99.Chapter Ninety-Nine

"none"

The previous dynasty was in chaos due to the instigation of various forces.

The Ninth Prince stayed indoors, claiming to be ill.

The Fourth Prince sent a letter back, and with the help of He Ye and others, he pointed out the problems in the river engineering.

In the past, the river channels were built with a shiny surface, which was like applying gold powder to a wall. The surface looked dazzling, but the inside was a mess.

The riverbank was not stable at all and was washed away by the flood.

Officials from the Ministry of Industry denied the responsibility, blamed each other, and were anxious to clear themselves of the blame.

Kangxi was furious and vowed to investigate thoroughly. But he found that there were too many hands reaching out to grab the silver to count.

His close associates and several sons, except Qi You, were all involved to some extent.

The ninth prince got the most, from the daily allowance for the labor service of repairing the river to the stone and earthwork, he had a share.

The Crown Prince and the Prince of Zhi were at odds, and in front of Kangxi, they managed to maintain a polite manner. With their backs turned, they acted like fighting cocks. If their status hadn't been a factor, they would probably have come to blows.

Taking advantage of the Ninth Prince's repayment of the debt, Prince Zhi kept making sarcastic remarks about the hundreds of thousands of taels of silver subsidy Kangxi gave to the Crown Prince.

Prince Cheng also borrowed money. He was smart and took the opportunity to borrow money from Kangxi so that he could pay it back to the Ministry of Revenue.

When the Ninth Prince saw what Prince Cheng had done, he recovered immediately. He followed suit and came to borrow money from Emperor Kangxi, saying that his family was in dire straits.

Kangxi thought about what the Ninth Prince had done and began to feel furious. He saw him kneeling before him, looking as limp as an eggplant hit by frost.

In addition, Concubine Yi in the harem cried all day long because of the Ninth Prince's affairs and fell ill in bed.

Kangxi finally softened his heart and allowed the Imperial Household Department to subsidize the Ninth Prince.

Once the door was opened, it was like stirring up a hornet's nest. The other sons followed suit and "borrowed" money from Kangxi.

Prince Zhi came first and said frankly that he was poor and asked to borrow 500,000 taels of silver from Kangxi.

Five hundred thousand taels!

Kangxi almost fainted from anger. He scolded Prince Zhi and drove him out.

When Prince Zhi left, Kangxi saw him drooping his head and shoulders, and his grievance almost broke through the roof of Qingxi Study.

Kangxi was heartbroken and sad. These ungrateful people wanted to tear him down and eat even his bones!

These are family affairs, as well as state affairs.

The newly graduated scholars in the capital who were waiting to be assigned official positions were secretly making moves, vying for a lucrative job.

Whether it is the central government or the local level, the jobs are the same and everyone has their own job.

Vacancies will only occur when an official is in mourning, retires, dies, is promoted, or is dismissed from office.

Scholars in their seventies and eighties were eager to stay in their positions until death. Mourning, death, and dismissal were rare, and no one could predict when a vacancy would arise.

As for promotion, to move up one level, the official above them would have to be in mourning, retire, die, or be promoted or dismissed. In the end, one would only be promoted to the core of the imperial court, and the number of vacancies was also limited.

Before leaving Beijing, Li Guangdi came to have a deep talk with Kangxi.

Kangxi thought of Li Guangdi's worried look, and he specifically pointed out that he was not optimistic about the candidates from Shanxi and Jiangnan this time.

Shanxi Governor Galin was impeached many times, but Emperor Kangxi suppressed the matter because he was the son of a wet nurse and had been his personal guard.

As for Jiangnan, the Cao and Li families, and even the Governor-General of Liangjiang, Ashan, were all his confidants.

Kangxi believed that Li Guangdi would not make up stories, and when Li Guangdi pointed it out to him in person, although he did not get angry at the time, he still felt uncomfortable and a little embarrassed.

On the one hand, he felt uncomfortable with Li Guangdi's frankness, but on the other hand, he could not ignore his words.

After the results of the imperial examination came out, Emperor Kangxi summoned several scholars from Shanxi and Jiangnan. He asked them a few random questions and tested them with some of the local juren exam questions. The results were very embarrassing for Emperor Kangxi.

Several of them were born into wealthy families. Their education was not too bad, but their talents were mediocre.

Shanxi and Jiangnan are both rich in literary talent, and have produced numerous scholars over the years. The scholars from these two places should not be of such a high standard.

Thinking of Jiangnan, Kangxi couldn't help but look at the memorials from Cao Yin and Ashan in front of him.

Cao Yin's memorial was an ordinary one, a greeting. After receiving it, he did not reply.

Ashan's memorial reported all of Qi You's actions after he arrived in Yangzhou, and hinted that chaos was about to break out in Jiangnan.

In addition, Ashan also accused Cao Yin of colluding with salt merchants and being the culprit for the chaos in the salt affairs in Lianghuai.

Kangxi's headache became even more severe. The two Huai regions and even the Jiangnan region were as unstable as the imperial court.

Outside, the sun shines brightly, and flowers bloom in profusion. In late spring, Changchun Garden, with its lush green trees, vibrant flowers, and flowing water, is like a fairyland.

Kangxi, however, had no interest in appreciating it. Sitting in his study, he once again deeply experienced what it meant to be alone.

His sons and court officials gathered around him, shouting "Long live the emperor!" But Kangxi had no one to speak to, and layer upon layer of pressure, like a wave, hit him.

What is Qi You doing?

If he were in the capital, how would he deal with the various difficult issues facing him?

Qi You had always shown that he would handle everything in an orderly manner. From Shunyi to Beidi, it was enough to prove that Kangxi had no doubt about it.

Kangxi sat for a while, picked up his pen and wrote down all the big and small things in detail, and quickly handed it to Qi You.

At the end, he specifically instructed that there should be no chaos in Jiangnan.

After reading Kangxi's letter, Qi You stood up and walked back and forth in the small guest room. He was used to doing this, not only to exercise his body, but also to organize his thoughts and calm his emotions.

From between the lines, Qi You seemed to see the increasingly aged Kangxi, as well as his irritability and worries, and his helplessness.

It is not quite accurate to say that he is unable to do so. In this year's selection, Kangxi chose several young and beautiful girls to stay in the harem.

Kangxi knew that Qi You was going to shake up the officialdom in the south of the Yangtze River, so he spoke earnestly and gave him a lot of advice, urging him to prioritize stability.

Especially the Cao and Li families, and Ah Shan's hard work and contributions. In addition, there is also the Wang family of Suzhou.

The Wang family was the family of Wang Shi, a concubine in the palace, and had close ties with Li Xu, the Suzhou textile manufacturer. Wang Shi had given birth to the fifteenth and sixteenth princes, and was now quite favored.

Qi You laughed at himself, thinking back to the story in Journey to the West, where the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, could only deal with monsters without any connections. Other evildoers were eventually protected by various forces.

Kangxi is the biggest force behind the scenes.

The Imperial Household Department served as Kangxi's private treasury, and the money it received also came from the people, so it was essentially exploitation.

The maiden families of the concubines in the harem basically all came from the Imperial Household Department.

The fact that the Ninth Prince can get his hands on everything is closely related to his maternal family.

Sanguan Bao, the father of Concubine Yi and Noble Lady Guo, was in charge of the customs defense at the Shengjing Imperial Household Department. He was deeply favored by the emperor and could sit and stand with the first-rank officials.

All nine of Sanguanbao's brothers worked in the Imperial Household Department. This family alone could occupy half of the Imperial Household Department.

These royal relatives would be doing themselves a disservice if they didn't make money from the Imperial Household Department.

Where does the money for the Imperial Household Department come from? Of course it doesn’t fall from the sky.

Kangxi's servants served as officials in various places, and the officials would not pay the tribute out of their own pockets.

When the Imperial Merchants did business with the Imperial Household Department, they had to pay a bribe and still make money. This led to monopoly and bullying.

The various weaving factories under the Imperial Household Department were doing business to make money, but Qi You seemed to have never seen them make a profit, and they had not even repaid their capital.

Kangxi's biggest and truly profitable business, apart from selling tributes from vassal states, was the income from confiscated property.

Qi You slowly walked back to his chair and sat down, propping up his chin and looking out the window. From one side, a branch of snow-white viburnum, as big as a bowl, stretched out diagonally, dividing the window frame in two.

The rich fragrance of flowers permeated the window lattice paper and could be faintly smelled with every breath. Qi You closed his eyes slightly, took a deep breath, and tried hard to suppress the depression in his heart.

Emotions are useless, especially towards Kangxi.

Qi You called Degao and ordered, "Go and call the salt merchants."

De Gao took the order and left. Not long after, Chen Jinwen and others arrived at the lobby of the inn.

Qi You didn't waste any words and directly announced the matter of salt tax and salt tickets. "The court has lowered the salt tax and set a new price for salt. You will only have one day to consider whether you are willing to get salt tickets again. If I don't get a response by this time tomorrow, I will assume that you have voluntarily given up and I will look for someone else."

Chen Jinwen and others were stunned for a moment when they suddenly heard about the major changes in the salt administration.

With their years of business acumen, they knew without any detailed calculations that the days of making a fortune from salt were gone forever.

Based on Qi You's current salt prices, selling salt in the future would be like selling goods in a grocery store, and they wouldn't make much money. But if they worked steadily and for a long time, it would be a stable source of income.

Comparing the two, the difference was enormous. Chen Jinwen glanced at his colleagues, who showed a mixture of smug joy and disappointment.

They were secretly happy that many officials in Yangzhou were thrown into jail, and they did not suffer the same misfortune.

The sad thing is that I earned less money.

The salt price was set by the government, the salt tax was low, and once the salt fields were rectified, the road to smuggling salt was completely cut off. Officials asked for money, but they also wanted to make a big profit. No one would be so stupid as to risk having their property confiscated for a few silver coins.

At this time, Chen Jinwen was full of admiration for Qi You's courage and ability.

After dealing with Qi You several times, Chen Jinwen boasted that he had learned some of his ways of doing things. After considering the matter for a moment, he asked directly, "Your Highness, I have something to say. If we are no longer interested in salt tickets, who will Your Highness let sell salt in the future?"

When the others heard Chen Jinwen's question, they all looked at Qi You nervously, waiting for his answer.

There were countless merchants in Yangzhou City. The big merchants disdained to participate in such a small profit. The small merchants were probably looked down upon by the court.

They were the only ones involved in other businesses, but their main business was salt. Changing the government order would mean severing their livelihood.

Although he was not confiscated and thrown into prison, he had already suffered broken bones and severe damage to his vitality.

Qi You did not hide anything and said frankly: "I believe that all the grocery stores will be very interested."

Everyone in the house stayed there.

Yes, there is also a grocery store!

What they despise, the grocer treasures. They may be short of soy sauce and lamp oil, but they can't be short of salt. At all times, salt is like silver: a hard currency.

Chen Jinwen was the quickest thinker. If they got the salt tickets and set up a big stall and hired shopkeepers to sell salt, there would be no profit.

Qi You's words made his eyes light up. After getting the salt, he could sell it to various grocery stores.

Even if you can't make a penny from a pound of salt, a little bit of money will add up to a lot, and it will be easy, just like the Li Canal that has been flowing in Yangzhou City for thousands of years, and money will flow in continuously.

Chen Jinwen immediately made the decision, stepped forward and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I am willing to receive the salt ticket as before."

When others saw Chen Jinwen express his stance, some of the smart ones followed suit and expressed their sincerity.

The rest of the people were hesitant, thinking that they still had one day to think carefully before making a decision.

Qi You did not force them and let the others go back first. He immediately issued the salt ticket documents to Chen Jinwen and the others.

Qi You gave the matter of salt tickets careful consideration.

Allowing groceries to sell salt directly would eliminate the middleman, but it would create more trouble for the salt fields. More small vendors with salt tickets would inevitably increase the number of salt field officials, leading to redundant officials and increased expenses instead of saving money.

Small vendors, like big vendors, are all looking for profit. The large and diverse crowds make management difficult.

The big salt merchants were like those wearing shoes, and they had more concerns than the small vendors. If you wholesale salt to them, you can find someone if something goes wrong, and they also have the capital to deal with the aftermath.

Qi You deliberately mentioned the grocery store to show them the way.

Someone as quick-witted as Chen Jinwen understood immediately. Qi You wasn't worried that the others wouldn't come to get the salt. In fact, these few people were enough, and they probably wouldn't try to stop them.

The fewer competitors they have, the better off they are.

Qi You made drastic changes to the salt tax, escorted the silver out of Yangzhou, and went to Jiangning to urge Cao Yin and Ashan to speed up the case.

Before Kangxi wrote again, Qi You rushed to clean up the officialdom in Jiangnan.

On the other side, Li Guangdi returned to the capital and spread the news of the vacancy in the Jiangnan government office.

Kangxi looked at the silver on the ship, the cheers of Ma Qi, the Minister of Revenue, and the ecstasy of officials waiting for salary increases, and he felt powerless to change the situation. He watched the drastic changes in Jiangnan before his eyes, and reluctantly began to send officials to fill vacancies in the government and to investigate corruption cases in Jiangnan.

Meanwhile, Qi You escorted the remaining silver back to Beijing. Kangxi, filled with indescribable emotion, summoned Qi You.

After Qi You paid his respects, he looked at Kangxi's dark, yellow, and oily face, thought for a moment, and then confessed honestly: "Khan, I have taken over the Wang family. As for the Cao family, the Li family, and Ashan..."

He respectfully placed the cloth bag in front of Kangxi with both hands and said, "This is the account book. It is entirely up to you to decide how to deal with them."

Kangxi almost fainted, his face darkened, and he angrily said, "Don't give face to the monk, give face to the Buddha. Fifteen or sixteen, they are all your brothers. Where do you put their faces?"

Qi You was silent for a moment, then said, "Khan Ama, if you look around the Ministry of Internal Affairs, you'll find that they're all relatives of my brothers. I don't care about the others. I just do my job according to your will. Those who reach out to the treasury will be arrested."

Kangxi was choked. Thinking of the changes in the court in recent days, his eyes dimmed. He stared at Qi You and said, "Seventh Brother, what exactly are you planning?"

Qi You thought about it carefully and said calmly, "When I left, the white jade flowers in Yangzhou were in full bloom, as white as snow. That day, I heard the students in the private school reciting the poem "A Solitary Pine Replying to Hun Zanshan" by Lu Lun of the Tang Dynasty, which goes, 'Looking back at your home, the green canopy is covered with jade flowers.'"

Kangxi was puzzled for a moment, staring blankly at Qi You. He was thin and tall, with a calm expression. Standing there, he looked neither like a flower nor a tree, but like water.

The highest good is like water. Water benefits all things yet remains tranquil.

Qi You said slowly, "I thought of Khan Ama urging the Imperial College to compile the Complete Tang Poems. Along the way, I was pondering what inspiration the Tang Dynasty's legacy has brought to the people of this land. Khan Ama, what kind of world do you envision?"

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