Chapter 272 If there are no rules, then we must first establish a system!
Time flies and the appointed time has arrived.
Yuhang became lively.
Not many people publicized this government-business conference, but when it was officially held, it still aroused heated discussions among many people in the city.
“Government and Business Conference?”
"What on earth are you talking about?"
"It's just a discussion between the government and merchants. Isn't that the kitchen households making trouble?"
"Why do you care so much, as long as the price of salt doesn't go up? , the court can hold whatever meeting it wants."
"."
The people in the city have a very dull attitude towards this official and business meeting, and they only have the most ordinary curiosity. This is normal, after all, it has been since ancient times. So far, this is the first time that the government and merchants have been brought together for a meeting with such great fanfare. In the past, which time was it not a direct order from the government?
In the eyes of many people, this is just a formality.
They only care about one thing.
Salt price!
Yuhang County, in a spacious lobby, the venue has already been arranged.
Salt merchants from all over the place arrived one after another, all dressed simply, many of them simply wearing coarse linen clothes, with some mud stains on their faces, looking dusty, but their brows were filled with a sense of arrogance and complacency.
Fang Rengang looked around and walked towards Wang Chongde who was on the side.
Seeing this, other people also came over.
They are all Zhejiang salt merchants.
A few people were speechless. They just stood together in tacit understanding and expressed their opinions and views. The other salt merchants from the Chief Secretary looked at Fang Rengang and the others, and they all smiled in unison. I come here every time with a purpose.
It doesn’t matter what Xia Zhibai says.
All they have to do is cooperate fully.
And they didn’t dare to disobey. The official word had two mouths, but if it had an open mouth, it would eat people.
Not long after.
Officials from various salt transportation departments were sent to the scene.
The entire venue fell silent, and the atmosphere gradually became serious.
Zhang Tong stood there, glanced around, and nodded to Fang Rengang. Fang Rengang understood and quickly bowed respectfully. He knew his status in the scene. In fact, merchants like them were not qualified to be present in such an occasion. .
Even if you are present, you have no right to speak.
The decision-making power always lies with the government!
The notice they received was to try to stop Xia Zhibai and embarrass Xia Zhibai, and at the same time strive for some benefits for the merchants. If Xia Zhibai insisted on using force to suppress it, they could just remain silent. , as long as Xia Zhibai doesn't go too far, it doesn't hurt to give in a few more steps.
They have been dealing with the government for so many years, and they are really familiar with this.
It didn't take long.
There was a sound of footsteps outside the venue.
Everyone in the audience fell silent for an instant, and all looked at the door in unison.
A young man with slightly dark skin but piercing eyes appeared in everyone's field of vision, and then entered the lobby immediately.
Seeing this man's energy, everyone present, including other Chief Secretary officials and salt merchants, immediately recognized who this man was, Xia Zhibai.
Only this person can have such an aura!
“I’ve seen the imperial envoy.” Someone shouted out from somewhere.
Hearing this, other officials and merchants also bowed their heads, saluted, and said loudly: "I have met the imperial envoy."
Xia Zhibai smiled slightly and said with a friendly expression. : "This is a meeting of officials and businessmen, here to discuss the salt policy in the south. Why are there so many false etiquettes? Don't try to offend me, but get up quickly."
As he spoke, Xia Zhibai was already there Arrive at the main seat.
He stood in front of the main seat, turned around, looked at the officials and businessmen attending the meeting, nodded with satisfaction, and teased: "The number of people participating in the official and business meeting this time was a bit beyond my expectation. There is only one salt merchant in the province, and it turns out that the south is really developed, and there are even two or three salt merchants in one province."
"I, Xia Zhibai, underestimated the population strength of the south."
< br>The whole audience burst into laughter.
Zhang Tong said: "Your Majesty, your words are serious."
"The imperial court has an order, how dare we and other local officials disobey it?"
"How dare the merchants not listen?"
"We are all citizens of the Ming Dynasty and have always been loyal to the emperor. When we receive the imperial decree, it is too late to rejoice, so how can we hide it and stop it?"
"Even if a small number of officials have this idea, merchants and most officials will not agree."
Xia Zhibai smiled and sat down. He didn't like to talk in circles and said straight to the point: "This The officials in charge of the salt administration in the southern chief bureaus and the merchants who run the local salt factories were called in for the first time, mainly to solve the problem of salt administration in the south. "
"Zaohu has been in trouble for some time."
"Although it has been temporarily relieved, it is only temporary."
"The imperial court cannot continue to subsidize kitchen households on such a large scale, so solving the livelihood of kitchen households has become a major issue at the moment."
>"I have been a salt merchant for a period of time, so I understand the operation of merchants."
"The ancients said that no businessman can be treacherous."
"This sentence is not entirely correct. After all, it is still There is a saying 'Poverty breeds treachery, wealth breeds conscience'"
"We, the merchants of the Ming Dynasty, still have a conscience after all."
"But"
"As the saying goes, there is no rule without rules."
"The emergence of steam-driven salt has changed It is no longer appropriate to continue to use the past system without changing the current salt administration structure. Moreover, the South is not very suitable for opening up China. Reform of the salt administration is urgent. "I believe you have heard the reform ideas I proposed."< br>
"You might as well tell me your suggestions and opinions."
Xia Zhibai made a brief introduction and prepared to let everyone speak freely.
After hearing Xia Zhibai’s words, everyone looked at each other.
Salt merchant Fang Rengang said: "My lord, you are kidding me. How dare we, the salt merchants, raise objections to the court? Your Majesty's decision is fine. We dare not have any objections."
Xia Zhi Bai was not humble and nodded: "Since you all think so, it couldn't be better."
"My proposition is simple."
"End the barbaric and disorderly expansion of salt factories."
"Only salt factories approved by the imperial court can produce and sell salt, and the rest will be regarded as If it is illegal, the court will shut down those salt factories and move the corresponding salt production facilities. In addition, the production and sales of salt produced by the salt factories in the future must be registered and submitted to the Salt Transportation Department every month.”
"In addition."
"In order to prevent overproduction of salt from seriously affecting the operation of salt plants, it is planned to consolidate salt plants in various regions."
"Making complexity simple."
"Aggregating salt factories from various places into one large salt factory. The imperial court would control the amount of salt produced in the salt factory every year based on the population of the corresponding area, and the profits of the salt factory , based on the current profitability of major salt factories, dividends will be distributed year by year."
"Salt production must be firmly in the hands of the court."
"No matter it is salt production. All salt sales must be subject to the supervision of the imperial court. "
"In order to strengthen the supervision of local salt transportation departments, it is also planned to establish a salt association to effectively supervise the salt transportation departments in various places. The emergence of the association will greatly ensure the efficiency and profits of local salt factories, and can also focus on combating salt smuggling. ”
"You pay taxes and the Salt Transportation Department supervises the Salt Transportation Department, and the association supervises the Salt Transportation Department to ensure that the interests of merchants are not greatly infringed."
"At the same time."
"The salt factory no longer applies the kitchen household system."
"In the future, only workers can be recruited. As for the specific recruitment situation, it will be discussed at the next workers' meeting. This is to protect the rights and interests of workers. All of this is to ensure the formalization and institutionalization of the salt industry, not only to protect your vital interests, but also to strictly prevent corruption. ”
“.”
As soon as Xia Zhibai's words came out, the lobby fell silent for an instant.
Fang Rengang and other salt merchants looked at each other, while Zhang Tong and other salt officials also had gloomy faces.
They really didn't expect that at this time, Xia Zhibai still didn't let go at all, and even got more serious.
What is the difference between this and handing over the salt factory?
Fang Rengang stood up and said, "Sir, is this inappropriate?"
"Not to mention whether the merger can be successful, even if it is successful, the cost of transporting salt will increase significantly. Isn't this making money at a loss?"
"Besides."
" We opened the salt factory to make money, and we paid taxes honestly. I thought I had never done anything illegal, so why should we put another layer of supervision on ourselves? Since you have gone through business, , you should know that with every additional layer above, there will be more mouths."
"How can our small business withstand such destruction?"
"Please? Your Excellency, hold your hand high.”
"Otherwise, if the price of salt increases, the local people will feel resentful, but they can't blame us."
"We can follow the adults' advice and no longer use stove households, but recruit stove households and pay a certain amount every month salary and monthly salary, but in other respects, I still hope that everything will continue as usual. At the same time, if Zaohu causes trouble in the future, we cannot be blamed."
Wang Chongde also said with a frustrated face: "Sir, you have too many demands. , we really can’t agree to it.”
“This is our salt factory, we funded it ourselves”
“We should have the right to make our own decisions.”
Wang Chongde's words aroused the echo of many salt merchants.
The scene was one-sided for a while.
Xia Zhibai said: "That's why I convened this official-business meeting, just to discuss it with you."
"Everything is negotiable and negotiable."
< br>“As long as you are willing to discuss.”
Wang Chongde said: "How dare we disobey the official order? Of course we are willing to discuss it, but we cannot lose our interests too much, otherwise we would rather abandon the salt factory than open it, and we will never swallow this bad breath."
Wang Chongde acted extremely tough.
It seems that we really want to eat the white wine of Dingxia, and we dare not really let the Southern Salt Factory close down.
This is related to the use of salt by tens of millions of people.
If this arouses dissatisfaction among the local people, Xia Zhibai will also be unable to eat and walk around.
Xia Zhibai stroked his palms, glanced indifferently at the people in the lobby, and said coldly: "There is no discussion on the large-scale factory system. If you don't agree, you can go to the door and fill in your name. I don't know if the local Salt Transportation Department official has told you You guys, I brought a lot of engineers with me this time.”
“I also brought new salt-making technology.”
“Salt production is faster and more efficient. "
"Produce more salt"
"If anyone is willing to quit at this time"
"I, Xia Zhibai, agree."
"Since the imperial court dares to make this decision, it is naturally well prepared."
"Transportation costs will indeed increase, but under the large-scale factory system , operating costs will also drop a lot."
"The two are enough to offset each other."
(End of this chapter)