Chapter 488 Where did the court get so much money?

Chapter 488 Where did the court get so much money?

Chapter 488 Where did the court get so much money?

Today's celebration banquet, the Fengtian Hall was decorated very carefully.
In the center, there is a huge red carpet leading directly to the lofty dragon throne. On both sides are placed various flowers, emitting fragrance.

Exquisite palace lanterns and colorful silks are hung around the hall, swaying gently in the wind.

Entering the main hall, you will see a huge glass lamp hanging from the dome.
Each lamp is crystal clear, like the stars in the night sky, illuminating the entire hall as if it were daytime.

Below, there were still a number of small square tables as before, with many waiters, maids and eunuchs busy at them.

Lu Yunyi walked in with a serious expression.

I had no intention of checking out the decorations inside the Fengtian Hall.

Li Jinglong hurriedly followed.

"Yun Yi, what's wrong?"

"It's a trap."

Lu Yunyi spoke briefly and turned to look at the people who followed him in, and then looked at the eunuchs waiting on the side.

The eunuch understood immediately and hurried forward to greet everyone and arrange for them to sit down.

Mu Chuting looked at him with concern and surprise in her eyes.

Lu Yunyi nodded imperceptibly, and she felt relieved and followed the eunuch to sit down.

After they left, Lu Yunyi and Li Jinglong walked to the corner of Fengtian Hall.
Although there are people coming and going here, it is a bit quieter than the center of the hall.

Lu Yunyi pursed his lips, and the solemn expression on his face no longer blocked. He took a deep breath:

"This is a trap, a trap of luring people with benefits!"

"Help me check, who did Yang Jing talk to after entering the palace? What did he do?"

"check?"

Li Jinglong frowned slightly and immediately realized the importance of the matter.

He nodded slightly and waved to the door twice, and his personal guard Duan Chen hurried over.

Li Jinglong gave a few instructions and Duan Chen left quickly to find the eunuch on duty who was in charge of the celebration banquet.

When Li Jinglong came back, he found Lu Yunyi still frowning in deep thought, and couldn't help asking:
"Do you think that the condition he proposed is a trap?"

Lu Yunyi's face was solemn, and he nodded heavily:

"I can't think of any other reason other than a trap."

"Why?"

"If someone can unscrupulously exchange treasure notes for silver at the Baochao Bureau,
The money earned by the business is a drop in the bucket and not worth mentioning at all."

After hearing this, Li Jinglong also realized something was wrong and said in surprise:
"Yes, if Yang Jing had the guts to do this, why would he worry about not having money? He wouldn't have to look for us."

"That's the truth." Lu Yunyi became more certain.

He looked at Li Jinglong and lowered his voice:

In some secret channels, if you exchange banknotes for silver, how much commission will be charged?"

"Uh"

Li Jinglong was speechless for a moment. After hesitating for a long time, he turned sideways and stretched out two fingers.

"Twenty percent?"

"So little?" Lu Yunyi was shocked and his eyes widened.

He knew that in the eyes of some big merchants, treasure notes were just waste paper compared to silver and could not be saved but only spent.

If you keep it at home, it will continue to depreciate, and once the imperial court issues new banknotes,

All these old banknotes must be exchanged for new ones, and the court will have a clear understanding of their financial situation.

Silver is different.

Silver stored in a cellar will not rot or depreciate even for a hundred years. Instead, it will appreciate in value as the amount of silver in the market decreases, making money without doing anything.

If you can spend only 20% you can exchange it for silver and store it at home.

I don’t know how many powerful people will flock to it.

Seeing Lu Yunyi's expression, Li Jinglong knew that he had misunderstood, and quickly added:
"Of course it's more than that. The more you change, the more expensive the tax will be. If you change tens of thousands of taels, the tax may be as high as 40%.

If there are more, the government offices will come to your door."

Lu Yunyi was stunned. He didn't say anything, but stretched out his finger and pointed above his head.

Li Jinglong's pupils slightly dilated, he nodded repeatedly, and lowered his voice to a very low level:

“My father said that the court couldn’t collect business taxes, so it had to find another way, and this is a kind of tax.

The richer you are, the heavier the tax.

And you can do things like draining the pond to catch the fish.”

Lu Yunyi's face showed realization, and his mind felt more empty than ever before.

Why did the imperial court set the commercial tax at 1/30, such a low tax?
There is still so much money available for war and building cities. Is this how it came from?
Lu Yunyi lowered his head and said nothing, even though he knew nothing about money.

But I also know that it is better to open up than to block.
Opening up such a channel secretly can be regarded as a win-win situation for both parties.

Big merchants and dignitaries need to exchange their banknotes for silver and store them.

The imperial court needed money to fight wars and build cities.
The price was the two taels of silver, which was both tax and money for one's life.

It seems that this method is indeed much simpler and more direct than collecting business taxes, and the money collected is from the rich.

After all, the poor people only had less than one or two taels of banknotes in their hands. They had no food to eat and did not need to exchange them for silver.

Lu Yunyi took a deep breath.

Since this business has always been done by the imperial court, it seems quite meaningful that the Minister of Revenue Yang Jing mentioned this matter to him.

Maybe it's not just a trap.
Could it be that the Ministry of Revenue was jealous of the money the palace was making? Did they want to get involved?
Lu Yunyi couldn't understand it, but no matter what, he must never do such a thing that would result in a big loss for a small gain!

At this time, Duan Chen came over with a eunuch in blue.
Li Jinglong went forward and listened attentively.

Finally, he nodded with satisfaction.

He took out two banknotes from his bosom and stuffed them into his pocket, then waved goodbye and asked him to leave.

"Yun Yi, Yang Jing had conversations with Zhan Hui of the Censorate, Qin Kui of the Ministry of Works, Shen Xi of the Ministry of War, and Zhang Zhi of the Ministry of Rites during the Gongdao."

"I see."

Lu Yunyi sighed and looked at Li Jinglong:
"Duke Cao, someone is targeting us.

You and I must be careful with our words and actions these days and not leave any room for suspicion.

The matter of the Ministry of Industry’s bicycles and tricycles could not be concealed, and the same was true for the company’s affairs.

Some smart people in the court have already seen the money hidden in it.
They may resort to various means, either to block or interfere, or simply harm the other party and then take over the other party's position.

We must not be greedy for money.

When the business is established, making money in an upright and honest way will be more honest than anything else.”

"Don't worry, Yun Yi, the Crown Prince has explained this matter to me.
If I'm unsure about something, I should ask him immediately. He won't let me make my own decisions."

Li Jinglong scratched his head, feeling a little discouraged and embarrassed.

Although his current situation has greatly improved,

He can walk with his head held high in the capital. He is one of the few people of the second generation who has made military achievements. He no longer has to deal with all kinds of trivial matters.

But he knew that compared to some of the shrewd and calculating people in the court,

There is still a long way to go and there is still a lot of room for growth.

Lu Yunyi turned around and looked at the increasingly lively Fengtian Hall, and raised his chin towards those people over fifty years old:
"Don't be discouraged. You and I are still young and have a long life ahead of us."

Li Jinglong also laughed, somewhat in high spirits:
"That's right, let's go and have a drink.

Last year I was very busy here, but this year I can relax and enjoy myself. I don’t know what next year will be like.”

"It will definitely reach a higher level." Lu Yunyi comforted.

Li Jinglong chuckled and patted his stomach comfortably, with a subtle expression:
“Those bastards in the Ministry of Rites still want me to help them this year, and they even call it the royal etiquette.

Damn it, they just want me to work for nothing and I won’t serve them anymore.”

As the sun set, the celebration banquet began on time.

The procedures were still as cumbersome as before, with various imperial edicts being read out continuously.

Lu Yunyi and Mu Chuting sat together, bowing and saluting.
I was so sleepy that I had to think about the many details of opening a business.

After half an hour of chattering, the celebration banquet officially began. Exquisite dishes were placed on the table, with unique shapes, exquisite appearances, and attractive fragrance, as well as rare fine wines from Yingtian Prefecture.

For a moment, the whole hall was filled with the aroma of wine.

Lu Yunyi was not polite and started to eat and drink.
Although there is no MSG, the ingredients are fresh and taste like the original ingredients, which is unique.

Especially the rice in the bowl, which is all new rice from the imperial palace, and it is filled with fragrance just by being placed there.

Mu Chuting sat next to him, picking up food for Lu Yunyi and reminding him quietly:

"Husband, eat slowly, many people are looking at you."

"Life doesn't have that many spectators. Why bother with them? Just make yourself comfortable first."

Lu Yunyi muttered something and started eating quickly!
Mu Chuting smiled and felt that what he said made a lot of sense. She wiped the sweat off his forehead affectionately.

"Although my husband is not a scholar, he always speaks in a surprising way."

As Mu Chuting spoke, she picked up the fan beside her and began to fan him gently.

Even though the Fengtian Hall was well designed, there was a constant draft and a lot of ice cubes were placed in the four corners of the palace.

But when there are a lot of people, it will still be hot, especially when eating hard.

Lu Yunyi felt the breeze blowing on his face and was about to give some compliments.
But he soon felt a gaze piercing him like a sharp sword!
Lu Yunyi quickly found the owner of this gaze, and the two looked at each other.
He quickly lowered his head and whispered:

"Stop fanning me, your father is watching."

Mu Ying looked at the couple in disbelief, frowning, feeling extremely absurd.
Is this still my daughter who has never had to deal with housework?

How come you are so good at serving people?

At the same time, in the back half of the Fengtian Hall, there is an area for the families of many court officials.

Some people also paid attention to the scene there.

Song Wan'er, who was wearing a goose yellow dress, tilted her head slightly, frowned slightly, stared blankly at the front, with a hint of doubt in her bright eyes.
"What is that?"

Song Wan'er opened her red lips, whispered softly, and then shook her good friend Qin Qing beside her.

"Qing'er, can you please look?"

Compared to Song Wan'er's gracefulness, Qin Qing seems much more bold.

She was wearing a black and white brocade gown, her hair was tied up, and her face was heroic.

He was eating heartily at the moment, holding a chicken drumstick in his hand.

"What?"

Qin Qing raised her head, threw the chicken leg in her hand into the bowl, picked up the handkerchief beside her and wiped it, full of generosity.
Looking in the direction Song Wan'er pointed, he was stunned for a moment.

"It must be him"

Song Wan'er, standing aside, spoke in a soft voice, with a look of surprise and disbelief on her face.

Qin Qing's reaction was particularly direct. She stood up with a bang.

His eyes passed over the crowd and looked towards the center.

Soon, she sat down again in a panic, with an incredible look on her face:

"It's him. Isn't he a student from the North? Why is he here?"

Song Wan'er couldn't believe it, her eyes flickered.
It seemed as if all kinds of thoughts were surging, and somehow a blush emerged from her cheeks and quickly climbed up to her ears.

She felt her cheeks burning hot, and quickly lowered her head, speaking in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum:

"Which student in the Hanlin Academy is he?"

Qin Qing looked at Song Wan'er's appearance, and her facial features became even more distorted:

"Are you confused, little girl? What Hanlin Academy?

That is the territory of the Governor's Office, and all the people there are in the military!"

what?
Song Wan'er let out a soft cry and suddenly raised her head.
The blush on her face quickly faded and turned pale, and a deep regret flashed in her eyes.

"So, he is a soldier."

"Not only that, seeing that he is surrounded by those sons of noble families, I think he is the son of some marquis.

Judging from his appearance, he seems to be used to being arrogant and even has people serve him when he eats.

If you two were to get together, your grandfather would not allow it."

Qin Qing curled her lips, turned her head and waved to the young eunuch serving beside her.

"Miss Qin, what can I do for you?" a feminine voice sounded.

"Young eunuch, let me ask you, who is that person?"

Qin Qing pointed to the front right, and reminded him, fearing that the eunuch didn't know:

"The one with the woman beside him."

The young eunuch turned his eyes and soon found the person she was pointing at.
He pursed his lips slightly, bowed slightly, and spoke softly:
"Reporting to Miss Qin, that is Lord Lu, the Crown Prince's guest."

"What?" Qin Qing's eyes flashed with doubt and twisted again.

The prince's guest?

However, Song Wan'er on the side reacted very quickly. She raised her head suddenly, shock in her eyes.

The young eunuch smiled and said:

"Yes, speaking of Lord Lu, is he related to Miss Qin?"

"Are you related to me? Little eunuch, don't joke with me." Qin Qing was shocked.

"How dare we? Lord Lu was appointed as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works the day before yesterday, and he works in the same government office as your father."

what?
This time, Qin Qing was also shocked like Song Wan'er, she knew who that person was.

Then, the two were shocked.

The young eunuch trotted away, holding up his skirt.

He ran to Lu Yunyi happily, muttering to himself, using his hands and mouth.

Something happened that made them both feel extremely ashamed.

I saw that "Mr. Lu" tilted his head and looked over, obviously a little surprised.
But he still stretched out his hand and waved towards them with a bright smile on his face.

The two of them widened their eyes and quickly lowered their heads, too embarrassed to look up.

The pity in Song Wan'er's eyes gradually faded, and shyness resurfaced, her eyes sparkling with enchantment, and she whispered softly:
"If it's Lord Lu, grandpa might agree."

"What are you mumbling about?" Qin Qing looked over.

Song Wan'er uttered another soft moan and waved her hands quickly:

"No no."

"Husband, who are those two girls?" Mu Chuting asked with a chuckle.

After Lu Yunyi finished two bowls of rice, he felt full, but he could still eat some fruits.
He ate and said:

"They are the daughter of the Minister of Works and the granddaughter of the Grand Secretary."

"You are all ladies from noble families. Your husband has such a good appearance that girls really like him." Mu Chuting smiled softly with her hands covering her mouth, her eyes filled with smiles.

"That's natural. Height can hide all ugliness."

While chewing on the sugarcane, Lu Yunyi raised his head with a proud look on his face.

"However, Black Hawk seems to get along very well with Qin Qing. I noticed that he often went to the fruit and vegetable shop these days."

Mu Chuting nodded in agreement, bent down, put her red lips close to Lu Yunyi's ear, and whispered softly:
"Husband, it seems that Song Wan'er likes you and often looks over here. How about you get in touch with her?
She was born in the mansion of a grand scholar, so she must have been well-read and a talented woman.

I just wonder if she will change drastically in bed."

Lu Yunyi's face froze and he took a big bite of the sugarcane.

I looked sideways at her. She was wearing a snow-white dress, her eyebrows were slightly raised, her oval face was full of sharpness, and she exuded a coldness that kept people at a distance.

He also whispered: "There's not so much contrast."

"What is contrast?" A hint of doubt appeared on his cold face.

"It's just that you don't act the same way as you say."

A blush quietly spread from Mu Chuting's fair neck and quickly climbed up Mu Chuting's cheeks.
Until the tips of his ears were dyed red, the coldness on his face disappeared in an instant.

(End of this chapter)