Chapter 147 Jia Jing’s Ambition Expanded

……

Soon, the two returned to the ship.

I didn’t feel like eating or even drinking tea.

“You’re right. Someone is causing trouble over there.” Jia Jing sighed and said solemnly.

Lin Ruhai shook his head and said, “I still didn’t expect that they would take action against the six major salt merchants in advance. If this happens, I’m afraid the entire Jiangnan region will be in turmoil.”

Jinling Province, Zhejiang Province, Huguang, and Fujian are all areas where Lianghuai salt merchants sell their salt, and the relationship is very important.

Jia Jing comforted him, “Ru Hai, don’t worry too much. Salt is inferior to grain after all. It won’t cause unrest. When we get to Lianghuai, the problem will be easy to solve.”

“As for the disappearance of the assets of the six major salt merchants, Old Dai was naturally responsible for it. Who would have asked him to come and take credit for it?”

“Hey!”

Lin Ruhai sighed.

“I’m afraid it’s not that easy to solve. The six major salt merchants control 50% of the salt permits in Lianghuai. All of them are gone at once. I’m afraid it will be difficult for the salt price to fall back.”

“Haha.”

Jia Jing smiled.

“It’s true that the salt permits are gone, but what does your Salt Administration do? You print 100,000 copies a day, and see how the price of salt has risen.”

Lin Ruhai hurriedly said, “Absolutely not.”

“In order to make up for the deficit of the imperial court in the past few years, salt permits were distributed excessively. Although the salt tax was much higher at the time, it almost caused the entire salt policy to collapse. Since then, the imperial court has issued a ban on the excessive issuance of salt permits!”

“The salt permits held by the six major salt merchants are gone on the surface, but they must have a lot of them hidden in secret. If we spread the 100,000 salt permits, and those hidden in secret suddenly appear… the consequences will be disastrous!”

Jia Jing nodded solemnly.

Salt vouchers are like treasure notes to a certain extent.

It represents the credibility of the imperial court.

Once it is printed at random, collapse is inevitable.

Just when the two of them were looking worried, Jia Rong, who had been standing silently beside them, suddenly spoke.

“I want to say something.”

Lin Ruhai looked at Jia Rong and smiled, “Rong’er is a scholar, so he can talk about the affairs of the court. Tell me what you think.”

Jia Jing said, “Just say what you want to say.”

In fact, the two of them did not have high expectations. After all, no matter how smart Jia Rong was, he was only a sixteen-year-old boy and had not even started to get involved in officialdom.

What insights can you give?

Jia Rong smiled and said, “Then I will not hesitate to show off my skills in front of an expert.”

“The salt permit system started in the Song Dynasty, and it has been hundreds of years now. It has many drawbacks. Grandpa, has Master Lin ever thought of changing it?”

The two fell silent.

How to change it?
Not easy to change!
It is not easy to surpass the wisdom of our predecessors.

Jia Rong continued, “Some of the systems of the former Song Dynasty are not suitable for our dynasty, especially the salt permit system.”

“I read about a salt tax system in ancient books, called the ticket salt system.”

The salt ticket system was a salt tax system that only appeared in the late Qing Dynasty. Regardless of whether the merchant was new or old, or large or small, as long as they paid the full salt tax, they could obtain a ticket to transport salt.

It broke the monopoly of salt merchants and enabled more merchants to participate in the transportation and sales of salt, which promoted competition and prosperity in the salt market. At the same time, due to the intensification of market competition, salt prices were effectively controlled, allowing ordinary people to enjoy more affordable salt prices.

When Jia Rong explained the key points of the salt ticket system, Lin Ruhai’s eyes lit up immediately.

He had been dealing with the salt administration for many years, so he knew the clues just by listening casually, and even had this idea. He thought more and more thoroughly than Jia Rong!

This son-in-law is so awesome!
There is such wisdom!
Jia Jing was even more excited.

The retired emperor asked him to rectify the commercial tax issue, but except for the honeycomb briquettes issue at the beginning, there was no progress.

The emergence of this salt system is not far from being recorded in history.

Enough for him to surpass Wen Ci Fu!
even……

The position of Prime Minister is not out of the question!

Leaf phase.

Since you are not in good health, just rest at home with peace of mind!
Jia Jing felt his ambition gradually growing.

“Okay, haha!”

“I didn’t expect you to be so capable. From now on, you will be allowed to speak on all important matters in the court.”

After saying that, he looked at Lin Ruhai and smiled slightly.

Isn’t my grandson nice?

Although you have been demoted, you have not lost anything.

Lin Ruhai’s face was full of smiles. With such a virtuous son-in-law, what does seniority matter?
“Brother Rong, not bad!”

“You helped me a lot this time!”

Jia Rong said modestly: “I just read a few miscellaneous books by chance.”

“But Master Lin, you owed me a favor last time, and you owe me another one this time.”

Lin Ruhai laughed.

“Okay, then count it as one more.”

At worst, if you quarrel with Yu’er in the future, I will stand on your side twice.

Jia Jing chuckled and said, “Brother Rong, you must keep these two favors. They will be of great use in the future!”

Lin Ruhai said with a smile: “Respected elder, we can’t be idle tonight, we’d better come up with a plan overnight.”

Jia Jing said: “Okay, I’m very excited now and can’t sleep, so I might as well chat with you all night.”

“Brother Rong, are you here to talk to us?”

Jia Rong said, “I haven’t eaten yet.”

“Haha.”

Lin Ruhai smiled happily and said, “Yu’er has one, go find her.”

“Then I’ll go.”

Jia Jing: “Go ahead.”

After Jia Rong left, the two ordered two side dishes and two pots of Shaoxing wine and started chatting while eating.

Jia Jing said: “Since we have such a trump card, I think we don’t need to rush. Let the salt merchants over there fight over it first.”

Lin Ruhai said with a smile: “The price of salt has increased, and the salt permits will probably increase several times as well. Those who hoarded salt will lose all their money.”

During his years in Lianghuai, he was well aware of the greed of the salt merchants. Seeing that they were about to fall into the trap this time, he was naturally happy to give them a push.

Jia Jing took a sip of wine and said with a smile: “Let’s play it long and see what kind of big fish we can catch in the end.”

Lin Ruhai: “It could be huge!”

Jia Jing: “I’m not afraid of how big it is, I’m just afraid of it being too small.”

……

On the other side, the attic where Lin Daiyu lives.

Zijuan and Amber were doing needlework outside when they suddenly saw Jia Rong coming. They stood up and went forward to greet him.

“Girl, Master Rong is here.”

“Sir, sit down. What do you want to have tea?”

Jia Rong is not picky: “Any tea will do.”

Amber smiled and said, “Then let’s have Biluochun, which I just brewed. It was originally what the girl wanted.”

“Row.”

Lin Daiyu didn’t dare to come out from behind the curtain.

I really don’t know what to say.

It was not until Zijuan came in and said something that she came out shyly with her head down.

“Aunt Lin, what’s wrong?”

Jia Rong looked at Lin Daiyu and asked curiously.

Lin Daiyu thought Jia Rong was playing a trick on her, so she raised her eyes, glared at him, and snorted.

Jia Rong was puzzled and looked at Zijuan.

“What happened to you girls?”

Zijuan shook her head: “I don’t know.”

“Girl, are you feeling unwell?”

Lin Daiyu looked at Jia Rong for a while and suddenly understood.

Although Grandpa and Dad had arranged their marriage, it was only known to them two.

The master didn’t tell Jia Rong.

Rong Ge’er doesn’t know!

Hehehe, okay!

Lin Daiyu suddenly felt happy and asked tentatively, “Rong’er, what are you doing here?”

……

(End of this chapter)