The Red Mansions

Chapter 772 Jia Heng: Have you fallen into the vinegar jar these two days?

Chapter 772 Jia Heng: Have you fallen into the vat of vinegar these two days?

Household Office

As Jia Heng's words fell, the official hall fell into a brief silence. Several salt merchants looked at each other, thinking about the impact of Jia Heng's words on them.

Wang Shouqi was very anxious and asked: "Master Jia, isn't this saying that everyone can receive salt for sale?"

Really dig out the root and cut the seed, and draw the salary from the bottom?

Jiang Tong, Xiao Hongsheng and others also had expressions of panic on their faces. Everyone can get salt with a ticket, and they can't help but sell it. They are general salt merchants, how can they profit from it?

Jiang Tong also argued anxiously: "Lord Jia, if this happens, the salt from the Lianghuai Salt Field will bid maliciously, and I'm afraid that the imperial court will not be able to collect tax money."

Huang Rishan also echoed and said: "Yes, the production and sales are so chaotic, and they run on each other. How the court collects tax money at that time is probably more than 100 million taels a year in the salt tax area like in the Ming Dynasty."

After the system of self-exclusive merchant introduction, the tax bank during the Longzhi years reached the point of annual income of more than 600 million taels, and 400 million taels were paid to the state, and then part of it was reserved as the operating capital of salt merchants.

Jia Heng raised his eyes to look at Wang Shouqi and Jiang Tong, his sharp sword-like eyes carried a little scrutiny, and said, "Master Wang, even if you change to the method of ticket and salt, you are a hundred-year-old salt merchant with abundant capital and profound background. , but also the ability to strive for the upper reaches, so what is there to be afraid of?"

In fact, there was an idea of ​​restructuring at the beginning, but it was obviously not in line with the actual situation. However, with the prosperity of the ticket salt law, Yangzhou salt merchants are destined to step down from the stage of history.

"In this way, the benefits of salt are distributed to the people, and the price is low. How can the country urge the tax payment?" Qi Kun asked for a moment of doubt, with a haze in his heart.

This conflicted with the inherent concept of monopolizing high prices since Guan Zhong, but the abolition of the monopoly of salt merchants was precisely the consensus of the people of insight at that time.

Because of the richness of the salt merchants and the extravagance of life, officials who have studied hard for ten years will frown greatly when they see them.

Jia Heng said: "First, small profits but quick turnover. Second, the imperial court can collect tax money after the production of salt and before the sale of salt, so as not to make Huai salt unsalable in the market. The salt censor supervises the personnel and finance of the transport department, and urges the chiefs of the provincial capitals to promptly arrest smugglers and crack down on salt smuggling. big plan."

As long as the production end is controlled, and the huge profits of salt merchants are eliminated from the end of selling salt, Huai salt can be sold in the world, and then it is equivalent to the floating fee of the road as a tax collected by the state instead of being monopolized by the salt merchants, and then And the fate of the salt luck is adultery.

When the new salt law becomes popular in the world, it is necessary to thoroughly investigate the deficit of the salt transport department over the years. At that time, who will pay attention to the fate of the original four general merchants?

How much money is owed to the imperial court, and will be paid back one by one in the future!

Qi Kun took the booklet delivered by the Experience Department and began to read it attentively. Tan Jie, the servant of the household department, and Lin Ruhai, the inspector of Yanyan, each took out a copy and began to read it.

Wang Shouqi also took a book and began to flip through it. When he saw the words on it, he felt his eyebrows jumping wildly, and a sense of imminent disaster fell from the sky.

It's not just the so-called cost reduction and efficiency increase, but the deprivation of the monopoly power. What is the use of the salt general merchant in the court?The centuries-old prosperity of Yangzhou Salt Industry will be like a passing cloud.

Everyone's complexion changed slightly, and there was also an indescribable emotion in their hearts.

Because of Jia Heng's status, he doesn't say what he says, but basically it's a certainty, and the rest is just some minor repairs.

Lin Ruhai looked at the details of the reform of the salt law on it, and said: "Three-part ticket, one ticket stub, one ticket for account reconciliation, and one ticket for salt. This method is complete, and it can be used to hide the truth from the top and bottom, and prevent the occurrence of self-enrichment."

"After the restructuring, the patrolling salt censor's yamen went to the site to supervise, and at the same time, a third-party quarterly audit was carried out on the accounts of the salt transport department. The Ministry of Households and the Ministry of Internal Affairs printed salt tickets, so that one salt, one ticket, and the source can be traced. .” Jia Heng said in a deep voice.

He introduced the Ministry of Households because he didn't want to increase the resistance to reform, otherwise, Qi Kun and civil servants would oppose it, and if the benefits of salt and iron were brought back to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, how would the Ministry of Households deal with itself?

Moreover, the corruption problem of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is not much worse than that of civil servants.

Qi Kun twirled his beard with his hands, nodded and said: "I have heard of this method of sun-drying salt. I heard that it is much cheaper than the method of frying. The sea salt obtained is pure and pure. Previously, the Lianghuai Salt Field was worried that the official salt would be impacted, and the stove Ding would lose his job. , so it is a pity that this method was not adopted.”

Jia Heng said: "Compared with the method of frying salt, the method of sun-drying salt can relieve the pain of the stove. As for the impact on official salt, the quality and price of salt will be almost the same as that of private salt in the future, so there is no need for them to hinder it." This is the law."

Qi Kun pondered for a moment, and said: "This method seems to be somewhat feasible, but how much money can be collected is still unknown."

Jia Heng said: "Try it for a year first to see the effect, but the method of outline and salt is really not feasible."

When Qi Kun heard this, he nodded his head, which was regarded as a promise, and then said: "It is mentioned in Yongningbo's regulations that the Ministry of Internal Affairs will take over the responsibility for the operation of the Salt Transportation Department. Can it infringe on the power of the Ministry of Households and make the treasury lose money?"

Jia Heng pondered and said: "If it is not changed, Liu Shengzao is also a relative of the emperor. After the reform, the Salt Transportation Department will be operated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the annual quota of tax money will be sent to the Ministry of Households, which will also be supervised by the Ministry of Households. In this way, the accounts are clear, and the inside and outside are not separated."

Qi Kun paused when he heard this, thinking about the pros and cons.

For example, when it comes to the benefits of salt and iron, it is impossible for the royal family not to intervene throughout the dynasties, and it is unrealistic not to allow the royal family to intervene at all.

Jia Heng raised his eyes to Tan Jie, Minister of the Household Department, and asked, "What do you think of Minister Tan?"

Tan Jie also didn't know what Jia Heng said last time about being recommended as the Minister of the Ministry of Households. He looked at the book and thought about it. Send a commissioner to be in charge, or be under the jurisdiction of the Minister of the Ministry of War?"

Isn't the Nanjing Ministry of Households the biggest winner of this resetting of the salt law?

Jia Heng looked at Tan Jie strangely, and said, "Master Tan, did you misunderstand? What I said earlier was that Shenjing's household department dispatched a staff member who was stationed in the transfer department of the Huaihe River and Huaihe River to assist in official affairs, and jointly operated with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Ministry of Household Affairs only prints salt tickets in conjunction with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and is responsible for checking salt quotations and surveys.”

What are you thinking about?

Tan Jie: "..."

At this moment, Qi Kun looked at the charter in his hand, and said, "Uncle Yongning, although this method is feasible, it still has its drawbacks. If things go on like this, there will still be a tendency for the Department of Transportation to end, and the Household Department and the Internal Affairs Office will work together to seek personal gain from it."

Lin Ruhai took the conversation and said: "As stated in the articles of association, the censor of Yangzhou Salt Institute can independently audit production and sales, salt tickets, and finances on a quarterly basis."

Jia Heng looked at Qi Kun who was thinking non-stop, and said in a deep voice, "Apart from this method, does Elder Qi Ge have any other methods?"

As for the corruption issue caused by the infiltration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' power into the Salt Transportation Department, it will be discussed with Jinyang at that time.

Qi Kun was silent for a moment, speechless for a moment.

In this way, the method of opening up China can solve border affairs and salt affairs at the same time, but time has passed, and the method of opening up China is indeed out of date.

Lin Ruhai said: "Elder Qi Ge, the Salt Institute, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Household Affairs check and balance each other, which can also prevent corruption."

The possibility of officials from the three systems colluding in corruption has also been greatly reduced, and there is also a basis for checking the salt tax with salt tickets.

Jia Heng nodded and said: "It is impossible to completely eradicate corruption. We can only monitor it from time to time to reduce the impact of corruption."

As he spoke, he looked at Qi Kun and Lin Ruhai, and said, "Wait a few more days. If there is no objection, then we will draw up the regulations and report to the imperial court. Yangzhou Salt Affairs has been delayed for too long since it started at the age of [-]."

At this moment, everyone didn't ask the opinions of the salt merchants because they didn't need it.

When it was decided to switch to the ticket salt system, the eight major salt merchants in Yangzhou have been completely swept into the trash can, and the rest are left to their own ability.

After that, Jia Heng discussed with Qi Kun, Lin Ruhai, Tan Jie and other officials of the Ministry of Household Affairs, as well as the Department of Salt Transport and others, the details of the ticket and salt law, as well as the division of powers between the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Household Affairs.

After eating, Jia Heng sent Lin Ruhai to the ferry.

"Uncle won't go to Jinling to stay for two more days, but go to the house to see my sister." Jia Heng asked.

Lin Ruhai smiled and said, "I'm not going, the new salt method is popular, and the Lianghuai Salt Transportation Department has complicated affairs, I need to go back to the town, and besides, didn't I just see Yu'er a few days ago?"

My daughter is in the Ningguo Mansion, and I heard that she went to climb the mountain a few days ago, and her weak appearance as a child seems to have eased a lot.

According to the previous division of responsibilities, before the Ministry of Internal Affairs sent a commissioner, Qi Kun took over the Salt Transportation Department on behalf of the Ministry of Households, and Lin Ruhai sent someone to supervise as the inspector of salt.

Jia Heng said: "I plan to take sister Lin to Gusu to visit my aunt in two days. If my uncle is free, he can go with me."

Lin Ruhai sighed, and said: "I went there once during the Qingming Festival, which only added to the sadness. You and Yu'er should go and have a look."

Jia Heng heard the words, nodded in response, and sent Lin Ruhai to the ship all the way, watching the ship sailing away to Jiangbei.

"Lord Lin really believes in you." Chen Xiao said quietly with a sneer in her eyes.

Jia Heng turned his eyes to look at Chen Xiao, settled his mind, and asked, "Have you been in the vat of vinegar for the past two days? Your words are sour."

Meeting the young man's playful gaze, Chen Xiaofang felt embarrassment welling up deep in her heart, her eyes were frosted, and she said coldly: "Nonsense."

Jia Heng said: "Okay, let's go back."

Saying this, he headed towards the horse tied to the willow tree beside the ferry,

After being quiet for a while, Chen Xiaoning frowned, followed Jia Heng, and reminded: "These salt merchants are full of worries during the meeting, and there may be another twists and turns. Do you want to send someone to watch them?"

Jia Heng took the reins from the Fuwei, and said solemnly: "Someone has been sent to watch him, but they will not come blatantly. I guess they will wait and see for a while to see how the new salt law is tested. If the new law is discouraged, they will wait and see." Definitely make noise again."

Now there are only four of the eight major salt merchants in Yangzhou. If he dares to assassinate and collude with the salt lords after he has supervised the Jiangnan and Jiangbei camps, he is really stupid.

The only thing they are doing now is to wait for the new salt law to fail, and then take advantage of the rising public opinion to attack and counterattack.

Chen Xiaodao: "Chongping's tax and bank deficits in the past 15 years have been basically verified. When did the investigation start during the Longzhi period? The Guo family has already received rumors in Suzhou."

"He is the son-in-law of Princess Kuaiji, and I need to visit him in person. I have sent the guards of the Jinyi Mansion to Suzhou to monitor him. When he arrives in Gusu in a few days, we can talk about it." Jia Heng said, "Actually, Auntie Ni came to deal with it." It would be more appropriate, but she is still on the road at the moment."

Jinyang had already set off ten days ago, but it was still a month before we saw her again. I really missed her a little.

In Jinling City, at the foot of Qixia Mountain, there is a mansion with green willows, white walls and deep gardens. It is Wang Shouqi's private manor in Jinling.

At this moment, the four major general merchants in Yangzhou are all gloomy.

Huang Rishan looked at Wang Shouqi and sighed, "Everyone can become a salt merchant, so how can we do this business?"

Jiang Tong said angrily: "Abolish the system of bringing merchants to the shore, brother Wang, this imperial court treats us as chamber pots and throws them away when we don't need them. I think the salt tax of the imperial court was only 20 million taels back then, which made our ancestors work hard to help us. The imperial court sold it to various provinces, and it would reach more than 600 million taels in the Longzhi period, and in addition to paying to the Treasury of the Ministry of Households, the Salt Transportation Department can leave more than 100 million taels.”

Huang Rishan sighed, and said: "Everyone has become a salt merchant now, and my profit in a year is not as good as the previous one hundred silver. It's time to find another livelihood."

Hearing Jiang Tong and Huang Rishan's complaints, Wang Shouqi frowned, his face looked downcast, and he said in a pale voice: "This is to break our roots. From now on, we will sell salt by ticket. I won't get any profit every year. In the past, the old man was not afraid of making up for the shortfall, but now that he has lost the position of general merchant, if things go on like this, he will be at the end of the day."

Huang Rishan laughed at himself and said: "At first, Huang thought that he could redistribute the Yanyin from other companies, but this Uncle Yongning is so ruthless. This is going to smash the pot!"

"He received the military pay that I donated and repaid, but he was not ambiguous at all!" Hearing this, Jiang Tong looked ugly, and said: "Yangzhou Salt Industry will kill itself, and we will all be sinners of Yangzhou Salt Industry in the future. "

Huang Rishan said, looked at Wang Shouqi, and said, "Brother Wang, you should think of a way."

Wang Shouqi shook his head and said, "I can't do anything. The one in Chonghua Palace is completely ignoring the salt affairs. Now we are drinking water by pressing the cow's head. If we don't eat the toast, we will be fined."

Huang Rishan thought for a while, then lowered his voice and said, "Old Wang, why don't you think of a way, didn't King Qi say he was willing to help?"

At the beginning, because the king of Qi cut the nobles to make up for the shortfall, the salt merchants in Yangzhou made a lot of effort, and the king of Qi also promised to escort the salt merchants.

Wang Shouqi was silent for a moment, then said: "The Duke of Qi is speechless in court right now."

He was on the line with the King of Qi before, and he was betting on the future of his Wang family, and the King of Qi could not count on it in the short term.

"Where's Mr. Shen?" Huang Rishan asked with his eyes turned.

Jiang Tong frowned into the word "Chuan" and said, "Master Shen has just been dismissed and retained, how dare you speak for me again?"

"At the beginning, I also had some friendship with the Zhen family." Huang Rishan said, he felt that it was not appropriate, and said: "But now that the Zhen family has been defeated by the fourth master of the Zhen family, it is like a bodhisattva crossing the river, and it is difficult to protect itself."

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.

Because, I suddenly discovered that at some point, those backers who could be used as a helping hand had all kinds of problems.

In fact, after being weakened again and again by Jia Heng, the current salt merchants are meat waiting to be slaughtered on the chopping board. It is only up to Jia Heng whether he wants to cut it into saozi or inch-gold cartilage.

Except for jumping over the wall in a hurry, there is no big storm at all.

In the Daoguang period of parallel time and space, Tao Shu, the governor of Liangjiang, executed a great salt occupant, and then dismissed the officials of the Transshipment Department of the Huaihe River and Huaihe Capital. Cao Zhenyong "understood righteousness", so he had no idea at all.

Now it is a military plane with a heavy army in his hand who personally supervises the rectification of the salt affairs, which is undoubtedly a bully.

Wang Shouqi's old eyes narrowed slightly, and he said, "Whether it's Duke Qi or Master Shen, they are now powerless against Uncle Yongning."

Xiao Hongsheng became more and more frustrated when he heard the people talking more and more, his eyes flickered, and he said: "Master Wang, as Yongningbo said, even if we change the method of ticket salt and enrich the capital of our family, we will surely be able to Striving for the top does not necessarily require taking risks and resisting the general trend.”

Wang Shouqi was silent for a moment, and said: "What nephew Xiao Xian said is not unreasonable, we are rich in capital, and we are better than ordinary people."

In fact, he was still faintly worried about the fact that the pursuit of Lianghuai Salt Transportation Company's deficit really stopped here?

The four families of Cheng, Ma, Bao, and Huang were confiscated so much money, and it fell into the eyes of the court officials. Since ancient times, money has moved people's hearts. Could it be that the court was not moved at all?

But it is not easy to discuss these hidden worries with the other three schools, on the contrary, it cannot be clarified.

"We need to transfer some more children, Jiangnan is not easy to stay here." Wang Shouqi made up his mind.

Most of the large amount of wealth cannot be transferred out. The guards of the Jinyi Mansion originally kept a close eye on it, but the children of the clan went out with some treasures.

While the four general merchants in Yangzhou were thinking about the countermeasures, at the same time, in the back hall of Liangjiang Governor's Yamen, Shen Fang was silent for a while after listening to the salt affairs proposal and regulations from his staff, and said: "The law of ticket salt, if the common people go to collect tickets to buy salt one after another, will it cause the price of official salt to fall and erode the source of national taxation?"

If this is the case, there was an uproar in Jinling at that time, and amidst the waves of opposition, he would take care of the salt affairs and turn the tide, and he might be able to regain the holy family.

"Master Taiwan, I heard that you have to pay a certain amount of tax to receive salt with a salt ticket. The salt cited by a ticket is not something that ordinary people can buy, and there are areas for selling it. Once it is cleared, the price of official salt will be greatly reduced, and it will be sold well in Jiangxi, Huguang and Henan provinces, and it is unknown that the tax money collected will increase greatly." Bai Sixing was silent for a moment, reminding.

Lu Chaoyun said: "Dong Weng, this strategy brings together everyone's efforts to reduce floating fees, abandoning the general merchant and including salt collection is beneficial to the Salt Transportation Department."

Shen Fang pondered for a moment, and said: "These are unknown numbers, let's see the effect."

As he said that, he looked at Lu Chaoyun and asked, "How is the public opinion among scholars in Jinling?"

"After adding officials to Yongning Bo and Prince Taibao yesterday, the series of impeachment memorials by Zhongke Dao officials in Jinling City has been greatly reduced. It seems...to be frightened." Lu Chaoyun frowned.

Shen Fang heard the words and said coldly: "These people really can't be counted on!"

Bai Sixing comforted him and said: "Dong Weng, now is the time when Uncle Yongning is gaining momentum, it is normal for them to be afraid, but after this incident, if there are people in the court who are dissatisfied with Uncle Yongning, they can wait for Uncle Yongning to come and see him." There is a difference in the military and political affairs in the south of the Yangtze River, and at that time we worked together to drive Yongning Bo back to Beijing."

Hearing this, Shen Fang's complexion changed for a moment, and he sighed.

He didn't know it, but he was unwilling to be reconciled, and a traitor was in charge.

Zhenjia Manor

In the flower hall in the backyard, Zhen Yingjia, Zhen Shao, Zhen Xuan and several others were sitting side by side, and Princess Chu Zhen Qing was not far away.

After hearing what Zhen Jue said, Zhen Yingjia looked at her third brother Zhen Xuan, and asked, "Third brother, you are deeply familiar with the business of merchants and the breeding of goods. What's so clever about the law of ticket and salt compared to the method of leading merchants to shore?" ?”

Zhen Xuan is in charge of the various businesses of the Zhen family, and even helps Zhen Yingjia sort out the account books of Jiangning Weaving Bureau and Hangzhou Weaving Bureau.

At this moment, his eyes lit up, and he exclaimed: "Brother, this method is very good. It reduces the floating fee, and Huai salt sells well. My Zhen family can also buy salt tickets, and sell salt to various provinces. If you get profit, it can also fill the weaving bureau." deficit."

The gaze under Zhen Shao's eyebrows also flashed a bright light, and he looked up at Zhen Yingjia, and said: "Brother, what the third brother said is very good."

Following the death of Mrs. Zhen, the brothers Zhen Yingjia already knew that the biggest thunder of the Zhen family was the huge deficit left by Jinling Tirenyuan, and Mrs. Zhen also confessed some details to Emperor Chongping in a memento before her death. .

Because of the huge amount of shortfall involved, the Emperor's Southern Tour was involved, and the Zhen family would not be able to make up the money. No matter how much shortfall was filled, at least they had to actively fill it up and give the palace an attitude.

Zhen Yingjia looked at Zhen Qing who was sitting on the side, and asked, "Qing'er, what do you think?"

Under Zhen Qingyun's temples, on her beautiful and charming face without makeup, she was seeing a look of thought, turned around, and said softly: "Father, I think that since the Secretary of Yanyun said, no matter who You can get salt by ticket, so my Zhen family can naturally, and with the size of my family's fleet and manpower, we can transport salt from the Huaihe River to the provinces of Huguang, which can add up to 10 taels a year, so it will be easy to make up for it deficit."

In fact, the ticket salt law is not limited to people, and the Zhen family has long wanted to get a share of the salt industry, but the Transshipment Department of the Lianghuai Capital and the Eight General Merchants have already cut the cake, and the Zhen family is not good. meddle.

Now is the chance.

Zhen Yingjia nodded and said: "In the next two days, you and your sister will go to Ningguo Mansion again and ask Ziyu what his rules are."

Zhen Qing said softly: "Father, Brother Heng, after finishing his errands in the south of the Yangtze River, he may go to Gusu. Most of the salt affairs are handled by the Yamen of Yangzhou Salt Court."

Zhen Yingjia asked: "By the way, is your sister going to Yangzhou together? Or are you just living in Ningguo Mansion like this and never coming back?"

Yesterday, after Zhen Qing returned, she felt exhausted, so she went back to her own courtyard to wash off her clothes, and asked the female officer to convey Jia Heng's acceptance of Zhen Xi, rather vaguely.

Zhen Shao and Zhen Xuan looked at Zhen Qing with doubts in their eyes.

"Zi Yu also agreed to accept it because of the pity of sister Xi'er. Regarding the matter of the second uncle's seduction, we have to see if there is any war, otherwise the Kodao officials will join forces to impeach her." Zhen Qing said softly.

Zhen Shao's eyes flickered, and he said, "Nowadays there are quite a few people impeaching Ziyu in the city, if they play to win the favor, it's easy to prove it."

Zhen Yingjia was also somewhat pleased, nodded and said: "Yes, the Zhenjia family are family friends, I'm afraid they will fall into the eyes of others, and there will always be gossip."

Looking at the joy on the faces of her father and several uncles, Zhen Qing secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she saw this, and said with relief: "I and... I also mean the same thing. It is also logical, even if there is no war, there is no high-ranking general in the Jiangnan camp, and the second uncle happens to go out to help Brother Heng to deal with the captives."

Everyone in the Zhen family nodded slightly when they heard the words.

(End of this chapter)