Peerless Pirates

The salt-producing lands of the entire Daqi Kingdom spread from the coast of Shandong Road to the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions south of the Yangtze River (the latest chapter of Rebirth of the Future Military Road). Among them, the coastal areas of the Jianghuai region, that is, the area from the north of the Yangtze River to Shandong Road,

It is the most important salt-producing area.

The Ji family was originally a salt and iron envoy of the former Song Dynasty. They also relied on salt to build up a large family and control the salt fields south of the Yangtze River. At that time, Taizu went south in order to gain the support of the powerful families in the south of the Yangtze River as soon as possible, so as to raise enough funds to establish a political power and resist the enemy.

Foreign enemies, therefore, promised to hand over part of the salt fields in the Jianghuai area that had been destroyed by the war to the Ji family, thus obtaining a large amount of funds.

Later, after the Da Qi State was stabilized, official salt fields were set up to control the expansion of the Ji family. After the elimination of King Liu Fengnian of Lu, official salt fields were also set up. However, due to the original agreement, Taizu and Taizong never used salt.

A monopoly was formed, so a situation of combining government and private operations was formed.

Changes occurred after Huang Yuandu became prime minister (cold-blooded president txt download). Due to the huge pressure from Pang Hui's army, Huang Yuandu wanted to raise funds to form his own military force. Therefore, the Ji family, a wealthy man in the south of the Yangtze River, became Huang Yuandu's first target.

Just like what Taizu did back then, he promised to hand over the official salt field to the Ji family, raised funds to expand the Dark Eagle, established a capital guard, and cultivated his own military power.

After Huang Yuandu's phase stabilized, he gradually closed the government-run salt fields and gave them to several large families headed by the Ji family, and the taxes collected were not high. In this way, Huang Yuandu collected all the salt revenue that originally belonged to Da Qi.

The Ji family is also providing a steady stream of funds for Dark Eagle's operations.

Mines, banks, and other industries run by Jiangnan's wealthy families also basically fall into this situation. This has resulted in a situation where Jiangnan's wealthy families control the lifeline of the economy.

Correspondingly, due to the decrease in Da Qi's finances, the problem of redundant troops has never been solved, so that the payment arrears have become more and more serious, almost to the point of being unsustainable. Therefore, the conflict between Huang Yuandu and Pang Hui became more and more intense.

There were also constant battles between Dark Eagle and the Imperial City Division. At this time, in order to solve the military expenditure problem, Pang Hui had to acquiesce in allowing the border troops to smuggle goods.

In the past two years, both Pang Hui and Huang Yuandu realized that Daqi as a whole would be unsustainable if things continued like this, so they began to try to cooperate. Huang Yuandu, on the other hand, was constrained by the powerful Jiangnan clan and wanted to take back his monopoly rights such as salt and iron.

Pang Hui's side also tried to eliminate redundant troops and integrate the forces in the army.

As a result of the cooperation between the two parties, the Du Wei Army officially became the capital's defense force, and Dark Eagle's return to the army was put on the agenda. At the same time, Pang Hui also assigned many manpower to various ministries.

However, Huang Yuandu's dissatisfaction with the Jiangnan clan has reached its extreme. The greed of the Jiangnan clan has no limit. They constantly extend their hands to various fields and use money to try to completely control Huang Yuandu and thus control the entire Qi Kingdom.

Huang Yuandu sold out the interests of Da Qi in exchange for military capital against Pang Hui. After all, it was not a normal state. Now, Da Qi's finances have lost their tax sources due to the existence of the Jiangnan clan, and are only supported by land income. Naturally, it is

They are stretched thin. This is why Huang Yuandu has always supported the trading house, and wants to use another method to strengthen his control over the wealthy families in Jiangnan.

As for Pang Hui, his control over the army has been weakened due to military pay issues (txt download of The Holy King of Miracles). After all, a master without money cannot have loyal and supportive subordinates.

Now, there is a problem in the Ji family. It can be imagined that facing such a big piece of fat, both Pang Hui and Huang Yuandu want to take action. For Pang Hui, the only reason to expand the poisonous salt case in the city guard is to eliminate dissidents.

, and more importantly, it creates a more serious situation, increasing the competition for fat.

Song Zheng initially dealt with the Ji family for the development of the trading house, and at the same time it was in line with the overall situation of the government. Of course, he also wanted to get involved. Now, when the little emperor asked about the disposal of the salt farm, Song Zheng couldn't help but glance at him.

, I saw that the little emperor's eyes were bright, with a hint of greed. So he asked tentatively, "I wonder what the holy will is?"

The little emperor stood up and said, "I think this batch of salt is directly controlled by our trading house. What do you think?"

Song Zheng suddenly thought. Sure enough, the little emperor wanted to grab these salts in his hands, so that he would have strong capital, enough to increase his strength by a lot. Not only that, he could also use this to increase his influence over Huang Yuandu.

and the right to speak in front of Pang Hui.

Song Zheng weighed it silently and said, "I'm afraid the Prime Minister and the Prince will not agree."

The little emperor scratched his head and asked, "What should we do?"

Song Zheng thought about it again and again before saying, "I have an idea that can not only strengthen the trading house, but also satisfy the Prime Minister and the Prince."

"Oh? Is there such a good way to get the best of all three worlds?"

Song Zheng nodded, took two steps forward, picked up a pen and drew a few circles on the paper, writing "Salt Field, Daqi, Trading House, Ji Family, Jiangnan Everyone", and then said, "First of all, Ji Family

It is necessary for all salt farms to be government-run. Officials should be set up to manage salt households and cut off private salt trading. Other private salt farms should also take the opportunity to purchase and turn all salt into government-run businesses."

Pang Ying frowned, "Wouldn't it be in the hands of the prime minister?"

Song Zheng waved his hand, "Otherwise (read the full text of the Seventeenth Ban). Your Majesty, please see, if we destroy the Ji family, we will uproot the entire Ji family. Part of the wealth accumulated by the Ji family over the years is cash, and the other part is land.

The Ji family's land occupies almost half of Jiangnan Road, which is a huge fortune."

"Not bad, but I don't know how many there are."

"We don't care how much it is, because all this wealth will belong to the prince." Song Zheng wrote the word "王" behind Ji's family.

"How can that be done?" Pang Hui was shocked.

Song Zheng smiled and said, "Your Majesty, don't be anxious. There are conditions. That is to use these ready-made wealth to release military power over a glass of wine. Use this to solve the redundant soldiers and generals in the army and rectify the forces in the army. In this way

In this way, not only can the problem of redundant troops be solved in half, but it can also reduce the financial pressure on Daqi. The prime minister must also be happy to see it."

The little emperor's eyes lit up, "It is indeed a clever plan. At first, the emperor's uncle also tried to make a farm, but it was abandoned due to fierce opposition from the court. Now with the Ji family's money, no one can say anything."

Song Zheng pointed at the salt farm again and said, "It is true that the salt farm should be handed over to the government. The prime minister must be happy. However, we have a condition, that is, the salt farm can be managed by officials, but it must be traded through a trading house. In other words,

The imperial court managed production, the trading houses managed sales, and local salt merchants distributed it."

The little emperor carefully looked between the three circles of Daqi, the salt farm and the trading house, and couldn't help but said, "In this case, the trading house has strangled the salt tax. I'm afraid the prime minister will disagree?"

"What's so difficult about this?" Song Zheng said with a smile, "Did the Holy One forget about salt?"

"Yobin? You mean that the imperial court controls the salt and then sells it through trading houses?"

"No," Song Zheng shook his head, "Salt quotations have always been issued by the imperial court. Our trading house is not an institution of the imperial court, it is purely an operator. Therefore, the trading house cannot assume the task of selling. My approach is to let the imperial court according to the

The output of the salt field, organize the printing of salt quotations, and distribute them in detail,

Then it was handed over to various places (Dingding Baji txt download). Each yamen in Daqi received the amount of salt quota from the court based on the population. Then they sold it to salt merchants. The salt merchants used the salt quota to go to trading houses in various places in exchange for salt.

The trading house will collect the salt, stamp it and hand it over to the salt farm officials."

The little emperor thought for a while and said, "In other words, the money that people buy for salt first goes to the salt merchants, then to various roads, and finally to the court. Then part of it goes to the trading house."

"Most of what the Holy One said is right. However, the transaction fees in the trading house cannot be collected directly from the court. To be honest, I can't trust the prime minister. The trading house is private, and the court is public. It is easy to cause arrears. No

It’s easy to deal with. What I mean is that when salt merchants use salt to trade in trading houses, they also pay a small proportion of transaction fees. In this way, we can ensure that the trading houses make money.”

"There is another question here." The little emperor frowned, "What would happen if the salt merchant took the salt guide to the salt field to receive the salt directly?"

"This is a trivial matter. What the salt field management officials do is to prevent private salt from flowing out. At that time, the trading guild will send permanent personnel to the salt field, such as the Zhenfeng Escort Bureau, to help transport salt and supervise the private sale of salt in the salt field.

In addition, the person who is most afraid of the leakage of private salt should be the Prime Minister, and I believe that Dark Eagle will also arrange for people to keep an eye on the salt farm. After the salt farm obtains the sealed salt seal from the trading house, it will be returned to the court for the final calculation."

"Well, I was worrying too much." The little emperor smiled and nodded.

Song Zheng's lips curled up, "Your Majesty, do you know what the function of salt is?"

"Isn't it just the imperial court's exclusive product?"

Song Zheng shook his head, "Your Majesty has read the history of the previous dynasties, and you should know that salt quotation is not only a proof of salt sales, but more importantly, it is a kind of silver note."

"Bank notes? Oh, I've read relevant historical records. It seems that the salt of the Song Dynasty can be used to buy things."

"Yeah." Song Zheng said with a smile, "Now in Daqi, Datong Bank is the main money bank that issues banknotes, accounting for more than half of the money banknotes in circulation in Daqi. The second is Kaibao Bank, mainly on Henan Road and beyond the Yangtze River.

North, accounting for about one-fifth of the amount

(Magic New Era). Then there are other small banks. If we distribute salt, it will definitely have an impact on their banknotes. Especially the banknotes of Chase Bank will be affected the most. In this way, we can weaken another Jiangnan

Everyone has the power of the Bao family."

The little emperor held up his palms and smiled, "Wonderful, wonderful! Let Master Song say this, I think it is clear. I bet this is a plan to kill two birds with one stone!"

Song Zheng smiled bitterly and said, "No matter how many birds are killed with one stone, if you can bring benefits to the Qi Dynasty, you will be satisfied as a minister. It's just..."

"Just what? Since Master Song has such a good method, why doesn't he seem to be satisfied?"

"I am worried about the quantity of Yan Yin distributed. If too much is distributed, the value of Yan Yin will depreciate, which will in turn encourage various banks. Therefore, I suggest that the Holy Lord should negotiate with the Prime Minister on the quantity of Yan Yin. If too much is distributed,

Too much is not good for the country and the people. The minister suggested that the amount of salt production should not exceed 20% of the salt production. Moreover, the price of salt production should be set by the court. According to the existing salt price, maintain

A fixed price so that people won’t suffer.”

"It makes sense. Master Song, don't worry, I will personally look into this matter." The little emperor looked extremely happy, but he immediately became a little dissatisfied and said, "Master Song came up with such a good idea, and the trading house doesn't seem to get much.

ah."

What a money-grubbing little emperor! Song Zheng secretly laughed in his heart, but he still explained it solemnly.

"Your Majesty, the purpose of our trading house is not to just focus on salt, but to take the opportunity to expand the branch and strengthen our strength. To be honest, I can't see the transaction taxes and fees earned from the distribution of salt through the trading house.

In my eyes, as long as we take the opportunity to build the semicolon, the import and export of various goods will be much greater than just a single piece of salt."

The little emperor laughed and said, "Master Song is still thoughtful and has a long-term vision. Well, the matter is settled. I will discuss this matter with the prime minister and the emperor early tomorrow morning."

"Your Majesty, this can't be rushed!" Song Zheng waved his hand quickly.~

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