Hu Youshan sighed: "Yanqi Country's salt industry is monopolized by the Long family's relatives. This is a tradition from decades ago. When it comes to old matters, it's all nonsense. I'm too lazy to talk about it."
"In short, this unwritten rule was formed in the end. The tobacco industry was controlled by the relatives, and the money earned from the business would enter the Emperor's treasury. The tradition has continued like this and has not changed."
"With His Highness's arrival, the salt industry will naturally change."
"Even if they are still managing for Long Zhengyang, they cannot continue to monopolize it. Of course, if we do anything to them, it will inevitably affect His Highness's reputation and cause people to criticize His Highness. "
Hu Youshan said: "So the best way is to introduce new salt and new salt merchants. His Highness can arrange for people to sell salt as an official and gradually replace the Long family's salt industry. "
Du Qi quickly thought about it and did not immediately agree to the suggestion of selling salt.
Because transporting salt from the mainland, on one hand, the distance was long and the cost was high. On the other hand, strategic resources like salt were all purchased from the central plains, and it was easy to form dependence. In the end, they had to rely on local merchants to form an official camp.
Du Qi thought for a while and said: "Duke Hu, my subordinates will not interfere in the matters of the salt industry. This king authorizes you to be fully responsible for this matter. "
Hu Youshan said: "This subordinate obeys."
It was not that he did not have any methods to deal with the monopoly of the Long family's relatives. However, the profits of the salt industry were huge. If Hu Youshan interfered without permission, he was worried that Du Qi would think something.
Therefore, he asked Du Qi to arrange for people to be responsible.
Now that Du Qi did not interfere, Hu Youshan could make bold and decisive arrangements.
In addition, this was also a small thought of his.
It was a small test.
To see if Du Qi would give up power.
The salt industry was such a big matter, and since Du Qi had given up power, Hu Youshan was completely relaxed and no longer worried. Hu Youshan did not say anything else and stood up to leave.
Du Qi watched Hu Youshan leave, his eyes filled with anticipation. In Yi Province, Luo Yansheng was the Provincial Governor of Yi Province. He developed the people's livelihood and encouraged merchants. Although there were rewards such as tax exemption, the taxes of Yi Province had been increasing year after year. Moreover, the increase was extremely rapid, causing Yi Province to be quite prosperous. This was Luo Yansheng's ability. Hu Youshan's ability was not inferior to Luo Yansheng's, so Du Qi was also looking forward to Yanqi Province's development.
A person like Hu Youshan was not inferior to Luo Yansheng in terms of ability.
Hu Youshan left the mansion and went straight home. At this time, the old housekeeper greeted him and impatiently asked: "Master, what official position did Ping Xi Wang arrange for you?"
Hu Youshan glared at the old housekeeper and said, "You old man, what does this have to do with you? Stop meddling."
The old butler was already used to Hu Youshan's temper. He chuckled and said, "I'm just curious. After all, Master's position is related to our family's dignity."
Hu Youshan said solemnly, "I am now the governor of Yanqi Province, in charge of the state affairs. In the future, there will be countless people coming to visit my home. Remember, just like before, you can't accept any gifts or money, and you can't set a threshold. "
The old butler said, "Look at what Master is saying, I know this point."
Hu Youshan waved his hand, and the old butler left. Hu Youshan returned to the study room and first sorted out the things he needed to do in charge of Yanqi Province, as well as the reforms he needed to carry out, as well as the reform of the salt industry.
After thinking for a while, Hu Youshan came up with an idea. His method was actually very simple. The government would issue a notice saying that the government would allow other salt merchants to sell salt in Yanqi Province, but the prerequisite was that they had to be approved by the government.
This was the simplest method.
He was not a salt merchant of the Long family, but he was supporting people to compete. One must know that in the past, the salt merchants of Yanqi Province were all controlled by the relatives of the Long family, and they monopolized the salt industry, not allowing other people to enter.
Now that other salt merchants could be allowed to enter, with competition, the price would naturally decrease.
Hu Youshan sorted out the matter and went to the Yanqi Provincial Governor's Office first. The current Yanqi Provincial Governor's Office was not far from the palace, and it was very close. This was arranged by Du Qi alone.
When Hu Youshan went there, a few small officials knew about it.
Hence, Hu Youshan smoothly entered.
Hu Youshan knew the officials of Yanqi like the back of his hand. So, as soon as he took office, he immediately sent down orders to transfer the officials of Yanqi's court to the Provincial Governor's Manor. Thus, the Provincial Governor's Manor quickly began to run its affairs.
Once everything was running, Hu Youshan got people to put up notices and prepare to select new salt merchants.
The news quickly spread.
All the people of Yanqi Province knew about it, but the ordinary people did not know and did not care about it. Those who were slightly knowledgeable knew that a new ruler had a new court of officials. Now that Du Qi was in charge of Yanqi Province, he naturally had to make reforms.
On the other hand, he did not destroy the Long family's salt shops. The two sides would definitely compete, and these knowledgeable people knew that this was to suppress the Long family's salt industry. At the same time, the two sides would definitely lower the price of the salt industry.
This was a good thing.
The news spread to the Long family's salt store in the shortest time possible.
The person in charge of the Long family's salt shops was called Zhang Zicheng, and he was Long Zheng Yang's uncle. In actuality, Zhang Zicheng was opposed to Yanqi Province surrendering to Du Qi. He felt that Yanqi Province should not have surrendered directly and should have fought to determine the outcome. However, his opposition was useless. After all, although Zhang Zicheng was only in charge of the salt industry, he did not have much of a role in politics.
When Zhang Zicheng heard that Hu Youshan was the Provincial Governor of Yanqi Province and that he was going to recruit new salt merchants, he knew that this was clearly aimed at him. If it was in the past, Zhang Zicheng would have easily dealt with the new salt merchants. He would have just arranged for people to beat them to death. Or perhaps he would have just issued a few threats, and everything would have been resolved.
But now, there was nothing he could do.
Yanqi Province was gone, and as a relative, he was worthless.
However, Zhang Zicheng could not just sit there and do nothing. He immediately changed his clothes and left the shop, heading towards Long Zheng Yang's residence. Long Zheng Yang's residence was actually quite spacious and luxurious. He had not been suppressed because he had surrendered to Du Qi.
After all, Long Zheng Yang was still the Yanqi King.
When Zhang Zicheng saw Long Zheng Yang, he said impatiently, "Your Highness, that old bastard Hu Youshan is detestable! Back then, I advised you not to trust Hu Youshan. He tempted you to surrender for his own benefit. This old man is a traitor who refuses to die. He is extremely detestable. "
Long Zheng Yang said, "Uncle, what's going on?"
Zhang Zicheng said, "Don't you know? You don't have Yanqi Province, but that old bastard Hu Youshan has become the Provincial Governor of Yanqi Province in the blink of an eye."
"That's impossible!"
Long Zheng Yang said, "Imperial Tutor Hu has resigned from his position. Many people know about this."
Zhang Zicheng had also heard about how Du Qi had gathered the commoners to speak and how they had gone to persuade Hu Youshan. As such, he immediately explained, "If you ask me, this is Du Qi and Hu Youshan's scheme. They are deliberately plotting against you to show you that he is. In this way, he has no choice but to become an official again. You can't blame him. After all, the persuasion of the commoners was caused by the will of the people. "
Long Zheng Yang said, "Uncle, I believe in Imperial Tutor. He is not such a person."
Zhang Zicheng immediately became anxious, "Your Highness, why are you so foolish? Do you know what Hu Youshan did as soon as he took office? "
Long Zheng Yang said, "What?"
Zhang Zicheng gnashed his teeth, "As soon as Hu Youshan took office, he attacked our salt stores. He has already arranged for people to post notices in the city, inviting new salt merchants to sell salt in Yanqi Province. "
After a pause, Zhang Zicheng continued, "Tell me, isn't this targeting us? The salt industry is Your Highness' money bag. With the salt stores, Your Highness does not have to worry about food and clothing. No matter how much you spend, it is not excessive. Once the new salt merchants run on us, the situation will be different. Our sales will definitely plummet. When the time comes, it will be good enough if we can make some money. "
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