Jiu Zhang Ji: The Daily Life of the Reborn Daughter

Chapter 144: Yellow Sand, Golden Armor, Heavy Frost, and Chilling Drums

Even if this issue was over, the emperor could neither kill his two sons nor let the court officials kneel down, so he had no choice but to wave his hands helplessly. Eunuch Li flicked his whisk and said in a long voice that was unique to eunuchs: "The emperor has ordered, stand up~~"

Qiao Peng looked around and saw that everyone was climbing up, so he followed suit.

Next, they discussed the issue of taxes for merchants from other places who came to the capital to do business. Originally, their taxes were 20% higher than those of local merchants in the capital. When Qiao Lili and Emperor Yong'an talked about the auction of the Ganjiang freight waterway that day, they mentioned this issue. They believed that unequal taxes restricted the development of the flow of merchants and were not conducive to the exchange and development of commerce in various places.

After Qiao Lili's proposal, Emperor Yong'an convened the Minister of Revenue, the Vice Minister of Revenue, and a number of cabinet ministers for several in-depth discussions. In the end, he adopted Qiao Lili's suggestion. Regardless of whether the merchants were local or from other places, the taxes in the capital were the same.

This policy was also implemented in other counties, states, and counties, that is, all merchants in the same county, state, and county were subject to the same taxes.

This topic was approved by all members. Those who are experts know how much prosperity this topic will bring to the capital, so they naturally will not object. There are also those who know nothing and just want to fill in the numbers. Seeing that no one else objects, they also do not object. In short, there are no self-righteous people talking nonsense this time.

The censors also kept their mouths shut. Among the four classes of scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, merchants had the lowest status. They had never even looked at the merchants, so there was nothing to criticize.

After this resolution is passed, the number of merchants coming to the capital to do business will increase dramatically, which will then lead to an increase in housing prices, grain prices, vegetable prices, restaurants, inns, teahouses, department stores, and even the prices of maids in pawnshops.

Those who have ideas are already secretly planning in their minds how to reap the benefits of this wave.

As more businessmen come to Beijing, when the Ganjiang freight waterway is auctioned, there will be more people participating, there will be more competition, and the price will definitely go up. This is a really good foundation.

It was precisely because of this that Emperor Yong'an invested a great deal of time and manpower in this issue and tried his best to bring it about as soon as possible.

Several important and unimportant topics were discussed. Finally, Emperor Yong'an called on Qiao Peng and asked him to report on the recent war situation of Dayan against Simon and Western Turks one by one.

Qiao Peng had made sufficient preparations for this issue. In fact, even if he didn't do so, he was immersed in the wars at the border every day and was already familiar with the war situation. He could just say whatever he wanted to say.

He first narrated how Dayan defeated Simon and Western Turks in a way that made all the court officials feel as if they were there. Both civil and military officials felt a strong sense of mission and honor for their country and family after hearing the story.

After that, he talked about what to do next.

"What Simon and Western Turks want to do most now is to negotiate peace."

"But peace talks require sincerity. What we need to do now is to wait until they give us enough things and cede territory and pay compensation."

This is also a process of mutual pulling, and there are many skills involved.

Qiao Peng made this statement for a full quarter of an hour. This was a case of a newborn calf being fearless of a tiger. Many old generals could fight without fear of life and death on the battlefield, but were timid in the court. Qiao Peng said everything he could and dared to say today, and also said what they could not and dared not say.

Why do we win battles? Because the soldiers are strong and the army is united. Why do we lose battles? Because there is insufficient food and fodder, the salaries are withheld, the pensions are too meager, and the army’s morale is low.

Some generals involuntarily moved their feet away, but the emperor was very happy. He had also been to the border when he was young, and it was when he came back from the border that he met his Fei'er.

That passion had been ignited before, but over the years in this cold court, his blood had turned cold and his heart had frozen. Today, he was again ignited with the passion of a man by the scenes of iron cavalry, lonely smoke in the desert, rushing on a snowy night, and breaking out of the wilderness described by Qiao Peng.

Humph, wait and see who will be unlucky after he gives this broken chair away, whether it is Lao Liu or his wife. Then, he will take his Fei'er to the border to see the yellow sand and golden armor, and listen to the cold drums and the heavy frost.

*

After Qiao Peng returned to Duke Dingguo's Mansion, he told Qiao Lili about the performance of the eldest prince and the second prince in the court. The brother and sister agreed that the performance of these two brothers was not at their wit's end, but more like confusing behavior.

No matter how stupid those two brothers are, they wouldn't be so stupid.

However, regarding the frost disaster that Qiao Peng mentioned, many images flashed through Qiao Lili's mind. In the late autumn night, there were piles of bonfires in the low-lying areas of the fields. What were they doing? The noisy voices of people were vaguely discernible: fumigating to prevent frostbite.

"Brother, I forgot where I heard a proverb that says frost hits low-lying areas. Crops in low-lying areas will be the first to be frozen to death by frost. There is a way to predict the nights of heavy frost. In the wild, preferably in low-lying areas, light a bonfire. The more bonfires, the better. The smoke produced by the bonfires will prevent the heat from the ground from dissipating, thus resisting frost."

"The weather in late autumn is usually cold for a few days, followed by a few days of rising temperatures. As long as we can get through these few days of low temperatures, there will be another high temperature period that is conducive to the maturity of crops and increase grain production." Qiao Lili tried hard to think about where she knew this, but she couldn't remember.

Qiao Peng's eyes suddenly lit up. The weather at the border was really like this. After a frost, all the crops were frozen to death. But a few days later, the weather turned into a hot autumn again. However, it was useless to raise the temperature at this time because the crops had already been frozen to death in the low temperature of the previous few days.

Thinking again whether lighting a bonfire would be effective, he remembered that several times when they were camping outdoors in late autumn or early winter, they would light a bonfire to keep warm and drive away wild beasts. When they woke up the next morning, there would be a large area around them without frost. Outside this area, the ground would be covered with white.

The first frost in autumn is incomparable to the frost in late autumn and early winter, so a bonfire can protect against frost over a wider range. Don't mention it, this method may really work.

"Lili, where do you know all this?" Qiao Peng asked as he looked at his sister who was talking eloquently, as if she knew more about farming than the great ministers of agriculture in the Ministry of Revenue.

"I don't remember. Maybe it was from the Sixth Prince, or he might have known it from Yunmeng Island. Or maybe it was from the veterans under my command. They have been from all over the country and have a lot of stories. Or it was from the shop owners who have traveled far and wide and have a lot of experience. They just said a few words to me and I remembered it in my heart." Qiao Lili was not lying. She really didn't know where all this experience came from.

"The troops at the border also have farmlands and often suffer from frostbite. I'll try your method this year. When I go to court again and meet the Minister of Revenue, I'll talk to him. Judging from his performance in the court today, he seems to be a good official with pure intentions." Qiao Peng knew that the Minister of Revenue was different from him. He was a newcomer in the court and would be forgiven whether he was right or wrong.

However, for someone who has been immersed in the court for many years and has already weighed the pros and cons in his mind, it is not easy for him to speak for others without being afraid of the two princes.

At this time, Qiao Lili and Qiao Peng were in the outer study.

Qiao Lili was waiting for Qiao Peng here on purpose. Her brother had accompanied their grandmother for a few days and had resolved matters in the court today. Now, it was time to deal with the most important thing.

"Brother, I want to tell you something today. I doubt that mother is still alive."