Chapter 451: Abandoned
Chapter 451: Abandoned
Tang Yu, the chief steward, sighed and said, “Cui the governor said that the salt supervisor earns ten coins per bushel and sells it to second-tier salt merchants for thirty coins per bushel. The difference of twenty coins is the salt tax paid to the court.
Wan, Cao, and Yu also bought salt from the salt field at 10 wen per dou, and sold it to second-tier salt merchants at 50 wen per dou. The salt merchants then transported it to various counties and sold it to third-tier salt merchants. During this process, not a penny of tax was paid to the court. The three families needed to pay additional taxes. Since they started their salt business eight years ago, they have been paying additional taxes at 20 wen per dou.
Yuan Wenzhen was dumbfounded. "It started eight years ago. How can I check it?"
Tang Yu smiled bitterly and said, "If the three families can't produce their account books, the government will estimate the quantity."
"Then what now?"
Yuan Wenzhen pointed to the salt shop opposite where there was a long queue. There was no salt left. From the shop assistants to the common people, everyone was waiting anxiously.
Tang Yu shook his head. "Sir, do you think this is a coincidence? This is the fatal blow at the critical moment! The salt warehouse has been sealed and guarded by the army. When the tax is paid, it will be opened. Eight years of salt tax! These three families are completely finished."
At this time, a manager came running over and loudly apologized to everyone, "There was a small problem and the salt could not be transported. We will stop here today and we will reopen as soon as possible."
The people waited in line for a long time and suddenly heard that the store was going to close. Thousands of people were in chaos and started cursing the Wan, Cao and Yu families for being dishonest and for giving birth to a child without an anus.
There was no point in shouting and cursing. As the shops closed, thousands of people had to disperse. They now had no third choice: either buy refined salt at 20 cents per pound, or buy coarse salt at 5 cents per pound.
Yuan Wenzhen now understood that Xiao Xia's precise attack using the salt tax at the critical moment actually meant that he was not allowing the sale of refined salt.
Yuan Wenzhen suddenly thought of a serious problem. The Wan, Cao, and Yu families had to pay salt taxes, but what about him? If he also had to pay salt taxes, the cost of crude salt would suddenly become 30 wen per bucket, plus various rents, salaries, and fleet expenses, the cost would increase by another 10 wen per bucket.
So if the selling price is sixty cents per dou and you only make twenty cents per dou, what's the point?
At the beginning, the profit of fifty cents per dou was still considered too little by each family. Now that the profit has been reduced to twenty cents per dou, each family is determined to make a profit.
The price of coarse salt must increase to eight cents per catty in order to maintain a profit of fifty cents per dou.
But the other party's refined salt is only 20 wen per catty. Yuan Wenzhen suddenly felt overwhelmed. Maybe they don't need to transfer salt from other places at all. How many people would buy the coarse salt at eight wen per bucket?
"Bah! You little bastard!"
Yuan Wenzhen spat fiercely on the ground. He finally realized how ruthless Xiao Xia was. Xiao Xia had been hiding the sword of salt tax and had finally revealed it at this time.
In the afternoon, Yuan Wenzhen dozed off in the study room at the back of the salt shop. In a daze, he heard the chief steward Tang Yu reporting outside the door, "The head of the Wan family, Wan Gu, wants to see you!"
Yuan Wenzhen said casually: "Let him in!"
Yuan Wenzhen washed his face and cleared his mind. Then he realized that Wan Gu must have come to ask for help.
Yuan Wen really didn't want to see him, but then he changed his mind and decided to meet him and make things clear. They should just go their separate ways from now on, and he shouldn't get involved since they were being investigated.
In the reception hall, Wan Gu was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. Various things happened to him at once. He had a terrifying feeling that the building was about to collapse, especially when they had to pay eight years of taxes. They were going to go bankrupt.
At this time, Yuan Wenzhen walked in slowly with his hands behind his back. Wan Gu was like a drowning man who suddenly grabbed a piece of wood. He hurried forward and begged, "Master Yuan, you have to save us!"
"What happened?" Yuan Wenzhen sat down and asked slowly. He asked even though he knew the answer.
"Master Yuan, the refined salt factory was destroyed by the army last night!" "What?" This news made Yuan Wenzhen furious. Not only was the salt shop closed, but the factory was also destroyed.
"When did this happen?"
"At 4 a.m. last night, the cavalry arrived at Huangqiao Town and surrounded the refined salt factory."
"Wait! How do they know where the salt refinery is?"
Yuan Wen was really a little confused. How was it possible that the other party could find such a secret place by the river in Huangqiao Town, Hailing County?
Wangu sighed and said, "It's actually very easy to find the workshop. For example, there are rotating warriors and transport ships. They can just ask a warrior or boatman and they will know."
Yuan Wenzhen suddenly remembered that the bow of the ship had disappeared. So this was the reason! He had actually ignored the serious consequences of this incident.
"What's the situation at the factory now?"
"All the facilities and equipment were smashed, the brine sedimentation tank was also smashed, and the filter cloth was burned. Although no one died, all the craftsmen were threatened and refused to filter and boil salt for us anymore. Instead, they went to work at the Xihai Refined Salt Factory."
Refining refined salt seems simple, it is nothing more than two steps of filtering and boiling salt, but in fact it also has very high technical requirements. The salt filtering technique and the salt boiling temperature must be accurate to make high-quality refined salt. Once the craftsmen quit, they will not be able to find skilled craftsmen for a while.
"The only thing to be thankful for is that the warehouse is still intact, and the thousands of stones of coarse salt inside are still there."
"Where is the refined salt?" Yuan Wenzhen seemed to have thought of something and asked immediately.
"Hundreds of tons of refined salt are gone. I heard that they were all dumped into the Yangtze River."
Yuan Wenzhen was unable to utter a word for a long time. This was a stern warning to himself that it was okay to sell coarse salt, but he was not allowed to sell refined salt.
Wan Gu said anxiously, "Sir, the county government has intervened and asked us to pay the tax. Starting eight years ago, all the salt sold must pay a salt tax of 20 wen per dou. What should we do?"
"If you really want to make up for it, then do it! You can just make up some data and pay a little tax, no matter how much it costs. It won't hurt you anyway!"
Wan Gu was about to cry, "Sir, we can't just pay as much as we want. It's determined by the government. Now the preliminary estimate is that we have to pay at least 500,000 strings of cash! 500,000 strings of cash! Even if we sell everything we have, it won't be enough. They've put all the taxes of the Guanlong nobles on us!"
Yuan Wenzhen narrowed his eyes and looked at the anxious Wan Gu. Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind. Xiao Xia did not close his salt shop, which meant that the two sides could still negotiate. If these three companies were sacrificed, maybe the situation could still be salvaged. It all depended on whether Xiao Xia intended to completely turn against the Guanlong nobles.
"I understand. I will find a way to protect you. If it doesn't work, I will write a letter to Luoyang and ask the family to put pressure on you to ensure that you are safe!"
Wan Gu was moved to tears, bowed three times, and left with hope.
Yuan Wenzhen looked at him coldly as he walked away, cursing inwardly, "A bunch of idiots!"
He immediately ordered: "Prepare the carriage, I want to visit His Royal Highness Prince Jin!"
(End of this chapter)