After the Buddha Bathing Festival, a new salt policy surfaced.

   From the previous civil system, official income, official movement, and official sale to the civil system, commercial collection, commercial movement, and commercial sale, the government is only responsible for supervision.

   It can be said that the power of merchants has greatly increased, which helps to increase their enthusiasm and further promote the vitality of the market.

  But the power of officials has been greatly reduced, losing the power of acquisition, transportation, and sales, it is not so easy to make money.

  As the saying goes, smashing people's jobs is like killing their parents.

  Seeing their jobs being smashed, those Yandao officials were naturally dissatisfied and criticized the new salt policy one after another, hoping that the emperor would take back his order and cancel the new policy.

  Although Gao Kun didn't take the lead in causing trouble, he also adopted a laissez-faire attitude.

   After all, the reform of the salt administration was a huge loss for him.

  Seeing the impeachment memorial flying into the palace like snowflakes, Xiang Nan couldn't help sighing.

  He knew that the reform would not be easy to promote and would face many resistances. However, the reform of the salt administration has not yet been implemented and is still in the discussion stage. There are so many opposing opinions, which is really beyond his expectations.

  …

   And just when Xiang Nan was worried about whether the salt administration could be reformed smoothly. At this moment, another pigeon sent a letter to the west, and a shocking news came.

  Gao Xian, the great general in the town of Duhufu in the Western Territory, was seriously ill, and the medicine was ineffective.

   Seeing this news, Li Xi was grieved on the surface, but was overjoyed in his heart.

  In recent years, Gao Xian has raised his own self-esteem, embezzled food and salaries, arrogantly arrogant, and stubborn, which can be said to have become a serious problem.

   But because his father is a high minister, his second brother is a household minister, and his cousin is a queen, it is not so easy to move him.

  Li Xi wanted to recall Gao Xian several times. But every time he had this idea, there were countless voices of opposition from the court. There will also be changes in the western border immediately. In order to avoid turmoil in the western region, he had no choice but to dismiss his thoughts again and again.

  Gao Xian led an army of 100,000 people hanging out alone, and it was not easy for him to clean up Gao Xiang's party in the court. Every time he wanted to move the high minister's party, there would also be changes in the western border, so it was natural for him to be cautious.

  It can be said that Gao Xiang’s party is a two-headed snake. One head is Gao Xiang of the court, and the other head is Gao Xian of the Western Region.

If Li Zi hits Gao Xiang on the head, Gao Xian in the western region will bite him; if Li Zi hits Gao Xian on the head, Gao Xiang in the court will bite him; if you hit Gao Xiang's henchmen in the middle, both heads will bite him together. he.

   Li Xi is naturally in a dilemma. If you don't make the determination to survive with a broken arm, you can't even think about cleaning up the party of Gao Xiang.

   It is precisely because of this that Gao Xian is now dying of a serious illness, which is great news.

   Once Gao Xian died, the influence of the Gao family in the western region could be ignored.

   At that time, he will appoint a trustworthy general to take over the post of protector. Then Zhao Jingyu from Danchi and the King of Xizhou from Xizhou will restrain each other, and then the western border will be safe. No longer have to worry about being controlled and threatened by the high-ranking party.

  You must know that the amount of grain and grass provided to the western region is as high as two million shi and five million guan in salary each year, accounting for one-sixth of the imperial court's annual revenue.

  But in fact, Li Xi knew that Gao Xian embezzled a lot of food, grass and salary. Now without him, almost 40% of expenses can be saved.

   What made Li Xi even more happy was that after Gao Xian's death, Gao Xiang's party was only left with power in the court. To him, it's like catching a turtle in a urn, and he can pick up the bones as he wants.

   After all, political power grows out of the barrel of a gun! With no military power in the hands of the Gao family, the threat to him was greatly reduced. Even if he sends out a small Huangmen now, he can easily take Gao Ming's family into prison.

   "My prince's success is really good. Not only is he smart and capable, but he is also blessed. Since he ascended the throne, the civil strife in Shuobo and the tragic death of treacherous officials are all good things." Li Xi couldn't help thinking.

  …

  The matter of Gao Xian's critical illness was sent back by the secret agent who was placed in the Western Territory Anhu Mansion by Li Yu.

  He kept it secret, didn't tell anyone.

  Two days later, Gao Ming made a memorial and recommended Gao Zhen to play in the Western Territory.

   "The youngest son of the minister, he has been a martial artist since he was a child, and he has devoted himself to the army, defending his family and the country, with all his heart, and I hope His Majesty will fulfill it." Gao Mingzuo reported.

  Xiang Nan has not received the news that Gao Xian is critically ill at this time, but he still guesses that Gao Xian's health is probably dying.

  At the beginning, when Gao Xian sent Batur’s materials to the capital, Xiang Nan secretly injected a burst of true energy into his body, which injured his liver.

   Now counting the time, it is almost time to get sick. And once the liver is sick, it is absolutely impossible to cure it with the current medical skills, and the only way to die is to wait.

  Therefore, when Gao Zhen sent Gao Zhen to serve in the army, it was obvious that he had plans to let him take over in order to preserve the power of the Gao family in the western region.

  However, Gao Zhenzhi has great talents, lacks knowledge and skills, is incapable of writing and martial arts, and is far from Gao Xian's insidious, cunning, cruel and ruthless. It is obviously not a good idea to let him take over in the western region.

   It's just that he has no one available now. The Western Territory is so important to the Gao family, and he is not at ease handing it over to outsiders, so he can only support Gao Zhen to the top.

   "Aiqing is really the pillar of the country, loyal." Li Xi nodded upon hearing this, "It's just that Gao Xian has been guarding the western border for more than ten years, and he still can't return home. How can I have the heart to let your flesh and blood be separated again."

   "For the safety of the family and the country, why do you cherish a son." Gao Ming hurriedly said.

   "Aiqing, the more loyal you are, the more I can't bear to see your father and son separated." Li Zhen waved his hand and said, "Okay, let's talk about the salt administration..."

   Seeing this, Gao Ming had no choice but to give up.

  Xiang Nan watched from the sidelines, guessing that Li Zhen should have known the news that Gao Xian was seriously ill, and had also seen through Gao Ming's conspiracy to send his third son to succeed him, so he deliberately refused to let Gao Zhen go to the northwest.

   "They are all thousand-year-old foxes!" He sighed in his heart.

  …

   Turning the other day, the queen suddenly held a banquet for the children of clan clan members, princes and ministers.

   "Why is the queen mother so interested all of a sudden?" Yongning asked puzzled.

   "Now that Luoxi has engaged in marriage, you are the only royal princess left." Xiang Nan laughed, "So, the queen mother is probably worried about you."

  However, he guessed that the reason why Zhang Meiniang held the banquet was probably to bring Gao Ruyi and Li Xi together.

  In the play, Gao Ming is worried that the prince's wings are stiff and he won't listen to them. Therefore, he conspired to send Gao Ruyi to the palace, and in the future, after she was pregnant with a dragon son, he would push his grandson to the throne. My own grandson is naturally much closer than my nephew.

  Now, the situation of the Gao family is more serious than in the play.

   Once Gao Xian died, the Gao family would have lost an arm, so it was even more important to hurry up and send Gao Ruyi to the palace. If Gao Ruyi can please the emperor, then the Gao family will be saved.

   However, they still underestimated the cold-bloodedness of the emperor.

  Even if Gao Ruyi was pregnant with a dragon fetus, Li Xi would poison her to death without hesitation, and showed no mercy.

   Therefore, Xiang Nan is sure that the Gao family's conspiracy will not come true.