When Huang Xiongying returned to the courtyard, he found that a person was already waiting for him in the courtyard, it was none other than the guard next to the old man, Jiang Xuan.

When Jiang Xuan saw Huang Xiongying, he hurriedly greeted him and said respectfully: "Childe! ”

"Where's my grandfather?"

Huang Xiongying glanced at Jiang Xuan and asked.

For the guard beside the old man, Huang Xiongying is naturally trustworthy.

Jiang Xuan hurriedly replied: "Childe, Huang (Huang) Ye asked me to come and pick you up, he is waiting for you in Zhuangzi in Jubao Mountain!" ”

"Oh-"

Huang Xiongying sighed, he has been busy with salt and wine recently, but he forgot about the Zhuangzi, the old man said that he would hand over the Zhuangzi to himself to take care of, but he has not been there since last time.

"Then let's go!"

In fact, Huang Xiongying really likes that Zhuangzi.

followed Jiang Zhen into the carriage, and the two went down Jubao Mountain......

Along the way, Jiang Zhen didn't say a word of nonsense, but always sat aside with a respectful expression, which made Huang Xiongying like it very much.

That's what a subordinate should look like.

Don't say what you shouldn't say, don't ask what you shouldn't ask, just know how to do what the master assigns!

The Guo brothers are almost the same character.

Huang Xiongying couldn't help but wonder a little, where did the old man find so many good subordinates?

But everyone has their own secrets, and Huang Xiongying won't ask more, like he has crossed over, and he has crossed over to a dead man, can he say it?

While thinking aimlessly, while enjoying the scenery outside the window, the carriage soon arrived in front of Zhuangzi at the foot of Jubao Mountain.

"Childe, it's here!"

Jiang Zheng respectfully helped Huang Xiongying lift the curtain of the carriage.

Huang Xiongying nodded, and got out of the carriage, and Zhuangzi did not change as he had last visited.

If there is a change, it is the dog at the door, when he saw him, he didn't shout, but lay on the ground, looked at Huang Xiongying twice, and then ignored it.

The old man said last time that if he called his eldest grandson again, he would slaughter and eat it, maybe the dog was afraid......

When I entered the house, I didn't see the old man, and after asking Lao Xu, I found out that the old man was weeding the field again.

"Hey, the old man is really diligent!"

Huang Xiongying said with a smile, and asked Lao Xu to prepare a caftan brown for himself, and then went to the field after changing it.

When he came to the field, he saw a figure carefully weeding in the field.

Huang Xiongying looked at it, and couldn't help but feel a touch of admiration in his heart, he could see that the old man's status in the court was not low, but he could still practice it and put down his body and go to the ground, which was indeed rare.

"Grandpa!"

Huang Xiongying shouted and walked over.

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyes and looked, then he stood up straight, still holding a handful of weeds in his hand, and scolded Huang Xiongying who came over:

"Stinky boy, didn't we say that we will leave this Zhuangzi to you to take care of? Why is the grass growing more and more in this field, except for the one we removed with you last time, nothing else has been touched! ”

Huang Xiongying, who approached, smiled and explained: "Grandpa, I'm not busy with other things during this time, so I don't have time to come over to watch." ”

"Humph!"

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted lightly and said, "Is it the salt and the bar?" We've all heard about it, those two things of yours, the magnates of the Jingshi are all crazy, what's the matter, you have made a lot of money! ”

"It's okay, it's okay, it's just the beginning, and my grandson doesn't just want to make money."

Huang Xiongying said as he walked into the field, where the water was as cool as ever.

Zhu Yuanzhang was also a little tired from weeding, so he walked to the ridge, took off his cloth shoes and shook off the muddy water on them, and said in his mouth: "Those two things of yours are good things, but yes, we don't like them!" ”

"Why?"

Huang Xiongying looked puzzled.

I saw Zhu Yuanzhang put down his cloth shoes, sat down on a recliner on the ridge, and said to Huang Xiongying while fanning the wind with the straw hat in his hand:

"Because, your things are all used for the enjoyment of the powerful, and they have no effect on the common people!"

Huang Xiongying was slightly stunned when she heard this.

The old man's focus is really different from ordinary people, and what he said does make some sense.

Huang Xiongying smiled: "Grandpa, didn't I just say it, I don't just want to make money!" ”

"Oh?"

Zhu Yuanzhang showed a somewhat curious look.

Huang Xiongying continued: "I just want to use these two things to make a lot of money so that I can do other things, and then I will hand over the recipe for making salt to the imperial court, so that our people in the Ming Dynasty can eat clean salt in the future!" ”

"Hmmm......"

After listening to Huang Xiongying's words, Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and grinned: "Good boy, you have this heart, yes, you are our good grandson!" ”

"But ......"

Zhu Yuanzhang changed his words and said: "This salt, it's not a simple thing, it's related to the national economy and people's livelihood, if the court gets your salt making method, I'm afraid there will be people who are restless, and want to borrow this thing to make money, whether the people of the Ming Dynasty can eat clean salt, it's hard to say!" ”

When Huang Xiongying heard this, he couldn't help but show a thoughtful look.

He hadn't thought about it too much.

Since ancient times, salt has been an important tax in all dynasties, and the Ming Dynasty is no exception, so the imperial court is very strict in controlling the salt class.

But even so, there are still many officials and private businessmen who collude to sell illicit salt and make a profit.

If this batch of refined salt is transferred to the government, then there will inevitably be two kinds of salt with very different qualities on the market, and it would be good for the people at the bottom to eat salt, but how could they eat refined salt?

Moreover, in the face of huge profits, it will definitely make many people take risks and sell more illicit salt.

I just said that letting the people of Daming eat clean salt is indeed a bit of a piece of paper talk!

Thinking of this, Huang Xiongying admired the old man a little more.

The ancients had the wisdom of the ancients, even if you came from later generations and knew better, but if you don't think from the perspective of this era, it is biased.

"My grandson has really grown up just now!"

Huang Xiongying replied seriously, but then said: "But it is not without benefit for Sun Er's salt making method to be handed over to the imperial court, although it can't let all the people eat good salt, but at least it can make them eat cheaper salt!" ”

"Hmm."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded in agreement.

His eldest grandson is right, as long as there is better quality salt, then the salt on the market will be abandoned by the elites, the bulk of the national tax revenue will be turned to refined salt, and coarse salt will be further opened to the bottom.

It is already a great credit to let the people at the bottom eat cheap and convenient salt, even if it is coarse salt!

And these are all brought by his eldest grandson of Zhu Yuanzhang!

You must know that since ancient times, it has been a big problem for ordinary people to eat salt, especially at the end of the Yuan Dynasty where he lived, he had the deepest experience at the bottom, sometimes he couldn't eat a mouthful of salt for a month or two, and a bird faded out of his mouth, and his second grandfather even had edema all over his body and almost died......

Now his eldest grandson can be called a great blessing for all the people in the world!

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang's heart felt a burst of pride, but he didn't show it, he knew that it was not good to give too much of anything, including praise.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked quietly: "Then tell me, if you hand over the method of salt making to the imperial court, how should the imperial court manage salt affairs in the future?" ”

"Hmmm......"

Huang Xiongying once again showed a thoughtful look, he really didn't think about this problem.

Because he never thought of participating in the management of the Ming Dynasty, but now that he has met the old man, he can talk about his own opinions.

After thinking for a moment, Huang Xiongying said: "Sun Er thinks that for the management of salt affairs, the current method proposed by Emperor Hongwu is excellent. 'The best plan for the country is also true. ”

In fact, Huang Xiongying's words were by no means deliberately flattering.

Because this was not said by Huang Xiongying, but by Meng Sen, a master of the Republic of China.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, because of the long-term war and the continuous decline of the economy, Zhu Yuanzhang vigorously implemented measures to develop the economy to restore the national economy, in which the opening of the Chinese law played an important role.

In the later period of the Ming Dynasty, with the increasing corruption of the ruling class, the royal family, eunuchs, nobles, and bureaucrats saw that it was profitable to hold salt, and they begged for salt and resold it to salt merchants to make a profit. This phenomenon is known as "nest occupation". This phenomenon has intensified, undermined the system of opening up the central government, and seriously affected the government's fiscal revenue.

Later, in the Qing Dynasty, it was directly changed to an underwriting system of merchants, buyers and sellers, and the government was only responsible for supervising and supervising and collecting salt, thus gradually forming a special group, salt merchants.

For the salt merchants and the imperial power, the two sides reached a consensus on interests, forming a phenomenon of symbiosis between the salt merchants and the imperial power.

It is undeniable that the emergence of salt merchants led to the development of other handicrafts and commerce in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and to a certain extent, promoted economic prosperity.

But the disadvantages are even more serious.

The salt law, which maximizes profits, has directly led to the practice of extortion by officials, the prevalence of private salt, the disorder of the salt law, the collusion between officials and businessmen, and the bribery of salt officials by salt merchants, and the behavior of colluding with salt officials, which has greatly contributed to the corruption of officialdom.

Until the good era in Huang Xiongying's previous life, salt was once again monopolized by the state, which also completely solved the problem of eating salt that had plagued China for thousands of years.

So, is Huang Xiongying's words deliberately flattering? Not at all!

And at this time, after listening to Huang Xiongying's words, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't hide it anymore, and the wrinkles on his face unconsciously melted.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "Is there anything else?" Say it! ”

Huang Xiongying continued: "My grandson thinks, why is it difficult for ordinary people to eat salt? The most fundamental reason is that the income from the sale of salt has become an indispensable part of the national treasury income, and if the imperial court can get rid of its dependence on the salt tax, then the problem of the common people eating salt will be completely solved! ”

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Huang Xiongying with burning eyes, he didn't expect Huang Xiongying to look at the problem so deeply, just like the last time in the southwest toast problem, he said the root cause in one sentence.

If the last time it was well thought out, this time it can definitely be said to be an impromptu answer.

I also thought deeply about this question, and then I realized the root of it, and now the eldest grandson actually gave an answer in a hurry.

Our eldest grandson is really the unicorn of our old Zhu family!

While Zhu Yuanzhang was amazed in his heart, he also sighed lightly: "We have also thought about this problem, but our Daming has taken over a mess from Meng Yuan's hands, and all aspects require huge expenses, which is also helpless!" ”

Huang Xiongying nodded approvingly.

An era has an era limit, not just if you understand the reason, the salt class problem has lasted for thousands of years, and it is by no means something that can be improved overnight, and it needs to be improved by the productive forces of the whole society.

"Anything else?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were full of encouragement.

Huang Xiongying nodded and continued: "If the grandson's salt production method is handed over to the imperial court, the grandson hopes that the imperial court can strengthen the supervision of salt affairs and form a set of supervision system, Dali Temple, the Inspectorate, the Imperial History of Salt Patrol, and the local salt administration officials are supervised at all levels. ”

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled when he heard this, and said, "That's it? ”

Huang Xiongying thought for a while and said, "My grandson just feels like it, if there is anything wrong, please ask grandpa to correct it!" ”

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled: "It's very proper, it's just ...... It's too light! ”

Huang Xiongying was stunned, and only heard Zhu Yuanzhang say: "These corrupt officials and black-hearted businessmen dare to use the salt of the people's livelihood to embezzle ink, and it is too light to execute them, they should all be raided, their wives and daughters should be confiscated into the sect, and the local government has a record, and the children and grandchildren of the family are all beaten as untouchables!" ”

“……”

Huang Xiongying was stunned, this is too ruthless, right?

The Ming hierarchy was strict, and the untouchables were the lowest class, and they were not allowed to participate in the imperial examinations, become scholars, engage in farming, engage in business, or even work.

To become a pariah is to never be able to turn over.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "Does the eldest grandson think that our method is too ruthless?" ”

Seeing that Huang Xiongying didn't answer, Zhu Yuanzhang continued: "You are still too young, I haven't seen the miserable situation of the people, when we were young, Meng Yuan was in power, and there was a natural disaster in our hometown, and there was no harvest!" But those officials not only did not help, not to mention the food for disaster relief, but increased taxes, we remember that time, the bark on the mountain was gnawed away, the grass on the ground was eaten up, and the Guanyin soil in the temple was rushed to stuff into the stomach, and even Yi Zi ate it, but I still don't know how many people starved to death! ”

Speaking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were slightly red: "Your grandfather and grandmother are starving to death, and our second grandfather is also dying of Guanyin soil!" ”

Huang Xiongying was silent.

Yes, I was born in a good era, although it was a little hard, but after all, I was never hungry or cold, and the words "Yi Zi and Eat" made people shudder just by listening to it.

Think about the hungry people, what would that be like?

Huang Xiongying didn't dare to imagine......

"Okay, let's not talk about this, let's look at you, no matter how you look at it, it doesn't look like farming material, don't pull it out, let's still touch the crab!"

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and ended the heavy topic, because he had already received a satisfactory answer from Huang Xiongying's mouth.

"Grandpa, don't underestimate me, I'm also a good farmer!" Huang Xiongying said with a smile.

"Huh-"

Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled: "Pulling a grass is like pulling a radish, it's still a good hand?" Let's see if it's true! ”

"You'll find out later!"

Huang Xiongying said, put the weeds in his hand on the field stalks, pouted his buttocks, and went to dig out the crabs.

"Hey, you're pretty honest!"

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed happily, pulled up his wet cloth shoes, and walked into the field......

……

"Lanyu went to you?"

In front of the dinner table, Zhu Yuanzhang asked Huang Xiongying while holding a crab and biting it.

"Hmm."

Huang Xiongying nodded.

It's not a secret that Lan Yu went to his wine shop, and many powerful children went to him to buy wine because Lan Yu went.

He originally wanted to mention Lanyu to the old man, but he didn't expect the old man to mention it first, which saved him a lot of trouble.

"What do you think of Lan Yu?"

The old man asked seemingly casually.

Huang Xiongying thought for a moment and said, "Blue jade...... He's not a good guy! ”