Chapter 96 Hostility of Yangzhou Salt Merchants

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About 300 kilometers northeast of Jinling City is the famous land of gold powder, Yangzhou.

Yangzhou is famous because it is the distribution center of salt.

"Damn it! I don't know what these masters are doing in Huangyuan. There has been no news for three consecutive days!" A sedan bearer took a sip of Kuilongzhu and complained loudly at the gate of Huangyuan.

"You just keep making a fortune! Isn't it that the second master of the Huang family comes here every day to pay ten taels of silver per person?!" Another sedan bearer sneered at him.

Indeed, this gathering of salt merchants seemed to be completely different from the past. There was no wide opening of the main gate, and no young actors and actresses in the opera troupe greeted the masters at the door with sweet voices. They just booked this teahouse for people to eat snacks, drink tea and play cards here at will.

Someone followed up and speculated: "I think something big must have happened. Either the salt inspector was replaced, or the salt transport commissioner was vacant, or the governor of the grain transport and the governor of Huaiyang were replaced?"

"Impossible! If these big guys were replaced, the masters would just discuss it in the Chamber of Commerce and distribute the cents that everyone should pay according to the salt capital and the pilotage. There is no need to make such a big fuss, right?!"

"Besides, you see, the gate is closed, and several second masters of the Huang Mansion are guarding outside the gate. In the past, those I heard that the masters are gathering here, so there will inevitably be mountain people and celebrities who come to break into the feast, eat for free, and beg for money. None of them can enter! "

"Yes! There is probably something big happening!"

From the gate of Huangyuan, along the living room, study, flower hall, and several secluded places, you will enter the garden. There are small bridges and flowing water and many high and low pavilions. The pond is a bit narrow, and there are more than a dozen willow trees planted along the way. There are red railings along the way. Entering three flower halls, separated by yellowed bamboo curtains, there are decades of water-polished nanmu tables and chairs inside.

Walking into a garden, you can see bamboo trees interlaced, pavilions and terraces are spacious, and there is running water flowing into a very wide pond. There are hundreds of fish in it, and there are golden rings hanging on the wings, so that they can be easily scooped up when eating. Next to the pond, there are still red railings, sandwiched by a corridor. Going along the corridor, there is a small moon gate hidden among several clumps of bamboo, which is very difficult to find. Push open the four green gold-sprinkled doors, and you will see three pavilions on the water.

Since the news from Jinling City, the salt merchants have been discussing in secret for three days.

The atmosphere in the room is like the snowy winter in the northern frontier, not the warm and gentle Jiangnan.

"This thing has been found in Nanzhili, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and other places!" Huang Tai, the head of the Huang family, threw a small cloth bag on the marble dining table with cups and plates.

"Salt!"

"Is it green salt?!"

"No!"

"The color is very bright!"

"The taste is also salty!"

Several salt merchants commented on this small bag of salt in Huizhou dialect and Shanxi dialect.

Salt merchants made a fortune by operating salt, a necessity for people's livelihood, and lived a luxurious life that was not as good as the emperor. Naturally, they were most familiar with such items that allowed them to enjoy so much.

"President Huang, there are riots in Shaanxi now, and the Later Jin Dazi is harassing the three borders again. The source of Qingyan is cut off. You got this salt from Huang? Could it be that Mr. Huang has a new salt field?"

The person who spoke was the owner of Li's Salt Company and Huang Tai's mortal enemy in business. It is said that the two had a feud since they were young because of a girl singing in a painted boat on the canal. They have been fighting openly and secretly for decades, and their hatred is deep.

"Where is my salt! This is private salt! Now it has appeared in several provinces! Moreover, my big shopkeeper just sent me an urgent letter. Along the canal and the Yangtze River, this thing has been sold to more than 70 counties!"

"Ah!" The whole room was in uproar!

The salt merchants were stunned! How much quantity is needed to be able to sell such salt in Nanzhili, Shandong, and Zhejiang provinces along the Yangtze River and the canal? This is definitely not something that the salt smugglers who rely on carrying dozens or hundreds of kilograms of private salt can do.

"President Huang, I don't think you need to panic. I just saw the sample you brought. Such fine salt will not be cheap. Even if it is sold all over the south and north of the Yangtze River, Huang? The poor people still have to eat our salt! If these salts are not sold for 300 wen per catty, my word Wu will be written backwards!" The fat Wu Da Dongjia shook his greasy face and didn't care.

Several people next to him also echoed Wu Da Dongjia's opinion.

"Old Wu is right. Such salt is not much worse than the salt from Huamachi and Jiezhouchi. If it is not sold for 300 wen per catty, you will definitely not make any money!"

"Old Wu, I told you the price of this salt. I'm afraid that when you go home and see your group of beautiful girls, you will not be able to eat even a bite of ginseng egg fried rice!"

"Hahaha!"

There was a laugh in the hall. Everyone knew that this Wu Da Dongjia was a person who paid great attention to the desire for food. The chefs in his family were superb and the skills were the best in Yangzhou. Another unique thing is that any of the beauties in the family, from the kitchen maids to the maids, can go to the canal to sing and earn money.

"President, please forgive me for making fun of you. I wonder how much this salt sells for per pound?" Wu Dadong's fat face was slightly cinnabar-colored, and he quickly turned the topic to the point.

"According to the information my shopkeeper has found out! Each pound of fine salt is only 80 cents!"

"Ah! This!!!"

Almost everyone shook their heads like a rattle, "Is this the price of a salt?" Some people were unwilling to give in.

"No, this is the price for selling it to the kitchen!"

This price left the salt merchants speechless.

If such prices and salt spread in southern Zhili, Shandong, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Henan and other provinces, then how can one's own garden, the actors in the garden, and the cooks in the kitchen rely on to maintain themselves? Without money, the pretentious Xiaodan at home would no longer be able to sing like a queen in the backyard.

One person pondered for a while, "President Huang, but I wonder who has such means?" There was a strange light shining in his eyes, which seemed to be ferocious, greedy, and furious.

"Salt Gang." Two words came out from between Chairman Huang's teeth.

Salt Gang? When did they have such strength? In the minds of the salt merchants, the guys from the Salt Gang are just a bunch of wild dogs trying to get some bones under their feet. Although he is selling private salt, he is really vicious and vicious, but the biggest private salt dealer is Mr. Gungun who is here in front of you.

It is no secret that salt merchants are selling legal private salt at a cost that far exceeds the salt production itself. But how did the Salt Gang's Kuhaha people obtain these fine salts?

"I don't know about this either. However, a boy at home can tell me something." President Huang said with a wry smile.

"A gift to all of you, sir." This young man from the Huang family moved his eyes chatteringly, and at first glance he was an extremely shrewd person.

"Huang San, please tell the gentlemen what you learned the day before yesterday in detail."

Huang San swallowed and spat, "I don't know exactly where this salt comes from, but I know a thing or two about the small purchase price of this salt."

"How many!?"

The eyes of all the salt merchants present were about to burst into flames.

Huang San, however, was a gifted person. He bowed to all the gentlemen present, "Gentlemen, there is no need to be anxious. Anyway, the matter is already there. There is no need to rush now."

There is a salt merchant who is quick to see an opportunity and knows it well. This kid is also taking advantage of the situation and asking for rewards from everyone present. As a result, golden melon seeds and silver melon seeds also rained down.

"I have a sweetheart in Lichun Courtyard in Mingyu Square. My name is Chunhua. I went to look for her the day before yesterday, but unexpectedly I met a benefactor in her room. I also met this person in the gambling house. However, there was a bit of a nod of friendship. He was originally a small and medium-sized leader of the Salt Gang. I was surprised that he didn't know where he made a fortune, but he actually slept in Lichun Courtyard for the entire night.

So, the villain drank and chatted with him. After a few glasses of old wine, he said that their Salt Gang had made a fortune recently! There is a big salt merchant who sells them countless amounts of refined salt. The purchase price is only forty cash per catty, but it is sold to every household for one hundred and fifty cash. The earth is shaking! Once you enter and exit, you will get nearly three times the bonus money! "

"Wow!"

"Plop!"

There was a commotion, and several salt merchants who lost their composure fell to the ground in embarrassment.

"Mom!" Fatty Wu couldn't help but yelled, "Such salt only sells for forty cents?! Why not..." Everyone knows the subtext in his words, why not sell it to me? !

If you sell it to me, I have to sell it for at least 300 yuan per catty! Almost all the salt merchants in the hall had the same idea.

If you don’t make money, you are a fool!

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