The spring rain continues, and the bluestone streets of Nanjing City are cleaned and clean, and there is some stagnant water in the pits, and even a personal figure can be reflected.

The examination has just ended, Zhu Zhiyu is a great Confucian in the current dynasty, and he is the chief examiner, and there is no objection in the world. It's just that I heard that Emperor Longwu's health has been poor, and the regent is unwilling to preside over the palace examination, which may be one of the few small regrets in the hearts of the scholars.

The Qinhuai River was deserted, and there was also the Xuanwu Fang. The bustling ancient capital of the Six Dynasties is always indispensable for fun. Some of the scholars were elated, and some were sad, all waiting for the first champion to be released after the resumption of the scientific examination.

Only the occasional messenger who appeared in the dust on the streets of Nanjing, showing that the beacon fire in various places had not been extinguished.

Just after spring ploughing, Shangshu Zongmao presided over the change of "boiling salt method" to "drying salt method" in the salt field of Liangzhejiang. "The first knife of the household department slashed at the salt government with the most oil and water in Daming.

After the news came out from the household department, countless people in Nanjing couldn't sleep because of the salt government reform.

A sturdy carriage obscured by a curtain passed through the damp street, and the horses pulling the carriage were very miraculous.

There was a shortage of horses in the south of the Yangtze River, and almost all the war horses were used in the army, and the officials of Nanjing City liked to sit in sedan chairs and rarely took carriages. The carriage appeared on the streets of Nanjing, and the salt merchants immediately knew that Zong Mao, who had personally visited the salt works in Zhejiang, had returned.

The advantages and disadvantages of the "boiling salt method" as the "salt drying method" are not worth arguing. In short, the salt drying method uses the sea breeze and sunlight to steam water, and the boiling salt method uses iron clumps of firewood to boil seawater to obtain salt.

Nowadays, the Nanjing Imperial Court has not yet controlled the entire territory of the Ming Dynasty, and private salt is rampant in various places. The salt merchants took the salt and introduced the salt obtained from the "boiling salt method" obtained from the Lianghuai salt farm, the cost was extremely high, and it was impossible to compete with private salt.

Zong Mao spent more than ten days in the salt field of Zhejiang, and when he returned to Nanjing City, he went to the regent's palace to meet Zhai Zhe the next day.

At that hour, the iconic carriage walked in front of the Regent's Palace.

When the attendant introduced him to Zhai Zhe's study, there was already a person there, who was Ma Shiying, the secretary of the ministry. I didn't expect someone to be earlier than him.

The two took a look at each other, and Zong Mao guessed that Ma Shiying was also here for the reform of the salt government.

He knelt down and saluted, ignoring Ma Shiying, who was standing on the side, and said: "Lord, the minister is going to the two Zhejiang salt farms, and he wants to make the salt government smooth and implemented, and the two Huai salt envoys are not in charge of their duties."

Ma Shiying pursed her lips and held back the thought of arguing. This Tobe Shangshu is also too domineering. The two Huai salt envoys are not at fault, how can they be exchanged by you.

Zhai Zhe asked sideways: "What do you think of the Ma Ge Department?" ”

Ma Shiying smiled and said: "The cabinet has studied the salt politics and law of Zong Shangshu, and the "salt drying law" has long existed, but it has not been popularized in the two Zhejiang and two Huai salt farms, for many reasons. If it is changed to the salt drying method, a large number of households will not be able to pay salt. Moreover, with the 'salt drying method, the amount of salt increases greatly, and the stove has surplus salt, and the private salt is more overflowing. ”

All he said was the disadvantages of the "salt drying method".

In short, after drying salt, the Yishan stove that originally provided firewood loses its effect, and there is no way to pay taxes, and it will increase the salt production too much, and the private salt will be even more uncontrollable.

Zhai Zhe turned around and looked at Zong Mao again.

Zong Mao said: "The salt tax is the first income of the household, and the minister changes the salt law, which can increase the salt tax and reduce the price of salt, and I really can't find a reason to retreat." ”

Ma Shiying said: "Dare to ask Zong Shangshu, what to do with the two items I said just now?" ”

Zong Mao's words were not shocking, and said: "The minister advocates the abolition of the "Outline Law", the imperial court has abolished the craftsman registration, and the capable craftsmen can make a living on their own, and the incompetent are willing to be poor. Nowadays, private salt is overflowing, and salt is expensive and scarce in various places, and salt merchants cannot escape the blame. The household department will set up a salt division to manage the salt farms in various places, no matter who can buy salt tickets from the household department to any salt field to receive salt, the salt works will set up a salt division division, salt Ding compiled into the book, inspect private salt, father and son. The household department will assess the salt division according to the salt ticket stubs of each salt field. ”

Ma Shiying gasped and asked, "Is Zong Shangshu targeting salt merchants?" ”

He never expected that Zong Mao's real intention was to crack down on the salt merchants, mainly the Hui merchants.

Not to mention how the household department assesses the salt farms in various places, this move is equivalent to the restoration of the "open system" in the early Ming Dynasty. It's just that in the beginning, it was the merchants who transported grain to the nine sides to receive salt, and now the merchants directly buy salt tickets to receive salt. Moreover, the salt ticket is not divided into salt farms, so there will be competition between the salt farms.

Ma Shiying arched his hand at Zhai Zhe and said: "In this way, the salt market will be in chaos."

Zong Mao said: "The minister only knows that the salt tax of the household department will not be less, and the price of salt will also drop sharply. It is too easy for the salt merchants in Huizhou to get money, and there are countless slaves in their families, and they are extravagant, and they take pleasure in raising thin horses, and even ignore the laws of the imperial court, which cannot be connived at. ”

Zong Mao was going to attack the salt merchant Zhai Zhe in Huizhou, and he fell into deep thought.

There were many merchants in Huizhou, but the salt merchants were the most powerful. Most of the salt merchants in Huizhou lived in the south of the Yangtze River and were interdependent with the Donglin Party. The salt monopoly created a large number of rich salt merchants, and it was these salt merchants who created the prosperous city of Yangzhou.

"You draw up a charter for me"

Zong Mao was overjoyed and said, "Obey orders"

Ma Shiying's face was like ashes, the price of salt remained high, and although the profits flowed into the hands of salt merchants, those people gave countless points to the court every year. The salt merchant was close to the Donglin Party, but he also received 30,000 or 40,000 taels of silver from the salt merchant every year.

As soon as this strategy came out, I don't know how many wealthy families were going to be in trouble.

Zhai Zhe said again: "This policy is still inconclusive, and the two of you must not speak falsely, so as not to cause a storm in the city." ”

Ma Shiying and Zhai Zhe replied at the same time: "Obey"

Ma Shiying was about to retire, Zong Mao said: "Recently, there have been more and more displaced people from Jiangbei fleeing to Jiangnan, and the minister wants to take the lead of the household department to attract wealthy businessmen to set up mines in Huguang, Zhejiang and other places, and change the displaced people into miners to increase the mining tax. ”

Ma Shiying hesitated for a moment, and finally reminded: "In many deep mountains in the mine, homeless people gather, and it is very easy to cause chaos. ”

He saw that Zong Mao was really in a state of madness, and in order to increase the income of the household, he did whatever it took to increase the income of the household. During the Wanli period, due to the increase in mining taxes, the miners gathered in chaos, and if there was a civil uprising because of this, he didn't know if he could sit firmly.

Unexpectedly, Zhai Zhe reacted extremely quickly to this, and said: "The Ma Pavilion Department is too worried, this method is very good."

The Beimin could not even guarantee their personal safety in the Jurchen manor, and it was impossible for them to get land after fleeing to Jiangnan. Relying only on the imperial court to provide relief is not a long-term solution, and now weapons workshops, shipyards and even cotton mills have begun to hire Beimin, of course, the remuneration is very low.

Ma Shiying left the regent palace worriedly, and now it seems that the regent's statecraft is not as far-sighted as his battlefield appearance.

The government should take stability as the first priority, and Zong Mao dominates the household department, and everything he does is short-sighted. It is only for immediate interests, but it leaves huge hidden dangers.

After Zong Mao became the secretary of the household department, he really did not act as conservatively as Gao Yinxi. Liu Quan no longer has to worry about the inability of the household department to repay the arrears of the "Rishengchang".

In the spring in the south of the Yangtze River, government soldiers were recruited from all over the country.

Yangzhou Prefecture, which was recovered only last year, has the largest number, with a total of 20,000 people, and nine out of ten are northerners who fled to the south of the Yangtze River. The improving finances were an important reason for the decision of the General's Office to expand the army.

Half a month later, the regent approved the policy of reforming the salt administration proposed by the household department.

The household department was really resolute, and the two Huaiyan political secretaries had a slight prevarication, and they were immediately dismissed or transferred to him, perhaps, only Zong Mao had such ability.

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