Chu Fan was silent for a moment, as if thinking about something. Then he slowly said, "You have indeed shown extraordinary courage and boldness. However, what I ask of you is not just a verbal promise. I hope you can go back in person and convey my will to your father.
The price of refined salt in the country must be strictly controlled at one hundred coins per catty. As for areas outside of Wei, your father may trade and operate freely, and I will not interfere. However, your father may only retain 10% of the net profit from refined salt, and the rest must be turned over to the inner treasury.
Wen Xuexuan was shocked by these words. She understood that His Majesty's meaning was crystal clear, leaving no room for ambiguity. Her father must strictly follow His Majesty's instructions, otherwise the Wen family might face catastrophic disaster.
She knew that this time her father had taken on not just a simple task, but a test that concerned the fate of the family.
Wen Xuexuan bowed deeply with a respectful gesture and expressed her determination to His Majesty Chu Fan, saying that she would definitely convey His Majesty's will to her father in full and accurately.
His Majesty Chu Fan nodded slightly and indicated with a simple gesture that she could leave. Wen Xuexuan stood up, her heart filled with heaviness and worry.
She knew that if she followed His Majesty Chu Fan's instructions, the Ministry of Revenue would not receive a single cent of funding, which would have a huge impact on the entire department's operations. She was even more worried that her father would become the target of attacks by numerous officials and a target of public criticism. This would not only severely affect her father's career, but also the reputation and status of the entire family.
When Wen Xuexuan returned home and told her father Wen Zhengqing in detail about the task assigned by Chu Fan, Wen Zhengqing immediately decided to go to Cao Mengde's mansion overnight to seek his help.
Wen Zhengqing was well aware of Cao Mengde's wisdom and influence, and believed that he would be able to provide him with strong support. So he quickly sorted out his thoughts, put on his coat, and hurriedly set off for Cao's mansion.
Soon after, several servants left the Cao Mansion in different directions. As time passed, Changsun Dechong, Qian Dai, and others also learned of the news. They quickly made a decision and set off for Cao Mengde's home.
It wasn't long before Cao Mengde's residence was filled with some of the capital's most influential dignitaries. Inside, the lights were brightly lit, and the atmosphere was tense and serious. They gathered in the hall, discussing Chu Fan's plans and how best to carry out this mission.
Wen Zhengqing described in detail the method of making refined salt and the various arrangements Chu Fan had made for him in a concise and clear manner. Faced with Chu Fan's instructions, he felt confused and helpless for a moment, completely at a loss as to how to deal with these sudden changes.
Therefore, he specifically came to seek Cao Gong's help and guidance from the court officials. After all, he had only ever served as a censor and lacked business experience. He had originally thought he could rely on the Ministry of Revenue to assist him in fulfilling his mission for Emperor Chu Fan, but unexpectedly, Emperor Chu Fan had cut off this avenue, demanding that 90% of his net profits be turned over to the Imperial Treasury, retaining only 10%. Furthermore, Emperor Chu Fan explicitly instructed him not to hand over any profits to the Ministry of Revenue, leaving him with no further recourse.
When the Minister of Revenue learned that the Ministry of Revenue had no share in the profits from refined salt, his face turned ashen and he was burning with anger.
Qian Dai was filled with anger and confusion. He almost wanted to rush to the palace and confront Chu Fan to ask him what he meant. He couldn't help but ask himself: Was he, the Minister of Revenue, just a figurehead, a powerless mascot? All the lucrative business opportunities were completely denied to him, a feeling of utter injustice and frustration.
Changsun Dechong, however, appeared unusually calm. After a moment's contemplation, he said, "This matter is not entirely hopeless. Although Your Majesty has taken most of the profits from refined salt back into the Imperial Treasury, we still have a chance to share in the profits."
Wen Zhengqing frowned slightly upon hearing this and asked, "Brother Dechong, what are your thoughts?"
Chang Sun Dechong smiled slightly and said, "Since Your Majesty's method of making refined salt is so simple and the cost is so low, even if we sell it for a hundred copper coins, we will still make a huge profit.
Your Majesty seeks only the net profit from refined salt. However, the production and sale of refined salt still requires the involvement of many people, such as those responsible for transportation and distribution. Therefore, even if we cannot directly obtain the majority of the refined salt profits, by participating in the process we can still ensure a stable income.
After hearing this, Qian Dai's expression eased slightly and he nodded, "This is a brilliant plan. Censor Wen will be responsible for the production of refined salt, while we can focus on the distribution of refined salt. Even if the profit is limited, it can still ensure a stable income for the Ministry of Revenue."
Wen Zhengqing pondered for a moment before finally making up his mind and saying, "Okay, I'll follow Brother Dechong's plan. Tomorrow I'll go to the palace to meet His Majesty and present our terms."
Cao Mengde spoke up to stop them. Changsun Dechong and the others looked at him in confusion. Cao Mengde continued, "Since Your Majesty has already determined the major policy guidelines and has already devoted considerable energy to this matter, and Your Majesty has delegated authority to Wen Zhengqing, we only need to follow Your Majesty's instructions. Wen Zhengqing should be able to make all other decisions on his own. There is no need to consult Your Majesty again."
If we consult His Majesty on everything, then what is the need for you ministers in the court?"
After hearing this, Changsun Dechong and the others suddenly understood and nodded in agreement. They realized that Cao Mengde's suggestion not only avoided causing the emperor's displeasure, but also gave them greater room for development.
Wen Zhengqing and his men decided to follow Cao Mengde's advice. They began arranging the production and distribution of refined salt, demonstrating professionalism and efficiency in every step. The salt production would be handled by Changsun Dechong, who would arrange for the city guards and trusted individuals among the disaster victims.
The Ministry of Revenue was responsible for the transportation, sales, and accounting of the refined salt. Everyone was determined to do their best to complete this task.
When Chu Fan was about to sleep in the palace, he remembered that there was no money in the Wei treasury. Although Censor Wen's family had some money, it was all squandered by Censor Wen's son Wen Hejun who followed Qian Duoduo in doing business.
Chu Fan called Eunuch Li into the room and asked him to take out one million taels of silver from the inner treasury and give it to Censor Wen Zhengqing as start-up capital for the refined salt business.
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