Gongsun Chu hesitated for a moment and finally said, "Sir, the official's words may be unpleasant, but... they are just thanking them for being valued by them and have to make suggestions!"

Chu Huan immediately said: "Mr. Gongsun has something to say, but it's okay."

"The adults came to Xiguan to quell the rebellion, promulgate the equalization order, and rent and commissions to transfer each other are all practical things that benefit the country and the people. The officials admire them very much." Gongsun Chu said slowly: "But if Xiguan wants to restore the peace in the past in a short period of time, it is a request but not avail... The officials took the liberty, but the adults were afraid that they would prepare early to prevent the civil unrest that would happen next year."

Chu Huan frowned.

"The food is definitely not enough." Gongsun Chu said: "The food collected is almost all the fields of the gentry of Xiguan. The Lord had planned to lend the food in the hands of these gentry in the name of the government, and then transfer it to the people in the name of the government according to the amount of land. This method is certainly feasible, but it is difficult to guarantee that no one will raise objections." He bowed to Old Master Su next to him, "The old master is respected and kind-hearted, and is willing to lend the harvested food, but this does not mean that all the gentry will lend it."

Chu Huan said lightly: "I am considering the overall situation of Xiguan. I have borrowed their food and will repay them with capital and profit in the coming year. Is this going to make things difficult for me?"

Old Master Su hesitated for a moment and finally said, "Director Chu, Lord Gongsun's words are not unreasonable. Before the food was collected, everyone swears that they would lend the food to the government. However, once they take the food back home, they still have to spend some money to take it out. Although the government promised to repay the food with principal and interest in the coming year, for many people, they may not be willing to wait for the interest in the coming year. Scaring the grain in Xiguan, the price of grain will inevitably rise wildly. Compared with that interest, they took the opportunity to sell the food in their hands at a high price, and the benefits they gained will be much greater." He stroked his white beard and sighed softly: "As the saying goes, people die for money, birds die for food, and food is at home, and they will inevitably calculate it in their hearts."

Chu Huan shook his head and said, "It's not up to them. Whether they borrow or not, they have to lend the food this year to the government. This is a matter that concerns the overall situation of Xiguan, and they are not allowed to play tricks."

Gongsun Chu said: "This is the problem. If you are like the old man, you give up your own interests and cooperate with the government. On the contrary, they will feel that the government is too domineering, and you will feel dissatisfied. It's okay if one or two of them think so, things will be troublesome. If you don't make a good deal, someone will come out to cause trouble. Therefore, adults must think about this and prepare for the future. We must do a good job of countermeasures when we achieve it."

Mr. Su said, "Director Chu, Lord Gongsun said that the government should do a good job of countermeasures. I will go with the Qian family and Hong family as much as possible to find local gentry, and persuade them not to only care about the immediate interests, to look forward to the long-term, and to cooperate with the government as much as possible. Our families still have some prestige in Xiguan, and going to persuade them to persuade them may also have some effect, but there are countless gentry in various prefectures and counties in Xiguan, but they may not necessarily listen to our words."

Chu Huan bowed deeply and said gratefully: "The old man will definitely achieve twice the result with half the effort. Chu Huan thanked me here."

"I'm all my family, so I don't have to be so polite." The old man smiled, his words meaningful.

Chu Huan knew very well that as the leader of the seven surnames of Xiguan, the Su family tried their best to help him. After all, it was because of Linlang that he was the son-in-law of the Su family in the eyes of the Su family. If Chu Huan stabilized in Xiguan, he would wait for the Su family's status in Xiguan to be unshakable.

Chu Huan was actually not disgusted with such a relationship. After all, he knew very well that he was no longer able to sit in Xiguan with only one hand and wanted to sit firmly. It would be a dream to have a dream. Without the help of the gentry of Xiguan, he would never last long. The local gentry of Xiguan, the seven surnames of Xiguan, are just mixed roots on the land of Xiguan. They can use the power of this root. At present, the benefits are far greater than disadvantages.

The Su family has a strong mark of Linlang. Every time the Su family does its best to help, Chu Huan will think of Linlang in his mind. Because of Linlang, her family has helped her a lot, and Linlang herself has helped Du Fugong to take care of salt road affairs. Although Linlang has not returned to the northwest for a long time, under her management, the sales of new salt have been spread throughout the northwest. The entire northwest has been created by Linlang. The importance of this salt road network to Chu Huan is naturally self-evident.

Gongsun Chu said again: "Apart from the gentry, the biggest trouble is still on the people. Even if all gentry are willing to lend this year's harvest to the government, the government can control the grain. Eliminating the grain, the remaining grain is not enough to maintain the livelihood of the people. Therefore... In the end, many people will starve to death this year, but the number is still large, and it is still impossible to estimate now. As long as someone dies of starvation, someone will take the opportunity to make trouble. The more people starve to death, the bigger the trouble will be, the fewer people starve to death, and the smaller the trouble will be. However, no matter what, there will be no unrest in Xiguan when he is young, so before the matter happens, we must also prepare in advance, although it is to deal with the unrest."

The late autumn wind blows over, with the smell of wheat, but Chu Huan's face is very solemn at this moment.

After a while, Chu Huan finally shook his head and said, "You can't starve to death, let alone the people's change because of starving people to death, which will ruin the current development trend..."

"The officials don't want anyone to starve to death." Gongsun Chu sighed: "But... a good wife can't cook without rice. The government does not have enough food, so it will be impossible to provide relief to all the victims."

Chu Huan pondered for a moment and finally asked: "Old Master, the Su family has connections in the pass, so they should be very clear about the trade within the pass, right?"

The old man nodded and asked, "What do you want to know?"

"Salt!" Chu Huan asked, "You said before that part of the grain harvested this year will be repaid to the inner city with principal and interest?"

"Yes!" the old man nodded and said, "Even principal and interest, you have to pay back 100,000 stones."

Chu Huan thought for a while and finally said, "For Xiguan now, every inch of rice is worth every 100,000 stones of grain is not a small amount."

The old man said: "Although it's not a small amount, you can't lose a piece of food. After all, when we are in trouble, they helped us. Now that we have a harvest, we must repay them with the capital and profit as promised."

"Old Master, I have an idea." Chu Huan walked to the ridge head and sat on the haystack by the ridge ditch regardless of the dirty ground. Gongsun Chu helped the archer sit down next to him. Chu Huan then said: "What do you think if we repay them with new salt of equal value instead of grain?"

"New salt to replace grain?" The old man was stunned and thoughtful, and finally smiled: "Why didn't I think of this... Yes, I can try it." He said: "Duke Chu, we have some understanding of the market in the pass. The salt on the southeast end has been completely occupied by the Tianmen Road. The court cannot get salt. Tianmen Road has salt in his hand. Even if he wants to sell it to the mainland, the road was blocked by the imperial army, so the salt on the other side has been completely cut off. Now, except for the small amount of salt on the pass, the salt on the pass has been cut off.

The well salt can only rely on the sea salt transported from Fuhai Road. From Fuhai Road to the inland, the shortest road is to pass through Hebei Road. Now Hebei Road has been occupied by the rebels of the Qingtian King, so that road cannot be reached. They either detour Beishan by Liaodong Road and then turn inland, or they can only go through Weihai to transport from sea to sea... The journey from Liaodong Road is several times more, and the loss and cost will increase many times. If you walk from the sea, although the journey will be greatly shortened, it is said that the risk is very high."

"Risk?" Gongsun Chu couldn't help asking, "What risk?"

"Mr. Gongsun doesn't know that there are sea routes to pass through on Fuhai Road, but there are many more pirates on the sea now." The old man said solemnly: "Weihai originally had a naval army, which was leaning against the Ningzhou port on Hebei Road. However, the rebels of the Qingtian King captured Ningzhou very early and seized Ninghai port. Although the Ningzhou Navy did not have many warships, there were thirty or forty warships in size. It is said that before the Ningzhou Navy defeated, the navy admiral ordered all warships to be damaged to avoid being taken away by the rebels. However, the rebels were too fast. Before all the warships were destroyed, they had already taken down Ningzhou port and obtained nearly half of the ships."

Gongsun Chu changed color slightly, "So, Wei Hai is now under the control of the rebels?"

The old man said, "I have heard from people. I don't know what the situation is. However, it is already very difficult to transport salt from Fuhai Road to the inland. Salt stores in many places in the pass are out of stock. Not long ago, the price of salt in the pass has been raised, half higher than before. Judging from the current situation, salt will only become shorter and more expensive." Looking at Chu Huan, he said, "In fact, if our new salt can be delivered to the pass, it can also increase the input. However, according to me, the imperial court has strict control over the salt road. Whether our salt can enter the pass is a problem. However, if salt is used instead of grain as a repayment, it should not be a big problem."

Chu Huan's eyes lit up: "In this way, our new salt can play a big role."

"What does Chu Du mean?"

Chu Huan laughed and said, "There is something I haven't had time to tell you, just a few days ago, the approval document from Beijing finally came out. I have obtained the official document for the entry of new salt into the pass. Our new salt in Xiguan can be sold within the pass."

The old man and Gongsun Chu immediately showed surprise, "Did the court really give a certificate?"

"This was approved by Grand Secretary Xu Congyang himself." Chu Huan laughed: "When I came with the official document, there was also a letter from Grand Secretary Xu, saying that there might be a salt shortage in the pass. He asked us to prepare and try our best to mine as much new salt as possible. Once there is a large salt shortage in the pass and there is new salt in the northwest, panic can be avoided."

Gongsun Chu praised: "Sir Xu is still a well-planned minister. With the approval of this new salt entering the pass, our new salt in Xiguan can enter the pass with justification." Then he asked: "Sir, what are the conditions for the court? You won't just agree so happily, right?"

"The new salt entering the pass must be in contact with the local salt road yamen. The new salt sold must be counted through the local salt road yamen." Chu Huan said: "The price is still regulated by the local salt road yamen. For every pound of new salt sold, a tax of 30% must be paid to the court."

"The cost of mining, production and transportation is all on our side. The court collects 30% of the tax, which is indeed higher." The old man touched his beard and said, "But if you can first let new salt enter the market within the pass, it is a little higher for the time being, that is also affordable."

"But I have changed my mind now." Chu Huan thought, "I don't want silver when new salt enters the pass, I just want food."
Chapter completed!