Iron Dynasty Novel Chapter 748

“Travel permit?.”

In the imperial study, Li Kaiyuan nodded repeatedly in agreent.

With a bitter expression, Li Kaiyuan continued, “Your Majesty, these rchants indeed cannot be indulged too much. rchants seek profit, and so unscrupulous ones dare to do anything. I believe this travel permit system should be used to rectify so ill-intentioned rchants.”

“Ill-intentioned rchants?” Xiao Ming smiled, “Are you referring to the Cao family?”

Li Kaiyuan seed to have endured the Cao family for a long ti. At this mont, his resentnt seed to burst forth. “Your Majesty, it’s that Cao family! Now, Cao Zhengyang actually wants to gather over a hundred rchants to establish a trading company. This is clearly a challenge to the Chamber of Comrce.”

“Li San has already inford

of this matter,” Xiao Ming said calmly.

Seeing Xiao Ming’s composed expression, he said, “Your Majesty, Cao Zhengyang’s actions are ill-intentioned. Does the imperial court still have to tolerate him?”

Xiao Ming’s gaze grew sowhat grim. He then rose and looked at the blooming peach blossoms outside the window. He said, “Cao Zhengyang’s actions do not appear to violate the Great Yu Empire’s laws. If he has not violated the law, how can he be punished?”

Li Kaiyuan was stunned for a mont. He said, “As long as Your Majesty gives the word…” At this, Li Kaiyuan trailed off.

Xiao Ming smiled upon seeing this. “You an I can kill arbitrarily? If that’s the case, how would all the civil and military officials, rchants, and common people view ?”

Li Kaiyuan scratched his head. He said, “Indeed, such an act would cause widespread panic.”

“Exactly. There’s no need for killing. It’s easy for

to ruin the Cao family. I know the Cao family better than you, and I also know that the Cao family is now honored as guests by the Prince of Chu. However, for , now is not the ti to deal with the Cao family. This pig is not yet fat enough,” Xiao Ming said very calmly.

The Cao family was financially powerful. Under his rule, they had established seven mines, three textile workshops, and a mariti fleet. The Cao Family Bank was even more renowned.

He was not moving against the Cao family now, partly because he wanted the Cao family to establish more workshops in the six prefectures, and partly because Li San had discovered that the Cao family seed to have dealings with missionaries, which made him extrely vigilant.

Because he knew very well that the missionaries of this era played a far from simple role. Therefore, he planned to “give them rope to hang themselves,” waiting for Li San to collect all the evidence before wiping out the Cao family.

At that ti, rchants would understand that while he gave them things, he could also take them back. It was fine to conduct business peacefully, but so things were best not to contemplate.

After explaining his thoughts to Li Kaiyuan, Li Kaiyuan felt relieved.

Having said this, Xiao Ming continued, “However, even if we don’t rectify the Cao family now, we can appropriately suppress them in trade, lest they ss up the comrce of Qingzhou Province.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. This ti, I will support the rchants of the six prefectures and tighten the reins on people like Cao Zhengyang, lest they beco too arrogant,” Li Kaiyuan said.

Xiao Ming nodded. This was his purpose in having Li Kaiyuan co. Overall, he wanted to maintain a “struggle without breaking” relationship with the rchants led by Cao Zhengyang. This way, he could give them so lessons without affecting the developnt of industry and comrce in the six prefectures.

After seeing off Li Kaiyuan, a spring thunder suddenly bood outside, and a light drizzle began to fall from the overcast sky.

In the blink of an eye, Qingzhou Province transitioned from winter to spring.

Qian Dafu then held an umbrella for Xiao Ming, and the two returned from the imperial study to the bedchamber.

In the bedchamber at this ti, Lu Luo was pacing, holding the crying Xiao Yi. Ziyuan and Fei Yuer sat on chairs, chatting and laughing while watching Lu Luo holding Xiao Yi.

“Everyone’s here today.”

Before even reaching the bedchamber, Xiao Ming chuckled. He rarely saw the three of them playing together.

However, when he entered the bedchamber, he discovered that Cui Xue’er was also sitting behind the door.

“Your Majesty.”

Seeing Xiao Ming, four crisp voices rang out. Cui Xue’er, having entered the palace late, seed a bit uncomfortable, her face flushing.

Lu Luo and Ziyuan, since being bestowed the title of “Lady,” had beco even closer to Xiao Ming than before. After all, they had beco Xiao Ming’s concubines in practice.

However, both were very aware of their place. They never gossiped or sought favor, and never spoke ill of anyone in front of him.

This greatly pleased Xiao Ming.

In this era, sotis he had no choice, but since it was a fait accompli, he could only accept his own inner court.

Entering the bedchamber, Lu Luo proactively brought Xiao Yi to Xiao Ming. At this mont, the rosy-cheeked Xiao Yi was looking at him with wide eyes, his pure gaze free of any impurities.

Seeing Xiao Ming, the little fellow stretched his tiny legs and arms, smiling, and drool poured out. Lu Luo, seeing this, imdiately took a handkerchief to wipe it.

Looking at his son, Xiao Ming felt a warmth in his heart. An emperor was also human, with his own emotions and desires. Now, he suddenly understood Xiao Wenxuan sowhat.

They were all his sons. Although he had his favorites, he also did not wish to see them fight each other.

Xiao Yi was his first son, and would not be his last. He did not want to see his sons continue to fight for the throne.

So he secretly made a decision, a decision that would not allow the feudal dynasty to continue its cycle.

“Your Majesty, what are you thinking about?” Fei Yuer suddenly asked, seeing Xiao Ming in a daze.

Snapping back to reality, Xiao Ming smiled, “Just so state affairs.” After a pause, he continued, “Oh, by the way, why are all of you in this bedchamber today?”

Fei Yuer said, “It’s always a bit boring being cooped up in the temporary palace all day, so I had them co over to chat.”

Xiao Ming nodded. At this point, he suddenly rembered that he seed to have never added any entertainnt to this era since coming to the Great Yu Empire.

Now that Fei Yuer ntioned it, he suddenly felt that he should introduce so entertainnt activities. After all, industry and comrce needed to develop, and culture and entertainnt also needed to develop, so that they could complent each other.

Moreover, a few days ago, Yang Chengye reported that foreign rchants in Dengzhou often gathered in Dengzhou City to gamble, which also touched him sowhat.

The silver of these foreign rchants was free money to be earned. If he introduced so novel gas, it would surely attract more rchants to Dengzhou to have fun.

After all, gambling was not illegal in this era. Rather than letting private individuals haphazardly open gambling dens, it was better to have the prefectural office standardize them.

Thinking of this, he said to Fei Yuer, “If that’s the case, I will give you sothing interesting, which will guarantee that you won’t be bored for a while.”

“Really? If so, I must see it,” Fei Yuer smiled.

Ziyuan said, “His Majesty is probably exaggerating. Over the years, we haven’t seen His Majesty teach us anything fun.”

The novel has already been fully translated up to the final chapter. You can access it on my Patreon at /c/caleredhair