Water Margin official

Chapter 163 Planning to go to sea

If you ask about the most profitable items in the Song Dynasty at the moment, they are salt, tea, wine, vinegar, alum, frankincense and other items. However, these items are all monopolized by the imperial court and are difficult for ordinary merchants to touch. They are really "

"Forbidden Question".

Among them, table salt is the most profitable item. The government purchased the salt from various salt fields for 200 cents per stone, but the price of salt sold to the people under the rule was 1,800 cents per stone.<

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Doing nothing, just reselling it, you can make a profit of 1,600 yuan for one rock salt.

Because the profits from salt were so great, the imperial court relied more and more on the income from salt sales.

In the second year of Zhenghe, the revenue from salt sales actually accounted for one-fifth of the Song Dynasty's fiscal revenue, which shows how huge its profits were.

Therefore, bold people who took risks to sell illegal salt emerged in endlessly. The imperial court strictly ordered inspection departments in various places to inspect important ports from time to time to crack down on the circulation of illegal salt.

One of the important responsibilities of Zhang Zhengdao's Qinghe County Inspection Department is to arrest private salt dealers traveling between the countryside.

In addition to salt, the imperial court also controlled a large number of government-run tea gardens, wineries and vinegar shops. The gardeners, winemakers and vinegar makers who worked in them were all controlled by the government. They were the same as the pavilion households who cooked salt.

Part of the tea, wine and vinegar produced goes to the government as taxes, while the rest is purchased by the government at the lowest price and then sold to the people at a high price.

In addition to these government-run tea gardens, workshops, and privately produced tea, wine and vinegar must also be sold to the government at official guide prices.

If it is sold privately, it will be sentenced to a felony.

Therefore, anything that has huge profits is monopolized by the court, making it difficult to intervene.

Even if you get involved, you will still be "cheated" by traitors like Cai Jing. The infamous "Salt Money Law" has caused countless businessmen to lose their fortunes and their families.

He was a wealthy businessman in the morning and became a beggar in the evening. Countless people drowned themselves in the water.

Don’t seek skin from a tiger!

……

Today, the Zhang family's property is basically some houses, shops, and dozens of acres of good farmland outside the city, and they collect some rent from the tenants every year.

On the other hand, there is only one Lion Restaurant in Zhang Zhengdao's courtyard. The advantage is that the operation is stable and it is more or less profitable.

The tailor shop brought by Meng Yulou can also make some income every day, but it is only a small amount of money, so Zhang Zhengdao naturally does not like it.

However, it is convenient to have such a tailor shop at home.

At this moment, the official, some sexy clothes appeared in the back of his mind.

"It looks like we can make a few more costumes." Zhang Zhengdao glanced at these beautiful women of different heights, short, fat, and thin. If they all put on hot short skirts and short vests, they would be completely fashionable beauties.
Especially Meng Yulou's pair of snow-white and slender legs. If she puts on a pair of hot pants and spins them around in front of her for a few times, the official will feel excited just thinking about it.

Thinking of this, Zhang Zhengdao smiled and said: "Yulou, I will draw two more patterns for you later and arrange for the tailors in the shop to rush out a few sets."

Meng Yulou remarried to the Zhang Mansion, so he naturally understood the temperament of some of his officials. They must have worn something as shameful as a cheongsam and a short skirt, so he blushed and said, "Officials want to cheat on others again?"

Zhang Zhengdao shook his head and said: "How could he be a cheater? You will know when it is done."

Mrs. Lin thought of the cheongsam that had been given to Mrs. Wei, raised her eyebrows and said with a smile: "Sister Yulou, I will make a few more sets this time."

Seeing how bold this beautiful woman was, Meng Yulou laughed and said, "Why don't I measure the figures of the sisters later and sew them to fit more closely."

Lin was as pretty as a flower and said: "Okay!"

This woman has a very bold and unrestrained style. If she can please high-ranking officials, she will do anything.

While the girls were chatting for fun, Zhang Zhengdao's thoughts returned to opening up financial avenues for the Zhang family.

Just thinking about it, I feel that there is only one way to make money right now, and that is sea trade.

Fortunately, the Song Dynasty court did not prohibit the sea at this time. As long as you were brave enough, hardworking enough, and desperate enough to pull up a few sea ships, you could transport the Song Dynasty's silk, tea, porcelain, and various handicrafts through the sea.

Sold to surrounding countries.

Then they would transport ginseng, pearls, furs, horses, medicinal materials and other local specialties from neighboring countries back to the Song Dynasty and sell them. The profits from this round trip would be enough to make them rich in one day.

Although the risks at sea are huge, it is enough as long as the sea-going ships are built large enough and take stable routes to go to Korea, Japan and other places first.

Although the Zhang family currently does not have the power to organize ships to go to sea, Liangshan does. They can have as many manpower as they need, but they only lack some start-up funds.

The 800-mile water park is connected to the Beiqing River and can go straight into the sea.

As long as the channel is deep enough, even large-tonnage sea-going ships can navigate unimpeded.

I glanced at Mrs. Lin who was still breastfeeding, and now only this beautiful woman could come up with cash to support an ocean-going trade.

Zhang Zhengdao thought about it and said: "I want to buy two or three sea ships and go to sea from Dengzhou to visit Goryeo."

When the girls heard this, they were all surprised. Mrs. Wei had lived in Bianliang for a long time and was well-informed. She said, "Official, although sea trade is very profitable, it also involves a lot of risks."

Zhang Zhengdao smiled and said: "Korea is not far from Dengzhou. As long as we choose a safe route, there will be no big problem."

"My lord, there are a lot of storms on the sea. If anything happens, how can we survive?" Now that Ms. Lin has a son, she naturally doesn't want to experience the pain of losing her husband again.

"We still have some savings at home, so why bother doing something so risky?" Ms. Lin shook her head in opposition.

Seeing that the girls were still worried, Zhang Zhengdao smiled and said, "Don't worry, I won't go in person."

Naturally, he couldn't explain it. This was also for Liangshan to find a way out. If he only relied on robbing houses and looting state capitals, not to mention his lack of strength at the moment, even if he had the ability to occupy one or two states, it would be difficult to withstand the power of the Song Dynasty.

force.

Fang La easily took over half of the country in the southeast, but was not only wiped out by the imperial court in the end, but he himself was punished by being cut into pieces with a thousand swords.

If we can take the sea trade route and continue to earn money and food for Liangshan and the Zhang family, then we will start a positive cycle, and we can continue to recruit troops and expand the army.

If it is possible in the future, it is not impossible to first acquire a piece of property overseas.

As long as there are people under your rule and you can raise more than 100,000 soldiers, you will have the power to compete in the world.

Zhang Zhengdao retracted his thoughts and said with a smile: "Madam, don't worry. If your husband is not absolutely sure, he will not do it easily. I will plan it carefully."

Putting this matter aside for the time being, Zhang Zhengdao ordered again: "Jade Tower, why not move the tailor shop on Xinshi Street next to the Lion Tower? This will be more convenient and there will be more people there."

Meng Yulou said: "The slave family has taken note of it and will send someone to find a shop tomorrow."

Zhang Zhengdao smiled and said, "I don't need Madam to worry about these matters. I'll ask Zhang Liu to handle them later. Then I'll just teach people to move over."

"By the way, since my mother asked you all to live at home, she will also move here." Zhang Zhengdao felt that it was too troublesome to run in both directions. Seeing that Mrs. Lin wanted to object again, he continued: "That's it, I

Buy the two houses next to it and open them up, which will be enough to live in."

"When several ladies enter the house, I will treat them equally and will not favor one over the other." Zhang Zhengdao said affectionately: "I just hope that the ladies can live in harmony, and don't let the family be unhappy and hurt the harmony."

Sun Erniang smiled and said: "Husband, with so many sisters as companions every day, how can your body still bear it?"

Zhang Zhengdao was furious when he saw this. He puffed up his chest and said proudly: "Er Niang, do you want to be whipped again?"

Sun Erniang replied sweetly: "Aren't you afraid of you?"

Mrs. Wei gave a sweet smile and said, "Sister, let the officials rest for a day."

Meng Yulou said: "The slave family will ask the stove to stew some ginseng soup for the officials."