Chapter 313 Resistance

During this period, Li Chengqian personally organized a caravan and prepared to do something big to improve the economic level of the Tang Dynasty.

He also set up a separate Industry and Commerce Department in the Ministry of Revenue to manage various taxes on business.

All business management was transferred to the Industry and Commerce Department, and other government offices were not allowed to participate.

At the same time, in order to encourage more people to go into business, Li Chengqian also improved the social status of businessmen.

The consequence of doing so naturally caused dissatisfaction and opposition from many ministers in the court, so the ministers submitted petitions to ask the emperor to revoke his order.

Even a group of ministers such as Chang Sun Wuji and Chu Suiliang felt that the emperor's willful behavior was indeed inappropriate.

As an emperor, Li Chengqian did not take national affairs as his own responsibility, but had time to mess around with business issues, and even had the wild idea of ​​improving the status of humble merchants.

Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang went to meet the emperor together, hoping that the emperor would revoke his order, and it was not too late to stop the crisis!

"Everyone! Taiwei Changsun Wuji and Zhongshu Ling Chu Suiliang asked for an audience!" the eunuch reported.

Li Chengqian naturally understood the purpose of their visit, and he also knew that if he wanted to smoothly implement the new economy and improve the status of merchants, there would definitely be obstacles.

Especially if you want to improve the status of merchants, the obstacles you encounter are the greatest. On the contrary, there will not be many people in the court who stand up to oppose the empire's implementation of the economy, but they will definitely jump out to oppose improving the status of merchants.

Everyone likes money, lots of money, these are good things to support his luxurious life.

However, the upper class people despise the merchants who earn money for these lovely things.

The merchants of the nobles are basically their slaves. If they raise the status of these slaves, they will lose the right to control the slaves at will.

Slaves are the property in the hands of the nobles, and they can deal with them as they want. Now the emperor wants to deprive them of the right to use the property with just one word. How can the nobles agree?

"Let them in." Li Chengqian said.

The implementation of the new law was blocked, so Li Chengqian naturally needed to win over more people to his side. Zhangsun Wuji had the best qualifications and was the most suitable person to win over. "Summon the Grand Marshal Changsun Wuji and the Minister of the Central Secretariat Chu Suiliang to see the emperor!"

Wang Quan stepped forward and shouted. " Summon the Grand Marshal Changsun Wuji and the Minister of the Central Secretariat Chu Suiliang to see the emperor!" The emperor's words were passed down one by one. Hearing the emperor's voice of summoning them to see the emperor, Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang immediately put on their clothes and went to see the emperor. "The old minister, the Grand Marshal Changsun Wuji (the old minister, the Minister of the Central Secretariat Chu Suiliang) sees your majesty!" Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang paid homage to Li Chengqian. "No need to bow! Give me a seat!" Li Chengqian said. "Thank you, your majesty! I have something to report to your majesty in person." After the two thanked him, Changsun Wuji said. "I know the purpose of the Grand Marshal and the Minister of the Central Secretariat. Are you also here to oppose me?" Li Chengqian said. "That's right. This old minister and the general came here for this matter. Since ancient times, there have been four classes of people: scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans. Now, Your Majesty wants to raise the status of merchants to the same level as farmers." "It is really against etiquette. How can Your Majesty let such a humble merchant have the same status as the second-class farmers? This is simply against the will of heaven. If this continues, there will definitely be chaos in the world. This old minister begs Your Majesty to withdraw your order." Chu Suiliang said. Among the four classes of scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, except for the scholars who have always been at the top, the status of the other three classes is still as humble as dust compared to the scholars. In the eyes of these scholars, they are all the lowest existences. Among these low-class existences, merchants have the lowest status, and sometimes they are even worse than the slaves of the nobles. As for merchants who can finally reach a high position of power, there are only a handful of such people, and they are very few. Therefore, Chu Suiliang had such a big reaction, because the Tang Dynasty was an empire that emphasized agriculture and suppressed commerce, and the status of farmers was greatly improved. Now the status of merchants is to be raised to the same level as farmers. Not only these scholars cannot agree, but farmers will also have some ideas in their hearts. "I have thought about your concerns, but I am not thinking about the future of the Tang Dynasty and all the people in the Tang Dynasty." Li Chengqian said. "Your Majesty, why do you say that!" Changsun Wuji did not believe Li Chengqian's nonsense at all. "Don't think that everything is peaceful in the Tang Dynasty now. The other barbarians around the Tang Dynasty have always coveted the wealth of our Tang Dynasty." "In the near future, the Tang Dynasty will have to march to Goguryeo. As long as Goguryeo is not destroyed, it will always be a thorn in the throat." "And Tibet, don't think that they are friendly with the Tang Dynasty now. I have received a secret report that the development of Tibet has entered a deadlock. If you want to break this deadlock, you must expand outward." "Although our Tang Dynasty is at its peak, it can't withstand attacks from both sides. Now we can only develop the economy and make the empire richer, so that we have enough wealth to support the forging of weapons and armor." Li Chengqian said. "Your Majesty, I understand what you said, but what does it have to do with your Majesty's raising the status of merchants this time?" Changsun Wuji said. What Li Chengqian said could not impress Changsun Wuji and the others at all. Merchants have always been profit-seeking guys. As long as the profit is tempting enough, they can sell everything, and even take risks to do something stupid. As long as the profit is enough, it doesn't matter to them if they are infamous for thousands of years. They only focus on all the benefits in front of them. Merchants are a group of people with the least moral integrity. As long as the profit is tempting enough, they can even sell themselves, let alone things like the country. For this group, it is not a problem. Li Chengqian knew that it was impossible to convince these two people with just these few words. Fortunately, he had anticipated this situation and had prepared countless times in his mind how to convince Zhangsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang. "Listen to me and I will tell you in detail." Li Chengqian spoke eloquently, telling Zhangsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang about his plan and a series of problems. He tried his best to convince them. As long as he could convince these two people, the policy of promoting business would be less resistant. "This is why I want to do this." After half an hour, Li Chengqian finally stopped his speech. During this time, Zhangsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang did not interrupt, allowing the emperor to perform to his heart's content. "I understand what your majesty has said. Although this may not be impossible, I am still a little worried." Changsun Wuji said. They had been persuaded by Li Chengqian, but they still had a little worry in their hearts.

"Nothing is immutable. We can give it a try first. If it doesn't work, it's not too late to stop." Li Chengqian said.

The emperor had said so, so they had no choice but to stand on his side and support him.