The Golden County Magistrate

Feng Jin, a professional, could no longer suppress his excitement.

As an official of the Salt and Iron Bureau, he had been dealing with salt all his life, but he had never seen such crystal clear salt.

Before this, he was still wondering.

Why could His Majesty and the Minister come to visit him in person when he was just a county magistrate?

Now I finally understand that he is not just a county magistrate, but also a god!

After all, it is extremely difficult to refine pure salt.

It is well known that many craftsmen in the Salt and Iron Bureau, as well as the big merchants of the five major imperial merchants who can sell salt, have countless people almost every day thinking about removing impurities from salt to make it purer.

Because everyone, from high officials to ordinary people, knows that the better the salt, the whiter the color, the better the price.

But the efforts of so many people cannot make the salt as white as snowflakes, but this county magistrate did it!

It is not an exaggeration to say that he is a god with immortal means.

"Can I have a taste?"

After calming himself down, Feng Jin turned back to look at Chen Yan.

Chen Yan was startled and glanced at He Jinyao.

It seemed to mean, look at how polite your subordinates are. If they want to taste it themselves, they will ask the master. Unlike you, you just didn't say anything and just picked up a little and put it in your mouth.

He Jinyao pretended not to see it, turned his head away, and ignored Chen Yan.

Chen Yan didn't care, and nodded slightly, "It's still in the state of coarse salt. It's not fully processed. You can taste it, but it doesn't represent the final quality."

Feng Jin was stunned and pointed to the pile of salt in front of him that was like a small mountain, "Isn't this the final state?"

"Well, it still needs a few more processes. After the final packaging is completed, it should be extremely fine particles." Chen Yan replied.

Feng Jin widened his eyes. To be honest, these random piles of salt in front of him would be rated as Grade A if they were taken to the Salt and Iron Bureau.

In the Salt and Iron Bureau of the Great Zhou Dynasty, salt is divided into grades, and the best salt is Grade A.

Grade A salt is also the most expensive salt. Basically, except for some dignitaries, only the palace will buy it, and ordinary people can't afford it at all.

The quality of the coarse salt mentioned by Chen Yan is actually far better than other salt in the Great Zhou Dynasty. The reason why it can only be rated as Grade A is that the Salt and Iron Bureau only rates salt as Grade A, and there is no higher grade.

Of course, the appearance of salt is secondary, and the main thing is the taste.

With many years of experience, Feng Jin can almost be sure that the taste of the salt in front of him must be excellent.

And just now, the Shangshu said after tasting it that there is no mixed taste at all, only pure salty taste.

Feng Jin couldn't wait to taste a small mouthful, and his eyes seemed to pop out, staring at Chen Yan with an unbelievable look.

"Such a pure salty taste, this is the first time I have tasted it after working in the Salt and Iron Bureau for a lifetime."

Feng Jin was too excited and forgot He Jinyao's instructions to him in advance, exposing his identity.

He Jinyao and Tang Yun's faces changed.

Afterwards, He Jinyao hurriedly explained: "Don't blame me, Lord Chen. In fact, our Zhou Chamber of Commerce knew about the salt production in Qingshan County from the beginning. It is also an important purpose for us to come here today to confirm this matter, so we brought the craftsmen who work in the Salt and Iron Bureau."

Chen Yan frowned slightly.

The Salt and Iron Bureau is a subordinate agency of the Ministry of Households.

After all, salt and iron are strategic materials.

Therefore, the Salt and Iron Bureau has great power and can be said to be the most profitable department of the court.

Basically, officials who can work in the Salt and Iron Bureau are all from prominent families.

Chen Yan wants to live a low-key life in Qingshan County and does not want to have too much contact with people in the court.

Now that people from the Salt and Iron Bureau have suddenly appeared, Chen Yan is somewhat wary.

Although the other party was just a craftsman, the craftsmen of the Salt and Iron Bureau would definitely often deal with officials of the Salt and Iron Bureau.

But if you think about it carefully, since he has long wanted to sell salt, he will have to deal with people from the Salt and Iron Bureau sooner or later.

Even if he can cooperate with Zhou's Chamber of Commerce, even if Zhou's Chamber of Commerce has a legal salt permit, once a trade is formed, the salt field in Qingshan County must be registered with the Salt and Iron Bureau.

If Qingshan County sells salt to merchants with salt permits without the permission of the Salt and Iron Bureau, it is also illegal.

Since we have to deal with people from the Salt and Iron Bureau sooner or later, it doesn't matter now.

"It doesn't matter, but since Zhou's Chamber of Commerce wants to cooperate, it must also guarantee that in addition to the necessary registration with the Salt and Iron Bureau, it is better not to reveal that sugar and salt flow out of Qingshan County."

Chen Yan suggested.

He Jinyao nodded first, and then very wellHe asked curiously, "I really don't understand. Lord Chen has such talent. Shouldn't His Majesty know about it? That way, he can realize his greater ambitions?"

Chen Yan shook his head repeatedly, "My biggest ambition is to make money, lots and lots of money. I don't need to trouble His Majesty."

Chen Yan said it completely subconsciously, but it was very harsh in Tang Yun's ears.

Old man, who is the old man?

I am only in my early twenties now, and I am still young.

Besides, I am not a demon. The rumors that I am a cold-blooded emperor were spread by those rebels.

Since you are the county magistrate under me, you don't want me to know?

Tang Yun felt that since she came to Qingshan County, she was irritated by Chen Yan all the time.

This bastard, you should be glad that you have some talent, otherwise, I would have ordered you to be killed long ago.

It's okay to touch my hand, but you actually treat me like a plague god behind my back. Your heart is worthy of death.

He Jinyao was also frightened and secretly regretted that he shouldn't have asked just now.

He glanced at Tang Yun and saw that Tang Yun's face was still indifferent, so he was relieved.

"Master Chen, there is still something I don't understand. Can you explain it?" Feng Jin knew that he had said the wrong thing and exposed his identity. He looked at Tang Yun and He Jinyao's faces and saw that there seemed to be no change. He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"What is it first?"

"This salt field has been abandoned for a hundred years. There is obviously no salt mine. This place is inland and it is even more impossible to form salt water. But where did the salt fields outside the warehouse come from?"

Chen Yan chuckled and pointed his finger at the ground, "Of course it's here..."

Feng Jin looked puzzled and subconsciously looked at He Jinyao.

He Jinyao was also confused and didn't understand what Chen Yan meant.

Tang Yun frowned slightly, probably because she had little contact with salt making, so she had no idea what was going on. She just looked down along the direction Chen Yan pointed and subconsciously said, "Could it be underground?"