"All of you here are well-informed people. You must know that ten days ago, His Majesty issued a decree to reward the Censor and this official. Now the decree is still on the way."

Facing hundreds of wealthy businessmen, gentry, and dignitaries, Chen Zhao talked eloquently: "Although the decree is on the way, a copy of the New Salt Law was sent early. Your Majesty did not reveal who wrote it, just so that this day

Discuss with you and see if we can implement it throughout the world."

"New Salt Law?"

As for the other people present, the faces of the Yangzhou salt merchants changed drastically.

Although the Zhao clan was destroyed, their official salt industry, which accounted for 30% of the world, did not fall into the hands of these people. Instead, it was shared privately by several government offices in Yangzhou - and then they distributed it to those with more money.

The salt merchants were originally uneasy about this matter, fearing that the Yangzhou government would collude to deprive them of their rights bit by bit, so when they heard about this new salt law, they were all uneasy.

Liu Qingyun, the head of the Liu family, a big salt merchant who suffered the most losses during this period but was lucky enough to escape the disaster, quickly stepped forward, raised his hands and asked, "May I ask Mr. Chen, what new salt law has been introduced by the imperial court, and what is the content in it?"

"Actually, it's very simple. Just change the quotation into a ticket." Chen Zhao walked in the venue with a calm tone, as if he was just talking to the people around him, but this voice reached the ears of everyone in the hall, as if he was right next to everyone.

Talk the same at the same time.

"As you all know, the country produces 600 million jins of salt a year, and one jin of salt is sold for three taels of silver, a total of 180 million taels of silver. Among them, two Huaihuai salts account for 400 million jins, that is,

One hundred and twenty million taels of silver. According to the country's tax rate of one out of ten, one should be able to get twelve million taels of tax silver. However, last year only 800,000 taels were collected, not even half of the reasonable tax silver.

"

Having said this, everyone in the hall has focused their attention on Chen Zhao.

Everyone was shocked when they heard him directly announce the amount of tax evasion committed by Yangzhou salt merchants.

We have worked so hard and evaded taxes of up to several hundred thousand taels a year, and yet we think we are extremely wealthy. But these salt rats do nothing and actually evade taxes of more than 10,000 taels!

This money comes too easily!

No wonder these salt merchants lead a luxurious life, comparable to that of the royal family!

Not only the gentry thought so, but also the officials present were shocked.

I usually get a thousand or eight hundred silver from these salt merchants. I already feel that these salt rats are too rich, but I didn't expect that this is not even one ten thousandth of the tax they evaded.

This is not filial piety to the officials at all, it is simply charity to the officials.

These salt rats deserve to die.

These salt rats, too little has been done to them in the past!

Only the salt merchants wanted to cry but had no tears.

What Chen Zhao said is good in theory, but in fact it is not the case.

There are many reasons for the loss of salt tax, such as private salt, old salt imports, and salt consumption. But the real cause of the loss of salt tax is the exploitation of the big forces behind these salt merchants.

Behind these big salt merchants, which one is not a prime minister, a prince, or a minister? Otherwise, they would not be able to stand for many years.

Behind the downfall of the Zhao family was not only the Supreme Emperor, but also nobles from this family and that family.

These powerful people exploited endlessly, and the salt merchants also had to provide endless supplies, which resulted in a large loss of salt tax revenue.

Even if all the big guys behind them are eliminated and the salt law is not fundamentally changed, a new group of salt merchants will only be cultivated, and a new group of powerful people will be created behind the scenes.

At this time, there were already noisy voices in the hall, but Chen Zhao was unmoved and continued: "I have read the memorial sent from Beijing carefully. The main content seems to be - abolish the memorial in your hands.

The salt certificate that could be passed down from generation to generation was changed to selling salt with salt stamps. The Ministry of Household Affairs established a salt stamp sales supervision department directly managed by the court. Anyone could go to the salt stamp sales supervision department to pay taxes and buy tickets, and then use the salt stamps to sell salt.

After receiving salt, you can transport it to any place for marketing. In this way, those people and other merchants who do not have salt can also pay taxes and sell salt. Those people can sell salt legally without risking their heads.

Selling private salt, and at the same time, the court's salt tax can be collected directly, and the hole for the loss of salt tax has been blocked."

"What?"

"This is to dig out our roots!"

"This salt tax is too cruel. You are not worthy of being a son of man, you are not worthy of being a son of man!"

Many salt merchants present changed their expressions and roared in their hearts.

They are very proficient in salt administration.

As soon as I heard about this new law, I knew it was extremely targeted.

Once this new salt law is implemented, anyone can sell salt. For the court, it can indeed reduce illicit salt and cut off the loss of salt tax. However, for them, it will deprive them of their monopoly on selling salt.

Privileges! Without monopoly, how can they make huge profits?!

The salt merchants were furious, but it was not just the salt merchants present.

There were also other businessmen, gentry, and even wealthy families from Jinling, Suzhou, and Hangzhou.

The highest-ranking person among them is Zhen Shicheng, the chief steward of the Zhen family in Jinling.

The Zhen family in Jinling was a powerful family in the country. When the Emperor was still the emperor, he visited the Zhen Mansion four times on six tours to the south, which is enough to show how powerful the Zhen family was.

If there is any business in Yangzhou, Zhen Ruyun can usually execute it.

This was not because Zhen Ruyun was arrested. The reason was that he was a traffic pirate and was liaising with salt merchants to bribe the government.

So while the Zhen family quickly abandoned Zhen Ruyun, they sent Zhen Shicheng here.

Because the Zhen family and the Jia family were family friends, when Zhen Shicheng came to Yangzhou, he made a special trip to the Lin family to pay homage and kowtow to Jia Min - of course Jia Min did not dare to accept it.

Therefore, other gentry and merchants may be afraid to speak out, but Zhen Shicheng is not afraid. He has already felt the huge profits of the salt industry, so he blurts out: "Mr. Chen, is this new law true or false?

"

As soon as he asked this question, the other businessmen were all shocked and looked at Chen Zhao.

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! If they use the new salt method, they can also make a fortune.

There is no need to watch the Yangzhou salt merchants make money.

"This is a secret memorial that His Majesty ordered someone to copy. How could it be false? Although I don't know who submitted the memorial, and I don't know whether this method will benefit the country and the people, but I must have the heart to benefit the country and the people."

Chen Zhao took out a memorial from his arms and said: "This copied memorial is here. Your Majesty is in the palace and has a clear view of thousands of miles. Therefore, I let you get it here because I want you Yangzhou salt merchants to take a look.

, let’s discuss it and see if it can be implemented?”

With that said, Chen Zhao handed the memorial to Liu Qingyun, the big salt merchant nearest to him.

Liu Qingyun's face was pale and his whole body was shaking, showing his inner restlessness. When he finished reading the memorial, he almost collapsed on the ground.

After the other salt merchants read the memorial, their faces turned pale and despairing.

But other wealthy families and merchants looked overjoyed and excited.

Because they discovered that their family could open up new industries.

Maybe he will be richer than a Yangzhou salt merchant in the future!

If this new salt law is implemented, almost everyone in the court will benefit, and no one with enough weight will come forward to oppose it.

Those powerful and powerful gentry will give strong support.

As for the Yangzhou salt merchants’ objections, I’m afraid the people behind them won’t listen.

Chen Zhao seemed not to notice their expressions and continued: "Everyone, in my opinion, the reason why the imperial court wants to implement the new salt law is simply because of the serious loss of salt tax at this stage..."

"Plop!"

"Plop!"

Before Chen Zhao finished speaking, the big salt merchants were already kneeling down in front of him, including Liu Qingyun, Li and Wang, all of them could no longer care about anything else.

"Mr. Chen, we promise to the Salt Inspector's Yamen that we will pay 40% of the salt tax every year. We will never fall behind in the local government's road and bridge construction and disaster relief donations."

"Four percent?"

Everyone present was shocked, and officials at all levels in Yangzhou were even more stunned.

The 40% salt tax is 4.8 million taels.

Equivalent to one-fifth of the national treasury revenue.

Last year, they only handed over 800,000 taels.

Chen Zhao just talked and produced a memorandum from the imperial court, and these salt merchants cried and shouted that they should pay an extra four million taels in taxes.

The contrast changes are also huge.

Chen Zhao nodded slowly, knowing in his heart that the profits obtained by these salt merchants must be paid to officials at all levels, and must be given to their own behind-the-scenes forces. They must hand over 40% of the tax revenue. They have already tried their best.

Of course, it was precisely because of the existence of officials at all levels from the court to local governments that the salt tax in the Zhou Dynasty was so low.

Chen Zhao nodded and said: "Since the salt tax can be paid in time, the imperial court will naturally not change the new salt law rashly. However, His Majesty ascended the throne last year, and the salt tax last year was so low, His Majesty Long Yan was furious..."

"Don't worry, Mr. Chen, our Yangzhou salt merchants will also pay 40% of last year's salt tax!"

After several big salt merchants discussed it, the fat man Li Zhaohe who was closest to Chen Zhao finally said with a sad face.

At the same time, he sighed in his heart: "This Chen Zhao is not only very powerful in martial arts, but he is also very skilled in the ways of officialdom! It is not unjust that the Zhao family fell into his hands!"

"Oh, even though I am only a small patrol inspector, I have great admiration for you and other loyal salt merchants! Within one month, the Yangzhou Salt Patrol Officer's Yamen will receive last year's salt tax repayment. Yangzhou Salt Patrol Officer

The Shi Yamen will definitely report to Your Majesty truthfully and will not implement this new salt law within three years."

Chen Zhao, the inspector of the Yangzhou Yushi Yamen, said with a smile.

For a moment, the entire hall was silent, and everyone looked at Chen Zhao with complicated eyes, full of admiration.

Although everyone knows that the official position of inspector is not popular at all, it is just a small ninth-grade sesame official.

As for those Yangzhou salt merchants, they usually just bowed and held hands when they saw the prefect, but when faced with an inspection, they kept kowtowing.

Chen Zhao is an outstanding person.
Chapter completed!