The next day, the Ning family's family meeting was held, in fact, the so-called family conference, in the past, only these brothers of the Ning family got together to do things, and this year Ning Yu was added, after all, the reason for this incident was because of Ning Yu.

Regarding the matter of mineral salt, Ning Zhongxin, who is in charge of the mine, and Ning Zhonghai, who sells smuggled salt, attach the most importance to it, after all, it is directly related to their vital interests, and they are also quite enthusiastic about this nephew.

Ning Zhong said: "Big nephew, can you find out if this mineral salt is true or false?" And how big is the mine, and how many salt wells can be drilled? ”

According to the judgment of later generations and the current observation of this mineral salt, Ning Yu estimated a number in his heart, and said: "That mine is true, as for how big it is, it is not clear for the time being, there are always dozens of salt wells." ”

These words surprised everyone, and Ning Zhongjing exclaimed: "When Yu'er first told me, he was still skeptical, but now it seems that Yu'er is really my Ning family's Qilin'er!" ”

Ning Zhongyuan waved his hand lightly, everyone here, I'm afraid only he knows this son's temperament best, and he didn't say much, just looked at Ning Zhonghai and said: "Zhonghai, my Ning family has never opened a salt well before, and you often deal with them over there." Do you want to go to Sichuan or Anhui to find some salt masters? ”

Although Ning Zhonghai is only less than thirty years old, his personality is extremely stable, and he said: "This master doesn't need to be invited, I have such a capable person in my current team, but if the well is opened at that time, the initial investment is not small." ”

Ning Zhongyuan smiled and said: "As long as there are people, everything else is easy to say, you can tell us too." The others listened intently, too.

Ning Zhonghai wrenched his fingers and said: "When this well salt is opened, it is necessary to build a mill house, a large car room, a stove room, a cabinet room, as well as a mill frame, a derrick, a cart, a salt pot, a salt warehouse, etc., and everything else is good to say, the method of making salt from this well is to pick black brine, and it also needs a salt pot to burn salt every day, and the firewood and grass needed are afraid to be as much as a mountain, and the salt fields in Sichuan and Anhui have their own special grasslands. ”

According to the memories of later generations, Ning Yu knew that there are actually two ways to make salt today, one is sea salt and the other is well salt. Sea salt is made into a large area of salt pan, put into seawater, evaporate the water by sunlight, and collect the water after drying it. However, the composition of seawater is complex, and this salt production method is less costly, but the quality is not good. The well salt has to be treated with brine, so it is the finest salt, and the price is higher, but in this way, it can only be fired in a salt pan.

Ning Zhongyuan said: "Zhongjing, you are responsible for preparing all the corresponding materials needed for this, as for the manpower, since there is a reliable master on Zhonghai's side, you can use it first, and then let the other children of our Ning family be placed in the past, and the other part can be selected from other slaves and maids in the family." Remember, choose such simple and reliable people. ”

The reason why Ning Zhongyuan added this sentence is also because the wealth is moving, if this well salt is opened, it is almost equivalent to the Ning family having an extra cornucopia.

Ning Zhonghai continued: "When the well salt is made, our well salt will definitely not be able to go through the official face, and we can only smuggle salt." Others were convinced.

Since the realization of the salt and iron monopoly system in China, these two goods are the most profitable and risky transactions, but people die for money, birds die for food, and there must be private salt in the salt industry, no matter how much you crack down on illegal salt, driven by dozens of times the profit, it is difficult to completely eliminate the illegal salt.

Nowadays, taking the two Huai salt classes as an example, the list of salt courses includes a total of 25 items in the main course of the sale, a total of nine items in the main course of the assessment, four items in the main course of the examination of the non-performance, 30 items of miscellaneous items that do not enter the examination, and 25 items of miscellaneous fees for the examination of the non-performance, that is to say, the salt comes out of the salt field, and it is not considered a profit, so that the cost of these salt classes needs to be added, so that the salt from the two Huai to Hankou is an example, and the main lesson of a salt introduction is one or two and a penny and seven cents and zero, in addition to supporting the huge expenditure of salt administration personnel, so in the Daoguang period of later generations, a variety of miscellaneous courses that lead to salt have reached 12 taels.

At this time, the population of the Qing Dynasty was at least 100 million, because in the 25th year of Qianlong 40 years later, the population had reached 200 million according to statistics. And salt is a necessity of life, and the demand for salt by so many people is also an astronomical amount. Of course, the population is increasing, the productivity of salt is also rising, in the Qianlong period the coastal has changed the frying salt to the salt, so the cost is greatly reduced, and the output is greatly increased, but for the monopoly of the salt industry, the Qing Dynasty controlled the distribution of salt, artificially caused an imbalance between the supply and demand of salt, but led to an increase in prices.

Ning Zhonghai continued: "Now Huguang Province does not produce salt at all, and the salt needed is from Yun'an County, the capital of Kuizhou in eastern Sichuan, but this part of the salt can only be supplied to Hefeng, Changle, Enshi, Xuan'en, Laifeng, Xianfeng, Lichuan and other seven counties, and the rest of the states and counties in Huguang Province are all private salt. ”

"The benefits of this private salt are far more than we expected, and the people who steal the private salt ships in Shu are incalculable. If my Ning family masters this Yunmeng Salt Mine, I'm afraid this Chu land will all belong to my Ning family. In the end, this man who licked blood from the knife couldn't help but shed tears.

The eyes of the Ning family present glowed red, and they launched the most daring imagination of this beautiful future in their lives.

Ning Zhongjing patted Ning Yu's shoulder excitedly and said, "If it weren't for Yu'er this time, I'm afraid my Ning family would never dare to think of such a great cause in this life!" ”

Ning Yu calmed down at this time and said, "Uncles, although this well salt is good, it is not a big profit that my Ning family can monopolize after all!" We need to bring in the Zheng family, the Cheng family, and all the relatives who have something to do with my Ning family, otherwise my Ning family is like a child holding gold in the downtown area, and I am afraid of ruin! ”

Ning Zhongyuan was impressed by these words, after all, how many people were blinded in front of Dali, and in the end they killed their lives, but now Ning Yu can resist this temptation and let more people participate, the plan is very far.

Ning Zhonghai was born as a smuggler after all, and his vision was not as big as his brother's, so he hesitated: "But if this part of the benefits is shared with others, there will not be much left in my Ning family." ”

Ning Zhongyuan snorted coldly and said, "Confused, how can I use the benefits of this private salt to my Ning family alone?" Hugh said that it is a relative clan related to me, and even the officials and generals of this Huguang Province, large and small, we must reserve a profit! Only in this way can I ensure the safety of my Ning family, not to mention that even if it is divided like this, my Ning family can get the greatest benefit! If you are no longer satisfied, it will be the same as what Yu'er said! ”

These words were naturally different from Ning Zhongyuan's mouth, and everyone calmed down all of a sudden, and after thinking quietly, they couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, and then looked at Ning Yu, who was light and breezy, and couldn't help but feel ashamed.

Ning Zhongyuan looked at the son in front of him, thought about what he said yesterday, and found that he really cared too little about this son, and now he felt a little bit like he didn't know each other.