Chapter 373: WAR MANIAC

Several bouts of spring breeze.

The air seemed to be permeated with a decadent fragrance.

The woman's back, smooth as silk, was something Liu Zheng could not keep his hands off.

The spring sun suddenly warmed.

A few soft whimpers.

A languid and satisfied Shen Manqing had a flash of happiness on her face; for a woman, being able to make a man obsessed was the happiest thing of all.

She giggled, feeling the sensation of the man's slight stubble as he nuzzled her, then suddenly looked up, her face flushing red, and she cried out, "Young Master, it is still daytime..."

Liu Zheng laughed heartily: "What if it is daytime? In the entire Shu Wang Mansion, who would dare criticize me, Liu Zheng?"

"Indulging in debauchery in broad daylight, you bad man!"

Shen Manqing did not care about all that; she gave a coquettish rebuke and hurriedly put on her clothes to get up.

Liu Zheng also chuckled.

People in this ancient era still took such matters very seriously. Daytime was daytime, and nighttime was nighttime. Although he did not care, he still had to consider Shen Manqing's reputation.

After all, Shen Manqing was currently the number one zither player in the world.

And...

Having had these few bouts of spring breeze, although he felt refreshed, he was also a bit worn out.

Shen Manqing helped Liu Zheng put on his clothes.

During this time, naturally, there was no lack of Liu Zheng's wandering hands and all sorts of fussing.

When both of them were dressed, Shen Manqing was once again blushing with unbearable shyness; in this state, how could she go out?

Bad man!

Fortunately.

Just at this moment, someone suddenly knocked on the door outside, sounding very urgent.

Liu Zheng's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly opened the door.

He saw Qin Zhangfeng, Pei Yanran, and the others had also heard the commotion and run over.

The person knocking was Lao Li, the head of the communications department for the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce in Shuzhou City.

"Young Master, a letter from Yintan City!"

Lao Li said.

Liu Zheng felt relieved; a letter from the teacher? Then there should not be a big problem. Who would have thought that Lao Li would follow up with: "Urgent."

Urgent?

The expressions of Liu Zheng and Qin Zhangfeng both changed.

Given Qingyang Shuo's personality, if it were a trivial matter, he certainly would not have sent an urgent letter.

Could it be...

That something has happened?

The group hurriedly entered the room.

Shen Manqing welcomed them in. The room still held that unspeakable scent, and her face flushed red again, especially after being looked at by Pei Yanran with a playful gaze; she was so embarrassed she could not even lift her head, and she hurriedly stumbled away to brew tea.

Liu Zheng tore open the letter and lowered his head to read it.

Upon reading it.

He smiled.

It turned out that during the time he, Qin Zhangfeng, Jiang Xuan, and the others had entered Shuzhou, the Western Regions had also experienced a century-defining change. Liu Zheng had actually heard about this matter before.

However...

He had not expected the progress to be so rapid.

The state of Qiuci was in great chaos. First, the ones stirring were the state of Jingjue, Wusun, and Gumo; of course, the one bearing the brunt of it was Loulan. Reguli, this Empress Dowager of Loulan, turned out to be a warmonger. After undergoing reforms, Loulan's national strength had greatly increased, and it had long been harboring wild ambitions toward Qiuci, which sat above its head.

With Qiuci in chaos, how could this be ignored?

Reguli immediately mustered troops and then notified Ling Chen—I am going to start.

Upon hearing this, Ling Chen realized this was a golden opportunity.

He immediately mustered troops with Xie Chan, and they marched majestically. Loulan and the Western Regions Protectorate combined their forces, totaling two hundred thousand, and headed toward Qiuci. At this time, the state of Jingjue, Wusun, and Gumo were in the midst of a fierce battle.

Suddenly, the great army arrived, and they immediately began a campaign of crushing destruction.

In less than three days...

Qiuci was taken.

Another three days, and Jingjue fell.

Four days later, Gumo was defeated.

The entire Western Regions began to tremble under the hooves of these two hundred thousand troops.

Only then did they begin to regret. It turned out that the Northern Western Regions was no longer the Northern Western Regions of the past. If they had still rallied around Xie Xuan, they might have been able to put up a fight against Loulan and the Western Regions Protectorate.

Once they began to pay lip service to Xie Xuan while harboring ulterior motives, they truly became a scattered mess of sand; as long as the other side wanted to harvest them, they could do so at any time.

The Western Regions Protectorate, just like that, together with Loulan, carved up the land of the Northern Western Regions.

The great names of Ling Chen and Xie Chan began to spread. Especially Xie Chan; as a woman, she had displayed exceptionally brilliant military command abilities during this campaign in the Northern Western Regions.

Added to that was Reguli.

For a time, the two women dividing the Western Regions became a topic of much discussion among the people.

"Are they that strong?"

Qin Zhangfeng was dumbfounded: "Haha, Young Master, isn't this a good thing? Why is the teacher..."

Liu Zheng put away the letter and said with a wry smile: "It is a good thing, but another problem has emerged. In less than a month, the military expenditures consumed by the Western Regions Protectorate have already caused a deficit in Yintan City."

"What?"

Qin Zhangfeng was startled.

Pei Yanran, standing nearby, also frowned slightly.

Shen Manqing, not understanding these matters, was therefore peacefully brewing tea on the side.

A deficit!

One must know, at this time, Yintan City was practically a money-making machine. Whether it was Refined Salt, Weaponry and Equipment, fine wine, Soap, Perfume, or the later Glider, these were all high-profit industries.

With the support of Yinzhou Coin, Yinzhou was wealthy; everyone in the world knew this.

For some time now, Liu Zheng had truly never been short of money.

But now...

He still had to admit that he had underestimated the consumption capacity of war.

Ever since the excavation of the Grand Canal began, this massive project required an expenditure of hundreds of thousands of taels of gleaming silver every single day. This was every day! With expenses popping up everywhere, money was naturally being spent everywhere. Although the progress was very fast, the speed at which money was being spent was also breathtaking.

If it were only the Grand Canal, the income of Yintan City could still barely support it.

But...

Who would have known that at this time, a madman like Ling Chen would appear!

A war maniac!

One month of fighting in the south and the north had consumed nearly ten million taels worth of grain, fodder, and military supplies from Yintan City...

Terrifying!

A madman!

He kept fighting while asking Yintan City for money; Qingyang Shuo really could not hold on any longer, which was why he sent a letter to Liu Zheng.

"Ah? This..."

Qin Zhangfeng looked completely bewildered.

Liu Zheng was also left between laughter and tears.

How was this to be handled?

This military expenditure was no small sum. Moving millions or tens of millions at a time was no longer something he could resolve by coming up with a small invention or a little bit of scientific research.

Nowadays.

The entire financial system of Yintan City had become a very large plate.

Liu Zheng had even established several departments for this purpose.

Qingyang Shuo's worry was not without reason. One must know that the Sui Dynasty of the past was dragged down and collapsed precisely because it disregarded the suffering of the people, excavated the Grand Canal, and launched three expeditions against Goguryeo.

The Yinzhou of today.

Was in almost the exact same situation.

On one side was the Grand Canal, and on the other was endless war.

Furthermore... compared to the Sui Dynasty, Yinzhou now had something very advanced in existence. That was Yinzhou Coin!

If this situation were to continue.

Once Yinzhou Coin collapsed, it would be world-shattering for Yinzhou.

How to balance it?

Liu Zheng's brows were tightly locked.

Who would have known.

Just at this moment.

A piece of earth-shattering news spread throughout the entire Longyan.

It also nearly drove Liu Zheng into a desperate situation.

From the Jiangzhou side.

The negotiations were completed.

Jia Shu, representing Liu Zheng, signed the treaty with Jiaozhi.

"Longyan shall pay an indemnity of fifty thousand gold and one hundred thousand slaves. In return, the Jiaozhi army shall withdraw from Jiangzhou effective immediately."

Once this treaty was released.

The entire Longyan was in chaos.