Chapter 90090 Yuan's disappearance
However, it is said that Governor Qiao drafted an urgent memorial and sent it by horse at full speed. It finally arrived in Xiajing in 20 days.
On this day, Emperor Qingyuan took a break from his busy schedule and fed the magpie that was perched on his wrist with a handful of bird food.
The urgent memorial went through a series of strict checks and was finally presented to the emperor.
The eunuch knelt on his knees, his voice shrill but gentle: "Your Majesty, the prefect of Pingyang Prefecture has sent an urgent report."
The smile on Emperor Qingyuan's face faltered. He vaguely remembered that when Daming Prefecture suffered a locust plague last year, it was Pingyang Prefecture that took in sixty to seventy percent of the refugees.
Since it is an urgent report, it must be a matter of urgency.
"Bring it here for me to see."
Fu Rui brought an urgent memorial and presented it to Emperor Qingyuan with both hands.
Emperor Qingyuan stroked the magpie's feathers, which were shiny and felt very good. He couldn't help but touch them twice more.
"Chiu~"
The magpie tilted its head and chirped.
In consideration of the yellow biped feeding it snacks, the bird reluctantly allowed him to touch it a few more times.
But only twice!
When Emperor Qingyuan wanted to touch it for the third time, the magpie flapped its wings and he touched nothing.
Emperor Qingyuan watched the shadow fly out of the imperial study, put down his bird feed, and tapped the imperial desk. "This little fellow is getting bolder and bolder. He even dares to show disdain to me."
Fu Rui couldn't help laughing: "The bird master dared to do this because he knew that Your Majesty doted on it."
Emperor Qingyuan snorted and laughed. He just said it casually. How could he bother with a bird?
The palace maid brought clean water, and Emperor Qingyuan washed his hands and wiped them dry with a towel before opening the urgent music.
When he saw clearly what was written in the urgent report, the smile on his round and elegant face faded, and his eyes became dark and intimidating.
"These two are really giving me a lot of worry."
Fu Rui and the palace maids serving in the hall all lowered their heads and held their breath.
"Come here, announce the Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion, Shi Zishan!"
The eunuch left immediately.
Emperor Qingyuan put down his urgent report, took a sip of cold tea, and suddenly asked, "Do you still remember what happened before you entered the palace?"
Fu Rui realized that His Majesty was asking him a question and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I entered the palace when I was seven years old and I can already remember everything."
There was a famine in my hometown that year. My parents couldn't afford to raise six children, so they sold four of them, leaving only the eldest and youngest sons.
Fu Rui was the third brother and entered the palace with his second brother.
The eldest and second sisters were sold to brothels.
In the fifth year of entering the palace, my second brother was beaten to death.
Fu Rui was lucky. He followed the right master and became the chief steward of the emperor.
After he came to power, he sent people to look for his family, but unfortunately they were all gone.
Fury was sad for a while, then he put them out of his mind.
People always have to look forward.
As Fu Rui was reminiscing about the past, Emperor Qingyuan asked again, "Is human trafficking a serious problem in your hometown?"
Human trafficking?
Fu Rui immediately understood that the urgent report from the Pingyang prefect was related to human trafficking.
He thought for a moment and nodded, "I vaguely remember one year during the Lantern Festival, my parents and I were setting up a stall to sell lanterns. Suddenly, soldiers showed up, saying that the county magistrate's young daughter had been abducted. The whole festival was in chaos."
The lantern festival ended early and the lanterns were not sold. After that, the whole family ate wild vegetables for a month.
They even dared to kidnap the county magistrate's daughter, let alone the children of ordinary people.
It's really unscrupulous and arrogant!
Emperor Qingyuan read the urgent memorial again from beginning to end, then burst out laughing and pointed at a name on it. "Tell me about this Lord Du. Why is it that every time there's an urgent memorial from the local authorities, it's always linked to her?"
Du Aiqing?
Fu Rui pricked up his ears and took a bold look at the urgent music, and the three words "Du Qingtang" came into his sight.
Fury: "..."
His Majesty really spoke his true feelings.
If it was Runing Prefecture, it would be fine, after all, Lord Du had worked there. How could it be related to the kidnapping case in Pingyang Prefecture?
Fu Rui was secretly complaining, but he smiled brightly: "It can be seen that Lord Du cares about the suffering of the people. He is a rare good official."
Emperor Qingyuan remained silent. If it weren't for Lord Du, how would the Pingyang Prefecture prefect know that Xinyang County officials condoned the people to make a living by trafficking women, and he, the emperor, would have no idea either.
While Shi Zishan was still not here, Emperor Qingyuan picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and began to review the memorials.
Just after he finished reviewing two books, the eunuch came in and reported: "Your Majesty, Aunt Chunyang from the Cining Palace requests an audience."
Emperor Qingyuan paused with his red brush and said, "Announce."
Aunt Chunyang entered, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother is unwell. She summoned the imperial physician this morning. Now she has a splitting headache and would like to see you."
Emperor Qingyuan said nothing, just put down the red brush, stood up and strode forward.
Fury hurried to follow.
Aunt Chunyang wiped the sweat from her temples with her sleeves and jogged after them.
Emperor Qingyuan rode on a dragon sedan chair all the way to the Cining Palace, got off the sedan chair and went straight to the inner hall.
The Queen Mother leaned on the soft pillow with a pale face, her eyes closed, her brows furrowed and she muttered to herself.
"Heng'er."
"Heng'er."
Emperor Qingyuan suddenly slowed down his pace, and something in his eyes sank.
He walked to the bed and called softly, "Mother."
The Queen Mother slowly opened her eyes and looked at Emperor Qingyuan with cloudy eyes: "Heng'er?"
Emperor Qingyuan pursed his lips and said, "Mother, it is you, my son."
The Queen Mother blinked and stared at Emperor Qingyuan for a long moment, as if waking from a dream: "So it's Your Majesty."
Emperor Qingyuan stood by the bed, his voice gentle and concerned, "I heard from Aunt Chunyang that you summoned the imperial physician this morning, so I came here specially to take a look."
The Queen Mother coughed twice and said, "It has been a long time since I last saw Your Majesty."
Emperor Qingyuan readily replied, "It is my son's fault. I have been busy with government affairs lately and have no time to come and pay my respects."
The Queen Mother rubbed her temples, her hoarse voice revealing a hint of longing: "Your Majesty, I just dreamed of your sixth brother."
Emperor Qingyuan's gaze rested on the Empress Dowager's face.
"Your sixth brother knelt before me, crying, saying he missed me terribly." The Queen Mother sighed deeply. "Time flies! It's been two years since your sixth brother last returned to the capital."
Emperor Qingyuan looked at the empress dowager's pale face without a trace of blood, and remained silent.
The Queen Mother wiped away the tears from her eyes and said, "Your Majesty, could you please allow Heng'er to return to the capital so I can see him?"
Emperor Qingyuan said in a deep voice: "Mother, the country has its own laws, and the family has its own rules. The prince of Daxia is not allowed to return to the capital at will..."
The Queen Mother interrupted him, her voice sharp: "Mother and son are separated and cannot see each other. What's the point of this, Prince?"
She grabbed Emperor Qingyuan's hand and pleaded with sobs, "Your Majesty, as long as you agree to my previous proposal and make Heng'er the Crown Prince, he will no longer be a prince of Daxia, but the crown prince of Daxia."
The Queen Mother's eyes sparkled as she smiled and said, "This way, he can stay in Xiajing, and I can see him every day."
Emperor Qingyuan didn't know what his expression was now.
I believe that as always, I will carve a smile on the corners of my mouth and in my eyes, and always show a smile to others.
"I suddenly remembered that there are many urgent matters to be dealt with in the Imperial Study." As if he could not see the anger rising in the Empress Dowager's eyes, Emperor Qingyuan turned his wrist and placed her hand back into the quilt. "Mother, please rest assured and recuperate. Don't worry too much. I am sure that my sixth brother would not want you to suffer any harm because of him."
"His Majesty......"
The empress dowager waved away the quilt and tried to grab Emperor Qingyuan's sleeve.
Emperor Qingyuan took a half step back, and the Empress Dowager missed.
"I will take my leave now and will come to see you tomorrow."
Emperor Qingyuan bowed respectfully and turned to leave.
"His Majesty!"
"His Majesty!"
The Empress Dowager called out to him anxiously from behind, but Emperor Qingyuan did not look back. Instead, he walked faster and faster.
"His Majesty!"
"Xia Ming!"
Seeing that Emperor Qingyuan was determined to leave, the Empress Dowager was so furious that she even called him by his name.
The palace maids in the Cining Palace held their breath and stood waiting, not daring to make the slightest sound.
"Xia Ming! Come back here!"
Fu Rui's eyelids were twitching wildly, sweat was pouring down his face, and his face was even paler than the sick empress dowager.
Fu Rui wiped his cold sweat, the Queen Mother is really...
If it weren't for His Majesty, how could she become the most noble woman in the world? Even the Queen had to respect her and pay her respects to her every day.
Since she has such an honor, she should be content and be comfortable as her queen mother.
But she refused!
He was obsessed with the Prince of Jin who was far away in his fiefdom, and also had his eyes on the position of crown prince of the Eastern Palace. He hinted to His Majesty every few days to ask His Majesty to appoint the Prince of Jin as the Crown Prince.
Your Majesty is not without a son, so why would you appoint a brother who has contradicted you many times as the crown prince?
Emperor Qingyuan walked as fast as the wind and walked out of the Cining Palace in the blink of an eye.
Fury ran to catch up, his breath unsteady: "Your Majesty..."
Emperor Qingyuan did not respond and stepped onto the dragon sedan chair.
The corner of the bright yellow robe dragged past, drawing a sharp arc.
Fu Rui swallowed his saliva, glared at Aunt Chunyang at the gate of the Cining Palace, and shouted, "Your Majesty, please get up!"
When he returned to the imperial study, Shi Zishan had been waiting for a long time.
"Your humble servant pays respect to Your Majesty."
Seeing his loyal minister, Emperor Qingyuan's expression softened slightly: "My dear Minister Shi, please excuse me."
Shi Zishan stood up: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Emperor Qingyuan stated bluntly, "I have just received an urgent report from the prefect of Pingyang Prefecture. I have learned that the problem of human trafficking is very serious. The trafficking gangs have been rampant for a long time, harming countless women and children."
"I hereby order you to take full responsibility for this matter. Work with local officials to crack down on the trafficking ring. Regardless of whether they are the main culprit or an accomplice, they will all be severely punished and shown no mercy!"
Shi Zishan bowed and said in a voice as loud as a bell: "Your humble servant will obey the Holy Order."
-
Du Qingtang stayed in Qingyuan County for two days and set off again on the third day, heading for Xiajing.
After reaching Zhending County, they took the water route, then changed to the land route in Shuntian Prefecture and continued heading north.
Along the way, wherever we went, the local government organized the people to be vaccinated against smallpox.
Except for a very small number of people who were very stubborn and refused to be vaccinated, the vast majority of people actively responded to the government's call and all their families, young and old, signed up for vaccination.
All the maids, servants and guards around Du Qingtang had been vaccinated against smallpox, and her sisters had also been vaccinated before she returned.
I believe that in time, all people in the world will be free from the suffering of smallpox, and no one will die from smallpox anymore.
In addition to vaccination, various prefectures in northern Zhili launched anti-trafficking operations one after another.
When Du Qingtang got off the shore at Shuntian Prefecture, he happened to see the government dealing with a beggar.
Nearly a hundred beggars lay prone on the chopping block. The executioner pressed down the guillotine hard, and these people were cut in half at the waist. The screams and the cheers of the people were intertwined, reaching the sky and lingering for a long time.
The supervising official sat high on the platform and announced in a resounding voice, "The person just executed was only involved in trafficking. Tomorrow there will be another group of people who abducted and then brutally killed people. According to Daxia law, they will all be executed by being torn apart by chariots."
"Everyone, see clearly, this is the end of human trafficking!"
"Please take this as a warning, otherwise you will be sentenced to death and your descendants will be affected!"
The people watching the execution were silent as a cicada, shaking their heads like rattles and saying they dared not.
Du Qingtang also sent Du Yi to inquire about the whereabouts of the rescued women and children.
They temporarily stayed in the local post station and provided the specific address of their hometown to the government, which then contacted their families.
Some of them were too young to remember anything and were sent directly to the local charity hall.
The charity was opened by the imperial court and had sufficient funds to support these children until they were fifteen years old.
After the age of fifteen, they can stay in the charity to work, or leave and make a living on their own.
In addition to children, women who cannot contact their families can also work in the charity hall.
In Du Qingtang's opinion, this is the most appropriate arrangement.
Regardless of whether they are accepted by their families or not, they can have a shelter and not be homeless and wandering around.
......
Twenty-five days later, Du Qingtang and his party arrived in Xiajing.
The soldiers guarding the city conducted a routine check and, after learning of Du Qingtang's identity, politely let him go.
It was evening, and the city of Xiajing was bustling and prosperous under the rosy glow of the sunset.
The carriage drove through the west of the city to the south and stopped in front of Du's house.
Du Qingtang stepped onto a small stool and got off the carriage. Just as he stood still, a surprised voice called out from the entrance of the alley: "Qingtang!"
Following the voice, I saw Fu Ci wearing a dark green official robe.
In addition to Fu Ci, there was also Yao Jingzhou wearing an official robe of the same color.
Both of them had smiles on their faces and walked towards Du Qingtang with big strides.
Fu Ci walked faster and faster, and when he was right in front of him, he started jogging. He opened his arms, wanting to give a hug to his long-lost friend, but a finger pressed against his forehead.
"Huh?"
Fu Ci didn't expect to be rejected by Du Qingtang. He opened his eyes wide, his eyes full of surprise and confusion.
Du Qingtang said unhappily, "You've been traveling all day, stay away from me."
Fu Ci glanced at Du Qingtang's clothes. His round-necked cyan robe was wrinkled, and he looked very tired. He raised his hands and stepped back, humming, "We haven't seen each other for over a year. I don't dislike you."
Yao Jingzhou walked forward and happened to hear her complaint. He suppressed a smile and bowed: "Uncle Master."
Du Qingtang nodded slightly and adjusted his sleeves: "You guys go back first, let me tidy up first, and then I'll go over."
"Okay." Fu Ci moved aside to avoid the porter who was carrying the luggage. "It's a good time for me to change my clothes. I went to the Ministry of Rites this afternoon and worked up a sweat."
Yao Jingzhou said gently, "I'll ask Uncle Yao to prepare a few more dishes. You must get drunk tonight."
Du Qingtang readily agreed, watched Fu Ci and Yao Jingzhou walk away, then walked in, washed and changed his clothes.
Fu Ci had just taken office in early September. Her family was poor and she could only rent a house in Xiajing. Even after renting a house, she had to live frugally.
As Fu Ci's master, Wen Boqing knew that his disciple was short of money and wanted to sponsor him a little, but Fu Ci refused it sternly.
Wen Boqing taught her and gave her all he knew. Fu Ci was so grateful that she didn't have the nerve to ask him for money.
After Yao Xuan learned about this, he suggested that Fu Ci continue to live in the Yao residence.
Fu Ci once stayed at Yao's house during the metropolitan and palace examinations. Yao Jingzhou had a very pleasant conversation with him and had a very good impression of this friend of his uncle's, so he naturally would not refuse.
This time Fu Ci agreed, but still insisted on paying rent on a monthly basis. He now lives in the three-courtyard house where Du Qingtang once lived.
Fu Ci changed back into his regular clothes as quickly as possible and straightened his clothes. As soon as he walked into the second courtyard, he saw Yao Bo leading Du Qingtang towards him.
"Qingtang!"
Du Qingtang responded and went to meet Fu Ci.
The two met at the foot of the hanging flower gate. Fu Ci was about to speak when Du Qingtang suddenly stepped forward and hugged her gently: "Make up for it."
Fu Ci was enveloped by a familiar aura. After a brief moment of stunned silence, he hugged Du Qingtang back with a smile on his face.
Yao Bo glanced sideways and saw his young master smiling, so he smiled too.
The three of them moved to the dining room, where Uncle Yao had already ordered people to prepare a sumptuous meal.
After sitting down, Du Qingtang mentioned Yao Xuan: "Master is doing well, and he even picked a courtesy name for me in advance."
Only after hearing his uncle say that his grandfather was well did Yao Jingzhou feel relieved. Otherwise, through letters, his grandfather would most likely only report good news and not bad news.
"Qingtang, you'll be coming of age next year, and you're far away in Xiajing. There are reasons for this. There's no need to stick to the rules and choose your courtesy name on the day you come of age." Fu Ci poured the wine, casting a curious glance at his friend, "So, what's your courtesy name?"
Du Qingtang said: "Present the jade."
Yao Jingzhou thought: "Don't be a jade giver for the third time, be careful of gold for the fourth time."
Du Qingtang nodded: "Master means the same thing."
Fu Ci smiled dimples and clapped his hands, saying, "That's great!"
She pointed at herself: "Zizhan."
Then he pointed to Yao Jingzhou: "Wen Jing."
Finally, he pointed at Du Qingtang and said, "Present the jade."
"How about we address each other by our courtesy names from now on?"
Du Qingtang and Yao Jingzhou readily agreed to use courtesy names to represent closeness.
Fu Ci pushed his glass to the two of them and raised his glass first: "Cheers to our reunion after a long separation!"
The three of them raised their glasses to each other and drank the wine in one gulp.
That night, the three of them drank and chatted happily, and did not leave until midnight.
......
The next day, Fu Ci and Yao Jingzhou went to the Hanlin Academy to report for duty, while Du Qingtang went to the Ministry of Personnel to receive the appointment documents.
The clerk who was in charge of distributing the documents was still the same one from last year, but he seemed to have forgotten Du Qingtang and said in a businesslike manner, "Sir, please state your name, age, and place of origin so that I can check and verify it."
Du Qingtang did as he was told and reported the relevant information.
The clerk was stunned for a moment, then looked at Du Qingtang intently for a few seconds, his eyes widening for a moment: "It turns out to be Master Du! Master Du, please wait a moment, I will go get your documents!"
Du Qingtang bowed: "Thank you very much."
The clerk said he dared not, and went to the bookshelf at the back to look for the appointment document. He quickly returned and presented it with both hands: "Du Qingtang, the third-rank left assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue."
Du Qingtang took it and verified it on the spot to make sure that her name and the corresponding official position were written in black and white. She thanked him again and left the Ministry of Personnel.
I have received the appointment documents and can take office tomorrow.
The clerk watched Du Qingtang go away until her figure disappeared from his sight, then he held the teacup and made a tut-tut sound.
He once thought that this handsome and elegant top scholar would never come back and would have to sit in the sixth-rank official position until his death.
Who would have thought that within a year, he would come back with an unstoppable force, while Shangshu Wu and Editor Zhang were killed and demoted respectively.
"Such a talent is destined to soar into the sky."
......
Du Qingtang was walking on the palace road.
The September sun still had some residual summer warmth, making my cheeks slightly hot and my eyes narrowed. I had to raise my hands to shield them from the glare.
At this hour, officials from various departments were busy, and apart from the palace servants, only a few people were walking on the palace road.
As they approached the palace gate, a man came towards them.
He was eight feet tall, with an elegant and handsome face. He always smiled at everyone he met. Anyone who saw him could not help but sigh, "What a graceful gentleman."
Du Qingtang glanced at him and then looked away, brushed past him, walked through the palace gate and left the palace.
The man walked a distance away and looked back.
At the end of the long and quiet palace road, on the other side of the palace gate, a thin figure boarded a carriage and drove away.
Qi Heming recalled Du Qingtang's cold look when they passed by each other, and a hint of gloom flashed in his eyes.
He went to the Ministry of Rites, finished the tasks assigned by the Second Prince, left the palace on foot, and took a carriage back home.
After entering the mansion and passing through the garden, I heard the clear laughter of children in the distance.
That year, Mu Tingyu almost wiped out the entire Qi family. The huge Changguo Mansion was silent for a long time, and only in the past two years did it gradually add new members.
Qi Heming didn't even look at his half-brother who was playing with his wet nurse. After returning to his residence, he called his confidant and said, "Go to Qingyuan County, Baoding Prefecture..."
The confidant took the order and left.
Qi Heming sat quietly in the study, like a silent statue.
The sunlight came in through the window, and the light and shadow swayed, making his face flicker, dark and strange.
"cough--"
Qi Heming put his fist to his lips and coughed forcefully a few times.
In the past few years, Qi Heming suffered several serious injuries in succession, and was unable to recover for various reasons, causing his health to deteriorate. In early autumn, his hands and feet were cold and he coughed constantly.
Qi Heming drank the tea in the cup, bent over and took out a painting from the secret compartment.
The painting shows a woman with a face painted in bold colors, but her expression reveals aloofness and arrogance, as if nothing can catch her eyes.
Qi Heming gently stroked the eyebrows of the woman in the painting. He always thought that as long as he was patient enough and humble enough, Du Qingtang would forgive him and return to him one day.
Until the guards fished his mother's body out of the moat.
It was not until he learned from Xue Yishu that Du Qingtang was responsible for his mother's death.
After vomiting blood and fainting and then waking up, Qi Heming suddenly realized that it had been his wishful thinking from the beginning and Du Qingtang had never thought of returning to him.
What Du Qingtang wanted was not only the lives of Xue and Xue Yishu, but also the life of Qi Heming.
He was immersed in the fantasy of his previous life before his death, thinking that he had missed Du Qingtang for half his life and that Du Qingtang also had feelings for him.
The relationship between Qi Heming and Du Qingtang is destined to be an unsolvable deadlock.
Even if he spent his entire life, he would never be able to wait for Du Qingtang to change his mind.
Qi Heming regretted it.
He shouldn't have sacrificed himself just to win Du Qingtang's sympathy and forgiveness.
From the very beginning, he should have trapped Du Qingtang in a small courtyard just like he did in his previous life.
Du Qingtang couldn't go anywhere, she could only look at him and belong to him.
Unfortunately, it's too late.
No.
There is still time for everything.
Even if he dies, he wants to die with Du Qingtang.
They slept in different beds in life, but studied together after death, which could be considered as the fulfillment of his obsession in two lives.
“Almost.”
Qi Heming gently stroked the face of the woman in the painting and whispered softly.
"Atang, you will definitely like the surprise I prepared for you."
......
Du Qingtang returned to the Du residence and went straight to the study, spread out the rice paper, and ground the ink slowly and steadily.
Thinking back to the gaze that clung to my back when I left the palace, it was like a maggot on my tarsal bone, and I still feel the chill and coldness.
Du Qingtang knew Qi Heming too well.
When Qi Heming learned that Xue's death was caused by her, he must have regretted it.
It's not that he regretted having been entangled with her in his previous life, but that he regretted choosing the wrong approach after his rebirth. He shouldn't have taken it step by step, but should have clipped her wings and trapped her in a corner, just like in his previous life.
At this point, there is no turning back.
With Qi Heming's dark and twisted nature, if he can't get it, he will destroy it.
How do you destroy a person?
Of course, her biggest secret is revealed to the public.
Du Qingtang put down the ink stick and picked up the brush to dip it in ink.
She just needs to ensure that when that day really comes, she has enough chips in her hand.
So much so that all the civil and military officials in the court hated her but could not get rid of her, and had to admit with a pinch of their noses that Daha could not do without her.
-
On September 21, Du Qingtang officially took office.
Minister Qi was originally the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and Vice Minister Zhao was a fifth-rank doctor. They were able to be promoted because the former Minister of Revenue Wu Guangwu committed suicide out of fear of punishment, and the Right Vice Minister was dismissed and investigated for corruption and bribery.
To trace the origin, it is thanks to the double-entry bookkeeping method proposed by Du Qingtang.
Otherwise, Grand Secretary Shi would not have been able to find out the problems in the accounts so easily, and the two giants of the Ministry of Revenue would not have been killed or exiled.
The two adults were grateful, so they treated Du Qingtang with great courtesy. Minister Qi even took the initiative to suggest that Minister Zhao take Du Qingtang to familiarize himself with the environment.
Minister Zhao informed Du Qingtang of all the matters and regulations of the Ministry of Revenue, and later introduced him to his colleagues in the Ministry of Revenue.
This was Du Qingtang's first time working in one of the six ministries, but it was not her first time in officialdom. With her experience from her previous life, it only took her two days to get along well in the Ministry of Revenue.
On the third day, Minister Qi handed over the important task of managing the payment of money and grain to Du Qingtang.
From that day on, Du Qingtang began to get busy.
He went out early and came back late every day, dealing with mountains of documents and accounts. Sometimes he could not finish them at the Ministry of Revenue and had to take them home to deal with them.
If we talk about the difference after being promoted to the third-rank minister, it is that in addition to having more power, he is also qualified to attend court.
Emperor Qingyuan had eight princes, six of whom had already entered the court to participate in politics.
As long as the crown prince is not appointed, the struggle for the throne will never stop.
In the Golden Palace, various forces were undercurrents, but these had nothing to do with Du Qingtang.
The most urgent task at the moment is to gain a foothold in the Ministry of Revenue, earn merit, and ensure that one can escape unscathed.
That afternoon, Du Qingtang took the calculated accounts to Minister Qi for review.
In the duty room, Minister Qi was sighing at the official documents. Seeing Du Qingtang coming, his expression restrained slightly and he took the account book to check it.
After a while, Minister Qi said, "No problem. You can just deposit it directly into the national treasury."
Du Qingtang responded respectfully, turned around and took two steps, then turned back again: "I dare to ask what is bothering you, sir?"
Minister Qi was stunned for a moment. He saw Du Qingtang raised his hand and gently touched his brow. He touched his own brow and found two wrinkles between his eyebrows. He couldn't help but smile bitterly: "That's how it is. Lord Du is really meticulous."
Du Qingtang just smiled and said nothing.
Minister Qi hesitated for a moment, then spoke frankly, "It's because there are so many places that need money. Every department and agency is crying poor every other day, and border commanders and local officials are also submitting petitions asking for money. If I give this, I have to give that. Unfortunately, the national treasury is not very full. It really gives me a headache."
Du Qingzhu's eyes flickered as he bowed and said, "Sir, I have a humble opinion."
Minister Qi was inspired when he thought of the ability of the Left Vice Minister in front of him: "Master Du, why don't you tell me quickly!"
"Your Excellency has also said that there are too many places where silver is needed, and it is used on the cutting edge everywhere. It is unavoidable, so the only way is to increase the treasury revenue."
"The national treasury has only a few main sources of revenue, and they generally don't arrive until the end of the year, so it's inevitable that it's stretched."
At this point, Du Qingtang changed the subject: "But what if the national treasury can have a stable income every month?"
Minister Qi sat up straight and said, "Master Du, please elaborate and explain in detail."
Du Qingtang bowed and replied, "Does your Excellency know where the official store is?"
Minister Qi nodded.
The so-called official shops were shops run by the imperial court in order to increase treasury revenue.
Minister Qi said, "As far as I know, there are dozens of government-run shops in the capital, but none of them are doing well."
Du Qingtang knew this, of course. She had investigated it beforehand. "I think we can convert one of the government-owned shops into a women's club."
Minister Qi was confused: "Club?"
Du Qingtang said: "The so-called club is a store that sells rouge, powder, facial care, body care and other items in one."
"As the saying goes, women dress up to please themselves. Whether it's for themselves or for someone they care about, women are willing to spend a lot of time and money to dress up carefully."
"Opening a club like this that caters exclusively to women will surely attract many female customers and bring in a fortune."
Du Qingtang never underestimates women's purchasing power and consumption ability, especially in Xiajing where powerful people are everywhere. As long as the service is in place and the gimmicks are enough, there is no need to worry about those wealthy ladies being unwilling to spend money on maintenance and dressing themselves up.
Minister Qi hesitated a bit: "This is the first time I've heard of this women's club. What if it opens and I lose all my money..."
Du Qingtang didn't blame him for making such an assumption. Most people in high positions acted cautiously to avoid giving others something to talk about.
"I have a recipe for making rouge and powder that's better than what's on the market now."
"For now, we'll just make a small amount of rouge and powder. If it sells well, we'll consider opening a women's club. What do you think, sir?"
Minister Qi pondered for a long time, without saying anything good or bad, and simply said, "Let me consider it."
Du Qingtang bowed and said, "I'll take my leave."
For the next two days, Minister Qi did not give her a response.
Du Qingtang was not in a hurry. He finished his official business step by step and left the Ministry of Revenue as the gong sounded for the end of his shift.
Back at the Du residence, Du Yi came forward to report: "Sir, news has come from Qingyuan County that someone bribed the two Hu brothers with a large sum of money and took your mother away."
Du Qingtang smiled slightly, the show was about to begin.
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