"It may have a miraculous effect in the short term. It can assist farming, alleviate the phenomenon of usury among the people, enrich the national treasury, and curb land annexation."
Xuanyuan Mo nodded. This was exactly the starting point of the person who put forward the opinion.
"But the rich don't need to borrow money. Officials might force them to pay for credit during implementation," Hua Ling said. "And the common people are ignorant and don't consider the consequences. If they can't pay back, they will wander around. The rich who don't flee will have to bear the debts of many families. In the long run, the poor will flee and the rich will become poorer. This enriches the country but harms the people. The treasury is full, but the people are poorer."
Xuanyuan Mo was silent. "Your analysis makes sense. Are there any drawbacks?"
Hua Ling nodded: "The 20% profit margin may not be 20% at the local level. If it is profitable, it will lead to multiple levels of exploitation, which is likely to give local officials more ways to make money, just like the imperial court's tax collection.
Furthermore, the Changping Granary and Huimin Granary were used for price adjustment and relief. They bought grain in good years and sold grain in bad years to avoid excessively low or high grain prices. It was also beneficial to resist natural disasters and relieve people's suffering. If all the money and grain were used as capital for lending, the granary would lose its relief function.
In good years, it's fine, but in bad years... the people don't get relief, and they have to pay back the money, which can easily sow the seeds of trouble and lead to rebellion."
Xuanyuan Mo looked at her deeply, "If I want to enrich the national treasury, do you have a way?"
There was a way, and she had some information in her mind, but Hua Ling was reluctant to talk about it. She joked, "Maybe we can confiscate the property and get rich."
Xuanyuan Mo thought about it and said, "It's not impossible."
Hua Ling was stunned, not knowing who the unlucky guy was whose house was confiscated.
"You've helped me solve a problem that's been bothering me for days." Xuanyuan Mo no longer planned to implement this policy. "And then there's the matter of punctuation and memorials. I can't stand reading memorials for even a day."
Hua Ling couldn't help laughing. The emperor was also a powerful man. She would go crazy several times if she were in his place.
The emperor took the memorial and said, "I'll be back soon."
However, in the evening, Xuanyuan Mo did not come, but just sent someone to pass on a message.
"Your Majesty is very busy with state affairs and cannot dine with Concubine Ning. I have specially sent a dish of steamed hilsa to you. Please enjoy it slowly, Concubine Ning."
Hua Ling yawned lazily. Busy political affairs were secondary. He was probably discussing with someone how to change her memory.
In the imperial study, Xuanyuan Mo looked at the old man who was escorted here by the secret guards.
"Did you replace Concubine Ning's memory?"
The old man was frightened, thinking that the emperor was going to stand up for Concubine Ning, and he knelt on the ground in panic.
"Your Majesty, please spare me, Your Majesty, please spare me. I can awaken Concubine Ning's memory. Please spare me, Your Majesty!"
"No." Xuanyuan Mo said: "I'm not asking you to restore her memory, but to change her memory again."
"This..." The old man's brainstorm suddenly hit him. It was said outside the palace that Concubine Ning was favored. Was the emperor sure he was not testing him?
The old man was panicked, scared, and trembling.
"You don't want to?" Xuanyuan Mo's eyes were filled with murderous intent: "Come here, drag him out and kill him."
"I'm willing! I have a way, I really do." The old man trembled, "But the spell can only be used twice in a lifetime. Concubine Ning only has one chance. The second time she casts the spell, all her previous memories will be erased. Your Majesty, are you sure you want to cast the spell?"
Xuanyuan Mo was silent for a long time, and the images of Hua Ling's dependence on him, the clothes she made for him, and her beautiful appearance emerged in his mind.
Then he thought of her unique insights into political affairs. Wouldn't it be a bit unethical to burn the bridge after receiving her advice?
"Your Majesty..." After a long time without getting an answer, the old man called out
Xuanyuan Mo calmed his thoughts. Love is selfish, and the person he loved was Wen Qinning.
He said majestically, "Wait in the palace, prepare your things, and be ready for my call at any time."
The old man knelt on the ground and said, "Yes."
The lights in the imperial study were on all night.
In Ninghuan Palace, Fang Yunheng committed a crime again against the wind.
"Be good,...be a little bit."
Hua Ling pretended to be frightened, tears condensed like crystal flowers, and she shook her head desperately: "Let me go, please let me go."
Fang Yunheng was wearing a mask, and instead of letting her go, he became even more excited.
"Empress Ning, you don't want the Emperor to know, do you?"
Crystal tears flowed down her pink cheeks. Hua Ling's shoulders trembled and she let out a suppressed sob, "I'll be good. Don't let His Majesty know."
Fang Yunheng curled his lips, it turned out that threats were effective.
Hanabishi's beautiful eyes flashed with sarcasm.
Look, this is what a man is like. He likes a woman, but it doesn’t prevent him from having sex with another woman.
Another night without rest.
The next day, Chunyu and Xiazhu still pretended to know nothing, and Hualing did not expose them.
Someone died in the palace again, this time it was Wen Xin, the granddaughter of Grand Tutor Wen.
Hua Ling didn't even bat an eyelid when she heard this and was about to leave. What happened in the harem had nothing to do with her.
She sent the Queen Mother a bunch of incense and scar-removing ointments.
After living a new life, she discovered that the Queen Mother was not a purely bad person, and was actually quite easy to appease.
The Queen Mother looked at the pile of things on the table and asked curiously, "Concubine Ning, why did you send so many things to me at once?"
Hua Ling smiled softly, "I had a bad dream. I'm afraid I won't be able to see the Empress Dowager again."
"You mischievous girl." The Queen Mother thought she was joking and didn't take it to heart. "I really like your fragrance. It really helps me sleep and calm my mind. The scar cream is also good. In just a few days, the scar on my wrist has visibly faded. It's more effective than the medicine prescribed by the imperial physician."
To be honest, she quite likes Concubine Ning. She is more likable than Xu Qingrou. Xu Qingrou is too goal-oriented. She never comes to Ci'an Palace unless necessary, and she doesn't care about her health.
Here we need to talk about the Queen Mother's background.
Before entering the palace, the Queen Mother was just an unfavored concubine of the Xu family. She worked hard step by step to reach her future position. However, because she suffered too much in her youth, her health is not good now and she is sick from head to toe.
Her greatest hope was to have a grandson in her lifetime, and she wanted the emperor to cast a wide net to catch more fish. As a result, she didn't catch any fish and was almost dying of anxiety.
Xu Qingrou is a member of the Xu family. The Queen Mother used to want to help her, but now she has given up.
Who can resist a girl who is both pretty and nice to talk to?
"Don't stand there anymore. Come sit next to me."
The newly appointed female official tactfully moved the stool over, and Hua Ling sat down next to the Queen Mother, listening to her talk about Xuanyuan Mo's interesting past.
"Don't look at him as steady now, he used to be tough, and nothing you say will work..."
The two chatted for an hour, and the empress dowager felt tired, so Hua Ling left tactfully. The empress dowager asked the female official to take some treasures from the storeroom for her to take away.
At night, Xuanyuan Mo came to Ninghuan Palace. He was extremely enthusiastic and intense. Hua Ling's mind was blank and she couldn't think of anything.
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