Chapter 517: Pin all the blame on those outsiders!

Jinyang.

Night wrapped the biting cold, pressing heavily upon the eaves and corners of the Marquis's mansion.

In the study, the candle flames flickered, casting uneven shadows of the scrolls on the bookshelves onto the four walls.

A faint scent of pine smoke and ink lingered in the air, yet it could not quell the burning tension in the brows of the person seated at the head.

Lou Ting sat upright on the sourwood Grand Master's Chair, in his early forties, his temples already dusted with frost; the composure he once exuded was now blown away by his agitation.

His fingers brushed the taotie pattern on the armrest, his gaze sweeping over the piled official documents on the desk.

Finally, his eyes rested on the two standing figures opposite, and a heavy, long sigh escaped his throat, breaking the room's silence.

"Your Majesty's decree demands that I, this Lord, force today's market prices back to their former levels!" Lou Ting's voice trembled with barely restrained irritation, the tail of his words quivering, "How could I possess such power to overturn the heavens?"

His gaze first fell on the heir apparent, Lou Rui, standing beside him.

Lou Rui, barely twenty, with a handsome face, merely spread his hands upon hearing it, his face full of helplessness: "Father, please don't look at your child!"

"These court affairs and market prices have been troublesome despite your years of strategic planning, and I, your child, am utterly clueless, unable to devise any solution,"

In truth, fundamentally, the current price surge also bears the "contribution" of Lou Rui and the Lou clan.

After all, they were involved, one hand issuing false loans from the money house, the other hand greedily buying up farmland and grain, filling their coffers to the brim...

But I only know how to make money; where is any remedy to rescue the market?

Lou Ting furrowed his brows even tighter, turning his head toward his aide, Wang Yufeng, on the other side.

Wang Yufeng, over thirty, clad in a blue scholar's robe, with a slender face, long renowned for his wit, was the most relied-upon right hand of Lou Ting.

"Mr. Wang, you are resourceful; do you have a countermeasure?" Lou Ting's voice carried a hint of urgent hope, as if clutching the last straw of salvation.

Upon hearing this, Wang Yufeng's face showed obvious turmoil, his brows twisted into a furrow, and after a moment of contemplation he spoke in a deep voice: "Lord, Shuyi have indeed devised a plan that could try to stabilize prices, but..."

He stopped short at that point.

His eyes flickered, as if harboring an unspeakable secret.

His lips moved, but he ultimately said nothing more, his expression growing increasingly uneasy.

"But what... but?"

Lou Ting instantly grew frantic, leapt up from his seat, paced two steps, his robe hem brushing the floor with a soft rustle, "Now is the critical moment, a fire at our very eyebrows!"

"Your Majesty is pressing hard; if we cannot swiftly devise a decree, I fear I will be charged with negligence!"

"Then stop hesitating!"

He said, raising his hand sharply, his tone urgent and firm: "There are no outsiders here; feel free to speak plainly!"

Wang Yufeng's brows furrowed even tighter, a faint blue vein bulging at his temple, clearly weighing his final considerations.

He lowered his eyes in silence for a moment, his fingertips unconsciously gripping his sleeve, the blue fabric creasing under his grasp; then he lifted his gaze to Lou Ting, his voice low and weighty: "Lord, the current situation is dire; ordinary methods are already useless."

"The primary task is to open the granaries and release grain immediately!"

He paused, slowed his speech, each word clear: "The official granaries around Jinyang still hold reserves; release them all, let the government set a unified grain price, compressing it as close as possible to previous levels, first alleviating the people's urgent need and stabilizing the livelihood foundation."

"When the people's hearts are steady, prices will have the confidence to stabilize."

"Furthermore," Wang Yufeng's Adam's apple rolled slightly as he continued, "the market is flooded with counterfeit regular cash, while genuine regular cash is being driven out, causing prices to become even more chaotic."

"We must ask the Court to issue a decree, using officially minted genuine regular cash as the standard, to reclaim counterfeit coins from the market at a reasonable ratio, melt them all down, cutting off speculators' avenues; only then can market order be steadied."

At this point, he stopped again, his eyes flickering; the earlier resolve faded greatly, replaced by deep hesitation.

The candlelight reflected on his slender face, casting a faint shadow, making his already conflicted expression even more troubled.

"Finally..." Wang Yufeng's voice weakened, drawn out, bearing obvious hesitation.

In fact, both strategies are merely band-aids, able only to address the immediate crisis, offering only temporary effect...

After all, counterfeit regular cash is only a catalyst for the price surge, not the root cause!

"Finally what?" Lou Ting could no longer hold back, leaning forward, urgently probing, "We've reached this point; why the hesitation! Speak plainly!"

Wang Yufeng inhaled deeply, as if making a monumental resolve, meeting Lou Ting's gaze, his voice growing even softer, tinged with a hint of insecurity: "Finally... we still need those noble families who, exploiting the counterfeit money flood, have annexed vast fertile lands..."

"... to return the excess land to the displaced peasants, allowing them to farm and restore production..."

The further he spoke, the softer his voice became.

By the end, it was almost as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

His head unconsciously lowered, unwilling to meet Lou Ting's expression.

Lou Ting was first startled, then twisted his mouth into a dry laugh.

Immediately followed by a heavy, long sigh, full of helplessness and bitterness.

"Make them give it back?" he repeated, his tone brimming with disbelief, then shook his head, his eyes dimming, "Which of the noble families involved does not have deep roots, tangled like vines?"

"The lands in their hands were acquired through countless schemes; returning them now, even for free, is harder than scaling the heavens!"

One must know that the Lous themselves are beneficiaries of this very episode...

Expecting them to swallow it and then spit it out—how could that be possible?

Who would be willing?

He rose, paced a few steps in the study, turned to Wang Yufeng, a grim wry smile on his face, his eyes full of self‑mockery and resolve: "If we truly do this, ten out of nine times, I would be the first to be chopped into minced meat!"

Mince meat?

Perhaps not even that large a piece...

That would be opposing the entire noble class of Jinyang!

The air in the study thickened like iron, Wang Yufeng's plan like a massive stone cast into a deep pool.

It stirred not hope, but a room full of gloom.

Lou Rui stood aside, eyes lowered in silence, his fingertips unconsciously fiddling with the jade pendant at his waist, his brows knotted.

After a long pause, he seemed to have made a decision, abruptly raising his head, his gaze brightening as he looked at Lou Ting, his voice tinged with tentative earnestness: "Father, if it truly cannot be done..."

"Then we shall take the newly acquired plot of land in the manor and distribute it to the displaced peasants!"

When those words were spoken, the Shufang fell silent for a brief moment.

Wang Yufeng lifted his eyes to look at him, a flash of surprise passing through his gaze before turning into deep resignation.

Lou Ting, upon hearing, stared blankly at his son for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh, his tone full of fatigue and helplessness: "Lou Rui, it's good that you have the intention, but this move is of no use at all!"

Finishing his words, he shook his head, tapped the desk with his fingertips, his voice low: "Relying solely on our family's refund is like a drop in the ocean; it can't stabilize prices nor solve the fundamental dilemma..."

"Moreover, it would only make us a target of criticism, inviting trouble for no reason."

If we retreat, we offend the noble‑clan consortium.

If we don't retreat, we can't keep the livelihood stable.

Lou Ting felt at this moment that his mind was blocked at both ends…

Lou Rui's radiance faded instantly, he scratched his head, his tone full of anxiety and helplessness: "Then what should we do?"

Lou Ting waved his hand wearily, turned and sat back on the original rose‑wood Grand Master's Chair, feeling his temples throb, a splitting headache, and his irritation growing wildly like weeds.

He closed his eyes, rubbed his brow, and said hoarsely, "Father also wants to know!"

Those words summed up all his powerlessness.

Now, on one side Your Majesty pressures, on the other the noble‑clan restrains.

Wang Yufeng's plan, though hitting the crux, is fundamentally unworkable, and beyond that there is no clue at all.

The Shufang fell silent again, only the crackle of the candle flame filling the air, making the gloom even heavier; the three wore furrowed brows, at a loss.

Just as the stagnant atmosphere became suffocating, the Shufang door was gently pushed open.

A servant in gray cloth servant's garb bowed and stepped in, his footsteps exceedingly light.

He walked to the center of the room, bowed deeply before Lou Ting with respect, and lowered his head, saying: "Lord."

Lou Ting, still agitated, gave him a sidelong glance and, impatiently, asked: "What business?"

The servant dared not look up: "Lord Ku Di Gan is visiting!"

"Why does he come at this hour?" Lou Ting muttered to himself, a trace of puzzlement still on his brows.

Regaining his composure, he raised his voice and ordered: "Invite him in!"

"Yes, Lord," the servant replied respectfully, then bowed and left.

Lou Ting turned, his gaze landing on the still‑standing Lou Rui and Wang Yufeng, waved his hand: "You two go rest first!"

Lou Rui and Wang Yufeng exchanged a glance, bowed together, and in unison said: "Shuyi bids farewell!"

With those words, they slipped out of the Shufang quietly.

A moment later, a steady footfall came from outside, accompanied by the servant's announcement: "Lord, Ku Di Gan has arrived."

The Shufang door was pushed open, and a figure in a Purple Robe entered.

Ku Di Gan, nearing fifty, was broad‑shouldered, with a resolute face, a short beard under his jaw, and eyes as deep as a pool.

Upon entering, he skipped the polite small talk, went straight to the point, his voice loud and steady: "Brother Lou, I heard Your Majesty urgently summoned you today?"

Lou Ting stepped aside to invite him to sit, indicating a seat, while he took the opposite chair, nodded at the words, his face full of bitterness: "Indeed, Your Majesty ordered this Duke to swiftly control market prices and bring them back to a reasonable level."

He said, letting out another heavy sigh, spreading his hands: "This Duke is troubled by this matter and truly does not know how to respond!"

Ku Di Gan sat upright, not replying immediately, his gaze growing deeper; after a moment of silence, he slowly spoke: "Brother Lou, not to hide from you, just Half Hour Rest ago, Your Majesty gave this Duke a secret edict!"

"What secret edict?" Lou Ting thrust his body forward sharply, a flash of urgency in his eyes, and asked quickly.

Ku Di Gan lifted his eyes to meet his, speaking each word deliberately: "Your Majesty commands this Duke to thoroughly investigate all the manipulators behind this price surge, whether hoarding merchants or hidden forces; anyone involved must be exposed!"

He paused, intensified his tone, a sharp glint in his eyes: "Your Majesty also specifically ordered that, regardless of who is involved—even royal relatives, noble ministers—there shall be no leniency, no mercy!"

Lou Ting's hope gradually faded, replaced by thick hesitation and difficulty; his brows knotted, his lips muttering, after a while he managed a word: "This…"

Immediately, he let out another heavy sigh, his voice full of helplessness and bitterness: "We've all been involved!"

He raised his hand again, rubbing his swollen temples, his tone growing heavier: "We in Jinyang have basically profited a lot from this…"

But Ku Di Gan, upon hearing, showed not a hint of worry; instead his brows lifted, a half‑smile curling his mouth, his tone playful: "So, the key now is who will bear this responsibility?"

Lou Ting was first stunned, then showed a bitter smile, teasing self‑deprecatingly: "We can't just cut ourselves open, can we?"

As he spoke, he suddenly sensed something amiss.

Ku Di Gan never showed any sign of a headache; instead his eyes held a lively spark, clearly a sign of confidence.

Lou Ting's doubts grew stronger, and he couldn't help leaning forward to ask: "Hmm? Brother Ku Di, why do you look completely untroubled?"

Ku Di Gan heard this, lifted his eyes to meet his, and replied lightly: "Why should we have a headache?"

He paused, leaned slightly forward, his gaze sharp and deep, a barely perceptible calculation in it, and said meaningfully: "My brother Lou, think carefully—this situation is a perfect opportunity for us to unite allies and strike foes!"

Lou Ting, hearing this, was first stunned, his brows slightly raised, "Hmm?" he said, a hint of bewilderment, as if not yet fully following Ku Di Gan's line of thought.

But in an instant, the hesitation and weighing in his eyes receded like the tide.

In its place came a sudden clarity, a burst of light in his eyes as if clouds were lifted to reveal the sun.

"Brilliant plan! Truly brilliant!" he slapped his thigh, his voice brimming with uncontainable praise, the earlier gloom swept away, "Shift all blame onto those who are not of our kind!"

Lou Ting grew more excited, rose and paced two steps in the Shufang, the candlelight flushing his face red: "Then confiscate all the grain and land seized by those aristocratic families, and use it to aid the surging Liuren!"

"In this way, we both quell the people's grievances and satisfy Your Majesty's demand to curb prices…"

"The dilemma solves itself!"

That's the mother‑of‑all brilliant plan!

Someone takes the blame, and while solving the livelihood issue, also eliminates political foes…

Truly a perfect three‑in‑one shot!

Ku Di Gan slowly nodded: "Indeed!"

Then, a cold curve lifted his mouth, his tone full of contempt and ferocity: "What the hell are those five surnames and seven hopes, daring to fight us?"

Heaven gives a perfect chance—why not finish them off?

Lou Ting's spirit surged at these words; the earlier anxiety vanished, leaving only exhilaration and vigor, he looked up and burst into hearty laughter: "Hahaha!"

He briskly walked up to Ku Di Gan, seized the other's hand with full force: "Brother Ku Di, tonight we must have a proper big white!"