activa-t Chapter 21 The Great Ming Salt Estate is Established!
Chapter 21 The Great Ming Salt Estate is Established!
Zhu Houzhao nodded, his expression still blank, and asked, "Five hundred thousand taels of silver?"
"Ha, I remember the Dragon Guard Manor, it doesn't owe this much tax."
Shangguan Haitang: "The Marquis said that the extra silver should be considered as interest on the taxes owed by the Dragon Guard Manor over the years."
"Hehe." Zhu Houzhao chuckled, "Uncle, you've really gone to great lengths. When you get back, please thank you properly for me."
Shangguan Haitang suddenly raised her head and said earnestly, "Your Majesty has the talent to govern the country and benefit the people, and the desire to revitalize the Ming Dynasty. I wonder if Your Majesty still needs people to serve you?"
"Haitang may be dull-witted, but she understands the principle of loyalty to the emperor and serving the country. If Your Majesty does not mind, Haitang is willing to volunteer to stay in the capital and serve Your Majesty with utmost loyalty!"
After saying this, Shangguan Haitang kowtowed to the ground, closed her eyes tightly, and waited anxiously for Zhu Houzhao's decision.
Zhu Houzhao narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of amusement in his eyes: "To stay and serve by my side?"
"Is this the Imperial Uncle's idea, or your own?"
Shangguan Haitang was startled and dared not conceal the truth: "Your Majesty, this is both the Divine Marquis's intention and my own."
"Very well, Shangguan Haitang, you are in charge of the number one manor in the world, and you have countless extraordinary talents under your command. I acknowledge your abilities."
Zhu Houzhao smiled and said, "Since that's the case, then you may stay. I happen to have something to entrust to you."
Upon hearing Zhu Houzhao's affirmative reply, Shangguan Haitang felt relieved and quickly kowtowed to accept the imperial decree.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I will do my utmost to assist you."
"Stand up and speak."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
After Shangguan Haitang stood up, Zhu Houzhao said to her, "Today I want to establish a comprehensive enterprise belonging to the royal family, similar to a shop that sells a series of goods such as salt shops, grain shops, and cloth shops in a unified manner."
"My goal is to have these shops spread throughout the entire Ming Dynasty, with uniform signs and prices, and all income and expenses to be under my control."
Do you understand?
Shangguan Haitang was, after all, a smart person who was in charge of the number one manor in the world. Although she was trying to understand the concept of state-owned enterprise chain stores for the first time, she quickly figured out the underlying principles.
"Does Your Majesty intend to compete with the people for profit and personally engage in commerce?"
Zhu Houzhao glanced at Shangguan Haitang. He didn't like the phrase "competing with the people for profit." Who said that state-owned enterprises were competing with the people for profit?
Zhu Houzhao's enterprise will not only not compete with the people for profit, but on the contrary, it will be a ballast stone for stabilizing the people's livelihood.
In Zhu Houzhao's vision, this chain store was more similar to the supply and marketing cooperatives of later generations, prioritizing stabilizing people's livelihoods over making money.
But there's no need to say these things to Shangguan Haitang now.
"You could say that I have now nationalized all salt permits in the land, and I now grant you the power to issue them."
"You shall immediately begin establishing the Great Ming Salt Estate. All merchants throughout the land who wish to obtain salt permits shall do so only through the Great Ming Salt Estate, and the transaction must be conducted in the form of grain; silver coins are strictly prohibited!"
"As for the exchange rate, it is initially set at one shi of grain for one salt certificate, and one salt certificate can be exchanged for 200 jin of salt."
"The exchange rate will be dynamically adjusted according to market conditions."
Zhu Houzhao spoke at length, but Shangguan Haitang still managed to follow his train of thought and understand his ideas.
Instantly, Shangguan Haitang gasped.
By doing this, Zhu Houzhao essentially put the entire salt permit business in his own hands.
And it blocked all avenues for corruption among nobles, officials, and relatives of the emperor who made their fortunes through salt.
In this way, this small item of salt alone would add an unknown amount of wealth to the Ming Dynasty every year.
"Do you know what to do?" Zhu Houzhao asked Shangguan Haitang.
Shangguan Haitang's expression turned solemn, and she accepted the order, saying, "Your Majesty, this humble servant understands!"
"Very well, Shangguan Haitang, listen to my decree: I hereby appoint you as the President of the Great Ming Salt Estate, responsible for all matters concerning the Great Ming Salt Estate!"
"Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty for your grace!"
Shangguan Haitang excitedly accepted the imperial decree.
"Go."
"This humble servant takes his leave."
After leaving Qianqing Palace, Shangguan Haitang was overjoyed and filled with pride.
She is already eager to realize her grand ambitions and build a company for His Majesty that can continuously generate enormous wealth!
……
Cining Palace.
Empress Dowager Zhang, who had fainted from anxiety, immediately summoned her close eunuchs to inquire about the situation after regaining consciousness.
When she learned that Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling had both been arrested and imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice on Zhu Houzhao's orders, she was extremely anxious and furious.
"What?!"
"Has His Majesty really arrested the Marquis of Shouning and the Earl of Jianchang?"
"This is terrible! This is terrible!"
Empress Dowager Zhang cried out to heaven and earth, and despite her great anxiety, she was still helpless.
After all, Zhu Houzhao at this time was not as obedient to her as the late emperor.
Furthermore, now that the Eastern Depot, Western Depot, and Embroidered Uniform Guard are all firmly controlled by the emperor, she can no longer directly interfere in the specific affairs of these depots and guards as she did before.
Just when Empress Dowager Zhang was at a loss, a close eunuch from Cining Palace brought her a glimmer of hope.
"Your Majesty, the cabinet has asked me to deliver a message to you."
Empress Dowager Zhang asked with suspicion and disbelief, "What message?"
After the eunuch in charge whispered a few words to Empress Dowager Zhang, her eyes widened in surprise.
The matter the cabinet mentioned was extremely serious and malicious, but the risks were not significant.
More importantly, if this succeeds, they will reap enormous rewards.
This is truly a win-win situation!
Empress Dowager Zhang only hesitated for a moment before agreeing to the cabinet's plan.
However, she felt that it was not safe for her and the cabinet to be involved alone, and she wanted to make sure that nothing went wrong.
In the inner palace, with no empress yet appointed, the only ones who truly held power were the Empress Dowager and the seemingly indifferent Grand Empress Dowager Wang.
"Prepare the sedan chair; we're going to Cining Palace!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Later, Empress Zhang went to Cining Palace, met with Empress Dowager Wang, and mentioned the matter to her.
Empress Dowager Wang was getting old and timid, so she still had some hesitation in her heart.
"Empress Dowager, you need to think this through. Now is not the time for Tang'er to rule."
"The Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot are no longer under your control. Isn't this too risky?"
Empress Dowager Zhang was worried about her two younger brothers, so no matter how great the risk, she had no choice but to take the plunge.
"I know the risk is huge, but I can't afford not to take it. I have to gamble. My two younger brothers still have a chance to live, otherwise..."
"Empress Dowager, the Emperor has already begun to target the maternal relatives; my two younger brothers are prime examples."
"The Emperor's next targets might be Wang Yuan and Wang Qing. Do you really want to just watch them die?"
Empress Dowager Wang understood this principle perfectly well. After hesitating for a moment, she let out a long sigh.
"This is the last time, so let's do it!"