Chapter 475 Daiyu Falls Ill
The rider on horseback shouted: "Urgent dispatch! News of victory from the capital!"
It turns out that the Women's Research Institute has brought tremendous good news: after months of hard work, they have finally developed an extremely simple method for extracting refined salt!
This method requires no large equipment or complicated processes, and ordinary cooks can learn it in no time. The cost is only one-tenth of the traditional method!
"Excellent!" Daiyu exclaimed with delight. "Immediately issue orders to all salt fields to teach the new method overnight!"
That night, the salt fields in Jiangnan were brightly lit.
Instructors from the Women's Academy were dispatched to various places to teach the new salt-making methods step by step.
The cooks were all amazed after learning the technique:
"This method is amazing!"
"From now on, we'll be able to make our own salt!"
What made the Zhen family even more desperate was that Daiyu immediately announced:
The salt permit system was abolished, allowing private individuals to freely produce and sell salt, with only a small salt tax required.
This news was like a thunderbolt, shattering the salt merchants' dream of a monopoly.
The salt merchants panicked at the sight.
They banded together and threatened to stop collecting salt.
Little did they know that Daiyu had already made preparations.
She ordered the opening of government-run salt shops, selling salt directly to the people at a price of forty coins. As salt production increased significantly in the future, the price of salt gradually decreased.
Although the price is still higher than that of smuggled salt, the salt quality is better, and it was quickly snapped up.
What made the salt merchants even more desperate was that Daiyu petitioned the emperor to allow female merchants to participate in the salt business.
Baochai personally brought funds and manpower to build a large salt field along the coast, using the latest technology, which greatly increased production.
"Sister Bao has come at just the right time." Daiyu took her hand.
“These salt merchants think they can control the government by monopolizing the channels. Let’s show them what it means to break the deadlock.”
Baochai smiled and said, "Don't worry, sister, I'm good at business."
Sure enough, after the women merchants got involved, the price of salt gradually began to fall.
The higher-quality official salt sold for only forty coins, and smuggled salt immediately lost its market.
Desperate, the salt merchants resorted to even more ruthless methods.
On this day, when Daiyu was inspecting the salt fields, a group of thugs suddenly rushed out and attacked her with sticks.
"You corrupt official! Cutting off people's livelihood is like killing their parents!"
Just as the guards were about to step forward, they saw Daiyu calmly wave her arm, and a fine needle from her sleeve popped out of the loom.
The first few thugs collapsed to the ground, convulsing and foaming at the mouth.
"What storms haven't I weathered overseas? Do you think I'm afraid of such petty villains?" Daiyu sneered. "Take them all down!"
It was later discovered that these thugs were henchmen employed by several wealthy salt merchants.
Daiyu showed no mercy and ordered the confiscation of all the salt merchants' property and their punishment.
From then on, no one dared to obstruct the salt administration reform.
Six months later, the price of salt in Lianghuai dropped to thirty wen per jin, which was comparable to the price of rice.
The people spread the word and called Daiyu "Salt Guanyin".
Upon learning of this, the Emperor issued a special decree to commend him: "Minister Lin has reformed the salt administration, benefiting all the people. He is truly a pillar of the nation."
Meanwhile, the ministers who had impeached Daiyu all submitted memorials to plead guilty.
The Emperor then declared in court: "From this day forward, the salt administration is completely liberalized, and private individuals are permitted to engage in salt business freely. Anyone who dares to obstruct this new policy will be punished as a traitor!"
The salt and iron monopoly system, which had lasted for thousands of years, was thus broken by a woman.
A year later, the price of salt continued to decline, only stabilizing after dropping to ten coins per pound.
People no longer have to worry about salt, and the salt producers have seen their incomes increase significantly because they have mastered the new technology.
On this day, Daiyu inspected the salt fields and saw a bustling scene everywhere.
The salt industry, once monopolized by powerful families, has now become a path to wealth for ordinary people.
"Sir," a young salt worker ran up excitedly, "I used the money I earned from salt production to send my sister to school!"
Daiyu smiled with relief.
This is the true meaning of her reforms—not only to ensure that people have enough to eat, but also to give them the opportunity to change their destiny.
Yuan Hongqu wrote: "I am delighted to hear of the major reforms to the salt administration. Your actions have not only broken the long-standing problems of the past, but also shown the world that women can accomplish what men cannot."
What makes her even more proud is that it is now common for women to serve as officials in the imperial court.
Those who once questioned the woman's abilities are now completely convinced.
The streets were bustling with people, and female officials in their robes could be seen everywhere.
They walked with their heads held high and their steps measured, side by side with the men.
Yes, after this battle, no one dared to underestimate women in official positions anymore.
Daiyu stood on the seawall, gazing at the boundless salt fields.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the white salt piles, as if gilding them with a layer of gold.
A gentle sea breeze carries a salty, damp scent.
But this scent no longer represents suffering; instead, it carries the scent of freedom and hope.
Meanwhile, in the nearby academy, a group of female students were learning a new method of salt production.
The success of the salt administration reform was like a resounding victory, but it also exhausted all of Daiyu's energy.
When the final reform decree was issued and the price of salt in Jiangnan finally stabilized at ten coins per catty, she could no longer hold on and collapsed in the study of the Salt Inspector's office.
"My lord!" The panicked cry of the accompanying lady echoed through the courtyard.
When the news reached the capital, Yuan Hongqu was teaching at the Women's Academy.
Upon hearing the urgent report that Daiyu had fallen ill, the book in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud," and her face instantly turned deathly pale.
"Prepare the horses! Head south immediately!" She didn't even have time to change out of her official robes before rushing to the stables.
Upon hearing the news, the Tenth Prince rushed over and, seeing her about to mount her horse, hurriedly stopped her: "Lord Yuan! You are a high-ranking official of the third rank, how can you just leave like that? You must first request permission from the Emperor..."
"Requesting permission?" Yuan Hongqu's eyes were bloodshot. "Yu'er is about to die, why should I care about these empty formalities!"
She shoved the Tenth Prince aside, mounted her horse, and rode away in a cloud of dust. Behind her, the Tenth Prince stood there stunned for a moment, then immediately went to the palace to request an imperial decree on her behalf.
Traveling day and night, Yuan Hongqu arrived in Yangzhou in just five days.
When she rushed into Daiyu's bedroom, she saw the once radiant woman lying on the bed, her face ashen and her breath barely a whisper.
“Yu’er…” Yuan Hongqu knelt before the bed, holding Daiyu’s cold hand, tears streaming down her face.
The accompanying imperial physician whispered, "Lord Lin's illness is due to overwork; his vital energy is completely depleted... I'm afraid..."
"Shut up!" Yuan Hongqu snapped, "She'll be fine!"
She immediately resigned from all her official positions and devoted herself to staying by Daiyu's side.
He personally prepared and fed Daiyu medicine every day, and massaged and bathed her. All the medicinal materials were the best produced in the space.
However, Daiyu's condition did not improve. She often fell into a coma, and when she occasionally woke up, she would cough up blood incessantly.
"Granny..." Daiyu said weakly with a smile during her brief moment of lucidity that day, "The salt administration... is complete..."
Yuan Hongqu's eyes were red. "Yu'er is amazing. People in Jiangnan can now afford good salt, all thanks to you."
Daiyu closed her eyes contentedly and drifted off to sleep again.
Seeing Daiyu's increasingly gaunt face, Yuan Hongqu felt a deep sense of self-reproach:
"Was I wrong? I shouldn't have led you down this path... If I had let you marry and have children like a typical young lady, perhaps things wouldn't have turned out this way..."
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