"Master Zheng, do you want your family to be destroyed?"

Zheng Jingren was stunned. Who would want to see their family broken up?

This prince looks kind, but he is really not a good person.

Zheng Jingren lowered his body a little.

"Your Majesty, I naturally don't want my family to be destroyed. As for the imperial merchant you mentioned... I wonder what the conditions are?"

Li Xiuzhu smiled, hugged Li Canghai and kissed him, then said: "Isn't the road to becoming an imperial merchant right in front of us?"

Both of them were smart people and understood immediately.

Sun Qirui hurriedly said, "Youwei, serve the prince well."

Although Sun Youwei was unwilling, she was also a member of the Sun family, and even more so

However, Sun Qirui was definitely not satisfied with being an imperial merchant, and continued, "The prince has not yet said how to contract the canal trade rights."

"The imperial merchants already have the right to trade on the canal."

"The imperial merchants are the imperial merchants of the Great Zhou, and the canal is the canal of the Great Zhou."

"Except for the imperial merchants, the imperial court will issue laws to restrict the weight and types of goods."

"For non-royal merchant fleets, we will limit the types and weight of goods. This way, even if there are small-scale breeding fleets, they will not threaten the status and interests of the royal merchants."

"Of course cruise ships, which are ships that transport people, are not subject to the restrictions."

"In addition to this, there is a canal cleaning surcharge, which is used by the court to clean up the silt in the future."

"This is the general operation and benefits of the canal. I wonder if you are interested?"

The restrictions on the Grand Canal had little, if any, impact on their business.

But with the opening of the Grand Canal, costs were reduced and the imperial merchants also made profits.

You should know that the market price is not what you can sell it for, especially food will often be damaged because it cannot be sold in time.

If the Grand Canal was opened, they could produce more kinds of goods and make more money.

Both of them could imagine the profits and nodded quickly, fearing that Li Xiuzhu would not give them this benefit.

"Yes, Your Majesty, we are interested."

Zheng Jingren was more sensible and immediately said, "Your Majesty, I have a small gift for you. I will give it to you when you leave the ship."

Li Xiuzhu looked at Sun Qirui, and Sun Qirui immediately said, "Your Majesty, the Sun family also has a small profit, and we will also offer it to you when you leave the ship."

Li Xiuzhu played with the wine glass without commenting, and said, "I heard that Patriarch Sun recently accepted a new courtesan, who is extremely beautiful, sweet and pure?"

Sun Qirui was stunned for a moment, wondering which bastard leaked the news.

Thinking about his beloved concubine and the imperial merchant, he was actually conflicted for a moment.

At this time, Li Xiuzhu smiled.

"I don't have any other intentions, I'm just curious. Since Patriarch Sun treasures it so much, then forget it."

Sun Qirui breathed a sigh of relief. No matter whether Li Xiuzhu really meant it or not, after hearing this, he no longer had to send her off.

At worst, I can just give more money when the time comes.

"Come, let's have a couple of drinks to celebrate in advance the fact that Suzhou and Hangzhou have gained two new imperial merchants."

Immediately, the two of them became happier, and Sun Qirui also really relaxed.

Li Xiuzhu said this, in his opinion, he must have given up his concubine.

Well, women are not as important as money. What's more, Li Xiuzhu has never seen his concubine. He just heard from others that she is a stunning beauty.

For a while, cups were clinked and glasses were passed around, wine and meat were served, and someone would feed him as soon as he opened his mouth. Li Xiuzhu was experiencing treatment that even the emperor didn't have.

After having a good meal and a good drink, Li Canghai finally showed his true colors.

"Your Majesty, Canghai has always admired your poetic talent. Today I would like to ask you for a small favor."

As soon as the four heard it, they knew that Li Canghai was talking about poetry, and they all showed interested expressions.

Although the Sun and Zheng families were engaged in business, they were aristocratic families, so how could there be illiterate people? Poetry was one of their great hobbies.

"Oh, Canghai, tell me about it. I am curious too."

Li Canghai then said, "The other day, after waking up from a dream on a pleasure boat, I suddenly felt inspired looking at the green mountains and cypresses, so I decided to borrow two ounces of ink from the world to start writing."

"However, the inspiration faded after I put pen to paper, and I haven't been able to write anything for more than a month. Canghai dares to ask the prince to help Canghai fill in the blanks."

Of course, if the two family heads are interested, they can also try it.

And borrowing two ounces of ink from the world, this stroke is extremely beautiful, ethereal, and melodious, but precisely because of this, it is difficult to make up for it later.

For a moment, including Sun Youwei, the three of them thought for a long time but could not come up with a suitable one.

It was Sun Qirui who came up with an idea that was a little less neat and appropriate.

"I have thought of writing a poem, it's not very neat, just to throw out some ideas."

"Master Sun, please speak."

There is no wrong version in the 1619 book forum!

Sun Qirui then began to recite the poem he had thought of.

"Let me borrow two ounces of ink from the world, one for joy and one for sorrow. May you be happy every year, without worries until the end of time."

Well, it's just so-so. Although he was unhappy, Li Canghai didn't feel embarrassed. Instead, he looked at Li Xiuzhu and asked, "Does the prince have any good poems?"

“I do think of two or three.”

"Two or three poems?" Li Canghai was somewhat skeptical. With her talent, it would be difficult for her to write a poem that she was truly satisfied with.

But you only had a cup of tea and you actually recited two or three poems.

At this moment, Li Canghai felt a little disappointed, perhaps because he was not able to meet his inner expectations.

But it's just a little bit. I can't even do it for more than a month, so asking others to do it for a cup of tea is really a bit too much to ask.

"Your Highness, please. Canghai is all ears."

Li Xiuzhu didn't know what Li Canghai was thinking, and thought that the girl was really looking forward to it. Hearing this, he said, "Let me borrow two ounces of ink from the world to dye the mountains, dye the water, and dye the falling flowers."

"I wish to return three taels of wine to the mortal world, to dream of life, dream of death, dream of prosperity."

Hearing this, Li Canghai paused. The beautiful artistic conception immediately made her intoxicated.

The kind of drunkenness where the wine doesn't make you drunk, but you make yourself drunk.

"Please wait, Your Majesty."

At this moment, Li Canghai became anxious. He quickly ran to the back holding up his skirt and took out a pen and paper.

Li Xiuzhu: …

So this is what you were expecting, right? You were lying when you said you were all ears?

Woman, you are going too far.

As Li Canghai wrote quickly, the poem that Li Xiuzhu was reciting was finally finished.

"My Lord, what else?"

Li Xiuzhu said nothing and looked at Li Canghai meaningfully.

Suddenly, Li Canghai blushed, realizing that his lie had been exposed.

She opened her mouth with a red face, but didn't know how to explain.

But there was no way to hide, especially since she wanted to know other poems.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. Canghai thought that the two or three poems you came up with during your tea were definitely just good poems, but I didn't expect that they would be good poems that can be passed down through the ages."

"If you don't write down this kind of good poem, you will be the sinner."

As he spoke, Li Canghai had already walked to the side of Li Xiuzhu and said softly, "Please, Your Majesty, give Canghai some face, please."

"When I serve you in bed tonight, will Canghai obey you, Your Majesty?"

(End of this chapter)