The Influence of Refined Salt

After careful consideration, Xia Qi'an said to Liu Qing, "The soap business is settled. It's really not appropriate for you to get involved now!"

"However, I have another business that might be suitable for cooperation with your Snake Guards!"

Liu Qing's brows furrowed upon hearing this, and she asked, "What business? How does it compare to the soap business?"

"It's even better! Wait… I'll show you something…" Xia Qi'an said mysteriously.

Immediately after, Xia Qi'an walked into the house and took out a blue ceramic jar.

He gently opened the jar and handed it to Liu Qing.

Liu Qing glanced at the blood-white crystals inside the jar and said uncertainly, "Is this… salt?"

"To be precise, this is refined salt… I purified it from a salt mine."

In this world, due to limitations in purification technology, most salt is mixed with various impurities, giving it an overall earthy yellow color.

Not only was its appearance unappealing, but its taste also carried a strange odor.

The refined salt in Xia Qi'an's hand, as white as snow and crystal clear, was something even the well-traveled Liu Qing had never seen before.

Liu Qing dipped a finger in a bit of the refined salt and placed it on her tongue.

Her eyes immediately lit up, and she became excited like a child, "Didn't your family used to be blacksmiths? How do you know so many strange and wonderful skills?"

"Why do you ask so many questions? Are you going to do this business or not?" Xia Qi'an was unwilling to explain further.

However, Liu Qing quickly calmed down and said solemnly, "This refined salt is indeed a good thing… But… salt is something strictly controlled in any secular dynasty! The Wei Dao Si is not allowed to interfere with such matters."

Xia Qi'an naturally knew this and quickly explained, "I know the rules of the Wei Dao Si… But the quality of my refined salt is much better than the coarse salt on the market. You can sell it to the courts of various countries. That shouldn't be considered breaking the rules, right!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Qing felt that Xia Qi'an's proposal was very feasible, and she smiled playfully, "It's a shame you're not going into business!"

"Alright! Give me this jar of refined salt. I'll have the Snake Guards scout the way. I'll come to discuss it with you once I have results!"

After speaking, Liu Qing took the ceramic jar from Xia Qi'an's hand and eagerly turned to leave.

As for the people in the Snake Guards, although their martial arts talent was average, they were all skilled when it came to such matters.

With a single command from Liu Qing, The Snake Guards gathered all the information about salt on the market in various secular dynasties within a day.

The conclusion they reached was that no salt on the market could match the quality of the refined salt in Xia Qi'an's hands.

Thus, Xia Qi'an and Liu Qing hit it off.

They began to prepare for the salt trading business.

On one hand, the Wei Dao Si purchased salt mines from the government and transported them to Jinling. Xia Qi'an hired personnel to purify the salt, which was then handed over to the Snake Guards to sell to the various royal courts. The royal courts would then sell it to the public.

As for the technology for purifying refined salt, if Xia Qi'an could develop it, then people in this world could naturally research it as well.

However, with the Wei Dao Si's powerful backing, ordinary secular dynasties and aristocratic families would naturally not dare to interfere casually.

After all, this refined salt was only sold to secular courts and not to the general public, so it did not violate the rules. In fact, it could be considered a good deed that benefited the common people.

In this way, Xia Qi'an had two businesses that brought in a fortune every day.

He would then have enough money and time to focus on his cultivation.

Time flew by like a fleeting moment, and a month later.

Si Nanyue summoned Xia Qi'an and Yang Wei to her manor, furious. She berated them, "Xia Qi'an, what do you mean by this? You partnered with the Snake Guards for the refined salt business without even discussing it with me? Are you still a Hound Guard? Do you still have any respect for me as your superior?"

"Yeah! Brother, you kept such good stuff as refined salt from us! That's really not right!" Yang Wei chimed in.

Over the past month, Si Nanyue and Yang Wei had reaped immense benefits from the soap business.

The profits from just one month had even shocked them.

The soap business alone brought in three hundred thousand taels per month.

Divided equally, each person could receive one hundred thousand taels per month.

Even someone like Si Nanyue couldn't help but be tempted.

It was worth noting that Jinling City's annual tribute to the imperial court was only a mere five hundred thousand taels.

Of course, this five hundred thousand taels was not the entire revenue of the Jinling government, but merely the tribute silver.

However, this clearly demonstrated the immense profitability and prospects of the soap business, which was a guaranteed moneymaker!

If it were sold throughout the entire Da Li, or even the entire You Province, or other provinces, the profits would be unimaginable.

Therefore, Si Nanyue and Yang Wei were so anxious upon hearing that Xia Qi'an had another business, the refined salt trade.

"Uh!… I originally only intended to do the refined salt business on a small scale, selling it within Da Li and then stopping. Since the Wei Dao Si doesn't allow such things, I found the Snake Guards to cooperate…" Xia Qi'an equivocated, trying to force an explanation.

"Do you know how significant this business is? Even my father is asking me who developed the refined salt. How am I supposed to answer?"

"Is it possible that the higher-ups are going to blame me? That shouldn't be the case… This refined salt is only sold to the court, so it shouldn't be considered breaking the rules of the department, right?" Xia Qi'an sounded less confident, his voice growing softer.

"The higher-ups aren't thinking that way! They want the technology to purify refined salt and to have complete control over this business within the Wei Dao Si. Since you're using the Wei Dao Si as a shield, the people in charge naturally want a share!"

Just as Si Nanyue was speaking, Liu Qing entered, led by the maidservant Qiu Dong.

"What's going on?" Xia Qi'an asked as Liu Qing arrived.

He had been busy cultivating recently and rarely paid attention to business matters.

"The Grand Commander of the Snake Guards from You Province came to see me! They want me to hand over the refined salt purification technique to the Wei Dao Si headquarters!" Liu Qing said with some helplessness, spreading her hands.

Xia Qi'an asked again, "How much was the profit from the refined salt business this month?"

"One million three hundred thousand taels!" Liu Qing said, counting on her fingers.

"Hiss..."

Yang Wei gasped, as if his backside was on fire, and quickly returned to his seat, picking up his tea to calm his nerves.

Yang Wei, who always dealt with money, knew exactly what over a million taels a month meant.

Si Nanyue was also shocked, her mouth agape, unable to speak.

Xia Qi'an rubbed his forehead. "No wonder the Wei Dao Si headquarters is involved! It seems this business can't be kept."

Hearing this, Liu Qing also fell silent, looking dejected.

She clearly accepted this outcome.

But Si Nanyue, after regaining her composure, suddenly spoke, "Perhaps I can save this business!"

Xia Qi'an couldn't help but ask, "How? Although Lord Sinan's father is a Tiger Guard, I doubt it's enough!"

Si Nanyue snorted, "You only know my father is a Tiger Guard, but do you know my mother is also a Tiger Guard? And my grandfather is also a Tiger Guard, and he's even a close bodyguard to the Kirin Guard! He's also a close friend of Lord Baili of the Kirin Guard!"

"In the entire You Province Wei Dao Si, our Si Nan family still carries some weight!"

"Ah!"

This time, it was Xia Qi'an's turn to be astonished, his mouth hanging open.

The Si Nan family was actually a hereditary family within the Wei Dao Si, incomparable to ordinary families.

"But... if we hand over the refined salt purification technique... we'll have nothing to do with this business anymore, and we won't even get a drop of soup in the future!" Xia Qi'an hesitated.

"Don't worry! I can make decisions in the Si Nan family. This business will be operated under my name from now on, and your profit share won't be reduced."

"But if it's handed over to the Wei Dao Si headquarters! Then you really won't even get a drop of soup!"

Xia Qi'an suddenly understood. Si Nanyue had this plan.

However, Si Nanyue was still considerate.

In the future, the people present would still be operating this business as partners.

It was just that the profit share would be much lower than before.

But this way, the refined salt purification technique wouldn't have to be handed over.

They only needed to send money to Si Nan Manor on time every month.

And this task would naturally be handled by Yang Wei and the other Snake Guards.

Thus, this matter was settled.

Most business troubles stemmed from unequal profit distribution.

Now that the Si Nan family was stepping in to bear the burden, the refined salt matter was basically settled.

Xia Qi'an would only need to stay at home and cultivate, and large sums of silver notes would be delivered to his door every month.

And Xia Qi'an, who was not short of money now.

The first thing he did was purchase a large mansion.

And hang up the "Xia Manor" plaque.