Zheng Xing had never been as angry as he was at this moment, full of hatred and even panic for these white flowers of salt.
Two hours ago, he was worried that there was some "conspiracy" in the Chariot and Cavalry General's Mansion, and whether they wanted to bleed out their "ancestral property."
However, in these two hours, apart from being a little deep and humble at the beginning, in the following time, they were basically full of expectations again and again, hoping to find that there were fillers such as straw in the salt, and then... once
Hopes were dashed.
Now, two hours later, he finally understood that what was more uncomfortable than the "conspiracy" was the hard fact.
There is no doubt that what Bai Tu said before was not bragging.
The seventeen alliances that control Soochow Salt Industry?
Sorry, Bai Tu can produce as much salt as they do in a year in one month, and this number can continue to increase!
And Zheng Xing has to admit that the salt here... is better than what they cook!
What is even more desperate is that they know very well the quantity of firewood that has been transported into the salt field in the past two months, which means... the cost is much lower than theirs.
Although he really couldn't figure out how that little firewood could cook so much salt, but...the facts were already in front of him, and Bai Tu could easily turn them into a joke.
As long as this batch of official salt enters the market, their private salt will be very embarrassed. Even if they do not provide sales channels, it will only delay the time slightly.
And everyone knows that the Lu family, the Yu family, and others will definitely cooperate with Bai Tu immediately, and there will be no channel squeeze.
Will their private salt still be able to be sold by then? Lower the price?
Judging from the cost of official salt, taking the low-price route will only make them cry without finding a replacement.
If it is profitable, they are willing to take risks selling illegal salt, but... they are absolutely unwilling to do a loss-making business!
As for using darker means?
There will definitely be! After today, they will try their best to explore the secrets of this salt farm, but...
This definitely does not include "violence". After all, they know very well that in terms of fists, there is no comparison between a few wealthy families and a general's palace with more than 100,000 troops and armor!
Even if they have hundreds or thousands of servants at home, they will still be vulnerable to the army if they are unable to incite the people.
Moreover, Bai Tu did not face the crime of selling illegal salt and copied them directly. This was already "soft". How dare they attack official salt?
More importantly, in the two years since Bai Tu came to Jiangdong, from the first Prefectural Mufu's Mansion to the current Chariot and Cavalry General's Mansion, he has gradually gained the trust of the people of Jiangdong and the wealthy families.
Until the Three Kingdoms period, when Soochow was established here, Chinese civilization paid very little attention to the development of Jiangdong.
This can be regarded as a problem left over from history. Even during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, except for the Wu State in the northeast of Jiangdong, which was only better, the Yue State was a group of barbarians in the eyes of other vassal states. Although the Chu State was powerful, it was also faintly inferior to other countries.
Black - After all, in terms of ancestral origin, the ancestors of the Chu State were from a foreign country that had conflicts with the Zhou Dynasty. Later, they were recognized as vassal states because of their strength, and their culture was close to the Central Plains. However, they were not considered Zhengshuo of China at all.
.
It was not until the Five Husties invaded China and Yiguan migrated south that Jiangdong ushered in its peak development.
Even before the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Jiangdong was virtually autonomous. Even the prefects and magistrates of counties and counties were often local people, unlike in the Central Plains, where local governors were usually appointed from other places.
This is also the reason why Bai Tu had not been too serious about private salt matters with them before. The salt tax must be taken from the people and used for the people, so that everyone can be convinced.
For the Han Dynasty in Jiangdong, the gains and efforts were no longer considered a loss...
However, the situation is naturally different now. Not to mention disaster relief for the severe drought at hand, building roads and bridges and popularizing education in the future will not require money.
However, this money comes from taxes, and Baitu can collect it with peace of mind. This is taken from the people and used for the people.
After hearing Lu Da's report, Lu Kang was in disbelief and his eyes lit up - sure enough, he had done it again!
The Lu family has the right to remain unmoved. After all, even without salt and profit, the Lu family is still the Lu family.
However, people like the Zheng family, Zheng Xing and others were already panicking and were already communicating with Pang Tong about the "salt introduction" related matters.
Lu Kang had previously conveyed Bai Tu's thoughts on the salt tax to various families.
From now on, each family will need to purchase salt guides from the Cheqi General Mansion, and then use the salt guides to pick up the goods from various salt farms.
In addition to Yanyin, you must first purchase a "Yangang Certificate" - which refers to the "qualification" to purchase Yanyin. The Yanyin is valid for ten years, and... you need to bid to buy it!
It is equivalent to the status of "agent".
However, Bai Tu specifically mentioned that in the past, these powerful people who made salt boiling could get the right of first refusal in the "salt program".
In this way, their Baitu will not be completely killed. Although the biggest beneficiary of the salt industry in the future will be the Cavalry General's Mansion, or... the salt tax can finally be collected, but the "Salt Gang" can be obtained
If so, future benefits are worth looking forward to.
Zheng Xing and others once regarded this as a joke or an excuse. They never thought that one day they would need to buy Baitu's salt guide.
But now... even various aristocratic families besides the Seventeenth Family have become interested in "Yo Gang".
Naturally, Zheng Xing and others had no chance to lose their temper, so they quickly grabbed the right of first refusal...
"If you want to apply for salt gang, you can bid here today. In order to relieve the victims, the bidding uses grain and farmland in Zhenze area as the main collateral... Twenty-four square meters of salt gang certificates are temporarily issued. With the salt gang certificate
, you can have the right to purchase five thousand salt coins every year for the next ten years, and each salt can be exchanged for a hundred stones of sea salt at the salt farm." Pang Tong said.
Today is just a special situation. Representatives of wealthy families who are interested in the salt industry have already arrived, so Pang Tong presides over the bidding and auction of the salt.
As for those who haven't arrived...then we won't take them to play. I believe that all the nobles involved in the salt industry here have the same idea!
From now on, the Ministry of Industry will only be responsible for producing salt, and the salt production will have to be purchased by local governments, and officials affiliated with the Ministry of Civil Affairs will be responsible for it.
The reason for creating a "salt guide certificate" is to harvest a handful first, and then the pricing power of the salt guide is also in Bai Tu's hands, and the flow of water can continue.
Selling salt in local government offices also has another advantage, which is to use the different prices of salt to attract "merchant villages" in disguise.
For example, if there is a confrontation with Cao Cao in the future, Bai Tu can sell salt at a low price in Hefei and Shouchun, but also provide grain for trade. In this way, as long as the salt merchants are profitable, they will spontaneously reclaim wasteland and grow grain in Huainan - this was done in the Ming Dynasty.
of.
Seventeen families, including Pang Tong and Zheng, have all confirmed that no one has given up their right of first refusal...
When the heads of the seventeen companies saw their colleagues who had once dismissed "Baigong Salt", "Zhen Xiang" expressed his loyalty to Baigong and his support for the development of Jiangdong Salt Industry to Pang Tong.
, couldn't help but despise each other.
"Since none of the seventeen families have given up, let's bid for the last seven salt packages. You seventeen families will then pay the salt package fees based on the lowest price of the bidding results." Pang Tong said.
This can be regarded as Baitu's special support for them.
At this moment, a waiter came up pushing a small cart with a red cloth covering the table.
Everyone guessed that this should be Shiozang's certificate. Of course... In fact, everyone also knew that this was probably just a symbolic meaning. In fact, who was qualified and who was not qualified were kept on file for registration.
However, when Pang Tong unveiled the red cloth, everyone couldn't help but be dumbfounded.
If it were a modern person, they would definitely not have this kind of reaction. Isn't it just...a pile of glass trophies? It looks very foggy, and it's worthless as much as it is worthless!
It's just a glass "trophy", the shape is not very artistic, it's very rigid, with the word "salt" gilded on it.
However, in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, when people had never seen glass and only knew exquisite crystals as rare things, an almost transparent glass trophy was directly regarded as a treasure similar to crystal!
In the 20th century, when archaeologists were excavating an ancient tomb from the Warring States Period, they discovered a "glass" inside. It looked very similar to a household glass. It was once thought to have been left behind by tomb robbers.
Frustrated, I thought that the tomb had been visited by tomb robbers.
However, what was discovered later was surprising. The ancient tomb was very well preserved, and...which tomb robber would use a glass to drink water in an ancient tomb? Why not bring a thermos in order to drink more hot water? At least bring one.
Marching pot!
Later, after testing, it was discovered that it was a national treasure carved from a piece of crystal - even though it looked like a glass cup.
"This is..." Lu Da was also startled.
"Certificate of salt gang." Pang Tong replied calmly, as if he didn't notice everyone's emotions.
luxury!
Just the symbol of this certificate gives off an air of nouveau riche... no, it smells of nobility!
"Are these... carved from crystal?" Lu Ta was confused and had a very troubled expression on his face.
If it is true that Bai Tu emptied the treasury of a large piece of the clearest crystal and produced more than twenty salt gang certificates, then in terms of prodigality, the Jiangdong wealthy family is willing to collectively call Bai Tu the strongest!
"No comment, but... although this thing will not perish easily, it is very brittle, so you must store it carefully." Pang Tong said.
Lu Tao seemed to have heard something, and asked tentatively: "In addition to being a symbol of Yan Gang's certificate, do you know if these 'Baigong Jing' products will be sold?"
"My lord has said that these must not be called 'Bai Gongjing'..." Pang Tong said seriously.
Only this, Bai Tu must reject!
Lu Tao couldn't help but his eyes lit up when he heard this. Listening to this meaning... these are indeed man-made!
Lu Da immediately looked at Lu Kang longingly. In addition to sea salt, these Bai Gong... well, these suspected crystal treasures, can they also be traded together?
I just don’t know what the yield will be…
Pang Tong secretly curled up his lips. Sure enough, it was correct to use some glass to make the salt gang. It psychologically increased the value of the salt gang!
In the blink of an eye, three of the seven salt gang certificates had been bid out. At this moment... someone came to report that Governor Gan's fleet had entered the port.
So Pang Tong announced that he would suspend the bidding for the remaining four salt gangs and go to meet Governor Gan first...
Although there are many impatient people, no one dares to refuse, even if they don't care about the fish, but the dignified prefect is coming, shouldn't they go and greet him?
Even in peacetime, the prefect was a local official with a rank of two thousand shi, but in today's times, the prefect is a symbol of high status and authority, especially... This prefect Gan is also famous for having a dog face. Who dares not to?
Give him face, even if it’s the Lu family, he would dare to come and throw excrement at their door...