"Yes!" Wen Xiang said, "Tao Wenyi changed the outline to a ticket, and it didn't take long for the 'shores' in western Chuxi to drop the price of salt, and the people cheered loudly!" ”

Speaking of this, he couldn't hide his excited look and said, "Not only that! I remember that before Tao Wenyixing's 'program change', the Huaibei Salt Farm was only 200,000 'citations' per year, and after the new law, the annual salt production increased to 460,000 'citations', more than doubled! It is really 'the salt of one program and two programs, and the lesson of two programs in one program'! 'Changing votes' is really a convenient way for the government and the people! ”

Tao Shu is "Wen Yi", Wen Xiang's identity is different from King Gong, in order to show respect for his predecessors, he called Tao Shu by his nickname.

The so-called "ticket", like "induction", is also a salt sales license. The difference is that the qualifications for obtaining this salt sales license are very different from "ticket" and "citation".

After Wen Xiang finished speaking, he thought that he would be echoed by his colleagues, but in addition to King Gong, who nodded slightly and showed an approving look, Guan, Cao, Xu, and Guo were all silent.

He was quite strange, thought for a moment, and said, "Of course, some people laugh and some people cry. Tao Wenyi's 'outline to change votes', after all, it is three words - 'lifting the salt ban'! Only talk about the existence of salt classes, and don't ask about the north and south of businessmen! After accepting the lesson, you can get a ticket to buy salt, and you don't need to spend a lot of money to rent a 'lead' for 'onshore' marketing. ”

After a pause, he continued: "In this way, the 'general merchants', 'merchants', and 'nest merchants' can no longer eat alone and sell at a high price. It's a sad day! It's the same with the 'field merchants' - the amount of salt in a single ticket is limited. 'Ticket merchants' and 'ticket sellers' buy salt. You don't need to deal with them, just go straight to the stove household! ”

Guan Zhuofan smiled and said: "Bochuan understands it very clearly! In the words of foreigners, Tao Wenyi's 'program to change votes' is to 'break the monopoly, lower the threshold, and compete freely'. ”

"Break the monopoly, lower the threshold, and compete freely". Everyone listened to it in their ears, felt fresh, and thought deeply a little, it was really "finger painting to understand", and they all nodded slightly at each other's eyes.

Wen Xiang felt even more strange in his heart: How good you say these twelve words! But why do you seem to be disapproving about the "program change votes"? Don't......

However, this is not like the routine that King Xuanjun has always done and behaved like!

He said tentatively: "These twelve words of the prince." It really soothes my heart! It's just that under 'free competition'. There must be people laughing and some people crying, the salt merchants of Lianghuai can not afford to pay the heavy lessons of the imperial court, and they have no business to do. There are family properties and gardens that are not owned by officials, and their children and grandchildren are displaced, and even go out to beg! Alas, 'chests full of gold, chests full of silver, and in the blink of an eye beggars are slandered', it is sad to think! ”

Guan Zhuofan was not "compassionate", he laughed: "Bochuan, it turns out that you also watched "The Story of the Stone"! ”

Everyone smiled.

Guan Zhuofan smiled and said word by word: "When a family is crying, why is it like crying all the way?" ”

Wen Xiang's heart became more and more strange, and he looked at Guan Zhuofan with an inquiring gaze.

Guan Zhuofan smiled slightly and said: "Bochuan, you must be thinking, I just seem to have a little disdain for Tao Wenyi's 'outline change vote', and now I am talking about 'crying all the way', isn't this a bit contradictory?" ”

Wen Xiang's face was slightly red, but his heart was beautiful, and he immediately said calmly: "If you are a little puzzled, please ask the prince for advice." ”

Guan Zhuofan said: "Bochuan, what you just said, in fact, there is not a single word wrong, after the 'program change vote', the price of salt plummeted, and the salt class increased significantly, it seems that it is indeed 'the government and the people'." ”

After a pause, he said: "However, what I'm worried about is that although this head is opening well, will it be unsustainable after a long time?" ”

Unsustainable?

Guan Zhuofan saw the question in the eyes of Wen Xiang and King Gong: Why Yunzhi?

He straightened his body slightly, and said calmly: "The original intention of the 'program to change votes' is that official salt is stagnant and private salt is rampant. After the restructuring, the sales of official salt have indeed increased, which is very good. But what about private salt? Has there ever been a cut? ”

Wen Xiang thought deeply for a while, and couldn't help but feel shocked.

After the "program change of votes", not only did the private salt not be "suppressed", but became more and more rampant, otherwise, there would not have been such tyrants as Zhang Liu and Li Shizhong. The private tyrants before the "Outline Vote Change" were at most armed and resisted arrest, and they would never rise up like Zhang Liu, let alone have as much power as Li Shizhong, and they were the henchmen of the imperial court!

What's going on?

Wen Xiang's back was oozing with sweat.

King Gong also became solemn.

Guan Zhuofan sighed and said, "For the sake of this, it's actually not that complicated. Tao Wenyi's 'outline to change votes', 'lower the threshold', small traders and hawkers can also use salt. How many of them were former smugglers? Could it be that the imperial court allowed them to do salt in the open, so they would not sell smuggling? You don't need to pay for private salt! ”

After a pause, Guan Zhuofan accentuated his tone: "They used to be unsightly, but now it's okay, they have an 'official body'!" A salt ticket is in hand, and it is difficult to investigate and deal with the places and checkpoints that pass, knowing that they are holding smuggling! With this 'official talisman' by his side, how can there be a reason not to make a big deal for private salt? ”

Wen Xiang's forehead was also sweating.

Guan Zhuofan continued: "In the past, although there was a lot of private salt, in the end, it can still be calculated, how much official salt is there, how much is private salt? Well, I remember that there was such a number: before the 'program reform', Lianghuai produced 1.6 million 'citations' of salt every year, but the actual salt was only 40%, and the official 4 private 6, that is, the official salt was sold less than 60 million taels of silver every year! Hehe, a full sixty million taels, it's really incredible! If you don't change it, you really can't do it! ”

After a pause, he said, "Huh?" ”

I wonder if he is asking, "Is the number true?" Or is it "really not going to work if you don't change"? Wen Xiang replied vaguely: "Yes." ”

Guan Zhuofan said: "Now, the amount of official salt can still be calculated, but the amount of private salt cannot be calculated!" People buy salt directly from the stove household, and we can't stop drying salt and frying salt! That is to say, the amount of salt produced each year has become a confused account! ”

Wen Xiang's face was blue and red.

"This is not the most important thing," Guan Zhuofan sighed, "The most important thing is that I am worried that the sales of official salt that have just gone up will come down in a short time!" ”

"There are two reasons why the sales of official salt have increased: one is that there are many more small traders and peddlers selling salt, and the other is that the price of salt has dropped - this is especially important. However, no matter how low the price of official salt is, it is lower than that of private salt? It's still the same sentence: private salt doesn't need to pay classes! ”

"These small traders and peddlers will soon find out that selling smuggling is so convenient and not very risky, so why should I pay that salt class? Besides, even if I work hard to do business, how can I fight for private salt? ”

Wen Xiang was speechless, half loud, and sighed softly.

Guan Zhuofan smiled slightly, glanced at Guo Songtao, and said: "Once, I discussed salt affairs with Yunxian, and Yunxian said that together with salt affairs, you can ask one of his sons and daughters for advice. ”

Children's in-laws, is it?

Guo Songtao smiled and said, "The person I recommended to the prince is Zuo Jigao. ”

Really.

Guan Zhuofan said: "I was a little strange at the time: I didn't hear that Zuo Jigao had run a salt business. Zuo Ji Gao Rong Ma is handsome, and he is really in charge of politics, that is, in a short period of time in Zhejiang. Zhejiang's salt affairs are also very important, but Zuo Jigao's energy seems to be focused on shipping affairs, and he doesn't take care of salt affairs? ”

"I asked Yun Xian about this, and Yun Xian said that Zuo Ji Gaozhi is familiar with salt affairs, and he has a reason for it--he is also thanks to his sons and daughters."

Everyone looked at Guo Songtao: What do you mean? Isn't this turning back?

Guo Songtao laughed and waved his hand again and again: "It's not me, it's not me!" ”

Xu Gengshen reacted the fastest: "Ah, it's Tao Wenyi!" ”

When everyone thought about it, they couldn't help but laugh dumbly.

Tao Shu's youngest son, married to Zuo Zongtang's eldest daughter, these two are authentic sons and daughters.

King Gong said: "Tao Yunting and Zuo Jigao have heard a little about this meeting, but I don't know the details inside, how is it?" ”

*(To be continued......)