Tonight's original topic was to open up mines and make money.

For more than a month, Liu Bowen has been running around and working very hard. opened a mine to open up a source of money, but Liu Bowen was not the director, Liu Mang did not call him over, because he wanted him to rest and rest.

However, the topic shifted to salt.

Salt is an important strategic material, and Yanchi is located in Hedong County, more than 800 miles away from Jinyang. To go from Taiyuan to Yanchi, you must pass through the throat to Yong'an.

On the east and west sides of Yong'an are Shangdang County and Xihe County, which are the territories of Zhang Yang and Lu Bu respectively.

seized Taiyuan, offended Lu Bu, and directly fought with Zhang Yang. If a large amount of salt is trafficked through Yong'an, it will inevitably attract the attention of both parties, and Zhang Yang is very likely to send troops to obstruct it, so as to avenge the defeat of the army in the capital of Qi County.

The issue of opening up financial routes has become a strategic issue, and of course it is necessary to consult with Liu Bowen.

Several people patronized and discussed things, but the wine and food did not move much. Liu Mang decided to simply stay up all night at Tongfuyi.

Liu Bowen came with the map, the shopkeeper reheated the wine and food, Tong Xiangyu sent pen and ink coarse paper, and Yan Qing instructed the guards to protect it closely.

In the room, the meeting continues. The atmosphere in the room became tense and solemn due to the change of topics of the meeting.

Liu Mangxian briefly introduced the idea of mining coal and the problems faced.

Subsequently, the focus was on the issue of table salt. To traffic in salt, to crack Yuan Shao's attempt to contain the annexation of the state, and at the same time to make a profit to supplement the lack of military and political spending.

Liu Bowen listened, his brows were always locked, and his eyes never left the map in front of him.

After Liu Mang finished speaking, Liu Bowen finally opened his mouth and asked: "As far as I know, the salt in the salt pond contains a lot of minerals, and taking it for a long time is not good for health, is there a solution?" ”

Song Yingxing, an expert, explained: "As long as the disposal is done properly, there will be no problem with the salt in the salt pond." The so-called poisonous salt is caused by the smugglers of salt who process it in shoddy ways. ”

Song Yingxing gave a detailed introduction to the situation in Yanchi. Including specific issues such as salt and brine composition, methods of refining table salt, etc.

According to Song Yingxing's introduction, there are two ways to refine salt in the salt pool.

First, the salt pond water is introduced into the furrow, and the crystals of salt are obtained by drying in the cold, and they can be harvested. This method is simple and has low transportation costs, but it needs to be cooled on the spot and is suitable for summer.

Second, the salt ore near the salt pond is collected, transported back, and steamed to obtain salt. This method is expensive to transport, but it can be used all year round and is not easily interfered with by others.

After Song Yingxing's introduction, Liu Bowen still twisted his beard, stared at the map, only nodded slightly, and did not speak.

Li Hongzhang suggested: "The two methods introduced by Mr. Chang Geng, the second method does not need to occupy the salt pond, does not need to invest too much labor and troops, and makes quick profits, which can solve my urgent need for lack of money and salt." One of the methods is to occupy the east of the river, open a salt factory, provide a long-term supply and sell it for profit, and it is advisable to plan it slowly. ”

Liu Mang and eldest grandson Wuji both agreed with Li Hongzhang's idea, only Liu Bowen was still thinking about it......

Finally, Liu Bowen breathed a sigh of relief, raised his head, and pressed his hand on the map with confidence, and everyone immediately gathered around.

"What Hongzhang said is true."

Liu Bowen also favored the second method first, digging and transporting salt mines back to Taiyuan to alleviate the current urgency.

What he was thinking about was whether to occupy Hedong County.

Hedong County is located along the Yellow River.

The Yellow River, which traverses northern China, turns north in Liangzhou and Zhou, and makes a big bend in the shape of a "several" shape. At the foot of Mount Hua, it joins Weishui and then turns east.

Hedong County is on the right side of the Yellow River, which is the eastern bend, hence its name.

Hedong County, north of the two counties of Xihe Taiyuan, east of the state of Shangdang Division of Hanoi County. To the south, across the Yellow River and Sili Hongnong County; To the west, on the other side of the Yellow River, is the Shangjun of Bingzhou and the Sili Zuo Feng Yi.

Such a location is a typical place of four wars, and it is not easy to hold. This is also the reason why no warlord forces have touched Hedong, making it a buffer zone between Dong Zhuo and the princes of the Central Plains.

Liu Mang's current army is less than 10,000 people, occupying the two counties of Yanmen and Taiyuan. To the north, there was harassment by the Xiongnu at any time; To the east, across the Taihang Mountains, is the Jizhou of Yuan Shao, who has just formed a great feud.

It would be difficult to control the two counties with such a force, and if they were to occupy Hedong again, the few troops would be scattered on a front of more than 1,500 miles long and narrow from north to south.

In this way, if the war is fought together, it will be difficult for the North and the South to support each other, and they will face the danger of being interspersed and divided at any time.

"It is profitable to transport salt to save emergencies, and the time is not ripe to occupy Hedong."

According to Liu Bowen's previous strategy, after seizing Taiyuan, he should focus on running Taiyuan and recuperate for a period of time. Subsequently, he waited for an opportunity to attack the Shangdang and included the entire eastern part of the state.

After occupying Yanmen, Taiyuan and Shangdang, which are the most populous in Bingzhou, they used Taihang Mountain, Luliang Mountain and the Yellow River as natural barriers, steadily operated and developed, and waited for an opportunity to enter the Central Plains.

Liu Mang had long accepted this strategy, and had no idea of occupying Hedong before. Most people have a common problem. Something that does not belong to oneself, if one does not know that it exists, one will not have any idea; Once they learn of its existence, they will always find ways to take it for themselves.

Once you have it in your heart, it's hard to put it down.

Liu Mang is a mortal, so he naturally has this kind of mortal thought. Listening to Song Yingxing's introduction to the salt pool, seeing such a cornucopia-like salt field and not being able to get it, Liu Mang felt a pity!

"Mr. Berwyn, will you just give up the salt pond?"

Liu Bowen smiled. "There is a give-and-take. The salt pond is not ours now, we take it for ourselves, and it is harmful and not profitable, but ......"

Liu Mang's frustrated mood, with Liu Bowen's "but", instantly turned from cloudy to sunny.

This guy must have a ghost idea behind it! His ghost idea is good news for Liu Mang!

Sure enough, Liu Bowen laughed a few times obscenely. "However, we can use the salt pond in Hedong to solve the problem of Shangdang Zhang Yang."

Shangdang and Yanchi are the two bear's paws in front of you. It's not a good idea to have both, but it's great if you can get one first and wait for the time to get the other!

Of course, there is a lot of preparation that needs to be done before taking the first bear's paw.

Including sending people to learn more about Yanchi and the situation along the way, the garrison situation in Shangdang County, the strategic transfer of Yuan Shaobu in Jizhou, and the movements of the imperial court and surrounding princes.

These things require a lot of manpower, and they also need to be prepared in secret step by step, and they can't be done overnight today.

Tonight's meeting is of great significance to establish the strategic plan for the next step.

Li Hongzhang listened and wrote at the same time, and recorded the key issues in detail one by one.

Looking at the minutes of the meeting, Liu Mang felt that he should follow the example of his ancestors and future generations and give this meeting a name.

Tongfu meeting?

It's so ugly......

It's already dawn, so why don't you call it the "Dawn Meeting......

It seems to be a bit cheesy.

Liu Mang was thinking with great interest about giving the meeting a nice name, when a quarrel suddenly came from outside the house......