Twenty years ago, Wen Yanbo was shrewd and calculating, as the only remaining old party boss in the court, in front of the eccentric emperor, he still fought with Wang Anshi. Although he was defeated in the end, his temper, which was as smelly and hard as a stone in a pit, did not hinder the new party.

Ten years ago, Wen Yanbo had retired to Luoyang, and his unyielding temperament made him organize his own Senior Citizens Association and Tongjia Association, bringing together the old ministers in Xijing, setting off a lot of momentum and carrying the banner of opposing the law. Wang Anshi had already retired at that time, and the ministers were weak and did not dare to do anything, so that in the minds of many courtiers, Xijing could almost compete with Tokyo.

Today's Wen Yanbo still has a temper as hard as a stone, and he still has the ambition to control the world, but everything else is different.

Looking at Wen Yanbo's thoughtful expression, he knew that the old man was thinking about how to make trouble again. It's just that Zhang Dian just smiled contemptuously, as the saying goes, people go to tea to cool, and the rancid tea that has not been heated for 20 years has long been as cold as ice. Twenty-year-old stove, who will burn it?

"That's pretty much all for the salt administration. The details were also discussed at the council meeting before, and the whole matter was handed over to Bertone to preside. Bertone ...... It's up to you to work hard. ”

"Zihou Xianggong can rest assured." Kumamoto nodded, answering in a sullen voice.

'Sure enough, it's not the third division. Wen Yanbo thought.

Zhang Dan's words were light, and the hand of the political hall was also fast enough, and the queen mother had only been recuperating for a few days, and the political hall had completely taken the salt administration from the hands of the three divisions.

The so-called three divisions refer to the three divisions of salt and iron, household department, and degree branch. It is presided over by a third envoy, and each of the three deputy envoys is in charge of the affairs of the department.

As the name suggests, salt and iron are in charge of salt and iron, which are the monopoly of the imperial court and the majority of the national economy. The household department is in charge of household registration and two taxes. And the degree of expenditure, which is in charge of the expenditure of the imperial court.

In addition, the liquor franchise, the collection of commercial taxes, the monopoly of tea, mining, and even the manufacture of weapons were all under the jurisdiction of the three divisions in the early years.

The twenty-one cases of the three divisions, these twenty-one yamen, almost all matters related to money and grain were under their control, that is, almost all the affairs of the imperial court's expenditure and income were under the control of the three divisions - except for the inner treasury of the Son of Heaven - but the three divisions also had a certain right to supervise the inner treasury of the heavenly family.

This was originally a position set up by the Son of Heaven to divide the power of the prime minister, and it was implied to be a plan. However, as the power of the prime minister expanded, the influence of the three envoys in the court gradually decreased.

The case was withdrawn and changed to the Ordnance Superintendent. The original coinage rights of the Iron Case were abolished and returned to the newly established Mint. The liquor case was also abolished, and since then the world has been allowed to sell liquor freely. Originally, the construction project was in charge of all the account books and warehouses related to the construction of the building, but now it has been transferred to the government affairs hall.

Now that even the salt affairs on the façade have been occupied by the political affairs hall, how much else can the three divisions have left?

When will three divisions become two divisions, two divisions become one division, and one division...... Just died like this, gone, it really won't surprise Wen Yanbo at all.

This is perverse!

A pile of authority to the political hall in the pocket, ruling the world, almost the power of the Son of Heaven, let me ask Han Gang and Zhang Dian when the time comes, will they keep their promises?

The joy and expectation in his chest made Wen Yanbo almost miss Zhang Dian's words, "If Lu Gong has any ideas on the salt business, you can go to Bertong in a few days." ”

"Salt business?"

Wen Yanbo blinked his eyes a few times before he reacted, is this to make himself a salt merchant? Is this to buy yourself with money?! This is too underestimating his Wen Yanbo!!

Wen Yanbo's eyebrows rose higher and higher, but in a blink of an eye, he calmed down again, if the political hall had to use such means, it would be too late for him to welcome it, "I don't know what kind of charter?" ”

Zhang Dian didn't speak, and glanced at Kumamoto. Kumamoto turned to look at Han Gang, who calmly glanced back at him, and his reaction was really not visible in his eyes.

"Actually, I can't help it." Kumamoto said, "There are not many taxes and miscellaneous taxes in the imperial court, but there are many people who are greedy for ink and exploit the people in the name of the imperial court." If you collect ten wen from the people, it is too much to have two or three wen and send them to the warehouse. The benefits of tax cuts in the imperial court are also rare to fall on the people, and there are many lawless people who collect them as usual and include them in their own pockets. This time, if the imperial court wants to implement moral governance, will it only issue an edict, and the prefectures and counties will really be able to sell salt at a low price? Even if they could, the salt would be bought by large households, mixed with sand and gravel in a few days, and sold to the people if it was short of two catties. ”

"The reputation of official salt is for them to be ruined." Zhang Qi couldn't help but snort, he had been a transfer envoy, and he had discussed the salt law, and he knew everything about the salt matter, "When the official salt came out of the salt field, how could it be compared to those private salts?" But the rats who generally transport salt and sell salt steal a little bit and mix a little, and waste the official salt all over the gravel. So that the people did not want to buy. For the sake of salt, the government had to force the people to buy it. The people's grievances were thus returned to the court, and the benefits were enjoyed by them. ”

"This time, if the imperial court is in a hurry to implement virtuous government, I am afraid that the benefits will still be taken by that group of people. Do you want the imperial court to send an envoy to supervise them one by one? That's too much trouble. Han Gang said with a smile, "So the political hall decided to open a warehouse to sell salt in the nineteen salt fields, the six salt pools, and the three salt supervisors. As long as you take the money to buy, pay the money with one hand, deliver the goods with the other hand, five cents a catty, you can sell as much as you want, as long as you can transport it away. ”

Shen Kuo also said: "The salt pond of the salt field now uses the salt drying method, which does not require firewood and grass, and saves labor, and the cost is very low. Shudi well salt, more land gas, no need for firewood and grass, still cheap, need seven wen a catty. Illicit salt can be eliminated from here. ”

"It's a big xing." Zhang Dian said with a smile, "From now on, the world will only prohibit salt, and it is forbidden to sell salt." The world's official eunuchs, rich and noble families, can all be salt merchants. If you want to dry your own salt, the cost is higher than the selling price of the government. There is no profit, and no one will break the law of the land. ”

Wen Yanbo listened and asked, "I don't know if the princes can deal in salt goods?" ”

"Naturally, I can't." Han Gang shook his head, "This method was drafted by us and others, and it is inappropriate to participate." Otherwise, how will the world perceive us? ”

Shameless, carved up the imperial court salt class, and wanted to have a good reputation. Of course I can't, but I can still let my relatives and friends do it, who would dare to fight with other salt merchants?

A look of disdain flashed across Wen Yanbo's face. Let the Zaifu in the column find that this old man is still the same old way of thinking.

Wen Yanbo, an old guy who only breathes more than a zombie, still uses the eyes of the past to look at the official's family business. He didn't know at all that the common rough techniques of the past were now out of fashion.

Controlling traffic is the lifeblood of commerce and trade.

The Zhang family has the largest maritime merchant fleet in the world, and offshore transportation accounts for 20%. The Han family is involved in the branch railways in Longxi, Guanzhong, and is even higher than the Zhang family. The Zhang and Han families will not directly operate the salt industry, but the income they get from it will never be less than that of direct operation.

And in Liezaifu, they all know very well how to make the most of it, and at the same time not cause discussion from the outside world.

"But in this way, there will be more and more cases of using official ships and vehicles to transport smuggled salt."

Wen Yanbo restrained his mood, and then casually picked out a problem and asked. He is now an opponent, and if he doesn't react appropriately, he will definitely be exposed by these treacherous thieves.

Su Shi was once impeached for using official ships to transport smuggled salt, regardless of the truth of this matter, but this phenomenon of private use by official ships has not changed until now, more than 100 years after the founding of the country.

"The lesser of two evils is quite good, Lu Gong is old in everything, and he should know that there is nothing good and no bad in this world." Han Gang, as Wen Yanbo expected, still said vigorously, "If there is a little bit of harm, you can't do it, then don't eat and drink." Does Lu Gong still know? If you drink too much water at one time, you will also be poisoned. In particular, farmers who eat less salt and drink more water can easily injure their kidneys and suddenly become poisoned. ”

Wen Yanbo laughed and said, "When it comes to medical Taoism, no one can compare to you Han Yukun." The old man had nothing to say. Since the husband has succeeded, the old man will not ask about this matter. As for the operation of salt goods, the Wen family cultivated and read the heirloom, but they could not find available talents. You have a heart, but forget it. He spread out his hands casually, "Is the edict going to be issued with the wedding of the Son of Heaven?" ”

How can you join in the excitement of the wedding of the Son of Heaven? If it is said to be the virtue of the Son of Heaven, isn't it a big loss?

Su Song said: "This proposal is scheduled to be announced to the world in three months in the name of the parliamentary and political meeting, and it will be listed everywhere. ”

Wen Yanbo's smile was full of sarcasm, "The benevolence and love of the people will surely be spread to the world." ”

"Oka thinks that the key to governing the country is to be benevolent, second, to educate, and third, to be powerful. Govern the people with benevolence, inherit the way of the master, teach without class, and educate Yuanyuan. There are really people who refuse to obey, so they are afraid. Han Gang smiled, "Now that the salt law is changed, benevolence is in the people, and education is in the officials, if there are people who are not evil and want to exploit the people with salt, they can also be threatened by the national law, which can be described as a good thing to kill three birds with one stone." ”

"I see. I didn't expect Xianggong to be so deep. ”

"But it's easier said than done, and now it's still lured." Han Gang didn't seem to hear the sarcasm, and said like a homely person, "Duke Lu knows that there is a sale of land in Longxi, but there is no such thing as forcibly seizing people's land. ”

"Oh? ......" Wen Yanbo let out a long sigh, "Could it be that the place of Longyou Barbarian will know more etiquette than the Central Plains and the land where the literary style of Jiangnan is prosperous?" If you take it seriously, then you really have to thank Han Xianggong for your education. ”

Han Gang shook his head, "It's not that Han Gang boasts that the Western people know more about benevolence, but that the people of the Northwest are expensive and cheap, and compared with the land, the tenant farmers and skilled workers who can farm the land are far rarer than those in the Central Plains." In the Central Plains, as long as there is land, there is no need for people to plant. But in the northwest, there are hundreds of acres of fertile land, and if the lord cannot treat the tenants well, he should not try to recruit people to cultivate the land. ”

For the Zaifu present, Han Gang's words can only be half believed, and they are not without other sources of information, some have also been to Longxi, where there are indeed many people and few people, but it has not reached the point where Han Gang said that there are hundreds of hectares of fertile land and no one cultivates it. However, this truth is not bad, and the truth is true, except that the tenant farmers who do not rent do not open up their own land, but work in the factories

Although everyone knows that the gate of wealth and nobility, the barns full of grain and the houses full of meat, while the poor have no place to stand and no overnight food, which is the source of chaos. But not many scholars could resist the desire to expand their estate.

If you want the rich and noble people of the official eunuchs to not do the things of annexation, it is almost impossible to let the wolf not eat meat and the dog not eat.

What's more, it is normal for someone to sell land and house due to various emergencies, and it is even more helpful for rich and noble families to buy real estate. Using legal means to expand their own property little by little, how many generations of grandparents and grandchildren have been diligent and thrifty, and have purchased a large family business, how many people can convict them with their conscience?

But as for what Han Gang wanted to say, the Zaifu present were all clear.

"From ancient times to the present, people of insight know that annexation is harmful to the country, but in the past, the imperial court suppressed mergers and suppressed the powerful, but it inevitably hindered the scholars. Therefore, Fang Tian Law and Qingmiao Law aroused dissent for a while, and Jiayue and many old friends turned against each other, and the court has been in turmoil for more than ten years. ”

Fangtian is a clear land, making it difficult for the rich to avoid taxes, and it is even more difficult to pass taxes on to the poor, and the green seedling loan is the most effective means to cut off the rich households from annexing land.

"Therefore, in Han Gang's view, if you can give the objects of the world's official eunuchs and wealthy households more ways to go, without directly preventing the merger, it is already a win-win method for both tenants and tenants, as well as the imperial court."

The corner of Wen Yanbo's mouth twitched, "Real edge? ”

"It is Shibian who has expanded the territory over the years, not for the emperor's good looks, but for the sake of the great Song Dynasty."

Wen Yanbo made a straight face, and the one who opposed the use of troops against Hehuang the most was him who was the privy envoy at the time.

Wen Yanbo was silent, and Han Gang didn't plan to talk any more nonsense, he folded his hands on the table, and resumed his official tone, "It seems that Gong Lu doesn't want to talk anymore." But it's okay, the business has been said, the gossip has been said, it's time to talk about Lugong. ”

Su Song stood up, cleaned up the file on the table in front of him a little, and picked it up himself, "In this case, Yukun will be handed over to you here." ”

Followed by Su Song, in Wen Yanbo's eyes that couldn't hide his surprise, the two mansions dispersed one after another, and only Zhang Dian glanced at it more. After a while, only Han Gang and Wen Yanbo were left in the hall.

Wen Yanbo looked outside the hall, then at Han Gang, and finally couldn't help it, "Can you talk to Yukun about the old man?" ”

Han Gang lowered his head and skimmed the tea leaves with the teacup cover, "The railway, Shen Cunzhong is in charge." Yan Zheng is Xiong Botong in charge. The emperor's marriage, Su Pingzhang is a name. In the two mansions, each has his own business, and you are in charge of me. ”