Chapter 237: General Yuan

The Golden Toad is the type who will let himself go if he isn't kept in check.

It is also Xu Jia's fault for opening the door to a new world for him; the fabricated Reverse Cultivation Wealth God Great Method contains demons within it, and if one's temperament does not reach that of a Virtuous Sage, it is easy to go astray.

Having thus kept the Golden Toad in check, Xu Jia added, "Other things are not permitted, but you must prepare yourself for the matter of minting coins."

"Minting coins? Minting coins is a losing business!" the Golden Toad said. "This market is one where bad money drives out good. If we mint coins and they are poorly made, our reputation will be ruined; if they are well-made, the commoners will take them for their collections, and they won't circulate."

Xu Jia said, "We cannot stop minting coins, but it is true that minting with copper results in a great loss."

In later generations, most coins were nickel-plated steel, formed by a single stamping. This is not the ancient method of casting in mud molds.

Generally speaking, one only considers minting currency when the regime is stable; otherwise, it is merely a form of financial suicide that accelerates one's demise and drains one's own financial and material resources.

The coins Xu Jia wants to mint are not meant to compete with the copper coins circulating in the market in that sense, but rather to add a "Daoist attribute."

In later generations, there were many types of Flower Money, such as "Attracting Wealth and Treasures," "Heavenly Official Bestows Blessings," "Grand Duke wards off evil"... as well as the "Mountain Ghost Flower Coin" favored by Daoist-leaning youth.

Xu Jia said, "When the temple is built, we will need a batch of such coins. These coins will be distributed to the commoners who come to attend the temple's consecration ceremony, and disciples can also gift some. The material can vary, such as jade coins, gold coins, or silver coins."

"Of course, since you are walking the path of the Wealth God, mastering currency is also extremely important."

"So that's how it is." The Golden Toad listened and said, "It is actually equivalent to a Magic Tool, or a peace talisman, just transformed into the shape of a coin."

Xu Jia said, "Back then, the Yellow Heaven Sect used the Raw Rice Bowl to distribute thin porridge to the commoners. We will not use such things, and of course, we are not the Yellow Heaven Sect."

"This is actually also a way of setting the stage," Xu Jia said. "It is the foundation upon which we establish our orthodoxy."

The Golden Toad was thoughtful: "It is like baiting a fishing spot; the commoners are the fish, dying for wealth."

"Stop right there. We don't want the commoners to die; we want the commoners to flourish."

Xu Jia described it in detail: "We will only distribute different Flower Money on various festivals. For example, 'Ten Thousand Phenomena Renewed' for the Spring Festival, 'Heavenly Official Bestows Blessings' for the Lantern Festival, 'Avoid Plague and Eliminate Epidemics' for the Dragon Boat Festival, and 'Begging for Skill and Fate Connection' for the Qixi Festival... The quantity need not be large, but we must strive for exquisite quality."

"First, master the technology of minting; there is no need to consider large-scale minting for the time being."

The Golden Toad had roughly understood Xu Jia's meaning and secretly praised Xu Jia's brilliant methods.

"Very well, I will keep this matter of minting coins in mind, along with the shipbuilding."

Xu Jia already had a plan and said, "As for the actual start of work, that is not yet necessary; just pay close attention to the relevant talents."

Xu Jia intended to go to the Amelika Tongtian Temple and have them burn some blueprints—blueprints that fit the productivity of this era, such as using waterwheels to crush ore, and blast furnaces with higher efficiency and quality.

Although he did not want to rebel, this world was clearly about to descend into chaos, so organizing an armed force to serve as "Dao Soldiers" was also very necessary.

Furthermore, Xu Jia's goal for steelmaking was actually "firearms." Even the most ordinary "firearm" is essentially a steel pipe; one stuffs gunpowder into the pipe, puts in iron sand, lights the fuse, and it sprays out the iron sand to cause damage.

This is the difference between having and not having.

With this thing, the Dao Soldiers who practice the "Heavenly Dipper Thunder Fire Method" would truly be "Heavenly Soldiers and Generals" in the real sense. It is far more useful than things like the "God-Striking Fist," which boasts of being impervious to blades and spears and possessing infinite strength.

However, one must still practice martial arts. Train some teenagers aged fifteen or sixteen to twenty-five or twenty-six, have them practice the Daoist Life Cultivation Method Secret Formula, and equip them with the Heavenly Dipper Thunder Fire Method. It doesn't need to be many; having one hundred and fifty of them would be worth thousands of rabble. One against ten is no joke.

It is just a pity that it costs too much money, flowing away like water. One can only distribute the secret formulas through some Lay Disciples, letting the commoners practice two sets of fists when they have no other entertainment after farming, and from there, discover those with good talent.

But these are things to consider after building the Daochang. In his past life in Amelika, Xu Jia had also thought about organizing Dao Soldiers, but Amelika has its own national conditions; building a gang would be one thing, but building a fully armed, high-firepower force of Dao Soldiers would likely result in a visit from the FBI.

The Longevity Sect is treacherous and vicious; for instance, the Dharma King previously performed evil arts, and the people of Dexing did not have the slightest power to resist.

Xu Jia wants to arm them so that if the Longevity Sect comes again, they won't have to offer up their daughters.

Of course, Xu Jia also has the intention of cultivating some backbone forces for the future establishment of an earthly Dao Kingdom overseas.

Otherwise, if they were all monsters and spirits, it would be an overseas demon kingdom, not a Dao Kingdom.

Leaving Xianshi Huo, Xu Jia arrived at the Xin River. The River Deity of the Xin River is called Yuan Jiangjun; he is a giant soft-shelled turtle with five hundred years of cultivation. He was previously a demon in Poyang, and because he did not want to work under the old Flood Dragon, he left Poyang and settled here.

During the last flood in Dexing caused by the Flood Dragon, this Yuan Jiangjun also provided some help, but the river embankment collapsed anyway.

This old turtle never showed his face; at the time, he did not want to get involved in the battle between Xu Jia and the Longevity Sect, belonging to the type of "kind-hearted shrinking turtles."

Xu Jia had long wanted to pay him a visit, but there were always many things to do. Only his subordinates, Qiu Jinsha and Jingchi, had gone to visit, but they did not see the master himself.

Now that he has chosen to go to Poyang to see that old dragon, he needs to "know himself and know the enemy."

This old turtle is the breakthrough point.

Arriving at the bank of the Xin River, Xu Jia cast a post, clearly writing that he would come to visit the Xin River Water Mansion at the hour of Zi tomorrow.

Only then did he leave the bank of the Xin River.

Xu Jia's post sank deep into the water and was quickly bitten by a large green fish, which took it underwater.

The water realm connects to the Dharma Realm and also to You Ming.

The fish shuttled through the bottom of the water and suddenly arrived at the Dharma Realm Water Mansion, having already transformed into a fish-headed monster, holding the glittering post in its hand.

This Xin River Water Mansion is just like the government offices of the imperial court in the mortal world, with dark, imposing buildings, and inside and out are shrimp soldiers and crab generals, Shan Lishi, and loach bailiffs. There are also clam-maiden attendants and clam-boy servants.

"G-great King!" the green fish spirit shouted loudly: "That naked fish from the shore has cast a post; he wants to come and visit at the hour of Zi tomorrow."

That Yuan Jiangjun was in the Water Mansion, practicing martial arts. He was broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, holding two pumpkin hammers. The hammers were the size of pear melons, cast from solid iron. If they hit a person, their head would surely be like a watermelon, and their waist like bamboo strips.

It was just that he had no hair at all, being a bald man, and his turtle shell had transformed into the plate armor and cotton skirt on his body.

Indeed, the name was not taken in vain; he truly looked like a general.

(End of chapter)