Dark line floating
The "donations from overseas merchants" incident was like a stone dropped into the turbulent court, sending ripples lingering for a long time. Xiao Jingche seized this opportunity to not only bolster the morale of the border troops but also to advance several policies that had been stalled due to a lack of funds, further boosting his prestige. However, Lu Qinglan knew that beneath the surface of calm lay an increasingly turbulent undercurrent.
That day, she was reviewing the secret reports from Lingfeng Pavilion regarding grain prices across the country when Fu Yu quietly entered, accompanied by a woman dressed as an ordinary wealthy merchant's wife. The visitor removed her veil, revealing a shrewd and capable face. It was Chen Xing. She was now one of the leaders of Lingfeng Pavilion, but secretly still directly responsible to Lu Qinglan.
"Greetings, Your Majesty." Chen Xing bowed and lowered her voice. "News has come from Jiangnan: the three major weaving bureaus are strongly opposed to the court's newly enacted 'unified procurement and price verification' policy. They are secretly colluding and appear to be planning a market closure. Furthermore, our people have discovered that a nephew of Mr. Yang has been in frequent contact with the Jiangning Weaving Supervisor recently."
Lu Qinglan's eyes narrowed. The three major weaving bureaus were crucial to the silk supply to the imperial court and certain officials, and constituted a significant portion of Jiangnan's tax revenue. A joint strike by them would not only impact imperial revenue but also provoke civil unrest, directly undermining Xiao Jingche's reforms. The involvement of Yang Ting's clan further confirmed the influence of the old court forces behind this.
"Strike?" Lu Qinglan sneered, "They've got a pretty good plan. Do you know what they're relying on?"
"According to investigation, behind the three major weaving bureaus are the shadows of several large silk merchants in Suzhou and Hangzhou. These silk merchants have close ties with... some old people in the grain transport industry and control some of the sources of raw silk and transportation channels." Chen Xing replied.
The grain transport! Lu Qinglan immediately grasped the key. Xiao Jingche's reform of the grain transport system had affected the interests of too many people. These people had colluded with local tyrants and former officials in the court, forming a huge resistance network. The weaving bureau's strike was just one part of this network's counterattack.
"It seems someone wants to show His Majesty a bit of power." Lu Qinglan pondered for a moment and asked, "How many raw silk channels do we have control over now?"
Chen Xing was clearly prepared and replied immediately, "Thanks to the Shen Chong caravan's operations over the years, we've opened up several new sources of raw silk in Sichuan, Shu, and Huguang. While the quantity isn't as high as in Jiangnan, the quality is superior, and transportation isn't constrained by the old canal system. If we centralize and distribute them, we can meet urgent needs. However... it will take some time to completely replace the supply from Jiangnan."
"It doesn't have to be a complete replacement." A sharp glint flashed in Lu Qinglan's eyes. "We just need to let them know that the court doesn't absolutely need them. Chen Xing, immediately arrange to release a portion of this batch of raw silk we have to the capital and several major cities in the north at a price slightly below the market price. At the same time, have Shen Chong expedite the transfer of goods from Sichuan and Shu."
She wanted to show those weaving bureaus and silk merchants who were trying to threaten the imperial court with a market strike that their monopoly was not unbreakable. As long as the profits were sufficient, new channels would naturally emerge.
"I understand." Chen Xing nodded, then added, "There's one more thing... Master Zhao has found out that Steward Hu from Prince An's Mansion seems to have hidden some account books and correspondence in a secret compound west of the city. These may be related to the financial transactions between Western Region spices and Yongquan Temple. However, the compound is heavily guarded and has traps, so Master Zhao's men haven't been able to get to them yet."
Manager Hu! Western spices! Yongquan Temple! This hidden connection, nearly obscured by the turmoil of the previous dynasty, has surfaced again. Although Prince An has fallen, the secrets of this connection are clearly not yet fully revealed.
"Tell Zhao Tieshou to get the stuff, but be sure to keep our people safe. We can try to find a way to attack from the outside, find out the details of the mansion and the guard rotation patterns, and then wait for an opportunity to strike," Lu Qinglan said in a deep voice. This clue was related to the cause of her death in her previous life, and she couldn't give up.
"yes."
After seeing Chen Xing off, Lu Qinglan sat alone in the palace, her heart troubled. The old ministers of the former dynasty were hindering her, the concubines in the harem were watching, and the remnants of Prince An were still being dealt with in the shadows... This thick fog, like a vast net, enveloped her and Xiao Jingche. While Xiao Jingche led the charge in the front court, she had to maintain her position in the rear and clear out the poisonous stings lurking in the shadows for him.
However, the power-driven rift between her and Xiao Jingche becomes increasingly apparent. He needs her intelligence and influence to secure his imperial power, yet he fears her growing power, making it difficult to control. This delicate relationship is like walking a tightrope on the edge of a precipice.
A few days later, news of the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau's joint strike reached the court, shocking everyone. Xiao Jingche, once again enraged, ordered the Jiangnan Governor-General to investigate. However, before the Governor-General could act, a sudden surge of high-quality, low-priced raw silk appeared in the capital and several major northern markets, quickly filling the market and significantly reducing the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau's threat of a strike.
At the same time, several imperial censors from the Metropolitan Censorate jointly submitted a memorial impeaching the Jiangning Weaving Supervisor for corruption, collusion with merchants, and opposition to the court's new policies. With irrefutable evidence, Xiao Jingche ordered a thorough investigation, which resulted in the arrest of the Jiangning Weaving Supervisor. This served as an opportunity to reorganize the entire Jiangnan weaving system.
In the imperial court, the old officials who had been waiting to see the new policies made a fool of themselves were suddenly silenced. They had never imagined that the emperor had a source of goods beyond their control, nor had they imagined that the empress, seemingly uninvolved in government affairs, could influence the situation of the previous dynasty in this way.
Inside Kunning Palace, Lu Qinglan listened to Fu Yu's report on the previous dynasty's developments, her expression calm. She had merely tugged at a few silk threads, and the entire situation had changed. This feeling, more than simply holding the Phoenix Seal, gave her a sense of control over her destiny.
However, she also knew that after this incident, Xiao Jingche was probably both more dependent on her and more wary of her.
At dinner time, Xiao Jingche once again visited Kunning Palace. He never mentioned the Jiangnan Weaving Factory, only chatting with her about family matters. His tone was gentle, but the inquiry in his eyes did not escape Lu Qinglan's attention.
"The Queen seems to have lost some weight recently. Is it because she is busy with palace affairs?" He took her hand, his tone full of concern.
Lu Qinglan lowered her eyes slightly. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am fine. However, I was just looking through some old archives recently and saw that the late Queen had established a girls' school in the palace to teach the palace ladies how to read and understand reason. I think this is a very good idea and would like to emulate it. I am currently considering the regulations."
She took the initiative to turn the topic to unimportant harem affairs with a submissive attitude.
Xiao Jingche looked at her drooping brows, and the doubts in his heart dissipated slightly. He smiled and said, "The Queen is thoughtful. You can consider and handle this matter."
The two appear to be a harmonious couple, but in reality, they each harbor their own thoughts. The flickering candlelight in the hall illuminates the two figures who appear close yet distant.
Lu Qinglan knew that the rift between her and Xiao Jingche already existed, and it would become deeper and deeper as her power was consolidated and her desires expanded.
But she was fearless.
The hidden lines are already floating, and the chess game is still going on. She must not only protect herself in this turbulent sea, but also take advantage of this chaotic era of transition between the old and the new to establish a power base that truly belongs to her, Lu Qinglan, and that no one can shake.
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