The convoy transporting fine salt crossed the Pujin pontoon on the tenth day after leaving Yancheng and arrived in the capital. Zhao Wuzheng went out of the city to greet him personally. This Zhao Wuzheng was the son of Zhao Ren, the Minister of Rites and Prince Ren. According to royal etiquette, his father He still could not be crowned king, but Zhao Wuji named him Prince Heng because of his meritorious service in killing enemies on the battlefield. His fiefdom was in Hengshan County, and everyone in the capital called him Prince Heng. Zhao Wuji thought that his uncle Zhao Ren was old, so he did not let Zhao Wuzheng go to the fiefdom to join the vassal.
The motorcade slowly stopped at the gate of the city, and the five people at the head immediately knelt down and bowed: "Greetings to Prince Heng. My subordinates were ordered to go to Yancheng to escort the fine salt back and report to the prince."
"Okay, okay, let's get up and let me see the fine salt refined by this guy King Yan." King Heng Zhao Wuzheng said happily.
A government servant who was transporting fine salt immediately stepped forward and opened a bag, revealing the white fine salt inside: "Your Majesty, please take a look."
Zhao Wuzheng looked at the white fine salt in his pocket, which was like the white snow in winter, shining with crystal luster. He stretched out his only arm and gently twisted a handful on the tip of his tongue, smacked it a few times, and then Laughing heartily: Hahaha, good salt, good salt. Bin'er, this kid really has a lot of tricks up his sleeve.
When everyone saw how happy King Heng was, they all laughed.
"Let's go into the city with this king." After saying that, Zhao Wuzheng strode towards the city, and everyone drove their carriages in one after another. The people on the road gave way.
The motorcade passed through the long street and entered the North City. There were three shops that had been arranged by the eunuch Liu Zhi a long time ago. After all the fine salt was arranged, with the sound of a gong, the red silk and satin on the shop plaques was torn away. Underneath, the four characters "Xianyan Trading Company" appeared. The store door opened and it was officially open to the public. According to Zhao Wuji's instructions, the fine salt was priced at 500 Wen per pound, but the influx of customers made Zhao Wuzheng a little at a loss. There were too many dignitaries in the capital, and there were also many rich and powerful businessmen. Everyone wanted to have a bite of good salt. The price of 500 Wen is really nothing to them. Many people buy it for more than ten or twenty kilograms. Mainly because these people's homes have a large population and a large consumption. Zhao Wuzheng immediately sent people in. The palace asked the emperor if he wanted to adjust the price. When the people who came to the palace to ask the emperor's opinion came back, half of the dozen or so carts of salt had been sold. In this way, many people who heard the news hurriedly sent their servants to buy.
More than a dozen carts of fine salt were sold out in half a day. Many people who had not bought anything gathered at the door of the store and asked loudly when the fine salt would be sold again.
Zhao Wuzheng, who was sitting in the back hall, became a little anxious when he saw this scene of people making no money, and said to the five people before him: "You guys go to Yancheng again and tell King Yan to collect all the fine salt in Yancheng." Bring them to me, the more, the better."
"Your Majesty, my subordinates have just come back and haven't eaten yet." One of them said reluctantly.
"Eat whatever you want, haven't you seen that the moneymen outside are all anxious?" Zhao Wuzheng said angrily, but at the same time he took out twenty taels of silver from his arms and threw it to a few people: "Go buy some meat to eat on the way. "
Seeing this, the Yamen servant standing on one side suddenly said: "Prince Qi, you have plenty of salt if you want, but you have to send carriages. Prince Yan's Mansion does not have that many carriages. These carriages are all cobbled together here and there."
"Didn't King Yan exchange many war horses with the Xianbei people? How come there is no carriage?"
"The prince is talking about cars. There are plenty of horses, but there are no cars."
"Damn it. Take my token and go to the Ministry of War to find Yang Guozhong, the right servant, and borrow a hundred carriages to transport grain and grass, and say that they will be used by the emperor to haul salt."
"If you are a subordinate, go here."
"You guys will take these escorted government officials to the post house to rest. Make arrangements for meals in the evening and go back to Yancheng immediately tomorrow to haul salt for me."
"It's the prince, I'm resigning."
Several officials took the officials and left.
After the accounting that night, Tian Wenzhong, the store manager, placed the accounts in front of Zhao Wuzheng: "Prince Qi, here are all the accounts for today's salt sales, totaling fifteen thousand taels."
"With such huge profits, no wonder those three companies are trying to obstruct it in every possible way. I made more than 10,000 taels in just one day. How much money will I make in a year?" Zhao Wuzheng said angrily.
"Your Majesty is right, but this is not how the account was calculated." Tian Wenzhong said slowly.
King Heng glanced at Tian Wenzhong and asked curiously: "How do you say this?"
"My lord, this is just the first time. It can't be like this every day. If you have a large family, it would take two or three months to buy more than ten kilograms of salt, so it's impossible to make such a profit every day. Plenty. But then again, the supply is not available at the moment. If it can be supplied, small profits but quick turnover, let alone a daily income of ten thousand taels, I am afraid that even a hundred thousand taels will not be able to sustain it."
"Then what should we do in your opinion?" Zhao Wuji continued to ask.
"Your Majesty, this matter belongs to King Yan, not us. Only King Yan knows how to practice salt, and no one else knows. However, considering King Yan's current strength, I'm afraid it will be difficult to increase salt production in a short time."
"Then I will go to the palace tomorrow to see the emperor and see if there is any other way." Zhao Wuzheng sighed and said.
There is no curfew in Daxia, so the capital is still very lively at night, especially on both sides of Yashi, which is no less feasting than the city now. A young man dressed in ordinary clothes walked into Wangjiang Tower. When the waiter saw a guest coming, he immediately stepped forward to greet him.
"How many guests are you?"
The young man looked at the waiter and said timidly: "Brother, I have something to ask your shopkeeper. Is he there?"
"Are you looking for our shopkeeper? Yes, it's over there at the counter. I'll take you there." The waiter hurriedly agreed.
"Thank you, little brother." The young man said politely.
After taking a few steps to the counter, the waiter greeted him: "Sir, this guest officer said he has something to ask you."
Zhang Guide, who was working on the counter at the counter, looked up and felt that the young man in front of him looked familiar, but he couldn't remember who it was. Zhang Guide waved his hand and asked the waiter to go about his business, and then asked the young man, "What do you want, sir?"
The young man looked back and found that no one was paying attention to him, so he said softly to Zhang Guide: "The King of Yan sent me here."
When Zhang Guide heard this, he immediately put down the half-calculated accounts, walked out from behind the counter and said, "Let's go to the backyard to talk."
Zhang Guide led the young man to the living room in the backyard: "Little brother, please sit down for a while, I will go and fetch the lady."
"OK."
After a while, Zhang Guide and Xing'er came in from outside the hall. The young man immediately stood up and saluted: "I have met Miss Xing'er."
"No need to be polite, just sit down and talk." Xing'er pointed to the chair behind the young man and said.
Xing'er looked at the young man and asked, "You are not from the mansion, are you? I have never seen you in the mansion."
"The younger one's name is Hao Laosi. He is a servant of the government office. This time he came to deliver salt to the court under the order of the prince. Before leaving, the prince asked me to bring a letter to the young lady." As he said this, the young man took out a letter from his arms. A letter was handed over respectfully.
Myolie took the letter and asked casually, "How is the prince doing in Yancheng?"
"The prince's temperament was quite good when I met him, but he is not on duty in the prince's palace and doesn't know much about him." Hao Laosi replied.
Myolie did not open the letter immediately, but continued to ask: "How many of you are here?"
"A total of fifty people have come and are now staying in a posthouse near Beishi City. Prince Heng asked us to set off back tomorrow. The salt we brought today was all sold out in the afternoon. Prince Heng is anxious and asked us to go back quickly. Pull new salt.”
Xing'er turned to Zhang Guide and said: "Shopkeeper Zhang, go and prepare twenty kilograms of sauced meat from the kitchen and bring it to this little brother to feed the brothers on the way. In addition, go to the accounting office to get another twenty-five taels of silver. You I took it back and shared it equally with everyone, as a reward for everyone’s hard work.”
Seeing this, Hao Laosi quickly stood up and saluted: "Thank you, miss, but the prince has already given it to you. I'm afraid it's not appropriate for us to take the miss's money again?"
"The money is not free. I still need you to do something. After you cross the Pujin Bridge, don't go back yet. There is a place called Weijia Town five miles east. You can wait there for a few days until you arrive. I will send someone to contact you when the time comes.”
"I understand, young lady. Do you have anything else to say to the prince? I will convey it to you."
"There is nothing else for now. I will send a carriage to take you back later. The capital is relatively big and it is easy to get lost at night."
"Then follow the lady's arrangements."
After a while, one or two carriages drove out of the backyard and headed towards the north city.
