see you tonight princess

After Duan Lingge drove Xia Lusi away angrily, she didn't say a word, and sat alone at the desk with a cold face to deal with official duties.The main hall of the main hall of Feiyan Pavilion was very quiet, no one dared to speak, and no one dared to make a sound.

This cold and silent atmosphere lasted for a short time before it was interrupted by the hurried voice of the Minister of the Household Department begging for an audience.

"His Royal Highness, something is wrong, the salt envoy Zhao Zhong has an accident!"

Duan Lingge stopped writing, and her heart tightened: "What's going on?"

"He he he... oh, I'm confused." The servant of the household department knelt on the ground and patted his thigh.

Duan Lingge stood up and approached, and was about to ask about the situation, the imperial clerk stepped forward to inform: Princess, Prime Minister Xia led the ministers of the Taige Court to discuss state affairs with the eldest princess, and they are asking for an audience outside the palace.

Duan Lingge had already figured it out, Xia Mengfu came so fast, it must be because of the salt affairs envoy.She is not surprised at all, after all this is the contest between her and Xia Mengfu.

Xia Mengfu was tall, with a majestic expression, and he walked in the front wearing a python robe embroidered with nine python patterns trimmed with purple gold thread.

The ministers of the Taigeyuan bowed their heads and followed behind him.Walking at the end was Zhao Zhong, the salt envoy escorted by the imperial guards.

The ministers lined up on both sides, Zhao Zhong was pressed down and knelt in the middle, and Xia Mengfu stood beside him with a solemn expression.Everyone greets the princess.

Duan Lingge said in a low voice, unhurriedly: "What is Prime Minister Xia doing? Master Zhao is not supervising salt affairs in various places, so why is he here?"

Zhao Zhong wept and did not dare to speak.Xia Mengfu said loudly: "How can this Zhao Zhong be worthy of the princess calling him a lord? This person left his post without authorization and was greedy. He took bribes and took advantage of his position to enrich himself by driving up the price of salt. He also has corrupt personal morality. Let the salt merchant offer him a beautiful girl, and be denounced, and let the court lose face!"

Duan Lingge frowned: "It's so ridiculous."

Xia Mengfu clapped his hands, and the guards actually brought up more than a dozen boxes of various patterns of silver, gold and jade devices, silk and satin, etc. to the main hall.Seeing this, Zhao Zhong defended himself with tears: "Princess Mingjian, I have never done this. I was wronged and framed. Someone deliberately framed and hid these things in my house!"

Xia Mengfu yelled: "You were also framed when you went back to Zhaoli City privately? Was it also framed that you were naked and doing that indecent thing when you were caught?"

"I, I..." Zhao Zhong blushed with shame, speechless.

Duan Lingge sighed speechlessly, her heart sank to the bottom.Zhao Zhong was single-handedly promoted and fully supported by her, determined to let him carry out the reform of the salt industry.This person has outstanding abilities, is upright, and has a firm stand. He is never afraid of the intimidation of the aristocratic family.

It turns out that nearly a hundred years ago, since the founding of the Southern Dian Kingdom, the government system, official collection, official transportation, and official sale of salt have been implemented. The royal family has always controlled the national salt industry.

Although salt is an inconspicuous thing, salt is a treasure, and a catty of salt costs nearly [-] Wen.Although the amount used is small each time, salt is something that everyone in the country needs for every meal. The amount accumulated over time is huge and unimaginable.

Thus, salt has historically been an important means of government taxation.Relying on the huge state apparatus and the ability to control the whole territory, mastering the salt industry means mastering the power and huge wealth of an emperor to collect taxes on the whole territory.

However, since recent generations, from Duan Lingge's ancestors, to her father in Ping Shengnian, to the little emperor supported by her in An Lenian now, the Duan clan has lost power and has become the puppet of the family.Naturally, the control ability of the salt industry is no longer what it used to be.

The major aristocratic clans divided up the sphere of influence in the country, and almost all the salt production and sales within the sphere fell into the hands of the aristocratic clans.In this way, it directly led to the emptiness of the central finance, and exacerbated the situation that the emperor could not control the political power and could only be controlled by others.vicious circle.

Duan Lingge has been wrestling with Xia Mengfu in the direction of the salt industry and finance ever since he replaced his father who was seriously ill to oversee the country.Because the salt industry is inconspicuous but profitable, in contrast, it is not obvious but can advance rapidly.

Xia Mengfu and the heads of the aristocratic family naturally refused to agree, and the two sides fought for several years, each winning or losing.Now in the salt industry of Southern Dian Kingdom, there are government-made and official-sold salts, and some are controlled by aristocratic families in various places, and there are also private salts, which is very chaotic.

Zhao Zhong, the salt envoy cultivated by Duan Lingge, has high hopes on her, and she wants to change the status quo in one fell swoop and take back the salt franchise from the aristocratic family as much as possible.After several years of accumulation, a lot of progress has been made in the past year.

In fact, ever since Duan Lingge married the eldest son of Xia Mengfu's family, Xia Mengfu had been proud of this matter for a long time and was extremely inflated. He wanted to get rid of Duan Lingge and let Xia Chi marry the emperor instead, so that the Xia family could better monopolize the marriage. power.

When Xia Mengfu was negligent this year, Duan Lingge was quietly trying to control the salt industry. Relying on the strength of the Zheng family and Zhao Zhong's talent in salt affairs, Duan Lingge dealt both soft and hard to the family and broke through alone. Successively controlled several large salt mines, forcing the family to hand over a large amount of profits to purchase a document called "Special Salt Yin", and obtain authorization from the government to mine and sell them.

However, Zhao Zhong's accident now, whether it's Xia Mengfu's scheme to frame him or he himself is not a seamless egg, it means that Duan Lingge's big plan for several years is almost in vain.

The disappointment and anger in Duan Lingge's heart were like a deep ocean, too many to bear, but they had to hide it and keep it calm.

"Officials make mistakes, this is the government affairs of the Taige Court, what does the prime minister think?" Duan Lingge said calmly.

Xia Mengfu said: "The salt affairs envoy is only a small official, but he can get so much money and have so much energy, which shows that the current salt affairs policy presided over by Zhao Zhong has many problems and needs to be changed."

Wouldn't it mean to abolish the policies she had pushed so hard to implement?Duan Lingge sneered in his heart, but he could only say: "The reform is always being carried out, and it should be implemented gradually. You can't give up eating because of choking because of Zhao Zhong alone."

Xia Mengfu said: "Now the price of salt is high, and the war has started, and the people complain a lot. After discussing with the Taige Yuan, the minister has always decided to resume the wise policy of the late emperor when he was in power during the Pingsheng period. Please make up your mind, princess!"

"The ministers and others all seconded the proposal." All the ministers of the Taigeyuan knelt down and seconded the proposal.

This is how the royal family became puppets and Xia Mengfu monopolized the way of discussing politics. Duan Lingge had no choice but to nod in agreement.Duan Lingge waved his sleeves, and said in a cold voice with a cold face: "Since there is a good plan, all the adults should worry about it. Zhao Zhong is only a small official in the Ministry of Household Affairs. He thought he was a first-time offender and took the initiative to repent. Go back to your hometown."

"Princess—" Xia Mengfu wanted to kill Zhao Zhong, but he didn't want to be robbed by Duan Lingge, so he made a judgment first. Your servant obeys."

"Retire if there is nothing to do. Those who are undecided in political affairs, let Prime Minister Xia handle it." Duan Lingge turned his back and waved for everyone to leave.

After Xia Mengfu left, Duan Lingge locked herself in the study all day, refusing to see anyone.Until the evening, Zheng Zuocheng heard the news, hurried back from the Imperial Forest Barracks outside the city, and begged to see Duan Lingge.

Zheng Zuocheng was so angry that he beat his chest and scolded Xia Mengfu: "Xia Mengfu is an upright son! There is no king and no father, conspiracy to frame him, really unscrupulous!"

"His Royal Highness is going to give up all the achievements in the future?"

Duan Lingge's expression showed no joy, anger, sorrow, or anxiety, she just said: "I'm afraid the "Zai Yan Yin" will not be able to continue, and the worst will be during the restoration of peace, when my father was in power. The aristocratic families each control the situation of the salt business."

"Then what's the use of trying to control those salt mines?"

"Regard Zheng Zuocheng, although the special Yanyin can't go on, we must guard the salt mine and wait for the next day to make plans." Duan Lingge said.

"It's dormant again, and it's waiting for the next day, going around and going around, and nothing can be done. When will the princess wait?" Zheng Zuocheng was very sad because his hard work was wasted.

Duan Lingge didn't say a word, her face became more and more cold.

Zheng Zuocheng's expression became cold at this time, and he said bluntly: "The princess lost today because of Xia Chi. This person can no longer be kept, the princess has made a decision early, and I will get rid of her for the princess."

Duan Lingge's expression turned cold, and he said coldly, "This is my family matter. I've already said about this matter. Xia Chi will not be an official, and he will have no power. It is not appropriate to make extra troubles."

"It's not an accident. Xia Chi can't stay here. After all, she is Xia Mengfu's biological son. You keep her by your side, you will be tempted. I can trust the princess, but is there anyone else under the princess? The princess and Xia Mengfu are related by marriage. Everyone Undoubtedly, there are doubts.”

"Bold! Do you not trust me? Are you going to disobey this princess?" Duan Lingge said angrily, and slapped the table.

Zheng Zuocheng quickly knelt down: "I have no second thoughts. I just want to ask Your Highness to think twice. Even if the princess is resolute, what about the son-in-law? She is the person next to the princess, but she will inevitably turn to her father. If she delays at a critical moment, I will Waiting will be a catastrophe, you can't take risks! I hope the princess will consider this minister's suggestion again and again."

Duan Lingge clenched her fist quietly.The royal family is weak, she is not strong enough, she is bullied and persecuted, those who violate her will for their own interests, even the family that supports her, the cruelty of political struggle is ironic.

"Let's discuss this matter again. I have my own plan on how to deal with her. Step down." Duan Lingge deliberately expressed her anger.

Sometimes as a king, whether you are angry or not, you don't follow your own heart. You want to be happy and angry without showing them, but sometimes you have to express them deliberately.This is to show an attitude and let the ministers figure out her intentions, so as to achieve their own goals.

The people in the hall were so frightened that they knelt down on the ground and dared not make a sound.Seeing Duan Lingge's resolute attitude, Zheng Zuocheng had no choice but to leave.After Zheng Zuocheng left, Duan Lingge's thoughts did not relax.In the past, she made up her mind to get rid of Xia Lusi, but this idea seemed to have never appeared again a long time ago, but the situation is unpredictable. Now Xia Mengfu, Zheng Zuocheng, and Xia Lusi, the situation become more and more complex.

And Xia Lusi... She almost forgot that Xia Lusi was someone Xia Mengfu forced on her.If Xia Lusi hadn't been a natural idiot in the past year of her wedding, she might have regarded Xia Lusi as a nail that Xia Mengfu forced into her body.But Xia Lvsi was just a three-year-old idiot before, so she just ignored her completely, as if there was no such person, and objectively tolerated her existence.

But now Xia Lusi is not an idiot, Xia Lusi's smile, Xia Lusi's idiocy, Xia Lusi's every move that makes her angry and funny, has made it difficult for her to ignore her.What about Xia Lusi?Although Xia Lusi regained her senses after returning from Cangyi Mountain, she still looks like a child who only knows how to mess around.

But she won't be like this forever, once she understands the things of the world, what will happen to her?

That idiot who chased her after her and called her a lady, who was full of incomprehensible nonsense but whose bright eyes were always pure, who always misbehaved her, would she betray her?

Thinking of this, Duan Lingge suddenly felt a throbbing pain in his heart, which made Duan Lingge out of breath.She stood up from the chair, and suddenly her eyes were like lightning, and she had a splitting headache.

"Hmm..." Duan Lingge braced her body, pinching the edge of the table with white knuckles.

"Princess? What's the matter with you, princess!" Xiao'e was the first to notice the strangeness, and rushed over with a scream.

Lan Mo also strode over and supported Duan Lingge worriedly: "Princess, do you hear that, princess?"

Duan Lingge's face was pale, and her forehead was covered with cold sweat. Her eyes were blinded by lightning, and she couldn't see anything.Finally, she could barely see the worried expressions of Xiao'e and Lan Mo, and her body softened, leaning against Xiao'e. ?