When Xiao Yan mentioned Gu Helian, his envy was genuine.
Zuozhou’s prime location made the Gu family’s business span across nations. Gu Helian, that filthy-rich dog, wore clothes and a crown that could sustain half the Xiao household’s servants. But alas…
He glanced at Tangning beside him, thinking of the aunt’s tea he’d soon offer, and couldn’t help but sigh deeply with regret.
This sheep could only be partnered with, not fleeced.
Turning to Cao Dejiang, Xiao Yan said, “A few days ago, Minister Qian showed me the treasury’s silver reserves. There’s so little there, it’d barely suffice to fight a minor lord like Pingshan. The Ministry of War is in worse shape. In the late years of the previous emperor, due to Emperor Taizu’s policies, civil officials were favored over martial ones, and it’s only worsened under Emperor An. Then there’s Xi Weifang.”
“The martial generals loyal to Taizu’s line have been demoted or confined to the capital. Most of the regional commanders have likely never seen blood. They’re quick to collect salaries and demand military supplies, but in a real war, they probably couldn’t even lift a blade.”
The regional troops were weary and weak. To wage war, the military needed an overhaul, but that wasn’t something done with mere words.
Capable generals were part of it, but the loyalty and bravery of ordinary soldiers on the battlefield were paramount. You couldn’t just paint grand promises to keep them fighting.
Then there was the border. Di Shuangcheng had told him the court had been withholding provisions and supplies from the Zhenan Army for some time.
When the northwest was relatively stable, Di Shuangcheng could lead his men to reclaim military fields, farming in their downtime to supplement supplies, barely keeping the army fed.
But once war broke out, the provisions for nearly two hundred thousand men for just half a month could drain Great Wei’s treasury.
Then there were soldiers’ salaries, compensation for casualties, weapons, warhorses…
If he didn’t demand a fortune and bleed the clans dry, how could he fill the treasury’s void and ensure Great Wei could face Beiling’s invasion within half a year?
Xiao Yan sighed deeply. “I’m dirt poor, so I have to wrong them a bit. I’m sure Grand Preceptor Liang will understand.”
Cao Dejiang: “…”
If you sounded more sincere, I might believe you.
Tangning, sitting nearby, hid a smile. “With eight hundred thousand gold, we can support military reforms and next year’s war, letting the Ministries of War and Revenue prepare in advance.”
“Once next year’s grain and tax revenues come in, plus the substantial wealth from the southern crackdown and confiscations, Uncle Qian’s hair might just be saved.”
Ever since Qian Baokun learned Xiao Yan’s identity and the looming war, he’d been frantic, scratching his head and scurrying about in worry.
He’d overhauled the Ministry of Revenue, audited accounts, and scraped the treasury so bare even a rat would leave empty-handed. But the meager funds had him on the verge of baldness from stress.
Cao Dejiang, recalling Qian Baokun’s increasingly dark circles, couldn’t help but chuckle. “You lot just keep bullying the honest ones. But you were right to yield on the book collections. Those are the clans’ lifeblood. If you’d insisted on taking them, Liang Guangyi would’ve fought you to the death.”
“Yield?” Xiao Yan’s smile was enigmatic. “I didn’t yield.”
Cao Dejiang blinked. “Didn’t you? You settled for thirty percent…”
“I asked for thirty percent because, after filling Rongsheng Academy’s library with the Lu family’s collection, there’s only enough space for thirty percent of each clan’s books. Even then, we’ll likely need to use some empty rooms at Shengning Residence. More than that, there’d be nowhere to store them, and preservation would be an issue.”
“Even if I wanted more, we’d need to expand the library first. For now, letting Tangning and her sister visit their collections will do. The library expansion will take months, maybe half a year. By then, we’ll have at least half their collections, if not all.”
Xiao Yan’s words stunned Cao Dejiang. Something occurred to him, and he nearly leapt from his seat, blurting, “You’re not planning to have them steal…”
“Steal? How could scholars’ affairs be called stealing?”
Xiao Yan said earnestly, “This is about benefiting the world.”
“You, you, you…”
Even with Cao Dejiang’s experience, he was shocked speechless.
Tangning, seeing the old man’s wide-eyed astonishment at Xiao Yan, couldn’t help but laugh. She tapped Xiao Yan. “Brother, why tease Lord Cao?”
Turning to Cao Dejiang, she said, “The clans’ libraries are surely guarded. If I truly stole, and they caught me, Rongsheng Academy’s reputation would be ruined. Brother’s just teasing you.”
“What he means is, Liang Guangyi agreed to let me and my sister, Ru, freely view the books in their residences. Though they won’t allow others, as studious sisters eager to delve into scholarship, if we wish to copy key passages for study, they wouldn’t object too much, would they?”
Cao Dejiang opened his mouth. “But how much could you two copy? They’d never let you take entire books…”
“Ru has a photographic memory.”
Cao Dejiang: “???”
“For the Lu family’s collection, not delving into meaning but merely memorizing text, Ru can go through over ten complex books in two hours, or twenty to thirty simpler ones in a morning. I’m not as good, but I can manage two or three. If we jot down difficult parts, five books isn’t hard.”
Cao Dejiang: “!!!”
Tangning’s smile was sweet, her crescent-shaped eyes gentle. “Ru and I only need to transcribe key parts of some books. For the rest, we’ll memorize them and recite them at the academy. I’m sure Dean Shi and Master Tong would be happy to help us fill in the gaps.”
“Spending three to five hours a day, selecting only useful books, by the time the library is expanded, we should have plenty. Besides, Grand Preceptor Liang didn’t specify how long we can visit.”
“With free access to their libraries, if half a year isn’t enough, we’ll take a year. If a year isn’t enough, three to five. We’ll empty them out eventually.”
She wanted Rongsheng Academy’s library to brim with texts, encompassing the world’s useful knowledge, teaching students what they needed without bowing to the clans. She didn’t need rare originals, just copies.
Copied books are still books.
Cao Dejiang, listening to the young lady, went from shock to disbelief, then realization, and finally looked at the pair with exasperation.
“You’re clearly setting a trap for Liang Guangyi.”
He’d even thought Xiao Yan’s care extended to Tangning’s sister, securing her access to the clans’ libraries out of affection. Turns out, they were lying in wait.
This was like opening a granary to a bottomless rat.
Xiao Yan protested, “What trap? Don’t talk nonsense, sir. This is what Grand Preceptor Liang begged for.”
“I only wanted half their collections, but he insisted on crying and throwing a fit to give us everything. When he threatened to fall out with me, with my thin face, how could I refuse?”
Cao Dejiang: “…”
Shut up!
Thank you!
My ears hurt.============
You can read ahead to chapterr 770 (100+ extra chapters) here
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