After being divorced, my identity as a poet was exposed

Changle Palace.

Jing'an Hall.

This is the main hall in Changle Palace, and it was once the place where Emperor Zhaohua made elixirs.

Now, this place has been simply transformed by the Ministry of Industry and has become the place where the emperor discusses politics.

Although the emperor never held political meetings here, and even the main officials of the court were not in this place, as a deliberately built capital, Changle Palace had some of the appearance of an imperial palace.

Otherwise, why would those businessmen come here to buy houses?
Changle Palace is a smaller version of the imperial palace.

Next to the Jing'an main hall is the side hall.

Since the death of Emperor Zhaohua, there has been almost no one in Changle Palace except for two old eunuchs.

Today, there were four officials in this side hall, drinking tea and chatting around the tea table.

They are all high-ranking officials in Ningguo!
The three giants of the Ningguo Cabinet, headed by Wen Zhuyu, and the other one is the Minister of Revenue Li Wenhou.

At this moment, Li Wenhou poured a cup of tea for Wen Zhuyu and the other two. His face, which was still a little dark, frowned slightly.

He looked at Wen Zhuyu and asked in great confusion:
"The Emperor summoned us here, saying there was a big deal..."

"I went to his hot spring resort yesterday, but the concierge told me that he was at the Academy of Sciences."

"So I went to the Academy of Sciences again... I searched every corner of the Academy of Sciences, but I couldn't find him."

"I asked Huang Xiumu again, but he was evasive. It's obvious that the emperor didn't come to the Academy of Sciences at all."

"He is probably hiding from me, afraid that I will ask him to fulfill his promise of 10 million taels of silver!"

"Prime Minister Wen, the Ministry of Revenue is very busy!"

"I just want to know what big deal he has that requires us to come?"

"He's idle all day, why can't he go back to Yujing City?"

Wen Zhuyu and the other two looked at each other in bewilderment as they listened to Li Wenhou's indignant words. Looking at the entire court, perhaps only Li Heimian dared to criticize the emperor so blatantly!

After all, Li Heimian is the emperor’s second uncle!

After all, the emperor did owe someone 10 million taels of silver!
Wen Zhuyu stroked his short beard, pondered for three breaths, and said with a smile:
"Well... Minister Li, you are still a little extreme."

Li Wenhou's face turned even darker. "Why am I so extreme?"

"I just want to know what the big business he mentioned is all about!"

"Aren't I afraid that he will lose the family fortune?!"

“Okay, okay…!”

Wen Zhuyu raised his hand quickly, "Your intention must be good. You haven't met the emperor. First of all, it is definitely not that the emperor is worried about you wanting the 10 million taels of silver."

"If he was worried, he wouldn't have called you here, right?"

Li Wenhou was silent for a moment, and Wen Zhuyu continued:
"Besides, the Emperor has a lot of things to do."

"Think about it, even though he has already set the major policies for domestic affairs, doesn't he still have a lot of things abroad that he needs to worry about?"

"Especially the matter of Wang Zheng Jin Zhong. He mobilized so many soldiers, so many fireworks and thunder bombs before the New Year. Wasn't it because he hoped to rescue Wang Zheng Jin Zhong?"

"Besides... the Imperial City Bureau reports directly to him, so there must be many important events in other countries that you and I are not aware of."

After a pause, Wen Zhuyu picked up the teacup and took a sip, then leaned forward and chuckled, saying, "Besides, doesn't everyone in the court hope that the emperor can have a prince sooner?"

"I think you, Li Wenhou, also hope that he can have a child soon, right?"

Wen Zhuyu put down the teacup and knocked on the table, then said earnestly:

"Having children is a major national event!"

Li Wenhou suddenly didn't know what to say.

His dark face remained serious, but he took a deep breath and sighed:
"Ever since I received his call, my eyelids have been twitching non-stop."

"I just want to know what big business he is going to start."

"He actually gathered those noble families three months ago... It's obvious that he had planned this for a long time. After thinking about it, I think this big business... I'm afraid it's really big."

Su Yian smiled slightly: "Minister Li, maybe it's something new that the Academy of Sciences has come up with."

Li Wenhou waved his hand:
"If that's the case, why did you ask me to come here?"

Li Chenan came to the door of the side hall at this moment.

An old eunuch was standing in front of the door.

He is Chang Zuoqing, the eunuch of Emperor Zhaohua!
Since Emperor Zhaohua was buried in the imperial mausoleum, Chang Zuoqing left the palace and came here. In this huge Changle Palace, besides him, there is another old eunuch An Gonggong who is also beside Emperor Zhaohua.

Eunuch An is in the imperial kitchen.

Eunuch Chang is waiting here for the emperor to arrive.

At this moment, he opened his sleepy old eyes, pulled his hands out of his sleeves, and bowed:
"emperor……!"

Li Chenan held Chang Zuoqing's arms with both hands:

"Are you feeling comfortable here?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I feel relieved now."

"Just feel comfortable. It's so cold outside. Come on, let's go in."

"...Thank you, Your Majesty."

Chang Zuoqing pushed open the door and Li Chenan walked in.

Chang Zuoqing followed Li Chenan, just like he once followed Emperor Zhaohua.

He was a little dazed.

When Emperor Zhaohua ascended the throne, he was as high-spirited as this emperor.

During the first three years of Emperor Zhaohua's reign, he slept at three in the morning and got up at five every day. What he talked about most was that he would work hard to create a peaceful and prosperous era for Ningguo.

however……

Li Chenan was sitting at the tea table at this moment, looking at Li Wenhou and grinning:
"Minister Li, why don't you pay your respects to me?!"

Li Wenhou's face suddenly turned darker:
"Look at you!"

"As an emperor, don't you know how to put on that dragon robe?"

"The Ministry of Revenue didn't have the money to make you two more dragon robes before, but now we have it!"

Li Wenhou is wealthy and powerful, and his backbone has never been as strong as it is now.

"You can ask me to pay my respects to you, but you should go and put on the dragon robe now!"

"I will kowtow to you!"

Li Chenan laughed: "Are you anxious again?"

"I just like to see you anxious."

Li Wenhou's eyes widened, and he blew his beard and glared: "Your Majesty, be steady! Be steady!"

"I have something I want to discuss with the Emperor."

He reached out his hand, put it in his arms, and was about to take out the IOU, but unexpectedly Li Chenan pointed at the teapot:

"Pour me a cup of tea!"

Li Wenhou retracted his hand again and reluctantly poured a cup of tea for Li Chenan.

He was about to put his hands into his arms again, but Li Chenan said:
"Inviting you to come is an important decision I made after repeated consideration."

"That's the big business I want to tell you about."

Li Wenhou's hand stopped again and he looked at Li Chenan.

Wen Zhuyu and the other two also looked at Li Chenan.

After all, if the big business that brought the four of them together to talk about was a big business that involved the largest and richest family in Ningguo, then it must be a real big business.

And the emperor was talking about an important decision he made...

This does not mean to discuss with them!
It's just to inform them and let them know about it.

"Although the Luo family paid so much tax, this little bit of money is just the tip of the iceberg of the Luo family's embezzlement."

"I summoned Luo Ye when I was in Yujing City. All the salt wells in Ningguo must be taken back."

“But we need to make some changes in the way we do business…”

As soon as he said this, Li Wenhou understood instantly.

This is such a big deal!

Li Wenhou decisively interrupted Li Chenan:
"You want to sell the salt well?"

Not to mention Li Wenhou, even Wen Zhuyu and the other two were caught off guard and stunned. (End of this chapter)