After the banquet, everyone returned with joy and calm in the cabin.

Sun Ce got up and left the cabin, looking up at the railing.

The sea breeze blows gently, the waves slapped the boat's belly, making a gentle rustling sound. The cool night breeze blew on Sun Ce's slightly drunk face, which was very comfortable. Sun Ce looked around, looked at the soldiers standing erect on the side of the side, the officials walking and chatting on the deck, the warships of all sizes, and the rising moon in the distance, and the heart was filled with pleasure, and even his footsteps were so brisk that they were about to float up.

"Your Majesty, many people are watching you." Bu Lianshi reminded softly.

"Let them see, I'm happy today."

"Your Majesty should be happy," Bu Lianshi chuckled. "It's just that today's family dinner is very lively, but it's a bit regretful."

"Repent?" Sun Ce pondered for a moment and chuckled: "Are you saying you are missing someone?"

Bu Lianshi smiled but said nothing. Today, the emperor held a family banquet to welcome Liu Hong and his sister. Many of the Sun and Xu and Wu families came. Bu Lianshi served as an internal official as a wife, in charge of documents, and knew clearly who was on duty and who was not on duty. At a glance, he knew who did not come because of the time being on duty and who did not come.

Strictly speaking, there is only one person who can come but has not come: Sun Quan.

When Sun Ce mentioned Sun Quan, he felt a little awkward. Although Sun Quan was convinced and called him a minister, the two brothers could not be as close as other brothers and sisters. He could understand that after all, they had been fighting openly and secretly for so many years, and it was impossible to eliminate psychological problems at once. But he always felt that things were not that simple. As for his preconceived prejudices too deeply or Sun Quan had some reservations, he couldn't tell it clearly.

"I arranged for him to handle official duties." Sun Ce's expression did not change.

"So that's it." Mr. Bu nodded and did not ask again.

After walking on the deck for a while, Sun Ce returned to the cabin and ordered Ling Tong to take two snacks and go to the cabin opposite to handle official business. His catamaran was divided into two, half of which was a living cabin and half an office cabin, and was connected by a bridge in the middle. There was a platform outside the bridge, and you could sit on the platform to fish, go into the water, or stand on the bridge to enjoy the sea view. The large amount of glass used by the ship was not only conducive to lighting and viewing.

Sun Ce came outside the cabin, glanced at the window covered by black cloth, and gently pushed open the cabin door.

Sun Quan sat in front of the desk, buried among the mountains of documents, writing quickly. He put empty dishes beside his legs, thinking that he was waiting for someone to collect them. When he heard the footsteps, Sun Quan did not look up, but just pushed the empty dishes outward.

"Come on some water and prepare for a late-night snack."

"Tonight we'll be all night again?" Sun Ce asked.

"This is what you should ask..." Sun Quan said in a deep voice, and suddenly woke up in a hurry. His hands holding the pen were obviously stuck. After a while, he realized, quickly put down his pen, walked away from the seat, and bowed. "I don't know that Your Majesty will be here, and he will be guilty of death."

"Get up." Sun Ce bent down, picked up the document Sun Quan was approving on the case, glanced at it, and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly.

This is a document that several large industrial and commercial businesses operating marine fisheries led by Zhen and Mi family applied for taxes to offset the court's debts with taxes in the next few years. Sun Ce knew about this matter. Zhen and Mi family had his consent and formally applied for it in the form of memorials. Sun Quan attached a page of paper on it, and in addition to the commentary, he also had his opinions.

Sun Quan opposed this proposal.

Sun Ce was very surprised. It was impossible for Sun Quan to know that these maritime merchants were led by Zhen and Mi. They should also know that this matter must have been approved by him before. Now the memorial is just to follow the process and discuss specific operating methods, rather than to agree or oppose the principled issues.

Sun Ce didn't say anything. Ling Tong handed the snacks he brought to Sun Quan and took another seat. Sun Ce sat down and looked at Sun Quan's opinion with the oil lamp. Sun Quan's opinion was very clear. Using future taxes to offset the national debt is to eat the food for the first time. Once a routine is formed, it will cause fluctuations in the price of sea fish and ultimately affect the reserves of military rations.

The reason is simple: if the price of sea fish rises, these merchants operating marine fisheries can pay the same tax with less goods, and at the same time blame the increase in sea fish prices on military ration reserves, which arouses the public's dissatisfaction with the imperial court's military use.

Sun Ce carefully read Sun Quan’s opinion twice and pondered for a moment. "Zhongmou, tell me your opinion in detail."

"No." Sun Quan respectfully gave a respectful salute and said slowly: "Since sea fish are used as military rations, the price of salt and fish have fluctuated, which is particularly obvious this year. Compared with the same period last year, it has risen by about 30%. It is fine for sea fish, it is not necessary. Salt is not the case. Even if it is a poor family, if you don't eat salt for three days, people will be weak and weak. Therefore, there are voices in all prefectures and counties, hoping that the court will calm the price of salt so as not to affect people's livelihood. The documents were transferred to the Prime Minister's Office, but the Prime Minister's Office has been unable to come up with the applicable constitution because this matter not only involves the military, but also involves maritime merchants, and they dare not make a decision easily."

Sun Ce didn't say anything. He knew about this. The reason why he agreed to use taxes to offset the next few years was because he wanted to increase production and resolve the contradiction between supply and demand. The grain produced by the land alone could not meet the needs of the army's years of war. Sea fish was an indispensable supplement. Even the restoration of production in Bingzhou and Guanzhong needed sea fish to supplement the shortage of food and provide labor.

One of the best ways to stabilize prices is to increase supply. Although the current marine fishery is developing rapidly, it is far from reaching its goal. He hopes that they can be faster and larger in scale, and promote the renewal of sea ships and realize real ocean operations as soon as possible.

Sun Quan has participated in many similar meetings and should be able to understand his ideas.

Sun Quan glanced at the memorial on the case. "The Great Wu has been newly established, Your Majesty has reformed the past and made new things, changed customs and established the country with the hearts of the people. Now that people's livelihood is affected, they naturally cannot be ignored. I think this request is inappropriate, so I do not take it as a fool or take the initiative to make a statement. I would like to ask Your Majesty to think twice."

Sun Ce did not comment. "In your opinion, how to solve the problem of insufficient military rations?"

Sun Quan pondered for a moment, raised his head, and his eyes were bright. "Your Majesty, I am brave. There is a saying like a thorn in my throat, and I have to say it."

"Say." Sun Ce relaxed his tone. It was rare that Sun Quan added the word "Li" behind his minister and spoke as a brother, rather than a cold monarch and minister.

"I know that Your Majesty has high expectations for Shubi, but he is young and has a marriage with Cao Cao, so he is not suitable to be in charge of Jingchu. If the war fails, not only will the military rations prepared by Your Majesty and the weapons prepared by him become Cao Cao's spoils, but it may also cause criticism."
Chapter completed!