On the morning of the same day, Liu Fan saw off Deputy Envoy Lu, who was anxious to leave, at the Yamen of the Salt Transport, and began to sort out the case files of the Yamen and check the entry and exit of salt goods in recent years. Find the experience of the salt transportation division and ask him to accompany him to handle this matter. Seeing that Liu Fan was a new deputy envoy and so young, he took him to the warehouse, moved out a pile of dusty ledgers and said, "My lord, the salt works over the years are all here!" If you want to look up anything, just take a look! ”

Liu Fan's face darkened when he saw these dusty ledgers, how long has it been useless, and so much dust has fallen, what can you see by looking at these things? I guess there's nothing true in this! Suddenly lost interest! He said, "Yes! All so? Good! The official still has something to do, I want to visit the salt pan in person, and the things here will be taught to you! In two days, I want you to write me a note and report in detail on the revenue and expenditure of last year and this year! Is there a problem? After that, he tilted his head and looked at this positive seven-product experience and said

I felt bitter after the experience, and I immediately regretted that I looked down on this young Shangguan, and almost slapped myself, and I didn't look at how many soldiers they came! If you offend such a Shangguan, can you have good fruit to eat? I had no choice but to reply, "No problem!" My lord! Your subordinates will definitely complete the tasks you give them on time! ”

Liu Fan saw that this old guy agreed, so he snorted, turned his head and said to the leader of Yanding who followed, "You! Bring a few people! Come with me to the nearest Shihe Salt Farm! ”

The leader of the salt ding did not dare to slack off, and hurriedly said, "Yes! My lord! The small one makes people prepare the carriage! ”

"What carriage to prepare! You go tell my pro-soldier captain! Let him take someone with him! This official has been on the battlefield for a long time and is not used to riding in a carriage! It's better to ride a horse! Liu Fan pretended to be X

"Yes, yes, yes! My lord! Damn it, let's notify! "The leader of the salt ding was even more frightened when he heard this! Nodding his head, he said

"Hmmm! Let's go! After speaking, he didn't look at the old experience, and walked out of the warehouse, leaving the two people with a wry smile on their faces, looking at each other speechlessly.

Half an hour later, Liu Fan changed into an official uniform, walked out of the hall, and came to the courtyard. Looking at the pro-soldiers waiting in front of him and a few salters standing next to him, he nodded with satisfaction, and ordered loudly to "go" to take the first step and walk out. Li Xiaohu immediately issued an order: "All of them!" Turn left, run and go! The soldiers turned around in unison and followed Liu Fan's footsteps. Seeing this, a few salters immediately trotted to follow.

On the official road to the Shihe Salt Farm, Liu Fan rode in front, and several Yanding led the way in front, although it was already summer, but the leading Yanding captain still felt a chill, looking at the back with a bird's knife in the back, even if the formation in the march was still not chaotic, the silent pro-soldier team, couldn't help but curse in his heart, what the hell is this! Isn't it too hot to wear so much on such a hot day? A whole group of black-faced gods. Looking back again, it seemed that the team exuding murderous aura couldn't help but shrink their necks, and secretly said, these people can't be offended! Otherwise, there will be no good fruit to eat! Thinking of the things that he usually reaps benefits and oppresses the stove households, he is anxious, and secretly turns his thoughts, wanting to come up with a way to get by!

Jiaozhou to Shihe was not far away, only more than ten miles, just one hour, Liu Fan took people to Shihe Salt Farm. Looking around, from time to time, there are three or three taels of ragged stove households frying salt in a salt pan, probably because the firewood used is too wet, and the black smoke rises to the sky from a distance. Seeing such an ancient and laborious method of frying salt, Liu Fan couldn't help frowning, and secretly said that this is too backward!

It didn't take long for everyone to come to the Shihe Salt Division station, and the captain of the salt Ding immediately went to report, and after a while, the Salt Division Division wearing a seven-grade official uniform led everyone to the door, and saw Liu Fan standing at the door, strode forward and saluted, "The lowly Shihe Salt Division Division is the official Ding Lu to see the lord!" Liu Fan turned around and said, "No need to be polite!" This official is newly appointed and wants to see the production of the salt works under his jurisdiction! Tell me about it! ”

"Adult inside, please! Introduce it to adults right away! Ding Lu hurriedly made a gesture to let Liu Fan in.

"Hmmm! Let's go inside! After speaking, he took the lead and walked to the yamen of the Salt Division, and the soldiers behind him immediately followed and took over the defense of the Salt Division.

Coming to the lobby, Liu Fan took a lot of a look, the decoration of the salt division is not too luxurious, but most of the ordinary blue brick houses are decorated with wooden structures, compared to the adobe thatched houses seen on the road, they look quite magnificent, and after everyone sat down, Liu Fan went straight to the point, "Ding Tiju will introduce the situation of the Shihe Salt Farm to the official!" ”

Ding Lu immediately pondered for a moment and said, "My lord! Shihe Salt Farm has a total of 1,354 stove households, which is the largest number of stove households in the four salt farms in Jiaolai, with an annual output of more than 8,500 coarse salt, about more than 160,000 catties of coarse salt, and 900 catties of refined salt, more than 3,600 catties. It is the salt farm with the largest output in Jiaolai" said that there was a color here, and seeing that Liu Fan didn't think it was a fool, he continued stupidly, "Shihe salt farm, the salt production method is mainly decoction, and there are also a small number of drying fields, but the output is not too large!" ”

Liu Fan was suddenly surprised, he didn't expect that now the people of the Ming Dynasty would know how to dry salt? Then what else do you have to do, and asked anxiously, "Oh?" Is there already salt drying now? What is the yield per mu? ”

"Yes! My lord! It's been there for a long time! The first place to be introduced was Haifeng County, which is said to have come from Guangdong, and produced more than ten stones of salt per mu a month! Ding Lu replied

"Huh? A dozen stones? So why does Shihe only have such a little salt every year? Why not promote it? Liu Fan said in surprise

"Adults don't know! Drying salt consumes both manpower and material resources, and the salt produced is black and miscellaneous, and almost no salt will want it. The reason why it was not canceled was just to give the court a monthly errand! After all, boiling salt depends on the weather to eat, once it encounters a rainy season, everyone will be beheaded if they can't complete the task, and they have no choice but to shoddy! Got it! Ding Lu said truthfully

Liu Fan was puzzled when he heard Ding Lu's words, Liu Fan had also been to the salt field before, and he had seen what the salt mountain looked like from a distance, it was obviously white! It's not up to the standard for eating, but it's not black! How did it get to this point and become black and miscellaneous? Suddenly became curious, and said to Ding Lu, "This official knows about boiling salt, but I haven't seen this dried salt yet, I want to witness it, you can take this official to see it!" ”

When Ding Lu heard Liu Fan's words, he hurriedly persuaded, "My lord! The salt pans are muddy and messy, how can adults enter with their precious bodies? I don't think it's better to go! It's the same when you tell you! ”

Liu Fan said angrily: "Hmph! This officer is a military attache who was killed on the battlefield, and he has never seen any battles! Needless to say! Lead the way! ”

Ding Lu had no choice but to get up and lead the way, and everyone headed towards the salt field!