Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 484: Chapter 447 No wonder the Emperor trusts Marquis Jing’an so much!

Inside the Imperial City of Capital City.

In the Imperial Study Room.

Emperor Yanping received the self-defense memorial from Yang Zhenshan.

Looking at the contents stated in the memorial, Emperor Yanping initially did not feel much emotional fluctuation.

The beginning of the memorial discussed some past events Yang Zhenshan experienced with Tenglong Guard, which Emperor Yanping had seen in previous memorials.

It was not until Emperor Yanping saw Yang Zhenshan’s statement that a severe drought would occur in Liaodong that his expression suddenly turned grim.

A severe drought in Liaodong?

It might involve most areas of Liao Yuan and Ping Yuan!

It could affect nearly ten million civilians and might result in millions of civilians having no harvest, turning into refugees!

Looking at the predictions made by Yang Zhenshan in the memorial, Emperor Yanping’s first reaction was anger!

He found it difficult to accept such evidence-less speculations.

But when he saw in the memorial that drought conditions had already started appearing in Liaodong, he suppressed the anger in his heart.

”Go, summon Lv Hua!”

Emperor Yanping ordered coldly.

”Yes!” The eunuch serving in the Imperial Study Room hurriedly took the command.

A moment later, Lv Hua hurried into the Imperial Study Room.

”Greetings, Your Majesty!”

Emperor Yanping raised his head and looked at him with a somewhat somber gaze, ”Has the matter of Marquis Jing’an buying up large quantities of food been investigated clearly?”

”Replying to Your Majesty, it has been clarified!” Lv Hua took out a memorial from his bosom and presented it.

At this moment, Nansheng entered the Imperial Study Room, standing respectfully not far from Emperor Yanping and did not speak.

Lv Hua only glanced at him briefly without saying more.

Emperor Yanping quickly scanned the memorial presented by Lv Hua.

”Is the drought in Liaodong real?”

”Replying to Your Majesty, I have sent people to investigate, and according to the feedback received, Liao Yuan and Ping Yuan indeed received less rainfall this year. Since the spring plowing, there has hardly been a drop of rain,” Lv Hua explained.

Emperor Yanping stood up, frowning and pacing around the study room.

The drought in Liaodong would affect not only Liaodong but also bring significant trouble to him and the court.

Such a natural disaster occurring shortly after his ascension to the throne!

It would be easy for people to associate the severe drought in Liaodong with him as the new emperor.

Although the court currently seemed stable, he was well aware that many hidden dangers existed in the court.

The civil and military officials also harbored many doubts about him as the new emperor.

Natural disasters are seen as divine retributions.

Soon, someone would surely claim that the divine retribution was due to the immorality of the new emperor.

Once the situation gets out of control, he, as the new emperor, might need to issue an edict confessing his sins.

An edict confessing his sins!

Absolutely not!

Emperor Yanping silently resented in his heart.

Of course, his resentment was directed toward the heavens, the ministers in the court who doubted him, and those petty individuals lurking in the shadows.

As for Yang Zhenshan!

Emperor Yanping sighed faintly, a thought crossing his mind.

”No wonder father emperor so deeply trusted Marquis Jing’an!”

Without comparison, there is no realization of disparity!

Comparing Yang Zhenshan with the civil and military officials in the court, Emperor Yanping suddenly found Yang Zhenshan to be truly a wise minister.

Yes, a wise minister, not just a good general.

Anticipating the worries of the monarch, sharing the burdens of the monarch.

Preventing problems before they arise, relieving the worries of the monarch.

Before, he had felt that Yang Zhenshan buying up large quantities of food seemed somewhat scheming, but now he felt that Yang Zhenshan was preventing problems before they arose, sharing his burdens.

Thinking again of the grand gift Yang Zhenshan had previously presented to him, his perception of Yang Zhenshan instantly improved significantly.

Thinking of the grand gift from Yang Zhenshan, his mood slightly eased.

”Go, summon Wang An! Hmm, you may leave first.”

Emperor Yanping dismissed Lv Hua and then summoned Wang An.

Wang An, originally a minor eunuch at Prince Cheng’s residence, was appointed as the chief eunuch and the superintendent of the Jinwu Guards after Emperor Yanping’s ascension, specifically in charge of the glass workshop’s affairs.

Emperor Yanping’s glass workshop had been established last year, and with his support, the scale of his glass workshop was now no less than that of the glass workshop at Chongshan Town General Mansion.

Over the past half-year, glass products had become fashionable in Capital City, with many nobles and officials extremely fond of glass items, especially the wives and daughters of officials, who were particularly captivated by exquisite glass products.

It could be said that the hottest commodities in Capital City now were various glass ornaments.

Any household lacking several exquisite glass ornaments would be ridiculed.

Even the palace was filled with a great number of glass ornaments.

The sales of these glass ornaments had brought Emperor Yanping a substantial amount of Silver Coin.

However, he was not quite clear on the exact amount, as he had been preoccupied with court affairs recently and had not inquired about the glass workshop for a long time.

Wang An soon arrived at the Imperial Study Room.

”Little Anzi greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be in peace!”

”Hmm, how much Silver Tael does the glass workshop have now?” Emperor Yanping asked.

”Replying to Your Majesty, the glass workshop currently has two million eight hundred thirty thousand taels of Silver!” Wang An answered.

”How much!” Emperor Yanping thought he had misheard.

Though his glass workshop was now quite large in scale,

Just a few months, and the glass workshop actually has over 2.8 million taels of silver now?

Wang An grinned, ”Your Majesty, the glass workshop made an account of 780,000 taels last month, but the revenue this month might decrease. I estimate it will be around 700,000 taels.”

”The sales of glass products in the Capital City have already decreased. If we want to make more silver, we might need to transport them outside the Capital City for sale!”

The elite and officials in the Capital City do have money, having spent over 2.8 million taels of silver in just a few months, but the market in Capital City is also limited, and the popularity of glass products will gradually wane.

Before long, glass products will become just another common commodity; though there will still be a market, sales will definitely decrease.

”Then just sell them outside the Capital City, what concerns are there!” Emperor Yanping was somewhat discontent.

Silver!

Huge amounts of silver!

In less than half a year, nearly three million taels of silver have been earned!

At this moment, Emperor Yanping couldn’t wait to start transporting glass products outside the Capital City for sale.

”This~~” Wang An scratched his head and said, ”Your Majesty, Marquis Jing’an arranged for six agents a while ago, and they are currently selling glass products in various provinces. If we also start selling, we’ll be competing with them for business!”

He did not know Emperor Yanping’s attitudes towards Yang Zhenshan, but after all, the technique and craftsmanship for glass-making were acquired from Yang Zhenshan. Competing with Yang Zhenshan for business made him somewhat guilty.

This matter was certainly dependent on Emperor Yanping’s decision; he himself definitely couldn’t decide.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yanping sat at his desk, deep in thought.

Indeed, he did not mind competing with Yang Zhenshan in business. He was the sovereign and Yang Zhenshan was his subject. Whatever he wants, Yang Zhenshan must provide.

What he worried about was whether this action would affect Yang Zhenshan’s buying of grains.

After all, the grains acquired by Yang Zhenshan were meant for the severe drought in Liaodong.

He still needed Yang Zhenshan to resolve the drought in Liaodong; thus, he ought not disrupt Yang Zhenshan’s grain purchasing.

”Let’s hold off on that! First, I’ll ask for Marquis Jing’an’s input!” Emperor Yanping thought it over and decided to first seek Yang Zhenshan’s opinion.

As his perception of Yang Zhenshan changed, he started to value Yang Zhenshan’s views more.

”Yes!”

Wang An responded, though he felt slightly disappointed inside; he too wanted to earn more silver for His Majesty.

”Moreover, send one million taels of silver to Marquis Jing’an!” Emperor Yanping instructed.

The money from the glass workshop was his private wealth; he didn’t need to discuss with the Cabinet or the Ministry of Revenue about how to use it.

However, if the Cabinet and Ministry of Revenue knew he had this much silver, many would likely come to him claiming poverty.

Though Emperor Yanping loved silver, he wasn’t greedy, but rather he didn’t want to be restricted by the Cabinet and Ministry of Revenue regarding finances.

The more silver in the inner treasury, the freer he was in his actions.

For instance, he wanted to give Yang Zhenshan one million taels of silver. If this matter were discussed in the court, who knew what controversy it might stir.

Yet, if it were allocated from his inner treasury, the opposing voices in the court would be far fewer, and he could even covertly transport the silver to Chongshan Town without notifying the civil and military officials.

However, Emperor Yanping overlooked one thing: the Imperial City was a city leaking secrets from all sides.

Before Wang An could transport the silver out of the Capital City, the news of the one million taels of silver being allocated from the inner treasury to Yang Zhenshan had already spread throughout the Capital City.

That’s a whole one million taels!

Then, one by one, memorials flew into the Imperial Study Room, all demanding Silver.

Not only memorials, but the Minister of Revenue, Qian Xingwen, also ran to the Imperial Study Room pleading poverty, apologizing while pleading.

”Your Majesty, this old official is guilty. The court is short of Silver Coin, the treasury of the Ministry of Revenue has long been empty, all departments are asking me for money, all officials are asking me for their salaries, this old official is really powerless, please punish me!” Qian Xingwen stood in front of Emperor Yanping, his face full of shame and helplessness.

When has the court not been short of Silver Coin? No matter how much Silver, once it enters the Ministry of Revenue, it doesn’t take long to all disappear.

Not because it was embezzled, but because the court has too many expenses.

It’s not easy for Qian Xingwen as the Minister of Revenue, he wishes he could turn one Silver Tael into ten to spend, unfortunately, he couldn’t, he could only delay and make excuses.

It felt as if there were countless creditors in the world, each of them almost like debt collectors.

”Alright, alright, you’re of such an old age and yet you cry!” Emperor Yanping, annoyed by the noise, said.

”Your Majesty! This old official~~” Qian Xingwen wanted to say something.

Emperor Yanping raised his hand to interrupt him, ”I’ll give you one million taels, deal with these memorials for me!”

He pointed at the stack of thick memorials on the desk.

So many memorials, all demanding Silver, and every one of them with a sound reason.

It seemed as if without giving Silver, Da Rong would face big trouble.

Upon hearing about the one million taels, Qian Xingwen immediately burst into a gleeful smile, his old face grinning like a chrysanthemum, ”No problem, Your Majesty is wise!”

”Alright, you can leave now!”

Emperor Yanping rubbed his temples, speaking in an irritated and troubled voice.

At this moment, his mood was very irritable, anxious about the impending drought in Liaodong, and annoyed by the situation at the court.

The things he did in the Imperial Study Room were buzzing around uncontrollably, how could he not be annoyed?

When Emperor Chengping was in power, such a situation had never occurred.

Back then, although there were many messages leaked from the Imperial City, they were all trivial matters.

Now, every word and deed of his seemed unable to escape the eyes of the court officials.

After Qian Xingwen left, Emperor Yanping suddenly opened his eyes, ”Nansheng, how did the news get out?”

Nansheng bowed, ”Your Majesty, it might have been some ignorant fool chattering outside.”

”Chattering?” Emperor Yanping looked at him, ”Investigate! Find out for me! I don’t want such incidents to occur again!”

Upon hearing this, Nansheng quickly knelt down, his expression somewhat troubled, ”Your Majesty, it would be most appropriate for the Imperial Guard Department to investigate this matter! This old servant is truly unsuitable to handle it!”

Emperor Yanping’s eyes slightly narrowed.

The Imperial Guard Department!

That’s the Hidden Guard of the Secret Martial Guards within the Imperial City, principally responsible for monitoring and guarding the Imperial City.

Emperor Yanping had long harbored thoughts about the Secret Martial Guards.

He always felt that the Secret Martial Guards were too vast, allowing Wang Zhongzhi alone to control it made him uneasy, after all, Wang Zhongzhi was not promoted by him.

”Issue a decree to Wang Zhongzhi, from now on the Imperial Guard Department will operate independently, overseen by you!” Emperor Yanping declared.

Compared to Wang Zhongzhi, he trusted Nansheng more, after all, Nansheng had grown up with him.

A flicker of joy flashed through Nansheng’s eyes, he quickly kowtowed, ”This old servant obeys the decree!”