Chapter 487: Palace Fighting Is Better To Revolt (24)
"Taking fire under the cauldron?"
Solve the root cause of the salt problem?!
What a loud tone!
As an emperor, he still can't think of any good ideas. Nian'er is just a housewife, so what good ideas can she come up with?
Zheng Nian'er didn't see the flash of disapproval in Emperor Yongcheng's eyes, and she began to speak carefully -
"The reason why aristocratic families dare to fight against the imperial court is because they dominate the world's salt fields, salt mines, etc., and each of them has the secret recipe for making salt."
"They monopolized the world's salt. Not only did they gain huge wealth through this, they also gained the confidence to resist the imperial court!"
Although Zheng Nian'er is not familiar with government affairs, she is familiar with time-traveling online literature.
Whether it is a story about a man's struggle or a story about a woman's romance, as long as they travel through the Sui and Tang Dynasties, they will make use of a skill only available in later generations - salt making.
"If Erlang wants to break the family's monopoly and completely eliminate the salt policy, he needs to come up with salt of better quality and lower price!"
Speaking of this, Zheng Nian'er paused deliberately.
She wanted to see Emperor Yongcheng's reaction.
Emperor Yongcheng:......
That's it?
Don’t I know that if I want to compete with others, I need to show the minimum number of trump cards?!
But the problem is, he doesn’t have it!
It was because there was no better way to fundamentally shake the family's monopoly that Emperor Yongcheng settled for the next best thing and prepared to impose a salt tax.
As a result, we ran into another group of bold local tycoons!
Seeing Emperor Yongcheng's disdainful and angry look, Zheng Nian'er was not angry at all.
There is no way, she is a time-travelling woman, and the knowledge she possesses in her mind is thousands of years ahead of this era.
She felt that what she took for granted was magical magic for the natives.
Emperor Yongcheng would question it and even think that she was talking nonsense.
Zheng Nian'er had a plan in mind, met Emperor Yongcheng's gaze, and said slowly, "Erlang, I once saw a method of making salt in an ancient book."
"No need to bother and spend money cooking it in a big pot, just dry it and you can get better and cheaper salt!"
Zheng Nian'er said this while secretly smiling bitterly.
Yes, she also experienced an "ancient book joke" that was used to death by the time travel predecessors.
There is nothing we can do about this.
Although the ancient book plot is vulgar, it is really useful. It is also the only excuse that can explain how Zheng Nian'er, a boudoir girl who has lived in the inner house for a long time, knew the secret method of making salt that amazes the world!
Zheng Nian'er doesn't need anyone else, she and Emperor Yongcheng grew up together.
Emperor Yongcheng cannot be said to know her "well", but he is also very familiar with her life trajectory and growth status.
And Zheng Nian'er has always had maids and servants around her.
Even if she wants to use another vulgar "grandpa" joke, she doesn't have enough conditions.
So, it’s a story from an ancient book. Although the Zheng family was born into slaves, the more they lacked something, the more they wanted it.
After relying on the Hu family to make a fortune, Zheng Youliang, a humble farmer who didn't know a few Chinese characters, paid a lot of money to collect some books from the people.
Of course, these so-called "ancient books" that Zheng Youliang bought were basically from Xibei.
But what Zheng Nian'er wanted was just a reason, not any ancient books.
If Emperor Yongcheng continued to ask her for the originals of ancient books, she could also argue that they were accidentally lost, or that the bamboo slips were too old and were directly damaged!
"Drying? No, no need to cook?"
Emperor Yongcheng finally listened and no longer had a disapproving, questioning and dismissive attitude.
As a person who lived in the palace all year round, Emperor Yongcheng had no chance to experience the people's sentiments and understand their livelihood among the people.
However, fortunately, he has a good gentleman like Feng Shou.
Feng Shou did not agree with the late emperor's behavior of promoting the concubine and suppressing the legitimate son. In his mind, he always regarded Emperor Yongcheng, the empress' legitimate son, as the future prince.
Therefore, when teaching Emperor Yongcheng, Feng Shou did not just teach the Four Books and Five Classics blindly. Instead, he would intersperse some short stories of folk sufferings and tell a lot of common sense about the national economy and people's livelihood.
Feng Shou didn't want to raise a stupid emperor who said, "Why don't you eat minced meat?"
Well, okay, although Emperor Yongcheng was still stupid in other ways.
But on basic issues of people's livelihood, Emperor Yongcheng still had basic knowledge.
For example, he knows that the current mainstream method of making salt is just one word - boiling!
Put the salt brine into a large pot, set up firewood and charcoal fire, and cook vigorously.
The water is dried out, leaving the salt crystals, which are then purified through a series of processes.
And this "series of craftsmanship" is the secret recipe that the family holds in hand.
Without these steps, even if the salt is cooked, it cannot be eaten directly. Ahem, it can easily kill someone!
What the aristocratic family monopolizes is not only salt fields and salt mines, but also these secret recipes.
If there is a secret recipe, Emperor Yongcheng also wants to circle a beach, make salt, and sell salt.
But the problem is, he didn't!
Now, when he suddenly heard about another method of making salt that did not waste iron pots, firewood and other tools, Emperor Yongcheng found it incredible, but he was still moved.
"Yes! You don't need to waste any iron pots or firewood. You only need to use the power of nature to get the best sea salt!"
Thanks to some online textual writers who wrote about the party, when writing novels, they expressed some craftsmanship in great detail.
For example, how to dry salt, how to cultivate salt fields, how to dry it, how to filter it... Zheng Nian'er didn't even need to look up the information, he could understand it clearly.
She saw that Emperor Yongcheng really listened to her words, his eyes full of excitement and eagerness, and Zheng Nianer was secretly proud.
She did not continue to talk about it, but carefully explained the method of drying salt.
Finally, she said proudly, "Erlang, when you make better and cheaper sea salt, those aristocratic families will no longer be able to choke you!"
"The imperial court does not need to worry about them respecting their 'salt' and deliberately using salt to embarrass the imperial court and Erlang!"
In fact, Zheng Nian'er was quite lucky. In the face of Emperor Yongcheng's "reforms", those local tycoons only resorted to brutal and violent resistance to taxation.
He did not use a more extreme and deadly trick - cut off the salt directly!
They hold in their hands all the salt fields and salt mines in the world.
If they sincerely wanted to teach Emperor Yongcheng a lesson, they could completely cut off the supply of salt.
Without salt on the market, let alone ordinary officials and people, even ordinary people would be dissatisfied and riot.
If the control is not good, "civilian chaos" may occur.
Since ancient times, "officials force people to rebel" has never been a good word.
And as the emperor who leads all of this, he is the undisputed "faint emperor".
Although it is not possible to cause chaos in the world just because of a salt, after all, the aristocratic families just want to teach the little emperor a lesson, and do not really want to cause turmoil in the world.
They will stop in time and let the market return to normal as soon as possible, and the people will be reassured.
However, Emperor Yongcheng's prestige as emperor would be completely wiped out, and his "pro-government" would become a joke.
"..." After listening to Zheng Nian'er's words, Emperor Yongcheng did not rush to react.
He remained silent. After carefully digesting those words, his face finally showed ecstasy.
"Haha! Okay! Okay!"
Emperor Yongcheng was so excited that he only walked in circles in the hall.
After going around several times, he stopped in front of Zheng Nian'er, with a pair of eyes looking at his little green plum as if looking at a peerless treasure.
"Nian'er, you, you are indeed my good wife!"
Emperor Yongcheng hugged Zheng Nian'er into his arms, wishing he could pick her up and spin her around in circles.
Ahem, as for why he didn't succeed, Emperor Yongcheng refused to admit that he couldn't hold it.
He is only a fifteen-year-old man, and he is pampered. How can he have such brute strength?
In the end, Emperor Yongcheng could only express his inner joy and gratitude by patting his lover's back with his big hands.
"Hurry up, Nian'er, what reward do you want? I'll give it to you!"
When his mood improved, Emperor Yongcheng became extra generous.
Before the experiment of drying salt was successful, he was eager to reward the heroes.
"...As long as I can help Erlang, I will be satisfied. I don't want anything, as long as Erlang always loves me and loves me!"
Zheng Nian'er heard the word "reward" a little harsh.
What reward?
Can't we use the word "reward"?
Although the two have similar meanings, the former sounds like a superior rewarding a subordinate.
Although Zheng Nian'er became Emperor Yongcheng's favorite concubine, in her heart, she always felt that she and Emperor Yongcheng were equal.
She didn't talk about human rights in vain, regardless of the hierarchy of the feudal dynasty.
Instead, she felt that she and Emperor Yongcheng were "husband and wife", and there was no distinction between who was superior and who was inferior!
However, now is not the time to worry about this.
Zheng Nian'er thought that when the salt-drying method she proposed really helped Emperor Yongcheng and let him know that Zheng Nian'er was not just a beloved concubine or a harem woman, but a virtuous wife who could assist him, Emperor Yongcheng would naturally know how to respect him.
she!
It's a pity that reality did not give Zheng Nian'er this opportunity!
In other words, those aristocratic families are not as "good" as Zheng Nian'er imagined before.
Emperor Yongcheng got the detailed method of making salt from Zheng Nian'er, and was preparing to arrange for his confidants to go to the seaside to circle the beach and dry the sea salt. Chaos arose in the Gyeonggi area.
"It's bad! All the salt merchants' shops in more than a dozen counties around the capital are closed!"
"In just one day, Jingzhao Mansion caught dozens of disputes over salt!"
"...Your Majesty, there is no salt in the palace!"
"There are also the South Camp and the North Camp. The soldiers cannot eat salt and have started to make trouble. If they are not dealt with in time, the camp may be blown up!"
In the court, officials jumped out one after another to report the matter.
The first few things didn't seem that critical.
Although Emperor Yongcheng's expression changed, he was not too panicked.
However, when he heard that there was going to be trouble in the two military camps stationed in the capital, his heartbeat accelerated instantly.
Immediately afterwards, officials from the aristocratic family headed by Wang Yuan began to submit memorials one after another.
Their memorial was written with sharp words and went straight to the core of the incident - the reform of the salt administration!
Why did the salt merchant's shop close?
Of course, I am not relying on my own self-respect. I am a small business, and suddenly a harsh tax burden was imposed. I really couldn't afford it, so I had to close down.
People couldn't afford to offend him, so they hid one after another.
Why do people get into disputes?
Still can’t buy salt?
People can abstain from eating meat, but they absolutely cannot abstain from eating salt.
Without salt, people will have no strength and will suffer from some strange diseases.
If people cannot buy salt, it will easily cause panic among the people.
At present, these are just some civil disputes. If the salt issue cannot be resolved as soon as possible, it is not impossible for civil unrest to occur.
As for the palace——
Ahem, the emperor deserves it if he can't eat salt for the trouble he caused himself!
Only when he himself suffered, could Emperor Yongcheng understand how hard those aristocratic families had worked for the stability of the world, and for the salt of the emperor and the common people!
The aristocratic families did not ask Emperor Yongcheng to be grateful, they just hoped that he would not attack the salt merchants at every turn!
The salt crisis in the northern and southern camps is the most important.
Even those aristocratic families are afraid of letting the situation get out of hand.
If those soldiers are really forced to blow up the camp, they living in the capital will also be in danger.
Therefore, it is better to "admonish" Emperor Yongcheng to bow his head as soon as possible.
Admit your mistake, cancel those so-called "salt policy reforms", and restore everything to the original state. It will definitely be good for you, good for me, and good for everyone!
Emperor Yongcheng:... You are all good, but I am not!
He sat high on the dragon chair and looked down at the impassioned courtiers.
They foam at the mouth and talk incessantly.
In their mouths, he, Zhao Gui, has become a foolish king and a tyrant who brings disaster to the country and the people and forces the people to rebel!
He seemed to be standing on the opposite side of everyone.
Instinctively, Emperor Yongcheng panicked and felt helpless.
Soon, he calmed down, and there was only endless anger and anxiety in his chest.
Give him another three months, oh no, even just one month, he, he will be able to get better and cheaper sea salt.
By that time, he was not afraid of those profiteers hoarding money and manipulating the salt market.
However, these people in front of him, let's say a month later, probably wouldn't even be willing to give him three days.
"Forcing me! You are forcing me one by one!"
Emperor Yongcheng was filled with grief and indignation, and he even found in despair——
When he became the target of attack by the ministers, no one in the court stood up to speak for him.
Feng Shou, his Master Feng, actually closed his eyes and pretended to be fine!
Tao Yong, his father-in-law Taishan, actually lowered his head and hid in the crowd, as if he was afraid of being named.
And Concubine Shu, Concubine De's father, brothers...them, they all either dodge or act stupid!
Isolated!
Emperor Yongcheng suddenly felt a sense of loneliness and despair.
"Who can help me! I don't want my first decree to die like this!"
Emperor Yongcheng's childish face was full of anxiety and urgency, and a thin layer of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
The courtiers were still "admonishing" impassionedly, and Emperor Yongcheng felt that he could hardly breathe.
At this critical moment, the little eunuch's voice suddenly came from outside the palace: "Bachelor Wang Shijiu of the Bowen Museum has submitted a memorial in accordance with the decree of the Queen Mother!"
What?
Bowen Museum?
Oh, yes, this is the "new government office" created by Queen Mother He.
Bachelor Wang Shijiu?
This, who is this?
It seems to be a woman——
boom!
In the court, the civil and military officials, including Wang Yuan, all showed shocked expressions...
