Chapter 36 Reaching an Agreement
Although the Da Ning Dynasty emphasized agriculture and suppressed commerce, it did not restrict people from engaging in business. Therefore, many farmers would take advantage of the off-season to do some small business to supplement their household income.
City dwellers love to eat fresh food, so farmers will bring eggs and wild vegetables that they have saved up at home for a period of time, or wild rabbits hunted in the mountains and fish caught in the river, to the city to sell.
However, there are many nobles in the capital, and the further into the city one goes, the richer and more powerful one becomes.
Fearing to offend these important people, the farmers dared not go into the city to sell their goods, and only dared to set up stalls near the city gate.
The rulers didn't care, so no one urged them to hurry.
The people in the east of the city were not as wealthy as those in the west. Knowing that the farmers had cheap goods, they often came to the city gate to try their luck.
Over time, this section of Shenwu Street near the city gate became bustling with people coming to buy and sell things every day.
During the reign of Emperor Seongjong, an official submitted a memorial proposing that sheds be erected on both sides of this main street to set up small stalls specifically for farmers, as this would be considered a way to show consideration for the people.
King Seongjong readily agreed to anything that could bring him fame.
Today, Shenwu Street, which is near the city gate, has become known as a "convenience street" among the people. Every day, from the time the city gate opens in the morning until it closes in the evening, it is bustling with people.
At that moment, these soldiers in armor suddenly rushed in, and the merchants and people on both sides of the street hurriedly retreated a distance before kneeling down, not daring to raise their heads.
They're used to it.
There are many powerful and influential people in the capital, and they come here from time to time.
If you encounter someone kind-hearted, you'll pass quickly; if you encounter someone with a bad temper, you'll walk slowly. But if anyone is careless and accidentally bumps into you, disaster is inevitable.
The Prince of Jiannan they encountered today was the one who was slow and leisurely.
Shortly after the officers and soldiers stood on both sides of the street, a procession of carriages and horses passed through the city gate and stepped onto Shenwu Street.
The procession of carriages moved slowly forward, with the carriage at the very front exuding wealth and splendor.
A hand slowly lifted the curtain of the car window, and a somewhat effeminate-looking young man turned his head to look outside.
The common people, dressed in coarse linen clothes, knelt by the roadside, not daring to lift their heads. The soldiers guarding the roadside were similar, their eyes lowered, none daring to look directly at the carriage.
Baili Hai watched coldly, finding it uninteresting. Just as he was about to lower the carriage curtain, he suddenly saw a young man raise his head, his clear, bright eyes looking curiously at the carriage.
In the Great Ning Dynasty, men could tie their hair up when they reached the age of twenty, but it was inconvenient to have their hair loose before that. So young men would usually tie their hair up in a high ponytail, or like the girls, they would tie their hair into a long braid.
The young boy had his hair in a ponytail. Although his skin was darker than that of the noble young masters, his youth and roughness added a touch of wildness, making him look like a mischievous little devil.
Their eyes met, and the young boy's face immediately turned pale. He quickly lowered his head, like a frightened deer.
Baili Hai lowered the carriage curtain.
The next moment, a eunuch's voice came from inside the carriage: "Stop the carriage."
The guards driving the carriage immediately pulled on the reins and stopped the carriage.
He got out of the car, placed a small stool there, and then lifted the curtain behind him.
A young eunuch dressed in dark palace attire got off the carriage first, and then turned around and reached his hand into the carriage.
His wrist was grasped by a hand with distinct knuckles. The eunuch caught a glimpse of a golden hem of a robe out of the corner of his eye. His wrist was quickly released. He lowered his eyes and followed the owner of the robe as they walked slowly forward until they stopped in front of a small stall on the street.
Baili Hai reached out and picked up a handmade silk flower from the stall; it was an exquisite red begonia.
His gaze shifted from the silk flowers to the two people kneeling on the ground behind the stall.
The woman, dressed in a dark dress, was around thirty years old. Kneeling beside her was the young boy from earlier, who looked to be around ten years old.
Baili Hai stroked the silk flower, and after a few breaths, he turned around and got into the carriage.
The young eunuch took out a purse from his waist, put a silver ingot on the stall, and then left.
The carriages and horses started moving again.
After an unknown amount of time, all the guards who had been standing on the street finally left, and the people, whose legs had gone numb from kneeling, slowly began to move.
"That must have been His Highness Prince Jiannan. He truly has an extraordinary bearing."
"You talk as if you saw it yourself."
"His Highness has already gotten out of the carriage, so how come I can't see him?"
"Yes, I remember that Your Highness went to Liu's silk flower stall just now."
"Look, it's silver!" Someone with sharp eyes spotted the silver on the silk flower stall. "His Highness actually gave her silver!"
Liu was so frightened that her legs went weak and she had to be supported by her youngest son to keep from fainting.
She clutched her chest, her face deathly pale, and murmured, "God bless, God bless."
As long as you haven't offended someone important.
"Mother." The young boy supporting him saw the silver and hurriedly said, "Mother, look, it's silver."
Liu finally recovered a little and was helped to her feet by a kind old lady at a nearby stall.
She reached out and took the silver from the stall. It was heavy, shaped like a small boat, and weighed at least five taels. Her family couldn't save that much money in a whole year.
She was filled with doubt and suspicion, and quickly glanced at the table, only to find that the last remaining silk begonia flower was gone.
"A noble person bought my silk flowers!" Liu almost cried with joy.
She quickly pulled her son down to kneel, kowtowing in the direction the carriage had gone: "Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness! Your Highness is kind-hearted!"
The vendors and ordinary people watching were filled with envy and sourness. Why didn't they have such good luck?
Many people were watching the silver ingots that Liu had tucked into her bosom, but they didn't dare to covet them. Even if they had the chance to steal or rob the money given by a nobleman, they wouldn't have the chance to spend it.
Liu knew no one would dare to covet it, but she was still uneasy about keeping so much money, so she packed up her stall and left the city with her son.
They need to hurry home; it would be better to leave the money to their in-laws to manage.
Her husband was the second oldest in the family, with an older brother and a younger brother, making him the least valued one. Fortunately, Liu had the skill of making silk flowers to supplement the family income, which is why her mother-in-law treated her well.
If she takes this silver ingot back today, she'll probably be able to hold her head high at home from now on.
Seeing Liu's delighted expression, the young boy opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't dare to mention that he had made eye contact with that nobleman.
Is everything alright?
Everyone says that the Prince of Jiannan is a good person, and he even helped the people of Hexi County repair the dikes.
Moreover, he offended the other party today, but the other party did nothing to him. Instead, he spent so much money to buy those silk flowers. He seems to be a good person.
"Xiao Tian, let's hurry back so we can still have a hot dinner." Liu pulled him along, making the walk faster and faster.
Xiaotian gradually relaxed, and a smile appeared on her face.
Previously, when they returned home late, their grandmother wouldn't leave them any food, only some cold porridge. Today, they returned with silver ingots, and their grandmother would certainly not dare to look down on them anymore.
The mother and son lived in Jing'an County, a few miles from the capital. The county had six villages, and they lived in Jingnan Township, which was the closest to the capital.
Compared to going to the county town, it's closer to the capital for them, and they can earn more money there, so they came to the capital after only a few days.
There is an official road leading to Jingnan Township, but it requires a detour, so the people have created their own small path.
The path is shorter, but it leads through a dense forest.
The mother and son had walked this road many times before, but usually with other villagers, since many people would go to the convenience street in Beijing to buy and sell things, and a group of people could keep each other company on the way.
But they left the city early today, so there was no one on the road.
However, the sun was now slightly lower in the sky, so we weren't afraid of the bright, clear daylight.
"I wonder if Grandma would agree to cook me an egg tonight," Xiaotian licked his lips.
Madam Liu laughed and said, "If she doesn't agree, Mother won't give her the silver ingots. Tonight, it's not just you eating, but also your two older sisters, and Father and Mother—the whole family of five will eat!"
Xiao Tian clapped her hands happily: "I'm going to eat eggs every day from now on."
"Then your grandmother will be heartbroken."
The mother and son walked and laughed all the way. When they reached the woods, Xiao Tian suddenly heard a sound behind him. Just as he was about to turn around, someone suddenly covered his mouth from behind.
A strange fragrance wafted into his nostrils, and he immediately collapsed.
As Liu watched as a man dressed entirely in black, completely covered up, knocked her son unconscious, she immediately screamed and tried to rush forward: "Hero, spare my life! Please let my son go!"
But how could a woman with no strength to even kill a chicken be a match for that man?
The man struck the woman on the back of the neck, knocking her unconscious. He then took out a contract from his pocket, smeared cinnabar on the woman's fingertip, and pressed his fingerprint onto it.
The man carefully put away the indenture, casually hoisted Xiaotian onto his shoulder, and soon disappeared into the woods.
The news of the Prince of Jiannan's return to the city spread throughout the capital in no time.
Everyone in the capital had their own plans, and they were all waiting for the morning court session the next day.
That night, Chu Jiubian met Si Tu Zhaoling again in the Divine Realm and gave her a new batch of food.
With these two batches of grain in southern Xinjiang, plus the half of the grain contributed by those villages, there's no longer any fear of going hungry.
Moreover, the officials from the Water Conservancy Bureau dispatched by the imperial court arrived in the southern border region a few days ago and have already selected several locations to begin digging wells, so that everyone will no longer lack drinking water.
"It will start to drizzle on the fifteenth of July and will last for about fourteen days." Chu Jiubian sat on the divine throne, and his casual remark stunned Si Tu Zhaoling below.
rain.
Is the high priest predicting celestial phenomena?!
Si Tu Zhaoling was shocked, but she did not doubt the truth of his words.
Great, it's finally going to rain!
With rain, everything will move in a positive direction.
She was overjoyed, but quickly composed herself and respectfully bowed to Chu Jiubian in the manner of a southern tribe, saying, "On behalf of the people of the southern border, I thank the High Priest."
“And my younger brother.” She looked up at the illusory image of the deity, her eyes clear and bright. “He asked me to thank you for the waterwheel blueprints you gave him. He’s already made the dragon-bone waterwheel and is working on the tubular waterwheel. I’m sure these waterwheels will be very useful after this rain…”
Si Tu Zhaoling spoke one sentence after another, telling the gods what she had prepared over the past few days.
This includes how grateful the family is to the high priest, how happy the people of southern Xinjiang are to be able to eat normal meals, how the village chiefs who were prepared to sell grain at double the price are afraid of being stuck with the grain and have to lower the price to sell it, and how they are now in a state of panic, etc.
After talking for almost fifteen minutes, she suddenly realized that she had been talking too much.
Will the high priest find her noisy?
To be honest, Chu Jiubian thought she talked a lot, but it was quite amusing.
It's normal for children this age to be lively and cheerful.
Si Tu Zhaoling realized she had said too much, so she quietly patted her mouth to stop talking, her eyes full of annoyance.
Chu Jiubian saw her reaction and found it somewhat amusing.
It seems she has nothing more to say.
He had to attend the morning court session the next day, so he said, "If there's nothing else, then go."
"Yes." Si Tu Zhaoling bowed and was sent out of the Divine Realm by the system.
==
The next day was another rainy day, with a fine drizzle falling from the night before.
Before dawn, officials had already gathered outside the palace gates.
They held up umbrellas, chatting and exchanging pleasantries in small groups, their faces radiating peace.
Xiao Wendao, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, and Wang Pengyi, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, stood side by side.
Xiao Wendao glanced to his side and smiled, "Does Vice Minister Wang look like he's wearing a new official robe today?"
"Minister Xiao is indeed meticulous as a hair," Wang Pengyi said with a smile.
Xiao Wendao held the umbrella in one hand and extended the other hand out from under the umbrella, feeling the cool touch of the raindrops on his hand. He said, "It's just a pity that it's a rainy day today, and Vice Minister Wang's brand-new official robe is a bit stained."
The Wang family members value etiquette and rules, and naturally, they also pay attention to dressing appropriately and elegantly.
The hem of the new clothes I wore today is already dirty, so I'm sure Minister Wang is not happy about it, but Xiao Wendao is happy about it.
“External possessions may be dirty, but the inside is always clean.” Wang Pengyi smiled at him. “On the other hand, no matter how clean the external things are, if the inside is dirty and messy, they will rot sooner or later.”
This no longer refers to clothing, but to reputation.
The King of Jiannan is now very famous. The fact that he spent a lot of money to buy silk flowers at the city gate yesterday evening has also been spread by the people. They all praise him for being kind and considerate to the people.
But it wasn't the first time anyone had met this King Jiannan. They all knew perfectly well whether he was genuinely kind or just putting on a show.
If a person's heart is corrupt and chaotic, no matter how good their reputation is, they will eventually fall from grace.
As the saying goes, "The higher one climbs, the harder one falls." It's possible that the greater the Jiannan King's fame, the more severe the backlash will be if something happens to him later.
"I didn't know that Minister Wang had the ability to see through appearances to the essence of things." Xiao Wendao shook the rain off his hands, almost all of it landing on Wang Pengyi. "Why don't you take a look at what I'm like inside?"
Wang Pengyi gritted his teeth inwardly, then turned to look at the slowly opening vermilion palace gates and said, "Minister Xiao has a vast and profound mind; he can certainly encompass all the people under heaven."
"You flatter me." Xiao Wendao's tone also calmed down. "Our Emperor is the one who truly cares about all the people. I am just a lowly Vice Minister, and my heart can only be devoted to the Ministry of Works."
The palace gates opened wide, and the six ministers, leading the officials, slowly walked into the palace.
Wang Pengyi strode forward, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for the ministers walking ahead to hear.
"No wonder Minister Jian looks so young. He has such a capable subordinate as Vice Minister Xiao, so he doesn't have to worry about anything. That's why he looks young."
This means that Xiao Wendao, by taking advantage of the Xiao family's influence, used his position as a vice minister to undermine the power of Minister Jian Hongzhuo.
As a loyal subject like Su Sheng, Jian Hongzhuo was naturally a thorn in the side of the four great families.
However, he has a clean private life. Every day, he either goes to work or goes home, so no one can find fault with him.
Besides his legally wedded male wife in his household, this man seemed to have no other interests or hobbies. Many people had previously tried to recruit him and bring him into their camp.
Some people even tried to be clever by sending him several handsome young men, but this only angered him, and he was directly impeached by the emperor.
Since then, everyone has said that Jian Hongzhuo is a tough nut to crack.
Some people had indeed tried to kill him, but Jian Hongzhuo was the descendant of a meritorious official and possessed considerable martial arts skills. Over the years, he had killed countless waves of assassins.
So everyone gradually gave up on the idea.
Moreover, Jian Hongzhuo was not greedy for power. He spent his days in the Ministry of Works drawing pictures, such as bridges, palaces and pavilions, and all sorts of random things. He left all the work under his command to Xiao Wendao, the vice minister.
Xiao Wendao accepted it with satisfaction.
So over the years, everyone in the court treated Jian Hongzhuo as if he didn't exist, and Xiao Wendao was always the one who took the lead in everything in the Ministry of Works. He was the one that everyone recognized as the person in charge of the Ministry of Works.
Even so, Xiao Wendao was most averse to being accused of being greedy for credit and power.
Hearing Wang Pengyi's words, he naturally couldn't respond and retorted, "Minister Jian is busy with countless affairs every day, and I'm just a handyman. But listening to Vice Minister Wang's words, it sounds like he really wants to be in charge."
Wang Pengyi, the Vice Minister of Revenue, was walked in front of Su Sheng, the Minister of Revenue.
Su Sheng is different from Jian Hongzhuo, who is a hands-off manager; the latter cares most about the power he holds.
Wang Pengyi was also unwilling to bear the reputation of disobeying his superiors, and was about to explain when Minister Su in front of him slightly turned his head and said, "Say less, and watch out so you don't stumble."
This is both a warning and a reminder.
The two quieted down and subconsciously looked up ahead.
Upon seeing this, I fell completely silent.
A golden figure stood on the long steps outside the Fengtian Hall.
The man was slender and tall, with a servant standing beside him holding an umbrella, eyes lowered in silence.
It was none other than Jiannan King Baili Hai, who had rushed back just yesterday.
Hearing the approaching officials, he turned around and looked down from his high vantage point.
As the officials proceeded to the foot of the long steps, Minister of Personnel Xiao Huaiguan, supporting his aged body, was the first to fold his umbrella, bow deeply, and say, "Your subjects pay homage to His Highness Prince Jiannan. May His Highness live a thousand years."
The others also closed their umbrellas and followed, calling out "Your Majesty!"
Baili Hai looked down at the crowd.
Officials in crimson, scarlet, and navy blue robes formed a long line, all bowing in unison.
This scene is probably similar to what I saw when Baili Hong ascended the throne.
The drizzle seemed to have intensified, and the raindrops made a muffled sound as they fell on the umbrella.
Bai Lihai smiled gently and said, "Please rise, gentlemen. The rain seems to be getting heavier; let's hurry into the palace."
After thanking them, everyone climbed the steps one by one.
Baili Hai dismissed the eunuch, walked down a few steps, and reached out to help Xiao Huaiguan, who was walking with some difficulty.
Xiao Huaiguan immediately expressed his gratitude with trepidation, while Baili Hai smiled gently, creating a very friendly scene.
Wang Zhiyuan glanced at Xiao Huaiguan.
The old man is almost in his grave, yet he still clings to power. It's truly laughable.
Wang Pengyi didn't pay attention to the Xiao family's act; he just glanced at Wang Zhiyuan every now and then.
My grandfather is getting old, and his knees ache whenever it rains. I imagine they must be hurting today too.
Despite the pain causing his legs to tremble, Wang Zhiyuan, a member of the Wang family, showed no sign of distress and walked straight and steadily.
For some reason, Wang Pengyi suddenly thought of Wang Qichen.
Everyone in the family said that the young master was unreliable, but Wang Pengyi felt that the other party's carefree and unrestrained nature was the best. Compared to someone who was obsessed with saving face, it was rare to find someone who could speak his mind frankly.
If Wang Qichen can really take over the Wang family in the future, then the Wang family will definitely be in a completely different state.
only......
Forget it, let him protect her after the old lady passes away.
Losing the position of young master is fine, at least I've saved my life.
Lost in their thoughts, the group finally stepped into the Fengtian Hall.
It was a cloudy day, and the palace was dimly lit, so the palace servants lit a few oil lamps.
In the dim light, the vermilion, gold, and black decorations in the hall exuded an aura of inviolability. Even the giant dragon floating on the vermilion pillars seemed to sway with the light, lifelike.
Baili Hai released his grip on Xiao Huaiguan's hand and wiped the rain off his face.
He looked up and saw this scene.
Under this play of light and shadow, a tall and slender figure stood inside the hall.
The other person was dressed in a crimson official robe, with short black hair followed by strange long silver hair that appeared to have a silk-like luster in the firelight.
Hearing the sound of everyone entering the hall, the figure turned around and looked over.
For a fleeting moment, Baili Hai felt as if he had seen a celestial being from heaven.
Pure and aloof, unapproachable, yet possessing a fatal attraction.
Baili Hai was jolted back to his senses by a light tap on his arm. He turned his head to meet Xiao Wendao's gaze, who gave him a wink, signaling him to continue walking.
Baili Hai lowered his eyes to conceal his emotions, but his Adam's apple bobbed twice involuntarily.
He knew who that person was.
Chu Jiu Bian.
That renowned Ninth Prince of the capital was a first-rank nobleman of the current dynasty, and also... a celestial being who had fallen to the mortal world.
Chu Jiubian's gaze swept over the officials, focusing particularly on the person dressed in golden royal robes.
Is this the Prince of Jiannan?
She looked somewhat sickly, but also possessed the delicate features and feminine temperament characteristic of the Xiao family.
However, the other party was only sixteen years old, but already had a gloomy temperament, and was simply a different species from the lively Situ siblings.
Chu Jiubian calmly withdrew his gaze, and after everyone had taken their positions, he walked to stand behind Xiao Huaiguan.
The Prince of Jiannan slowly passed by him and walked straight to the front of the group, standing even ahead of the six ministers.
However, given his status, he certainly should have stood there.
Chu Jiubian looked up and subconsciously glanced at Qin Xiao's seat, only to find that Baili Hai was standing right in his line of sight, his ponytail blocking his view.
He's quite tall, probably 1.8 meters.
I wonder if Baili Hong will grow to be that tall in the future. Looking at his chubby little arms and legs, he doesn't seem like he'll grow very tall.
How about giving the child some calcium supplements?
Chu Jiubian's thoughts drifted a little further away.
The others in the hall were surprised to find that Qin Xiao hadn't come out from the back hall this time, but had been there all along.
He sat quietly in his seat, his eyes reflecting the firelight, watching everyone for who knows how long.
The hazy light and shadow always blur a person's outline, but on Qin Xiao, the oblique light and shadow were just right, making his features appear even more deep and three-dimensional.
This also added a touch of sharpness and an unfathomable sinister aura to his temperament.
Baili Hai stood at the very front, and this position was also the closest to Qin Xiao.
He glanced directly at Qin Xiao, then lowered his eyes.
In his peripheral vision, he could almost see Chu Jiubian a few steps behind him.
Before the officials entered, the two of them remained alone in the hall.
what are they doing?
He only glanced at Chu Jiubian once, but the image of him lingered in his mind. How long had Qin Xiao been sitting there watching?
Eunuch Hong's voice resounded throughout the hall, and the morning court session officially began.
Baili Hai suppressed his chaotic thoughts for the time being and bowed to the three-year-old child on the dragon throne along with the other officials.
"Rise." A child's sweet, childish voice rang out, and the officials shouted again, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"If you have something to report, please do so; otherwise, the court may adjourn!"
As soon as Eunuch Hong finished speaking, Xiao Wendao immediately stepped forward: "Your subject has something to report."
Chu Jiubian turned his head to look at him.
After attending court for almost a month, Chu Jiubian discovered that Xiao Wendao was indeed one of the most active people in the morning court, along with several officials from the Censorate, including Qi Zhili.
In contrast, those ministers never spoke unless it was absolutely necessary, and just waited for their subordinates to charge into battle.
Starting with Xiao Wendao today, I imagine these subordinates will start arguing first.
"What does Minister Xiao have to report?" Baili Hong asked.
Xiao Wendao bowed and then said, "Your Majesty, the dikes in Hexi County have been damaged for years. This year, the Prince of Jiannan personally went to the area to supervise the construction. He worked tirelessly, and provided the people with two meals and wages every day. The people all praised his benevolence and achievements."
"Moreover, because of his constant supervision, local officials dared not neglect their duties, and the dikes were thus built firmly. This achievement will benefit people for several years and even more. Now, considering the merits and abilities of Prince Jiannan, the Ministry of Works specially requests His Majesty to grant Prince Jiannan an early entry into officialdom."
He didn't say a single unnecessary word.
First, he praised Baili Hai for doing a great job, and then directly made his request, leaving it to others to decide how to respond.
Wang Pengyi slowly stepped out of the queue, stood beside Xiao Wendao, and bowed to his superior: "Your subject has an objection."
Chu Jiubian understood.
It seems that these two are the main forces in today's game between the two sides.
As for Jiannan Wang, who is at the center of the incident, the best course of action today is to stand by and wait until the end to claim his reward.
Baili Hong nodded: "Speak."
Wang Pengyi then said, “Your Majesty, Prince Jiannan has made meritorious contributions in building the dike, but the flood season in Hexi Prefecture has not yet arrived, so we do not yet know how well the dike has been built. I think it is really inappropriate for Minister Xiao to be so eager to praise Prince Jiannan.”
“What’s wrong with it? Everyone knows about the achievements of the Prince of Jiannan. Not to mention the poems of praise written by scholars, even the common people remember the Prince’s kindness.”
Xiao Wendao took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and presented it to the emperor with both hands: "Your Majesty, this is a petition jointly signed by the people of various counties in Hexi Prefecture. They hope that Your Majesty can reward them according to their merits and agree to let the prince enter officialdom so that he can do more practical things for the people of the world."
Eunuch Hong jogged down the steps, took the paper, and presented it to Baili Hong.
After he had looked at it, he took it down and handed it to Qin Xiao.
Qin Xiao unfolded the paper, which indeed contained many signatures and fingerprints of ordinary people. Those who signed the paper were probably wealthy families in various counties, while those who left their fingerprints were ordinary people who couldn't even write their own names.
But who can say for sure how much of this stuff is real or fake?
Wang Pengyi naturally thought the same thing, so he said, "I request that someone be sent to Hexi County to verify whether these fingerprints were pressed voluntarily by the people."
"Does Vice Minister Wang mean that people in our Ministry of Works are fabricating evidence?" Xiao Wendao stared at him intently. "If you want to investigate, then go ahead and investigate. It'll also be a good opportunity to hear how the common people praise His Highness, so as not to judge a gentleman with the mind of a petty person."
“Of course I hope it’s true. As a prince, His Highness Prince Jiannan winning the hearts of the people is a great thing. But the money for building the dikes belongs to His Majesty, the people belong to His Majesty, and His Majesty is the one who cares about the world. Yet now the people of Hexi County only remember Prince Jiannan, and no one knows His Majesty.” Wang Pengyi smiled. “Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”
He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world; his words were practically accusing the Prince of Jiannan of plotting a rebellion.
"If you want to find fault, you can always find a pretext. Vice Minister Wang's words are truly scathing."
Xiao Wendao could not allow the title of "rebellion" to fall on the Prince of Jiannan. "His Highness the Prince of Jiannan works for His Majesty, and the people remember his kindness, so they will remember His Majesty's goodness even more."
He then looked at Wang Pengyi and said, "According to what you've done this time, Minister Wang, all the officials of Da Ning have done their work for His Majesty and for the people. Even if they have made great contributions, shouldn't they be asked for rewards? Ask yourself, can you do that?"
How could Wang Pengyi dare to say he could do it?
He dared to say that no matter what he did after that, Xiao Wendao would always find a way to make sure he didn't get any benefit from it.
“I believe that Prince Jiannan has rendered meritorious service and deserves to be rewarded.” Lu Qiaobo, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, stepped forward. “However, there has never been a precedent in our dynasty for a prince to not take up his fiefdom before the age of fourteen. It is already an exception that Prince Jiannan is staying in the capital. If we continue to make exceptions and allow him to enter officialdom four years ahead of schedule, not to mention anything else, even the seven princes who have taken up their fiefdoms will not agree.”
Upon hearing this, the court fell silent.
They are now fighting to the death in the court, but in fact, they are all equally wary of the seven covetous vassal kings.
Lu Qiaobo's words were reasonable and well-founded. If Baili Hai were to enter the court in this way, those vassal kings would definitely have objections.
The Xiao family had also considered these things, but they thought that if they could persuade everyone, that would be good; if not, they would have to settle for second best.
The Prince of Jiannan, who had remained silent all along, finally moved. He bowed to the emperor and said gently, "Your Majesty, my supervision of the dike construction was solely to share your burdens and to bring benefits to the people. I have never sought anything in return."
Baili Hong looked at his older brother, whom he didn't know very well, and didn't know what to say.
He couldn't understand the veiled meaning in their words, so he could only look at his uncle.
Qin Xiao's gaze fell on the King of Jiannan, and he chuckled softly.
The court fell silent. Chu Jiubian looked up, but could only see Qin Xiao's hair ornament; the rest of his head was almost completely obscured by Baili Hai.
Baili Hai looked at Qin Xiao.
He likes good-looking men, but Qin Xiao is an exception.
He felt nothing but disgust for Qin Xiao and the Qin family.
Qin Xiao's deep eyes reflected the flickering firelight, and he said in a slightly lazy voice, "King Jiannan is indeed righteous and selfless. In that case, there is no need to discuss this matter any further."
They've already said they don't want anything, so what's the point of discussing it?
Xiao Wendao's eye twitched slightly. It felt so familiar. The last time Qin Xiao had dealt him such a blow was when he was the one doing it.
This is neither the first time Qin Xiao has taken the opportunity to back down, nor will it be the last.
This former playboy doesn't care whether you're modest or not.
Many people in the court lowered their heads even further, and smiles appeared on their lips; they barely managed to suppress them.
Chu Jiubian also wanted to laugh.
However, he maintained his "aloof" persona in front of these powerful figures and held back.
King Jiannan was clearly surprised by Qin Xiao's words, and his face darkened instantly.
"Cough cough cough—"
A familiar cough sounded at just the right moment, and Chu Jiubian knew that the Minister of the Xiao family was about to start putting on an act again.
As expected.
Xiao Huaiguan gave the same excuse, first apologizing for his loss of composure, then saying that he was old and then using his seniority to smooth things over, successfully bringing the topic back to the matter of "reward".
“Even if he cannot become an official, he cannot remain idle like this. It would not look good to outsiders.” Xiao Huaiguan coughed twice before saying quietly, “Why don’t you ask His Majesty to find him a sinecure and let Prince Jiannan learn from him first, so that he will not be completely ignorant when he goes to his fiefdom in the future?”
Xiao Wendao, understanding the implied meaning, immediately replied, "Your Majesty, Qian Jing, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Works, just told me the other day that he wanted to return to his ancestral home. Why don't we ask the Ministry of Personnel to arrange for Qian Jing to serve as the prefect of his ancestral home? His Highness Prince Jiannan can then temporarily take over the position of Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Works."
“It’s a good place.” Xiao Huaiguan nodded and said, “Your Majesty, Prince Ning, what do you two think?”
Chu Jiubian thought to himself that the Xiao family really had one trick after another.
The Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Personnel are recognized as the most lucrative government departments, and the Xiao family occupied one of them.
Chu Jiubian is currently acting as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. If the Prince of Jiannan were sent to the Ministry of Personnel, he would definitely be hampered by Chu Jiubian. However, if he were sent to the Ministry of Works, then it would be Xiao Wendao's domain.
At that time, the Prince of Jiannan will be nominally a junior official, but in reality, he may be able to do the work of the Minister of Works.
He couldn't help but look at Minister Jian, who was in his forties and had an average appearance, but he had a gentle temperament and a special air about him as a highly intelligent man with a science and engineering background.
Now that people are affecting his vital interests, he still seems indifferent to everything.
"Where is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel?" Qin Xiao suddenly asked.
Chu Jiubian: "?"
He stepped out of the queue and finally saw Qin Xiao.
Qin Xiao then asked, "What does Grand Tutor think of Vice Minister Xiao's suggestion?"
In an instant, many eyes fell on Chu Jiubian.
The King of Jiannan also turned his head to look at him, his gaze seemingly tangible.
"I think this is inappropriate," Chu Jiu argued.
Tell me about it.
Chu Jiubian then said bluntly, "As Minister Lu just said, if the Prince of Jiannan were to enter the court as an official, it would displease the vassal kings, so it doesn't matter whether his official position is high or low."
"So, does the Grand Tutor mean that the Prince shouldn't receive a reward?" Xiao Wendao's tone was softer than when he spoke to Wang Pengyi.
“Of course he deserves a reward,” Chu Jiu argued. “His Majesty has already made preparations.”
Upon receiving the signal, Baili Hong immediately replied, "Yes, I am ready."
Chu Jiubian is too unpredictable; whenever something gets involved with him, there are always some unforeseen developments.
Therefore, everyone fell silent for a moment, waiting to hear what he would reward them with.
If it were just ordinary silk and gold and silver, the Xiao family would definitely fight for it again.
This morning, Chu Jiubian gave the small porcelain jar of salt to Baili Hong, asking him to take it out at this time.
Then, the people in the court heard a few rustling sounds coming from above, and then Eunuch Hong came down carrying a palm-sized, pure white porcelain jar.
He presented the object directly to Baili Hai, offering it respectfully along with a small spoon.
Baili Hai was also somewhat curious about what this reward, which could be equivalent to an "official rank," would be.
After offering the food, Eunuch Hong returned to the dragon throne.
The officials were all curious about what was in the jar, but due to their status and the rules, they did not make any significant moves.
"May I open it and take a look?" Baili Hai asked Baili Hong, and only opened it after receiving an affirmative answer.
He looked down.
It was as white as snow and as dense as fine sand, making it impossible to discern what it was.
"Your Highness may have a taste." A clear and pleasant voice sounded beside him, and Baili Hai's ears tingled. He subconsciously turned his head to look.
The ethereal young man stood a step away from him, his light-colored pupils reflecting the flickering firelight, his long eyelashes casting shadows beneath his eyes, making it impossible to discern the emotions in them.
Baili Hai stared at him for two breaths before turning his gaze back to the object in his hand.
Then, just as Chu Jiubian had said, Baili Hai scooped up half a spoonful of fine salt with a small spoon.
One spoonful like that is incredibly sweet.
Chu Jiubian deliberately did not remind him.
Baili Hai put the spoonful of salt in his mouth, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he forced himself to swallow it without losing his composure.
The young man has great composure.
Chu Jiubian felt uneasy for him because of the saltiness.
"Your Highness, what is that?" Xiao Huaiguan asked, as he was very close to Baili Hai.
Baili Hai handed him the porcelain jar: "Please try it yourself, sir."
Xiao Huaiguan said "Excuse me," then scooped some out with a spoon, but instead of putting it directly into his mouth, he placed it in his palm and tilted his head back to eat it.
He was getting on in years, and before he knew it, he started coughing.
Xiao Wendao's expression changed: "What exactly is that thing?"
Chu Jiubian looked at everyone and said, "This is the fine salt used in my immortal realm."
"Fine salt?"
Xiao Wendao took the porcelain jar from Xiao Huaiguan's hand, examined it carefully, and then cautiously tasted a few grains. His expression changed: "It really is salt!"
The lower-ranking officials dared not make any moves, but the high-ranking officials of the first and second ranks couldn't help but urge them on. Before long, almost everyone had looked around and tasted some.
After tasting it, everyone's face showed undisguised astonishment.
When he looked at Chu Jiubian again, his expression was even more complicated and indescribable.
Salt.
How could they have ever seen such fine salt?
Moreover, this salt has no bitter taste at all, so you can imagine what it would taste like to use it in cooking.
Of course, these people couldn't only be thinking about food; they were thinking about much more and much further ahead.
“This fine salt…” someone began, as if to ask something.
Chu Jiubian interrupted, saying, "When I descended to the mortal realm, I was in a hurry and only had time to bring these with me. I gave them all to His Majesty. However, His Majesty said that such rare items should be given to Prince Jiannan, as they are worthy of his achievements in supervising the construction of the dike."
Qin Xiao asked in a calm voice, "Do you all think this divine object is worthy of being given as a reward?"
The court was completely silent.
Everyone was weighing something in their minds.
Chu Jiubian claimed that he only brought this one jar, but everyone present saw him fall from the sky, and it was clear that he didn't bring anything. Therefore, this thing could only have been made by him now.
He can make ice, he can make tinder, so naturally he can make this fine salt.
If you can get one can today, you can get a bag, a truckload, or even several truckloads tomorrow!
He took out these today not to sell the fine salt to the common people, but to sell it to the powerful and wealthy, and to merchants and gentry from all over the country.
With the national treasury now depleted, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao must be after the profits from selling salt.
Then this fine salt is "private salt" permitted by the imperial court!
These powerful and influential figures in the capital were among the first to gain access to the source of the goods.
They could get their hands on such a good thing, and then resell it elsewhere for several times the price.
This is outrageous profit!
Qiu Heng had even more to think about.
The Qiu family's caravans weren't limited to the territory of Daning; if they could sell this fine salt to other tribes...
His heart was pounding like a drum.
Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao brought out the salt today, their target was indeed the Qiu family.
The Qiu family had merchant caravans and connections, which saved Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao the trouble of forming their own caravans.
They don't need to wait for the caravans to go and come back in a cycle. They can just sell the salt directly to the Qiu family, negotiate the profit sharing and the bottom price with them. That means they, as the source manufacturer, can earn huge profits without lifting a finger.
What they want now is quick money. With money, they can take the imperial examinations and do more things.
Ultimately, the salt is in their hands, and when they say they've run out, the Qiu family's business will be over.
Moreover, this trade in "fine salt" could become a "time bomb".
If they ever decide to target the Qiu family, the crime of selling "smuggled salt" will be enough to give them a hard time.
Now it all depends on whether the Qiu family has the courage to do so.
However, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao were not worried. The Qiu family had grown their business to such a large scale that they would not be too conservative.
Moreover, the salt wasn't just given to the Qiu family; the other families would also naturally get a share of the market within Daning.
If one person selling salt is considered illicit, and everyone is complicit, then everyone will act with impunity.
These powerful families have stood at the pinnacle of power for too long, and they've become too arrogant.
They are used to sticking together and supporting each other in times of need.
So everyone in them knows how to do this fine salt business.
Chu Jiubian didn't care how much they could make by reselling them; after all, they were making money off foreigners and local nobles and gentry, while ordinary people couldn't even buy them.
He only cares about how much he can earn.
He wanted to make a quick buck and use that money to fund the imperial examinations!
He was certain that the Qiu family, or other powerful and influential families, would come looking for him within the next two days.
He only needs to investigate each case one by one, find the most suitable bottom price, and then discuss the profit sharing, and then he can sit back and wait to collect the money.
While everyone was pondering, the Prince of Jiannan spoke first, saying, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness."
This jar of fine salt represents the number of slots available.
Chu Jiubian intends to hand over the right to sell salt first, and to sell more salt, to the Xiao family.
Baili Hai wasn't stupid, and there was Minister Xiao in the court. With just a glance and a nod, Baili Hai accepted the so-called reward.
As for entering the court as an official, he is still young, and Baili Hong is still a child, so it is not impossible to plan it slowly.
Chu Jiubian's jar of fine salt completely killed everyone's interest in arguing.
They all wanted to return to their residences immediately to discuss the feasibility of this matter with their respective heads of households and advisors, as well as how to quickly seize and divide up market share.
As for what everyone talked about after the morning court session, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao had no idea.
They just need to wait for these people to come to them.
==
The Da Ning Dynasty had a curfew, but the controlled period was only from 10 p.m. to a few hours before the morning court session the next day, so the people were used to going out at night.
But today is the Qixi Festival, one of the very few days of the year when young men and women can openly spend time together on the streets.
Therefore, as soon as it got light that morning, lanterns were already being hung up and stalls were being set up everywhere on the streets.
On the busiest streets in the East and West markets, there were lively scenes of scholars composing poems and dancers and singers performing. On Changning Lake in the west of the city, there were flower boats cruising on the lake and courtesans performing. It was truly a scene of extravagance and debauchery.
While the powerful and influential were busy discussing important matters, Chu Jiubian had already changed into a black and white robe, preparing to go out for a stroll with Qin Xiao.
As for the young emperor, it's not safe for him to go out, so he should stay in the palace and study with Eunuch Hong and the others.
However, Chu Jiubian still left two candies for Eunuch Hong, which could be used to coax the child.
Chu Jiubian changed his clothes, looked in the mirror, and found that his hair had grown a bit, and his bangs were partially obscuring his eyebrows and eyes.
Her long, silvery-white hair had also turned black at the roots, but it wasn't noticeable because it was hidden by the black hair above.
Looks like I need to find a chance to dye my hair again.
[Host, this hair dye doesn't require bleaching, allows for multiple applications, and costs only nine points.]
Chu Jiubian: "...I'll buy it for six points."
[7.5 points, deal done.]
Chu Jiubian has figured out the system's bargaining rules. As long as it's within the other party's acceptable range, it will choose the middle value to complete the transaction.
After he finished negotiating the price and walked out the door, he saw Qin Xiao standing in the courtyard waiting for him.
The other person was also dressed in all black, except for the exposed collar of his inner garment and the inner sleeves, which were black. The only difference between him and Chu Jiubian was that he was wearing white trousers.
And because they were made by palace embroiderers, the auspicious cloud patterns on their clothes were almost identical.
If you didn't know better, you'd think they were wearing the same outfit.
Qin Xiao was looking at the note in his hand when he heard the noise and turned around. He was also visibly surprised to see Chu Jiubian. He probably didn't expect that they would be wearing similar clothes today.
Chu Jiubian didn't think there was anything wrong with it. After all, they usually wore the same crimson official robes, so it was fine for them to wear the same casual clothes today.
"What are you looking at?" He walked up to Qin Xiao.
Qin Xiao then handed him the note, saying, "This is for you."
Chu Jiubian roughly guessed what was going on. He took the note and saw that it was indeed sent by Xiao Yao. It said that his carriage was waiting at the palace gate and that he once again sincerely invited Chu Jiubian to go boating on the lake and enjoy the lanterns.
He knew the other party would bring up the matter of fine salt, so he had to keep the appointment.
Chu Jiubian put away the note and asked Qin Xiao, "Together?"
Since the topic of fine salt would inevitably come up, Qin Xiao could keep an eye on things to prevent him from reaching any private agreement with Xiao Yao.
There was no trust between him and Qin Xiao, so involving the other party directly would reduce suspicion.
Qin Xiao replied, "No, you go ahead."
Chu Jiubian raised an eyebrow: "Aren't you afraid that I'll reach some kind of tacit understanding with him in private?"
"What am I afraid of?" Qin Xiao looked at him with a half-smile. "Your love tribulation is me, not Xiao Zimei."
Chu Jiubian chuckled and slapped the note into his arms: "I'm leaving."
After saying that, he turned and left Yaotai Residence, heading towards the palace gate.
It was unexpected that Qin Xiao trusted him so much.
As for his personal safety, Chu Jiubian dared to say that he was now seen as a "god of wealth" by these powerful and influential people. They wouldn't be foolish enough to offend him, and he also had bodyguards and guns, so he was extremely safe.
Inside the Yaotai Residence.
Xiao Xiangzi and the others watched Qin Xiao's figure cautiously, not daring to breathe.
Qin Xiao stood there for a long time, then suddenly scoffed and stepped out the door.
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