I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 304 Once this opportunity is gone, it's gone forever.

Zhang Anzhi untied the ropes binding the sack and presented a handful of fine salt with both hands. "Please take a look, everyone."

The heads of the families looked on curiously, and were immediately drawn to the snow-white substance that was finer than sand.

"May I ask, sir, what is this?"

Zhang Anzhi said, "Salt."

Salt?
The heads of the families exchanged glances, their eyes revealing shock.

The Liang family head asked doubtfully, "Sir, is this really salt?"

Could it be a hoax?
Where in the world can you find salt this white and fine? It would be more believable to say it's sugar than salt!

Zhang Anzhi smiled faintly and remained silent, "You will know once you try it."

The Liang family head stepped forward first, took a small pinch from the sack and put it in his mouth. A moment later, his eyes widened, as if he wanted to vomit but couldn't bear to.

Zhang Anzhi understood him well, "Quickly pour tea for Patriarch Liang."

The yamen runner immediately served a pot of tea.

The head of the Liang family drank three large cups before he could barely suppress the salty taste in his mouth.

The other family heads pressed on, "So? Is it really salt?"

The Liang family head nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining, "It's salt, extremely pure salt!"

"Not only is the saltiness just right, but there's not a trace of bitterness either!"

Upon hearing this, the other family heads couldn't wait to pick up a small pinch and put it in their mouths.

The yamen runner silently went down and brought back a large pot of tea, refilling each teacup.

After finishing a large bowl of tea, the heads of the families put down their teacups and looked expectantly and happily at Zhang Anzhi, who was sitting at the head of the table with a faint smile and no words, asking questions one after another.

"Sir, are you selling this salt to us?"

How many kilograms will each family receive?

"What is the price?"

"Everyone, please be quiet," Zhang Anzhi said, gesturing with his hand. "This salt is not for sale to you."

The clan heads were alarmed, "My lord, what you're doing is not fair!"

Not selling? What's the point of letting us know?

"Please calm down, everyone," Zhang Anzhi reassured them. "This salt was made by Princess Zhaoshan and is specially supplied to the people."

Upon hearing the name of Princess Zhaoshan, the heads of the families immediately calmed down.

This is a powerful figure, not to be trifled with!

"The princess originally wanted the government to take responsibility for buying and selling fine salt, but she was worried that the government would become too powerful and line its own pockets. So she decided that the government would take the lead in gathering merchants with a reputation for benevolence and kindness to run the business together with the government."

The Liang family head hurriedly asked, "How do you plan to run it?"

"The government distributes fine salt to the county government offices according to the number of registered residents in each prefecture and county town. The salt is then sold in shops under the names of merchants selected by the government. Accounts are settled at the end of each month to calculate the sales of fine salt."

The head of the Kang family pondered, "In other words, the price and quantity of fine salt are fixed."

This is good; it completely extinguishes the scheming and despicable thoughts of those unscrupulous people who are only after profit.

“That’s right,” Zhang Anzhi said with admiration. “The princess is very thoughtful. We just need to follow orders and carry out the princess’s arrangements.”

The heads of the families nodded. Over the years, they had watched coldly from Ningzhou as Princess Zhaoshan's shrewd and versatile business acumen had left them, who had spent their entire lives navigating the business world, in awe.

"The princess has personally designated Ningzhou as a pilot area for the sale of fine salt. I have summoned you all here today to seek your consent."

"If you all agree, please report the names and locations of the salt shops under my jurisdiction so that I can make overall arrangements." The heads of the families naturally agreed; only a fool would refuse such a good opportunity to connect with the government!

"May I ask, sir, how much is this fine salt?"

Zhang Anzhi couldn't hold back his laughter any longer and said, "Ten coins per pound."

How many?

The head of the Kang family thought he was too old and hard of hearing.

“The princess sets the price at ten coins per pound of fine salt,” Zhang Anzhi said. “For every pound of fine salt sold, the shop will receive half a coin.”

The Liang family head swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on the fine salt in the sack, his mind racing.

Salt of this quality only costs ten coins per pound.

That means that almost every household can afford it!
Ningzhou administers five prefectures, eleven counties, and 193 townships, with nearly 106,000 households. Assuming each household consumes at least one jin of fine salt per month, the total amount of salt is 106,000 jin.

He made a profit of half a coin for every pound of salt, so that would be fifty-three ounces a month.

These fifty-three taels were divided among the eight families.

However, one cannot be too narrow-minded in business. As the master said, Princess Zhaoshan is only conducting a pilot program in Ningzhou. What does "pilot program" mean? It means trying it out in one place first, and if it works well, then it will be rolled out on a large scale.

The Liang family head was almost certain that this fine salt would eventually be sold throughout the entire Chongqing region.

No, it's not just the Great Yu region, but also Tibet, the Turks, and even the Western Regions and the South China Sea!
At that time, everyone in the world will have to eat the fine salt sold in their shops!

That's a huge profit!
The Liang family head suppressed his excitement and said, "My lord, the Liang family's shops are located in all the major towns and prefectures of Ningzhou. I am willing to contribute 30% of our fine salt."

"Well, Liang Bo," the other family heads cursed inwardly. "He usually stays quietly in the back and doesn't show his face, but now he's more eager than anyone else!"
While cursing inwardly, the heads of the households eagerly raised their hands to sign up, wishing they could abandon their ancestral businesses and focus solely on selling salt.

Zhang Anzhi was absolutely unwilling to agree. What about the people of Ningzhou—would they still have food and clothing to eat?!

Finally, Zhang Anzhi distributed the salt-selling slots equally among the eight shops listed in the newspaper.

Each household head, satisfied with the salt sales permits issued by the government, excitedly returned home and personally led his stewards to arrange the salt sales.

Five days later, Jiang Tian led his mule cart to the Ningzhou Prefectural Government Office, with a long line of mule carts stretching as far as the eye could see behind him.

Zhang Anzhi warmly received them, but Jiang Tian didn't even enter the government office. "Please send someone to check the quantity of fine salt as soon as possible, sir. We still need to continue our journey!"

"Alright!" Zhang Anzhi took out the account book and personally supervised the work. After confirming that the quantity was correct, he took out the official seal of the government office and stamped it on the specially designed voucher paper.

After confirming that the plan was correct, Jiang Tian divided it in two. He gave one half to Zhang Anzhi for safekeeping and ordered someone to send the other half back to the Protector General's Mansion at full speed. Then, he led his men away from Ningzhou in a grand procession to the next city.

Zhang Anzhi watched the convoy drive away before instructing, "Go and tell the heads of the families that the fine salt has arrived. Collect the salt according to the agreed-upon quantity."

Upon receiving the official message, each household acted without delay, personally leading people to the government office to transport the fine salt away.

Seven days later, 193 salt shops in Ningzhou opened simultaneously.

The shop assistant shouted at the door, "Come and see! Top-quality fine salt, only ten coins a pound!"

What? Fine salt? Ten coins a pound?
Upon hearing this, the people swarmed forward, grabbing the shop assistants and bombarding them with questions, "Is it really ten coins a pound?"

The shop assistant nodded vigorously, "Your Highness's pricing is fair and transparent!"

Upon hearing the princess's price, the people immediately believed her and flocked into the shop.

I want to buy one pound.

"I'll buy ten pounds!"

"Old Zhang, how many people are in your family? Can you handle so much salt? You'll choke to death!"

"Pah! You can't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth!"

Granny Zhang lectured, "This kind of good deal is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If I don't buy more, I'll regret it to death!"