Chapter 1996

To the left of the thin man, a fat man weighing two hundred kilograms wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and responded: "I just asked, the people we sent out last night followed them all the way from Leigong Tsui to the vicinity of Wenfeng Pagoda.

, because it was too dark, we couldn’t see where the two boats docked, but this morning they looked along the river bank and confirmed that they must be these two boats coming from Ningbo.”

"Since all the evidence has confirmed the origin of this group of people, and they are unwilling to listen to the advice to leave Yangzhou City, we have to find a way to give them some color!" The man with gray temples who spoke previously said softly.

He shook off the salt on his hands and said to the others: "No matter who they are, Yangzhou City cannot lose its rules!"

"Yes, yes, Master He is right! We need to teach these guys a lesson!"

"That makes sense! Then just follow Mr. He's arrangements!"

Everyone agreed with the man called "Master He", saying that they must make these ignorant strangers suffer. Tens of thousands of kilograms of salt is not a particularly big sum for them, even if it is sold in Yangzhou City

At the end of the day, it cannot have a real impact on the industry under their name, but allowing foreign salt merchants to unscrupulously dump salt produced in other places at their doorsteps is tantamount to slapping them, local salt merchants, in the face in public.

It's definitely not possible to pretend to be deaf and dumb.

The fat man who had been wiping his sweat did not follow the crowd. Instead, he asked everyone present a somewhat embarrassing question: "We are just busy here, is there any movement on the east side of the river?"

The voices in the room suddenly fell silent. Later someone responded: "Those people in Hedong may not have received the news. It is normal for there to be no movement at this time."

"Come on!" The fat man shook his head and said: "I don't know how many Hedong's informants are on the Salt Wharf outside the south gate. The group of outsiders have been setting up stalls for a long time. If the news hasn't been received, then the seven major surnames in Hedong are all

You can get out of Yangzhou."

The room fell into silence again. It seemed that these people were very afraid of the "Seven Major Surnames in Hedong" mentioned by the fat man and did not dare to express their opinions easily.

At this time, Gong Shiqi and Ji Yuanqing were also researching information about local salt merchants. The Ministry of Security and the Military Intelligence Bureau had searched for and rescued some information about Yangzhou salt merchants through various channels in the early stage, although the first-hand information was not much and insignificant.

It's detailed, but it still has some reference value.

"According to the information we currently have, the local salt merchants in Yangzhou are mainly divided into two camps, one is from Shanxi and Shaanxi, and the other is from Huizhou in southern Anhui. Salt merchants from Shanxi and Shaanxi came earlier, so they mostly live in the east of Yangzhou City and the Grand Canal

The Huizhou merchants who entered Yangzhou relatively late mostly settled in the areas east and south of the canal a little further away from Yangzhou City. Most of the manors we saw on the shore when we came yesterday should be

They are all the estates of Huizhou salt merchants."

Ji Yuanqing compared the map at hand while sorting out the known intelligence information. Due to the conflict of interest between the two camps of Yangzhou salt merchants, this is very likely to become a variable in this mission, so they must try their best to

It is possible to learn more about the situation of local salt merchants and then try to make use of them.

The camp of Shanxi-Shaanxi salt merchants is headed by the three major families of He, Lu, and Wang, while the camp of Huizhou merchants is dominated by the seven surnames of Yang, Dai, Ji, Ma, Xu, Cui, and Guo. If we want to talk about financial resources and business scale,

The two sides can only be said to be on the same page, with not much difference. The main difference lies in business strategy and development direction.

Judging from what is known so far, the Huizhou merchants who followed the government route have obviously gained momentum. Not only have they established a firm foothold in Yangzhou, but they have also successfully taken part of the salt trade that was originally monopolized by Shanxi salt merchants.

Market share. Shanxi and Shaanxi salt merchants, who regard the local salt industry as a taboo, will certainly not allow their competitors to gain momentum. In recent years, overt and covert fights have become more frequent, and competition has gradually expanded from business to more fields.

.

"We have previously collected information about the salt protection team organized by Yangzhou salt merchants. If we compare the camps, both camps have actually taken measures in this regard." Gong Shiqi scratched his head and said: "It is said to be a salt protection team, but it is actually this.

It was a weapon used by two factions of salt merchants in their private fights, but we still lack more conclusive evidence as to which side was responsible for the attack on Ningbo Salt."

Theoretically, of course, there is another possibility, that is, the two groups of salt merchants have attacked separately or even jointly attacked the salt transport team from Ningbo. However, this possibility is unlikely because of the conflict between the two groups of salt merchants.

The degree of conflict of interest far outweighs the threat posed by external competition, and it is unlikely that they would choose reconciliation just because of the emergence of Ningbo Salt.

However, Gong Shiqi's strategy of trying to win over one faction and fight another can only be put to use after the mastermind behind the scenes has been identified. However, the information they have now seems not enough to make an accurate judgment on this.

"Didn't several groups of people come this morning to drive us away from Yangzhou? Which families are they from?" Ji Yuanqing remembered an important clue that was very close at hand.

"Two families came on one side, and they were evenly matched, and their attitudes were similar. I didn't feel there was any difference in their stances." Gong Shiqi shook his head, saying that this clue did not provide valuable information.

The four groups of people who came in the morning all had the same purpose, which was to threaten Gong Qiqi to leave Yangzhou as soon as possible. One group asked him to keep all the salt he had brought, while the other group went even further. Even the two salt ships were

They also planned to take it all together, so the remaining two groups were not polite and asked Gong Shiqi to either give him the salt at a cheaper price or pay 10,000 taels of silver as "travel money" before he could leave Yangzhou safely.

There is no doubt that neither Huizhou salt merchants nor Shanxi salt merchants will welcome outside competitors, and their attitude is very clear, that is, to let outsiders retreat when they are faced with difficulties and not try to cause trouble here.

.

Ji Yuanqing sighed and said: "They really treat us like weak persimmons!"

"So I have to be tougher and make them realize that we are not that easy to deal with. This may make their master appear earlier." Gong Shiqi said in a relaxed tone, but in fact he also knew that such methods might anger people.

The opponent ignores the government and directly uses force to solve the problem, so he has to bear certain risks for this.

Their current situation is undoubtedly very passive. The two large ships of salt brought in to lure the snake out of its hole are simply powerful weapons to attract hatred, and they have to guard these two ships all the time, waiting for the opportunity of a head-on collision with the local salt merchants.

But only when the other party takes action can they confirm the existence of the mysterious musketry team and follow the clues to find out who is behind the supply of these weapons to the salt merchants.

Another possibility to solve the problem is what Gong Shiqi expected, which is to identify the real opponent through local intelligence sources, and this also requires direct contact with the salt merchants first.

No matter which method, it seems that it is not too easy to achieve the goal. But fortunately, before they set off, they were mentally prepared for the difficult situations they might encounter, so although the situation was complicated and dangerous, they did not

Although he was panicking, he was still analyzing the intelligence in an orderly manner and preparing to deal with possible situations that might arise next.

At this time, on the south bank of the canal, in a manor only Lixu away from them, several salt merchants belonging to the other camp also gathered together to discuss the group of foreign salt merchants who appeared outside Yangzhou today.

A middle-aged man with a goatee said: "The salt merchants in Ningbo are really haunted! There have been so many situations recently, and they dare to go even worse and come to Yangzhou to grab business! What do you think?"

"This group of people is quite tough. I sent someone over this morning to test the reality. I don't know if the other party is relying on anything, but they are not polite at all!" The man in gray clothes sitting next to him took over the conversation: "It is said that the other party is relying on something.

Not only do they not plan to leave Yangzhou City immediately, but they also want to settle here! If this is true, the situation in Yangzhou will be even more complicated in the future."

A white-haired old man sitting at the head laughed and said: "Is the confrontation across the river going to become a tripartite confrontation? That's really interesting!"

The man in gray clothes said anxiously: "Master Dai, don't let Ningbo salt merchants enter Yangzhou! These people sell refined salt as coarse salt, and they also intend to start a price war with us and steal our business. If we let them in, these people will

You will only have more no limits than those Shanshan salt merchants!"

The old man known as Mr. Dai responded: "Xiao Guo, why are you panicking? Did I ever say that I would let Ningbo salt merchants enter Yangzhou?"

The man in gray clothes, who was called "Xiao Guo", was about thirty or forty years old, but he still behaved respectfully in front of Master Dai. After hearing this, he quickly apologized and said: "It's a junior who was rude, Master Dai, don't blame me!

"

The old man waved his hands to show that he didn't care, and then said: "When I, Dai Yingda, came to Yangzhou with the elders of the clan, the situation I encountered was actually similar to that of these Ningbo salt merchants. I was constantly threatened by the local salt merchants and asked us, the Dai clan, to leave.

Yangzhou, and you are not allowed to engage in business related to the word salt. Hey, if you were afraid of things at that time, how could there be Daijiazhuang today? "

Huizhou merchants began to enter Yangzhou to operate the salt industry in the middle of the Ming Dynasty. Dai Yingda's family was actually not the first group of people to come. However, in the early days, Huizhou merchants had no roots in Yangzhou and could not compete with Shanshan, which almost monopolized the Jianghuai salt business at that time.

Salt merchants. Moreover, in order to crowd out and attack latecomers, these northern salt merchants even specially formed allies to jointly deal with the Huizhou merchants who had not yet established a stable foothold.

Many Huizhou merchant families who entered Yangzhou in the early stage failed to persist until the end under attack from various means. However, the Dai family was relatively lucky. The time when they entered Yangzhou was when Huizhou merchants began to gain momentum in the local area.

The salt merchants fought back and forth, but after two generations of struggle, the Dai family also successfully took root in Yangzhou, and Dai Yingda also became a prestigious figure among the older generation of Huizhou salt merchants.

.

Because of this, everyone present was basically his junior, and they did not dare to interrupt his lectures, so they listened honestly.

Dai Yingda continued: "People from Ningbo only brought two ships of salt, and you are all panicking. Why don't you think about how much salt we compete with the Shanxi salt merchants every year? There must be more than 200 ships! Several foreign salt merchants,

It won’t become a thing in a short time, our real opponents are the old enemies across the river!”

"In the past ten years, our operating conditions have been getting better and better, and the lives of Shanxi and Shaanxi salt merchants have become increasingly difficult. If a new competitor enters Yangzhou at this time, who do you think will be more anxious? There is a problem in the nearby state capital.

Who else could be responsible for so many attacks on salt transport teams from other places? These Ningbo people really plan to settle here, so we won’t be the ones who are most anxious. We might as well watch the show from the wall first and let them have a fight first.

."

The man with the goatee replied: "Master Dai is still mature and thoughtful. In this way, we really don't need to rush to intervene in this matter. Since the Ningbo salt merchants have a tough attitude, let them collide with the Shanxi salt merchants first."

Once the collision is over, no matter which side loses, it will be beneficial to us."

The man in gray clothes added: "If these two groups can't fight, then we can help and set a fire for them to add to the fun."

Dai Yingda put down the tea cup in his hand and said slowly: "We don't need to intervene. There will definitely be some action on the other side of the river. They don't even want to give up the surrounding state capitals to the Ningbo Salt Merchants. How can they let the other party live safely?"

Settled in Yangzhou. In fact, I am very curious. It is said that the Ningbo salt merchants have a strong background, with the support of the local government and the care of the Haihan people. How come they have been attacked so many times, but there is not even the slightest hint of a counterattack. Old

Ma, your family has a lot of business in Ningbo, what do you think?"

The man named by Dai Yingda had gray hair and seemed to be a bit old. Hearing the words, he responded: "I have been to Ningbo three times this year, and I have been to Zhoushan Island controlled by the Haihan people once. With all due respect, if the Haihan people

If the Han people want to intervene in this matter, let alone the salt merchants across the river, even if the Yangzhou government intervenes, they will not be able to do anything."

The man in gray clothes asked: "Master Ma, is this Haihan really so powerful?"

Mr. Ma responded: "Xiao Guo, you are used to living a life of leisure and debauchery in Yangzhou. You don't know how much the outside world has changed! The Haihan people have occupied a lot of places in the coastal area south of the Yangtze River Estuary, far beyond Ningbo.

They only have Zhoushan Island in the government, and they also have bases in Shandong and Liaodong in the north. These places were not obtained from the local government through bribes, but were actually places where the army was sent to seize them. My Ming Dynasty

In fact, part of the reason for making friends with Haihan is that they are worried that one day the Haihan people will become more ambitious and directly start a war and invade, and the garrison in the coastal state capital will not be able to stop them!"

The man in gray clothes said disapprovingly: "No matter how powerful the Haihan people are, they are still at sea! Yangzhou is hundreds of miles away from the sea. Can they still send a fleet to Yangzhou?"

Mr. Ma sneered: "The governor of Zhejiang thought the same way two years ago, but he was blocked in the city of Hangzhou by the Haihan fleet. The Haihan people were forced to panic, but they can do anything!"
Chapter completed!