95. Chapter 95
"none"
The morning sets the tone for the day.
According to the old custom, Yangzhou City began to wake up at daybreak after a night of silence.
The city gates opened, and carriages and pedestrians streamed in and out. The shop assistants removed the street-facing door panels and began sweeping and tidying up. In the breakfast teahouse, steaming bowls of Yangchun noodles and soup dumplings began to emit a fragrant aroma.
Today was different. Aside from some street vendors and small shops, most of the shops were closed. Besides the common people delivering vegetables, rice, and firewood, there were also many mule-drawn carts and horses at the city gates.
Seeing this, the officers and soldiers guarding the city gate were about to step forward and shout to stop them, but when they saw the soldiers in front of the mule cart were wearing clothes and holding spears or muskets in their hands, they were frightened and quickly retreated.
The soldiers escorting the mule carts waved their badges in their hands and drove the carts past one after another, causing the stone ground to vibrate.
After passing the city gate, someone on the mule cart stood up, took out a gong and started beating it loudly, making a deafening sound.
The people around stopped in their tracks and looked in surprise. They heard the man shout in a loud voice, "Fellow villagers of Yangzhou, the imperial court is about to open its salt warehouses and sell salt at a low price."
The other soldiers followed suit and shouted, "Fellow villagers, please let them know. The location is in front of the City God Temple in the west of the city."
"Don't push, don't panic, I guarantee you'll all be able to buy salt, and you'll all be able to afford salt in the future!"
"The court will not forget you!"
The salt shops in Yangzhou City have been out of stock for several days. In some shops, the prices are ridiculously high.
It wasn't just Yangzhou. Those who were well-informed learned that surrounding areas like Jinling were also short of salt.
Lianghuai produces salt, and Yancheng alone has large salt fields, such as the Lingxing Salt Field. Yangzhou is short of salt, and the people refuse to believe it, believing it is the salt merchants' fault again.
How could ordinary people dare to fight against salt merchants? Behind them stood the officials, who could easily kill them with just a finger.
What's more, the family of Cao Yin, the Lianghuai Salt Administrator, was in Jinling. How could he not know that the people were living in the salt fields but could not afford or buy salt?
This time they were really forced into a corner, their homes short of salt, and without it, they felt powerless to do anything. A bold leader led the charge to the government office, and the others, seeing someone leading the charge, boldly followed suit.
The government still treated them with arrogance, beating them with sticks and arresting many people and throwing them into jail.
The timid people were instantly provoked to their blood. Groups of people rushed to the government office, threw stones at the gate, and angrily demanded that the prisoners be released and salt be given to them.
After several days of commotion, there was no progress, and instead more and more people were thrown into jail. Over Yangzhou City, a thick fog seemed to be hanging.
The sudden surprise brought the seemingly lifeless city of Yangzhou back to life.
Some people were talking and chatting excitedly. Someone opened the door a crack and looked outside quietly.
The more courageous ones half believed and half doubted, "Sir, are you telling the truth?"
"Of course it's real! The lord has come personally from the capital, and the mule cart is carrying snowflake salt! The salt is unadulterated, without sand or gravel, and it's sold cheaply so that the people of Yangzhou can afford salt."
The man then asked, "Excuse me, sir, how much is it per pound?"
"Three coins, no less weight, I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"
Three pieces!
In coastal areas, official salt usually costs about ten cents, while private salt costs about eight cents.
Now the salt sold by the imperial court is only three cents!
Such cheap salt, whether real or fake, was enough to tempt them. They even lost interest in buying and selling, and swarmed behind the mule cart towards the City God Temple.
The mule cart stopped in the open space in front of the temple gate. Guards stepped forward to help maintain order, constantly comforting the people who were anxiously leaning forward: "Don't worry, don't worry, come one by one. The salt fields are drying salt every day, there's plenty of it, how can we not have salt to eat."
Indeed, the sea is there, and for thousands of years, this land has never lacked salt. When everyone heard this, they consciously lined up at the back.
Qi You got off the car and asked Degao to borrow a table from the temple, set out the scales, and started selling salt without wasting any time.
De Gaogui and the guards helped to weigh and calculate the bill. De Gao saw someone wanted to buy ten kilograms at once, and asked Qi You for advice: "Your Majesty, do you think we should stop him from buying so much?"
Qi You shook his head. "Don't worry, there's enough salt. I'll sell it as long as you pay."
De Gao should follow Qi You's instructions and sell it to anyone who comes to buy it and no matter how much they buy.
Qi You saw a number of people who looked like servants from wealthy families coming to buy salt. They were spending lavishly, obviously stockpiling. He just stood by and watched, smiling from time to time.
Ordinary people don’t have much money in their pockets, so they still have to rely on the rich to get so much salt!
Qi You was not worried about the lack of salt, but was only worried about the salt in the salt merchants' warehouses not being able to sell it. Clearing out the salt from the salt merchants' warehouses would not only alleviate the salt shortage, but also allow the court to recover some of the salt tax.
Word of mouth quickly spread, and the news of cheap salt being sold in front of the City God Temple started to spread, with long queues forming to buy salt.
When the people saw that the salt sales were genuine, their doubts dissipated and they took the initiative to help maintain order so that the mule carts carrying salt could pass through.
After a busy day, the salt stall closed down as the sun set and continued work tomorrow.
The people felt relieved and those who didn't buy anything were no longer panicked. They left calmly, asked for the time, and prepared to come back tomorrow.
After everything was on track, Qi You strolled leisurely along the City God Temple.
Spring is in full bloom in the Jiangnan region, with small bridges and flowing water, and red flowers and green willows. A wealthy family hides deep in the alleys, and amidst the green trees, a corner of its house with carved railings and painted buildings can be seen.
When we arrived at the rich people's settlement, the area was sparsely populated and quiet.
Qi You stood with his hands behind his back, not too far away, looking at the heavy red gate in front of him. On the strange stone standing beside the gate were the words "Chen Garden" engraved.
At the gatehouse next to him, a young servant in blue poked his head out and looked at Qi You stealthily. Then, with a flick of his clothes, he disappeared.
Qi You smiled and turned to leave.
Chen Jinwen was released last night and asked to go back to pay the taxes he owed. Now there is no movement from the Chen family.
Qi You was not in a hurry. The Chen family would have to pay the taxes they owed sooner or later. And the wealthy salt merchants would eventually become a thing of the past.
He remembered that in Yangzhou in later generations, there were still gardens left by salt merchants. They were beautifully decorated, with a scene every three steps and a pavilion every ten steps.
All of this is testimony to the people's hard work.
After a while, a servant in blue clothes came forward holding up the hem of his robe, ready to greet him.
The Lang Tan army following Qi You flashed out with a murderous look and stopped him aside.
The servant looked at the cold gun barrel in Lang Tanjun's hand, swallowed quietly, took a step back, and said tremblingly, "Your Highness, I am only here to pass on a message. My master said that since Your Highness has come to the Chen residence, please do me the honor of coming in for a cup of tea."
Qi You didn't even bother to look at him and just walked away.
He didn't care about Chen Jinwen's rudeness and sent the doorman out to greet him. He had no intention of dealing with them.
Qi You's style of doing things has never changed. He identifies his goal and moves forward towards it.
He came to Yangzhou, firstly to collect taxes, and secondly to completely solve the problem of corruption in the salt industry, which did not include engaging in endless lawsuits with them or having tea with them.
Whether it is the Chen family or the Wang family, they cannot let Qi You see them unless they come to pay off the taxes they owe.
If Qi You still doesn't make any move after he solves the people's salt problem, don't blame him for being rude.
No matter when, if Shang wanted to compete with the government, he would die.
They were lucky to meet Qi You. At least he was reasonable and law-abiding, and did not bully or extort others or rob others of their own foes.
The salt merchants had money but didn't pay their taxes, and they also sold illegal salt. These two things alone were enough to have their homes raided and their families destroyed.
Seeing Qi You leave, the servant wanted to go forward, but was afraid of the Lang Tan army around Qi You and did not dare to act on his own. He hurriedly turned around for a while, then turned around and ran to the garden to reply.
Chen Jinwen, Wang Jinchang, the head of the Wang family, and several other major salt merchants in Yangzhou City gathered before dawn to discuss countermeasures. When they heard that Qi You was coming, they were undecided about how to deal with him.
It’s not good to be too far away, but it’s also troublesome to be too close, as it will offend the people above you.
In a hurry, he came up with an idea and tentatively invited Qi You into the house. Several people waited anxiously in the flower hall. Seeing the servant running in sweating, Chen Jinwen hurriedly asked, "What's the matter?"
The servant didn't even bother to wipe the sweat off his face, and quickly told Chen Jinwen what he had seen of Qi You. Chen Jinwen's already swollen face turned even paler, and he fell back into his chair.
The others were speechless for a moment, looking dejected.
After a long time, Chen Jinwen raised his head, looked at the sun outside the window, and said dejectedly: "This time, I'm afraid the situation has really changed. I've encountered a tough opponent."
Wang Jinchang gritted his teeth and said bitterly, "Let's stick to our previous plan and take out 70% of the profits. I don't believe there are still people who don't love money!"
The money that salt merchants earned was definitely not from obtaining salt tickets from the imperial court and making profits by honestly selling salt.
The imperial court levied a tax of about 60% of the salt profit, not including the silver forcibly levied on salt merchants in the event of various disasters.
In addition to these, salt merchants also had to pay tribute to officials. Their main source of income came from private salt.
Selling illegal salt is a serious crime. The reason they have been able to get away with it for so many years is that they gave 60% of the profits from the illegal salt sales to their superiors.
Now they are prepared to give 70% of the profits to Qi You, which is an unprecedented move and gives Qi You a lot of face.
Chen Jinwen gave a weak, bitter smile and objected, "There really are those who don't care about money. You've all heard of Prince Chun's style of doing things. His tactics and abilities are beyond the reach of you and me. We've already suffered a great loss, so we can't act rashly again."
Wang Jinchang was unhappy and shouted, "Then let it go. Just take out some real money and use it to pay off the taxes owed to the court. I'd like to ask everyone here, who can come up with that much cash at once? I can't. If I could, the Wang family would be ruined."
Everyone fell silent.
The tax arrears were too much. After all, they had worked so hard to build up their family fortune. Even if it was rich, taking out so much at once would be painful, and no one could bear it. It would lead to bankruptcy.
After a while, Wang Jinchang spoke again, saying, "Why not pay him back part of the money first and send him away? As long as these salt tickets are in our hands, we'll be able to earn them back someday."
The others were at a loss as to what to do, so they had to give up for the time being and leave to go back and collect the money.
Qi You returned to the post station and had just washed his face when Li Guangdi arrived, exhausted.
"Master Li, you've worked hard. Come and sit down." Qi You sat in the lobby drinking tea. He looked at Li Guangdi's unsatisfactory face and said, "Wash up first and eat later. Your health is more important."
The waiter brought hot water, and Li Guangdi washed his face casually and sat down at the eight-immortal table. Qi You asked the waiter to serve the dishes and handed him a cup of tea.
Li Guangdi hurriedly thanked him and took the tea with both hands. He was really thirsty, so he drank it all without hesitation.
Qi You looked at the Yangzhou dishes on the table, including lion's head, boiled dried bean curd, etc. He smiled and said, "Huaiyang cuisine is world-famous. We have been busy these days, so let's try it first."
Li Guang was old and had travelled hard, feeling tired and hungry. When he heard Qi You's plan, his heart warmed.
During these years, Li Guangdi was always walking on thin ice, holding a high position and accompanying Kangxi.
Kangxi was a benevolent and easygoing person, but the emperor's grace was unpredictable, and one had to accept it, whether one deserved it or not.
For example, every time there was a celebration, all the officials would go to the palace to enjoy the banquet. It was fine when the weather was hot, but Li Guangdi dreaded the New Year the most.
In freezing weather, he knelt down again and again to express his gratitude. After eating the rewarded food, he had to take a lot of medicine.
It is not appropriate to invite a doctor during the New Year and other festivals. Privately, anyone who has the honor of attending a banquet in the palace will prepare medicinal soup to keep warm in advance.
Li Guangdi didn't feel this deeply before, but when he went out with Qi You this time, he noticed the difference.
As a prince, Qi You is easygoing, yet never loses his edge and character. He is not only extremely intelligent, but also has a plan that is meticulous.
Not to mention the pleasure of working with smart people, Qi You's care and respect for the people around him are like a gentle breeze, refreshing to the heart, which is what makes Li Guangdi most comfortable.
The Huaiyang cuisine at the post station was not the best, and neither of them was a greedy person, so after eating until they were about 80% full, they cleared the food away.
The guards were standing guard at the door, and there were only two people left in the lobby. They sat together quietly drinking tea and discussing in low voices what they had encountered.
Li Guangdi recounted everything he had seen and heard at the salt works. "Your Highness is truly foresighted. I never could have predicted they would be so bold. The gatekeeper named Zhuzi instructed us to pay a bribe of five cents for every passing carriage. He was just a gatekeeper, so at first I thought he was making a false accusation. But then I searched the bag of silver from the leading gatekeeper, Du Denian, and counted the silver inside. It matched the number of carriages and horses Zhuzi had recorded. Just a gatekeeper!"
Li Guangdi raised his head and sighed, calming his anger. He continued, "The salt field manager and the salt warehouse manager will only take more. From top to bottom, they are truly rotten to the core. I have already arrested them all. I really don't trust the government, so I asked someone to take them to the military camp."
Qi You had been prepared for this. When he came, he asked Kangxi for permission to deploy local garrisons.
Even though the Manchu garrison was corrupt, the officers of the Eight Banners did not dare to collude with the local government officials. This was Kangxi's weak spot; if touched, he would be beheaded without mercy.
Qi You comforted Li Guangdi, told him about his situation, and sarcastically said, "There's nothing they wouldn't do. They've become very bold over the years. I went for a walk around the city earlier. When you have time, Lord Li, go for a walk too and broaden your horizons. This place is in no way inferior to the capital. I went to the salt merchant's house earlier, and it was much more magnificent than the Inner Imperial City."
Li Guangdi was stunned for a moment, then gave a wry smile. "They say salt merchants are the richest in the world, and that's true. This wealth comes from the people, forged with blood and tears."
Qi You held the teacup and didn't speak for a while.
Kangxi said he wanted to move to Changchun Garden, but he came to Yangzhou and was unable to do so.
The magnificence of the royal gardens was built with the blood and sweat of the people.
Li Guangdi pondered Qi You's salt sales, paused, and said, "Your Highness, are you planning to sell salt at this price from now on? I've calculated that three cents a pound is a bit low. If we want to ship salt elsewhere, the court won't even cover the cost. If we sell it too high, it will be a burden on the people, and we have to be careful not to let others take over and start selling it, causing another round of illegal salt."
Qi You explained, "Drying salt in a salt field doesn't cost much. The biggest cost is the transportation cost. For example, Yunnan and Guizhou produce enough well salt to supply the surrounding areas. Even if there is a shortage, transporting it from other areas will only account for a small part, so the cost of salt will not be high."
Li Guangdi changed his mind and realized that salt is important, but it cannot be eaten as a meal, and eating too much is not good for the body.
As long as the salt production is sufficient, the salt merchants who manipulate the salt price can be cracked down on, and the proliferation of smuggled salt can be curbed, the salt tax deficit and the numerous corruption problems caused by the huge profits from salt will be solved.
However, Li Guangdi had other concerns and said, "Your Highness, if the salt merchants fail, I imagine other businesses in Yangzhou will be affected as well."
Qi You said calmly, "This is a perverted business. Such high profits shouldn't exist. Without salt merchants, there will be other merchants. For example, maritime trade, shipbuilding in the north. I remember two merchants with maritime trade licenses were from Yangzhou. The people can live and work in peace and contentment, and the income and wealth created by the population are the foundation for a city's stable development."
Li Guangdi pondered Qi You's words, and suddenly he felt enlightened. He smiled and said, "Your Highness is right. What are your plans next?"
Qi You said, "Once the news from Yangzhou spreads, we'll have to let them watch Jinling and other places in Jiangnan. What they'll do will depend on their courage and brains. Once Yangzhou is stabilized, we can discuss the salt tax."
Simply opening the warehouse and adding salt can only solve the immediate problem, but it is not a cure for the root cause.
Qi You’s biggest trump card is to lower the salt tax and reduce the cost of salt.
With lower salt taxes, costs would decrease, and the selling price would follow suit. Furthermore, the official price limit was in place, with fluctuations limited to no more than two wen.
Without the high costs and profits, salt merchants would no longer be able to sell private salt. Firstly, they would lose their profit, and secondly, they would be beheaded if caught. It was really not worth it.
Will the salt merchants make money in the future? Of course they will. It's just like selling needles and thread, oil, salt, sauce and vinegar: small profits but quick turnover, don't even think about getting rich.
Salt merchants couldn't make a lot of money, so officials wanted to extort bribes, but since the salt merchants didn't make any money, they wouldn't give any.
As for the court's reduction of the salt tax, it seemed like a loss at first glance. Qi You did the math for Kangxi and concluded that although the salt tax was reduced, the court would actually receive some benefits.
Compared to the seemingly high salt tax of the past, the court ultimately collected a large amount of deficit, which was a good deal. This tax collection method was long-term, stable, and reassuring for the people. Not to mention, it also helped to rectify the bureaucracy.
Li Guangdi's depression suddenly dissipated at the thought of settling the long-standing debts in Lianghuai. Unspeakable emotions surged in his chest, and he said with a smile, "Your Highness, it's such a joy to be out with you this time! To be honest, Your Highness, I haven't felt this much joy in doing anything. When I was young, I fought off the invasion of bandits with my fellow villagers, but the joy I felt then was nowhere near half as great as this!"
Qi You saw the light on Li Guangdi's face and was almost amused by him. He took a few sips from his teacup, nodded toward the door, and said casually, "Don't be too happy yet. Here, trouble is coming."
Li Guangdi followed Qi You's gaze and saw Cao Yin, exhausted, dismounting from his horse and running towards them.
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