Lucheng County is the largest county in Cangzhou, basically half of Cangzhou's tidal flats belong to its county, and the coastline alone is hundreds of miles long.

There are a total of three large salt farms in Lucheng County, the two salt farms in the north are salt farms directly under the jurisdiction of the Salt and Iron Division, and they are also the key areas of salt production in the Jin Kingdom, while the salt farms in the south belong to the local salt farms, and there are many problems left over from history, which have led to the intensification of contradictions now, and several county commanders have left in disgrace.

Han Yu has been in office for a month, during this time he behaved very low-key, when he first took office, he conveyed the solution of the salt and iron division, the salt fields belonging to the local government, all of them are assigned to the salt and iron division, and the personal salt fields, the salt and iron division will be purchased at twice the market price.

After this policy was announced, he didn't care, and during this time he has been inspecting all parts of Lucheng.

On this morning, he arrived at the mouth of the Zhangshui River, which is also the mouth of the Juma River, which is today's Tanggu in Tianjin, where a large port wharf was built during the Tang Dynasty.

After the Anshi Rebellion, the feudal town was divided, and the wharf at the mouth of the Zhangshui River gradually evolved into a salt wharf, nominally it still belongs to the jurisdiction of Lucheng County, but in fact, it has been controlled by the Hebei Salt and Iron Transfer Bureau, and the sea salt produced in Pingzhou and Cangzhou is transported here, boarded here, and then transferred along the Zhangshui to the Yongji Canal to the south.

Zhangshui Port has formed a large market town, mainly salt workers and their families, nearly 10,000 people live here, and it has almost formed a small county town.

This surprised Han Yu, he went all the way north from Lucheng County, and everywhere he saw was deserted, but it was very lively and prosperous.

"Han Xianjun, aren't there any expatriate officials from the county here?" Yang Jun couldn't help but ask.

Han Yu smiled and said: "I asked the county Cheng, there is a chief of the charge department stationed in the port, but it is estimated that he has no status, and this place should be controlled by the Salt and Iron Division." ”

Yang Jun suggested: "Why don't you go to the dock and have a look!" There should be an official office over there. ”

Han Yu nodded, and rode away in the direction of the dock with Yang Jun and more than two dozen soldiers.

In a short time, they arrived at the wharf, which was paved with bluestone for several miles, and at the same time docked a dozen large ships of five thousand stones, and not far away there was a sheltered bay, in which at least a few hundred large ships could be moored.

But at this time, the wharf was full of salt boats, and there were dozens of large warehouses not far from the wharf, in which the sea salt was piled up, and hundreds of salt workers drove donkey carts to transport bags of salt onto the salt boats.

Han Yu inquired all the way, and finally found the official office behind the dock warehouse, which was several large courtyards, which were full of officials and soldiers of the Salt and Iron Division, and a sign hung at the door of one of the small courtyards: Hekou Town, Lucheng County.

This is it, Han Yu just walked to the gate of the courtyard, but a middle-aged man walked out of the courtyard, he looked black and fat, he looked Han Yu up and down and asked, "Who are you looking for?" ”

Han Yu arched his hand and said: "I am the new county magistrate of Lucheng, and I am looking for Song Zhusi." ”

The middle-aged man's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, "Down there is Song Shan, but the commander is Han County?" ”

Han Yu smiled and nodded, and the middle-aged man hurriedly bowed and saluted, "The villain doesn't know that the county monarch has arrived, and he has missed the distance, please forgive the county monarch!" ”

"You're welcome, this is the official office?" Han Yu pointed to the courtyard and asked with a smile.

"Hey! Where is the official office, it is the town office, the county gentleman please come in! ”

Song Shan politely invited Han Yu into the courtyard, which was not small, with four or five rooms, half of which was a dormitory, and the other half was the office.

Han Yu walked into the room and sat down, he looked at the room, the room was not big, the four walls were mottled, most of the walls had been peeled off, and the tidy up was quite neat, only a few old tables and stools were placed.

Song Shan poured him a bowl of hot water and said with a wry smile: "The water quality here is not good, it is very bitter, please ask the county Jun Haihan." ”

The water quality in Lucheng County is also very bad, Han Yu is used to it, he drank a little saliva, moistened his throat, and asked, "What is the main thing here?" ”

Song Shan sighed and said: "In the past, the entire wharf here was under our control, but now it belongs to the Salt and Iron Division, many salt workers and their families here are from Lucheng County, if there is a conflict between them, they will come to me here to mediate, in addition, if salt workers are needed here, the officials of the Salt and Iron Department will come to me, and I will apply to the county, and the county will be responsible for recruiting laborers." ”

Han Yu understood that this was actually a labor dispatch office, responsible for managing labor.

Han Yu asked again: "Can this harbor still operate?" I mean, mooring sea vessels and stuff like that. ”

"Of course you can, Zhu Tao and Zhu Zhu in the Central Plains have a lot of bulk goods to and fro, and the big ships are anchored here to unload, and then transferred to Youzhou by tanker, I remember that at this time last year, there were ten 5,000 stone ships to dock here to unload."

At this time, two men walked in, led by a humane: "I said Lao Song, we have also drunk wine, when will you go to the county to ask." ”

"You're just in time!"

Song Shan hurriedly got up and introduced: "This is our Han County Order, who specially came to Hekou Town to inspect, you want to buy land and talk to him,"

The two men hurriedly arched their hands and said, "Jiuyang!" Long admiration! ”

Han Yu was confused and asked in a low voice, "Who are they?" ”

Song Shan introduced him: "One of these two is the Li steward of Dugu Mansion in the capital, and the other is the golden steward of the Dou family, and the Dugu family and the Dou family are ready to buy land and build ships in Hekou Town. ”

It turns out that I want to set up a shipyard in Hekou Town, which is a good thing!

But Han Yu was still a little confused, so he smiled and said: "I have only been in office for less than a month, and the relationship between this is still a little unclear. ”

Song Shan hurriedly said, "Let me explain first!" Qiyu County, although the Salt and Iron Division is using the wharf and warehouse, but the wharf and warehouse do not belong to them, they belong to the Cangzhou Prefecture Ya, the Salt and Iron Division is only temporarily rented, their site is several large salt farms in the south, and has nothing to do with the wharf warehouse, in addition, the land outside the wharf and warehouse belongs to our Lucheng County, and the land they want to buy is not within the scope of the wharf warehouse, and belongs to the jurisdiction of our Lucheng County, that is, Hekou Town. ”

Only then did Han Yu understand, he smiled and invited the two stewards to sit down, and asked with a smile, "Has the land you want to buy been decided?" ”

Steward Li nodded, "Not long ago, the two major families sent people here, and the specific location has been decided, and then I want to apply for it in the county and quote to buy the land." ”

Han Yu got up and said, "Let's go to the scene and have a look!" ”

The group left the dock and rode to the south bank of Zhangshui, the two stewards were people who had seen the world, and they found that Yang Jun and more than 20 soldiers were all brave and majestic, even if the guards of their family master were far inferior, which surprised the two of them, how could a small county order have such a strong subordinate? They couldn't help but look at Han Yu with admiration, and their tone was a lot more polite.

The land that the two families fancified was about two miles from the wharf, the land was flat, overgrown with many acid-alkali resistant weeds, and to the north was the surging Zhangshui, which was several miles wide and the water was very deep, which was very suitable for shipbuilding.

The land they wanted to buy was about 500 acres, bordering Zhangshui in the north and Hekou Town in the south, which was actually a dozen crooked houses, basically all shops, with taverns, inns, grocery stores, and a brothel, and then south was a settlement for salt workers and their families.

Steward Li pointed with a horsewhip: "These 500 acres of land are now wasteland, and they are not worth much at all, after we get the land, we will have to build roads and houses, which will cost a lot, and our proprietor will either buy it with a consistent amount of money per mu, or rent it to us for 20 years with 500 yuan, of course, we have to discuss it with the county order." ”

Although Han Yu is young, he is cautious and reasonable, he smiled slightly: "I want to sign the lease to you now, but the two stewards should also understand that I can't bypass the state government in this matter, although it is the county that has a land deed, but if you bypass the state government, there will be trouble in the future." ”

Steward Li nodded, "I understand, when will there be a clear answer?" ”

"The two of you will go to the county with me in advance! I reported to the state government when I went back, and it is estimated that it is also in the form of walking, and there will be a reply in ten days and half a month. ”

The two stewards glanced at each other, the rules of officialdom were here, and they had no choice but to nod and say, "Okay!" We went to the county with the county gentleman. ”