Difficult for a son-in-law

Although Ming Zhan and Feng Jingnan don't quite match in temperament, he is influenced by Feng Jingnan in many things. For example, Ming Zhan also likes to work in the study.Even his study is similar to Feng Jingnan's study, with a conference hall, a living room, and a dining room. Ming Zhan also considerately arranged a duty room for Fan Wei and others.

Zhu Zixiao, Yang Qing, Cai Bao, and Liu Dongcheng ate their work meals silently. Ming Zhan imitated the modern form, each with four dishes and one soup, two meat and two vegetables, served in green bamboo bowls and cups, and a pair of bamboo chopsticks.

One per person.

The four came here on orders, full of thoughts, imagining various situations of meeting the prince, but unexpectedly, Ming Zhan didn't see them, so he just left a few of them here for dinner.As a result, a few old foxes secretly pondered whether this was a blow from the prince.

Li Cheng saw that the food was almost the same for several people, so he called the servants to clean up the tableware and served four bowls of fragrant tea.

The prime minister's concierge is a seventh-rank official, not to mention Li Cheng, who has a head and a face beside Ming Zhan. Although he is a slave, he is not humble or overbearing. , shouted a servant and came in."

Zhu Zixiao smiled politely, "I don't dare to do it. I'm sorry, Brother Li."

Zhu Zixiao explained Li Cheng's surname in a single word, but Li Chenggao took a look at it. Yang Qing stepped forward slightly, put his left hand on Li Cheng's hand, and a piece of thick paper fell into Li Cheng's palm. Li Cheng smiled, but Li Cheng didn't refuse, and put it in his sleeves without any trace. Yang Qing frowned slightly, seemed a little nervous, and said in a low voice, "We are all country people, and we have never seen the true face of the prince. Brother, my heart is still up and down right now."

Li Cheng smiled, "Look at what you said, the eldest son has a noble status. Although he is born with dignity, he is the most sensible and transparent. You think too much."

Several people thanked them, and Li Cheng left with a smile.

Cai Bao and Liu Dongcheng looked at each other, then turned to Zhu Zixiao, "Brother Zhu, what do you think?"

Zhu Zixiao’s younger brother, Zhu Zizheng, works beside King Zhennan. This is no secret among the salt merchants. Even Yang Qing is waiting for Zhu Zixiao to make up his mind. In the end, the evaluation of Ming Zhan is "extremely smart, moody". At this moment, Zhu Zixiao can have any ideas, but he is also a person who has gone through hardships. The prince told me to wait, so let's just wait. Just put your hearts in your stomachs."

Ming Zhan didn't let them wait for a long time. After lunch with Feng Jingnan, the two talked about their son again, and Ming Zhan came back.

"I'm sorry, my father suddenly announced that I would go to have lunch, so it was delayed." Ming Zhan smiled harmoniously, and after the four of them saluted, he raised his hand to signal, He Yuxuan said "get up", and the four of them stood up respectfully, Ming Zhan Zhan gave him a seat and said with a smile, "Have you had your lunch yet?"

"Return to Your Highness, the grassroots have all used it, and it smells good." It was Zhu Zixiao who replied in the lead.

"That's good." He glanced at Zhu Zixiao carefully, Ming Zhan smiled, "I heard Lao Zhu mentioned you, you look a bit alike." Looking at Yang Qing again, "I'll tell my father, queen, mother and concubine. Now, Concubine Yang has been in the mansion for many years, and we will finish talking in a while, if you want, you might as well go and ask for her."

Yang Qing quickly thanked her.

"Cai Chengxi and Liu Chengdong in Dali, I've heard about it for a long time." Ming Zhan glanced at the slightly surprised faces of several people, and smiled, "It's better to be famous than to meet. I guess you have long wanted to see me."

A few simple words made the hearts of the four feel cold, the son had already prepared for it.

"How's the income from the salt mines these past few years?" Ming Zhan sat in the middle of the top seat, with an ebony imperial couch carved with national beauty and heavenly fragrance. The couch was covered with a soft mattress, and the trousers were covered with Zhang Yushi. The mat was just ordinary sapphire. Ming Zhan sat leaning on it, with a very casual posture. When he smiled, his eyes narrowed, and the tails of his eyes were slanted upwards, showing a bit of sharpness.But after all, he is too young, with red lips and white teeth, and a bit cute.

All kinds of contradictory temperaments are intertwined, forming a unique and indescribable temperament.

"Thanks to the kindness of His Royal Highness, the grassroots can still live."

"Alright."

As expected of a businessman, the old traitor has penetrated into his bones, even if he can't get rid of it now, he can't say "life is difficult", otherwise, wouldn't it be a ready-made reason for Ming Zhan to reform.

Ming Zhan cut to the chase, "You are always well-informed, have you heard about the salt class?"

"Yes." The four of them began to have bitterness in their mouths. Although it was the first time they had dealt with this prince, it was by no means easy to get along with. As long as the palace made up its mind, their defeat would be over.

"The Zhu family has been making salt for a hundred years, and the Cai family is the shortest. They started to get involved in the salt class 20 years ago," Ming Zhan said. .”

"Grassmen don't dare to be disrespectful," Zhu Zixiao said bravely, "It's just that after a long time, there are many people who eat with them. It's okay for grassroots people. They don't dare to hide it from your son. Saved some family money. It’s those people down below who eat with grassroots people. Once their livelihood is cut off, they don’t know what to do with their lives in the future.”

Cai Bao was only in his early thirties, and he looked younger compared to these old men. He felt like a war between heaven and man, because he was young, so he was extraordinarily ambitious. Hearing what the prince said, I had a solid foundation in my heart. All the grassroots support the prince's resolution. It's just like what Uncle Xiao said, the grassroots themselves are nothing to worry about, but if you can do a job, you must have a conscience. The grassroots also have to be for your subordinates The shopkeeper guys in the store are considering..." Peeking at Ming Zhan, Ming Zhan was looking at Cai Bao, listening seriously, Cai Bao saw that Ming Zhan's face was not displeased, and he felt a little confident, and then said, "Caomin is nothing With experience, I also feel that this matter should be slowed down, at least give the grassroots some time to prepare and arrange these guys."

This is much better than expected, Ming Zhan smiled, "It's natural. The salt class lasts five years, and it's only been two years since you won the last salt class as an agent, and you still have three years to do it. Although the salt class urgently needs to be restructured, it will not happen overnight. I am planning to select two saltworks first and carry out the restructuring to see how the effect is and what needs to be improved. "

"Of course, I can't let you suffer." Ming Zhan said, "I have ordered Master Zhu, who is Zhu Zixiao's younger brother, to negotiate with Zang Khan and reopen the border trade between Yun and Tibet. If you are willing to hand over the salt field, In terms of border trade, I will give you some compensation."

A few people really want to ask, "What kind of compensation do you always plan to give us!"

"Tibetans like porcelain, silk, and tea from our dynasty. Even if you don't know the profit of the tea-horse trade, you have a rough figure, right?" Ming Zhan smiled, "It's not as profitable as salt. few."

"For these three items, in the first three years of the Yunzang transaction, I will set up two agents for each item, and the two families who donate the saltworks will get the right to trade as an agent for one of them," Ming Zhan heard clearly. Breathing heavily, he nodded in satisfaction, "And within three years, it will be completely tax-free."

Liu Dongcheng gulped, and couldn't help asking, "Then we are exempt from tax, what about other businesses that do this?"

"They have a tax of [-]% of net profit in the first year, [-]% tax in the second year, and [-]% tax in the third year. From then on, they are taxed at [-]% of net profit." Ming Zhan is very organized, " You are exempted from tax within three years, and then start to pay half-transaction tax on net profit in the fourth year, and so on.”

"You are in business. I don't need to say more about the benefits of this."

To be honest, the mood of the few people is really similar to riding a roller coaster. Of course, the Yunzang border trade is very attractive, but this tax...

These days, it is not popular for businessmen to pay taxes.

People regard merchants as the last class, and there are few people doing business. The court collects taxes on merchants pitifully. Even for these big salt merchants, the amount of salt tax plus the money spent on managing relationships is really insignificant compared to their profits. .

Now Ming Zhan opens his mouth and pays [-]% tax.

A few people seemed to have gall in their mouths, smacking and unable to speak.Ming Zhan added, "I will provide you with more business opportunities, and you should also think about the guys under your command. Don't tell me whether you are willing or not right now."

"In the first year, I only chose two salt farms, and only these two years can enjoy the three-year tax exemption policy. If anyone wants to join next year, there will be no such preferential conditions." Ming Zhan smiled calmly, "You guys You can think about it slowly, before I come back from Tibet, you have enough time. I am not threatening, on the contrary, I like to follow the rules."

This meeting was very short, but it was regarded as a turning point by the history books of later generations. After many years, no matter historians, economists, political scientists, sociologists, etc., everyone always likes to refer to this short meeting. The meeting is regarded as a historic meeting and the expectation of capital take-off.

Of course, at this time, the patriarchs of the four families were far from following the son's thoughts as imagined by later generations. They were simply dumb and could not express their suffering.

They have been in the salt industry for many years, and this is a well-known iron rice bowl. Even if they have to give gifts and bribes to many officials, even if there are many private salt dealers who have seized part of the market share, after all, these are not visible.

And, who can live without salt?

If someone eats salt, they will have a market and make money.

As long as the salt industry remains stable, their wealth will last forever.

As for those who sell tea, porcelain, and cloth, my God, the [-]% tax, isn't this killing me?

Even Zhu Zixiao, who always thought he knew the inside story, was frowning at this time. The four of them left the Zhennan Palace, and they were really in no mood to gather together. Because the news revealed by Ming Zhan was so shocking that everyone needed a You can digest it in a quiet place.