[Fantasy] The Song of the Six Dynasties (Complete) - 11

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Chapter Three:

The Song Emperor's roar echoed through the hall for a long time. Cheng Zongyang was dumbfounded: "Yue Fei, you're really creative! Twelve gold medals can actually be used like this?

I get it, you're specifically seeking revenge for Yue Fei, aren't you? Yue Fei was unjustly killed in his previous life, and now you want to make this Emperor of Song die unjustly!

Old Yue, you're ruthless! The Song Emperor was just a child back then, and you extorted him like this? Over two thousand seven hundred catties of gold, you couldn't even use it all up in a golden coffin. Being so arrogant, no wonder you got struck by lightning!

Oh... I only found out today that you were actually struck by lightning—no wonder Boss Meng and the others wouldn't tell, it turns out you were struck by lightning by God. You can even encounter such a stupid thing, no wonder you're a 'birdman'. Speaking of which, your luck is really bad, otherwise why didn't God strike me?"

Cheng Zongyang was inwardly grumbling when he suddenly thought of his and Duan Qiang's experiences; he'd been struck by lightning before, so he decided not to make fun of him. But the idea of Yue, the bird-like man, being struck by lightning seemed rather strange.

The Song Emperor was clearly furious, only realizing his outburst after his outburst.

Composing himself to lessen the impact of his earlier words, the Emperor softened his tone and said gently, "That palace might not be worth a million gold coins, let alone 1.6 million—even if I possess the entire empire, I know that's no small sum. How can a mere merchant like you possibly come up with that?"

Cheng Zongyang passionately replied, "As a guest minister of the Great Song, it is my duty to serve the country and alleviate the Emperor's worries!"

The Emperor was not moved by his passionate words; he still couldn't let go of his resentment towards paper money.

"Using paper money to replace gold is outrageous. What if merchants refuse to accept it?"

Emperor Song said worriedly. "It's one thing if paper money can't be implemented, but if it damages the dignity of the court, it's not just a matter of a few million gold coins."

This Emperor Song was not a foolish person, nor was he a bad person. Was he Emperor Renzong or Emperor Xiaozong?

Cheng Zongyang muttered to himself, then said aloud, "I plan to acquire a grain shop in Lin'an. When the Ministry of Revenue officials summon merchants to purchase grain with paper money, I will instruct my shop to accept it first, setting an example. If this can inspire the patriotism of Song merchants to accept paper money and share the burden of the nation, that would be ideal. If not, it will at least allow the currency to be withdrawn, preventing any unrest."

Cheng Zongyang smiled wryly, "This is merely a merchant's little trick; I dare not offend Your Majesty, but only to ease Your Majesty's worries."

The Song Emperor said, "So, if paper money is difficult to implement, then your family will take over all of it?"

Cheng Zongyang replied, "It will certainly not harm the court's reputation."

The Song Emperor remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "I only realized today that my Song has a merchant as wealthy as your family, whose wealth rivals that of a nation."

Cheng Zongyang inwardly cursed: He had been putting on a show of wealth beyond his means, even surpassing the Song Emperor's prestige. What if this Song Emperor was Zhu Yuanzhang? Wouldn't he become like Shen Wansan?

"Your Majesty," Cheng Zongyang replied, "I am but a native of Panjiang. In terms of wealth, the rich in Song are countless, while my assets are only of average. However, I have some experience in managing funds, which is why I dared to use two parts of capital to manage ten parts of paper money. I am aware of the risks involved, but the rich in Song do not consider this, while our Great Song is in dire need. For the sake of the country, I would not hesitate to give up my entire fortune."

The Song Emperor sighed, "If everyone were like Minister Cheng, how could our Great Song not prosper! What troubles you, Minister Cheng? Please speak freely."

Cheng Zongyang breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "I dare not disturb Your Majesty, but these paper currencies are for the use of the government. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission that these paper currencies be used to pay taxes."

"That's only right!"

the Song emperor readily agreed, then added, "I heard from Prime Minister Jia that all paper money is printed by your family's money shop and handed over to the Ministry of Revenue for use—this is rather inappropriate."

Cheng Zongyang felt a slight chill in his heart, but dared not show it on his face, and respectfully said, "Please enlighten me, Your Majesty."

"Since these banknotes can be used to pay taxes, they are legal tender recognized by the Great Song Dynasty,"

the Song Emperor said slowly. "This Cheng Family Bank is a semi-official, semi-commercial entity. The banknotes it prints must be used by the government and cannot be issued privately. If you intend to print banknotes for the public, the court will not stop you, but they must not be used in the name of the Cheng Family Bank, and they must not be used to pay taxes."

As Cheng Zongyang's heart pounded with fear, he heard the Song Emperor say, "As for the official banknotes issued by the Cheng Family Bank, I have already issued an edict ordering the Ministry of Revenue to affix its seal on the back. From now on, official banknotes must be jointly supervised by the Cheng Family Bank and the Ministry of Revenue, and the annual issuance amount must be reported for my review."

Cheng Zongyang sighed inwardly: This Song Emperor was much more conscientious than Jia Shixian; a single edict had thwarted his idea of taking advantage of the situation.

The Song Emperor said, "Rest assured, my lord, with me and Grand Tutor Jia here, the court will never do anything short-sighted."

"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!"

"Anything else?"

Cheng Zongyang steeled his resolve. "Yes!" Cheng

Zongyang couldn't look up at the Song Emperor's expression, so he could only stare at the tips of his boots and said in a heavy tone, "I come from Yunzhou. The price of grain in Yunzhou is now double what it was in previous years, exceeding that of Lin'an by nearly 20%. Spring has already begun, but no one is cultivating the fields because all able-bodied men are serving corvée labor..."

The Song Emperor's boots stopped in front of Cheng Zongyang, interrupting him. "Military affairs are not for you to discuss."

"I am an Assistant Director of the Agricultural Reclamation Department of the Ministry of Works, and I only discuss agricultural matters."

Cheng Zongyang said, "Now is the planting season. If we miss the planting season, I fear this year's autumn harvest will be even less than last year's. This year, the price of grain is already fifteen silver coins per shi (a unit of

dry measure). If this year's harvest is poor, I dare not guess what the price of grain will be at this time next year. I fear that even issuing ten times the amount of paper money will not be enough to make up for the deficit." The Song Emperor took a few quick steps, then said coldly, "I know. Anything else?"

And what about that non-existent wet nurse of yours! Cheng Zongyang thought: Damn it, I'm so stupid. Mengniang is proficient in everything—music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, singing, dancing, embroidery, and incense burning. How could she possibly be a wet nurse? Ninety-nine percent of the time, she's a concubine in the palace! Gao Qiu, you white-faced traitor, you dare to deceive me!

"As long as the farming isn't delayed this year, I have no other requests."

The Song emperor didn't mention the matter again, only encouraging him, "Do a good job, and don't make any mistakes with the money."

"Your subject obeys."

"Take your leave."

Cheng Zongyang retreated to the edge of the hall before quickly glancing at the Song emperor. A beaded curtain hung beside the magnificent throne, and in front of it stood a young man dressed in a casual dragon robe.

Indeed, the man was as handsome as his voice suggested; the Song emperor had a fair complexion, red lips and white teeth, and a face like jade. He was quite handsome, comparable to the little fox, except for a neat mustache, giving him the air of a wise ruler.

Unlike the incompetent emperors Huizong, Qinzong, and Lizong, he was more handsome than Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong. Could he be Emperor Shenzong?

Could he have died so young?

Cheng Zongyang glanced at the scene and left the hall. After he left, the Song emperor picked up his brush and wrote "Cheng Zongyang" on a corner of the white screen behind him. Then, after pondering for a long time, he added the characters "工" (gong, meaning work) and "户" (hu , meaning

household) beside it. When Cheng Zongyang came out, Tong Guan was no longer outside the hall, so he had to find another time to meet him and inquire about the inside story.

Cheng Zongyang really wanted to question Gao Qiu face-to-face about what was going on with Meng Niang

, but he knew he wouldn't get anything out of him if he went to him now. Gao Qiu's loyalty to Yue Wuren was beyond doubt, but there were some things he might not be able to say much about. For example, Gao Yanei was actually entrusted to him by Yue Wuren for upbringing, but Gao Qiu hadn't mentioned it at all. It wasn't necessarily because he didn't trust him, but simply because the matter was too serious; just like how he knew Gao Qiu's identity but dared not reveal it to anyone. Such things, if leaked, would cause bloodshed, and sometimes not knowing was better than knowing.

But what was the relationship between Gao Zhishang and Yue Wuren? Was he Yue Wuren's child?

"No way? If that brat sees this and finds out what her brother is like, won't she kill him on the spot to save face?"

Ao Run and Yu Ziyuan were waiting outside. Seeing Cheng Zongyang emerge unharmed, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

Yu Ziyuan greeted him, "How did it go?"

Cheng Zongyang said, "I've never kowtowed to a living person in my life. To put it bluntly, my dignity has been insulted; to put it nicely, my life is now complete."

Yu Ziyuan couldn't help but laugh.

Ao Run said, "Boss Cheng, Gao Yanei just sent someone to invite you to Cuiwei Garden."

"What happened?"

"Nothing much, just that he hasn't seen the young master for two days, and Gao Yanei said he misses his master."

"I'm not going,"

Cheng Zongyang refused outright. He had nothing to say to that brat Gao Yanei. As for Ruan Xiangning, although Jian Yuji had put on a nice front, offering her to warm his bed as a gesture of goodwill, at this crucial moment in the grain war, to hold this bombshell of unknown origin in his arms would be truly insane.

Cheng Zongyang's claim of taking over a grain shop and encouraging Lin'an to directly accept paper money for grain was not a lie. Most of the large and small merchant guilds in Lin'an had the shadow of royal family and powerful figures behind them, but there were two inconspicuous grain shops whose true owners were the Yun Clan Merchant Guild.

Cheng Zongyang didn't intend to use underhanded tactics; instead, he provided his entire plan to Jia Shixian. With the tacit approval of this powerful minister of the Song Dynasty, as soon as the news of the Ministry of Revenue summoning grain merchants in the city was released, Qin Hui, as the newly appointed steward, brought the old manager of the grain shop to Fanjia Garden.

Fanjia Garden was a famous restaurant in Lin'an. Three days ago, officials from the Ministry of Revenue booked a small building in the garden and invited grain merchants from Lin'an to attend.

To be honest, no grain merchant wanted to attend the Ministry of Revenue's banquet, but none dared to refuse.

Before noon, managers and stewards from over twenty grain merchants arrived at the garden, some in groups of one or two, others in groups of three or five. Soon, dozens gathered in the hall, whispering amongst themselves.

Cheng Zongyang observed coldly. The grain merchants differed in demeanor and appearance, but they all shared one thing in common: their faces were grim. This was understandable; many merchants in Lin'an were influential figures, and with others pushing them along, they had all heard rumors beforehand that this meal wouldn't be pleasant.

Cheng Zongyang chuckled, "This verbal battle is going to be quite something."

Liao Qunyu smiled bitterly, feeling utterly uncertain.

The meeting was chaired by a clerk from the Ministry of Revenue, and several officials from Lin'an Prefecture were also present. Liao Qunyu's status was the most unique; he held no official position but represented Prime Minister Jia.

A moment later, Qin Hui also entered. He pushed the two managers to the front, then sat comfortably in the back, giving the head of the household a meaningful glance from afar.

Cheng Zongyang was confident. No one was certain about issuing paper money. The Ministry of Revenue, after repeated deliberations, came up with a plan to first issue one million gold coins worth of paper money in various prefectures and counties to test the waters. The original suggestion that each prefecture and county raise the corresponding amount of money was reduced to half due to the tight finances of the prefectures and counties.

Thus, the issuance quota in Lin'an was tentatively set at 400,000 gold coins and 200,000 gold coins. According to the Ministry of Revenue's estimate, issuing half would be enough to report back to Prime Minister Jia and the Emperor.

600,000 gold coins, at the current grain price, could purchase 800,000 shi of grain. The Yun family controlled more than 400,000 shi of grain in their two grain shops in Lin'an, so Cheng Zongyang was confident that even if no one accepted the paper money, he could easily buy it all himself.

Suddenly, Cheng Zongyang's eyes lit up as he saw a young master swaggering in—it was Tao Hongmin.

Some of the grain merchants present recognized the young master of Tao's Money Shop and came forward to greet him.

Tao Hongmin, however, was adept at social maneuvering, showing none of the arrogance he had displayed when he refused to see Jia Shixian. After a round of pleasantries, the host and guests were all in high spirits before he approached Cheng Zongyang and said with a smile, "Brother Cheng, we meet again."

Cheng Zongyang was very wary of this spoiled brat who knew his background. After all, Tao had leverage over him, and if he were to reveal that Cheng had connections with the bandits in Jiangzhou, he would be in deep trouble.

Cheng Zongyang laughed, "Fifth Master Tao is in a good mood."

Tao Hongmin said, "Originally, I came to Fanjia Garden for mutton soup, but I heard it's lively here. If it were Lin'an Prefecture, that would be fine, but even the Ministry of Revenue is here. I thought to myself, could it be about the money shops? If so, Brother Cheng would definitely be here. Haha, I guessed right!"

Suddenly, the hall resounded, and the official from the Ministry of Revenue announced loudly, "The time has come! Prefect Shen, how many merchants have come?"

Prefect Shen from Lin'an Prefecture counted the number, "Twenty-six."

The official from the Ministry of Revenue nodded and raised his voice, "Gentlemen! The purpose of inviting you all here today is surely..." "All of you shopkeepers know a thing or two. I overheard some of your discussions just now, and yes, it's all about paper money!"

The official spoke eloquently, explaining the origins, uses, and exchange methods of paper money for half an hour. Then he said, "Merchants, your businesses span six dynasties. In daily business, you inevitably encounter setbacks. If it weren't for the efforts of the Song Dynasty government on your behalf, where would you be today? As the saying goes, if the skin is gone, where will the hair attach? Now, our government is introducing paper money for the convenience of both the public and private sectors. I hope you will understand the court's intentions."

After saying this, the official picked up his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and slowly sipped his tea, ignoring the merchants.

Cheng Zongyang, hearing the official's clear and articulate speech and thorough understanding of paper money, couldn't help but ask, "Who is this person?"

Tao Hongmin smiled and said, "Brother Cheng, you don't even recognize Cai Yuanzhang?"

Cai Yuanzhang… he really didn't know him.

“Cai Yuanchang is a secretary in the Ministry of Revenue’s Department of Finance, a Jinshi (successful candidate

in the highest imperial examination) ,

and his given name is Jing.” Cheng Zongyang’s heart skipped a beat: Cai Jing! Well, all the notorious figures from the biographies of treacherous officials in the History of the Song Dynasty have arrived. Even though he was used to seeing famous figures, Cheng Zongyang couldn’t help but glance at that notorious traitor a few more times.

Tao Hongmin said, “Brother Cheng has a good eye. This Cai Yuanchang is indeed a remarkable person, but…”

He secretly made a money-grabbing gesture.

Cheng Zongyang understood immediately. Fortunately, Qin Hui, that damned traitor, wasn’t known for his corruption, otherwise, he really wouldn’t feel comfortable entrusting his business to him.

After Cai Yuanchang finished speaking, the hall remained silent for a full quarter of an hour. Finally, an old man stood up and sighed, saying, "Grain prices are soaring these days, and our business is not doing well either. But since Doctor Cai has spoken of sharing the nation's burdens, I, though a merchant, understand the greater good. How about this, our Tongyuan Company will purchase four thousand shi!"

As soon as this old manager spoke, others followed suit, some purchasing two thousand shi, others five hundred shi. At this rate, even the more than twenty grain companies might not be able to raise enough for fifty thousand shi.

Cai Yuanchang slammed his teacup down on the table.

"Manager Liu is right. Grain prices are soaring these days, costing 1,500 copper coins per shi, equivalent to 15 silver coins. These 4,000 shi would cost 60,000 silver coins or 3,000 gold coins. At the 2:1 ratio of paper to gold, Tongyuan Bank would receive 2,000 paper coins and 1,000 gold coins."

Cai Yuanchang sneered, "When Tongyuan Bank bought this batch of grain, was the price 3 or 5 silver coins per shi? I'm afraid the cost was less than 1,000 gold coins. They've gained a reputation and made 2,000 paper coins for free. What a lucrative business!" Manager Liu's old face flushed

slightly, and he said, "Dr. Cai, you're wise. That's not how you calculate things. As the saying goes, 'goods are valued at the time of sale'..."

Cai Yuanchang interrupted him. "I'm discussing national affairs with you, and you're talking about these business matters?"

Manager Liu lowered his eyes, his words carrying a hint of sarcasm. "It's natural to share the burdens of the country, but we can't let these few hundred people in our small shop starve."

Tao Hongmin chuckled softly, “The owners behind Tongyuan Trading Company are the nephew of Prince Ning and the younger brother of Liang Jiedu. Cai Yuanchang is just a minor official in

the Ministry of Revenue; I’m afraid he can’t move this big rock.” A loud laugh suddenly echoed in the hall. A merchant stood up gracefully, cupped his hands, and said, “Appointment Cai is right. We grain merchants can make money anywhere; why bother with national affairs?” Tao

Hongmin looked at the eloquent Qin Huizhi with great interest.

"Your Qin companion is a waste of talent as a merchant; he'd be better suited to be an official,"

Cheng Zongyang said. "Old Qin has good literary talent, but he's a novice in business. I'm sorry, Master Tao."

Tao Hongmin laughed, "It seems Brother Cheng came prepared this time."

Cheng Zongyang smiled slightly, "Opening a business requires some effort."

Tao Hongmin was taken aback, then understood, and laughed, "So it was Brother Cheng's skill. I, Tao Wu, almost misjudged him."

Cai Yuanchang nodded in the hall, "Did everyone hear what this manager said? Merchants should be honest, and they must not forget the four words 'benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and trustworthiness.'"

Qin Hui and Cai Yuanchang's back-and-forth made the merchants around them feel like they were sitting on pins and needles. Manager Liu glanced around, and a young man next to him stood up: "Sir, may I ask how much your Yunhai Trading Company has purchased?"

Qin Hui calmly held up one finger, "One hundred thousand shi."

As soon as this number was uttered, the merchants present were speechless. Ignoring the grim expressions of the grain merchants, Cai Yuanchang immediately spread out a sheet of paper and personally wrote a document, which Qin Hui then signed and sealed.

Looking at Qin Hui's flowing calligraphy, Cai Yuanchang praised, "Mr. Qin, your handwriting is excellent!"

Qin Hui put down his brush, "How can it compare to the elegant and refined style of Cai Langzhong's writing?"

The two then looked at each other and laughed, a hint of mutual appreciation in their expressions.

Cheng Zongyang sneered inwardly, "Birds of a feather flock together! How nauseating!"

These two treacherous officials, one a former member of the Four Great Calligraphers and the other the creator of the Ming Dynasty script, both possessed remarkable calligraphic skills. Cheng Zongyang couldn't resist the urge to collect the document bearing the signatures of these two traitors.

The Yun family controlled two grain shops, and Qin Hui's offer of 100,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) was merely a trial balloon, a way to gauge the grain merchants' reactions. However, the merchants' expressions varied; some gritted their teeth inwardly, while others seemed interested, but all their eyes were fixed on Manager Liu. Qin Hui's offer hadn't even elicited a ripple.

If they revealed their trump card now, they would have no other options left. Cheng Zongyang secretly gave Qin Hui a wink, signaling him to find a way to break the deadlock.

The treacherous minister raised an eyebrow, then handed the signed document to the table, smiling, "I haven't seen the paper money yet. May I ask if we can settle the transaction here?"

Cai Yuanchang clapped his hands, "Bring the paper money!"

Two clerks from the Ministry of Revenue brought an iron box, each unlocking a lock. Then Cai Yuanchang personally took a key from his waist, unlocked the last lock, and took out a banknote. Since

they hadn't produced any special paper in time, the banknote was made of high-quality Xuan paper, about four inches long and a little over two inches wide. On it was a template of the four characters "Panjiang Cheng Family" written by Qin Hui himself, and below it were "Lin'an Main Branch of the Great Song Dynasty Money Shop," with a serial number in the middle.

Below that were anti-counterfeiting patterns, with the words "Ten Thousand Strings of Cash" printed in red inside. At the bottom was a strange string of characters, which turned out to be Cheng Zongyang's English signature and fingerprint. The back of the banknote had the bright red seal of the Ministry of Revenue. The paper was extremely thick, and the banknotes were brand new.

"One hundred thousand shi of grain, totaling seventy-five thousand gold coins, in paper money of fifty thousand. Each of these banknotes is worth ten thousand strings of cash, or fifty thousand gold coins, for a total of ten banknotes."

Cai Yuanchang personally counted out ten banknotes and handed them to Qin Hui. Qin Hui held them with both hands, examined them carefully, and exclaimed in admiration, "Excellent craftsmanship! Look at these patterns, I'm afraid even the best craftsmen in Lin'an would have difficulty carving them! Excellent paper! Excellent ink!"

You treacherous minister, keep bragging! You boast so much about what you made, aren't you ashamed?

Cai Yuanchang said, "Mr. Qin, please be careful. This one note is worth ten thousand strings of cash. Even ten notes combined might not weigh as much as one gold coin, but they can be used to pay fifty thousand gold coins in taxes!"

Qin Hui exclaimed, "Indeed, it's convenient for both officials and commoners! I've heard that these banknotes can be exchanged throughout our Great Song Dynasty. In the future, when I go out to trade, I won't need to carry large amounts of money."

Cai Yuanchang said, "If Mr. Qin uses them elsewhere, it will be somewhat inconvenient this year. The first batch of money shops will only have five locations: besides Lin'an, there are Yangzhou, Yiling, Junzhou, and Mingzhou."

"That's exactly four locations within the country, which is much more convenient than transporting money thousands of miles away."

The two treacherous officials were a perfect match, their performance both convincing and captivating. Liao Qunyu, who was originally the protagonist, had become a supporting character, simply watching the two perform.

Qin Hui walked towards his seat, holding up the banknotes for everyone to see. Many merchants craned their necks to see what the banknotes looked like, but Manager Liu of Tongyuan Bank kept his head down, sipping his tea without even looking up.

Just as Qin Hui reached Manager Liu, he suddenly tripped, and the usually composed and handsome middle-aged man fell to the ground in a disheveled manner, landing face-first in front of everyone, scattering the banknotes all over the floor.

Qin Hui struggled to his feet, ignoring the banknotes, and angrily pointed at the old shopkeeper beside him, saying, "Shopkeeper Liu! Although I have offended you, it was for the sake of the country! Even if I have grievances, I will accept them! Why trip me up in public and make me look bad!"

Shopkeeper Liu was dumbfounded: "You...you...don't make false accusations..."

Cai Yuanchang, like Qin Hui, was a shrewd and perceptive man; how could he not know what Qin Hui was up to? Before Shopkeeper Liu could finish his explanation, Cai Yuanchang flew into a rage, slammed his gavel, and shouted, "Guards! Throw him out!"

By the time Qin Hui returned to his seat, the manager of the largest grain merchant in Lin'an had been expelled from Fanjia Garden. At this point in the play, even the grain merchants, who were greedy for money, saw the danger. Immediately, some merchants stepped forward to purchase 50,000 shi (a unit of dry measure), followed by more than a dozen others purchasing 30,000 or 20,000 shi.

Seeing that the time was right, Cheng Zongyang secretly gave a signal, and the Dacheng Grain Shop, which had remained silent until now, immediately subscribed to 300,000 shi (a

unit of dry measure). When the last small grain shop quoted a price of 3,000 shi, the twenty-five grain shops had subscribed to a total of 900,000 shi, exceeding the expected amount by 100,000 shi. The Lin'an Prefecture spent a total of 225,000 gold coins, equivalent to only five silver coins per shi, not much more expensive than during a bumper harvest. The remaining 450,000 gold coins were paid for with 900,000 guan (another unit of dry measure) of paper money.

Liao Qunyu finally breathed a sigh of relief. In Lin'an alone, the amount of paper money issued in one go accounted for 15% of the total 3 million gold coins, a result that was enough to satisfy Grand Tutor Jia and the Song court.

Through this incident, Liao Qunyu also noticed Cai Yuanchang's talent. To be able to issue the entire quota, exceeding it by 100,000 guan, and not being afraid to offend Prince Ning and Liang Shicheng, this Ministry of Revenue official was a promising talent.

Liao Qunyu and Cai Yuanchang each got what they wanted, while Cheng Zongyang was even more smug. A total of 450,000 gold coins were issued this time, of which 250,000 were taken by various grain merchants. Cheng Zongyang estimated that, due to an instinctive distrust of paper money, about 200,000 gold coins would be immediately exchanged for gold coins, leaving only about 50,000 gold coins for the merchants to try using.

This meant that half of the 400,000 gold coins in principal would be withdrawn at once. Fortunately, the 400,000 shi of grain had also brought him back 100,000 gold coins in cash, meaning he still had 300,000 gold coins in reserve.

The remaining paper money was issued in other prefectures and counties, so at least until it flowed back to Lin'an, there was no need to worry about a bank run and bankruptcy.

Tao Hongmin, having watched the spectacle, was still eager for more and invited Cheng Zongyang to the entertainment district.

Cheng Zongyang was busy with his money exchange and grain affairs, and also had to guard against the threat of the Black Demon Sea, so he couldn't spare the time and had to politely decline Tao Hongmin's invitation again.

Before parting, Tao Hongmin said meaningfully, "Today's business has broadened my horizons. Brother Cheng, I have increasing respect for you."

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "Fifth Master Tao, you flatter me too much. After these busy days, I will definitely host a dinner for you."

"It's a deal!"

Tao Hongmin smiled and said, "I'll be waiting for your news."

Chapter Four:

The secret operations of the Youyun Clan's trading company led to an unusually smooth issuance of Song Dynasty paper money. Within three days, the one million gold coins worth of paper money had been completely issued in dozens of prefectures and counties surrounding Lin'an. By the sixth day, the paper money, delivered by express courier to various prefectures, had crossed the Yuan River and reached the westernmost prefecture, Yunzhou.

Qi Yuan, who had already received the news, readily subscribed to two hundred thousand shi (a unit of dry measure). By this point, the Yun family had sold 2.6 million shi of grain. After accounting for losses and lower prices in some grain-rich counties, Cheng Zongyang had received a total of 600,000 gold coins in cash and over 1.2 million gold coins in paper money.

Yun Xiufeng looked at the ledger for a long time before a smile appeared on his face. "Very good."

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "Let me first calculate the costs with Sixth Master—including the 200,000 gold coins from Yunzhou, the Yun family invested a total of 860,000 gold coins in this grain deal, and has currently received 1.2 million gold coins in paper money and 600,000 gold coins. There's also the 1 million shi ordered by the Zhu family grain store in Qingzhou, and over 400,000 shi of grain stored in warehouses across the country. According to the terms agreed upon with Sixth Master Yun, the profits will be split equally between the Yun family's merchant guild and the Panjiang Cheng family. Now, the 600,000 gold coins for the grain belong to the Yun family, and the Panjiang Cheng family will pay the Yun family another 260,000 gold coins to cover the costs; what remains is the profit."

Cheng Zongyang listed the items on the paper. "One million two hundred thousand in paper money, each of the two owners receives six hundred thousand. The remaining grain, over one million four hundred thousand shi, is distributed as follows: the Cheng family receives seven hundred thousand, and the rest belongs to the Yun family. There's also another sum..."

Cheng Zongyang started a new column and wrote "one hundred and twenty thousand," adding, "My grain trade in Yunzhou yielded a total profit of one hundred and twenty thousand gold coins, of which sixty thousand is also the Yun family's profit."

Yun Xiufeng said, "You didn't have to share this income with the Yun family."

Cheng Zongyang smiled, "Since it was the Yun family's capital, it should naturally be included."

Yun Xiufeng didn't refuse, nodded, and accepted the sixty thousand gold coins. Then he said, "Although the price of grain in Qingzhou fluctuates, it has never exceeded 900 copper coins. Therefore, it cannot be calculated according to the price in Song. This one million shi (a unit of dry measure) belongs to the Cheng family of Panjiang. The 460,000 shi of grain within Song territory belongs to the Yun

family." Yun Xiufeng was right. The price of grain in Qingzhou was nearly half that of Song. If it were transported to Song for sale, the transportation costs alone would wipe out the profit. Therefore, although it was one million shi, its value was about the same as 460,000 shi. Cheng Zongyang didn't refuse, saying, "Then thank you very much, Sixth Master."

Thus, the grain transactions between the Yun family and the Cheng family of Panjiang in Song were completely settled. The Yun family recovered all their costs and received 600,000 gold coins in paper money, 60,000 gold coins in cash, and 460,000 shi of stored grain, totaling over one million gold coins—a huge profit.

The Cheng family of Panjiang, besides paying all their cash to the Yun family, also paid out 260,000 gold coins. Adding the 60,000 gold coins from Yunzhou, if calculated solely from the cash balance, they were still at a loss of 200,000 gold coins.

However, the establishment of the Cheng family's money shop prevented Cheng Zongyang from suddenly running out of money. Jia Shixian used 400,000 taels of silver from the loan provided by Qingzhou as the money shop's capital. After deducting the 200,000 taels paid to the Yun family, Cheng Zongyang still had 200,000 gold coins, 600,000 gold coins in paper money, and one million shi of grain stored in Qingzhou.

Currently, the Song Dynasty had issued two million gold coins in paper money, of which 1.2 million were in his and the Yun family's hands, so there was no need to worry about exchange. Of the remaining 1.8 million gold coins, one million were still in the Ministry of Revenue's accounts, and Cheng Zongyang only needed to deal with 800,000 gold coins in paper money.

If all 800,000 gold coins in paper money were in one person's hands, Cheng Zongyang would have to worry about a bank run, but currently these paper coins were scattered among hundreds of grain merchants in hundreds of prefectures and counties of the Song Dynasty, and the 200,000 gold coins in reserves were sufficient for circulation. After calculating his income, Cheng Zongyang was filled with emotion. Having arrived in this world penniless, and now having converted one million shi of grain stored in Qingzhou into 200,000 gold coins, which were added to the 400,000 gold coins principal provided by Jia Shixian, he was still penniless, except for the 600,000 gold coins worth of paper he had printed—paper that could be used to pay taxes to the Song Kingdom.

Cheng Zongyang reluctantly put down the ledger, looked up and smiled, "It's time to discuss another business deal with Sixth Master Yun."

Yun Xiufeng, having received a million gold coins, showed little joy on his face, and said indifferently, "Speak."

"Regarding the 300,000 gold coins borrowed by the Panjiang Cheng family from the Yun family, according to the terms, half of the profit from the grain transaction was to be paid as interest, and it has now been paid in full."

Yun Xiufeng nodded.

“Back in Jiankang, I borrowed 20,000 gold coins from Third Master Yun to buy land. Over the past few months, the various supplies that the Yun family has transported to Jiangzhou have amounted to about 30,000 gold coins. In addition, the young marquis borrowed 50,000 gold coins from Third Master Yun, making a total of 100,000. Originally, I should have paid Sixth Master Yun 200,000 for grain. How about we consider this 200,000 as a loan?”

Yun Xiufeng didn’t hesitate at all. “Agreed.”

“In that case, six months later, on the fourth day of the ninth month, my Panjiang Cheng family will pay the Yun family 300,000 gold coins. If there is not enough cash at that time, we will pay in paper money, and the price will be 90% of the original amount. How about that?”

“80%.”

“Good!”

Cheng Zongyang readily agreed and smiled, “We will need the Yun family’s help with supplies to Jiangzhou.”

Yun Xiufeng smiled slightly. “As long as you are willing to prioritize supplying cement from Jiangzhou to my Yun family, everything is negotiable.”

Finally finishing the business with Yun Xiufeng, Cheng Zongyang couldn’t help but sigh. Although this grain war lacked the fierce battles and dramatic intensity of the Jiangzhou campaign, the seemingly uneventful accounts revealed the immense effort, resources, and relationships expended by all sides.

Now that the storm has finally passed and the truth has come to light, a rough calculation shows that the spoils were no less substantial than those on the battlefield. Not only did both sides reap considerable profits, but the war also created a massive, irreparable financial hole in the Song Dynasty's coffers.

After calculating the respective gains, the atmosphere of the subsequent conversation became much more relaxed.

Yun Xiufeng slowly sipped his tea and said, "Our Yun family is not large; only three brothers of this generation have survived. And among us brothers, only Qifeng has a son, who is still young."

Cheng Zongyang said, "It seems that Third Brother Yun is not married?"

Yun Xiufeng's eyes dimmed. "Our Yun family owes Third Brother a great debt."

He raised his head. "You know, Third Brother is born out of wedlock."

"I've heard some of that."

"Third Brother is gentle, but I'm a bit cold."

Cheng Zongyang smiled. "Sixth Master, you are a man of few words, I've witnessed that."

"It's not that I'm a man of few words, it's just that I'm too busy with affairs to have time for long speeches."

Yun Xiufeng paused. "Merchant families, without the support of people in the court, will ultimately not succeed. When my father was alive, he relied on a marriage alliance with the Yang family to finally send Qifeng into officialdom." Cheng

Zongyang suddenly realized, no wonder Yun Qifeng, despite being born into a merchant family, could become an official in Jin; it turned out he relied on his wife's family's status.

“My third brother loves to travel and treats people like a spring breeze. He would have been the best choice to be the head of the Yun family. However, since he was born out of wedlock, he was not able to take over the Yun family. So my father arranged a marriage for him with a member of a collateral branch of the Wang family.”

A hint of anger flashed in Yun Xiufeng’s eyes, but he quickly concealed it with good self-control.

"My second brother was initially indifferent to this marriage. But after the news spread, the gentry of Jiankang were outraged, saying that it was outrageous and a disgrace to the gentry to marry a son of a commoner from a merchant family! They even mocked the Wang family for selling their daughter and wanted to expel them from the gentry."

Presumably, Yun Qifeng is the legitimate son, and with the Yun family's wealth and power backing him, it's fine for him to marry into the gentry. But if it were Yun Cangfeng, a son of a commoner, even the Yun family's wealth and power wouldn't be enough.

Cheng Zongyang said, "So that's how it is. Brother Yun was heartbroken because his marriage failed."

"You're wrong,"

Yun Xiufeng said coldly. "Brother Yun is outwardly gentle but inwardly strong. Hearing the gossip from the gentry, he went straight to the Wang family, found their daughter, and after a conversation, eloped with her."

Cheng Zongyang was stunned for a long time, then slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "Brother Yun, you actually have such methods! I never would have guessed!"

"Brother Yun was quite the dashing young man, much better than me,"

Cheng Zongyang laughed. "Brother Yun, you were quite the ladies' man after all. And then?"

Yun Xiufeng held the now-cold teacup and said after a long while, "Although Brother Yun's sister-in-law, Wang, and I had a harmonious relationship, she couldn't bear the gossip from the gentry and died in less than three years, without leaving any children. Brother Yun swore at her grave that he would never marry again in this life."

Only then did Cheng Zongyang realize that Yun Xiufeng had such a story behind him. No wonder he found solace in nature.

Yun Xiufeng said, "In a person's life, is wisdom or folly related to whether they are born of the first or second wife?"

Cheng Zongyang repeatedly said, "Exactly! Exactly!"

Yun Xiufeng changed the subject: "Danliu is also born

of a concubine." Cheng Zongyang was puzzled when Yun Xiufeng said, "My late brother died early, and Danliu is his posthumous daughter. She will be twenty-nine after the New Year, eighteen years old. Although she is born of a concubine, my Yun family treats her no differently than a legitimate daughter. If you want to know, I can tell you that Danliu's birth mother is a mermaid."

Cheng Zongyang chuckled awkwardly, "No wonder Miss is such a good swimmer..."

"My third brother told me about your comings and goings from our Yun family in Jiankang. We merchants don't care about those formalities, but Danliu has been at sea for many years, and her strong character is almost like a man's—you know that?"

Cheng Zongyang's heart skipped a beat. Yun Xiufeng really was choosing a son-in-law. He was usually so taciturn, yet he had said so much. He really thought highly of him, his cheap son-in-law. But—this isn't the one I want!

Yun Ruyao's identity was a secret, and both Yun Cangfeng and Yun Xiufeng kept it a closely guarded secret. If he were to tell them frankly, Yun Xiufeng's reaction would be unpredictable. But now that the misunderstanding was established, if he didn't clarify things now, and his niece took his aunt's place in the bridal sedan chair, he wouldn't be able to explain himself no matter how hard he tried.

Fortunately, he, Cheng Zongyang, had the foresight to treat Yun Sange as an equal; if he had married Yun Danliu, wouldn't he have been a generation below them? If it were Yun Ruyao, all of this would be much easier to resolve.

Cheng Zongyang steeled himself and said, "I heard there is another one in the manor..."

Before he could finish speaking, the door opened slightly, and a servant of the Yun family said from outside, "Sixth Master, there is news."

Cheng Zongyang and Yun Xiufeng were discussing top-secret business, and the servants of the Yun family were always mindful not to disturb them. This sudden knock on the door meant that something major had happened. Yun Xiufeng apologized and left to deal with the situation.

Cheng Zongyang sat alone in the room, his mind racing. One moment he was trying to explain the misunderstanding with the young lady, the next he was trying to figure out how to bring up Yun Ruyao's matter, and then he was worried that something had happened to the Yun family, and whether Jian Yuji had intervened. In the short time it takes to drink a cup of tea, his mind was in turmoil.

Suddenly, a sharp cracking sound came from outside, as if something had shattered. Cheng Zongyang immediately sprang to his feet and flung open the door.

The Yun family and the Shadow Moon Sect had an extraordinary relationship; while Shadow Moon Sect disciples were incredibly rare, the Yun family's merchant guild possessed several. The sound came from a nearby communication room.

As soon as Cheng Zongyang approached, he heard Yun Xiufeng's furious roar: "How dare you, you brat!"

Cheng Zongyang tried to get closer, but two Yun family attendants politely stopped him. "Please wait a moment, young master. My patriarch will come out shortly to apologize to you in person."

Since it wasn't an attack from the Black Demon Sea, Cheng Zongyang patiently waited, wondering what could have caused Yun Xiufeng, a powerful patriarch who would remain calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, to smash things on the spot!

Cheng Zongyang didn't have to wait long; after only a few words, the door opened. Yun Xiufeng emerged with a grim expression and said to Cheng Zongyang, "This time, I must break my promise."

Cheng Zongyang was startled. "What is it?"

Yun Xiufeng was clearly suppressing his anger; his thin face was covered with frost as he coldly said, "From this day forward, the Yun family sever all ties with Jiangzhou. If you wish to transport goods to Jiangzhou, please seek other means."

Cheng Zongyang was dumbfounded. Just moments ago they were laughing and joking, but in the blink of an eye, the situation had completely changed. He couldn't help but exclaim, "What's going on?!"

Yun Xiufeng flicked his sleeve and said, "This is not something to be discussed with outsiders! The Yun family's business with the Panjiang Cheng family will continue as before, but our ties with Jiangzhou are now severed!"

Cheng Zongyang cried out, "If there's any misunderstanding, let's clear it up!"

"What misunderstanding!"

Yun Xiufeng said angrily, "That young marquis! How dare he insult my Yun family! Let's see how long you can be so arrogant! Let's go!"

At Yun Xiufeng's command, the guards all moved together, and in a moment they had packed their luggage and prepared their carriages. Then they left Fantian Temple like a whirlwind, leaving Cheng Zongyang and Qin Hui looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Young master, what happened?"

"You ask me? Who should I ask!"

Cheng Zongyang walked a few steps in the empty meditation room, and suddenly shouted, "Jian Yuji—it must be that bitch! She knew this all along, waiting to see me make a fool of myself! You damn bitch! I'll fuck your mother!"

"But how could Jian Yuji shift the blame to the young marquis?"

"Heaven knows! Huizhi! You chase after him immediately, no matter if you use coercion, bribery, or any other means, find out what happened!"

Qin Hui obeyed the order and left. Cheng Zongyang immediately called Lin Qingpu: "Contact the young marquis!"

Lin Qingpu cast a spell for a moment. "The magic array in Jiangzhou hasn't been broken; we can only contact Yunzhou."

"Yunzhou it is! Have Fourth Brother send someone to Jiangzhou immediately to find out what that little fox has done!"

Qi Yuan, still awake, received the news and immediately dispatched men to Jiangzhou to investigate. A round trip from Jizhou to Jiangzhou would take at least two days.

Cheng Zongyang then had Lin Qingpu contact Yun Cangfeng in Jiankang. Lin Qingpu expended considerable magical power to transmit the Water Mirror to Jiankang, but to his great surprise, Yun Cangfeng refused to answer his messages.

Cheng Zongyang grew increasingly uneasy. Although he didn't know what methods Jian Yuji had used, the Yun family's decisiveness suggested something serious was at stake. Could it be that Jian Yuji had sent someone to assassinate Yun Cangfeng and frame Xiao Yaoyi? But the two sides were cooperating closely, and the Yun family leaders weren't fools; how could they fall for such a clumsy attempt at sowing discord?

Cheng Zongyang suddenly exclaimed, "Danyang! Guangyang Canal!"

He remembered the intelligence provided by Gao Qiu, which stated that Jia Shixian had sent someone to Jiankang to exchange Danyang for the Jin Kingdom's stance on the Jiangzhou incident. Could it be that Jian Yuji had intervened, dissuading the Jin Kingdom from opening the Guangyang Canal and shifting the blame to Xiao Yaoyi?

The Yun family had long coveted the Guangyang Canal connecting Yunshui. If it was truly because of Jiangzhou that their prize had slipped away, the Yun family's fury was understandable. However, given Yun Xiufeng's shrewdness, he wouldn't be so outwardly angry, would he?

Until midnight, when Qin Hui rushed back to Fantian Temple and saw his bitter smile, Cheng Zongyang's heart sank. This matter was probably more troublesome than he had imagined.

"The Yun family's caravan has left Lin'an and returned to Jiankang."

Cheng Zongyang calmly asked, "What exactly happened?"

Qin Hui hesitated, unsure of his words, before finally saying, "The matter isn't big, but it's a dead end. I've been subtly inquiring with insiders and learned..."

He lowered his voice, "...that it concerns the inner quarters of the Yun family. There's a young lady in the Yun family who has always been frail. She was peacefully recuperating in the inner quarters, never seeing anyone outside. But five days ago, something happened—she miscarried a three-month-old fetus..."

Cheng Zongyang stared in disbelief. Qin Hui continued, "At this point, it could no longer be concealed. Third Master Yun, in his fury, went to great lengths to inquire, only to discover that it was the young marquis who was behind it."

Cheng Zongyang was dumbfounded, exclaiming as if in a dream, "Five days ago? Are you kidding me? How come it only happened today?"

"Third Master Yun probably wanted to protect the young lady of the Yun family, and was also worried about Sixth Master's anger. To find out the truth, he personally went to Jiangzhou to question him directly. Unexpectedly, the young marquis flatly denied it, saying he had never seen the young lady of the Yun family. Third Master Yun couldn't handle the situation, so he had to leave Jiangzhou and inform Sixth Master."

Qin Hui coughed. "In my opinion, this matter is indeed the young marquis's fault."

Cheng Zongyang was almost in tears. He had truly been bewitched, only caring about enjoying himself with Yun Ruyao in bed, forgetting that he was still impersonating the young marquis of Shaoling. This little fox was being unfairly blamed!

After a long pause, Cheng Zongyang said weakly, "It's not his fault, the Yun family made a mistake."

"That's what I said too, but I heard that the young lady is convinced it's the young marquis, Xiao Yaoyi."

Qin Hui sighed, "Given the young marquis's character, it's not unreasonable for him to have some romantic affairs, but his refusal to admit it is chilling. The Yun family is furious about this and has severed all ties with Jiangzhou."

Cheng Zongyang felt his face burning, as if thousands of people from the entire Xingyue Lake camp and the Yun family were lining up to slap him, making him see stars. What kind of mess had he made? He ate and drank without even wiping his mouth; his character had practically sunk to the level of Yue Fei.

"No, I have to go after Master Yun and get this straight!"

"Master Yun is eager to return home and has been traveling at breakneck speed. It took me quite a bit of effort to catch up with them. They've already been traveling for most of the day. If you go to chase after them now, you might not catch up until you reach Jiankang. There are many things to be done in Lin'an right now, how can you leave?"

"Call Qingpu, I need to contact Master Yun immediately!"

"Master Yun has no fixed abode on his journey, so Mr. Lin's Water Mirror Technique is useless."

"Damn it! Ao Run! Go after Master Yun immediately! Take this letter to him!"

Cheng Zongyang refused Qin Hui's offer to write it for him and wrote the letter himself in his room. Even after sealing it tightly, he wasn't satisfied, so he melted wax and made the letter into a wax ball, which he gave to Ao Run, instructing him that it must be opened by Yun Xiufeng himself no matter what. As for whether Yun Xiufeng would beat or scold him after reading the letter, he would accept it obediently and return it to him later.

Ao Run carefully put the letter away. "The roster for the group is almost ready, and I've given it all to Feng Dafa. Just tell him what needs to be done! Take care, young master! Old Ao is leaving!"

Cheng Zongyang slumped down, burying his face in his hands. Truly, joy turned to sorrow. Who knew that a night of passion, especially with Yun Ruyao taking the initiative, would lead to such a disaster?

Even if he could clear up the misunderstanding, it was uncertain whether Yun Cangfeng and Yun Xiufeng would forgive him. After all, Yun Ruyao, an unmarried young woman, had miscarried…

Wait! How could Jian Yuji be so certain of the Yun family's impending doom days ago? Could it be…? Cheng Zongyang suddenly jumped up. It was that bitch who did it! Otherwise, why would Yun Ruyao have miscarried at this crucial moment! Cheng Zongyang

felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. Jian Yuji's actions were truly "steady, ruthless, and precise." With just a flick of her wrist, she effortlessly shattered the alliance between the Yun family and Jiangzhou.

The Black Demon Sea's methods were truly vicious—that was my child! How dare Jian Yuji do such a thing! " I'm not finished with you! " Cheng Zongyang shouted, then added,

"Catch up with Lao Ao!" He immediately interrupted, "No! Lao Ao alone isn't enough! Contact Junzhou and have Lao Si inform Wu Sangui to take men to Jiankang immediately!" The Black Demon Sea definitely still has undiscovered subordinates in Jiankang. The most urgent task is to ensure Yun Ruyao's safety. He's already lost one child; he can't let anything happen to Yun Ruyao! Lin Qingpu repeatedly used the Water Mirror Technique, all over extremely long distances, consuming a great deal of magical power. Despite this, he rushed over upon receiving the news, first contacting Junzhou, then following the family head's orders to use the Water Mirror Technique in Jiankang. However, the small building where Yun Ruyao had been was already deserted. He didn't know where the Yun family had hidden her, and even after exhausting his magical power, Lin Qingpu couldn't find any trace of her. Cheng Zongyang was like an ant on a hot pan all night, restless and anxious. Trapped in Lin'an, he was powerless to help; Yun Xiufeng would take at least a month to return to Jiankang, meaning he could only explain the matter a month later. With the Yun Clan's external support cut off, Jiangzhou has become an isolated city. Let alone surviving this month, even Old Man Shang's guards might be in danger of being completely annihilated. The Battle of Jiangzhou cost both the Xingyue Lake camp and the Song Kingdom dearly. In the fierce battles, the Song army suffered heavy losses, with several renowned generals dying on the battlefield. Xingyue Lake, relying on the Yun Clan's continuous financial and material support, along with recruited mercenaries and laborers, the retinues brought by a group of aristocratic scions, and the threat posed by the Ningzhou navy and the Northern Army, also paid a heavy price to hold onto its city. While both sides fought to the death on the battlefield, Black Demon Sea, with a single move, ignited a fire in his own backyard, stirring up trouble from three sides and creating a rift between himself and his two most important allies that is still difficult to mend. Imagine if Jiangzhou fell because of the Yun Clan's breach of contract; even if the eight members of Xingyue Lake managed to break through the encirclement, they would never forgive themselves after learning the truth. Perhaps this was exactly what Jian Yuji had foreseen. Without the support of the Yun Clan and Xingyue Lake, he was truly at his wit's end, utterly defeated, with no chance of recovery. If he didn't want to become a pariah, even slightly less powerful than Yue Niaoren, he probably only had one choice: to completely surrender to the Black Demon Sea—the question being whether to choose the Witch Clan or the Poison Clan. Fortunately, he wasn't just a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person of the martial arts world), but also a merchant; some of his methods might be beyond Jian Yuji's comprehension. She also couldn't have imagined that even in his most desperate situation, he still had ways to turn things around. At daybreak, Cheng Zongyang rushed to the Grand Commandant's residence, disregarding the risk of revealing his whereabouts, and went directly to see Gao Qiu. "What's the situation in Jiangzhou?" Gao Qiu replied, "His Majesty has replied to Qin Da Diao Dang, strictly forbidding him from personally carrying out the assassination! Immediately send your attendant with gifts, saying you've come to pay a visit and express your respect to this old man." "I will receive them! Prepare generous gifts!" "What happened?" "I want the Song army to withdraw immediately." Gao Qiu pondered for a moment. "Those in the court who can decide the outcome of the Jiangzhou battle are none other than Prime Minister Jia and His Majesty. Prime Minister Jia goes without saying, and His Majesty once said that attacking Jiangzhou with the full strength of the nation would be nothing to celebrate if victorious, but worrisome if defeated. Now that the war is going poorly, in order to avoid becoming a laughingstock to the world, His Majesty has changed from being an observer to actively advocating for the war." As the highest-ranking military officer, Gao Qiu was well-versed in the military situation, and after his explanation, Cheng Zongyang understood the situation. "What the Grand Commandant just said, besides the Bangri and Longwei armies, has resulted in nearly 70,000 troops being transferred to Jiangzhou. What are the monthly expenses?" "The other day, Junzhou sent a memorial stating that the supply of 200,000 troops has exhausted the prefectures and counties. For these troops, the court spends a staggering 1.5 million gold coins per month. If it weren't for Jia Shixian borrowing 1 million gold coins from Qingzhou and issuing 3 million gold coins in paper money, the army wouldn't have received its pay this month." "Yesterday, I went to the palace to see the Song Emperor and explained the current predicament of the Song state." "Reckless!" "I didn't intend to persuade the Song Emperor; I was just laying the groundwork."

Cheng Zongyang said, "Jia Shixian borrowed one million gold coins from Qingzhou and issued three million gold coins in paper money. The Song Dynasty is now heavily indebted. Although it is currently doing its best to purchase grain and can barely get through the lean season and maintain peace within its borders, if the fighting continues, it will miss the spring planting season, and the autumn tax will not be collected, which will immediately lead to chaos."

Gao Qiu shook his head and said, "What you say is true, but in my opinion, His Majesty is now in a difficult position and will certainly not give up easily."

"What if the battle of Jiangzhou is lost? Will the Song army retreat?"

Cheng Zongyang said, "Xingyue Lake has only two thousand troops, and they have held out for three months. If they receive tens of thousands of strong reinforcements, will the Song army continue to fight?"

Gao Qiu looked at Cheng Zongyang for a long time. "General Yue didn't have many friends during his lifetime. Marquis Xiao's Ningzhou navy and Xie's Northern Army are both standing by and watching. Where would we get tens of thousands of strong reinforcements?"

"I have strong reinforcements, as long as the Song army can retreat."

Gao Qiu sighed, "You still don't understand—His Majesty doesn't want victory or defeat, but rather the dignity of the court. If we withdraw our troops now, our Song Dynasty will become a laughing stock."

Cheng Zongyang thought for a moment, then looked up and said, "You mean the Song Emperor wants to find a way out? Easy! I'll give him one!"

Cheng Zongyang stood up: "If the Grand Commandant is involved in the grain trade, he'd better dump it all immediately—grain prices will drop right away."

"Wait."

Gao Qiu stopped him, "Miss Shishi has been here for many days. You're not just going to leave her here and ignore her, are you?"

Cheng Zongyang slapped his forehead. "I've been so busy I've forgotten about my PR manager! It's not appropriate for me to see her here. I'd appreciate it if you could take her to... Cuiwei Garden, Grand Commandant! Grand Commandant Gao, could I borrow this garden for a few days? With your connections, it'll be safer."

"Of course,"

Gao Qiu said. "After you're done with these few days, you'll have to make a show of it with my son."

Cheng Zongyang almost blurted out: Isn't that Yue Fei's brat? But he didn't ask. Everyone has secrets; let's be more understanding.

Leaving the Grand Commandant's residence, Cheng Zongyang instructed from inside the carriage, "Notify the Pengyi General Society in Qingzhou to release one million shi of grain. As long as it can be released immediately, a 10% discount to the market price is acceptable."

Lin Qingpu replied, "Yes."

"Feng Dafu, take stock of the Snow Falcon Gang members willing to join the Cheng family of Panjiang. Divide the elderly, weak, sick, disabled, and their families who cannot fight into three groups: one group will remain in Qingzhou, managed by the Pengyi General Society; another group will be moved to Jiankang, cared for by the Cheng family's businesses there; and the third group will be sent to Lin'an, where they will be settled by money shops. The Wu Mu Prince's Mansion needs reliable manpower for development. There are about a hundred mercenaries left; those willing to fight should be transferred to Jiangzhou and handed over to Wu Dadao."

"Yes,"

Feng Yuan responded.

Qin Hui asked, "Doesn't the young master keep some people around him?"

"No need."

Cheng Zongyang was worried that the Snow Falcon Gang might be infiltrated by the Black Demon Sea. Before sending them to the Jiangzhou army for training, he preferred to recruit others rather than easily accept these mercenaries with complicated backgrounds.

With everything arranged, Cheng Zongyang said, "Let's go to Helin Temple."

Chapter Five

, February 5th: A shocking piece of news spread like wildfire throughout the Six Dynasties.

Lin Caiquan, the chief instructor of the Taiyi Zhenzong sect, openly announced at Helin Temple in Lin'an that the Taiyi Zhenzong would uphold the last wishes of its former leader, Wang Zhe, and dedicate itself to peace among the Six Dynasties, hoping for an opportunity to meet the Song emperor.

Amidst the uproar, the Taiyi Zhenzong, embroiled in a leadership dispute, displayed surprising unity. Another instructor, Shang Lexuan, immediately announced his support for Instructor Lin's decision. Two days later, Zhuo Yunjun, the instructor who had been silent for many days, declared his support for Lin Caiquan in Qingzhou. By the fifth day, Lin Zhilan of Longchi finally expressed his agreement with Lin Caiquan's actions. Thus, of the six chief instructors of the Taiyi Zhenzong, except for the deceased Qi Fanghe and the distant Su Weiyang beyond the Great Wall, the remaining four had reached a consensus.

Taiyi Zhenzong immediately announced that the previous leader had not left a will, and through the recommendation of the sect's leaders and elders, Lin Caiquan would succeed as leader, assuming office in Longchi this autumn as per tradition. However, due to health reasons, Lin Caiquan stated that he would only serve as leader for five years, after which he would relinquish his position.

Simultaneously with Lin's inauguration ceremony, Wang Zhe's youngest junior brother, Qiu Shaojun, would fill the vacancy left by Qi Fanghe and assume the position of leader.

Taiyi Zhenzong was the most powerful sect during the Six Dynasties, and its every move affected the balance of power among the various factions. As the position of leader, vacant for half a year, was finally settled, a rumor circulated privately: Lin Caiquan had been ostracized within the sect for supporting Jiangzhou's stance, leaving the position of leader of Taiyi Zhenzong vacant. Until last month, when Lin Jiaoyu appeared outside Jiangzhou City and personally demonstrated the Nine Yang Divine Skill, the other disciples realized he had been taught by Wang Zhe. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, they all agreed to let him succeed as sect leader. However

, there were also conflicting rumors. Some claimed that the one who actually demonstrated the Nine Yang Divine Skill was their junior brother, Qiu Shaojun, but he was not yet powerful enough to control the Taiyi True Sect and was forced to cede the position to their senior brother, Lin Caiquan. The two agreed that Qiu Shaojun would succeed Lin Caiquan as sect leader in five years.

Following this, rumors circulated that Wang Zhe's death in the desert was actually due to Lin Caiquan leaking information, leading to the defeat. Qiu Shaojun was said to be hiding in Jiangzhou under pressure from Lin Caiquan. The so-called "letting Qiu Shaojun go to Longchi to take over as sect leader" was actually a trap; if Qiu Shaojun dared to return to Longchi, he would certainly not leave Longque Mountain alive.

Cheng Zongyang sighed, "Such a good imagination, it's a real pity he doesn't go into screenwriting."

Qin Hui said, "Where there's smoke, there's fire."

Cheng Zongyang didn't see it that way. "Lin Caiquan is a cunning old fox. Even if he wanted to betray Wang Zhe, he wouldn't do it. I think these two rumors were mostly spread by Lin Zhilan. One is to sow discord between Lao Lin and Lao Shang, and the other is to sow discord between Lao Lin and Xiao Qiuzi. Just the fact that these rumors don't involve Zhuo Jianren shows that Lin Zhilan is still waiting for news from Zhuo Jianren."

Zhuo Yunjun's voice actually came from the Pengyi Headquarters in Qingzhou, but since he had her in his grasp, if he said it was true, there would be absolutely no falsehood.

Qin Hui said, "If Zhuo Jiaoyu's identity isn't cleared, her usefulness will ultimately be limited."

"Cleared? Forget it. I'm afraid she'll stab me in the back again."

Cheng Zongyang looked at the newly printed sample tickets while asking, "How is Changbo doing?"

"He's already arrived in Jiankang, but hasn't seen Miss Yun yet. However, there's news that Miss Yun is safe and sound."

Wu Sangui was cautious; if he said Yun Ruyao was safe, he must be absolutely certain. Cheng Zongyang put down the sample ticket, leaned back in his chair, and sighed, "Old Qin, am I being a bit of a scoundrel?"

Qin Hui nodded, "What you say is absolutely right, young master."

"You even flatter me like that!"

Cheng Zongyang had already honestly told Qin Hui the reason why the Yun family had turned against Jiangzhou, and Qin Hui immediately said without any politeness, "Miss Yun is, after all, an unmarried young lady."

"Oh dear, you've wronged me to death! Don't you know it was her... Never mind! I'm not talking to you anymore!"

Cheng Zongyang said irritably, "Close the door, I need to settle accounts!"

Cheng Zongyang sighed and picked up the account book. He had originally planned to use the information about Taiyi Zhenzong to make another profit, but all his calculations were no match for that bitch Jian Yuji's casual calculations, forcing him to use a deadly move, hoping that the Song army would withdraw as soon as possible to avoid the fall of Jiangzhou without the support of the Yun family.

Gao Qiu had been attending court meetings for days, and the pro-war and pro-peace factions were arguing fiercely in the court. Jia Shixian's brilliant implementation of paper currency had already suppressed his rivals, the Wang and Liang factions, but Emperor Taiyi Zhenzong's statement pushed him back into the limelight.

Emperor Taiyi Zhenzong's statement was quite subtle, only mentioning that he was upholding Wang Zhe's last wishes and dedicated to peace among the Six Dynasties. However, everyone knew that Wang Zhe's wishes were enshrined on the stone tablet in front of the palace gates; this so-called dedication to peace was, in other words, opposition to war.

The Song Dynasty was currently engaged in the Battle of Jiangzhou, and Emperor Taiyi Zhenzong's expression of support for Jiangzhou was already out in the open.

In contrast, the Song emperor's reaction was much calmer—he had no choice but to be calm. The Song Dynasty revered Taoism, and Emperor Taiyi Zhenzong wielded immense power within the country. For ordinary people to brandish weapons in front of the inner palace gates would result in the confiscation of their property and the extermination of their entire clan.

But when Wang Zhe struck the stone tablet with his sword in front of the palace, the Song emperor could only offer him official positions and make promises. Now, Emperor Taiyi Zhenzong was repeating the same tactic, at least giving him some face.

While the Song emperor was hesitating about whether to meet with the new head of Emperor Taiyi Zhenzong, Jia Shixian's newly secured position was already precarious under the siege of the Liang faction's instigation of court discussions.

Two months earlier, Cheng Zongyang would have been overthrown without hesitation. But now, the money shop had just been established, and the interests of both parties were intertwined. If Jia Shixian fell, the money shop would immediately close; if the money shop closed, the two million shi of paper money would be impossible to repay, even if he sold his kidneys.

Cheng Zongyang had to simultaneously try every means to force Jia Shixian to agree to withdraw his troops while also preventing him from being pushed too far and collapsing directly.

Due to the Song Dynasty's military actions, grain prices in various regions had soared, but the price in Qingzhou was still half that of Song. After deducting storage costs, one million shi of grain sold for a total of 370,000 gold coins. Adding the 60,000 gold coins earned in Junzhou, his own cash balance reached a total of 830,000 gold coins.

However, 300,000 of this was a loan from the Yun family, due in six months; 400,000 was the money shop's principal, leaving only 130,000 for himself. Two million shi of paper money had been issued, with another million shi to be issued.

Cheng Zongyang made a mark in the ledger, wrote the date, closed the ledger, and picked up the sample notes beside him.

The first two batches of banknotes were all high-denomination notes: two hundred notes of 10,000 strings of cash and five hundred notes of 2,000 strings of cash, all of which have been issued. The third batch, one million gold coins, was printed in small denominations, the largest being ten strings of cash and the smallest only ten coins. For this incomplete form of paper money, notes below one string of cash were meaningless to issue, so few were printed.

Cheng Zongyang only wanted to see how well the people of Song accepted paper money. If he wanted to completely replace physical currency with paper money, it was hard to say whether a hundred years would be enough, but twenty or thirty years certainly wouldn't be enough.

Issuing this batch of paper money would undoubtedly increase his payment pressure, but whether from the long-term perspective of the money shop's development or from the perspective of the imminent peace or war negotiations, this batch of paper money had to be issued.

Only by successfully issuing the third batch of paper money could Jia Shixian's position be saved; even if the Song emperor gained enough face and agreed to withdraw the troops, he would not allow Jia Shixian to step down immediately.

Light footsteps came from outside, followed by a soft knocking on the door.

Cheng Zongyang put down the sample notes. "Miss Shishi, please come in."

A light fragrance wafted through the room as Li Shishi entered like a delicate orchid. She wore a light blue, asymmetrical-collar top and a dark blue long skirt embroidered with waves. Her original double buns were now styled into a round bun, revealing her fair forehead, and each earring was adorned with a jade pendant. Abandoning the nurse's white uniform of the Bright Temple, she appeared much more mature.

The sight of this beautiful woman caused Cheng Zongyang to momentarily lose his senses, as if he were seeing the beautiful and capable secretary in his boss's office.

"Mr. Qin sent me here. May I ask what business the master has with me?"

Li Shishi's polite manner pulled Cheng Zongyang back to reality. That treacherous minister has learned to forge imperial edicts; seeing he was unhappy, he shoved Li Shishi here. He truly has the potential of a treacherous minister.

"Nothing much, just wanted to ask how your studies have been these past few days?"

"A lot to sort out."

Since arriving at Cuiwei Garden, Li Shishi hadn't mentioned family matters at all. She spent her time studying commerce and bookkeeping, seemingly cutting ties with the past and unwilling to look back. She spoke in a businesslike tone, "Under Mr. Qin's guidance, I've reorganized the head of the household's businesses, trying to clarify things."

"Any insights?" "

The money exchange accounts are easier to handle, but Mr. Qin said the head of the household has other businesses elsewhere."

"You don't need to worry about the other businesses for now, tell me about the money exchange."

"Okay."

Li Shishi opened her wallet and found the records. "Regarding the money exchange, they received a total of 194,000 gold coins in paper money these past few days, but only 1,000 gold coins were exchanged for paper money."

This figure was within Cheng Zongyang's percentage...

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