After rebirth, I joined forces with my mortal enemy to seek revenge.

The two of them looked at each other when they heard this, and their faces showed solemnity. Although they had never come into contact with Pei Jiaoran before, they had heard about what he did in Chang'an. I didn't know how to answer for a while.

Catching the seriousness in their eyes, Pei Jiaoran blew away the fog in front of his eyes. Holding the lid of the urn to remove the foam from the tea, he looked down at the tea soup in the cup.

"Shilang Pei misunderstood. Yuan Shiyu has always been honest, how could he do anything illegal." He Zan smiled, "It's just that I didn't see Yuan Shiyu, so I was a little worried."

Pei Jiaoran smiled and said, "That's right. Hey, he's such a big man, what can happen to him? Why don't you two take me to the salt field to have a look?"

Knowing that Pei Jiaoran came here under an imperial edict, the two had no choice but to take her to inspect the salt field. Anyway, those who should shut up have already shut up, and as for other people, they dare not say anything.

The three of them took five subordinate officials to the salt field. Different from the sea salt in Jianghuai and the well salt in Jiannan and Liangchuan, the salt in northwest Beijing and Liangchi are all pool salt. Therefore, the northwest salt field and the salt field in Liangchi are very different in layout. They both need to build water conservancy projects such as canals, dams, and reservoirs to dredge the river. In addition, they also need to build fences similar to walls around the salt ponds.

Although it has cleared up now, it has been raining for several days and the road is still muddy. Salt farmers are working beside the salt pond.

According to the salt-making method adopted by the imperial court, the salt was made by cultivating the border and watering it in the sun. In addition to dividing the border and diverting water to raise the brine, it also had to be dried to make salt.

To manage the border is to dig pits and then send a servant to manage a salt field. Each salt field has a hundred acres. Nine salt fields are equivalent to ten wells, and every ten wells have one ditch. There is a diversion canal in the middle, and there are roads between the ditches. The pond that holds the brine in the salt pan is about a foot deep. The most important of these is diversion of water to support brine.

"I heard that there is a way to divert water and raise brine. Why don't He Tuiguan tell me about it and give me some insights?" Pei Jiaoran said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, He Zan looked at Wu Chengbi and saw him nodding. After thinking about it for a while, he said: "This so-called diversion of water to raise brine means controlling the ratio of brine to lake water, no more, no less. Only when the salt is evenly salty can the salt be considered good salt."

"I've heard people say before that when making salt, you need to control the water before you control the salt. Before you control the main water, you need to control the guest water first. What does this mean?"

"Brine and lake water are the main hosts, and floods are guests. Therefore, if you want to make good salt, you must first control the water. The water conservancy in our salt farm must be repaired every year. Firstly, we must ensure that floods will not inundate the salt ponds during heavy rains, and secondly, we must You have to make sure there is enough water in the reservoir." He Zan stroked his beard and smiled, "If it rains lightly when the salt is produced, then the salt is called top grade. If there is too much rain, it is green salt."

"I remember that during the reign of the late emperor, the two ponds offered milk and salt, which was regarded as a spiritual treasure by the late emperor. I think this is what He Tuiguan said was the top grade." Pei Jiaoran looked around and said with a smile.

She didn't know much about making salt, she only knew a general method. The reason why I came here was to see what the situation was like in Northwest Salt Industry so that I could make a judgment.

"Yes. Milk salt is the best salt." He Zan said with a smile.

The group continued walking forward. Pei Jiaoran saw a few subordinates grabbing a few people and walking toward them not far away, and Pei Jiaoran looked confused.

"Who are these people?" Pei Jiaoran asked.

Wu Chengbi took over the conversation with disdain in his eyes, "They are all private salt dealers. They are so audacious that they collude with the salt farmers in the salt field and secretly sell private salt. What do these people want to do? In order to make money for the little ones? Li, is it worth losing your life?"

"People die for money, and birds die for food." Pei Jiaoran paused briefly on a few people and shook his head, "These private salt dealers are really hateful."

Unknowingly, the group of people had arrived near the embankment used for flood control. Cut your hands and look around, you can see green mountains.

Looking at the dam in front of him, Pei Jiaoran smiled and said, "I heard that the Jianghuai River harvested a total of six million guan of salt last year."

"How can our salt pool compare with Jianghuai's." He Zan waved his hand, "The two pools only had a salt profit of 1.6 million guan last year. As for Yanchize, the salt profit last year was only 400,000 guan."

Looking at He Zan, Pei Jiaoran's eyes flickered. As recorded in the account book, it seems that Yuan Yanchong must have discovered the problem elsewhere.

After thinking for a while, Pei Jiaoran thought of the illegal salt dealers who were captured just now. If you want to know the secret, you have to talk to them.

"The road is difficult, let's go back." Pei Jiaoran walked back and looked at Wu Chengbi, "Your Excellency, since Your Majesty ordered me to come to the northwest to check the salt interests, it should be no problem if I want to check the account of the salt pond, right?"

Wu Chengbi smiled and said, "It doesn't matter. You are here on the order of the emperor. Why don't you take a look at the account books? When you get back, I will send someone to bring them to you immediately."

Looking at Wu Chengbi who was quite polite in front of him with a smile, Pei Jiaoran's eyes were shining and he did what he said.

As soon as the group returned to the Salt Courtyard, Pei Jiaoran asked Wu Chengmi to send someone to deliver the account books to the Guest Courtyard on the pretext that he was tired. Seeing that she really looked tired, Wu Chengbi had no choice. All the account books can only be sent to the guest house as required.

Pei Jiaoran took a deep breath as he looked at the account books piled half as high as a person in front of him.

Zhou Mancao, who brought in tea, exclaimed when he saw these account books. He put down the tea tray and walked over, only to see Pei Jiaoran leaning on the back of the bed, his hands behind his head, looking casual.

"Why are you looking at these account books?" Zhou Mancao asked in confusion.

"Who said I want to read it? I have to see the year and month of so many account books, not to mention do you think what is recorded on them must be true?" Pei Jiaoran took a sip of tea, "People often say that seeing is believing. , what the ears hear is false. But what is the reality? What the eyes see may not be true, otherwise Yuan Yanchong would not have been tricked. He must have known the secrets hidden under these account books. "

Zhou Mancao seemed to understand her intention and showed admiration.

"So is this your intention in coming here in person?"

"Yes. Mancao, you have read history books, but do you remember a sentence in Ban Chao's biography in "Book of the Later Han Dynasty"?" Pei Jiaoran said with a smile.

Zhou Mancao looked at her and said, "Chao said: There are no tiger cubs. The current plan is to attack the captives with fire at night, so that they don't know how many I have. They will be greatly shocked and killed."

Seeing that Zhou Mancao understood what she meant, Pei Jiaoran's eyes became even more filled with admiration and joy. If you are really smart, you will be lovable by both men and women.

"Then why are you moving so many account books?" Zhou Mancao flipped through a few pages and frowned, "I don't think there are any secrets hidden in this."

"Since I've gone deep into the tiger's den, I have to hide it from others, right? Otherwise, if I rush up stupidly, I'm afraid I'll have to suffer from this. So I have to find a name to make them temporarily let down their guard." Pei Jiaoran said while sipping tea.

Zhou Mancao pursed his lips when he heard this, "You are much smarter than Yuan Langjun. He wanted to question people when he came that day, but I figured it out."