Chapter 50 Zuo Zongtang's salt price

The words of Tan Zhonglin, the governor of Jiangsu, surprised Hu Chuyuan secretly, and suddenly woke up in his heart. Only then did he understand the purpose of the whole thing.

He hurriedly said, "I neglected it. I'll ask someone to deploy it immediately when I go back!"

Zuo Zongtang waved his hand quietly and said, "You are still young and not familiar with officialdom. It is normal to be unprepared. Wen Qing has been on guard for a long time. He has asked the salt farms in Jianghuai to increase manpower to produce salt and transport it to various places with soldiers. In Zhejiang, he also took care of him with Governor Mei, and he must have hoarded salt.

Hu Chuyuan said to Tan Zhonglin again, "Thank you, Governor!"

Tan Zhonglin was still vaguely dissatisfied. After all, Hu Chuyuan should have handled these things by himself. He said, "I put my eyes on Shanghai businessmen and secretly investigated. I'm afraid this matter is right in front of me. You can't pass this year. Be careful. Zhongtang and I made a plan, and the surname of Suo came to make a plan. Don't say anything. Lord Mei and I secretly hoarded salt everywhere. First, let those salt merchants speculate on the price to a certain extent. You are suddenly dumping, and let these salt merchants suffer a dumb loss.

Zuo Zongtang and Hu Chuyuan asked, "This time, other people's origin is very big. Several people's strength is not much worse than yours. I'm afraid that if you sell as much salt, others will eat your salt. Do you have a way to quietly buy some salt from other places to hoard it?

Tan Zhonglin said, "Zhongtang, others calculate that he is in front of the five major salt farms in China. The salt in Beijing, Tianjin and Donglai can't be bought. Zhang Shusheng, the newly appointed governor of Liangguang, is also an important minister of the Huai Department, let alone expect him to help. As for foreigners, others have been in touch with each other for a long time. I'm afraid he is the only one who doesn't know at the present!"

Zuo Zongtang's face was not happy. In his heart, Hu Chuyuan was enough to help the world and the country, but he was still young and lacked experience. At that time, he must be several times more powerful than Hu Xueyan, and even worse than him.

In this case, he didn't say it to others again, but he knew in his heart that he wanted to slowly sharpen Hu Chuyuan and make a long-term plan.

He said, "Wenqing, you don't have to scold Chu Yuan. At his age, how can you be half shrewd?"

Tan Zhonglin arched his hand and said, "The lesson of Zhongtang is that the subordinate officer is just a little impatient. After all, this matter is of great importance. If this matter is defeated, the Xiang army's military sage in Xinjiang Province will certainly be severely damaged, and Li Hefei will have a lot of articles to do.

Zuo Zongtang nod silently, and his expression became more and more severe.

Hu Chuyuan's chess level is indeed amateur-level, but he is an impatient person. The more nervous he is, the easier it is to come up with strange ways, and his "sense" is even more strange.

In a moment of thought, he came up with a good way and said to Zuo Zongtang, "Zhongtang, the foreigner's place, the other party did say hello. I'm afraid they secretly teamed up to deal with me, but I also have a way to deal with it."

"Oh?" Knowing that he was an unspeakable genius, Zuo Zongtang paid great importance to it and asked, "Then tell me about it!"

Hu Chuyuan said, "A salt sales certificate law can be determined by the governor of Liangjiang under the unified marketing law. Jiangnan Commercial Bank is responsible for sending and selling salt notarization, but only licensed merchants can engage in the transportation and sales of salt. In this way, they can hoard salt, but they can only buy it, not sell it, and not ship it.

Zuo Zongtang took a slight breath and said, "This method is very good...but?"

Tan Zhonglin continued to say what Zuo Zongtang couldn't say, "This method can cure the symptoms and root causes, but it can't cure the enemy!"

Zuo Zongtang nodded slightly.

After listening to what they said, Hu Chuyuan completely understood that these shrewd and sophisticated strongmen had long predicted that there would be one day. They were just trying to take the opportunity to get all the salt merchants in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, so they released loopholes for the merchants to drill.

He thought about it again and said, "Then I can also send people to Japan and North Korea to buy salt, but I don't know how big the surname is, how high the price is, and how much it is."

Zuo Zongtang said, "Just give it a try. The colder the winter is, the more people have to pickle meat and vegetables. The salt consumption is quite high. The price of salt is the highest at this time over the years. Coupled with the speculation of those businessmen, I'm afraid it will increase several times!"

Hu Chuyuan nodded, then got up and left, and went to handle it first.

He called Hu Rong over and asked him to charter a boat to Shanghai to find Tan Yiyun overnight. It happened that Pan Limei and those ship administration students were still waiting for the ship in Shanghai. Tan Yiyun went to Japan with Pan Limei and found a way to buy a large amount of salt in Shanghai for emergency.

If North Korea also has salt to sell, then even North Korean salt can be bought.

The salt prices in Japan and North Korea have always been very low. They do not have vast inland areas. They are all salt-producing areas around the sea. The amount of private salt is extremely large. It is impossible to implement the salt industry.

After arranging these things, he returned to Lanxuetang and said to Zuo Zongtang, "I have sent someone to buy salt in the two countries. If it is feasible, I should be able to resist it!"

Zuo Zongtang said, "This is also a way. During this period, you should also pay attention to it quietly. Once the salt industry sells too fast, you should be careful. We don't know much about the things in the mall. How to do it depends on your ability. I'll give you a bottom line. It doesn't matter how many times the salt price exceeds, but you must keep the salt price back 70 yuan per catty before the Spring Festival.

Hu Chuyuan nodded silently and couldn't help thinking in his heart.

Zuo Zongtang said, "As for the silk industry you mentioned, I have talked to Wenqing, and it really can't be adjusted for the time being. Let Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces prepare for the construction of Sang Academy first, prepare for a rainy day, and wait until the military pay-rate debt of Xinjiang Province is paid off, and then we will find a way to lower the silk tax and gold."

Hu Chuyuan said, "I have asked people everywhere to contact people who are both proficient in words and mulberry affairs, and set up a Jiangnan silk industry cooperative to train people who are proficient in the mulberry industry in various counties and villages, called silk heads or mulberry people. They are responsible for preparing for the construction of the Sang Society in the local area. The firm and the Sang Society cooperate with each other, negotiate and negotiate prices with each other, and jointly improve the output and quality.

Tan Zhonglin couldn't help nodding and praising, "This method is very good. The Sang Academy run by the court officials also has to do it, but the main thing still depends on businessmen. Chu Yuan, I must fully support you. In addition, I also discussed with Lord Zhongtang to choose another person in the position of Shanghai Daotai. Since then, Jiangnan Commercial Bank can be exempted from some miscellaneous taxes when entering and leaving Shanghai.

Hu Chuyuan smiled and said, "Thank you, Governor!"

Zuo Zongtang sighed for a long time and said to Hu Chuyuan, "You have indeed suffered some sins during this period. You are dedicated to the country, but you have to be plotted by villains. You want to set up education and revitalize the silk industry, but others can't get along with you everywhere. I know you must be sore in your heart, but don't care too much. I've had a similar experience before. Just get through this!"

Hu Chuyuan said, "Thank you for your understanding."

Zuo Zongtang said, "If I stay in Suzhou for a long time, others will be afraid. Now that you have begun to prepare, I will return to Jiangning tomorrow. Others don't want you to stay in Shanghai, just because Shanghai is the unified market of the salt industry in five provinces, forcing you to leave. When the price of salt is overturned, it's too late for you to know it again, and it's too late to get back to heaven. Tomorrow, I will go back to Hangzhou with a high profile, and then quietly return to Suzhou. Suzhou and Shanghai can only come and go for an hour, and it is much easier to dispatch.

Hu Chuyuan said yes.

Zuo Zongtang also wanted to talk to Hu Chuyuan about the Japanese thing and Li Hongzhang's fight for the operation of the telegram, but this moment is too important. He didn't want Hu Chuyuan to be distracted, so he asked Hu Chuyuan to prepare early.

Hu Chuyuan lives in Fucui Pavilion in Zhuozheng East Garden. Zuo Zongtang has made arrangements, and he can always live here when he comes to Suzhou.

Back to Fucui Pavilion, Hu Chuyuan's heart was messy and he couldn't sleep for a while. It happened that Yan Shizhang was also invited by Zuo Zongtang. The two had not seen each other for a long time, so they played chess in the Fucui Pavilion and talked about these messy things.

Hu Chuyuan's chess skills are not ordinary poor, and his heart is chaotic. In half of the time, he was killed by Yan Shizhang.

Hu Chuyuan hummed and sighed, "Okay, you won't let me!"

Yan Shizhang smiled and said, "My employer, you are still young, and you don't have enough self-restraint. Think about it, how important and difficult is the position of the governor of Shaanxi for the affairs of Xinjiang Province? Lord Zhongtang let Lord Tan Zhonglin sit there for three years. Jianghuai Yanzheng are not trivial. One step is wrong, one step is wrong. Lord Zhongtang has a few bosses of the Xiang faction, but he recommended him to be transferred to the governor of Jiangsu. It can be seen that Lord Tan's ability is absolutely extraordinary.

Hu Chuyuan nodded silently.

Yan Shizhang continued, "So, you just need to do what you should do. For such a big thing, Zhongtang may not be relieved to let you carry it alone. Zhongtang has been in the officialdom for so many years, and he has also fought with Li Hongzhang for half of his life. There must be a killer left behind. As long as you don't lose early and hold on to the critical moment, Lord Tan will definitely take action. This action is absolutely amazing, but let's just think we don't know anything!"

Hearing what he said, Hu Chuyuan suddenly dropped a big stone in his heart, which was much more stable and said, "I hope so."

Yan Shizhang added, "In addition, I also want to recommend someone to the host, which must be urgently needed by the host at the present."

Hu Chuyuan rearranged the chessboard and asked, "Who?"

Yan Shizhang said, "The owner wrote to me and Manager Liu a few days ago to let us prepare for Sangye. I don't understand these things, so I asked Manager Liu to send me some knowledgeable people. Among the people sent by the Liu shopkeeper, I met a very good person named Lu Sanyuan. Although this person has no reputation, he reads a lot of books. Nanxun people have been engaged in mulberry work at home since childhood. They are proficient in the big and small things of Sisang industry. They are shrewd and alert. They don't talk much, but they are really practical and very careful!"

Hu Chuyuan asked curiously, "How old are you?"

Yan Shizhang said, "I'm only 26 years old. It's a pity to be a master in a business. I suggest that the owner might as well be promoted and appointed as an exceptional case, and let him set up a deputy to preside over the Jiangnan Silk Industry Cooperative.

Hu Chuyuan said, "You can have a try. When we go back to Hangzhou, let's do this!"