Chapter 1569: He Does Not Dare to Take a Knife to the Noble Houses

"Your demands are too many." Xie Changling spoke unhurriedly, calmly stating a fact.

Chen Chen Guanlou laughed. "I can tell you plainly — a mere seat on the Zhengshitang plus a million taels of silver won't move Hou Fu. It won't even move me."

Xie Changling's brows shifted slightly. "Such big talk! You haven't formally entered officialdom, so perhaps you don't know what a Zhengshitang seat means."

"I know what a Zhengshitang seat means — power, money, proteges, networks of connections… everything you want, the moment you enter the Zhengshitang, you can have it. But it's still not enough. Let me give you a friendly reminder: Hou Fu rose to prominence through military merit. If you take away their foundation and offer a Zhengshitang seat in exchange, that's not enough. Besides, Hou Fu would never give up what they stand on."

Chen Chen Guanlou named a price on behalf of Hou Fu.

He didn't need to negotiate with Hou Fu — he knew too well what Hou Fu needed, what Marquis Pingjiang needed.

Marquis Pingjiang holed up in the northwest eating sand rather than return to the capital — wasn't it all for the military power?

The moment Xie Changling made his move, he wanted to seize the military power, strip Hou Fu of its very roots, cut away Hou Fu's foundation — Hou Fu would be mad to agree. Chen Chen Guanfu is no spendthrift, and the next generation of the Chen family is no spendthrift either.

No one would agree to such a deal.

Chen Chen Guanlou didn't even need to pass the message along — he could refuse on Hou Fu's behalf directly.

Xie Changling's face was expressionless. He picked up his teacup but didn't drink, frowning in thought.

Chen Chen Guanlou didn't disturb him either, quietly listening to the music and watching the dance.

He was thoroughly enjoying himself!

Spending several thousand taels in a single evening — he couldn't afford to waste it. He'd already decided who he'd have attend him tonight. He wanted someone plump, someone with curves. Not some skinny girl with nothing to offer but a pretty face.

"Hou Fu must give up the northwest!" Xie Changling suddenly spoke.

Chen Chen Guanlou pulled his gaze back, raised an eyebrow slightly, signaling the other to continue.

Xie Changling spoke with ringing conviction, his attitude firm. "The northwest is a vital military region — it absolutely cannot remain in Hou Fu's hands. Even if Marquis Pingjiang has spent over a decade cultivating the northwest, making it airtight, he must still hand the northwest over for the court to govern.

However, out of consideration for Marquis Pingjiang's many years of meritorious service, we can arrange for him to go south. The south isn't peaceful either right now — the large rebel bands have been wiped out, but small bands are causing serious trouble, turning into bandits and raiding homes, severely affecting local public order and commerce. Marquis Pingjiang can go south and suppress the bandits! I can promise to allow him to take no more than three thousand troops from the northwest. Combined with the previous terms, this is the utmost sincerity I can offer!"

Chen Chen Guanlou nodded in understanding — all these conditions together should represent the maximum concession the other party could make.

But he still asked, "Anything else?"

Xie Changling glared at him with an unfriendly look. "Don't push your luck."

Chen Chen Guanlou laughed heartily. "I was just asking offhand — why so touchy? Alright, I'll convey your meaning to Chen Chen Guanfu exactly as stated. Whether Hou Fu accepts your terms, I can't guarantee. Honestly, isn't maintaining the status quo good enough?"

Xie Changling shook his head, indicating it was very much not.

"The national treasury is empty — this isn't an excuse, it's fact. Moreover, the finances look worse year by year. The south has been devastated by the rebels, the impact enormous. Barring surprises, this year's tax revenue will definitely fall. To maintain the status quo, we must raise taxes. The common people are already overburdened — continuing to raise taxes is forcing them to rebel. Therefore, the northwest campaign must be brought to an end as soon as possible.

This official can find ways to raise a sum of military funds to supply the army's final battle. But I cannot guarantee a steady supply of military funds over the long term. Troops move only after supplies do. During wartime, military spending is more than ten times that of peacetime. Such an enormous burden has persisted for nearly ten years! The Jiangshan of Da Qian can no longer bear the weight! All of this must be ended as soon as possible.

I hope you will convey this meaning clearly to Chen Chen Guanfu, and to Marquis Pingjiang himself. Da Qian is rotten — even if Marquis Pingjiang raises a rebellion and conquers territory, the Jiangshan he takes will inevitably be riddled with wounds, the population sharply reduced. Without twenty or thirty years, it cannot recover its vitality. When the time comes, if the north falls into chaos, I'd like to see what he fights with."

By the end, his tone grew increasingly stern, even angry and frustrated.

Chen Chen Guanlou couldn't share the other's feelings — he even quipped, "Naturally, he'd use the heads of the noble houses to fight!"

Xie Changling's face instantly turned ashen.

He said angrily, "The noble houses are guilty, but not guilty of death! In the future, we can find ways to levy taxes on the noble houses rather than killing them off. Even if every noble house were killed, new powerful families and new parasites would soon emerge. Better to make changes through institutions, to make up for the court's expenses through taxation. That is the long-term solution."

"Can you really bring yourself to do it? You still need the support of the noble houses — do you dare lay a hand on them?" Chen Chen Guanlou said with a half-smile. He didn't care what the other said — he only watched what the other did.

No matter how prettily it was phrased, no matter how well the pie was painted, it was useless. He didn't buy it.

Why did Xie Changling wield such enormous authority — his word carrying the weight of nine tripods, pinning Emperor Yuanding down so he couldn't move? Because countless noble houses backed him — from talent to money and grain to every kind of resource, support on every front!

They prospered together and suffered together.

They were one.

Xie Changling said calmly, "Therefore I need to ally with Hou Fu to do this together. The Emperor is an unstable factor and must be kept firmly under control."

Chen Chen Guanlou scoffed — he didn't believe a single word.

He didn't believe Xie Changling truly dared to take a knife to the noble houses, to levy taxes on them. The other man couldn't do it!

But he couldn't be bothered to argue the point.

Believe it or not, he still offered verbal support: "I hope that in your lifetime you'll see that day — the day you take a knife to the noble houses."

Xie Changling knit his brows tightly. What was this 'in your lifetime' supposed to mean?

He had to remind the other, "This official is in good health, free of illness. Rest assured, this official can live for several more decades."

Chen Chen Guanlou raised an eyebrow and smiled. Even this he had to argue about — truly a zhuangyuan, unwilling to be outdone.

"No matter how many years you live, I'll outlive you."

Xie Changling was thoroughly disgusted and didn't want to discuss the topic further.

He cleared his throat lightly. "I hope you can help me persuade Chen Chen Guanfu, and Marquis Pingjiang. What you say, they'll listen to at least somewhat. Holding onto the northwest's military power is certainly important. However, Marquis Pingjiang is old and frail — the day will come when he must leave. If he doesn't plan ahead, what will become of Hou Fu when that day comes, I cannot guarantee!"

Chen Chen Guanlou hummed in agreement, indicating he shared the view.

Migration is a long-term, enormously costly population transfer — it can't be completed in three to five years. The northwest has been battered into ruin; the local commoners lack the means to undertake a long journey to settle on overseas islands. Food and drink along the way all require the court to fund. Once settled, production activities must be carried out — equally inseparable from money.

When migration and the cultivation of overseas islands were first proposed, it was itself a stopgap measure to ease the conflict between Emperor Jian Shi and Marquis Pingjiang.

Now the court's finances have collapsed, and it can no longer sustain the northwest campaign — so a conclusion must be reached! Hou Fu must make a choice!

All this he understood!

In the end, this struggle over interests simply needs a different approach!