Li Xiang was really upset, but fortunately he understood the importance of the matter.
“How much did we earn nationwide last year?”
Li Xiang took the opportunity to change the subject. If he didn't change the subject, Changsun Pingting would seem to have magical powers.
Others may not understand what this magic is, but Li Xiang himself understands that this is the queen.
"A total of 120 million guan was collected, all in cash. As for items of equal value, it is difficult to calculate now. We will have to wait until the end of the year to calculate it. In addition, the expenditure is about 23 million coins."
Changsun Pingting doesn’t need to look at the account books at all. All the account books are in her mind. This is also one of the reasons why Li Xiang is confident in handing over the business empire to Changsun Pingting.
“It looks like revenue has dropped quite a bit.”
Li Xiang did not blame him. Of course, he knew why the income had dropped. It was mainly because of some new things. Once the novelty wore off, you would not be able to sell them at such a high price.
"According to your instructions, we've franchised many of our stores. Besides collecting a portion of management fees, the remaining profits have been given to small families in various locations. This allows us to better control them. However, financially, our revenue has decreased by at least 40 million yuan."
Changsun Pingting certainly understood what Li Xiang meant. The main reason why the Five Surnames and Seven Families were able to reach the whole country was that they had many partners in various places. Now that we have handed over some shops to them, they have made a lot of money, and these people will know who to rely on. This is also an important reason for the decline in the strength of the Five Surnames and Seven Families.
"Let them earn this money for the next two years. Next year or the year after, you'll slowly start squeezing their profits, but at the same time, you have to make sure they can't leave us. To put it bluntly, these people are parasites on the people. If I hadn't been seeking stability over the past two years, I would have taken action against them long ago."
Li Xiang had long been fed up with these powerful landlords in various places, but because they had to wage external wars, the internal stability of the Tang Dynasty had to be maintained, and the influence of the Five Surnames and Seven Families was still there, so some things could not be done too excessively.
"Don't worry, I'm already making this transition. Many people have benefited from us and have begun to give up some of their traditional industries, and we have already taken over all of the shares they have given up."
Coming from modern society, Li Xiang certainly understood the benefits of state-owned assets. As long as you control state-owned assets in your own hands and form a monopoly in some important industries, the economic lifeline of the entire country will be in your hands. No matter how the court changes, as long as you still control this part of the economic lifeline, you will always have the final say.
Now is the stage when Li Xiang is creating state-owned assets. When he chooses heirs in the future, he will hand this part over to them intact. Although it cannot guarantee the eternal foundation of the Tang Dynasty, it can give them an extra ability to defeat the enemy. As for how these descendants will survive, it depends on their own thinking.
"Let's eat and talk. The weather is getting colder now. Let's have a mutton hotpot to warm ourselves up."
After Li Xiang finished speaking, the people below began to put out the mutton pot, as well as a series of seasonings such as sesame sauce. If modern people saw it, they would definitely feel very happy.
"Several famous doctors have said that this baby of mine will definitely be a son. You must remember what you promised me."
No matter how much he went around in circles, he still couldn't avoid it. Li Xiang himself didn't want to talk about such things, but now Changsun Pingting asked Li Xiang in the face. If Li Xiang didn't say it, or if he wasn't so sure about it, then Changsun Pingting would definitely have a lot of psychological pressure. In the upcoming delivery, Changsun Pingting would definitely bear this pressure, and Li Xiang didn't dare to take the risk.
"After all, your husband is the grandson of the Tang Dynasty's emperor. Ordinary men still spit when they speak. Can my words change anything? Now I repeat to you once again, as long as he is my son, he will have the same opportunities in the future. As long as he has talent, that position will be his."
After Li Xiang said this, a smile appeared on Changsun Pingting's face. This was the sentence she had been waiting for. Although Li Xiang had said this before, women all have their own worries. When Li Xiang said this, Changsun Pingting felt more at ease.
As for whether this baby is a son, Li Xiang really can't say. If there were B-ultrasound in this era, of course it would be possible to check at any time, but the problem is that there is no such thing.
As for those old Chinese medicine doctors, Li Xiang believed that some of them could be detected by taking the pulse, which was also the magic of Chinese medicine.
But they also rely on years of experience, and if they make a mistake, it might be a daughter.
After receiving this promise, Changsun Pingting no longer talked about these things, and did not mention the matter of enthronement in the Tiance General's Mansion. Because from the day Changsun Pingting followed Li Xiang, this woman knew that it would be impossible for her to come out in the open, and she might even become a shame to the Changsun family, so these things had nothing to do with Changsun Pingting.
But Changsun Pingting is a smart person. She now controls Li Xiang's business system. If she really has a son in the future, this business system will most likely belong to her son. Even if he cannot become the person on the throne, he will be invincible just by relying on the business system in his hands.
Li Xiang lived a more comfortable life in the following days. There was no deception or conspiracy. Li Xiang and Changsun Pingting spent a rare leisurely day. When he woke up the next morning, Li Xiang was even reluctant to leave.
But there are some things Li Xiang still has to do. It has been agreed that Niu Jinda and Su Dingfang will be invited to a banquet today. Although these are the two people he is most familiar with, these two people will be the left and right generals of the Tiance General's Mansion in the future, so things that need to be said must be said.
The division of labor between the two has also been decided. Niu Jinda must stay in the capital from now on, and Su Dingfang may not be able to follow Li Xiang in his campaigns. Both of them have already made considerable contributions. In the future, you two will check and balance each other, assist each other, and honestly watch over this prosperous Chang'an for Li Xiang!
