After Liu Fan returned from Zhang's house, he began to purchase coarse salt from military households, and after careful investigation, Liu Fan found that around Jiaozhou, basically every village near the beach had the situation of boiling salt and selling salt. Such a large scope is really not something that Liu Fan's subordinates can fully control. Liu Fan had no choice but to ask Wu Tao to select some local people from Shandong as representatives from the baggage camp to supervise the purchase of coarse salt.

Then divide into groups of three and set up points in the surrounding villages to collect salt. Fortunately, Liu Fan has cracked down on salt lords recently, and the military households have almost no shipping channels, and the price given by Liu Fan is also very high, so the salt collection work was quite smooth at the beginning. The military households and ordinary people were also willing to sell the coarse salt in their hands to Liu Fan.

In the past, in order to make more profits, the salt dealers kept the price of salt very low, and the purchase price of each stone of salt was only three to four pieces of silver, which was lower than the price of the salt farm. In addition, it often happens that there is a shortage of two catties or no money when paying rice grain. Once the people resist, they will often beat and hurt people, and in serious cases, they will even endanger their lives. Although they knew that the price of salt per stone in Jiaozhou City was nearly one tael of silver, the people did not dare to run to sell it, so they could only hand it over to the salt dealers. There are also bold military households who do not believe in evil and rely on their own strength, gather a few companions and go to Jiaozhou to sell salt, but they never came back. At this time, the people did not dare to resist, so they could only endure the oppression of the salt lords, and sell their hard-earned salt at a very low price, and the wealth obtained was only starvation.

This time, Liu Fan sent representatives to collect salt, and they all selected some soldiers who were clever, reliable, and eloquent. Before leaving, Liu Fan also gave them a three-day training. They are not only responsible for collecting salt, but also shoulder the heavy responsibility of publicizing the Broken Army among the people, and strive to let the military households around Jiaozhou know and understand the Broken Army.

These delegates do not come to collect salt in the middle of the month or at the end of the month, but are permanent. Under Liu Fan's edification and education, almost everyone in these village representatives treated people well, bought and sold fairly, and never bullied others, and Liu Fan stipulated that the purchase price of coarse salt was five wen per catty, which was never a high price, and Jiaozhou City was also this price. With the combination of various parties, these representatives stationed in the village were very popular among the poor military families and ordinary people, and played an immeasurable role in Liu Fan's propaganda of breaking the army.

In addition to giving regular lectures to military households, teaching a coarse salt moisture-proof measure and some basic purification methods, they will also help some particularly poor or some lonely old people, and those orphans will also try to adopt them, the smaller ones will be sent directly to the shelter established by Liu Fan in Shihe, and the older ones will stay to help do what they can. These representatives stationed in the village have gradually gained the trust of military households and ordinary people, and the people will come to them for help if they have some disputes or difficulties. They will also do their best to help and deal with it. In less than a month, almost everyone in the military households and villages near Jiaozhou knew that the Broken Army was here to help them, and the poor people who had never received such care also developed a great affection for the Broken Army and Liu Fan.

Liu Fan's propaganda strategy has achieved good results, everything is developing in the direction that Liu Fan expects, and Liu Fan is very happy these days. Liu Fan also made a special tour of some villages to commend those representatives stationed in the villages who had achieved good results.

After Liu Fan and Zhang Yiheng cooperated, almost all the salt-producing areas in Jiaozhou were controlled by Liu Fan. Except for those large families who had their own caravans and salt production channels, the rest of the small and medium-sized private salt merchants were not so lucky. Under Liu Fan's series of blows, these salt merchants have not collected a pound of salt for nearly two months. The salt stockpiles had almost run out, and if they continued like this, they would lose their jobs, so these merchants were almost all anxious ants on a hot pot.

These salt farms had to gather together to discuss countermeasures, and on this day, the first meeting of Jiaozhou salt merchants was held in Zuixian Lou in the east of Jiaozhou City, led by the Du family. Almost all the large and small salt merchants in Jiaozhou City gathered here.

As soon as the banquet began, someone said impatiently: "Duke Du! You are the most famous businessman in Jiaozhou, and everyone knows the situation now, that surnamed Liu Fan is the deputy envoy of the Salt Transportation Division, and all the salt dealers in Jiaozhou have no business to do! It's up to us to call the shots! ”

A small businessman below continued, "Yes! Du Gong! That Liu Fan controlled the Shihe Salt Works and its surrounding salt fields, and also controlled all the salt-producing areas in Jiaozhou with Jimo Weisuo, and we haven't received the goods for nearly two months! If this continues, everyone will drink the northwest wind! ”

Everyone complained, and one said, "I also sent someone to the countryside to buy coarse salt, but that Liu Fan bid very high, five cents per catty." Even if I raised it to Liuwen, those mud legs would rather sell it to Liu Fan at a low price than sell us salt, I inquired a lot to find out that those mud legs had received Liu Fan's benefits, and it would be difficult to get salt unless they were at a very high price! This is persecuting us to a dead end! ”

Listening to the complaints of everyone in the end, Du Yan, the head of the Du family, had to speak, "What everyone said, Du has also heard it, this person is really too pressing, I have already inquired with the prefect, Liu Fan has a deep background, even the prefect does not want to offend!" But don't worry! I've already sent someone to contact the big guys in the capital! At that time, as long as his old man is willing to help, this matter will definitely be solved! ”

As soon as the words fell, I heard someone laugh below: "What's the solution!" Amusing! Du Yan looked towards laughter when he heard this, it turned out to be Li Si, the head of the Li family, the Li family has always been at odds with the Du family, and the two families have a lot of dirty things in order to monopolize the Jiaozhou salt industry, and friction is even more commonplace, just listen to Li Sidao, "How long will it take for your boss Du contact person to get Liu Fan?" A month or two months? By then, the daylilies will be cold! Your Du family's big business can withstand the toss, and our small family can't afford to play! In my opinion, this Liu Fan is just asking for money! There are thousands of people under their hands, and the consumption of people eating horses must be very large, and it is understandable to find some ways to make money! After all, he is the deputy envoy of salt transportation, and he will definitely start from the salt industry! Judging by its actions, whether it is to crack down on salt barons or to buy coarse salt, it is to increase the chips in hand! I think this person just wants to raise the price of salt and make some profits. I suggest sending someone to test it! Look at his bottom line and think about countermeasures! ”

Hearing this, Du Yan retorted: "His subordinates surnamed Liu have soldiers to raise!" We also have a big family waiting to be fed! If we compromise! When the time comes, everyone will learn from him Liu Fan, how can we, the salt merchants, gain a foothold in Jiaozhou? What do salt chambers elsewhere think of us! I don't need to say what will happen if you break the rules of officialdom! Be sure to teach him a lesson this time! I want him to know that we salt merchants are not easy to mess with! ”

Li Si objected: "Are you an ornament when you are an elite soldier crawling out of thousands of corpses and a sea of blood?" Liu Fan, as the deputy envoy of the Salt Division, holds righteousness in his hands, and has strong soldiers underneath, with a deep background, is it really so easy to deal with? Those bandits in Daqingshan are examples! Over the years, everyone has not been less angry with Daqingshan! What is the result, but you can't bear it? As soon as Liu Fan took office, he exterminated Daqingshan, how could such a ruthless method be easy to match? Since ancient times, businessmen have not fought with officials! Not to mention such a warlord with a heavy army in his hands! Anyway, I won't offend a person who can't afford to offend because of these small profits, and lead to death! Think about it, too! I took my leave under it! Then he turned and left. Some small families who took the Li family as the leader also left, and those salt merchants who cherished their lives and were rational didn't want to make this trip, and in the blink of an eye, most of the crowd left!

Looking at the empty venue, Du Yan was furious, "These cowardly rats are really incompatible!" A small military attache from the fifth grade, the **** same thing scares them like this! Do you want to make a fortune with such goods? Dream on! ”

Venting his anger, he said to the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid, everyone! We salt merchants have offerings on top! When the time comes, pull out a random character and kill a little martial artist, it is not as simple as pinching an ant to death. The old man will immediately contact a few big people in the capital, and then work together to get this Liu Fan first! All you need to do is endure for a few days! ”

At this time, a king surnamed Yan Shang said, "Duke Du! We can't watch this surnamed Liu be so arrogant! If he can sweep away the salt barons and cut off our wealth, why can't we follow suit? I heard him clearly! Liu Fan would buy coarse salt from military households at the middle and end of each month, and then send people to transport the salt to the Shihe salt field. Why don't we also send someone to rob their salt transportation team, which can not only relieve the pressure of the salt goods when the time comes, but also give Liu Fan a dismount. Sabotage his plans to take control of the salt works! ”

Du Yan was overjoyed when he heard this, and said, "Okay! Good way! Leave this matter to Brother Wang! We will all make a share for you, and we won't let you suffer! If it really happens! I will give 30% of the salt goods I get to Brother Wang. If something happens, everyone will bear it, and you won't be able to carry the black pot! Du Mou's words are nine tripods! You can testify! ”

The businessman surnamed Wang was also relieved when he heard Du Yan's assurance! He still trusts Du Yan very much, after all, the reputation of the Du family is still very good, otherwise he would not have made such a big business, "Du Gong rest assured!" It's going to be done! ”