Fengxian Jiangshan

Not only did he not believe it, but he would support Feng Jun's actions even more. If the old Duan wanted to continue to use this as an excuse to trouble Feng Jun, he would be said to be a good card with the Eight Banners. If you hit it out, it's completely useless.One can imagine the old Duan's mood.

Little Zhuge also gritted his teeth: "Zhi Weng, I'll investigate right away, who caused the problem, we must not condone adultery!"

When Xu Shuzheng was going to investigate, another piece of news came. Old Duan and Xiao Xu were frightened and stupid at that time. The original re-established President Li Yuanhong sent a telegram to Zhang Zuolin.

In the telegram, Li Yuanhong enthusiastically praised Fengjun's achievements, and at the same time put a high hat on Zhang Zuolin, saying that he is the pillar of the country and Fengjun is a powerful force in the world. In the end, Li Yuanhong took the initiative to invite Zhang Zuolin to Beijing to discuss government affairs. Moreover, Bodhisattva Li also said that Zhang Zuolin would be given the position of chief of the army!

This news can be described as a shock, and it fell directly on Duan Qirui's head. The chief of the army has always been served by the old Duan. , if he loses control of the army, he may not be as comfortable as the president of Li Bodhisattva just as a shell prime minister!

"Zhi Weng, Li Yuanhong has done everything he can to win over Zhang Zuolin. We must not let Zhang Zuolin enter the customs. Otherwise, with the support of the Fengjun, the little Zhang will be able to get involved in the central government and echo Li Yuanhong from a distance. What else do we want to do? , it will be even more difficult!"

Of course, Duan Qirui knew the stakes in this. Li Yuanhong was famous and Zhang Zuolin was powerful. The combination of the two was indeed enough to challenge Beiyang, and it was a serious problem.

"Youzheng, it is true that Zhang Zuolin cannot be allowed to enter the customs, but is there anything you can do?"

When the old Duan asked, Xu Shuzheng, who was resourceful and resourceful, had no idea. It would definitely not work if he used force. More than 1 troops of the Feng army were still in the customs.

You can't use hard ones, you can only use soft ones. In other words, you want to buy Fengjun. Li Yuanhong has already offered a price, and the chief of the army has taken it out. What kind of bargaining chip can the old Duan afford to let Zhang Zuolin Abandon the good thing of encroaching on full power?

The more Xu Shuzheng thought about it, the more he lost his mind. At this moment, there was another news from the presidential palace that Li Yuanhong was going to appoint Sun Liechen as the governor of Rehe.

"Li Yuanhong is a bastard, does he want to sell the whole world to Zhang Zuolin?"

In fact, for Li Yuanhong, whether it is the chief of the army or the governor of Rehe, they were originally Duan Qirui's things, and now they are given to Zhang Zuolin. He doesn't feel bad at all. With Qirui's control over the government, Lao Li can breathe a sigh of relief, which is something Li Yuanhong could only wish for.

Duan Qirui was also responsible for Li Yuanhong's eagerness to offer such generous conditions. After the old Duan wiped out Zhang Xun's troops, he had no choice but to announce that he would abolish the old legal system, re-elect the Congress, and revise the provisional contract.

This proposition is actually aimed at Li Yuanhong. If the contract is really amended, the legitimacy of Li Yuanhong as president will be lost, and Duan Qirui is digging the grave of his ancestors.You are not benevolent and I am not righteous. At this point, Li Yuanhong can only tear himself apart with Duan Qirui and try his best to win over Zhang Zuolin.

"Zhi Weng, now that Bodhisattva Li is causing trouble, the most urgent task is to stabilize Zhang Zuolin, concentrate all efforts to stabilize the government, and then deal with Fengjun!"

"Well, that's the only way to go." Duan Qirui walked on the ground for a few laps and said, "Youzheng, you go and pay Zhou Xuexi a visit and ask him to come forward and help test Feng Jun's attitude. As long as the price is right, We admit it!"

When he said this, the old Duan's fists were clenched tightly, and his joints turned white. Duan Qirui is a self-willed person who has been crushed in front of Feng Jun many times. He is out of anger. The most important thing right now is to be strong Military power, without enough force to support it, cannot hold down the princes of this place at all.

"Zhuoyan, your trick of fighting poison with poison is really brilliant. The accusations of the princes of the Eight Banners are useless. No one in the world will believe that the counterattack that the old Duan was brewing was so easily resolved. It is really too good." Clever!"

"Duke Zhou, it's all about tricks, it's nothing!"

"This is no small trick. How to deal with the pressure of public opinion has always been the most troublesome thing. No matter whether it is Yuan Gongbao or Duan Qirui, there is no good way. Compared with them, you are a formidable younger generation!"

"You're so ridiculous, now you come to me, you won't just praise me, what's the matter, you just care about the famous words?"

"Humble words are smart, so I'll just say it straight. Xiao Xu found me. He doesn't want Yushuai to come to Beijing, and he doesn't want you to join forces with Li Yuanhong. Now it's up to you to choose."

Zhang Tinglan also had an account in his heart. Li Yuanhong was just a shell president with no soldiers or generals. It was simply unrealistic to point him at him to fight against Beiyang.Of course, if Feng Jun's ambition is in the center, this is also a good opportunity, but Zhang Tinglan knows clearly that chaos is about to occur in Russia, Feng Jun must focus on the north, and cannot be involved too much energy in the pass.

Only when the family is settled down can we compete in the Central Plains. If the two major scourges of Japan and Russia are not resolved, the Fengjun staying in the pass for a long time is looking for death.Therefore, Zhang Tinglan had made up his mind a long time ago. This time he entered the customs and made a lot of money, so he retreated as soon as possible. There are still a lot of things waiting for him to arrange outside the customs.

Of course, this is just a calculation in Zhang Tinglan's mind. He will not let go of the good opportunity to blackmail Duan Qirui again. Li Yuanhong is a good card in Fengjun's hand and must be played to the extreme.

"All kinds of undertakings in the three eastern provinces have just started, and the pressure from Japan and Russia is still there. Fengjun doesn't want to interfere too much in customs affairs in the future. Where should the government go? In fact, Fengjun doesn't need to participate too much!"

Zhou Xuexi also sniffed out what Zhang Tinglan meant. Since Fengjun was unwilling to participate too much, he left the opportunity to Duan Qirui. Beiyang could continue to hold power. Zhou Xuexi was also more happy with such a result. After all, he and The relationship between Beiyang is too close, and I don't want to watch Beiyang completely fall.

"Zhuoyan, since this is the case, there should be no too much cooperation between Feng Jun and Li Yuanhong."

"Well, but we can't let go of the benefits Li Yuanhong promised. Rehe must be returned to the Fengjun Army. In addition, the commander-in-chief has to give up the high position of army chief, and he must also give compensation."

"This is also a reasonable request, but I don't know what you fancy?"

"First, Duan Qirui must formally guarantee to Fengjun that he will not betray the interests of the Northeast to the Japanese. Any diplomatic issues involving the three provinces in the Northeast must be notified to Fengjun in advance. Second, the Beiyang government wants to hand over the Changlu Salt Farm to Fengjun for management; thirdly, it wants to allow schools and factories in Beijing and Tianjin to move to the three eastern provinces, and Fengjun wants to set up a special office in Beijing and Tianjin. Beiyang must cooperate with financial institutions and recruit all kinds of talents!"

Preventing Beiyang from betraying the interests of the three eastern provinces is already an old-fashioned issue. Zhang Tinglan once again proposed that it is necessary to form a system and not just stay at the level of verbal promises. This is also a further protection for the three eastern provinces. Duan fell out, and the old Duan sold the three eastern provinces to the Japanese, and Fengjun was in big trouble.

As for the second and third items, they are new things. Zhang Tinglan has already set his sights on the Changlu salt field. Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty monopolized salt and iron, salt has always been a huge profiteering industry in China. The salt merchant group of the enemy country.And the Changlu Salt Field is the largest salt field with the best natural conditions in China, how could Zhang Tinglan let it go.

A Changlu Salt Field, once it is well managed, will earn at least tens of millions of dollars a year, and salt is an important chemical raw material. Fengtian cannot do without it if it wants to develop the chemical industry. Naturally, it will take advantage of this golden opportunity to take the salt field into its hands. .

Chapter 365 The Bowl is Full

As soon as Zhou Xuexi heard that Zhang Tinglan mentioned the Changlu Salt Field, he almost spit out a sip of tea. The old man's face turned red from choking, and it took a long time for the old man to return to normal.

"Zhuoyan, although salt is a huge profit, I advise you not to intervene. There are thousands of threads in it, and it is a muddy quagmire. If you don't do it, you will all fall into it."

Zhou Xuexi only thought that Zhang Tinglan was young and only saw the benefits but not the harm, so he said earnestly: "The salt government in the Republic of China followed the system of the Manchu Qing, and the salt government of the Manchu Qing had many problems, and it was unsustainable. However, since the Republic of China, I have given up trying to reform several times because of too much resistance. In addition, Yuan Gongbao got a big loan for the aftermath, which was mortgaged with salt tax, and the Gengzi indemnity, etc. were also mortgaged with salt tax. , so the foreigners have set up a lot of censorship structures, if you want to move the salt farm, you have to touch the interests of all sides, that's a hornet's nest!"

What Zhou Xuexi said is right at all. Since salt is a necessity of life for everyone, and there are huge benefits in it, the salt administration in the past dynasties has been repeated games.

During the Ming Dynasty, salt merchant groups appeared in China. They used the huge wealth they had accumulated for hundreds of years to bribe officials and formed a huge interest group. Zi, relying on the protection of the Qing Dynasty, continued to maintain the salt government full of loopholes.

After hundreds of years of accumulation, salt has become the most important tool for salt merchants, bureaucrats, gangsters, and governments at all levels to make profits. The chain of interests inside is intricate, and it affects the whole body.

Especially after the end of the Qing Dynasty, the participation of foreigners added another layer of trouble to the already chaotic salt administration. Therefore, Beiyang tried to reform several times, but failed to achieve any results.Zhou Xuexi is well aware of the problems, so he doesn't want Zhang Tinglan to get involved in the salt administration.

But Zhang Tinglan has his own calculations in his heart. The profit in salt is too great. At present, the total salt tax in the Republic of China exceeds 7000 million a year, and it will soon exceed 8000 million. The proportion is second only to Tian Fu.And this is only collected by the government. The profits shared by other salt merchants are even more astonishing. The profit of the entire industry is conservatively estimated to be more than [-] million.

Changlu Salt Field is the largest salt field in China, and its output accounts for a quarter of the country's total.As long as they control the Changlu Salt Field, it will not be a problem to earn 3000 to [-] million yuan a year. It is definitely a very stable source of income.

In addition, salt is definitely the most important livelihood issue in this era. The common people are all tortured by salt, due to layers of exploitation.The price of table salt remains high, and the surplus money in the hands of ordinary people is basically used to buy salt.Unable to purchase other items.

And Zhang Tinglan has also observed the salt that ordinary people eat.At least one-third of it is soil and grass powder, and only two-thirds, or even about half, is coarse large-grained salt. It goes without saying how dirty this thing is, but the common people have no choice but to endure it.

Take it to the saltworks.Not only can it get huge profits, but it can also benefit the people all over the world. This is also one of the means to win the hearts of the people, so the salt industry is something that Zhang Tinglan has to get involved in.

"Duke Zhou. I am very aware of the problem of salt administration, but this problem cannot be avoided. It must be resolved sooner or later. The three eastern provinces are immigrating in large numbers. Within five to ten years, the number of people in the three eastern provinces will exceed 3000 million. If the salt After solving it, how can we get the common people to support us, and how many tax sources have been lost due to the bad administration of salt? development, the problem of salt must be resolved.”

Although Zhou Xuexi has not been in contact with Zhang Tinglan for a long time, he also knows that he must do what he says. Since he is going to attack the salt industry, he must not change it. The salt government must also proceed step by step, and he can’t decide directly on asking Lao Duan for the salt farm, so I advise you to come up with a whole set of action plans.”

Zhang Tinglan also nodded: "You are very experienced and knowledgeable. I just have some ideas about salt administration and I want to ask you for advice."

"I can't talk about asking for advice. I also participated in the management of the salt administration. I know a thing or two. Let's refer to it."

"I've already thought about it. In the first attack on the salt government, I must not offend too much. I have to choose the smallest entry point. I plan to contract the salt tax first, that is to say, to ensure that the amount of salt tax paid to Beiyang remains unchanged. The part of the repayment of the loan compensation remains unchanged, so that Beiyang and the foreign powers will not interfere. Then I cut the knife of reform at those salt merchants. Just this time when I checked the property of the Eight Banners princes, I found many Eight Banners. The merchants have contacts, and even have the shares of the princes and princes of the Qing Dynasty, so we can take them down in one fell swoop in the name of tracking down and restoring the party members!"

Zhang Tinglan often puts forward a very big idea when doing things, almost all of which are beyond the capacity of people in this era. This is the case with the recovery of the Middle East Road, the same with immigration, and the same with road construction.But when it comes time to act, Zhang Tinglan will break down the huge goal into many steps.

Step by step, the resistance will become much smaller. This time Zhang Tinglan is going to get involved in the salt administration, and he does not immediately harm the interests of everyone. Instead, he guarantees the income of the big powers and Beiyang, and concentrates on dealing with the salt merchants. Being connected with the princes of the Eight Banners is equivalent to having a handle in Zhang Tinglan's hands, and can also suppress their arrogance.

After such an analysis, Zhou Xuexi suddenly found that Zhang Tinglan was not dreaming, and there was indeed a reason for this matter.

"To put it bluntly, there are many types of salt merchants. There are big merchants who hold salt leads and have privileges, merchants who are in charge of transportation, and merchants who sell. How are you going to break their chain of interests?"

"Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there have been two most important problems in the malpractice of salt administration, one is production and the other is sales. Both the Ming and Qing Dynasties have a salt introduction system. Simply put, it is to give some big merchants the privilege of experience in salt. Salt is brought to saltworks to extract table salt, and then sold to designated areas. During this process, there is no way to guarantee the quality of table salt, and due to privileged operations and exploitation, the price remains high.”

Zhou Xuexi nodded: "My humble words are correct, not only that, the salt merchants will bribe officials to over-distribute salt, and there is a large amount of private salt. All kinds of problems are entangled together. It is complicated."

"When it comes to the production of table salt, in the past, salt was boiled, but Fan Xudong's Jiuda Salt Industry Company has developed a method of sun-drying salt. In this way, the table salt produced is clean and uniform, and the cost is extremely low. It controls the salt field. After that, I plan to promote this method to greatly increase the output of the salt farm!"