You have truly caused me great suffering!

On the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Kim Boo-seok finally got his wish and met His Majesty the Great Jing Emperor.

In the valley of the summer palace, in a garden filled with all sorts of strange and wonderful machines, Kim Bu-sik was led to the entrance.

He was well-behaved and kept his eyes straight ahead.

When the eunuch came out to summon him, he stepped inside, trying his best to maintain his composure.

But seeing Chen Shao's appearance, he was still somewhat stunned.

The richest and most powerful man in the world was squatting on the ground with several dark-skinned men, looking at a sapling.

They gathered around the sapling, discussing it animatedly. It was clear at a glance that Chen Shao wasn't just talking nonsense; he was genuinely exploring the topic.

The lemon tree in front of Chen Shao was carefully cultivated; it was actually not very suitable for planting in Jinling.

Several men who looked remarkably like old farmers were all skilled workers specially selected by the Ministry of Agriculture.

They have already started planting lemon trees in Guangnan and Lianglu. As for the ones here, they advised Chen Shao to cover them up during the winter to prevent them from freezing to death.

Citrus fruits and bean sprouts were special medicines that Chen Shao prepared for the Age of Exploration, specifically to combat necrosis.

Upon hearing footsteps, Chen Shao didn't deliberately ignore Jin Fushi. He immediately clapped his hands and said with a smile, "Dr. Jin, it's been a long time."

"Your Majesty, I am delighted to see that Your Majesty is in good health."

Chen Shao laughed and sat down in the pavilion, saying, "A few days ago, I was planning the Northern Expedition to the Gobi Desert. After I finished, I heard my ministers report that some Goryeo laborers were staying in Liaodong and refusing to return home. I didn't quite believe it."

"Doctor Jin is also a well-read person, and must know the saying, 'While parents are alive, one should not travel far; if one must travel, one should have a fixed destination.' I lost my father at a young age, and then my mother. I was raised by my aunt, and I still cherish the memory of her. I visit her often to find peace of mind."

This is the natural feeling of a son, an unchanging principle throughout the ages. The laborers of Goryeo also have parents and wives. Though they are in a foreign land, how can they not feel longing for their families? How can one remain indifferent to the separation of loved ones?

Your officials have submitted a memorial stating that the people refuse to return to their country—this is utterly contrary to heavenly principles and deeply violates human ethics. Is this truly the case?

Kim Bu-seok, feeling ashamed, bowed and said, "Goryeo is a small, barbarian country. Its people are poorly educated and do not know the words of the sage. They have caused trouble for the Great King and made Your Majesty worry. It is the fault of us subjects."

A palace maid brought over a porcelain basin. Chen Shao washed his hands and said, "As the saying goes, things cannot be clear without explanation, and principles cannot be clarified without debate. After learning about this matter, I also reflected on myself. The Goryeo people regard me as their sovereign and father, but I have not shown them the same compassion as a loving father."

"The grain ships from Dajing entered Goryeo with the intention of helping you, but they have made life difficult for the common people. They originally made a living by farming, but after the grain arrived, the powerful gentry refused to rent land from the people. In order to make up for this mistake, I have overcome the objections of the masses and decided that from now on, the silver from Seokmi Province will be transported to Goryeo for smelting. I will also provide funds and craftsmen to help Goryeo establish iron smelting, shipbuilding, and minting bureaus, and help you build roads, ports, dredge rivers, and build cities."

"In this way, Goryeo will become prosperous and its people will have more ways to make a living, and the people will naturally return slowly. I think it is very inappropriate for you to forcibly repatriate the people. My border troops are all battlefield warriors, rough and brave. They are good at killing the enemy, but they are easy to cause casualties when they are used to capture civilians."

Kim Boo-seok never expected His Majesty to make such an arrangement. He suddenly realized that his level of understanding was as different from Emperor Jing's.

He was always looking out for the people, but I judged him with the petty mind of a virtuous person.

To reassure them, Chen Shao immediately said, "I am not just saying this. Today I will approve 20 million taels of silver and send Fang Yue, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, to Goryeo to supervise the use of this money and ensure that it is put into practice."

"You should also assign specific personnel to handle this matter, and dispatch appropriate officials to supervise it. I will also appoint the Goryeo Chamber of Commerce to open the port and build factories."

Upon hearing the words "Goryeo Chamber of Commerce," Kim Boo-seok felt an overwhelming sense of disgust and resistance. Choi Soon-jung, in his youth, was a notorious playboy, indulging in debauchery and squandering money like water.

Later, his family fell into poverty, and he went into business again, earning a lot of money, but he had already become a low-class person.

Unexpectedly, they have now managed to curry favor with the Great Jing Dynasty, and even the Great Jing Emperor knows their name.

But he dared not object, after all, he was very familiar with the style of those powerful figures in the country.

If they were to handle it, those twenty million taels would be divided up in no time.

Chen Shao added, "I take this matter very seriously. If anyone dares to embezzle it, I will certainly not forgive them."

Kim Boo-seok quickly bowed his head and made a promise.

Chen Shao was satisfied with this. He picked up his teacup, stirred the steam, and said, "These twenty million taels are just an appetizer. If they can be put into practice and improve the lives of the people of Goryeo, I promise to add another thirty million after the new year, and every year thereafter!"

Kim Boo-seok greatly admired Chen Shao, but he was indeed somewhat wary of Dae Kyung.

However, Chen Shao gave him too much this time, forcing him to lower his guard.

Who could refuse Dajing's aid, especially after witnessing Dajing's current prosperity and wealth?

Did he not want Goryeo to become as prosperous as Liangzhe Road and Jiangnan Road?

Chen Shao's thinking was much simpler. He was determined to get that place, so he was willing to feed it all the best food possible, fattening it up so it would be ready to be harvested at any time.

This is where Cai Jing's shrewdness lies. According to others' opinions, despite various reasons, it's clear that he's using force to suppress others.

Although they can suppress Goryeo, they are certainly not convinced in their hearts.

Now that they have achieved their goal, they are all convinced and even sing praises.

One focuses on the immediate present, the other on the long term.

An elder in a country is like a treasure.

They can not only offer advice and strategies, but also mentor newcomers.

I just don't know how much longer the battery will last.

Kim Boo-seok left the summer palace in a daze, without a trace of resentment in his heart.

Which powerful dynasty would spend so much money to help its surrounding vassal states?
Even Li Shimin, who was known as the Heavenly Khan, could not do it.

Kim Boo-seok had read extensively in history books, and he had never heard of such a wise and sagacious ruler since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

Despite how bizarre the matter was, Kim Boo-seok had no doubt whatsoever. He believed that since Chen Shao had said it to his face, he must be able to do it.

In the next few years, Korea is poised for takeoff.

He was even more supportive of Chen Shao's arrangement for the three parties to work together, and he was even more worried than Chen Shao that the money would be embezzled by his colleagues.

That would not only offend Daejeong, but also lose a rare opportunity for Goryeo to rise to power.

Small countries like Goryeo, located on the frontier, have historically had to navigate between the central dynasties and the powerful northern states.

Opportunities to rise are extremely rare, and since they have arisen, we must seize them.

If you miss an opportunity given by Heaven, you will surely be punished by Heaven.
-
The imperial court did not delay in allocating funds to Goryeo.

This delighted the officials of Goryeo, who felt it was a blessing in disguise.

Although some officials in the Great Jing court were dissatisfied, none of them openly voiced their opposition, because the money came from the emperor. Chen Shao's treasury was now full again; indeed, professional matters should be handled by professionals.

Because of Zhao He's mediocrity, Jinling was facing financial difficulties, so Chen Shao asked Xiao Ting to take up the post, and more than three months have passed since then.

After regaining control of the caravan, Xiao Ting did not devote as much energy as before, but order was restored.

Chen Shao urged her to do the same as him: to build a system and stop relying on individuals.

After thinking for a few days, Xiao Ting proposed to reform the commercial tax law and put forward several new laws.

She mainly reformed the old systems of the Tang and Song dynasties, including the Maritime Trade Office and other government offices left over from the Song dynasty.

Chen Shao, along with Liu Jizu and Xiao Ting, also drafted the import tariff decree.

This is also why Chen Shao kept Liu Jizu in the position of vice prime minister.

He was a businessman by trade, and a very successful one at that; he knew what businessmen needed.

The core of the import and export tax laws of Dajing is the various invoices.

The imperial court stipulated that import and export goods would be subject to a tax of one-tenth in kind, and issued receipts for inspection purposes.

That means I won't charge you money; I'll only charge you one-tenth of the value of the goods you bring back.

Goods brought back from overseas by private merchants are generally valuable items. Taking samples of the actual goods avoids inaccurate tax amounts due to market price fluctuations.

These imported goods were sold in bulk by the Maritime Trade Commissioner's Office, with the highest bidder winning the goods.

This was something that would have been difficult to achieve in other dynasties, but the Jing Dynasty had its own caravans.

This was the caravan's original business; they used to consume the spoils of war they captured from various places in the past.

In the past, the main form of taxation for the circulation of goods in various dynasties was the collection of "passage tax." Government officials and yamen runners would set up checkpoints at city gates and passes to collect money before allowing passage, but the amount collected each time was not high.

However, the rules were chaotic, and the income was all taken by local officials, making it impossible to verify. It was a complete mess, and there were even instances of repeated collection of money.

Following this reform, the Great Jing Dynasty enacted laws to collect all commercial taxes from passes and city gates throughout the country under the jurisdiction of the Maritime Trade Commissioner.

This is a huge benefit for businesses, because you no longer have to gamble on the character of local officials.

Having rules is always cheaper than having no rules, because local officials and clerks will squeeze you dry for their own benefit. Only the central government will consider long-term plans to protect your interests and ensure a sustainable future.

After receiving the money, the branch office of the Maritime Trade Commissioner would still issue the merchant a time-limited voucher; once the merchant received this voucher, no further taxes would be levied within the specified period. The voucher would specify the origin and destination of the caravan's goods.

Because inspectors were active in various places, merchants had to obtain receipts after paying taxes for inspection purposes; therefore, the Maritime Trade Commissioner could control the accounts of the local branches by issuing these receipts.

The officials and artisans who originally issued the travel vouchers were directly transferred from the caravan to work at the Maritime Trade Office.

The various anti-counterfeiting technologies employed in the Grand View voucher have not been wasted; moreover, because the vouchers have an expiration date, vouchers issued at different times will have different serial numbers, fonts, and other additional anti-counterfeiting technologies. As a result, the possibility of counterfeiting has been greatly reduced.

At the same time, legislation was enacted that forging Maritime Trade Office documents would be a serious crime, punishable by beheading, confiscation of property, and exile of the entire clan to the border.

As a result, officials in the coastal prefectures strongly opposed this, but ministers in the capital city government offices were less opposed, because the officials in the capital did not receive those "tolls" anyway.

After the imperial court took it over, it also benefited them. With more money in the country, everyone's work became easier.

With the powerful officials in the capital wielding significant influence and the local officials having little power, the central government supported the local government's proposal while the local government opposed it, thus ensuring the smooth implementation of the plan.

With its ever-expanding government institutions, imperial industries, and continuously increasing revenue, the Central Plains is rapidly transforming under the rule of the Great Jing Dynasty.

In fact, what Chen Shao did was to accelerate the development of many promising trends that had already emerged during the Song Dynasty, raising them to a higher level.

If it hadn't been interrupted by the Jin and Mongol dynasties, perhaps the Song Dynasty could have stumbled its way into a more developed commercial society, but it would have inevitably taken many detours.
-
The coolness of autumn is like a fickle girl, often deceiving you.

It's already autumn, but it still gets a heatwave every now and then.

As Li Shishi walked along the road, she suddenly felt sweating profusely and couldn't help but miss the Hot Spring Palace.

Today she was wearing a dark blue dress, which was a little thick, and the lining was sweaty and smelled warm.

Shishi wasn't very tall, but her graceful curves were unmatched. She rarely wore clothes that fit her well, always opting for larger sizes to cover her body.

Then she focused on the inner lining, so that when Chen Shao removed her outer garment, he could see her unique beauty. She was a very skilled dressmaker; the military jackets for the Dingnan Army were designed by her own hand.

Of course, she would also often prepare some surprises for Chen Shao to brighten his day.

Li Shishi was very happy to hear that Chen Shao had started practicing Taoism, and immediately began to follow suit.

However, she was not as talented as Xiao Ting in this area and was unable to get started for a long time.

In Taoism, it is best to remain calm during dual cultivation and not forget to breathe and adjust your posture.

Li Shishi was always very dedicated, only thinking about bringing Chen Shao the best pleasure.

The saying "beautiful women bring disaster" perfectly describes this type of woman; she's too easy for people to become infatuated with.

So when she first got together with Chen Shao, she paid close attention to helping him abstain from sex and maintain his health.

Thinking of this, Li Shishi felt a little lost and sighed.

Good things are always hard to come by, and sometimes she wonders why God always seems to punish greedy people.

She also fully understood those emperors who pursued immortality.

She wished these days could last forever.

Carrying a food box, she arrived at Chen Shao's palace, only to find him absent. Cui Die explained that His Majesty had gone to meet with foreign envoys.

Shishi nodded and waited for him there. She walked slowly for a while, then strolled over to the large table with great interest and saw that there were indeed several Taoist books on it.

She sat down on the cushion and tried to meditate in the above posture.

However, she quickly grew bored. She got up and sat in Chen Shao's chair, gradually relaxing. Her feet dangled from her long skirt and dangled above the ground as she observed the things piled on the table.

There were many maps, files, and several memorials on the table. Paper, ink, and other materials were laid out there, and the brush on the inkstone didn't seem to be completely dry yet.

The thought that he was here, ruling this vast world, filled her with pride. (End of Chapter)