Chapter nine hundred and thirty second world salt tax
I heard that the green salt from the North is not as clean as the white salt boiled from the East China Sea. Why is the white salt from the East China Sea not used in the palace?" Fang Qiao looked curious and confused.
Yang Guang also became interested and asked the imperial chef: "Yes, I am also curious, why don't you use East China Sea white salt to cook for me?"
Several royal chefs looked at each other in confusion, not knowing how to answer for a moment. They thought, this has been like this in the palace for many years, how do we know?
On the contrary, Yu Shiji suddenly smiled and said: "Your Majesty, Huamachi green salt comes from the frontier, with the best color and the most authentic taste. And Anyi was called Daxia in ancient times, and the salt of Daxia has the beauty of harmony. These two are the most suitable for the king.
Seasoning. Although the salt from the East China Sea is white and pure, most of it has an astringent taste. If it is not cooked properly, it will have a burnt and bitter taste. This is salt used by ordinary people, how can it be put into your majesty's mouth?"
"Although it is food for the people, it is a huge profit for the court." Fang Qiao seemed to have known that Yu Shiji would say this, and quickly interjected.
"Oh! Why is it said that it is a huge profit for the imperial court?" Yang Guang was immediately interested when he heard the word 'huge profits for the imperial court'. In recent years, he has built a new capital, built the Great Wall, built the Dadong River, built the Chi Road, etc., all of which are big things.
The project cost the court too much, Yang Guang was very happy with his achievements, and he rewarded his ministers heavily. The foundation saved by the late emperor Yang Jian was consumed too much, and the money in the treasury was getting less and less. Yang Guang also heard many complaints from the Ministry of Household Affairs, and even sent Yu Shiji
I checked the tax books.
Fang Qiao said: "Your Majesty, I would like to share with you some of my views on the world's salt policy."
Yang Guang waved his hand to ask the imperial chefs to leave, and signaled Fang Qiao to tell the story while eating.
Fang Qiao smiled and said: "Your Majesty, this salt seems ordinary. Everyone eats it every day. It seems that it is just used to season food, but in fact, it is just like food. It can determine a person's life and death, and is related to the strength of the Sui Dynasty!"
"Oh, why is this?" Yang Guang became more interested when he heard about the strength of the Sui Dynasty.
Fang Qiao was born in the common people. Unlike officials who were born in noble families like Yu Shiji, he understood the warmth and warmth of the common people very well. After a moment of reflection, he said: "Your Majesty, this person eats salt every day. The nobles are used to it. Sometimes they feel that the salt is too heavy."
, because they are never short of salt, but for poor common people, they often have no money to eat salt. At this time, people know the difference between not eating salt for a long time and eating salt every day, thus proving the difference between eating salt and not eating salt.
, it is indeed a matter of life and death for people!”
When Fang Qiao said this, he said with emotion on his face: "I remember that when I was a boy, my mother was ill, and the family was once in trouble for money and food, so they had no money to buy salt. For more than a month, I and my father did not eat salt. As a result, I found that,
I felt weak all day long, not to mention working in the fields, I even felt weak to walk. Later, I made many inquiries and verified this matter. Later, after I became an official, I asked the servants in the mansion to verify it, and I found out that the reason why people use salt
, it’s not just for seasoning, but it’s inseparable from salt.”
What Fang Qiao said was very simple. Yang Guang immediately understood the truth and his expression became solemn. Fang Qiao continued: "Your Majesty, in addition to daily needs, salt is used by the people to preserve vegetables, meat, fish and other items.
, also rely on salt for pickling. For example, the salt sauce and spinach commonly used in Guanzhong require salt, otherwise they cannot be pickled."
Yang Guang nodded and said: "I saw the salt sauce that Aiqing mentioned in the army when I was leading the army in the war. The salt sauce is made from pounded and pickled beans. It is an essential food for the Beijing army in Guanzhong. It is so salty.
But you only need a small plate of dry corn rice to make a meal full of flavor. At that time, I only knew that my Sui soldiers were there for seasoning. Now it seems that the salt and sauce is to supplement the body needs of the soldiers.
Salt, otherwise the soldiers will be weak and how can they kill the enemy."
Yu Shiji saw that the limelight was occupied by Fang Qiao alone, so he also intervened: "Your Majesty is wise, the pickled vegetables mentioned by Master Fang, when I was young, I also saw pickled by the tenants in the field at home. In fact, they are pickled vegetables, mainly...
Winter squash, this is a common side dish in farmers’ homes.”
Fang Qiao nodded and said: "What your Majesty said is to the point, and Mr. Yu was right. For example, the sea fish produced in the East China Sea are salted nearby before they can be widely sold in the mainland. They have become the only food that many people can eat all year round.
The meat on the table..."
At this point, Fang Qiao changed his tone and said: "In short, salt is so important to the Sui Dynasty and His Majesty's people. It can be said that everyone cannot do without him. But the biggest problem is that not everyone in the Sui Dynasty can do without him."
All areas produce salt.”
When Fang Qiao said this, his expression became solemn, and he said in a deep voice: "Most of our farmers in the Sui Dynasty are self-sufficient. They can grow the food they eat and the clothes they wear. Commoners can grow flax, and then women can twist and spin threads. Nobles can
There is silk to fit the body. In short, all the necessary things for food and clothing can be solved by oneself everywhere in the world, but salt cannot be done. Salt is not produced. The only way is to dig salt mines or boil them from sea water, so this includes the capital city.
, many places in the Sui Dynasty needed to purchase and exchange salt from other places, so salt was a huge profit, and it became an official business as early as the Han Dynasty."
Yang Guang thoughtfully nodded and said: "Therefore, grain, salt, cloth, iron, copper, and livestock are the heaviest commodities in the world, and salt ranks second, second only to grain, and even heavier than the cloth that people wear.
important!"
"So the land of the East China Sea relies on sea salt to become rich?" Yang Guang stopped his chopsticks and his eyes flashed.
Fang Qiao said: "What your Majesty said is absolutely true. Donglai County, Beihai County, Fanyang County, Gaomi County and Jiangdu County are mostly wealthy places. I heard that long before the Han Dynasty, these five East China Sea counties were mostly salt and brine areas.
The land is vast and sparsely populated, but it was not until Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty promoted commerce and industry and benefited from fish and salt that these five counties became a prosperous place."
Yang Guang nodded and asked: "How much salt tax do these five counties pay to the court every year?"
Fang Qiao turned to look at Yu Shiji and said, "Master Yu has always been responsible for verifying the salt tax."
Yang Guang looked at Yu Shiji, who quickly said: "Your Majesty, since your Majesty came to the throne in the four counties of Donglai, Beihai, Gaomi and Jiangdu, the annual salt tax has been more than 500,000 taels of silver, and the salt tax of Fanyang County has been 200,000 taels.
A little more silver."
Yang Guang frowned and said, "Why is Fanyang County's salt tax so low?"
Yu Shiji glanced at Fang Qiao and thought to himself, it turned out that this poor boy had gone around in a big circle to get His Majesty to pay attention to Fanyang County. He didn't know if there was anything else going on here, whether it was the Lu family or Wang Junlin.
He didn't want to offend him, so he had to say: "Your Majesty, I have neglected my duty. I don't know why Fanyang County's salt tax is so low. I will investigate it immediately after I get down."
Yang Guang snorted coldly and said: "I don't need to investigate to know that this must be related to the Lu family. There were secret reports from the Blue Guards and the inner court a few days ago. On the first day that Wang Junlin came to Fanyang County and took office, he was attacked by a thousand cavalrymen.
We were almost surrounded and killed. If Wang Junlin hadn't been the most difficult to kill among my ministers, wouldn't the prefect I sent have been killed by the thieves? The Lu family was so brave that they even raised cavalry. Now it seems that Fan Yang
The county salt tax is much lower than the other five counties in the East China Sea, which is probably related to the Lu family."