"Salt reselling rights in Pei Country?"
Zhang Mu's eyes narrowed. He understood why Mei Zhu had asked him to dismiss his subordinates.
This was a serious matter!
Guo Jia looked at Mei Zhu again.
As expected of the head of Xu Prefecture's Mi Family, Mi Zhu had a huge appetite.
Presumably, he had personally come to Qiao County to collect information about the Li family for this reason.
No one could live without salt. It was a huge profit!
During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, in order to enrich the national treasury, a salt monopoly system was implemented. Salt farmers were designated to only be responsible for production, and the government had to set a unified price for the purchase, transportation, and sales.
This reselling system was abolished during the reign of Emperor He of the Han Dynasty, and a tax system was implemented instead. Merchants were allowed to sell salt, and the court only levied taxes.
After this system, countless merchants flocked to it and rose up by selling salt.
Xu Prefecture's Donghai Mi Family was one of the representatives.
Now, it seemed that he was not satisfied with Xu Prefecture.
"It seems that Brother Mi came to Qiao County to replace the Li family?”
Zhang Mu looked as if he had seen through everything.
The rise of the Li family relied on selling salt.
It was only when the Yellow Turban Rebellion started that they began to hoard food, mix it with sand, and sell it at a high price.
"That's right!"
Mei Zhu didn't hide anything and nodded."The Li family is rich and heartless. They obtained the right to sell salt but didn't bring any actual benefits to Qiao County. If this matter is managed by my Mi family, it will definitely make the people of Qiao County rich and fill the treasury of Qiao County.”
The third benefit was naturally the Mei Family's own.
"Brother Mi, we're talking about business!"
Zhang Mu shook his head." If the Li family falls, I'll take back the rights to sell the salt and hand it over to my Long Bow Merchant Association. Wouldn't the profits be even greater?"”
A mere list of the Li family's people who deserved to die was not enough for Zhang Mu to split the fat meat in his hands.
Zhang Mu's gaze was sharp, causing Mei Zhu to be shocked. His evaluation of this handsome young master increased by a notch.
However, he came prepared and did not have stage fright. Instead, he smiled and said,"Ziyu, the salt that my Mi Family sells is not ordinary.”
As he spoke, Mei Zhu took out a small bag from his sleeve and placed it in front of Zhang Mu.
It was a pile of salt. Although it was mixed with some sand, it could be said to be well-made.
"This salt is okay." Zhang Mu said in surprise.
It was divided into sea salt, well salt, base salt, pool salt, and cliff salt. In the beginning, there was only sea salt, which was obtained through the most basic boiling process. The ancients did not know how to filter it, so there were many impurities.
From the end of the Warring States Period to the Qin Dynasty, there was well salt.
In the Han Dynasty, there was pond salt.
From good to bad, salt was divided into bitter salt, scattered salt, shaped salt, and the sweet salt that only princes could use.
The Mi family sold the sea. To be able to reduce the magazine to between loose salt and shaped salt, it was obvious that they had mastered a unique method. No wonder they could expand their business so much.
However, this salt was completely inferior to modern salt.
"Still... It's alright?"
Mi Zhu was stunned by Zhang Mu's evaluation.
Although this salt could not compare to the Yi salt that nobles ate, it could still be ranked as C grade in the form salt or A grade in the bulk salt. It was better than most of the salt on the market.
Why was it that Zhang Mu only said that it was alright?
When Guo Jia saw this scene, he complained in his heart,"Good fellow, Ziyu is going to act tough again.”
After knowing Zhang Mu for more than two months, he had also learned some trendy languages, but he did not speak them often.
"It's indeed just okay!"
Zhang Mu smiled and waved his hand.
In the next moment, a small hill of salt the size of a human head appeared on the table.
"Sumeru Mustard Seed! Divine means!"
Zhang Mu's ability to create things with his bare hands scared Mi Zhu so much that he lost his calm and stood up from his seat.
After a long while, he came back to his senses, swallowed his saliva, and asked,"Ziyu, no, Immortal Master Zhang, are you an immortal who has descended to the mortal world?”
"I only learned some minor tricks from the immortals.”Zhang Mu said without blushing.
However, Mei Zhu was already shocked to the extreme.
His worldview exploded.
Everyone wanted to see immortals, but everyone was afraid that immortals really existed.
Lord Ye likes dragons, nothing more than this.
Fortunately, Zhang Mu wasn't a real "god" and Mei Zhu wasn't an ordinary person. He forced himself to calm down and said respectfully,"Ziyu, sorry for the disrespect."
"Brother Mi, you're treating me like an outsider. Take a look at this salt first!”Zhang Mu pointed in front of him.
"Salt?"
Mei Zhu carefully examined the salt that Zhang Mu took out, and before his butt could warm up, he stood up and exclaimed,""This is actually salt?"
Mi Zhu swore that the best salt he had ever eaten, no, even the first-grade Yi salt that only the emperor could enjoy, was not so clean and crystal clear.
This wasn't salt, it was a work of art!
"You can try it!" Zhang Mu smiled.
Mei Zhu swallowed his saliva and didn't stand on ceremony.
He grabbed a handful and put it into his mouth.
"Oh ~"
It was terrifyingly salty. It was indeed salt, and the taste was first-class!
"Do you think my Long Bow Chamber of Commerce needs to cooperate with you since we have this snow salt?”Zhang Mu looked at Mei Zhu with interest.
A thin layer of sweat appeared on Mi Zhu's forehead.
Regardless of whether Zhang Mu was a god or had mastered some kind of secret technique, it was clear that he could produce this kind of "snow salt" on a large scale. If it was circulated in the market, 90% of the salt merchants in the world would lose their jobs.
The Mi Family couldn't stop him and might lose their jobs.
Kill Zhang Mu?
It was useless!
Snatch the secret technique?
You're courting death!
They could only cooperate!
"We can cooperate. Only then can it be a win-win situation!”Mi Zhu said resolutely.
Before today, he would never have thought that the Mi Family would fall because of salt.
Not to mention becoming an aristocratic family, even merchants might become low-class.
"Cooperation? Tell me!" Zhang Mu was all ears.
Mei Zhu calmed himself down and said seriously,""There is too much control needed to manage salt. The Zhang Gong Chamber of Commerce under Ziyu is just established. If we want to expand the business, we need to waste a lot of manpower and resources.”
"Ziyu, I see that you are aiming for a career, while I am not talented. I am extremely good at business and wealth, and can increase the benefits by several times.”
"Ziyu, do you think it's better to be 10% confident or 80% or 90% confident?”
"That makes sense!" Zhang Mu nodded but didn't relent.
"I believe that Feng County, Qiao County, and even the entire Pei Country are only temporary places for you to stay.”
"With your ability, you will definitely be able to walk towards a wider world in the future.”
"In Pei Country, my Mi Family can help you. In Great Han, especially in Xu Prefecture, my Mi Family can help you even more!”
The Mi Family's hundreds of years of operation were not just for show. Their channels, connections, and intelligence network were all extremely strong.
"Brother Mi, you're so eloquent!"
Zhang Mu smiled.
The latter part of Mei Zhu's words struck a chord in his heart.
In the future, Tao Qian could let Xu Prefecture be given to Big Ear Liu, but he, Zhang Mu, couldn't?
If you befriend Mi Zhu, you can replace him!
"Brother Mi, is it enough as long as we sell salt within Pei Country?”Zhang Mu asked with a smile.
Mi Zhu relaxed, understanding that Zhang Mu had agreed.
"That's right, as long as it's within Pei Country.”Mei Zhu wiped the sweat off his forehead.
But his answer surprised Zhang Mu, and he couldn't help but ask,"Brother Mi, what if I can help you expand your business to the entire Yuzhou?”
"Zhu Ke doesn't dare to accept it!" Mi Zhu immediately shook his head and said," Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao of the Yuan Family are fighting for Yuzhou. I don't dare to lay a finger on Yingchuan and Runan. The King of the Chen Kingdom is also ambitious. Forget it."”
Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao of the Yuan Family were vying for Yuzhou?
These words exploded in Zhang Mu's mind like thunder.
Suddenly, he understood.
"So... This is what Feng Xiao is testing me for?”
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]