The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Chapter 18 Salt Merchant
More than a dozen people covered in Luo Qi blocked the entrance of the hall, venting their emotions at the butler of the Lin family.

Salt merchants and salt government offices are actually interdependent and cooperative.

Although the Salt Government Yamen controls the wealth, life and death of the salt merchants, but in turn, are the salt merchants not indispensable partners of the Salt Government Yamen?
After all, the Yan government is related to the livelihood of tens of thousands of people, so how can they take care of it only with the little soldiers of the Yan government office?
As a result, among some salt merchants, a concept has formed, that is, whether the position of the salt official in the imperial court can be sat and done well, in fact, it all depends on whether they give face...

After all, if they don't cooperate with millions or even tens of millions of vain salt tax money every year, it will be difficult for the salt government to collect it!Even if it is collected, it may not be able to collect the full amount... If it drags on tens of millions of tax money, let alone the future of the salt official, I am afraid that he will not be able to save his life!

Therefore, most of the salt merchants were dissatisfied with the court's apparent attempt to squeeze out their wool again this time.

Since he was dissatisfied, he wanted to ask for the above, and as a salt official who was "raised" by them, he should stand up and speak for them at a time when the life and death of the entire industry was at stake!
Therefore, when Jia Lian appeared here along the corridor, all he saw were businessmen with big bellies, muttering "we want to see Mr. Lin" and "please be the master for us".

Xu Shi saw Jia Lian coming out of the house, wearing white filial piety all over his body, and thought he was a child of the Lin family, so he became quieter.

Jia Lian didn't say a word, but walked slowly to the center, stood on the steps, and scanned the crowd.

Jia Lian's arrogant attitude immediately aroused some people's dissatisfaction.

One of them took a step forward and shouted, "Who are you? What about Mr. Lin, why doesn't Mr. Lin come out to see us?"

Jia Lian looked down at the person in front of him from above, and said in the same unceremonious voice: "My uncle is not feeling well and is resting in the back hall. Why are you making such a noise here, so that my uncle cannot be at peace?"

Hearing that he is not a child of the Lin family, but just a relative, everyone is so polite.

"Where did you come from, Huangkou kid? I'm waiting to see Mr. Lin. I have important matters to discuss. How can you ask me?"

"Exactly, if you don't retreat, you will delay the big event I'm waiting for. I'm afraid your adults won't be able to afford it!"

First, they were perfunctory by Lin Ruhai, and after waiting here for half a day, everyone's hearts were already angry.Now Jia Lian's attitude made everyone even more angry, and the dissatisfaction was unceremoniously vented towards Jia Lian.

Facing the denunciation of the salt merchants, Jia Lian's face darkened, and he shouted: "Presumptuous!"

The scene suddenly quieted down.

Everyone stared at Jia Lian in astonishment. First, they didn't expect Jia Lian to yell at them. Second, they didn't expect Jia Lian to be so loud at such a young age, it hurt their ears!
Jia Lian didn't give them time to react, and continued to suppress them with words: "This place is the Salt Government Office, which represents the majesty of the imperial court. If you dare to yell again, you will be punished as a crime of breaking into an official office, and you will be severely punished!"

Born in Jia Lian's mansion, he has the psychological advantage of being superior to others when doing things outside, so he naturally has some extraordinary bearing.

Such scolding now really calms these people down.

Everyone looked at each other, and seeing that no one was talking anymore, they all realized that their previous behavior was indeed excessive.

But there is always some temper, the obese man who scolded Jia Lian as a "yellow mouth boy" stood up again: "Of course we know that this is the Yanzheng Yamen, and we came here to discuss the important matters of the Yanzheng with Mr. Lin!
As salt merchants in Yangzhou, we have always been law-abiding, and we donate nearly ten million tax dollars to the imperial court every year!The people present here are all people who have made great contributions to the imperial court. Even Mr. Lin treats us with kindness and courtesy, what kind of status are you, and you dare to boss us around?
How can we be threatened by you when we are doing well and sitting upright! "

Zhaoer, who followed Jia Lian, saw that Jia Lian was being provoked, and took a step forward to declare his family name as a deterrent.

Jia Lian stopped him in advance, then looked at the people below, and said with a sneer, "Are you doing well and sitting properly? Are you doing great service to the court?

Ridiculous, with your current appearance, how dare you say that you have contributed to the court? "

At this time, many people have already guessed that Jia Lian's status may not be low, and he may even be the son of an official, otherwise it would be impossible for him to speak to them in such a superior tone.

However, this did not make them afraid, on the contrary, it hurt their hearts even more!
As the last class of scholars, farmers, businessmen, merchants were looked down upon by scholars, and it was not easy for them to gain status.

And as salt merchants who can contribute more than a quarter of the annual revenue to the imperial court, they all believe that they have made great contributions to the imperial court!

And Jia Lian's words are undoubtedly denying what they are most proud of, which cannot be tolerated anyway.

Therefore, all of them were filled with righteous indignation, and they all showed anger.

Jia Lian didn't take it seriously, and continued: "I know why you came here! Now the imperial court implements a new salt policy, encouraging merchants from all over the world to transport grain to the border in exchange for salt imports. This has broken the original salt import policy. The distribution system, you think it will harm your own interests, so you disregarded my uncle’s funeral at home and gathered here, intending to force my uncle to speak out for you and make the court revoke this new policy, right?”

In Jia Lian's words, there was one point that the salt merchants couldn't refute, and they were very guilty, that is, they did come here deliberately while Lin's house was holding a funeral.

If not, Lin Ruhai won't let them in!

There are many salt merchants in Yangzhou, and they change batches every day, in the name of condolences for Mrs. Lin, how can the Lin family have the nerve to refuse them?
They just wanted to use this to force Lin Ruhai to submit.Because they all knew that Lin Ruhai could speak well in front of the emperor, and if he gave a memorial to the emperor, he might make the court change or even revoke the donation policy.

Anyway, if you don't agree, we will come every day!
Shameless is a bit shameless, but as businessmen, most of their consciences have been smoothed out, so they can easily skip this, and argue: "The policy of donating and losing is unreasonable. Many, if everyone can get a hand in the salt shop, we can guarantee that within two years, the world will be flooded with illegal salt, and it is impossible to stop it.

At that time, the biggest loss will still be the imperial court!
Moreover, the matter of salt is related to the people's livelihood. Once it is out of control, at least half of the people in the world will have no salt to eat, and the whole world will be in danger!
That's why we asked Mr. Lin to submit a letter based on the facts. This move is for the consideration of the imperial court and the world.

The matter is so important that you can understand it at a young age? "

"That's right, why don't you hurry up and back away. This matter can only be resolved by asking Mr. Lin to come out. In today's world, only Mr. Lin has the ability to turn the tide!"

Jia Lian was amused in his heart, did he deceive him into being a real dandy?
If you really want to let the private salt flood, the people who will benefit the most will definitely be the common people all over the world...

Think about how much a pack of salt costs in later generations, compared to now, it is like cloud and mud!
Therefore, Jia Lian burst out laughing in the face of all the salt merchants who were full of momentum and almost clamored again.

"How absurd this is, it is clear that you are afraid of being divided by others, so you have no regard for propriety, justice and shame, and came to threaten my uncle and let him be your pawn. Now you still have the face to say that you are the court, To speak for the world?
Don't you really know why the imperial court implemented this policy of "donating and losing"?
My Great Wei has been a country for a hundred years, and on the surface, it looks like He Qing Haiyan now, the image of singing and dancing!

However, the Sao Danu in the far north have already prepared their troops, and they are eyeing our Great Wei, and the people in the west also have the intention of coveting the territory of our Great Wei.

In order to deal with these wolves, tigers and leopards, the imperial court has continuously increased its troops to the border in recent years, so as to keep the peace in our Great Wei!

However, millions of frontier troops consume a huge amount of food and salaries every day. If they wait for the imperial court to transport them, the waste will be too great. This is why they borrowed the huge profits from salt to encourage businessmen from all over the world to take over the responsibility of transporting food and grass, that is, to defend their homes and the country. Responsibility!
This is a major plan that concerns the safety of the country, and now you are obstructing it for your own selfishness. How dare you to talk about making contributions to the country and the world in such an act? "

"What do you know……"

Someone tried to quibble, Jia Lian took advantage of the momentum and immediately stopped: "I don't understand salt administration, but I do understand a sentence:

Gou Li's family and country are born and died, why do they tend to avoid them because of their interests?
But look at you again?Bah, it's just tarnishing the face of my Great Wei merchant!
You are disloyal if you don't understand your majesty's worries!As a citizen of the Great Wei Dynasty, my ancestors were favored by the emperor. Fang bought the status of this salt merchant for you, so that you can have a good life. It is unfilial.

My aunt has just died, and it is inhumane for you to come to the door in groups instead of paying homage to the dead, but instead taking the opportunity to force my uncle to do illegal things.Knowing that the soldiers at the border are short of clothing and food, but they only care about their own selfishness and prevent others from donating, it is unrighteous!
Doing such unfaithful, unfilial, unkind and unrighteous behavior, how dare you speak nonsense and talk about meritorious deeds here?

I have never seen such a brazen person! "

Jia Lian belittled and insulted like a machine gun, making everyone in the ranks dizzy.

They are all people who are used to being rich, how can they endure such a situation?
"Ah~! The yellow-mouthed child is really hateful and can be killed!"

"Old man who is so angry, you...you are the one who speaks out loud, tell me about your identity, I will definitely come to the door someday, and ask your father how to teach his son!"

The salt merchants were really pissed off.

To be able to become a salt merchant, there is no one who does not have a powerful background. Normally, even the magistrate will give them face.

How could he be so belittled and compromised by a young man who doesn't seem to have reached the championship today?

Their strength alone may be limited, but it is absolutely unimaginable that the forces behind the salt merchants in Yangzhou are linked together!
Therefore, even if Jia Lian was Lin Ruhai's relative, they would definitely find a way to deal with him.

There is no problem even touching his father and family.

Hmph, on the land of Yangzhou, there are no people or problems that the salt merchants can't solve!
Seeing the salt merchants scold Jia Lian, how can Zhao'er bear it?

Stepping forward in two steps, he yelled at everyone: "My second master is the eldest grandson of Duke Rong, the son of the first-class general Shenwei. If you have the guts, go to the capital to find my master!"

Uh……

The scene that was originally full of hostility suddenly became quiet, eerily quiet.

There are a few people who are still shouting with their mouths open, because the scene is suddenly dumb, and they have not had time to close their mouths in the future. Coupled with the astonished expressions, it is very interesting.

The old butler of the Lin Mansion had long been unhappy with this group of people. Seeing that they were frightened, he was afraid that some people would not believe what Zhaoer said, so he immediately added: "My wife originally came from the Rongguo Mansion in Beijing, and she is the daughter of Duke Rong. , this is my wife's natal nephew, who is also the eldest grandson of Duke Rong. This time I made a special trip to pay homage to my wife, and I just arrived today."

The smiling appearance of the butler was in stark contrast to the bitter expressions of the salt merchants.

The salt merchants looked at Jia Lian again, but Jia Lian stopped talking to them.

I saw him take a sword inlaid with gold and jade from the attendant's hand, put it on his side, and said angrily: "I am not a person who relies on power and power, but I have explained the truth to you, and no one dares to come here again." The noise disturbs my uncle's peace and disturbs my aunt's peace, so you can test whether my sword is sharp!"

No one dared to answer.

Maybe some people don't know Rongguo Mansion, but just the word "Guogong" is enough to shock people's hearts.

That's the pinnacle of being a minister!The Duke's Mansion is already the most noble family under the Prince's Mansion.

The young man in front of him actually came from the Duke's mansion, or is he the eldest grandson?Everyone no longer has the heart of revenge and lessons.

Although, their salt merchants are a group that cannot be provoked in Yangzhou, and even in the entire Jiangnan, they are one of the best forces!
They may not pay much attention to governors and governors who usually have no background.

However, no one is willing to provoke the powerful families in Beijing!
People and forces in the whole world will not take the initiative to provoke those top wealthy families in Beijing.

If you provoke the governor or the governor, you may lose your family and lose your fortune, but if you provoke a wealthy family in Beijing, you will be in danger of ransacking your family at any time!

Because the wealthy families are relatives, most of the nobles in Beijing are related to each other. That is the most terrifying force in the world, and it can even directly affect the emperor and attack local forces.

Of course, it doesn't mean that everyone is afraid of the rich families in Beijing, at least the two or three most powerful people among their salt merchants have a lot to do with the rich families in Beijing and even the royal relatives.It's just that they came here today, and there is no such person.

Besides, even if those two or three people were here, they probably wouldn't conflict with Jia Lian.

not worth it!

The ghost knows how much effort and financial resources they have spent in maintaining those backgrounds, and once they offend the Rongguo Mansion, they will have to spend a lot of favors and money to settle it...

Based on these considerations, when everyone faced Jia Lian's threat again, although they were upset, they did not dare to speak.

Many people have turned around quietly, giving birth to a heart of retreat.

They didn't doubt whether Jia Lian really dared to draw a sword to hurt someone!

After knowing each other's identities, they even began to consider issues from each other's standpoint.

It seems that it is really wrong to make trouble in front of the mourning hall of the aunt's aunt.

In ancient times, there was a law of exoneration for filial piety. If Jia Lian really killed them with a sword, he would charge them with a crime of rioting in the mourning hall. With Jia Lian's identity and background, it is estimated that their deaths would be in vain.

When I think about it like this, I can figure out everything.

(End of this chapter)