Since there was nothing else to do, Xu He agreed.
Servants prepared the carriage, and the two set off. Early spring still carried a chill, part of why Xu He had worried about Ruijin’s journey. The unpredictable weather, coupled with the capital’s colder climate, had prompted him to pack thick bedding and extra clothing.
"Master, Fulang, the road ahead is blocked. Should we wait or take a detour?"
Zhang Fangyuan leaned out to look. They were already close to the city’s outskirts, but several carriages had come to a standstill ahead. A detour now would be inconvenient.
"What’s going on? An accident?"
"Master, it’s the salt merchant’s shop. They’ve lowered prices, and commoners are rushing to buy. The line’s so long it’s blocking the road."
Zhang Fangyuan frowned slightly.
Firewood, rice, oil, and salt - these four were indispensable for daily life. Commoners worked extremely hard from dawn to dusk just to afford them.
Salt, the foremost of flavors, was expensive. Most families used the cheapest crude salt, using it sparingly in cooking. If a wife or fulang made dishes too salty, they would be scolded for poor family management. Only during feasts would they be generous, adding a few extra grains to impress guests and earn praise for their comfortable life - "This family’s doing well; their food has oil and salt!"
Now that salt prices had dropped, commoners naturally flocked to stock up. Since salt wouldn’t go to waste, the frenzied sales and blocked roads made sense.
Hearing about the price reduction, Xu He was surprised and intrigued. "We’ve hosted many guests at the end of last year and the start of this one, buying plenty of supplies. Salt prices had risen sharply, sea salt and lake salt reached fifty copper coins per catty, while well salt soared to one hundred twenty copper coins."
He called to a servant sitting beside the coachman. "Go find out how much they’ve dropped."
Though the Zhang family no longer worried about affording salt, Xu He, having come from poverty, still preferred frugality to extravagance.
Managing a family of dozens meant no small expense for daily meals. Rising salt prices had increased their New Year’s spending. If prices were reasonable now, buying extra for future use made sense. With a large family, every detail required careful planning.
Since they were stuck anyway, sending someone to inquire wouldn’t hurt.
Soon, the servant returned. "Prices have returned to their original market rates. All types of salt dropped by about ten copper coins."
Xu He asked, "Did they say the reason?"
"The authorities recently cracked down on illegal salt trafficking. Now, commoners can only buy from licensed salt shops in the city. The merchants lowered prices as a gesture to the people."
The servant added, "Fulang, should we stock up for the family?"
Xu He sighed. "Such a steep drop, and we just bought a lot recently. What a loss. Salt prices in the city have been erratic these past two years. Go ahead and have someone buy more to keep on hand."
"Yes."
As the servant left, Xu He turned to Zhang Fangyuan. "Have you heard anything about why salt prices are like this?"
Zhang Fangyuan lowered his voice. "The salt trade is jointly managed by officials and merchants. Licensed merchants obtain salt permits from the court to purchase salt at production sites for local sale. But profit tempts some to sell salt illegally, unlicensed trafficking. Light penalties involve fines and confiscation, while severe cases mean execution."
Siyang once had dedicated salt merchants managing the trade, but later, for unknown reasons, the system dissolved, perhaps due to legal violations or revoked permits. Since then, the court had directly overseen Siyang’s salt sales, keeping prices high.
Unable to afford official salt, commoners sought alternatives, fueling a black market.
Illegal salt was cheaper and of decent quality, making it popular. But the trade was high-risk, discovery meant dire consequences, forcing traffickers to operate covertly. Without connections, commoners struggled to find suppliers.
When official salt became unaffordable, demand for illegal salt surged. The more people bought black-market salt, the fewer purchased from licensed merchants, who then raised prices to maintain revenue. Higher prices drove even more buyers to illegal sources, a vicious cycle harming the court, merchants, and commoners alike.
With Siyang’s illegal salt traders now arrested, commoners had no choice but to grit their teeth and buy official salt. Increased sales restored merchant revenues, allowing prices to drop.
"With the salt shops so deserted before, those illegal traders must be facing harsh penalties now."
Zhang Fangyuan nodded. "No doubt. But it’s no surprise people risk it, salt is wildly profitable. Every merchant dreams of securing a permit. For those starting from nothing, illegal salt has launched many fortunes."
He lowered his voice further. "The Qin family only became Siyang’s local power over the last two generations. Their ancestors were just unknown farmers and laborers. When I worked for the Qin family, I heard they started with illegal salt. After building their wealth, they quit the trade."
Xu He was surprised, though it made sense. The court monopolized salt, making permits immensely lucrative. Unlike ordinary trades with countless competitors, salt required no special skills, just a permit.
With the court controlling supply, licensed merchants faced no competition. Illegal traders? The authorities handled them.
Among merchants, the most coveted topic was always the court-controlled salt and iron industries. Who wouldn’t envy those in the trade?
Xu He recalled the lavish Jiangnan salt merchant who’d bought half a street in Siyang and exhaled slowly.
Thanks for the update✨✨✨✨
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