magistrate is a foreigner, and Liu Wen is a big local family. The county magistrate is the largest official in Wenshui. Although Liu Wen is a county magistrate, he still has to listen to the county magistrate in name, but now
What? The county magistrate is just a decoration in the county. When I went to the magistrate's house for the first time, I found that there were very few official documents on the magistrate's desk, and they were all trivial matters. Although Wenshui is a small county, there are still many official documents.
With thousands of people, this is what happens every day, who can believe it?”
"So I guessed that there must be a problem between the county magistrate and Liu Wen. After Zhang Hu put us in the cell last night, he didn't make things difficult for us. I already guessed that it was the county magistrate. You can think of it this way, a county
If the magistrate wants power and a county magistrate holds power, there will be no problems between them, so I just go with the flow and make a profit. Fortunately, I made the right bet."
"Hey, it's a pity that you don't become an official!" Leng Jun shook his head: "Since you are not really going against Liu Wen, you still ask the county magistrate for salt. You also know that the official salt in Wenshui County is only run by Liu Wen's family.
, we are at odds with each other, it is difficult not to become enemies."
"Who said I want to sell salt to people in Wenshui County?"
"Ah! If this salt is not sold to the common people, who will it be sold to?"
Su Ren was a little impatient: "Can't you use your brain to think about it, are we the only Han people in the world who need to eat salt?"
"Ah?" Leng Jun was completely shocked: "Do you want to..."
Su Ren quickly interrupted Leng Jun's unsaid words: "Okay, as long as you know it, you must say it. Neither side is a good thing. The best way is to take advantage of it. Don't make such a fuss. Things in the world don't make so much sense."
, you see, as long as we put the money from selling salt on the table, he will definitely not ask who the salt was sold to."
His face was red and his neck was thick with anger, and he didn't speak for a long time.
It finally got dark, and Leng Jun and Su Ren came to Baihua Alley in the east of the city. Zhang Hu, dressed in casual clothes, had been waiting at the entrance of the alley early. The three met, exchanged a few words, and walked straight towards Mr. Huo's house.
Su Ren nodded to Zhang Hu, who quickly disappeared into the shadows. Su Ren and Leng Jun knocked on the door of Huo Laosi's house. It was Huo Laosi who opened the door. Seeing Su Ren and Leng Jun, Huo Laosi's face instantly changed.
It's white.
Su Ren chuckled: "It's too late to be afraid now!" He took a step forward and squeezed into Huo Laosi's house. (To be continued)