Chapter 495: The Qin Wang Inside the Eye of a Coin

"Commoner, a commoner!"

"Shameless martial fellow, vulgar, vulgar!"

"The rites have collapsed and the music is ruined, the rites have collapsed and the music is ruined! Since ancient times, even the most tyrannical of tyrants never demanded money from you gentlemen. Qin Wang, you, you!"

"Have you fallen into the eye of a coin?!"

The noisy voices woke Nan Hanwen. This Master had been busy until late last night—under the efforts of Mohist mechanical arts and martial artists, the Fire Qilin Academy under construction had advanced rapidly, and part of it was already in use.

That trusted general of Qin Wang, General Fan Qing, had turned carrying timber into a trial for new recruits.

Those martial artists had strength greater than oxen, directly raising the construction speed of the new academy to another level, but this made things hard for Nan Hanwen, who was busy every day until night. He had lifted his head in a daze early this morning, his face showing a pained expression.

"Ah? What's going on?!"

"Mm? Grandfather, you haven't slept yet?"

His grandson said: "There's a commotion outside."

"A commotion? What about?"

Nan Hanwen threw a robe over his shoulders and walked out, looking over. He saw those refined-looking Masters with flushed faces, trembling with rage. His grandson answered: "I heard it's about His Majesty's capping ceremony. His Majesty said he wants a thousand gold."

"A thousand gold?"

Nan Hanwen was stunned, feeling this number was rather delicate.

One thousand gold was theoretically equivalent to ten thousand taels of silver.

But based on the exchange rate of gold for silver, a thousand gold could basically be exchanged for twelve thousand to thirteen thousand taels of silver.

Equivalent to thirteen thousand months at the Huichun Hall from His Majesty's youth.

Enough money for a lifetime.

He didn't know which master had come up with this amount—it was a sum these renowned scholars could produce, though it would pain them. But despite the pain, to be part of Qin Wang's capping ceremony, an event that could make their names immortal for posterity, they would all grit their teeth and pay up.

Nan Wenjie said: "Grandfather, won't you sleep a little more?"

Nan Hanwen, who had been quite weary before, was now radiant with energy, saying: "There's a fine show to watch—who'd sleep?"

Nan Hanwen had not been spared the condescension of these so-called great scholars and renowned masters. Now, watching these fellows with flushed faces, sleeves flapping like a rooster's feathers, raising their voices in shock and fury, he felt an indescribable satisfaction.

Sleep?

Ha, sleep? Sleep my ass!

Watch the show.

Though he was a serious, sorrowful old scholar who longed for peace in the world, he had a natural taste for entertainment, especially watching the show put on by these renowned masters who appeared to have nothing but the wind in their sleeves, yet could easily produce what common folk would save over a lifetime.

Nan Hanwen had his grandson bring a plate of fennel beans, set them out on the windowsill, warm a pot of yellow wine, and lean against the long breeze. It was a rare leisurely day—watching these people stamp their feet, popping a handful of beans into his mouth and taking a sip of wine.

He laughed heartily, but within the laughter was much bitterness.

Absurd, laughable, preposterous.

Such a world.

One could only drown it with fine wine.

In fact, what Nan Hanwen did not know was that a certain gifted, dignified His Highness the Qin Wang had originally planned to first put out a thousand gold, and then after a while, put out another offer—the first hundred for only nine-nine-eight.

The first ten for only eight-eight-eight.

He was forcibly stopped by Fang Ziqiao.

"Asking for money isn't shabby, but doing it like that would be shabby, junior brother."

The gentle and refined great talent of internal administration directly invoked Master Wang Tong, saying: "Since we're asking, then ask forcefully."

Qin Wang said: "Forcefully ask?"

Fang Ziqiao said mildly: "Yes. My lord sets the rules, and these many renowned scholars will adapt on their own. My lord's time studying under the teacher has been rather short, so allow your subject to temporarily stand in for the teacher and explain the sage's methods of the Confucian school for you."

"Not following rules, acting as one wishes, what I desire is to raise troops and punish—this is the Way of Hegemony."

"Setting down rules, in accordance with reason, and followed by the world—this is the Way of the King."

"If they do not obey the royal decree, raising troops to punish is propriety."

"Though punishing, yet not harming the innocent—this is benevolence."

"Chopping the bandit leader into mincemeat, steaming it into a meat broth in a pot, and distributing it for all under heaven to eat—this is propriety within the army. The ancient sage-kings did so, and it is righteousness."

"How could a solemn royal decree be changed from morning to evening?"

Li Guanyi pondered: "For the renowned scholars, I can ask for a lot, but I cannot lower the demand. Asking for a lot only makes one an absurd ruler, but frequently lowering demands would actually damage the royal dignity?"

Fang Ziqiao said: "Yes."

Li Guanyi said: "A thousand gold, no change?"

Fang Ziqiao said: "Cannot change. Changing would actually damage the royal dignity."

Li Guanyi said: "They'll pay?"

Fang Ziqiao said: "A thousand gold, and they'll pay it on their knees."

Li Guanyi said: "I ask them for a thousand gold, over ten thousand taels of silver per head, and they still have to kneel and thank me, then give me the money?"

Fang Ziqiao said: "This is the sage's teaching."

Li Guanyi finally had a sudden realization, saying: "So that's how it is. The sage's principles are so open and unhurried, so strong and powerful!" The two exchanged a glance. Li Guanyi couldn't help but laugh heartily, picked up a chess piece beside him, placed it casually, and said with a smile:

"In any case, I'll leave everything to you, senior brother."

"Your subject accepts the order."

Fang Ziqiao smiled, watching as Qin Wang finally gave up that notion, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If His Highness the Qin Wang had truly done such a thing, that would have been what damaged the royal dignity.

Just as he was thinking of calling Li Guanyi to continue the chess game,

his gaze swept over the board, and he discovered that his own path to survival in this game was already gone.

Qin Wang, while chatting idly, had already defeated him.

Fang Ziqiao gazed at the remnants on the board for a long time, and could not help but sigh. He did not know who had raised Qin Wang to adulthood—though he did not understand the sage's principles, his skills in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting had all reached an extraordinary level.

"Truly, a remarkable fellow."

At the very beginning, the great Confucian scholars and famous literati led by Qu Hanxiu were extremely indignant, strongly condemning, constantly writing brilliant essays to denounce Qin Wang for this kind of thing—where rites collapsed and music decayed.

Qin Wang's response was, in fact, no response at all.

His Highness Qin Wang was very busy, with no time at all to pay attention.

This cold indifference made the famous literati even more furious, but at the same time they also breathed a small sigh of relief, because although they appeared very angry on the surface, in reality they were still holding back, worried that if they spoke too harshly, His Highness Qin Wang would pursue the matter against them.

Planning to run off at the first sign of trouble.

Seeing that Qin Wang apparently didn't care, they grew all the more enthusiastic.

Writing brilliant essays, gathering many factions, making quite a grand display—these matters in the end had all been transmitted to the Red Emperor Ji Zichang in Zhongzhou. Ji Zichang was astonished upon hearing it, and now his one-and-a-half-year-old little princess was babbling and calling out "godfather."

Ji Zichang looked at his precious daughter, yet somehow couldn't help feeling that the reason this good brother of his had rolled up his sleeves and come up with this gift-money business was probably because he'd been stung by that earlier matter of his daughter's million taels of silver.

Then he went with the flow, drew inferences, and came up with one of his own.

"Just like you."

Ji Zichang had already grown a beard, looking much more composed. He gave a free and easy smile and said, neither lightly nor heavily: "Qin Wang does indeed love money."

"But he takes it the proper way."

Then he gave three thousand gold as gift money on behalf of himself, Noble Consort Wen, and the little princess.

Those famous literati and great Confucian scholars were momentarily struck dumb.

Even His Majesty the Red Emperor Ji Zichang has given money—yet you still won't?

What does that mean?

Is it that you look down on His Highness Qin Wang, or are you contradicting the Red Emperor Ji Zichang?

These two brothers, one hard and one soft, laying down blades one after another, left the many lords trapped in the middle—neither able to advance nor retreat—and in the end they obediently handed over the money.

So-called "those above set the example, those below follow," nothing more than this.

It's not about catering to the sovereign's preferences.

It's just—if even His Majesty is like this, yet you are not, do you have some objection toward His Majesty?

The idle mouths of the masses, Confucian scholars following the crowd, all becoming factions and cliques.

This was actually far more able to give them an indescribable sense of security than the thousand gold in wealth.

Over a hundred people paying in had already yielded more than a hundred thousand gold, exchanged for over a million taels of silver. But after Qu Hanxiu paid his money and strode in to look around, he discovered that ordinary commoners were also present.

The great Confucian scholar flew into a rage, sought out someone from Tiance Prefecture, and denounced:

"All say one must pay a thousand gold to enter—how is it that such mud-legged fellows are allowed in?"

The one he had grabbed was a mild-mannered, plainly-featured man, about thirty years old, who listened carefully to Qu Hanxiu's question and said: "You believe that great Confucian scholars and famous literati are different from ordinary commoners?"

Qu Hanxiu said: "Naturally so."

"We have studied hard in cold windows since childhood, entered our masters' schools, and lived our lives thus—nothing that does not conform to the sages' teachings, serving country and people. We paid a thousand gold of our family's wealth to enter, so naturally we must be different from these commoners."

The mild scholar praised: "Indeed, indeed."

Qu Hanxiu added: "All say: scholar, farmer, artisan, merchant—the scholar stands highest. We have studied bitterly all our lives, manifested the Way of the sages, our fame moves through the four directions, our writing's splendor can be passed down to later ages—how could ordinary commoners compare?"

The scholar praised and clapped his hands, utterly in agreement, saying: "Ah, yes, yes, yes!"

"What you've said is absolutely right!"

"This junior expresses his deep agreement."

Then his tone shifted: "Precisely for that reason, we charge you gentlemen a thousand gold as payment."

Qu Hanxiu faltered. The scholar smiled sincerely: "If you don't pay this money, don't offer a thousand gold as payment, how can it manifest that you great Confucian scholars have lived lives of austere poverty? If you don't pay this money, how can it reveal that you famous literati are different from mud-legged fellows?"

"Like delicacies and abalone—they naturally command a high price."

"Isn't that so?"

This man's words were sharp-edged, and Qu Hanxiu could say nothing for the moment. They debated for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, yet Qu Hanxiu was no match. Later he learned it was Wen He of the Academy.

The world all praises that Wen He's words are quick-witted—a famous literatus of the present age.

Unlike Yan Daiqing of the Western Regions.

There are also unofficial histories that say: if Wen He follows the orthodox path, he is the quick-witted Academy's Wen Qingyu; if he turns to stratagem, he is the legendary schemer of the Western Regions, Yan Daiqing.

Famous literati through the ages, upon reading this passage, merely laughed it off and did not believe it.

Ridiculous—how could the quick-witted, warm and amiable Wen Qingyu possibly be the Yan Daiqing who burned a city and plotted the Western Regions?

After all this silver was collected, there were still some additional gains.

Some famous literati and great Confucian scholars in foreign lands had also sent visiting cards. When Yan Daiqing sorted them out, this gentle and refined gentleman fell silent for a long time, his face bearing a feeling hard to put into words—sorrow, indignation, helplessness, and joy, all at once.

His Highness Qin Wang was puzzled and asked: "Daiqing, what's wrong?"

"Could it be that the gold and silver collected aren't enough?"

Yan Daiqing said: "It's not that it's not enough."

"My lord, guess how much gold and silver gift money we collected?"

Li Guanyi said: "Should be around a hundred and eighty thousand gold. Converted, even at just ten to one, that should be one million eight hundred thousand taels of silver."

The Qin Wang who had wielded strategies across the battlefield was clacking away on his mental abacus. Though this sum wasn't yet enough to influence the changes of the realm, it could once more relieve the pressing urgency and fill many deficits.

Yan Daiqing took a deep breath and said: "Wrong."

"Wrong?"

"Mm."

Yan Daiqing said: "It's eighteen million three hundred thousand taels of silver."

His Highness Qin Wang, who had been casually taking a fruit from in front of Yan Daiqing and stuffing it into his mouth, froze at the words. He bit the fruit clean through, crunched it down in two or three bites and swallowed, then suddenly leaned forward, pressed both hands on the table, and raised his voice: "How much?!!"

Yan Daiqing said: "Besides this, there are also many jade objects and gold and silver."

"It seems they learned that my lord often casts tripods, so many famous ancient ritual vessels and chime-bells were sent as well. Their total value converted to gold and silver probably approaches thirty million taels of silver…"

Li Guanyi murmured: "Thirty million taels…"

"Enough gold and silver to support thirty million households for a month."

"Just these two simple sentences, and I got it?"

When he was young, he had to rise early and stay up late for a whole month, exerting every ounce of effort to earn a single tael of silver, but now he had obtained so much with ease, yet in his heart he only felt it absurd. He sighed and said: "Why is there so much? Give me the invitation card."

Master Yan Daiqing went to fetch the visiting card and saw gifts sent by notable figures from other regions; even within Chen and Ying, much gold had been sent — even if they were not present, they at least wished to gain goodwill.

But Li Guanyi saw a name.

First came an ancient fu, written in a plain, robust style with soaring literary flair, praising Qin Wang to a level unmatched in heaven, unparalleled on earth, and only then expressing that although he himself was in another country, he truly felt regret regarding the matter of Tai Ping Gong.

Back then he had wanted to help, but unfortunately at that time he had been demoted to an outlying post for the sake of his reputation, and was unable to assist; the remorse in his heart lasted until today, and he still often thought of this ancient gentleman and famed general, sighing endlessly.

Fortunately Tai Ping Gong still had a child like Qin Wang, who had already far surpassed his father; as a friend, only then did his heart find some measure of comfort.

He knew that Li Guanyi now had a strategy to pacify the realm.

Although he was in an enemy state, his heart still longed to help.

The signature was—

Chen State's Right Chancellor, Feng Yuning.

Presenting silver, five million taels.

Li Guanyi looked at this name and said to himself: "Feng Yuning…"

He sighed and said to Master Yan Daiqing: "In these chaotic times, within these words, truth and falsehood mingle, both real and false, hard to distinguish. If it weren't for Mr. Nan Hanwen's words, I might have been taken in by such talk."

"Five million taels of silver — truly a grand gesture!"

Qin Wang slapped the letter down on the table with the back of his hand, the corner of his brow twitching: "He's using our money!"

"To fool us?!"

"No — does he really think we're easy to deceive just because we're young?"

Taking my money to bribe me, and in the end I still have to owe him a favor?

This is what they call a notable scholar, this is what they call a great Confucian.

The Prince of Qin nearly laughed out of sheer anger.

Damn it.

My money!

Li Guanyi read this fu and praised: "Fine literary talent!"

Then with a casual flick, a wisp of Fire Qilin flame rose from the tail end of the letter, and in an instant burned this poem-fu, laden with goodwill and the meaning of a pledge of allegiance, to ashes.

Li Guanyi said: "Right Chancellor Feng Yuning — pass this name to Mr. Wen Qingyu."

"Give him special attention."

Master Yan Daiqing said: "Yes."

Li Guanyi went through the visiting cards one by one, and in the end discovered that those like Qu Hanxiu, who lived in their own world and offered only a thousand taels of gold as a gift, were actually the cleanest of the lot.

All in all — Chen, Ying, civil officials, military officials, great families.

All were expressing their goodwill to Li Guanyi, all were showing deference to Qin Wang; between the lines they all seemed to be saying that if Qin Wang were to prevail, they would be willing to assist him and so on, knowing that Your Majesty currently lacked gold and silver, this modest gift hardly expressed their respect.

In chaotic times, beneath the state, all things fall apart.

Each had their own choice, each had their own desires and greed; within this simple stack of letters and visiting cards, all of it was already laid bare in vivid detail.

Li Guanyi could not help but sigh: "Such a realm — yet it is like a hollow gnawed clean by borers."

Master Yan Daiqing said: "My lord, the people sent by Feng Yuning and others to deliver the gift money are mostly their own trusted confidants and clan members; among them are the daughter of a clansman whom Feng Yuning has taken as an adopted daughter, the nephew of General Zhenwei, and others — they have all come."

Li Guanyi raised an eyebrow: "Great families?"

Master Yan Daiqing said: "Yes."

Li Guanyi said: "I have long known that although members of the great families serve as officials in some state or some dynasty, they do not truly trap themselves within that single state, but rather place bets on many sides. Today I have seen it for myself."

Master Yan Daiqing said: "My lord, how should we deal with them?"

"Should we send them back, or…"

Li Guanyi said calmly: "There is no need. If we send them back immediately, it will inevitably alarm those who intended to place their bets. Keep them steady — although there will be a reckoning later, for now we still have to eat this meat."

"As for those members of the great families who were sent here."

Li Guanyi thought for a moment and said: "No need to arrange them to come to me."

Master Yan Daiqing said: "Oh — are they to be given to Wen Qingyu?"

The corner of Li Guanyi's mouth twitched: "They haven't quite sunk to that level of guilt."

"They are young, not yet thoroughly poisoned by the great families' lingering taint. Hand them to General Fan Qing — I believe the young men's flames have not been completely extinguished; General Fan Qing may be able to awaken their hearts."

When Tiance Prefecture reorganizes outsiders, the first pass is Master Yan Daiqing, the second pass is General Fan Qing; if these gentlemen cannot pass either, the final round goes to Mr. Wen Qingyu.

Master Yan Daiqing said: "Yes."

Li Guanyi said: "As for this gold and silver, heh…" He rose, looked outside, and said: "Raise the daily food standard for children under thirteen by ten wen; keep taxes at the baseline, do not increase them."

"Winter is here — ensure the basic food supplies."

"Mm — things like cow and sheep milk, eggs, distribute them by household and by person."

The Prince of Qin picked up the card representing ten million taels of silver, and with a casual toss scattered it; the visiting cards fluttered down like winter snow, sleeves rolling, the young sovereign said: "Take from the people, use for the people."

"They took from the people; we shall repay it on their behalf."

"These gentlemen and great Confucians, between heaven and earth, count for — nothing more to ask."

Master Yan Daiqing's expression softened, and he bowed, saying:

"Yes."

Those visiting cards fluttered down like falling snow; part of these ten million taels of silver was used for military expenses, part became reserve stores of gold and silver, and another part improved the people's livelihood and education. Mr. Yan Daiqing did not immediately use the gold and silver as subsidies.

Instead, he treated this sum of gold and silver as flowing capital, stimulating commercial circulation throughout the entire realm of Qin Wang — hiring merchant caravans to transport dried beef and mutton, wool, and the like from the northwest to the south, and in turn sending books, vegetables, and the like from the south to the north.

While stimulating the entire economy, it raises the living standards of the common people.

Rather than simply giving them money.

The New Year festival had already passed, and the conflicts in Xiyicheng were temporarily in a state of vague, indistinct calm. But though the surface was tranquil, both Chen and Ying were amassing military forces in this region, and the kingdom's taxes had been raised once again.

Beneath that surface calm, the feeling of a volcano about to erupt was extremely clear; within the stillness, there was a faint sense of unease.

In Jiangnan, snow had fallen again. The officials from various places had begun discussing, one or two months prior, how to hold Qin Wang's coming-of-age ceremony. On this day, outside this place, an old man came hurrying along. He looked very plain and simple, yet carried a very large bundle on his back.

His clothes were tattered, his shoes somewhat damaged. He held a dry biscuit in his hand, his eyes bright and glistening. He ate the biscuit in two or three bites, then looked at the place where the high officials and nobles came and went for the ceremony, and mustered his courage to walk up.

"Excuse me, young man?"

The old man spoke, addressing a young man of about twenty nearby, who wore a plain set of clothes and was looking up at the sky. The latter turned his head and smiled: "Ah, old uncle, what can I do for you?"

"Young man, is this the place for His Highness Qin Wang's coming-of-age ceremony?"

The young man raised an eyebrow, looked at the old man, and said: "Yes, old uncle, you are…"

The old man scratched his head, a little awkward, and said: "This old man is from Youguo Village, more than seven hundred li from here. The folks back home heard that His Highness Qin Wang is coming of age, so they pooled money and sent this old man to come take a look. We've been living well these past few years, and felt we had to come here to have a peek."

He rubbed his pair of large hands together, looked at the plaque, looked at the people coming and going, and said: "What do those characters say?"

"I heard it's a gift of money? We pooled what we could, don't know if it's enough."

The young man looked at the bundle the old man was carrying and said: "How much did you pool?"

The old man grinned, took the bundle off, weighed it in his hand — it was heavy, clinking as it shifted — and opened it to look. Inside were all copper coins. A light shone in the old man's eyes as he said:

"Every family of ours chipped in a bit. We're country folk — at weddings we give a few copper coins. This is what we pooled, just coming to take a look is enough."

"Don't know if it's enough here, the city must be different from us…"

The old man heard the snickers coming from the passing officials, and seemed to realize that what he had given was perhaps not enough. His face flushed a little red. He stood somewhat awkwardly holding the bundle, on the streets of the great Ducheng, not quite knowing what to do with himself.

"If, if it's not enough, we'll pool some more, pool some more."

"No, it's enough."

The young man's expression was calm as he looked at the bundle, and he said with a light smile: "It's more than enough." He reached out, took up a single copper coin from inside the bundle, and placed it in his palm — a copper coin, round outside and square within. The young man's five fingers closed around it:

"Your courtesy, I have indeed received."

"What a heavy gift."

After the old man came back to his senses, within his stunned, incredulous gaze, the young man revealed a gentle, brilliant smile, and said earnestly:

"Thank you."

?? Begging for monthly tickets, friends~