eurekapd Chapter 335 The Eldest Princess's Conditions
Chapter 335 The Eldest Princess's Conditions
Sun Yue immediately said, "As long as Your Highness is willing to lower the price of coal to less than ten cents, even if you take my life, I will have no complaints!"
The princess sneered disdainfully, "Why would I take your life? Is your life really worth ten thousand taels of gold?"
If I were to lower the price of honeycomb coal to less than ten cents as you requested, I would lose tens of thousands of taels of gold in a month.
How can you pay for all this gold? Even if I sell you by the pound, you still can't afford it."
At the end of the conversation, the princess shook her head, chuckled, and said, "So I won't take your life, but I just want to ask, if I lower the price, how will those coal merchants deal with it?
What about the people outside the capital? Where can they buy cheap coal?
I can sell coal at a loss to benefit the people of Beijing. But there are countless coal merchants in the world. Will they also be forced to lose money?
Or do you only dare to make demands on me, the eldest princess of a country, but not on those coal merchants?
If they lose money, they might lose everything. But if they don't lose money, the people outside the capital will continue to buy coal at high prices.
Since Censor Sun is so concerned about the country and the people, I wonder if he has any solutions?
It's not like this, as the eldest princess of a country, is going to be responsible for the sales of coal mines in Daxia and compete with all the coal merchants in the world, right? "
Sun Yue frowned and was speechless after being asked.
The eldest princess did not urge him. She bowed to Emperor Taihe with great grace and was then given a seat by Emperor Taihe. She sat there calmly and waited.
Situ Yuan had discussed the price issue with her a long time ago, and he also guessed that after the honeycomb coal formula was leaked, the current selling price would inevitably be questioned.
So prices can be lowered, but they cannot be lowered at will.
Otherwise, people will always complain that the price is too high and ask for a price reduction. How can this business continue?
The eldest princess also knew that the poor people had a hard life.
She is willing to benefit the people, but why should she only let Taiping Coal Mine lower its prices?
Just because she is the eldest princess, does that mean she deserves to be bullied? Does she have to make a loss in business to gain publicity?
Why?
After hesitating for a moment, Sun Yue spoke with difficulty, "If the princess is willing to disclose the honeycomb briquettes formula, I think coal merchants will surely follow suit and lower the price of coal."
"Why?" The eldest princess opened her red lips slightly, "You are really ridiculous. You want me to hand over the formula with just a few words.
By then, you will be remembered in history, but I will suffer the consequences. What an upright and honest censor you are!"
She sneered disdainfully and continued, "Since Censor Sun is so righteous, if I don't agree, it would seem that I don't know the big picture.
I will give Censor Sun a chance to make his name in history. If you can convince all coal merchants in Daxia to agree to sell honeycomb briquettes for only ten cents a piece, I will reveal the recipe for honeycomb briquettes."
At the end, she looked at Sun Yue sarcastically and said, "Sun Yushi, whether the people of Daxia can use cheap and easy-to-use honeycomb coal now depends entirely on you.
You care so much about the people, I believe you will work hard to persuade the coal merchants and will never let me down, don't you think?"
As soon as she said this, the hall suddenly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Almost everyone looked at Sun Yue.
Sun Yue couldn't help but smile bitterly and bowed deeply to the princess: "Please forgive my incompetence."
"Can't Censor Sun do it?" The Princess sneered disdainfully, "I thought Censor Sun cared about the people, but it turns out he's just a fame-seeker like Xie Yun!
You are unwilling to give anything for the people, but with just a few words, you force me to cut my flesh and bleed, and pay real money. How ridiculous is that? "
She paused after she finished speaking, and seeing Sun Yue's grim expression, she quickly asked, "Isn't Censor Sun going to get so angry that he'll commit suicide like a woman and put me and Your Majesty in an unjust position?"
Sun Yue was choked and speechless. After a moment of silence, he said, "... Your Highness, don't worry. I am not a woman and will remain useful..."
The eldest princess suddenly asked, "Continue to seek fame and reputation?"
Sun Yue: “…”
How could he not know when the eldest princess became so difficult to deal with?
The eldest princess continued, "I will build a charity hall in the future to help the poor people.
All coal merchants who want the formula of honeycomb coal can also go to Taiping Coal Mine Company to purchase and learn it.
This palace is not heartless and greedy. I also hope that the people of Daxia can be happy and healthy, and have enough food and clothing.
But if anyone thinks that I am easy to bully and forces me to cut flesh and bleed, then don't blame me for being rude!
After all, I have a mouth and am a living person, not a clay statue in a temple. I can't just swallow it and let others bully me!
Since Censor Sun had a sense of justice and could not bear to see the people suffer, he could use his salary to buy honeycomb coal and give it to the poor people.
Or, we can persuade the wealthy families in the city to donate. I believe that with Censor Sun's eloquence, he will surely be able to convince those wealthy families and truly seek benefits for the poor people."
Sun Yue bowed deeply again. "Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness. I appreciate your guidance. I will keep it in mind and remember it at all times."
"As long as you don't hold a grudge against me."
The eldest princess smiled and refused to suffer any loss.
When Emperor Taihe saw that things were almost done, he asked the eldest princess to see the empress dowager, then he reprimanded his ministers and announced the adjournment of the court.
After leaving the court, he ran to see Concubine Jiang in a happy mood.
While eating his favorite snacks, he told Concubine Jiang what had just happened.
"It's a pity that my beloved concubine didn't see Sun Yue's expression at that moment! He was actually speechless and tongue-tied by what the imperial sister said. It was totally unlike him!
I have been on the throne for many years, and this man has always been smelly and hard, like a stone in a pit. I have never seen him like that.
That fat girl from the Xie family is truly a lucky star. Not only did she help the capital city dig out coal mines, but now even the emperor's younger sister is becoming more and more arrogant!"
Imperial Concubine Jiang smiled charmingly, "That child is indeed a lucky star, but it's a pity that she is too young, otherwise I would really like to bring her into the palace to stay often."
Emperor Taihe immediately said, "She is not a child anymore. If my beloved concubine likes her, just send someone to bring her to the palace."
Imperial Concubine Jiang shook her head and said, "No, I have experienced the pain of losing my child. How can I force it on others now?
What's more, Xie Xiu was able to pass the provincial examination and become a top scorer, so he should have a good chance of becoming a Jinshi in the next spring examination.
Now there are only a few months left until the Spring Examination. Since the child is a blessed one, it would be better to let her stay at home and bring more prosperity to Xie Xiu.
If Xie Xiu could pass the imperial examinations and become the top scorer, it would be a great achievement for him to pass the imperial examinations three times.
Your Majesty, if you work hard to govern the country, and have such talents under your command, it will surely become a good story and go down in history."
These words immediately pleased Emperor Taihe.
As an emperor, he naturally hoped to leave many good stories in history books.
So he no longer mentioned the matter of bringing Xie Ying into the palace, but instead hoped that she could really help Xie Xiu win the top three places in the imperial examination.
Concubine Jiang saw through his thoughts and smiled even more charmingly.
Xie Xiu was able to think of her second brother and help him get rich together, so she naturally had to return the favor.
However, she really likes the girl from the Xie family. After the spring examination next year, she will bring the girl into the palace to live for a while.