The rivers, ponds and swamps were filled with falling snow. The official mansion was built on the hillside. Looking out from the open window, everything in the world was quiet and serene. In front of the window, Wang Fujiao felt uneasy. He sighed, and the white breath he exhaled was as white as whitening.
This is probably the last snow of this winter. The snow falls without wind and is scattered one after another. There is not much cold, but Wang Fujiao only feels the bone-chilling cold...
He turned around and glanced at the faces of the officials in the official hall one by one. He sat behind the desk and took a sip of tea.
Next, the assistant officer Sima Yu frowned and said harshly: "Fang Jun comes with the imperial edict, which will definitely stir up the situation of Jiechi. The so-called rectification of salt affairs is just an excuse. Everyone knows that the real purpose is to Jiechi."
The output is returned to the central government. But I don’t know what the supervisor’s countermeasures are.”
At present, there is no such thing as a "salt tax". The so-called "salt tax" is just a ration of salt output paid to the state treasury. There is no agency responsible for the "salt tax". The entire salt production in Jiechi is under the jurisdiction of Shangshu Province.
Under the name, it was called "Yalt Supervisor", Wang Fijiao was the "Jianzheng", and he also had the position of Minister Youcheng.
At the beginning of the Sui Dynasty, the imperial court banned people from making salt, and the management of salt was extremely strict. However, this policy was canceled soon after, and even during the Daye period, there was no one to manage it, and people were bought and sold at will. There was no "salt tax" among the various taxes of the imperial court.
"This item has an unprecedented degree of openness.
During the Zhenguan period, the price of salt in the Guanzhong area was ten yuan per dou...
The person in charge of the salt affairs was Shangshu Sheng, but the Hedong family who controlled the Jiechi salt affairs played a huge role.
The Shangshu Province only collects a certain amount of salt production for the national treasury, and the rest of the production is attributed to "production losses" and falls into the pockets of the Hedong family. However, there is an endless supply of salt from Jiechi, and it only needs to send people to dry and collect it. The cost is extremely low, even if
The extremely low price also brought huge profits, resulting in the price of salt never rising.
But salt is as important as ever...
Wang Fukiao drank tea calmly, ignoring Sima Yu's aggressive momentum, and said slowly: "When the King of Jin raised his army to attack Chang'an, and the Hedong family gave great help, he should have thought of the punishment he would face if he failed. Now your Majesty is secure.
, the King of Jin was completely defeated, and it was the time for His Majesty to settle the matter. Why, you still plan to resist His Majesty’s imperial edict, and the court’s policy is not successful?”
Political risk is like this. If you succeed, you will rise to power, but if you fail, you will face punishment.
The reason why the Hedong family has controlled the profits of the salt pond for hundreds of years is because of its own strength, and also because it is always on the winning side. It doesn't matter if you make the wrong choice at first, the important thing is to stop the loss in time and use the generous salt profits to gain the winner's share.
Forgive, and then be on the winning side again.
It doesn't matter if you support the King of Jin. As long as you give His Majesty generous rewards in terms of salt and profit, you can naturally get His Majesty's forgiveness. However, if you still resist His Majesty's imperial edict and violate the court's policy even after it has failed, it will be a complete violation.
The foundation of the Hedong family.
Sima Yu obviously knew this, so he hesitated and asked, "How much profit does Jianzheng intend to give away?"
Wang Fijiao shook his head: "Now that Fang Jun is coming with the general trend, we are in a passive position. It is not how much we want to give, but how much Fang Jun wants."
Supporting the King of Jin is not just verbal support. The Hedong family paid countless amounts of armor, weapons, grain, money and silk, and tens of thousands of private soldiers from each family entered the customs. After a defeat, every family was injured.
, is in the weakest stage since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, and it is impossible to take a tough stance against the emperor and the court as before.
Such a huge loss cannot be recovered within 20 to 30 years, and we can’t do it now even if we want to...
But Fang Jun is the toughest person in the court.
One side is weak and the other side is coming with strength. How can we not retreat to avoid its sharp edge?
Sima Yu looked gloomy and said nothing.
No matter how arrogant he is, he is still very afraid in front of Fang Jun, who is famous all over the world...
Another "Young Prisoner" Liu Changyun has a handsome appearance, red lips and white teeth. He said with a smile at this moment: "There is no need to worry too much. From Jiechi to the prison chief, young prisoner, officials, down to technicians, civilians, and cooks, no one is one of ours."
?If Fang Jun can stop it, that's it. Let's give up some salt profits as a sign of surrender to His Majesty. But if Fang Jun is greedy, we can stop the entire Jiechi. Without the salt produced by Jiechi, is it all up to him?
Does the sea salt in Huating Town support the salt consumption of the whole country? Fang Jun is not a fool, and he will definitely not go to war."
The production of sea salt is indeed extremely high, but transportation is extremely difficult. It is almost impossible to fill the area supplied by Jiechi salt with sea salt.
His Majesty sent Fang Jun to rectify the salt affairs because he wanted to open a gap in the salt pond controlled by the Hedong family and increase the salt production that was originally sent to Beijing. It is absolutely impossible to allow Fang Jun to do whatever he wants and cause a reduction in salt production.
It is said that salt and iron are the cornerstones of a country, but there is a difference between the two. Without iron, nothing will happen, but without salt, the world will be in chaos...
Everyone in the official house was discussing how to deal with it. There was a rush of footsteps outside the door, and an official came in quickly and reported quickly: "Wang Jianzheng, there is someone outside who claims to be a soldier of the Duke of Yue. He is holding a letter from the Duke of Yue and talking about Yue."
The Duke has arrived at the salt pond and is inspecting the salt pond."
Wang Fukiao was shocked, stood up suddenly, and said to everyone present: "Let's go, we still have to give you the face you deserve. Don't offend this stick, everyone come with me to greet you."
In the past, officials from the imperial court who came to monitor the salt pond would be given some "power", but now when facing Fang Jun, no one dared to do that.
Because no one knows how Fang Jun, a stickman, will react when faced with a "powerful attack"...
The crowd gathered around Wang Fukiao and left the official residence, and went to greet the new "salt envoy" in a mighty manner.
…
Snow powder falls from the sky into the salt pond and melts instantly. The water vapor forms a thin layer of mist above the salt pond, covering the salt ponds. The water in the pond is as clear as a fairyland.
Fang Jun was riding slowly on the ridge between the salt ponds, listening to the explanation of the technician named Wang Fang who had been transferred from the Huating Town Salt Farm...
"There are eighteen salt ponds in the empire... Anyi in Puzhou, and five ponds in Jie County, collectively called "Two Ponds". In fact, they are divided into big salt ponds, female salt ponds and six small ponds, collectively called Hedong Salt Ponds. The big salt pond is Anyi Pond.
, the Female Salt Pond is the Nitre Pond, to the west of the Great Salt Pond, with a vast area of thirty miles... The Great Salt Pond is right in front of you."
"The six small ponds are located three miles northwest of Nuyan Pond. Among the six small ponds, one is called Yongxiao; one is called Jinjing; one is called Jiawa; one is called Jiawa; one is called Su Lao; one is called Flatiron; the land belongs to Jie County...
…The largest one has a water surface no larger than an acre.”
"Since ancient times, the method of 'collecting work and harvesting' has been adopted, using the natural advantages of sun and wind to evaporate brine and produce salt..."
"The Gein Salt Pond is located in the hottest place in the entire east of Hedong. The temperature is extremely high and the evaporation is rapid...but it is far less than the output of our Huating Town Salt Farm."
Fang Jun rode slowly while listening to Wang Fang's introduction, looking through the falling snow to inspect the boundless salt fields, and nodded slowly.
In other words, the production method of salt ponds is extremely simple. Put the brine into the salt fields, rely on the wind and sun to evaporate, and fish out the crystallized salt...
The sea salt production in the Huating Town Salt Farm uses the "five-step salt production method", which includes brine collection and evaporation, blending through baskets, brine storage, crystallization, and salt shoveling. In particular, the method of adding an appropriate amount of fresh water to the brine speeds up the crystallization.
, the production of salt increases.
In comparison, the production methods of Hedong Salt Lake are extremely backward...
In the distance, a large group of officials walked quickly on the soil ridge under the snowflakes.
Fang Jun warned: "You must keep secret about some production methods in the Huating Town Salt Farm. During these days, you can just patrol everywhere and summarize a set of production methods suitable for the Hedong Salt Pond and implement them later."
"Here."
"Let's go and welcome the children of these aristocratic families who are attached to the salt pond, knocking bones and sucking marrow."
Behind him, the flesh on Zheng Xuanguo's cheeks twitched. Looking at the back of Fang Jun riding his horse, he felt even more worried.
Changing the production method of Hedong Salt Pond means that a huge change will be implemented in Hedong Salt Pond. The change will definitely not only affect the production method, but also the entire production mechanism of the Salt Pond from top to bottom.
Sure enough, this stick was not trying to pry open a gap from the Hedong Salt Pond to increase the court's income, but wanted to bring about fundamental changes...
In this upcoming revolution, which side will the Zheng family of Xingyang stand on?
…
"Although I have come to Hedong to rectify the salt affairs under His Majesty's order, today is just a first step to get to know the Hedong Salt Pond. Wang Jianzheng is really flattered to come to meet him like this. Before leaving, my father also warned
When I have time, I will definitely go to Wen Zhongzi’s cemetery to pay homage and comfort my old friend’s spirit in heaven.”
Seeing Wang Fukiao coming with a group of officials, Fang Jun did not show off his official airs, but got off his horse and strode forward to greet him, holding Wang Fukiao's hand with great enthusiasm.
Wang Fujiao said in his heart that I was the one who was flattered. You were so polite, making me embarrassed to ignore you...
"My father had a good relationship with Fang Xiang when he was still alive, and he has always admired Fang Xiang's knowledge. If the spirit in heaven knows that the son of an old friend has come to pay homage, he will definitely feel happy!"
His father, Wang Tong, was a great Confucian in the Sui Dynasty. His family fell into decline when he was young, and his family moved to Longmen, Jiangzhou, creating the famous "Longmen Wang family" in Hedong. His family had deep academic roots and devoted his life to education.
His close friends Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng, Wang Gui, Du Ruhui, Li Jing, Chen Shuda, etc. were all outstanding figures of the time, and their disciples numbered more than a thousand. They all called themselves "Hefen disciples" and became famous for a while.
Wang Fijiao himself did not have an outstanding resume and could only rely on the kindness of his father. Therefore, when Fang Jun met him, he mentioned his respect for his father, making him smile and feel happy.
I just feel that the outside world's evaluation of Fang Junzhi is unfair. How can this be such a "stick" that makes people turn against each other like a book?
He is clearly a warm-hearted, gentle and elegant scholar...