Come on, Your Highness

Hubu Shangshu , Li Fu

He Xichao opened his big eyes, but he didn't seem to hear clearly: "How much?"

"Twenty percent, a total of five lines, each of which will give you [-]% of the profit. Whether you want to keep it for yourself or give it to His Royal Highness is up to you." Li Shangshu said with his back.

He Xi turned his face to the side and thought for a moment, then slowly turned his head and looked up at Li Shangshu, and asked with some difficulty: "How much money does that cost?"

Li Shangshu turned around and smiled: "Your arithmetic is unparalleled in the world, can you figure it out by yourself?"

"This amount scares me a little bit." The surprise on He Xichao's face did not fade away. He poured tea for himself and said, "In the past month, all kinds of expensive gifts and even a lot of money have been received. And bank notes, but no one is as generous as you, five smuggling lines, give me [-]%, how much do you keep for yourself?"

"Thirty percent."

He Xichao's gaze carefully scanned the furnishings in this study room. He has been here several times before, but every time it was an eye-opener.

There are not many things here, and it seems that they are not very eye-catching, but they are all of great background. It can be said that each piece is worth a lot. Compared with it, the Prince's Mansion is nothing.

Hubu Shangshu is really a fat job!

He Xichao withdrew his gaze, and quickly pushed back: "I dare not take it for granted. I didn't do anything, but I just took so much. I really deserve it. You can take it back."

When Li Shangshu heard this, he smiled, and he didn't seem to care. He walked up to He Xichao and said, "You are my grandson. You can take what I gave you. Now you have a bright future, and I have a bright future." Zu Hui did not live up to expectations, Ming Rui will be like this, only you, the most trustworthy person in front of His Royal Highness, will be the pillar of the country in the future, grandparents and even the Li family will have to rely on you to support them."

When he said this, Li Shangshu's eyes fell on He Xichao's face, as if he wanted to see something from it.

However, there was nothing on He Xichao's face, he seemed to be thinking, and then said: "So that's how it is!"

"Xi Chao, you and I understand people. His Royal Highness is only one step away from this last step. Seeing what the emperor means, he is satisfied with this prince in every way. Now that the dragon's prestige is emerging, his majesty is unpredictable. As a subject, he must know how to change his identity. , Isn’t that what happens between monarchs and ministers?”

He Xichao suddenly accepted the post of Minister of Honglu Temple. Elder Xie Ge asked him, and Duke Wei Guo also asked him if Xiao Hong did it on purpose. Now that Li Shangshu said this, he should understand that he is a fool.

It's a pity... the truth is always the most bizarre.

Thinking of this, He Xichao leaned forward slightly, and looked at Li Shangshu with a smile: "Master Shangshu really deserves to be a veteran in the officialdom. If so, there is no need to hide it with family affection. Let's open the skylight and tell the truth. What are your conditions?"

Li Shangshu said: "The frontier trade is gradually developing, but it is not enough to ban smuggling. The court has never paid all the salaries of the frontier army. The missing part is from the smuggling checkpoint. If you cut it across the board, I am afraid it will cause turmoil in the court. , is not good for you, and it is not good for others."

Holding the tea, He Xichao nodded while thinking: "What you said makes sense. I have thought about this difficulty, and it is indeed not easy. So I can only ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to help me out. Give me two years, which is enough."

"Two years?" Li Shangshu laughed while serving tea, "Soldiers live on military pay, and they are in arrears with military pay for two years. How can the border be stable?"

He Xichao stopped drinking tea, and under Li Shangshu's gaze, he suddenly laughed lowly.

Li Shangshu frowned: "What are you laughing at?"

He Xichao sighed and said: "Master Shangshu, what you said is interesting. When did the military salary become my business? I don't care about the Ministry of Household Affairs. Isn't this something you should consider, Sir Shangshu?"

The smile on Li Shangshu's face faded.

But He Xichao was still smiling and didn't care about it: "According to the laws of the country, smuggling shouldn't have existed since Da Qi banned the border. Why did it become a matter of course for a mistake? Lord Shangshu, the right way is to pay the military salary from the household department. This is your responsibility."

"It's a pity that the treasury's income is limited, and it's stretched every year. It's really impossible to send it out! The emperor knows this, and the civil and military officials of the whole court also know it. The emperor defaults to smuggling to supplement the military salary." Li Shangshu said lightly.

"Then do you know what this means?" He Xichao looked at him and asked.

"what?"

He Xi tickled the corner of his mouth: "You are incompetent."

Li Shangshu finally lost his composure, slapped his palm on the table, and said angrily, "Presumptuous!"

The voice was a little loud, and He Xichao was taken aback. He patted his chest lightly, and complained cautiously, "Why are you making such a loud noise? I'm not in good health. What should I do if I get sick from your fright?"

"Zhuzi uttered wild words!"

"Oh." He Xi looked at him sideways, "So you've turned from embarrassment to anger?"

"you……"

Seeing that he was so angry that he couldn't speak, He Xichao got up and poured tea for Li Shangshu, and said in a soft tone: "I'm really sorry, I always talk like this, Wei Guogong and His Royal Highness are used to it, don't be angry. He smiled innocently, "Have a sip of tea Shun Shun."

Li Shangshu didn't have much contact with He Xichao, he always knew that this kid was difficult to deal with, and he didn't want to see the Li family, so he didn't expect him to be merciless.

If he was so outspoken, no wonder His Royal Highness couldn't bear it.

Thinking of this, he suppressed his anger and said: "This old man is indeed as talented as He Zhuangyuan, but the state treasury is like this now, and every penny is of great use. If you can't get that sum of military salary, what can you do?"

He looked at He Xichao, and saw that the smile on the boy's face faded little by little, leaving only worry, and finally heaved a long sigh: "Isn't this the difficulty?" He put down the teapot and returned to his seat, "Otherwise I won't be here anymore, don't you think?"

Cunning and treacherous, able to advance and retreat freely, this is Li Shangshu's evaluation of He Xichao.

This is only 16 years old!

The study room was quiet, Li Shangshu thought for a moment, then slowed down his voice and said, "So why is it so difficult? You are still young, and you have to walk steadily step by step."

He Xichao laughed at himself when he heard this, wondering: "But, I have already put down my words in front of His Highness the Crown Prince and the Emperor, and the border trade will be carried out smoothly and smuggling is prohibited. What do you think we should do?"

"The development of border trade is a good thing. The old man also agrees. It can fill the national treasury. But smuggling, just find a few lines to ban it. Why cut off people's wealth?"

He Xichao raised his eyebrows when he heard the words, but shook his head: "The smuggling ban is to allow merchants to enter the border trade market. If the smuggling can't be stopped, who will pay the tax? How will the treasury be filled? How can I do business?"

Finally got to the point.

Li Shangshu said: "You don't have to worry about this part of the money, it will never embarrass you."

"You mean...someone fill it in?" He Xichao immediately showed a surprised expression on his face, "How much money would that cost! This amount is not enough for your five lines."

"Of course it's more than that."

"So that's it. It's really huge profits, but..." He Xichao looked at Li Shangshu fixedly, "I calculated it several times, and it's at least nearly ten million taels a year. Can this make up for it?"

"What?" Li Shangshu was taken aback and frowned, "Ten million taels? Why are there so many?"

"Twenty-five percent of the tariff is indeed about the same number. If there is no one thousand, there are eight hundred. Who do you plan to fill in such a huge number?"

"Why are the tariffs so high? Who set this up? It's outrageous!" Li Shangshu was shocked when he heard it for the first time.

He Xi Chaoqing coughed, with a bit of embarrassment on his face, took out a booklet from his sleeve, handed it over, and said with a smile: "I'm the next one, after careful calculation, as the Minister of the Household Department, take a look, it should be It can be counted."

Li Shangshu took it over, and He Xichao continued to say: "This is the second draft. I planned to leave the Li Mansion, so I went to the Prince's Mansion to show His Highness, and let the Emperor have a look at it a year ago."

He Xichao's calculations were complicated, but they were indeed as meticulous as he said.

The Minister of the Household Department has been dealing with money all year round, and he knows it very well.

However, the number made Li Shangshu's eyes bloodshot, and he threw the booklet on the high table: "Are you crazy! Why is the business tax so high? Isn't it a tyranny?"

He Xichao didn't even lift his eyelids: "Excessive taxation is a wrong word. You have a good idea of ​​whether it's suitable or not, so I won't explain further. The first copy is 800% and [-]%. The emperor was so moved that he sent it out." The third child of the Xie family went to the Western Regions, so even if it is lower than this figure, it can’t be much lower. Even if it is [-]%, it will cost [-] million taels, which is justified. If no one makes up for this money, for my political achievements What should be banned must be banned. Turning a blind eye and closing one eye is meaningless, it is easy to be exposed, and my death will be even worse. So you can't ban it, or ban it at all, what do you think?"

"He Xichao, you are really amazing." Li Shangshu said sincerely.

"I'm sorry, after all, I put my heart and soul into fighting for His Royal Highness, but it's a pity..." He Xichao shrugged, took a sip of tea, and swallowed his disappointment.

Li Shangshu glanced at it and looked into the bottom of his heart, but he couldn't be happy in the face of this huge number.

For a while, there was only the sound of Li Shangshu pacing back and forth in the study.

He Xichao drank the tea one after another, the old god was there, and when the tea was finished, he said, "You are so embarrassed, I think so, even if everyone fills in together, it will be difficult, otherwise what will you earn? Why don't you give it to me?" I don't want [-]% of my five lines..." But as soon as he said this, he became unhappy, "Then what am I busy with?"

Li Shangshu stopped and looked at him: "I told you, so naturally it belongs to you."

"But, I can't even get the money together..."

Li Shangshu let out a deep breath, and sighed: "Although 800 million taels is a bit too much, it can still be made up. At worst, it can be paid multiple times."

He Xichao's eyes widened again in surprise: "Really?"

"As long as you agree, it will be done." Li Shangshu stared at him.

He Xi looked blankly, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "I've never seen so much money in my life..."

Li Shangshu handed a deed paper to He Xichao, "After pressing the fingerprint, this is yours."

The deed paper was placed in front of him, but He Xichao hesitated: "I think it's too soon to think about it?"

"It's almost Chinese New Year, and you don't have much time." Li Shangshu said in a deep voice.

"I swore to be loyal to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and never betray him."

"Oh, this is not considered a betrayal. There is indeed more money in the national treasury, but any new policy is effective at first, but after a long time, people will always take advantage of the loopholes, and there is no way to smuggle it again. After two years , You push this matter away, step down from your post, and walk into the cabinet, it has nothing to do with you, doesn't it?" Li Shangshu said.

"I always feel that there is a big deal in your hands." He Xichao looked at him.

"Didn't the Li family also have a big handle in your hands?" Li Shangshu laughed.

He Xichao nodded: "That makes sense, I haven't seen you for a long time, how is cousin doing?"

"Tuofu, I have been worrying about it for the past few years. Is it time to let him live a peaceful life? Xichao, you are all your own. With your intelligence, no one can match you, and no one has provoked you. It's better to let the past go. "Speaking of that matter, Li Shangshu really felt like a stick in his throat, and he gave the [-]% profit, but his heart was bleeding.

"Let's sign it. With your ability, are you still afraid that this little money will only lead to more money in the future?" Li Shangshu persuaded.

"It seems like this is the only way to go. I know that this high position is not so easy to do. It's really hot to hold." He Xichao sighed and picked up the pen, but just as he was about to put it down, he suddenly raised his head and asked, "Would you like to write?" Aren't you afraid that I'll betray you? If this deed is presented to the emperor, it will be the end of your title as Minister of the Household Department."

"Would you do it?" Li Shangshu lowered his head, leaned in front of He Xichao, and fixed his eyes on him.

The latter rolled his eyes: "This is not sure."

Li Shangshu said with a smile: "You can go back on your word, but you won't."

"Why?"

"Xi Chao, you are all smart people. If you do this, how will you stand in this court? Can His Royal Highness tolerate you forever?"

The two pairs of eyes stared at each other, as if trying to see something in front of the other.

He Xichao finally let out a deep breath and put down his pen.

"I'm a gambler. I've placed a bet with my wealth and life in this life. I hope I won't lose completely."

They were in duplicate, signed and pressed their fingerprints, and He Xichao took his own copy.

Li Shangshu looked at him and said gently: "It's better to stay and have dinner before leaving. We will be a family from now on."

"I do think, but it's a pity that His Highness summoned you. I'm afraid there's no time to delay. Let's do it next time." He Xichao put the deed paper into his sleeve, "By the way, are you ready?"

He Xichao's grandmother was just a maidservant, she didn't even have the status of a concubine, but now, because of He Xichao, she has a place.

The worship was very simple, and Li Yuechan had never seen her since she was a child. Although her eyes were red and she had cried, she didn't know how sad she was.

As soon as He Xichao left, the young master of the Li family asked, "Father, do you really believe that he will cooperate with us?"

Li Shangshu said: "The deed has already been signed, and he can't go back on his word. He can make simple assignments, easily obtain political achievements, and rise up every step of the way. Why should he take such a difficult and dangerous road? The lonely minister of Jishi is facing the Mingjun, and he will not end well in the end." of."

"But that's too much money, 800 million taels. This kid is too cruel. How many families are needed to collect it? I'm afraid I don't want to?" Young Master Li was in a dilemma.

Hearing this, Li Shangshu sneered: "If you don't want to, you have to be willing. If you share it, each family doesn't have much. It doesn't matter if you earn less. It's better than banning the way."

"Father said yes, let's order it."