It's almost February.

A big incident broke out in the entire Qingzhou, that is, Xiahoudun, who had just squeezed out Jiao He and served as the assassin of Qingzhou for a short time.

Suddenly with the status of a state assassin.

An order was issued to all counties and counties in Qingzhou, and it was widely advertised in the form of a document, that is, from now on, no private salt factories were allowed in Qingzhou, and no private salt mining was allowed.

At the same time all the existing salt works.

The state government will pay a certain price and buy it all at a discount, and this order is mandatory, and it is not allowed to pinch it in your hand and not sell it.

That is to say, from now on, there will only be official salt in Qingzhou, and there will be no more private salt.

The private salt farms that have been in use for a long time will now be a thing of the past, and the families who used to make a fortune from salt mining and accumulate a lot of wealth from generation to generation.

will be forced to cut off this business.

It gradually transformed into the most primitive and ordinary landlord-type family that lived by cultivating the land.

And that's not all.

At the same time as the Qingzhou Prefecture unilaterally issued an edict, all the territories ruled by the Cao family, including the entire territory of Yanzhou, the northern part of Yuzhou, and the southern part of Jizhou, all issued orders in a unified voice and in unison.

Without exception, the content is that since then, the existence of private salt farms is no longer allowed, and the scale of past operations and the amount of salt throughput are all ignored.

However, in the future, setting up a private salt factory and mining salt without permission will be classified as a violation of the law.

Once discovered by the government, at least confiscated illegal gains, but also a huge fine, ordinary small salt merchants, absolutely unable to bear such a heavy fine.

In the worst case, they will directly raid their homes and ask for crimes, or even refuse to change their ways, or if the scale of the private salt factory is too large, they may even have to squat in prison.

If you are a little bolder, you may have to go to the execution ground, missing arms and legs, missing parts on your body or something, it's not impossible.

All in all, the penalty is very high.

…………

Although in the actual ruling area of the Cao family.

Only the coastal areas of Qingzhou produce salt, and inland areas such as Yanzhou and Yuzhou do not see a trace of salt flowers, and this simultaneous decree is actually only aimed at private salt owners in Qingzhou.

But the momentum is huge!

How many states are there in the Kanto region?

At present, in this situation, except for Xuzhou, the other four states are all of a unified caliber, so powerful, it really seems to be overwhelming.

The families and merchants who operated salt mining and selling salt in Qingzhou were all panicked, and from the day they received the Haifa documents, they were like the sky had collapsed all day long, and they were all in a hurry.

This is the key to their inheritance and eternal prosperity for their children and grandchildren, and it is the lifeblood that will keep them forever in the upper class.

It is also the food and clothing of countless salt workers!

Now that the state government has issued an order not to allow the illegal mining of sea salt, and to take all rights back to the government institutions, isn't this asking for their lives?

If you haven't enjoyed it before, it doesn't matter.

But how can they endure the taste of changing from having to nothing, which they are accustomed to?

Therefore, the fear is stronger from day to day.

…………

What worries these families and businessmen most is that there will be a ripple effect on this, and they fear that the decree implemented by the four states will likely become a bellwether.

In other words.

They feared that the decree would spread and become a symptom of a unified reform in the coastal areas.

That's really going to cut off their lives.

After all, at present, the entire sea salt production area of the Han Dynasty is concentrated in Bohai Bay and Laizhou Bay, plus some coastal sections south of the Huai River estuary, these places together basically monopolize sea salt.

And now Qingzhou has ordered a ban on illegal salt.

That means that the southern part of Bohai Bay, as well as the entire Laizhou Bay, will prohibit salt mining and drying activities.

And once Bohai County and Xuzhou are also linked, then even the northern part of Bohai Bay and the salt mining area in the Huai River estuary area will have to completely return to the embrace of the government.

What was left of the families and businessmen who had been engaged in salt mining for generations?

So the panic is spreading.

And the heart of resistance, as well as all kinds of secret schemes, are also intensifying, and there are faint signs of explosion.

…………

And just as the situation is getting more and more intense.

At the same time that the flame of resistance was gradually ignited.

Located in Luxiang County, Donglai County, hundreds of cavalry led by Cao Ang and the large army led by Xiahou Yuan successfully converged here.

Donglai County is located in the easternmost part of Qingzhou, and it is also the only county in Qingzhou where all cities are coastal.

The shape of the entire Dongnae-gun is roughly similar to "╮", which is an N-shaped ring with an opening facing the southwest, which happens to be inlaid with a part of the protruding part of the Hokkai-gun, forming a whole.

Luxiang County, where Cao Ang is currently located, is located in the northwest corner of this semi-ring, adjacent to Laizhou Bay, a major salt-producing area, and still some distance from the coast.

At the moment, he is in the middle of a temporary requisition.

Cao Angzheng secretly met with Xiahou Yuan, and the two had a discussion about the current situation.

"Uncle Miaocai, you have led your troops into Donglai County for a while, presumably most of the counties and townships in the county, you have already sent people to contact them, do you know what their current situation is?"

Xiahou Yuan first saluted Cao Ang respectfully, and then reported the situation these days.

"Don't hide it, this time I set out from Yanzhou, led more than 10,000 troops to advance to the Donglai territory, such a huge army of soldiers and horses, everywhere I went, I was intimidated, the clans and officials of the counties and cities were all welcomed, enthusiastic, thought to be the king!"

"It's just that since the Yuan Rang side issued a decree, announcing that from now on private salt factories will not be allowed, and after the mining of private salt, the wind direction seems to have changed a little."

"Although these people are still afraid of the army I command, I can clearly feel that they are plotting what is brewing in secret."

…………

Listening to Xiahou Yuan's narration.

Cao Ang couldn't help but sneer.

"It's just some clowns who jump off the beam, ringworm scabies, at first I thought that we came with troops, but it was just to let Qingzhou change its master, and they also benefited from these gainers, so they ate pot pulp to welcome the king."

"In the end, we found that we had to make drastic reforms and take back the capital they relied on to suck blood, so they naturally changed their appearance."

"It's just that with these small roles, they are all doing some flies and dogs in private, and what can they do to us, it's not worth my face!"

After a ruthless scolding.

Cao Ang changed his words again.

"These local clans and merchants are not to be feared, but their ability to incite the people has to be guarded against, especially those salt workers who work for the salt works."

"These salt workers are ordinary people, young and strong in the market, and they are the most easily instigated and provoked to be used as swordsmen."

"If they are instigated to become enemies of our army, although I am strong and not afraid of them, it will be a small trouble, and I do not want to do anything to these ill-fated people if it is not necessary."

For the meaning of Cao Ang's words.

Xiahou Yuan was naturally able to understand.

The Cao family's army is the king's division, whether it is Cao Cao or Cao Ang, they are all loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty, if the people are incited to oppose the Cao family.

It's a bit tricky.

…………

However, understanding is understanding, Xiahou Yuan was not worried about this at all, but showed a somewhat relaxed smile on his face, and then pointed in the direction of the window.

"Don't worry, just look at the heavy snow outside and the biting cold wind, you can know that we have now occupied the sky!"

"Since last month, several large salt farms in Dongnae County, as well as the adjacent offshore areas, have been affected by extreme cold, and there are many ice fles on the sea, making it extremely difficult to extract salt."

"For those families and businessmen who hold several major salt farms, they can't start work in the cold winter, but they raise a group of young people for nothing, which is a loss-making business, so they dismissed the salt workers early in advance."

"And now they want to reunite this group of people to make trouble, which is almost impossible, after all, after the salt workers were dismissed, they went home early and went to their own homes."

Xiahou Yuan said it easily and freely.

Cao Ang couldn't help but smile on his face.

Yes, as early as on the way to Zhuxu County, the heavy snow made him aware of it.

This is the time of heaven in the three elements of heaven, earth and man.

The sea is frozen, the sky is snowing heavily, and if you want to dry salt in this climatic condition, that is, you can't dry two or two salt flowers for ten days and eight days.

As a qualified capital party, he must not let the young Zhuangguang under his hands eat and not work, so he is naturally sent back to his hometown early and is busy with his own work.

Wait until the beginning of spring is thawed.

Bring these people back again.

And in this way, it left Cao Ang with a great opportunity, after all, the transportation and communication conditions in this era are extremely poor, and it is difficult to break the law to contact these dismissed people.

In this way, as long as there are no people involved, there will be no civil revolt or anything else.

There are some small and medium-sized families and businessmen left, they are a fart, and if they dare to make trouble, they will be crushed to death!

Do you understand the gold content of the army?!

…………

But out of the prudence.

Cao Ang still gave an extra admonition.

"Uncle Miaocai, this matter still has to be bothered, although a large group of people can't gather, but it's not difficult to scatter and small-scale."

"We are still mainly to appease these people, and we can send people to read our decree in the coastal counties and townships, that is, after the state government has taken the salt works into the official camp, it will still hire these young and strong salt pickers."

"It's impossible for us to do this kind of work in person, so they don't have to worry that they will lose their eating business because of the change from private to official."

Xiahou Yuan nodded heavily.

Xiang Cao Ang said yes in a deep voice, indicating that he understood.

It was only after this order was recorded.

Xiahou Yuan suddenly remembered something again.

hurriedly reported to Cao Ang: "In fact, after the order of the state capital was issued, before you arrived, these days were separated. ”

"There are many people who have come to me for some reason, either openly asking for it, or implicitly hinting at it, either by promising heavy profits or by showing money."

"I think that our army can raise its noble hand, relax some control, and give them a breath."

As soon as this statement came out.

Cao Ang couldn't help but chuckle.

Sure enough, the clan forces in these places are smart, and they know how to find the right master when they encounter something.

Understand what the state capital is up to, who is behind the Qingzhou assassin Shi Xiahoudun, who wants to take a breath from the decree that forcibly prohibits illicit salt, and who says what works the most.

So they didn't come to find Xiahou Yuan.

is to borrow Xiahou's mouth to turn to himself.

…………

If it's something else.

Cao Ang may have to think about it.

However, the salt and iron official camp will become the basic national policy of the Cao family for a long time to come.

Iron aside.

The salt must be taken back.

This is related to the money bags of the Cao family's forces.

Not to mention that Cao Ang has now mastered the technology of coarse salt purification and the method of mining salt flowers more efficiently, and the sooner the salt mining industry is brought under the official management, the sooner the massive wealth will roll in.

Compared to such ambitious goals.

Those local clans and merchants who have been lying on Haiyan and sucking the blood of several generations, what are they?

Come to think of it.

Cao Ang was just interested, and asked in a flat tone: "Oh? What kind of charter did they talk about, and how do they want us to hold up their noble hands and give them a breather? ”

Xiahou Yuan did not answer immediately.

Instead, he walked quickly to the map hanging in the house, then drew a line along the coastline in the northwest of Dongnae County, and then focused on the county of Zhihuang County, Dongnae County.

"These people are smart people, they know our determination to take the salt industry under the government, and they know that with their strength, they will not be able to fight against the state capital."

"Therefore, there is only one meaning in and out of the words, that is, whether there can be a few openings in this coastal zone for them to operate."

"Or the vast majority of small and medium-sized salt farms, as well as those run by small and medium-sized families, are willing to hand over all the amount to the government, but only ask for a few big families to be released and allowed to continue to operate the salt industry as a representative."

"As a vote, they are willing to give priority to reselling the salt flowers to the government after they are mined, and they will take out the bulk of the year's income to pay taxes."

…………

I have to say.

This plan is quite sincere.

Leave a few openings, or sacrifice some small and medium-sized families in exchange for the survival of the rest of the people, and hand over a certain amount of benefits every year.

It's a pity that Cao Ang doesn't care about this.

Is that all he wants?

"Hah!"

After moving his muscles slightly, Cao Ang couldn't help but sneer.

Then the tone was like the wind of the nine cold heavens, and he said coldly and ruthlessly.

"If we only take away some people's salt farms, or only target those small and medium-sized families, then if the matter spreads, wouldn't it be equivalent to us slapping ourselves in the face?"

"Since the decree has been promulgated, it will be strictly enforced, and if we treat it differently, the so-called decree will be useless, and the prestige of the state capital will be wiped out in an instant."

"Besides, what qualifications do they have to bargain, and where do they have the face to give them a chance to breathe, they have already gotten enough!"

Speaking of which.

Cao Ang paused slightly.

Then he stepped to the window, pushed the originally closed window a little open, and the cold wind outside the house suddenly poured into the house.

The house, which was originally a little drowsy because of the rising fire, suddenly became refreshing.

…………

After doing so.

Cao Ang put his hands behind his back, looked out the window through the gap, and muttered with a deep look in his eyes.

"The so-called salt and iron franchise has existed since ancient times, and in this land of Qilu, since the beginning of the Qi State in the Spring and Autumn Period, there have been decrees of salt and iron official camps."

"And after my Han became the master of the world, because the early Han Dynasty pursued the Huang Laozhi school of inaction, the salt and iron official camp was suspended, but then in the period of Emperor Xiaowu, this decree was re-passed, in order to obtain a large amount of treasury revenue, and to suppress the local super-rich and powerful."

"But soon during the reign of Emperor Xiaozhao, the salt and iron controversy broke out, after which the imperial court was forced to abandon the monopoly on liquor and abolish some iron officials."

"It wasn't until Emperor Guangwu revived the Han dynasty that the so-called salt and iron official camp was completely abolished, and it was turned into a private operation by the big clans and big merchants, and the imperial court collected taxes from it, and it operated like this for more than 100 years."

After a general statement of historical evolution.

Cao Ang's eyes narrowed suddenly.

In an increasingly cold tone, he slowly confided a shocking sentence.

"Whether it is the salt and iron controversy during the period of Emperor Xiaozhao or the private taxation system pursued by Emperor Guangwu after Emperor Guangwu, the reason why this law has changed so much is because this decree has been greatly hindered and opposed."

"Those who take the lead in singing the opposite tune are mainly the great Shang clans in the land of Qilu, including those Confucian schools who recite classics in their mouths and always cherish benevolence and righteousness in their hearts."

"There is only one thing they are holding high, and that is that the court should not compete with the people for profit!"

"But are the people they are referring to in their words, who face the loess, turn their backs to the sky, bury their heads in the fields all day long, and have little left for a year of hard work, year after year, and the cycle repeats, barely maintaining food and clothing, but when they encounter some natural and man-made disasters, they will lose their land and go into exile, and sell their children and daughters?"

…………

When it comes to this.

Cao Ang slapped his right hand on the window edge.

The cold light in his eyes shook his head even more.

"The people obviously do not refer to the common people, but to those scholars and merchants, and the Confucian school wants to warn the Son of Heaven and the imperial court not to compete with these people for profit."

"Hey!"

"But this principle doesn't work for me, if it can make all the people in the world rich, the country rich and the people prosperous, then I am willing to let it go."

"But if it is only given to these Shishang clans, or to this small number of small and large families in the coastal area of Qingzhou, then the so-called principle of not competing with the people for profit, I will definitely not agree!"

"This is also the reason why I am determined to overthrow the private salt tax system that has been practiced for more than 100 years since Emperor Guangwu, can Uncle Miaocai understand?"

…………

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(End of chapter)