Chapter 121: The Grand Treasury

The matter went very smoothly, with Yang Tieqiang's guarantee, the Prince of Honor handed over a jade seal and also a string of keys.

"30 million taels are the current silver and all the gold on hand; this jade seal is the office seal of the World Merchant Guild and the World Money Shop; this string of keys is the opening key for the state treasuries of the World Merchant Guild and the World Money Shop."

"Over the past twenty years, the risen World Merchant Guild and the World Money Shop are this prince's properties; from now on they will be handed over to the Governor; the thirty million taels are only what can be withdrawn, but if the Governor uses the remaining value well, he can earn another thirty million."

"Even saying that Yang Tieqiang allied with Shen Tianxing leaves one a bit dazed; the greatest merchant guild and the greatest money shop in Great Zhou are precisely the World Merchant Guild and the World Money Shop."

"All along everyone thought it was managed by the Great Zhou Imperial Family behind the scenes, but as it turns out, it is actually privately owned by the Prince of Honor, not something the entire Great Zhou Imperial Family possesses."

"Your Highness, with wealth enough to rival a country, you have never found a chance to rebel, always enduring—is that the case?"

Shen Tianxing unceremoniously accepted the two items, then laughed and made a teasing remark, but the Prince of Honor shook his head.

"It's only about preserving my life; having experienced the succession struggle, I know clearly that to stay alive one must have value; back then I knew I couldn't become emperor, and I have been diligently earning silver just to buy my life."

"You should know that the throne obtained through the succession struggle requires vast wealth to win over civil and military officials, and likewise requires vast wealth to win over the people's hearts."

"Although I did not participate in the succession struggle back then, I was actually one of those destined to die; but I exchanged all my wealth for this life, and was even able to obtain the title of Prince of Honor to enjoy my twilight years."

"I also know very well that emperors tend to die young; when the next emperor ascends, this useless royal uncle of mine might well be killed, so these years I have been earning money in the hope that, no matter who becomes emperor in the future, I can also buy my own life."

"How contrary to expectation; I never imagined that buying this life would be from you, rather than like the current emperor, or perhaps the rebel Sun Zhongquan—maybe this is fate."

Shen Tianxing felt some admiration; the Prince of Honor could be called a legendary figure in the business field, and Yang Tieqiang was similarly admired.

"Your Highness possesses great talent; your remaining life will surely be very good."

"I believe that the realm of Great Zhou indeed needs a change of leadership, and you are certainly more suitable than us and even more than Sun Zhongquan; just send me to Leizhou City without any fuss."

The Prince of Honor was very composed; Shen Tianxing smiled and nodded, then arranged for people to send the Prince of Honor to Leizhou City.

"This prince's life‑buying money is really a bit troublesome to manage, eh; Old Man Yang wonders who would be suitable to manage the World Merchant Guild and the World Money Shop."

"You ask me this? Who should I ask? You don't have a family talent pipeline? Go find your family to send someone over."

After saying that, Yang Tieqiang walked off on his own, leaving Shen Tianxing with a mixture of laughter and exasperation. It seems there's no other way.

"Hong Yi, among the Strategist Summon Cards, who is good at business? Is there Shen Wansan?"

"That really doesn't exist, but among the Mid-level Strategist Summon Cards there is someone who is very good at business, and can be specially summoned; moreover, it's very cheap, costing only ten thousand Killing Value."

Upon hearing this, Shen Tianxing's eyes lit up; he had always paid attention only to the high‑level and divine‑level, never bothering to look at the mid‑level and low‑level.

Shen Tianxing opened the System Mall, searched within the summon cards, and quickly found the businessman strategist mentioned by Hong Yi; he immediately burst into laughter and exasperation.

"How can it be this Tao Qian? Besides making Xu Prefecture somewhat famous, I don't recall him being someone capable of business."

"This person is precisely because he is too good at business, but his strategy and politics are somewhat lacking, which led to the loss of Xu Prefecture. Of course, there are other business‑savvy strategists, but the chance of randomly summoning one is lower."

"This person can be specially summoned, and in business he is in no way inferior to those other high‑level strategists; he is an excellent, cost‑effective choice."

Hong Yi explained at length, and Shen Tianxing nodded unconsciously.

"All right then, since you say so, let's pick him."

Soon Shen Tianxing bought the summon card to specifically summon Tao Qian; in a moment, Tao Qian arrived before Shen Tianxing and knelt on one knee.

"Tao Qian greets Your Majesty; may I know what orders You have?"

"I have the World Merchant Guild and the World Money Shop to hand over to you; do you have the confidence to expand and strengthen them, to create renewed glory?"

"Rest assured, Your Majesty; I will certainly expand and strengthen the World Merchant Guild and the World Money Shop for You, and let them blossom in glory."

"Good, then I'll entrust them to you."

"This One receives the command."

Tao Qian agreed readily; Shen Tianxing handed over the jade seal and the string of keys to him, and then had him bring some people to receive the World Merchant Guild and the World Money Shop.

The World Merchant Guild and the World Money Shop have branches and sub‑manors throughout Great Zhou; one only needs to go to the headquarters in Leizhou to settle matters properly, and Shen Tianxing still feels assured about that.

Tao Qian did not disappoint Shen Tianxing; in ten days he fully mastered the Leizhou branch of the World Merchant Guild and the World Money Shop, and then he was set to leave Leizhou to take over those organizations in other provinces.

To be safe, Shen Tianxing sent Luo Cheng and Cheng Yaojin to escort Tao Qian, guaranteeing his safety.

Shen Tianxing also ended his leisurely life, mustered 82,500 troops, and formally set out for Beizhou; among them were 50,000 of the Yue Family Army under Yue Yunyang's troops under Yue Yunyang's command, and 20,000 of the Leizhou Army under Zhao Zilong's command.

10,000 fodder swordsmen, 2,000 veteran soldiers, and 500 archers—these are Shen Tianxing's personal troops; as for the assault troops, they are currently the company commanders and captains of a hundred drawn from the fodder swordsmen, while the remainder serve as company commanders and captains of a hundred within the Leizhou Army.

Of course there are also the tunnel soldiers hidden in the dark, but only fifty of them follow Shen Tianxing on the campaign. This number, relatively speaking, is still a bit too many.

The other tunnel soldiers each have their own duties, but Shen Tianxing has not let anyone know what they are up to; this is the utmost secret.

Zhang Wenyuan also accompanied the army; in fact, Shen Tianxing assigned the two thousand veteran soldiers to Zhang Wenyuan for deployment—after all, 800 could take on 100,000, and two thousand could certainly handle 100,000.

"Don't look at me like that; when campaigning abroad I am a general, not your wife, and besides, this time I'm heading to Beizhou to recall the Yang Family Army."

Yang Hongyue felt ill at ease under Shen Tianxing's gaze; his look was strange, as if he thought she shouldn't have come along.

"What you say is a bit hurtful; you are my wife, an unchangeable fact—I look at you and see that, because you haven't put on makeup today, you appear even more heroic and spirited, so I can't help but glance at you twice."

Upon hearing this, Yang Hongyue's face involuntarily flushed, yet she still gave Shen Tianxing a fierce stare.

"Don't use such talk to coax me; enough, I'm too lazy to quibble over these things—when we reach Lecheng, I'll take a detour to Humen Pass to find Wang Liu, who is currently commanding the troops at Humen Pass."

I'll go hand things over with him; once you take the other four cities, I'll send troops to garrison Humen Pass, and then the Yang Family Army stationed at Humen Pass can withdraw.