Although the personal relationship between the two played a certain role in Huang Changzong's desire to save Cao Bang, it actually did not play a big role.
After all, we are all businessmen. Friendship is often useful, but more often than not, it has little effect. In the face of profit, such friendships seem fragile and ridiculous.
Moreover, in this situation, if the Cao family were to do something, Huang Changzong would most likely be implicated. It would be impossible for Huang Changzong to do so simply based on personal connections.
Huang Changzong wanted to help the Cao family, not only out of personal friendship, but more from the perspective of interests.
Huang Changzong, who had been in charge of the Imperial Household Department for the past few years, had a deep understanding of domestic commerce. He also knew the emperor's plan: after dealing with the salt trade, he would definitely deal with the maritime trade. This was not surprising.
The Imperial Household Department was already preparing for maritime trade, and the Tianjin Shipyard had also begun operations. Under these circumstances, Huang Changzong needed someone familiar with maritime trade to go deeper.
Although the Ministry of Internal Affairs had made a lot of preparations, some things were not just preparations. In addition to selling salt, the Cao family also had a hand in maritime trade.
If no one helps, the Imperial Household Department will likely be in trouble in the future. After all, when it comes to overseas trade, it is not the Imperial Household Department or the Huizhou merchants who have the upper hand, but the Zhejiang merchants.
In recent years, the Ming Dynasty has been short of food. If the emperor had not promoted new crops, there might have been a famine by now.
In addition to weather and insufficient grain production, the main reason is crop change. In areas that were once rich in grain production, such as Zhejiang, rice has been replaced by mulberry.
To put it simply, this is very simple. It is to change the fields originally used to grow rice into mulberry trees, raise silkworms through the mulberry trees, and let the silkworms spin silk, which is then used to make silk cloth.
For wealthy families, how can growing crops be as profitable as raising silkworms?
The development of various large-scale workshops in Jiangnan was also due to this reason. It has almost become an industrial chain, and the ultimate sales channel is not domestic. The Ming Dynasty simply cannot digest so much silk, and most of it is sold overseas.
Ever since the opening of the seas during the reign of Emperor Longqing, Ming Dynasty maritime trade had been in a state of chaos. While the imperial court had a Maritime Customs Office, it was often ineffective. The Maritime Customs Office was even more chaotic than other government offices, with everyone involved in smuggling, even those activities being done openly.
In addition to these, there are also tea and porcelain. All coastal provinces do this, and the Cao family is also involved in this business.
Of course, the Cao family had no say in silk, but they still had a certain say in porcelain, so Huang Changzong wanted to bribe Cao Bang.
If Cao Bang entered the Imperial Household Department, he would definitely have great development in the future. However, he would have to give up some of his current things, such as the profits he made from salt, and even more.
With Cao Bang's current financial situation, the emperor would definitely not allow him to enter the Imperial Household Department, so he had to hand over his family property as well.
This is a bold decision that not everyone can give up.
But in Huang Changzong's view, these things were just burdens. Since they had been targeted by the emperor, there was nothing to say. The best thing to do was to take them out obediently, otherwise the consequences would be even worse.
It's just that the emperor can't say this directly, or even hint at it. You can only offer it voluntarily, and you have to find a suitable reason.
What Huang Changzong said to Cao Bang today was just a hint about this matter, to see if Cao Bang could react.
If Cao Bang could react in time, there would still be hope; otherwise there would be no hope.
After hearing Huang Changzong's words, Cao Bang's face also showed a solemn expression.
After taking a deep look at Huang Changzong, Cao Bang did not rush to speak, but fell into deep thought.
Cao Bang didn't know whether Huang Changzong represented himself, the Imperial Household Department, or the emperor at this time?
You know, the meaning is different. If it's just a personal relationship, then this matter can be ignored; but if it's on behalf of the Imperial Household Department, you need to think carefully about it; if it's on behalf of the emperor, there's no need to think about it.
However, Cao Bang did not dare to ask Huang Changzong, as he knew Huang Changzong would not tell him. He could only figure this out on his own and see if he dared to take the gamble.
Huang Changzong looked at Cao Bang, feeling a little anxious.
You know, the Imperial Household Department has reached a bottleneck. It's not a bottleneck in development, but a bottleneck in talent.
Over the past eight years, the Imperial Household Department has been developing, but some areas are not so easy to reach, and it is difficult to handle without familiar people. Huang Changzong has been eyeing Cao Bang for a long time. If it were not for this incident, Huang Chongzong would have started to find a way to bring Cao Bang in.
Now there is no time to wait, it is obvious that the emperor no longer wants to tolerate people like Cao Bang. There is no other way but to change.
In the next door.
Zhu Youxiao leaned back in his chair, reached out to pick up the tea and took a sip with an expressionless face.
Next to Zhu Youxiao stood several eunuchs, and the expressions on their faces were not very good.
What Cao Bang had just said was enough to make them think that this person had ill intentions. However, the emperor had not yet expressed his opinion, so they could not say anything.
If they were allowed, they would have wanted to drag Cao Bang over and kill him. You dare to say anything, is this what you should say?
Wei Changsheng also stood aside, secretly worried about Huang Changzong.
If Cao Bang chose to refuse at this time, then there would be no room for reversal. Even Huang Changzong himself would be implicated, and His Majesty would definitely be dissatisfied with him.
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