Chapter 30: To Stand by My Beloved, I Had No Choice but to Steal the Throne!
Salt had long been known as the “king of all seasonings.”
When cooking, even if no other spices were added, just a pinch of fine salt could work wonders, turning sothing bland into a delicious masterpiece.
That was sothing ancient coarse salt could never compare to.
Back in the day, salt was unrefined. It appeared grainy, impure, and often unbearably bitter. Even the best palace chefs couldn’t completely mask its harsh taste.
When Su Yang first found himself in this era, he struggled to adjust to the food. He would rather survive on plain congee and bread than force himself to eat the so-called delicacies made with that awful salt.
But he had an ace up his sleeve.
Su Yang possessed a complete, refined thod for extracting pure salt.
In ancient tis, salt was as valuable as gold because the extraction thods were inefficient. The process relied on boiling seawater, which was slow and yielded little product. As a result, the governnt monopolized the salt trade, driving prices higher and higher.
However, with Su Yang’s technique, production could skyrocket while costs plumted. Salt would no longer be a luxury—everyone could afford it.
Of course, he wasn’t about to hand over this knowledge for free. He wasn’t running a charity. Without the right incentives, there was no way he’d give up such a ga-changing advantage.
…
At that mont, outside a grand estate in the eastern district of Chang’an.
Word of the fine salt’s unparalleled taste had spread among the nobility, and what had once been a quiet residence was now swarming with visitors. Wealthy rchants and high-ranking officials crowded the entrance, all desperate to get their hands on the prized salt.
However, Su Yang had anticipated this and implented an auction system. He released only a limited amount of salt each ti. The reasoning was simple: no matter how valuable sothing was its worth would plumt if it beca too common.
“Our master has made it clear,” the estate’s steward announced. “Only ten portions of fine salt will be available per auction. Each portion weighs exactly one ounce. The starting bid is ten gold taels.”
The declaration sent shockwaves through the crowd.
An ounce of salt for ten gold taels? That was an outrageous price! And yet, despite the cost, the bidding frenzy erupted imdiately. Everyone was willing to pay top dollar to secure a portion.
As Su Yang expected, it wasn’t just noble families fighting over the salt. Even high-ranking military officers had joined the fray.
That was exactly what he had hoped for.
By drawing the attention of military officials, he was expanding his influence beyond the aristocracy. He wasn’t just making powerful connections in the civil administration—he was now on the radar of those who controlled armies.
Seeing this, Su Yang discreetly instructed his n to send select gifts of fine salt to the hos of certain military leaders—free of charge. One of these recipients was none other than General Li Jing, a man revered as the God of War.
To Su Yang, forging ties with key military figures was far more valuable than hoarding gold or silver. If things ever took a dangerous turn, those connections might just save his life.
…
“I’m growing fonder of my dear beauty by the day.”
“My desire for her is uncontrollable—I ache to claim her as mine.”
“But that ans I’m destined to clash with Li Er and the entire Tang royal family.”
“If I want to survive, I need to start stacking the odds in my favor.”
Su Yang spoke with a grave expression. The mont he set his sights on taking what belonged to Li Er, a treacherous idea had taken root in his mind—
He would steal the throne.
If the emperor ever discovered what he had done, no amount of pleading or bribery could save him. Even if he had a hundred lives, they wouldn’t be enough to escape execution.
So, if he wanted to live, he had to play the long ga.
The best ti to strike would be when the emperor grew old or passed away.
By then, with Crown Prince Li Chengqian already stripped of his title, the remaining royal heirs would undoubtedly follow in their father’s footsteps—plunging into a vicious struggle for the throne.
And Su Yang saw his opportunity.
If a barbarian or a beggar could seize the imperial seat, why couldn’t he?
Besides, he was technically part of the royal circle now. Being the sworn brother of his beloved beauty gave him a legitimate connection to the Tang dynasty. If he entered the battle for the throne, he could argue that he had every right to claim it.
…
anwhile, in the Imperial Palace.
The popularity of fine salt had taken all of Chang’an by storm. Naturally, it had also caught the attention of Li Er himself.
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