Three days in a row.
The villagers of Xiaowang Village brought in 39 more fugitive households for Han Zhen, totaling 144 people.
To his delight, the proportion of young and middle-aged men who fled their households was very high, reaching an astonishing 53%.
However, the reason behind this is cruel.
Due to the harsh conditions in the mountains, most of the old, weak, women and children died within a year.
Those who can survive are naturally strong young people.
On the fifth day, the number of escapees began to decrease.
This is normal. Most of the runaways that the villagers can attract are villagers who used to live in Xiaowang Village. They already know each other, so they are easier to persuade.
Moreover, all the escaped households in Xiaowang Village on the outskirts of Dashan were removed.
If you want to continue searching, you have to go deep into the mountains, which increases the risk several times.
It wasn't until one villager almost died in a tiger's mouth that the villagers in Xiaowang Village woke up from their craze for making money and returned to their previous lives.
After all, in a few days, the wheat in the fields will be harvested.
…
At noon, the scorching sun seemed to be drying out the earth.
Masangou and the others, who had returned from a patrol, returned to the big house.
At this moment, the five of them looked like they were fished out of the water, sweat dripping down their chins.
As soon as they entered the yard, several people immediately took off their bamboo hats and rushed to the well.
A bucket of cool well water was poured down, and Ma Sangou shivered immediately.
Passing the barrel to Gu Si beside him, he quickly walked into the hall, picked up a bowl of braised plum juice and drank it in one gulp.
Ma Sangou breathed a long sigh of relief and couldn't help but ask: "Brother Han, we have completed the earthen kiln for burning lime, so why is there still no movement in Tiao Zhi County?"
"No hurries."
Han Zhen sipped the braised plum juice with a calm expression.
He knew Changzhi County's little thoughts very well.
It is nothing more than an attempt to gain dominance in cooperation through this method.
Unfortunately, Changzhi County failed to understand one thing, he can be replaced.
Linzi County is not the only one in Qingzhou, nor is it the only official in Changzhi County.
While the two were talking, Tan Qiang's son Xiao Xiaoer hurried in and gasped: "Village Chief, the official from last time is here again."
Hearing this, Han Zhen smiled slightly and ordered: "Go and bring him here."
The old fox finally couldn't bear it anymore.
"Why."
The puppy responded, turned around and walked out the door.
Zhou Tian drove an ox cart this time and brought one more person with him.
This person has a stooped figure and his entire face is covered by a wide bamboo hat.
After the two of them entered the house, Han Zhen looked at Zhou Tian and asked, knowingly: "Zhou Tian, who is this?"
Without waiting for Zhou Tian to answer, the old man took off his bamboo hat and took the initiative to introduce: "Haha, I am a foot trader. I was passing by your village and came to ask for a bowl of water. I also wanted to see if I could negotiate a small business or two. , so that I can make some living money.”
Han Zhen half-smiled but said, "What do you call me, my father-in-law?"
"The old man's name is Shang Jin."
Shang Jin said, looking Han Zhen up and down.
Last time I had a quick glance at the county government office, I could only catch a glimpse of his back.
At this moment, when I looked at him, I saw that Duan had a handsome appearance and a strong back, and he couldn't help but admire him in his heart. He was a good man.
Han Zhen invited: "What a coincidence. I have a small business here. Why don't we go to the study to discuss it in detail."
"It's my wish, but I don't dare to ask for my ear!"
The two looked at each other and smiled.
He led Shang Jin to the study room in the backyard and asked Fang Sansan to bring him a bowl of braised plum juice. Han Zhen asked her to close the door and guard outside.
After looking around the study room, Shangjin took a sip of the braised plum juice and praised: "Young Master is so brave!"
Han Zhen said calmly: "The officials are forcing the people to rebel."
For a moment, the atmosphere in the study fell into silence.
After a while, Shang Jin was the first to break the silence: "Xiao Langjun, what are the terms of this deal?"
Han Zhen muttered: "Twenty ounces of white sugar, one pound of refined salt, and one pound of refined salt. This is the price I give you. As for where you sell it and what price you sell it for, it is all your own business. If you can sell the sugar The price of selling for hundreds of dollars is your business and has nothing to do with me."
After thinking for a moment, Shang Jin asked again: "I wonder how much goods Xiaolangjun has?"
This is the issue that Changzhi County is most concerned about.
If there was only one point, then there would be no need for him to take such a big risk and do business with a bandit.
"The first batch of goods is eight kilograms of white sugar and one hundred and twenty kilograms of refined salt."
After Han Zhen finished speaking, he added: "The output of white sugar is low, and it will remain the same in the future. As for refined salt, if there is enough coarse salt, you can have as much as you want!"
Shang Jin understood what he meant. First of all, this was not a one-time deal, and secondly, he planned to let himself help solve the problem of coarse salt.
The Song Dynasty did not lack coarse salt, but it lacked salt.
After Cai Jing proposed the salt introduction method in the second year of Zhenghe, merchants who wanted to sell salt had to pay high prices to buy salt introduction from the court.
This method made Song Huizong a lot of money in the short term, but problems also emerged.
Businessmen are not philanthropists, so they naturally have to find ways to earn back the salt they bought at a high price, thus causing the price of salt to rise in the market.
From his second year in politics to now, the price of salt has soared from thirty cents per catty to eighty cents.
If people cannot afford official salt, they will naturally turn to cheap private salt.
As a result, private salt dealers began to proliferate.
If Han Zhen really wanted to buy coarse salt, he could buy it, but it would be more troublesome.
It is better to leave the issue of raw materials to Changzhi County.
"Don't worry, young man, I can handle the coarse salt myself."
Shangjin nodded in agreement without much thought.
This shows that coarse salt is not a problem at all for Changzhi County.
Hearing this, Han Zhen chuckled and said: "This is our first cooperation. To show our sincerity, I only charge eighteen ounces of sugar for the first batch of sugar and 500 pounds of refined salt per pound."
Shang Jin cupped his hands with a smile on his face: "Then I'd like to thank you, Mr. Young Master."
This reduction is indeed sincere and can save Changzhi County hundreds of dollars.
However, the next moment, I heard Han Zhen calmly say: "My father-in-law has seen my sincerity, but I wonder where my sincerity is?"
Shang Jin was stunned for a moment, then asked: "I wonder what kind of sincerity Mr. Young Master wants?"
"I want ten cows and twenty donkeys, and I'll pay for them."
The summer harvest is coming soon. With some of these livestock, Xiaowang Village will be able to free up a lot of labor force.
At that time, the recruitment problem of the salt factory can be solved, and soldiers can also be recruited.
Shang Jin looked confused: "This... I can't make the decision, so I need to go back and discuss it."
"Then I'll wait for good news."
Han Zhen didn't expect that the negotiation could be concluded today.
To put it bluntly, Shang Jin was just a microphone, and it was Changzhi County who really made the decision.
After leaving the study, Shang Jin and Zhou Tian hurried away in an ox cart.
Watching their departing figures, Ma Sangou asked in a low voice: "Brother Han, what is the origin of this scarf?"
Han Zhen replied casually: "It's nothing more than an old servant or a housekeeper."
This old man also tried to be mysterious and came up with a strange name like Shang Jin.
The monkey asked curiously: "Is the negotiation concluded?"
Han Zhen said confidently: "If nothing unexpected happens, it should be done."
Hearing this, Gu Song on the side scolded: "He is indeed a dog official, and he actually started doing business with the bandits."
As soon as he finished speaking, he received a slap on the back of the head.
Gu Song covered his head and said aggrievedly: "Brother Sangou, why did you hit me?"
"If you talk nonsense, we are bandits. Without these corrupt officials, how would we make money?" Ma Sangou said with a look of disgust.
"That's true."
Gu Song nodded in agreement, expressing his approval.
