Cutting 1719

Chapter 14 The Benefits of Private Salt
The next day, the family meeting of the Ning family was held. In fact, in the so-called family meeting, in the past, only the brothers of the Ning family got together to get things done. This year, Ning Yu was added. After all, the reason for this incident was It was because of Ning Yu.

Ning Zhongxin, who was in charge of the mine, and Ning Zhonghai, who was smuggling salt, valued the matter of mineral salt the most. After all, it was directly related to their vital interests, and they were also quite enthusiastic about this nephew.

Ning Zhong said: "Nephew, can you find out if this mineral salt is real or not? Also, how big is the mine and how many salt mines can be drilled?"

Based on the judgment of later generations and the observation of this mine salt today, Ning Yu estimated a number in his heart, and said: "The mine is absolutely real. As for how big it is, I don't know yet. There are always dozens of salt wells."

These words surprised everyone, and Ning Zhongjing exclaimed: "When Yu'er first told me, she was half-believing, but now it seems that Yu'er is really my unicorn from the Ning family!"

Ning Zhongyuan waved his hand lightly. Of all the people here, perhaps he is the only one who knows this son's temper best. He didn't say much, just looked at Ning Zhonghai and said, "Zhonghai, my Ning family has never opened a car before. Yanjing, you often deal with them over there. Are you going to Sichuan or Anhui to find some mine salt masters?"

Although Ning Zhonghai is only in his thirties, but his personality is extremely stable, he said: "There is no need to invite this master, I have such capable people in my current team, but if the well is opened at that time, this just now It’s not a small investment to start with.”

Ning Zhongyuan smiled and said: "As long as the person is here, everything else is easy to talk about. You can tell us too." Others also listened attentively with their ears up.

Ning Zhonghai wrung his fingers and said, "When the well salt is opened, we need to build a pestle room, a large garage, a kitchen room, a cabinet room, as well as a pestle frame, a derrick frame, a cart, a salt pan, a salt warehouse, etc. Don't worry about it." It’s okay to say that the way to make salt from this well is to collect black brine, and it also needs to burn salt in a salt pot every day, and the firewood needed is probably as much as a mountain, and the salt farms in Sichuan and Anhui have their own special pastures.”

Based on the memories of later generations, Ning Yu knew that there are actually two ways to make salt today, one is sea salt and the other is well salt.Sea salt is made from a large area of ​​salt fields, put into seawater, evaporate water by sunlight, and collect the water after drying to become salt.However, the composition of seawater is complex, and the cost of this salt production method is relatively low, but the quality is not good.The well salt has to be treated with brine, so it is the finest salt, and the price is higher, but in this way, it can only be fired in a salt pan.

Ning Zhongyuan said: "Zhongjing, you are responsible for preparing all the necessary materials. As for the manpower, since Zhonghai has a reliable master, you can use it first, and then let the other children of our Ning family be placed. Part of it is in the past, and the other part can be selected from other servants in the family. Remember to choose those who are simple and reliable."

The reason why Ning Zhongyuan added this sentence is also because money is touching people's hearts. If this well salt is opened, it is almost equivalent to an extra cornucopia for the Ning family.

Ning Zhonghai continued: "When the well salt is made, our well salt will definitely not be able to go to the government, and we can only smuggle the salt." Others are also deeply convinced.

Since China implemented the salt and iron monopoly system, these two goods have been the most profitable and risky transactions. However, people make money and kill birds for food. If there is a salt monopoly, there must be illegal salt. Driven by dozens of times the profit, it is also difficult to completely wipe out the illegal salt.

Now taking Lianghuai Salt Course as an example, the list of salt courses includes 25 items in the main course, nine items in the main course of the assessment, four items in the main course not in the test, thirty miscellaneous items not in the test, and 25 items not in the test There are 12 items of miscellaneous expenses, that is to say, the salt comes out of the salt field, and it is not considered a profit, so the cost of these salt lessons needs to be added, so that the salt from Lianghuai to Hankou, for example, the main lesson of a salt introduction is one tael and one cent seven. In addition, there is a huge expenditure of salt administrators. Therefore, in the Daoguang period of later generations, the various miscellaneous lessons for one introduction of salt have reached [-] taels.

At this time, the population of the Qing Dynasty was at least 40 million, because in the 25th year of Qianlong [-] years later, the population had reached [-] million according to statistics.As salt is a necessity of life, the demand for salt by such a large population is also an astronomical figure.Of course, the population is increasing, and the productivity of salt is also increasing. During the Qianlong period, fried salt was changed to sun-dried salt along the coast, so the cost was greatly reduced, and the output was greatly increased. However, for the monopoly of the salt industry, the Qing Dynasty controlled the transportation and sales of salt. Artificially created an imbalance between the supply and demand of salt, which in turn led to an increase in the price.

Ning Zhonghai continued: "Nowadays, Huguang Province does not produce salt at all, and all the salt needed comes from Yun'an County, Kuizhou Prefecture in eastern Sichuan, but this part of the salt can only be supplied to Hefeng, Changle, Enshi, Xuan En, Laifeng, Xianfeng, Lichuan and other counties in seven prefectures and counties, as well as the remaining prefectures and counties in Huguang Province, are all doing private salt."

"The benefits of this private salt are far beyond our expectations. Those who sneak into Chu by private salt ships in Sichuan are invincible. If my Ning family controls the Yunmeng Salt Mine, I am afraid that the land of Chu will belong to me." It belongs to the Ning family." In the end, the man who was licking blood couldn't help but shed tears.

The eyes of the Ning family present were red, and they had the most daring imagination of this beautiful future in their lives.

Ning Zhongjing patted Ning Yu's shoulder excitedly, and said: "If it wasn't for Yu'er, my Ning family would never dare to think about such a great achievement in this life!"

Ning Yu calmed down at this moment, and said, "Uncles, although this well salt is good, it is not a big profit that my Ning family can monopolize! We need to take the Zheng family, the Cheng family, and all the Qi families related to my Ning family. Pull them all in, otherwise my Ning family will be like a child carrying gold in the downtown area, and there may be a catastrophe!"

These words made Ning Zhongyuan look at him with admiration. After all, how many people were blinded in front of Dali, and ended up killing their lives. Now Ning Yu can resist this temptation and let more people participate. far.

After all, Ning Zhonghai was born as a private salt dealer, his vision is not as far-sighted as his elder brother, he hesitated: "But if this part of the benefits is shared with others, there will not be much left in my Ning family."

Ning Zhongyuan snorted coldly, and said: "Stupid, how can my Ning family take all the benefits of private salt? Let alone the Qi family related to us, even the officials, soldiers and generals of Huguang Province , we also need to reserve a portion of the profit! Only in this way can we protect the safety of my Ning family, not to mention that even if it is divided like this, my Ning family can get the biggest portion of the profit! It's the same as I said!"

These words were naturally different from Ning Zhongyuan's mouth. Everyone calmed down at once. After thinking quietly, they couldn't help breaking out in cold sweat. Looking at Ning Yu, who was calm and breezy, he couldn't help but feel ashamed heart of.

Ning Zhongyuan looked at the son in front of him, thought about what he said yesterday, and realized that he really cared too little for this son, and now he feels like he doesn't know him.

(End of this chapter)