Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 555: Chapter 486: Imperial Commerce Bureau, Divine Sun Sect_2

”If the method of making glass is spread out, it will not let the common people earn money, but rather allow officials and wealthy merchants to make money.”

However, Yang Zhenshan did not argue with him. Arguing with a civil servant - isn’t that asking for trouble?

The others would quote classics and cite authorities; something Yang Zhenshan certainly couldn’t do!

Thus, he spoke up, ”Your servant believes Mr. Luo is right, competing with the people for profit is not good. Your servant thinks that the glassmaking secret should be entrusted to merchants to manage!”

”...”

The entire court, both civil and military officials, looked at Yang Zhenshan in astonishment.

Wasn’t it you who proposed the establishment of the Imperial Commerce Bureau?

Why are you opposing it now?

If the glassmaking secret is passed on to the merchants, then what’s the point of establishing the Imperial Commerce Bureau?

Sun Wenjian furrowed his brow as he looked at Yang Zhenshan, then immediately spoke up, ”I think it is not advisable. The glassmaking secret involves tens of millions of Silver, establishing the Imperial Commerce Bureau is beneficial to the state; how can it be entrusted to the merchants to manage?”

Yang Zhenshan lowered his head, but the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

Why did Sun Wenjian agree to the Imperial Commerce Bureau again?

The reason is simple: the establishment of the Imperial Commerce Bureau can bring Silver into the Ministry of Revenue, he wasn’t opposing the Imperial Commerce Bureau, he was opposing that after it’s established, it wouldn’t fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Revenue.

Seeing his superior jumping out in opposition, Vice Minister Luo Ren of the Ministry of Revenue felt somewhat embarrassed.

And Assistant Minister Li Zhijie of the Ministry of Revenue, after thinking for a moment, also stood up and said, ”I second the motion, the glassmaking secret must not be entrusted to the merchants to manage!”

After speaking, he even glanced at Yang Zhenshan.

Humph, Marquis Jing’an is cunning indeed, actually wanting to entrust the glassmaking secret to merchants to manage.

Other officials pondered for a bit and also understood why Yang Zhenshan would agree to entrust the glassmaking secret to the merchants; of course, their understanding is based on what they assumed.

There is no one in the entire court, either civil or military, who understands the glassmaking secret better than Yang Zhenshan.

The glassmaking secret originally came from Yang Zhenshan himself.

If the glassmaking secret is entrusted to merchants, Yang Zhenshan could easily make a substantial amount of Silver from it.

Thinking this, they too understood why Yang Zhenshan would agree.

But does Yang Zhenshan really want to profit from glass?

If he really had such a thought, he wouldn’t have initially put the glass workshop under the name of the General Mansion.

The reason he agreed is to change his position.

Before, he stood in favor of establishing the Imperial Commerce Bureau, and these civil servants opposed him.

Now he stands in opposition to establishing the Imperial Commerce Bureau, and these civil servants still oppose him.

Although not all civil servants are against him now, as long as a part of them are, that’s enough.

This would divide the civil servants into two factions, those in favor and those against.

Does the remaining matter still have anything to do with Yang Zhenshan?

Not anymore!

The rest is up to the civil servants to argue amongst themselves, who supports and who opposes, you all argue slowly, Yang Zhenshan quietly steps back into line.

”It’s not appropriate!”

”What’s inappropriate?”

”How can the court handle the business of merchants?”

”Salt and iron are also merchant affairs, why can the court manage salt and iron, but not glass?”

...

For a time, the great hall was filled with endless debates and noisy arguments, just like a marketplace.

Emperor Yanping sat above, looking at Yang Zhenshan who remained motionless among the nobility group, with a playful smile on his face.

At first, he didn’t understand Yang Zhenshan’s intentions, but now, how could he not understand!

Looking at the debating civil servants, Emperor Yanping spoke, ”Let the Cabinet discuss this matter first! Court is dismissed!”

The current debate is not of great significance; first, we must get the Cabinet’s approval, then have the Six Ministries agree. Today he was merely raising the issue to gauge the reaction of the officials.

It seems that the situation is not too bad.

Emperor Yanping rose to leave, and the ministers also dispersed one after another. Yang Zhenshan was also preparing to return to his mansion, but as soon as he stepped out of the Taiji Palace, he was stopped by a little eunuch.

”Marquis Jing’an, His Majesty requests your presence in the Imperial Study Room to discuss matters!” the little eunuch said with a beaming smile.

Great, no chance to slip away!

Yang Zhenshan had no choice but to turn around and head towards the Imperial Study Room, only to find upon arrival that Duan Rui, Zhou Mao, Liang Chu, and Lu Baishu were all present.

Besides them, there were also Wang Zhongzhi, Lv Hua, Ning Qi, and other supervisors of the Secret Martial Guards, as well as four Admirals.

Of course, Chen Zhongshu was also there.

Chen Zhongshu has once again assumed the role of director of the Ritual Supervision and holds control over the Imperial Guard Department.

Yang Zhenshan looked towards Wang Zhongzhi, who simply nodded to him without saying much.

”Greetings, Your Majesty!”

”Mm, Wang Zhongzhi, go ahead and tell us!” Emperor Yanping leaned back in his chair, his expression calm.

”Yes!” Wang Zhongzhi responded, then turned to face Duan Rui and the others, saying, ”Regarding the Nansheng case, the Secret Martial Guards have conducted some investigations and have now largely untangled the situation!”

”The mastermind behind Nansheng’s rebellion is the Divine Sun Sect!”

At these words, the expressions of Duan Rui, Zhou Mao, and Liang Chu instantly turned grave. Yang Zhenshan and Lu Baishu, on the other hand, had faces full of confusion.

What the hell is the Divine Sun Sect?

A Jianghu force?

Wang Zhongzhi, noticing the puzzlement of Yang Zhenshan and Lu Baishu, explained: ”The Divine Sun Sect originated five hundred years ago, during the Huai De era of the Sheng Dynasty, founded by a Jianghu Martial Artist named Mao Shiyuan. Initially, the Divine Sun Sect was known as the Divine Sun lineage, and by the third generation, Mao Shiyuan’s grandson Mao Ziyang was listed as a rebel by the Sheng Dynasty for siding with a Vassal King.”

”At the end of the Sheng Dynasty, when the world was in chaos, the fifth generation Sect Master Mao Yucheng changed the name of the Divine Sun lineage to the Divine Sun Sect, with the Divine Sun Saint as their deity, proclaiming the Sheng Dynasty’s lack of virtue, leading to people’s suffering, and that the Divine Sun Saint would shine upon the whole world. Since then, the Divine Sun Sect extensively recruited believers, with followers spread across Longyuan, Longnan, Bashu, Yun Gui, Nanyun, and other regions.”

”Several times the court of Sheng Dynasty attempted to exterminate the Divine Sun Sect, but each attempt ended indisposed.”

”It was not until our dynasty’s Great Ancestor raised arms to reforge order that the Divine Sun Sect continued to spread widely among the people.”

”Over the three hundred years since the founding of our dynasty, the Divine Sun Sect has repeatedly planned treasons and uprisings, with the last incident being the insurrection led by Prince Yong, which occurred one hundred thirty years ago!”

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Yang Zhenshan’s eyes.

The rebellion of Prince Yong was the largest insurgency since the founding of Da Rong.

In the eighth year of Emperor Dezong’s reign, Prince Yong raised troops from Longnan’s Yonghe Mansion. In just three months, his forces annexed Longnan, Longyuan, and Longxi, amassing an army of eight hundred thousand.

At the beginning of the ninth year of Emperor Dezong’s reign, Prince Yong led his forces to attack Shanhe Province. The court’s army gathered a million soldiers to block them, but suffered defeat after defeat. By the middle of the tenth year of Emperor Dezong’s reign, Prince Yong’s army reached the outskirts of the Capital City.

The imperial guard’s Twelve Camps and personal army’s Twelve Guards held the Capital City for two months, until reinforcements from various loyalist forces arrived to repel Prince Yong’s army.

At the end of the tenth year of Emperor Dezong’s reign, the court’s army launched a counter-offensive, spending a full three years to completely eradicate Prince Yong’s forces.

Many nobles, such as Duke Ning Mansion, Duke Rong Mansion, Marquis Nanyang Mansion, and others, were ennobled for their contributions to the loyalist cause.

Had it not been for their timely support for the emperor, there probably would be no Emperor Chengping nor Emperor Yanping now.

However, it was also because too many titles were granted at that time that, subsequently, the nobility group at court became too large. One of the issues Emperor Chengping faced upon his ascension was this nobility group, which was one of the reasons he was reluctant to bestow titles during his reign.

Yang Zhenshan had some understanding of this history, but he never expected the Divine Sun Sect to be a part of it.

Wang Zhongzhi continued: ”According to the captured Divine Sun Sect followers, the Sect has been active in the Capital for the past ten years. During this period, they used various methods of coercion and enticement to win over the imperial guards, personal army, and even the eunuchs within the Imperial City. Nansheng became their puppet five years ago after they learned of his secrets, leaving him no choice but to submit to them!”

”Apart from the Capital, they are also active in Bashu, Jiangnan, Yun Gui, among other regions!”

”However, due to their secretive actions, the Secret Martial Guards have not found much evidence of their whereabouts!”

”As for the strength of the Divine Sun Sect, we are still unclear. The Innate Martial Artist killed by Marquis Jing’an was one of the Sect’s leaders, known as the Red Monarch, practicing a skill called the Spirit Continuation Blood Refining Skill.”

At the mention of the Spirit Continuation Blood Refining Skill, the faces of all present became even more somber.

The Spirit Continuation Blood Refining Skill is a sinister technique that involves absorbing the blood energy of Martial Artists to condense Innate True Qi.

If only one person practiced such a nefarious skill, it wouldn’t matter much. But if a large force practiced such a technique, it would be terrifying.

It means that they could mass-produce Martial Artists at the Half-step Innate and Innate Realm.

Of course, this ’mass production’ could not be in the hundreds or thousands, but even dozens of Half-step Innate and Innate Realm Martial Artists would be extremely frightening.