Chapter 97: The Salt Smugglers

Fan Yongnian and his party had been traveling for the better part of the day and were already panting with exhaustion.

Li Yi smiled and said, "Sit down and rest for a while before continuing."

After expressing his thanks, Fan Yongnian told his men to find a place to rest. He then accompanied Li Yi to a table beside the checkpoint. As they sat, Li Yi noticed Fan’s dejected expression and could not help but ask, "Master Fan, weren't you transporting brown sugar north? Have you sold it all?"

"Sold it? I hadn't even reached Yulin before it was plundered," Fan sighed, his face filled with resentment and a touch of helplessness.

"What do you mean? Was it robbed by the Tatars?" Li Yi asked.

Fan shook his head. "It was robbed by the government troops."

As it turned out, Fan had arrived in Yulin intending to head east toward Shenmu and then north to sell his goods to the Tumed nobles in Guihua City. However, as he traveled east along the border wall, he encountered the Tatars invading from the south and had to retreat to Yulin. He had managed to escape the Tatars only to fall prey to the government soldiers. A battalion commander named He Renlong had led his men to seize the cargo; if Fan hadn't begged for mercy, he likely would have been caught up in a farce involving the demand for his very head.

With a mournful face, Fan lamented, "With this cargo stolen, I have lost everything. I will have to sell off my family’s property when I return just to cover the losses. I have implicated my family, and I fear they will suffer along with me from now on."

For a merchant caravan, the business model involved shipping southern goods north and returning with northern goods to sell back south. Since his sugar had been seized before it could be sold, Fan had no capital left to purchase the northern furs. This single loss had effectively bankrupted his small operation.

"Master Fan, you have traveled the north and south for many years and are well-acquainted with the ways of both the officialdom and the underworld. I have a business opportunity here that is in need of someone with your experience, though I don’t know if you have the courage to take it."

Fan’s spirits lifted. "If Inspector Li has a path, please, speak freely."

Li Yi smiled, dipped his finger in his tea, and wrote a single character on the table: "Salt."

Fan immediately understood. The path was private salt. Since ancient times, the illegal salt trade had been rampant and impossible to suppress. The reason was simple: salt was a daily necessity for the people, and the profits were high enough to drive many to risk their lives.

Sweat beaded on Fan’s forehead; he wiped it away nervously, his expression uneasy. Dealing in illegal salt was a grave crime, and he had no desire to be thrown into prison, have his property confiscated, or be exiled. Yet, having lost his entire fortune and buried in debt, returning home would mean losing his livelihood anyway—and he was deeply unwilling to accept such a fate.

"Master Fan, if you are willing to take on this business, I can offer you a half-percent share of the profits."

Fan’s heart stirred. He hesitated before asking, "Inspector Li, where would the goods come from, and where would they be sold?"

"The goods are produced here. As for where they are sold, that depends on your ability, Master Fan."

Hearing that this was not salt that had passed through many hands at inflated prices, Fan’s heart leaped. This meant the profit margins were enormous. If he could open up the market, he could earn a vast fortune within a year. Suddenly, he no longer saw this as a risk. A business worth tens of thousands of taels a year was clearly an opportunity.

He spoke cautiously, "Inspector Li, I do have some experience in trade. If you do not mind, I can try my hand at this. If I prove incapable, you may look for someone else."

Li Yi smiled. "That is only fair. In that case, have your trusted men settle down in Suijin Town. Someone will be in contact with you."

"I understand," Fan replied.

Li Yi summoned Li Guo and told him to go to Li Family Village and bring Li Zijing to Suijin Town. Li Yi had always entrusted the salt-refining business to Li Zijing, but Zijing had no stomach for violence and was currently busy helping Li Zicheng build waterwheels and dredge irrigation ditches.

Li Yi decided to recruit Fan Yongnian, letting this merchant of several decades take charge of selling the illicit salt. After Fan went to inform his men, Li Yi called for Gao Xiaojia.

"Find a few sharp-witted men to work with Master Fan on the salt business from now on. Do you understand my meaning?"

Gao Xiaojia glanced at the short, stout Fan Yongnian in the distance and grinned. "Master, I understand. Rest assured, with me there, nothing will go wrong."

Li Yi nodded. Gao Xiaojia was clever and lively; having him follow Fan would allow him to learn something while keeping an eye on the merchant. One must play to one's strengths; Li Yi needed Fan’s experience, but he also had to ensure he wasn't being swindled.

By the time he finished handling all the affairs, it was already dark. Li Yi spent the night in Suijin Town and set off for Mizhi County the next day with Buyan and Liu Zongmin. The salt-refining industry at Li Family Village was already established, and with Fan Yongnian now recruited to handle sales, everything was ready—all they needed was the "east wind." Li Yi needed to resolve the issue of the salt blocks as soon as possible. He expected that Sun Kewang would have news by today.

Sure enough, just after Li Yi arrived in Mizhi County at noon, Sun Kewang hurried to the tavern. The four of them sat down to drink.

Li Yi poured a cup for Sun Kewang. "The illegal salt business is something I am determined to pursue. Kewang, you are a smart man, and I have already explained the importance of this venture to you. Has your foster father changed his mind?"

Sun Kewang hesitated. Looking up to meet Li Yi’s sharp gaze, he said helplessly, "After repeated persuasion from Liu Wenxiu and myself, my foster father has indeed changed his mind. However..."