From a son-in-law to a favorite of the empress

Chapter 548

Many villagers did not buy salt by themselves, but two or three families joined together to buy a pound of salt.

Even if it was twelve cents a pound, they could not get it together, so they had to buy it together.

On this day, Zhou Yuan and his friends went to three villages before they sold all the 100 pounds of salt.

It was not until dusk that they set off to return to Yanzhou.

In the carriage, Zhou Yuan ate the cold and astringent steamed buns with a frown.

Guan Caixi also tried to eat a bite, but it was really hard to swallow. Not only was it cold, but it was also hard and unpalatable, without any taste.

How to describe it, it was like eating a snowball that had been crushed countless times and was completely solid.

She couldn't find a good description, anyway, she really couldn't eat it.

But she actually saw Li Yu'an eating it.

"Why are you also..."

She didn't finish her words, because she didn't dare to really ask, she felt inexplicably ashamed.

Li Yu'an smiled and said, "I've eaten this kind of thing, not long after I came to Dajin. Of course, I haven't eaten it for many years... It's really unpalatable..."

"The reason why I can still eat it now is because... I know there are still many people who can't even eat such steamed buns."

Li Yu'an thought of her people in Goryeo, and she was heartbroken for this.

Guan Caixi stopped talking. She kept her silence. Even when she returned to Bao Shanru's house, she didn't say too much.

She just went back to her room and lay on the bed silently.

She couldn't sleep, and didn't want to do anything else.

The scenes of the day echoed in her mind. She felt that her breathing was getting harder and harder, and there was always something pressing on her heart.

"If you don't eat salt for a long time, your limbs will be weak... and even your vision will be blurred..."

"They are the people who don't eat salt for a long time..."

Zhou Yuan's words seemed to linger in her mind, and the scenes of the villagers were like nightmares, always lingering in front of her.

She simply pulled up the quilt and covered herself completely.

This night was so long that Guan Caixi didn't know if she had ever slept. She was just very sleepy in the morning and had no energy at all.

When she yawned and came to the hall, Zhou Yuan and others were already eating breakfast.

She sat down and looked at the snow-white steamed buns on the plate, and suddenly lost her appetite.

But when she saw Zhou Yuan and others eating, she reached out and poked it again. Hey, it was soft... not the kind of steamed buns from yesterday.

She happily picked up one and ate it. It was soft and sweet, so delicious.

Damn, I'm so useless. How can an ordinary steamed bun make me feel delicious? This girl has eaten all kinds of delicacies from mountains and seas!

She thought so, but the joy in her heart slowly disappeared.

An inexplicable sadness surged into her heart, making her completely lose the desire to eat.

Bao Shanru is here.

With a salt permit.

It was just an ordinary piece of paper with the five characters "Shandong Provincial Government" printed on it, and two big "Salt Tickets" on the side.

Then there were the detailed words, which should be Bao Shanru's handwriting, very handsome, with excellent skills.

"The old rules, 1.6 million kilograms of salt, just ship it over within three months."

"As for whether you can get so much salt, it depends on how you communicate with the Salt Production Inspector. Anyway, it is not easy to get the full amount of salt."

At this point, Bao Shanru smiled and said, "For your generosity, I would like to remind you again that you need a stepping stone to meet a big shot."

"Only with a stepping stone can you be qualified to be received, otherwise nothing can be discussed."

"Not every official is as idle as us."

He came and left quickly, and his words hinted that Zhou Yuan and others should not delay.

It seems that he did find out the information of Zhou Yuan and others and confirmed it.

As for the spies who were knocked unconscious by Li Yu'an yesterday, he did not mention such unpleasant things.

Bao Shanru did not care about these minor incidents. Money was everything, and everything else was harmless.

It was not until he left that Zhuang Xuansu was shocked and said, "One million and six hundred thousand catties of salt! That's twelve thousand stones! How dare he do that!"

Zhou Yuan said, "One stone of grain equals four catties of salt. One hundred thousand stones of grain equals four hundred thousand catties of salt. He gave us one million and six hundred thousand catties of salt permits, which is four times as much."

"No wonder the salt merchants make money. If this doesn't make money, then there will be no profitable business in the world."

Zhuang Xuansu was also a little angry, gritting his teeth and saying, "It's said that the people have to pay taxes on their fields, but I think they have to pay salt on their fields!"

Zhou Yuan said, "And the fact is that the people of Dajin have not only had to eat high-priced salt in recent years, but also have to pay various taxes. Under the double blow, they naturally have no way to survive."

"The new policy can't be delayed, otherwise the country will be gone."

Zhou Yuan took a deep breath and said, "Pack up and set off directly to JiNanfu, go meet the Governor of Shandong. I have plenty of door-knocking tips. It depends on whether he dares to accept them. "

With a heavy heart, everyone set out on the road to Jinan Prefecture.

The carriage was bumpy, and Guan Caixi still didn't speak. He just leaned against the wall of the car, as if he was sleeping.

Zhuang Xuansu thought about various possibilities and finally said: "Even if the other party is cautious, we can only return empty-handed at most, and there should be no danger."

"Because this salt permit can only involve Bao Shanru, not the Governor of Shandong."

"When the time comes, he will be at most guilty of dereliction of duty."

Zhou Yuan said: "Don't touch Bao Shanru for the time being. He is not our target. We want to eat bigger fish."

"Just keep an eye on him in the inner court, and settle the accounts together in the end."

Zhuang Xuansu sneered: "I will let him know the price at that time! Definitely!"

Zhou Yuan said: "Let your people disguise themselves and help us deliver the invitation, and take 400,000 taels of silver notes. ”

“Four hundred thousand?”

Zhuang Xuansu frowned and said, “Doesn’t the Bai family pay two hundred thousand every year?”

Zhou Yuan sneered, “Since this is a stepping stone for our first meeting, I will naturally be more generous. In addition, let our ship go directly south to give them a deception.”

“There must be someone watching the ship along the way. I want all those well-informed thieves to know that I have gone to Huai’an.”

Zhuang Xuansu said, “Understood… So, after getting the evidence of the Shandong governor, are we going to close the net?”

Zhou Yuan said, “It’s far from enough. The Shandong governor and the governor of the grain transport are big fish, but they are definitely not the biggest.”

“After taking down these two people, we can close the net on the Bai family.”

Li Yu’an chuckled, “The weak are always unlucky. The Bai family is the smallest, so they are the first to suffer.”

“No. "

Zhou Yuan said in a deep voice: "This time, no one from the eight families can escape, but the Bai family has a chance..."

"It depends on whether they are willing to let me give them a chance!"

Zhuang Xuansu said: "I know what you mean. You want the Bai family to be a mad dog and bite off all the other families."

Zhou Yuan said: "So you have to drive them crazy first!"

In the small town late at night, Zhou Yuan and others took a temporary rest.

And Guan Caixi, who was full of worries, couldn't sleep again. She finally couldn't help but find Zhou Yuan.

She looked at this man who was younger than herself and whispered: "Zhou Yuan, what do you think is wrong with me? I can't be happy no matter what, but I don't know why. "

"I thought I was heartbroken for those people, but when I think about it carefully, it's not. "

Zhou Yuan looked at her with a burning gaze and said: "Think about it carefully but it's not? There is only one answer. You are heartbroken for your past self, and you are awakening. "

Guan Caixi exclaimed: "What? Awakening? ”

Zhou Yuan said: "Awakening is a stage that many people have to go through. Some people awaken very early, in their teens, and some people may never awaken in their entire lives."

"You live a comfortable life. You are later than most people, but you will awaken after all."

Guan Caixi said: "I don't understand, what is awakening?"

Zhou Yuan smiled and said: "It's just to find out who you are, that's all, no need to explain in detail, you will understand slowly."

Guan Caixi said: "What if I don't awaken?"

Zhou Yuan said: "If I don't awaken, then I won't awaken. You are still you."