Ambassador Qian breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the matter was finally resolved. He was afraid that Li Jie would hold on to certain issues in his youth and anger, but he didn't expect that the other party would just hold them up high and then put them down gently.
Li Jie was a little bit dumbfounded when he saw Ambassador Qian looking relieved, but he didn't intend to attack now.
"Are there many such things in Shangli Salt Field?"
Ambassador Qian heard this and quickly replied: "There are so many, but there is not much land. The problem of salt merchants' defense is becoming more and more serious. At present, there are three parts of salt merchants in the world. Border merchants are responsible for paying for grain imports. Domestic merchants go to the border to buy salt imports from border merchants, and then Leave it to the water merchants to sell it, and all the people gathered here are insiders."
Li Jie was noncommittal about Ambassador Qian's words. The domestic merchants gathered at the Yamen Gate were probably salt merchants with no connections. The border merchants were reluctant to leave their homeland and suffered from the problem of keeping their branches, so they often sold salt to domestic merchants at a low price. Although the profits have become smaller, it is still better than keeping the profits for a few years. Most of the big salt merchants in the domestic business have means to give priority to cash out. Many people see the huge profits from selling salt and follow suit. Most of the salt merchants gathered at the yamen door are like this. Class businessman.
Li Jie didn't ask much about this matter, and changed the subject and said: "Ambassador, could you please take me to the salt field for a visit? I came here this time, firstly, to understand the current situation of the salt field, and secondly, to confirm some improvements in salt drying methods. The method requires the cooperation of the ambassador."
When Ambassador Qian saw that Li Jie did not continue to ask questions, he was secretly happy and said quickly: "No problem, this is what the lower official should do, not to mention that the official document has already stated that the lower official should cooperate with your Excellency."
There are thirty-one regiments under the Shangli Salt Field, and the destination for Li Jie and his two brothers is the Tiandi Group. When they arrived at the pavilion, they saw the stove farmers, led by the chief reminder, drying ashes and getting brine. Li Jie saw I was very surprised by this scene and asked.
"Why are kitchen households still using the method of frying salt? Isn't the yield of the sun-dried salt method insufficient for the amount of salt?"
Ambassador Qian respectfully replied: "It used to be enough. Since the official document from the Capital Salt Transfer Company was issued, businessmen from other salt fields have heard about it, and all the salt has been consumed. The weather has been unfavorable recently, so we can only use traditional frying." Produced by the salt method.”
Men, women, and children on the salt field are sweating profusely. The men are doing heavy physical work, while the old, young, women, and children are preparing firewood for frying salt in the evening.
During Ambassador Qian's introduction, Li Jie learned that when using the traditional method of frying salt, the whole family of Zao households would rush to the pavilion (the place where salt is cooked) before sunrise to dry on the ash beach, and then burn the salt after frying. Grass ashes are spread in layers on the pavilion before dawn, and there is no stopping from sunrise to sunset.
After listening to Ambassador Qian's narration, Li Jie couldn't help but sigh: "Salt is bitter, salt is bitter, and it is boiled and boiled all day long. Autumn is known in one leaf, and this is true in the Shangli Salt Farm. Important salt areas such as Lianghuai and Liangzhe have always used fried salt. The salt method is a heavy coursework, and those kitchen households are afraid that they will not be able to rest day and night at all times."
Ambassador Qian flattered him quietly when he heard this: "In life, I don't want to be a marquis of ten thousand households, but I hope that the salt will be beneficial to the west of Huaihe River. The salt class of Lianghuai River is 3 million, but the rice can be transported by water, which is worth the full value. However, most people only look at it." When it comes to the great benefits of salt, we have never seen the suffering of kitchen households. There are not many people like you who care about the lives of kitchen households."
While the two were talking, they came to the place where salt is usually dried. Stone brine dishes were scattered in the open space. Ambassador Qian explained to Li Jie: "Look, sir, these are the things for drying salt. First choose For a suitable brine site, after the tide goes out, take the sea mud and expose it to the sun until it is extremely dry. Then put it in the pool and pour it with sea water. Repeat this to make the brine usable. Then put the brine on the brine tray and expose it to the sun for several days to form salt. No need for firewood. That’s why.”
Li Jie asked: "The method of drying salt is so convenient, why do most of the ministers in the DPRK don't know about it? Didn't everyone transfer the salt to the envoy?"
Ambassador Qian pondered for a moment and replied: "It's not that we don't report it, but it's useless even if we report it. The Fujian Salt Farm is remote and has inconvenient transportation. It has never been taken seriously by the imperial court. The imperial court has no time to care about anything else. It just needs to ensure that it can meet the quota of tax revenue." "
After listening to Ambassador Qian's words, people feel even more deeply about the disadvantages caused by inconvenient transportation in ancient times, low administrative efficiency, and turning a blind eye to good methods even though there are good methods. Of course, this also includes the reason why it is more difficult to control private salt using the sun-salting method, but it is also Don't give up eating because of choking.
Most of the kitchen households Li Jie saw along the way were in ragged clothes, barefoot and with unkempt hair. Except for adult men, most of the women, children and children had disheveled looks on their faces. Children's eyes occasionally showed a trace of longing for the future, while most of the adults looked numb, as if He works mechanically, resigned to his fate.
The situation in front of him couldn't help but shock Li Jie. For a huge empire, these people are like screws in the machinery. They are inconspicuous among all living beings. Most contemporary officials would not care about them. From modern times, Li Jie came with a heavy heart. Since he came to this era, maybe he should do something for them.
Originally, Li Jie's utilitarianism had the upper hand in promoting the salt law reform, but what he saw and heard today made him change his original intention, and he became more determined to promote the salt-drying method. The children of each family participated in the imperial examination, and the most important thing in the imperial examination was education.
In addition to local prefecture, state, and county schools, the Ming Dynasty also had social studies. Social studies were established during the Hongwu period. Its main purpose was to educate based on customs and customs. It was the most basic school-running unit. In addition to education, It is also an enlightenment school for preliminary cultural knowledge education.
Thinking of this, Li Jie asked: "How is the social studies in the salt field going now?"
Ambassador Qian looked embarrassed when he heard this: "I don't dare to lie to you, the social studies are becoming increasingly depleted and useless. The Zao households have no food to eat and no clothing to cover their bodies. They really have no intention of sending their children to school. Even if the Zao household children are admitted to the county school, other Students are worried that the quota will be taken up, and there are many cases of exclusion.”
After hearing this, Li Jie let out a long sigh. There is a long way to go to change the salt law. Not to mention important salt areas like Lianghuai and Liangzhe, even secondary salt areas like Changlu and Shandong, if you want to implement sun-salted salt, Law, I am afraid that I am unable to do so given my current status.
However, the time for this dungeon is still very long. Li Jie firmly believes that he can climb high enough in the remaining time. When he is in control of the power, he will not be tied to the current situation. Managing a big country is like cooking a small fish, and there is no rush.
When Li Jie and the two walked to a tidal flat, he said to Ambassador Qian: "The salt-drying method used today also requires the preparation of brine. Why not omit this step? I have a method here that I need Ambassador Qian to help verify."
Ambassador Qian was quite disapproving when he heard that Li Jie wanted to improve the salt method, but on the surface he still asked respectfully: "Sir, please tell me, I will definitely take it to heart!"
