Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

He thought Emperor Yanping had forgotten about it, as it was something he had proposed several months ago.

”May I know what part of it Mr. Sun finds inappropriate?” Yang Zhenshan asked Sun Wenjian.

With a frown, Sun Wenjian said, ”Merchants are of humble status, how could they possibly become officials?”

”Uh, then don’t make it an official position. Just assign someone without rank or grade to manage it,” Yang Zhenshan said nonchalantly.

The main conflicts in establishing the Imperial Commerce Bureau were two-fold: the distribution of benefits, which was a matter for the Emperor and the Ministry of Revenue, and the question of whether merchants could hold official positions.

Yang Zhenshan had anticipated objections from the start.

Emperor Yanping frowned upon hearing this but did not speak. His proposal to establish the Imperial Commerce Bureau was not unfounded.

He was short on silver, as was the court, and the Imperial Commerce Bureau undeniably promised to be a source of Silver Coin for him and the court.

Had it not been for the matter of Nansheng, he would have already raised the issue of establishing the Imperial Commerce Bureau at court.

As for the affair of Nansheng, within such a vast Dynasty, there were numerous matters to attend to. Although the issue was of great importance, Emperor Yanping could not afford to devote all his energy to a single case, and other matters still had to be attended to as necessary.

Caught off-guard by Yang Zhenshan’s response, Sun Wenjian was momentarily at a loss for words.

”I believe it is inappropriate; the trade of merchants is a menial occupation, how could it be graced with the imperial title?” Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Zheng Shizeng, stood up and said.

Yang Zhenshan replied, ”Then don’t call it the Imperial Commerce Bureau, call it the Court Commerce Bureau! Uh, Commerce Affairs Bureau works too!”

Zheng Shizeng was slightly startled. Could it be that simple?

Yang Zhenshan looked at him as if to ask if there were any other issues.

Wasn’t it just the dislike of the name?

Changing the name would solve it!

”I also think it’s inappropriate. Using the name of the court for merchant affairs is essentially competing with the common people for profit. I believe that the glass industry should be handed over to private merchants to manage, and the court can tax it!” Vice Minister Luo Ren of the Ministry of Revenue stepped forward and said.

Yang Zhenshan looked at him, thinking that this man was either foolish or malicious.

What does he mean by competing with the common people for profit?

The establishment of the Imperial Commerce Bureau was mainly for the management of glass.

What did glass have to do with the common people?

With its current low production and high prices, glass was not something ordinary folk could afford.

No matter how profitable glass was, it had nothing to do with the ordinary people.