Li Zhong occasionally presented a plan, and Wei Zhen and Huang were appointed to govern the two Huangs.

  If Zheng Fei didn't remember wrongly,

  The Northern Song and Western Xia suspended many border trades due to years of war.

  The most important of these was a ban on importing salt from Western Xia.

  Because salt has been a state monopoly in every dynasty throughout history

  The domestic salt price in the Northern Song Dynasty was extremely high, with a national average salt price of 70-80 wen per catty, and some places even reached 300-400 wen!

  The result was that in the Northern Song Dynasty, only one item of salt revenue accounted for a very large part of the annual fiscal revenue.

  So it can be said that salt entering the salt tax is the lifeline of Northern Song Dynasty's finance.

  But on the other hand, there is the better quality Xixia salt. The "qingbaiyan" of Xixia not only has a better color, fragrance and taste than the domestically produced salt of Northern Song, but also costs only 15-16 wen per catty. Sometimes it can be bought for as low as 7-8 wen.

  Ordinary people are not foolish and naturally want to buy the best things at the lowest price.

  So the Northern Song dynasty took advantage of the war as an excuse to stop importing salt from Western Xia.

  On the one hand, this was to prevent Western Xia from profiting from salt and to curb its development.

  On the other hand, it is also necessary to guarantee one's own huge profits.

  For this reason, the Song Dynasty even stipulated that smuggling salt was punishable by death!

  At this moment, due to Li Zhong's several salted duck eggs, Zheng Fei suddenly remembered such a thing.

  If we can smuggle salt from Western Xia and sell it at a price much lower than Song Dynasty's salt, wouldn't we be able to make several times the profit instantly?

  Zheng Fei used to study that capitalists are afraid of no profit or too little profit, just like the natural world is afraid of vacuum.

  As soon as capital has found a suitable profit, it becomes bold

  Where 50 per cent profit is to be got, it will be found that capital can be employed anywhere.

  For a profit of one percent, capitalists will trample on all human laws.

  With a profit of 300 percent, capital is quite willing to face the danger of the hangman's noose.

  Zheng Fei suddenly felt a capitalist impulse within himself.

  King's Law?

  What does the law of your Northern Song Dynasty have to do with me?

  Huang Chao, who dug the grave for the Tang Dynasty, rose to power by selling private salt! An Lushan, the adopted son of Yang Guifei, even accumulated capital for rebelling against the Tang Dynasty because of salt.

  Zheng Fei felt as if he had suddenly picked up a small lantern in the vast darkness.

  Although its light is so weak, at least it illuminates its own feet.

  Lü Da and Shi Jin were teasing Li Zhong.

  Zheng Fei suddenly sprang up from his seat with a loud noise, startling Lu Da and others.

  Zheng Fei grasped Lu Da's two arms with both hands and exclaimed excitedly.

  "Brother, is there any way you can send me to Western Xia?!"

  Who would have thought that Luda actually has some ability in this Luozhong City?

  Since Zheng Fei proposed going to Western Xia,

  Luda was taken aback at first, then shook his head repeatedly, saying that privately opening the gate was a treasonous crime.

  But couldn't help Zheng Fei's pleading, brothers' righteous indignation and chaotic cannon fire.

  Lu Da had no choice but to agree reluctantly.

  On the second day, Lu Da brought Zheng Fei to a large wine building. The little servant at the door immediately nodded and bowed to welcome them, saying, "Director Lu has arrived, are you here to drink today or...?"

  Lu Da hummed softly and asked directly, "Is Huang Lao Er here?"

  Xiao Er's face changed slightly, "Our Second Master... is in."

  Luda stepped forward and went inside, "Tell him to come out and see me."

  Xiao Er took a stealthy glance at Zheng Fei, responded with a "yes" and then turned around and entered the inner room.

  It's not time for dinner yet, and there isn't a single customer in the restaurant, only a few waiters busy with their own tasks.

  Luda and Zheng Fei chose a quiet corner table and sat down. Luda said in a low voice, "Do you know this Huang Laore?"

  Zheng Fei made an effort to recall Zheng Tu's memory, nodding slightly and saying, "I'm not familiar with him, but I have dealt with his older brother Huang Zhanggui. They often send people to my butcher shop to buy meat."

  "Ruda asked, 'Do you know what this Huang Lao Er does?'"

  Zheng Fei said, "I heard he's a merchant who passes through customs, buying and selling tea leaves and animal hides between Song and Xia."

  Luda smiled mysteriously, "In these chaotic times of war and turmoil, can you really go out on an adventure with just these things?"

  Zheng Fei's heart skipped a beat, "Brother means...?"

  Lu Da hummed softly and said, "The things Western Xia is most unwilling to give us, the Great Song Dynasty, and the things they are most willing to sell to us, he has done."

  Zheng Fei was shocked in his heart,

  What was Western Xia most unwilling to sell to Song Dynasty? War horses!

  What was Western Xia most willing to sell to Song Dynasty? Salt!

  These two things were strictly controlled by both Xia and Song!

  Zheng Fei's expression changed, "Brother, since you know, why did the government......?"

  Lu Da narrowed his eyes and said, "There are some things that officials can't do themselves, so they can only find someone to do it for them."

  Zheng Fei thought for a moment and understood the reason. You Xixia didn't want to sell me war horses, so I'll just smuggle them in. As for this smuggling salt, it's likely that after the deal is done, the border guard troops will also get their share of benefits.

  In this way, the border guards could not only get excellent Western Xia war horses but also reap the benefits of smuggling salt merchants, so they naturally turned a blind eye.

  Zheng Fei was overjoyed in his heart, it's really true that no cleverness can't make a book, he hadn't even told Lu Da about his intention to go to Western Xia, but Lu Da coincidentally brought him directly to the private salt smugglers Huang brothers, so as long as he followed the Huang brothers on this trip, wouldn't all the ins and outs of the private salt sales become clear at once?

  Only a loud laugh interrupted Zheng Fei's train of thought. He looked up to see two people in their forties walking out of the inner room together,

  Zheng Fei recalled through Zheng Tu's memory that these two men were named Huang Wenquan and Huang Wuguan, who were the big and small bosses of this wine house, and Huang Wuguan was exactly the "Huang Lao Er" mentioned by Lu Da.

  Huang Wenguan had a classic shopkeeper appearance, slightly thinner than Huang Wenguan, but his eyes clearly showed great astuteness, looking like a businessman. And this Huang Wuguan was more robust, with a strong and capable air about him. Both of these brothers were famous figures in Zhangzhou City.

  The two of them bowed together in the direction of Ruda and said, "It's been a long time since we've seen you, Lord Teigu. What wind has blown you here today?"

  Then they looked at each other in surprise, seemingly puzzled as to why Zheng Fei was with Lu Da.

  These two are both figures with a head and face in Hangzhou City. Zheng Fei was about to stand up and pay his respects, but was pressed down by Lu Da. Lu Da didn't invite the Huang brothers to sit down either, he just pursed his lips and said distractedly, "Huang Lao Er, why hasn't this month's dividend been sent yet? Xiao Zhong Jinglue Xiang Gong asked about it a couple of days ago."

  Zheng Fei was shocked in his heart. How could Lu Da say such obviously "lawless and disorderly" words so casually?

  At this time, the only people in the hall were the shop assistants, and they were all busy with their own tasks, seemingly unaffected by such a sensitive question. Zheng Fei's heart skipped a beat as he suddenly understood that these shop assistants had long since grown accustomed to such things, and it seemed that Lu Da was no stranger to this kind of thing either.

  The two brothers, Huang Jia and Huang Wu, heard this and their faces slightly changed. Huang Wu quickly said, "This... Commander, you know that last time we came back, we encountered a group of horse thieves, all our goods were stolen, more than a dozen men went together, eight were lost, even the young ones almost left their lives in the desert, this profit..."

  "Hmph!" Ruda's expression changed, "Your mouth is on your face, how would I know what's true and what's false? A single dividend is a fortune, who knows if it wasn't embezzled by you people? Even if I believed your nonsense, would the young master of the Zhong family believe it?"

  Huang Wuquan's face changed greatly, and just as he was about to respond, Huang Wenguan stretched out his hand and gently pulled on his sleeve. Then, Huang Wenguan smiled all over his face and said, "Commander, you see what you're saying, even if the young general doesn't know my brother's character, don't you understand?"

  Having said that, Huang Wenguan stretched out his hand to the wine table and suddenly a red cloth pouch appeared on the wine table. Huang Wenguan then bowed slightly to Lu Da and said, "Please also help us speak a few words of praise in front of General Xiao Zhen."

  Lu Da's expression eased a bit, and he picked up the pouch, weighed it slightly, nodded and said, "Alright then, I'll put in a good word for you."

  Huang Wenguang bowed repeatedly and said, "Thank you, Commander, thank you, Commander."

  Lu Da put the package into his bosom and asked again, "When will you set off again?"

  Huang Wuquan replied, "The commander's question is quite timely. I'll be leaving early tomorrow morning. If the commander comes again at this time tomorrow, he won't see me anymore."

  Lu Da nodded, "I have one more thing to trouble you with."

  Huang Wenguan smiled and said, "Governor, you're too kind. It's our brothers' good fortune to be able to serve under your command. Please give us your orders."

  Ruda pointed at Zheng Fei and said, "Tomorrow when you go, bring this brother along."

  Huang Wenguan and Huang Wuquan were both stunned. Huang Wenguan asked, "Is this Mr. Zheng... Brother Zheng also going to Western Xia?"

  Zheng Fei stood up and clasped his fists, saying, "Exactly, I have some business to attend to in Western Xia."

  Huang Wuquan's face flashed a hint of hesitation, "Brother Zheng going to Western Xia is to...?"

  Zheng Fei glanced at Lu Da, and Lu Da immediately understood with a cold hum, "My brothers naturally have something important to do. What? Are you still afraid that I will harm you?"

  "Hold on, hold on," Huang Wenquan hastily waved his hand and said. "It's not like that, Commander. There's been a misunderstanding. The situation is different now, the border is even more tense, and bandits are getting bolder along the way. We're worried that this trip might delay your important matters, Commander. Moreover... with a sudden appearance of a stranger in our merchant group, I'm afraid it might raise suspicions on the Western Xia side..."

  Huang Wenguang looked at Lu Da and Zheng Fei with a wry smile, but didn't say anything further.

  Lu Da was about to change his expression, but Zheng Fei immediately preempted him, saying "On the way, I will absolutely obey your orders and not cause any trouble!"

  Huang Wenguan's expression eased and he smiled, saying, "Very well then, Brother Zheng can come here early tomorrow morning."