After listening to Liu Pei's explanation, the two suddenly realized that most of the displaced people recruited by Liu Pei had been taken away to establish the salt fields after completing this year's wasteland reclamation work. Anyway, Liu Pei bought a large area of wasteland, and there are many barren beaches near the sea. These barren beaches are just right for salt pans.

In modern times, Liu Pei always thought that ancient people were stupid. As far as the drying of salt is concerned, how can no one think of such a time-saving, labor-saving, and low-cost thing? After that, when Liu Pei arrived in the Ming Dynasty, he found that it was not the case at all! It turns out that the thing about drying salt is not the patent of modern people, but someone has used it for a long time! The earliest can be traced back to the Song Dynasty. The Yuan Dynasty has a clear record of salt drying and salt production. Including the Ming Dynasty, there are also large-scale official records of salt pans.

As for why there are not many salt pans built, it is mainly because of the inaction of the imperial court, and there is also the inaction of salt merchants. Because in the past, salt and iron were monopolized by the imperial court, and the imperial court did not care about the construction of salt fields except in the early days of the founding of the country. They'd rather make the price of salt a little higher! The high price of salt is also good for tax revenues. And building a large number of salt pans will reduce the price of salt.

For the smugglers or salt merchants, there is no point in building salt pans. Because they also want the price of salt to be high, so that they can make enough profits. Moreover, these people have private thugs, and they have also bought off the government, as long as the stove households who squeeze and cook salt will have a lot of profits, why bother to build salt fields!

As for the stove households that boil salt, why don't they build salt pans, it's even simpler! First of all, they don't have money! You must know that at that time, there was no concrete, and to build a salt pan, it was necessary to use a large amount of glutinous rice juice to fill the triple soil and stone slabs, which was extremely expensive. Few people are willing to build or can build it. And even if they build a salt pan, it will be taken away by the government or the powerful, and it is not as convenient as continuing to cook salt with firewood, grass and iron plates.

And when it comes to Liu Pei, it is naturally not difficult to build a salt pan. He arranged for Uncle Wu to recruit a few craftsmen. And after demonstrating the use of cement, the craftsmen immediately understood! And also expressed admiration for cement! However, they all agreed that the price of cement must be expensive. Liu Pei didn't say anything, and directly arranged for someone to follow the craftsmen to build the salt pan. It will take more than a month to get the salt out. So Liu Pei is very confident.

Originally, Liu Pei planned to fight these salt lords after the recruits were trained, but he didn't expect these salt lords to come to him first! So Liu Pei simply killed these salt lords and took advantage of the situation to advance the plan.

Wang Chuanhao was very happy to hear this, and he said excitedly: "Don't worry, family master!" As long as there is enough salt, they won't care who ships it! We can take over everything in Fengmeng Town smoothly! ”

Liu Jiang scratched his head on the side and said, "Family master, if you just want to inquire about the situation on Yanlu, it's very simple. Just find a few thugs and ask clearly. And their routes are all fixed trails, which are easy to check. And now I've pretty much mastered it. All that's left is to slowly verify a few minor issues. What do we do with the rest of the time? ”

Liu Pei thought about it, and this was really the truth. Those who sell smuggled salt must only take the small road, and it is impossible to take the official road. Moreover, the smugglers have a fixed circle, as long as they find a few thugs to buy them, they will ask about it. What do you do the rest of the time?

Liu Pei thought about it again and again, suddenly noticed it, and said: "If the news is collected, then we will crack down!" ”

Liu Jiang asked strangely, "What do you mean by striking hard?" ”

Liu Pei said with a smug smile: "It is a special action to crack down on criminals in Jiaozhou and Jimo!" ”

Seeing the eyes of the two people who were about to come out of the mosquito coil circle, Liu Pei was even more proud! He continued: "The first thing you do is to recruit people. Once all the people have been recruited, discipline them with strict discipline! If necessary, they can be sent to the camp for military training. After that, he began to arrest all the people on the ground in Jiaozhou and Jimo, and then sent them to Yantian to work! And my wasteland also needs manpower. They must not be allowed to do anything in these two places. You have to be a member of the underworld who contributes to society! ”

Liu Jiang was very embarrassed and said: "It's okay to arrest people, what name can you use?" ”

Liu Pei slapped the table and shouted: "We are the underworld, what name do you use to arrest people?" Anyone who makes trouble on the street, petty thieves, are all arrested and reformed through labor! In the future, these two places will be under our control, and if we want the people to support us, we must start with local stability! ”

Liu Jiang was happy and said, "That's right! I'm a triad! Do you still need a reason for the underworld to fight? Arrest them and beat them, clean them up and release them again, that's the obedient eyeliner! ”

Liu Pei said excitedly: "Yes! Arrest all these people who usually harm the common people, and clean up honestly. If you are willing to live honestly, let them go home and live honestly; If you don't want to live an honest life, pick those who dare to fight and dare to fight, ask the martial artist to practice, and then assign them to Wang Chuanhao. The rest went to Liu Jiang as eyeliner. Before the Spring Festival, I want you to firmly control Jiaozhou and Jimo counties! No matter what happens, I have to know. Do you understand? If you are short of money, just let me know. First give each of you 5,000 taels of silver, and then go back to the camp to get it. ”

After listening to this, both of them said that they could complete the task absolutely on time. At this time, Qi Qitao and Wu Yizhou walked in the door. Liu Pei hurriedly turned around and asked, "How is it?" Are the statistics clear? ”

Qi Qitao nodded and said, "The statistics are clear." six died; Eleven were seriously injured, six of them could be disabled. However, we have killed more than 120 salt lords and thugs, including the villains. The rest don't know where they fled to. ”

Liu Pei couldn't help but rub his face again and sighed. Someone else is gone! There are also people who are alive but will have to deal with physical defects. Since Liu Pei decided to come to this world, eleven people have followed him to fight and died! Maybe when he destroys the Houjin Tartar in the future, the cemetery will be full of tombstones!

Wu Yizhou saw Liu Pei's thoughts, so he persuaded on the side and said, "The head of the family doesn't have to worry. Since following the head of the family, everyone has been prepared in their hearts. Although they are dead, at least their family can still live like a human being! If it weren't for the head of the house, they wouldn't know what life would be! ”

Liu Pei sighed again and said, "I know." I just feel a little uncomfortable. Forget it, don't talk about this! Pack your things and go home. We have to make another trip to Jinan. ”