What is the pearl tribute and the power dynamics of this story?

Warning - mild early episode spoilers.

This question keeps coming up on the thread so instead of just reposting it over and over, I am just going to leave it here:

The pearl tribute is a pearl tax that is used to fund the emperor's coffers. It should be in exchange for a concession to harvest and trade the pearls bc since ancient China, pearls were considered treasures of the emperor. This drama is set in Tang Dynasty where Hepu was the center of the pearl trade. There is apparently quite a well known a professor of history on the production's research team.
https://www.meetpearls.com/blogs/news/meet-the-history-of-pearls-in-china 

At a high level, there are two opposing factions in this story: Prince Ying and Prince Tan. Most likely they are fighting for the throne/crown prince position.
The Cui family own the pearl farm and they have to send tribute pearls, which are a pearl tax to the emperor. But they have been under-reporting tribute pearls which are very valuable and probably selling them to fund Prince Tan's military buildup. Both Envoy Xu and the Cui family are in Prince Tan's faction but now that they are about to be exposed for illegally selling tribute pearls, they are kind of starting to turn on each other.

Meanwhile the Cui family murdered Yan Zijing's family and took over the pearl farm from them so he is out for revenge. He is inciting Zhang Jinran who is Prince Ying's sworn brother to investigate the Cui family and take them down. At the moment, its not clear that Zijing is on Prince Ying's side. He is just out to get the Cuis. But they are so powerful that it is going to take more than some pearl tax evasion to take them down. They are rich enough to buy back the tribute pearls to make good the tax. That is what they are trying to do but Zijing is trying to make it super expensive for them by cornering the pearl market.

Throughout Chinese history, there were quite a few noble clans that exerted significant influence over the court for centuries, outlasting different dynasties because they are so critical to the economy that each emperor always needs their influence. The Cui family, Yan family, Wang clan of Langya etc are among them and you will see them pop up in many period dramas.

 Lita:

Thanks for the quick history lesson. I'm only up to episode 3 but was pretty confused with the 2 Prince's names keep coming up.

So the people holding the pearl industry held the power.

Yes they are both powerful clans but the pearls were very valuable so it was a great source of wealth for them.

 Madoncdramas:

Thank you!  What fascinates me is the change in value of different stones as time progresses and what incites these changes.  I am appalled when watching these dramas to see that many can be cared less about what it takes to get these so called treasures.  I also note that these shenanigans have not changed much and lessons (at least in some countries and industries) haven’t been learnt.

I noticed that in some period dramas some of the ladies use pearls on their faces (I love that look). Presumably this is after the value has gone down or is it to demonstrate their wealth or are they symbolic in some meaningful way?

The pearls on ladies' faces were typical for Song China (while this drama's setting is in Tang, i.e. prior to Song). As PeachBlossomGoddess said, pearls were very valuable (their value did not go down in Song), so only top nobility ladies could have displayed such a costly decoration, while in C-dramas we often see them (erroneously) used by women who definitely were not in that class like dancers, merchants or other "inferior" classes, and could not even show such decorations, because make up was used to communicate social status. Eg. nail polishes, first used in Song, were also used as status symbols.
I also like Song-style make-up (thin eyebrows, white powder only on forehead, nose, and chin, cherry mouth), it looks more delicate compared to make-up styles of other dynasties.

Wow I see, thanks Peach

Thank you!

 PeachBlossomGoddess:

Yes they are both powerful clans but the pearls were very valuable so it was a great source of wealth for them.

Yes, it seems to be the case. No wonder they are so wealthy.

 MinnieCooper:

Xue Xue (tow chair) for your delineations Ms. Wikipedia (so resourceful as always).  Almost like cliff notes (college). lol ? Be well and happy always. 

Hi, good to see you watching this too! Likewise, hope all is well with you!

 danny_ang:

My apologize for asking out of topic question. This is the closest discussion group i can found in here to discuss about detailed things of the plot.

I'm just reached episode 10, it revolved around auction of Yan's treasure after Yan Zi Jing conviction of murder. The event auctioning valuable stuff in closed caskets. My question is,

1. When the government confiscate Yan's treasure on the ship, why the government didn't check what is in the caskets?

2. Why they didn't cross check treasures in the casket with inventory list? since it a merchant group, there will be inventory list of trading stuff and stock in the storage.

Why the government just blindly took the casket without checking? 

3. About murder case of accountant Wei Yan. Who is died actually? How Wei Yan faked her own dead when there are many peoples on the shore and some government officials check her presumed her dead body?

The plot for that entire arc isn't that well written and there are logic holes and open plot points, some of which you touch upon in your questions:

1.  Envoy Xu is colluding with the Cuis and he wanted to simply seize the goods without taking inventory. But ZRJ insisted on sealing them first so that no one can just help themselves to whatever they want.

2.  Taking inventory is time and labor intensive and in this case it suited both sides not to do it. Envoy Xu/CSJ think there are pearls in the boxes. And they want to buy it on the cheap so doing inventory didn't suit them. It is also crucial to YZJ's grift that no one takes inventory. I was shocked a pompous rule abiding ass like ZRJ didn't insist on taking inventory but the whole plot would have fallen apart if he did.

3. That was the most unbelievable part but I think we are just supposed to believe that it was a random corpse they dressed in Wei Yan's clothes. Even Duanwu saw her and seemed to "recognize" her.

In any case, the biggest hole is that the goods are supposed to be seized, auctioned off to pay off creditors and compensate the victim. But once it was clear that no crime was committed the entire thing should have been unwound then and there and the goods returned to YZJ.  If I were the Cuis and Envoy Xu,  I would have insisted on unwinding the whole transaction. How can the government and the super righteous ZRJ just stand there and do nothing while YZJ stands there and gloats about how they used government resources to cheat a business rival? Its just nonsense but since we are on the side of the "good guys" we are supposed to just suspend disbelief and go with it.  This story is strong on character writing but the plot is  weak. There are more logic holes as you go along.