Yangzhou has been very lively recently, this kind of excitement is different, for the people, the high reward offered by the Gu Mansion is a big attraction, but more is the gossip in the market, Gu Shuo's death has been interpreted into various versions, and it is circulated in the market.

For the scholars, it is the upcoming autumn product, which is related to their future career, they put their minds on this, every day the Qinglou painting boat, crowded with the figure of the scholar, one after another poetry meeting, poetry floating all over Yangzhou City.

For Yangzhou officialdom and shopping malls, the Qincha Xingying issued a notice to auction off the last more than 1,000 acres of salt fields, and at the same time obtain a salt industry license when buying salt fields, which made people who were interested in entering this industry very excited, and also made the salt industry chamber of commerce very dissatisfied, and Yangzhou shopping malls and officialdom were surging with undercurrents.

In the past few days, merchants from all over the country who have rushed to Yangzhou have stayed in large and small inns in Yangzhou, and various gossip about this auction has been circulating everywhere in the streets and alleys, and businessmen are talking about this auction in the teahouse and Qinglou restaurant.

"Brother Gu, let's join forces to take down a piece of salt pan and get a salt number, and we will definitely make a lot of money. Liu Han said to Gu Heng with a smile, at this moment his identity is Wu Xiong, a cloth merchant, who had just come from Qingzhou, and heard about the matter of Gu's mansion, so he hurried over to visit.

"Alas, there is something wrong at home, and I don't have any thoughts about it. Gu Heng's expression was indifferent, and the two of them sat in the courtyard of the side hall of the Gu Mansion, drinking tea and chatting under the autumn rattan trellis.

"Brother Gu, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, after this village, there will be no such shop. The chubby Jin Liang was a little anxious, and hurriedly persuaded.

"Brother Gu, the matter of Ling Zun is amazing, but it can make the business of the Gu Mansion so big, Brother Gu, you should carry forward the business," Liu Han also persuaded earnestly: "I have calculated, the three of us will prepare 20,000 silver, and we may take a piece of salt field, let's set up a salt number, Brother Gu, I heard that the next step of the imperial court will be to implement the salt policy reform in Langya County, Qingzhou, let's go back then, Brother Gu, don't miss the opportunity!"

Gu Heng's eyes flickered, his expression hesitated, to be honest, he wanted to be honest, but the matter of the family, the shadow in the palace was missing and shrouded in the sky above the Gu Mansion, and if he made such an action at this time, would it affect the attitude of the palace.

"Brother Gu, the benefit of this salt is a great benefit in the world, and it is much more profitable than your Defu Building. Jin Liang was a little anxious, this time he came forward to find Liu Han, and after the two discussed, they came to Gu Heng together.

But in fact, this time it was Liu Han who was secretly hosting, he found out Jin Liang's whereabouts, deliberately pretended to meet by chance, and then guided him to become interested in the salt number, and then proposed to participate in the salt field auction and establish the salt number, but after the two discussed, they felt that the funds were not enough, so they went to the Gu Mansion to find Gu Heng.

In fact, their relationship with Gu Heng was not familiar, Liu Han had only done business with him once, but after Gu Heng learned of their intentions, he still connected the two of them into the mansion.

"Alas, the opportunity is very rare," Gu Heng said thoughtfully, "But at home..."

"Brother, after this village, in ten years, or even twenty years, there will be no chance. Jin Liang interrupted him eagerly, with a feeling of hatred in his expression.

"Brother Xinming is right, after this village, I am afraid that there will be no chance in twenty years. This Jin Liang is a letter, Liu Han said and looked at Gu Heng with a slight frown and asked, "Brother Gu, are you taking advantage of it?" ”

"Brother Wu knows me," Gu Heng sighed: "My father's funeral, plus the separation of the family, don't hide it from the two, I don't have much money to come up with now." ”

Jin Liang was a little disappointed, Liu Han frowned slightly, and asked with a smile: "I talked to Brother Xinming, the two of us can take out 14,000 taels after collecting, and if Gongzi can take out 6,000 taels, we can get a few acres of salt fields." ”

"Six thousand taels," Gu Heng couldn't help but look uplifted when he heard this, but then frowned and asked, "Is twenty thousand enough?"

"It's a little tighter, but our purpose is not the salt pan, I heard that the salt pans in this auction are very poor, so it shouldn't be too expensive. Jin Liang hurriedly said: "Our purpose is a salt industry license." ”

Gu Heng looked at Liu Han, then at Jin Liang, and finally nodded: "Okay, I'll give six thousand taels of silver." ”

Liu Han shook his head and said solemnly: "In addition to these 20,000 silver, we have to prepare some accidents, I heard that the imperial court asked Yangzhou for three million silver as military expenses, I estimate that this Yantian auction will not be cheap, we must prepare at least another 5,000 taels of silver." ”

Gu Heng's expression suddenly became depressed, and Liu Han sighed and persuaded: "Brother Gu, there is only a harvest if there is investment, if we want to do it, we must make up our minds, the three of us join forces, as long as we make up our minds, we will definitely be able to grab a piece of salt pan." ”

"Okay, I'll give out nine thousand, no matter how much, I really can't get it. Gu Heng remembered, it seemed that there was information in this regard, Jin Liang hesitated and immediately agreed to increase the capital by two thousand, and Liu Han agreed to increase the capital by two thousand.

The three of them drafted the agreement under the rattan trellis, Gu Heng's nine thousand taels of silver accounted for the majority and was the major shareholder, Jin Liang was the second shareholder, and Liu Han's shares accounted for the third, and then Liu Han drafted the articles of association.

Jin Liang watched Liu Han draft the management charter, clapped his hands excitedly and said: "We can finally enter the Yangzhou Salt Chamber of Commerce, brother, we are going to make a fortune!"

Gu Heng smiled reservedly at first, and suddenly, he felt that this matter was feasible, and maybe he could add points to himself in the palace.

The Yangzhou Salt Chamber of Commerce is the largest chamber of commerce in Yangzhou, controlling the salt industry in Yangzhou, and controlling the salt industry in Yangzhou also controls the wealth of the world, and the imperial court will not pay attention to this chamber of commerce, but he clearly remembers that in the list left by his father, there is only one person who infiltrated the salt chamber of commerce, and he may take this opportunity to enter the salt chamber of commerce.

Thinking of this, Gu Heng's interest suddenly rose.

"This head of the salt field, do you have any candidates under your command who are familiar with the production of the salt field?" Gu Heng asked.

Jin Liang shook his head, Liu Han also shook his head, Gu Heng sighed: "Let's skip the line, two, we are short of people." ”

"It doesn't matter, if you have money, you're afraid you won't find anyone. Liu Han said slowly, and Jin Liang also nodded: "Yes, no matter what, let's get the salt field first." ”

Jin Liang said and signed the covenant, and pressed the handprint, and then looked at Gu Heng happily, Gu Heng couldn't help but smile, secretly laughed at his own blind worry, also signed his name, and pressed the handprint.

In triplicate, each of the three took a copy, according to the agreement, all three of them had to hand over the silver to Jin Liang, and Jin Liang and Liu Han participated in the auction, Gu Heng did not show up, but in the future, Gu Heng served as the shopkeeper of the salt number, and the second shopkeeper was sent by Jin Liang, and Liu Han sent someone to be the bookkeeper.

After the matter was done, Gu Heng left the two of them to eat, but Jin Liang proposed to go to the Qinglou to celebrate, Gu Heng smiled bitterly, only the two of them went to the Qinglou, and he was still in the period of filial piety, and these places would never dare to go.

"Brother Mingxin, just eat here, drink some tea and chat, just do it, Brother Gu is filial piety, and it will inevitably attract criticism when you go to the Qinglou. Liu Han disagreed. Jin Liang was a little disappointed, but he didn't care, so Gu Heng called his subordinates, prepared some wine and food, and drank and chatted under the vine trellis.

Jin Liang was very excited, talking about his plan.

"Even if the salt pans we buy have a low yield, it's nothing, we can expand, rebuild, and we can buy other people's salt. Jin Liang held the wine glass, his face flushed and said loudly: "As long as we have that license, then we can make a big difference." ”

Gu Heng was also very happy, however, he could still control it, listening and nodding his head again and again, Liu Han looked at Jin Liang with a smile, in fact, the salt in this era is very poor, especially the cheap coarse salt, which not only contains impurities, but also looks black and has coarse particles, and the price of refined salt used by the gate valve clan is more than ten times that of coarse salt, and only the wealthy gate valve can afford it.

Liu Han found this business opportunity as early as the imperial capital, he can use modern methods to turn these coarse salts into refined salt, and the cost, even if he buys finished coarse salt, it is only double the price of coarse salt, so calculated, he can still get five times the profit, which is a huge benefit.

When he partnered with Zhen Niang and them to open the salt number, he didn't take out this technology, and the salt number was to fish for the fish of the hundred workshops.

After these days of investigation, he became more and more aware that the Hundred Workshops were hiding a huge secret, and if he could dig up this secret, that person would be doomed.

Gu Heng gradually threw away his disguise and became normal, the three of them drank wine and chatted, Gu Heng and Jin Liang became more and more happy, Liu Han pretended to be happy, he noticed that Gu Heng was very interested in business.

"Does the imperial court really want three million taels?" The topic gradually turned to the Liangzhou war, and the imperial court had already reported the Liangzhou war, and publicized Qiu Ge's military exploits all over the world.

"That's true," Liu Han nodded and said, "This is news from the imperial capital. ”

"Your Excellency can get the news of the imperial capital. Jin Liang was a little surprised, and Liu Han nodded reservedly: "Although my family is a Shu businessman, it still has some connections in the imperial capital, and this news is absolutely true." ”

"Alas," Jin Liang sighed, shook his head, and said nonchalantly: "It's okay, these barbarians, I don't know whether they are alive or dead, Liangzhou is the place where General Qiu has governed, it's okay." ”

Gu Heng wanted to be more sober, playing with the wine glass and said calmly: "Brother Xinming, this matter is not so simple, 1,500 acres of salt fields, no matter what, it can't be sold for three million taels, I'm afraid the imperial court has follow-up means." ”

"This is reasonable," without waiting for Jin Liang to speak, Liu Han said in agreement: "I'm also thinking, I estimate that the imperial court will start with the Salt Chamber of Commerce, and we have to guard against it." ”

Jin Liang smiled: "Two brothers, why worry about it, what we thought of, the old foxes of the Salt Chamber of Commerce must have also thought of it, I'm afraid we have already taken good measures, let's just wait to watch the show." ”

Gu Heng and Liu Han nodded in agreement almost at the same time, it is impossible to hide the affairs of the imperial court from the Salt Chamber of Commerce, those people in the Salt Chamber of Commerce have experienced countless winds and waves, and when the imperial court's strategy comes out, they may have already had a countermeasure.

Night fell, Liu Han and Jin Liang said goodbye, after Gu Heng sent the two out of the house, he turned around and returned to the backyard, Gu Jian was in the study, a little bored, since the palace came, the connection between the house and the internal guards in various places was broken, and the reports of the internal guards no longer passed through the Gu Mansion, and Gu Jian immediately had nothing to do.

After years and months, they suddenly became idle, Gu Jian and Gu Wei were a little uncomfortable, and the two of them sighed for a long time, but it was difficult to say in front of Gu Heng, so they could only do their own things silently.

"Childe, today, are we really going to participate in that auction?" Gu Jian couldn't help but ask when he saw Gu Heng coming in.

Gu Heng saw the tea that had already been brewed on the bookcase, so he poured a cup of tea and drank it, and replied slowly: "Why not? ”

Gu Jian hesitated and sighed: "We haven't received news for several days. ”

"What's wrong with him," Gu Heng sneered: "Let us take care of it in the palace, let's take care of it, if you don't let it, don't care, hmph, if you think you want to do it, let him go." ”

Gu Jian was slightly stunned, and couldn't help but smile bitterly and shook his head.