inspire-indiana Chapter 29 I'll definitely get this done.
Chapter 29 I'll definitely get this done.
The moment Prime Minister Zhang Jiuling slowly stepped forward, the entire court fell silent.
All eyes were on Zhang Jiuling.
Li Longji sat upright on the dragon throne, his eyes sweeping over Zhang Jiuling with indifferent gaze.
At the same time, he secretly pondered, "This matter is probably inseparable from Zhang Jiuling. But why is he doing this? Could it be that someone is secretly instigating it?"
"But who among the court officials could persuade Zhang Jiuling?"
After much deliberation, Li Longji asked in a low voice, "What suggestions do you have, my dear minister?"
Zhang Jiuling cupped his hands in greeting, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I believe that the people should be involved so that they can all benefit together."
"Now that the Tang Dynasty is in its golden age, there are still people who can barely make ends meet. If we can let the people have a share in the business, it will not only demonstrate the emperor's benevolence, but also promote economic prosperity."
As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Li Mao.
A fleeting, almost imperceptible glint crossed his eyes as he thought to himself that he had done what he had promised Li Mao.
Li Mao stood aside, secretly relieved.
At the same time, he thought to himself, "As long as things get out of hand, this old man's attention will be diverted."
"In this way, I can open restaurants all over the Tang Dynasty, and no one will know how much money I make."
"If you want to recruit soldiers and expand your army, money is essential. As for the remaining resources, you can collect them slowly."
Thinking of this, Li Mao couldn't help but smile slightly, but he quickly suppressed it so that no one would notice anything unusual.
Li Longji listened to Zhang Jiuling's suggestion, but for a moment he couldn't figure out what he meant.
He frowned slightly and turned his gaze to Li Mao, asking, "Prince Shou, what do you think of Prime Minister Zhang's proposal?"
Upon hearing Li Longji's question, Li Mao quickly composed himself.
He frowned slightly, pretending to be thinking.
Then he looked at Zhang Jiuling and asked, "Prime Minister Zhang, how should I benefit the people?"
Zhang Jiuling and Li Mao exchanged a glance and immediately understood each other's thoughts.
Then, he said to Li Longji again, "Your Majesty, I believe that all the restaurant managers should go to Prince Shou's restaurant to learn."
"Then, let these managers open their restaurants outside of Chang'an. In this way, they will not disturb Prince Shou's restaurant business, and the people can also benefit from it."
"This way, the royal family's dignity is preserved, and the benefits are also given to the people, achieving two goals at once."
As soon as Zhang Jiuling finished speaking, the court was in an uproar.
The officials were all amazed; the idea was indeed ingenious, benefiting the people without affecting Prince Shou's business, and even promoting commercial development. Some officials immediately stood up to agree and second the proposal.
“Your Majesty, Prime Minister Zhang’s plan is brilliant. This move will make the people prosperous and the country strong,” a minister said respectfully.
"We second this proposal. This is a policy that benefits the country and its people." Other officials echoed this sentiment.
The other civil and military officials whispered among themselves, praising the proposal highly.
"Prime Minister Zhang is indeed very resourceful."
"Yes, in this way, the people will also benefit, and Prince Shou's business will not be affected."
However, some officials harbored secret concerns.
They felt that things were going too smoothly and that there might be some ulterior motive behind it.
But in this situation, they dared not easily voice their objections and could only whisper among themselves.
"In my opinion, this is aimed at His Highness Prince Shou."
"Shh, watch your words, watch your words. Who can really see the interests involved?"
"If anyone is to blame, it's Prince Shou for offending the Prime Minister."
"The banquet for the Prince of Shou is so lucrative that it makes a fortune every day. Who wouldn't be envious? If it were me, I would definitely want a piece of the pie too."
After listening to the discussions of the officials, Li Longji pondered for a moment, then solemnly agreed.
"Accurate."
After hearing Li Longji's permission.
The civil and military officials immediately bowed and clasped their hands in greeting, saying, "Your Majesty is wise."
"Your Majesty's magnanimity is truly a blessing for the people of our Great Tang Dynasty."
"I second the proposal."
Li Longji listened to the ministers' praises, but only gave a cold snort.
After all, 80% of the revenue from Prince Shou's restaurant belongs to me.
These ignorant fools.
Immediately, Li Longji, slightly annoyed, stood up and waved his hand, saying, "Court adjourned!"
The civil and military officials hurriedly bowed again and said, "Respectfully seeing off His Majesty."
At this moment, Li Mao felt a surge of joy.
He secretly thought that once the restaurant opened, a large amount of money would flow into the account, and this money would not be in his name. Even if Gao Chen came to investigate, he would not be able to find out a single penny.
Within three months, the money earned would be enough to support an army of 50,000.
After the court session ended, Li Mao deliberately slowed his pace, waiting for Zhang Jiuling to approach. Li Mao bowed slightly and said softly, "Thank you for your assistance, Prime Minister."
Zhang Jiuling nodded slightly and replied, "Your Highness Prince Shou is too kind. I was only thinking of the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty."
A faint smile appeared on Li Mao's lips as he said, "If needed in the future, I will certainly repay you."
Zhang Jiuling knew in his heart that his deal with Li Mao was over.
As Li Longji announced the end of the court session, the civil and military officials dispersed in twos and threes.
Gao Chen glanced at Li Mao's retreating figure, feeling that something was amiss.
He frowned slightly, pondering the pros and cons, but no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't see any benefit for Prince Shou.
Gao Chen slowly walked out of the court, and Xiao Xizi quickly followed behind him.
Gao Chen stopped and said to Xiao Xizi, "Xiao Xizi, we must not take this lightly. Find a clever and sensible eunuch to place bets at the racecourse. He must be able to get along well with those princes and playboys and carefully observe their every move."
Xiao Xizi respectfully said, "Don't worry, sir, this servant will definitely handle this matter well. However, why does sir feel that there is something strange about this matter?"
Gao Chen narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Today in court, Prime Minister Zhang's proposal seemed reasonable, but it felt too smooth. Moreover, Prince Shou's reaction was also a bit strange. There's probably more to it than meets the eye."
Xiao Xizi nodded and said, "This servant understands. Rest assured, sir, this servant will find a suitable person to go to the horse farm as soon as possible."
Gao Chen then instructed, "Remember to be careful and don't give anything away. Report to me immediately if anything happens."
Xiao Xizi replied, "Yes, sir. This servant will go and do it right away." After saying that, Xiao Xizi hurriedly left.