sbdcsierra Chapter 116 The Reward Came to an Abrupt End
Chapter 116 The Reward Came to an Abrupt End
"Prime Minister Xiao, what is a businessman?"
Huangfu Qingling asked slowly, "Could it be that doing business is the same as being a businessman?"
"Is the Ministry of Revenue considered a businessman?"
This sentence made the Minister of Revenue feel a little embarrassed.
"Lin Yi wasn't just doing business in Liangzhou City. He helped King Qing repel several attacks from the State of Yan and stabilized the situation in Liangzhou City. Is that what you call a businessman?"
Huangfu Qingling's words made Xiao Changyun not know how to refute.
But he was very clear about one thing: he must not let Lin Yi enter the officialdom to disrupt the situation!
"Pass on my oral order and summon Lin Yi!"
"Xuan Linyi..."
As the eunuch outside the door passed on the message, Lin Yi slowly walked in.
"I, Lin Yi, pay my respects to Your Majesty."
Lin Yi knelt down and kowtowed.
Although Huangfu Qingling had said in Liangzhou City that he could choose not to call him "Your Majesty" if he felt like it, he still had to pay attention to some formalities at this time.
"Stand up, Lin Yi, I have seen all your contributions in Liangzhou City."
"Bao Bu Tong, tell us about his achievements!"
This was what Huangfu Qingling asked Bao Bu Tong to prepare.
Originally, I returned to Beijing to reward Lin Yi and give him some additional status.
In this way, he will be qualified to attend court, and in the future he will be gradually transformed into a court official.
If possible, she most wanted to replace Xiao Changyun.
During her time in Liangzhou City, she had already witnessed Lin Yi's ability to govern.
"The minister obeys the order!"
Bao Bu Tong said, pulling out an account book. "During his time in Liangzhou City, Lin Yi invented woolen cloth to help King Qing's army keep warm, invented instant noodles to solve the army's food shortage, and invented the bicycle to help the army..."
In addition to inventions, he also added the merits of store management and increasing tax revenue.
"My Lords, may I ask, can such a person be considered a businessman?"
After Bao Bu Tong finished talking about his achievements, Huangfu Qingling asked slowly.
Whether it was the officials who were in Liangzhou City or those who stayed in the capital at that time, they all knew very well that this was what their emperor had witnessed with his own eyes.
Never question it.
"Your Majesty, to be frank, Lin Yi is still a businessman."
"Everything he did was actually to make money for himself."
Xiao Changyun said slowly, "Even if he accidentally helped the army and Liangzhou City, he is still a businessman."
"Yes, I am a businessman."
Lin Yi immediately spoke up, "I'm just doing my best."
"Shut up! This is the place where all officials speak. How can you, a mere businessman, speak?"
Xiao Changyun was obviously targeting Lin Yi.
The officials behind him were divided into two factions.
Some people who knew Lin Yi's strength could only remain silent, after all, Xiao Changyun was very powerful.
The rest looked at him with contempt.
"I really want to know, in this palace, who has the final say, you or His Majesty?"
Lin Yi's words left Xiao Changyun stunned.
"Your Majesty, can a commoner speak?"
Then he knelt and looked at Huangfu Qingling.
"I'm sure."
Huangfu Qingling smiled slightly. As expected, bringing Lin Yi back was the right choice!
"My goal is to make money, but the entire Dayong is connected."
Lin Yi slowly said, "The more money I make, the more taxes Dayong has to pay. Could it be that you are the kind of people who would curse the cook after eating?"
"I can get money to the people, and they spend it. It all ends up as taxes, and eventually it all goes into Dayong's treasury."
Lin Yi's words made the "Liangzhou School" that followed Huangfu Qingling to the north feel a little proud.
"Could it be that just because of the word 'merchant', an entire group must be separated from Dayong?"
"Prime Minister Xiao?"
His sentences are so logical that no sophistry can "break through" them.
"You're right, but this is the Imperial Palace. It's a great favor from His Majesty to allow a commoner like you to come in!"
"You are still speaking arrogantly here, which is a serious sin!"
Xiao Changyun argued with all sorts of excuses just to get his face back.
"Okay, that's the end of the matter."
As a spectator, Huangfu Qingling couldn't help but smile.
I didn't expect that Lin Yi could make Xiao Changyun so helpless.
"Due to Lin Yi's outstanding achievements, I reward him with 30,000 taels of silver, a night-shining pearl from the palace, and a special title..."
"Your Majesty, Lin Yi is just a businessman, the reward is enough."
Huangfu Qingling wanted to give Lin Yi some more titles to facilitate their interactions, but Xiao Changyun interrupted her instantly.
"If we allow merchants into our homes, it would be against moral principles."
Xiao Changyun found an opportunity and started moral blackmail.
"Your Majesty, I, the Minister of Rites, am submitting a petition. Since the founding of this dynasty, no merchant has ever been granted a title or official position!"
"I hope Your Majesty...will comply..."
Following Xiao Changyun's expression, the Minister of Rites also stood up.
"I second the proposal..."
Then various officials from Xiao Changyun's faction came forward to second the motion.
"If I ask him to make something, wouldn't that be okay?"
Huangfu Qingling frowned slightly and looked at Lin Yi, hoping he could say something.
However, Lin Yi himself was not interested in being an official, so he did not refute it.
"Making things is the responsibility of the Ministry of Industry. Let the officials of the Ministry of Industry do it!"
Xiao Changyun's words completely blocked Lin Yi's plan to transform the capital through official channels.
But Lin Yi himself doesn't care about these.
"Okay, Lin Yi, you step back first."
"I'll take my leave..."
Later, Xiao Changyun interfered in the morning court, which made Huangfu Qingling very angry.
At noon, Bao Bu Tong was brought to the Prince Qi's Mansion, which had been converted into the Lin Mansion.
Lin Yi was leading people to clean the rooms and do a thorough cleaning of the entire courtyard.
"Lin Yi, His Majesty invites you."
Bao Bu Tong found Lin Yi cleaning the yard with his servants.
"I'm so sorry this morning. Xiao Changyun... was a bit too disrespectful."
As he spoke, his brows furrowed slightly, as if he was apologetic.
"It's okay. Old guys like that just like to show off their seniority. I understand."
Lin Yi smiled and said, "But what does Your Majesty want to talk to me about?"
"You go there first and talk about it later. I will arrange for someone to continue working here."
As Bao Bu Tong said this, he took Lin Yi into the palace through the side door and all the way to the "heart" of the palace.
Huangfu Qingling was waiting for Lin Yi in the room.
"You all stand down."
When Huangfu Qingling saw Lin Yi coming, she waved her hand slightly and asked the palace maids and eunuchs serving in the study to leave.
"What's the matter?"
Seeing that the space became private, Lin Yi relaxed a little.
"I hope you don't take what happened in the morning court today to heart."
"I originally wanted to give you some titles to facilitate your opening of a shop and renovation in the capital."
Huangfu Qingling said, "But Xiao Changyun is so aggressive, Zhenye can't..."
"I'm here to open a shop, not to be an official."
"I don't care how he belittles me."
Lin Yi waved his hand slightly and spoke very easily.
"But the power structures and connections in the capital are complex. If you were to start construction, I'm afraid more people would oppose it..."
Huangfu Qingling was quite worried.
"I didn't just rely on His Majesty and Prince Qing before."
Lin Yi smiled and said, "I already have a solution."