Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, Yang Jian, abolished the salt ban in the third year of Emperor Kaihuang's reign, implemented a tax-free system, and allowed people to buy and sell freely.
There was no salt tax in the Sui Dynasty!
You only need to pay a small amount of city tax when trading on the mutual market.
This was also inherited in the early Tang Dynasty. The court sold salt not to make money, but to stabilize the price of salt!
This system has been maintained for 128 years!
But in the middle and late Tang Dynasty, the court was short of money and decided to focus on salt!
The Anshi Rebellion broke out and completely destroyed the Tang Dynasty's economy.
Then the court went even crazier in amassing money.
In the later period, salt accounted for half of the entire imperial court's annual fiscal revenue!
Such huge profits have attracted countless people to take risks and start smuggling and selling salt.
In the end, the Tang Dynasty was destroyed!
The most famous of these is the Huangchao Uprising.
Huang Chao, a scholar who failed in the imperial examination, came from a family of salt merchants. He built up a team by smuggling and selling salt, and made the Tang Dynasty exist in name only!
Soon we entered the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms...
"go on!"
Li Shimin's eyes flashed with undetectable murderous intent!
"Based on the salt books we checked, the skyrocketing salt prices in Jiangnan and Liangzhou may be a scam..."
scam?
Fang Xuanling and others looked puzzled.
"The price of salt in Jiangnan and Liangzhou areas has not skyrocketed, and there is still a lot of inventory in the government offices. On the contrary, all the salt in other surrounding state capitals has been sold out."
"According to speculation, someone should have spread rumors that the price of salt in Jiangnan and Liangzhou has skyrocketed..."
"Then people from nearby state capitals took salt to the two places to sell it."
"When they arrived, they discovered that the price of salt in the two places had not fluctuated."
"If we pull it back again, the transportation fees, losses, tariffs..."
"After deducting a series of costs, they will also lose money!"
"It's better to sell it directly in two places at a low price and recover some losses."
"The final result is..."
"There is too much salt near Jiangnan and Liangzhou."
"On the contrary, salt shortages occurred in other places, and salt prices began to rise accordingly."
"Although the fluctuation is not obvious, it has also risen to 20-40 yuan."
Wow...
Li Shimin's expression changed immediately.
Although it only increased by 20-40 Wen, the price of salt in Datang was generally around 10 Wen, and at most it did not exceed 20 Wen.
The price has doubled and tripled, which is already an extremely huge profit.
"Say, it covers several state capitals!"
Li Shimin's murderous intention soared.
"About seventy or eighty state capitals."
boom.
Li Shimin slapped the dragon case with his palm.
Seventy or eighty state capitals, the amount of money involved is already extremely huge!
"Shuyu, this is wrong."
At this moment, Fang Xuanling asked the doubts in his heart: "Even if according to what you said, the areas near Jiangnan and Liangzhou are just scams, then if the momentum is so huge, why don't the officials there report it to the court?"
"Uncle Fang, this is the most important thing."
Wei Shuyu said with a solemn expression: "Who in today's world can make officials shut up and not report the news?"
Fang Xuanling's expression suddenly changed.
Who can tell officials to shut up?
Except for His Majesty, they are the nobles!
"Near Jiangnan and Liangzhou, there are only two gentry clans that are the largest!"
"First, the Zheng family in Xingyang is close to Jiangnan!"
"Second..."
After saying that, Wei Shuyu glanced at Li Shimin: "Li family in Longxi, close to Liangzhou!"
As soon as these words came out, needles could be heard in the field.
Only the cautious breathing of a few people was left.
"Of course, this statement is just the speculation of the three of us. We still need to send someone to investigate for details."
Wei Shuyu broke the silence by speaking.
Probe?
Still need to explore?
When the price of salt skyrocketed, the government should report it to the court as soon as possible.
But why did the court only receive the news now?
It was obvious that someone was causing trouble.
And Wei Shuyu said it tactfully.
What merchants and common people sell salt to two places...
If the nobles were really behind the scenes, they could hide the salt, transport only a small part to two places, and then sell it when the price of salt rises, making a direct profit!
This move is still a conspiracy.
The imperial court had nothing to do with the gentry...
Because the apparent price of salt is raised by the common people and businessmen themselves!
They bought local salt and sold it to Jiangnan and Liangzhou...
Since there is a lack of salt on our land, the price will naturally go up.
"check!"
Li Shimin ordered with a sullen face: "Bring the criminal to justice!"
"Wei Shuyu, Ma Zhou, Chu Suiliang..."
"I'm here!"
"I order you to go to Jiangnan and Liangzhou. If there is anyone who refuses to cooperate, I will give you the right to kill them first and report them later!"
"If there is resistance, surrounding troops can be mobilized to suppress it!"
"I accept your order!"
Ma Zhou and Chu Suiliang bowed to accept the order, trembling with excitement.
The supervisory censor is just a whistle-blower and rarely has any power.
Li Shimin has released his real power!
When they arrived at the local level, even the governor and governor were a head shorter than them.
"His Majesty……"
At this moment, Wei Shuyu stood up awkwardly: "I feel that I am still young and need to go to the Imperial College for further training."
"I won't go on this trip."
Evil son.
Wei Zheng glared at his son.
What a great contribution to pacifying the price of salt. The root causes have been analyzed, and the emperor has the power to mobilize the army.
It can be said that you will get the credit after just one visit.
You don’t want to fuck me?
"You really don't want to go?"
Li Shimin was also surprised.
"Your Majesty, I know how much I know in my heart. Compared with Ma Yushi and Chu Yushi, my knowledge is far behind."
"Thanks to your majesty's love, I have been appointed as an official. I naturally have to enrich myself and earn your majesty's trust..."
"If someone says that I am young and have no ideas, I don't care. I am afraid of losing His Majesty's face..."
Wei Shuyu said seriously.
His face was filled with the expression of loyalty that I will not leave Chang'an because of His Majesty's sake.
Wei Zheng frowned and thought for a moment...
Shoot the first bird.
Wei Shuyu was only eleven years old and already stole the show.
You really need to restrain yourself.
And since I am still here, there will be many ways to get promoted in the future, so there is no need to be obsessed with the merits of this one or two times.
On the contrary, Chu Suiliang, whom he recommended, needed a meritorious service to stabilize his position as supervisory censor.
After thinking about it, Wei Zheng took a step...
"Your Majesty, my wife is pregnant with Liujia and needs someone to take care of her. I hope your Majesty will allow Shuyu to stay in Chang'an."
Li Shimin nodded.
It makes sense that Lao Wei's family is small.
"In that case, Shuyu should stay in Chang'an."
Li Shimin looked at Ma and Zhou again: "On this trip, each of you will go to one place. You must arrest and bring to justice all those who have committed crimes!"
"promise."
As the words of both parties fell, the matter came to an end for the time being.
Next, they prepared documents, fish charms, etc., and when everyone was about to retreat, Wei Shuyu spoke again...
"Your Majesty, I heard that you brought Qiqi to the palace?"
not good.
Li Shimin's heart skipped a beat.
He glanced at Wei Zheng secretly.
As expected, Wei Zheng showed a puzzled look.
Li Shimin quickly changed the topic...
"It's getting late, and it's time to go on duty. Please leave first."
Turning his head, Li Shimin looked at Fang Xuanling again: "Xuanling, Yiai is injured, why don't you hurry up and apply medicine for him?"
"It's gone, it's all gone... Go home early for dinner."
After saying that, Li Shimin stood up and wanted to leave.
