My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 119 A God-Given Harbor
"Are you two brave warriors resting well?"

Early in the morning, Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin had just gotten up when they heard that Liu Feng had been waiting for them in the courtyard for a long time.

The two were taken aback and quickly came out.

But they saw Liu Feng standing outside the courtyard with a smile on his face, with several attendants behind him carrying lacquer trays containing two sets of brocade robes and riding boots.

Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin hurriedly stepped forward to pay their respects, but Liu Feng stopped them with a smile and explained, "Last night I observed that the two of you are both very robust, but your clothes and shoes are dirty and tattered, which is obviously due to traveling for several days. Therefore, this morning I prepared two sets of brocade robes and riding boots for the two of you to change into."

Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin had never seen such distinguished guests before, and they hurriedly wanted to express their gratitude, but were stopped again.

"My two brave men, please don't stand on ceremony. We really have something to ask of you."

Liu Feng said to Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin, who looked puzzled, "I am not very talented, but I have taken a job from my father to go to the seaside to select a site for a port. I have heard that you two are very knowledgeable about water affairs, so I would like to ask you for your help. What do you two think?"

After hearing this, Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin hesitated at the same time.

After a moment, Zhou Tai spoke up: "Young master, we are deeply grateful and should serve you. However, the Lord Ming has already assigned us a task yesterday, and we are unable to attend to it."

Although Zhou Tai politely declined, Liu Feng was not upset. On the contrary, he greatly admired Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin's composure and responsibility.

"I see. You two can rest assured. I have obtained permission from my father, and this is your new mission."

Upon hearing Liu Feng's words, Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin naturally had no further objections and immediately expressed their willingness to follow Liu Feng's lead.

Liu Feng offered some polite words and asked the two to change into brocade robes, rest for a few days, and then select manpower.

Three days later, Liu Feng, along with Xu Sheng, Pan Zhang, Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, and two squads of armored soldiers, quietly left Tancheng and headed east.

Zang Ba's previous purchase of warhorses from Liaodong served as a reminder to Liu Feng.

If Xuzhou had a good port, it could directly connect trade routes to Liaodong, or it could bypass Qingzhou, Jizhou and Yangzhou by sea.

The navigation industry in the Han Dynasty was already quite advanced. They were able to skillfully use the shipbuilding structure of transverse bulkheads, and made new breakthroughs in terms of labor saving, efficiency, and control of speed and direction. This was mainly reflected in the widespread use of sails, oars, rudders, and anchors.

Aside from the fact that the keel technology had not yet been invented, this technology was not invented in China until the Song Dynasty, and in the West, it was not until the Yuan Dynasty.

If Liu Feng were to simply share the keel technology, he could easily and significantly improve the progress of ocean-going vessels, making maritime transport and trade a reality.

In addition to searching for ports, Liu Feng was also investigating another matter: the salt monopoly.

When Liu Bei first took control of Xu Province, he was a weak governor and couldn't withstand any major setbacks. The chain reaction caused by even the slightest disturbance was a gamble that neither Liu Feng nor his son could afford.

Therefore, Liu Feng chose to use rock sugar and snow salt to do business with the Mi family, rather than opting for the sun-drying method.

However, with the changing situation, Liu Bei had already established a firm foothold in Xuzhou and could now begin to consider the profits from the salt industry.

Since the restoration of the Han dynasty under Emperor Guangwu, the people were devastated, the economy was in ruins, and the machinations of powerful families led Emperor Guangwu to finally implement a policy of temporarily suspending the monopolies on salt, iron, and wine. This policy was originally only temporary, but it was to be nationalized once the economy began to recover.

However, due to the short lives of Emperors Ming and Zhang, especially Emperor Zhang, the last window of opportunity to reclaim state power was missed.

Starting with Emperor He of Han, the entire salt, iron, and wine group had become so large that it was impossible to replicate and it was no longer possible to nationalize it.

The Eastern Han court did make further efforts afterward.

The economy of the Eastern Han Dynasty fell into distress after the death of Emperor He, followed by a twenty-year period of natural disasters. The old foundation was completely depleted, income could not cover expenditures, and the finances were indeed unsustainable.

Subsequent emperors made various efforts, but the profits from salt and iron remained controlled by powerful clans.

During the reign of Emperor Huan of Han, he set up four salt officials along the coast of Xuzhou, stationed in four counties of the three commanderies of Langya, Donghai and Guangling, in an attempt to seize a share of the salt profits, but with little success.

Of all the salt profits in Xuzhou, those from the East China Sea were the most abundant. And among the salt profits of the East China Sea, the Mi family of Qu County was the most successful in terms of salt and iron profits.

This profit from salt and iron also established the Mi family's status as the richest family in Xuzhou.

However, although the Mi family controlled a large amount of salt profits, they could not achieve a monopoly.

Because Xuzhou has a very long coastline, and it is mostly tidal flats, salt production in Xuzhou is extremely easy, even to the point of being a disaster. Almost every powerful family with some influence in the coastal areas would get involved.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, because the salt administration was not in the hands of the imperial court, the private sale of salt was not prohibited. Therefore, there was no distinction between public and private salt, making it quite easy to sell without any obstruction.

However, this also caused the Eastern Han court to lose a large amount of revenue, which was exactly what Liu Feng wanted to obtain.

That's right, Liu Feng wanted to implement a salt monopoly policy.

As someone who came after him, no one knew better than Liu Feng that government monopolies were more profitable.

Moreover, now is a good time to implement a salt monopoly policy. First of all, most of the salt-producing families in Xuzhou have strong military support. In addition to their own family salt workers and thugs, their biggest backer is the Taishan Army.

That's right, it's Zang Ba's Taishan Army.

Besides the local powerful families in Langya, even the salt-producing families in the East China Sea had intricate connections with the Taishan Army.

The Taishan Army provided military protection to the salt tycoons, while the salt tycoons provided salt and goods to the Taishan Army.

In the past two years, Zang Ba has been able to have extra money to upgrade the military equipment and clothing of the Taishan Army, and even save up several million coins to buy warhorses, all thanks to the donations from the salt merchants.

If the cooperation between the salt merchants and Zang Ba hadn't just begun and they hadn't yet developed enough mutual trust, Zang Ba might not have sold grain to the Mi family.

After all, relying solely on Kaiyang and the surrounding counties would not be enough to sustain the Taishan Army's 10,000-strong force.

Now that the Taishan Army has been captured by Liu Bei, the salt merchants must be quite terrified. Moreover, there are no external threats around Xuzhou, making it the perfect opportunity to take down the salt merchants in one fell swoop.

It might even mislead Guangling County, making Yuan Sui believe that Liu Bei is focused on accumulating wealth and has no interest in Guangling.

Originally, Liu Feng planned to take Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin on an inspection trip, but Xu Sheng and Pan Zhang insisted on coming along as well, even going so far as to entrust the training of troops to his subordinate Qu Junhou.

The two men argued that the young master's safety was the top priority, and that the soldiers were already proficient in training and only needed to follow the procedures.

Liu Feng eventually compromised; he could actually understand Xu Sheng and Pan Zhang's feelings.

These two clearly see Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin as rivals, and are worried that he will promote newcomers and forget about the old ones.

Although Xu Sheng and Pan Zhang managed to follow, their mood was still not very good.

This was because, along the way, Liu Feng spent most of his time seeking advice from Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin on various issues related to hydrology, water conditions, and the navy.

In the eyes of Xu Sheng and Pan Zhang, this was naturally the appearance of a new favorite.

Unbeknownst to Liu Feng, the two had already provoked Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin.

Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin were also very angry. At first, they were somewhat accommodating because they were newcomers.

But as time went on, seeing Xu Sheng and Pan Zhang closing in step by step, Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin, who were not good-tempered to begin with, naturally clashed with each other.

Liu Feng didn't notice at first, but by the time he realized it, the two sides had already aligned.

After considering it for a while, Liu Feng simply decided to leave it alone.

Xu Sheng and Pan Zhang had terrible tempers, and Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin weren't exactly known for their good tempers either.

Forcing them to be harmonious while they secretly quarrel is not as good as simply laying everything out on the surface.

Therefore, Liu Feng decisively chose to ignore them, letting them fight back, and focused his energy on important matters.

"Young master, please look over there."

At this moment, Liu Feng led Zhou Tai and his entourage to climb Yuntai Mountain and look out to the sea.

Zhou Tai pointed to a bay at the foot of the mountain and said, "This harbor is backed by Qu Mountain and protected by Yuzhou Island, which keeps the wind and waves out. It is also the only rocky land we have encountered on our journey. It is truly a blessed harbor."

As Liu Feng gazed at the bay, he listened to Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin's analysis, nodding repeatedly. "It's just a pity that this bay seems to already be occupied."

Pan Zhang suddenly interjected, then volunteered, "Young Master, why don't I go and ask which family occupies it? Judging from its appearance, it's just a private port, something that can't be brought to light."

Liu Feng nodded, but said aloud, "No rush, let's observe further."

Pan Zhang nodded helplessly and remained silent.

Liu Feng looked at this harbor, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Along the way, the rampant abuse of salt production in Xuzhou was shocking.

Especially along the coast, there were salt-making workshops everywhere, most of which were owned by wealthy salt merchants from the East China Sea.

These salt magnates ruled their villages, employing large numbers of salt workers who enslaved the villagers to boil seawater and produce salt.

The Mi family was also one of them, but their food was better. Because they were so big, they needed an astonishing number of laborers, so in addition to purchasing a large number of servants, they also recruited villagers directly during the off-season.

Unlike other wealthy salt merchants, the Mi family offered very fair compensation and even provided food and drink, which earned them a very good reputation in Qu County.

Compared to the Mi family, other salt magnates were far inferior. It was already quite benevolent of them to be willing to give money; most of them kidnapped and enslaved people, committed all sorts of evil deeds, and the villagers had long been full of complaints.

Along his journey, Liu Feng witnessed the plight of many villagers. What was even more appalling was that these salt magnates not only exploited the villagers' labor during salt production, but also ripped them off by charging exorbitant prices when selling the salt.

In addition, the salt tycoons joined forces to prohibit villagers from making their own salt, thereby forcing them to buy their expensive salt. If they discovered that villagers were making their own salt, they would send thugs to smash the large pots used for boiling salt and even beat the villagers.

The villagers of Xuzhou had long suffered under the tyrants of salt, but these salt tyrants were local strongmen, or at least local heroes, with power and influence, or martial arts skills, and were not afraid of the villagers' resentment.

"Let's go down the mountain."

After determining the location and value of the bay, Liu Feng and his group prepared to descend the mountain.

Just now, Pan Zhang said he was going to inquire about that private port, and Liu Feng could guess that this private port most likely belonged to the Mi family.

After all, this is Qu County, with Qu Mountain right under our feet and Qu Mountain Bay below. How could we possibly escape the clutches of the Wang family of Qu County?
This private port is not large, with only a small amount of shipping, and most of the cargo is still fishing boats. The Mi family opened the port to ordinary villagers, allowing them to unload their goods here, which can be considered a good deed.

Soon, the group descended the mountain and returned to the village where they had temporarily rested.

Unlike before I left, a large number of people had gathered in the village, and the sound of crying could be heard from the crowd.

Liu Feng frowned, and Xu Sheng, seeing this, immediately stepped forward with several of his trusted men to drive away the villagers who were watching.

Xu Sheng's actions were quite gentle. He used his strength to drag the other person away and push them aside. Although his actions were rude, he was very careful to avoid hurting the other person.

Some villagers were suddenly pushed aside. They turned around and were about to curse, but they saw that the ones who pushed them were Xu Sheng and several other big men with long knives at their waists. They immediately cowered.

Xu Sheng quickly cleared a path, allowing Liu Feng to enter the crowd.

In the center of the crowd, there were seven or eight people. Liu Feng recognized three of them; they were villagers, a couple with a baby girl.

Their daughter is very pretty; although she is somewhat malnourished, her beauty is still undeniable.

As for the couple, the husband farmed the land and the wife planted mulberry trees, and they managed to make a decent living.

When Liu Feng and his group arrived, they bought some salted meat from this family, which shows that the family was quite well-off.

Unexpectedly, the male head of the other family had already been knocked to the ground, while the helpless wife tried to protect her daughter while also trying to wake her husband.

Three or four burly men stood idly by, one of whom was kicking and shoving the male homeowner.

The villagers around them were filled with anger, but no one dared to stand up. They just surrounded the few burly men in the middle who were obviously from other villages.

From their attire, Liu Feng immediately recognized them as thugs employed by the salt magnate. He wondered why they were causing trouble for this family of villagers.

Liu Feng nodded to Pan Zhang, who immediately walked to the side, grabbed a villager, and whispered a question to him.

Soon, Pan Zhang finished gathering intelligence and returned to report to Liu Feng.

"The male head of this farming family was secretly making salt with some friends when they were discovered by a local salt tycoon. He was severely beaten and the tycoon even tried to kidnap the family's daughter. If these villagers hadn't blocked their way, they probably would have taken her away long ago."

The villagers only dared to surround the man and prevent him from leaving, but they didn't have the courage to treat him or take the girl back.

Looking at the family that had been so harmonious and happy that morning, now one was seriously injured, one was tied up, and another was about to lose their family, Liu Feng felt as if his heart had been squeezed by someone.

Liu Feng looked up at the sky. The sky was a clear, blue color, as if it were untouched by any dust.

Yet, under such a clear sky, such filthy things are happening.

Doesn't God care?
Liu Feng lowered his head again and took a deep breath.

Since God is too busy to take care of things, let me do it.

"stop!"

Liu Feng stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention to himself, before speaking: "In broad daylight, you forcibly abduct a woman. Do you really have such a lawless attitude?"

Liu Feng had seen these lines since he was a child, and in the past he only found them interesting and funny.

But only today did he realize that beneath those seemingly amusing lines lay stark white bones and dripping blood.

A young man emerged from among the burly men in blue robes; he was clearly dressed as a wandering knight-errant.

After all, reality is different from TV dramas. When the young man saw Liu Feng, his eyes narrowed slightly. Although he did not recognize Liu Feng's identity, he could tell from Liu Feng's clothes and the group of heroes behind him that Liu Feng was no ordinary person.

Furthermore, since Liu Feng spoke of the law, the young man decisively concluded that Liu Feng must be from a prominent family, and that there must be high-ranking officials in his family.

"In reply to your question, young master, we are guests of the Wang family of Qu County. My name is Xu Qin, and we have come here to collect debts."

Xu Qin turned around and pointed to the man lying on the ground, clasped his hands and said, "This fellow has borrowed two thousand coins from us for several months and has not returned them. My young master is kind-hearted and has been tolerant, but this fellow has become even more ruthless and actually tried to run away. Fortunately, a kind person tipped us off, otherwise this fellow would have really gotten away."

Liu Feng's pupils contracted slightly; even bad guys can be quite cunning in real life.

They invoked the law themselves, but then they used the principles of heaven to shut themselves up.

Judging from the other party's confident demeanor, it seems they really intend to repay the loan.

However, there's a high probability that something fishy is going on here; the male head of the household was almost certainly framed by the young master of the Wang family.

Just by looking at how the man managed to get the villagers to withstand the pressure from the Wang family and help him keep his daughter, you can tell that he must be very popular in the village.

This person doesn't seem like the type to owe money and not pay it back.

He's lying!

At this moment, the pretty girl being pulled by Xu Qin's burly men shouted at Liu Feng: "My lord, he's lying! It was the young master of the Wang family who deliberately set a trap for my father. They clearly promised to let my father boil salt and sell it to several surrounding villages, but after my father borrowed the money, they went back on their word, beat him up, smashed the salt-boiling pot, and even threatened the villagers not to buy my father's cheap salt, but to buy their expensive salt instead."

The girl was articulate and bold, and she recounted the whole story clearly.

Xu Qin wanted to stop him, but he only saw Liu Feng staring at him with a smile.

Although Liu Feng was smiling, the smile was somewhat eerie, making him instinctively afraid to move.

After hearing this, Liu Feng smiled and asked Xu Qin, "You heard it too, do you have something to say?"

“My lord, this woman is talking nonsense.”

Xu Qin hurriedly explained, "This man had previously asked my young master for leniency, but it was agreed that only his village could boil salt for its own use. However, this man was ungrateful and harbored malicious intentions, secretly selling the salt to other villages. Because the salt his family used was unclean, someone even died from it. Since we are all neighbors, and a villager who died came to us for help, my young master is kind-hearted, and since this matter is related to him, he naturally couldn't ignore it, so he came to find someone."

(End of this chapter)