Chapter 725

Da Wang calculated the distance from Guangling to Youzhou, and then he wasn't in a hurry to see the Guangling envoys anymore.

When Xie Yuan blocked Da Wang at Guangyun Gate, this guy was walking with a four-directional step he didn't know where he learned, leading Bai Li Zhang slowly, with Wei Shen and Ling Yin following behind.

Upon seeing Xie Yuan, Da Wang paused his steps, "The Guangling envoys have come, let them come. I'm busy with myriad affairs of state and have no time to see them; let them queue first."

It's unreasonable that outside, even seeing a minor clerk from the Ministry of Revenue requires fighting tooth and nail, yet he, this Emperor, arrives and gets seen immediately?

Makes him look so idle!

Xie Yuan had no objection; he had been blocking here because he saw him swaying from afar and came specially to remind him of this afternoon's lessons. As for Da Wang's talk of handling myriad affairs of state... he glanced at the bald eternal crown beside him and believed it.

In this short morning, he accomplished two major tasks.

"Then let's reschedule the audience. The time is getting late, and it's almost time for lunch. Your Majesty, do you still remember the recitation text to be checked this afternoon?"

Da Wang:...

After this vast and tumultuous morning passed, Xie Yuan's reminder made Da Wang realize that whatever article... was completely blank in his mind! Over. He seemed to have forgotten what he memorized yesterday.

Da Wang stubbornly said: "I know! I had already memorized it, I'm going back to eat first, sir, goodbye!"

He stopped his four-directional step, grabbed Old Seven, and hurried away, wanting to go back and clutch Buddha's feet first.

Yesterday he had memorized it, today he just needed to go over it twice more. Da Wang's paragraph order was slightly off, but he barely managed to skim through. Xie Yuan looked satisfied, then pulled out a new piece; the corner of Da Wang's mouth, which had just lifted, quickly vanished.

"Sir, is this meaningful?"

"Yes."

After Xie Yuan answered, he only felt refreshed and clear-minded.

This good mood lasted until after work, when he met two nieces returning from playing outside at his doorstep, each little maiden wearing a hairpin of the eternal crown he loved.

Upon inquiry, he learned they bought them for six wen each from a street stall.

Xie Xiang covered his chest, feeling that today's recited character count was too low; he should have left eight thousand to be worthy of Da Wang, who has no concept of numbers!

But at Da Wang's place, just eight hundred characters were enough for Old Xie to reach the 'hateful appearance' standard, yet when Xiao Xie came, he raised the Xie family's average score.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, the Jing King has signed." Da Wang was still wearily reciting articles in the Lan Tai Dian when Xie Tu arrived.

Today, Jingzhou dispatched over a hundred death warriors to rescue him, which became the final straw that broke Bai Li Hu's last resolve.

After sneaking into the city, nearly a hundred gathered, and outside, who knows how many more were providing support. For such behavior, Bai Li Hu was not happy; he defined it as moths flying into flames.

He knew the longer the delay, the greater the price Jingzhou would pay. The outcome of Jingzhou's army and city facing the Xuanjia cavalry of Beijiang, he understood better than anyone.

Xie Gongzi's tongue was lotus-blossom eloquent, and Bai Li Hu ultimately still signed his name on that deed of sale.

Da Wang was happy this time, "The four fat boys finally opened their apertures, you've worked hard!"

Xie Tu didn't mention the half-day he spent negotiating with the Jing King at all, directly congratulating Da Wang on his wish coming true.

"This juncture is too perfect! Xie Tu, do you know, the Guangling King's people entered the city this morning? Order it: tonight, post this notice everywhere in the city, then urgently engrave and print it for delivery, especially in the territories of those anti-king factions, including those vassal states clamoring for independence."

When Da Wang left the Lan Tai Dian, he was in the same good mood as Xie Yuan, and this brightness continued until he saw He Guang.

This guy, clutching his little heart, divided large mansions among the Guanghan King, Hengshan King, Qinghe King, and Shangdang Commandery King—four kings. Each was representative, and Da Wang, gritting his teeth, also had to set a good example, letting all the feudal princes see Da Wang's principle of 'generous treatment of princes.'

"I am just this generous a person; the chief steward's sales, which are one or two courtyards short of princely mansion standards and in worse locations, must still start at one hundred thousand taels."

Zhao Baoxin said, so the chief steward also hasn't sold many mansions; most people in court still rent houses. Actually, most people's thinking hasn't shifted yet; Youzhou currently looks good, but asking them to lose all their wealth to buy property in this 'desolate exile land' they never imagined living in before is still not feasible.

This Da Wang also knows, according to his observation, some ministers simply don't have that much silver; others are just waiting, still dreaming of returning to Chang'an. He also can't be bothered to remind them, seeing that half the year has passed, he hasn't saved any silver from his southern journey, and returning to Chang'an, he doesn't even mention it.

"There are still two good streets in the east of the city; I'm leaving them for Old Two and Old Four." He Guang thought for a moment, and Da Wang said it should be... an empty plot.

Bai Li Hu was feeling down in his own room, unaware that his kind imperial brother had drawn him a big pie, which was actually a doughnut.

Looking at it, not bad, the inner airiness is abundant.

"Since you've already signed, Your Highness, don't think too much; preserving your health is what matters."

Bai Li Hu wanted to wryly smile but had no strength to move his mouth corners, "Bai Li Jing is just going with the trend; actually, whether I sign or not makes no difference, that Xie Tu has already prepared the notice, he'll announce it at the appropriate time regardless of signing, and will never easily change it. Now that I've signed sensibly, Jingzhou... I hope he can show mercy to Jingzhou's subordinates. Sir, we actually have no qualifications to negotiate terms."

"... Are those cavalry really that formidable, that we truly have not a single chance of victory?"

"On the northern grasslands, the Xiongnu are the strongest, followed by the Tufa Xianbei. Speaking unpleasantly, the Jin Dynasty has not dared for a hundred years to directly face their sharpness. Let alone invading deep into the grasslands to reach the royal city, even campaigns claimed as victories must let them gain some advantage. And Bai Li Jing, with only ten thousand cavalry, swept across the grasslands.

Occupied the royal city, beheaded the chieftain...

I have read much history, only knowing... such achievements, calling them an unsurpassed feat of the ages is not excessive." Bai Li Hu spoke increasingly despondently.

"And such grassland-sweeping cavalry, I don't know how many Youzhou has, anyway Bai Li Jing should still have forty or fifty thousand in Chang'an, and the cavalry he brought south to attack Chang'an only returned with about ten thousand. Chang'an still has the reorganized twenty thousand imperial guards, the two thousand feathered forest guards under Wei Ke's command, and the silver-armored white horse cavalry that appeared in Fengde brightness. Sir, what does Jingzhou have to win with?"

That Wen Mr.'s face was paler than Bai Li Hu's; after a long while, he forced a bitter smile: "The Jin has long suffered against the grasslands; every previous encounter exhausted national strength. Conscription and taxation, accompanied by widespread resentment. If Bai Li Jing's capture of the Xiongnu and Tufa Xianbei royal cities were to spread, his reputation would surely rise directly, and the people south of Luo Shui Pass would, like those in Beijiang, firmly stand behind him."

The room fell silent; fortunately, Bai Li Hu, after this distant expedition, having witnessed it firsthand, had already been struck countless times, already past the most painful period.

"Bai Li Heng's people arrived just in time; it's also his turn to suffer. Uncle doesn't listen to this king, likewise the Ji and Li clans won't let Old Two give up. Oh~ Youzhou also produces snow salt, all sold to our Jing lands, this can step on the Ji clan's lifeline, his cavalry also has merit from snow salt? This king is certainly not the most miserable."

Wen Mr.:...

The four fat boys had already been knocked down by life's heavy blows...