Chapter 921: Smuggling salt
Chapter 921 Smuggling Salt
After crossing the high mountains and ridges, they walked for about seven or eight days before they arrived at a so-called salt field.
When Jiang Xiaoxiao saw the salt farm, he immediately understood that the salt produced here should be well salt.
Because this area is not close to the sea, it is impossible to produce sea salt.
Well salt is also very rare.
Arrived at the destination.
Yang Tieniu and Li Dawang found a salt man they knew well. There are many little bosses under the Yanyan Field here, and everyone has some connections.
Of course they are these private salt dealers.
How can these salt guys survive if they just rely on the salt field?
Of course there are some private salt farms. They cannot make much money by selling salt to the government, but they can make a lot by selling it to these private salt dealers.
Of course, this was done through their joints, and the government turned a blind eye. As long as you keep up with your filial piety, 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 found their own way.
Jiang Xiaoxiao and Li Tieniu met Yantou.
A forty-year-old man with a goatee and lowered eyes was loading tobacco leaves into a dry pipe.
Li Tieniu hurriedly came up to salute.
“Li Boss, I haven’t seen you in the past few days, and you are getting better and better.”
That boss Li didn't even raise his eyes. He was obviously very familiar with Li Tieniu, and he could identify the person by his voice.
“Tieniu, are you here? I heard that something went wrong on your road last time!”
It’s not that I heard about it, but I’m sure of it.
Li Tieniu smiled awkwardly.
“Boss Li, I encountered bandits and many brothers died. I want to buy another batch of goods this time. Please be accommodating.”
Hand over five coins and scattered silver.
But Boss Li didn't pick up the money. Li Tieniu was shocked. Not picking up the money meant that it was a bad omen.
"Tianniu, how much silver are you planning to buy this time? To tell you the truth, there have been a lot of changes in our salt farm recently. The new owner above made it clear to us that now the salt has increased by one or two silver, and the minimum price is Only two hundred taels of goods can be sent out, otherwise we will not be allowed to send bulk goods.
We have been in a relationship for such a long time. From your father to your brother, I can be considered an old acquaintance with you, but it is not easy to do business now. You have to be prepared in your mind, if you can accept the increase of one tael of silver, and you can also prepare to spend 200 taels of silver to purchase goods. Of course, it’s not about doing business with anyone. "
Li Tieniu was shocked, "Uncle Li, how come... one kilogram has increased so much? It has increased by one tael of silver. We don't have much profit at all. It is just hard-earned money. Add in the two hundred taels of goods, you We also know the situation in our village.
The last time the goods were purchased, almost all was lost. The villagers finally managed to collect 50 taels of silver this time. If you really do this, wouldn't we...
Uncle Li, please, please be accommodating. Help us. "
Boss Li waved his hand, "It's not that I don't help. It's not easy for any of you. I'm in this position. I'm not doing it properly yet. With the new boss coming, I can change people at any time, so don't do it either. Let me down."
Li Tieniu wants to say something else.
Jiang Xiaoxiao raised his hand to stop him.
"Since Li Tou is like this, we won't embarrass you. We want to prepare two hundred and fifty taels of silver."
She has already budgeted for the price increase and other things. In fact, if she sells it to the people in the villages below, they can probably double the price in one trip.
Earning one tael less will not result in much less profit.
The only good news is that she brought out the 200 taels of silver notes when she went out, otherwise she wouldn't be able to take them out with bare hands even if she wanted to help.
Chief Li glanced at Jiang Xiaoxiao and said, "This little brother is very smart. 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 money, it's easy to do things. Come! Take this note and go directly to hand over the money to receive the goods."
Leader Li didn't make things difficult for them and gave them a guide to buy salt.
Li Tieniu was grateful and came out with Jiang Xiaoxiao.
I was so full of thanks that I couldn't express my gratitude. If Jiang Xiaoxiao hadn't been so kind and took out two hundred taels of silver notes from her pocket today, they wouldn't have been able to transport the salt back today. The two of them arrived one after another to collect the salt. The place.
After paying the money and the way, the other party moved the salt directly from the warehouse.
The salt was put into cloth bags, and 18 people immediately stepped forward and carried each bag on their shoulders.
A pound of coarse salt costs only ten cents, and a pound of salt costs one tael of silver.
One pound of salt is worth as much as 100 pounds of grain.
Even when there was no war here, this price was still worth 20 kilograms of grain.
Of course this is the government price.
There are dozens of various government taxes, and when they are added up layer by layer, they are indeed expensive.
They get about 100 yuan per kilogram from the salt field, and the price when selling it to ordinary people is naturally not expensive. This is why private salt is very popular, and it is also the reason why they take risks.
The government's crackdown on illegal salt sales is punishable by beating to death.
They had 250 taels of silver to pack 2500 kilograms of salt.
Jiang Xiaoxiao saw a wheelbarrow pushed from nowhere. Each car could hold several hundred kilograms of salt, which was enough for six wheelbarrows.
Six people took turns pushing the cart, and the remaining people guarded the salt cart.
In this way, the number of people will be reduced at once, and the speed will become very slow.
Li Tieniu smiled and said, "Mr. Jiang, these tools are stored in the salt field here. Use them every time and push them every time."
“Why haven’t you thought about renting an ox cart or a horse-drawn carriage? Isn’t it very fast?”
Jiang Xiaoxiao never thought that the efficiency would be so low.
It’s no wonder we encountered robberies. Given our traveling speed, it’s no wonder we didn’t encounter robberies.
Li Tieniu glanced at Jiang Xiaoxiao with an inexplicable expression.
It’s no wonder that this former official lady, how could she know the sufferings of the people in Ming Dynasty?
"Mr. Jiang, we are smuggled salt traders, and we cannot see the light of it. If we hire oxcarts and horse-drawn carriages, the government will reward everyone with a large amount of silver to encourage everyone to report smuggled salt. Once someone reports, we will be punished by death."
Jiang Xiaoxiao sighed, she still took it for granted.
The people from the two villages met. Sure enough, the people from Linjia Village were very generous and pushed a total of 12 wheelbarrows. It could be seen that the goods must be at least 500 taels of silver.
Everyone once again started to turn around and head back.
Jiang Xiaoxiao just took a look at the salt in the sack. The salt was completely different from the salt she saw. The salt was black, yellow, and had many impurities.
Obviously it is due to the process, and the salt is slightly bitter and astringent in the mouth.
(End of this chapter)
