Volume 2: The King's Way Chapter 173 Treasures
Zheng Xing had never felt so full of hatred and even panic towards the white salt as he did at this moment.
Two hours ago, he was worried that there was some "conspiracy" in the General of Chariots and Cavalry's Mansion, and whether they wanted to use their "ancestral property" to bleed.
However, during these two hours, except for the initial silence and humility, they were basically full of expectations, hoping to find fillers such as straw in the salt, and then... their hopes were dashed again and again.
Now, two hours later, he finally understood that compared to the "conspiracy", what was more uncomfortable was the ironclad facts.
There is no doubt that Bai Tu’s previous words were not bragging.
The seventeen alliances that control the salt industry of Eastern Wu?
Sorry, Baitu can produce as much salt in one month as they do in one year, and this number can be continuously increased!
And Zheng Xing had to admit that the salt here... was better than the one they cooked!
What is even more despairing is that they are very clear about the amount of firewood transported into the salt field in the past two months, which means... the cost is much lower than theirs.
Although he really couldn't figure out how that little firewood could produce so much salt, but... the facts were already in front of him, and Bai Tu could easily make them a joke.
As long as this batch of official salt comes in, their private salt will be in great embarrassment. Even if they do not provide sales channels, it will only delay this time slightly.
And everyone knows that the Lu and Yu families will definitely cooperate with Bai Tu immediately, so there will be no channel squeezing.
Will they be able to sell their private salt by then? Will they lower the price?
Judging from the cost of official salt, taking the low-price route will only make them cry and have no idea what is going on.
If it is profitable, they are willing to take the risk of smuggling salt, but... they are absolutely unwilling to do business at a loss!
As for using darker means?
Of course there is! After today, they will try their best to find out the secrets of this salt farm, but...
This definitely does not include "violence". After all, they know very well that when it comes to fists, there is no comparison between some aristocratic families and the General's Mansion with more than 100,000 soldiers and armored troops!
Even if they had hundreds or thousands of servants at home, they would be vulnerable to the army if they were unable to incite the people.
Moreover, Bai Tu did not charge them with the crime of smuggling salt and directly arrested them, which was already "gentle" enough. Would they dare to crack down on official salt?
More importantly, in the two years since Bai Tu came to Jiangdong, from the Governor's Mansion at the beginning to the General of Chariots and Cavalry's Mansion now, he has gradually gained the trust of the people of Jiangdong and the aristocratic families.
Until the Three Kingdoms period, before the establishment of Eastern Wu here, the Chinese civilization had always paid little attention to and development of Jiangdong.
This is a historical problem. Even during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, except for the Wu State in the northeast of Jiangdong, the Yue State was seen as a group of barbarians by the other vassal states. Although the Chu State was powerful, it was also vaguely blackened by the other countries and regions. After all, in terms of ancestral origins, the ancestors were foreign countries that fought and stopped with the Zhou Dynasty. Later, they were recognized as vassal states because of their strong strength, and their culture was close to the Central Plains, but in essence they were not the authentic Chinese state.
It was not until the Five Barbarians invaded China and the Chinese people migrated south that Jiangdong reached its peak of development.
Even before the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Jiangdong was almost autonomous, and even the prefects and county magistrates of each county were often locals. Unlike in the Central Plains, local officials were usually appointed from other places.
This is also why Bai Tu did not take the private salt issue with them too seriously before. The salt tax should be collected from the people and used for the people, so that everyone can be convinced.
The Han Dynasty's gains and efforts in Jiangdong were not a loss...
However, the situation is naturally different now. Not to mention the disaster relief for the current drought, what about building roads and bridges and popularizing education in the future? Which of these won’t require money?
However, this money comes from taxes, so Bai Tu feels at ease collecting it, because this is taking from the people and using it for the people.
After hearing Lu Da's report, Lu Kang was in disbelief, but his eyes also lit up - sure enough, he did it again!
The Lu family has the qualifications to remain unmoved. After all, even without the salt profits, the Lu family is still the Lu family.
However, people like Zheng Xing and others were already panicking at this time and were already communicating with Pang Tong about the relevant matters of "salt permits".
Lu Kang had previously conveyed Bai Tu’s ideas on salt tax to each family.
From now on, each household will need to purchase salt permits from the General's Mansion, and then use the salt permits to pick up salt from various salt fields.
In addition to the salt permit, one must first purchase the "Salt Certificate" - which refers to the "qualification" to purchase the salt permit. The validity period of the salt permit is ten years, and... it requires bidding!
That is equivalent to the status of "agent".
However, Bai Tu specifically mentioned that those wealthy people who made a living by boiling salt once had the priority right to purchase the "Salt Gang".
In this way, it won't be a complete annihilation of Bai Tu. Although the biggest beneficiary of the salt industry in the future will be the General's Office, or in other words... the salt tax can finally be collected, but if they can obtain the "Salt Gang" , the future benefits are also worth looking forward to.
Zheng Xing and others once just regarded this as a joke, or an excuse, and never thought that one day they would need to buy salt permits from Baitu.
However, now...even the various families other than the Seventeen Families have become interested in the "Salt Gang".
Naturally, Zheng Xing and the others had no chance to be petty, so they quickly grabbed the right of first refusal...
"If you want to apply for a salt package, you can bid here today. In order to provide relief to the victims, the main collateral is grain and farmland in Zhenze area... Twenty-four salt package certificates are now temporarily issued. With the salt package certificates, you can have the right to purchase 5,000 salt permits every year in the next ten years. Each salt permit can be exchanged for 100 dan of sea salt at the salt field." Pang Tong said.
Today is a special situation. Representatives of all the noble families interested in the salt industry are already present, so Pang Tong will preside over the auction of the salt.
As for those who haven't arrived... then we won't bring them along to play. I believe that all the nobles involved in the salt industry here agree on this point!
From now on, the Ministry of Industry will only be responsible for salt production, and salt permits must be purchased from local governments and will be the responsibility of officials under the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
The reason for creating the "Salt Certificate" was to reap a small profit first. The pricing power of the salt permits would also be in Bai Tu's hands, so he could continue to enjoy a long-term benefit.
There is another benefit of selling salt permits to local government offices, which is to use the difference in salt permit prices to attract "merchant settlements" in disguise.
For example, if there is a confrontation with Cao Cao in the future, Bai Tu can sell salt permits at low prices in Hefei and Shouchun, but offer grain in trade. In this way, as long as the salt merchants can make a profit, they will spontaneously reclaim wasteland and grow grain in Huainan - this is what was done in the Ming Dynasty.
Pang Tong, Zheng and other 17 families have all confirmed that no one has given up the right of first refusal...
When the heads of the seventeen companies saw their colleagues who once looked down on "Bai Gong Salt" expressing their loyalty to Bai Gong and their support for the development of Jiangdong salt industry to Pang Tong, they could not help but despise each other.
"Since none of the seventeen families have given up, then bid for the last seven portions of salt. You seventeen families will pay for the salt according to the lowest price in the bidding results." Pang Tong said.
This is already considered as Bai Tu’s special support to them.
Just then, a servant came up pushing a small cart with a red cloth covering the table.
Everyone guessed that this should be the certificate of the salt embassy. Of course... in fact, everyone also knew that this should be just symbolic. In fact, who is qualified and who is not qualified is recorded in the files.
However, when Pang Tong unveiled the red cloth, everyone was dumbfounded.
If it were a modern person, they would definitely not have such a reaction. Isn't it just... a bunch of glass trophies? They look foggy, how worthless they are!
It is just a glass "trophy". The shape is not very artistic and is very rigid. There is a gold-painted word "Salt" on it.
However, in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, when people had never seen glass and only knew that exquisite crystal was a rare thing, an almost transparent glass trophy was directly considered a treasure similar to crystal!
Later in the 20th century, when archaeologists were excavating an ancient tomb from the Warring States Period, they found a "glass cup" in it. The glass cup looked very similar to a household glass cup and was once believed to have been left behind by tomb robbers. Some even believed in frustration that the tomb had been visited by tomb robbers.
However, the subsequent discovery was surprising. The ancient tomb was well preserved. And... which tomb robber would drink water from a glass in an ancient tomb? Did he bring a thermos to drink more hot water? At least he should have brought a canteen!
Later, after testing, it was discovered that it was a national treasure carved from a whole piece of crystal - although it looked like a glass cup.
"This is..." Lu Da was also shocked.
"Salt tax certificate." Pang Tong answered calmly, as if he didn't notice everyone's emotions.
luxury!
The symbol of this certificate alone gives off a sense of nouveau riche... no, a sense of nobility!
"Are these... carved from crystal?" Lu Da was puzzled, his face looking very conflicted.
If it is true that Bai Tu emptied the treasury of large pieces of the most transparent crystal and made more than twenty salt certificates, then in terms of squandering, the Jiangdong nobles are willing to collectively call Bai Tu the strongest!
"I have no comment, but... although this thing will not spoil easily, it is very fragile, so you have to keep it carefully." Pang Tong said.
Lu Da seemed to have heard something and asked tentatively, "Then I wonder if these 'Bai Gong Jing' products will be sold, in addition to being a symbol of the salt certificate?"
"My lord said that these must not be called 'Bai Gong Jing'..." Pang Tong said seriously.
Only this, Bai Tu must refuse!
Lu Da's eyes lit up when he heard this. From the sound of it, it seemed like... these were indeed man-made!
Immediately, Lu Da looked at Lu Kang eagerly. In addition to sea salt, these white salt... well, these treasures that looked like crystals, could they also cooperate in trading?
I just don't know what the production is like...
Pang Tong secretly curled his lips. It turned out that using some glass to make the salt gang was the right thing to do. It psychologically increased the value of the salt gang!
In a blink of an eye, three of the seven salt certificates had been auctioned off, and at this moment... someone came to report that Governor Gan's fleet had entered the port.
So Pang Tong announced that he would temporarily suspend the bidding for the remaining four salt embankments and go to meet Governor Gan first...
Although there were many anxious people, no one dared to refuse. Even though they did not care about the fish, wasn't it their duty to greet the governor in person?
Even in times of peace, the governor was a local official with a rank of 2,000 stones. In today's times, the governor is even more of a symbol of power and authority, especially... This governor Gan is also famous for his dog-like face. If anyone dares not to give him face, he dares to throw feces at the Lu family...
