In the capital, all civil and military officials were waiting at the city gate, with gloomy expressions on their faces.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is going back to Beijing today. Alas! He was so impulsive that he killed more than five thousand people and eradicated all the flowers. The people in Kaifeng City can no longer live!"
"Alas! Let's not mention this matter again. You and I both know His Highness the Crown Prince's style. Last time His Highness the Crown Prince killed many officials!"
"Alas! Your Majesty is ignoring the government affairs now. Your Highness the Crown Prince is our emperor. However, if he acts like this, bad things will happen to all the people in this world in the future!"
"Don't all the people in the world just want to have enough to eat?
Maybe the people of Kaifeng Mansion did something wrong and shouldn't be so cruel!"
…
The officials did not approve of Lin Fan's actions, but due to Lin Fan's power, they still came to greet him.
One hundred thousand Xuanjia troops entered the city, and all the officials knelt to greet them. The common people also knelt on the ground respectfully to greet Lin Fan. Lin Fan returned to the prince's residence and summoned all the officials to come to the council.
"My dear friends, you must have heard about the Kaifeng Mansion. Please tell me your opinions."
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
"Ahem! Your Royal Highness, I don't have any objections!"
Li Jiantai said in a deep voice.
Lin Fan had done everything he could on this matter. Even if officials like them had opinions, it was a foregone conclusion. Speaking out would only make Lin Fan dissatisfied.
"Li Shangshu, you said that all your beloved ministers have no opinions on this matter, but how come I, the Crown Prince, don't look very happy with them?"
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
"Well... His Highness the Crown Prince is completely over-worrying. I'm not unhappy. I'm worried about state affairs and thinking about how to relieve His Highness the Crown Prince's worries!"
Li Jiantai said in a deep voice.
"I see, then let's discuss another matter, which is to ban smoking in the Ming Dynasty and no one is allowed to open opium dens!"
Lin Fan said coldly.
What!
Hearing what Lin Fan said, all the officials present were stunned. Even if they just killed the people of Kaifeng Mansion, His Highness the Crown Prince actually wanted to ban smoking. Isn't this looking for trouble?
"Ahem! Your Highness, opium dens have been opened since ancient times. Why did Your Highness suddenly ban smoking?"
An official asked after coughing twice.
"Oh! Have opium dens always existed since ancient times?
If it was just an ordinary opium shop, I would naturally not say a word, but now the opium shop has completely changed!"
"That kind of flower is addictive, which means there is a high profit. If there is no complete ban, some people will take risks and plant those kinds of flowers."
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
"This... Your Highness, this matter is easy to say, but very difficult to do. In the Ming Dynasty, there were many opium dens opened in cities all over the country!"
"Moreover, a large part of the tax revenue of the Ming Dynasty was also collected from opium dens. It is forbidden to open opium dens at this time, and the people will not be able to pass it!"
The officials said solemnly.
"What the common people need is nothing more than tobacco leaves, and what those who grow tobacco leaves want is nothing more than selling the tobacco leaves they grow."
"Wouldn't it be enough for me to help them solve the problem? Besides, have the money earned by those who opened opium dens been given to you?"
"Maybe, but how much?
Do you feel safe holding that silver?
This prince will open a company specializing in the production and sale of cigarettes!"
"This thing is easy to use. As long as all opium dens are closed, cigarettes will occupy all the markets in the Ming Dynasty. You can imagine how big the profits will be, right?"
"At that time, I will give you 10% of the profits. As for how to distribute it, it is up to you to decide, okay?"
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
Gudu!
After hearing what Lin Fan said, all the officials present swallowed a lot of saliva. Once the kind of cigarettes Lin Fan mentioned were produced, they would definitely become the first choice of smokers in the Ming Dynasty in the absence of opium dens!
They can figure out how big the profit is without using their brains. 10% of the profit is tens of millions of taels of silver a year, which means each of them can get hundreds of thousands of taels of silver.
"Your Highness, this is...impossible. As court officials, how can we think about making money?"
Li Jiantai said in a deep voice.
Ahem!
Li Guozhen coughed twice and said in a deep voice: "Your Highness, it is difficult to prohibit the opening of opium dens. It is unimaginable. Can you give us some time, for example, to close them all within two years?"
"Yes, we can't do it in a short time. If we are given two years, it shouldn't be difficult to do it."
"The plan proposed by Mr. Li Guozhen is the most appropriate. All opium dens will be closed within two years, and the people can accept it."
That's more than 100,000 taels of silver per person. None of the officials present wanted it, but it was too difficult to close the opium den, so they had to be given time.
After hearing this, Lin Fan shook his head and said: "What I mean is that within seven days, all of them will be closed down. If any more openers are found, they will be beheaded immediately!"
"This! It's a bit difficult!"
Li Guozhen said in a deep voice.
He felt an itch in his heart now. He had been cheated out of so much money by Lin Fan some time ago. Although the express delivery company had started to make a profit, it was only an initial profit and the money was not much.
If he could get a big share of this 10% profit, he would be able to make up for his shortfall very quickly.
"If you say it's a bit difficult, it means it can be done."
Lin Fan looked at Li Guozhen.
"Hehe! Your Highness, this is indeed very difficult. If His Highness is trustworthy, leave this matter to me. I can do it within seven days."
Li Guozhen said in a deep voice.
Lin Fan could naturally see that Li Guozhen wanted more money.
"Okay! I will leave this matter to you with full authority. As long as it is completed, you will distribute the 10% of the profit. It is up to you to decide who to distribute it to and who not to distribute it to!"
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
When Li Guozhen heard this, his eyes gleamed. He would distribute the money by himself, which meant that he could keep as much as he wanted.
"Hehe, thank you His Highness the Crown Prince. I will definitely do a good job in this matter."
Li Guozhen said with a smile.
Hearing that Lin Fan had left the decision-making power on this matter to Li Guozhen, the officials present were a little depressed. If they had known that active performance could get so many benefits, they would definitely show active behavior.
At this time, opium dens everywhere also responded quickly.
"Boss! That kind of flower is out of stock. We only have a few hundred kilograms of goods left on hand. At this rate, it won't be long before they are all sold out."
"Damn it! This dog prince actually dares to cut off our financial resources. The price of these several hundred kilograms of goods will increase tenfold! When it is almost sold out, it will increase a hundredfold!"