However, it turned out that he was a little too optimistic, because this time not only merchants from several surrounding counties, but even merchants from Fuyuan City came to sell salt.

Fuyuan City is very far away from their Baijiang City. If they hurry, it will take half a month to get there. They didn’t expect them to come.

In the end, due to the fierce competition, they adopted the method of drawing lots, and each family bought more than 1,000 kilograms of salt.

Everyone's needs were not met and everyone was very dissatisfied.

But Zhang Hengkun is already a little overwhelmed. What should he do in such a situation?

Zhou Bin also knew about this situation, and he specifically called Zhang Hengkun over.

After Zhang Hengkun came over, Zhou Bin asked with a smile: "Mr. Zhang, how was the sales this time?"

Zhang Hengkun quickly reported the details, and then said, "City Lord, the demand is too great. We can only produce so much even if we work ourselves to death. What do you think we should do?"

Zhou Bin smiled and said, "That's easy. Since they think our salt is good, let's hold an auction. The highest bidder wins. What do you think?"

Zhang Hengkun looked confused. Auction event? What does that mean?

Zhou Bin explained it to him in detail, and Zhang Hengkun finally understood it. He was very interested.

But he still had a worry: if the bidding price was too high, would anyone want it?

Zhou Bin smiled and said, "Let's not worry about that. I heard that some places buy our salt and sell it as top-quality refined salt, selling it for 20 copper coins per pound. Just think about how much profit there is! They will fight for it only when there is profit, so we don't have to worry."

When Zhang Hengkun heard this, he thought that what the city lord said made sense!

Based on Zhou Bin's advice, he directly organized an auction and prepared to auction 10,000 kilograms of salt in half a month to see the results.

So half a month later, Zhang Hengkun personally hosted and held an auction.

Merchants from several surrounding counties came over, and finally Minghu City won the auction and bought 10,000 kilograms of salt at the price of 15 copper coins per kilogram.

The other towns that failed in the bidding all returned empty-handed and could only wait for the next opportunity.

In this way, Baijiang City made a lot of money again. It earned three copper coins more per catty than before, and earned an extra 30,000 copper coins for 10,000 catties.

Zhang Hengkun was so happy that he was stunned. This was really a great idea!

He brought the tax manager and several salt shop owners to report the good news to Zhou Bin.

Zhou Bin actually knew this a long time ago, and this trick of his is quite good.

Now it seems that their production capacity is still insufficient, so Zhou Bin instructed Zhang Hengkun: "Old Zhang, I think our production is still too low. People from all over will come to us to buy salt. How can our production capacity be enough? I think we need to produce at least 50,000 kilograms of salt every month!"

Zhang Hengkun also realized that they could only produce 20,000 kilograms a month, which was indeed not enough, so he nodded in agreement.

Zhou Bin said, "I think that workshop is too small. You need to expand it further, hire more people, and build more stoves. We are not afraid of taking up space. The bigger the better."

Then Zhang Hengkun expanded the scale of the workshop based on Zhou Bin's advice.

Zhou Bin rested in the City Lord's Mansion and took care of some things.

At the same time, in Yulu City, the city lord Shangguan Qingping was already restless.

Ever since Baijiang City got salt, their business in Yulu City has plummeted.

The merchants who used to come to them to buy salt have now all gone to Baijiang City.

Their business has decreased by 70% compared to before, and they can hardly hold on.

Looking at the mountains of mineral salt, Shangguan Qingping's face was filled with sorrow.

Now he has lowered the price of salt to nine copper coins per catty, but still not many people come to buy it.

Shangguan Qingping also personally checked Zhou Bin and his colleagues' salt and found that the quality was much better than theirs.

In comparison, their salt is indeed very rough and difficult to swallow.

After thinking it over, Shangguan Qingping had no good solution. He could only sigh and sit in the room sulking.

At this time, a legal advisor beside him, named Fang Qingming, walked in with a sly look on his face.

As soon as he saw Shangguan Qingping's sad face, he hurried forward and asked, "City Lord, why do you look unhappy?"

"I'm not happy at all! All our business has been snatched away. What do you think we should do?" Shangguan Qingping said unhappily.

Fang Qingming hurriedly comforted him: "Don't be too anxious, City Lord. Let's think of a way to see if we can..."

"What can we do? We don't even know how they make salt, let alone what their raw materials are. What can we do?" Shangguan Qingping looked depressed.

Fang Qingming chuckled: "City Lord, I have already found out everything. This is what happened..."

Fang Qingming then told Shangguan Qingping everything he knew. Shangguan Qingping was stunned after hearing it: "Are you telling the truth? How is this possible? They got the salt from the water?"

"That's absolutely right. He's a distant relative of mine whose son works in a salt-making workshop. He said his son accidentally let the secret slip and let him know." Fang Qingming said affirmatively.

Shangguan Qingming looked incredulous: "How is this possible? How could there be salt in the water? I can't understand it."

Fang Qingming continued, "I also heard people say that they were constantly carrying water from the Baijiang River to the salt-making workshop. I think this is probably true."

"Hiss! If that's true, we're completely finished! Just think about it, how big that river is? They're basically guarding a treasure trove!" Shangguan Qingping said helplessly.

"Yes, City Lord, if this continues, our Yulu City will really be destroyed!" Fang Qingming said.

Shangguan Qingping looked worried: "So what do you think we should do?"

Fang Qingming immediately suggested, "City Lord, you also know that this Zhou killed Bai Feichen and became the City Lord of Baijiang City. If...if we kill him and take over Baijiang City, won't all the salt belong to us?"

"What? You want to kill the Zhou guy?" Shangguan Qingping was stunned and his face turned serious.