Johime Three Kingdoms

Chapter 174 Treasures
Zheng Xing had never been as filled with hatred and even panic for these white flowers of salt.

Two hours ago, he was worried that there was some "conspiracy" in the Chariot and Cavalry General's Mansion, and whether they wanted to bleed out their "ancestral property."

However, in these two hours, apart from being a little deep and humble at the beginning, in the following time, they were basically full of expectations again and again, wanting to discover that there were fillers such as straw in the salt, and then... once Hopes were dashed.

Now, two hours later, he finally understood that what was more uncomfortable than the "conspiracy" was the hard fact.

There is no doubt that what Bai Tu said before was not bragging.

The seventeen alliances that control Soochow Salt Industry?

Sorry, Baitu can produce as much salt as they do in a year in one month, and this number can continue to increase!
And Zheng Xing had to admit that the salt here... was better than what they cooked!
What's even more desperate is that they know the quantity of firewood transported into the salt farm in the past two months, which means... the cost is much lower than theirs.

Although he really couldn't figure out how that little firewood could cook so much salt, but...the facts were already in front of him, and Bai Tu could easily turn them into a joke.

As long as this batch of official salt enters the market, their private salt will be very embarrassed. Even if they do not provide sales channels, it will only delay the time slightly.

And everyone knows that the Lu family and the Yu family will definitely cooperate with Bai Tu immediately, and there will be no channel squeeze.

Will their private salt still be sold by then?Lower the price?

Judging from the cost of official salt, taking the low-price route will only make them cry and can't find a tune.

If it is profitable, they are willing to take risks selling private salt, but... they are absolutely unwilling to do a loss-making business!

As for using darker means?

There will definitely be!After today, they will try their best to explore the secrets of this saltworks, but...

This definitely does not include "violence". After all, they understand very well that in terms of fists, there is no comparison between some aristocratic families and the general's mansion with more than [-] soldiers and armor!
Even if they have hundreds or thousands of servants at home, they will be vulnerable to the army if they cannot incite the people.

Moreover, Bai Tu did not face the crime of selling illegal salt and directly copied them, which was enough to be "tolerant". How dare they attack official salt?

More importantly, in the two years since Bai Tu came to Jiangdong, he has gradually gained the trust of the people of Jiangdong, as well as the wealthy families, from the Prefectural Mufu's Mansion to the Chariot and Cavalry General's Mansion now.

Until the Three Kingdoms era and the establishment of Soochow, Chinese civilization had always paid very little attention to the development and importance of Jiangdong.

This can be regarded as a problem left over from history. Even in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Period, except for the Wu Kingdom in the east and northeast of the Yangtze River, the Yue Kingdom was a group of barbarians in the eyes of other vassal states. Black—after all, in terms of the origin of the ancestors, the ancestors of the Chu State were foreign countries that fought against the Zhou Dynasty. Later, because of their strength, they were recognized as vassal states, and their culture was also close to the Central Plains, but they were not considered as Zhengshuo of China at all. .

It was not until the Five Hus disrupted China and Yi Guan crossed to the south that Jiangdong ushered in the peak of development.

Even before the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Jiangdong was virtually autonomous. Even the prefects and magistrates of counties were often local people, unlike in the Central Plains, where local governors were usually appointed from other places.

This is why Bai Tu never had any serious personal issues with them before. The salt tax must be taken from the people and used for the people, so that everyone can be convinced.

The Han Dynasty's gains and efforts in Jiangdong are no longer considered losses...

However, the situation is naturally different now. Not to mention disaster relief for the severe drought at hand, building roads and bridges and popularizing education in the future will not require money.

However, this money comes from taxes, and Bai Tu can collect it with peace of mind. This is what is taken from the people and used for the people.

After hearing Lu Da's report, Lu Kang was in disbelief and his eyes lit up - sure enough, he had done it again!
The Lu family has the right to remain unmoved. After all, even without salt, the Lu family is still the Lu family.

However, people like Zheng, Zheng Xing and others were already panicking and were already communicating with Pang Tong about the "salt introduction".

Lu Kang had previously conveyed Bai Tu's thoughts on the salt tax to various families.

From now on, each family will need to purchase salt guides from the Cheqi General Mansion, and then use the salt guides to pick up the goods from various salt farms.

In addition to Yanyin, you must first purchase a "Yangang Certificate" - which refers to the "qualification" to purchase Yanyin. The Yanyin is valid for ten years, and... you need to bid for it!
That is equivalent to the identity of an "agent".

However, Bai Tu specifically mentioned that in the past, these powerful people who made salt boiling could get the right of first refusal in the "salt program".

In this way, their Baitu is not considered to be completely killed. Although the biggest beneficiary of the salt industry in the future is the Chariot and Cavalry General's Mansion, or... the salt tax can finally be collected, but the "Salt Gang" can be obtained If so, future benefits are worth looking forward to.

Zheng Xing and others once regarded this as a joke or an excuse. They never thought that one day they would need to buy Baitu's salt guide.

But now... even various aristocratic families besides the Seventeenth Family have become interested in "Shiogang".

Naturally, Zheng Xing and others had no chance to lose their temper, so they quickly grabbed the right of first refusal...

"If you want to apply for salt gang, you can bid here today. In order to relieve the victims, the bidding uses grain and farmland in Zhenze area as the main collateral... Now we are temporarily issuing a certificate of 24 square meters of salt gang. With the salt gang certificate, you can In the next ten years, we have the right to purchase [-] pieces of salt every year, and each piece of salt can be exchanged for a hundred stones of sea salt at the salt farm," Pang Tong said.

Today is just a special situation. Representatives of wealthy families who are interested in the salt industry have already arrived, so Pang Tong presides over the bidding and auction of the salt.

As for those who haven't arrived...then we won't take them to play. I believe that all the nobles involved in the salt industry here have the same idea!

From now on, the Ministry of Industry will only be responsible for producing salt, and the salt production will have to be purchased by local governments, and officials affiliated with the Ministry of Civil Affairs will be responsible for it.

The reason why a "Yangyin Certificate" is created is to harvest a handful first, and then the pricing power of Yanyin will also be in Baitu's hands, and the flow of money can continue.

Another advantage of selling Yanyin in the local government is to use the difference in the price of Yanyin to attract "businessmen" in disguise.

For example, if there is a confrontation with Cao Cao in the future, Bai Tu can sell salt at low prices in Hefei and Shouchun, but offer grain for trade. In this way, as long as the salt merchants are profitable, they will spontaneously reclaim wasteland and grow grain in Huainan - this was done in the Ming Dynasty. of.

Seventeen families, including Pang Tong and Zheng, have all confirmed that no one has given up their right of first refusal...

When the heads of the seventeen companies saw their colleagues who had once dismissed "Baigong Salt", they expressed their loyalty to Baigong and their support for the development of Jiangdong Salt Industry to Pang Tong. , could not help but despise each other.

"Since none of the seventeen families have given up, let's bid for the last seven salt stocks. You seventeen families will pay for the salt stocks at the lowest price based on the bidding results." Pang Tong said.

This can be regarded as Baitu's special support for them.

At this moment, an attendant came up pushing a small cart with a red cloth covering the table.

Everyone guessed that this should be Shiogang's certificate. Of course... In fact, everyone also knew that this was probably just a symbolic meaning. In fact, who was qualified and who was not was registered on file.

However, when Pang Tong unveiled the red cloth, everyone couldn't help but be dumbfounded.

If it were a modern person, they would definitely not react this way. Wouldn't it be just...a pile of glass trophies?It looks very foggy, but it is worthless and worthless!

It's just a glass "trophy".

However, in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, when people had never seen glass and only knew that exquisite crystals were rare things, an almost transparent glass trophy was directly regarded as a treasure similar to crystal!
In the [-]th century, when archaeologists were excavating an ancient tomb from the Warring States Period, they discovered a "glass" inside. It looked very similar to a household glass. It was once thought to have been left behind by tomb robbers. Frustrated, he believed that the tomb had been visited by tomb robbers.

However, the subsequent discovery was surprising. The ancient tomb was completely preserved, and... what tomb robber would use a glass to drink water in an ancient tomb?Why don't you carry a thermos just to drink more hot water?At least bring a marching pot!

Later, after testing, it was found that it was a national treasure carved from a whole piece of crystal—even though it looked like a glass.

"This is..." Lu Da was also startled.

"Yogang certificate." Pang Tong replied calmly, as if he didn't notice everyone's emotions.

luxury!

Just the symbol of this certificate gives off the smell of nouveau riche... no, it's the smell of nobility!
"Are these... carved from crystal?" Lu Ta was confused and had a very troubled expression on his face.

If it is true that Bai Tu emptied the treasury of the clearest crystals and produced more than twenty salt certificates, then in terms of prodigality, the Jiangdong wealthy family is willing to collectively call Bai Tu the strongest!
"No comment, but... although this thing will not rot easily, it is very brittle, so you must store it carefully." Pang Tong said.

Lu Tao seemed to have heard something, and asked tentatively: "In addition to being a symbol of Yan Gang's certificate, do you know if these 'Baigong Jing' products will be sold?"

"My lord has said that these must not be called 'Bai Gongjing'..." Pang Tong said seriously.

Only this, Bai Tu must refuse!

Lu Tao couldn't help but his eyes lit up when he heard this. Listening to this meaning... these are indeed man-made!

Lu Da immediately looked at Lu Kang longingly. In addition to sea salt, these Bai Gong... well, these treasures that are suspected of being crystals, can they also be traded together?
I just don’t know what the output will be…

Pang Tong secretly curled his lips. Sure enough, it was correct to use some glass to make the salt gang. It psychologically increased the value of the salt gang!
In the blink of an eye, three of the seven salt gang certificates had been bid out. At this moment... someone came to report that Governor Gan's fleet had entered the port.

So Pang Tong announced that he would suspend the bidding for the remaining four salt gangs and go to meet Governor Gan first...

Although there are many impatient people, no one dares to refuse, even if they don't care about the fish, but the dignified prefect is coming, shouldn't they go and greet him?
Even in peacetime, the prefect was a local official with a rank of two thousand shi, but in today's era, the prefect is a symbol of high power, especially... This prefect Gan is also famous for his dog-like face. Who dares not to? Give him face, even if it’s the Lu family, he would dare to come and throw excrement at their door...

(End of this chapter)