This is a big business deal!
Thinking of this, Qin Chuan said, "Second brother-in-law, you're running a big business. How many people do you have under you?"
Chen Xueyan answered truthfully: "There are several branches in Shandong, Sichuan, Dajiang, and Nanyue, with a total of only seven or eight hundred people."
"Isn't Dajiang an enemy country? You dare to go there?" Qin Chuan asked in surprise.
Upon hearing Qin Chuan's question, Chen Xueyan immediately knelt down, "Grand Preceptor, spare my life! I dare not aid the enemy; I only sold it to the people there."
Qin Chuan was frightened by his attitude and hurriedly said, "Who said you aided the enemy? Get up quickly, brother-in-law. It's the New Year, you're shortening my lifespan."
Chen Xueyan understood the implied meaning: the imperial court had not pursued the matter, and he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Fifth brother-in-law, you may not know this, but there is a severe shortage of salt in Dajiang, where the profits are even higher. You can earn two taels of silver for every pound of salt... Fifth brother-in-law, let me ask you something: Is selling salt to Dajiang a capital offense?"
Seeing Chen Xueyan's cautious demeanor, Qin Chuan couldn't help but chuckle, "Da Gan's main enemies right now are the Japanese pirates and the Xiongnu. As for Da Jiang, as long as you're not dealing in arms, no one should bother with such trivial matters..."
"That's good." Chen Xueyan breathed a sigh of relief.
"By the way, how many salt permits does the imperial court grant you each year?" Qin Chuan asked again.
Salt, tea, copper, iron, porcelain, cotton yarn—all of these were under the control of the imperial court. In order to meet the needs of the people, the court also opened up private sales channels. For example, to sell coarse salt, one needed to pay for a salt permit.
Upon hearing Qin Chuan's question, Chen Xueyan replied, "The imperial court grants me no more than five thousand salt permits each year, which can be sold for a total of one hundred thousand catties."
At this point, Chen Xueyan took out a stack of silver notes and stuffed them into Qin Chuan's hand: "I wonder if my fifth brother-in-law can help me get some salt permits? If he can, I'm willing to give him 20% of the profits..."
Qin Chuan didn't take the silver note. Instead, he took out a packet of iodized salt, placed it on the coffee table, and said, "Since salt is controlled by the imperial court, I naturally can't take advantage of this loophole. Wouldn't that be embezzlement? I can't help you get salt permits, but I can help you get salt directly..."
Upon hearing this, Chen Xueyan was slightly startled. He then tore open the seal of the iodized salt, dipped his finger in the fine salt, and examined it carefully. His eyes lit up as if he had seen some precious treasure!
"Fifth brother-in-law, this salt is so fine, it's the best of the best! Such good salt! Such good salt!"
"Why don't you try it..."
Qin Chuan asked Chen Xueyan to try the iodized salt.
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