I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 331 Hot
The Hu family were major salt merchants in Suzhou, with shops all over Jiangnan. However, although they had many shops, they were all salt shops.

This results in the Hu family operating at extremely high risk.

In order to leave the Hu family a way out, starting with Hu Sheng's father, they bought fake household registrations in various prefectures and counties in Jiangnan, and registered the shops they bought in secret under the names of the fake household registrations, separating them from the salt merchants of the Hu family's main family.

This matter was a secret of the Hu family, known to no one except the head of the family. Even Hu Sheng only learned about it from his father when his father was on his deathbed.

Over the years, Hu Sheng has been carefully managing these hidden shops, keeping them a closely guarded secret even from his wives, concubines, and children, for fear that they might accidentally leak the news.

Hu Sheng thought he had done everything perfectly, but today, looking at the shop names and addresses on this thin piece of paper, he realized that the deepest secret the Hu family had hidden was nothing more than a fire hidden in paper in front of that Salt Commissioner.

Was the incident of the Hu family colluding with river bandits to rob and kill the salt commissioner on the Grand Canal also...?

Hu Sheng simply dared not think any further.

Zhu Bing looked at Hu Sheng's pale face and sneered. As the largest merchant family in Binhai County, he knew every business of the Hu family by heart. He was too shocked at the time to think about it carefully. It wasn't until he saw the address written on the thin paper in the sedan chair that he realized something was wrong.

Seeing Hu Sheng's terrified appearance now, how could he not understand the crux of the problem?
"Master Hu is quite adept at making money. I was unaware that in Binhai County, in addition to salt shops, he also has businesses in clothing stores, general stores, and wineries."

Zhu Bing slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "But if I remember correctly, the registered owner of the household in the yamen is not surnamed Hu at all!"

"Your Hu family has some nerve! You dare to falsify household registrations! Do you know that this is a capital offense?"

Hu Sheng knelt on the ground with a thud. "My lord, spare my life! These properties were not acquired by me, but by my father."

"My father was worried that if the Hu family mismanaged its business or the imperial court rectified the salt administration, the Hu family would be severely weakened! In order to leave a way out for future generations, my father resorted to this desperate measure!"

"The owners of these shops are not fakes, but rather, they are servants of the Hu family!"

Zhu Bing stared intently at Hu Sheng. While Hu Sheng's act of falsifying household registrations was a capital offense, the government was not entirely innocent either. The head clerk and the registrar in charge of household registration were the first to be found guilty.

As the head of a county, he will certainly be accused of failing to properly discipline his children.

Zhu Bing took a step back and said, “According to the laws of Da Yu, servants cannot own private property. I will spare you this time because you are an ignorant merchant who does not understand the law.”

"You have three days to go to the county government office and transfer all these properties back to the Hu family's name. Otherwise, I will take them back to the county government office on the grounds that they are ownerless."

Hu Sheng gritted his teeth and agreed.

"As for the shops that the Salt Commissioner wants..."

Hu Sheng hurriedly said, "This humble citizen is willing to donate my paper-based business to the government to repay your kindness!"

"Bring me the contract."

Hu Sheng, suppressing his heartache, retrieved the contract and handed it to Zhu Bing. Zhu Bing then returned to the county government office after receiving the contract.

"Manager Jiang, the shop has been purchased."

Jiang Tiangang had just eaten three large bowls of noodles to stave off hunger. Upon hearing this, he put down his chopsticks and let out a satisfied burp. "Thank you for your hard work, Lord Zhu."

Zhu Bing: "How dare I? How dare I?"

Jiang Tian glanced at the sky. "There's no time to lose. I'll take my men to transport the salt to the shops now. Please post notices to inform the people of Binhai County: Starting tomorrow, the government will sell salt at a fixed price of ten coins per jin (500 grams). Each household can purchase three to five jin of salt per month." Zhu Bing stared blankly at Jiang Tian, ​​hardly believing his ears. "How much is one jin?"

"Ten coins?" Jiang Tian asked in confusion. "Since last year, Gansu and Ningxia prefectures have been selling salt at ten coins per catty. Hasn't Lord Zhu heard of this?"

Zhu Bing took a deep breath. "I have heard about it," but he had always thought that it was an expedient measure taken by His Majesty to win over the people, and that His Majesty would adjust the price of salt back to its original price after he ascended the throne.

After all, the sale of salt is one of the main sources of tax revenue for the national treasury.

"Salt is an essential commodity for people's daily lives. Its original price made it unaffordable for many. Fortunately, Princess Zhaoshan developed a method for salt production, making salt affordable for the people of the Northwest."

Jiang Tian's eyes lit up. "The Salt Commissioner has successfully produced sea salt by imitating Princess Zhaoshan's method of salt production. Seawater is inexhaustible, and the people of Jiangnan will be able to afford salt in the future."

Zhu Bing appeared excited, but inwardly remained calm: what did it matter to him whether those lowly people could afford salt or not? He had never lacked salt anyway.

Jiang Tian talked on and on, praising Princess Zhaoshan one moment and the Salt Commissioner the next. Zhu Bing followed suit, the two of them singing in unison, making Princess Zhaoshan and the Salt Commissioner the most capable ministers in the land.

Tang Zhao in his sleep: Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!
After finally seeing Jiang Tian off, Zhu Bing returned wearily to the front hall of the county government office.

The registrar brought tea and snacks, saying, "Have some snacks, sir, and go to the back room for a nap."

Zhu Bing was so hungry that his stomach was sticking to his back. He ate half a plate of snacks and drank half a pot of tea before he seemed to come back to life. He waved his hand and said, "I can't sleep anymore. The notice hasn't been written and posted yet."

The registrar hesitated, "Sir, are you sure you want to write this? But the Prefect..."

"I see the Salt Commissioner is coming with great force, and he may not be easy to deal with," Zhu Bing said, looking at the slowly brightening sky outside. "When the Kings of Hell fight, the little devils suffer. If the Prefect wants to make things difficult for the Commander, then do it yourself. I still want to keep this official hat for a few more years."

The registrar nodded and went down to instruct all the clerks and officials in the county government to write the notice together.

An hour later, the yamen runners brought the written notices and posted them in the streets and alleys.

Perhaps the people of Jiangnan don't have the habit of reading notices, because Jiang Tian spent the whole morning in the shop and not a single person came to buy salt.

Left with no other choice, Jiang Tian took a gong and drum and shouted in the street, "Look and see! Top-quality fine salt, ten coins a pound!"

The crowd, drawn by the sound of gongs and drums:
How much did you say?

Ten coins a pound?
A well-informed local asked, "Is it lake salt produced in Zhangye Prefecture?"

"Exactly!" Jiang Tian shouted. "Our shop sells top-quality fine salt transported all the way from the Northwest. Each household is limited to five catties per month, so hurry up and buy!"

Upon hearing this, the people rushed into the shop in droves, waving their money bags and shouting.

"I want five jin!"

"I want three jin!"

"Don't rush, everyone! There's plenty of salt!" Jiang Tian shouted as he tried to restore order. "Everyone, line up!"

“Ma’am, your son has already bought five jin,” the shopkeeper refused to sell to her, “each household cannot buy again.”

The woman panicked, "Is it too late for me to sever my mother-son relationship with him?"