Sui Dynasty: I, Yang Guang, am both scrupulous and stable

Chapter 159 Salt Merchant
Yang Guang rested for one night in Xingyang, and then set out early in the morning with Zheng Yuanxuan to see the location of Luokou warehouse.

Zheng Yuanxuan, who was riding a horse, was following Yang Guang. His father specifically told him that he would do whatever the King of Jin said. He told him seriously that this might be his chance. Zheng Yi, the King of Jin, had seen it himself. Combined with his deeds and his recent title of Grand Sima, King Jin now has unprecedented trust from the emperor.

Facing such a young and promising King of Jin, he hugged his thighs from behind.

After arriving at the place, Yu Wenkai investigated and found the best location. Because there were national granary drawings on site, he only needed to make slight changes according to local conditions.

Yang Guang faced the Yellow River and sighed: "After the Luokou warehouse is built, there should be no more food disasters in Luoyang, Chang'an."

"Your Highness has a long-term plan."

Zheng Yuanxuan asked curiously: "Your Highness, how do you plan to dig such a large canal? The manpower and material resources required are probably incalculable."

Yang Guang smiled slightly: "You will know when the people from the capital come with explosives."

"Explosives? What kind of medicine is it?"

"The medicine that opens the mountain."

Zheng Yuanxuan didn't know what the magic medicine Yang Guang was talking about was, but looking at Yang Guang's confident look, he felt that it was right to follow him.

The formal exploration of the section from the canal to Luokoucang was completed. Yang Guang asked Yu Wenkai to return to Beijing now to make arrangements.

"Yu Wenkai, in the workshop in the capital, I ordered people to make some new excavation tools, which can improve the efficiency. You can take a look first when you go back. If you think they can be used, use them. Please refer to the canal plan and drawings. Submitted it to Emperor Father, and Emperor Father nodded and sent some civilian workers from Daxing City to dig the canal."

Yang Guang told Yu Wenkai, who was about to leave: "You can try the idea of ​​a canal dam. Li Yuan said that materials such as cement can be used as they are. If you want explosives, just go to the workshop to get them. The civilian workers who dug the canal, among others, The construction period and benefits are the same as those for building Daxing City, so you don’t have to worry about money.”

"Yes, Your Highness."

Yang Guang ordered a hundred elite soldiers to escort Yu Wenkai back to Daxing City and set off immediately.

And Yang Guang himself still has the task of a shipyard, so he has to go to Luoyang City anyway.

Back in Xingyang City, in the evening, many people came to Zheng Yi's house, all coming to visit King Jin. The news that Luokou Cang was to be built spread quickly. It was not a hidden news in Xingyang. Almost all the prominent people wanted to pay a visit to King Jin.

Especially families that trade in grain and salt.

A salt merchant came today, which caught Yang Guang's attention.

The salt merchant from Huaiyang is named Huang Xiangyu. He is a middle-aged man who is elegantly dressed. He is a guest even in the Zheng family where there are many guests. He is rich, extremely rich.

Zheng Yi personally brought Huang Xiangyu to Yang Guang and introduced him. Huang Xiangyu paid a respectful visit to Yang Guang.

"Shopkeeper Huang, you are a salt merchant, and your salt business is spread all over the country. I have a question to ask you today."

"Your Highness is serious. The common man is just a merchant. How dare he advise His Highness? If Your Highness wants to ask, the common man will tell you everything he knows."

He spoke in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, did not nod or bow down, and followed etiquette and decency in everything.

Yang Guang then asked: "Shopkeeper Huang's salt is sold in both the Sui Dynasty and Nanchen. There is no salt tax in the Sui Dynasty, but there is a salt tax in Nanchen. Which one do you think is better?"

Suddenly he opened his mouth with a question, and Huang Xiangyu didn't know how to answer for a while.

After Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty came to the throne, he announced to the whole country that there would be no monopoly and no salt tax on the salt industry, so as to cultivate and live a healthy life with the people. Throughout history, the Sui Dynasty had the most relaxed policy on salt, which was great for salt merchants. information.

In many dynasties, salt tax accounted for one-third or even more than half of the court's fiscal revenue. Giving up this area was also a difficult decision for Yang Jian.

Beichen still levies a salt tax, and the tax is not low. This also makes it common for people to cross salt from the north to the south. To put it bluntly, smuggling is on the rise.

Many salt merchants in Huaiyang are engaged in this business.

Now Yang Guang asked Huang Xiangyu whether the salt policy of the Great Sui Dynasty or that of Nanchen was better. From the perspective of salt merchants, naturally the Salt Policy of the Great Sui Dynasty was better. You don’t tax people. But Yang Guang’s question is obviously from the perspective of the imperial court. Huang Xiangyu was not sure how to answer the question from his perspective.

Just this one question made him feel no contempt for the young prince in front of him, and he was full of awe.

"Your Majesty, Cao Min is a small salt merchant. He can't answer this question."

Answering this question straightforwardly, Yang Guang smiled without any embarrassment, but said: "Salt, like grain, is an indispensable material for the people. By then, there must be an appropriate amount of inventory in the national granary. It seems that there will be When you have more contact with Shopkeeper Huang." Huang Xiangyu said hurriedly: "Your Highness, just give me whatever you need."

Yang Guang has his own ideas about salt. Now Yang Jian basically does not control salt, but salt is the main source of taxation and the pillar of national finance. The second salt policy has always been chaotic if left unchecked. If it is managed, it will die. Private salt is here The era cannot be completely controlled.

Yang Jian allowed the salt industry to operate, which indeed effectively lowered the price of salt and benefited the people. However, it was actually the people in the big cities who benefited. The price of salt naturally fell due to competition from major salt merchants. However, in border cities, transportation was difficult, and the salt merchants did not I was willing to transport it, but the price was extremely high when it arrived.

It is good to cultivate and live among the people, but salt has been a specialty business since ancient times. Even in modern times, it is the same. Yang Guang knew that sooner or later it would still be government-run.

Huang Xiangyu himself took the initiative and said: "Your Highness, the common people have little money at home. If your Highness does not dislike the common people, you are willing to contribute some money to build a national granary."

This was because he wanted to spend money to buy connections. It was false that the money was used to build the national granary, but it was true to bribe Yang Guang. After all, the money was given to Yang Guang himself, but the King of Jin was not so easy to stuff money.

"Shopkeeper Huang has this intention, and I accept it. The court will bear the expenses of the national granary. If Shopkeeper Huang wants to do his part, you can't do this. You are from Huaiyang and will not stay here for a long time. When you return to Huaiyang, Help me investigate on the spot to see if there is a good location between the Huai River and the Yangtze River to build a canal."

Yang Guang's words surprised both Huang Xiangyu and Zheng Yi, which meant that the canal he wanted to dig was not just between Daxing City and Luoyang. Zheng Yi remembered Yang Guang's previous words that Guangtong Canal was only the first phase of the canal. Luokoucang is the central location.

Previously, Zheng Yi thought that Luokou warehouse used land transportation to go north and south, which is also the current method. However, Yang Guang now mentioned that the Huaiyang land seems to be opening a canal, so what about the second, third and even fourth phases of his canal? What does the five-phase plan look like?

If you think about it this way, this canal plan is terrible.

But can such a plan really be implemented?
Huang Xiangyu couldn't think of that much, and immediately said: "The common people must do their best."

Yang Guang smiled slightly and didn't reply. To him, it was just a simple sentence. If Huang Xiangyu didn't do it, he would have to do it himself in the future. If Huang Xiangyu took the trouble to do it, he would save a lot of things.

Although a person like Huang Xiangyu is not an official or a noble, he has become a guest of the Zheng family from scratch. Not only does his family have rich wealth, but he must also be a decent person. His power in the Jianghuai area is also quite good. If you can use it, use it. If you are obedient and sensible, you might as well use it in the future.

The old lady of the Zheng family came to Yang Guang with the support of her maid and said: "Your Highness, I have prepared some local specialties for the princess and ordered them to be sent directly to Daxing City, so that your highness will not be tired from carrying them yourself."

"Auntie, you are too polite."

"I couldn't be happier that His Highness and Princess can come to see me with their thoughts on me."

……

……

The Zheng Mansion was enjoying itself, but a group of fast horse cavalry came from outside Xingyang City. They entered Xingyang City overnight with a token and went straight to the Zheng Mansion.

The cavalry team arrived at the gate of the Zheng Mansion and said directly to the servants of the Zheng Mansion without dismounting: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Luoyang City has an order. The King of Jin has delayed the emperor's order. Please come to Luoyang quickly and don't delay."

The servants rushed to the inner courtyard and informed Zheng Yi of the matter. Zheng Yi waved his hand to disperse the servants and then walked towards Yang Guang without changing his expression and said: "Your Highness, the Crown Prince of Luoyang City just sent someone to the door of the mansion to ask Your Highness to come quickly." To Luoyang."

Yang Guang's happy smile turned cold: "Why did you call me to the door? It's so late at night that you can't let anyone calm down."

Zheng Yi said: "Your Highness, I told the messenger at the gate of the mansion that Your Highness has already rested. How about we talk tomorrow?"

"Thank you uncle for your kindness. Since it is the order from His Highness the Crown Prince, of course I have to go out and pick it up."

Zheng Yi immediately dismissed all the guests who came to the house, saying only that it was late at night.

When everyone left, they also saw the messenger on horseback at the door.

The messenger waited for a long time, but no one came. After receiving the prince's order, he ignored the King of Jin's face and shouted directly in front of many dispersed guests: "His Royal Highness the prince has an order. The King of Jin has delayed the emperor's order. Please come to Luoyang quickly. Don’t delay.”

After hearing this, many guests dispersed faster. The prince asked people to come to the door, with a look of unkindness, not prepared to let Yang Guang step down.

Yang Guang, who was about to walk out, heard the loud shouts of the messenger and smiled disdainfully: "Uncle, the fight between brothers at home is a joke for you."

After all, Zheng Yi is someone who has been in the center of power, and his expression is as usual: "There is no one in the family who is not noisy. It's just that the eldest brother usually has to give way to him. If he has to give way to the younger brother, it means that the eldest brother..." Zheng Yi smiled and shook his head.

At this time, Yang Guang walked to the gate of the mansion and faced the messenger. The messenger shouted loudly again: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has an order. The King of Jin has delayed the emperor's order. Please come to Luoyang quickly and don't delay."

He looked at the messenger in front of him with cold eyes: "If I don't go, what are you going to do?"

(End of this chapter)