In the private room next to Xie Yu's, sat two men of extraordinary bearing.
The older ones were around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with calm faces and piercing eyes, while the younger ones were around thirty years old, with a touch of heroism between their brows.
The two men were dressed simply, yet their air of nobility was undeniable. Behind them stood two guards wielding sharp swords, their eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
The young man lowered his voice and said, "Fourth Brother, this membership system is a good idea. We can learn from it."
The man known as "Fourth Brother" nodded slightly, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes: "Indeed ingenious. It can both recoup funds in advance and win over customers. Go back and discuss it with the people in the Ministry of Revenue to see if it can be used for government-run textile manufacturing."
The two men next door were speaking quite loudly. The two who overheard them were none other than Emperor Yongzheng and his thirteenth son, Yinxiang, who were traveling incognito.
Unlike actual history, this Yongzheng reign was altered by a rebirth.
In his previous life, Emperor Yongzheng (Yinzhen) endured the bloody struggle for the throne among the nine princes, only ascending the throne at the age of forty-five. In this life, relying on his memories and methods from his previous life, he laid out his plans early and defeated his brothers at the age of thirty-five, successfully inheriting the throne. Seeing his son's exceptional talent, Emperor Kangxi simply abdicated to enjoy his remaining years, handing the empire over to Yongzheng.
However, upon ascending the throne, Yongzheng faced an empire riddled with problems.
Upon ascending the throne, Emperor Yongzheng's first decree was to reduce taxes. The previous dynasty had been engaged in continuous warfare, and coupled with official corruption, the people had been burdened with heavy taxes.
He ordered the exemption of taxes and levies in the disaster-stricken areas and strictly investigated the exorbitant taxes levied by local officials.
For a time, praise from the people was endless, and everyone said that the new emperor was benevolent and kind.
But behind the benevolent rule lies an empty national treasury.
Emperor Yongzheng sat in the teahouse, looking out the window at the bustling street in the distance, his brows furrowed slightly: "Thirteenth brother, look at this prosperous world, yet the national treasury is stretched thin."
Floods in Jiangnan, military pay in the Northwest, and river repairs—all these require money.
Yinxiang nodded and said in a low voice, "Fourth Brother, since you ascended the throne, you have dismissed many redundant officials and implemented the 'return of fire tax to the public,' but the corrupt practices have been entrenched for a long time and are difficult to eradicate in a short time."
Emperor Yongzheng sighed softly.
He knew all too well that the mess left by the previous dynasty could not be solved overnight.
Corruption among officials was rampant, the tax system was chaotic, and the people suffered immensely. To address this, he established the "anti-corruption allowance" system, attempting to incentivize honesty through high salaries, while simultaneously dispatching imperial envoys to inspect and severely punish corrupt officials. Even so, some still took the risk.
Outside the teahouse, the streets were bustling with people, and the shouts of vendors rose and fell.
Yongzheng's gaze fell on an old farmer carrying a load on a shoulder pole. Seeing that the farmer was dressed in rags and walked with difficulty, his heart sank.
“Thirteenth Brother, look at that old farmer,” Yongzheng said in a low voice. “Spring plowing has just ended, but he is already skin and bones. It must be because the taxes are too heavy and there is no surplus grain at home.”
If even a county town right under the emperor's nose is struggling like this, what about other places?
Yinxiang followed his gaze, his expression grave: "Fourth Brother, agriculture is the foundation of the nation. If farmers cannot survive, how can the country continue?"
After a moment of contemplation, Emperor Yongzheng said, "I have already ordered the reduction of taxes, but many local officials are outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant. It seems that I must send another batch of imperial envoys to investigate this matter thoroughly."
Yinxiang nodded and said, "In fact, if we can revitalize commerce, it may alleviate the people's suffering."
Just like this membership system, if it could be extended to government-run textile factories, it would not only increase national treasury revenue but also stimulate private textile production.
A hint of approval flashed in Yongzheng's eyes: "You're right. Agriculture is the foundation, commerce is secondary, but even secondary industries can enrich the people."
The previous dynasty's emphasis on agriculture and suppression of commerce led to the decline of the private economy.
I intend to relax commercial taxes and encourage the exchange of goods between different regions.
Despite Emperor Yongzheng's diligent efforts, the empire still faced numerous difficulties.
The Dzungar Khanate in the northwest is eyeing us covetously, and military expenditures are enormous; the Yellow River has been flooding for years, and river control projects have cost countless sums.
The bureaucratic systems in various regions are bloated, making reforms extremely difficult.
What worries him even more is that there are still remnants of the previous dynasty secretly active among the people, spreading rumors and attempting to shake the foundation of the new dynasty.
"Fourth Brother, don't worry too much." Yinxiang saw his fatigue and comforted him, "The new policies you have implemented have begun to show results. The people are grateful to you. In time, the country will surely be peaceful and prosperous."
Yongzheng smiled slightly, his gaze firm: "Since I have taken this throne, I have never thought of an easy life. No matter how difficult it is, I will give the people of the world a peaceful and prosperous era."
Outside the teahouse, the setting sun cast its last rays upon the rows of rooftops in the capital, as if gilding this ancient city with a layer of gold.
Yongzheng stood up, straightened his robes, and said, "Let's go and take a look around."
Yinxiang nodded, and the two quietly left the teahouse, blending into the crowds of the street.
Lin Yun was unaware that the membership system she had launched on a whim had already stirred up quite a stir in the hearts of many people.
She is busy planning the next step of her business expansion—not only to increase the number of embroiderers and tailors, but also to open a branch in a neighboring county.
More than a dozen embroiderers worked day and night to make clothes, but orders still came in like snowflakes.
Standing in the backyard of the shop, Lin Yun looked at the tables piled high with fabric and the busy embroiderers, pondering in her heart that the success of the membership system far exceeded her expectations. It not only allowed the shop's funds to be quickly recovered, but also made "Lin's Garments" famous.
However, as the business grew, the existing courtyard and manpower became insufficient.
"I need to rent a bigger courtyard as soon as possible," she murmured to herself, "and hire a few more managers to expand the workshop." With that thought, she picked up a pen and wrote down her plans on a piece of paper.
Lin Feng rushed in excitedly from outside the door: "Yun'er, I just found out that there's a three-courtyard house for rent in the west of the city, and the price is reasonable. Do you want to go take a look?"
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