Xuchang.
The Mi family's caravan has not come for a month, and the Shu brocade of the dignitaries is no longer enough.
Even more stretched is the problem of common people eating salt.
Once they had experienced the taste of Shu salt, it was simply torture for them to eat the obscure and bitter salt from the imperial court.
The aristocratic families could also purchase some Shu salt through other means, and the common people suffered quite a lot.
However, the salt produced by the imperial court is unpalatable, and the price is not lower than that of Shu salt!
The common people have already scolded the bastard who raised tariffs without permission, causing Mi's caravan to not come.
Jiang Ji has been sneezing a lot these days, but it really can't stop him.
This is how he can stop Liu Bei from continuing to harvest wool.
At the same time, under the leadership of Cao Pi, he was tinkering with alternatives to Shu brocade and Shu salt.
Jiang Ji wanted to use the method of slowly raising tariffs to delay Mi's caravan first.
Then carry out infiltration and figure out the manufacturing method of Shu salt step by step.
It's a pity that Jiang Ji spent a lot of money and bribed all fringe people.
Now that you have money, what are you afraid of?
Only Liu Mang, Zhuge Liang and a few others know how to make Shu salt.
Although Jiang Ji failed to obtain the manufacturing method of Shu salt, he was gradually reducing Cao Cao's losses.
Unexpectedly, Liu Mang immediately pulled away the stool after finishing the move, and I stopped playing!
This can make the people of the Central Plains explode. It's okay if everyone doesn't wear Sichuan brocade. Not everyone can afford it.
But Sichuan salt is everyone’s favourite, something that is indispensable for every meal!
Jiang Ji originally wanted to make nonsense and throw the blame to Mi's caravan, but Liu Mang took the lead.
"Sir! The statement from Mi's caravan is here!"
The men ran all the way and handed the letter to Jiang Ji.
Mi's Caravan denounced Cao Cao's malicious increase in tariffs, and repeatedly stated that it had not increased prices and was a truly conscientious merchant.
However, due to life constraints, there was no way to provide Shu salt to the people in the Central Plains.
The implication is, if you want to blame, just blame Cao Cao. It has nothing to do with our Mi's caravan.
Jiang Ji was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot. The continued dissatisfaction of the people would easily lead to a peasant uprising!
Although the peasant uprisings in the Central Plains have never stopped, if it is because of Jiang Ji's policies, then he is the one who takes the blame!
"Master Jiang, King Wei invites you!"
Jiang Ji had no choice but to go to Prince Wei's Mansion.
"Jiang Ji, how are things going?"
Cao Cao is old and senile, but he is still feared.
"Back to the King of Wei... some substitutes for Shu salt have been developed."
How could Jiang Ji dare to tell Cao Cao that there was no movement from him and that all the money he spent to bribe Mi's caravan was wasted.
"Is there any result?"
"Please ask King Wei to take a look..."
Jiang Ji presented the salt that he had improved by Jiba with both hands.
Naturally, Cao Cao would not taste it himself, but looked at the bodyguard Xu Chu on the side.
Xu Chu smelled it first, then dipped some in his fingers and put it in his mouth.
Everyone then saw the expression on Xu Chu's face, showing the process of transforming a normal person into a mask of pain.
"Bah! Bah! Bah! It's so bitter. Is this really edible?"
"Jiang Ji, are you teasing me on purpose?"
After Xu Chu finished speaking, he was about to draw his knife, which frightened Jiang Ji into despair.
He didn't want to be like Xu You, who was killed with a single sword and died in an unknown way.
"Zhongkang!"
Cao Cao spoke, and Xu Chu calmed down.
"Jiang Ji, I know you are also in trouble. Liu Mang's actions are beyond our expectations."
"He is forcing me to make a choice!"
"If we compromise, I'm afraid the salt used by the people in the Central Plains will be monopolized by this person!"
Cao Cao regretted that all the salt and iron operations were originally owned by the imperial court.
However, after the heroes separated themselves, even the princes could easily get their hands on these things.
Not to mention Liu Bei’s Shu Salt, which was at the forefront of the times.
Even if Cao Cao wants to play the trick of the court controlling salt, the people may not buy it.
"The King of Wei... I have another plan to delay the attack."
Jiang Ji spoke cautiously, fearing that Cao Cao would be unhappy and Xu Chu would chop him directly.
"But it doesn't matter!"
"Yes, King Wei!"
Jiang Ji cleared his throat and said bluntly: "We can buy salt in a curve! Buy Shu salt from Jiangdong Sun Quan!"
"As long as we negotiate the price with Sun Quan, he will definitely agree happily!"
"As long as you give the salt and iron officials some time, they will be able to crack the secret of Shu Salt!"
Jiang Ji's delaying strategy is indeed a strategy.
As long as the anger of the people can be calmed, time can be bought for the salt and iron officials of the court.
What a pity, Sun Quan really knows how to be obedient?
The green-eyed child was scared away by Zhang Liao just now.
"Forget it, let's leave this matter to Zhongda."
"You were on an envoy trip to Jiangdong before."
"Zhongda, you won't let me down, right?"
When Sima Yi heard this, he was so angry that he cursed his mother and even greeted the eighteenth generation of Jiang Ji's ancestors!
Why do you suggest that I would risk my life?
"King Wei, let go, and my subordinates will do their best to complete their mission!"
Sima Yi had no choice but to smile bitterly and agree that if he dared to say no, Cao Cao would settle the blame for the Battle of Jiangling with him.
Life is really difficult!
After Cao Cao gave his instructions, he waved his hand to signal everyone to leave.
"Zhongkang, call Ji Ping."
"Yes, King Wei!"
After a while, Ji Ping arrived at Prince Wei's Mansion carrying the medicine box.
"Royal doctor, if you have anything to say, just say it."
"Gu, how long do you have to live?"
When Cao Cao said this, Ji Ping was a little surprised, wondering what the traitor in front of him was thinking.
"Don't be afraid, Gu has no intention of taking your life."
"I just want to know the general idea."
Cao Cao laughed at himself: "Gu calls himself a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty, but it is not Gu who has the final say in what happens after his death."
Ji Ping already understood that Cao Cao could see his son Cao Pi's intention to usurp the Han Dynasty.
As long as he lives for one day, he can stop Cao Pi from usurping the Han Dynasty.
However, everyone has a destiny. After his death, he was powerless to decide how Cao Pi would act.
"King Wei... he only has three years to live at most!"
Ji Ping sighed deeply, Cao Cao's fate was now in chaos with the Han Dynasty!
"Three years? There are too many things I want to do..."
A smile appeared on Cao Cao's face. How much did he want to gather a large number of troops again to fight Liu Bei to the death?
But he understood that the result of laboring and mobilizing troops was to help Liu Bei narrow the gap in national power with the Central Plains.
"Physician, you must not tell anyone about this!"
Cao Cao's eyes were so piercing that Ji Ping broke out in cold sweat.
"Don't worry, King Wei... I will keep my mouth shut!"
"Go back and tell your Majesty that no matter how wronged you may be in the future, for Cao Jie's sake, you must live on."
Ji Ping paid homage again, and Cao Cao allowed him to leave.
"King Wei, why do you suddenly care about the little emperor?"
"Zhongkang, you don't understand. Gu is just helping Zihuan."
Cao Cao sighed: "If the emperor of the Han family dies, the Gu family will definitely become a rebel."
