Xu He described the details of the "Gangyun Method" in detail to the county magistrate who was born in Zao.
After hearing this, Chen Hua frowned and said, "If the old ones are paid off, they will all be new ones. Since the salt merchants are hereditary, they may become extremely rich!"
Xu He was surprised that Chen Hua was sensitive to Gangyun Method.
That's right, the Gangyun method in another time and space is used to deal with the desperate method.
From the middle and late Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Gangyun method had always been the only way for the court to control the salt industry.
During this period, because the Gangyun Method replaced the Kaizhong Method, it further promoted the rise of Huizhou merchants and the development of Huaihe and Huaihe, especially large cities such as Huai'an and Yangzhou. The resulting salt merchant garden culture, as well as Huaiyang cuisine to this day It is also a cultural treasure of our nation.
When the Huizhou merchants were at their peak, they built forests and gardens and spent money like water. Even the likes of Deng Tong and Shi Chong could not compare with them.
But has anyone seen Huizhou merchants rebelling or sponsoring rebellions?
No, because, in the entire system, the imperial court is always the leader, and as a vested interest group, if the salt merchants want to maintain their wealth, they must be attached to the imperial court, or even to a certain powerful person.
In other words, their scenery is actually that of vines, and they cannot survive independently.
In addition, the outline book of the Outline Movement Law is changed every ten years, and the place where the merchant sells his business changes, and the people, things, and things he comes into contact with are relatively unfamiliar. This also largely eliminates the possibility of the merchant colluding with local interest groups to develop power.
Chen Hua was like a social scholar, listening and nodding, not at all embarrassed to ask a child for advice in his own capacity.
After Xu He finished speaking, he quickly asked someone to get a pen and paper, thought carefully about what Xu He had just said, and then wrote eloquently on the paper.
When he encountered details that he didn't understand or needed to be elaborated on, he would stop writing and discuss them with Xu He.
In this way, the two chatted for a day. Lao Zheng visited them several times and listened to what they said, but he couldn't understand them at all.
What made him even more confused was that Chen Huacai was obviously an official, but why did he seem to be like a schoolboy? Whatever Mr. Xu said, his face showed a look of realization, and he nodded repeatedly.
In the evening, the two continued holding candles, and finally at the third watch, Chen Hua finished writing the manuscript.
Next, he called his servants, took the memorial he had brought with him, and copied the contents on the paper into the memorial one by one.
It was late at night, and Xu He was running all the way. He had not rested since he arrived at Huancha. Seeing Chen Hua who was still energetic, he couldn't stand it anymore and lay down on the small couch beside him in his clothes.
Just like that, he fell asleep unknowingly. I don't know how long it took, but suddenly the door was knocked open. Ding Erxiao burst in with a torch, followed by a dozen strong men.
"No, Mr. Xu, our salt farm is surrounded by soldiers from the imperial court!" Ding Er said in a panic.
Xu He had just woken up and was still confused. However, Chen Hua was suddenly startled and stood up quickly and said, "What's going on?"
"What's going on?" Suddenly another group of people broke in, and Wang Zhu'er was seen glaring at Chen Hua and Xu He: "You know what's going on. You are just delaying the attack to stabilize us. In fact, you are secretly deploying troops. Surround us!"
After he said these words, not only the people behind Wang Zhuer glared at them, but even the young man brought by Ding Erxiao had a bad look on his face.
Xu He finally woke up at this time. He unexpectedly found that he was covered with Chen Hua's coat. Apparently when he just fell asleep, Chen Hua was afraid that he would be cold, so he took off his coat to cover him.
Thinking of this section, Xu He had a much better impression of Chen Hua.
But at this time, Chen Hua had no time to think about so much. He said angrily to Wang Zhuer: "I discussed with Xu He how to present the performance. We have been studying it for a whole day, and I haven't even fallen asleep yet. You said we are trying to stabilize you?" ?Then why don’t we take the opportunity to escape and wait for the court soldiers to arrive before we are captured alive by you again?”
Wang Zhuer sneered and said: "Officials are accustomed to sweet words, who knows what twists and turns you have in your heart!"
Chen Hua was still waiting to argue. At this time, Xu He lifted up the clothes covering his body and came to the crowd. He said to Ding Er, "Brother Ding, where are the soldiers of the imperial court now?"
Ding Erxiao said with a serious face: "The people we sent out to look out said that except for the seaside, there were officers and soldiers on all three sides coming towards this direction from twenty miles away. There was no fire along the way, and the men and horses were almost silent!"
Xu He frowned and said, "Do you know where the soldiers came from?"
"I don't know!" Ding Erxiao shook his head.
Chen Hua was anxious. He originally had hope of solving the problem without using force, but if the imperial court sent troops to encircle and suppress him at this time, not only would he and Xu He die, but Nanzhi, the most prosperous country, might also be corrupted.
He said in a loud voice: "I will go and conduct an investigation. Don't worry, I will definitely tell the people who come. You are all good people. What happened before was also caused by those salt bullies who did many evil things. You had no choice!"
Wang Zhuer sneered and looked at Ding Erxiao: "Second brother, is it the same as I guessed? This official wants to run away!"
Chen Hua was angry: "I want to run away? What should Mr. Xu do?"
Wang Zhuer sneered and said: "The Xu family has happened this time. This person named Xu has come to save you, the county magistrate, just to save you!"
"Nah! This Wang Zhu'er has a strange mind. Is my life worthless?" Xu He cursed in his heart.
Just when the two sides were arguing, Lao Zhengtou walked in with a man dressed as a scholar.
As soon as he entered the door, Old Zhengtou said to Chen Hua: "Mr. Chen, have you finished writing what you want to show the emperor?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Hua picked up the copy of the memorial that had just been copied on the table and handed it to Old Zheng: "Be careful, don't get it dirty."
When Old Zhengtou heard this, he immediately held it solemnly with both hands and handed it to the man dressed as a scholar next to him. Then he turned to Chen Hua and said, "Master Chen, his name is Fan Zong. He is the only person in our salt farm who can read and write. He read several books when he was a child. New Year's book, and later on when the family declined, I was there to help with the accounting!"
Fan Zong was obviously here to check Chen Hua and Xu He's homework.
He took the memorial from Old Zhengtou and read it carefully.
Everyone looked at him with bated breath. Even if this memorial was handed over, it might not be useful, but it showed an attitude, the attitude of Chen Hua and the Xu family.
Old Zhengtou and everyone present attach great importance to this attitude. After so many years of suffering, someone will eventually tell His Majesty the Emperor. After all, they have no choice but to tell the big shots in the court.
Moreover, this is also the key for Chen Hua and Xu He to win everyone's trust.
Just when everyone was staring at Fan Zong, Fan Zong's face gradually turned from solemn at first to excitement, and finally he said with excitement: "Once this outline method is implemented, we, the kitchen servants, can also participate in the salt price negotiation. This, this, this...if this is really possible, our Zao Ding will never suffer like this again!"
