The room goes through the late Ming Dynasty, and the back door leads to North America at the beginni

In fact, Wang Wende didn't stay in Xiuyiwei's cement house for too long, only five days.

But Xiuyiwei's endless interrogation day and night kept straining his nerves and almost caused him to collapse.

Therefore, he really told Xiu Yiwei everything he knew.

He didn't even miss the fact that he secretly watched his father's concubine take a bath when he was a child.

Of course, the reason why he confided everything was because he was proud that the two generations of the Wang family had a good family tradition. Although they did some illegal things, the worst they could do was not destroy the family.

I guess the most they can do is confiscate their homes and send them into exile.

However, in the last two days of the interrogation, Wang Wende finally figured out that Xiuyiwei was indeed not prepared to destroy the Wang family.

Otherwise, Xiuyiwei should have the means to make him confess some unfounded matters...

Wang Wende met with the servants, guards, and sedan bearers in the courtyard of the Xiuyi Guard Camp Headquarters, and went out in the sedan as he had come.

After walking some distance from the gate of the Xiuyi Guards Camp, Wang Wende quickly called a reliable old servant to the sedan to ask.

"How have you been spending these days?"

The old servant said, "Except for being called to ask questions by Xiu Yiwei a few times, I spent the rest of the time eating and sleeping."

Wang Wende was speechless after hearing this.

I thought, why is there such a big difference in treatment between master and servant?

Then he asked: "What did the embroidered guard ask?"

The old servant said, "I asked about everything, but mainly about the salt trade."

Wang Wende was a little worried after hearing this and asked, "Xiuyiwei didn't ask you to forge a confession, right?"

After hearing this, the old servant's face was full of injustice and grievance, "Master, I don't know about others, but my family has served the Wang family for several generations and regards the Wang family as my own. I even watched the master grow up. Even if I die, I won’t betray the Wang family!”

Wang Wende saw that the old servant's expression did not seem to be hypocritical, and he also knew that this question was not suitable to ask further, so he said: "Don't blame me, I am not doubting you, I am just worried that Xiuyiwei wants to destroy our Wang family."

He Laodao said, "This old servant doesn't understand the affairs of the imperial court, but he feels that if Xiuyiwei wants to destroy the Wang family, how can he let me go back?"

"Indeed." Wang Wende nodded.

After a while.

The group returned to the Wang family's main residence in Yangzhou.

Then he saw a lot of security soldiers outside, seemingly surrounding his home.

Fortunately, the door was not sealed.

Asking the servants to knock on the door, Wang Wende and others entered the house. There were cheers everywhere in the Wang family's mansion, as if something festive had happened.

However, in these days, it is indeed a happy event to be able to come out of prison in one piece.

Not to mention that Wang Wende was suddenly taken away by Xiu Yiwei on his way home.

In this festive atmosphere, after Wang Wende completed a series of customary rituals such as crossing the fire pot and taking a bath, he had time to ask his wife Pan about some events in the past five days.

Pan's family comes from a large merchant family in Huizhou, and is also considered a scholarly family.

After being a wife for decades, she has managed to keep her domestic and external affairs under control in the past few days.

He also actively inquired about various information and wanted to rescue Wang Wende.

So I know a little bit about all the things that happened in the past five days.

She said: "On the night when the master was arrested by the Xiuyi Guards, the Cheng family, Fang family, Wu family and other big salt merchants in Huizhou were all arrested by the Xiuyi guards one after another."

"I heard that Fang Mingrui dared to resist arrest and let his guards confront the embroidered guards. As a result, several guards and servants were beaten to death in the street."

"In the next two or three days, the homes of several large salt merchants including the Fang family were confiscated, and many other families related to salt merchants in the city also had their homes confiscated and confiscated."

"When the security forces outside first came, I was shocked. Later I saw that they were just waiting to put me under house arrest, so I felt a little relieved."

"The government allowed my family to send one person out for shopping every day, but they sent several security guards to follow."

"So the servants who are out can only find out the news that is circulating on the street, and they can't find any way to find out about you."

"I don't dare to let my servants go out to take risks and do other things. I'm afraid it will cause trouble, so I can only wait. Fortunately, my husband, you are finally back and safe and sound."

After Pan said these words, although she didn't shed tears, her eyes were red.

It can be imagined that the past five days have been extremely stressful.

Wang Wende looked at her again and couldn't help but feel that although this wife who had been with him for decades had lost her youthful appearance and was not as good-looking as the upright official he met that night, she looked particularly pleasing to the eye and made people feel reassured.

He immediately said in a warm voice, "You are right to do that - the government asked the family to send people out to do shopping. There were only a few security troops following them on the surface, and there were probably embroidered guards secretly."

"If you let your servants take risks and do certain things, they might play into the hands of the officials and take the opportunity to convict our family of more serious crimes."

After returning home, Wang Wende's mind was clearer than in the cement room of Xiuyiwei.

After thinking about everything in the past few days, I feel that the imperial court is not only trying to rectify the salt industry, but also intends to target several large salt merchants from the Ming Dynasty.

The wealth of their salt merchants is known to the world.

The former Ming court was tempted, the warlord leaders were tempted, and the local officials were tempted, so naturally the Damei court would be tempted as well.

The difference between the two is the food phase.

Judging from the current experience of his Wang family, the Da'ei imperial court should be one of those who have reasons to spend time and eat relatively well.

Thinking of this, Wang Wende held one of Pan's hands and said, "Just wait, our family should be able to survive this disaster, but the family fortune will definitely lose a lot."

Pan nodded, "It doesn't matter if the family has less money, as long as the master and his family are safe."

The next day.

Someone from the government came.

Although he was just an official, everyone in the Wang family did not dare to neglect him at all.

However, this official was very capable. Not only did he not want the money, but he didn't even want to sit down and have a drink of tea. He just sent an invitation.

"Our Huaiyang Salt Company will be headquartered in Yangzhou and is scheduled to open its office in three days. At that time, we will hold a celebration and convene an important meeting with various salt merchants."

"The Wang family is one of the officials and merchants of Huaiyan. Please be sure to attend the meeting. If Mr. Wang has no other questions, I will go back and resume my duties."

Wang Wende said, "I do have some questions."

After chatting with the official for a few words, Wang Wende sent him out of the house.

If this official is willing to drink tea, he doesn't mind lowering his status and sitting and chatting with others.

The problem was that he was clearly in a hurry to go back, and he might have some official business to attend to, so it would be unwise for him to force him to stay.

Back in the study, Wang Wende looked at some words on the invitation and couldn't help but murmured: "Huaiyang Salt Company? Headquartered in Yangzhou? Since you sent an invitation to my family, it should be regarded as recognizing my family, right?"

Another day passed.

The government came again.

However, the five major government offices of the Yangzhou Prefecture, the Taxation Bureau, the Criminal Trial Bureau, the Supervision Bureau, the Patrol Bureau, and the Xiuyi Guard, came one after another, with dozens of people in total.

That momentum frightened everyone in the Wang family into panic, fearing that the government would confiscate their property and exterminate them the next moment.

Although Wang Wende was also quite surprised, he felt a little confident when he thought of what he had explained at Xiuyiwei and the invitation he received the day before yesterday.

So all the officials from the five major yamen who arrived were invited to the main hall to listen to their opinions.

A few hours later. These Da'ei officials left, taking with them more than twenty prisoners who were wearing bracelets.

These were all people who had committed crimes, with domestic servants being the most common among them, but the main criminals were a few Wang family members who had committed acts of forcible buying and selling, bullying, and even other illegal things.

The Wang family is a rich family, and Wang Wende alone has several brothers. No matter how upright the family tradition is, there will always be some dandies and scum.

In the past, Wang Wende could turn a blind eye because of his kinship, and even secretly mobilized connections to protect some family members who were not guilty of serious crimes.

But in the cement house of Xiuyiwei, he felt that he could not protect himself. Maybe the Wang family would be wiped out, so he would naturally shake out all the dregs.

Just think of cleaning up the door.

In addition, these officials also took away several large carts of gold and silver treasures from the Wang family, with a total value of more than three million silver dollars!
This is almost all the wealth that the direct descendants of their Wang family can raise in Yangzhou.

At the same time, he also received a total fine of more than 5 million yuan!

In other words, the Wang family currently owes the government more than two million silver dollars in fines!
When Wang Wende stood at the door and looked at the retreating motorcade, he couldn't help but feel pain on his face.

At this time, Mrs. Pan came to him and comforted him: "Husband, don't think too much. If the wealth goes away, people will be happy."

Wang Wende nodded, turned around and entered the mansion covering an area of ​​20 to 30 acres...

The fourth day after leaving the Yangzhou Xiuyi Health Camp.

Wang Wende came to the "Huaiyang Salt Company" Yamen to participate in the celebration and the Huaiyan Salt Merchants Conference.

Contrary to what Wang Wende imagined, the Yamen of Huaiyang Salt Company occupies a large area.

Then he discovered that most of the people attending the meeting were some of the salt distributors downstream of them, and very few of the big salt merchants who had divided Huaiyan in the previous Ming Dynasty came.

Among Hui merchants, he and Cheng Xinyan were the only ones.

Fang Mingrui stopped talking, and Wu Minqing didn't come either.

As for Shanxi merchants, only one came.

It should be noted that the salt profits of the Huaihe River and Huaihe River are the highest in the world. There were ten large salt merchants such as Hui merchants and Shanxi merchants in total.

Although he has been under house arrest for the past few days, it is difficult to get much information from the outside world.

But he could surmise that the court's actions might have eliminated seven of the original big salt merchants in one fell swoop!

With this conclusion, Wang Wende couldn't help but feel scared.

Seven.

Even if not all of these seven families were confiscated and exterminated, perhaps they just lost their official and business qualifications, it would still be terrifying enough.

Then he couldn't help but thank his father and ancestors for the good family tradition and his luck, which made the Wang family one of the only three major salt merchants left.

But Wang Wende knows.

Whether the Wang family can occupy a seat among Huaiyan salt merchants depends on today's salt merchants meeting.

soon.

Huaiyang Salt Company General Office Lin Jiading, Co-organizer Chen Jitai and other major officials appeared together.

A rather simple opening ceremony was held.

There was no banquet, not much greeting, just Lin Jiading gave a short speech, took off the red cloth on the company's plaque, and put a string of hanging whips.

Later, Lin Jiading held a Huaiyang Salt Merchants Conference in the company's largest yard.

"Presumably all the salt merchants present are most concerned about what policies the imperial court will implement towards the salt industry."

"So I won't say any more polite words. Next, I will directly read out the relevant decrees of the imperial court and the documents issued by Yousi."

At the beginning of the meeting, Lin Jiading made two very brief opening remarks and then began to read out the various policies of the imperial court towards the salt industry.

The salt merchants were indeed most concerned about this matter and listened attentively.

After covering most of the content.

Lin Jiading took a sip of tea to moisten his throat before continuing, "In the future, the imperial court will vigorously promote the sun-dried salt method and strive to continue to improve the production and quality of salt."

"I also hope that all businessmen who are interested in opening a salt farm will also invest money to jointly promote this matter."

"Because, from now on, we in Dalei will adopt a business strategy of small profits but quick turnover in the domestic salt industry."

"Nowadays, when we eat salt, for example, common fine coarse salt costs six or seven cents per catty, and common edible refined salt costs hundreds of cents per catty."

"According to the instructions of His Majesty and the Imperial Ministry, Da'ei Salt Industry Group intends to reduce the price of coarse salt to less than three cents per catty this year."

"Commonly consumed refined salt is reduced to less than sixty cents per catty!"

Wow!
When Lin Jiading said this, the faces of the salt merchants present, whether they were planning to open a salt farm or preparing to engage in transportation and sales, all changed their faces and looked a little ugly.

In their opinion, the price of salt in Qingming is already low enough.

As early as the Jingtai period when salt prices were the cheapest, you could buy a pound of coarse salt for just one or two cents!
During the Jiajing period about a hundred years ago, the price of coarse salt was no more than six or seven cents, which is about the same as now.

Even in a year of great famine, the price of salt only rose to twenty or thirty cents per pound.

In the Wanli, Tianqi, and Chongzhen dynasties, the price of salt was higher than during the Jiajing period.

This is a comparison of the current price of salt with that of the previous Ming dynasties.

If compared with the price of salt in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the price of salt at this time is even lower.

During the Song Dynasty, it was said that the lowest-grade coarse salt cost more than thirty pence per catty, which was six to seven times that of today!
Now the imperial court actually wants to lower the price of salt. How can they make money?
Although due to Lin Jiading's majesty as an official, no one of the participating salt merchants spoke up to object on the spot, their dissatisfaction was expressed in their faces.

Wang Wende's face looks much better.

In his opinion, even according to the court's requirements, their salt merchants still have a lot of money to make.

After all, Da'ei's copper coins were always only 650 wen (the previous Ming Dynasty was always rated at wen), which was worth more than one penny in the previous Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, even if the price of coarse salt is reduced to three cents per catty, it is still about the same as the four or five cents per catty in the Wanli period of the previous Ming Dynasty.

The actual profits made by salt merchants are not that much.

However, the price of refined salt has been reduced by 40%, nearly half, which is really painful.

At this time.

Lin Jiading also saw the expressions of the salt merchants and knew that they were dissatisfied.

So he continued: "Our country now has a population of over 150 million, and the amount of salt that can be consumed every year is definitely a huge amount."

"But as far as I know, there are still many poor people who are reluctant to eat salt, and often use vinegar cloth and other substitutes for salt to enhance the flavor."

"If these people at the bottom can also eat salt with every meal, they will even be willing to use salt to pickle pickles, and even other aspects."

"Then the amount of salt we consume in Da'ei every year will increase more than ten times!"

"In this way, even if the price is reduced, the annual profit of the salt industry will be higher than before, or even increase by two or three times!"

At this point, Lin Jiading stopped again and gave the salt merchants time to think.

If the country wants to use salt merchants to help expand the scale of the salt industry, it must not do it by force - this was known to the country as early as the Qin and Han Dynasties.

The best way is to let salt merchants understand that by following national policies, not only will people's lives be better, the country will receive taxes, and they will also be able to make more money.

If done well, you can even achieve the three-win situation mentioned by the Holy Master (Liu Sheng)! (End of chapter)