When Du Fugong spoke, his expression was grim, Chu Huan knew that the matter was important, and asked, "Manager Du, please speak!" ”

Du Fugong hesitated for a moment, and finally said: "My lord, if there is no accident, there should be no problem with salt making, my lord gave an order, and the workshop started immediately, and the method of making salt, my lord has already told me that it is not very difficult to make, the tools here are all ready, and there are a lot of people, and it can produce hundreds of catties of salt every day, which is really not a problem." ”

Chu Huan nodded and said: "I am convinced of this, as long as I go all out, a few hundred catties of salt a day is indeed a breeze." ”

"The supply is fine, but the market?" Du Fugong stroked his beard, "My lord is wise, he has opened up the world and made salt in the northwest, firstly, to solve the problem of salt shortage, and secondly, to increase local fiscal revenue, in fact, in my opinion, solving the financial problem is even more important than the salt shortage." ”

Mr. Du continued.

"If there is no financial revenue, it is equivalent to killing the enemy without weapons, no matter what the adults want to do, they can't use it, once this happens, it will greatly weaken the control of the local government, this Xiguan thieves are rampant, and the rogue is rampant, if the local government has no ability to control, it will inevitably be chaos." Du Fugong said slowly: "Therefore, when the new salt is made, the new salt must be sold as soon as possible to increase the revenue of the local government." ”

Chu Huan said solemnly: "What Chief Du said is that no matter what you do, silver is indispensable, and this government is the same as people, a penny is difficult to defeat a hero, and the same is true of this official mansion, it is difficult for a good woman to cook without rice." After a pause, he said with a smile: "But Manager Du doesn't have to worry, just the day before yesterday, the old lady of the Su family made a special trip to the Governor's Mansion to talk to me about the salt shop." In Shuoquan City, four shops have been vacated as salt shops, in addition, earlier, people have been sent to the northwest states to set up salt shops, as soon as the new salt here comes out, it can be immediately transported to the salt shops in various places, and the quantity and price of goods are directly managed by your new salt bureau. ”

"It's a matter of course to unify the price and control the numbers." Du Fugong bowed his head and said, "I'm just worried about ......!" After thinking for a while, he finally said: "I'm just worried that the seven surnames of Xiguan will intervene in the sales of new salt, and if it takes a long time, the market for this new salt is likely to gradually be controlled in the hands of the Xiguan gentry." For a long time, although the local government is inseparable from the local gentry, it must not let the local gentry lead the way, I should not have said this, but ......! ”

"The manager has good intentions, I know it very well." Chu Huan sighed: "Actually, I also understand that in the official camp of salt and iron, the government should set up its own officials and merchants, but the chief manager also knows that even if we use our own people to set up officials and merchants now, what is the role?" The seven surnames of Xiguan are deeply rooted in Xiguan, and the most important thing is that each of them is in business and has sales contacts in the country. Shaking his head and saying with a wry smile: "If you don't need to use their connections, we will set up officials and merchants ourselves, and when the time comes, we will need a lot of silver to set up salt shops everywhere...... I also know that the Xiguan gentry will always have some benefits to get involved in the new salt, but we are giving them benefits now, in order to be able to establish a new salt market, we need to use their connections ......! ”

When Du Fugong heard this, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, "My lord has thought of this, then I will rest assured." In fact...... I say this just to ask for some power from adults. ”

"Power?"

Du Fu said fairly: "Du knows that Miss Linlang and the adult have made a lifelong agreement, in other words, the Su family is already the adult's kinship, and the seven surnames of Xiguan are also related to each other, so ......!" After a pause, he still got straight to the point: "So Du is worried that in the future, adults will take care of Miss Linlang's face and turn a blind eye to the seven surnames of Xiguan, and since the adults handed over the new salt bureau to Du, Du should do his best to do his errand, but there is something that violates the rules and regulations of the new salt bureau, and Du will inevitably strictly control ...... at that time!" ”

Chu Huan understood, held Du Fugong's arm and said, "Is the manager worried that I will favor that side when the time comes?" ”

"Don't hide it from adults, Du is not worried that you will favor them, adults are wise and shrewd people, which is more important, the adults themselves know in their hearts, Du is just worried that the adults will be soft-hearted ...... then!" Du Fugong sighed: "If the new salt bureau does not have the support of adults, it will inevitably cause a lot of trouble in the future!" ”

Chu Huan nodded and said: "Manager Du said this, that is the real sincerity, when it comes to this, then I might as well say it bluntly, in fact, I didn't want to say these words, but today I still told the manager." He did not shy away from Sun Zikong and Qi Hong by his side, and said, "The chief manager knows why I want to hand over the right to sell the new salt to the Su family?" ”

Du Fugong frowned slightly and said, "Actually, Du Mou also thought about it, but he didn't understand it deeply. ”

"Actually, I've been waiting for someone." Chu Huan sighed.

Du Fugong thought for a moment, raised his eyebrows, and said, "Du Mou understands, the adult is waiting for Miss Linlang?" ”

Chu Huan nodded and said, "Those who know me, Mr. Du is also!" ”

"I see." Du Fugong suddenly realized, "Could it be...... The adult gave the Su family the right to operate the new salt, for the sake of Miss Linlang? ”

"Linlang is a businessman, shrewd and capable, has been in the business world for many years, and is very familiar with business." Chu Huan explained: "Mr. Du doesn't know, I have discussed with Mrs. Su alone, and I said at that time that the management of new salt will be temporarily handed over to the Su family, but as soon as Linlang arrives, the power of officials and businessmen needs to be transferred to Linlang, and Linlang will preside over the affairs of officials and businessmen." ”

Du Fugong nodded and said, "That's very good." Of course Old Lady Su has no objections? ”

"Naturally, there is no objection, he also understands this very well, after all, the official and commercial offices, they are local gentry, belong to the civil business, the official business has the power of the official business, and there are also restrictions on the official business, just like the goods, prices and locations sold by the official business, are all determined by the government, and although the civil business does not have the power of the official business, but can trade on their own, if it is said that the Su family officials and businessmen can enjoy all the rights together, it is really unreasonable, unless the Su family is willing to throw away the hat of the civil business, all the business in the future, It will all be handled by the government, and they cannot control their own trade, which is of course unacceptable to the Su family. Chu Huan smiled and said: "So even if I hand over the power of official business to the Su family this time, but the banner that came out was not the Su family, but the old lady Su carefully selected a person with a foreign surname, and he appeared on stage, and the Su family and the seven surnames of Xiguan were behind the scenes." ”

Du Fugong clapped his hands and smiled: "So as soon as Miss Linlang arrives, the Su family will hand over the power to Miss Linlang, and the behind-the-scenes control is in Miss Linlang's hands." ”

"After all, Linlang is a member of the Su family, and the Su family is still in the hands of his own family." Chu Huan said with a smile: "But after Linlang passes through the door, it will be my person, and in the future, Manager Du only needs to deal with Linlang, and he doesn't have to deal with the Su family." ”

Du Fugong said with a smile: "Okay, although Du has not seen that Linlang girl yet, what can make the governor take a fancy to him is naturally not an ordinary woman, she must be a virtuous helper." ”

Chu Huan raised his head, looked at the clear sky, and frowned slightly, "According to the time, Linlang should have arrived in Xiguan a long time ago, but Su Bo and they have been in Xiguan for more than a month, but Linlang still hasn't come, this is ...... Something can't be wrong, right? ”

"Adults don't have to worry, Jiren has his own nature." Du Fugong comforted: "What's more, Chu Wushuang has already entered the customs to pick it up, there shouldn't be any problems." ”

"I hope so." Chu Huan nodded.

"After the start of construction, do you make salt day and night?" Du Fugong asked.

Chu Huan said: "Yes, there is a shortage of goods now, there is no need to control the quantity at present, the more the better, although the new salt entry right of the imperial court has not yet come, but the northwest market alone is already very large, and there is no market." ”

"Then according to the instructions of the adults, Du will arrange two shifts of people, rotate day and night, and step up salt production."

"Manager Du, there is no problem with the workshop, how is the ore here?" Chu Huan asked: "Old lady Su suggested that the first salt farm be built in Xixia Mountain, and after the construction started, I have been working hard for you, but I don't have time to come, but I don't know if the salt mine in Xixia Mountain is of good quality?" ”

Du Fugong said with a smile: "Don't worry, my lord, this Xixia Mountain is really a treasure land of feng shui, there are a lot of salt mines, when I built the workshop, I have asked people to look for salt mines on the mountain, and I have found more than ten salt mines, with a large number of cold stone ......!" Raising his hand to the north, "The largest salt mine found temporarily is over there, and a part of it has been excavated, and the texture of the cold stone is excellent, so why don't you go over and take a look!" ”

Sun Tzu led the way in front, and the group followed the spacious road built to the foot of the mountain in the north, the mountain is full of green trees, but there is a mountain wall at the foot of the mountain, between the mountain walls, but there is a gap, it is a narrow gap, the entrance of the gap, at most, can only accommodate two or three people side by side, Du Fugong has introduced: "My lord, this is a natural cave, the entrance is narrow, but the inside is much more spacious, let's go in to take a look." "Ordered people to light the torches first, two torches were lit, Sun Zikong and Qi Hong each took one, one before and one after, it was still Sun Zikong in front of the way, behind Qi Hong's palace, Chu Huan followed Sun Zikong behind, entered the cave, at first it was very narrow, walked a road, but it was open, and the sound of water droplets was heard, Chu Huan took advantage of the firelight, but he saw that there were many waterholes in this cave, deep in the cave, the temperature was much lower than outside, and it was very cool.

"Look at ......, my lord!" Du Fugong pointed to the mountain walls on both sides, and there were already traces of swords and axes in many places, "These places have been checked, and they contain a large number of cold stone ......!" ”

Chu Huan smiled and nodded, this cave has a long way, walked for a long time, the road in front was blocked, everyone stopped, and saw some cold stones piled up next to the stone wall in front, Chu Huan stepped forward, picked up a few cold stones, looked carefully, the land was really not bad, and he was satisfied, and suddenly caught a glimpse of a small stall of white stones not far from the side, and walked over, Sun Zikong had already said: "Master, that's not a cold stone, when looking for ore, it was dug out of the stone wall, we have already seen it, it is different from the cold stone." ”

Chu Huan had already squatted down at this time, picked up a small piece, Du Fugong followed beside him, and explained: "My lord, this stone is also white, at first I thought it was a cold stone, but after digging, I realized that it was not at all, there are many stones on this mountain, there are all kinds of ores, it is inevitable that people will be misunderstood, I have specially arranged a few people, and the cold stones that will be transported to the factory in the future must be checked first, so as not to make a mistake, and use other stones to make salt ......!" ”

Chu Huan didn't seem to hear it, his brows were tightly locked, and he carefully looked at the stones in his hand, and several people saw that Chu Huan was very serious, and looked at each other, not knowing why Chu Huan was so interested in these waste stones.

After a long time, Chu Huan raised his head and looked at Du Fugong, but his eyes were already showing an unconcealable joy, "This is quartz sand ......!" ”