Chapter 56 Fine Salt Profit Sharing
The Xiao family lost control of Hexi Prefecture due to the floods, lost the position of Vice Minister of Works, and the Prince of Jiannan was also placed under house arrest. In addition, Fan Ze, the prefect of Guizhou, died in prison.
One after another, they were not so much severely weakened as to be considered completely devastated, but their power was clearly diminished. They urgently needed to expand their influence in the court.
An elder suggested that the Xiao family's young daughters, who were just coming of age, be married off to the residences of officials of the third rank or above.
These aristocratic families' direct descendants all intermarried with their own family members or disciples, or directly married into the royal family, but there were no restrictions on intermarriage between younger members of collateral branches of the family.
Such a relationship allows several parties to band together, stand on the same side when their interests align, and gain a more stable foothold in the government.
When there is a conflict of interest, the relationships between collateral branches are not afraid to be abandoned.
However, almost all officials of the third rank or above in the court today have intricate connections with the four great families.
The elder's proposal of a marriage alliance could not resolve the Xiao family's current predicament.
After all, these high-ranking officials had already formed their own biases. How could they possibly abandon the power they relied on and turn to the Xiao family just because they married a girl from the Xiao family?
Therefore, if the Xiao family wanted a voice, they could only target those "pure ministers".
Since there are very few honest officials in the court, after much deliberation, it was the head of the family, Xiao Yao, who suggested that the Prince of Jiannan marry Su Sheng's youngest daughter.
Everyone in the capital knew how much Su Sheng loved his youngest daughter.
He must have hoped that his daughter could marry well, so when news of Su Xier's marriage to An Wuji circulated in the capital, no one was surprised.
However, after what happened at the auction, Su Xier's marriage to An Wuji was completely called off.
Su Xier is now sixteen years old and of marriageable age. If the Prince of Jiannan can marry her as his princess, both the prince and the Xiao family will have Su Sheng as a powerful ally, and the Xiao family will become even more powerful than before.
Of course, in the past, Xiao Yao would not have risked making this decision.
But now that the capital is in chaos, it doesn't matter if he uses more radical methods.
When the Empress Dowager received the message he sent, she was actually displeased.
With the current turmoil in the capital, Su Sheng, as a loyal subject, has a natural connection with the emperor. Even if Su Xi'er marries the Prince of Jiannan, the prince will certainly not wholeheartedly support her.
But after seeing the way Baili Hai looked at Chu Jiubian, Xiao Ruohan couldn't sit still any longer.
Compared to Baili Hai being tricked and seduced by Chu Jiubian, marrying Su Xier was absolutely the right decision.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet, the Empress Dowager publicly bestowed a marriage upon the emperor, and no one except the emperor was qualified to object.
Even the emperor couldn't simply refuse outright. If news of internal discord within the royal family spread, especially between the emperor and the empress dowager, it wouldn't be good for Emperor Baili Hong.
Xiao Ruohan looked at Su Xier, who stood in the main hall with her eyes lowered, with a kind smile.
She was indeed a beautiful young woman, with a good temperament and talent; there were few young ladies in the capital who could be as outstanding as her.
Therefore, Xiao Ruohan became more and more satisfied with what she saw, and couldn't help but glance at Baili Hai sitting next to her.
The young man had a gentle face. He was surprised for a moment when he heard that he was to be betrothed, but he quickly composed himself and sat obediently without showing any displeasure or rejection.
Xiao Ruohan's smile deepened.
Su Xier, who was being stared at by countless eyes, turned deathly pale.
how so?
She had only performed a talent like any other girl, so how did she get betrothed?
She had never met the Prince of Jiannan, but she had heard that his incompetence had caused floods in Hexi County, resulting in the deaths of many people.
Moreover, the other party is part of the Xiao family. If she marries into that family, wouldn't that force her father to take sides?
For a moment, she felt as if she had returned to that thrilling auction, to the day Zhao Xi died.
The suicide note, consisting of only a few words, ended with: "Dragged into this situation, I was powerless to resist and could only be pushed forward."
Su Xi'er once didn't understand and always resented Zhao Xi's actions.
But only now did she truly empathize with and understand the other person's helplessness and pain at that time.
In this game of chess, no one can remain detached forever; sooner or later, they will all be swept into this mad vortex, unable to escape.
Please take care of yourself, please stay away from the capital, and never follow in my footsteps.
This is the last sentence in Zhao Xi's suicide note.
Su Nian'er once said, "I also hope that you can leave the capital."
But Su Xier had no intention of leaving. She only wanted to be with her family. She no longer even fantasized about marrying the person she loved. She only wanted to take the imperial examination, enter the Imperial Academy, and become a female official serving the country.
But now she finally realizes that staying in the capital might not have been a wise decision.
She looked up and saw her father's tall and straight back, like a mountain, always standing in front of her and her family, sheltering them from the wind and rain.
This is where she differs from Zhao Xi.
Zhao Xi's father, a high-ranking official of the second rank, couldn't protect her and even tried to use her to set a trap.
But Su Sheng is different; he is an excellent father.
Moreover, as a high-ranking official, he would certainly be able to protect his daughter.
Su Xier felt calmer, but then it felt like something was burning up again.
She didn't want to hide behind her father; she wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, to be his pride and support!
High above, Su Sheng's eyes were deep and cold.
He maintained his bowing posture, veins bulging on his forehead.
The Xiao family actually set their sights on his daughter—what a vicious thought!
Chu Jiubian narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze remaining fixed on Su Sheng.
Qin Xiao also kept an eye on this "pure minister," the Minister of Revenue.
They didn't immediately ask Baili Hong to speak up for Su Xier, mainly because they wanted to see how Su Shenghui would act.
Behind him stood a mysterious vassal king. Under the current circumstances, if the emperor did not speak up, Su Sheng might only be able to save Su Xi'er by relying on his powerful backer.
Or perhaps he will abandon this daughter and continue to conceal the existence of the person behind her.
What choice will this renowned Lord Su make?
Su Sheng remained silent and did not refute, actually waiting.
He was waiting for Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian's attitude. On the surface, he was always a loyal minister who upheld the emperor's rule, and when he encountered trouble, the emperor should have stood up for him.
Otherwise, the other loyal officials in the court would also feel disheartened.
I do things for you, yet you can't protect me and my family. A good bird chooses a good tree to perch on; why don't I find another branch?
Therefore, although Su Sheng was angry, he was not flustered.
Right now, it's a matter of who can remain calm and collected.
The hall was eerily quiet. Baili Hong had long since stopped eating his chopsticks and no longer touched the small cakes on the table.
His eyes swept over everyone, and his little head was trying to think, but he only had some vague ideas that he couldn't summarize. He couldn't figure out the meaning of what was happening in front of him, and he didn't know what these people were thinking.
One breath, two breaths...
After an unknown amount of time, a voice finally rang out again in the hall: "Minister Su, are you perhaps overjoyed? How come you don't even know how to express your gratitude?"
Their gazes, seemingly casual, immediately turned toward the source of the sound.
Baili Hai rose from his seat with a smile on his face, walked to Su Sheng and took his arm: "My lord, you need not stand on ceremony. It is truly my good fortune to marry your daughter."
Su Sheng glanced at Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao out of the corner of his eye. The two of them remained unmoved, as if they had no intention of helping him reject the marriage proposal.
How could this be?
Could it be that they already know he has other forces behind him?
But how is that possible?
He was always cautious and asked himself if he had ever given anything away.
But if that's not the case, why did these two people "stand by and watch someone die without offering help"?
Su Sheng felt a chill in his heart; it seemed as if only two paths remained before him.
One option is to protect the daughter, but that would expose the people behind her. The other option is to abandon the daughter, protect the people behind her, and protect the entire Su family.
It seems there's absolutely no need to choose between a daughter and the entire Su family.
Can......
Su Sheng's breathing was heavy, and his eyes were sore.
His lips trembled slightly, but when he opened his mouth, his voice was hoarse beyond belief: "Your Highness is too kind..."
Just as he was about to say something more, a clear, childlike voice came from the main seat, saying, "King Jiannan, please don't joke around."
In an instant, Su Sheng's legs went weak and he almost knelt down.
His back was soaked with cold sweat, and the feeling of surviving the ordeal made him feel both light and heavy.
The emperor did speak up after all.
But Su Sheng knew that he had once again incurred a favor from Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian.
At the same time, he was certain that the two of them had realized that he had connections with other forces.
Without concrete evidence, they decided to test him out of desperation, but it remains to be seen whether he passed the test.
Will there be another test like this?
Su Sheng finally stood up straight, his back straightening once more.
Baili Hai turned to look at Baili Hong, his smile unchanged: "Your Majesty, I was not joking."
The interruption to Su Sheng's words was secretly instructed by Hong Fu, who received a signal from Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian.
That was all they taught him. Now, facing Bailihai, the child probably doesn't know what to say.
Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian exchanged a glance, and were about to take over the conversation when they heard the child speak again.
"The late emperor has just passed away." Baili Hong's large eyes were round and bright, so clear and pure that they were free of any impurities. "The Prince of Jiannan is not even of age yet, how can he not even wait for the three-year mourning period?"
The child's voice was clear and innocent, and the question was sincere.
He had heard from his uncle that children are required to observe mourning after their parents pass away.
During the mourning period, it is best to avoid eating meat and fish, not to hold large banquets, and certainly not to discuss marriage.
Unless the parents or other elders have a "last wish" that their children get married, the children can get married during the mourning period and still gain a reputation for "filial piety".
Although rules are rigid, people are flexible, and the royal family is a special case, various important banquets still need to be held. Even a child like Baili Hong cannot go without meat, or he will suffer from malnutrition, so there are no dietary restrictions.
However, Jiannan Prince was the late emperor's biological son, and the late empress was nominally his legal mother. Now, only three months after their deaths, he was already thinking about getting married.
That's not right.
Baili Hong's question hit the nail on the head, and the entire hall fell silent.
The child sensed something was off and instinctively looked at Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian.
Seeing that the two of them were calm and collected, he immediately puffed out his chest, knowing that he was right.
From the moment Xiao Ruohan proposed the marriage to the moment Baili Hong asked this question, everyone only saw Eunuch Hong speak briefly in Baili Hong's ear once.
In such a short time, there was probably only enough time for him to interrupt Su Sheng's unfinished words.
Therefore, Baili Hong is truly free to improvise at the moment.
The ministers who were nearby were all shrewd and naturally noticed this fact, and their hearts sank immediately.
Dozens of gazes fell on Baili Hong, then glanced at Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, as well as Eunuch Hong, who had been serving Baili Hong from the side and behind.
These three adults alone are all incredibly difficult to deal with.
But now they discover that even this young emperor is not like an ordinary child.
However, upon further reflection, everyone understood that Baili Hong carried the blood of the Qin family, inherited the legacy of Grand Commandant Qin, and was taught by people like Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian. How could he possibly be an mediocre talent?
Suddenly, everyone felt immense pressure.
The mountain pressing down on them seemed to grow ever more majestic and heavy.
Looking into the child's bright eyes, Baili Hai remained gentle and explained, "Your Majesty, I am not getting married immediately, but only engaged."
Baili Hong looked at Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, blinking his innocent big eyes.
This is a cry for help; the child doesn't know what to do next.
Chu Jiubian smiled and lowered his eyes to take a sip of wine.
Qin Xiao leaned back against the armchair and said, "Marriage is a matter of mutual consent and proper betrothal. Does the Prince of Jiannan have to observe three years of mourning, but does that mean he should also delay the young lady's marriage for three years?"
Baili Hai turned his head to look at him: "The Su family's daughter is only sixteen years old. Even three years from now, she will still be in her prime, which is the perfect age for marriage."
“If you truly intend to marry, then even without an engagement, the young lady can wait for you for three years.” Qin Xiao showed no mercy. “If you have no intention, then Your Highness is forcing a sale.”
The Xiao family was essentially engaging in forced buying and selling, and while everyone knew this, no one would actually say it out loud.
But Qin Xiao not only said it, he also made it clearer: "With such a reputation, we must not let people spread the word that the Great Ning royal family is abusing its power."
Su Sheng, being a shrewd man, immediately chimed in, "Your Highness Prince Ning is too kind. I believe that His Highness Prince Jiannan and the Empress Dowager mean well, but my daughter is unruly and truly unworthy of such affection. Therefore, this arranged marriage is indeed inappropriate. I urge you not to let my daughter become a laughingstock and tarnish Your Highness's reputation."
Now that things have come to this point, if the Xiao family still insists on marrying her, it would truly be a case of forced buying and selling.
Xiao Ruohan exchanged a glance with Xiao Huaiguan, the Minister of Personnel who had not uttered a sound, and then laughed and said, "Alright, alright, it was just that I thought the Su family girl was nice, and that's why I got carried away and caused so much trouble."
"In that case, I will not say anything more about this marriage," she said. "However, Su girl is indeed to my liking. She can come to the palace to chat with me when she has time another day."
Su Sheng quickly bowed and agreed.
Su Xier, who had been standing below the stage the whole time, also bowed with her father. Her posture was graceful, and although her face was a little pale, she looked calm.
He's someone who can keep his composure.
Everyone thought.
Since Xiao Ruohan had said so, Baili Hai couldn't keep pestering her, as if he really wanted to get married.
So everyone returned to their places, the banquet continued, and the other girls got up one by one to perform.
But perhaps because they were frightened by what had just happened, they all behaved rather indifferently.
Su Xier sat in her seat, belatedly realizing that her back was already soaked with cold sweat. In front of her, Madam Su's hands were clenched together and trembling unnaturally, her face even more pale than Su Xier's.
She was clearly terrified.
Su Xier felt a pang of sympathy, but in this situation, she couldn't offer any words of comfort.
Apart from this minor incident, the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet proceeded smoothly.
After the palace banquet ended and they returned home, Madam Su immediately took her daughter's hand and led her into her courtyard, then began to instruct people to pack their things.
"Mother, what are you doing?" Su Xier asked anxiously.
Madam Su held her hand tightly, her eyes red-rimmed, and her voice choked with emotion as she spoke: "Take everything with you. Go to your maternal grandparents' house in Suzhou at daybreak. I'll write a letter to your maternal grandmother. Stay there from now on and don't go back to the capital!"
The reality of today terrified her.
Although the Prince of Jiannan was renowned for his virtue, she had heard Su Sheng say that this prince was definitely not as gentle as he appeared.
She was unaware of the intricacies of officialdom and didn't care about the power struggles among aristocratic families; she simply didn't want her daughter to marry such a hypocritical person as the Prince of Jiannan.
He also didn't want his daughter to get involved in the mess in the capital.
Therefore, sending her away is the best thing to do!
"Mother, I won't leave!" Su Xi'er's tears flowed instantly. "I want to stay, I want to be with you!"
“My good child, you must listen to your mother this time,” Madam Su said firmly.
She knew that Empress Dowager Xiao would definitely find an opportunity to bring Xi'er into the palace in the future; that woman had not given up on scheming against her daughter!
Su Xier burst into tears, threw herself into her mother's arms, and choked out, "I won't go. Mother, I won't go!"
After leaving the palace, Su Sheng chatted with other officials for a while before returning. Upon arrival, he went straight to his daughter's courtyard.
Seeing the servants busily packing their luggage, he paused slightly, then walked into the inner hall and saw the mother and daughter sitting together, both wiping away tears.
“Father.” Su Xi’er stood up and bowed.
Su Sheng quickly waved his hand to tell her to get up, and then walked over and sat down beside her.
But he just looked at his daughter and couldn't say a word.
Madam Su choked back tears, trying to hold back her sobs, but finally couldn't help but glare at him and say, "Su Sheng! Are you satisfied now?!"
She had never called her husband by his name like that before, and she was clearly furious.
Su Xier was startled and quickly grabbed her mother's hand.
Su Sheng also looked at his wife, but remained silent.
"Why are you hesitating today?!" Madam Su's teeth chattered. "If His Majesty hadn't spoken up, would you have agreed to this marriage?!"
Su Sheng concealed his hesitation and pain very well, but Madam Su, who had been his wife since childhood, knew him all too well. She knew he was hesitant.
Naturally, Su Xier knew this as well.
If His Majesty hadn't interrupted her father's unfinished words, perhaps she would already be...
But she didn't blame her father. His care and love for her were genuine, so in that situation, he must have been the one suffering the most.
"You're always thinking about this and that, about the whole Su family, but what about our daughter?" Madam Su's tears streamed down her face. "For those outsiders, for the man behind you, you're willing to sacrifice our daughter's entire life!"
"Is the child that woman left behind more important than the one I gave birth to?!" Even though Madam Su was furious, she still tried her best to suppress her voice so that it wouldn't be heard.
Su Sheng frowned, remaining silent throughout.
He took one last deep look at Su Xier before getting up and walking out.
However, before stepping out the door, he stopped and said in a hoarse voice, "Once things settle down here, I will bring you back."
He didn't turn around, and after saying that, he strode out the door.
Su Xier stared blankly in the direction of the door, her heart pounding like a drum.
She slowly shifted her gaze to her mother, who was sobbing uncontrollably, and asked softly, forcing back her sobs, "Who is that woman? Father, he... he's not..."
He was not a loyal minister.
It turns out that the Su family was not the so-called "pure and upright" family at all!
Same.
It turns out everyone is the same!
Su Xier chuckled softly and raised her hand to wipe away her tears.
"Walk."
"I'm leaving."
What about the imperial examinations, what about bringing glory to the family, what about serving the people? Even if she really entered officialdom, she would only be a pawn of some power that she herself didn't even know about.
From an insignificant speck of dust, it becomes a seemingly insignificant but undeniably present and constantly controlled "chess piece."
She didn't want to be controlled, and she didn't want to go against her own heart.
Leaving might really be the best option.
Early the next morning.
Chu Jiubian dressed in his court robes and went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation for breakfast, only to learn that Su Xier was preparing to leave the capital.
He wasn't actually surprised.
After only two brief encounters, he could tell that the girl was ambitious; otherwise, she wouldn't have signed up for the imperial examinations.
But for such an ambitious girl, the realization of her self-worth is what she cares about most.
Last night, Xiao Ruohan and Jiannan Wang's actions directly negated Su Xier's value as a talented and motivated "person," and banished her back to her boudoir.
They used her marriage as leverage, exploited the power behind her, and wanted to confine her to the inner quarters.
Several forces clashed, and everyone was talking about her marriage and her life.
But from beginning to end, no one asked for her opinion.
She must have realized that even as she grew up, she was still far from being able to make decisions for herself.
After all, even her father, a first-rank official in the court, had times when he was powerless to do things, let alone a young woman like her who had just started out.
Her desire to fight for her future seemed to have become a joke in this absurd farce.
She couldn't save the world or even herself.
She was just a passerby in this torrent of power, leaving no trace of her name.
No one knew that she was Su Xier.
Therefore, her leaving was actually the most suitable choice.
Leaving the capital city opens up a wider world, and perhaps she will have the opportunity to start anew.
The departure of a young lady from a prominent family only sparked discussion in the inner quarters of various households for two or three days, after which no one paid any attention to it anymore.
On the evening of the third day after the palace banquet ended, Chu Jiubian also received the first batch of dividends from the fine salt trade.
He was wearing a light long robe and leaned casually on the soft couch in Yaotai Residence, his long legs stretched out and taking up the entire couch.
Three large boxes of gleaming silver were laid out on the ground, gleaming with an alluring light.
After delivering the gifts, the palace servants all left, and even Xiao Xiangzi and the others did not stay in the room to serve.
Chu Jiubian raised his eyes and looked at the man standing next to the box, his eyes sparkling.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Qin Xiao walked over to him and sat down directly next to his legs.
Chu Jiubian glanced at him, only slightly shifting his leg inward, but did not pull it back.
"The Qiu family just sent over a portion of the profit-sharing silver, saying that they were worried the court might need it urgently, and they would send over the rest when the caravan returned."
Chu Jiubian scoffed lightly: "That was satisfying this time."
"Thank goodness for those two jugs of your fine wine."
"Ten pots," Chu Jiubian corrected.
Qin Xiao laughed and said, "Well, consider this my money for the wine."
"not enough."
"Then I'll owe you for now." Qin Xiao turned to look at him and asked with a smile, "Would you like me to draw up a written agreement?"
Chu Jiubian ignored him.
Qin Xiao then said, "You should have received a larger share of the profits from the fine salt trade, but the national treasury can't afford much right now. I will make up for it for you in the future."
They hadn't actually discussed the matter of profit sharing from fine salt before.
Chu Jiubian also tacitly agreed that all the dividends he received would first be put into the national treasury for use in the imperial examinations and construction projects.
He really didn't expect Qin Xiao to send him money.
However, no one dislikes money, and Chu Jiubian was naturally happy to see so much silver.
That's a lot of money, easily a thousand taels.
If all this money were given to Jiang Shuoye to refine steel, the progress should be faster.
However, these are all official silver, and their use will leave traces. Qin Xiao will definitely be able to discover that these funds were used in Mobei, at which point his connection with Mobei will be impossible to hide.
Chu Jiubian propped her chin on one hand, tilted her head to look at the man, and her eyes held a hint of inquiry.
Did Qin Xiao genuinely want to give him money to spend, or did he want to see where he would spend it?
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