Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 554: Chapter 486: Imperial Commerce Bureau, Divine Sun Sect

Following this, Minister of the Honglu Temple, Zhang Cong, stepped forward and reported: ”Your Majesty, Prince Li Yuanzhe of the Li Royal Family requests an audience with Your Majesty. I wonder if Your Majesty would like to receive him?”

”Never mind, let him stay put.” Emperor Yanping waved his hand dismissively and said lazily.

The Li Royal Family refers to the Royal Family of the Li Sheng Dynasty. Since the twenty-ninth year of Emperor Chengping’s reign, the Kim Clan from Silla usurped the throne from the Li Sheng Dynasty, and Prince Li Yuanzhe of the Li Royal Family fled to Da Rong, seeking military assistance to reclaim his kingdom.

At the time, Emperor Chengping was old and preoccupied with selecting a suitable Crown Prince, having no interest in the affairs of the Li Sheng Dynasty.

And now, Emperor Yanping, having acceded to the throne for less than two years, is even less inclined to deal with the Li Sheng Dynasty’s affairs.

However, Da Rong has not yet recognized the Kim Clan of Silla’s claim to the throne, and this issue may continue to cause trouble in the future.

Uh, not in the future.

”Your Majesty, the Kim Clan of Silla has once again sent envoys asking for Your Majesty’s endorsement, promising to pay a tribute of one hundred thousand taels of silver and eight thousand taels of gold every year should Your Majesty agree to endorse them,” Minister Zhang Cong spoke up again.

Emperor Yanping’s eyes lit up, ”Oh! Are they truly willing to pay tribute every year?”

Eight thousand taels of gold is equivalent to eighty thousand taels of silver, amounting to one hundred and eighty thousand taels of silver in tribute each year. While it might not seem like much, it is not an insignificant amount either, especially since it’s an annual tribute.

”The envoy from the Kim Clan said so!” Zhang Cong replied.

Emperor Yanping turned to Song Yuange and said, ”Let’s discuss this matter after the court session with the Cabinet!”

Clearly, Emperor Yanping was somewhat tempted.

Who wouldn’t be moved by free silver?

”Your servant understands!” Song Yuange responded.

Subsequently, the officials began to report on various matters one by one. Yang Zhenshan stood within the Military Officer’s ranks, feeling utterly bored. He, as the Right Commander under the Left Army Commander’s Mansion, had nothing to do with these court affairs. Even concerning matters related to the Left Army Commander’s Mansion, there was Anhuai Ren, the Left Governor, who was responsible, so there was no need for him to be involved.

Actually, the matters discussed during the early morning court session were not significant. Many of them had already been agreed upon and were merely being confirmed once more. For example, the allocation of relief grain to Liaodong had surely been reported to Emperor Yanping and the Cabinet by the Ministry of Revenue well beforehand.

Similarly, with the affairs of the Kim Clan of Silla, even though there was no prior discussion, it was obvious that the matter would not be debated on the court floor but would be discussed by the Cabinet after the session.

Finding it dull, Yang Zhenshan simply closed his eyes to cultivate.

That’s right, he began cultivating right there during the morning court session since cultivation didn’t require specific conditions. As long as one could focus their mind, they could practice cultivation.

From the outside, he appeared as if he was just standing there asleep.

As time ticked by, the sky outside began to brighten.

”Marquis Jing’an, Marquis Jing’an!”

Suddenly, Yang Zhenshan heard someone calling him and hurriedly opened his eyes and looked up, only to see Emperor Yanping looking at him with a peculiar expression.

Next to him, Anhuai Ren gave him a suggestive wink.

”Cough cough, yes, I am here!” Yang Zhenshan quickly stepped out and said.

He had been a little too absorbed in his cultivation just now, and for some reason, he felt that cultivating in the court seemed especially effective.

Emperor Yanping leant back in his dragon chair and said, ”Setting up the Imperial Commerce Bureau was your proposal, Mr. Sun from the Ministry of Revenue thinks it’s inappropriate. What do you think?”

Yang Zhenshan looked up in surprise at Sun Wenjian.

How had the topic shifted to the Imperial Commerce Bureau?

Was the establishment of the Imperial Commerce Bureau up for discussion today?

He thought Emperor Yanping had forgotten about it, as it was something he had proposed several months ago.

”May I know what part of it Mr. Sun finds inappropriate?” Yang Zhenshan asked Sun Wenjian.

With a frown, Sun Wenjian said, ”Merchants are of humble status, how could they possibly become officials?”

”Uh, then don’t make it an official position. Just assign someone without rank or grade to manage it,” Yang Zhenshan said nonchalantly.

The main conflicts in establishing the Imperial Commerce Bureau were two-fold: the distribution of benefits, which was a matter for the Emperor and the Ministry of Revenue, and the question of whether merchants could hold official positions.

Yang Zhenshan had anticipated objections from the start.

Emperor Yanping frowned upon hearing this but did not speak. His proposal to establish the Imperial Commerce Bureau was not unfounded.

He was short on silver, as was the court, and the Imperial Commerce Bureau undeniably promised to be a source of Silver Coin for him and the court.

Had it not been for the matter of Nansheng, he would have already raised the issue of establishing the Imperial Commerce Bureau at court.

As for the affair of Nansheng, within such a vast Dynasty, there were numerous matters to attend to. Although the issue was of great importance, Emperor Yanping could not afford to devote all his energy to a single case, and other matters still had to be attended to as necessary.

Caught off-guard by Yang Zhenshan’s response, Sun Wenjian was momentarily at a loss for words.

”I believe it is inappropriate; the trade of merchants is a menial occupation, how could it be graced with the imperial title?” Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Zheng Shizeng, stood up and said.

Yang Zhenshan replied, ”Then don’t call it the Imperial Commerce Bureau, call it the Court Commerce Bureau! Uh, Commerce Affairs Bureau works too!”

Zheng Shizeng was slightly startled. Could it be that simple?

Yang Zhenshan looked at him as if to ask if there were any other issues.

Wasn’t it just the dislike of the name?

Changing the name would solve it!

”I also think it’s inappropriate. Using the name of the court for merchant affairs is essentially competing with the common people for profit. I believe that the glass industry should be handed over to private merchants to manage, and the court can tax it!” Vice Minister Luo Ren of the Ministry of Revenue stepped forward and said.

Yang Zhenshan looked at him, thinking that this man was either foolish or malicious.

What does he mean by competing with the common people for profit?

The establishment of the Imperial Commerce Bureau was mainly for the management of glass.

What did glass have to do with the common people?

With its current low production and high prices, glass was not something ordinary folk could afford.

No matter how profitable glass was, it had nothing to do with the ordinary people.