Chapter 174: Failed to Be Selected as Imperial Chamber of Commerce

However, the name of any shop under the Su family did not appear on the list.

This was clearly aimed at the Su family.

The imperial list covered almost all the shops in the capital, but it did not make sense for the Su family to fail to be selected.

The moment Su Yan heard the news, she understood who was behind this.

It was obvious that Imperial Pawnshop had gone to complain, and Nalan Chen had made a move.

Nalan Chen had even publicly and secretly criticized some businessmen in the imperial court for using all sorts of means to try to control the capital’s lifeline.

He did not say it out loud but he was alluding to the Su family. This was something that all the ministers knew.

Master Su remained silent in the imperial court with a cold expression on his face.

Gu Ruoyun suddenly said, “Since we have established the Imperial Chamber of Commerce, they must receive the treatment.”

These words reminded Nalan Chen.

He then remembered that because the Imperial Chamber of Commerce had made great contributions to the country and the people, they could receive benefits from the imperial family. The annual benefits were different.

However, there were so many of them this year. No matter what they gave, it would cost the national treasury a lot.

No matter how he looked at it, it was more than the Su family’s thirty percent profit.

Just as Nalan Chen was remorseful, Gu Ruoyun spoke again, “The Imperial Kingdom’s tax on shops is twenty percent. Adding on the thirty percent that received from those being rejected this time, this means that the Emperor will take fifty percent of the profits from the shops that have been rejected as the Imperial Chamber of Commerce. There seem to be quite a lot of foreign merchants these days.”

What he meant was, if you force them into a corner, they will all trade with merchants from other countries. You won’t be able to collect a single cent of the tax.

Nalan Chen’s expression turned even more unsightly.

Master Su looked at Gu Ruoyun with admiration and smiled as he stroked his beard. This was the first time he felt that this son-in-law was really not bad.

He calmly accepted his father-in-law’s praise.

After Nalan Chen had left the imperial court, he still gave the order to reject the tax policy. All the shops remained at 20%.

He had become the Emperor who had changed the imperial edict the fastest.

Not only had he failed to fool the Su family, but he had also prepared a reward for the Imperial Chamber of Commerce. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He kicked the vase beside him to the ground.

After this incident, Su Yan had gradually shifted her business from the surface to the underground.

Su Yan wanted to thank Gu Ruoyun for changing the situation with just a few words, but she could not find him.

Only then did she realize that something was not right. She had been busy before, but she was free at this moment, she realized that she had not seen Gu Ruoyun for more than a month.

Su Yan deliberately did not leave Guang Residence. She had been waiting to see when Gu Ruoyun would return.

However, when An Yi arrived, Su Yan grabbed him and asked, “Where’s Gu Ruoyun?”

An Yi replied, “The Royal Highness is busy.”

Su Yan released her hand and asked, “What is he busy with? It’s been almost two months and he hasn’t returned.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she realized that An Yi had disappeared again.

Su Yan grumbled angrily, “So what if he knows flying technique?”

At night, Su Yan could not wait for him and could only rest.

In her half-asleep state, she sensed movement around her and quickly reached out to grab him.

Before she could open her eyes, she asked, “What have you been doing recently?”

She stared at the figure beside her with a dazed expression.

Gu Ruoyun did not expect her to still be awake. His breathing paused as he looked at Su Yan’s dazed eyes.

He patted her head and comforted her, “Be good, go to sleep.”

Su Yan closed her eyes again and fell asleep. She had completely forgotten about the question she wanted to ask him.

When she woke up the next day, Su Yan was so angry that she grabbed her hair and looked at the person who had left a long time ago.

She said angrily, “If you have the ability, don’t come back at night.”

Even though she said that, Su Yan did not suspect anything else. The main reason was that Gu Ruoyun would always come back at night, no matter how late it was.

Su Yan ate her breakfast with a lack of interest. A servant came over with a post.

It was a post from Liu Meiniang. They had been getting along quite well these days.