You have truly caused me great suffering!

As the weather grew hotter, the doors and windows of the houses by the river were kept open for ventilation.

A cool breeze blew in at that moment, and Chen Shao suddenly felt much more comfortable;

He had been talking about things at sea, and for a moment he felt that the cool breeze was like a sea breeze.

Have you ever been to sea?

Chen Shao suddenly asked.

Xiao Ting quickly waved her hands, "No, no."

"What's there to be afraid of?" Chen Shao felt baffled.

Xiao Ting was thinking that going out to sea would inevitably mean being on the same boat as the boatmen, which would probably be something the emperor would find taboo.

He originally went to see Maode today, but when he got here, he suddenly changed course and came to the Xiao family's residence.

The caravan is currently at its peak, and it is Chen Shao's next target for reform. A healthy and large system cannot have such a comprehensive organization.

Although Chen Shao had already stripped the caravan of its military power, it was still too overpowered.

Before that, he wanted to gently comfort Xiao Ting and minimize her sadness.

In a sense, this is a case of "the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked," because the caravan had indeed made great contributions to the company in the early stages.

From an emperor's perspective today, many of those actions of "killing the dog after the rabbit is caught" were actually unavoidable.

We have no choice but to nerf it.

When conquering the world, one must act expediently in times of crisis, and victory is of utmost importance.

The bigger the task, the more centralized the authority is needed so that everyone can work together towards a common goal.

However, after conquering the country, the emperor needs stability, and at this time, the power that was given to his subordinates during the conquest must be gradually taken back.

Otherwise, it would become a hidden danger to the country.

If you encounter a wise person, they will hand over the power voluntarily; if you encounter a cunning person, the emperor will use a "banquet to release the generals from their power" tactic; if you encounter someone who is reckless and courts death, a massacre is inevitable.

But he seemed to be overthinking it; Xiao Ting didn't look sad at all.

Chen Shao turned his head and saw Xiao Ting kneeling with her full buttocks resting on her calves. When she saw Chen Shao looking at her, she quickly put on a fawning smile.

Seeing her fawning expression, Chen Shao frowned and asked, "What's wrong with you lately?"

Xiao Ting quickly replied, "This humble concubine has never been to sea."

She had been secretly observing Chen Shao, hoping to find evidence that he wasn't human; otherwise, it would be too eerie.

His prediction about the Golden Mountain in the East was right again. Small ships from the Southeast Asian fleet gradually returned, and the ocean voyages were basically the same as the map drawn by His Majesty.

From Xiao Ting's perspective, this is terrifying.

This falls under the Buddhist concept of 'prajna wisdom, which illuminates the true nature of reality,' meaning one has supernatural powers.

Chen Shao picked up his teacup and took a slow sip. "I plan to liberalize the salt and wine trade and allow private businesses to operate in it."

Xiao Ting was slightly taken aback and said, "Does Your Majesty think there's too much money?"

Chen Shao pinched her smooth cheek in annoyance and said, "It's not a complete liberalization, but at least it should be government-supervised and merchant-operated."

Salt is a necessity for everyone, but if it remains a state monopoly, the price of salt will be artificially inflated.

Previously, salt tax was the main source of revenue for the imperial court, so naturally no one dared to touch it. Moreover, the salt administration supported the livelihoods of millions of grain transport workers and provided for a large group of officials.

Chen Shao wanted to lower the price of salt to alleviate the people's suffering and make salt available to everyone.

However, he cannot completely loosen the restrictions, because if they do, it is highly likely that merchants will resort to adulterating the salt with sand or using inferior well salt in pursuit of profit.

In this respect, the Song Dynasty really exploited its people to the extreme.

Not only salt, but also alcohol were state-run.

The large amount of commercial taxes collected by the Song Dynasty each year was not solely due to its economic prosperity and thriving commerce; it was achieved through an endless system of monopolies, encompassing everything from salt and tea to coal and wine, all of which were state-run and prohibited from free trade among the private sector.

State-run trade, to put it bluntly, is a monopoly, a competition between the imperial court and the people for profit.

The origin of this whole system can be traced back to the patriarch of prostitutes, Mr. Guan Zhong, who used a variety of tricks to enrich the state of Qi.

The "official control of mountains and seas" system designated salt and iron as government monopolies, a system that was emulated by various states during the Spring and Autumn Period and by later dynasties.

In the early Han Dynasty, the government adopted a policy of non-interference and abolished the monopoly system. Unlike now, there were no major economic booms or financial channels back then.

When Emperor Wu of Han was fighting the Xiongnu, the war was too expensive, so he not only restored the salt and iron monopoly, but also nationalized the brewing and smelting industries. However, the Han Dynasty was not stubborn and did not stick to one path. During the reign of Emperor Zhao of Han, a major discussion was held and the "Discourses on Salt and Iron" was compiled.

Everyone agreed that the government's excessive control did more harm than good, so they gradually relaxed the salt and iron monopolies and allowed private brewing of wine.

At that time, the metallurgical industry in the Guanzhong region could be privately owned. Later dynasties adjusted the monopoly system according to the actual situation. However, in the Song Dynasty, this idea was carried forward and developed to an extreme.

The one who brought this system to its peak was Cai Jing. The "ban on monopolies" was the card he held in his hand, which allowed Zhao Ji to obtain endless wealth to squander and also kept his position as prime minister.

Actually, there are clues to this. The Song Dynasty had a small territory, so it supported a lot of redundant soldiers and officials. It also had to maintain high welfare benefits for the scholar-officials, and it was burdened with the "tribute" from the northern barbarians and western bandits. It couldn't have managed without coming up with some tricks. It's just that the Zhao family was a bit too greedy.

Leaving aside the exorbitant taxes and levies that even Song Dynasty people could not list out or know all of, such as the total tax, monthly tax, board tax, salt tax, and silkworm and salt tax, the monopoly alone was enough to drive the common people to the brink of ecstasy.

During the Song Dynasty, the government monopolized the production of yeast for brewing wine, prohibiting private production, with violators facing severe punishments, including death.

The government strictly controlled the production and sale of wine and levied heavy taxes on it; "no dynasty in history had ever monopolized wine as severely as the Song Dynasty."

Scenes of people drinking heavily in the Water Margin are actually quite rare.

Unless a restaurant has government connections, it shouldn't even think about brewing its own wine to sell.

In the eyes of the Song Dynasty officials and scholars, the common people of the Song Dynasty were hardworking and resilient, like frogs being boiled in lukewarm water, taking things one step at a time, and they had become accustomed to it.

Chen Shao is now about to slowly lift these restrictions.

He is not short of money, and the Great Jing Dynasty has no need to compete with the people for profit. Thanks to its powerful military, the Great Jing Dynasty has already taken care of the surrounding area.

The result was that not only did they no longer have to pay tribute, but a steady stream of money poured into the capital from various countries.

Within his capabilities, Chen Shao wanted to improve the lives of ordinary people and encourage gentry to invest their money in commerce.

He even allowed some private and commercial enterprises to operate in the most promising coal industry.

Xiao Ting didn't care about business at all; she just wanted to figure out who this man in front of her was.

So she nodded to everything Chen Shao said, and always looked meek and submissive.

It was as if he were some kind of wicked master, and she was just a weak maid.

Moreover, by this point, Xiao Ting was no longer fixated on doing business; she had already expanded her business to an enormous scale.

She herself was a little scared to continue expanding.

Her several experiences entering the palace sparked the idea in her to seek a formal title, since life there was truly peaceful and leisurely.

Seeing that she did not object, Chen Shao felt more confident.

He wasn't afraid of opposition from the large number of salt officials; he was afraid that his own caravan wouldn't understand.

Chen Shao's imperial power has now reached its zenith, and all officials, especially those left over from the previous dynasty, have absolutely no power to oppose him.

The Luoyang case and the Yintian case both illustrate this point.

Chen Shao could deal with whoever he wanted without any scruples.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Once various interest groups develop further, even if his successor wanted to take over, it would be extremely difficult.

The two chatted casually for a while, and Chen Shao noticed that she was very different from before.

She always seemed uninterested when the topic of trade came up.

After a moment's thought, Chen Shao understood; this was the same attitude he had when handling government affairs.

Some mountains, once reached, lose their appeal for climbing.
-
The fifty ships of treasure from Dai Viet were genuine.

At Longgang Wharf, after almost a month of unloading, there are still many ships that can't get in.

The caravans are also short of ships, and this delay is definitely not a solution.

Therefore, Chen Shao ordered that all officials be lavishly rewarded, especially those who were repairing the river, measuring farmland, and going to the frontier.

These treasures were simply consumed by the caravan itself, and the proceeds were converted into tourism vouchers to be distributed to the officials who received them as rewards.

Portugal and Spain were just as arrogant when they first opened up maritime trade.

They have more money than they can spend.

Their rulers lacked Chen Shao's generosity, spending their money on luxury and indulgence, while Chen Shao primarily used it for the benefit of the people. The Academy of Works was also among the recipients of Chen Shao's generous reward this time.

He made a special trip to the engineering college today, and felt as if he were walking on air as he wandered around the college.

Perhaps because Chen Shao had placed too much emphasis on artillery in the past, the engineering college still places the greatest emphasis on the research of military equipment and firearms.

Not only did they have cannons of various calibers, but their methods of use were also incredibly diverse, with some even being mounted on horse-drawn carriages.

The fact that the tribute goods from the Great Yue Kingdom were stuck in the port made Chen Shao realize that the current transportation system was still not developed enough.

If only there were a railway.
Although it is absolutely impossible to create it now, it does not prevent Chen Shao from beginning his education.

Some things are dangerous once they start. He had specifically studied the crafts of the Song Dynasty and found that many aspects far exceeded his expectations.

For example, some people in the engineering college have already started injecting water into small copper kettles and heating them, using the height of the water column when the kettle bursts to determine the pressure rating.

He didn't want a bunch of clueless savages to manually invent a steam engine; rather, he wanted to guide them, let them gradually improve it, and then use his status as emperor and huge rewards to stimulate their creativity.

Chen Shao firmly believed that if he were given ten to twenty years, he would definitely be able to build a primitive steam power device!
At that point, things will be on the right track.

The officials and craftsmen of the Academy of Engineering were used to His Majesty's silence when he came here; they simply followed behind Chen Shao, diligently explaining the latest research and developments to him.

One good thing about Chen Shao is that he is very pragmatic and doesn't have any novel ideas.

"Bring here the one who pours water into the bronze cauldron."

After walking around for a while, Chen Shao sat down in the lobby of the engineering college.

Soon, a craftsman was summoned, and to Chen Shao's surprise, the man was not young at all.

It looks like it might even be fifty or sixty years old.

He had assumed that such an advanced idea must have come from a young person.

Upon seeing Chen Shao, the man trembled with fear, and after a difficult struggle, he finally cried out:
"This humble subject, Hu San, kowtows to Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"

The loud thuds of kowtowing startled Chen Shao.

Seeing his humble and timid back, Chen Shao quickly ordered someone to pull him up, "Hu San, in the etiquette of our Great Jing, there is no such thing as kowtowing to the emperor."

Seeing that he couldn't utter a single word in front of him, Chen Shao waved his hand helplessly and said, "Your idea is excellent and ingenious. I believe it will be of great use in the future. I will reward you with a hundred gold pieces. You should continue your research. Alright, you may leave."

Hu San felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and left in a daze, without even remembering to express his gratitude.

After he left, Chen Shao breathed a sigh of relief. There was nothing he could do; that's how many people in this era reacted when they saw the emperor.

Let alone Hu San, a mere craftsman, even many scholars who had passed the imperial examinations trembled at the sight of Chen Shao.

The word "emperor" carries far too much weight.

After leaving the engineering institute, Chen Shao returned to the capital city. He looked up at the clear blue sky dotted with white clouds, and the glazed tiles on the palace eaves shone brightly in the sunlight.

Chen Shao was somewhat moved, as he increasingly felt the difference of being an emperor.

The higher the position, the greater the responsibility, except for those like Emperor Huizong of Tang (Zhao Ji) and Emperor Li Longji in his later years who only thought about their own enjoyment.

Funing Hall, a simple and spacious palace, is well-lit by its doors and windows, and is clean and quiet inside. In the middle of the hall is a large table, which is Chen Shao's place.

There was a small table next to him, filled with various reports, and Yuwen Xuzhong sat behind that table.

At this point, Yuwen Xuzhong himself, who was bent over his desk, was no longer visible.

Upon hearing footsteps, Yuwen Xuzhong stood up and bowed.

"Uncle Tong, is there anything urgent?"

Yuwen Xuzhong picked it up quickly, and Chen Shao was quick to ditch, finally letting him find the trick to being lazy.

That means finding someone to suffer in your place.

Yuwen Xuzhong nodded and said, "The Duke of England from Ryukyu Port has sent a report saying that he has persuaded the Shoni clan of Tsukushi (Kyushu) to declare themselves king."

"Oh?" Chen Shao was somewhat surprised and laughed, "There really is someone who dares to call themselves king?"

Yuwen Xuzhong immediately said, "The Shao Ni clan is a branch of the Fujiwara Hokuke family, and they have a hereditary title of 'Dazai Shao Ni'. However, the Shao Ni clan has now become a vassal and has no real power. They have long harbored resentment."

"No real power?" Chen Shao frowned and asked, "Do they have any troops?"

"The Shoni clan has three samurai groups under its command, namely Chikuzen, Chikugo, and Buzen, with a strength of about 2000 to 3000 cavalry and dozens of ships."

The Sekisen was a very small warship, but it was sufficient for Japan.

"What do you think?"

Yuwen Xuzhong said, "I have not been there and dare not draw any conclusions. However, since we only want it to split, we don't need to worry about whether it will succeed. Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were the first to rise up against Qin. Although they did not succeed, they inspired countless others to follow in their footsteps."

"As long as one person dares to rebel against the Emperor, there will be a second, and a third."

Chen Shao nodded; these words pleased him greatly.

Anyway, all I want to do is create chaos there. I don't care who's an official or a bandit, who succeeds or fails. The more chaotic it is, the better.

The more chaotic the situation, the less likely it is for people to share a common hatred of the enemy, giving them an opportunity to win over or subdue them one by one, or to defeat them.

When the time is right, we'll launch another ruthless attack. Anyway, whether it's the Iwami Silver Mine or the Hishikari Gold Mine, you won't be able to mine a single piece.

These are all silver and gold reserves of my Great Jing.

"Then support him to declare independence and go against the Emperor!" Chen Shao was the type who loved to watch the drama unfold, especially in that area.

He'd love for everyone to fight each other, like dogs biting each other.

At this time, Toba was not in a hurry at all, and even had plenty of time to learn from Zhao Ji every day.

Because these chaotic places are beyond his control anyway, it would be better to let the mob deal with those disobedient warlords properly.

But once the Shōni clan established themselves in Tsukushi, he became truly anxious.

After all these years, despite all the fighting and commotion, no one has ever questioned the Emperor's unbroken imperial line.

If you, the young prince, were to establish yourself as emperor, it would be the first time such a thing has happened, and it would be a huge blow to the imperial line.

Moreover, this is not some remote, godforsaken place like San'in Iwami.

Yuwen Xuzhong already knew about Chen Shao's plan, but he still felt somewhat strange.

His Majesty actually sent the Duke of England there.

Everyone knows that the current emperor's favorite military general is Duke Qu Duan of Yingguo, who was the commander-in-chief who ultimately destroyed the Jin dynasty.

This shows how much His Majesty values ​​this matter.

Yuwen Xuzhong explained that he felt that gold and silver were ultimately linked to the Jing bonds issued by the Great Jing Dynasty, which was why His Majesty was so concerned about them.

"How is that Iron Rod Mizo doing now?"

“Not good,” Yuwen Xuzhong said. “It looks like he’s going to die.”

"So useless?" Chen Shao cursed, "What a waste of my efforts in cultivating you."

"He wasn't killed by the Japanese government troops, but died from internal strife." Yuwen Xuzhong was both amused and exasperated; he was speechless at these Japanese islanders.

Iron Rod Misan's group of refugees only has a few hundred people, and they're already fighting amongst themselves. I really don't know what they have to fight over.

If this were in the Central Plains, what they would be fighting for wouldn't just be a position, but a warrant for the extermination of nine generations of their clan; whoever gets it first gets to keep it.

Teppou Mizo is now quite famous in Japan for his cruelty and cunning.

But among the refugees under his command, there emerged someone even more ruthless and unscrupulous than him.

As Yuwen Xuzhong spoke, he brought the relevant memorials concerning the issues they had just discussed to Chen Shao.

Chen Shao glanced at it a few times, then quickly closed it. As he himself said, Chen Shao only cared about chaos in Japan; who caused it or how it was chaotic was irrelevant.

"The principle of making bloodshed in the streets by members of the Emperor's lineage must not be changed."

Once this is accomplished, the lie of the so-called unbroken imperial line will be completely exposed.

God must never shed blood.

If you want to create gods, you have to maintain your mystique, but once you die suddenly in the street, all the filters will shatter.

Yuwen Xuzhong was silent for a moment, then said, "It will be difficult to do this well in the short term."

Chen Shao chuckled, "Don't even mention waiting a short while, even if it takes seven or eight years, I will still see this result."

Chen Shao's tone was firm, but Yuwen Xuzhong was somewhat hesitant. He had a better way to help His Majesty and decided to act from afar! (End of Chapter)