New Shun 1730

This move is actually the most effective counterattack against the salt administration reform.

Because this kind of reform, in Wu Jingzi's view, is only a temporary benefit.

It is similar to the equal distribution of land.

After the equal distribution of land, there will indeed be a wave of prosperity in the dynasty within a few decades.

But after the equal distribution of land, free trading is still allowed, so in the end it is just a merger. If the land is equalized after the merger, it will be in the middle and late stages. Will there be the ability to implement it?

It is a temporary solution, not a fundamental solution.

The progress of industry and commerce and the speed of big fish eating small fish are much faster than land. Wu Jingzi saw the progressive merger of big capital industry and commerce and the speed of suppressing small workshops in Songjiang Prefecture. The speed of land merger is far worse than that of capital industry and commerce.

The principles of the world are all the same.

History has indeed proved this point. This kind of salt administration reform, similar to the equal distribution of land after merger, is a temporary solution, not a fundamental solution. In the first three to five years of the reform, the people did benefit greatly from it, and fiscal revenue increased.

But a few years later, before the Taiping Rebellion, Jiangxi Salt District had already collapsed, and private salt completely defeated official salt, because small vendors had no capital and were unwilling to go so far; then Hubei Salt District also collapsed, because of disorder and freedom, a large number of small vendors entered Wuhan and other big cities, salt was unsalable, and a large number of salt merchants collapsed directly; at the same time, the small vendors who had planned well had no capital to undertake business in distant areas far away from water transportation.

And... indeed, the salt gang was gone, but the wealthy families cooperated to buy out the salt tickets and resell them, just like the previous salt sales.

It is similar to the core of the comment of the person who used the Lena River as a pen name in later generations on some of Mr. Sun Yat-sen's land policies: using [girlish innocence] to formulate policies, the subjective purpose and the objective practice are exactly the opposite - although it is said that there were some problems in the translation of land policies due to the multiple translations from Chinese to French, then to Belgian, and finally to the Russian of the Neva Star, but if you don't look at the details, the overall evaluation of the policy is correct: it goes in the opposite direction and the theory is not solid.

These officials are similar. They want to rely on simply changing the legal basis as a means, and have a beautiful fantasy of anti-monopoly. As a result, they formulate pure, accelerated, orthodox, capital, and rapid mergers and inevitable industry monopoly policies.

It should be said that Wu Jingzi's thinking on the issue of land mergers and what he saw and heard in Songjiang Prefecture allowed him to find the biggest loophole in Dashun's salt policy reform this time.

If this knife is inserted, it seems to be a breaking point.

But... he forgot to consider one thing, Dashun is different.

So, after listening excitedly, the big salt merchant Zheng Yuxu felt a chill in his heart.

Looking at Wu Jingzi again, I feel that something is not right.

If... using capital to draw a line to ensure that only oneself can enter, it must be fine to do so before.

In the entire Dashun, only salt merchants can take out millions of taels of silver in an instant.

It's not that others didn't have money in the past, but land and other things are real estate. And the business model of gentry does not require a large amount of liquid capital. Salt merchants need a lot of cash, liquid capital, and have enough silver in their hands.

Unique.

At least it was in the past.

But what about now?

Isn't it "making wedding clothes for others" to do this now?

Compare capital?

Compare silver?

Compare liquidity?

Those "nouveau riche" in Songjiang Prefecture are afraid of this?

What they are afraid of is not comparing capital but silver.

What they are afraid of is comparing relationships, clans, courts, and social networks.

How much is the admission ticket? Silver or gold? Or pearls from Ceylon and North America?

"Capital verification and mortgage"? A group of maritime trade groups that are almost the "silver banknote issuing bank" of Dashun would be afraid of using courtyard properties as collateral, but why would they be afraid of using silver as a capital verification collateral?

For a moment, Zheng Yuxu even suspected that Wu Jingzi had been bribed by the chaebols in Songjiang and ran here to be a dead spy?

This worked before. It really doesn't work now.

Moreover, the people who are now inspecting the salt industry in Huaibei are precisely the backers and behind-the-scenes manipulators of those Songjiang merchants.

Think about this method proposed by Wu Jingzi again, is it really just a coincidence?

I'm afraid that ordinary people would not think so.

Zheng Yuxu is just an ordinary person. It was his ancestors who made it step by step by carrying baskets and selling salt in the streets, not him.

And the salt merchants are similar to those who sat at home selling tea, porcelain and silk at the port before, all of them are trash. This is also one of the reasons why Liu Yu does not think highly of them: it is too easy to make money lying down, and they have made people useless. They have no enterprising spirit, no power to expand, and can't even do basic public relations.

Even normal people would be suspicious, let alone such a useless person who can only let his wife stay at home to take care of customers and make money after bankruptcy?

The suspicion is even greater, Zheng Yuxu must be on guard.

"Brother Minxuan, your method is very wonderful. However, I don't understand one thing."

Wu Jingzi thought it was still some technical problems, thinking that since it has come to this, he said it all at once, and it would be considered as a matter of concern. From now on, I don't owe you, and you don't owe me.

"Brother Zheng, just talk."

"Brother Minxuan is wild and unrestrained, and he knows a lot about Jiangnan. He often ridicules the gentry and the rich, and his reputation is very sharp. To put it bluntly, salt merchants like us don't have a good reputation among the people."

When Zheng Yuxu talked about his bad reputation, he smiled and continued: "Officials think that we are well-off people, so that the official salt is no match for the private salt, it is all because of us; the common people think that we are When the news of the salt reform came out, many people applauded. "

"Ordinarily, Brother Minxuan doesn't have any... no favorable impressions of salt merchants like me, right?"

Wu Jingzi did not lie and nodded confidently.

"Brother Zheng is right. I really don't like him very much. But as a human being, you should be virtuous."

"In the past, the Marquis of Huaiyin did not forget the kindness of a meal; the villagers stole Duke Mu's horse, and Duke Mu gave him wine to cure the horse's liver poison. The villagers died in the battle of Hanyuan; the Wei Huo did not sacrifice his father's love for his concubine, and he would eventually end up with grass. Retribution... These are all great virtues from ancient times. Nowadays, when people's hearts are not as moral as ancient times, although many people forget them, I will not forget them."

"When I was in poverty, I received great kindness from you. How can I not repay it?"

Speaking of this, he couldn't help but sigh and said: "In order to repay this kindness, my best friend and I cut off our seats and robes, which can be regarded as settling a worry."

He said it sincerely.

But Zheng Yuxu couldn't help but said in her heart: Nonsense! Are there still such fools in these days?

Those people in Songjiang Prefecture are really interesting. Even if they want to mess with me, they still use such excuses?

Counting from the Spring and Autumn Period, and adding together dozens of official and private histories, how many such people are there? Why did I encounter it?

Others don't know the nature of this scholar, how can I, a salt merchant and a keeper, not know it? When the family is rich, friends are all over the world, but once it declines, even if they fall out and deny each other, they fall out faster than the woman on the Qinhuai River.

When he heard the last few steps of the idea Wu Jingzi gave him, "verify and buy tickets," he was already muttering in his heart.

Once you have this idea, once you start to take a preset position, your thoughts will be completely different.

I was afraid that this was exactly what the Songjiang merchant had in mind.

Since Duke Xingguo is now inspecting the salt administration and he is a popular person around His Majesty, he is afraid that if he directly gives out the method of verifying capital and buying votes, he will be criticized for seeking personal gain and seeking the interests of the party behind him in Songjiang Prefecture. Therefore, it is not good. Say it directly.

But he sent this old poor man to me to give me some advice. If I hadn't been smart and prudent, I would have fallen into his trap.

Let me first mobilize Jiangnan scholars to discuss the possible problems that salt reform may encounter. Then I will pay for it and mobilize Jiangnan scholars to talk about the importance of verifying capital to buy tickets.

In this way, public opinion in the world will think that what I said is reasonable.

At that time, Duke Xingguo will go with the flow and say so, then just verify the capital and buy the tickets.

By then, wouldn't it be that Songjiang Prefecture's capital would swarm in?

Who doesn’t know that salt is fat?

If we compare with capital, I'm afraid we are still half way behind.

At that time, what else can we say?

The words are our own to say, and our own methods are ours to propose.

It is impossible to say that Duke Xingguo has to pretend to oppose it to show that he is impartial, selfless and devoted to the country!

This is called pushing the boat half way and half way.

This is how we dig our own graves. If we believe this poor guy, we big salt merchants will be ruined!

Thinking of this, Zheng Yuxu squeezed out a smile and said: "Brother Minxuan's method really solved my urgent need! I have some silver tattoos here, just as a thank you gift. It can be regarded as a time for Brother Minxuan to buy some charcoal in winter when he is studying and writing. Grab your hands and buy some ice to beat the heat in the summer. Come on..."

Just as he was about to call someone, he was interrupted by Wu Jingzi: "I appreciate Brother Zheng's kindness. But I don't want to take a penny this time. For Brother Zheng, I have come up with such an idea that is detrimental to the country and all the people. It’s a last resort. If I take Brother Zheng’s money again, I’m afraid I won’t be able to sleep for the rest of my life.”

"The kindness we received in the past, if measured in terms of money, is two hundred taels. If Brother Zheng still keeps the salt industry, he will make no less than tens of millions of profits in a hundred years. I will repay him ten thousand times, which can be regarded as fulfilling my wish and ending the fetters of the past."

"From now on, there will be no friendship between you and me."

"I've finished speaking, take my leave!"

After saying that, he was about to leave. Zheng Yuxu was startled and asked hurriedly: "Where does Brother Minxuan want to go?"

"Songjiang Mansion. I have seen all kinds of gentry and salt merchants. Now the demons are dancing in Songjiang Mansion, and there is a new ugliness, which I have never seen before. I want to take a closer look. Brother Zheng, my kindness has been repaid, my righteousness has been taken, let's Leave it at that!”

He said goodbye, walked out the door without looking back, and walked toward the east alone.

Zheng Yuxu looked at Wu Jingzi's back and thought to himself, if you do this, all the benefits of the salt will belong to the merchants of Songjiang Prefecture.

When my father saw how pitiful you were, he gave you two hundred taels of silver before you could say anything. Is this how you repay us?

People’s hearts are not as old as they used to be, and their morals have become corrupt!

After sighing twice, Zheng Yuxu thought that this matter was of great importance and had to rush to summon the major salt merchants to discuss the matter.

When he explained Wu Jingzi's method, these salt merchants had almost the same idea as him, and they all said: "It's a good strategy! I'm afraid it won't kill us, but it won't hurt us! How vicious is it?"

"We, the salt merchants, and those in Songjiang Prefecture who go to the East, West, and Southeast Asia to make floral fabrics, silk, tea, and shipbuilding, glass, and river excavations, have always stayed within the same well. We will not interfere with their business, and they will not interfere with their business. Don’t covet our salt.”

"It can be seen that this person's heart is not enough, but these people are not satisfied, and they want to reach out to us? With this method, do you really think that we have never seen the Romance of the Three Kingdoms? Isn't this just Pang Tong going to Cao Ying to offer a series of tricks?"