Volume 1: Zhu Xian Town Crisis Chapter 93: Qin Hui's Scheme

  Qin Hui was good at observing facial expressions and guessed Zhao Gou's worries.

  His face showed a hint of a gloomy smile, and he continued: "Your Excellency, Yue Fei has been loudly proclaiming that the reason he strongly advocates for the northern expedition to Central Plains and recovering the rivers and mountains is to rescue the people under Jin rule. And this time, so many people from Central Plains came to Lin'an to petition, it's also because he disobeyed orders and stayed in Zhuxian Town without returning. Now, the number of people around the campsite of the rear guard army is increasing day by day, if we delay for a few more days, I'm afraid the number of people will increase by another fold. Therefore, Your Excellency's edict wants him to settle the people, and he probably won't dare to shirk it. Otherwise, taking credit for good deeds would be his job, while settling the people would be Your Excellency's task - is that not a convenient thing? If he insists on not accepting this task, then everyone can see Yue Fei's true face, compared to his usual words of loving the people like his own children, isn't it contradictory, hypocritical and evil?"

  Qin Hui's words deeply moved Zhao Gou, especially the sentence "He takes care of the good things that take fame, and the officials' family takes care of the bitter chores" which shocked him greatly.

  Thinking of the people still waiting at the palace gate, he was so angry that he thought to himself: Do they think I don't want to conquer the Central Plains and just love being stuck in a corner in the southeast? When it comes to fighting wars, money is needed everywhere. The more land you recover, the more people you need to resettle, and the more troops you need to station, officials to appoint, roads and cities to repair. This Yue Fei really doesn't know the value of rice, firewood, oil, and salt when he's not in charge.

  Upon thinking of this, Zhao Gou finally made up his mind and nodded: "I approve your proposal. As Chancellor Qin has said, let Yue Fei take charge of resettling the people... Please have Chancellor Qin draft the imperial edict, and give him three months to complete it by the end of November. Does anyone have any objections?"

  All the officials, upon hearing this, did not dare to have any differing opinions. They were afraid of speaking out in opposition and accidentally being assigned this difficult task. Therefore, they all spoke with one voice: "The official is wise!"

  "Since there is no dissent! Let's disperse the court!" Zhao Gou said and got up, followed by two eunuchs, walking towards the inner palace.

  "Farewell to Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor! Long live! Long long live!!" The officials all bowed and said in unison.

  However, at this time Qin Hui did not notice that behind him, not far away, the face of Xue Xuan, the newly appointed Minister of Revenue, showed a hint of unbearable expression.

  Yuelai Inn in Lin'an City.

  Wang Tong is playing Go with Zhang Zetong, Wang Tong plays black and starts with the star·small opening, while Zhang Zetong plays white with three consecutive stars in response. The two quickly engage in a fierce battle in the southeast corner of the board. Just as it seems that black is about to lose, Zhang Zetong suddenly picks up a piece and unexpectedly enters the middle abdomen area originally belonging to black, forcing Wang Tong to rescue. Although he tries to block from left to right, white still manages to make a big move in the middle abdomen, turning the originally advantageous situation into a disadvantageous one.

  Zhang Zhe Duan smiled slightly, stroking his long beard: "Young people are so impulsive, focusing only on the southeast corner, neglecting their own weakness in the middle abdomen, and I took advantage of it to instantly collapse."

  Wang Tong's face turned red with shame, and he lowered his head, saying: "Mr. Zhang is right to scold me, I was indeed a bit out of line!"

  Just then, a middle-aged scholar rushed in excitedly and shouted: "Mr. Zhang, Mr. Wang, an official has been sent by the government to the inn and said that a decision has been made regarding our petition!"

  "Oh? So soon?" Wang Tong and Zhang Zetian were both overjoyed when they heard this, as they had originally thought that they would have to wait until three days later for the results.

  At this time, an old eunuch with white eyebrows and beard, accompanied by four imperial guards, walked into the room of the two people, holding a yellow silk wrapped volume.

  The old eunuch came in and shouted in a loud, shrill voice: "Which one of you is Zhang Zetong?"

  Zhang Zhe rushed forward, his face excitedly saying: "I am he, dare to ask the official, is there any decision from the government?"

  The old eunuch glanced at Wang Tong, smiled slightly and said: "I just want to pass on a message from Mr. Zhang, the government has decided to appoint Yue Fei as the Anshi Envoy of Jingxiang, with the title of Taizi Taibao, fully responsible for the resettlement of the people in the Central Plains, and allocated a special fund from the treasury, as well as a batch of official grain, sent to Zhuxiantown and handed over to Yue Fei for disposal. I will also go to Zhuxiantown with you to announce the imperial edict to Yue Fei."

  "What a wise and brilliant ruler! The revival of the Great Song Dynasty is in sight!" Zhang Zetian was so moved that his eyes were filled with tears, and he knelt down to kowtow three times towards the direction of the imperial palace.

  Wang Tong was also surprised and delighted when he heard the news, but later felt that something was not quite right. How could the imperial court raise so much grain and money in such a short period of time? After arriving in Lin'an, he had specifically asked someone to inquire about the current financial situation of the imperial court.

  He hastily asked: "May I ask, sir, how much special funds and official grain are allocated to us ordinary people in the Central Plains by the imperial court?"

  After listening, he suddenly became serious and said: "These are court secrets, how can they be revealed to you casually? Even I don't know! I'm about to leave the city to go to the front line to proclaim the imperial edict. If you two have anything else to ask, you can use this token to directly ask Lord Qin." He then handed a silver-white jade token to Zhang Zhe.

  Wang Tong was about to ask again, but Zhang Zetian feared that he would speak out of turn and offend the eunuch, so after taking the jade token, he hastily made a warning gesture to him, telling him not to ask any more questions.

  Then, the eunuch Fang coldly snorted and walked out of the inn amidst Zhang Zetian's farewell words.

  After Taijian left, Zhang Zeduan blamed Wang Tong: "Wang Xianzhong, how can you speak to the imperial edict's eunuch like that? Don't you fear offending people?"

  Wang Tong said hastily, "Mr. Zhang, I think something is not quite right. The imperial court is currently financially strained, and even the internal expenses of the palace have been greatly reduced, which is almost common knowledge in Lin'an. Where did the government get such a large sum of money and official grain to support more than 200,000 people?"

  "This..." Zhang Zetong heard it and also felt that something was amiss, lightly stroking his three long whiskers, just as he was pondering, he heard Wang Tong loudly exclaim: "I've got a way!"

  "What's going on with Wang Xianzhong?" Zhang Zetian hastily asked.

  "Didn't that official just say he was going to Zhu Xian Town to deliver the imperial edict to General Yue? I think those grain and silver should be transported to Zhu Xian Town with him, right?" Wang Tong said.

  "That's very likely." Zhang Zetian nodded slightly after hearing this.

  "Then I'll go take a look now!" Wang Tong threw out a sentence and turned around to rush downstairs.

  "Wait for me, Wang Xian!" Zhang Zetian also felt uneasy and feared that Wang Tong would act impulsively, so he followed him as well.

  At the north gate of Lin'an City, about a thousand imperial guards were escorting one large cart after another out of the city. Although the carts were covered with white cloth, it could still be seen from the gaps that they were loaded with bags of grain.

  "One, two, three..." Wang Tong hid behind a vendor selling sugar gourds next to the city gate and quietly counted these large carts.

  "Wang Xian, have you figured it out yet?" Zhang Zetian also stood beside him and asked anxiously.

  "The number is clear, a total of 50 large carts loaded with grain, and another cart that seems to be carrying fewer things, but it's very heavy when moving, estimated to be the copper coin cart." Wang Tong's face changed slightly.

  "This large vehicle can only hold one hundred dan of grain, and these fifty vehicles, it's estimated that there are only five thousand dan of grain in total. A half-full vehicle loaded with copper coins would be worth no more than one million guan of copper coins. This amount of money and grain is just a drop in the bucket!" Zhang Zetian sighed.

  "This is terrible! With this little money and food, how can General Yue settle the people?" Wang Tong slapped his forehead and cried out in dismay.

  "Alas! It seems I still have to go and talk to Qin Xiang again, trying my best to get more money and grain!" Zhang Zetian also had a worried look on his face, clutching the white jade token tightly as he sighed.

  "Alright! I'll rush back now to inform Young Master Yue and General Yue, and have them make preparations early." Wang Tong said decisively: "Mr. Zhang, you just continue to stay here with the officials and try to persuade Qin Gong again, see if they can give in a bit more!"

  "Hmm! Alright! It seems that our petition team cannot disband for the time being." Zhang Zetian only then finally realized how great an effect Yue Yun's calling up those merchants had.

  These more than 200 people have been in Lin'an for so many days, eating and lodging, printing, speaking, distributing materials, making slogans, etc., spending a lot of money. If it were really like he originally thought, they would probably starve to death before reaching Lin'an.

  This young master is intelligent and brave, with extraordinary vision. In the next few decades, he will be a pillar of our great Song Dynasty! Zhang Zetian thought to himself with emotion.