Chapter 84: Price war breaks out and Yuan Shao can no longer afford it!

Yuan Shao had a gloomy look on his face. He brought his civil and military officials to the streets of Liyang again. From afar, he saw private and government-run salt shops, both of which were bustling with people.

But when they got closer, they found that the atmospheres of the two stores were very different.

Inside the government-run salt shop, the customers were all shocked and said:

"I tasted it. This is actually table salt. It's very salty, but not as bitter as coarse salt. It's definitely top-quality table salt!"

"Is this snowflake salt? The price is only half of the usual coarse salt, and the same price as the half-price coarse salt next door?! How did they do it?!"

"Even a blind man would know what to choose! I'm going to go next door to return the goods and get my money back!"

"..."

At the private salt shop not far from the government-run salt shop, the common people and the servants of the rich families shouted at the top of their lungs:

"RNM, refund the money!!!"

...

After hearing this, Yuan Shao's expression became so gloomy that water seemed to drip out of it.

Private salt shops were one of the sales materials controlled by Yuan and his cronies. Since there was no state-run salt and iron industry in the Eastern Han Dynasty, this became one of the channels for many aristocratic families to accumulate wealth.

Behind the state-run salt shops were naturally the local government and the imperial court in Beijing.

The reason why Yuan Shao kept them was to maintain a hypocritical appearance - he did not rebel against the court and His Majesty, he just wanted to purge the emperor's side and punish the treacherous ministers!

Yuan Shao did not even destroy the government institutions in Liyang.

Of course, Yuan Shao and his cronies held absolute power in Jizhou. The organization was still there, but the people had changed.

Yuan Shao couldn't wait to see the "Snowflake Salt" with his own eyes, but after thinking it over, he did not lower his status to join the common people in buying it. Instead, he went to the restaurant opposite the salt shop and waited.

Soon, a servant came to buy "snowflake salt" and reported that the price was similar to their half-price coarse salt.

When Yuan Shao and his civil and military officials saw the snow-white salt, they were really in disbelief for a moment!
This, this is... table salt?!

Yuan Shao was shocked. He simply reached out his hand to dip a little and tasted it. It melted in his mouth. The salty yet sweet taste hit his taste buds and made him gasp!
This is real table salt, and it doesn’t have the bitterness of coarse salt, it even has a refreshing salty taste!
This shocked Yuan Shao, and his expression became even uglier!

If this is the case, who would choose coarse salt? ! Even a blind person knows that they should buy snowflake salt of the same price!!

The civil and military officials under his command also tasted it one after another!
The result made them look even uglier!

“It’s really salt!”

Feng Ji couldn't believe it:

"Over the past 400 years of the Han Dynasty, many people have thought about purifying crude salt, but no one has ever done it, whether it is skilled craftsmen or extraordinary people!

"But now, the imperial court has somehow managed to do it!"

...

"Have you ever heard of it?" Yuan Shao asked in a deep voice.

But all the civil and military officials under his command shook their heads!

You must know that the Yuan Ying people are all from aristocratic families. Even they who are well-informed have never heard of or seen it. So it is certain that this snowflake salt is the latest to come out!

...

"If that's the case, then our salt price war... has already been lost!"

Guo Tu sighed. It was he who proposed the economic war, but with the advent of snowflake salt, he was defeated before the battle even started.

At the same price, no one would choose coarse salt.

...

The Yuan camp looked unhappy. They had placed great hopes on the "economic war" and "salt price war", but they were defeated before they even started. How could they be happy? !
The imperial court possesses the magical artifact "Snowflake Salt". As long as it promotes it throughout the country, it will have a steady stream of financial income!
Even if you compare this "snowflake salt" with "coarse salt", assuming the price difference is not much, people all over the world will definitely choose "snowflake salt".

Isn’t this a disguised monopoly and a disguised government-run enterprise? !
"boom--"

Yuan Shao slammed his hand on the table and said in a deep voice:
"Damn it! We must order the closure of these government-run salt shops, or at least curb the circulation of snowflake salt in Jizhou, otherwise our salt tax revenue will be gone!"

This statement was agreed by many civil officials and military generals.

But at this time, Feng Ji shook his head and said: "My lord, the situation has not yet deteriorated!"

Seeing everyone looking at him, Feng Ji did not keep them in suspense and continued in a deep voice:

“This kind of snowflake salt must be complicated and inconvenient to make, with many processes, so the cost will definitely not be reduced.

"But coarse salt is different. We can lower the price to cost price or even a loss-making price. For those wealthy families, they may still buy snowflake salt even at this price.

"But for the common people, every bit of savings counts. And these common people make up the majority of the people in the world, at least nine out of ten!

"We still have some advantages in the price war!"

...

After Feng Ji's explanation and analysis, everyone in Yuan Ying thought about it and woke up!
"Yuan Tu's words awakened the dreamer!"

Yuan Shao nodded and said:

“This kind of snowflake salt has never been seen even by those of us who come from aristocratic families. It must be the latest purification method developed by the imperial court!

“Looking at this snow-white refined salt, you can tell that the process is complicated, which means the cost is high.

"The imperial court is already in a financial crisis and is at war on all sides. They can't possibly sustain a price war with us!"

...

"My lord is indeed quick-witted!"

Feng Ji nodded and said:

"We can even lower the price to test the bottom price of the imperial court's snowflake salt. We can even afford to make a loss, but can the imperial court afford it?

"Since we have decided on an economic war, we must continue even if it means losing money to gain publicity. Our goal is to bring down the government's finances!"

...

Everyone nodded.

Yuan Shao said: "In addition, we need to investigate the formula of 'Snowflake Salt'. There is no impenetrable wall in the world. We must get it at all costs!"

...

This was not a difficult matter. They allowed the government-run salt shops to continue operating, and they needed to transport the snowflake salt. As long as they used transportation channels, they could find out the origin of the snowflake salt.

The result was unbelievable to everyone in Yuan’s camp!
"Montenegro?"

Feng Ji looked at the intelligence and said in a deep voice: "My Lord, according to the spy's report, this batch of snowflake salt was transported from the direction of Montenegro."

"Montenegro?"

Yuan Shao frowned in confusion: "Shouldn't it be from the direction of Qingzhou?"

The salt used in the Han Dynasty is all sea salt, but where is the sea in Heishan?! Could it be that it was transported from Qingzhou to the capital, and then from the capital to Heishan and into Liyang?
"My lord, I have a bold guess..."

Seeing everyone looking over, Feng Ji said in a deep voice:

"There is a giant salt mine in Montenegro. Could it be that the imperial court has developed a formula that can purify the salt in the mine and turn it into snowflake salt?!"

"This……"

Everyone gasped in shock!
Guo Tu said in a deep voice:

“Yuan Tu’s guess makes sense, and it explains why the imperial court mobilized its troops to attack the Black Mountain Army!
They not only want to clear the obstacles between Hanoi County and Wei County, but also want to control the salt mines in Heishan and make snowflake salt!"

Everyone was a little shocked!

If those salt mines can be used to refine table salt, and it is snowflake salt, then there will be business opportunities everywhere in the Han Dynasty!

It should be noted that there are many salt mines in the Han Dynasty. Most of the salt mines in the central region are well salt, the western region has lake salt, and the eastern region has sea salt.

Aren’t these all usable?!

It can even save a lot of losses caused by inconvenient transportation and reduce costs!

"If it's Montenegro..."

Yuan Shao's eyes were somewhat greedy:
"We must seize the salt mine at all costs. There must be salt-making workers in the salt mine. We can torture them to find out the formula of snowflake salt!"

This made everyone in Yuan’s camp a little interested!
Feng Ji said:
"My lord, the snowflake salt is so important that the imperial court will definitely send heavy troops to guard it. It is even possible that they have deliberately set a trap. We cannot act rashly for the time being!"

Yuan Shao nodded: "Let's wait and see for a while, and find out the bottom price of snowflake salt and the movements of the imperial army."

"promise!!!"

The civil and military officials of Yuan’s camp received the order and withdrew.

A few days later, Liyang started a "salt price war".

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the lowest price of salt was 400 coins per stone, and the highest was 8000 coins per stone. The price of salt in normal times was about 800 coins per stone, and the price ratio of salt to millet and corn was about 8:1.

Because of the war, the price of salt is now around 1000 coins per stone.

Yuan Shao sold the crude salt at half the price according to this price, hoping to start a price war. 500 coins per stone, still a huge profit!
But when the price of snowflake salt became the same, 500 coins per stone, private coarse salt shops became deserted, and most of the people who came in and out were returning goods and asking for refunds!
But soon, on the next day, the price of private crude salt shops was cut in half to 250 coins per stone.

The private salt shop gave two choices to the customers who bought yesterday - either refund half the price to you (500-250=250), or give you another stone of salt.

After hesitation, many people in Qianshou chose one stone of salt.

But at this moment, the government-run refined salt shop directly chose to follow suit - snowflake salt, 250 coins per stone!
And the same conversion will be made for customers who purchased yesterday - either half the price will be refunded to you (500-250=250), or another stone of salt will be given.

On this day, the two salt shops were crowded with people again!

The government-run refined salt shops are rushing to buy, while the privately-owned coarse salt shops are saying “RNM, give me your money back!”

On the third day, the price of private crude salt shops was cut in half again, and the price was only 125 coins per stone.

The same conversion will also be applied to customers who purchased yesterday!
The government-run refined salt shops continued to follow up...

...

After Yuan Ying received this news, his expression became somewhat grim!

At 125 cents per stone of crude salt, they actually made a profit after deducting the transportation loss. But the problem was that the most troublesome thing was transportation!
They need to transport salt from the sea salt factory in Bohai to Liyang, Wei County. Don't look at the Yellow River next to it.

But now they are at war. Qingzhou and Yanzhou are both processing and manufacturing ships to fight against Yuan Shao's Bohai Navy.

This makes transportation more difficult.

Even if everything goes smoothly, water transportation will still cause losses!

The price of 125 coins per stone has reached their cost price. If they transport it a little further, they will be on the verge of losing money!
Their coarse salt is like this, not to mention the more complicated process of making snowflake salt?!

Even so, the government-run refined salt shops still dare to follow suit?!

Is the imperial court behind them crazy? !
Is Your Majesty crazy? !

The imperial court is now facing a financial crisis, and is at war on all sides. The military expenditure required every moment is astronomical!
Even so, Your Majesty and the court still dare to follow up? !

However, when they thought of His Majesty's decisive and murderous character, they suddenly felt that it was reasonable.

Isn't this His Majesty? !

Ever since Dong Zhuo's reckless dethronement and enthronement, his temperament has changed drastically. He is no longer the cowardly, weak and vulnerable puppet emperor, but the emperor of the Han Dynasty who controls life and death!
Yuan Ying wants to start a price war, how can Your Majesty back down? !

"Keep half price!"

Yuan Shao gritted his teeth and said painfully: "I don't believe that the court's finances can afford this kind of price war!"

"promise!!!"

...

On the fourth day, the private salt shop cut the price in half again, and the price was only 62 coins per stone!!!
And the same conversion applies to customers who purchased yesterday!!!
All of Liyang was in an uproar at this moment!
Because Yuan Shao was still piloting it in Liyang, and it had not yet been extended to the entire Jizhou, or to areas within the Han Dynasty where the aristocratic families had reached.

Therefore, there is no such offer anywhere else!

But as the news of the price war spread, merchants from all around immediately flocked in.

Even though Jizhou is at war, these profit-seeking merchants are still flocking to it in the face of such benefits!

But these merchants did not act rashly. They were waiting for the reaction of the government-run refined salt shops!
At 62 cents per stone, does Snowflake Salt dare to follow suit? !

turn out!
The government-run refined salt shop changed the price sign to "62 coins per stone", and continued to follow up...

"Wow!!!"

The whole of Liyang was in an uproar; merchants, common people, wealthy families, and even aristocratic families all took action!
Yuan Ying is also a little crazy!

They secretly sent people to buy snowflake salt, hoping to make the imperial court bleed heavily in this way!

But the government-run salt shops of the imperial court were not stupid either. After the price war, real-name registration was required!
The number of real-name purchases per person and per household is limited!
How could the common people have so much money to purchase and store salt? The only ones who could buy it in large quantities must be merchants and the wealthy families behind them!
Doing so is to restrict them and also to restrict Yuanying from purchasing snowflake salt in reverse!
and.

The real name refers to the registered population, and it can also be used to understand the population and hidden population situation in Liyang.

Kill two birds with one stone!
……

"boom!--"

After Yuan Shao learned the news, he slapped the table and looked so gloomy that water seemed to drip out of it.

But this time, he did not continue to order the beheading.

Although Bohai is close to the sea and sea salt is available by drying, the costs of labor, transportation, storage, etc. are at least 120 coins per stone, and in remote areas it may even cost more than 150 coins per stone.

62 cents per stone, this is already a loss-making way to gain publicity!

If the situation continues, even if Jizhou has "ten years of grain and a million soldiers", even if the Yuan family of Runan has three officials in four generations and their students and former officials are all over the world, they cannot afford it!
Yuan Shao asked in a deep voice: "Have you ever figured out what the bottom price of Snowflake Salt is?!"

Everyone in Yuan’s camp brainstormed, but in the end they still had no clue!
The government-run refined salt shops even dare to follow suit at a price of 62 cents per stone. It seems like they are simply fearless!

If they had not registered with real names when purchasing from the state-run salt shops, they would have ordered their families to buy in bulk and resell them!
Unfortunately, the court is not stupid either!

At this time, Guo Tu said:

"My lord, it is difficult for a mere Liyang County to find out the bottom price of snowflake salt.

“It should be promoted throughout Jizhou, and even to every place that the aristocratic families can reach.

“When the time comes, we’ll see if the imperial court dares to follow up, and then we’ll know the bottom price of Snowflake Salt!
"As long as they don't dare to follow up, that's the limit!"

...

“But Gongze, if the imperial salt-making formula can be used to refine salt mines, then they can get materials nearby and save a lot of transportation costs.

"By then, we won't be able to afford it!"

Feng Ji sighed and said:
"My lord, if the price of 62 coins per stone is promoted throughout the world, no, even if it is only promoted in Jizhou, we will be the first to collapse!
“Those noble families who support us will not just keep cutting their own flesh to feed the eagles!

"As time goes by, we are unable to bring them benefits, and we keep losing benefits. This will only make people lose their spirits and is not conducive to unity!"

...

Everyone in Yuan’s camp was silent, but they knew that Feng Ji was right!
Why did the noble families support Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu to fight against the imperial court? Against His Majesty?!

Because Your Majesty implemented the policy of equalizing the land tax, which harmed the interests of the aristocratic families, they supported the Yuan family behind the scenes!
But if Yuan Shao also harms their interests, will these aristocratic families still support him? !

Since their interests are being damaged, why don't they just surrender to the imperial court and put an end to it all? !

Yuan Shao sighed inwardly and asked helplessly:

"Yuan Tu, you are good at math. In the salt price war, what is the most appropriate price we can maintain?"

"150 coins per stone!"

Feng Ji sighed and said, “My lord, with this price, we can promote Jizhou and even make it accessible to those aristocratic families.

"At this price, coastal areas still have some benefits, places a little further away can break even, and remote areas will suffer a slight loss, and we can provide subsidies.

“This is the protracted battle for long-term development!”

Yuan Shao looked a little ugly!

They started a price war, but in the end they were the first to back down?!

Doesn't this mean that they were defeated before the battle even began? !

This made Yuan Shao feel ashamed!

Yuan Shao opened his mouth several times, but could not say anything. His civil and military officials also knew that Yuan Shao was too concerned about his reputation, so they did not interrupt.

"No! Besides this, we have another way to go!"

Yuan Shao suddenly remembered something and said in a deep voice:

"Black Mountain is just around the corner. As long as we capture the salt mine, we will definitely be able to get the formula for snowflake salt!
With the formula, we can also make salt nearby, and the cost can be lowered even further!"

...

"But my lord..."

Feng Ji advised:
"Although we have been sending out spies to gather information these days, no concrete news has been received. Knowing ourselves and the enemy will ensure victory in every battle. Now that we don't know, it is not conducive to fighting!"

At this moment, a messenger suddenly came and brought news from Montenegro.

After reading it, Yuan Shao was overjoyed:
"There are traces of salt production and transportation of snowflake salt on the Black Mountain. The imperial court really used the salt mines in the Black Mountain to produce salt and produced snowflake salt!"

After everyone browsed it, their hearts were suddenly filled with excitement!
This feeling was like a mountain of gold was just around the corner. Although it was heavily guarded, they still wanted to take the risk!
Feng Ji wanted to persuade Yuan Shao to "be patient and calm down."

But at this time, Yuan Shao could no longer listen to any persuasion: "No need to persuade me anymore, I have made up my mind!"

"Ugh--"

Feng Ji sighed, but ultimately stopped trying to persuade her.

"Send troops to Black Mountain, break through the salt mine at all costs, and seize the snowflake salt formula." Yuan Shao ordered in a deep voice, "At any cost!!!"

"promise!!!"

……

(End of this chapter)