The bustling crowd came and went, and Xia Huan sat in the carriage, looking at the familiar, but somewhat unfamiliar city in front of him.

This is Shouchun, the capital of the Chu State. Prosperity is its only synonym.

The disaster on the wing does not seem to have affected this place at all. People are still living their ordinary lives, toiling for a living.

The carriage was moving slower and slower, and the people around it were far less, but much less.

Xia Huan in the carriage didn't need to look to know that this place was close to the entrance of the palace.

Sure enough, a moment later, Xia Huan heard Chen An's familiar voice.

"Student, I've seen Master Chen." Xia Huan stepped out of the carriage as usual and saluted Chen An respectfully.

"Your Highness, you're finally back." Chen An also said with a happy face.

Since Xia Huan left here, although he has returned to Shoudu once, he has not returned to the palace.

Two months have passed, and it is clear that there has been no change in either people or things, but Xia Huan still said with some emotion: "Yes, I'm back." ”

As soon as Xia Huan finished saying this, he heard another man's voice.

"Slave Wang Shu, I have seen His Royal Highness......"

is different from the eunuchs who were so yin and yang in later generations, although the eunuchs at this time also used palace punishment, but they were rarely greased and powdered.

As a close attendant of Chu Emperor Xia Ze, although Wang Shu is a little old, his voice is not much different from that of an ordinary man.

"Princess, I haven't seen you for a long time."

For this person who watched him grow up, Xia Huan didn't have much to look down on. What's more, Xia Huan also knew that he was a close confidant of his father.

"Hehe, Your Highness is much more mature, and the slave is old." Wang Shu smiled, looking very happy for Xia Huan to return to the palace.

Wang Shu's words are a bit of a pun.

Xia Huan smiled and said tentatively: "The kid is not a weapon, let the prince laugh." ”

Xia Huan's words made the smile on Wang Shu's face even stronger.

"Wherever Your Highness is, whether it is a flood or a plague, His Highness will take the lead. His Majesty was very satisfied, and even the Queen Mother said that she had the style of Taizu after hearing about it. ”

Xia Huan stared at Wang Shu's face deadly, however, this cronie around Xia Ze, no matter what, didn't seem to want to reveal any more information.

However, judging from his previous words, Xia Ze's attitude towards him should still be supportive.

Slightly letting go of the worry in his heart, Xia Huan asked with a smile: "Since the prince is waiting here, presumably, it is my father who wants to summon me." ”

"Your Highness is right, please come with the slave maid." Wang Shu bowed up slightly and made a gesture of please.

Different from Xia Huan's imagination, this time, Xia Huan went to see Chu Emperor Xia Ze, not in the previous hall, but in a garden.

Xia Ze, who is old, now has gray hair. I didn't think it was too much to see you again after more than two months, and I felt abrupt.

"Your Majesty, the Seventh Highness has arrived."

In the garden, Xia Ze is very leisurely. Instead of dealing with the usual state affairs, he raised unknown flowers.

Xia Ze seemed to be in a good mood, although his son came, after nodding, he still played with the flowers in his hand.

And Xia Huan was not in a hurry, standing silently aside, waiting for Xia Ze.

After a while, Xia Ze seemed to sound his son. put down the scissors in his hand and beckoned to Xia Huan.

"Erchen has seen his father!" Xia Huan arched his hand and saluted respectfully.

"Well, yes, it's much more energetic than when you just left the palace. With sharpness and enterprising, this is like a man from my Xia family. ”

Emperor Chu praised while looking at Xia Huan.

Xia Huan smiled and said, "Since he is a feudal monarch, he naturally needs to share his father's worries. ”

Xia Ze took the hand of the fragrant tea, paused slightly, and then nodded.

"I know what happened to you. It's a good job, but I still want to remind you that there are some things that you should not rush. ”

Xia Huan glanced at Xia Ze silently, but saw that Xia Ze's face was still light-hearted.

After hesitating for a moment, Xia Huan planned to touch the bottom line of his father, where it was. In other words, how far can he restrain the court at most.

"What my father said is, it's just that the sons don't think that there is anything too hasty about what they do."

"Oh? Let's talk about it. ”

"Does my father know how much of the year's tax is paid on Yingshang?" Xia Huan didn't rush to tell his opinion, but asked Xia Ze.

Xia Ze blurted out: "I know that there is no less than one million a year. ”

"Then how much benefit does the emperor think Yingshang can really bring to the emperor?"

Xia Huan's question made Xia Ze think for a moment, and then said: "I'm afraid it's no less than three million!" ”

"No, Father, you're wrong." Xia Huan's tone and eyes were slightly cold, he knew that the next words were the key.

"In Erchen's opinion, Yingshang is the treasury of Chu State's money and silk, and the annual income should be no less than six million guan!"

Xia Huan's words sounded a bit exaggerated, but in fact, they were the conclusions he came to after calculations.

The big head on the chin is a monopoly of porcelain, paper and tea, but it is only a medium product.

And now, the family's workshop was destroyed by Xia Huan through the plague, and the skilled craftsmen were included in the workshop he built.

Even if those families re-train their craftsmen in the future, in terms of productivity, they will never be comparable to Xia Huan's workshop.

The porcelain business is the key to the development of the whole Yingshang. If it can really be in the hands of the Xia family, the profit of six million guan is all said in a small direction.

Six million is twice as much as Xia Ze said about three million, and six times the current tax income. Xia Huan believes that his father, who is also ambitious, will not be impressed.

However, Xia Ze's reaction still disappointed Xia Huan.

Xia Ze, who was holding the cup, took a sip of tea lightly, and his attitude did not change much.

"Since, as you said, you can really get so much money, where do you think this money can be spent in the future?" Xia Ze asked a little nonchalantly.

Xia Huan was stunned by Xia Ze's question, it was the first time he heard someone ask, how the money was spent.

In an instant, Xia Huan could almost give countless answers.

Train troops, replace weapons, repair city walls, and build water conservancy ......

In short, a huge country has so many places to spend money, not to mention an extra 5 million yuan, even an extra 50 million yuan, which can be spent completely.

As if seeing what Xia Huan was thinking, Xia Ze put down the cup in his hand and patted Xia Huan's shoulder.

"Huan'er, I know that you can't get used to the ways of those people on Yingshang. It is believed that they are corrupt and pervert the law, and they will suffer hardship for the country. However, the country of Chu is so big, the world is so big, how many people can have the ambition of Qingming? ”

Xia Huan is a little confused now, obviously talking about taxation, why did it involve corruption in the whole country, and even the whole world.

Xia Huan couldn't figure out what his father was going to say.