Jiang Nuan had thought long and hard about handing the salt business over to Jiang Yunsheng or Jiang Chengze.
She naturally understood the profits it could bring, but there were simply too many things that required careful attention.
The interests involved reached far and wide. She might not come out ahead even if she confronted those long-entrenched salt merchants head-on, and she did not have that much time or energy.
Another very important reason, however, was that the national treasury was simply too poor—so poor that even a rat would shed tears at the sight of it. When something came up that required money, Jiang Nuan could not turn a blind eye.
Since she would have to put a sum of silver into the treasury sooner or later anyway, she might as well let the court run the salt business. Once the treasury was well stocked, she could use her own silver for more things.
She had agonized briefly over which of the two to give it to, but in the end, she decided to hand it to Jiang Yunsheng.
Having made her decision, Jiang Nuan returned to the imperial palace with the earthenware jar in her arms.
Then she headed straight for the Hall of Diligent Governance.
Eunuch Wang spotted Jiang Nuan from a distance and hurried inside to announce her arrival. By the time she reached the entrance, she could go straight in.
"Nuan, you're here? What made you think of visiting Imperial Father today?"
Jiang Yunsheng looked up from his memorials and asked Jiang Nuan gently.
Jiang Nuan was usually as busy as a little spinning top and rarely came to see him. Even when she needed something, she mostly went to Jiang Chengze or Jiang Yehua.
"Imperial Father, do you remember the gift I said I