"The promotion of stamp duty has been unexpectedly smooth. Liang Aiqing, you have done a good job. Recently, the salt drying method has also been proven to be effective! I believe that in time, the salt fields on the seaside will be a source of money for the country... Well, it will be a huge source of money for the country. Great way to generate revenue!”
In the West Palace Villa, the two sisters were in a beautiful mood and specially invited Liang Xiao and Jiang Fuxue to the banquet. The empress did not hide her inner joy.
Following Zhuge Hui's suggestion, she poured various salts and impurities into the pool and dried them again using the sun salt method.
Sure enough, sparkling salt precipitated in the pool, and it seemed to be much better in color than rock salt and well salt!
This means that Liang Xiao did not exaggerate at all!
In fact, he was too conservative.
Sea water and sunshine are inexhaustible. In the end, the only costs the court has to pay are space, labor, and time!
The only regret the current empress has is that she did not summon Liang Xiao earlier.
It's late autumn now, and the sunshine is stronger this summer. Maybe salt drying will be more efficient and make money faster?
Liang Xiao reminded: "Your Majesty can't just be happy, you must keep it secret. If the Beihu people steal the salt-drying method, they will definitely find ways to go south and seize the coastline! Even if they can't cross the Great Wall and divert to attack Goryeo, it won't work. question."
The empress nodded solemnly: "I have dispatched a large number of Xuanwei to supervise this matter. As long as the salt can be harvested smoothly, sales channels are not a problem! I can let you be responsible for purchasing salt from the government and reselling it everywhere."
Liang Xiao was stunned, shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, the court must control the salt and not sell it privately."
"Don't you want to get promoted and make a fortune?" the empress asked curiously.
Liang Xiao smiled and said: "Who doesn't want to? But what I have to consider is not a full meal, but a full meal. I want my descendants to live stably in the Zhou Dynasty for generations. The Zhou Dynasty must also ensure the longevity of the country."
The empress was silent for a moment, looked at Liang Xiao, and sighed: "You are worried that after opening this hole, even if you are loyal to the emperor and serve the country, even if I can work diligently and love the people, I can't guarantee what I will do in a hundred years. At the same time, if you are a seventh-grade If the official really sells salt for me, those jealous ministers will definitely try their best to sell it for their family, otherwise there may be a riot."
Liang Xiao smiled and nodded without further explanation.
In fact, I had just joined the empress's camp, and I didn't want to make any suicide attempts that threatened the imperial power.
There are many ways to make money, and private information is enviable and easy to follow people's opinions, so it is not the best choice.
Liang Xiao didn't care at all whether he could be as rich as the country in the future. What he cared about first was the foundation for himself and his family to settle down.
The kindness and trust of the sisters in him made him feel a little relieved. He was not like before, where he had to beware of being tortured to death by his father's political opponents every day.
The two sisters looked deeply at Liang Xiao who was immersed in eating, then looked at each other and smiled knowingly.
They already believed Zhuge Hui's evaluation of Liang Xiao.
This person has general knowledge, far-sightedness, and a grand structure. Unlike Duanmu Yuncheng and others, he thinks about romance all day long. After entering the officialdom, he always thinks about party unity and opposition.
The brothers Duanmu Yuncheng and Duanmu Yunqing are just a microcosm of the children of the Duanmu family.
There is no shortage of aristocratic families in the Zhou Dynasty who are loyal to the emperor and serve the country, but these great aristocratic families are hard to describe...
As Liang Xiao said, in fact, they have already formed a "family" and have monopolized important official positions for a long time.
In the past, the two sisters were on pins and needles, especially she, the empress, was worried all the time.
Now, the young man opposite who was immersed in eating gave them an unprecedented sense of security.
They wanted to believe that he could change the status quo.
While Jiang Fuxue was eating, she was chatting with the two sisters across from her. She glanced at her "unsatisfactory" brother from time to time and felt helpless.
What a great opportunity, he only knows how to eat!
Where are the three wives and four concubines we agreed on?
"Xue'er, eat more."
The empress looked kindly and served Jiang Fuxue some vegetables.
"Xue'er, thank you, Your Majesty~" Jiang Fuxue looked cute and ate in silence.
Looking at the pretty and cute little girl, the empress' eyes gained a touch of sisterly and motherly love, as if she had seen Duan Yunxiu when she was a child.
At this time, the innocent empress did not realize that she had unknowingly fallen into the eyes of the little witch...
After the banquet, the empress asked Duan Yunxiu to take Jiang Fuxue to play in the garden, leaving Liang Xiao alone.
Looking at Liang Xiao in front of her, the empress finally made up her mind and said: "Liang Aiqing, I have something I want to talk to you about. You must not tell anyone about it, including my imperial sister."
Liang Xiao nodded solemnly: "I accept your order."
"Don't rush to take orders yet..."
The empress' eyes gained a bit of complexity, and she sighed: "The emperor has a good impression of you. If you two are destined, I can grant you a marriage in the future and make you the prince's consort."
Liang Xiao was stunned.
"I can also guess your worries. After all, I and my sister are the only ones left in the royal family. If you become the consort, your heirs will naturally have someone named Duan, not Liang."
After the empress finished speaking, she observed Liang Xiao's reaction and saw that he had no excuse before continuing, "I have already thought about it. Whether you and the emperor's sister can achieve righteousness depends on your fate. If you two fall in love with me, in the future I will You are allowed to take concubines. If the girl you like can be recognized by the imperial sister, I can make them a princess and make them the same as the imperial sister. If the imperial sister does not approve, then you can take them as concubines. How about it? "
Liang Xiao finally showed surprise: "Why did your Majesty say this..."
The empress explained: "I once said that the royal family owes you the Liang family. What's more, you are the only member of the Liang family. You will definitely make great contributions in the future and be famous for generations. How can you have no descendants? In comparison, the emperor My sister's accommodation is insignificant. If you can become the Prince Consort of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the first of your and the imperial sister's children will be named Duan, and the rest can bear your surname. This matter was decided after discussion between me and the Prime Minister."
Liang Xiao fell into silence again.
There is no such thing as a marriage, but this is the first time he has heard of a marriage between a princess and someone else.
Seeing that Liang Xiao remained silent, the empress frowned and said, "Are you still dissatisfied..."
Liang Xiao then replied: "I am very flattered, thank you Lord for your kindness!"
The empress breathed a sigh of relief and toasted Liang Xiao again, saying: "From now on, there will naturally be Yingying Yanyan around you. I hope you will not neglect my imperial sister."
Liang Xiao finally understood. She seemed to be worried that he would consider Duan Yunxiu's identity and give up on being the Prince Consort of Zhou Dynasty.
The other party's words were all about this, giving him enough room to choose. Liang Xiao had no reason to be obedient and thank him again.
Under the candlelight, the already tipsy empress looked at Liang Xiao, who was drinking calmly, with the corners of her mouth raised slightly.
Even when he drinks, he feels a bit heroic, but he doesn't lose his composure.
It was me who underestimated him at first...
