Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 225, Section 224: The Salt Tax Audience
Ji Heng was clearly wavering.

He was not a monarch who hesitated to act. After a moment's thought, he said, "Tomorrow, when we arrive at Zhangtai Palace, I will have the Minister of the Imperial Household present the salt and iron affairs, and then I will consider it further."

Qin Shi smiled and then pulled out his trump card: "The matter of salt is of utmost importance, and Your Majesty's caution is only right."

"Although the national treasury is empty, the powerful families of Qin have accumulated a great deal of wealth. If we were to sell this fine imperial salt to them, wouldn't it be less valuable if a single stone didn't fetch two or three hundred coins?"

Ji Heng immediately turned his head to look.

Two or three hundred coins, which is a difference of up to 10 times compared to the twenty or thirty coins that were originally planned to be sold to the common people.

But Qin Shi had already reached out and pinched a small pinch of salt, watching it fall softly, and then winked at him:
"After all, people of different social statuses have different dietary needs. Ordinary people are limited by their wealth, so it's understandable that they would spend 10 or 20 coins to buy salt that isn't so white or has such fine grains."

Technological innovation not only brings high-quality results but also further reduces costs. In this context, the old-fashioned coarse salt can no longer be sold.

However, to make the salt less snowflake-like, you only need to skip two steps.

In this way, the elites achieved the social class and status they desired, while the common people benefited.

The national treasury has money.

Wouldn't that make everyone happy?
If salt were sold in this graded manner, the annual salt tax she had previously estimated would likely be much higher.

Ji Heng's eyebrows were raised in a triumphant smile, and he laughed as well.

"queen……"

He wanted to say that the Queen was mischievous.

Or perhaps, what kind of era was it that made the queen so ambiguous about class and the distinction between the gentry and commoners, as if her plan was a brilliant one, rather than something that should have been done?

In the Queen's timeline, could merchants also adorn themselves with gold and jade, and be dressed in fine silks and satins?
Unfortunately, that's not possible now.

If merchants lose their restraint and have opportunities to showcase themselves, then more and more farmland will be gradually abandoned.

The national treasury does not collect taxes solely from gold, jade, and cloth.

He pondered for a long time, but in the end he only nodded:
"This plan is excellent."

Qin Shi smiled genuinely this time: "Your Majesty is truly a rare and great ruler who is willing to listen to so much of my advice."

Ji Heng's long eyes gleamed: "I have always been this way."

Qin Shi smiled.

……

Compared to the Queen, Ji Heng was quite self-disciplined throughout his life. Even now, in late autumn, he still gets up at the hour of Yin (four in the morning).

However, the Queen was always asleep, and Ji Heng did not bother with such a trivial matter. At this moment, he walked around the eight-foot-long lacquered screen, and Zhou Ju led the maids forward, serving them in an orderly manner.

He was already used to this. After dressing and serving, he would leave the orchid pond, and all other trivial matters could be done in the carriage.

After thinking for a moment, he gave the following instructions:

"Today, I have prepared several dishes using the fine salt presented by the Grand Minister of Agriculture, and sent them to Zhangtai Palace for me and my officials to enjoy together."

"Summon the Minister of the Imperial Household and the Prime Minister to Zhangtai Palace immediately."

"Other……"

He glanced at the quiet, sleeping inner room behind the screen, then let out a soft sigh: "Never mind."

……

Zhou Ju followed the king back to the car in a daze. His mind had gone through 180 turns, but he still couldn't figure out the meaning of the king's words.

He gradually began to feel anxious. Meanwhile, Qin Shi had met another KPI for advice the previous day, and the Snowflake Salt had truly given her a huge surprise. The couple were harmonious, and naturally, they slept soundly until dawn again.

The only difference is that now that the weather is getting colder, her body is also in response to the season, and she wakes up half an hour later than she used to at 6 o'clock.

The maids skillfully entered the room to set up the curtains and help her wash and change, while the physician brought a cup of fragrant powder and slowly added it to a bronze urn in the corner of the hall.
"Your Majesty, the young master has brought in some wild chrysanthemums. I've dried them and blended them into perfume powder. I wonder if Your Majesty would like them?"

The warm fragrance from the bronze urn gradually wafted out, but the hall was spacious with the doors and windows open, so the scent did not seem strong or complex. Instead, it was very light, like the faint scent of wild chrysanthemums from a distant mountain in an autumn wilderness.

From spring orchids and summer artemisia to autumn osmanthus and now the wild chrysanthemums of late autumn, Qin Shi never smelled anything unpleasant.

At this moment, he was only satisfied and said:

"I like it very much. When I take a bath tonight, let's also add the scent of wild chrysanthemum to the bath water."

Yi Ming instantly became happy.

Serving the Queen is definitely much more enjoyable than serving the King!
When they are by the King's side, they dare not easily change anything unless Zhou Fuling gives the order.

Even if it's changed, becomes suitable, or is liked, the king won't praise it. Only during the next change might he frown and say something.
"Change it back."

This subtlety put Yiming, the perfumer, under considerable pressure.

The queen was different; she was happy when she was happy, and she loved when she loved. If she didn't like something, she would say so directly.

They had only served her for a few months, yet they were already able to understand her perfectly. This was not because they were observant, but because the Queen was gentle and generous by nature and never liked to make people worry or speculate.

It was precisely because of this queen that they secretly discussed the need to be even more devout. And whether the queen would bear a prince was also of paramount importance at the moment.

Yi Ming wanted to ask whether he should take care of the king's health, but there were many people in the hall, and it was not a good time, so he gave up.

After serving her, the Red Maiden asked:

"What are the Queen's plans for today?"

The Queen's schedule was usually in her hands, but today it only had the words "Iron Official Workshop" written on it.

Is it possible that we are summoning the Iron Official? Or should we go to the Iron Official's workshop in person?
Qin Shi recalled this matter:
“I think Master Qingyangzi is not like Maosheng. He seems to have some real talent. Therefore, I want to ask the Iron Official to make some tools for them to use.”

Unfortunately, Xin is at a critical stage and it's not easy to transfer people now. Otherwise, it would be really convenient for her to describe it and for the other party to make diagrams and explanations.

Moreover, given the current limitations in materials and craftsmanship, the ironworkers may not be able to produce the vessels we wish to create, so we must summon the carpenters from the Imperial Household Department and the newly appointed glassworker.

Thinking of this, she asked again, "I heard that when Qingyangzi and his disciples entered Xianyang Palace, they brought many alchemy cauldrons and utensils."

"Are you still behaving yourself in the Dao Palace?"

The woman couldn't help but laugh.

"They couldn't be more well-behaved."

That Mao Sheng is truly an ignorant and incompetent disciple. He has already been beaten three times in one day by his master, fellow disciples, and elder brothers.

In addition, the different dietary treatment must have been extremely mentally and physically devastating.

Upon seeing the Queen again, he could no longer resist the slightest bit, only prostrate himself on the ground and weep bitterly.

"It seems that Daoist Qingyangzi truly possesses profound knowledge. He has studied the page of the Golden Elixir Manual bestowed upon him by the Queen for a long time, and now he only regrets that he cannot finish reading the entire book. Therefore, he often asks the palace servants when the Queen will make arrangements..."

"If we were to ask them to refine the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Thunder God Pill, this group of master and disciples would naturally comply without hesitation."

　Here we come!!! All rested! We're ready to fight again this month!

　　thank you all!

　　(End of this chapter)