Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Heirs
After that day, Su Qing and Liu Qin gradually began to have more contact.
To Liu Qin's surprise,
Her life has improved considerably.
Although she was a favored concubine in the palace, she had no people of her own and was unaware of the backgrounds of those around her.
She was quite different from the other concubines.
But Qi, one of the usually silent chief eunuchs who was on good terms with Su Qing, secretly passed messages to her.
He also sent over a few palace maids and eunuchs whose backgrounds were unknown, thus gaining some trusted confidants.
That's not all.
She knew everything about everyone in her palace, including their backgrounds and informants.
This allowed Liu Qin to sleep soundly for several nights.
Even the many rules of the palace were finally taught to them.
Many things outside the palace can also be transmitted over.
Liu Qin felt that Lord Su was like her "family".
From then on, she had someone to rely on, both inside and outside the palace.
But she also understood.
Lord Su must have had a purpose in doing this.
But I can't figure it out for now.
Su Qing said, "Now that you can read, why don't you read more history books?"
History books?
Is it true that women should not be female and should follow female precepts?
Su Qing smiled but didn't say anything more.
Some things can't be rushed.
You'll figure it out someday.
During this period, the Maritime Trade Office of Haiwanzhou was finally established.
According to the report...
Xu, the head official, along with more than thirty officials, had already moved into the former Maritime Trade Office, which had been left over from the previous dynasty.
Those officials who were capable were retained, while those who were not were transferred to other places.
As per usual practice, the situation at Wanzhou Port was investigated, local vessels and passing vessels were counted, navigation routes were determined, and goods were transported, etc.
Ships that need to pass through this port in the future will need to report their situation in advance.
Taxes are levied based on the condition of the goods.
Of course, the Maritime Trade Office would also provide guarantees, be responsible for the safety of the nearby waters, raise funds to repair the port, and be responsible for the safety within the harbor, etc.
These words left the wealthy merchants of Haiwanzhou and Yangzhou with mixed feelings of doubt and disbelief.
Some shipping companies simply ignored this and have already started shipping from other seaports.
Who cares about this or that?
As long as I don't have to pay taxes, that's fine.
Who knows where you'll spend the money after paying taxes?
Only the ship merchants from Yangzhou and Wanzhou gritted their teeth and could only do business in this port.
After all, this place is the closest to them.
A small number of people stayed here because there were no pirates and their safety was guaranteed.
Among these people, there were also those who stayed because of Su Qing.
For example, the Shi family in Wanzhou and the Ye family in Yangzhou.
As one of the few companies that registered their ships and cargo with the Maritime Trade Office, the Director Xu of the Maritime Trade Office was quite moved.
Ye Shanming said directly, "If it weren't for Lord Su, we would have also chosen a different port."
Ye Shanming was obviously saying it that way on purpose.
He trusted Su Qing's abilities, but not the court's.
Although the words were blunt, they were not without reason.
Even everyone at the Maritime Trade Office in Wanzhou understood that Lord Su deserved much credit for getting things done.
No wonder local governments have all put Su Qing in charge of this matter.
If she hadn't taken the lead, these wealthy businessmen wouldn't have cooperated at all.
The news traveled from Haiwanzhou to the capital.
Su Qing's position was naturally more secure, giving him a sense of absolute authority.
But what truly allowed Su Qing to establish himself among the ship merchants was...
It was the same shipbuilding craftsman she had previously sent to Haiwanzhou.
Su Qing sent two groups of people.
The first time was when she first arrived in the capital, and at that time she did not know that she was going to be promoted to the Ministry of Revenue.
However, he used his personal connections to send many shipbuilders there.
The second time, he served as a councilor in the Ministry of Revenue's Office of State Affairs, coordinated with the Ministry of Works, and even transferred people from the Guangyue Prefecture.
These skilled shipbuilders gathered at the Haiwanzhou weapons workshop and actually came up with something.
Su Qing's subordinates, Yu Yunxi and Liu Lülan, began to distinguish themselves.
Despite his young age, he managed the weapons workshop very well and led his craftsmen to design better ships.
This is different from the makeshift boats we used before.
It is a vessel that can both guarantee the sailing distance and ensure the safety of the crew as much as possible.
It is not hard to see from this that Su Daren was considering the needs of their shipping industry from the very beginning.
It wasn't a task that would deplete resources unnecessarily.
Minister Li thought to himself.
Su Qing said she wanted to give the shipping industry confidence, and it turns out that she was the one who gave them that confidence.
But regardless, that's how she made that arrangement.
People in Haikou, Wanzhou, and Yangzhou all trust her.
Shipowners from other regions also came to check on the situation.
They're all in the maritime business; they might not care about the safety of their crew members, but they do care about the safety of their cargo.
Some people also wanted to poach the shipbuilders.
But the two siblings who manage the weapons workshop are both incredibly capable.
These craftsmen were treated to good food and drink, and they were addressed as "Craftsman Li," "Craftsman Wang," and "Craftsman Zhao" at every turn.
They were said to have been placed in the Spring and Autumn or Warring States periods, and could have founded a new school of thought, becoming the patriarchs of the shipbuilding industry.
These words brought smiles to everyone's faces.
Thinking of the Guangyuefu official school under Su Qing's jurisdiction, which also nurtured many descendants of the various schools of thought, his expression became serious.
If this could truly become a recognized academic discipline, its significance would be entirely different.
Of course, given their respectful attitude and the relatively safe environment, no one will leave.
They didn't know what it was like in other places.
But everyone knows what kind of personality Lord Su has.
Let Ye Shanming say it in private.
In the chaotic coastal areas
The success of the Maritime Trade Office in Wanzhou was entirely due to the trust placed in Su Qing himself.
Whether it's the Maritime Trade Office here or the people in the capital involved in this matter.
Everything revolves around her.
In any case, the Maritime Trade Office of Wanzhou has at least made a good start.
With the departure of eight large ships, all that remains is for the cargo to be transported back and its value calculated.
Based on the cargo manifest and the ship's expected itinerary.
These eight ships, which are not particularly large, will probably generate 100,000 taels of silver in tax revenue.
When the news reached the capital, everyone in the Ministry of Revenue was overjoyed.
Although 100,000 taels of silver is not a lot, this is just the beginning.
Moreover, it's just the tax from Haiwanzhou alone.
Once the twelve maritime trade offices are established in various regions, the tax revenue will certainly not be low.
The national treasury has been empty for so long.
Finally, there's something to look forward to.
Only Minister Li's expression was unpleasant.
Su Qing looked at his expression.
It became clear that Minister Li was well aware of the Emperor's thoughts.
After everyone else left, only Councilor Su and Councilor Zhao from the Department of State Affairs remained.
Then Minister Li said, "There are several more batches of ships coming up. How much tax revenue will they generate?"
Zhao, the councilor, wanted to say how would he know, but subconsciously glanced at Lord Su.
As expected, Lord Su knew: "This batch of merchant ships that departed on the third day of the sixth lunar month carries a relatively large amount of cargo."
"By December of this year, there will be at most five more cargo ships, and the value of the goods they carry is not high."
"In total, there are about 400,000 in taxes."
That's already pretty good!
Zhao, the councilor, looked pleasantly surprised.
But Minister Li and Lord Su did not think so.
"Please sit down," said Minister Li. "You can answer the questions while seated."
Councilor Su and Councilor Zhao sat down.
I knew this conversation would last a long time.
Minister Li didn't ask Su Qing how she knew.
She knows the situation in Haiwanzhou best; no one can get past her.
So he asked directly, "Logically speaking, it shouldn't be this little."
Su Qing thought to herself.
Nowadays, apart from the Wanzhou port which collects taxes, other seaports are not strictly regulated, so those who don't want to pay taxes naturally have other places to go.
They definitely won't come.
The current numbers are only possible because everyone has been kind to us.
Minister Li knew about this matter, but insisted on asking, which must be due to pressure from the Emperor.
Su Qing said directly, "That's all for now."
"Moreover, this money will be used to repair the local seaport and for the local shipyard."
"Without these initial investments, tax revenue will decrease over time."
Minister Li looked at Su Qing.
She knew perfectly well that the emperor needed the money.
If you won't give it to me, fine, but why are you trying to misappropriate it?
But Su Qing's meaning was very clear.
To collect taxes smoothly, some investment is required.
You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub.
When this reached the Emperor's ears, he was naturally displeased.
He was already very dissatisfied with the whole pilot program.
In his view, all seaports under heaven belong to the imperial court, and since people pass through these ports, they should be taxed.
When the imperial court becomes wealthy, it will naturally have the money to repair it.
Why bother with all this taking so long?
Su Qing, being a young woman, indeed lacked courage.
The Emperor said, "Now that the Maritime Trade Office of Wanzhou has been established and there are no major problems, the Maritime Trade Offices in other regions can also begin preparations. There is no need to wait another six months."
Upon hearing this, local officials were naturally pleased.
But the wealthy merchants in the shipping business looked grim.
If we follow Su Qing's approach, everyone will have some time to calm down.
And it is indeed for their benefit.
Now that the Emperor has ordered taxes to be levied by a single word, who wouldn't be full of resentment?
For a time, coastal areas were filled with complaints.
Su Qing's reputation grew even more.
There's no way around it; the contrast between the two is just too stark.
Gu Congsi was worried.
It seems that the subjects always play the villains, while the emperor plays the good guy.
But with Su Qing, it was the complete opposite.
I'm afraid the Emperor will be displeased.
How could Su Qing not know this?
But she said, "Don't worry, the Emperor has something even more exciting to do lately, and it's none of my business."
With a single word from the Emperor, the Maritime Trade Offices of the other twelve seaports were quickly established.
The Ministry of Personnel still selected officials and sent them to various places.
This time, however, they crammed even more people in.
They clearly saw the potential in the Maritime Trade Office's profits and wanted to make a quick buck from it.
When Minister Li saw the final list, his face turned extremely ugly.
Inside the office, Zhao, the councilor, and his colleagues also had this list on their desks.
Guo Gaojie and Wei Wenwei were extremely dejected.
They considered themselves to have done a good job in their mission in Haiwanzhou.
Both in terms of efficiency and integrity, it far surpasses other departments.
While it may not be perfect, it is moving in the direction they envision.
But the emperor's words brought everything back to square one.
People say that the capable rise and the mediocre fall, but that's not true at all.
If it weren't for Lord Su taking them to work at the Wanzhou Maritime Trade Office, things would have been fine.
Now that they've tasted the sweetness of getting things done properly, to send them back to square one is worse than killing them.
Their ability to serve their country is remarkable.
Is it really completely useless?
Su Qing knew their dejection, but didn't offer much comfort.
I've experienced the same things they went through.
And it's not just about these things.
Which of the civil and military officials in the court didn't have a heart for serving the country when they were young?
But he gradually realized that everything he had done was for the emperor's selfish desires.
Once everyone understood these things, they each had their own plans.
A person who is not steadfast to begin with will naturally become even less steadfast.
The Emperor was completely unaware of the thoughts of the people in the Ministry of Revenue's Office.
He looked at the prescription in front of him with a mixture of doubt and delight.
Is it true?!
Eunuch Liang advised, "Your Majesty, this servant does not know whether this prescription is genuine or not."
"It's just something from Yaogu Village, presented to Your Majesty for your perusal."
"They say there's a Luoning Temple near Yaogu Village, and the newly arrived monks discovered it while cleaning the Guanyin statue."
Yaogu Village, Luoning Temple, Guanyin Statue.
The emperor summoned the imperial physicians and asked them to examine the prescription.
My eyelids were twitching before the imperial physician arrived.
I listened to Eunuch Liang explain the origin of the prescription before looking at its contents.
Speaking of Yaogu Village, both the emperor and the imperial physicians believed it to some extent.
After all, the Qi-boosting and spirit-nourishing pills that the emperor always used came from here.
This miraculous medicine did indeed improve the emperor's health.
Therefore, there was a greater degree of trust.
Not to mention the name of this prescription: the Prescription for Having a Child.
There's nothing fancy or fancy about the name.
It was a simple remedy for having a child, yet it struck a chord with the Emperor, the Imperial Physician, and even Eunuch Liang.
The emperor has just turned thirty-five and has countless beauties in his harem, yet he has no children.
Without anyone saying it, the emperor knew it was his own fault.
Although they won't admit it, it's obvious to everyone.
He privately consulted countless imperial physicians, but none of them could find a solution.
They only said that the emperor had been in poor health since childhood and needed further recuperation.
But after all this time of treatment, there's still no result.
The emperor naturally became increasingly anxious, and there were also some complaints within the royal family.
Even the Empress Dowager said that Prince Zheng is twenty-five years old this year, and it is really time to find him a wife. He should not delay.
In previous years, when Yan Zhengzhou was fighting abroad, everything was fine.
Now that he has returned to Beijing, he neither marries nor takes a concubine, and there is no one in his room.
There are already rumors that this is the Emperor's will.
He would absolutely not have children before the emperor had any offspring.
It's fortunate that Prince Zheng listened to him; otherwise, everyone would have said it was unreasonable.
Some even said that since the Emperor couldn't have children, wouldn't it be great to let Prince Zheng have them?
Anyway, they are brothers born of the same mother.
This also solves a difficult problem.
But given the Emperor's temperament, how could he possibly agree?
So the topic swirled back to having children.
The purpose of going to Mount Tai for the Fengshan ceremony was also to pray for a child.
The imperial physician carefully examined the prescription and confirmed that it was indeed a prescription beneficial for having offspring.
But several medicinal ingredients had been added, including the spiritual resin of rats, bats, and leeches, which puzzled him.
Lingzhi sounds nice, but it's actually just dried animal excrement.
However, dried feces are also commonly used as a medicinal material, so there's not much to say about it.
The imperial physician thought for a moment and said, "This prescription is mild and there is no serious problem."
The emperor then summoned several trusted imperial physicians, and they all shared the same opinion.
From the perspective of the person seeking a child, there is indeed no problem.
As for whether it will be useful, I don't know.
Anyway, the emperor has tried so many prescriptions, what if this one works?
That very evening, the emperor changed the prescription.
However, even the emperor himself didn't have much hope.
The emperor's gaze was cold and sinister.
If one truly has no children, one can only choose from collateral branches.
As for Yan Zhengzhou.
Let's forget about it.
Anyone else would do, except him.
Performing the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, praying for divine protection, seemed to be his only way out.
He is the emperor, the son of heaven.
Perhaps that's his chance.
The Ministry of Revenue was saying that the national treasury was out of money, and other ministries were also asking for funds.
Tao Gelao and Gu Congsi said that the Fengshan ceremony was a waste of resources and manpower.
Do these people even understand that he's going to have no offspring, and compared to this, nothing else matters?
Offspring.
He must have his own offspring.
The emperor thought of his dozens of concubines, especially his favorites.
They're all a bunch of useless trash.
"Take their pulses and give them herbal medicine."
Fortunately, maritime trade offices had already been established in various regions.
I expect the money to come in soon.
We can go next year.
Officials from the maritime trade offices in various regions have arrived at their posts.
The local officials were initially overjoyed, but their joy was short-lived, and their expressions soon turned sour.
This is not the person Lord Su chose.
That's not how Lord Su behaves at all.
Not a single local businessman cooperated.
They all rushed out to sea before the officials from the Maritime Trade Office arrived.
Forget about registering, I don't even want to bother with them.
This made the already chaotic situation in various places even more uncontrollable.
Upon seeing this, the officials from the Maritime Trade Office sent from the capital immediately ordered the local garrison to dispatch troops to investigate one by one.
I refuse to believe it. Do you think these people would dare to resist taxes?
The customs of people living in coastal areas are inherently different from those in inland areas like Beijing.
This inevitably leads to conflict.
Especially in the Fujian region, they directly fought with the garrison troops.
Those families even boasted that if any member of their clan died, the entire family would be supported by the family and would receive money.
There was naturally no profit to be made from the garrison troops.
After a while, the locals will inevitably gain the upper hand.
The news came in mid-July.
In Quanzhou, Fujian, a port was seized by local merchants, and the Maritime Trade Office had no way to intervene.
Quanzhou has been an important trading port since ancient times, with a large number of ships coming and going and abundant profits, which goes without saying.
It was unexpected that it would end up in the hands of local businessmen.
When the news reached the capital, the entire court was shocked.
Guo Gaojie of the Ministry of Revenue's Office was extremely anxious.
If something happens in my hometown, it's impossible for me not to be home.
Especially if the locals have already benefited, they are unlikely to let go.
As a result, the imperial court would inevitably have to send troops to suppress the rebellion.
If this kind of fighting breaks out, it will definitely be a fierce battle.
The morning court session was held on the 20th of July.
Su Qing was also specially selected to attend this court assembly.
The topic of discussion at the morning court session was, of course, this riot.
Su Qing stood behind the Vice Minister of Revenue and could see Yan Zhengzhou at the very front, but he remained silent.
The two glanced at each other as if by accident, then quickly looked away.
"Your Majesty, this matter must be addressed, otherwise other port merchants will follow suit, and it will be difficult to control them."
"Yes, Your Majesty, please send troops."
“There are already garrison troops in the Quanzhou area. As long as we mobilize manpower there, it’s not a big deal. Why are you so panicked?”
"Exactly, this is just a special case, why be so nervous?"
"It would be better to send officials to negotiate first, rather than resorting to force."
The former suggested that the suppression should be carried out as soon as possible.
The latter understood His Majesty's thoughts: it's better to avoid trouble and save the day from another war.
Anyone could have guessed it.
If we're talking about fighting a war, then Prince Zheng will definitely have to take charge again.
How could the Emperor possibly agree to that?
In the past, Prince Zheng would have volunteered, but now he seems to have realized something and remains silent.
Chaos reigned in the court.
Su Qing's name was also mentioned, with the hope that she would be assigned to the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office.
Merchants from all over still trust her.
Of course, it would be best if Yan Zhengzhou and Su Qing went together.
But Su Qing and Yan Zhengzhou both knew this.
The Emperor will not agree.
Even if a fight breaks out outside, they won't be allowed to do anything.
Why?
This is an open secret that many people share.
Everyone originally thought that the Emperor was wary of Su Qing and Prince Zheng's abilities.
But gradually they discovered that the two had no intention of rebelling at all.
Let's not even talk about Su Qing; she has absolutely no potential to rebel.
Speaking of Yan Zhengzhou, no one is more suitable than him to rebel.
Regardless of his abilities or status, if he were to replace him, the court would at most experience a period of turmoil before quickly returning to calm.
But they really didn't have that thought. After each battle, they just did what they were supposed to do.
The emperor forbade him to marry, and he did not even take a wife or concubine.
If you don't trust him, then who do you trust?
Even if the emperor didn't say it, he knew that Yan Zhengzhou was loyal.
If that's the case, why not use Su Qing and the other two?
There was clearly no threat whatsoever.
The answer is yes.
envy.
This is even a truth that the senior officials gradually figured out.
The emperor was jealous of Yan Zhengzhou's physique and fighting skills.
They were jealous of Su Qing's popularity and his ability to govern the country.
Once you understand this point, the emperor's various actions become much easier to comprehend.
Grand Secretary Tao, Minister Li, and others looked grim.
Even though the emperor was petty, he still couldn't help but want to curse whenever he faced someone directly.
For these privileged children, it was difficult to understand the emperor's thoughts.
Every inch has its strengths and every foot has its weaknesses.
These are all perfectly normal things.
Why can't he accept that his subjects are more capable than him?
Then, considering the plight of these veteran officials and the arrogance of the newly appointed scholars, they were filled with awe.
Many things seem to have been answered.
The court was in an uproar.
The final result was that the garrison troops near Quanzhou were sent to quell the rebellion, and the local prefect was instructed to negotiate with the merchants.
If all else fails, the imperial court will send troops there.
Department of Revenue.
Guo Gaojie was furious when he heard about the proposed solution.
There is a perfectly valid answer, but it is ignored.
Is that correct?
The pilot program of the Maritime Trade Office was going very smoothly.
In order to get the tax money as quickly as possible, they insisted on pushing forward, completely ignoring Lord Su's reminders.
Now that something has gone wrong, there are people who can clean up the mess, but it's still not allowed.
Guo Gaojie simply couldn't understand the Emperor's thoughts.
In fact, Yan Zhengzhou couldn't understand it either.
Su Qing then gave him a proper explanation.
On a July evening, the two lay on a chair to cool off.
"Because he's afraid, he cares about his reputation, and he has a strong sense of self-esteem," Su Qing analyzed. "Haven't you noticed? He ascended the throne because of his mother, won battles because of you, and stabilized the rear because of me."
The emperor was actually a clever man, or rather, he was quite shrewd.
That's why I was able to notice these things.
But he doesn't admit it in his heart, which is why his actions seem contradictory.
Let's see how he treats the Empress Dowager, how he treats Yan Zhengzhou, and how he treats his subjects.
I already knew what was going on in my mind.
Yan Zhengzhou didn't say anything more; he still wasn't used to talking about people behind their backs.
Su Qing was used to it, and buried her face in Yan Zhengzhou's chest, laughing: "Oh right, and also a man's ability."
"He never had any children, which was probably a source of great distress for him."
It doesn't matter.
He'll have it soon.
Following the timeline, the woman who was seeking a child ate the medicine for over a month.
Liu Qin should have figured it out by now.
Yan Zhengzhou was used to Su Qing's increasingly blunt way of speaking, so he pressed her hand down and said, "Don't touch it."
Why?
Is marriage a must?
Su Qing raised an eyebrow, about to say something, when she saw Yan Zhengzhou looking out of the courtyard.
Someone delivered a message.
Consort Qin wishes to see Lord Su.
Su Qing immediately sat up, her eyes filled with excitement.
Yes, she knew Liu Qin would understand.
Yan Zhengzhou was somewhat disappointed, so he sat up and said, "I'll arrange for you to meet."
Three days later, in Consort Qin's palace.
Liu Qin was restless, her eyes trembling uncontrollably.
Was Lord Su's previous hint true?
If it's as she thinks.
Isn't that a bit too daring?
But without children, life would only get harder for her and the other concubines.
The constant administration of herbal medicine made several favored concubines in the harem want to vomit at the sight of it.
It's gotten even worse recently.
The girls who had previously tried to compete for the emperor's favor now all looked troubled.
Especially the herbal decoctions I've been taking lately.
It was said to be a folk remedy found by the Empress Dowager.
Hearing this, Su Qing was also a little puzzled: "What kind of folk remedy?"
She only found one for the Emperor.
They didn't find any for the concubines.
It seems that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor are in a hurry and are making trouble for their favorite concubines.
Liu Qin found it difficult to speak, but finally gritted her teeth and said, "The placenta."
"The emperor actually found placenta for us to eat."
Placenta?!
The placenta of a child.
Just thinking about that feeling made Liu Qin vomit again.
Just when you think the emperor is disgusting enough, he becomes even more repulsive.
Compared to the emperor, the family members who sold her were all better off.
"I don't want to eat anymore, I really don't want to."
"If I eat any more, I'll definitely die."
It wasn't just one of the palace concubines who thought this way.
Qi, the eunuch, looked at Consort Liu, who was pleading with him, and Consort Chen, who was secretly seeking solutions.
He silently gave Su Qing his answer.
The emperor can't have children, but it's not that you can't have children, nor is it that other men can't have children.
The hint has already been given.
Regardless of the empresses and concubines, or their families, they will all be seriously considered.
One child is enough.
The emperor didn't even know whose child it was.
Su Qing whispered in Liu Qin's ear, "What do you think?"
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