Duke Zhi Ting first showed a look of shock, then angrily said: “Earl Suo Lun, are you mocking me?”
More than one million gold coins? Exceeding the kingdom’s annual tax revenue? Where in this world was there such a business?
Fine, there were such businesses in this world. For example, the royal city gold house under Zhi Li, because it held the power to issue gold notes, could truly be said to be as rich as a country, with gold coins under its control even exceeding the public treasury of the Ministry of Revenue.
But the money in the royal city gold house did not belong to Zhi Li alone. It belonged to the nobles and feudal lords of the world. Zhi Li and Zhi Ning were merely the managers and the largest shareholders.
He, Duke Zhi Ting, could also be considered as rich as a country, yet earning twenty or thirty thousand gold coins in a year was already extremely impressive.
In this world, businesses that earned more than fifty thousand gold coins in a year simply did not exist. No wonder Duke Zhi Ting was angry and felt he was being fooled.
Suo Lun took out a bag from his bosom and slowly poured the salt inside onto the table as he said: “Your Grace, this is the business we are going to do.”
“Is it not just salt?” Duke Zhi Ting said with disdain: “I know that the Rocky Island you are on was originally one of Gui Xingfu’s secret salt fields. He captured several thousand slaves to boil salt on it. But a mere salt field with a few thousand salt slaves can boil at most a little over one million jin of salt in a year.”
Salt was indeed a good business. Everyone in the world needed to eat salt, and only three countries could produce salt: the Nu Lang Kingdom, the Yan Empire, and the Eastern Li Kingdom.
There was no other reason, because these three countries were coastal. In this world there was no well salt and no rock salt. Salt could only be produced by boiling. Therefore only coastal countries could boil salt.
Just taking the Nu Lang Kingdom alone, there were hundreds of large and small salt fields, producing around two to three hundred million jin of salt per year.
This salt not only had to supply the several tens of millions of people in the Nu Lang Kingdom but was also sold to the Western Liang Kingdom and more than a dozen other countries, and even to the southern barbarians.
That was right. The southern barbarians also needed to eat salt. Although they boiled salt too, after all they were barbarians and their production efficiency was far inferior to that of human kingdoms. Even though both sides were mortal enemies, as long as there was money to be made, any business in this world could be done.
Moreover, among the southern barbarians there were many valuable minerals that humans did not have, which happened to be exchanged with each other.
Therefore the business of boiling salt was done by coastal counties, nobles and feudal lords. Moreover this world had not yet implemented the salt and iron monopoly system. As long as one had a little strength, one could boil salt, including Duke Zhi Ting himself, who had two salt fields. Like Gui Xingfu, he also used slaves to boil salt.
After all, only by using slaves to boil salt could there be sufficient profit. If one truly hired commoners to boil salt, the cost would be unimaginably high.
However some nobles who cared about reputation, as well as the kingdom’s official salt fields, could only hire professional salt people.
So boiling salt was a good business, but even the largest salt field could earn at most ten thousand gold coins in a year at the very top.
The largest salt field in the entire Nu Lang Kingdom was in the southeast province, directly under the governor’s office. It spanned tens of thousands of mu with tens of thousands of salt people, yet boiling salt for a year only produced around ten million jin. This output was far from comparable even to the well salt fields of ancient China.
Duke Zhi Ting asked: “How large is your salt field?”
Suo Lun said: “For now only ten thousand mu, but as long as there are enough people, I can open up fifty thousand mu or one hundred thousand mu of salt fields at any time.”
Duke Zhi Ting sneered: “On that barren island of yours where not even grass grows, the trees on the mountain were long ago cut down by Gui Xingfu. Where would you get wood to boil salt?”
This was the biggest difficulty of this era. Any salt field had to satisfy two conditions: enough forest and proximity to the sea. Therefore the scale of salt fields also had a bottleneck.
Duke Zhi Ting said: “Moreover even if you had enough trees and opened one hundred thousand mu of salt fields, that would require at least tens of thousands of slaves. Where would you get so many slaves? Even if you had that many slaves, how much salt could one hundred thousand mu of salt fields produce in a year? Ten million jin at the very top. How much money could that earn? Ten thousand gold coins at the very top.”
Suo Lun looked at Duke Zhi Ting and said: “My salt field of one hundred thousand mu only needs five thousand salt people. Moreover the output is not ten million jin.”
“Not ten million jin? Then how much?” Duke Zhi Ting asked.
“More than one hundred million jin.” Suo Lun said.
As soon as these words came out, Duke Zhi Ting was almost choked by his own saliva. He forcefully dug at his ear and said in shock: “How much?”
“More than one hundred million jin.” Suo Lun said.
“Impossible!” Duke Zhi Ting sneered coldly: “Do not think I know nothing. I have two salt fields below me. The output of ten thousand mu of salt fields is at most around one million jin and requires at least three thousand salt slaves. One hundred thousand mu of salt fields needing only five thousand salt people and producing over one hundred million jin of salt? That is completely the talk of a madman. Moreover how much wood does your Rocky Island even have? How much salt can it boil?”
Suo Lun said: “I know Your Grace does not believe it, so I invite you to send a trusted subordinate to my Rocky Island to take a look. Then everything will be clear.”
Seeing that Suo Lun’s expression did not look like a joke at all, Duke Zhi Ting was stunned.
This Suo Lun had created heaven shaking miracles in the royal city and made both Zhi Ning and Zhi Li suffer big losses. Could it be that he really had some heaven defying technique?
But a salt field producing over one hundred million jin of salt per year was simply too shocking.
“Is everything you said true?” Duke Zhi Ting asked.
“Of course. How would I dare deceive Your Grace?” Suo Lun said: “In fact, as long as there are enough people, my salt field can produce one hundred million, two hundred million jin or even more salt. It can be sold not only to the Nu Lang Kingdom but also to the Western Liang Kingdom, to the Northern Court, and to the southern barbarians.”
Duke Zhi Ting held his breath and asked: “What is the cost per jin of your salt?”
“Almost no cost.” Suo Lun said: “Because my salt is not boiled. It does not consume wood.”
The edible salt of this world was directly coarse salt. Only the fine salt used by nobles required purification and recrystallisation. Therefore, once sun dried, it could be sold directly.
Although Duke Zhi Ting could not believe that salt in this world did not need to be boiled, this did not prevent him from calculating in his heart.
If it could really produce one hundred million jin per year, that would be several billion copper coins, which was fully one hundred thousand gold coins. And if it was the two hundred million jin that Suo Lun mentioned, that would be two hundred thousand gold coins.
Moreover as long as there was salt, no matter how much there was, Duke Zhi Ting could sell it all.
If there was really two hundred million jin, that would earn more than one hundred thousand or two hundred thousand gold coins in a year, and this was a long term business that could be done for generations.
In this way, in ten years it could earn more than one million gold coins, truly exceeding the kingdom’s annual tax revenue.
Suo Lun said: “Your Grace, I will only do this business with you alone. I am responsible for production and you are responsible for selling. We will split fifty fifty.”
Immediately Duke Zhi Ting could hardly breathe. His eyes shot out an incomparably bright light.
“Is everything you said true? You are not deceiving me?” Duke Zhi Ting said incredulously.
Suo Lun said: “You are my benefactor and my only support in the royal city. How could I dare deceive you?”
“Hehe, your only support is not me.” Duke Zhi Ting said: “But I really find it hard to believe that your barren land could produce one or two hundred million jin of salt per year. I truly cannot believe it even in my dreams.”
Suo Lun said: “This is very simple. You only need to send a trusted subordinate to my Rocky Island to take one look and you will know that everything I said is true.”
Duke Zhi Ting closed his eyes and pondered for a long while, then suddenly opened his eyes and said: “I will not send any trusted subordinate. For such a huge matter, I will go myself.”
Suo Lun was stunned and said: “This requires going out to sea, and midway we may encounter Gui Xingfu’s fleet. You…”
“I do not believe Gui Xingfu dares to make a move against me.” Duke Zhi Ting sneered coldly: “It is decided. I will personally follow you to Rocky Island. I want to see exactly how your salt is produced.”
…
That same night, Duke Zhi Ting secretly entered the palace.
The next day, Duke Zhi Ting, who had almost never left the royal city, announced that he would go to the southeast of the kingdom to relax.
Immediately the nobles of the royal city were overjoyed. This scourge was finally leaving, even if only for a while.
As for the governor, prefects, and noble feudal lords of the southeast of the Nu Lang Kingdom, they were worried. This pest must not come to my territory. This biggest profligate of the royal city was famously greedy for money and famously difficult to serve.
Under the protection of fully several thousand elite soldiers, Duke Zhi Ting rode the most comfortable and luxurious large carriage out of the royal city and headed east along the official road.
Despite hurrying as fast as possible, it still took a full seven days to reach the Yun Chu County on the northeast coast of the Nu Lang Kingdom.
The reason for choosing to set sail from here was that Yun Chu County was fortunately Duke Zhi Ting’s territory. The prefect Zuo Daojin here was originally a fallen noble who had climbed step by step to the position of Yun Chu prefect by shamelessly flattering Duke Zhi Ting.
Of course, his official position stopped here. Duke Zhi Ting’s power in the political arena was only this much.
Moreover he had two salt fields in Yun Chu County that needed Zuo Daojin’s care. But being able to sit securely as Yun Chu prefect for a lifetime, he was completely satisfied, as if his ancestral grave was emitting smoke.
As for being despised by all nobles in the world for flattering Duke Zhi Ting? So what? Compared with glory, splendour, wealth and rank, what was reputation worth?
Upon hearing that his lord was coming, Yun Chu prefect Zuo Daojin was both afraid and excited. He had already made all preparations, prepared the most exquisite food, the most magnificent manor, the most beautiful women, and even included his own wives and concubines.
Even so, he still feared his preparations were not thorough enough and could not sleep night after night.
In the end, after Duke Zhi Ting arrived in Yun Chu County, he did not stop at all. He directly boarded the magnificent huge building ship and led a fleet sailing majestically out to sea.
Immediately the Yun Chu prefect knelt on the ground, almost scared into wetting himself. His soul flew out of his body, his whole body turned ice cold.
“What, what did I do wrong to make my lord unhappy? Am I finished?”
He was already despised by all nobles and his only reliance was Duke Zhi Ting. If he was abandoned by Duke Zhi Ting, then his family would be completely finished.
Not to mention how panicked and desperate Zuo Daojin was when he returned to the prefect’s mansion in a soul flying state and hid in his quilt crying.
Duke Zhi Ting’s fleet, consisting of dozens of large and small ships fully loaded with grain, vegetables and cured meat, sailed majestically towards Rocky Island.
After sailing several hundred li for one day and one night, the Rocky Island ahead was already in sight.
But what was that? Rocky Island was actually under attack?
Gui Xingfu actually dared to defy the world and openly send troops to attack Rocky Island?
From dozens of li away, Suo Lun saw fully dozens of ships surrounding the Rocky Island dock.
…
To be precise it was twenty five ships with fully two thousand soldiers. The elite naval forces of the Gui clan from Linhai City had all come out.
More than one thousand archers and crossbowmen on the ships were bending their bows and aiming arrows at the island.
At this moment, all the warriors and salt people on Rocky Island had almost all come out, holding various crude weapons and confronting the Gui Xingfu army on the ships.
Suo Ningbing looked at the Gui clan fleet and said angrily: “This is the sacred territory of my Suo clan. No outsider may step onto Rocky Island even half a step without permission.”
“Hahaha… What Suo clan territory? It is merely a rotten bone thrown out by my family, yet your Suo clan treats this barren land as a treasure.” The Gui clan naval leader sneered coldly.
He was Gui Xingfu’s third son, Gui Qinzhong, a high level warrior and the commander of the Linhai City navy.
Suo Ningbing said: “Even so, your Gui clan has no right to land on the island. Please leave quickly, otherwise…”
“Otherwise what?” Gui Qinzhong said coldly: “With just you thousand or so cats and dogs, you want to block my several thousand troops? A traitor has escaped from the Linhai City lord’s mansion. Many people personally saw him flee to Rocky Island to hide. If you are not guilty, why do you not let me land and search?”
Suo Ningbing was so angry that her delicate body trembled. The Gui clan was truly shameless. Clearly they wanted to land and investigate, yet they made up such an absurd reason.
Immediately she did not want to waste words and directly ordered: “Everyone prepare. If anyone lands on the island, kill without mercy.”
“Yes!” All the warriors and all the salt people present shouted in unison.
Now there were several million jin of salt stored in the island warehouses, plus the secret of the salt fields. Once these bandits landed on the island, all the efforts of these months and all the hopes for the Suo clan’s revival would be completely destroyed.
Moreover these salt fields had been opened acre by acre by everyone present. They had shed who knew how much blood and sweat and concentrated all their hopes. They would rather die than let the bandits seize them.
Therefore, although the forces were vastly different, everyone on the island was willing to fight to the death.
Looking at the more than one thousand salt people on the island holding wooden sticks and forks, Gui Qinzhong sneered disdainfully: “Charge up. Kill without mercy anyone who blocks my search for the traitor.”
Then dozens of ships desperately charged towards the dock. More than one thousand archers and crossbowmen were ready to shoot killing arrows at any time.
…
“Your territory is being attacked by bandits. What will you do?” Duke Zhi Ting said.
Suo Lun said: “Can I borrow a few thousand soldiers from Your Grace?”
“Of course.” Duke Zhi Ting said: “If what you said is true, then half of the salt fields on the island belong to me. How can I let bandits touch them?”
Suo Lun said: “If we kill all the people sent by Gui Xingfu clean, what then?”
Duke Zhi Ting trembled. Killing them all clean… that would bring no small trouble.
Suo Lun said: “The soldiers Gui Xingfu can send out to sea are only a few thousand. If we kill them all this time, next time he probably will not launch large scale attacks on Rocky Island from the sea again. It would be solving the problem once and for all.”
Duke Zhi Ting said with a trembling voice: “Can your island really produce so much salt?”
Suo Lun said: “Whether it is true or false, in at most two hours Your Grace will see it.”
Duke Zhi Ting closed his eyes in deep thought, hesitated, and finally his gaze became icy and resolute.
“All troops prepare. Full speed ahead. Kill all the pirates ahead completely.” Duke Zhi Ting said.
“Yes.” The officers on the building ship shouted in unison: “All ships accelerate. All archers and crossbowmen, prepare!”
In the darkness, Duke Zhi Ting’s fleet began to accelerate desperately and circled towards the rear of Gui Qinzhong’s fleet.
…
“Third young master, if it really comes to killing, what then?” a general asked.
Gui Qinzhong said: “What else can we do? Kill everyone on the island clean, leaving only Suo Lun and Suo Ningbing alive.”
“But…” the general said: “After all this is territory belonging to the Suo clan. Doing this violates the kingdom’s laws.”
Gui Qinzhong sneered coldly: “Now Suo Lun is like a stray dog. It is already good if he does not starve to death on this barren island. Could he still go to the royal city to complain?”
Gui Qinzhong searched the crowd several times but did not see Suo Lun’s figure.
This waste Suo Lun, at the critical moment, really did not dare to appear. It was a pity that father had always warned him not to land on Rocky Island without his order and to be careful of his schemes.
Father was truly too soft. This beast actually humiliated our Gui clan like this and tarnished sister’s reputation like this, yet he could endure it?
These two days, with great difficulty when father was not around, sister Gui Qinshao stole father’s military token. Then with mother Tu Ling silk stepping forward, he was able to lead two thousand naval forces from Linhai City to attack Rocky Island.
That idiot Yan Tingyi was almost scared to tears. Unable to stop him, he immediately rode a horse and left Linhai City to report to father.
By the time father returned, everything here would already be finished. Not only would the true situation of Rocky Island be fully investigated, but everyone on the island would also be killed clean.
Humph, this family still has to rely on me!
Then Gui Qinzhong’s gaze turned towards Suo Ningbing in the firelight. She was truly beautiful. That soft figure, that peerlessly beautiful face, that delicate and gentle temperament, she was completely a treasure that men dreamed of.
“Suo Lun, you dared to humiliate my sister. Today I will truly tarnish your sister and let you enjoy the tragedy of calling to heaven with no response and calling to earth with no reply.” Gui Qinzhong’s gaze towards Suo Ningbing instantly filled with greed and fanaticism.
“Third brother, where is that thief Suo Lun?” At this time a woman’s voice sounded beside his ear. It was incomparably pleasant yet filled with incomparable hatred.
Then a soldier stepped forward, removed the arrow proof mask from his face, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face. Who else could it be but Gui Qinshao?
Immediately Gui Qinzhong was greatly startled and said: “Sister, you… why did you come? If father finds out, he will skin me alive.”
“Why can I not come? I was the one who stole the military token.” Gui Qinshao wore a full set of armour and looked towards Rocky Island as she said: “I have waited for this day for a very long time. Today I will definitely make Suo Lun unable to live or die. I will return the humiliation he gave me tenfold or a hundredfold.”
Then Gui Qinshao’s beautiful and scorching large eyes looked at Gui Qinzhong and said: “Third brother, I do not care what you do next, and you do not care what I do either.”
Gui Qinzhong hesitated for a long while. His gaze towards Suo Ningbing on the island gradually became evil as he said: “Fine. I will not care what you do to Suo Lun. But father said Suo Lun cannot be killed.”
“Kill? I will not kill him.” Gui Qinshao said: “In this world there are countless kinds of torture more terrible than death.”
Then she directly overstepped her authority and ordered: “Charge up and kill everyone on the island clean.”
At the same time, Suo Lun led Duke Zhi Ting’s fleet. In the darkness, like a demon, it opened its dark mouth towards Gui Qinzhong’s fleet.
He still did not know that Gui Qinshao was also within this large net.