Chapter 98

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Hu Guang saw that Liu Jun and Shen Man were getting more and more into their game, his eyes squinting with laughter. Shen Man, looking at Liu Jun, felt her heart race, feeling as if she were in a dream, unsure whether it was all a pretense or if she was truly captivated. She cleared her throat and, with a stiff face, interrupted Hu Guang’s playful banter, "Mr. Hu, shall we serve the wine?"

"Let's have some more tea first," Hu Guang said with a smile, taking advantage of the good atmosphere. He knew that the key to discussing matters was to wait until Liu Jun was in a good mood, which would make the conversation easier. He glanced at Liu Jun, who was smiling slightly, and pointed to an ancient zither placed on one side, "I heard that Miss Chu plays the zither beautifully, and Miss Li Feng dances exceptionally well."

"Alright," Shen Man replied.

Hu Guang laughed heartily, "Why don't we have Miss Chu play the zither, Miss Li Feng dance, and Miss Shen sing a song?"

Shen Man nodded, and the three of them went to prepare.

With only two people left at the table, Hu Guang turned to Liu Jun, "Mr. Liu, thank you for coming today. Shall we drink some wine, listen to music, and dance while we talk about some matters?"

Liu Jun was casual, "Sure."

Miss Chu tuned the zither a few times and began to play a melodious tune. Li Feng, now in a thin, translucent veil, started to dance to the music, and Shen Man began to sing. Liu Jun, hearing her sing for the first time, was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful her voice was.

Hu Guang carefully said, "Mr. Liu, it seems that Miss Shen has some feelings for you."

Liu Jun picked up his tea and took a sip, "In the pleasure quarters, it's all about putting on a show. Talking about feelings in a brothel is misplaced."

"Wow!" Hu Guang praised, "Mr. Liu, despite being in a place of pleasure, you can still remain so clear-headed. You are truly a man of great character."

"Mr. Hu, I am a straightforward person who likes to speak plainly. Now, please tell me, what is the purpose of your invitation today?"

Compared to his playful attitude earlier, Liu Jun now seemed like a different person. Hu Guang admired him even more, impressed by his youth and his ability to remain unaffected by wine and women. He looked up at the young commander, whose sharp gaze was fixed on him.

Hu Guang avoided that gaze and smiled, "Mr. Liu is indeed a straightforward person."

"I don't like beating around the bush."

"I admire your reputation, Mr. Liu."

"Let's skip the formalities. I may be a minor official, but I have many responsibilities and don't have much time to sit here and chat idly." Liu Jun spoke lightly but was quickening the pace.

"Although I am meeting Mr. Liu for the first time today, I have heard much about you," Hu Guang said. "A scholar's son, a martial student, you have formed a close bond with Jieyuan, the nephew of the Minister of the Four Departments, Li Gong, and together established the Nine-Headed Bird Corps. Despite its short existence, it has achieved great success, winning several battles and earning the admiration of the Li family and even the respect of Mr. Mei and the Military Commissioner, Mr. Zhao."

These matters were not secrets in Macheng, and Liu Jun, hearing Hu Guang mention them, was not surprised, merely sipping his tea calmly.

Hu Guang continued, "I work for the Prince of Andong, managing the official salt trade in the Qihuang region, which includes one prefecture, eight counties, and one state. Behind this, there are other princes like the Prince of Jing and the Prince of Yi. I am just the one who runs errands. I invited Mr. Liu here today because I have a request."

"Speak your mind. If I can help, I will."

"Very well." Hu Guang nodded, "I know Mr. Liu is a man of ambition. Although you are currently a commander, you have a heart for practical matters. Other regions also have their own militias, but they are mostly just for show, using the name of the militia to extort money. The militia members are just for show. But I have seen your Nine-Headed Bird Corps, and it is a genuine militia. It's clear that you are determined to accomplish something. However, in this world, even with the support of influential people, maintaining a militia of several hundred men is not cheap. It requires money, doesn't it?"

"That's true," Liu Jun nodded, "These days, everything requires money."

"Running a militia like Mr. Liu's, the small amount of grain and pay provided by the county is probably just a drop in the bucket. I heard that Mr. Liu recently became engaged to a woman from the Lu family, a wealthy family in Macheng with assets worth hundreds of thousands. But that is your father-in-law's money, isn't it? A man should not rely on a woman's wealth." Hu Guang paused, then continued, "Mr. Liu, I know you need money, and I need your help and the help of your Nine-Headed Bird Corps. We are willing to pay you a substantial sum."

"Please, tell me more!" Liu Jun said.

"There are many ways to make money. I have a business opportunity and would like to invite Mr. Liu to collaborate."

Seeing Liu Jun's calm demeanor, Hu Guang decided to be straightforward, "I'm sure Mr. Liu is aware of the profits in the official salt trade. The Qihuang region is our prince's salt territory, but now many salt merchants and smugglers are bringing in private salt at low prices, cutting into our profits. The princes are very unhappy. I am here today because I want to ask Mr. Liu and your Nine-Headed Bird Corps to help me crack down on these smugglers."

"That's not out of the question. I would be happy to serve the princes, but my men are numerous, and the costs are high. How exactly can we help?"

"We will pay Mr. Liu 500 taels of silver per month, and each of your men will receive 1 tael per month. If we catch a smuggler, each man will receive a 5-tael reward, and each unit of seized private salt will be worth 1 tael." Hu Guang laid out the terms. According to these terms, he would pay Liu Jun and the Nine-Headed Bird Corps at least 1,100 taels of silver per month, with additional rewards for successful operations.

He thought this was a good offer, but Liu Jun was unimpressed.

This offer was essentially a bribe, and while Liu Jun needed money, he did not need this much.

"We are quite busy these days, as you know. The east is not peaceful, and we need to prepare for defense against bandits."

This was a refusal, but not a direct one. The key was whether Hu Guang would raise his offer.

Hu Guang was slightly surprised, not expecting Liu Jun to reject his offer outright. After a moment's thought, he did not give up. The private salt trade was rampant, and if he did not act soon, he would lose his position. The princes, though the real bosses, did not have the means to deal with the smugglers.

The smugglers were well-organized, often from other regions, with armed guards and strong forces. Smaller smugglers were even more dangerous, gathering desperate men who were cunning and fierce. Hu Guang could not rely on the regular troops, who, though well-fed, were only useful for passing information.

And groups like Mei Zhihuan's local defense corps, though capable, were not interested in helping him.

Caught between these extremes, he had targeted Liu Jun. Liu Jun and the Nine-Headed Bird Corps were capable and needed money, but now he realized he had underestimated Liu Jun, who seemed indifferent to the extra income.

"Let's talk, Mr. Liu. Is there a better way we can collaborate?" Hu Guang asked with a smile.

Liu Jun put down his teacup, "How many salt permits do you have?"

Hu Guang heard the underlying meaning, "The princes control the Qihuang region, with 10,000 salt permits."

Liu Jun smiled. In the late Ming dynasty, the Qihuang region had a population of over a million. It was a relatively wealthy and developed area in Hubei, bordering the wealthy provinces of Jiangxi, Henan, and Nan Zhili, with a large population. The national population at the time was about 200 million, with some provinces having 20-30 million people, such as Jiangxi, which accounted for one-ninth of the national population. Jiangxi people were so numerous that they were called "rats" for being everywhere.

Hubei's population was not as large as Zhejiang's or Jiangxi's, but after the mid-Ming dynasty, the development of Huguang led to a significant population increase. The Qihuang region, with one prefecture, one state, and eight counties, had a population of over a million, not including the floating population.

How much salt does a population of over a million need?

According to historical records, each person in the Ming dynasty consumed about 15 pounds of salt per year. For a million people, that would be 15 million pounds of salt. With 300 pounds of salt per permit, that would be at least 50,000 permits.

The princes, with their permits, controlled the official salt trade in this region but only had 10,000 permits. This was clearly a problem, not because they had too few permits, but because they monopolized the region and only bought 10,000 permits. There was a gap of at least 40,000 permits.

Liu Jun understood their scheme. The salt for the permits had to be purchased at the official price from the salt fields, along with a tax. The princes, controlling a market of 50,000 permits, only bought 10,000 permits, using more smuggled salt to fill the gap, thus reducing costs and avoiding taxes to maximize profits.

For 50,000 permits, if each permit earned 1 tael, that would be at least 50,000 taels of silver per year, a significant profit with minimal cost, as they controlled the permits and the market. If they sold smuggled salt, the profit could be five times as much.

Liu Jun's calculations were conservative. The population of Qihuang was likely more than a million. If the princes earned 100,000 taels of silver per year from salt, Liu Jun would not be surprised.

If they also sold salt in other regions, they could earn even more.

Liu Jun knew this was a lucrative opportunity and wanted a piece of it.

"I want 3,000 salt permits and exclusive rights to sell in Macheng. Additionally, each time the Nine-Headed Bird Corps helps you crack down on smugglers, you must pay 500 taels of grain and 10 taels per smuggler caught, 100 taels for a smuggler leader, and all seized private salt will belong to me. You can buy it back at half the official price."

Liu Jun made a bold offer.

Macheng County had at least 200,000 registered residents, and with the floating population, it could be 300,000. This was a market of 4.5 million pounds of salt per year. If he had exclusive rights, he could earn over 10,000 taels of silver annually, a steady and long-term income.

Hu Guang was taken aback by Liu Jun's high demands. Exclusive rights to Macheng and 3,000 permits were significant. Salt permits were not easy to obtain, and the court only issued new permits to those who already had old ones. The court overissued permits, leading to a backlog, and many salt merchants had permits but could not get salt, sometimes waiting for a decade.

New permits were only issued to those with old permits, creating a cycle that kept the market fixed among the old salt merchants, making it difficult for new ones to enter.

Moreover, the salt regions were already divided, with salt merchants monopolizing specific areas, leaving no new regions for new merchants. While permits were important, monopolizing a region was even more crucial.

Liu Jun's demands for permits and exclusive rights to Macheng were ambitious.

"Mr. Hu, it's understandable that you don't trust me on our first meeting," Liu Jun smiled, "Although my offer seems high, it's worth it. I am confident I can help you achieve your goals. While you will share a significant portion of your profits, if we can effectively curb the private salt trade, your profits will be even greater."

"Is that so?" Hu Guang shifted in his seat, hesitant.

"It's a simple calculation. I don't believe Mr. Hu can't figure it out. The private salt trade is rampant in Qihuang. How much of the market do you control now? I doubt it's even half. If we work together and crack down on the smugglers, how much of the market can we recover?"

"Can Mr. Liu really curb the private salt trade?"

"With your support and the Nine-Headed Bird Corps, it will not be a problem." Liu Jun said confidently, though he knew it would not be easy. To take a share of the annual 10,000 taels of silver, he was prepared for a tough fight.

"I cannot make this decision alone. I need to consult with the prince."

Liu Jun smiled, "Of course, I can wait for your response."

With this, Hu Guang knew Liu Jun's stance and felt restless, eager to return to Qizhou to meet the Prince of Andong. Although Liu Jun's demands were high, he believed Liu Jun was sincere and capable of the collaboration.

After a few more drinks, Hu Guang bid farewell and left.

Before leaving, he called Shen Man aside and had his driver bring in a gift box.

"Thank you for your hospitality tonight. This small gift is a token of my appreciation. I have to leave early, but I hope you will take good care of Mr. Liu. I will return in a day or two."

The gift box contained 200 taels of silver and a set of jade jewelry, including a pair of jade bracelets, a pair of earrings, and a necklace, all of high quality and considerable value.

Shen Man was surprised, "Such a valuable gift, I cannot accept it, and I haven't even accomplished the task yet."

"You have done well. Mr. Liu was very happy tonight, and you played a significant role. I will leave now, and you should stay with him."

Shen Man, holding the silver and jewelry, returned to the private room, thinking of ways to win Liu Jun over and keep him overnight. However, she only found Chu Chu and Li Feng inside.

"Where is Mr. Liu?"

"He has already left," the two girls said, somewhat dejected. They had tried to keep Liu Jun, even offering to stay the night, but he had left with a smile, citing official business.

Shen Man looked at the empty seat, her earlier joy replaced by a sense of melancholy and regret.

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