Chapter 0004: If the Southern Song Dynasty cannot accomplish it, then let me give it a try

As the most resolute pro-war faction member, Su Dingguang was naturally reassigned from the front lines of the war. After a series of maneuvers, he became a completely civilian official, no longer involved in military affairs

Like Su Shengren, Su Dingguang also arranged for some trusted confidants to be by Su Yonglin's side, facilitating their emotional bonding from a young age, so that they could eventually form a core team to control the private salt group

In fact, starting from his grandfather Su Dingguang, the Su family has been engaged in the illicit salt trade for three consecutive generations, and this family business was painstakingly accumulated by his grandfather Su Dingguang.

In the forest, there was a prepared donkey cart, driven by Su Haisheng and Su Jue, who were ready to head to the port to transfer to a ship. Su Changsheng, along with Su Yonglin and Su Yong, entered the cart.

If the Southern Song Dynasty cannot accomplish it, then let me give it a try

Anyone with a modicum of talent, after three to five years of effort, should show some signs of success

After the shattering of his ideals, Su Dingguang witnessed the longing for the fallen leaves to return to their roots becoming a luxury, suffering immensely and falling into a state of despondency

There is a saying that goes well.

Su Yonglin grew up in such a family, where from a young age, he not only studied but also secretly participated in the smuggling of salt, euphemistically referred to as inheriting the family business

It never returned to the Northern Song Dynasty

He is an official in name, but in secret, he exploits his position to engage in the illicit trade of salt, profiting as a salt smuggler.

Nominally a fleet of merchant ships engaged in legitimate trade, it is, in fact, an armed fleet involved in the smuggling of salt, operating between Dinghai and various southern provinces and counties, and is quite renowned in the realm of private salt trading

Alang

Because from beginning to end, they were unable to change anything

He relocated his salt production facility entirely to an undeveloped small island among a large group of islands in the northeastern part of Dinghai County, where he rebuilt the salt production facility inside a cave on the island

Dear guest, we look forward to your next visit to Lin'an, and our humble establishment will be ready to welcome you.

Where there is a market, there are brave individuals. A large number of "daring and knowledgeable" private salt traders have organized themselves to arm and sell private salt. The further away from Lin'an and the closer to the coast, the more rampant the private salt trading activities become

Thus, the market is extremely vast

Officials are indifferent, and private salt traders do not excessively disrupt social order, leading to a state of mutual peace. Therefore, outside of Lin'an, local officials are generally reluctant to involve themselves in matters related to private salt traders

Hey! Are you looking for a fight?

Standing at the stern of the ship, Su Yonglin took one last look at the city of Lin'an.

Su Dingguang, deep in thought, shifted his mindset based on the suggestion of his son, Su Yonglin's stepfather, Su Shengren, relocating the private salt production base from the mainland to an island.

No matter how much one advocates for war, how much one persists, or how patriotic one is, the Southern Song remains the Southern Song

The Su family is from the North, originally from Shandong. During the calamity of Jingkang, the then young Su Dingguang was unwilling to become a slave to the Jin people, and thus resolutely migrated south, settling in Dinghai County

Su Yonglin only knew that the issue of selling illicit salt was not uncommon in the local officialdom during the Southern Song Dynasty, and there were quite a few officials who secretly manipulated smuggling gangs to produce and profit from illicit salt.

What is needed is an additional warrior willing to fight to the death with a three-foot sword in the Central Plains

Almost all officials with a bit of power will privately purchase inexpensive and high-quality private salt for consumption, rather than buying the expensive and low-quality official salt

One of them is Su Changsheng, who was responsible for the operation yesterday

In the twelfth year of Shaoxing, Yue Fei was wrongfully executed, and the peace faction took control of the court, actively advocating for peace and vigorously excluding officials of the war faction, causing the grand undertaking of the Northern Expedition to become an illusion.

He once provided logistical support for Yue Fei's northern expedition, and even personally participated in the defense of the city on one occasion, killing three Jin soldiers with his own hands, pouring his heart and soul into the effort, and fervently hoping for the success of the northern expedition

It is not feasible to demonstrate here; reaching our destination is important. Once we return, we will practice diligently.

He used the money he earned to build and buy ships, established a trading company in the names of friends and relatives, and hired individuals as fronts to legitimately establish a merchant fleet

Su Yonglin nodded slightly, saying nothing, but Su Yong had some doubts

He commands over 300 well-trained full-time core members, along with several thousand peripheral part-time members as support, and more than 30 vessels that appear to be merchant ships but can be armed at any time to sail the seas and engage in combat with competitors

The two sons of the merchant Su Yonglin and Su Yong, residing in the Jiazi House, stayed for two nights. On the morning of the 7th day of the third month, they traveled from Dinghai County to Lin'an, and on the morning of the 9th day of the third month, they departed from the hotel to return to Dinghai County

Su Yonglin will take all that he has accumulated and head north to the Jin Kingdom's Shandong, where he will unite with the local powerful figure Zhao Kaishan to raise an army for rebellion, with the aim of overthrowing the Jin Kingdom's rule in the Central Plains, reclaiming the Central Plains, and achieving his own goals

Su Yonglin nodded solemnly

The innkeeper respectfully bowed and sent the two individuals off from the inn

Around sixteen years ago in Shaoxing, the situation became increasingly tense, and the land trade of illicit salt gradually became fraught with danger. Fortunately, thanks to Su Dingguang's connections and influence, he received advance notice from someone within the court, allowing him time to prepare in advance

This is certainly not the fortune he has accumulated

Alright, let's set off immediately

Su Changsheng said in a low voice

The Southern Song Dynasty certainly had no hope

Su Changsheng looked at Su Yong with a face full of disdain: "You are truly a reckless man. Aside from your great strength and willingness to fight, what other strengths do you possess?"

Living in the Southern Song Dynasty, which was subservient to the Jin Dynasty, he felt particularly distressed

When the Su family migrated south, only Su Dingguang brought his wife and child with him. Despite later efforts, no other children were born. Su Shengren only had one child, Su Yonglin, which is why the Su family is sparse in population

Su Yonglin knows the outcome of the Southern Song Dynasty after choosing to lie flat and give up, so he wants to fight, wishing to use his life to strive for a future that seems bleak and uncertain

He is also very aware of crisis risks, knowing how to manage relationships after making money, rather than relying solely on forceful confrontation

Certainly, he was not like this from the very beginning

All information regarding the guests must be recorded for the purpose of inspection by the authorities at any time

The usual cost of producing salt is around 15 wen per year, while the selling price can reach between 100 to 200 wen, with even higher prices sometimes. The astonishing profits leave the common people in unbearable suffering.

Of course, Su Yonglin is not the kind of impulsive person who would recklessly charge into the Central Plains to offer his head as a trophy.

Common people suffer from the poor quality of government salt, which is damp, yellowish, bitter, and unfit for consumption. Sometimes, half a pound is passed off as a full pound, and there are occasions when it is out of stock and cannot be supplied

Su Yong, Su Changsheng, Su Haisheng, and others around Su Yonglin were all carefully selected and sent by Su Dingguang during this period

Thus, a large number of private salt trading organizations in Shaoxing were struck by the Lin'an garrison around sixteen years ago, and the private salt operations suffered a significant blow for a time. However, the Su family private salt group was not affected and quickly seized market share, expanding its market presence.

Su Yong had a displeased expression on his face

After approximately half an hour, a group of five arrived at the port and found the Su family's vessel that had been prepared for their reception. They boarded the ship, which immediately set sail towards Dinghai County

At the beginning of the southward migration, Su Dingguang still harbored the ideal of a northern expedition. He was truly unwilling to suffer humiliation, genuinely desired to launch a northern campaign, and actively participated in the grand undertaking of the northern expedition.

Su Yonglin smiled and shook his head, remaining silent

Manufactured on the island and transported by sea vessels to various coastal locations for sale, this not only serves a covert purpose but also eliminates the possibility of individuals leaking information and the intervention of government patrols

Su Yong glared with his pair of bull-like eyes, exuding a full sense of intimidation, resembling a fully furred Tibetan mastiff with its hair standing on end

A Lang, when I left in the morning, there was still no news in the shop, I estimate that the matter regarding Sun Yuanqi has not yet been discovered

Sun Yuanqi, that scoundrel, eats a lot, and the ingredients he uses are mostly meat and similar items, which makes the effects even better. He is older and his body is quite obese; if he were a strong man, he might still have a chance at survival. However, with his obese physique, he is in a precarious situation, and even if he is lucky enough to survive, he would be rendered useless, living a life worse than death

The privately produced salt is white in color, has a high purity, and is not bitter or astringent. In order to capture the market, it is often sold at a weight of one and a half pounds for one pound, with prices generally being more than double that of official salt

Here!

Dinghai County is located by the sea, benefiting from the production of sea salt. Su Dingguang used his authority to provide protection to the first batch of residents in Dinghai County who were engaged in the illegal salt trade, facilitating their activities and collecting substantial bribes in return

He began practicing martial arts at the age of seven, studying some military knowledge as well, in preparation to inherit the family business

Su Yonglin does not wish to become a dashing scholar who achieves fame through examinations, nor does he have any desire to be immortalized in history alongside patriotic poets such as Lu You, Fan Chengda, and Yang Wanli, serving as a lifelong pro-war minister and earning the admiration of future generations

At its peak, the Su family's "merchant fleet" owned thirty-seven ships, transforming the coastal region into their treasure trove, amassing immense wealth.

After leaving the city gate and heading east, the two men entered a forest. After walking for a while in the woods, Su Yong let out a whistle. Before long, three men appeared before Su Yonglin.

Without blood relations, one can only accept outsiders and then give them the surname Su, allowing them to become part of the family. These individuals are mainly born within the household, along with some orphans purchased from outside, who have clean backgrounds, are well-known, and are useful.

Murder, smuggling, and the violent annexation of other private salt gangs; they have committed all sorts of crimes, earning a reputation for being ruthless. They have single-handedly established a large-scale private salt trafficking organization

The entire governing organization of Qingyuan Prefecture and Dinghai County, as well as the local Tea and Salt Office and the central Ministry of Finance, have all been meticulously managed by him in relation to the salt industry

Su Dingguang is merely one of the members

The quality is poor, and the price is high. During the early period of the Southern Song Dynasty in Shaoxing, due to the turmoil of war, the price of salt even soared to between one guan and two guan.

Countless poems have been written, tears have flowed a hundred times, yet the Southern Song remains the Southern Song

The blame is often placed on Qin Hui, who indeed was an irredeemable traitor. However, it is now the 28th year of the Shaoxing era, and Qin Hui has been dead for three years. The Southern Song remains the Southern Song, with no hope in sight of returning to the Northern Song.

This is certainly very difficult, a matter of life and death, but doing so will make him feel somewhat better, alleviating his suffering to some extent

Su Changsheng wore a look of disdain, remaining exceedingly calm

That is quite ironic

Three individuals knelt on one knee before Su Yonglin

Su Dingguang keenly seized the business opportunity, gradually no longer content with being a mere protector. He then eliminated the original leader and took on the role of the new leader himself, personally stepping in to organize a private salt smuggling gang, thereby obtaining substantial profits and earning a considerable fortune

This era no longer requires another passionate and vociferous patriotic poet who laments and calls for action.

Living in the Southern Song Dynasty, he felt very distressed

This departure should be a final farewell, and the possibility of returning is exceedingly slim

Thus, using Qingyuan Prefecture's Dinghai County as a base, he even expanded his private salt business beyond Qingyuan Prefecture, heading southward to compete with other private salt traders for market share

Upon reaching the first floor, Su Yonglin handed the travel merchant certificate issued by the government of Dinghai County to the shopkeeper, explaining his destination, and the shopkeeper began to meticulously make a record.

All workers and their families in the salt production facility must reside on the island, with all supplies being transported by sea vessels to enhance confidentiality and organization

Unfortunately, one cannot always sail smoothly through life

A Lang eats very little! Even the best medicine must be taken in a certain dosage to be effective. Even with something like arsenic, if you only consume a tiny bit, at most you might just have a stomachache, but it won't necessarily cause immediate death.

As for how he embarked on the path of selling illicit salt and how he completed this journey of the heart, Su Yonglin also does not know

During the Song Dynasty, the salt tax was extremely heavy. After the southward migration, inflation exacerbated the burden of the salt tax, with nearly ninety percent of the price of one pound of salt being tax.

The record is complete, and the innkeeper settles the room charges for Su Yonglin. This pleasant stay at the inn comes to an end.

What other ways can it be expressed

Is that medicine really effective? Can it lead to death? I noticed that Ah Lang didn't seem to have any reaction yesterday either

Su Yonglin's grandfather, Su Dingguang, is by no means an impartial and benevolent figure

Leaving the inn, the two individuals headed straight for the city gate. At this moment, the city gate of Lin'an was open, and the two passed through the gate with ease, undergoing a cursory inspection by the guards, and successfully departed from Lin'an City

Go ahead, you said it!

In order to compete for the market, he trained thugs, organized armed forces, privately possessed military weapons, and armed his group of thugs with military and logistical knowledge learned from Yue Fei's northern expedition.

On the second day, as dawn was breaking, Su Yonglin and Su Yong prepared to return.

His thoughts naturally stem from the foundation he has to act in such a manner—Su Yonglin is the leader of a smuggling salt gang, which wields considerable power

Local officials are actually reluctant to confront armed private salt traders, as these traders are truly ruthless. If the authorities were to take severe action, these traders would resort to some underhanded tactics, putting the families of local officials at risk

Not only on land, but more so at sea

As the Su family's private salt trading group thrives, a bright future is beckoning.