Chu Fan stared at the memorial from Wen Zhengqing that Wen Xue had brought. When he read the plan proposed by Wen Zhengqing to unite the Mu and Changsun families, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy in his heart.
After all, historically, collusion between civil officials and military commanders often led to the weakening of imperial power, or even its virtual destruction. Chu Fan wondered if this was a perfect opportunity to force them onto the path of rebellion.
He was brimming with confidence. After all, he possessed five thousand years of Blue Planet history. How could governing a nation be difficult for him? Wasn't it easier to be the ruler who destroyed a nation? After all, throughout history, the fall of many dynasties was spearheaded by officials or nobles who originally belonged to that dynasty.
When Chu Fan saw Wen Zhengqing preparing to hand over all his wealth to the Ministry of Revenue, he felt a surge of resentment. He wondered, "If you had handed all that money over to the Ministry, wouldn't the treasury have become more abundant? With enough money in the treasury, wouldn't the court be able to smoothly pay salaries to officials at all levels and ensure adequate pay for the troops?"
Wouldn't that make the generals even more loyal, swearing allegiance to the court until death? Chu Fan pondered in his heart, knowing that his carefully planned plan to sow discord and create civil unrest would face great difficulties and might even be completely ruined.
Therefore, Chu Fan knew that he had to come up with a clever countermeasure as soon as possible to ensure that Wen Zhengqing's plan could not go smoothly, thus leaving hope for himself to complete the mission and return to Blue Star.
When Chu Fan read the memorial in which Wen Zhengqing proposed selling refined salt at the exorbitant price of one tael of silver per jin, his fury was ignited. He knew full well that Wei's current economic situation was dire, especially outside Kaifeng, where hundreds of thousands of disaster victims were living in dire straits. How could these victims, struggling to even afford basic necessities, possibly afford such expensive refined salt?
Chu Fan began to wonder whether the refined salt business should be handed over to the Imperial Censor, Wen Zhengqing. After all, the Imperial Censor's duty was to speak for the people, advocate for them, and protect their interests. However, Wen Zhengqing's actions completely deviated from this principle. He seemed only concerned with how to squeeze more wealth from these impoverished people. This behavior was undoubtedly outrageous.
Chu Fanshi decided to make Wen Zhengqing understand that his greed and unjust behavior would never be tolerated.
Chu Fan suddenly summoned Wen Xuexuan and asked her to come to him.
Wen Xuexuan's heart tightened when she saw Chu Fan's face turn pale. She immediately realized that the memorial her father had submitted might have angered the Emperor.
Wen Xuexuan immediately knelt respectfully before Chu Fan, her heart filled with uneasiness. Chu Fan's eyes revealed a chilling coldness, as if he could see through the deepest secrets of people's hearts.
"Wen Xuexuan, do you know why I summoned you here?" Chu Fan's voice was low and powerful, and every word was like a heavy hammer hitting Wen Xuexuan's heart.
Mu Xi and the other women, who had been playing nearby, were shocked by Chu Fan's harsh words for the first time. Chu Fan had always been known for his gentle demeanor, and few things could make him so angry. They stopped playing and stood quietly by, not daring to make a sound.
They were so clever that they had already noticed that His Majesty Chu Fan had only glanced at the memorial Wen Xuexuan had brought. Now, they knew that something in the memorial must have touched His Majesty's ire.
They looked at each other, their eyes full of tacit understanding, and they both clearly realized in their hearts that they could not and absolutely must not interfere in this matter.
Wen Xuexuan took a deep breath, doing her best to maintain her inner composure. Although she already had a clear answer in her mind, she still replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, I truly do not know about this matter, but I am willing to listen to your teachings with an open mind."
Chu Fan's lips curled up into a cold smile, his eyes flashing with a cold light, as sharp as a knife. He stared at the other person with a sharp gaze, and his tone was full of sarcasm:
"I have carefully read the memorial submitted by your father. He actually proposed setting the price of salt at one ounce of silver per catty, clearly aiming to enrich the national treasury. However, he seems completely oblivious to the hardships and sufferings of the common people. What I want to know now is whether you hold the same view as your father? Do you also believe that the lives of the people can be disregarded for the sake of national revenue?"
Chu Fan didn't harbor any of those so-called selfless, selfless thoughts. He was just an ordinary man, determined to complete his mission and return to Blue Star to live the life of an ordinary farmer. Chu Fan simply put himself in the shoes of ordinary people. He thought to himself, if he really returned to Blue Star and someone dared to sell him salt for a pound of silver, he couldn't imagine what kind of life he would lead. It would surely be full of unhappiness and hardship.
Wen Xuexuan suddenly felt nervous, knowing full well that what she was about to say would have a profound impact on the family's future. She took a deep breath, slowly raised her head, and looked directly into Chu Fan's eyes with a firm and fearless gaze.
She spoke slowly, "Your Majesty, I must be frank. I understand that my father made some inappropriate decisions when setting the price. However, Your Majesty, are you aware of the price of refined salt in the Gan Kingdom market? Refined salt in Gan Kingdom sells for as much as ten taels of silver per jin (approximately 10 ...
After Wen Xuexuan finished speaking, she knelt deeply on the ground, showing her respect for Chu Fan and her concern for the fate of her family.
After hearing Wen Xuexuan's words, Chu Fan's anger gradually subsided. He actually had some understanding of the Ministry of Revenue's situation. He knew that if he truly wanted to be a competent emperor and consolidate his rule, then Wen Zhengqing's approach was undoubtedly the best choice. After all, only when the Ministry of Revenue had sufficient funds could the loyalty of officials and the military be ensured, thus maintaining the stability of the entire country.
Deep down, however, Chu Fan harbored different thoughts and desires. He longed to return to Blue Star and live the carefree, leisurely life of a salted fish farmer. He longed for a simple, peaceful life, unfettered by the constraints of power and responsibility.
For him, if the Ministry of Revenue had money, it would probably affect his own plans, so he must not let the Ministry of Revenue get involved.
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