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墨書 Inktalez
The next day in the imperial court, the Minister of Rites raised a concern that the Imperial Merchant, being different from ordinary merchants, should not be monopolized by the Su Family alone.
This situation was unfavorable for both the Duke of Beiqin's mansion and the Su Family, and it was likely to provoke jealousy and retaliation. After listening, the Emperor nodded but understood that the matter was not so simple. He followed the Minister's line of thought and asked, "What does Beloved Minister think should be done?"
"In response to Your Majesty," the Minister replied, "I believe we should establish a Chamber of Commerce to ensure fair selection and elect a President. This would not only strengthen the ranks of the Imperial Merchant but also cover areas that the Su Family has not ventured into, thus serving the court better."
The Emperor glanced at Mu Junze and Su Che. "Su Beloved Minister, what do you think?"
Su Che, currently a compiler at the Hanlin Academy responsible for editing National History and Records, had to start from the basics due to his identity as Beiqin Wangfei. Hearing the Emperor's question, he stepped forward with an expressionless face, as if discussing something unrelated to himself.
"I believe Minister of Rites has a point," Su Che stated. "Moreover, I think that the Chamber of Commerce's President should be elected fairly based on merit."
The Minister of Rites was slightly taken aback and instinctively glanced at Worthy Prince. Mu Tingxiu narrowed his eyes; he hadn't expected Su Che to align with his suggestion, but it worked in his favor.
Since it was his own proposal, it would make subsequent matters easier to handle.
Upon hearing Su Che's words, Xun Yuan Emperor nodded. "What Su Beloved Minister says makes sense. Since..."
"Your Majesty," Mu Tingxiu interjected before the Emperor could agree. "The matter of the Imperial Merchant is significant. Since we need to re-establish the Chamber of Commerce and elect a President, why not take this opportunity to reselect? This way, we can avoid accusations that the Imperial Merchant is merely filled with predetermined candidates."
Just as Xun Yuan Emperor was about to consent, Mu Tingxiu's words struck a chord. Indeed, reselecting members for the Imperial Merchant would inevitably disrupt many people's interests. After all, becoming an Imperial Merchant required more than just wealth; otherwise, with so many wealthy individuals in the world, anyone with money could do as they pleased.
This process would certainly involve connections and relationships cultivated by various ministers. If a major reshuffle occurred, those most affected would be the noble families and high-ranking officials.
"This might not be appropriate..."
Instantly, discussions erupted in the court. Many felt that since the previous Imperial Merchants had served the court for many years, changing them so abruptly would inevitably spark controversy.
The court was immediately divided into four factions: one supporting the Prince, another backing the Emperor, a third that remained neutral, and the last one siding with Mu Junze.
However, most of Mu Junze's supporters were military generals. In situations like this, civil officials naturally held more advantages, as generals were primarily skilled in warfare and rarely possessed eloquence.
Thus, whenever disagreements arose, the generals often found themselves at a disadvantage in debates. Currently, the Emperor's faction was not particularly in favor of a major overhaul.
This was because there were people among the Imperial Merchants who belonged to them; once a significant change occurred, they would lose quite a bit of their benefits. The Xun Yuan Emperor was well aware of this but chose to turn a blind eye as long as things did not go too far.
On the Prince's side, there were certainly those who were unwilling, but since it was the Prince who proposed it, they could only swallow their grievances and comply for now, planning to seek clarification after court adjourned.
"Enough! What do you think should be done?"
The Xun Yuan Emperor turned his gaze toward his younger brother, his eyes narrowing slightly. It was difficult to guard against hidden daggers; open threats were no easier to evade.
It wasn't that he particularly disliked him; it was just that his brother had always been at odds with Mu Junze since childhood. There were some matters he could hardly bear to witness, yet nothing had escalated too far. He had always tried to mediate between the two.
Not for any other reason but to maintain harmony among brothers and avoid repeating the tragic history of fraternal betrayal that had plagued past dynasties. However, Mu Tingxiu seemed oblivious to his brother's concerns.
Over time, the Xun Yuan Emperor lost patience with this brother and even began to be wary of him. He was unique in this regard, but after all, he was one of his few brothers, so he still showed some leniency.
Mu Tingxiu was ambitious and harbored deep resentment towards Mu Junze. The Emperor's close relationship with Mu Junze was enviable to many, but in Mu Tingxiu's eyes, it was jealousy—not of the Emperor himself but of Mu Junze.
"Your Majesty," he replied, "I believe we can hold a competition. Historically, victory determines everything; past achievements are irrelevant and only the final results matter. As for opposition... they have benefited enough over these years. Everything is a gift from the royal family; one must be grateful. If they were to bite back after receiving such kindness, then such subjects should no longer be used."
The Xun Yuan Emperor narrowed his eyes and said meaningfully, "Indeed, one must be grateful."
"Duke Beiqin, what do you think?"
"I will follow Your Majesty's arrangements."
"Don't you have anything to say?"
"Your Majesty," he replied, "the relationship between the Su Family and myself is well-known. I should avoid any appearance of bias. Moreover, what my royal brother said is not without merit: those capable should take their place. Therefore, regardless of how things unfold, if it benefits the court and the common people, I have no objections."
The Xun Yuan Emperor nodded in satisfaction; after all, this was why he favored Mu Junze.
He glanced at the assembled ministers but found it difficult to identify suitable candidates. His good relationship with Mu Junze was common knowledge, and factions within the court were typically clear-cut. Unless there were changes in alliances, he would need to be cautious about avoiding anyone aligned with Mu Tingxiu who might stir up trouble.
Mu Junze and Su Che had to avoid suspicion and could not be used. Moreover, Mu Junze's side consisted mainly of martial artists who lacked cunning; he feared they might be exploited, leaving them unaware of their own demise.
As for the people on his side, they were certainly not reliable. Neutral individuals could not guarantee their private allegiances, and there was nothing behind them to counter Worthy Prince. Maintaining a stable neutrality was their fundamental position.
Just as Xun Yuan Emperor was troubled about whom to use, Eunuch Wu leaned in and whispered in his ear.
"Your Majesty, Prince Xiao Xuan..."
"Ah!"
"Of course, how did I not think of that? Let's assign this matter to Prince Xiao Xuan. Do any of you Beloved Minister have objections?"
The ministers exchanged glances, surprised that the emperor would call upon Prince Xiao Xuan to preside over this. However, this choice would not involve any factional interests, making Prince Xiao Xuan indeed the best candidate for fairness.
Although Prince Xiao Xuan had close ties with the emperor and Mu Junze, he was known as a genuinely good person—not just with them but with everyone. He was famously amiable and had remarkably no enemies.
Though he appeared laid-back and playful at times, when it came to serious matters, he was absolutely fair-minded. His gentle demeanor and cleverness made him a well-rounded prince; no one dared to oppose him in this role.
Seeing that there were no objections, Xun Yuan Emperor felt secretly pleased. Truly clever as he was, he had managed to deceive the fools into taking on this task; otherwise, he would have been unwilling himself.
"Dismissed!"
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