The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Chapter 465 400?
"I understand everything Mr. Wang said, and after returning to the capital, I will definitely report it to the princes of the court and His Majesty.

Coincidentally, before leaving Beijing, His Majesty still doubted your loyalty and ability to serve the court. If he knows this is the case, maybe he will understand that you have suffered for so many years, and if he is kind, he will exchange it with other imperial merchants. Bitter, also unknown. "

Jia Lian's light words immediately made Wang Shanxiang's sincere smile freeze on his face.

Others, the salt merchants, turned pale with shock.

From Jia Lian's words, two key pieces of information were revealed.

First, the emperor really suspected them, and he sent Jia Lian down this time, probably just to collect evidence.

Second, Jia Lian was obviously dissatisfied with Wang Shanxiang's answer. After returning to Beijing, he might advise the emperor to abolish all these salt merchants!
For the first point, it was good that they were mentally prepared, but for the second point, all the salt merchants present could not bear it.

Although they believed that they were deeply rooted in the Lianghuai salt administration and had many backgrounds in the imperial court, it was absolutely impossible for them to oppose the emperor.

If the emperor was determined to abolish them and take care of those court chiefs, he would immediately abandon them as abandoned sons.

After all, the interest of the Salt Bank is here, so who will collect it is not the same?

For the imperial treasury, it may still experience the pain of exchanging blood, but for the court princes, it will have no effect at all.

Zhou Boru immediately raised his hand to stop Wang Shanxiang from wanting to continue talking, then he clasped his fists and said to Jia Lian, "I hope Mr. Haihan, Vice President Wang just made such a promise to Mr. Wang because his brothers complained a lot about the donation. It's not that there is any dissatisfaction with the court.

In fact, all the salt merchants including Vice President Wang and I are loyal to the imperial court and are very happy to run salt shops for the imperial court.

This time, we paid less national taxes, all because we were not good at handling affairs and failed the high expectations of the imperial court.

I also ask your lord to show me a clear path because I have served the court for so many years.If your lord can help us get through this difficult time smoothly, I will regard you as my reborn parents, and I will respect you every year in the future..."

Zhou Boru knew that all prosperity in the world is for profit.It is unlikely that the imperial court will wipe out all their salt merchants for a mere 200 million yuan in tax money, because that would have a great impact on the world's salt administration.

Not to mention, there are people in power behind each of their families.

Therefore, as long as Jia Lian is appeased, win over, and help them speak well in front of the emperor, and turn this matter over, it is the best choice for both parties.

Of course Jia Lian could hear the meaning of filial piety in Zhou Boru's words, he smiled, as if he was much more satisfied with Zhou Boru.

"Before I go to the south of the Yangtze River, I made up my mind to find out all the ills of the salt government and report them to the government.

But after arriving in Yangzhou, seeing that Yangzhou is so prosperous because of the gathering of salt shops, I don't really have the heart to break the peace of this town.Speaking of which, my ancestral home is also in the south of the Yangtze River, and most of the people here are from the same hometown.

That's all, today, President Zhou is giving you kind hospitality, so I might as well reveal some news to President Zhou.

This time the salt tax was greatly reduced, the imperial court was shocked, and His Majesty Long Yan was furious. If you want to appease your majesty's anger and the dissatisfaction of the court princes, first of all, my lords, you must show enough sincerity. "

Zhou Boru's eyes moved, "Please tell me clearly, my lord."

"First, what the court and His Majesty are most dissatisfied with is that the salt tax revenue has decreased too much. Compared with a few years ago, the difference is more than 200 million taels.

For the whole calculation, 300 million taels.The 300 million taels, everyone must make up for the treasury, otherwise, the anger will be hard to dissipate. "

Hearing this, Zhou Boru and others looked embarrassed, and many people looked at Jia Lian with complicated eyes.

As far as the salt tax in Yangzhou last year was concerned, it was 100 million taels lower than the previous year.Even compared to the highest peak a few years ago, the difference is only more than 250 million.

Jia Lian asked them to make up 300 million yuan.They are all smart people, among them, Jia Lian doesn't know how much to intercept...

"Secondly, someone in the court has long suggested that the salt industry is making huge profits. Salt merchants compete with each other and become extravagant, which has already aroused the dissatisfaction of many court officials.

This time when the official came down, many upright ministers took the opportunity to attack the entire salt industry.Yangzhou is only the first stop. In the future, there will be salt roads such as Hedong and Changlu, which will be attacked by them one after another.

Therefore, if you want to appease the dissatisfaction of these ministers, you also need to manage it.

If you trust me, I will add another 100 million, and I may be able to help you settle this matter.Otherwise, if you make up the 300 million treasury owed silver, even if His Majesty's anger disappears, I'm afraid it will be difficult for the court princes to pass the test. "

Originally, everyone thought that 300 million would be enough for a lion to open his mouth, which was outrageous, but who knew that Jia Lian was not satisfied, and he wanted to add 100 million more!

This Jia Lian is too greedy.

At this moment, the salt merchants were not looking at Jia Lian with complicated eyes, but with dissatisfaction and resentment.Is this treating them like pigs and slaughtering them at will?

Even the Zaifu Shangshu and the princes of the clan were not as greedy as Jia Lian!
The prefect Wu Zhirong and the others widened their eyes even more, feeling their eyes widened.

Originally, they already felt that they had received enough benefits from the salt merchants, to the point of being embarrassed not to help others.

Sure enough, their eyelids are still too shallow. Compared with Jia Lian, they are not farts.

Zhou Boru's eyelids were also twitching wildly, if it wasn't for the years of Chengfu, he might have lost his composure.

Even so, he still couldn't help asking: "400 million? Is this too much? I'm sorry for the villain's bluntness. I am afraid that no one in the world except the national treasury can take out such a large amount of money.

Even though villains are working in the salt shop, they still cannot afford so much money.

Please, my lord, be accommodating..."

Zhou Boru shook his head, feeling respectful and far away from Jia Lian.This person is really, too greedy!

You must know that although the salt industry has huge profits, they are not the only ones who share the profits.There are twenty or thirty companies in Yangzhou alone!
And no matter how huge the profit is, it still takes a catty and a half catty of salt to be shipped out and sold.Under this, there are countless buddies and thugs to support.

In addition, the most important thing is that they still have a large number of big figures behind them who need to pay their respects.Those are the ones who benefit the most.

Therefore, in fact, the profits that can be kept in their hands every year are only so small.

Jia Lian wants to blow away 400 million at once?Then all of them will basically have done nothing for a few years...

"How much, I don't think it's much. Well, everyone, think about it carefully.

When I first arrived in Yangzhou, I still have a lot of things to do, so I won't accompany you all, so I will leave. "

Jia Lian stood up, saluted Wu Zhirong and the others, then recruited his own people, lifted his legs and left.

Wu Zhirong and other officials couldn't persuade him to stay, so they hurriedly got up to escort him.

But Zhou Boru and all the salt merchants, after getting up to send them off, all of them did not leave the table by coincidence.

Zhou Boru sighed slightly, and greeted everyone: "Everyone sit down, there is no one else here, if you have any ideas, feel free to speak up."

The uncontrollable emotions of the salt merchants erupted immediately.

"Too deceiving!"

"This Jia Lian really treats us like fish that can be slaughtered at will, and I am so angry."

"Exactly, these dignitaries from the middle of the capital are all greedy and greedy. They are really hateful and deserve to be killed!"

"..."

Zhou Boru let them finish their complaints, and after consciously calming down, he looked at the table next to him and asked with a smile, "Why don't you see Master Bai for such an important event today?"

One person at the table hurriedly got up and said: "My lord, please forgive me, my master is not feeling well today, and it is really not suitable to go out, so I ordered this old servant to come and take a look on his behalf. But don't worry, President Zhou, our master said that as long as it is for We, the Bai family, will definitely support and cooperate with the entire Yangzhou Salt Industry, and the chairman will make up his mind on everything, and finally inform him the old man."

Zhou Boru shook his head and said nothing.It's not surprising that the Bai family has a long history of arrogance and self-respect.

Even he himself felt that if this matter could not be properly resolved, everyone present might be overwhelmed, except for the Bai family, it was unlikely that something would happen.

No matter how rampant Jia Lian is, it is unlikely that he will dare to touch the Bai family, right?
This is also the reason why he first thought of the Bai family after realizing the difficulty of attracting Jia Lian.If the Bai family is willing to work hard to deal with Jia Lian, they will have some confidence.

It's a pity that Bai Yi, that old fox, obviously doesn't intend to intervene in this matter.

"You guys think, should we give the 400 million taels that the imperial envoy said?"

They are all their own people present, and there is no need to pretend anymore.Therefore, what Zhou Boru asked was whether to give it, not whether everyone can take it out.

"No!"

"Absolutely not."

"That's right, this Jia Liankong has such a great reputation, but he turned out to be just a money-grubbing and lustful person, and he was also greedy.

Besides, even if we give the silver, he may not be able to help us solve this trouble. "

The reaction of everyone was within Zhou Boru's expectation, he shook his head and said: "Although giving it to him may not be able to help us solve our troubles completely, but if we don't give it to him, I'm afraid he will turn his head and turn his back.

As a close minister of the emperor, if he is determined to deal with us, it will be very troublesome.

Everyone think about it carefully, if you have any good suggestions, just say it. "

400 million is too much, it is impossible to give everyone a unified opinion.But when it comes to how to deal with Jia Lian, they are all helpless.

It's just because Jia Lian's status is too special, and the holy family is too long.

If it was another civil servant, even if Shangshu Zaifu came in person, they might not be so dazed.

It's just because most of their backstages are also rich and powerful families in Beijing.There is still a certain chance of winning by using dignitaries and princes to suppress civil servants.

However, Jia Lian was a powerful man himself, and he was born in the founding father's mansion.Not only does he have the position of marquis, but he also has a sister who is a noble concubine, and finally, there are holy relatives by his side. These salt merchants, no matter how rich they are, can't think of a strategy to check and balance Jia Lian for a while.

Seeing Jia Lian oppressing everyone with nothing to do, Wang Shanxiang, who was sitting next to Zhou Boru, suddenly turned his eyes hard: "We must not let this person manipulate us, otherwise we don't know how greedy he will be in the future and bully us.

In my opinion, if this person really doesn't know how to advance or retreat, he might as well be like An Siyuan..."

Wang Shanxiang wiped his neck, and everyone understood what he meant.

In fact, more than one person had similar thoughts in the short time before.Because they would choose to do the same when they met someone who was a big threat to their interests.

It's just Jia Lian's status that made them dare not say that for a while.

The death of An Siyuan has already alerted the court.If another imperial envoy with a big background dies, I'm afraid the court will fry the pot immediately.

At that time, it may be a situation where the fish dies and the net breaks, and both sides suffer.

Zhou Boru narrowed his eyes and saw Wu Zhirong and others coming back in the distance, so he said calmly: "Master Wang, please be careful with your words."

Wang Shanxiang glanced at the pretending Zhou Boru, sneered, but didn't say anything further.

(End of this chapter)