Hua Zhi kowtowed solemnly to her grandfather to express her gratitude. When she looked up again, Zhu Bowen was satisfied to see that her breathing had calmed down. She didn't realize it, but his old wife must have also noticed her granddaughter's anger.
Sitting down again, Hua Zhi talked about the most important thing, "Grandfather, can you tell me how much salt tax is collected in a year?"
"From 550,000 to 700,000 taels."
"A big salt merchant can earn more than this amount in a year, can you believe it?"
"I believe it, but there is nothing we can do." Zhu Bowen shook his head and sighed, "Smuggling salt has been banned in every dynasty, but no dynasty has ever banned it. When the imperial court was weak, it had to be controlled by salt merchants. Even Daqing has tried it, but it ended in nothing. Zhier, salt involves far more than you can imagine. If you are not careful, you will be killed. Don't be impulsive. We will find a solution from other places."
"I have a new way to make salt."
Zhu Bowen was stunned. A new method
“It’s several times more efficient than boiling salt.”
Several times higher?!
"If there are established interest groups, then create a new interest group. For the sake of their interests, they will always do their best to protect them."
Looking at his granddaughter who was throwing out one favorable capital after another, Zhu Bowen had a feeling that this might actually work. He sank his heart, which was beating too fast, and asked, "How do you know that the new interest group will not become the one you eliminated before after gaining huge benefits?"
Hua Zhi lowered her head and smiled, "Official salt should be managed by the government, so why would there be salt merchants?"
Zhu Bowen frowned, "I'm afraid it will be difficult to succeed."
"Not necessarily." Hua Zhi walked to the desk and spread out a large uncut paper. She poured some water into the inkstone and slowly ground the ink. She picked up the pen by her sleeve and said as she wrote: "The salt tax will be set up as the seventh department, specializing in salt. Each place will have a department, and under the department, there will be a government office. You can calculate how many officials are needed to set up this platform? Compared with the profit that will be thin if it is divided equally, I believe they would rather cram a few more people in. A department always needs people to operate. After the platform is set up, tell them that the salt tax will not have a chief and will be directly managed by the emperor. What do you think?"
Zhu Bowen couldn't sit still any longer, looking at the clearly structured charts on the paper, his heart was burning with excitement. He didn't think of getting people in, but after years in officialdom, he knew very well that compared with interests, being able to make one's position more secure was obviously more attractive. If one's position was secure, what could he not get? Once the emperor really agreed to this matter, private salt would be banned!
But he was not an impulsive boy after all. He could see the advantages clearly and was even more aware of the disadvantages.
Hua Zhi looked at her grandfather pacing back and forth without urging him. In fact, she was also thinking about how to better balance all parties in this matter and prevent the situation from becoming uncontrollable. Once this new interest chain is formed, she will first have to use their power to wipe out the huge group of old salt merchants. The two factions will fight each other, and something will come out of it. She can just sit on the sidelines and watch.
By choosing the right time, she could confiscate the salt merchants' treasury and make a large amount of money. When the salt tax was on the right track, the annual salt tax would be considerable. She remembered that in ancient times, the salt tax accounted for half of the total treasury revenue. She estimated that it would not reach this level if she lowered the price, but the relative quantity would increase if the price was lowered. Naturally, people would use more than before if they could afford it. Moreover, this was a monopoly business, the only one in the country, so if you really calculated it, it might not be a small amount.
Mr. Zhu finally calmed down, sat down and drank a whole cup of tea in one breath before asking, "What role do you plan to play in this matter?"
"Of course it's behind the scenes. You don't have to worry that I will want to get a piece of the pie. I have plenty of ways to make money. I don't want this kind of money."
"It was Grandfather who underestimated you."
"I know you're worried that I'll get caught up in it." Hua Zhi sat back down below her grandfather with a well-behaved look on her face. If it weren't for the fact that they were talking about such a big thing, Zhu Bowen would have really thought that she was such a well-behaved child.
Just as he was about to speak, the butler outside came to report, "Old Master, a Mr. Lu who claims to be Mr. Hua Jiawu wants to see you."
Zhu Bowen looked at his granddaughter, "Is it him?"
There was a smile in Hua Zhi's eyes and she nodded in response.
"Please ask him to come to the study."
During the waiting time, the two did not talk about salt anymore. The old man joked, "Looks like you can ask your grandmother to prepare her dowry now."
"It's impossible as long as the emperor is here."
Zhu Bowen's smile faded, "If you can accomplish this, it will be a great achievement, and the emperor should agree."
"It is a blessing from heaven that such a huge project can be completed in three to five years." Hua Zhi smiled faintly. If the emperor did not die in three to five years, then it would be seven or eight years. This record in history books would not be about the emperor. And if this matter was really completed while he was alive, she might be the one who died.
"You are already seventeen, how can you delay it for so long? Zhi'er, you always have your own ideas. You might as well be selfish in this matter. Nothing is more important than your life being smooth."
Hua Zhi's smile suddenly became much more sincere, "Yes, Zhi'er remembers it."
Zhu Bowen did not ask why it was impossible for the emperor to stay in the palace. If he wanted to use her, wouldn't it be more convenient to give her a royal identity? According to Zhi'er's words, the emperor probably disliked Zhi'er very much. But if he had a bit of protectiveness, he would not force such a big thing on her.
She sighed secretly. The Hua family had been loyal for generations, but ended up with such a result. If old man Hua knew that it was not enough for the emperor to punish them, and Zhier had to bear such a heavy responsibility, would she still remain loyal
There were footsteps outside the door, and soon Gu Yanxi's voice came in, "Young man Yanxi, please see Mr. Zhu."
Putting aside those thoughts, Zhu Bowen said loudly: "Please come in."
The butler opened the door and invited Gu Yanxi in. He quickly went to the small room next door to prepare tea.
"Greetings, Mr. Zhu." Gu Yanxi bowed as a junior.
All the men in the Zhu family are tall. When Grandpa Zhu was in court, he stood out among the civil officials. But now he was still a little shorter than this man. Well, if Emperor Taizu did not have a good physique, he would not have survived that dark era. Naturally, his descendants would not be short.
Knowing his identity, Zhu Bowen did not pretend to be confused. He returned the greeting and said, "This old minister greets you, sir."
Gu Yanxi held him up with both hands, "Here I am just a junior visiting, I have no superiors, you don't have to do this."
Zhu Bowen looked at his granddaughter. Hua Zhi had already stood up and nodded slightly.
"Well, I won't do those empty words."
After the host and the guests sat down, the butler served another round of tea and then left, closing the door and standing guard by it.
Hua Zhi looked at Yan Xi, "Are you here for something?"
Gu Yanxi had something to do at this time, and it was not a small matter, but since it had already happened, it was useless to rush, so she just let it go and shook her head and said, "I came to listen to your arrangement so that I can cooperate with you."