Chapter 1003: Is It Worth It?

Zhu wiped the sweat from his forehead: "It's only right, it's only right. As for the affairs of officials, we truly shouldn't be meddling. So Sanxin, is that how it is? That for the fiefs around our two great cities, we can formulate our own policies to attract others to come and cultivate them? Did you not talk to the King about anything else?"

Sanxin's eyes darted around quickly. He still had to go to the Ministry of Revenue to process the change of fiefs, and the high officials of the Ministry of Revenue were right here; how could he possibly hide it? If he looked bad later, it would be better to say it now. In any case, he had already lost face to get this result. Whatever they wanted to do, they could go and beg the King to see if they could get a good result.

"That's not all. I also discussed the matter of changing fiefs with the King. I want to move my distant fief a little closer."

Chou was greatly alarmed: "The King didn't agree, did he? Where are you planning to move to? It can't be to the area around these two cities, can it?"

"Yeah, yeah? What's the situation?"

These Huaxia nobles lacked the composure they ought to have, acting exceptionally noisy and restless.

"The King did agree, but I can only move to a location near the Western Development Group. I don't know what the situation is there, nor do I know if it's good or bad. Moreover, I can only get one-third of the land. I paid a three-to-one price to exchange for the land of the Western Development Group. You all think about it yourselves—is this worth it? Besides, I've already given my word, and the King also said he could only give it to me at a three-to-one ratio. So, do you think that under such circumstances, even if I wanted to regret it, I had any possibility of refusing?"

"Even if the King had given me a four-to-one ratio at the time, I would have had no way to refuse, because this was something I proposed myself!"

When honest men like Zhu thought about it, it made sense. The matter of changing the fief was something you proposed yourself; just because you feel it isn't worth it, you don't want to change it anymore? The King has already placed the plan in front of you; if you don't change it, aren't you just playing with him?

So, looking at it this way, nobles like Zhu had already secretly dismissed the idea of wanting to change their fiefs in their hearts. They hadn't even thought that far ahead. For them, as long as they could develop their current, closest fiefs sooner, that was enough. As for those further away, which they hadn't even stepped foot on, there might even be other savages living there. What was the point of worrying about that now?

As for Sanxin's idea of changing his fief, they didn't understand it either. But since Sanxin said he wanted to move to the location of the Western Development Group, Zhu only felt that Sanxin wanted his fief to take advantage of the Western Development Group's benefits and be developed sooner. However, this three-to-one ratio was completely not worth it; it would be better to just leave it as it was. They wouldn't live to see the day of development, but their sons and grandsons would still be able to.

Leaving a larger fief for their descendants and family meant that no matter how many people they propagated in the future, they would be able to support them. Now, they still had to continue working hard to expand their fiefs further.

In any case, one couldn't exchange their fief for a smaller one just to get it developed sooner; that would be too irrational. Sanxin was just unlucky. If he could have exchanged it for an equal size, it would have been a good choice, but looking at it this way, it was better not to change.

However, people like Liangji who worked with their brains naturally knew what the situation was. Wasn't Sanxin eyeing the future of the Western Development Group? That place was right in the center of Huaxia, an important place connecting all directions, and it was almost certain to be the future capital.

Land in a remote place, no matter how large, didn't necessarily have high value. Just like now, their fiefs were vast, but usually, no one could even remember them.

But if it were next to the capital, given the current state of Huaxia City, the land value would definitely be ridiculously high by then. Moreover, development would be early. It was highly likely that a city or many towns would be built in those places. Just the housing land alone would be worth how much grain?

Thus, the few smart ones among them, while superficially echoing the words of Zhu and the others—saying that Sanxin was unlucky and the exchange wasn't worth it—were calculating in their hearts that they should find an opportunity today to go to Baifeng and change the location of their own fiefs as well. With Sanxin acting as the trailblazer, it would be much simpler for them to speak.

Sanxin listened to everyone's words, knowing that some were surely insincere. Sanxin knew exactly what everyone's level was; they weren't that stupid.

However, Sanxin didn't point it out. In any case, it wouldn't obviously affect his interests; in the end, it would just depend on who could offer better preferential policies to attract people.

Immediately, Sanxin said again: "Regarding this matter, we few cannot do it alone. We must bring along Geng, as well as the two children, the Changping Marquis and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Marquis. Otherwise, the King might not be happy. Just because they don't fight or scramble doesn't mean they should be worse off than us, understand?"

"Their fathers died early, and Chi and Wu were also our brothers. This bit of friendship must be honored. Explain it well to those two children; which of you will go handle it? I will draft the document here, and you all should also consider what policies you should use."

"Your own family members are also in various towns; you can start promoting it now."

Chou stood up voluntarily: "I will go tell them. The Traditional Chinese Medicine Marquis was, after all, my former leader; I will do this."

Yishang also said: "Then for that child Juxiang, I will go tell him. Juxiang is honest; I will help him handle it."

"Good, if there are no problems, then that's it. I, Sanxin, will get to work now. Everyone, please go rest. It's midday, and it's not yet time to start work, right? Don't be in such a rush that you haven't even eaten."

Yishang cupped his hands: "Then the diligent Prime Minister, please get busy. We will go rest. You are the capable one who does more work."

Regarding Yishang's teasing, Sanxin replied: "Forget it, what 'capable one who does more work'? This is the punishment I got for disturbing the King at midday and looking for trouble when there was none. If you want to go find the King, go now; I reckon the King is already taking a nap. See what kind of work you get assigned if you go."

Everyone waved their hands repeatedly: "Hey, that's impossible. How could we disturb the King's rest? We were planning to go before, but you snatched the lead. Otherwise, this bitter work might have been mine to do, hahahahaha!"

Someone else chimed in: "Whoever does it, it wouldn't be your turn anyway! You're trying to snatch our Prime Minister's job!"

"Forget it, Yishang. What about you? Didn't you ask Prince Yulong yesterday? Do you know now what it means for your fief to be developed ahead of schedule?"

Yishang smiled calmly: "It means I don't have to worry about such things like you all. I don't need to formulate any preferential policies myself; the population will naturally come to my fief to develop it for me."

"My fief is not only developed early, but there are also over ten thousand people! The two towns of Yongfeng and Yonggu don't even add up to ten thousand!"

"Hey, and besides, you people from the Ministry of Revenue still have to do this work for me. I don't have to manage anything myself, hahahahaha!"