In feudal times, salt merchants were synonymous with super-rich tycoons.
Behind every salt merchant stood a superpower family.
Moreover, it had to be a superpower family with someone currently holding power in the court.
Otherwise, they could not compete for this lucrative prize.
If bandits represented the interests of ordinary local gentry and powerful clans, salt merchants represented the interests of the great families in the capital.
Even Qing Xinyao, the top authority in Xichuan, did not dare to touch them lightly.
Previously, handing over the salt production and sales rights in Guangyuan to Jin Feng was possible because those rights in Guangyuan were originally in Qing Xinyao’s hands.
Even so, when it later became known that Jin Feng’s salt sold for only ten wen per jin, the Qing family was still viewed with hostility by many families.
Some of those were even allies.
To mitigate the impact, the Qing family had paid a certain price.
Therefore, Qing Xinyao could only smile bitterly and shake his head. “Mr Jin, it is not that I am shirking responsibility. I truly cannot do this!”
“Mr Jin, if the entire salt trading rights for the Xichuan Circuit were given to you, it would be like poking a hornet’s nest in the court. Let alone Brother Xinyao, even my imperial father might not be able to suppress it.”
The Ninth Princess also smiled bitterly as she helped explain for Qing Xinyao.
“That was presumptuous of me…”
Jin Feng felt helpless about this as well.
Cutting off someone’s source of wealth was akin to killing their parents. It was understandable that Qing Xinyao did not dare to agree.
“Mr Jin, although this palace cannot directly grant you the salt trading rights, I can help you contact the surrounding salt merchants and ask them to stop transporting salt from the seaside and instead place orders directly with you. What do you think?”
The Ninth Princess said, “Although this cannot reduce the salt price to ten wen, it will at least lower it somewhat.”
“That works as well.” Jin Feng nodded. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
“For you to say that truly shames Wuyang. Wuyang knows that you trade in salt not for profit, but for the common people. In principle, this palace should help you obtain it no matter what. It is Wuyang who is useless.”
The Ninth Princess said, “It is I who should thank you! If you have any other requests, Mr Jin, please feel free to state them.”
“Then I shall not stand on ceremony with Your Highness. I can agree to the method you proposed, but I have two conditions.”
Jin Feng said, “First, every bag of salt must clearly state that it is produced by my Xihe Bay salt factory. Second, I want the pricing rights!”
“Pricing rights?” The Ninth Princess frowned slightly. “Please explain in detail, Mr Jin.”
“For example, if salt merchants bring a shipload of salt back from the seaside and sell it for one hundred wen per jin, with a profit of thirty wen, I can have escorts deliver the salt to their designated locations and set the price at forty wen per jin!”
Jin Feng said, “If they privately raise the price, the cooperation ends.”
“Your request is entirely reasonable, Mr Jin. The salt merchants would earn more than before, while saving time and effort. If they do not agree, then there is no need to cooperate!”
The Ninth Princess raised her teacup once more. “For your noble righteousness, Mr Jin, Wuyang toasts you a cup!”
Jin Feng raised his cup and gently clinked it with the Ninth Princess’s.
He wanted the salt trading rights not truly for making money.
Besides wanting the common people to afford salt, he also wished to make the name of Xihe Bay famous.
Having lived in the twenty-first century, he understood all too well the importance of fame.
If every person in Chuanshu knew of Xihe Bay and trusted its products, that would be worth more than a mountain of gold.
Although the Ninth Princess’s proposal could not fully meet Jin Feng’s expectations, it was the best option available at present.
The reason salt was so expensive was that transportation formed the largest cost.
If this cost could be reduced, it would ensure profits for the salt merchants while lowering the price, allowing common people to afford salt. They would also come to recognise the Xihe Bay salt factory and the Jinchuan Chamber of Commerce, creating a brand effect.
In the future, promoting other products would be much smoother.
With serious matters concluded, the group began chatting about trivial things.
The meal lasted nearly two hours before ending.
It must be said that the head chef at the Qing residence had excellent skills, and the ingredients were exquisite. After eating from the large communal pots at the camp for so many days, Jin Feng did not hold back today and ate until his belly was completely full.
Night had fallen deeply. The Ninth Princess stayed overnight at the Qing residence, and Qing Xinyao personally saw Jin Feng to the gate.
“Lord Qing, please stay!”
At the gate, Jin Feng turned and performed a scholar’s courtesy to Qing Xinyao. “Please return inside, my lord. I shall head back to camp now!”
“Please wait a moment, Mr Jin!”
Qing Xinyao, however, tugged at Jin Feng’s sleeve.
Jin Feng was about to ask what for when he saw a line of young women gracefully emerge from the Qing residence.
These women had clearly been carefully selected. Each had a tall and well-proportioned figure, moved lightly, and possessed superior beauty.
For a moment, the fragrance at the Qing residence gate was overwhelming, leaving Jin Feng somewhat dazzled.
“You have helped me greatly this time, Mr Jin. I have nothing with which to repay you. These dancing girls were sent from the Hanxiang Pavilion. Consider them a small token of my regard. I hope you will not disdain them.”
Qing Xinyao winked at Jin Feng. “Mr Jin, I guarantee I have not touched a single one. They are all virgins.”
“Lord Qing, that was only a joke before.”
Jin Feng said with a wry smile. “Besides, I live in the camp. What would it look like bringing a group of dancing girls along?”
“You are not an officially registered officer, Mr Jin. Now that the war is over, there are not so many formalities.”
Qing Xinyao said carelessly.
Military discipline in the Great Kang was lax. Many dandy officers even brought maidservants to sleep with them on the front lines, and the soldiers were long accustomed to it.
Moreover, for an unofficial aide like Jin Feng, military regulations truly could not constrain him.
But Jin Feng well understood the principle that if the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked.
If he set the example of misconduct in the army, the escort team would soon fall into disorder.
This was also why, despite greatly disliking the communal meals in the army, he still insisted on not having separate stoves.
He shook his head and refused. “Thank you for your kind offer, Lord Qing. There is truly no need.”
“To be honest with you, Mr Jin, my wife is pregnant. I do not wish to provoke her and risk harming the foetus. If you will not take them in, I can only send them back to the Hanxiang Pavilion.”
Seeing Jin Feng persistently refuse, Qing Xinyao said with a bitter smile. “That would not be appropriate… You understand my meaning, right?”
Not all women of the Great Kang were like Guan Xiaorou, eagerly hoping their husbands would take concubines every day.
Many women of high status placed great importance on propriety.
Qing Xinyao’s wife, though not a princess, was the legitimate daughter of a duke.
Her mother was even the current emperor’s own cousin, making her background exceedingly illustrious.
A woman like this naturally did not wish for Qing Xinyao to act recklessly.
Keeping a few dancing girls at home in ordinary times was tolerable, for such was the custom in the Great Kang. If she made a fuss, people would gossip about her.
She could only turn a blind eye.
But now that she was pregnant, she would soon have more confidence, and Qing Xinyao did not dare provoke her.
Yet the Hanxiang Pavilion had already sent the dancing girls. Returning them would invite ridicule.
Just as he hesitated, the dancing girls exchanged glances and suddenly knelt together towards Jin Feng. “We servants do not wish to return to the Hanxiang Pavilion. We beg you to take us in!”
If they were sent back, it would be like returned goods from a client.
Not only would they be punished by the Hanxiang Pavilion, but they would also be ordered to receive customers.
Compared to such a miserable life, they would rather follow Jin Feng.
This young gentleman was handsome. Serving him would surely be better than serving those old men at the Hanxiang Pavilion.
