New Shun 1730

The closer he got to Haizhou, the more relaxed Liu Yu felt.

Although he had never been exposed to salt policy issues before, the economic structure was there, and he could probably guess some things.

This is different from the contracting and subcontracting of later generations. In later generations of contracting and subcontracting, it costs 10 yuan. The general contractor gets 5 yuan first, and the remaining 5 yuan is given to the sub-contractor. In theory, it costs 8 yuan to do a job, but in reality it only costs 3 yuan. .

This kind of contracting, which is similar to the tax-package system, charges 10 yuan from the top, 20 yuan from the general contractor, and 30 yuan from the common people to the sub-contractors.

Guanyan has many problems, but the ones that are easiest to fix are precisely these general contractors. If you deal with them first, most of the problems will be solved first.

As for personal gains and losses, these things are troublesome to manage, and the efficiency is too low. Moreover, they are only management details and cannot be reversed through system construction.

Before coming, he told Shi Shiyong: The purpose of pulling weeds is to grow food, not to pull weeds.

After talking to Shi Shiyong about this journey, Shi Shiyong understood what the direction of the investigation this time was.

The Boy's Army has no law enforcement power, only criminal investigation power, and the final disposition must go through the court's judicial procedures.

As for the direction of directional investigation and handling, the focus of directional investigation and handling is not precisely on the investigation and handling, but on the direction.

Once you understand the direction, the investigation is the easiest - who doesn't have shit on their butt?

Liu Yu did not deliberately humiliate the incompetent imperial court of Dashun, but what could the successive salt patrol officers do? The only resource that can be mobilized is the imperial court. But if the imperial court can solve the management problem of salt sales, will it still need salt merchants?

As long as any salt patrol officer who wants to do something dares to move, he will be killed by these businessmen who monopolize the sales channels. If you dare to move today, you will make Henan unable to eat salt tomorrow. The people will be restless, and the court will not be able to accept the salt. It will be done in two days and get out of the house.

But he is different. Liu Yu is really not afraid of these means.

Behind him, there is a new type of chaebol that has adopted a reserve banknote system, has a joint-stock system that is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, can quickly raise capital, and has an efficient board of directors decision-making group.

What he has to deal with is a group of old-style business associations that rely on clan, kinship, fellow villagers' relationships, making friends with scholars, building a network of relationships, and openly fighting among peers.

If you can't even win against such an opponent, then don't think about major events like winning a decisive victory over the West and seizing market dominance.

Liu Yu thought to himself, just practice.

Shi Shiyong saw that Liu Yu was relaxed all the way, and he was also infected, and he was also relaxed.

Seeing that he was about to arrive at Haizhou, he asked: "Is the Duke planning to show off his power or something? The brothers under my command may not be as good at field battles as the Qingzhou Army, which was able to quickly change formations when facing the enemy, and quickly switch between horizontal and column formations." , but the advantage is that he looks majestic, and his power is still powerful enough.”

Liu Yu smiled and said: "Why are you showing off? You should eat and drink. This kind of thing is nothing more than silver and salt. I can mobilize a lot of silver, but the key is salt. How much can I control? I won't show off today. Today I will just Eat and drink. Just pay, but remember to write a receipt.”

Liu Yu was trustworthy to Shi Shiyong. He directly told Shi Shiyong what the key issue was, which was silver and salt.

And salt is essentially silver. It's nothing more than producing it in advance, and the payment is actually just one year's interest.

Not much, not a big problem.

Shi Shiyong didn't ask any more questions. Just like the Japanese affairs back then, he didn't understand these trade matters, so he just listened to what he should do.

When they arrived at Haizhou, the local officials and the big salt merchants had been waiting there for a long time. After completing the formalities of welcoming them, the leading officials and the general contractor of the salt merchants hurriedly said: "My Lord has worked hard all the way, so I have prepared some food and wine, especially for the country." Public access to the wind and dust.”

Liu Yu nodded with a smile, but his words were a bit strange.

"I've long heard that a plate of your egg-fried rice costs fifty taels of silver. It's rare for someone like me, a serious Zhongming Dingshi family, to be given countless meals in the Forbidden Palace. Let’s open our eyes today. Is there any fried rice with eggs and fish soup at the reception today?”

The faces of several general contractors suddenly became nervous. The reason why they were nervous was not because Liu Yu said that their food was expensive. Why would they not eat if they had money? And few people are familiar with Liu Yu's somewhat "heart-breaking" words about giving banquets in the forbidden palace.

"The Duke is joking. They are just rumors in the market. Just like those villagers said that the Empress of the East Palace bakes big cakes and the Empress of the West Palace makes golden hoes."

Shi Shiyong on the side laughed secretly in his heart and said, "Duke, didn't you say you can't show off your power?" If you don't come to show off your power and still say these words, then there is no need.

The crowd carefully replied to Liu Yu's words, then welcomed Liu Yu into the hall and asked Liu Yu to take a seat.

After two rounds of drinks, a general contractor surnamed Zheng asked respectfully: "The Duke has received the holy order to come to Haizhou this time. I wonder what important matters he has to do?"

Shi Shiyong looked unhappy, thinking he was asking for information, but Liu Yu said lightly: "It's not a big deal."

"Someone in the court proposed to reform the salt policy. His Majesty sent me to see if the salt policy can be changed. If it can be changed, it will be changed; if it cannot be changed, it will not be changed. Without investigation and research, there is no right to speak. , right?”

All of a sudden, everyone in the room was silent. No one expected Liu Yu to speak so straightforwardly.

If there is another way of understanding this, it seems more like asking for a bribe - if I say I can change it, I can change it, if I say I can't change it, maybe I can't.

But considering Liu Yu's reputation, these salt merchants felt that it didn't look like him.

But if not, then it would be a bit difficult to understand if you say it directly.

In silence, Liu Yu turned his eyes to the general contractor who had just asked the question.

It had been introduced before the meal that the Zheng family was deeply rooted in the salt business world.

This man's name is Zheng Yuji, and his ancestors have some relationship with Dashun, but the relationship is quite complicated - Gao Jie, who took Li Zicheng's wife away, committed a crime when he was working under Wang Yongji, the governor of Shandong, and was a big salt merchant in Yangzhou. Zheng Zhiyan's son Zheng Yuanxun told the story. Later, Gao Jie's misdeeds in Yangzhou eventually led to Zheng Yuanxun being rumored to have colluded with Gao Jie and being beaten to death by the people.

Descendants are scattered all over the country, but relying on the business relationships and family disciples back then, many imperial examination officials and big salt merchants still emerged from the family as dynasties changed.

In the Dashun Dynasty, there were still officials and businessmen, and the family was revived, although they may not all be direct descendants.

The ancestors must be traced back to Zheng Yuanxun, because although Zheng Zhiyan was a general contractor of Yangzhou salt merchants during the Wanli period, he was not an official after all, and Zheng Yuanxun had passed the Jinshi examination.

The foundation of the ancestors is very important for future generations to branch out. An emaciated camel is bigger than a horse. These large families are dead but not stiff. They may not come back to life at any time. The change of dynasties has little impact.

Liu Yu thought about the past, and then looked at the people in front of him. Except for a few civilians who passed the imperial examination, basically the family clan had a foundation of more than a hundred years.

Think again about the tragic situation in history when salt merchants were ruined along with the salt policy reform - it is said that many people were used to being pampered, and after their families were ruined, they were unable to make a living or work. It is said that some were poor and could not survive. Please discuss this with your wife. , and finally asked my wife to pick up guests at home in exchange for money.

Liu Yu couldn't help but shook his head, clicked his tongue and said: "Don't be afraid. To change or not to change, in fact, for you, there are two ways."

"Or stick to the old ways."

"Either you change your mind and do something if you have money? Right?"

"Let me make it clear to you. If we want to make changes, the first people to make changes are you general contractors."

These words were more serious than before, but Liu Yu didn't take it seriously and said with a smile: "Don't panic. I have read such a story before. Listen to it, it is very interesting."

"It's said that in a certain dynasty, there was such a wealthy family, and a noble concubine was born in the family. It's just that one day the concubine passed away, and the family was in a panic, so they had to spend money to recruit eunuchs to find out the news."

"The male housekeeper, who usually has a smelly smell, always goes to the house, always asking for money in the name of my wife. At this time, I asked my wife for money, but she couldn't get a penny, and she was scolded a lot, saying You ask for money in the name of your empress, what don’t I know?”

After telling this little story, Liu Yu slowly stretched out two fingers. Seeing the livid faces of everyone, he said with a smile: "This story tells two truths."

"First, there must be people on top. If the people on top fall, then the bottom cannot stand. Once the top falls, the trees will fall and the trees will scatter. Even the previous discord between the husband and wife can no longer be tolerated and all will explode."

"Secondly, if you want money, you have to do it in the name of the boss."

"I guess it's the same for you. For example, if you ask for money in the name of an official, governor, governor, or state pastor, let the sub-contractors and retail merchants below pay it. I'm sure you will pay it too. In the end, At the very least, you have to repay the money spent on inspecting smuggled salt, right? The funds provided by the court are not enough. "

"But your money will be returned in full. The money of retail merchants and sub-contractors will be divided into 30/70."

"I just made a wild guess based on that story, right? Just think of it as nonsense. But you didn't use my name to say that you wanted to take care of me, and you didn't want me to be reformed, so you came to ask for money, right?"

He said it was nonsense, but these salt merchants and salt officials were all frightened when they heard it. This is not a very advanced method. It has been played like this since ancient times. The formalism of apportioning private shares, increasing payments, and even returning the money of the wealthy gentry in full has been omitted. The methods used by these people are really similar.

Zheng Yuji looked pale, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and said tremblingly: "The Duke is joking."

Liu Yu smiled and said: "Really? That's best. Otherwise, this matter is actually quite serious. Do you know what this is called?"

"This is called businessmen intervening in politics. This is businessmen using their wealth to interfere in national decision-making. It's similar to what Lu Buwei did."

The words became more and more serious, and everyone knew that this meal was not going to be good.

Shi Shiyong, who was eating and drinking by himself, said, "My dear, isn't this a show of force?" So what do you think it would be like to show off your power? Besides, isn't this just a warning?