Chapter 786

First Volume, Chapter 786: Qin Feng's Assets

Liu Ming's gaze was filled with utter contempt: "This paltry sum? You dare ask for it? Get out, or I'll cut you down right here!"

Faced with Liu Ming's sudden outburst, the advisor trembled all over, for everyone around Qin Feng was a merciless killer.

He quickly defended himself: "Previously, Marquis Qin demanded relocation fees, and my city lord gave only ten thousand liang of silver—Marquis Qin gladly accepted."

"Now, we've offered twenty thousand liang, yet why has this provoked his wrath?"

"I humbly beg your explanation, sir."

Liu Ming snorted lightly: "How could these be the same?"

"That previous ten thousand liang was Marquis Qin's gift to our soldiers—after meals and drinks, the rest was distributed as hardship pay."

"We can endure hunger, we can bear hardship, but we will die defending Marquis Qin's reputation!"

"Go back and tell Zhao Huansu: if you want to buy peace with money, first weigh the value of Marquis Qin's reputation!"

The city lord's advisor dared not hesitate a moment—he scrambled away on hands and knees.

After learning of this incident, Zhao Huansu was filled with rage.

He never imagined that everyone around Qin Feng was so brazen—even a mere guard dared to act so arrogantly!

But upon reflection, Zhao Huansu's anger drained away; as the saying goes, a weak soldier makes one weak, a weak general makes a whole nest weak.

Why were those Liang Kingdom soldiers so brazen? Precisely because… their Main General, Qin Feng, was even more brazen than they were.

To confront him by force was unthinkable.

Zhao Huansu could only compromise: "Go back and tell that man—I'm willing to pay five ten thousand liang of silver for this good name. More than that, the deal is off."

"After all, the money in Yucheng isn't blown here by the wind."

The advisor dared not relay that message—he wore a gloomy face and urgently warned: "Master, if it's only five ten thousand liang, there's no point even going back. That guard named Liu won't accept it—he'll kill me."

Zhao Huansu frowned impatiently, thinking the advisor useless, yet had no way to deal with Qin Feng, so he asked: "Then how much would be appropriate?"

After much hesitation, the advisor finally spoke: "It would likely need to be… at least ten thousand liang of silver."

What?!

Ten thousand liang!

Hearing this price, Zhao Huansu flew into a rage—he wasn't unable to pay ten thousand liang, he simply refused to spend so much on an empty reputation.

The advisor wiped sweat from his brow and whispered: "If it's less than ten thousand liang, Qin Feng probably won't even notice."

"The strength of Tianji Camp and Beixi County is no longer a secret."

"Tianji Camp is known as the top Gongfang of Liang Kingdom, and Liang's commercial power is sufficient to dominate neighboring states—even our great Di cannot match it."

"If Tianji Camp is the best in Liang, then it is the best in Heaven."

"Conservatively estimated, Tianji Camp's total assets likely exceed ten million liang of silver—not counting unrecorded circulating silver."

"And Beixi County—a mere county—has expanded repeatedly, its population now exceeding three hundred thousand. Remember, Yucheng itself has only three hundred thousand people."

"His county has roughly the same population as our city, yet even Liang's thirty-six wealthiest counties pale beside Beixi County."

"This year, Yucheng's total tax revenue is roughly one million liang of silver."

"Yet Beixi County's is… three million liang of silver."

Hearing these figures, Zhao Huansu was stunned into silence.

Yucheng, as the First Elegant City of Bei Di, gathered scholars and poets—it was unquestionably wealthy, and even across all of Bei Di, it ranked among the top ten.

Yet Beixi County's total fiscal income was three times that of Yucheng!

In other words, the average income of Beixi County's people was also three times that of Yucheng's.

Moreover, Beixi County's system was unique in Heaven—its tax rate was extremely low, with only two taxes: land tax and grain tax.

Land tax was based on actual land use—including houses and farmland—a typical three-person household paid at most three to five hundred wen per year.

Grain tax was even lower: those who didn't farm paid nothing; those who did paid only two-tenths of their harvest.

The total tax collected from Beixi County's people in a year was less than twenty thousand liang of silver.

Yet the average personal income of its people reached a staggering ten taels of silver!

And this ten taels was an average—some hardworking, capable people earned as much as fifteen taels per year, enough to outearn most private school teachers.

Beixi County had become entirely middle class.

Zhao Huansu felt a chill run down his back—how little time had passed, yet Qin Feng had already turned Beixi County into such a terrifying force.

Hidden wealth among the people—who knew how much silver the people of Beixi County actually held?

Should war come, Qin Feng need only slightly raise taxes to fund an entire campaign.

This was only the people's side—the bulk of Beixi County's fiscal income came from commercial taxes.

Of the three million liang total income, two million eight hundred thousand liang came from commerce, making it the overwhelming tax source.

According to the advisor, Beixi County's commerce was extremely developed.

Anyone could engage in trade; as long as they opened a shop and obtained a "Commercial License" from the Yamen, they were protected by Beixi County's laws—even a street vendor selling tofu dared not be harassed.

Coupled with Beixi County's people being extraordinarily wealthy and possessing insane purchasing power, even with high commercial taxes, its business atmosphere remained wildly vibrant.

Not only locals, but merchants from all over Liang Kingdom flocked to Beixi County to open shops.

This virtuous cycle made Beixi County's development speed truly breakneck.

Under Beixi County's influence, surrounding counties in the Liang Kingdom North Border also began to develop.

And Qin Feng, as Tianlu Marquis and Lord of the Northern Border, was dripping with wealth—how could he care about mere tens of thousands of liang?

But…

If he truly didn't care, why had he eagerly accepted that one ten thousand liang before?

Zhao Huansu was baffled: "This Qin Feng is utterly inscrutable."

The advisor smiled bitterly: "Actually, it's easy to understand. According to that guard named Liu, Qin Feng appears to have separated his personal finances from those of Beixi County and the Northern Border."

The financial tax revenue of the Northern Border is specifically used to develop the Northern Border; it is not the same as Qin Feng's personal pocket.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huansu became even more confused—he, as the City Lord, had full control over all the money in Yucheng.

The money of Yucheng was his, Zhao Huansu's own money; otherwise, what was the point of being City Lord?

Qin Feng, on the other hand, impoverishes himself while enriching the people—does he really think of himself as a great benefactor? Ridiculous!