The end of the Ming Dynasty swept the world

Chapter 101 Salt Fields and Salt Price

Ruan Wenlong seemed to regard Ding Yi as his family, and even drank some wine specially.

"Now we are already on the right track. As long as we develop steadily and steadily, our strength will only become stronger and stronger." Ding Yi said slowly.

Everyone nodded happily. For Ruan Wenlong, the stronger Ding Yi was, the more hopeful the Ruan family had.

"This period is a period of full development. I don't plan to start a war. In October, there will be a big war." Ding Yi said in a deep voice at this time: "Ruan Siqing can follow at that time, make military exploits, and win fame."

"Thank you, sir." Ruan Siqing was overjoyed, and Ruan Wenlong was also overjoyed.

Only Ruan Wenyan was thinking, why did Brother Ding know that there would be a big battle in October?
She naturally trusted Brother Ding very much.

Ding Yi continued: "We want to develop, one is to have people, and the other is to have money."

"There are people who are rich, and they can do anything easily." Ding Yi said this, and looked at Ruan Wenlong meaningfully.

Ruan Wenlong thought deeply.

Ruan Wenlong already knew that Ding Yi now had more than 20 taels of silver.

When I first heard it, I couldn't believe it.

He has been with Zhang Cheng for many years, helping Zhang Cheng do business everywhere, and only accumulated more than 2 taels.

It has only been a month since Ding Yi took over Xu Dabao, and he already has nearly 30 taels in his hand, which is unbelievable.

At the critical moment, according to Ding Yi's tone, the money is not enough?
What does he want to earn so much money for?

Ruan Wenlong didn't realize that Ding Yi was greedy for money. Ding Yi lived a simple life and ate and drank easily. He usually ate with his brothers. It was rare that Ruan Wenyan cooked a few dishes for him, and he either asked his brothers to eat together or asked them to eat together as a family. eat.

He didn't dare to think about it, but he was not a Ming person. No matter what Ding Yi wanted to do, he would definitely support it 100%.

"Mr. Ruan has done business with shopkeepers before. Where is the farthest?" Ding Yi said, "I think only sea freight can make a lot of money. The farther away, the higher the profit."

Ruan Wenlong nodded immediately: "The farthest is Japan, and I have been to Guangdong in the south."

"I used to travel to Japan with the shopkeeper. The price of silk is 50 taels per hundred catties here. When it is shipped to Japan, the price can be sold at ten times the price. It is an absolute profit."

"Oh." Ding Yi's eyes lit up.

"But." Ruan Wenlong immediately said again: "There are too many pirates on this road, it is very dangerous. We were almost robbed by pirates on that trip, but we ran fast."

"Later, the shopkeeper saw that it was a bit dangerous, so he didn't want to run so far."

Ruan Siqing also said at this time: "In Guangdong and Fujian, pirates are prevalent. It is very difficult to escape safely."

Ding Yi frowned, knowing that the Ruan family refused to go to the far sea.

Ruan Wenyan thought for a while, glanced at her father and elder brother, and said softly, "It would be easy if I could follow Zheng Yiguan's path."

"Zheng Yiguan?" Ding Yi's eyes lit up again.

Ruan Wenyan nodded: "In the first year of Chongzhen, there was a severe drought in southern Fujian, and there were many hungry people. With the support of Xiong Wencan, Zheng Yiguan recruited tens of thousands of victims from Zhangzhou and Quanzhou. Shipped to Taiwan to reclaim wasteland and settle down."

"And stated to the court that it was his duty to 'cut off the barbarians and suppress the bandits', and ordered the coastal defense guerrillas to serve as the five tiger guerrilla generals."

"This person currently has a thousand ships and more than [-] people in his ministry. He controls [-]% of the routes from the southeast coast to Japan and other foreign countries."

"I heard that the boats from the south of the Yangtze River are passing by now. As long as you pay money to plant the flag, you will be safe."

"My lord, if you want to run a business at sea, if you can find this person to cooperate with, you will definitely make a lot of money."

After a pause, Ruan Wenyan said again: "My lord is now the capital of Lushun, only one step away from the guerrilla general. Being an official in the same dynasty must be better than ordinary businessmen."

That's right, if you ordinary businessman wants to cooperate with Zheng Yiguan, you can't even meet him, what a fart.

The status of merchants in the Ming Dynasty was low, which is one of the reasons why Zheng Yiguan wanted to be an official.

Ding Yi has an official status, so dealing with him is easy.

After hearing this, Ding Yi immediately acted overjoyed, and looked at Ruan Wenyan: "Wenyan is right."

"After this period of time, I should go to Fujian to meet him."

Ruan Wenyan smiled happily, and the dimples on her face were even more lovely.

After eating, Ding Yi left.

Ruan Wenlong hurriedly called Ruan Wenyan: "Why don't you go and bathe Master Ding?"

Ruan Wenyan gave her father a white look: "I will find my little lady in the camp to do it."

Turned around and left.

Ruan Wenlong was anxious, but there was nothing he could do about his daughter.

Seeing this, Ruan Siqing hurriedly persuaded, "Father, don't panic, my sister has her own reasons."

"What's the point? Qin Nan and Shen Chuying have been alone in Mrs. Ding's room."

Ruan Siqing smiled and said: "I think Master Ding is a person who does great things, and my sister knows in her heart what Master Ding wants most?"

Ruan Wenlong thought for a while, and seemed to realize something.

Ding Yi is troubled by all kinds of things right now, but his concern lies in the relationship between his children.

Both Qin Nan and Shen Chuying helped him, so he had no choice but to sacrifice himself for the sake of everyone.

Now that Ruan Wenyan is a smart person, Ding Yi is naturally not in the mood to have a romantic relationship with her for the time being.

I hurried back that night, squinted for a while, and got up at four o'clock in the morning.

Hearing the sound of him getting up, two girls came in quickly outside.

Ding Yi was stunned.

The two girls were both about fifteen or sixteen years old, and they were fairly pretty, wearing new clothes just made in the camp.

"Meet Master Ding, good morning, Master Ding."

The two saluted first, and after one finished speaking, the other said: "Miss Ruan said, Master Ding can go to Yantian first after breakfast, she is waiting in Yantian."

Ding Yi laughed dumbly. He mentioned this matter to Ruan Wenyan yesterday. It was late at that time, so he said he would go again today. Unexpectedly, Ruan Wenyan was already ready.

For breakfast, he took two white flour steamed buns and walked out while eating. When he arrived at the door, he saw the follower Zhao Dashan cheerfully rolling over with Zhang Jing and Song Fei.

Damn it, Ding Yi cursed secretly, but he liked Zhao Dashan more and more in his heart.

"Head." Zhao Dashan has been a little swollen recently, Master Ding didn't call, just called head.

"That's a trick, it was sent by Li Yongfang." Zhao Dashan shouted loudly: "Your Excellency is really powerful, I expected it earlier."

It turned out that Ding Yi had told them before that Li Yongfang was the best at using meticulous work in Houjin, especially making good use of her relatives and family members as meticulous work, which penetrated into all parts of the Ming Dynasty.

"But I can't find him online, and he is probably still on Phi Island." Sein Fei said in a deep voice, "I'm sure he didn't lie. He really can't see him online."

He was ruthless, and Ding Yi asked Ruan Wenlong to teach him a few tricks to extract a confession, so he was sure that the other party was not lying.

Ding Yi walked with the three of them, and said: "Li Yongfang of the Houjin Dynasty specializes in fine work, you should learn it."

"Now that the summer grain collection is being collected, we will start to arrange detailed operations in Jinzhou."

"When it's time for autumn grain, send another wave. I'll use it again."

Seinfeld wanted to ask how to send it?Just when he was about to open his mouth, Zhao Dashan grabbed him: "We understand, don't worry, my lord."

Seinfeld also kept silent.

Zhang Jing was ready to move, feeling that Song Fei and Zhao Dashan had something to do, and he had nothing to do.

"Zhang Jing, I heard that you used to be the leader who didn't accept overnight. In your division, let's train cavalry. We now have more than 100 horses."

Zhang Jing was overjoyed: "Leave it to me."

The four of them quickly brought their horses, and after a while, they rode to the beach.

Ruan Wenyan was wearing a tight-fitting strong suit with a short sword on her waist, and she was in a heroic posture, communicating with a few Liao people over there.

Zhang Jing and the others looked at each other, and they all thought together that Ruan Wenyan was the best match for Mr. Ding.

Both Qin Nan and Shen Chuying were married, so all the brothers supported Ruan Wenyan in their hearts.

Especially Zhao Dashan thought that Ruan Wenyan was as good as Qin Nan and Shen Chuying.

But they didn't know that Shen Chuying's family had a lot of money, and that was their Master Ding's favorite thing.

Seeing that Ding Yi brought people here, several Liao people almost wanted to kneel, but they recovered immediately.

"Greetings, Mr. Ding." Everyone clasped their fists and kowtowed, which was considered a salute.

"Zhou Deshui." Ding Yi smiled and said, "It's only been a few days, can I watch it?"

Zhou Deshui didn't expect Ding Yi to still remember his name, and he was happy in his heart: "If it doesn't matter, it's almost the same. There are some things that I want to ask Mr. Ding to decide, so I invite Mr. Ding to come and have a look."

Ruan Wenyan stood beside Ding Yi at this time, Zhao Dashan and others hurriedly stepped back.

Zhou Deshui led Ding Yi and his party forward, introducing Ding Yi as he walked.

They use a combination of boiled salt and sun-dried salt.

It is summer now, so it is better to use sun salt.

They will build a dam along the beach more than 1000 meters west of Shuangdao Wharf, leaving the upper and lower gates. When the tide rises, the lower gate will be opened to pour seawater into the salt pan, then closed, exposed to the sun, and evaporated to a certain concentration. (generally 15.00% to [-]% salt content), and then open the gate above the salt pan, and introduce the brine pool from the ditch dug separately. After sedimentation in the pool, the clarified brine is pumped into the crystallization pool by pumping truck , continue to sun or steam, and it will soon become crystallized sea salt.

But this kind of coarse salt is actually not tasty. Zhou Deshui talked with Ruan Wenyan just now. If you want to sell salt and sell it for a price, you must grind it again, dissolve it in water, precipitate it, filter it, and expose it to the sun for another round, and finally get pure table salt. Glowing bluish black.

This kind of salt has no bitterness and astringency, and it was regarded as a very good quality salt in the Ming Dynasty.

While listening to Zhou Deshui, Ding Yi saw that there were two hundred workers working on the site, digging ditches, making crystallization ponds, and digging steam pits. They were busy everywhere.

Ruan Wenyan said in a low voice: "Everywhere is employing people now. I know that adults value this more. I have recruited more people, but there are only more than 200."

Ding Yi's men are actually not small, there are more than 4000, which is more than the other three battalions in Lushun combined.

But there are nearly [-] people who are training and not working, so there are really not many that can be used.

Craftsmanship, logistics, construction, etc. need people everywhere, and if you can draw two hundred here, it can be considered that Ruan Wenyan is very hardworking.

"What's the price of salt now?" Ding Yi asked at this time. He asked Ruan Wenyan last time that the price of salt in Dengzhou was 1.4 taels a load.

Zhou Deshui was puzzled, obviously not knowing.

Ruan Wenyan knew what Ding Yi meant. The price of Dengzhou cannot be used to calculate the price of large quantities of salt, so she immediately said: "Now in the Ming Dynasty, the green salt in Songjiang Mansion is of the best quality and the most suitable. It only costs 0.2 yuan per load. Two denarii." That is about two renminbi. (But this is the price of the salt collectors, not the selling price.)
"Shaanxi is more expensive, more than nine dollars per load."

"In general, it's about nine cents to one tael per load."

(End of this chapter)