Yangzhou City is the core of salt affairs in the Huaihe River area.
The Lianghuai Salt Industry accounts for more than half of the world's total.
But it's only half, there are many salt lords from all over the Ming Dynasty.
The northwest region uses salt from salt ponds, the Shu region uses well salt, and the northern regions of Zhili consume salt from Changlu and other places.
The reason why Lianghuai Salt is famous is because their sales range is the Jiangnan area and they make a lot of money.
If we really talk about the production volume, it is just over half.
Most of this production was sold as private salt.
Li Yunze rectified the salt affairs of the Huaihe River and Huaihe River, and directly announced the abolition of salt production. From then on, salt all over the world was turned into a monopoly.
This is to cut off the financial path of those who rely on this to make a living, and will inevitably cause them to fight back.
The counterattack of these people is nothing more than civil and military.
The purpose of the article is to invite influential big shots to come forward and make peace, hoping that the big issue can be reduced to a minor one.
The purpose of force is to directly destroy the salt market and prevent people all over the world from eating salt.
If the people don't have enough salt to eat, something big will happen to force Li Yunze to give in.
Of course, the more extreme thing is to directly kill the emperor and bring him down.
When you are in a hurry, you can do anything.
"Long live my Majesty, I have seized all the salt warehouses inside and outside Yangzhou City, and seized countless illegal salts..."
Li Yunze, who returned from dinner, directly interrupted Wen Tiren's words, "How many are countless? I know arithmetic, so I can give you specific numbers."
"this."
Wen Tiren, who was eager to come over and report his contribution, felt a little numb, "It's about 200,000 stones."
Li Yunze picked up the tea bowl and drank tea and rinsed his mouth. Li Yunze smiled angrily, "Wen Qing family, next time something so unreliable happens, I will arrange for you to go to Qiongzhou Prefecture to be the county magistrate."
Wen Tiren hunched his shoulders and kowtowed like a quail, and a group of timid people said, "I don't dare."
What this person wants in life is to climb up the ladder. If he is made the county magistrate, it will really cost him his life.
"It doesn't matter how much illegal salt is seized. I have plenty of salt. And this is Jin Yiwei's job. That's not what you have to do."
Li Yunze earnestly educates, "You must immediately control the salt fields in various places at the source. You must rely on navy ships for transportation. In the terminal market, you must arrange salt shops in various places."
"The salt field is rotten to the core. The previous management of salt fields in various places must be wiped out. Improve the treatment of salt workers and ensure that their living standards are improved to the point where they can live without selling private salt."
"The Navy will review all the above-mentioned officers, improve the treatment of sergeants and boatmen, clarify rewards and punishments and strictly implement them. Design good capacity and routes to ensure timely and sufficient transportation to various places."
"At the end of the day, we need to take over salt shops in various places as soon as possible. Improve the salary of salt workers, give them father-son succession arrangements, and pass on the fire from generation to generation. Only in this way will they cherish it, take the initiative to maintain the salt shops, and crack down on illegal salt."
"You also need to count production, calculate consumption quotas, and deduce overall income. You need to advance the plan to ban salt imports across the country, and plan how to deal with counterattacks, etc."
Li Yunze, who spoke for a long paragraph in one breath, took a deep breath, "The most important thing is to determine a unified retail price across the country!"
"The price cannot be too high, as it will affect people's livelihood. It cannot be too low, and it cannot be so low that we lose money."
He stood up and walked over to Wen Tiren, who was already completely dumbfounded. He said softly and kindly, "These are the things you, the salt affairs supervising minister, should do. Not some nonsense to investigate some illegal salt!"
"Am I someone who lacks that little bit of salt that can be sold for silver? I don't lack salt or silver! What I want is the entire market, ensuring supply and stabilizing people's hearts!"
Looking at Wen Tiren who was trembling with shock, Li Yunze sneered, "If I weren't so incapacitated, how could I use you?"
Wen Tiren was really convinced, the kind that fell to the ground.
The emperor really knows everything, he is undoubtedly the Holy Emperor!
He kowtowed deeply and respectfully, "My lord, I obey your order."
Regardless of what I said before, most of them are actually specific implementation steps.
No matter how difficult these implementation steps are, they can eventually be implemented.
The real core key point is to determine the national unified retail price.
As long as there is still money to be made, there is no way to stop the private business.
But if the quality of official salt improves and a price is set that the common people can accept, this will be the biggest killer weapon to wipe out all private salt.
When there is cheap, clean and safe official salt available, who would buy private salt?
Without the consumer market, private salt will naturally die out.
"The best way to solve the salt problem is to get more silver. To solve the fundamental contradiction in the Ming Dynasty, it still lies in land annexation. After solving the salt problem, it is time to talk to the big landowners."
Li Yunze has lowered his emphasis on salt affairs.
But the group of people with huge interests in the salt affairs didn't think so.
When the imperial edict to abolish the salt control system and transfer all salt affairs to the government came out, it immediately caused a stir.
The imperial court gets a fraction of the annual income of 20 million taels of silver, but those who get the big share are now anxious.
Memorials from all over the country flew to Yangzhou City like snowflakes.
Either they lament the shortcomings of the official salt franchise, or they extoll the benefits of salt.
There was also the wanton impeachment of Wen Tiren, the scapegoat king. The impeachment memorial simply described him as a traitor and traitor far beyond Qin Hui and Yang Guozhong.
To be honest, although Wen Tiren was a treacherous minister, he was not as good as Qin Hui and Yang Guozhong. He was simply frustrated.
There are also those who directly attack Li Yunze, saying that he has violated the laws of his ancestors and will have no face to meet his ancestors in the future.
Li Yunze's other memorials were "swamped" by "Liu Zhong".
As for the memorial that scolded him, the Dongchang fans went back with the imperial edict to teach them what the authority of the king should not be offended!
The salt merchants spent a lot of money, and even Sun Chengzong, the chief minister of the cabinet, couldn't stand it and wrote a memorial of admonishment.
Everyone has relatives and friends, and everyone has feelings to express, even Sun Chengzong is no exception.
Regarding Sun Chengzong's memorial, Li Yunze directly responded to him with a letter.
The general meaning is: 'You are lucky enough to be in Liaodong supervising border defense, so don't meddle in other people's business.'
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! In addition to official actions, salt merchants spent large sums of money and began to stir up public opinion among the people.
Those famous officials began to lobby and make speeches everywhere, denouncing the official salt franchise as a bad thing that was so bad that it would ooze pus. They really inspired many people to cause trouble.
Public opinion trends are of no use to Li Yunze. On the Internet in the modern world, there are all kinds of scoldings, and he has long listened to them.
However, things still have to be done. If you incite the people of the Ming Dynasty to cause trouble, you must be responsible.
Li Yunze's response was very simple. First, he directly announced the unified national retail price of official salt.
The price of every kilogram of official salt was fixed at ten cents.
This price is even much cheaper than private salt.
Although this will lead to a sharp drop in income by more than two-thirds, it can be like a stabilizing needle in stabilizing people's hearts.
As soon as the price came out, most of the people went home immediately. The remaining celebrities faced Jin Yiwei and Dongchang Fanzi directly.
Those who have merit and fame will directly take off their green shirts and be deprived of their fame.
After that, he was thrown into prison and interrogated severely.
How have the celebrities, who have been receiving preferential treatment all year round, ever experienced such injustice?
Immediately, Zhang Pu, who was very famous among the scholars in the south of the Yangtze River, came forward and led a large group of scholars to attack the government office. They drove away the royal guards and rescued the captured celebrities from prison. They even set them on fire to vent their anger.
Lost the government office.
As soon as this incident came out, Jiangnan was shocked.
"I'm asking you something."
In the Yanzheng Yamen of Yangzhou City, Li Yunze asked softly, "Why were the Jinyiwei driven away by a group of students? Is it because there are not enough manpower, or is it because I didn't bring a spring knife with me when I went out?"
Luo Yangxing, who was kneeling on the ground, kowtowed vigorously, "I have done nothing wrong, and I am guilty."
"Don't you understand what I'm saying?" Li Yunze frowned slightly, "I'm asking you why Jin Yiwei was driven away by a group of students!"
"yes."
Luo Yangxing, whose forehead was on the ground, gritted his teeth and responded, "The Baihu who led the team said that they are all students and scholars, so they did not dare to take action."
"Hey Hey."
Li Yunze, who repeatedly sneered, put his hands behind his back and said, "Are the Jinyiwei hawks and dogs of the emperor, or are they the minions of those scholars?"
‘Boom!’
Luo Yangxing kowtowed heavily, "I am guilty!"
"You." Li Yunze shook his head and looked at Luo Yangxing. "I originally planned to let you take over your father's post and serve as the commander of the Imperial Guard after returning to Beijing. This can be regarded as fulfilling the righteousness of you and me as monarch and minister. Now it seems that in terms of ability,
There are so many differences between you and your father."
The meaning of the words was already very clear, and Luo Yangxing was so filled with hatred that his teeth were almost broken.
He swore that he would chop up that damn Baihu as soon as he got out!
"Jin Yiwei no longer needs to take care of this matter. It will be left to Cao Wenzhao to deal with."
Li Yunze waved his hand, turned and walked to the back, "Just accuse hundreds of households. His subordinates will also obey orders."
"My lord, I obey the order!"
Zhang Pu led his men to rob the prison and burn down the government office.
Legally speaking, this is already a rebellion.
The Fushe led by Zhang Pu essentially represented the big landowners, big businessmen, and big capitalists in the south of the Yangtze River.
If Li Yunze doesn't deal with it now, when he starts to solve the land issue, Zhang Pu will make even greater noise.
Now that they have driven away the Jin Yiwei who was handling the case, well, the nature of the matter has escalated to the point where the army will deal with the rebellion.
Luo Yangxing, with a red face, returned to Jin Yiwei's residence and stared at the Baihu who had done something bad with red eyes: "Zhang Quan, don't say I don't take care of you. Go and get Jin Yiwei's family law by yourself, without involving your family."
Zhang Quan immediately fell to his knees and begged, "Sir, save me~~~"
Luo Yangxing turned around and only said, "Banzai asked me just now whether our Jin Yiwei are the hawks and dogs of the emperor, or the minions of the scholars! How do you want me to save you?"
As soon as these words came out, Zhang Quan's wails suddenly stopped.
There is no need to say anything more, there is no salvation.
"Brothers."
Zhang Quan kowtowed to the many colleagues around him, "Zhang Quan is incompetent and has ruined the reputation of Jinyiwei. It is not a pity to die. I just ask you brothers to look after the Zhang family for the sake of their former colleagues. I am here, kowtow to the brothers!"
"
Everyone around him felt sad.
Jinyiwei has been passed down from generation to generation, and many people are relatives and friends for several generations. Seeing Zhang Quan's end will inevitably lead to death and sadness.
But this matter was indeed his own fault, so he could only vent his anger on those famous officials and students.
Suddenly, the torture intensity of the captured famous officials and students escalated rapidly.
Previously, Jin Yiwei had saved some face for these scholars.
Now...
Li Yunze, who was thinking about how to use Zhang Pu's incident to uncover the land issue, walked in the back garden of Yanzheng Yamen with his hands behind his back.
Inadvertently, he spotted a girl painting in the stone pavilion not far away!