"Hmph! The launch of refined salt can be said to have blocked the last road for salt merchants. At this time, no one in the six ministries is talking, but you, the Minister of Rites, have a lot to do!"
"This old boy probably has nothing to do with the salt merchant. Find an opportunity to beat this old boy up."
Lin Fan thought in his heart.
Emperor Chongzhen was immediately shocked when he heard that Lin Fan was going to strike the Minister of Rites. The Ministry of Rites was a group of scholars and they didn't have much real power.
However, they are the benchmark for the literati in his world, and all literati in the world pursue entering the Ministry of Rites!
If Lin Fan used the same method as before when he was beating up the Minister of Rites, all the literati in the world would definitely criticize Lin Fan verbally and in writing, and then there would be trouble.
"Haha! Marquis Diwu is worrying too much. I have great trust in Marquis Diwu. However, this mineral salt is too toxic. It is inappropriate for Marquis Diwu to sell it directly without verification!"
"Furthermore, Emperor Wuhou directly ordered all Jin Yiwei to eat refined salt. If the toxicity of the refined salt becomes apparent in a few days, whose responsibility will it be?"
Xue Bingtian said with a sneer.
"May I ask Xue Shangshu, how many days will it take for the toxicity of this mineral salt to show up?"
Lin Fan asked.
"Haha! Mineral salt is highly toxic. If you eat too much, you can die in one day. If you eat too little, symptoms may appear in three to two days."
"I think Emperor Wuhou is saying that no one is poisoned by eating refined salt. What if the toxicity of this refined salt is suppressed to a minimum and only shows up after eating too much?"
"Our Ming Dynasty now has powerful enemies outside. Is it inappropriate for Emperor Wuhou to gamble with the lives of the people?"
Xue Bingtian said with a sneer.
Lin Fan said in a deep voice: "In that case, how does Xue Shangshu think we should solve this matter?"
"It's very simple. The launch of refined salt has solved the problem of salt shortage. This refined salt can be reserved as an emergency measure for the imperial court!"
"With refined salt, those salt merchants will no longer dare to use salt to threaten the court. As for the daily needs of the people, coarse salt should be the main one!"
"People have been eating this coarse salt for thousands of years. If it is abandoned now, wouldn't it mess up the ancestral etiquette?"
Xue Bingtian said in a deep voice.
"Haha! Sure enough! This old man is speaking for the salt merchants. However, this also shows that those salt merchants realized that they were in crisis, so they did the next best thing and wanted to keep the business of selling salt."
"However, I will never agree to this matter. The salt must be in the hands of the imperial court. I will touch anyone who dares to stop it. Don't think that just because you are the Minister of Rites, you can threaten people under the guise of ancestral etiquette.
Laozi!"
Lin Fan sneered in his heart.
He looked at Xue Bingtian and said: "Xue Shangshu, your majesty has issued an imperial edict. Within fifteen days, salt merchants are required to sell out all their goods. In the future, private salt sales are not allowed. Do you want your majesty to keep his word?"
kindness?
Xue Bingtian looked at Lin Fan and said: "Marquis Diwu, you are really sharp-tongued. Everyone knows that His Majesty said that to help you suppress the price of salt!"
"Don't be ignorant. Your Majesty is not allowed to take back your life. As long as no one mentions this matter again, if it doesn't work, I can take back my life on your behalf!"
"All these sins will be borne by the old man!"
After saying that, Xue Bingtian turned his head without looking at Lin Fan.
Lin Fan sneered and said: "Haha! Xue Shangshu, are you responsible for this sin?
You are not qualified!"
"It is absolutely impossible for refined salt to withdraw from the market. Moreover, salt will no longer be sold by salt merchants, but will be sold by the official shops of the imperial court!"
"Not only salt, if those merchants dare to monopolize anything in the future and squeeze the people, the court will also take corresponding countermeasures, haha! This is correct!"
"The nobles of the aristocratic family are strong and the court ministers are smooth. Doesn't Xue Shangshu understand this principle?"
"The nobles of the aristocratic families are already rich and powerful. If the court continues to give in to them, sooner or later they will get on top of the officials."
After Lin Fan finished speaking, all the officials present nodded secretly.
They have a deep understanding of this. How many officials are prosperous one moment, and become prisoners or ordinary people the next moment.
But what about those aristocratic families?
They have a lot of money in their hands and can always get away with their crimes. If they continue to be arrogant, the status of officials will really be lower than them.
When Lin Fan mentioned the sore spot, Xue Bingtian said in a deep voice: "Ahem! Lord Wuhou, you are making alarmist remarks!"
"Alarmist?
Whether this is the case or not, everyone has a public opinion in their minds. There is no need to say more about this refined salt matter. I have already made a decision and His Majesty has issued an imperial edict. There is no possibility of changing it!"
Lin Fan said coldly.
Xue Bingtian snorted coldly and retreated to his position. Emperor Chongzhen said solemnly: "I am the true emperor of the dragon. Once I say something, it is difficult for a horse to chase me!"
"From now on, my people in the Ming Dynasty will just eat refined salt. If something goes wrong, it won't be too late to switch back to coarse salt."
Emperor Chongzhen said in a deep voice.
Lin Fan said again: "Your Majesty, I still have something to report."
kindness?
Emperor Chongzhen looked at Lin Fan and said, "Speak!"
"Your Majesty, we have found clues about the night attack on me a few days ago. It was an official from the DPRK. Please make the decision for me!"
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
ah!
After Lin Fan finished speaking, the officials present all screamed in surprise. They knew about the attack on Lin Fan a few days ago, and it was actually done by officials from the DPRK and China!
Moreover, before Lin Fan could find out who it was, he said in public that he wanted His Majesty to make the decision for him. What did this mean?
Emperor Chongzhen looked at Lin Fan and said: "What! It was actually done by an official from the DPRK, but which official was found out?"
At this time, when Emperor Chongzhen looked at these officials again, he already had a murderous look on his face, and he actually dared to attack and kill his own son. Killing these people ten thousand times would not be enough!
Lin Fan said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, we haven't found out who did it yet, because it involves officials from the DPRK and the Central Government. I am restrained while I investigate the case. Please give me permission, Your Majesty."
kindness!
Emperor Chongzhen was immediately stunned. Lin Fan said this in public. Didn't he already find the murderer, just to get a special license?
"Hey! Hurry up and give me a license!"
"My drop-in express delivery company is like a money-grubber. It has already exhausted Baihu Division. It has invested more than 10,000 taels of silver every day in the past few days. If I don't make some money, I won't be able to hold on!
"
"As long as I get the privilege, I will go to the official's house and search it, and I will get the money to support my express delivery company!"
Lin Fan thought in his heart.
Emperor Chongzhen's eyes changed when he looked at Lin Fan. This kid must be too sinister. He actually used the attack on himself to ask for privileges and went to the homes of various officials to search for property!