Gao Qi was so frightened by Emperor Jianning's glance that his hair stood on end. He had a strong premonition that his career as an official might be coming to an end.
After leaving the palace, Chai Shijing went to the inn to find Kang Yueran and briefly told her what happened today. "Yueran, was it you who set the fire at Baiyi Silk Shop?"
"Yes, I set it off last night. Ah Jing, you're really smart. You figured out how to use the burning of the shop to link it to the salt profits. We really have a tacit understanding."
Are we in tune with each other? Chai Shijing repeated this thought silently, with an unbreakable tenderness in his eyes. He kissed Kang Yueran and said, "My Yueran is also very smart!"
Kang Yueran kissed him back and said, "Okay! Tell me in detail how Dayong's salt is sold."
"good!"
Before the founding of the Yong Dynasty, the salt industry was a combination of public and private enterprises. The imperial court managed part of the salt industry, and private individuals could also trade salt as long as they paid sufficient taxes to the imperial court.
After the founding of the Great Yong Dynasty, the imperial court was in financial difficulty, and someone proposed the salt monopoly law, which was to nationalize the salt industry, from production to sales.
The imperial court designated some people living near salt-producing areas as "salt residents". They were not under the jurisdiction of the local prefecture government, but only under the management of the Salt Court set up by the Salt and Iron Administration in the local area.
The salt farmers produced salt and sold it all to the Salt Bureau. After the Salt Bureau added a markup on the salt, the officials in the Salt Bureau transported the salt to various places for sale.
This truly realized the one-stop service of salt production by households, purchase by the Salt and Iron Administration, transportation by the Salt and Iron Administration, and sales by the Salt and Iron Administration. At the same time, the Salt and Iron Administration also cracked down on all other salt trafficking activities except its own.
After Chai Shijing finished speaking, Kang Yueran smiled and said, "The Salt and Iron Bureau doesn't make much profit in a year, does it?"
"It's not much indeed. Last year, the profit was only over 400,000 taels of silver."
At first glance, it seems that since all the salt was sold by the court, it should have made a lot of profit, but in fact it was not the case.
Selling salt was indeed profitable, but the Salt and Iron Bureau employed too many people. Everyone needed salt, so every state in the country had to have a salt factory.
The salt bureau has officials, transporters, salt sellers, and people who crack down on salt trafficking, a whole host of other people.
If salt was not a monopoly industry of the imperial court and a necessity of life, the salt industry would have been out of profit long ago.
Seeing Kang Yueran looking down on the Salt and Iron Bureau, Chai Shijing asked, "What exactly is this method of reforming the salt industry that you're talking about?"
The salt monopoly law of Dayong was basically the same as that of Diwu Qi in the Tang Dynasty. This law could indeed ease the financial burden of the court, but it was not a long-term solution.
Kang Yueran glanced at Chai Shijing and said, "Pen and ink are at your service!"
The First Rank Prince had never served anyone with ink and brush before. Chai Shijing pinched Kang Yueran's face and said, "Okay! I'll grind ink for you."
Kang Yueran picked up the pen and wrote four words: Commercial operation and commercial sales!
Three days later, during the morning court session, Chai Shijing proposed reforming the salt industry, which caused a huge uproar.
The Emperor Jianning asked with a smile, "Prince Ping, how should we reform the salt industry?"
"Your Majesty, I will name this law 'On-site Monopoly Law'. It is not difficult to implement. It simply changes government sales to commercial sales."
Duke Lu was the first to object, "Prince Ping, the salt industry is a matter of great importance to our country. We cannot allow you to please a female businessman."
"This method was indeed created by Miss Kang, but it was not for her own personal gain, but for the long-term benefit of Dayong."
"For the sake of Dayong's long-term plan? What a boast!"
Emperor Jianning interrupted them, "This is Xuanzheng Hall, not a teahouse or a tavern. We cannot tolerate you two bickering here."
The two of them quickly confessed their crime.
As long as the salt industry can increase the court's income, Emperor Jianning will be happy to see it happen. "Prince Ping, please continue."
Chai Shijing continued, "My plan is to keep the first step the same: the salt farmers will still sell all their salt to the salt depot. Secondly, the salt depot will mark up the price and sell it to merchants, who will then transport it to other places for sale."
The wealthy and powerful looked down on merchants and believed that doing business was a lowly occupation, so even if someone dared to think about such a simple truth, no one would dare to mention it.
Prime Minister Qi Wen had been keeping an eye on Emperor Jianning. Seeing that he did not say anything, he understood that he did not actually object.
He pretended to think for a moment and then said, "This method is feasible! If merchants were to sell the salt, all salt factories except those producing salt could be closed down. This alone could save hundreds of thousands of taels of silver every year."
Chai Shijing said, "More than that! Several hundred thousand taels are just the expenses for the redundant soldiers and staff of the Salt Administration. There is also the money spent on transportation. This alone can save more than one million taels."
Gao Qi, the Salt and Iron Commissioner, broke out in a cold sweat. He hadn't thought of such a simple solution; it was a sin! "Although we saved over a million taels, the profit went to the merchants, not the national treasury."
Chai Shijing had expected them to say this, "Lord Gao is the Salt and Iron Commissioner, but he can't see through the profits involved. It's obvious that he is not competent.
The salt factory adds a markup to the salt and sells it to merchants; this is the first benefit; merchants have to pay taxes to do business; this is the second benefit; and merchants, driven by profit, will do their utmost to sell salt; this is the third benefit.
He pulled out a written memorial from his sleeve and said, "Your Majesty, I have written down this law on the memorial.
Everyone needs salt, and the benefits of salt are beyond people's imagination. If there are slight changes, then the salt industry will be the largest tax in Dayong."
The salt industry is the most important? That would cost at least several million taels of silver. Emperor Jianning suppressed his joy and asked Qi Wen, "Does Prime Minister Qi think this is feasible?"
Qi Wen is also an old fox, "Your Majesty, I think it is feasible!" The emperor has been poor for so many years, and he must be very happy now.
Li Xi took the memorial from Chai Shijing and passed it to Emperor Jianning. Emperor Jianning flipped through it and read it for a few seconds. "Prince Ping's reforms are indeed worth considering. Prime Minister Qi, you will discuss this with Prince Ping and strive for perfection."
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