Chapter 285

Eleven, A Century-Long Plan

Xunyang Tower, an inconspicuous private room.

Wang Caozhi, Shopkeeper Ma, and other wealthy merchants looked at each other after listening.

"So that's how it is."

They looked at the blueprints being passed around and couldn't help but ask:

"So Commandant Ouyang means..."

Ouyang Rong nodded: "Isn't it just 'Metal produces Water'? This official can do it too."

He pointed to Shuangfeng Peak outside the city and said calmly:

"The Donglin Great Buddha has nowhere to be placed in Xunyang City, so this official will carve Shuangfeng Peak outside the West Gate into two halves and dredge the Xunyang River to flow through it.

"At that time, we will carve grottoes on the mountain walls on the east and west banks to create a grand momentum where mountains and waters rely on each other and metal and stone produce water,

"And invite the Donglin Great Buddha to take its seat!"

The whole room was so quiet that a needle could be heard.

Ouyang Rong's words were sonorous and powerful, and the lingering sound of the last few words echoed in the private room.

Wang Caozhi and the group of wealthy merchants felt a bit shocked in their eyes.

Looking at each other, they didn't know what to say for a while.

Wang Caozhi couldn't help but smile bitterly, putting down his chopsticks:

"Brother-in-law's courage is too great. To lay out such a plan, to be prepared for a rainy day, especially..." He sighed: "You have also grasped the mind of that Saint so accurately and acted according to the trend."

Ouyang Rong shook his head, his expression unchanged.

Wang Caozhi looked down at the blueprints and manuscripts and asked:

"Brother-in-law, what do you need us to do?"

"Money."

Ouyang Rong said concisely.

In the first half of the year in Jiangzhou, many counties suffered from floods, submerging half the territory, and the relief granaries were empty.

Except for Longcheng County, which turned losses into profits with the Zhe Yiqu, the provincial and county finances were tight and couldn't squeeze out much money.

The imperial court couldn't help much either.

If there are no accidents, after the New Year and Winter Solstice holidays, Empress Wei will have quelled the voices of opposition,

And the edict to build the Donglin Great Buddha will arrive on the desk of the Jiangzhou government office, and an envoy from Luoyang will be sent to supervise.

Building the Donglin Great Buddha is something Empress Wei is pushing for.

Prime Minister Di Fuzi and the ministers of the Secretariat will definitely not give much construction money.

She might donate a little "powder money" symbolically, but it will still be far from enough.

And if Ouyang Rong and others don't intervene, according to past experience, it is very likely that Jiangzhou and the surrounding provinces will be required to increase taxes together, or distribute corvée and tax obligations, and conscript laborers.

Although the people of Longcheng County were exempted from corvée and taxes for life by the Empress's own words.

But what about the people in other counties of Jiangzhou?

Ouyang Rong pursed his lips.

Therefore, he and the Jiangzhou government office need to make preliminary preparations before this.

The feasible plan is ready, and only the funding gap remains.

This is also the reason why Ouyang Rong gathered everyone here tonight.

Wang Caozhi, Shopkeeper Ma, Shopkeeper Li, and other wealthy merchants have experienced the cooperation of the Zhe Yiqu, so they naturally know what Ouyang Rong means, and both sides have a tacit understanding.

The private room was quiet for a while.

Ouyang Rong suddenly raised his hand and dipped his finger in tea in front of everyone.

He wrote a string of numbers on the table that he had calculated and memorized.

It was the financial gap for the Jiangzhou government office to excavate the canal and build the grottoes and the Great Buddha.

Everyone took a look and pondered for a moment. Wang Caozhi pinched his fingers under his sleeves to calculate, then nodded slowly:

"Brother-in-law, this gap is a bit large. Compared to the Zhe Yiqu in Longcheng County, this time, just by ourselves, we might not be able to fill it."

Ouyang Rong smiled: "No, no, no, this is not a gap, this is a pastry."

He corrected earnestly:

"Of course, you eat as much pastry as your appetite allows. If you can't eat it all, you can call some wealthy friends from your hometown to come.

"This official actually doesn't like meeting strangers, but you are all old partners who have walked all the way from Longcheng. Those who were unreliable retired halfway, so this official naturally trusts you all."

His index finger pointed to the numbers written in water on the table:

"Therefore, you all have an opportunity to recommend one person to this official, to add a chair to the next dinner party in this private room, and share this big pastry together."

Ouyang Rong smiled, and his palm wiped away the water numbers.

Shopkeeper Ma, Shopkeeper Li, and other wealthy merchants opened their eyes slightly. They looked at each other, and all saw the light in each other's eyes.

Recommend one person and get a seat at the next dinner party in this private room?

Isn't that the friendship of a Commandant of a province in the Jiang Nan Circuit?

And it's a young Commandant with a smooth official career and a bright future.

This gift is not small.

However, some people were even more interested in Ouyang Rong's "pastry" rhetoric.

Wang Caozhi leaned over and asked curiously: "Brother-in-law, you said this is dividing the pastry. What does this mean? Could it be that not only will there be no small loss, but there will be a big profit?"

Eyes were cast over quickly.

Ouyang Rong poured a cup of tea slowly and tasted it:

"After reading the plan and calculating the accounts, do you think that investing money this time will only lead to a small loss, or at most break even?"

Wang Caozhi and the others hesitated, nodded, and shook their heads. The tall and sturdy Shopkeeper Ma couldn't help but say:

"Commandant Ouyang, we are all familiar with each other, so this small person won't hide anything. If there is any offense, please forgive me."

"Hmm, go ahead." Ouyang Rong said calmly.

"Commandant Ouyang, if it were just the excavation of the canal at Shuangfeng Peak, there would still be profit. The successful experience of the Zhe Yiqu is there, just follow the pattern.

"After excavating the canal, the banks are so wide, we should build some ferry crossings there. After the Xunyang Grottoes are built, we can attract some flow of literati and scholars from afar...

"Commandant Ouyang must have a plan for this kind of business opportunity. If so, it will be a long-term trickle, and we can slowly earn back the capital, although it is hard-earned money.

"After all, the location of this new canal is far outside the city, and it is definitely not as important as the Zhe Yiqu. The new ferry crossing built cannot be as prosperous as Tanlang Ferry, diverting the passenger flow of Xunyang Ferry."

Shopkeeper Ma shook his head, his tone regretful:

"Xunyang Ferry is already the golden ferry crossing with the best location in this section of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and it is difficult to replace."

Ouyang Rong praised: "Shopkeeper Ma's analysis is good."

Shopkeeper Ma nodded and smiled, but then his face became a bit bitter:

"If it were just excavating the canal and managing water for the people, it would be fine. But there is also the construction of the Xunyang Grottoes, which is a real losing business."

This shopkeeper, who has traveled north and south and has rich experience, shook his head:

"This small person can see that Commandant Ouyang has tried his best to reduce costs.

"For example, the location of Shuangfeng Peak is very close to Xingzi Ward, where a massive number of laborers gather.

"For example, only excavating grottoes and building a Great Buddha against the mountain wall saves costs.

"But this Donglin Great Buddha is built according to the highest specifications of blessing the country and blessing the Great Zhou.

"Commandant Ouyang also said that we need to cast copper and iron, grind gold powder, and cast a hundred-foot golden body.

"These all require spending money, sigh."

As Shopkeeper Ma's sigh fell, Wang Caozhi and the others also fell silent, their faces a bit troubled.

"The accounts are calculated correctly."

Ouyang Rong nodded, picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks, and chewed twice.

Before the disappointment could appear on everyone's faces, he suddenly said:

"But who said that all the money for building the Great Buddha must be paid by us? And who said that despite the huge investment, only one Great Buddha will be built?"

"What does this mean?" Everyone was stunned.

Ouyang Rong pointed his chopsticks at the distant Lushan Mountain outside the window and asked with a smile:

"Jiangzhou doesn't just have one Donglin Temple, nor is the Lotus Pure Land Sect the only one dominating.

"There are so many high monks and famous scholars in Lushan, and many famous temples with vast private wealth.

"Seeing that this small Donglin Temple, which ran out of the poor mountains, is so popular, and that the Donglin Great Buddha is being built in the most conspicuous place by the Xunyang River, how can they be convinced?"

Ouyang Rong put down his chopsticks and blinked:

"If that small Donglin Temple can build a Donglin Great Buddha, why can't I go and build a Xilin Great Buddha or a Beilin Great Buddha?

"At most, I lack the imperial edict and the Ministry of Rites' official document, so I can't build it higher than the Donglin Great Buddha, and the location can't occupy the central treasure seat on the shore.

"I can't compete in terms of height and position.

"But there is no rule that I can't exceed it in terms of exquisiteness and detail, as well as stele carvings, murals, Yique niches, and offerings and incense."

"Hmm, if they lose the limelight, it's because their Donglin Temple is not as skilled as others, and their sect's Buddhist Zen methods are not as exquisite, magnificent, and majestic as mine. They can't blame anyone.

"Even if they go to complain to the Buddha-worshipping His Majesty, there is nowhere to reason."

Everyone opened their mouths slightly, watching Ouyang Rong, who was smiling a bit wickedly, say leisurely:

"Therefore, the Xunyang Grottoes are not just about completing the task and building only one Donglin Great Buddha.

"Except for Lushan, which is the closest, monks from all sects in Jiang Nan and the whole world can come to us to build their own sect's Great Buddha, and can promote the Mahayana Buddhist teachings in this place where water transport and passenger flow in the Jiang Nan Circuit are the most developed and the eyebrow of the world!"

He nodded:

"You are all businessmen. Some principles should not need this official to elaborate. When the scale of statue building goes up, the cost of building a single one will naturally decrease."

Ouyang Rong stopped at the right time, leaned back comfortably in his chair, and looked at the shrewd merchants with a half-smile:

"Shopkeeper Wang, Shopkeeper Ma... do you still think that building the Xunyang Grottoes is a losing business?"

"Wonderful!" Shopkeeper Ma, who had been hesitant before, stood up suddenly and slapped the table in admiration:

"How could this small person not think of it? Those Lushan high monks and famous temples in Jiang Nan have prosperous incense, and I don't know how much wealth they have hidden.

"And this group of bald donkeys is the most generous when spending money for Buddhism. If they are lured into competing and vying to build statues...

"Then we not only control costs, but there is also a lot of room for operation!"

Shopkeeper Li laughed and stroked his beard to add:

"And once the Xunyang Grottoes take shape, gathering the Great Buddha carvings of all sects in the Jiang Nan Circuit and even the world, won't it become a wonder? The folk Buddhist style in the Jiang Nan Circuit is very broad, so why worry about no incense guests in the future?

"In this way, hiss, excavating the new ferry crossing by the Prince Xunyang can also earn back a big wave."

The group of wealthy merchants straightened their backs, their eyes shining.

Some even stood up, pacing excitedly.

They couldn't wait to grab the money of the Lushan high monks into their own pockets.

Wang Caozhi looked at Ouyang Rong with admiration and sighed:

"Brother-in-law, so you want to earn the money of these bald donkeys, not to compete with the people for profit, but to rob the rich and help the poor.

"With such a large construction of the Xunyang Grottoes and so much money thrown in, the construction process will definitely ensure that the laborers in Xunyang City will have no worries about work for a period of time, and because workers are in short supply, wages will rise.

"And those high monks and famous scholars in Lushan, if they fall into this trap, they will probably be held firmly in brother-in-law's hands later."

Ouyang Rong looked at Wang Caozhi, who was drawing inferences, and shook his head gently: "These are not the most important."

Wang Caozhi paused and asked suspiciously: "Then what is the most important?"

Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes and said softly:

"Xunyang City has not been expanded for a long time, mainly because the urban area has expanded to the limit of the current terrain.

"The terrain of Xingzi Ward on the outermost periphery is already considered very low, and it is frequently troubled by the annual summer floods of the Xunyang River. Going further out, the terrain outside the West Gate is even lower, and the floods are even more severe, making it difficult to live for a long time.

"These are the main obstacles restricting the expansion of Xunyang City. It's not that we don't want to build, but we really can't build."

"But now, once we can excavate Shuangfeng Peak and dredge the Prince Xunyang, we can thoroughly solve the flood problems around Xunyang City.

"Then we can abandon the city walls, let Xingzi Ward gradually expand outward, and even let it extend all the way to the Xunyang Grottoes at Shuangfeng Peak.

"Or rather, directly close to Xingzi Ward, re-plan, and start a new ward.

"It just so happens that the construction of the Xunyang Grottoes requires a large number of laborers to be stationed near Shuangfeng Peak, working day and night, which will definitely attract people and merchants to set up stalls... In addition, there is the transport of materials from all sides, which can make the surroundings prosper rapidly, thereby driving Xunyang Ferry and driving the prosperity of the whole city.

"All of the above can be used as the starting momentum for Xunyang City to expand to the urban area outside the West Gate. This is a time-consuming process, but it is the opportunity for Xunyang City to take off again."

Ouyang Rong nodded calmly:

"Who says that the new ferry crossing in the future cannot gradually replace Xunyang Ferry?

"Xunyang City's century-long plan starts from the Xunyang Grottoes!"

These words shocked the room.

Wang Caozhi, Shopkeeper Ma, Shopkeeper Li, and others were stunned and silent, pondering and savoring.

The whole room fell into silence.

"Are you sure you saw it clearly? Is it that handsome Commandant?"

"Reporting to Madam, it is indeed that newly appointed Commandant. At the welcome banquet, this servant saw his noble appearance once.

"This servant saw that he appeared in the building in ordinary clothes today, very low-key, and walked into the private room called 'Peony' on the third floor. He hasn't come out for half an hour."

In a private room on the highest floor of Xunyang Tower, it was quiet for a moment, and a lazy voice of a woman sounded:

"Hmm, this little Commandant came here, who is he here to see? Did you see clearly?"

"They are some merchants with unfamiliar faces. This servant has followed Madam for so long and has never seen them in Xunyang City. They should be from out of town, generous and wealthy."

"Wealthy merchants from out of town, how did they get the relationship with this Commandant... Alright, you can go."

"Yes, Madam."

In the private room, an ancient incense burner emitted curling blue smoke, and gold-inlaid tea sets were placed on the sandalwood table.

A cup of Cloud Mist tea made from clear spring water from Gulian Spring emitted steaming tea mist.

Listening to the melodious pipa sound outside for a while.

The noble lady draped in a purple-gold lotus scarf blew on the tea mist, and her red lips murmured:

"This handsome young man finally came out. What is he here for at Xunyang Tower? Could it be that matter... is there someone who got ahead of this lady?"