Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Chapter 119 A little fight

Zhang Ning clapped his hands and laughed: "In this way, kindness and power are combined, and the danger is far greater than the benefit. No matter how stupid a person is, he will not become a cash cow for others just for the sake of petty profit."

Jia Cong nodded: "In addition, to control the salt fields, salt people, and arrest the salt lords, it all depends on the efforts of the brothers in the Inspection Department. Therefore, the casualty pensions may be increased more, and the daily wages are sufficient, so the big guys can also Have the energy to run errands.”

Zhang Ning looked troubled: "What Mr. Cong said makes sense, and the lower officials have already had this intention, but the yamen really can't get the money, and the clever wife can't make enough rice, alas..."

Jia Cong secretly cursed in his heart, how could the Salt Transportation Department not be able to get even this little money if the department was so fat? It was understandable that the local officials were called poor, but it would be unreasonable for the Salt Transportation Yamen to be called poor. He didn't understand the routines of officialdom, so he Look at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing smiled and said: "Old Zhang, don't cry about poverty. If you say that your Yanyun Yamen can't come up with tens of thousands of silver, I will immediately pay for it out of my own pocket."

Zhang Ning chuckled and said: "Old Xu, Third Master, if the Salt Law is only carried out for a while, Lao Zhang sells iron, tightens his belt, grits his teeth and gets over it, so that he won't let the brothers feel cold, but since this method Once it is established, it must be carried out consistently, and the money must be taken out continuously... The salt transport department monk has too much rice and little rice, so it is really difficult to persevere."

Jia Cong understood that this was because he had no confidence in the new law and was afraid of spending unjust money. He smiled and said: "Master Zhang, you can go ahead and do whatever you want. The success or failure of the new law will be known within this month. Even if you lose, you won't lose much." , and since my uncle is here, if you feel that you have suffered a loss in the future, all the money spent during this period will be taken care of by the Yanyuan Yamen, how about that?"

Seeing Zhang Ning's disbelief, Xu Qing nodded and said: "Lin Yanyuan has given full authority to Mr. Cong to carry out the salt affairs reform on his behalf."

Zhang Ning was immediately delighted and said: "Thousands of people in the Salt Transportation Department are all grateful to Third Master for his great kindness and deeds."

Jia Cong smiled and said: "Master Zhang, you might as well pass on the message, the good days of our Salt Affairs Yamen are still to come."

"Third Master, are you confident?" Xu Qing said with a smile.

Jia Cong nodded and said: "Whether it's successful or not, let's deal with him first. The salt merchants are so rich, so if we cut off some of them, it will be enough to report to the emperor and bring peace to the people."

Zhang Ning put his hands on his hands and said with a smile: "This is a very good statement. To use the saying of our hometown, you will only know after doing it."

"Third Master's plan is to come out?" Xu Qing said.

Jia Cong pondered for a moment and said: "Today is the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, and tomorrow is the Qiao Qiao Festival on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year. Please send Brother Xu a message for me, and in the name of my uncle, invite the prominent salt merchants in Yangzhou City to visit Slender West Lake at night. By the way, let’s talk about the salt law that everyone is concerned about.”

Xu Qing nodded in agreement.

"When the time comes, please invite two adults to accompany you and help with the situation."

"What did we say?" Zhang Ning asked.

"In the final analysis, the Salt Institute has now re-approved the quantity of salt imports in the Lianghuai River. It is necessary to revise the outline and issue additional salt imports. Give them half a month and ask them to prepare money... Hehe." Jia Cong laughed. road.

"Issuance of additional stocks?!" The two of them were shocked. They did not expect that Jia Cong would make such a shocking move.

The so-called nest base is not only an indicator of the quantity of salt sold, but also a business license, qualification certificate, and salt extraction certificate. With this thing, you can go to the salt field to extract salt and sell it. Without this thing, you are not qualified to do the salt business.

Not only that, the nest can also be passed down hereditary, like a money tree, which can be enjoyed by future generations. This is what the Supreme Emperor meant when he said, "For hundreds of years, the nest will last forever."

Therefore, there are hundreds of salt merchants in Yangzhou City. In the final analysis, they are the eight major salt merchants. Because they are the only ones with the "home base", other salt merchants just rely on them to survive. It is similar to the relationship between the general contractor and the small contractor. Without them, there will be no one. The only option is to sell private salt and risk confiscating the family and exterminating the family to become a salt lord. The total capital of the eight major salt merchants is only 70 yin. Now the latest approved number is 500 million yin. The gap is enough to create dozens of big salt merchants. How can the salt merchants in Yangzhou City not go crazy? Who doesn’t want to eat head soup? Who wants to be stuck by the eight major salt merchants for the rest of their lives? If you want to change your destiny against the will of heaven, the only way is to hide your roots!
  Zhang and Xu have been immersed in salt affairs for many years. They don't understand the key points. They are so excited that they are trembling with excitement. Increasing nest stocks and simply collecting some salt lessons are two different concepts, just like one is selling land and the other is selling land. When selling grain, the difference in income cannot be measured in a few miles.

"Third Master, are you going to have a big fight?" Zhang Ning picked up the tea bowl and drank it in one gulp, his dark face turned red and he stared.

"It's not called a big one, it's a small one. It's just a small one. We won't touch it, we just patch it up and let it go?" Jia Cong said with a smile.

"Okay! Let's not make a high-profile statement to make people mistakenly think that we are going to change the law and cause trouble to be dealt with. We only say to the outside world that the number of salt quotas in the old days was no longer accurate. Now that the salt quota has been re-approved, we should rewrite the program. No one can I can't fault it." Xu Qing nodded.

Zhang Ning understood it as soon as he heard it. He knew that if he succeeded this time, he would make a fortune. He would make a huge fortune. He hurriedly said: "That's natural. I'll go back and let all the boys under me do it." I will risk my life to get it done. Anyone who dares to stop the salt administration will be killed on the spot for resisting the law. Let’s see if these bastard salt merchants dare to rebel!”

Xu Qing said with a smile: "Lao Zhang, just go ahead and do it. Governor Gu has already issued an order, ordering all the state government offices to cooperate fully, and the local guards are also on the lookout. Anyone who is not afraid of the execution of the Nine Tribes will just rebel."

Jia Cong said: "It's not that serious. Our policy this time has not affected the eight major salt merchants. Secondly, it is a good thing for many small and medium-sized salt merchants to increase their nest capital. They will definitely support it. Thirdly, there will be no meat to eat. However, These are small salt merchants who don’t have much capital. I’ll go meet them tomorrow and give them a way out, so they won’t be able to cause trouble.

The one they need to be on guard against is the salt lord, who has cut off their financial path. What are these desperadoes afraid to do? "

Xu and Zhang nodded with serious expressions. The matter of Mr. Lin's young son and beloved wife is in front of them. Who dares to ignore it?
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  The next day, after dinner, Jia Cong and Daiyu took a car out of the Yamen, and were escorted by hundreds of salt guards to the Slender West Lake.

Daiyu tilted her head, looked at Jia Cong, and said softly: "Brother Cong, aren't you helping dad with the salt business? Why do you have time to accompany me on a night tour of Slender West Lake?"

Jia Cong smiled and said: "Isn't today the Qiao Qiao Festival? This is Valentine's Day, how can you and I let it down? No matter how big the salt business is, it can't get past me." He was not stupid enough to say that he did it casually.

As expected, Daiyu fell for this trick and said with a shy smile: "You are always sweet-tongued and you don't know what you are thinking in your heart."

Jia Cong said: "Isn't my sister like this?"

Daiyu said angrily: "I am wronged again, how can I be so sweet and smooth?"

"Why don't you admit it? I personally tasted it twice. My sister's lips and tongue are clearly as sweet as honey and as smooth as fat... Hehe." Jia Cong leaned into Daiyu's ear and whispered softly.

"Oh! You're going to die! What crazy talk are you talking about!" Daiyu's face turned red, she spat, covered her face and turned away, not daring to look at Jia Cong.

Jia Cong laughed and stopped teasing her, thinking about how to deal with the salt merchant tonight.

Seeing that Jia Cong didn't say any more naughty words, Daiyu finally calmed down and suddenly bit her lip and said coquettishly: "Brother Cong, you said you had a good poem for me today, so don't lie about it. If it's not as good as the spring flowers withered in the forest, , I don’t want to obey.”

"Ah? Oh... don't worry, it will be a good poem." Jia Cong came back to his senses and said casually.

Seeing that he didn't care much, Daiyu suddenly felt a little unhappy. She pouted her little mouth and snorted, feeling sulky.

(End of this chapter)