Before going to the Ministry of Revenue, Gu Yu first went to Prince Ning's Mansion to meet Gu Jiu.
"The market is very popular. The Ministry of Revenue hopes to expand the market to attract more merchants."
"The Ministry of Revenue just wants to collect more taxes."
Gu Jiu flipped through the account book expressionlessly.
Gu Yu added, "The Zhu family rented ten shops in the market, and it made a lot of noise."
Gu Jiu didn't even raise her head. "Don't worry about the Zhu family. Over on the cement road, the Zhu family is trustworthy, and this lady won't make things difficult for them."
Gu Yu was a little worried. "The Zhu family is about to recover. Is it really okay?"
Gu Jiu laughed and looked up at Gu Yu, "I've always been in favor of healthy competition. In this market, a monopoly is definitely not a good thing.
The concentration of wealth in the hands of a few means that most people have no money. Without money, there can be no consumption. Without consumption, how can the market be popular?
Do you really think that a market city can prosper for years relying on just four trading companies?
When we eat meat, we also need to let others have a share of the soup. Only when everyone benefits can the market become more and more prosperous, and only then will ordinary people have money in their hands and be willing to spend it on buying houses, furniture, and various other necessities.
As long as the Zhu family doesn't resort to underhanded tactics, I'll definitely tolerate them. Furthermore, I think there are too few "Zhu families" in the capital. The capital is so vast, just one Zhu family wouldn't be enough.
I hope that in a few years, there will be more powerful businessmen like the Zhu family in the capital, and we can work together to make the whole thing bigger and stronger, attracting people from all over the world to flock here.
Have you ever imagined that scene? How many years has the Western Trade Route been cut off? If one day, we can restore the Western Trade Route, and groups of Western merchants come to the capital to do business, what kind of scene will that be?
Gu Yuxin yearned for it, "Madam's wish will surely come true one day."
Gu Jiu shook his head. "It's not easy. We have Xiliang in the middle, who only know how to plunder caravans and don't understand sustainable development. The golden trade route to the Western Regions was ruined by Xiliang."
Gu Yu pondered for a moment and said, "Back when I was in the northwest, I heard some elders say that the Western Liang people have also learned their lesson. They block the trade routes while exchanging fine goods from our Great Zhou and selling them to the Western Regions at high prices. They buy and sell, and then they reap the benefits."
Gu Jiu felt angry when he heard this.
"It's a pity that the imperial treasury is empty and we can't afford to go to war. Otherwise, we would have defeated Xiliang and forced it to open trade routes and allow merchants from the Western Regions to come to the capital to do business."
After saying this, Gu Jiu sighed again. The nation's power was limited, and some things were beyond our control. We could only wait and see.
Gu Yu asked, "I'm going to the Ministry of Revenue later. They're asking about expanding the market. What should I say to them?"
"Tell them that the Xinmin County government is short of money. If the Ministry of Revenue is willing to provide some support, we might consider it."
"What if the Ministry of Revenue is unwilling to pay?"
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "I can pay for the expansion of the market, provided that the Ministry of Revenue gives me tax incentives for at least two years."
Gu Yu shook his head, "I don't think the Ministry of Revenue will agree."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "That's easy. Ask the Ministry of Revenue to pay for the expansion of the market. It's not possible to just sit back and enjoy the fruits of others' labor."
After receiving the instructions, Gu Yu went to the Ministry of Revenue and argued with the people there.
The government office is inefficient and no results can be reached in a short time.
Gu Jiu was not in a hurry.
The one who should be anxious is the Ministry of Revenue.
The Ministry of Revenue searched everywhere for tax sources, but after searching for a long time, they finally set their sights on Gu Jiu.
Since Gu Jiu is a major taxpayer, he always brings surprises to the Ministry of Revenue.
Gu Jiu was in a bitter summer and was too lazy to take care of the Ministry of Revenue.
Only Gu Yu was allowed to come forward and negotiate with the Ministry of Revenue.
There is always a lot to do in summer.
Look, there is a clamor for a beauty pageant in the court.
In order to curry favor with Emperor Wende, some officials petitioned him to hold a selection of concubines. Their justification was that Emperor Wende had been on the throne for nearly two years and no new concubines had been added to the harem, which was a dereliction of duty on the part of the officials.
As a subject, I naturally think what Your Majesty thinks.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s go to the draft.
The selection of candidates means power. The Ministry of Rites was the first to agree, and the Ministry of the Imperial Household had no objection.
The Ministry of Revenue was the first to jump out and oppose it.
The draft means spending money, and the Ministry of Revenue has no money.
If you want to have a talent show and ask the Ministry of Revenue to pay for it, there is no way, let alone a window.
Unless the Shaofu took on all the expenses, the Ministry of Revenue reluctantly agreed to this matter.
The Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was extremely disdainful of him, calling him shameless and utterly shameless. For the sake of money, he had thrown away the dignity of a minister.
Mr. Zhao, the Minister of Revenue, was a man of integrity, but poverty had made him shameless.
He is shameless and proud.
The Shaofu Household Commander said, "I have never seen such a shameless person."
Emperor Wende was originally fond of beautiful women, but he had previously shown great restraint for the sake of state affairs.
Today, a court official proposed a beauty contest, and Emperor Wende was immediately attracted.
But he did not agree immediately, saying that the treasury was empty and he could not spend the treasury's money for his own selfish desires.
This statement was repeatedly praised by court officials.
"Your Majesty is wholeheartedly devoted to the people and truly worthy of being a wise ruler. I am truly fortunate to have met Your Majesty in my lifetime."
For a moment, all kinds of praises fell into Emperor Wende's ears as if they were free of charge.
This really satisfied Emperor Wende's vanity.
Of course, there is never a shortage of smart people among the court officials.
The more Emperor Wende refused, the more the court officials insisted on holding a beauty pageant.
How could such a wise ruler not hold a beauty contest?
To choose.
Not only do we have to elect, we have to have a general election.
Finally, under the strong request of his court officials, Emperor Wende "reluctantly" agreed to the selection.
He also emphasized that the selection would not cost the national treasury a penny, and all expenses would be borne by the Ministry of Personnel.
The court officials once again praised Emperor Wende as a wise ruler.
Emperor Wende was obsessed with the image of a wise ruler, and his vanity increased even more.
The talent show was confirmed, and the capital began to be in chaos again.
Some people try desperately to avoid the imperial selection. Don't worry about who's who, as long as he's a man, marry him. It's better than going through the imperial selection.
Some people are overjoyed.
The girl in the family is virtuous and should be sent to the palace for selection to gain wealth and honor.
On one hand, they were busy arranging marriages, and on the other hand, they were busy using their connections to send their daughters to the palace for selection.
The capital city is extremely bustling in midsummer.
Before the names of the other concubines were known, a commotion broke out in the palace.
Zhou Miao came to Gu Jiu's house and personally brought him some fresh gossip.
"This matter has not been spread out yet. It is only because our family is worried about Madam that we rushed to tell her."
Gu Jiu laughed and handed over a thousand taels of silver.
Zhou Miao was quick-eyed and quick-handed, and in a flash, one thousand taels of silver notes went into his pocket.
He took a sip of tea and lowered his voice to say, "Empress Dowager Xiao wanted to send a daughter of the Xiao family to the palace for selection. She told Empress Pei about it, and the Empress Dowager secretly cursed at people."
"How could you know that the Queen was cursing people secretly?" Gu Jiu looked at him with a smile.
Zhou Miao was anxious. "Madam, please don't disbelieve me. My family has a lot of connections now. I have spies in Weiyang Palace as well. I won't hide it from you, Madam. Empress Pei is very unhappy and thinks Empress Dowager Xiao is stirring up strife in the harem."
Gu Jiu clicked his tongue twice and asked, "What do you mean?"
Zhou Miao chuckled, "Madam, why do you have to ask when you already know the answer? The Xiao family has produced a queen mother, and now they have the wife of the fourth prince. Even with this, you are still not satisfied and want to send women to the palace. How can Empress Pei be happy with this? Empress Pei didn't get angry on the spot, all because of her self-cultivation."
What Zhou Miao said was interesting.
Gu Jiu didn't believe that Empress Pei would dare to turn against Empress Dowager Xiao. She didn't have the courage or the confidence.
If Empress Pei was accused of being unfilial, she would be in great trouble.
After all, throughout the dynasties, we have only seen deposed queens, but never deposed empress dowagers.
Among the women in the harem, the empress dowager's position is the most stable.
No matter who becomes the emperor, the empress dowager is still your empress dowager.
Gu Jiu asked him, "Why would Empress Dowager Xiao think of sending a daughter of the Xiao family to the imperial palace for selection? Did someone whisper something in the Empress Dowager's ear?"
"Madam is very wise. It was the Xiao family who whispered in Empress Dowager Xiao's ears."
Gu Jiu picked up the teacup and gently stirred the tea leaves with the lid. "The Xiao family is truly greedy and wants to swallow an elephant. Aren't they afraid that it will backfire and cause His Majesty's displeasure?"
"Empress Dowager Xiao agreed to the Xiao family's proposal. Even if Your Majesty is dissatisfied, you must give Empress Dowager Xiao a favor. There will definitely be a place for a daughter of the Xiao family in this selection."
Gu Jiu nodded, this was true.
As long as Empress Dowager Xiao insists, no matter what the result of the selection is, the daughter of the Xiao family will definitely have a place.
She asked curiously, "Which girl is the Xiao family going to send to the palace for selection?"
Zhou Miao smiled mischievously, "Madam also knows this person. She's the seventh daughter of the Xiao family, the younger sister of the Fourth Prince's wife."
puff!
Gu Jiu took a mouthful of tea and spat it out.
"Are you sure?"
Zhou Miao nodded, "That's what our family heard."
Gu Jiu bared his teeth and got goosebumps.
If Xiao Qin'er's younger sister enters the palace for selection, she will definitely be chosen.
This, this, this...
The royal family's generational structure is indeed quite confusing.
No wonder those sophisticated families all despise the royal family. They say the royal family is the most unruly place in the world.
Gu Jiu held her forehead and said, "This lady needs to be quiet."
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