Chapter 82
"Your Majesty, salt and iron are the lifeblood of our nation. The salt fields of our Great Zhou are all controlled. The news that the Shu salt fleet was attacked is confirmed.
"Where on earth did the Princess of Yan transport these tens of thousands of dan of refined salt in just nine days? As far as I know, there is no known salt field in the Great Zhou that can provide such a huge amount of salt in such a short time! This matter... is strange!" Li Song's voice was very low, but every word was heartbreaking.
Shen Chong's pupils shrank slightly. What Li Song said was exactly what he was afraid of.
"What do you think, Grand Master?"
"I, an old minister, dare not speculate." Li Song kowtowed again, "But the laws of our country are as firm as a mountain. The ancestral system of salt and iron monopoly must never be broken! Although the Princess of Yan's move solved the immediate problem, it also set an extremely dangerous precedent.
If this batch of salt is not obtained legitimately, but is privately mined and owned by someone else, then it is a serious crime of 'mining official salt'! The law stipulates that it is the same crime as treason!
The four words "the same crime as conspiracy to rebel" hit Shen Chong's heart like a heavy hammer.
He looked at Li Song, who was kneeling on the ground with a "loyal" look, and sneered in his heart. This old fox was using a knife to kill someone. He couldn't defeat Shen Yanzhi himself, so he wanted to use the emperor's hand to get rid of his biggest threat.
However, Li Song's words are not entirely unreasonable.
Shen Yanzhi's power and reputation had already made him feel threatened. If he could seize this handle and give him a warning, so that he could restrain himself, it would be a good idea.
"This matter is of great importance. I will make my own decision." Shen Chong pondered for a moment and finally said, "You may withdraw first."
"I obey your order." Li Song had achieved his goal, so he retreated obediently.
After he left, the imperial study fell into a long silence. Shen Chong's fingers tapped the armrests of the dragon throne intermittently.
After a long while, he finally spoke, his voice cold: "Someone come here."
"The servant is here."
"Pass on my decree, summon Prince Yan Chen Yanzhi and Princess Yan Song Qingyuan to the palace for an audience immediately!"
Meanwhile, outside the salt warehouse of the Prince of Yan's Palace, a long line of people lined up. The palace's officials had set up more than a dozen booths and were methodically exchanging the salt coupons they had previously issued for the snow-white refined salt.
An old woman received her share of salt, pinched a little with her hands and put it in her mouth. She was so excited that tears streamed down her face. "Sweet! This salt is actually sweet! I have lived for sixty years and have never tasted salt so good!"
The people around echoed the sentiment, expressing their gratitude to the Prince of Yan and his wife in words.
Inside the mansion, Song Qingyuan had just showered and changed into comfortable home clothes. She was sitting by the window, watching Shen Yanzhi peel an apple for her. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window lattice, casting a shadow on the two of them. The years were peaceful and quiet.
"Is there any movement from Li Song's side?" Song Qingyuan took the apple he handed to him, took a bite, and it was crisp and sweet.
"Of course." Shen Yanzhi smiled and wiped his hands with a handkerchief. "If he didn't move, he wouldn't be Li Song. I guess he should have just come out of the palace now."
"Oh? You're filing a complaint so soon?" Song Qingyuan raised an eyebrow. "What are you suing us for? Illegal mining of government salt?"
"Besides this, does he have any other cards to play?" Shen Yanzhi's tone was filled with disdain. "This is his only chance to turn defeat into victory."
Song Qingyuan laughed: "It seems that we will soon be invited by His Majesty to the palace for tea."
As soon as she finished speaking, the housekeeper hurried in with a serious expression: "Your Majesty, Princess, someone has come from the palace, and has ordered you to come to the palace to see the emperor immediately."
The couple looked at each other and saw understanding in each other's eyes.
"Understood." Shen Yanzhi stood up, his expression calm, "Yuanyuan, change your clothes. Let's go meet this restless Majesty."
The good show has just begun.
The carriage from the Prince of Yan's residence moved smoothly and silently along the bluestone road leading to the imperial palace. Inside, Song Qingyuan had already changed into the imperial robes of a first-rank princess. The intricate embroidery of clouds and phoenixes shone with a luxurious luster in the dim light. She sat upright, her expression calm, showing no sign of the nervousness of about to face the might of heaven.
Shen Yanzhi sat across from her, dressed in royal attire, which only made him look like a crowned jade and look graceful. He didn't look at Song Qingyuan, but simply reached out and straightened a slightly tilted pearl hairpin on her head.
"Don't worry." His voice was as gentle as usual. "I'll take care of everything."
Song Qingyuan looked up at him and smiled slightly: "What should I worry about? The ones I should worry about are the Grand Tutor who wants to kill someone with a borrowed knife, and the Emperor who wants to use this opportunity to criticize us."
Her composure and confidence brought a smile to Shen Yanzhi's eyes. His princess was never a dodder that needed to hide behind him. She was a pine tree that could stand shoulder to shoulder with him, watching the wind and rain with a smile.
"This time, we must not only win, but also win his heartfelt approval." Shen Yanzhi said slowly, "We must also let those wavering people in the court see clearly who can truly bring benefits to the Great Zhou."
Song Qingyuan nodded, his mind clear. They had long anticipated that Li Song would use the "illegally mined salt" incident as an excuse and had already devised a countermeasure. This trip to the palace wasn't for trial, but to present another achievement that would shock the court and the public.
The carriage stopped in front of the palace gates. Led by the eunuchs, the two men passed through the layers of palace gates and finally arrived outside the imperial study. The palace was brightly lit, and several figures could be vaguely seen.
"Announce, the Prince of Yan and his wife come to see you—"
Following the eunuch's high-pitched "hello," the two men straightened their clothes and walked into the hall.
The atmosphere in the Imperial Study was grim. Emperor Shen Chong sat atop the Dragon Throne, expressionless. Below him sat not only Grand Tutor Li Song, but also the Minister of Revenue, the Minister of Justice, the Chief of the Imperial Clan Court, and several other important officials. It was clearly a prearranged trial.
"Your Majesty, I (your daughter-in-law) pay my respects to you. Long live Your Majesty." Shen Yanzhi and Song Qingyuan saluted together.
"Stand up." Shen Chong's voice was indistinguishable from emotion. His gaze was like a torch, shooting straight at Song Qingyuan, "Princess Yan, do you admit your guilt?"
This blunt attack instantly froze the atmosphere in the hall. A subtle smug smile curled up the corners of Li Song's mouth.
Song Qingyuan raised her head, met the emperor's gaze with neither arrogance nor servility, and said in a clear voice: "Your Highness does not know. Your Highness only knows that it is the duty of an official to share the emperor's worries and solve the people's problems. If this is also a crime, your Highness is willing to accept it."
"How dare you!" Li Song immediately jumped out and shouted, "Princess Yan, you are so bold! How dare you flatter His Majesty in front of him! I want to ask you, where did those tens of thousands of tons of salt you brought back to the capital come from? The Great Zhou salt fields are all listed in the Ministry of Revenue. The source of this batch of salt is unknown, it's clearly mined illegally! This is a serious crime of defying the law and undermining the foundation of the country!"
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