“Sir, such good salt at ten wen per jin is almost like giving it away.”
Zhong Ling’er sighed: “Let the people afford safe salt, you have really done it!”
Usually ordinary people buy salt in liang or two liang amounts.
But now the money for one liang of old salt could buy a full jin from Xihewan salt factory.
Absolutely very conscientious.
“Ten wen per jin, this price must be fixed for me, if I find you raising it privately, don’t blame me for being harsh!” Jin Feng turned to look at Zhong Ling’er.
“Ling’er dare not!”
Zhong Ling’er was startled by Jin Feng’s gaze, quickly raised her hand to guarantee: “It’s just… I’m worried other salt merchants will go mad…”
Other salt merchants’ production costs were mainly labour and transportation too.
Labour should be cheaper than Jin Feng’s side, after all salt merchants wouldn’t pay workers such high wages.
But transportation costs were much higher than Jin Feng’s.
Heavy-loaded big ships hauling coarse salt almost entirely relied on trackers pulling upstream against the current.
From the East Sea to Xichuan was not ten or eight li, but thousands of li.
Along the way, the pulling fees paid to trackers, the food, clothing and expenses of the ship workers, plus the wear on the big ships, all added up to a considerable expense.
Jin Feng doing this was actually maliciously disrupting the market with low prices, other salt merchants knowing would definitely not be happy.
“Isn’t each salt merchant’s sales area already regulated?”
Jin Feng asked: “How much I sell in my own territory, what business is it of theirs?”
“Sir, actually there are many ‘salt rats’ among the people.”
Seeing Jin Feng look puzzled, Zhong Ling’er quickly explained: “Salt rats are small salt peddlers, for example if salt in Guangyuan is cheaper than Bazhou, they buy from Guangyuan then secretly take to Bazhou to sell, earning the difference.
Of course, some salt rats directly sell rock salt.
Our refined salt is so good and so cheap, probably soon all salt rats in Xichuan will swarm over, then our refined salt will definitely circulate to other places.”
“So that’s how it is.”
Jin Feng nodded, also understanding Zhong Ling’er’s worry in her words.
Cutting off someone’s wealth is like killing their parents, Jin Feng doing this was cutting off other salt merchants’ livelihood.
Those who could become salt merchants all had their own methods, among them no lack of ruthless people, Zhong Ling’er was worried they would retaliate.
“Ling’er, rest assured, you work for me, I will do my best to ensure your personal safety.”
Jin Feng said: “I’ll transfer a batch of people from the escort bureau to you, specially to escort the salt transport team and protect your safety.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Zhong Ling’er curtseyed to Jin Feng, then tentatively asked: “Then if salt rats come to buy salt…”
“We are sellers, we don’t know who is a salt rat, as long as someone pays, we sell.”
Jin Feng replied indifferently.
Actually he had regretted before that his salt sales area was too small, now the appearance of salt rats exactly helped Jin Feng make up for this regret.
As for what those salt merchants think, Jin Feng was too lazy to care.
“I understand.”
Zhong Ling’er understood Jin Feng’s meaning at once.
“But those salt merchants might also send people pretending to be salt rats to buy salt, you need to pay attention to distinguish.”
Jin Feng reminded: “If you discover such people, send escorts to follow, catch one report one!”
“Good.” Zhong Ling’er silently noted.
“One more thing, besides selling in prefectural and county cities, you also need to arrange people to go down to various towns and villages, as soon as possible let all people in Guangyuan know about Xihewan refined salt, eat our salt!”
Jin Feng made another requirement.
Many people never go to the county city several times in their life, to let ordinary people know Xihewan refined salt and recognise it, ground promotion is the best and fastest way.
“Sir, this would require too many people…”
Zhong Ling’er was a bit troubled.
“I’ll have Xiaobei transfer some people to you, this is just temporary promotion, once Xihewan refined salt’s reputation is out, no need like this.”
Jin Feng said: “So this time when you go down to towns and villages, also select one agent in each town, in future let agents pick up goods from the county, villagers go to agents to buy.”
“This is a good method.”
Though Zhong Ling’er heard the term agent for the first time, she understood Jin Feng’s meaning: “Then what price for agents to take goods?”
“Also ten wen per jin.” Jin Feng said: “We pay agents wages, count as their remuneration.”
Though sales hadn’t started, Jin Feng was confident Xihewan refined salt would definitely not lack buyers, no need to use commissions to stimulate agents.
“You also need to send people to supervise agents, if someone colludes with other salt merchants to maliciously hoard or raise prices privately, immediately cancel their agent qualification.”
Jin Feng reminded again.
“Good.” Zhong Ling’er nodded in agreement: “Sir, any other instructions?”
“Nothing for now, if sudden situations arise, if you can handle yourself, handle first, if can’t, report immediately.”
Jin Feng said: “Flat carts are all prepared, arrange people to load goods.”
Soon, Zhong Ling’er led a flat cart team stretching hundreds of metres, leaving Shuangtuofeng.
Early next morning, Jinchuan and chamber shops in two counties closer to Shuangtuofeng put out basin after basin of snow-white refined salt.
“What is Jinchuan Chamber preparing to sell again?”
“Don’t know, looks like salt.”
“Where is there such white salt?”
Before today, Jinchuan Chamber only sold soap, for common people soap was absolutely a luxury.
Now suddenly one more product, passing people all discussed curiously.
A passing scholar turned to look, said: “It’s salt, written on the bag, Xihewan refined salt.”
“Young brother, don’t fool us illiterates, that’s clearly more than ten characters.”
“Why would I fool you, the big characters are Xihewan refined salt, below smaller characters are let the people afford safe salt.”
“Let the people afford safe salt? This sentence is too well said, now salt prices really are too high.”
“Old Wu, words like this just listen, don’t take seriously, things Jinchuan Chamber sells, how could they be cheap? One bar of soap costs several taels.”
“Uh… true, this salt’s quality better than green salt, definitely not cheap.”
“Then why write let the people afford safe salt on the salt bag? To disgust us?”
As they discussed, a clerk carried a copper gong out from the chamber shop.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Struck the gong several times, shouted: “Passing folks, come take a look, have a see, our Jinchuan Chamber starts selling salt!”
“Brother, how much is your Jinchuan Chamber’s salt? How much per jin?”
“Old Wu asking like this, planning to buy two jin?”
“Jinchuan Chamber’s salt, I can’t afford, just asking.”
