The waiting time is excruciating.
This is how Liu Zhi feels.
The palace in Nanjing was both quaint and intimidating, and the eunuchs and maids rushing by gave him great psychological pressure.
Although he was under the shade of a tree, his heart felt like it was burning.
As the salt transport envoy to the Huaihe River, and as the leader of the salt merchants, his meaning is self-evident.
He lowered his head, closed his eyes tightly, and held the money bag tightly with his right hand. In the face of power, money is like snow meeting the sun, and his fate has long been doomed.
But for him, money is the last straw...
In fact, as the leader of the salt merchants, he knew that the fate of the salt merchants would be irreversible the moment Emperor Shaowu entered Nanjing.
Even though he sent money to congratulate the queen when she gave birth to her son, which solved the emperor's urgent need, he did so together with Huizhou and Shaanxi merchants.
"Hu Ju actually smelled something and didn't even see my face!"
"It's just a guild, like the Grain Merchants' Guild. It's just that the profits are too thin, which makes it easier for the untouchables."
Thinking of this, he felt sad.
Who can value the hard-earned money of Huizhou merchants when they are engaged in the hugely profitable salt industry?
After a long time, he heard a rush of footsteps.
Looking up, he saw Wei Kang, the Lianghuai salt transport envoy, walking away in a hurry, his face pale and nervous.
It seemed that he didn't see his figure and left in a hurry.
Just as he was about to speak, he was stopped by the stern gaze of the eunuch on the side, as if he would be eaten alive if he opened his mouth.
After suppressing his thoughts, he saw a eunuch coming with his head held high, and his sharp voice was particularly harsh and loud: "Long live the Lord wants to see Liu Zhi——"
"Liu Zhi is here!" The young eunuch on the side responded hurriedly.
"Father-in-law——"
Liu Zhi held his hand in hand, quite respectfully.
"Let's go!"
After glancing at Liu Zhi, who had a wide face and a tall forehead, the eunuch who served nearby walked directly forward, lowering his head along the way and repeating the courtesy of the mianjun.
Even though he had heard about this several times, Liu Zhi was respectful and did not dare to get bored and handed over a roll of banknotes.
"Father, please give me a little thought."
The eunuch touched it and glanced at it again. The huge words of one thousand taels made him feel frightened and his steps were a little unsteady.
He is naturally no stranger to banknotes.
After Emperor Shaowu came to Nanjing, Shaanxi merchants' banks opened in Nanjing. With the tacit approval of the imperial court, banknotes became rampant. Huizhou merchants and salt merchants were not to be left behind and opened banks.
However, for financial institutions such as banks and money shops, the Ministry of Accounts imposes heavy taxes, and banks that issue banknotes must pay 10,000 taels of silver every year.
I don’t know how many people were scared away for a while, but at the same time, a large number of powerful merchants were screened out.
In this regard, there are only eight banks in Nanjing, all of which are set up by powerful merchants. They have strongholds in various provinces and can exchange money at any time.
"Yeah!" He snorted softly and quickly put away the banknotes. The eunuch's attitude became much kinder.
"I wonder how your day is going?"
Liu Zhi pointed to the sky and asked the key points.
"It's clear and cloudless, but it seems to be hiding thunder. After all, it's really unpredictable during the rainy season."
The eunuch said softly.
As if feeling embarrassed to hold the Qianliang, he added: "It's hard to go against God's will. Instead of going against the will of God, it's better to bring a bamboo hat and an umbrella. It's safe."
"Thank you, father-in-law."
It seems that the emperor is following the donkey's will and cannot go back. Even if it is the wrath of thunder, he must happily continue it.
Otherwise, how can we say that thunder, rain and dew are all due to your kindness?
Thank you Lord for your kindness, you just commit suicide and die; if you talk back and go against the grain, you will confiscate your family and exterminate your clan.
Liu Zhi smiled bitterly and cupped his hands.
"What are you thanking me for? Aren't we talking about anger?"
The eunuch said curiously, Yuan Yuan quickened his pace and kept some distance away from him.
Liu Zhi didn't take it seriously. No matter how careful you were in the palace, it was right.
He looked at no evil along the way and walked for half a quarter of an hour before he saw the emperor.
This is somewhat different from when he first took over Nanjing.
At that time, the emperor was radiant with heroic appearance, full of bravery and murderous intent. He demoted dozens of noble families and exiled dozens of nobles and six senior officials of the imperial court overnight, which was shocking.
But now, like the Ming emperors for two hundred years, he has grown a beard and looks very restrained.
But his eyes are bright, showing that this hero is still as powerful as a rainbow, and he can kill millions of people with just a few words.
Of course, the distance is too far, and a sneak peek can only give this impression, and the specific appearance is too vague.
"Common people, Liu Zhi of Yangzhou, come to see Your Majesty!"
More than ten steps away from the emperor, he knelt down neatly and shouted.
"Get up!"
Zhu Yixi was wearing looser clothes at this time. If he hadn't been meeting Wei Kang and Liu Zhi, he would have changed into a Taoist robe and enjoyed the cool air.
In his eyes, Liu Zhi is a typical salt merchant. Although he has a low eyebrow, he can't hide his shrewdness.
And unlike those ordinary people who are calm and composed, the magistrates and magistrates in those places may not perform as well as he does.
"Perhaps you already know that I just learned from Wei Kang, the Lianghuai Salt Transport Envoy, and you are the second one."
The emperor said casually: "In addition to you, in the next few days, I will also meet with the salt transport envoys from Changlu, Shandong, Zhejiang and Guangdong."
As soon as these words came out, Liu Zhi's heart sank.
Obviously, the emperor had made up his mind, and the reform of the salt industry was on the verge of reversal.
"The reason why I called you, a salt merchant, is that Huai salt sells well in Yingtianfu, Anhui, Jiangsu, Huguang, and Henan, and it ranks first in the salt industry in the world."
As he spoke, the emperor seemed to be joking and said: "The Gangsalt Law has been implemented for decades. Although it has contributed a lot to the country, in my opinion, it does not have the expected effect."
"Compared with the previous 1.3 million taels, the more than two million taels has only doubled. However, I am familiar with history books and know that it is only half of that of the Southern Song Dynasty. The salt tax is tens of millions of taels, which is several times that of this dynasty. "
"I don't know, is it because I don't have enough money to eat, or is the price of salt so high that the people can't afford official salt?"
These words were like sharp arrows piercing Liu Zhi's heart. Of course, he had countless reasons to refute, such as the court's lack of anti-smuggling, the price of salt in this dynasty was less than half that of the Song Dynasty, etc.
But when he came, he had already accepted the eunuch's message and could only follow the emperor and not go against it.
"The sage is no better than your Majesty, and the common people are ignorant and don't know why." Liu Zhi surrendered directly.
"That's all."
He was choked immediately, and the emperor was ready to refute them one by one!
Zhu Yixi immediately lost interest: "From now on, in the location of Huai Salt, the Gang Salt System will be canceled and the Ticket Salt System will be implemented."
"The common people are stupid and don't know what to do with this vote of salt?"
Liu Zhi was really confused now.
"In other words, the general merchant system will be abolished, salt merchants will no longer be limited to just a few of you, salt will be sold openly, and anyone can become a salt merchant as long as they pay enough."
7017k
