Chapter 921: Smuggling Salt
After crossing mountains and ridges, they walked for about seven or eight days before arriving at a so-called salt field.
When Jiang Xiaoxiao saw the salt field, she immediately realized that the salt produced here must be well salt.
Because this area is not near the sea, it is impossible to produce sea salt.
Well salt is also very rare.
Arrive at destination.
Yang Tieniu and Li Dawang went to find the salt boss they were familiar with. There were many small bosses under the Yan Salt Field, and everyone had some connections.
Of course, it’s these private salt dealers.
How can these salt bosses make a living if they only rely on the salt fields?
Of course, some salt fields are privately owned. They don’t make much money if they sell the salt to the government, but they can make a lot if they sell it to private salt dealers.
Of course, this is something they have done through connections, and the government has turned a blind eye. As long as you pay enough tribute, the government won't care what you do.
Jiang Xiaoxiao went with Li Tieniu. Lin Dawang and they were not looking for the same person, so everyone tried to find their own way.
Jiang Xiaoxiao and Li Tieniu met Yantou.
A man in his forties, with a goatee and lowered eyes, was filling his pipe with tobacco.
Li Tieniu hurried forward and saluted.
"Boss Li, I haven't seen you for a while. I think you look better and better."
The leader Li didn't even raise his eyes. It was obvious that he was very familiar with Li Tieniu and could identify him by his voice.
"Tie Niu, you're here? I heard that something went wrong on the way last time!"
It's not just hearsay, people are sure of it.
Li Tieniu smiled awkwardly.
"Boss Li, we encountered bandits and many of our brothers died. We would like to import another batch of goods this time. Please be kind enough to help us."
He handed over five cents of loose change.
But Li Tou'er didn't take it. Li Tieniu was shocked. Not taking the silver was a bad omen.
"Tie Niu, how much silver are you going to buy this time? To tell you the truth, there have been a lot of changes in our salt field recently. The new boss has made it clear to us that the price of one ton of salt has increased by one tael of silver, and we need a minimum of two hundred taels of goods to ship out. Otherwise, we are not allowed to ship out bulk goods.
We have been friends for so long, and I am an old acquaintance of yours from your father to your brother, but business is not easy now. You have to be prepared. If you can accept a one-liang increase in the price, and you can also prepare 200 liang of silver for the purchase of goods. Of course, it doesn't matter who you do business with. "
Li Tieniu was shocked. "Uncle Li, how come the price per pound has increased so much? With an increase of one tael of silver, we don't make much profit at all. We earn our money through hard work. Add to that the goods worth two hundred taels of silver, and you know the situation in our village.
The last time we bought the goods, we almost lost everything. The villagers managed to collect 50 taels of silver this time. If you really do this, then we will...
Uncle Li, please, please be flexible. Help us."
Li Tou'er waved his hand, "It's not that I don't want to help. It's not easy for any of you to live. I'm in this position. I'm not doing well. I can see that the new boss has come and can replace me at any time, so don't make it difficult for me."
Li Tieniu wanted to say something else.
Jiang Xiaoxiao raised her hand to stop him.
"Since that's the case, Mr. Li, we won't make it difficult for you. We want to prepare two hundred and fifty taels of silver."
The price increase is easy to deal with. She had already budgeted for the contraband salt. In fact, if she sold it to the people in the villages below, they could probably double their money in one trip.
Earning one or two taels less will not result in a significant loss of profit.
The only good news was that she took the 200 taels of silver notes with her when she went out, otherwise she wouldn't be able to help even if she wanted to.
Li Tou'er glanced at Jiang Xiaoxiao and said, "This guy looks unfamiliar. Who are you?"
Li Tieniu said hurriedly, "This is one of my brothers. Brother Jiang came with us specially this time. He is a relative of ours."
"Okay, since you have the money, then it's easy to do. Come! Take this note and go over to pay the money and get the goods."
Tou'er Li didn't make things difficult for them and directly gave them a pass to buy salt.
Li Tieniu thanked Jiang Xiaoxiao profusely and came out with her.
They were so filled with gratitude that they couldn't even express it. If Jiang Xiaoxiao hadn't come to their rescue and taken out two hundred taels of silver from her pocket, they would not have been able to transport the salt back today. The two of them arrived at the place where they could get the salt, one after the other.
After paying the silver and the travel permit, the other party directly moved the salt out of the warehouse.
All the salt was packed into cloth bags, and 18 people immediately stepped forward, each carrying a bag on their shoulders.
A pound of coarse salt costs only ten cents, but a pound of salt costs one tael of silver.
The price of one pound of salt is equivalent to 100 pounds of grain.
Even when there was no war here, this price would be equivalent to 20 kilograms of food.
Of course this is the official price.
There are dozens of taxes levied by the government, and when they are added up layer by layer, the price is indeed high.
They get about a hundred coins per pound from the salt fields, so the price cannot be expensive when they sell it to ordinary people. This is why private salt is very popular, and it is also a reason why people take risks.
The government will crack down on smuggling salt without mercy.
Their two hundred and fifty taels of silver were enough to fill two thousand five hundred kilograms of salt.
Jiang Xiaoxiao saw wheelbarrows being pushed in from somewhere. Each wheelbarrow could carry several hundred kilograms of salt, and there were six wheelbarrows in total.
Six people took turns pushing the cart, and the rest guarded the salt cart.
This will reduce the number of manpower and slow down the process.
Li Tieniu smiled and said, "Mr. Jiang, these tools are stored here at the salt field. They are used every time and pushed every time."
"Why didn't you think of renting a bullock cart or a horse carriage? Wouldn't that be much faster?"
Jiang Xiaoxiao never thought that the efficiency would be so low.
No wonder we encountered robbery. At this speed, it would be strange if we didn’t encounter robbery.
Li Tieniu glanced at Jiang Xiaoxiao with a puzzled look.
No wonder this lady, who used to be a government official, knew the sufferings of the common people.
"Master Jiang, we are smuggling salt, which is shameful. If we hire ox carts and horse carriages, the government will give us a large reward to encourage people to report smuggling salt. Once someone reports it, we will all be sentenced to death."
Jiang Xiaoxiao sighed. She still took it for granted.
The people from the two villages met each other, and as expected, the people from Linjia Village were generous and pushed 12 wheelbarrows. It was obvious that they were loaded with goods worth at least 500 taels of silver.
Everyone started to turn around and return again.
Jiang Xiaoxiao just took a look at the salt in the sack. This salt is completely different from the salt she had seen before. This salt is black, yellow, and has a lot of impurities.
Obviously it’s because of the process, and the salt tastes a little bitter and astringent in the mouth.
(End of this chapter)
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