Chapter 690: A Massive Profit

New Aristocracy.

Northern Alliance Pact.

The unconditional defection of the Prince of Jin left everyone in utter shock.

No one had expected that Liu Zheng could take down this wealthy local tycoon, the Prince of Jin, so easily.

The Capital.

Shangshu Mansion of the Ministry of Personnel.

Zhu Zhen's face was once again a mass of gathered wrinkles.

The group of old men surrounding him had already erupted into a chaotic argument.

"Why did it turn out like this? Hasn't the Prince of Jin always avoided participating in the Bitter Remonstrance for the throne!"

"Preposterous!"

"We took such risks to plunder all that gold and silver, and ha, it turns out we were just being feinted by him!"

"This Vice Minister Liu..."

"What is to be done?"

"With the Prince of Jin helping, as for the gold, silver, and supplies..."

The group chattered away, hurling all sorts of insults.

They had actually been played by this Liu Zheng!

During this period, "thieves" had sprung up all over the country, plundering the gold, silver, and supplies Liu Zheng was transporting to the Liaodong region! They had assumed Liu Zheng would be overwhelmed, thereby affecting his Liaodong plan! They never expected that he simply didn't care at all!

Tens of millions of taels of silver, just given to you to play with!

In the blink of an eye, he had taken Jinzhou, the land of the dragon's rise, and twenty million gold!

Twenty million gold!

This was the strength of Jinzhou!

And...

Coal!

Xie Tianyao had opened the door of convenience for Vice Minister Liu in the imperial court again today; to promote the development of the Liaodong region, there would no longer be any restrictions on coal sales in Liaodong!

Several heavy-hitting pieces of news in succession dealt a heavy blow to the Scholar-Official Group.

The situation was now like this.

The Emperor was determined to support Liu Zheng's Liaodong plan.

The Crown Prince Xie Fang and the Scholar-Official Group were determined to obstruct the construction of the Liaodong Economic Special Zone.

Some wanted to open the country's gates.

Some wanted to keep them tightly shut.

However, the formation of this Northern Alliance Pact was somewhat headache-inducing. Past Jinzhou was Jizhou, and past Jizhou was Qingzhou. The Prince of Yan in Jizhou had always been the little brother of the Prince of Wei in Qingzhou. This was effectively equivalent to Liu Zheng opening up the entire northern region. Up from Qingzhou was Liaodong.

Almost the entire north of Longyan was following Liu Zheng.

Added to that were the lands of Hanzhong, Bashu, and the Southern Barbarian Lands.

The sphere of influence that Liu Zheng could now radiate was truly too vast.

Currently, the Scholar-Official Group still firmly controlled the wealthy lands of Jiangnan.

But, the crisis was already slowly closing in.

Because everyone knew.

If this Liaodong Economic Special Zone truly opened the country's gates, then the maritime trade in these southern coastal areas would certainly be severely affected.

By then.

All advantages would be gone.

The Scholar-Official Group was now facing a massive challenge from Liu Zheng.

"Enough, stop arguing!"

Zhu Zhen finally lost his patience and shouted.

The entire room fell silent as cicadas in winter.

"My Lord..."

"Teacher..."

The group was filled with worry.

Zhu Zhen waved his hand and stood up, leaning on his cane: "Our scholar-officials have continued for thousands of years; we are not so easily toppled... What is there to panic about? Remember, this is Longyan, it is Longyan! It is not the Great Unity world he, Vice Minister Liu, fantasizes about, and it is even less possible for there to be the equality for all that he fantasizes about!"

"Life has its ranks of three, six, and nine; it has been so since ancient times!"

"Remember!"

"As long as there is an Emperor, as long as there is an imperial dynasty! As long as there is an imperial family!"

"Vice Minister Liu's methods will not work in Longyan!"

"Remember, this is human nature!"

"This is human nature!"

Zhu Zhen roared the last part.

The group of people all fell silent.

Yes.

Human nature.

As long as one is human, there is no one who is not greedy.

As long as one is human, there is no one who is truly selfless. There is no one who does not like privilege, and no one who does not like being high above, controlling others!

"Does the teacher mean..."

Several people gasped at the same time.

Zhu Zhen's expression had already turned ferocious.

"Regardless of the Prince of Qin, the Prince of Wei, or the Prince of Jin and the Prince of Yan!"

"Don't look at how they are jumping around now; when the world truly falls into chaos, who will still care about a mere Vice Minister Liu?"

Everyone was shaken to the core.

"No matter what, this time the Imperial Jade Seal must not fall into the hands of Vice Minister Liu!"

"This is our bottom line!"

"Yes!"

Since ancient times, the struggle for imperial power has been extremely complex. Each Feudatory King has their own agenda. Frankly speaking, although Liu Zheng is a capable man, he still lacks much in terms of legitimacy. Therefore, the current Northern Alliance Pact looks like a serious matter, but it is all built on the condition that Xie Tianyao is still full of vigor. If Xie Tianyao were to pass away and the world were to fall into chaos, the Northern Alliance Pact would inevitably dissolve without being broken. This is certain.

In the eyes of the scholar-officials, it is even very likely that the current Liu Zheng is simply nursing a tiger that will eventually cause trouble.

After the sustainable development of Jinzhou, the territory is strong.

Jizhou and Qingzhou are the same.

Coupled with the rise of the Liaodong region.

This is equivalent to Liu Zheng burying many potential enemies for himself.

How will Liu Zheng resolve these hidden dangers in the future?

Others may not know.

Liu Zheng naturally has his own plans in mind.

The group set off again; this time, the Prince of Jin saw them off for dozens of miles with great fanfare.

"Hahahaha, if it weren't for the fact that there are still winter preparations to handle here in Jinzhou, Mandarin would certainly go to Liaodong with you! What a pity, what a pity!"

The Prince of Jin had obtained the production method for Liu Zheng's Coal Ball Stove and was overjoyed.

Liu Zheng and the others returned the gesture one after another.

"Master Liu, take care!"

"Liu Zheng will await the Prince of Jin in Liaodong at any time!"

After a month-long stay, the matters in Jinzhou were finally settled.

The Horse Carriage and the now-longer procession finally left Jinyang under everyone's gaze, continuing their journey toward the east.

Watching the long procession disappear from view, the Prince of Jin's expression slowly calmed down.

"Your Highness, this time, was it not too..."

Someone beside him spoke up.

The Prince of Jin sneered: "Too much money given away? You know nothing. This Liaodong Economic Special Zone is an imperative! This Vice Minister Liu really has some substance. You think we are sending charcoal in snowy weather? In reality, we are just adding flowers to the brocade!"

"Then, are we really planning to..."

The Prince of Jin said indifferently: "Weighing the pros and cons, judging the situation. Only then has our branch been able to continue for so many years. If the world does not fall into chaos, let this Northern Alliance Pact stand for now."

"Yes!"

"Hahahaha, satisfying, truly satisfying! To be able to get so much gold and silver from that old miser, the Prince of Jin, Vice Minister Liu is the first person ever!"

On the bumpy Horse Carriage, the Prince of Wei raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp.

The Prince of Yong, however, was slightly calmer: "If he hadn't seen the huge return on investment, how could that old miser have been willing? When this Coal Ball Stove came out, I knew it was a done deal."

The Prince of Wei also sighed: "That old fox is truly detestable."

Liu Zheng, however, smiled slightly.

What he had valued from the start was the coal in Jinzhou; as for making money, he had too many methods for that.

Regardless.

This time.

He traded the patent for the Coal Ball Stove for half of the permanent mining rights to the coal in Jinzhou.

It was a huge profit!

He was very much looking forward to it.

When his coal mining machinery from Yintan City was transported to Jinzhou and the coal was truly excavated.

That cunning Prince of Jin.

What kind of expression would he have?