The salt control of the Great Zhou has always been managed by the salt affairs departments in various places, and the control is in the hands of the government.

Although this method can ensure fiscal revenue, it has many drawbacks, not only resulting in a bloated bureaucracy, a monopoly on transportation and sales, but also a lot of gray industrial chains.

Some corrupt officials and corrupt officials make a lot of money, but they pity ordinary people, and this policy has long made the people complain.

Since Zhou Yuan ascended the throne, he has always wanted to change, decentralize the operation of salt, and change the previous outright official operation to official collection, commercial transportation, commercial sales, and unified collection of salt tax. The state is only responsible for purchasing and wholesaling, and the corresponding salt agencies have been reduced.

In this way, the imperial court is relaxed, the tax will not be reduced, and the salt merchants seem to have greater freedom, but in fact, they are still under the control of the imperial court, and the imperial court only needs to control the salt merchants and prevent them from raising prices.

Moreover, the development of salt transportation is still to promote employment and promote economic development.

However, the ideal is very full, the reality is very skinny, and although the policy is good, only a few places can succeed in reform, and most areas are still conservative and cannot be implemented due to the obstacles in the open and the dark.

The reform, starting from Liuzhou, is also a pilot, this place is close to the capital, if it can drive the development of the surrounding economy through the reform, it is a good start, and it will be easier to implement it in other places in the future.

After Xiao Lan said these truths, Cao Songshan frowned in embarrassment:

"This policy sounds good, and we want to cooperate, but the prince doesn't know, and if he wants to take back the right to transport salt from the locality, it is tantamount to snatching a bone from the mouth of a vicious dog, which is so easy."

"Let's just say that this Qianchuan Chamber of Commerce manages most of the salt transportation channels, especially water transportation, and the cargo ships at the major wharves are theirs, for so many years, they have long been a family of their own, and they have dealings with gangs on the rivers and lakes, so a simple order can be controlled."

"It's a fantasy that you want to weed them out now and find someone else to join."

Speaking of this, Cao Songshan glanced at Xiao Lan's face, sighed and said, "But don't worry about the prince, even if it is difficult to get off the official, he will still give it a try." ”

Xiao Lan's face was grim, and he said word by word: "It's not to try, but to do, can't the government even manage a chamber of commerce?" ”

Cao Songshan seemed to have expected him to say this, and said with an embarrassed face:

"This, it's really not that the lower officials don't want to do it, the chambers of commerce in various places are free to compete, and I can't help others if they can't compete for it, and other traders can't get on the boat when they get the salt, besides, the government is involved in the grievances of the rivers and lakes, which is not good."

Speaking of, Cao Songshan is the best at it, and he just doesn't want to care about it.

Ruan Ning understood, isn't this a monopoly, and it is estimated that this Cao Taishou has also gained a lot of benefits from it.

Xiao Lan directly pointed out the main point: "The dignified salt division was actually held hostage by a chamber of commerce, the growth of the chamber of commerce did not happen overnight, how did it get to this scale, Cao Taishou doesn't know?" ”

Cao Songshan pretended to be confused: "This, this subordinate official really doesn't know, before the subordinate official took office, this Qianchuan Chamber of Commerce was like this, you let the small one compete with them, the small one is really powerless." ”

*

At night, Xiao Lan and Ruan Ning stayed in the Taishou Mansion, Ruan Ning thought of Cao Songshan's flamboyant appearance just now, and couldn't help but say:

"Lord Wang, does this matter really matter?"

Xiao Lan glanced at her: "What do you think?" ”

Ruan Ning didn't believe that Xiao Lan would just forget it anyway, she really wanted to see how he would get paid.

She smiled, "I think you must have a clever idea. ”

Xiao Lan hooked his lips, noncommittal.

The little guy in Taishou Mansion sent the two back to the courtyard, Xiao Lan came to this place once, and it was not a stranger.

When he came to a fork in the road, Xiao Lan suddenly pressed Ruan Ning's shoulder, then stroked the hairpin on the top of her head, and said in a deep voice: "The hairpin is crooked." ”

Ruan Ning tilted her head, not understanding what he was trying to do, and in the next second, she saw Xiao Lan glancing at the path on the right, as if she was giving her a look.

She looked at the little guy walking in front of her, and then at the fork in the road next to her, and immediately spoke:

"Ah, this is so beautiful, there is a lake in the yard, the prince~ people want to go shopping, okay~"

Ruan Ning exerted her pretentiousness to the end, and her voice was soft and could drip water, she thought that this would be the case, but she didn't expect Xiao Lan to pull with her.

I saw him say with a serious face: "Aren't you tired, let's go back and rest early." ”

Ruan Ning took a deep breath, shook Xiao Lan's arm, and said in his throat: "Don't~ It's still early, just play for a while, Lord Wang~"

Seeing this, the little guy in front stopped, and couldn't help but be speechless in his heart, saying that the hero was sad to pass the beauty pass, who can bear it.

Sure enough, in the next second, Xiao Lan immediately relaxed, pinched Ruan Ning's face slightly, and said in a slightly doting tone: "Okay, it's up to you." ”

Ruan Ning was caught off guard by Xiao Lan's pinching of her face, and inexplicably felt a little numb in her cheeks, she quickly settled down, pulled Xiao Lan and walked to the side, and didn't forget to say to the little guy before leaving: "Let's go shopping, don't follow us." ”

After walking away, Ruan Ning let go of Xiao Lan and rubbed his face that had just been pinched by him.

*

The two avoided the flow of people, and the more they walked, the more remote they became, the wind was cold at night, and when the cold wind blew, Ruan Ning couldn't help but shrink his neck.

Although she believed Xiao Lan, she couldn't help but ask, "Lord Wang, where are we going?" ”

Xiao Lan said truthfully: "The last time I came, I found a secret passage in the house and went to see it. ”

Secret passages? Ruan Ning felt that it was dangerous when she heard this, she didn't really want to go, and asked tentatively: "I don't know anything, you are not afraid of dragging you down with me?" ”

Xiao Lan glanced at her: "What if you are left alone in the yard and found out." ”

That's true, but ......

Ruan Ning: "Let's just explain the disappearance of the two of us together?" ”

As soon as the words fell, there was a sudden sound of footsteps behind the two, Ruan Ning was startled, and before he could react, he was picked up by Xiao Lan by his waist and directly against the tree next to him.

If Ruan Ning didn't know Xiao Lan's character, there was a high probability that he would think he was playing hooligan.

She grabbed Xiao Lan's shoulder helplessly: "No, what are you doing?" ”

Xiao Lan said succinctly: "Called." ”

Ruan Ning didn't react for a while: "Huh? ”

Xiao Lan said in a deep voice: "Someone is watching." ”

Ruan Ning understood, this was to let her cooperate with him to act, but this was too embarrassing, although she had never eaten pork and had seen a pig run, but on such a blunt occasion, it was really difficult for her.

Xiao Lan leaned over in front of her, and the whole person was covered with her, Ruan Ning had to squeeze out a sentence: "Lord Wang, don't~"

*

(End of chapter)