I changed the world.

Page 469

"Your Majesty, Councilor Wang has arrived and is waiting outside."

Empress Wang Shujie was practicing calligraphy in her study in Ciyuan Palace when she heard a female official come in to report something. She put down her brush and said, "I'm getting a little tired of writing. I'll have him accompany me for a walk in the Imperial Garden."

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April is the perfect time to enjoy the scenery in the Imperial Garden. The forsythia, mountain peach, magnolia, cherry blossom, plum blossom, crabapple, peach blossom, elm-leaf plum, and pear blossom are particularly vibrant. In the spring breeze, the colorful flowers are nestled among the lush greenery, making it a truly delightful sight.

"What brings you here?" Empress Wang walked along the path in the Imperial Garden, her younger brother Wang Shuqing trailing behind. Wang Shujie strolled slowly forward, listening to the birdsong around them. Several female officials accompanied them.

Wang Shuqing was no stranger to the Imperial Garden. The rules in the Forbidden City today are much fewer than they were a hundred years ago. According to the ancestral laws, once a concubine entered the palace, she could no longer contact her family, not even by letter. Only on holidays or special occasions could her family send someone to the palace to inquire about her well-being.

Nowadays, although as relatives of the emperor, they don't have to enter the palace every few days, it's still relatively easy to enter the palace after reporting it two days in advance.

As he strolled with the Empress in the Imperial Garden, he smiled and said, "I was just thinking of my elder sister. A few days ago, I managed to get some pre-Qingming Sparrow Tongue tea from old trees. I tasted it, and it's indeed a fine tea, so I thought I'd bring it over for you to try." Wang Shuqing smiled and said, "Xiujun heard that I was going to the palace, and she was busy all day yesterday making some peach blossom pastries. These are not easy to make. When my elder sister went home last time, she tasted them and said they were good, and she's been remembering them ever since."

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 999 The Proposal

"Speaking of which, it's been a while since I've seen you. You look so radiant today. I'd heard people talking about defying age and such before, and I thought it was all a lie, but seeing you today, I know it's true..."

"Your mouth is getting better and better at talking, and you're so sweet-talking... It seems that the Advisory Council is quite a good training ground..." Empress Wang said, but a smile couldn't help but appear on her face.

"You've wronged me. I'm telling the truth. You can ask them if you don't believe me..." As he spoke, Wang Shuqing made a slightly exaggerated expression to the female official following behind him.

“Uncle is right, Her Majesty’s energy and spirit have really improved recently. Her complexion is much rosier, and she looks like she’s ten years younger…” Rong Yu, the female attendant following behind, quickly chimed in.

"See, I told you it wasn't a lie... Sister, do you have some secret? You have to teach your little brother." Uncle Wang continued to flatter her, half-jokingly. He knew his sister's personality; she was easily influenced, so he had to keep her happy.

"To be honest, I have to thank Master Li. Ever since he helped me adjust my boxing stance last time, my spirits have indeed improved a lot..." Empress Wang's smile became even brighter.

The siblings chatted and walked along, enjoying a pleasant atmosphere. The Imperial Garden had been built since the previous dynasty and had undergone renovations over the past few centuries. Although it was nominally a garden, it actually covered a vast area and contained many pavilions and towers, as well as numerous scenic spots.

About half an hour later, the two arrived at the "Yujing Pavilion" in the Imperial Garden. This was a place for the nobles of the palace to rest. It was built by the lake and had various tea utensils available for use. By this time, everyone was a little hot from walking, but Empress Wang was in high spirits and did not want to go back, so she went into the Yujing Pavilion to drink tea and enjoy the lake view.

A gentle breeze was blowing across the lake, where a large expanse of lotus flowers were planted. The lotus leaves swayed gently. Although it was April, which is not normally the season for lotus flowers to bloom, the lotus flowers in the Imperial Garden were a special variety with an exceptionally long blooming period. Some of the specially cultivated lotus flowers were already budding and ready to bloom.

Apart from Rongyu, Empress Wang's personal lady-in-waiting, who arranged the tea utensils and teacups for the siblings, the other palace maids waited outside the pavilion.

After the siblings chatted for a while about the lake view and the children's studies, Empress Wang picked up her teacup and took a sip: "Stop trying to make me happy all the time. Tell me, what happened at the Advisory Council..."

"What are you saying, elder sister? I'm not trying to make you happy at all..." Uncle Wang paused, secretly observing his elder sister. Seeing that she didn't seem to have any other intentions, his anxiety subsided. Seeing his elder sister staring at him with a beaming smile, he didn't beat around the bush and lowered his voice, saying, "The Advisory Council is always the same, arguing back and forth all day long. And with the recent economic downturn, some councilors are clamoring for the government to enact a bailout bill..."

"The cabinet will come up with a solution for this matter. You must not get involved with them. Just observe," Empress Wang said calmly.

Strictly speaking, the Zhao Dynasty had an ancestral precept that the empress should not interfere in politics, and in fact, the reason why empresses throughout history were chosen from humble families was precisely for this reason. Even though the country has long since become a constitutional monarchy, Empress Wang Shujie is still extremely cautious about this and rarely expresses political opinions.

Upon hearing this, Wang Shuqing thought for a moment and understood. As the saying goes, listen to the implication. The Empress did not say anything on the surface, but her statement "The Cabinet will come up with a plan" actually indicated that the market would be rescued and the plan was being formulated, but the time was not yet right, so it would not be launched for the time being.

Knowing the situation in his heart, he immediately smiled and said, "Of course, I always keep in mind my sister's teachings and never get involved in such matters."

After mentioning two more proposals from the Advisory Council, Wang Shuqing carefully steered the conversation toward "serious business." He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and casually remarked, "By the way, the most hotly debated proposal in the Advisory Council right now is the one that demanded legislation to combat monopolies and unfair competition..."

"This matter has caused a great uproar among the public, and many media outlets are discussing it. Now, even some prominent families have begun to express their opinions..."

"I heard that you and Zhongping have recently expressed your support for this proposal?"

“Nothing can be hidden from you, eldest sister. My second brother and I were just thinking that monopolies are ultimately detrimental to economic competition. With the economy in such a difficult situation right now, if such a law could be enacted, it would at least address the concerns of the public…” Wang Shuqing adopted a selfless and patriotic demeanor, then glanced at his elder sister. Seeing that she had picked up her tea and taken another sip without saying anything, he gritted his teeth and continued, “Besides, there are quite a few benefits behind this matter. We’re just expressing our opinion; it won’t affect anything… I was also thinking that this way, the family’s situation would be a little better…”

As he spoke, he subconsciously turned his head to look around, and seeing that there was no one else around except Rong Yu, he whispered a hint: "Also, eldest sister, in this day and age, it's inconvenient to do anything without money. Prince Kang also needs money now..."

The Prince Kang mentioned by Wang Shuqing is the eldest son of the emperor, Chen Xuduan. Since the emperor did not appoint a crown prince, and the eldest son of the legitimate wife was the de facto heir apparent, he should pay more attention to his image and maintain good relations with the media.

In particular, the Second Prince, Chen Xuhuan, is the son of Consort Xiang and has always been known for his virtue and has an excellent reputation among the people. Recently, His Majesty has ordered him to go to the Earth Defense Force for training, which, to some extent, has made the Eldest Prince's side somewhat worried.

Therefore, money is something that even the most noble family cannot do without, even the emperor.

As expected, Empress Wang frowned upon hearing this, and after a moment of silence, said, "Don't talk nonsense. How can you say such things..."

"There are no outsiders here... I know what's important, and I wouldn't say anything carelessly if my elder sister wasn't in front of me..."

"I've heard that you've been getting quite close to the Wei family lately?" Empress Wang's smile faded, and she changed the subject instead of continuing the previous one.

Uncle Wang was taken aback by Wen Ling's words, and his expression suddenly became much more cautious: "Actually... we've only eaten together a few times. The Wei family is a prominent family in Jin'an, and they were quite respectful. I don't think we can refuse them outright... it should be... alright, right?"

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter One Thousand Unmovable

Empress Wang looked at her younger brother and put down her teacup: "I told you before that although our family is noble, we lack a solid foundation. We must be extremely cautious in everything we do..."

She slowly recited a passage: "A refined gentleman is like jade cut and polished, like stone carved and refined. Solemn and dignified, majestic and imposing; 'like stone carved and refined' signifies self-cultivation; 'solemn and dignified' signifies humility and reverence..."

Looking at her younger brother's "innocent" expression, she couldn't help but sigh, "I told you long ago, spend more time reading books, don't just think about immediate gains, and don't let others use you as a pawn..."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shuqing's heart skipped a beat. He could sense that his eldest sister's attitude on this matter had undergone a significant change. He remembered that when he last came, he had spoken to his sister about it, and while Empress Wang had remained noncommittal, she hadn't shown any obvious favor or dislike. This was why he was confident in persuading his sister this time; after all, in his eyes, they were nothing more than wealthy merchants with no political connections.

Even if they seem capable of making a significant impact, if high-ranking nobles, powerful families, and even the royal family form an alliance based on shared interests, then these merchants are destined to make little difference.

For the Wang family, carving out a piece of their own interest is not an extremely risky endeavor.

But why does the eldest sister's attitude seem to have changed?

"Elder sister, I heard that even some local princes are inclined to support this proposal..." He looked at Empress Wang's noncommittal expression and couldn't help but add, "It seems this trend is about to take off. All we need to do is give it a push..."

"It can't be pushed." Empress Wang interrupted Wang Shuqing calmly, then turned to look at Rong Yu beside her.

Rong Yu then got up, went to the side, took out a newspaper from a briefcase he had brought, then walked back to Wang Shuqing and handed it to him.

Wang Shuqing took the newspaper with a somewhat confused look. He glanced at it and saw that it was today's Southern Morning Post, still smelling of fresh ink.

Southern Morning Post is a serious newspaper, primarily focusing on policy and economic news and analysis, rather than being a tabloid that only cares about gossip and celebrity news. Therefore, even in today's era of booming social media, it remains a newspaper that many elites continue to subscribe to.

Wang Shuqing knew in his heart that there must be some news in this newspaper, so he picked up the newspaper and quickly browsed through it. He had only scanned the first page when he found an article published in an important section on the front page. The title of the article was in bold: "Southern Bank issued a suspension notice in the early morning. Qianluo Group may become an important shareholder."

Upon seeing the words "Qianluo Group," Wang Shuqing instinctively focused his gaze on the news article and then quickly scrolled down.

The article wasn't long, but its content was indeed quite significant. Even though Wang Shuqing wasn't an economics professional, he knew that Southern Bank was no small bank; its strength and background were extremely robust. According to news reports, Southern Bank issued an announcement in the early hours of the morning, suddenly declaring that the bank was planning a major event.

In the current economic climate, this is not entirely unexpected. After all, due to the recent stock market crash, many stocks have been suspended from trading for various reasons, but the purpose is clear: to avoid this wave of decline and prevent so-called "irrational" drops. Of course, these stocks will inevitably experience further declines later, but the drops will be smaller. For many stocks, this makes technical trading worthwhile.

As a bank stock, Southern Bank has already fallen by more than 30% in the previous plunge and is still falling, clearly affected by the situation. If the trading halt was a technical measure, it would be understandable.

However, according to newspaper reports, citing unnamed sources within the bank, the real reason for Southern Bank's trading halt was not a "technical halt," but rather a preparation to introduce new strategic investors, optimize its shareholder structure, and inject new momentum into the bank's development...

As for the most pressing question of who the "new strategic investor" is, the source revealed that it is the well-known internet giant "Qianluo Group".

In the latter part of the article, a reporter from Southern Morning Post specifically called an insider at Qianluo Group to verify the matter.

Generally speaking, such matters involve a lengthy process from the release of information to their final implementation. The negotiations, bargaining, and coordination of interests among all parties involved are not something that can be resolved in the short term. Especially given the current massive size of Southern Bank, such capital increases and share expansions will inevitably involve a huge capital flow of over 10 billion yuan, with even greater interests involved from all sides. Coupled with the current volatile economic situation, back-and-forth negotiations and a deep secrecy towards the media are the most normal course of action.

Even if both parties have reached an understanding, they will usually keep the news mysterious for a considerable period of time, neither confirming nor denying it, in order to let market sentiment ferment and boost their own stock price.

This time, however, it's different. Reporters from the Southern Morning Post obtained accurate information, and insiders at Qianluo Group made no attempt to conceal it, directly confirming the news's authenticity. According to Qianluo Group insiders, the two parties have essentially reached an agreement. Qianluo Group will acquire shares in Southern Bank through a private placement. The current plan is to increase capital and expand share capital based on the closing price on April 13th, issuing approximately 10% of the shares. As of April 13th, Southern Bank's total market capitalization was 567 billion yuan, meaning the newly issued shares would be worth approximately 56.7 billion yuan.

"Is...is this news true?" Uncle Wang muttered subconsciously.

Upon hearing this, Rong Yu, who was standing respectfully to the side, said, "Uncle, this matter has been verified and it is indeed true. Both parties are currently going through the procedures."

Upon hearing this, Uncle Wang was taken aback. Then he realized that Rong Yu must have checked with the relevant regulatory agencies. After all, such information is a secret to the public, but for the relevant regulatory agencies, the documents for capital increase and share expansion must be submitted. So what secrets are there?

For an empress like herself, verifying the authenticity of such information was a simple matter of course.

"Well... so what? It's just investing in a bank..." Wang Shuqing frowned upon hearing this, but subconsciously began to wonder which forces were behind Southern Bank.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 1001 Avoiding Discord

He pondered for a moment, somewhat uncertain. It seemed... the Southern Bank had the backing of powerful gentry and nobles from the southeast... Could it be that An Zhengquan had sided with them? Hmm... those southerners are indeed not easy to deal with...

The southeast has been prosperous since ancient times. Not only in this dynasty, but also in the three dynasties before that, the southeast was a vital center of the nation's finances. Wealth naturally led to cultural prosperity, and thus, a greater voice in the government. Even now, several cabinet ministers hail from the southeast. Furthermore, after the Jia Shen Incident, when the capital was moved to Jiangling, the southeast contributed both money and effort. Many of today's noble families have ancestral roots in the southeast and return annually to pay respects to their ancestors…

However, having already invested so much effort in this matter, the sudden appearance of this news was like a bucket of cold water being poured over a newly lit flame, and Wang Shuqing even felt a sense of anger.

"Even those Southerners can't keep all the profits to themselves... With so many people watching, do they really think that investing in a Southern Bank will protect them?"

"Do you know who the largest shareholder of Southern Bank is?" Empress Wang heard her younger brother muttering. Having grown up with him, she knew his temperament well enough to know that he wouldn't give up just because of such a piece of news.

"It must be one of those powerful families in the southeast, right? But I wonder which one it is..." Upon hearing this, Wang Shuqing frowned slightly, then hesitated before guessing.