Li Bao explained some things about the tea farmers to the tea merchants, and then turned to the tea merchants who were still waiting and said: "The matter of the tea industry, let's get here first, and the orphan association will arrange someone to talk about the future sales of tea for you." After all, the tea production in Shuzhong is still very small, and there are still many regions to be explored. ”

Li Bao's words made the hearts of the tea merchants present move, where is the more area that King Ji said? Is there a larger area in the Western Regions? Or is it the Tubo in the neighborhood of Shuzhong? I heard that King Ji had subdued Tubo, and thinking of this, they were basically sure in their hearts.

Of course, the larger market Li Bao spoke of was by no means as small as they thought of Tibet, and the whole world was now hungry for Chinese tea and porcelain. Of course, today's traffic environment is very backward, which restricts the development of commerce.

As a traverser, Li Bao naturally understood the importance of transportation, so after he took Xichuan, he immediately began to plan to open the road from Xingyuan (Hanzhong) to Shuzhong.

In addition, the construction of the road from Weizhou to Xingyuan (Hanzhong) had already begun in the place where they took ownership, and Weizhou was built as a city by commerce, so the officials of Weizhou understood the relationship between transportation and commercial prosperity. Now that all these years have passed, the road conditions from Weizhou to various places have been very smooth.

Zhang Qingping looked at the merchants in the hall very excited, and the hour was not early, he said to Li Bao: "The time of the king is not early, you have already talked a lot to the tea merchants." However, the salt merchants have been waiting for a long time, so the king should talk to the salt merchants again. ”

"Zhang Junenvoy is right, you should all be the leaders of our salt industry in Shuzhong. It's better to give Lone, Zhang, and Wang a long experience together. ”

As soon as Li Bao's voice fell, a middle-aged man stood up among the salt merchants, his face was a little black and purple, and he said with a smile: "The king and Zhang June, Wang Lushuai Wanfu, a certain name is Wang Tongfu, is our salt merchant in Rongzhou, the output of Rongzhou salt industry and Fushi salt industry is not very large, and most of the salt wells are owned by the official family, and a certain salt merchant is at best a salt seller, and the proprietor of the tea merchant is really incomparable." ”

As soon as Wang Jian heard that this Wang Tongfu was still his own clan, he immediately nodded at Wang Tongfu, and then said, "Is what Wang Dongfu said true?" Although the salt industry in Shuzhong is not famous, the annual output of tens of thousands of stones, at the current price of nearly 200 wen per catty, the profit in it is also very objective. ”

The look on Wang Tongfu's face was a little miserable, and he said astringently: "Ladies and gentlemen, I don't understand the salt production in our Shuzhong, and the official family controls the sales link of salt production. The salt produced by a certain class is sold to the government at a low price of a few pennies, and then sold by the government. ”

Hearing this, Wang Jian suddenly realized, and he muttered: "These bastard dog officials are too greedy, and they don't let the people live, no wonder those people in Huangchao want to rebel." ”

When Zhang Qingping heard this, he said in his heart: This Wang Jian is too upright, the king is still here, and he is actually talking nonsense. He had to cough twice to remind Wang Jian.

Li Bao listened to Wang Jian's words, and he naturally understood the meaning of Wang Jian's words, but it is an indisputable fact that the Tang Dynasty is now powerless in the corruption center of officials, so he summoned the salt merchants to the meeting this time to create opportunities for the salt merchants. In order to enhance the competitiveness and economic level of the salt industry in Shuzhong.

"What Wang Lvshuai said is the truth, I want you to come, first, to understand the truth, and secondly, I want to boost everyone's spirits, after all, what I want most is to hope that the people of Datang can live a better life."

"What the king said is that when you come here, you will know that the king is different from other officials and saints in the capital, and you have these small people in your heart, and you are most grateful to the king for his kindness."

Wang Tongfu's words expressed the hearts of many businessmen present, Li Baowei, the king of Ji, is well-known all over the world, wise and thoughtful and good at business, kind and well versed in the hardships of the people, and is a rare virtuous king in the Tang Dynasty.

As soon as King Ji came to Shuzhong, he was not busy with military and political affairs, but first talked with Shang Jia about tea and salt and other livelihood issues related to the ordinary people of Li, which shows that King Ji cares about the national economy and people's livelihood, how can they not dare to move?

"Okay, what about these words of gratitude, just keep them in your heart. Let's talk about things. By the way, how do you produce salt today? ”

Wang Tongfu was very happy when he heard Li Bao ask about what he was good at, and continued: "The production of well salt in Rongzhou is to first build a salt well, and then take out the salt brine and boil it over fire. ”

"Boil over fire? With a well fire? ”

The well fire that Li Bao said is actually natural gas, and the Zigong area of Sichuan is rich in natural gas resources, so Li Bao naturally asked.

"The king is well-informed and knowledgeable, and some salt wells in Rongzhou and Fushi County use well fire to boil, but most of them are still boiled with firewood."

"Oh, then why don't you use a well fire?"

Wang Tongfu looked embarrassed, "It's not that you don't want to use it, it's just that this well fire is very hidden, and you don't know where to find it, and even if you find it, there is no good way to use it." ”

The ancestors of Zigong found the "well fire" of natural gas, and after a long period of exploration, there are still many technical problems in the skilled use of natural gas under today's conditions.

Li Bao, as a traverser, with his vision, is naturally easy to use natural gas, but it is still difficult for the ancients today.

Thinking of this, Li Bao immediately studied with great interest Wang Tongfu and other salt merchants on how to effectively use the natural gas in the Zigong area. So Li Bao took a pen and paper and explained how to make a complete set of large-scale gas stoves by using the existing conditions.

Li Bao's idea is very simple, Zigong natural gas resources are very rich, often when digging salt wells, you can dig natural gas fields, so you can use the known natural gas resources as large gas storage tanks, and then seal the wellhead, and then use large bamboo as a pipeline to transport natural gas, and then draw natural gas out, and then set up a pot stove for boiling salt brine.

This set of things is very simple, as long as you pay attention to the tightness of the pipeline, you can use natural gas very conveniently, which can save both firewood and manpower to pick up firewood.

After Wang Tongfu took Li Bao's schematic diagram, he excitedly praised Li Bao. "The king is really a genius, such an ingenious idea, even if you want to break your head, you can't think of it, thanks to the king's whimsy, so that you have the hope of making a fortune!"

"Don't talk about these useless things, if you want to talk about sycophants, there are many talents around Lonely, and they are much more powerful than you. Lone has let them shoot for so many years, and their taste has improved for many years. ”

Li Bao's joke immediately made everyone in the hall laugh. Zhang Qingping and Wang Jian also laughed, but they couldn't help but say in their hearts: This auspicious king!

Li Bao continued: "The reform of the salt industry in Shuzhong is also the same as our tea industry in Shuzhong, and the salt wells of the official family also have to be leased to private individuals, so you can slowly negotiate the details with the new government Yin in the future." ”

After Wang Tongfu and other salt merchants heard Li Bao say that the official tea garden could be rented privately, they all vaguely guessed in their hearts that Yanjing should be the same, and sure enough, after King Ji clearly said it, they couldn't help but get excited.

Li Bao looked at the excited expressions of the businessmen in the hall, he was also very happy, after all, business is a barometer of social prosperity, and without business, social development will only become more and more stagnant. Only the development of business can better drive people's enthusiasm and promote social progress.

"In addition, the salt industry in Shuzhong also has to pay rent and commercial taxes like tea, you have no problem, right?"

"What the king says is what he says, and he listens to the king the most." Wang Tongfu replied to many salt merchants.

However, as a representative of the salt industry in Shuzhong, he still couldn't help it, so he said: "The king still has some words, and I don't know whether to say it or not." ”

"Say, in Lonely, don't hide it, if you have something to say, don't be afraid," Li Bao encouraged.

"A certain class dug a salt well to boil well salt, but now although a certain class is a salt merchant, he still lacks the capital to expand production, so he is very worried in his heart for fear of disappointing the king's kindness."

"What is the matter with me, stumped the proprietors, don't worry about these little things, our Xinglong Money Village in Shu will open soon, when you have a shortage of money, you can go to Xinglong Money Village to borrow, in addition, in order to support you, this Xinglong Money Transfer can lend you interest-free money to develop production. But remember to pay on time! ”

"Great, that's great!" , "The king's benevolence is unparalleled in the world......

Everyone was excited by the news that Li Bao said, this Xinglong money village is under the hands of King Ji, he said that it can be interest-free, this is a great benefit, ancient China borrowing money is basically a good business, follow up the different identities of lenders, the loan interest rate is also from one to seven or eighty percent, King Ji's Xinglong money can actually be interest-free loans, how can such a good thing not make them happy.

When Gao Tianlai heard such generous conditions, he immediately felt unbearable, and he tentatively asked: "The interest-free loan that the king said, can a certain class also borrow?" ”

"Naturally, as long as our businessmen in Shu are interested in expanding production, they can borrow money from Xinglong Qianzhuang. Of course, today you have come to Lone, and this generous condition of interest-free loan is only for you. Other businessmen outside don't have such good conditions to go to Xinglong Money Village to borrow money. ”

Li Bao's words were deliberately said to these merchants, after all, Xinglong Qianzhuang is already famous in the capital and Weizhou, but it is still a new thing in Shuzhong, this time it is spread by the word-of-mouth of these businessmen, and then the businessmen and civilians in Shu will have a more prominent impression of Xinglong Qianzhuang.

After everyone discussed some matters about the establishment of the Tea Industry and Salt Industry Mutual Aid Chamber of Commerce again, Li Bao sent these merchants out of the Jiedu Envoy, returned to the study, Li Bao stretched, and then looked at the map on the wall, showing a contemplative expression.