Destiny Only Han

Chapter 239 Trade War

At the gate of Handan, Zhang Cang slowly walked out of the city.

In the past few days, he has been busy appeasing the people of Zhao, sorting out unjust cases, reorganizing households and granting land to those who ran out of the mountains.

Well, during times of war, most people are unwilling to stay on the plains, and usually drag their families to hide in the deep mountains and old forests, build houses, and reclaim the forests.

This is only because, if the settlement is on the mountain, once encountering soldiers and bandits, they can still resist condescendingly.

And in the plains, under the flat river, there is no place to run!

Therefore, Zhang Cang has another task, which is to check the big households here and the hidden population.

Still the reason mentioned above.

The common people have nowhere to escape, but the rich and powerful have castle-like manors, watchtowers, walls and other things, everything is there!
In this way, many civilians living around them became their slaves, actively or passively, to farm for them in exchange for food and personal safety.

In ancient times, no matter who it is, it is useless to occupy a large amount of land. Someone must work on the land to generate value.

Therefore, this way of making civilians slaves is illegal.

slave the poor.

If we look at the will of the state, people in the world are divided into two levels, officials and people.

In other words, it is the two classes of the state apparatus and laborers.

Only the state can occupy the working population without restriction, and only the state can exchange the labor products and other services of the working population with the right to use the land as compensation.

When the rich and powerful families rent out their land to let thousands of farmers work for them, in the eyes of the ruler, the manors of the powerful and powerful families become a small country.

This, whether it is the new Han regime or the Zhao State that Zhang Er wants to form, cannot be tolerated.

However, at this point in time, the use of force is not advisable, so the decree is reiterated, and the [-]th rank military merit system is strictly implemented, and double taxes are imposed on those who hide their population and illegally occupy slaves and land.

In this way, although those powerful households have complaints, they can only admit it in the face of the shining swords, guns, swords and halberds.

But there are countermeasures and policies.

The way they respond to this kind of doubling is to take the initiative to divide the family, split the big family into small families, and register with the government early to avoid heavy taxes.

Well, separating families but still living together is the same routine as divorce and buying a house in later generations.

In this regard, whether it is Liu Ying opening her ears, or Han Xin and Zhang Cang, they just turn a blind eye and close their eyes.

It's good enough to let them spit out part of what they eat.

After all, Zhao's land has just stabilized, so it would be bad if these local snakes were pushed into a hurry.

Not long after Zhang Cang arrived, carts full of salt began to enter the city, and those heavily armed guards also put away their strong crossbows and swords and armored helmets.

This cartload of salt can be regarded as a cartload of white gold.

Armed escort is naturally inevitable.

Zhang Cang looked at the weapons and armor of the same specifications as the Han army in the guards' hands, but looked away as if he hadn't seen anything.

Not to mention that Hedong Yanchi also has his shares, but Shangxiantang is the main supplier of weapons for the Han army, and Liu Ying stands behind him, so it is normal for these guards to have a full set of armor.

Zhang Cang's whole thought at this time was how much the salt would sell for a stone.

As a shareholder, he wished to sell it at a sky-high price, but as an official of the Han Dynasty, a self-proclaimed good official with a conscience, he hoped that the salt could be sold at the price in peacetime.

At this point in the war, the people actually don't have much money in their hands.

And to do physical work, heavy oil and salt are essential.

Well, after two seasons of oil crops have been planted in Guanzhong, the amount of edible oil is a little more generous, while the people in Zhaodi can only use heavy salt and no heavy oil for the time being.

Before Zhang Cang opened his mouth, Zhang Er took the initiative to ask: "I don't know how much is the price of these salt?"

Liu Ying stretched out a finger: "One stone, 120 yuan!"

Zhang Er was stunned, he couldn't believe what Liu Ying said.

Ever since he could remember, the price of table salt has never been lower than 150 yuan a stone, and that is the official price of Qi State, which has the benefits of fish and salt!

So he lowered his head and stared straight at Liu Ying: "Is this true?"

Liu Ying nodded: "Really."

He has calculated that the cost of table salt obtained by the new method is only more than 20 yuan per stone even if all expenses are included, and the cost of transporting salt from Hedong to Handan under this rough dirt road is only two or three dollars per stone. ten money.

That is to say, even if it is sold for 120 renminbi per stone, the net profit is at least [-] or [-] renminbi!

This is enough.

Salt is an essential thing for people.

Desperately raising the price, the wicked money earned is a shameful thing!

And Liu Ying has another idea, which is to attack Qi.

The Qi State, which has the benefits of fish and salt, has always been synonymous with wealth and wealth.

This also led to the scene where Li Shiqi went to surrender for the first time, and was beaten out... with a fork.

After all, with money and soldiers, the Tian family naturally does not want to be inferior to the Liu family.

In Tian Heng's thoughts, they were still thinking that after Chu and Han were both defeated, Qi would come to Bianzhuang to assassinate the tiger!
In the past, Guan Zhong's way of balancing the Lu State was to import a large amount of Lu State's "onyx" cloth, so that the other party no longer worked in agriculture. After a trade war, the Lu State surrendered.

Liu Ying intends to do the opposite.

At this time, Qi State exported a large amount of sea salt in exchange for property and raised troops.

Then when the price of salt falls, the income of Qi will also fall.

Because businessmen are all profit-seeking, there is no reason not to come to Liu Ying to buy cheap and high-quality Hedong salt, but to buy expensive sea salt from Qi State.

At this time, the method of making salt in Qi State was to boil salt with seawater, which required a lot of firewood and carbon.

For this alone, his cost is far greater than the sun-dried salt in Hedong Yanchi.

What Liu Ying has to do is to take advantage of the time when the Han army is waiting for the autumn grain to mature, dump a large amount of low-priced salt in Qiguo, and destroy their pillar economy.

Either they become poor, or they lose popular support.

After all, for a poor man whose copper coins are breaking apart, the price difference of at least [-] yuan per stone is enough for them to scold Tian Heng and others for eighteen generations!
Liu Ying looked at the shocked Zhang Cang and Zhang Er, saluted slightly and turned to leave.

He came here today to welcome the first wave of salt into the city, because he knew that his status was different, and the position he appeared in must be the focus of attention.

Now, centering on shops selling salt, the market that Liu Ying set up in the east of the city is about to get on the right track.

Although [-] shi of table salt is not much, it is only the first shipment to Handan after meeting the needs of Guanzhong for half a year.

The second batch, the third batch, is still on the way.

In this way, those big merchants who were invited to come here early can have a second evaluation of the new Han Kingdom.

Qin's suppression of business was due to the national policy of plowing and fighting, and it was necessary to make a hole.

But the country of Han is different. Not to mention taking over a devastated, almost poor and white country, which needs no merchants but no wealth, Liu Ying himself also needs these merchants to accomplish many things he wants to do for him.

A certain bearded man said it well, capitalists will take risks if they have 50.00% profit, if they have [-]% profit, they will dare to trample on all laws in the world, if they have [-]% profit, they will dare to risk going to the gallows!
Therefore, as long as Liu Ying is willing to make a profit, he believes that within a few months, all the coastal salt cooking plants in Qi State will be shut down one by one.

At that time, it will be time for Li Shiqi to go to Qi State again.

Seawater, in fact, can also be used to dry salt.

This is the trump card he used to make Tian Heng and others surrender.

Follow the Han Dynasty, eat meat and drink heavily, otherwise, you will not only suffer from Han Xin's iron fist, but before that, you will also suffer from poverty!

While Zhang Cang and others were busy digesting the shocking news of low-priced salt, Liu Ying walked quickly to Zhang Buyi, who was escorting the car, with a smirk on her face: "Long time no see, tonight, let's sleep together." Let's go together!"

Zhang Buyi shook his head vigilantly. In the past few years, he has completely come to his senses. In summer, whenever he and Liu Ying slept together, the mosquitoes would try to catch him and bite him!

On the contrary, although there are mosquitoes, there are not many!
So don't think about it!

…………

Guanzhong, Liyang, Hanwang Palace.

After eating lunch, Liu Bang began to wander around the palace.

Although he has been a vegetarian for a long time, it is still a bad thing to just do that in broad daylight.

Well, the main reason is that their identities are different. Wherever they go, they are always hugged. Even when they go to bed to enjoy themselves, there are always palace servants standing outside.

This takes time to get used to.

So, he remembered what Lu Zhi had said mysteriously to him during the meal with a somewhat smirk.

Liu Ying sent him a lot of gifts from Zhaodi!

This made him feel very relieved, and the pride of his old father surged in his chest.

After a while, he walked into the warehouse where the items were stored, saw those beautifully decorated boxes, and curled his lips slightly.

He has heard the story of buying a basket and returning a pearl.

Zhao land has just gone through the chaos of war, so there will be no good things, and these sandalwood boxes inlaid with gold and jade are supposed to be expensive!

"What a prodigal..."

The old prodigal son complained about others with a look of disgust, but his face was full of fragrance, and he took a few boxes and couldn't put it down to play with them.

The box is so precious, if you think about what's inside, it must be better!

Although Liu Bang is not greedy for money, it is human nature to like beautiful things, and he is no exception.

However, when he slowly opened the box, the expression on his face suddenly became very exciting.

Longing, repulsion, shyness, anger...

In the middle of the box, it was wrapped in bright yellow silk. Although it had been dried in the sun, it was still possible to clearly know what it was.

whip.

To be precise, it is a tiger whip.

Liu Bang quietly took two of them, and slipped out like a thief.

Since the son is so caring, then wait until we meet and reward him with two of his favorite big ear scrapers...

(End of this chapter)