As soon as these words were spoken, the ministers below were filled with astonishment.
They had never heard the emperor say the words “Teach me” to a minister before.
Even Xu Jie felt his heart stir at the emperor’s gesture, and then he secretly sighed.
But this was precisely the moment Xu Qinghuan had been waiting for.
From producing the sea chart and stirring everyone into a frenzy, to pouring cold water on their enthusiasm and revealing the difficulties they faced;
from tightening the pressure step by step until the emperor felt utterly helpless—
all of it had been leading to this moment, when the hidden dagger was finally revealed.
“Your Majesty! I would never dare call myself your teacher!”
“The solution to this predicament is actually very simple.”
“It consists of only eight words.”
The emperor’s curiosity was immediately piqued.
Yet after waiting for two breaths, he realized that Xu Qinghuan had deliberately paused, treating such a crucial matter like a storyteller prolonging a tale!
Emperor Tiansheng nearly lost his composure. He let out a long breath and hurriedly demanded, “Xu Qinghuan, tell me at once!”
Seeing the emperor’s frustration, Xu Qinghuan’s lips curved upward. She then declared in a clear voice, “Hide wealth among the people, and borrow a chicken to lay eggs!”
“Since the imperial treasury is empty, the court cannot afford the enormous expense of building ships, nor can it bear the risk of those ships sinking…”
“Then the court need not spend a single coin!”
Xu Qinghuan shook her head, speaking with an air of unfathomable wisdom:
“Let the right to build ships and sail overseas, as well as the risks involved in searching for mountains of silver and divine grain abroad, be entrusted entirely to the wealthy merchants and trading houses.”
“They may also be entrusted to the great clans with deep foundations, allowing them to explore on their own and bear the risks themselves!”
Her words struck the hall like a thunderbolt, leaving every official present deeply shaken.
Even the Cui clan and the other great northern families now looked even more fervent.
Private exploration overseas?
That meant that as long as they were willing to pour in enough money, the mountains of silver overseas would become prizes they could fight over according to their own abilities!
Yet the old emperor, seated upon the Dragon Throne, merely furrowed his brows into a deep crease.
“Private citizens building ships and sailing overseas?”
“If we truly allow them to bring back shiploads of silver, with all that wealth falling into the hands of the great clans and merchants, what will the court gain?”
“Wouldn’t the entire Great Qian realm descend into chaos?”
“Your Majesty is worrying too much! The heart of my plan lies in the rules established by the court.”
Xu Qinghuan began to explain her proposal in detail.
“The officials of Great Qian need not build a single ship or spend a single tael of silver.”
“They need only establish a Maritime Trade Office in major coastal cities such as Quanzhou, Songjiang, and Ningbo.”
“It shall be jointly governed by Your Majesty and the upright officials of the court, together with wealthy merchants from among the people.”
Xu Qinghuan continued explaining:
“Although Great Qian currently does not forbid people from sailing overseas, regarding this matter…”
“I believe the court can issue an official document known as a ‘Special Maritime Expedition License.’”
“Any merchant or civilian great clan wishing to build ships and sail overseas in search of treasure…”
Xu Qinghuan smiled faintly, paused for a moment, and continued:
“Must first go to the Maritime Trade Office, pay a hefty sum, and purchase this license.”
“Anyone who builds ships and sails overseas without a license shall be classified as a pirate.”
“The naval forces shall be dispatched to destroy them immediately. Their entire families shall be executed. There will be no mercy!”
Seeing the old emperor’s eyes gradually light up, she continued:
“Those merchants who purchase the licenses may buy nanmu timber themselves, hire sailors themselves, and equip their ships with cannons themselves.”
“If their ships sink in a storm at sea, leaving them penniless and ruined, that will be due to their own misfortune. The court need not compensate them for even half a copper coin.”
Xu Qinghuan’s voice was firm.
“However!”
“If these merchant ships survive countless brushes with death, return from overseas laden with silver and divine grain, and make it safely back to a port in Great Qian…”
Xu Qinghuan raised her right hand and held up three fingers.
“On the day a merchant ship docks, the Maritime Trade Office shall board it and take stock of its cargo.”
“Whether they bring back one hundred thousand taels or one million taels…”
“The court, stationed at the port and having taken none of the risks, shall simply take its share.”
“Of the goods obtained, the government of Great Qian shall take three shares!”
The grand hall fell utterly silent.
The three fingers raised by Xu Qinghuan became the only living thing in the entire Hall of Heavenly Mandate.
At that moment, all the officials were turning her words over in their minds.
The court would not spend a single tael of silver.
The people would fund the shipbuilding themselves.
The court would merely issue a thin license, then wait at the docks to collect its share.
Everyone felt the same way.
What an incredible bargain!
The officials connected to the Jiangnan Zhao clan in particular were practically itching to sit down and start calculating!
A surge of vexation swept through them.
The materials for a three-masted fuchuan belonging to the Zhao clan were already piled high at the shipyards in Songjiang Prefecture.
As for the sailors’ relocation allowances, compared with the Zhao clan’s immense fortune, they amounted to little more than a drop in the ocean.
If they truly managed to bring back a shipload of silver from that place called Iwami, then even after giving thirty percent to the court, it would still be enough to make the Zhao clan rich and happy.
And if they had to give away half, the remaining half would still be more than sufficient!
The Zhao clan’s senior official in the capital glanced toward the Xie clan.
Ahead and to the side, the Xie clan grand secretary, Xie Miheng, happened to turn his gaze over as well.
Their eyes met in midair for barely half a breath before both of them quickly looked away.
But that was enough.
The court would not need to take the lead. The great clans would handle it themselves!
What an enormous slice of meat!
The Zhao clan had already begun making plans in their minds. Once the court session ended, they would immediately order their household’s swiftest horsemen to race south.
They would tell the Songjiang shipyards to halt all other work and devote themselves entirely to constructing ocean-going vessels capable of withstanding the raging seas.
Get the first batch of overseas trade licenses before anyone else!
Emperor Tiansheng sat upon the Dragon Throne.
His eyes were fixed on Xu Qinghuan’s three slender fingers, and he, too, was rapidly calculating the figures in his mind.
He knew all too well what the officials and merchants of Da Qian were like.
So long as there was enough profit to be made, they would dare to do anything.
Even if nine out of ten ships sank, as long as one returned laden with a mountain of silver, those merchants would still make a fortune.
And the imperial court would not have to do a thing.
With a single license, it could simply collect thirty percent.
“Excellent!”
A thunderous shout of approval rang out from above the throne.
Emperor Tiansheng abruptly rose to his feet, his voice filled with unrestrained delight.
“What a marvelous way to enrich the people!”
“What a brilliant way to borrow a hen to lay eggs!”
The old emperor strode around the imperial desk and descended the steps from the dais.
Eunuch Li hurried after him, lifting the hem of his robe.
The emperor stopped five paces before Xu Qinghuan.
“I always thought that an empty treasury meant we were trapped in a dead end.”
“But I never realized that the wealth of this realm does not all lie in the imperial treasury.”
“It lies in the merchants’ banks and money houses, and in the hands of the people of Da Qian!”
Emperor Tiansheng threw back his chin and burst into hearty laughter.
“If the people have money but dare not put it into circulation, then I shall use the silver mountains overseas to tempt them!”
“I’ll have them willingly hand over the silver needed to build ships and risk their lives to blaze a path to wealth for Da Qian!”
The old emperor raised his hand and pointed at Xu Qinghuan.
“Xu Qinghuan, this scheme of yours…”
“In the twenty years since I ascended the throne, I have had countless advisers before me, yet I have never seen such a marvelous plan—one capable of drawing the wealth of the entire realm into the treasury without the slightest effort.”
“Once this policy is put into effect, the Maritime Trade Office will become an inexhaustible treasure vault for Da Qian. Da Qian will no longer fear the bitter cold of the north, nor the lack of funds for military pay!”
Seeing the emperor in such high spirits, all the officials hurriedly dropped to their knees in unison.
Xie Miheng led the cry: “His Majesty is wise! Heaven bless Da Qian!”
Shouts rang through the great hall as the assembled officials praised the emperor’s grace, and the atmosphere grew extraordinarily fervent.
Each person harbored their own thoughts, but their joy at that moment was genuine.
The emperor now had hope of solving the treasury’s crisis, while officials across the realm could all see a path to immense wealth.
“Xu Jie!” Emperor Tiansheng turned and pointed straight at the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.
“This old servant is here.” Xu Jie stepped forward.
“Draft the edict at once!”
“Order the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War to produce, within three days, a set of regulations for establishing Maritime Trade Offices along the coast.”
“And as for the printing of the overseas-trade licenses, it must be placed under strict supervision. There must not be the slightest mistake!”
The old emperor was decisive and swift, immediately beginning to make arrangements.
But just then, Xu Qinghuan, standing in the center of the hall, suddenly broke through the fervent atmosphere.
