Chapter 439: Establishing The Commercial Law ( 4 )
Chapter 439: Establishing The Commercial Law ( 4 )
Throughout the history of the Great Yan Kingdom, very few people had ever purchased mountains outright. Most mountains belonged to noble families or the Imperial family and had been bestowed by the Emperor.
Seeing her friend’s shocked expression, Yao Zhi asked, "Am I not allowed to buy the mountains?"
Xue Ya’er quickly came back to her senses and said, "It’s not that it’s forbidden. It’s just highly unusual. I’ll need to discuss it with my husband first."
"Alright. I’ll wait for your answer."
After she said this, they continued eating while chatting leisurely.
After finishing a bowl of porridge, Xue Ya’er finally said, "Yao Zhi, a group of merchants arrived last night."
"I heard about it from Ershi. Does the General have a plan for handling them?"
Xue Ya’er nodded. "My husband plans to issue an announcement today. Merchants who participate in rebuilding the city or provide essential goods will receive preferential tax treatment during the first year."
"But besides that, we still need to establish rules and regulations to manage the merchants. I want to hear your opinion on this matter."
Yao Zhi thought for a moment before replying, "The first rule should be stabilizing prices. Right now, the city is still recovering. If merchants are allowed to raise prices freely, ordinary people won’t be able to afford daily necessities."
"We should establish reference prices for staple goods such as grain, salt, cloth, medicine, and farming tools. Merchants can still make a profit, but they must not engage in price gouging."
Xue Ya’er nodded and made a note of it.
"Second, all merchants should register with the government and obtain business permits before conducting business. This will make it easier to collect taxes, control the market, and identify suspicious individuals."
"The city is located on the border. Sooner or later, spies from other kingdoms and tribes will attempt to infiltrate it. We need to prevent this."
Xue Ya’er’s expression became serious. "That makes sense."
"Third, merchants who contribute to the city should receive rewards. Tax reductions are one method, but we can also grant them priority when renting shops, warehouses, and market stalls."
Hearing this, Xue Ya’er smiled and said, "People naturally flock toward benefits. If they see profit, more merchants will come. You really are suited for governing."
Yao Zhi waved her hand and smiled. "I’m only speaking from a merchant’s perspective." After a brief pause, she added, "There is one more thing."
"What is it?"
"Security."
Yao Zhi set down her teacup and continued, "The city can only prosper if merchants feel safe."
"Bandits, thieves, extortion, and corrupt officials must be dealt with severely. If merchants lose their goods or their lives after arriving here, no amount of tax incentives will convince others to come."
Xue Ya’er nodded heavily. She understood that rebuilding roads and houses was only the beginning. To truly revive the Northeast City, they needed to rebuild trust.
Only when commoners felt secure, merchants felt protected, and soldiers felt valued would the city become prosperous once again.
After they finished the meal, Yao Zhi returned to her room and entered the shared manor to cultivate and practice her swordsmanship. As for Xue Ya’er, she went to the military camp with Ah Jun.
When she arrived at the military camp, her husband was resting in his tent. After she asked Ah Jun to stand guard outside, she entered the tent.
Lu Qianxuan didn’t sleep in the General’s tent but in a smaller tent nearby. This tent served as his sleeping quarters; therefore, there were no important documents inside, only some of his personal belongings.
The tent’s interior was as simple as that of the soldiers.
As soon as Xue Ya’er walked in, she saw that her husband was sleeping on the only bed inside.
Just after she took 2 steps, Lu Qianxuan opened his eyes. His gaze was sharp and cold. He looked nothing like someone who had been sleeping a second ago.
Xue Ya’er was used to his habit and didn’t feel anything. She walked over calmly and asked, "Husband, did I disturb your rest?"
Lu Qianxuan closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again. This time, his gaze no longer held killing intent. "Wife, did I startle you?"
Noticing his tiredness, Xue Ya’er felt heartache. She poured a bowl of water for him and said, "You didn’t. Drink some water first."
Lu Qianxuan finished the water in several gulps and felt more awake. He held his wife’s hand and pulled her to sit beside him. Both of them were so close that he could smell the faint floral fragrance on his wife’s body.
He missed her and didn’t want to put up a front. So, he leaned down and rested his head on her shoulder. Her familiar fragrance put his tense mind at ease.
Xue Ya’er didn’t push him away and let him lean on her. Both of them said nothing and enjoyed the rare moment of intimacy between them.
After a long time, Lu Qianxuan finally broke the silence. "Wife, what brought you here today?"
"Husband, I already discussed the matter regarding the trading regulations with Young Master Lei, and she gave me several suggestions. I will write them down for you later."
Lu Qianxuan let out a soft hum.
"Besides that, she also asked if it was possible for her to buy the entire west outskirts area, including the mountain foothills and the mountains."
The moment he heard this, Lu Qianxuan finally sat upright and asked, "She wants to buy the mountains?"
Xue Ya’er nodded and replied, "She said that there were a total of 5 mountains, and she wanted all of them." After a moment of pause, she continued, "Husband, do you think the government can sell the land to her?"
Lu Qianxuan rubbed his chin, which was covered in stubble, and thought for a while before nodding.
"It’s not impossible to sell the land to her, but we need to wait until the Imperial Court appoints a new Prefect for Northeast City. As for the price, the local government lacks money the most right now. We can haggle over the price, so it shouldn’t be too high."