Chapter 83 Preventing
The Zhejiang Division, the Shandong Division, the Fujian Division, and various coastal areas.
They were already major taxpayers in Shunchang Kingdom.
In the Ministry of Revenue, what everyone was competing on was who could control the local areas that paid more taxes.
That's how you count as a political achievement, and that's how you save face.
Therefore, these three officials were considered extremely important within the Ministry of Revenue.
The three of them came hand in hand, all paying their respects to Councilor Su. Even Councilor Zhao, who was standing nearby, looked over.
The other officials were terrified and quickly paid their respects to the three officials in charge.
But in the eyes of those three, there was only Lord Su.
"I have long admired Lord Su's name, and today I am finally able to meet him."
"With Lord Su here, things will be much easier."
"Councilor Su, have you not yet met the Minister and the Vice Ministers? I'll take you there in a bit."
Since we're all officials of the fourth rank, there's really no need to be so polite.
However, the head of the Fujian department even wanted to lead the way himself, which shows his eagerness.
The other two also eagerly spoke up.
Most people were puzzled, but only a few clever people noticed the shift in the wind.
Zhao, the councilor, then thought of the Maritime Trade Office that had been discussed recently.
It seems that's the matter.
If Su Qing can take this job, their office will also be given important responsibilities.
Countless eyes turned to Su Qing, who said, "Indeed, I have not yet paid my respects to the Minister and the Vice Minister, and I do not know whether today's court session has ended."
"Not yet," a clerk replied.
He was the top scorer in the provincial examination in Fujian two years ago, but last year his ranking in the imperial examination was only over 300.
But with his intelligence, he already understood something and continued, "I heard that there are many things to do today, so I guess we'll have to wait a while."
Upon hearing his accent, the Fujian official nodded slightly: "Yes, the topic of discussion is the establishment of the Maritime Trade Office."
Maritime Trade Office!
really!
The office instantly became lively.
When Lord Su and Prince Zheng were quelling the rebellion in Haiwanzhou, someone mentioned the Maritime Trade Office.
At that time, Su Qing discovered that wealthy merchants in Jiangnan were very interested in this, and naturally he inquired about the reasons.
The emperor was equally puzzled.
I think these people are donating money too quickly.
The Maritime Trade Office was established at this time.
As I said before, once maritime transport is opened, it cannot be prohibited.
Moreover, Shunchang Kingdom is so short of money that reorganizing the Maritime Trade Office would only bring benefits.
However, these were just things people said in private.
This is the first time that the matter has been formally brought up for discussion in the imperial court.
Since it involves various regions, we need to choose someone who aligns with the ideas of all parties.
Unexpectedly, everyone tacitly chose Su Qing.
One was that she helped quell pirates at sea.
Secondly, he is a trustworthy person with no selfish motives.
Third, understand the economy.
These three points alone are enough to convince most people.
No wonder she was assigned to the Ministry of Revenue; it wasn't a random assignment.
But this position was exactly what was waiting for her.
The eight so-called Jinshi who had been gossiping about her earlier had now shrunk into a corner, not daring to utter a sound.
They actually knew that what they said was nonsense.
I never expected to be proven wrong so quickly.
But Su Qing completely ignored them and only shared his views with the heads of the Zhejiang, Shandong, and Fujian departments.
The Fujian scholar who just interjected also shared a few viewpoints, and somehow managed to infiltrate his circle.
Su Qing then struck up a conversation with Councilor Zhao, asking him to involve the other councilor as well.
Less than half an hour after arriving at the Ministry of Revenue, Lord Su had already established her position in the Department of State Affairs.
The eight people who initially made strange noises were completely squeezed out of the house.
As the only woman in the area, Su Qing was surrounded by admirers.
He was to be summoned by the Minister of Revenue after the court session.
The current Minister of Revenue is 67 years old. Having served three emperors, he is a man of few words and rarely expresses his opinions.
The empty national treasury and the turmoil in the country are all evident to us.
After the court session ended, the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of Personnel exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in their eyes.
These old ministers seem to be really old men.
They watched as Shunchang Kingdom gradually evolved into what it is today.
Even the once-prosperous Maritime Trade Office was plagued by constant disputes.
If it weren't for Su Qing's appearance, it would be even more difficult to draw a conclusion.
But this Su Qing is a woman.
There were no female officials in the court before.
But the emperor, in his pursuit of wealth, disregarded everything else.
For a moment, I couldn't figure it out.
The emperor's shortsightedness is even more serious.
The problem was more serious when women held official positions.
Oh well, those old fogies are all going to die anyway.
What happens to Shunchang Kingdom in the future is not of much concern to them.
As they were talking, Prince Zheng silently left.
Prince Zheng never uttered a word during court sessions, clearly indicating his lack of interest in political affairs.
But he was also extremely intelligent when he was a child.
Grand Tutor Tao knew this best. As the Grand Tutor, he had praised both the current Emperor and Prince Zheng.
"Let's go, let's go see the first female official in the Ministry of Revenue." The Minister of Revenue, accompanied by his two vice ministers, said with a hint of helplessness.
As soon as they finished their court session, the Ministry of Revenue received the news.
The two councilors from the General Affairs Office, and the principal officers from the Zhejiang, Shandong, and Fujian offices have all arrived.
Two clerks followed at the door to relay messages.
These subordinates were clearly there to recommend Su Qing.
The Minister of Revenue was so angry that his beard stood on end.
Why are you so wary? Are you afraid of him for something?
Although he is old, he is not that pedantic.
"What are you doing gathering so many people? Don't you have anything better to do?" the two vice ministers scolded.
Everyone touched their noses.
This wasn't the first time Lord Su had met with his superiors; they were afraid something might go wrong.
It's not easy to find someone who satisfies everyone.
We really can't afford any problems.
But seeing the Minister's expression, the group had no choice but to leave.
Only two clerks were waiting at the door.
Su Qing greeted Minister Li again: "Greetings, Minister Li. I am Su Qing, the newly appointed Councilor of the Office of State Affairs."
The Minister of Revenue nodded: "Let's go into the study and discuss this in detail."
He's not one to waste time talking nonsense.
Moreover, the Maritime Trade Office was indeed important.
The sooner it opens, the sooner taxes can be collected.
During his lifetime, he did not ask that Shunchang Kingdom could regain its former prosperity; he only wished that it would not collapse.
That's a bit of an unlucky thing to say.
But that was what he truly thought.
Just look at the current government officials.
They don't look at real talent and learning, they only look at the ability to write congratulatory messages.
Which of these officials can get things done?
As long as the emperor is loyal, he can understand.
But loyalty alone is nothing but a joke.
However, the Su Qing before me is different.
Minister Li naturally knew that she was capable.
She was the one who held up everything at Guangyuefu back then.
In fact, in the hearts of those veteran officials, Su Qing's role was far greater than everyone imagined.
If it weren't for her and Prince Zheng guarding Guangle Prefecture, Prince Wuyong's troops would have surely marched south.
The entire Shunchang Kingdom will be engulfed in war.
Any other official would have run away long ago.
He was appointed to a critical mission and still managed to do such a good job.
Everyone has their own standards.
The more she acted this way, the more disgusted the emperor became with her feelings.
Such a capable person, all he wanted and wanted to exploit was his appearance.
Minister Li listened to the conversation between the Vice Ministers and Su Qing.
They were naturally referring to the Maritime Trade Office.
Su Qing already had some thoughts about the Maritime Trade Office.
"One is to suppress bandits. There are many river pirates along the coast, and Wanzhou is not an isolated case."
"Secondly, the port needs to be repaired. The port has been abandoned for many years, and this is essential if we want to start shipping."
"Thirdly, ships."
Su Qing continued, "In the early years, Shunchang's domestic trade was very developed, and domestic goods were in short supply. Therefore, sea freight was not much and was just an extra."
"Therefore, ships are suitable for coastal areas, and if you want to transport large quantities of goods, shipbuilding is imperative."
Minister Li said, "These things all require money. The Maritime Trade Office has not yet been established and has no income yet. It is not appropriate to spend money first."
The reason they set their sights on the Maritime Trade Office was precisely because the imperial court was short of money.
Why would you take money without earning any?
That won't do.
Not only did the Emperor disagree, but Minister Li also disagreed.
Because the national treasury really has no money.
So it's not that Su Qing is wrong.
Rather, it is not in line with the current situation.
Su Qing naturally knew that what she was about to say was the key point: "It really can't be done now."
"But we must give the shipping industry confidence."
This was the true purpose of establishing the Maritime Trade Office.
Tell the merchants in coastal areas.
The establishment of the Maritime Trade Office was not merely for the purpose of collecting your enormous tax revenue.
This is also to protect your interests.
Of the three points mentioned above, which one isn't truly beneficial to maritime transport?
Su Qing bluntly stated: "It is not difficult for the imperial court to establish a Maritime Trade Office."
"The difficulty lies in getting wealthy coastal businessmen to participate voluntarily."
"It's said that the barber's pole is only enthusiastic on one side. The biggest problem with the Maritime Trade Office these days is that the imperial court and local officials are enthusiastic, but the merchants who really want to run shipping businesses don't care."
Su Qing came from the local area.
They came from Wanzhou, Hainan.
They are naturally familiar with the local situation.
Minister Li nodded slightly: "Yes, taxes must be collected after all, and those wealthy merchants are good at tax evasion."
Because it was inside the Ministry of Revenue, people spoke without much restraint.
If the Maritime Trade Office only receives government approval, tax evasion is bound to occur.
Nowadays, the central government's oversight of local areas is gradually becoming ineffective, and it is common for taxes not to be collected, let alone taxes from these wealthy merchants.
Here we'll take the Guangyuefu (a type of folk song) as an example.
Guangyue Prefecture did not pay taxes to the imperial court last year.
This is a typical example of regulatory failure and local tax evasion.
But why don't they pay taxes?
It's because we paid taxes the year before last, and then the imperial court squandered money and didn't allocate military funds to the troops stationed in Guangyue Prefecture.
This annoyed Su Qing.
Therefore, last year they refused to give anything, and Tongminfu and other places followed suit.
The positions are now reversed.
Su Qing was no longer a local taxpayer, but a tax collector.
Naturally, there are also concerns about oversights due to inadequate supervision and lack of cooperation from local authorities.
But she didn't force him.
Directly point out the drawbacks.
That means if you're going to collect taxes from others, you have to provide corresponding guarantees.
Do they really think they're some kind of wealthy landlord who only collects taxes and does nothing?
The three points just now.
The Qingshui bandits repaired the port and built large ships.
This was the guarantee provided by the imperial court.
Both sides must complement each other.
Seeing that Su Qing not only explained the reason, but also exonerated himself from the year before last.
Minister Li couldn't help but say, "As you know, Guangyue Prefecture doesn't pay taxes, which has led other places to follow suit."
Su Qing touched her nose.
Isn't this an explanation for you?
Su Qing stated frankly, "It's highly likely that Guangyue Prefecture will not pay taxes this year."
"Those 160,000 troops are still supported by Guangyue Prefecture."
To put it bluntly.
When will the imperial court be able to supply the army and allocate funds to it normally?
When do they pay taxes in Guangyuefu?
There must be a balance between rights and responsibilities; otherwise, she wouldn't agree.
If you were just explaining to the Ministry of Revenue why you didn't pay taxes last year...
The meaning is now quite clear: although she has left Guang Le Prefecture, a new prefect will soon be appointed.
But Su Qing still has influence over the local area.
The two vice ministers looked at her at the same time, and Minister Li's expression was similar.
What a fine Lord Su!
It has both wrists and fangs.
If it weren't for this kind of personality, one wouldn't be able to master such a vast and extensive music bureau.
Or rather, they couldn't control the Guangyuefu area.
As I said before, once she came to the capital, she had no one to rely on.
It's a complete joke.
Her achievements will not be erased; on the contrary, as her position rises, people become increasingly dependent on her.
Su Qing left Nanjiang County to become the prefect of Guangle Prefecture. Does this mean that Nanjiang County has been lost to him?
Her coming to the capital was for the same reason.
She would be a fool if she actually believed what the Empress Dowager said.
Su Qingcai was not alone and helpless.
But she was willing to show that side of herself in order to get what she wanted.
However, there's no need to be submissive within the Ministry of Revenue.
Only then did the two vice ministers realize it.
Although Su Qing in front of me is a woman, she is not very old.
But she is truly capable.
Thinking about her suggestions to the Maritime Trade Office, it's clear that they reflect her many years of experience as an official.
The atmosphere in the study suddenly changed.
Instead of having superiors interrogate subordinates, they discussed the affairs of the Maritime Trade Office properly.
Minister Li nodded inwardly, but said aloud, "That's true, it's a fact that the national treasury is empty."
Su Qing paused for a moment.
yes!
After all that talk, if we want the wealthy businessman to cooperate, we need to offer tangible benefits.
But the national treasury simply has no money!
The Emperor will not allow Yan Zhengzhou to go to war again.
These two points are worrying.
The Ministry of Revenue has reached a consensus.
No money is no money.
Minister Li pressed on, "Does Lord Su already have a good solution?"
The two vice ministers were taken aback, both looking at their superior, then quickly turning back to listen to Lord Su speak.
Yes, there are.
"Fighting and port construction can be put on hold for now."
"Why not start with the ships?"
"The DPRK and China deliberately built ships to facilitate maritime transport."
Minister Li smiled and said, "This is what you meant by boosting confidence in the shipping industry."
The Minister of Revenue emphasized the word "confidence".
The two vice ministers then realized what was happening.
What Lord Su just said was indeed about boosting confidence.
Is it just confidence, not actual support?
“Support is not just about money,” Su Qing said. “Discovering talent, providing convenience to various regions, and ensuring smooth maritime transport are also forms of support.”
This statement seems simple, but only the imperial court can actually do it.
Now that we're in this position, we can't just talk about money.
Minister Li looked at her.
Of this batch of successful candidates, he was very satisfied with very few.
At most, Gu Congsi is alright.
Now it seems that Gu Congsi is not as good as Su Qing.
Her perspective on problems is different from that of mediocre people.
"This matter will be handled by the Office of State Affairs," said Minister Li. "You and Councilor Zhao will come up with a plan."
"Go."
Minister Li's meaning is quite clear.
He trusted Su Qing, so he entrusted the matter to her.
At the same time, she also bears the responsibility.
If you don't do well, then don't blame others for not giving you a chance.
Su Qing smiled and agreed.
After leaving the Ministry of Personnel, return to the Office of State Affairs.
The people standing in the office now were no longer the eight纨绔进士 (playboy scholars) from before.
Instead, the scholars who wanted to take up their posts were waiting for good news.
Zhao, the councilor, strode forward, his eyes filled with longing.
Su Qing and the two clerks behind him both had smiles on their faces.
"The affairs of the Maritime Trade Office have been officially handed over to us."
"Counselor Zhao, this is our first time working together, please give me your guidance."
Zhao, the councilor who had been sitting on the sidelines in the office for many years, was overjoyed.
As soon as Lord Su arrived, he assigned their department a real job.
How could I not be happy!
From now on, if anyone says they're an easy, lazy government office, they'll fight them to the death!
The other officials were equally excited.
Such a big task has fallen on my shoulders!
However, this matter cannot be rushed. Su Qing and Zhao, the councilor, need to discuss it privately before instructing everyone to do their work.
However, the two clerks following behind Su Qing also participated.
As is well known, all the clerks in the Ministry of Revenue were Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), and the two of them were no exception.
One of them was named Guo Gaojie, from Fujian, and the other was named Wei Wenwei, from Shandong.
Both of them come from coastal areas, which gives them an advantage.
Even though she was just serving the brush and ink on the side, everyone envied her.
How could I be so stupid as to not move forward?
Now it's fine, Zhao, the councilor, already has his own personal attendants, so they can't get close to him.
Lord Su now has people serving him.
This isn't being a servant; this is clearly being a right-hand man!
Everyone sighed with regret, and then looked at the eight spoiled scholars who were at a loss.
The General Affairs Office was given importance.
But you guys are definitely marginalized.
Can't you see that Lord Su is too lazy to even bother with you?
If these families knew about the situation, they would inevitably have to wait for Lord Su to plead on their behalf.
They ask adults to forgive children for being ignorant, and so on.
What awaits them is most likely bamboo shoots stir-fried with meat?
Sigh, who told them to be so blind to talent?
Su Qing had no feeling about this.
She and Zhao, the councilor, were discussing matters concerning the Maritime Trade Office.
The Maritime Trade Office was not an original creation; it even existed in this dynasty, but it was gradually neglected and thus declined.
Now that this place is being revitalized, it's natural to bring out the old documents.
The original Maritime Trade Office was used as a framework, and improvements were made one by one based on the current situation.
Upon hearing this, Zhao, the councilor, was completely relieved.
As expected, Lord Su is not the type to impulsively decide to create something new.
Following the old system and extracting its essence is the safest and fastest approach.
Su Qing took the lead, with Zhao, the councilor, assisting.
The next step is to finalize the bylaws and add details.
This is not something that can be resolved in a day or two, so after today's small meeting, we will continue with a large meeting tomorrow.
Su Qing is a concise speaker who doesn't waste time on small talk and only discusses important matters with everyone.
For four or five days in a row, truly capable officials from the Office of State Affairs emerged.
During this period, Su Qing also built up his own team within the Ministry of Revenue.
Guo Gaojie and Wei Wenwei were her right-hand men.
However, Su Qing requested the Ministry of Personnel to transfer some female officials over, citing inconvenience.
This is not a big deal.
They can simply select women from various families in the capital.
Anyway, this is a common practice in the palace.
The only difference is that the female officials used to go to the palace, but now they go to government offices.
It's impossible for everyone to agree.
But Su Qing's request was reasonable, and since there were already female officials, what difference would it make if a few more female clerks came?
The most important thing right now is the Maritime Trade Office, or more accurately, making money.
The Ministry of Revenue's Office and the Bureau of Records have compiled the maritime revenue of the Shunchang Kingdom for the previous forty or fifty years, as well as the maritime revenue of the previous dynasty.
Those figures are truly astonishing.
Even the Emperor said, "I never knew that the Maritime Trade Office's annual revenue could account for one-third of the total annual tax revenue."
In modern times, this is probably common knowledge.
However, information was not readily available in ancient times, and these materials had been sealed away for a long time.
If Su Qing hadn't compiled this information, everyone would only know that shipping was profitable, but they wouldn't know that it was profitable to this extent.
With this information available, everything must give way to Su Qing's Maritime Trade Office.
Women in the capital who were interested in becoming officials immediately discussed it with their families.
This isn't going to the palace, it's going to the government office.
Based on Lady Su's personality, although she did not deliberately promote women, she would give equal opportunities to anyone who was capable.
Who knows, they might be the next Wu Shanyue or Zhu Fangjie.
Most parties support this view.
Which family would complain about having an official in their household?
They wished that men, women, and children could all join in.
Su Qing's mission in the capital went smoothly.
We also need to take care of the Guangyuefu area.
The prefect of Guangyue Prefecture has not yet been appointed, but she plans to send Constable Wu back first.
Officer Wu was certainly not at ease: "How can this be? The situation in the capital is complicated. Every time you come back from your shift, sir, someone is following you."
These people didn't want to harm Su Qing; they just wanted to find out her whereabouts.
They even belong to different factions; to call it complicated is an understatement.
How could Officer Wu possibly leave at this time?
Su Qing understood these things, but she needed Wu, the head constable, to return to Guang Le Prefecture to handle the matter: "The new prefect will be here soon. On the civil service side, there are Registrar Luo and Household Officer Wu, but on the corvée side, there's only you."
"Gongliang Lang from the Military Affairs Department is also very busy, so he's the main person in charge of contacting General Chai. Only you can manage the errands in the prefectural city."
Ultimately, the core of Guangyuefu's influence cannot be altered.
Su Qing will definitely send his own people over.
Even his own family members were in Guang Lefu, so he absolutely could not afford to make any mistakes.
Officer Wu had no choice but to agree, but after thinking for a moment, he said, "Let Wu Jun stay by your side; he knows quite a few people in the capital."
Wu Jun is the eldest son of Wu the Constable. He came to the capital with the army and has even settled down and started a family there. Su Qing even sent him a congratulatory gift when he got married.
But this means he will have to leave the army.
Su Qing pondered for a moment and then said, "Ask Wu Jun what he thinks, but I will never force him."
Wu Jun, however, readily agreed.
After discussing it with his wife, he immediately resigned from the army and brought several skilled men with him to serve as bodyguards for Lord Su's household.
However, his position in the military was temporarily retained.
Needless to say, this was definitely Yan Zhengzhou's doing.
With his connections in the military, these were minor matters.
After these tasks were arranged and Constable Wu gave repeated instructions, he finally agreed to leave the capital.
Lord Su has sacrificed too much for the Guangyuefu.
He will also work with everyone to guard the place and will never hold the adults back.
Speaking of Guangyuefu.
Naturally, we must mention the matter of bestowing an imperial title upon Mei Niang some time ago.
Once the Empress Dowager gives the order, those below will certainly act swiftly.
This time, I happened to be traveling with Constable Wu.
They sent Mei Niang's imperial decree to Nanjiang County.
A fourth-rank imperial consort was something Mei Niang never dreamed of.
In her heart, her greatest wish was to live peacefully with her husband and children.
When she was married, she would also raise her children well.
But she was overjoyed no matter how she thought about the imperial title her daughter had won for her.
He received his official title through his daughter.
It quickly became the wish of many women, and also the wish of daughters.
The same is true in the capital.
As far as Su Qing knew, many people were forcing their children to study, hoping they would quickly become very knowledgeable.
In any case, the six women sent to her were not only literate, but also well-versed in classics such as the Four Books and Five Classics and biographies of exemplary women.
I'm just not used to this job, so I'm a bit rusty and need someone to guide me.
Su Qing glanced at the six girls silently; they were all dignified, elegant, and beautiful.
Then think about the young scholars who passed the imperial examinations in the Ministry of Personnel.
Putting aside everything else, the emperor's preference for Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) stemmed not only from their ability to flatter him, but also from their youth.
Su Qing led the six of them to the small study. After the door closed, her first words were: "If you want to stay here for a long time, you can't have an office romance."
ah? !
What does this mean?
The six female officials blushed instantly.
They looked like unmarried women who were two or three years older than them.
How could you say such things?
One bold person spoke up: "Are you afraid of damaging your reputation? Don't worry, Lord Su, I won't. I just want to be a lady-in-waiting."
Su Qing chuckled: "What does this have to do with reputation?"
Is it okay?
Su Qing continued, "Because this is an official business, this is work. Since it's work, there can be no personal feelings involved."
"I will not tolerate the disregard for privacy."
“The six of you were also selected from among hundreds of women in the capital, and it has been so difficult for you to get to this point.”
"If I leave because of this, I'll be blocking other women's way."
"Moreover, because personal feelings affect our job duties, guess who will be the ones to leave, you or those who passed the imperial examination?"
Let's leave the others aside for now.
The last sentence made all six people shake their heads violently.
That's right, if something happens, they'll definitely be the first to go.
Su Qing said meaningfully, "It is precisely because the environment is fragile that we must be even more careful."
"Perhaps there is another world out there."
"Besides, you've just left the inner quarters, so you can take your time to choose and see more before making a decision."
Want to choose more?!
Su Qing noticed their expressions and said with a smile, "That's right, take a closer look."
That seems to make sense?
The female officials, who had been secretly "trained" by Su Qing, inevitably looked at their male colleagues with more scrutiny and sizing.
With more scrutiny, many problems will naturally emerge.
However, this is not something Su Qing needs to worry about.
The location has been given; whether they can catch them or not depends on them.
Meanwhile, on May 16th, Councilor Su and Councilor Zhao went to see Minister Li of the Ministry of Revenue with documents in hand.
"First, set up the framework based on the old practices, and then allocate other responsibilities one by one. Their duties will be slightly adjusted."
"First, we will set up a new Maritime Trade Office in Wanzhou as a pilot project, make adjustments according to local conditions, and implement it for six months. If there are no major problems, we will then promote it to other places."
After reading it with his left and right vice ministers, Minister Li had no further comments.
The rest is beyond the scope of Su Qing and Zhao Canzheng's involvement.
They were just waiting for the Ministry of Revenue's documents to be submitted, and then for discussion by the Grand Secretariat, the Emperor, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Works, and even the Ministry of Rites.
The complexity of its joints is beyond description.
Su Qing and the others in the General Affairs Office were to be on standby at any time, waiting to be summoned to answer questions.
Memorials from local governments along the coast arrived like snowflakes.
This matter has finally been put on the agenda!
They definitely want to seize this opportunity.
Even if it's not for political achievements, it's for money.
That's what the Emperor thinks, anyway.
To ensure the national treasury is full, it must be facilitated as soon as possible.
In his view, since the Ministry of Revenue was so well-prepared, it could simply be established nationwide.
However, in the end, following Su Qing's suggestion, the pilot program was first implemented in Haiwanzhou.
This naturally made Yangzhou and Wanzhou the happiest.
Others in the capital might not understand.
However, those on their side knew that Lord Su had most likely considered that the local river pirates had been largely eliminated.
The establishment of the Maritime Trade Office here is also for everyone's safety.
The Ministry of Personnel racked its brains trying to find a suitable candidate for the Maritime Trade Office in Wanzhou.
Su Qing naturally got involved as well.
One option is to transfer people from the local government offices, as they are familiar with the local duties and can do the job better.
Then they selected from officials who had not been promoted for many years.
The Ministry of Personnel wanted to place their own people in positions of power, but Su Qing stopped them with a single sentence.
"This is the first trial operation of the Maritime Trade Office. If anything goes wrong, it will surely alarm the court and the public."
She'll definitely tell everyone anyway.
The officials from the Ministry of Personnel looked very displeased upon seeing this.
Of course, many of the officials who were ultimately sent out also came through back channels.
Fortunately, most of them have experience and real skills.
Besides, whether they can get things done in the local area depends on their abilities.
Anyway, in Wanzhou, especially among the local wealthy businessmen, they only listen to Su Qing.
Su Qing was certain that he knew everything they did.
After finalizing the list of officials for Haiwan Prefecture, the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue held another short meeting.
Su Qing led the group away from the Ministry of Personnel.
The way Minister Yu of the Ministry of Personnel looked at Su Qing became increasingly strange, and whenever they met, he would simply turn away and leave.
As for Lord Yu, everyone knows him.
It was he who instigated Gu's parents to break off the engagement, thus ending Su Qing's marriage to Gu Congsi.
This indirectly led to the failure of the emperor's plan.
So for so many years, he remained in a rather awkward position in the court, neither promoted nor demoted.
After Su Qing arrived in the capital, he remained silent.
Gu Congsi walked past and went straight to Su Qing, causing Lord Yu to have another heart attack.
"What's wrong?" Gu Congsi asked knowingly.
Su Qing didn't answer, but instead asked, "What are you doing here?"
Gu Congsi smiled, then resumed his usual expression: "I've come to congratulate you on the progress you've made on this job."
Indeed, congratulations are in order.
The release of the official list signifies progress.
Next, let's see how the Maritime Trade Office of Wanzhou handles its duties.
And the income of their maritime trade office.
From the first day of May until now, in just over twenty days, such great progress has been made.
It's all for the upcoming profits.
The profits are considerable, and things will be much more convenient in the future.
If it doesn't work, countless troubles will follow.
After leaving the government office, Gu Congsi greeted Wu Jun and the others, and accompanied Su Qing back to her residence.
Then he said, "His Majesty has high expectations for Haiwan Prefecture, and many people are eyeing this revenue. We must be careful."
High expectations?
How tall?
Gu Congsi pointed to a number that made Su Qing gasp in shock.
How many? !
A six-month trial period, and they expect the Maritime Trade Office of Wanzhou to earn them two million?!
Is he obsessed with money?!
Su Qing said, "Impossible. Didn't you see the harbor over there? It can't hold many large ships at all."
"Moreover, these ships are not very sturdy, and long voyages would be dangerous."
This is also why she repeatedly told me not to travel far easily, but to do some trade nearby first.
Once the quality of the ships improves, we can then venture into the deep sea.
If we're talking about the world, probably no one wants to sail into the deep sea more than she does.
Even so, Su Qing still wouldn't allow them to act rashly, as there were lives on board.
But the Emperor wanted the Maritime Trade Office to earn that amount.
That meant forcing them to engage in maritime trade.
Otherwise, the profits wouldn't be that high.
Gu Congsi was well aware of this, so he tipped her off in advance so she could prepare.
Su Qing remained silent.
I was just about to say that the job went smoothly.
The emperor then became the troublemaker.
Gu Congsi laughed, probably because his expression was too obvious: "Actually, he knows this won't work, but he's too short of money."
In the past, Gu Congsi would never have spoken of the emperor in this way.
But having worked closely with the emperor, he understood the emperor's thoughts all too well.
Su Qing said, "Should we still build the imperial mausoleum?"
Gu Congsun paused for a moment: "Not just the imperial tombs."
"He wants to perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai."
Su Qing could hardly believe her ears.
Where to?
What are you going to do?!
Him?
The Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai was something that only emperors with great achievements could perform since ancient times.
Let's not even talk about what achievements the current emperor has made.
Take the emperor's travels, for example; how can the phrase "a waste of resources and manpower" even begin to describe it?!
Has he gone mad?
Su Qing felt that she was losing her confidence. Gu Congsi subconsciously helped her up, and then Su Qing said, "Does he deserve it?"
These words are truly outrageous and treasonous.
But the following statement is even more accusatory: "He's sick."
What are these people doing, working so hard to set up the Maritime Trade Office? Are they just here to perform the Fengshan ceremony for you at Mount Tai?
"His Majesty has been without an heir for a long time, so he is anxious and wants to perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai to pray to Heaven for the birth of a child," Gu Congsi revealed the truth.
Su Qing stared intently at Gu Congsi.
The Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai was a waste of resources and manpower, all for the sake of offspring.
That is indeed something the emperor could do.
Su Qing hesitated, seemingly giving up on discussing the matter.
When Yan Zhengzhou came over that evening, before he could speak, Su Qing immediately asked, "Is there any way to contact Consort Qin?"
Yan Zhengzhou nudged the spot where Gu Congsi had helped him and said, "Okay, what message do you want to send?"
"Without asking why?"
Yan Zhengzhou obviously didn't ask any questions; he only helped her contact Consort Qin.
Consort Qin, living deep within the palace, was startled to learn that Lord Su wanted to see her.
What's the point of seeing her?
This wasn't the first time Consort Qin had heard the name Su Qing.
This isn't the first time their names have been linked together.
The two are even related by blood, which is definitely not a coincidence, but rather something someone did on purpose.
A year ago, Consort Qin was still waiting to be married in Sichang County, Tongmin Prefecture.
At that time, life was hard for the people of Tongmin Prefecture, and her family was no exception.
Fortunately, her fiancé had a relative who held an official position outside the region, and he would often provide financial assistance and occasionally take care of her family.
Qin Guiren's mother also said that her family had some kinship with the Su family in Zhaozhen County.
Although several generations have passed, there are still some connections.
Otherwise, we could go to the Su family to beg for some food to survive.
His daughter is a high-ranking official outside the family, so he sends things back home.
This was the first time Consort Qin had ever heard of Su Qing.
However, Sichang County was too far from Zhaozhen County, and the family had no money to travel there.
When the mother brought it up again, her fiancé's family found out.
It was June of the sixth year of Yongsheng, a time that Consort Qin remembered very clearly. Not long after, a relative of her fiancé, who held an official position, returned to the county and came to see her.
At the time, nothing unusual was noticed.
Because something even more unacceptable happened to her.
Her fiancé's family told her parents that the emperor had ordered his trusted confidants, who were their relatives, to search for beautiful women.
Unexpectedly, the relatives took a liking to Liu Qin'er and wanted to bring her to the capital so that she could enjoy wealth and luxury in the palace in the future.
In this way, the whole family would not have to go hungry or suffer from poverty, nor would they be bullied by the local bullies.
When seventeen-year-old Liu Qin'er heard this, it was like a bolt from the blue.
Isn't she preparing to get married?
Why must we go to the capital and present it to the Emperor?
The three hundred taels of silver offered by her fiancé's family was enough to tempt the Liu family.
No matter how much the mother pleaded.
Liu Qin'er broke off her engagement with her fiancé's family, then received specialized instruction in etiquette and dance before being sent to the capital.
To her surprise, the man actually delivered the person to the palace.
She was standing with seven or eight beauties when the emperor took a liking to her at first sight and kept her with him that night.
The emperor was younger than she had imagined; he was not an old man with a white beard.
Although his face was pale, he was unusually gentle, and his gaze toward her held a different kind of interest.
The days that followed were like a dream for Liu Qin'er.
The gifts flowed like water, including all sorts of jewels, ornaments, and silks, none of which she had ever seen before.
When the emperor learned that she was illiterate, he even wanted to teach her to write and read the Four Books and Five Classics.
There was no empress in the palace, so she didn't need to pay her respects to the empress dowager. She spent her days either composing poems and painting, or accompanying the emperor.
For several months in a row, she was the most favored concubine in the palace.
There's just one thing: I can't go out and meet people.
Apart from the palace maids and eunuchs who served her, she had basically never seen anyone.
Even when going out, I have to cover my face.
When Liang, the eunuch serving the emperor, first saw her, he was shocked, but he quickly composed himself.
But too many people want to see her.
Especially the concubines in the harem, who not only wanted to see her but also wanted to harm her.
The Emperor rejected them all.
Liu Qin'er felt not only gratitude, but also admiration.
Especially since the Emperor knew that she had a fiancé who had broken off their engagement, he not only didn't hold it against her, but laughed heartily and said it was good that he broke off the engagement.
She entered the palace in July of the sixth year of Yongsheng, and did not see anyone else until October.
Until early October, the Emperor's face was particularly grim. He lifted her face, stared at her, and said, "Starting tomorrow, you will be responsible for delivering my medicine to the Hall of Diligent Governance."
"No need to cover your face."
At first, Liu Qin didn't understand why she had to do this.
When the courtiers saw her face, their expressions were filled with shock.
Especially when Gu Zhuangyuan saw her, he was clearly angry.
Other concubines who were not seen before also began to appear one after another.
"No wonder the Emperor won't let you see anyone."
"So that's how it is."
"What a favored concubine! So this is what she's like."
Only then did Liu Qin connect her with Lord Su Qing.
So that's how it is.
So that's how she got her favor.
Do you hate Lord Su?
No, she didn't know Su Qing at all; she only knew that Su Qing was a good official.
When she was taken away from Tongmin Prefecture, Lord Su also punished the local bullies, telling them to stop oppressing the people.
Such an official is very good.
More than anything, it was disappointment with the emperor.
Which girl doesn't dream of love?
But this disappointment is actually not so bad compared to the disappointment of her family selling her.
So she could continue living her life, pretending she knew nothing.
She did receive a letter from home.
They said all the local bullies in the county were dead, and his family still had land.
Liu Qin didn't reply; it wasn't really her concern anyway.
As long as you serve the emperor well, you can get by.
She didn't care whether she looked like anyone or not, as long as the person didn't die.
But what disgusted Liu Qin the most was what happened this year.
Even after what happened last October, the Emperor still favored her and treated her as a beloved concubine.
This time, she was even asked to perform a dance at the Celebration Banquet, and she had to practice secretly.
At the time, she did not know that Lord Su would also attend the Thousand Autumns Banquet, or even her and Prince Zheng's victory celebration banquet.
That's disgusting.
For the first time, Liu Qin felt that liking someone like this could be so disgusting.
As Su Qing listened quietly to Liu Qin recount the past, tears welled in her eyes, but she still pretended to be calm and composed: "Thank you for not holding it against me, Lord Su. If you blame me at the Thousand Autumns Banquet, I will truly be ashamed."
"It's not your fault."
Liu Qin had also thought about this.
This is neither her fault nor Lord Su's fault.
But hearing these words made her feel much better.
But surely Lord Su's meeting with her wasn't just about this matter?
Su Qing simply said, "His Majesty suffers from having no children. If only a concubine could bear him a son or daughter."
But the emperor had many concubines, none of whom could give birth.
Su Qing did not speak further.
Consort Qin is very clever; she will figure it out.
When she figures things out, she will find herself.
Sigh, it's really not easy to get the emperor to have a child and to stop him from wasting money and resources.
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