After Gao Ruyi returned to the Prime Minister''s Mansion, he was taken to the backyard by the female members of the Gao family.


    ?Gao Ming found an opportunity to talk to his daughter.


    "Father, the prince is very kind to me. He stayed in my palace for two days in a row." Gao Ruyi said to Gao Mingdao, "He also gave me a handle of jade Ruyi, saying that he would make everything go well for me."


    Gao Ming nodded.


    Although he believed that what Xiang Nan did was mostly superficial.


    ?But in the officialdom and in the harem, no one does superficial things.


    Even the emperor has to wear a mask to show others his true nature.


    The fact that Xiang Nan can do these superficial things shows that he still cares about the Gao family.


    "You should get closer to the prince and win over the prince in the future. If you can get pregnant and give birth to the first dragon son, then our Gao family will have hope." Gao Ming instructed.


    Since ancient times, the royal family has attached great importance to establishing heir apparents. Although Qu Xiaofeng is the Crown Princess, she belongs to a foreign race and has no influence in the court. Therefore, her son, even if he is the legitimate son, may not succeed to the throne.


    ?And if Gao Ruyi gives birth to his eldest son, then with the power of the Gao family, it is very likely that he will be crowned the emperor.


    By that time, Gao Ruyi would be the Queen Mother. The Gao family had the merit of supporting her and was connected by blood to her relatives. It was impossible not to revitalize the family.


    Gao Ruyi heard this and nodded, "My daughter understands."


    …


    After Xiang Nan accepted Gao Ruyi, the Gao family was much more cooperative with Xiang Nan than in the court.


    ??There was originally opposition and resistance to the salt policy reform, but gradually support came out. Finally, under the leadership of Gao Kun, the new salt policy was officially launched.


    Xiang Nan’s new salt industry policy emphasized democratic system, commercial revenue, commercial transportation and commercial sales. The change from the official sales system to the commercial sales system will stimulate the enthusiasm of merchants to sell salt.


    Just like the supply and marketing cooperatives transformed into free markets after the reform and opening up. Working for the public and working for oneself naturally have different motivations.


    ?Salt merchants hold a government salt sales license, so only they can sell salt, and no one else is allowed. Such a monopoly will naturally generate huge profits. Therefore, during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the salt merchants of Lianghuai and Huaihe were the richest in the world.


    ?According to statistics, during the peak period of the Lianghuai salt merchants, their assets exceeded 70 million taels, which was more than the money in the imperial treasury. Even Emperor Qianlong lamented, "The salt merchants have great financial resources!"


    Also because they were so rich, the salt merchants lived an extremely luxurious life.


    There was once a salt merchant who wanted to spend ten thousand taels of gold at one time, so he asked his attendants to buy all the gold into gold foil. He also ordered hundreds of people to carry the gold foils to the Jinshan Tower and blow it into the wind. The ten thousand taels of gold instantly disappeared. .


    After other salt merchants heard the news, they naturally refused to be outdone. In order to show off their wealth, they spent three thousand taels of gold to buy all the tumblers in the city, and then dumped them all into the water, just to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the tumblers rippling in the river. Blocked the entire inland river.


    Huang Juntai, one of the eight major merchants in Huaihe and Huaihe, uses the yolks of more than a dozen eggs to soak fragrant rice in egg-fried rice, so that after the rice is fried, each grain of rice will be golden on the outside and white on the inside.


    ? And these eggs are not simple. They are laid by chickens that eat ginseng and atractylodes. They are also called "ginseng chicken". Therefore, a bowl of egg fried rice costs fifty taels of silver, which is higher than the monthly salary of a Qipin County magistrate.


    Xiang Nan also knew these shortcomings, so he made special improvements. It is agreed that salt merchants will be re-elected every two years and the ownership of the salt sales license will be determined through bidding.


    ?As a result, salt merchants have to bid at high prices in order to obtain a salt sales license. This would not only prevent the hereditary salt merchants from colluding with the government, but also earn more tax revenue for the court.


    …


    After the introduction of the new salt industry policy, Xiang Nan helped Zhang Meiniang obtain a salt sales license.


    "Mother, this is what I earned for you." He smiled and said to Zhang Meiniang.


    The Zhang family behind Zhang Meiniang was also considered a famous family. Otherwise, it would be impossible for Zhang Meiniang to become a crown princess, let alone a queen.


    But no matter which company it is, it will not be too much money. Salt is a monopoly commodity. In this salt industry reform, Toyo Chao only recruited eight general merchants to manage the world''s salt merchants. The power of the eight general merchants is evident. They make money almost just by sitting down.


    ?Hence, such a license cannot be bought with a million taels of silver.


    ?? Xiang Nan knew that Zhang Meiniang only wanted to make him the crown prince because she wanted to help her family make more money.


    Therefore, giving her this salt selling license worth one million taels of silver is guaranteed to satisfy her.


    ?Sure enough, Zhang Meiniang was pleasantly surprised when she saw this license.


    In fact, she originally just wanted to help the Zhang family distinguish between agents. After all, there were only eight general agents nationwide, and she was worried that she wouldn''t be able to grab one.


    I didn’t expect that Xiang Nan was so awesome that he actually gave her a general business license.


    ?In this way, the Zhang family earns at least one million taels a year from selling salt. It can be said that they make money every day and are richest in the world.


    “Yin’er, you are worthy of being raised by me.” Zhang Meiniang said with a smile.


    "Without the diligent teachings of the Queen Mother, how would Cheng Yin be today?" Xiang Nan said with a smile, "The Queen Mother''s kindness will never be forgotten by Cheng Yin."


    "What a good boy." Zhang Meiniang nodded, and whispered, "By the way, don''t go to Gao Liangdi''s place too often. The ninth princess is the crown prince, and she is the legitimate son."


    “Yes, Queen Mother.” Xiang Nan smiled and said.


    It is guessed that Zhang Meiniang is about to break up with Gao Mingsheng.


    It’s no wonder that Zhang Meiniang knew that her uncle had second thoughts about her since Gao Ming sent Gao Ruyi to the palace.


    ??Had it not been for the fact that Emperor Li Fu gave Gao Ruyi to his son, she and Gao Ruyi would have been the most direct competitors. When the time comes, once Gao Ruyi is favored and gives birth to a dragon son, both she and Xiang Nan will step aside.


    Therefore, she naturally no longer focused solely on helping Gao Ming.


    From her point of view, it would be best for Gao Ruyi to fall out of favor, lest the prince be held hostage by the Gao family in the future and she would be left out in the cold.


    …


    Two days later, Xiang Nan’s nineteenth birthday.


    Emperor Li Zhen and Queen Zhang Meiniang personally went to the East Palace to congratulate each other and gave them generous gifts.


    The emperor gave him ten pairs of agate plates, ten large silver plates with gold flowers, two pairs of jade belts, ten gold-plated horn boxes, ten gold beads, and ten silver beads. It was considered a heavy gift!


    “I would like to express my gratitude to my father and the queen!” Xiang Nan knelt down and thanked me. “This year is not my full birthday. I am so tired that my father and my mother have to worry about it. I am really sorry.”


    “Your father and I just took advantage of your birthday to take a walk, so we’re not too tired.” Zhang Meiniang said with a smile.


    “I would like to know what gifts the Crown Princess, Zhao Liangdi and Gao Liangdi have prepared for the Crown Prince this year?” Li Chang said with a smile.


    “Reporting to your Majesty, Xiaofeng specially made a belt to congratulate the prince on his birthday.” Qu Xiaofeng explained, and then Adu brought it up.


    What you see is a belt woven with gold and silver threads, dotted with nearly a hundred gems of various colors. It can be said to be extremely jewel-like and gorgeous.


    “Okay, what a gift.” Li Hao nodded.


    Xiang Nan was also very happy when he saw him.


    He knew that before a woman from Xizhou gets married, she will knit a belt for her lover. Now that Qu Xiaofeng gave him this belt, it clearly showed her thoughts.