Prime Minister

Chapter 270, Page 269: [Counterattack]

"In my opinion, the simplest way to get out of this dilemma is to publicly withdraw from the Salt Association and continue to pay our share to the Grand Canal Administration and the Grand Canal Gang. What Lord Shen said earlier is true. The Grand Canal Administration will definitely continue to suppress the Huaiyang salt merchants this time, but they will definitely set an example and take care of the earliest supporters."

Xue Huai's words caused many wealthy merchants to change their expressions drastically, with only Qiao Wangshan and Shen Bingwen able to remain calm.

Huang Dezhong quickly stood up and said, "Your Excellency, please calm down. I have absolutely no intention of rebelling!"

The rest of them also stood up.

Xue Huai gestured for them to sit down and smiled, “It seems you all still don’t understand my temperament. Everyone has their own ambitions and is free to come and go. As long as you don’t turn around and frame or scheme against other colleagues, the Salt Association will not forcibly restrain you. You can rest assured that I will never take any secret revenge. Of course, once you leave the Salt Association, you will not be eligible to rejoin. This needs to be made clear beforehand.”

Even though his attitude was very sincere, no one in the room dared to be the first.

"I hereby make it clear that I will not pursue the matter afterward, no matter who wants to withdraw from the Salt Merchants Association. It is up to you to decide."

Xue Huai did not press the matter further, and then changed the subject, saying, "The Grand Canal Administration holds the power to inspect the canal and schedule waterways. This is granted by the imperial court. A direct confrontation would not only be futile, but would also give others a handle to use against us and put us in danger. However, although we are on the defensive, we are not without the power to fight back."

Everyone looked at him with great anticipation and said in unison, "Please speak, Your Excellency."

Xue Huai calmly said, "Right now, the canal administration is using the word 'rules' to exert pressure, so you don't need to confront them head-on. The merchants like Qiao, Shen, and Xu, who have already been targeted, can temporarily reduce their canal freight, especially large-volume non-salt goods transport. This move may seem like a show of weakness and concession, but in reality, it can reduce the chances of the canal administration finding a pretext to repeatedly harass them, avoiding unnecessary losses and humiliation. From another perspective, the sudden loss of these merchants' large-volume goods in canal trade is not a good thing for the canal administration and the canal merchants either."

Qiao Wangshan chimed in, “The official boats on the canal are supported by their own provisions, while the cargo ships rely on the profits from transporting goods. Once a large part of this source of profit is cut off, especially in a pivotal area like Yangzhou, the first to be uneasy will probably not be us, but the ordinary people and boat owners who depend on the canal for their livelihood.”

"Yes."

Xue Huai said seriously, "Those people have suffered a sharp drop in income and have no means of making a living. Who will they resent? Will they be directed at you merchants who were forced to give up the canal trade, or at the officials of the canal administration who cut off their source of income?"

Huang Dezhong's eyes lit up, and he said hurriedly, "Does Your Excellency mean to use their strength against them and create chaos within their ranks?"

Xue Huai nodded and said, “The Grand Canal Administration and the Grand Canal Gangs may seem like a united front, but in reality, there are factions within them, and countless ordinary people struggling to make a living. No matter how powerful Governor Jiang is, he still has to consider feeding tens of thousands of people. When we cede part of our canal share, the Grand Canal Administration's dominance leads to a decrease in their actual profits, and this pressure will naturally be passed back to them. Therefore, the Salt Association, which is not being targeted by the Grand Canal Administration, should also reduce the proportion of canal boats and Grand Canal transport capacity it rents, effective immediately.”

Upon hearing this, a soft gasp filled the hall.

Xue Huai's strategy seemed simple, but it struck at the heart of the Grand Canal Administration. Since the two sides were gradually becoming enemies, and the Grand Canal Administration held an absolute high ground of power, the Huaiyang salt merchants took the initiative to back down.

The saying goes, "If you can't afford to offend them, you can avoid them." The canal officials deliberately made things difficult for the merchants, who had no choice but to seek other, more expensive routes.

In this way, the Salt Association could avoid a direct conflict with the Grand Canal Administration and instead become a contest of resources and financial strength between the two sides. It would depend on whether the members of the Salt Association could not withstand the high costs or whether the people under the Grand Canal Administration could not overcome the pressure to survive.

This may be the only advantage these big merchants have, especially large trading companies like Guangtai and De'an, who, apart from their accumulated silver, cannot compete with the Grand Canal in any other aspect.

Most people understood this and had immense respect for Xue Huai, but some worried, "Your Excellency, isn't this going too far? What if the Grand Canal Administration and the Grand Canal Gang become enraged because of this..."

"fierce?"

Xue Huai's gaze was sharp as he solemnly said, "Is it not drastic enough that the grain transport authorities are seizing your ships, sealing your goods, framing you, and cutting off your livelihood? Are you afraid that the grain transport authorities will be enraged? Aren't you afraid that they will press you further and eventually turn you back into fish on a chopping block, at their mercy?"

The man immediately shut his mouth.

Xue Huai withdrew his gaze and softened his tone, saying, "As for the Grand Canal Gang, they won't make any further moves in the short term. I have already released Sang Shichang's son, Sang Chengze, on the condition that the Yangzhou branch of the Grand Canal Gang must behave themselves for the next two months. If they dare to go back on their word, I will send someone to arrest Sang Chengze again and punish him for the serious crime of deceiving the government and inciting public resentment. Therefore, as long as you can withstand the pressure and remain confident, the situation is not as terrible as you imagine."

These words reassured everyone. After all, the canal administration had to follow the rules and regulations, while the canal gangs were not so obedient. Now that Xue Huai had a sword hanging over their heads, many unexpected situations could be avoided.

Whether you can get through this difficult time safely depends entirely on whether everyone is united.

Xue Huai surveyed the crowd and said, word by word, "Businesses not currently being targeted cannot remain uninvolved; this is the very purpose of the Salt Association. If you help your suppressed peers today, and the Grand Canal's blade falls on your head tomorrow, others will share the burden! If anyone harbors any illusions, thinking that withdrawing from the Salt Association or feigning compliance will protect them, then they are cutting themselves off from everyone else. Why is the Grand Canal targeting the Qiao and Shen families? It's simply to divide and conquer them one by one. If any of you harbor any illusions, you are placing yourselves in a place of utter ruin!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Dezhong, Wang Shilin, and the others felt their faces burning with embarrassment, as Xue Huai had ruthlessly exposed their little schemes.

Xue Huai stopped there, calmly saying, "Furthermore, is the Grand Canal Administration truly as fair and impartial as they claim? This time, they've been targeting the Salt Association, creating difficulties and discriminating against them at every turn, even fabricating evidence to frame and seize ships. Are these actions really foolproof? You don't need to directly confront the Grand Canal Administration. Just record in detail every instance of harassment, including the time, place, the name of the responsible official, the specific reason, the extent of the loss, and whether there were any witnesses. If your ship or cargo is seized, carefully examine the documents issued by the Grand Canal Administration, finding any exaggerations or even fabrications!" Xu Deshun excitedly said, "With this evidence, we can finally stand up to them!"

Xue Huai looked at him approvingly and nodded, saying, "These pieces of evidence seem useless for now; we just need to wait for the right opportunity. The Grand Canal is crucial to the nation's stability, and the imperial court will not act rashly. However, if the Grand Canal Administration abuses its power and acts recklessly, causing widespread resentment in this vital tax-paying region, the officials in the court will certainly not stand idly by. This is not something that can be accomplished overnight; it requires patience and meticulousness, but this is the key to breaking the deadlock!"

These words were like a spark igniting in the darkest depths of everyone's hearts.

The Grand Canal Administration is not without its flaws. Every time they deliberately target someone, they only add another charge against themselves. As long as everyone present can withstand the pressure for a period of time, they will eventually see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Xue Huai continued, "Gentlemen, the core of the Salt Association lies in mutual assistance and benefit. The more difficult the times, the more we need to stick together for warmth. Businesses that have not been targeted should take advantage of their relatively relaxed environment to help their partners who are being suppressed to share the pressure, and provide support in terms of transportation capacity, funds or channels, so that everyone can see that as long as they join the Salt Association, they are not alone even in the face of storms!"

"Your Excellency."

Qiao Wangshan stood up and said, "This old man is not talented, but I am willing to follow you through thick and thin."

Shen Bingwen was the second to stand up, followed by Wang Shilin and Huang Dezhong, and the rest stood up and solemnly expressed their opinions.

Xue Huai also stood up and said earnestly, "The survival of the Salt Association does not depend on the attitude of the Grain Transport Commissioner, but on whether you all truly have the sincerity to work together. Everything I have just said is based on the law, so you don't need to worry about offending the court. If the Grain Transport Commissioner resorts to any means necessary and does something lawless, I, as your superior, will even give up my official hat and take the case to the Emperor to seek justice for you!"

These words resonated deeply, like the sound of metal and stone.

Everyone was deeply moved. Although Xue Huai had not come forward to discuss matters with the canal administration during this period, his promise made in front of everyone at this moment undoubtedly gave them the greatest confidence.

Within the rules, the competition for salt and grain transport relied on each party's own abilities, mainly depending on who could withstand the pressure first.

If the Grand Canal Administration wanted to abuse its power, Xue Huai was not someone to be trifled with. It was simply a matter of who had connections in the court. Did he, a stalwart of the Qingliu faction who had achieved the third-highest rank in the imperial examinations, have anything to fear?

The anxiety that had been hanging over everyone finally subsided, and then, at Qiao Wangshan's invitation, they went to the side hall to discuss the details.

Shen Bingwen did not set off.

Once there was no one else in the hall, he looked at Xue Huai with admiration and respect, and then reminded him, "Jing Che, I'm afraid that everything you said today will be relayed to Governor Jiang's ears without missing a single word."

Xue Huai said calmly, "As expected."

Despite the righteous demeanor of those people, Xue Huai was never naive. He knew that people's hearts were unpredictable, and if Jiang Jizhou didn't have spies among these big businessmen, he would never have acted rashly.

Shen Bingwen asked, somewhat puzzled, "If that's the case, why not verify it beforehand?"

“Uncle, these things can’t be kept secret. Even if everyone here today has no ulterior motives, as soon as you start making a move, the grain transport department will notice something amiss. Therefore, there’s no point in forcibly keeping it a secret. Besides—”

Xue Huai paused for a moment, then said meaningfully, "Even if Governor Jiang knows my arrangements, he will find it difficult to give up. Firstly, he will not think that he cannot deal with a young junior like me. Secondly, he has to consider the thoughts of the officials in the Grand Canal. Those in high positions are not necessarily in charge of everything, and often they are not in control of their own destiny. The Grand Canal has taken the first step, and the subsequent progress cannot be forcibly determined by one's own will."

Shen Bingwen nodded, agreeing with Xue Huai's assessment. However, he said with some concern, "If the dispute over salt and grain transport escalates, it may alarm the central government."

Xue Huai finished the remaining tea in his cup, then got up and walked to the window. He looked up at the vast northern sky and said softly, "Uncle, if I wanted to tear down the roof, how many people do you think would object?"

Shen Bingwen pondered for a moment, roughly understood his implied meaning, and said thoughtfully, "It's almost impossible."

Xue Huai smiled, turned to look at him, and calmly said, "Actually, I just want to open a window."

Shen Bingwen was stunned.

After a moment, he smiled knowingly and exclaimed sincerely, "Excellent technique."

(End of this chapter)