Chongzhen's online shopping system

Chapter 170 The father-in-law sells smuggled salt
"Your Majesty, isn't this good?"

"It's really not good. But the power of these salt merchants is deeply entrenched, and they are tightly controlled from top to bottom. Official salt cannot be sold, and private salt cannot collect taxes. What do you think we should do?"

"This"

When it comes to this matter, Fan Jingwen is also numb.

"Then how should we deal with this matter?"

"Investigate! Investigate rigorously! Send Tian Ergeng down to investigate! Investigate them as well."

"This"

Are you so aggressive?

"It's not easy to investigate, right? Now the massive investigation will inevitably cause a strong backlash from the salt merchant group. I really want to kill them all, but what about the salt that the people eat? The salt policy has been corrupted for so many years, how can the imperial court do it in a short time? Has a complete salt transportation mechanism been established within the country? Moreover, how many officials have benefited from it?"

Fan Jingwen was silent.He couldn't understand the meaning behind this.

Throughout the ages, when it comes to salt, there has always been huge profits.Don't look at the price of this thing, but it is large and stable.It's basically a business where you can make a profit without losing any money.Even bribes to officials can be added to the salt sold to the common people.

If the bad government is not corrected, corrupt officials will not be killed.

Well, actually, even if I change it, I can’t kill them all.But at least it won't let the court fall into such an embarrassing situation. If they want to do something, they have to be restrained by these birdmen.

"Fan Qing, do you know how important the railway is? If there is a train from the capital to Shaanxi at this time, all kinds of supplies can be reached in a few days. Do you still need to go to China and France? Is there anyone who resells salt? As long as the court If the price of table salt is kept at a very low level, is there still someone who sells illegal salt at the risk of beheading?"

"Let's keep all these facts in mind, and the cabinet won't pay attention to them."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Zhu Youjian plans to deal with it coldly, without refusing, expressing his stance, or taking responsibility.

After Fan Jingwen left, Zhu Youjian called someone.

His father-in-law is Zhou Kui.

"Sir, see Your Majesty."

"No courtesy." Zhu Youjian's tone was not very good.

Zhou Kui has become a lot more honest since he was scolded by Zhu Youjian last time, but his character is like this, and he won't get into any itchy hands.After all, his daughter is the queen, so the emperor can't kill himself, right?No, taking advantage of the fact that Fang Zhenghua returned to Beijing at the end of the year, he wanted to get some iron ingots from the steel group to sell.Fang Zhenghua was beaten by Zhu Youjian just a few years ago, so how could he agree to it?

"Has Fang Zhenghua promised you?"

"No, huh? Your Majesty, please atone for your sins!" Zhou Kui, who was thinking about why His Majesty asked him to come, replied subconsciously, but then he realized something was wrong.He hurriedly knelt down and begged for mercy again.

"Get up! You are my father-in-law. Don't kneel down easily. If outsiders find out, will they think I am so harsh on you?"

Zhu Youjian scolded with a frown.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Zhou Kui felt uncomfortable after hearing this. The emperor's father-in-law was not an easy person to be.If you don’t make money, you still get scolded.

"Now I have something for you to do. If you do it well, it won't be a problem to get ten thousand taels of silver a year. Do you want to do it?"

"Do it!" Zhou Kui's eyes lit up and he agreed without hesitation without asking any questions.

extraterrestrial
In a shop called China Salt Monopoly, it was crowded with people.

They were all people from far and near, inside and outside the city who heard the news and came to buy salt.

The store sells salt for four cents a pound, which I have never seen in my whole life.Don't worry about whether you have money or not, just save him a few dozen kilograms first.

The person in charge of the business in the store is Liu Daqiao, a shopkeeper from Global Commerce. He is standing in front of the door with a smile and looking at another salt shop not far away.

Compared with the excitement here, the salt shop he looked at seemed deserted.Because their price is five cents a pound.

Who would want to buy an expensive one when there is a cheap one?

In the salt shop, a fair and fat middle-aged man was standing at the door with his waiter, looking out. This man's surname was Li, he was the shopkeeper of this salt shop, and he belonged to the Xiao family in Yangzhou.

"Shopkeeper, are we sure we won't lower the price anymore?" the clerk asked respectfully.

"I won't surrender. The superiors don't agree."

"Aren't they just making a profit at a loss by selling like this?"

"Their salt is brought from Tianjin by train. They don't lose money, but they make less money."

"Which company does this belong to? It's been several days now, and no one from the government has come out to take care of it?"

"Who knows, maybe another powerful person is eyeing this piece of fat again. Go do your own business, and ask less about what you shouldn't. The higher-ups have their own arrangements."

"Yes, the shopkeeper."

In the next few days, the price of Zhongyan Monopoly did not rise again, resulting in salt being unsaleable in all stores in the city.There was still no news from above, and all the shopkeepers were anxious.

Finally, after many twists and turns, news came out from the cabinet that the current emperor of the country, Zhou Kui, was behind the salt field in Tianjin.

After learning about this, everyone started to curse, damn, this eating scene is too ugly.

You can't just rely on the fact that you are the emperor and his father-in-law to cut off our livelihood, right?

So the heads of major salt merchants in Beijing approached Zhou Kui with generous gifts.

"Master Guo Zhang, you are high above the temple. You don't know much about these businesses. This salt cannot be sold like this. Your salt comes from Tianjin. There are trains, so the transportation cost is naturally low. Selling it this way is designated It can kill all our business. But what good will it do to you? There are only so many people in the entire capital, and even if they all buy your salt, how much money can you make at the current price?"

"Then I don't care, I just want to make money. What does it have to do with me whether you live or die? I have already told the Queen about this. As long as the Queen blows the pillow, His Majesty will just turn a blind eye. It's over. Isn't there someone above you? Try to seal up my shop, arrest me and put me in jail!" Zhou Kui was sitting on the Taishi chair in the hall, holding a bottle of nutrient dilution in his hand, looking arrogant and very show off.

My daughter is a queen, and I am awesome.

If you are not convinced, kill me?
Several representatives of the salt merchants in the hall cursed inwardly, and Shopkeeper Li, who had just spoken, spoke again with a smile on his face.

"Yes, what the father-in-law said is absolutely true! Looking at the entire city of Beijing, no one has the strength to compete with the father-in-law for business. But this is what I think about, so just listen to it and see if it makes sense."

"Although this salt is easy to sell and easy to produce, after all, no one eats it as rice and noodles. Look, the business in your store has dropped a lot in the past two days? Everyone only eats so much salt throughout the year. There are only so many people in the capital. Calculate how much money you can make?"

"As for the few shopkeepers sitting here, you must have heard of the owner behind them. Together, they basically control the salt business of the entire Ming Dynasty. We don't feel sorry for the loss of the capital city. But the entire Ming Dynasty has two capitals and thirteen The business of the province, oh, it will soon be the two capitals and the fifteen provinces. Isn’t the father-in-law interested in it? "

Zhou Kui's eyes slowly lit up, and his expression became less arrogant.

"What do you mean? Where else can I sell my salt?"

"The boss behind us said that since the father-in-law wants to enter the salt market, then we are all on the same team. We should look after each other."

"How can I trust what you are saying?"

"If my father-in-law is not at ease, he can go to Yangzhou to enjoy the scenery of the south of the Yangtze River, and a few landlords can show their friendship as landlords. Wouldn't it be wonderful to taste new tea and ride a skinny horse then?"

Zhou Kui's eyes almost shined!He had heard the name of Yangzhou Shouma for a long time, and wished he could fly there now.

"Hey, let's talk about business. Since the profit of salt is so huge, why is your boss willing to let me in?"

Damn, you're not stupid enough to ask.Shopkeeper Li cursed secretly.

Let’s just stabilize you first. We have been operating in the market for so many years, and you want to enter the market?Even if they don't suppress you, it's still unclear whether you can stand firm.

"Since the father-in-law has asked, I won't hide it any more. As the father-in-law of the state, it's too late for most people to flatter you. Who would refuse to cooperate with you?"

"Hahaha! You are really good at planning. My father-in-law agreed. But there is still a problem at the moment."

"I have already promised the queen that the price of salt should not exceed eight cents. The queen is kind-hearted and considerate of the people. Otherwise, she would not agree."

"Master Guo, what if we leave the capital?"

"That's right!"

Zhou Kui suddenly realized.

"As long as our prices are unified, eight cents will be eight cents. We will suffer some losses."

"That's great, then when are you going to Yangzhou?"

"My father-in-law has free time, he can do it at any time!"

"Then tomorrow!"

"Then I'll send someone to pick you up tomorrow, so I'll leave for now."

"Row!"

After a few people left, Zhou Kui smacked his lips and looked at the gifts they had brought while daydreaming about the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan with great anticipation.

"If Jiading Bo goes to Yangzhou, he must obtain His Majesty's approval." A young man walked out of the inner hall and said softly to Zhou Kui.The young man's words were like pouring cold water on Zhou Kui's head, making him calm down instantly.

This is the person sent by His Majesty to "help" him.

　thank

　　s Meng Ji
　　w is ready

　　monthly pass.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)