However, in just a few months, under the rule of Quanzhou, the people of Jinjiang County all know that now Quanzhou has come to a different general judgment, and let the people help build the salt farm and even pay back the wages, ten copper plates a day, two dry meals, such a good treatment is not to mention the government, but anywhere in Quanzhou, it can't be found.

However, because of the construction of a salt drying plant, Wang Chong, who had just arrived and was young, was named Wang Qingtian by the people of Jinjiang County, and Chen Jun, the governor of the prefecture, was a little dumbfounded after knowing the news.

I think he Chen Jun has worked in Quanzhou Zhizhou for nearly three years, not to mention that he is exhausted, but he is also conscientious, encourages agriculture, neither greedy for ink, nor exploits, and is already a good official who is honest and honest, but he was robbed of the limelight by a newcomer.

This is how comfortable Chen Jun is.

But this was spontaneous by the people, but Wang Chongtou couldn't be blamed, how to make Chen Jun not taste.

Fortunately, Chen Jun is not a small-minded person, and after sighing a few times, he just thought about it, but pondered the doorway.

After thinking about it, Chen Jun found that it was simply because of the salary of ten wen a day and two dry meals that Wang Chong offered to the people.

On this day, Wang Chong's mansion, Wang Chong was teaching ten students to read in the front yard, and suddenly Yu Chuer came to report, saying that Chen Jun was coming, Wang Chong hurriedly asked the students to study by themselves and go to greet them in person.

"Ming Gong is here, and he has lost his welcome, I hope that Ming Gong will forgive his sins!"

"It's me who came suddenly, what does it have to do with Zihou!" Chen Jun seems to have another purpose.

Wang Zhong immediately led Chen Jun into the front hall, and the female envoy served the hot tea that had just been brewed.

"I don't know what is important to Ming Gong?" After exchanging a few words with Chen Jun, Wang Chong asked directly.

Chen Jun took a sip of tea, put down the tea bowl, looked at Wang Chong and asked, "Zihou!" Now that the salt works have been built, I wonder when the salt production will begin? ”

It's no wonder that Chen Jun is so anxious, all the expenses for the construction of the salt field are all funded by the state government treasury, although Wang Zhong holds the holy decree of Emperor Jiayou, but if he only can't get in and out, the people below will inevitably gossip.

Wang Zhong smiled and said: "Ming Gong Mingjian, the salt field we built is different from the salt field in the traditional sense, it is made by taking seawater after many times of precipitation and filtration, and then drying it, this method has never been used before, it is the official family specially ordered me to test in Quanzhou, whether it can be successful or not, it is still unknown!" ”

Chen Jun frowned slightly and asked, "How sure is Zihou?" ”

"About seventy or eighty percent!" Wang Chongdao: "But in addition to technology, you have to look at God's face in the matter of drying salt. ”

Chen Jun also learned about the detailed process of drying salt with Wang Chong in advance, so he naturally knew what Wang Chong meant.

"I don't know what Zi Hou said a few years ago, the matter of the investigation?" This is the real purpose of Chen Jun's trip, when building the salt field a few years ago, Wang Chong once drunk and lost his words, and once said that in addition to the salt field, before leaving, the official family also specially instructed Wang Chong to come to Quanzhou to carefully inspect and see if Quanzhou is suitable for the establishment of a ship division.

If you can set up a shipping department, establish a port, and attract passing maritime ships to stay, in time, Quanzhou will be able to completely get rid of the status quo of remote poverty and become the next Hangzhou.

Wang Chong looked at the big fish with a smile and said, "It depends on the courage of Ming Gong!" ”

"My courage?" Chen Jun pointed to himself and said, "What does Zihou mean by this? ”

Wang Chongdao: "Quanzhou is near the sea, in the middle of Hangzhou, Mingzhou and Guangzhou Shipbuilding Division, the geographical position is superior, and there are natural ports such as Quanzhou Bay, it is indeed suitable for the construction of the Ship Division, but it is suitable for no, not I can decide, and Quanzhou is not the only choice, far away we don't say, only say Fuzhou, the geographical location is not worse than Quanzhou, and the wealth and population are still excessive, dare to ask Ming Gong, if you choose, Ming Gong will choose Fuzhou, or Quanzhou? ”

"This ······" Wang Chong's words made Chen Jun speechless, but fortunately, Chen Jun's brain was fast enough, so he immediately leaned forward, grabbed Wang Chong's hand, and couldn't wait to ask, "Why did Zihou teach me?" ”

Immediately reacted, hurriedly let go of Wang Chong's hand, and said with some embarrassment: "I was emotional for a while, and I couldn't help myself, so I asked Zi Hou to smile." ”

Wang Chong had a straight face, and said to Chen Jun: "Ming Gong is dedicated to Quanzhou and the people, this heart can learn from the sun and the moon, and there is only admiration in the center of gravity!" ”

Chen Jun breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time became more and more satisfied with Wang Chong, different people, what they said was completely different, Wang Chong only a few words, Chen Jun was praised to the height of worrying about the country and the people, and being dedicated to the public.

Wang Chong said this, how not to make Chen Jun happy: "Zihou has any good plan, come quickly!" ”

Wang Chongdao: "If the Ming Duke is interested, he can expand the port in Quanzhou Bay, build a wharf, attract the past maritime merchants to settle down, encourage merchants to go to sea to trade, just make achievements, those merchants will spread the name of Quanzhou all over the world for us, at that time, Ming Gong said how the official family will choose?" ”

"It's not so easy to expand the port and build the wharf!" Chen Jun sighed.

To put it simply, it's nothing more than a money word.

Time passed day by day.

In late February of the seventh year of Jiayou, the city of Tokyo was very lively, and the people of various states and prefectures gathered in Tokyo to participate in the triennial spring festival.

The castle of Quanzhou, thousands of miles southeast of Tokyo, is also very lively.

Quanzhou Bay, on the wharf, Wang Chong, who received the news, has been waiting here for a long time, several large ships more than ten zhang long and several zhang wide stopped in Quanzhou Bay, Sheng Wei took Chang Song and a few people that Wang Chong did not know, and walked quickly to Wang Chong after getting off the boat.

After some greetings, Wang Chong led people to the Danbi Building, where the banquet had already been scheduled.

In the light song and dance, against the backdrop of the silk and bamboo orchestra, on the banquet, Sheng Wei introduced the people to Wang Chong, all of whom were big businessmen who had a good relationship with Sheng Wei, one of whom was Changsong's uncle, all of whom were invited by Sheng Wei to go to the agreement made with Wang Chong last year in Youyang.

Although Wang Chong is young, these businessmen with a lot of money dare not despise it in the slightest.

At the age of twenty, he was sentenced to a state, and his official residence was six grades, and his future was unlimited.

Businessmen are profit-seeking, and Wang Zhong is such a big potential stock, how is it not worth their investment.

What's more, others don't know, but Changsong's uncle Li Yong knows very well that his brother-in-law's business is so prosperous now, and he is making money every day, and he is inseparable from Wang Chong, and even none of the Sheng family's most prosperous businesses are not related to Wang Chong.

"All of you here today are older than this official, and your experience is far better than that of this official, as for the experience of doing business, not to mention, you are all good hands, and you are favored by the officials, and you will be awarded the position of Quanzhou General Judge!"

"You are all the best among the merchants, what is the geographical location of Quanzhou, needless to say, you all know in your hearts, and there are natural ports such as Quanzhou Bay, which can be described as a geographical advantage.

Since the Taizong Dynasty has been decades old, the imperial court has encouraged merchants to go to sea to trade, and wants to establish a maritime Silk Road. ”

"Now that you are gathered here, it is a human being, the time and place are favorable, and the people are coexisting, so why worry about the great thing?"

"What the general judgment says is extremely true!" Sheng Wei was not the first to stand up and speak, but Sheng Wei's uncle Li Yong was the first to stand up: "Such a good opportunity, how can I miss it, my Li firm has already decided to set up a branch in Quanzhou, buy three sea ships, and go to sea for trade!" ”

The rest of the people did not rush to express their positions, but after looking at each other, one of the extremely rich middle-aged fat men arched his hand at Wang Chong and said: "What the judgment said, we also agree very much, but although the profits of going to sea trade are high, but the risks are also large, pirates not to mention, even the storm on the sea, it is not controllable by manpower, but if it happens, it will be just a loss of cargo, I am afraid of losing my life!" ”

"There is no such thing as pie-in-the-sky in this world! Although the sea is dangerous, the profit is also extremely high! Wang Zhong smiled and said: "Now Hangzhou and Mingzhou are two city ships, and there are thousands of sea ships going back and forth every year, and a large number of musk, wood, gold and silver and other things flow into our court from overseas through the city. ”

Another businessman arched his hand and asked: "The grass people have a doubt in their hearts, I wonder if the judgment can solve the grass people's doubts?" ”

"But it doesn't hurt to ask!" Wang Zhong smiled with relief.

The man said: "Although we are also merchants, we are only doing business in my territory, nothing more than the north, south, east and west, and we have never had the experience of going to sea. ”

Wang Chongdao: "I was ordered by the official family to judge Quanzhou, so I naturally have to make some achievements, so as to live up to the trust of the official, but there are many mountains and few fields in Quanzhou, and the agriculture is not prosperous.

Quanzhou is near the sea, and there are natural ports such as Quanzhou Bay, the geographical location is extremely superior, and now the overseas trade is becoming more and more prosperous, you can know, and now only Hangzhou, Mingzhou and Guangzhou three city ships, how much tax is brought to the imperial court every year? ”

Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads.

Wang Chongdao: "The detailed number is a secret of the imperial court, and it is not convenient for me to say, but what I can tell you is that the annual tax levied by the imperial court on maritime trade is not much lower than the salt tax, and this number is increasing every year." ”

"Is this true?" Several businessmen are in the realm of a daze.

Wang Chongdao: "Only my family's words, naturally it is difficult to convince the public, and there are many merchants in Quanzhou who go to sea to trade, you may as well go and find out." ”

For these businessmen, Wang Chong didn't have to be so polite, but these people came with Sheng Wei, and these people all cooperated very closely with Sheng Wei, and they had a good relationship, and their character was not bad, otherwise Sheng Wei would not have brought them over.

Of course, Wang Chong wants to give Sheng Wei some face.

After the banquet, a group of merchants looked for a place to live, and Wang Zhong led Sheng Wei and Changsong back to his house in Quanzhou.

Wang Chong's residence is just a small house with two entrances, and the only highlight may be that it also has two quite spacious courtyards, and this house is still rented, not bought.

It's a little far from the downtown, but it's quiet.

In the study in the front yard, Wang Zhong soaked two fragrant teas, and sat on both sides of the long case with Sheng Wei.

"Among the people I brought this time, there are 33 shipbuilders, 12 skilled blacksmiths, more than 40 apprentices, 50 spinning machines and looms, 20 skilled female workers, and ······."

Wang Zhong poured Sheng Wei a cup of tea and joked: "Uncle, is this planning to move the family to Quanzhou?" ”

Sheng Wei also smiled: "Zihou has the heart to make contributions in Quanzhou, and I, who is an uncle, naturally have to give my full support!" ”

Wang Chongdao: "Uncle is not afraid that the stall will be too big, and the cost will not be recovered when the time comes?" ”

"I remember Zihou said that as long as there are still people in this world, there is no worry that our family's cloth will not be sold!" Sheng Wei looked at Wang Zhong with a smile.

"Besides, there is a good chance to open the Quanzhou market, as the so-called heaven does not take it, but suffers from it, what does Zihou think?"

"I should fully support my uncle." Wang Zhong arched his hand.

Sheng Wei said: "As the saying goes, brothers also have to settle accounts, now is different from the past, in Quanzhou newly built yarn factory, cloth mill, as well as shipyard, fleet, I want to separate it from the previous family of various industries, build another firm, a total of 200,000 yuan, my big house accounts for 50% of the shares, my uncle accounts for 20% of the shares, my six nieces account for 30% of the shares, what do you think? ”

"Uncle should make his own decisions about the business!" Wang Chongdao.

In the seventh year of Jiayou, on February 17, Wang Chong once again found Chen Jun of Zhizhou, held a banquet in Danbi Building, and invited the Oiran of Danbi Building to accompany him.

After pushing the cup and changing the lamp, Wang Chong asked directly: "I don't know what Ming Gong said about the port and wharf last time, how did Ming Gong think about it?" ”

Chen Jun was stunned for a moment on his face, then looked at Wang Chong, and did not answer directly, but asked, "I heard that a few days ago, Hou held a banquet in this Danbi Building?" ”

Wang Chongdao: "The reception was an elder in the family, the elder brother of my future father-in-law, the uncle of the Sheng family in Youyang County, Jiangning Prefecture, and several of his friends. ”

"Oh? It's Shanda's brother? Chen Jun was quite surprised.

Wang Chongdao: "The Sheng family has a total of three rooms, my future father-in-law is the second room, the children in the room, mostly to study the imperial examination, in order to enter the official office, the head of the big house, is this Uncle Sheng, specializing in taking care of the Sheng family's various industries, this time Uncle Sheng was invited by the lower officials, came to Quanzhou, to open a business in Quanzhou, to trade. ”

Seeing that Chen Jun was still a little hesitant, Wang Chong said again: "Ming Gong is now a state governor, and he is a five-grade servant, but if you want to go further and go to Tokyo, it is not easy, even if you really go to Tokyo, it is just an idle errand, I don't know how long it will take to go further, Ming Gong is so wise and virtuous, shrewd and capable, the doorway of this, no need to be reminded by the lower officials, Ming Gong is also very clear in his heart!" ”

Chen Jun's face became solemn, and after a moment of silence, he remembered the holy decree brought by Wang Chong, and couldn't help but tremble in his heart, raised his eyes to look at Wang Chong, and said: "Zihou can have such courage at a young age, Chen Mou's eldest son is thick for so many years, how can he be willing to be after Zihou!" ”

Chen Jun was born in a big family, his family is wealthy, he is a serious second-class jinshi background, he has both talent and learning, he has been released for many years, and he has been in many places before he climbed to his current position, and he knows the difficulty of promotion, and now Chen Jun is close to the year of the Mandate of Heaven, and it is said that people are rare in seventy years, and how many can live to the sixtieth century?

If there is no great merit, Chen Jun can retire with three grades in his life, that is, there is green smoke on the ancestral grave.

"Thank you Ming Gong for your support!" Wang Chong had a smile on his face, got up and walked in front of Chen Jun, bowed and bowed deeply.

Zhizhou and Tongju have been united, and there will naturally be no strange voices in the whole of Quanzhou.

On February 24, in Quanzhou Bay, the construction of the Jihai Shipyard officially started, and at the same time, the first batch of two large sea ships of the Jihai Merchants, under the escort of the Cao Gang and the locally recruited crew sailors, took the charts provided by Wang Chong, and began the first southward voyage.

But with the passage of time, a problem has gradually been put in front of Wang Chong and Chen Jun, that is, spring ploughing.

With the arrival of spring ploughing, the people should be busy with spring ploughing and sowing, and enter the busy season of farming, no matter how the policy of the state government changes, but farming is always the top priority, because the Great Song Dynasty at this time is still a country dominated by agriculture.

It was Chen Jun who personally went to the Xinghua Army in the north, transferred two battalions of men, and stationed in Quanzhou Bay at the same time, he was responsible for the construction of the wharf and port.

The time came to March, as early as February when the tide began to lead water into the salt field, but also officially began to dry salt, although the salt workers who had just been recruited had received theoretical training in advance, but really to the practical stage, there was still a little blind, Wang Chong could only personally go into battle, command everyone to dry salt.

The seawater has been evaporated, precipitated, filtered, and sublimated, and most of the impurities in the seawater have been removed, so that the brine has reached a saturated state, but this is only the beginning, and the real wonder lies in the next steps of drying salt.

On March 12, Chen Jun was invited to the salt factory.

In the morning, the sun rose in the east, the sea breeze was slow, looking at the bottom of the salt pan, the layer of crystallized white salt grains, Chen Jun was finally moved, his face was full of consternation.

The salt particles fluttered at the bottom of the pool, and there was a layer of not shallow sea water above, such a phenomenon was really beyond Chen Jun's cognition.

At the sound of Wang Chong's order, the salt workers, who had been preparing for a long time, stood barefoot on one side of the salt pan with special tools, pushing the sea salt crystals precipitated in the salt pan to the other end and accumulating them.

Seeing the small snow-capped mountains piled up like white grains of salt, Chen Jun couldn't help but be curious and walked over.

"Is this really salt from the sea?" Chen Jun squatted down, twisted up a handful, and put it into the palm of his hand, the salt grains were white, the particles were large, not delicate, and the grains were distinct, after the withdrawal was like looking at the palm prints for a while, he raised his hand and poured the salt grains directly into his mouth, and couldn't help but wait for his eyes to widen, and his pupils were wrinkled.

"What does Ming Gong think of this salt?" Wang Chong, who was following behind Chen Jun, asked with a smile.

Chen Jun got up, looked at Wang Chong, and suddenly bowed his hand: "Zihou is really talented, such a wonderful method, unheard of, as soon as this salt comes out, Quanzhou will be rich!" ”

Wang Chong naturally couldn't let Chen Jun salute him, so he hurriedly stretched out his hand to support him, and said: "Ming Gong Rongyu, this is a salt crystal, and it has to be processed to be the salt we usually use!" ”

"Don't know what to do?" Chen Jun didn't care about being polite with Wang Chong, so he asked curiously.

Wang Chong smiled mysteriously and said: "Ming Gong went to see it himself, wouldn't it be better than the thousands of words of the lower officials!" ”

"Not bad, not bad!" Chen Jun also showed a smile on his face, grabbed Wang Chong's hand and said, "Let's go, let's hurry up!" ”

In the evening, the results of the first salt drying were also counted, and there were 24 acres of salt in the salt fields, with a total of more than 10,000 catties of salt.

Nowadays, the price of salt on the market ranges from 30 to 100 yuan, and the quality of this batch of salt exposed in the salt field is almost equivalent to the best green salt on the market.

Of course, the price naturally cannot be calculated in this way, and the salt merchants naturally have to make money.

Seeing this number, Rao is Chen Jun couldn't help but be dumbfounded, only seven or eight days of hard work, there will be nearly a thousand benefits, if this goes on for a long time, and then expand the scale of the salt field, the few tidal flats suitable for building salt works selected by Wang Zhong are all built, the situation at that time, Chen Jun even dared not imagine.

Chen Jun excitedly grabbed Wang Chong's hand and said: "Zihou, the places you have set, let's start construction immediately and build a salt farm······"

Wang Chong couldn't smile bitterly at what Chen Jun said, and immediately said: "The salt field naturally wants to be built, but not now!" ”

"Why?" Chen Jun asked puzzled.

Wang Chongdao: "First of all, the process of drying salt is very complicated, we don't even have a skilled salt worker now, I have to keep an eye on it all the time, and even my students who have been following me are not familiar with it, let alone ordinary salt workers!" ”

"What does Zihou mean?" Chen Jun asked.

"Let's be safe, expand this salt farm first, and then recruit more salt workers, first let this batch of salt workers be familiar with every step of drying salt, every process, and after they are skilled, we will build salt farms in the rest of the suitable places, and let these old salt workers bring the newly recruited salt workers."

Chen Jun calmed down when he heard this, and couldn't help nodding and said, "What Zihou said is extremely true, Fang is my impulsive!" ”

Wang Zhong smiled and said: "Salt is the cornerstone of the country, Ming Gong is dedicated to the court, for the people, it is inevitable that he will be excited for a while, and it is too late for the officials to admire!" ”

"Hahaha!" Chen Jun looked at Wang Chong, couldn't help but stroke his beard and laughed: "Then listen to Zihou, let's come step by step!" ”

"Ming Gong is wise!" Wang Zhong arched his hand.

Early the next morning, with Wang Chong's handwritten book overnight and two cans of sea salt, he took a boat from Quanzhou Bay all the way north and headed straight for Tokyo.

The salt drying field has already produced results, and it is natural to report to Emperor Jiayou as soon as possible, which is a proper political achievement!

(End of chapter)