The monthly salt production is 200,000 stones, and the annual output is two million stones.
The official tax of the Ming Dynasty was about 20 Wen per catty, which means at least 2,000 Wen per stone, or two taels of silver.
In other words, the court could theoretically collect four million taels of well salt alone! ! !
Zhu Yixi was shocked: "With the help of well salt, we actually reached the total business tax of the imperial court for a year."
The salt tax of the Ming Dynasty was only 70% of that of the Song Dynasty, but the retail price was five or six times that of the Song Dynasty.
Needless to say, almost all of the price difference was wiped out by salt merchants, nobles, and bureaucrats.
However, the imperial court owned Sichuan salt, Shaanxi salt (green salt), Jin salt (Jiechi), Huai salt, and sea salt, and could only collect at most two million taels a year.
This shows how terrible the loss of salt tax is.
Facing the Shaanxi businessmen, Zhu Yixi directly ordered: "The price of salt shall not be higher than fifty cents per catty, and the tax shall be thirty cents per catty."
In other words, the salt merchant's price difference was only twenty cash, and the real profit from the salt purchase, which had to be paid to the salt merchant, was only a dozen cash.
It may seem small, but this is a monopoly business without capital. You just sit back and collect money, making a pure profit.
When He Zongcheng, the head of Shaanxi Commercial Bank, heard this, he couldn't help but groaned and pretended to be distressed: "Your Highness, the profit is too thin."
"Slim profits?"
Zhu Yixi smiled and said bluntly: "Don't think that I don't understand your thoughts. If you make little money, you will lose money. You are not qualified to bargain on a winning deal."
Since ancient times, the salt industry has been about profit-making, and getting rich is just a matter of leisure, so Zhu Yixi is too lazy to talk about it.
"In addition, Huguang originally belongs to Huaiyan, but now Shu salt can also be exported eastward to compete for a share of profits."
"Your Highness!!!"
He Zongcheng's expression changed greatly, and he was overjoyed: "In this case, we will naturally comply."
Huguang has always belonged to the sphere of influence of the Lianghuai salt merchants, and the salt merchants were vassal to the Jiangnan officials and gentry, that is, the Donglin Party.
Therefore, under normal circumstances, Sichuan cannot defeat Huaiyan, but who makes Huguang the territory of the King of Hanyang now?
"Your Highness!" He Zongcheng hurriedly patted his chest and said, "The annual output of two million stones is just a rough estimate. I am confident that we can dig more salt wells to achieve an annual output of five million stones."
"Yeah!" Zhu Yixi quite believed these words.
Zigong well salt is famous in history. During the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Sichuan salt was used to help Chu, and the annual output reached an exaggerated 14 million stones.
Later, during the Anti-Japanese War, the entire rear area was supported by Sichuan salt.
Sichuan, Sichuan soldiers and Sichuan salt, the real rear area of the country!
However, Shaanxi merchants captured Jingyan and attacked Huguang, which was equivalent to opposing Huizhou merchants and Huaiyan, forcing them to move closer to him again.
"Grain shop, salt shop!"
Zhu Yixi drank tea and thought softly. Seeing He Zongcheng's careful flattery, he couldn't help but said: "A tea shop is also going to be established."
"This?" He Zongcheng hesitated.
If we say that the Salt Bank is an expansion force, the Tea Company directly taps their roots.
The Ancient Tea Horse Road was built step by step by Shaanxi merchants.
But, looking at King Hanyang's confident smile, how could he dare to talk too much?
With a hundred thousand soldiers and horses in hand, and several provinces under his feet, he is one of the world's most important people, and the Shaanxi merchants are completely unequal.
"Don't worry, Your Highness, the tea shop will be established in a few days."
Gritting his teeth, He Zongcheng forced a smile.
"Tea, just 10% tax!"
Zhu Yixi looked at his tangled look and said with a half-smile, "You always have to keep your mouth shut, right?"
Compared with the salt tax of 10% and 60%, the tea tax is relatively light.
After all, the gross profit of tea is equally astonishing. On the plateau and in the southwest, it is almost equivalent to that of salt.
He Zongcheng also smiled, squinted his eyes, and breathed a sigh of relief in his heart: "Your Highness is so open-minded, we Shaanxi merchants will naturally be happy."
"If Shaanxi merchants try their best to help me, if I have a mouthful of rice, you will have a mouthful of soup."
Zhu Yixi said without hesitation that he wanted to completely bind Shaanxi merchants to himself.
Intelligence, finance, and materials are all what Shaanxi businessmen are good at.
This was too obvious, and He Zongcheng hesitated for a moment.
"Your Highness, there are many Shaanxi businessmen, and I can't keep my word."
"Of course I understand!"
Zhu Yixi waved her hand and said casually: "At the end of September, I hope to get a definite reply."
"After all, there is a lot of gold and silver hidden at every moment."
After saying something with some meaning, Zhu Yixi stopped talking.
After he left, Zhu Yixi stood up this time, looked at the turbulent river, and couldn't help but muttered: "The Qing Dynasty is approaching, and the situation waits for no one, so we have to speed up our pace."
The breeze is blowing, making it suitable for travel.
Leading the large army at the rear, Zhu Yixi finally started the return journey.
On the dock, hundreds of Sichuan provincial officials bowed their heads and respectfully bid farewell to King Hanyang.
This powerful King of Hanyang stayed in Chengdu for one day, and they had to be careful when making money, which made them extremely uneasy.
Finally leaving, the officials finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Liu Fantai, we need more cooperation in the future."
Seeing the ship go away, his respectful smile faded. Wang Yingxiong turned his head and faced the serious Liu Linchang. He couldn't help but approach him.
"I have to rely more on the Futai." Liu Linchang returned the greeting.
Wang Yingxiong nodded, and then Shi Shiran left.
The officials were more knowledgeable and hurriedly followed him to flatter him.
The latter held his head high, enjoying the pleasure of the stars and the moon, and the smile on his face became brighter and brighter.
Liu Linchang watched him leave, his eyes full of contemplation:
"Your Highness asked me to take care of this person. He is really unruly."
Pulling up his long sleeves, Liu Linchang said softly: "Since you are the chief envoy, you have to take good care of the treasury."
Saying that, he left step by step.
…
Zhu Yixi took a boat and sailed down the river. Within two or three days, he arrived in Chongqing. This city after being massacred was once again full of people.
Located in a strategic location with convenient water conservancy, it is difficult to decline.
After that, we went to Fengjie, Kuizhou Prefecture, and then to the Three Gorges.
By the time he arrived in Jingzhou, it was already August 25th.
Jingzhou Mansion relied on water conservancy and was several times more prosperous than Xiangyang. After visiting for a few days, he quite wanted to set up his residence here.
Not to mention anything else, it is adjacent to Dongting Lake and is the center of Huguang. The geographical advantage is extremely obvious.
What's more important is that the eight hundred miles of Dongting is extremely suitable for training naval forces. You can reach Jiujiang by going down the river.
However, he thought about it again and again and finally gave up this very tempting idea.
Without him, the enemy is in the north!
The small court in Jiangnan has been fighting among itself. Apart from the nominal coercion and inducement, there is no threat at all.
He could swallow Zuo Liangyu from Jiujiang in a few days, but keeping him now was just to isolate the two places.
After all, the fragrance is far away and the smell is near.
Once they are close to each other, Nanjing will be startled three times a day, and its thoughts may be focused on him. This is purely internal friction.
When he returned to Xiangyang, he was naturally greeted eagerly.
He was forced to come to the Military and Political Department without even getting close to his fair and tender Snow Girl.
Zhao Shu couldn't help but smile bitterly and said: "My lord, which one do you agree to? Prince Gong? Prince Yi?"
"Ten envoys came to Nanjing, just to get the exact news."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yixi looked at his anxious face and said calmly: "I don't want any of them."
