Drive a RV and go farming in ancient times.

After Xu Huaiyi learned about this, he could not help cursing at home, "Who the hell gave the prince such a bad idea? The prince has lost his mind. He dared to use such a bad idea. Isn't he afraid that he will be overthrown as soon as he takes office?

"They become so weak and confused after being flattered by those opportunistic officials. What kind of brains do they have?"

Gu Huanxi was also upset by the news and poured him a cup of tea. "Calm down first. What's the point of getting angry? Things have happened. Just think of a way to deal with them."

Xu Huaiyi took the teacup and gulped down a few mouthfuls. He suppressed his annoyance, exhaled, and said gloomily, "This matter is not easy to resolve. A new official has three fires to start with. Whoever puts out the fire will be in trouble. This is a good target for him to establish his authority. Besides, he won't think he did a stupid thing. He might even be very proud of it, thinking that he is going to make a contribution."

Gu Huanxi frowned in confusion, "The Crown Prince is doing something stupid, but the cabinet won't stop him?"

Xu Huaiyi mocked, "I heard that it was blocked and he was advised to think about it more, but he didn't buy it. He thought that others were holding him back and even threatened that he would bear all the consequences. What else can the cabinet say?

The master didn't like to get involved in these matters. The elders who supported the other two princes wished he would die. As for his father-in-law, he would definitely agree. The only one who could advise him was Prime Minister Lu, but he couldn't be too hasty and cause trouble.

I guess Prime Minister Lu wanted to teach him a lesson. As the crown prince, he refused to listen to advice and insisted on doing things his own way. This is not a good sign. Only when he suffers a great loss can he learn a lesson. Who knows, he may be more sober in the future...

Alas, Prime Minister Lu has good intentions, but it’s a pity that the prince probably doesn’t understand and won’t appreciate it.”

Having complained to this point, he couldn't help but curse again, "Damn it, I never thought the prince was so stupid before, how come his IQ dropped so much after a turnaround? Even if he is anxious to make achievements to consolidate his position and reputation, he can't do it like this, right?

There is no money for war, and the treasury has no money. It is wrong to impose taxes on the people, but is it safe to fleece the merchants? The people are like water, which can carry a boat or overturn it. But doesn't he know that the wealthy merchants are like waves? They have the ability to overturn the boat. Is there water in his brain? "

Gu Huanxi said, "Scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, deep down, he still looks down on merchants the most, right?"

Hearing this, Xu Huaiyi sneered, "Oh, look down on him? He can wait for the merchants to teach him a lesson. The common people are so honest, but how many businessmen are honest? His mind is like a sieve. If you offend the common people, the common people will swallow their anger and curse behind their backs at most. But if you offend the merchants, just try it! He will definitely suffer for himself!"

“So what do you think the merchants will do?”

"It's hard to say, but I won't do nothing. If I don't do anything, I'll just be slaughtered."

Gu Huanxi rubbed his brows, "We are still passive. The Su family should not have been so good to the prince. They are too tightly bound to the prince and can only go down this path. This has screwed others over badly."

Xu Huaiyi sneered, "The Su family is just being clever and foolish. They are the first to come forward to please the prince, but by doing this, aren't they definitely bringing hatred to their own family? Who will be willing to get close to them in the future?"

"It shouldn't be Su Zhe's decision, right?"

"Well, Su Zhe won't do such a stupid thing that would destroy his own foundation. Don't forget, he is the president of the Chamber of Commerce. How can he convince others in the future?"

After the couple finished talking about this, their anger had not yet dissipated when Su Zhe came hurriedly, his face looking as ugly as if he had been hit by a club.

Gu Huanxi guessed the purpose of his visit, exchanged a few words of greeting, and then got up and left.

Xu Huaiyi asked directly, "Is it about raising business taxes or donating money?"

Su Zhe said in annoyance, "Both."

Xu Huaiyi smiled and teased, "Your Su family took the lead in responding to these two matters, and played a very good exemplary role. You were also highly praised by the crown prince for this. Now in the whole capital, you can't find a family more prominent than the Su family."

Su Zhe heard this and said with a wry smile, "Don't bully me anymore. The Su family is the Su family, and I am me. The Su family is complacent about those little favors, but I am so exhausted that I have no place to complain."

"Why didn't you stop him?"

"Alas, I was careless for a moment, and this is what happened. It's my fault. I really didn't expect them to do such a thing. The court is in trouble now. In order to collect food and grass, it is barely justifiable to increase commercial taxes, but forcing merchants to donate factors is too much..."

Xu Huaiyi took over the conversation, "You also think it's too much, right? Everyone thinks that the merchants are making a lot of money, but no matter how rich their family is, they can't stand being plundered again and again. Last time when they donated money, no one said anything, and the donations were generous and happy, but it's only been a few days, right?

Who can afford this wave of plunder? Why don't we just close down to avoid bankruptcy? After all, the war seems endless. When will it end? If you give it this time, what about next time?

If I don’t give it next time, I will offend the prince again. It’s better not to give it this time. Every penny saved is a penny earned.

Alas, it’s not that we don’t want to give the prince face, but we can’t afford it.”

Su Zhe listened with a frown on his face, and after he finished his complaints, he sighed, "You are right, but how many people dare to confront the prince when he speaks?"

Xu Huaiyi raised his eyebrows and looked at him, "So, everyone in the Chamber of Commerce will compromise?"

Su Zhe shook his head. "They came to my house to ask for an explanation. I responded with a few words and then came to you. Huaiyi, do you have any solution?"

Xu Huaiyi spread his hands, "A good cook cannot cook without rice. As the saying goes, even if we give it to you this time, what will we do next time? An empty treasury is a bottomless pit. Can we fill it up if we are expected to do so?"

Su Zhe was filled with worries. "What should I do? Merchants are the easiest to bully, and they do have more money than ordinary people. Won't they just pick on the weak ones first?"

Xu Huaiyi sneered, "No matter how much money the merchants have, it is not blown by the wind. Why should we give it to them? Active donation and passive exploitation are two different concepts. We raise food and grass for war, but the war protects more than just merchants. Isn't the court the one who benefits the most? Isn't it the prince?

If they are short of money, they will take the lead and set an example. They will bully honest people! Are there only merchants in Dayong who have money? Oh, aren't officials the easiest to get money? Aren't they the rich and powerful? Find a reason to take money from these people, and I guarantee that they will all be rich!"

Su Zhe smiled bitterly, "Do you think the prince has just taken office and is too late to win over others, so he can offend them?"

Xu Huaiyi rolled his eyes. "So, this matter is difficult to resolve completely. No one wants to suffer a loss or take a step back. So let's see who is braver and can hold out to the end."

Hearing this, Su Zhe's eyelids jumped, "Do you think the merchants will cause trouble and protest?"

Xu Huaiyi snorted, "Do you think they shouldn't make a scene or resist? Even pigs have to struggle and scream before being slaughtered, let alone you, a human being!"

Su Zhe, "..."

After an unspeakable silence, Xu Huaiyi advised, "Don't worry, it's useless to worry, just wait and see, there will be a way out when you reach the mountain."

Su Zhe said in a hoarse voice, "I am really in a difficult situation now. The prince asked me to persuade the merchants to donate money as soon as possible, and the merchants united to force me to plead with the prince. Haha, they all think too highly of me. I can't control either side. If they get angry, I will take some medicine and go home to be unconscious for a few days, and then everyone will have peace of mind..."

Xu Huaiyi's mouth twitched. Seeing that he was so embarrassed that he was scratching his hair, he couldn't help but give him some advice, "The court is short of money. We need to find a way to earn it, not to steal it."

Hearing this, Su Zhe seemed to have grasped a life-saving straw and asked impatiently, "How do I earn it?"

Xu Huaiyi reminded, "Do you remember the auction I organized for the Ministry of Revenue in the winter of the year before last for disaster relief?"

Su Zhe nodded vigorously and said excitedly, "I remember that I made several million taels of silver at that time and helped the court solve a problem. Minister Sun also made contributions and successfully entered the cabinet. After that, many businesses imitated it, but there are fewer this year..."

After a pause, he hesitated again and said, "But the things in the Imperial Household Department have already been auctioned off once. If the same trick is used again, even if someone buys it, the Imperial Household Department will not have that many things to sell to the outside world. The real treasures, the royal family will not want to be left out there."

Xu Huaiyi smiled and said, "Nothing will be auctioned this time."

“Then what else can be auctioned?”

"An opportunity to cooperate with the Ministry of Internal Affairs."

Su Zhe was surprised, "Become a royal merchant?"

Xu Huaiyi nodded, "Do you think anyone would grab this opportunity?"

Su Zhe took a deep breath. The Su family was the imperial merchant. The reason why they became the richest family in Dayong had a lot to do with being the imperial merchant. Once they could become the emperor, they would have no worries about doing business in the future and money would naturally roll in. However, if they wanted to be an imperial merchant, they had to get through too many connections. Ordinary merchants could not reach the threshold and could not even find the door to the temple when they wanted to give gifts.

But now, as Xu Huaiyi said, the temple gate has been opened. Who wouldn't rush in to burn incense and kowtow?

He murmured, "Will this cause trouble?"

Xu Huaiyi sneered, "What kind of trouble can this cause? Although doing this will also make the merchants pay money, they are willing to pay this money because they benefit from it. Making money this way will make both parties happy, so why not do it?

Of course, it will certainly hurt the interests of some individuals, but that is not a problem. They have made enough money over the years. If they are still not satisfied, let the prince kill a few to establish his authority."

After hearing this, Su Zhe could no longer sit still, but took two steps, then sat back down with tears and laughter, "No, if we ask the prince about this, who knows if he will listen to us? What if he makes another stupid mistake and messes things up? Wouldn't that ruin your good idea? Besides, he also..."

Don't deserve this credit.

"Huaiyi, this is your idea, you should go find Minister Sun."

Xu Huaiyi joked, "I thought you were going to continue running around for the prince."

Su Zhe laughed at himself, "Forget it. If you don't have the skills, then don't take on the job. It has to be you, Huaiyi, who can take charge of the overall situation and stabilize the situation. I'll help you and try to get this done. At the very least, we merchants can't suffer any losses. Otherwise, I really won't be able to be the chairman anymore."

Xu Huaiyi said, "No hurry, wait a little longer."

"When?"

“When merchants respond.”

If the merchant didn’t move, how would the prince know that he had done something stupid?

Su Zhe understood immediately and became more pessimistic about the prince's future. "Okay, I'll listen to you and wait a little longer. But don't be too hasty, otherwise things will get out of hand and it won't end well. The prince wants to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys and establish his authority."

Xu Huaiyi said, "Don't worry, I know what will happen. It will be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow at the latest."

After all, the merchants didn't have enough courage to compete with the prince.

They would only make a slight protest to express their dissatisfaction to the court.

This little dissatisfaction is enough for him to take action.

Who said the current situation is tense? Any disturbance will be magnified, and the court does not want to see any unrest among the people.

Sure enough, the next day, when the merchants went on strike, the court became anxious.

On the main street that was bustling in the past, most of the shops were closed and the doors were shut. People who wanted to buy things were dumbfounded by the scene. They walked from shop to shop and saw the same thing.

This cannot but arouse curiosity, and after curiosity comes panic.

When stores close, supplies will be in short supply. Who doesn’t have urgent needs?

Once this happens, there is no way out.

The news spread quickly and the court soon found out about it and guessed the reason for the strike. After a few scoldings, they still had to deal with it.

It has to be done as soon as possible, for fear that something might happen if we are late.

The cabinet invited the prince to discuss the matter, but the prince's attitude was very tough.

He refused to admit that he was wrong, and severely criticized the merchants for being stingy and refusing to cooperate with the court in raising food and fodder. He also wanted to pin the blame of delaying the war on them, and even proposed the idea of ​​having the Jinyiwei arrest people to intimidate and force the merchants to pay.

Except for Lord Zhou, all the other five members of the cabinet shook their heads as they listened.

Prime Minister Lu was especially disappointed. He supported the orthodoxy, so he approved of Prince Duan's succession to the throne. He also thought that this prince had done remarkable things in the past, and there would be no problem for him to become a king who would maintain the status quo in the future.

But now...

He felt that he might have misjudged the person. How could this kind of behavior be considered as maintaining the status quo? This was clearly an attempt to sabotage the situation! Didn't the capital city seem chaotic enough?

The two groups confronted each other and finally parted unhappily.

The prince felt that the cabinet did not give him face and left with a sullen face. The cabinet felt that the prince was stubborn and self-willed and had no courage to accept advice. Neither side was satisfied and it was difficult to reach an agreement.

Fortunately, due to the strong opposition from the cabinet, the prince was unable to ask the Jinyiwei to take action.

The merchants escaped a disaster.

But things are at a standstill unless Nafang is willing to back down.

Another day passed, and the closed shops were still not open.

The people became even more agitated, especially since there were people behind them who could guide them, leading to the spread of more rumors that were unfavorable to the court.

There are also those pointing to the prince.

The prince could no longer sit still and went to the cabinet again to discuss the solution to the matter.

He wanted to pick out one company and make an example of it. This way, without causing a big fuss, all the merchants would be terrified and experience the consequences of going against the imperial court.

But Prime Minister Lu still refused, and his reasons were very sufficient. It was okay to increase business taxes, but forcing people to donate genes was unacceptable in any way.

What’s the difference between this and highway robbery?

Once this is done, the prestige and reputation of the imperial court will inevitably be affected. If the King of Chu instigates discord at that time, there may be more and more rebel armies among the people. The current approach is like drinking poison to quench thirst, which is not advisable.