"Does His Majesty an to implent it in Zhou right away?" Wei Bugong asked.
"Precisely..." Bai Qingyan nodded.
Bai Qingyan’s Imperial Edict was passed around among Bai Qingyu, Bai Qingqi, and others, and Bai Qingjue saluted Wei Bugong: "I ask Master Wei for an explanation."
Wei Bugong straightened up and returned the salute to Bai Qingjue, then began to speak: "Back then, I was given the task of disaster relief. Since the relief grains and funds were insufficient, and raising more would take ti, I feared that people might die of starvation. So, I went to several cities to borrow grains using the Minister of Revenue’s official seal, borrowing not only from the cities but also from grain rchants. I even dared to promise interest, which allowed to bring the grains back in ti! Later, after I reported back, His Majesty took a great interest in this idea of borrowing with promised interest."
Wei Bugong glanced at Bai Qingyan and continued, "Later... His Majesty considered whether, in case of ergencies in Zhou where the Ministry of Revenue could not mobilize silver coin, we could use this thod of issuing IOUs with interest to collect funds from the public. After all... if we were to always force the wealthy to lead donations like during the Jin Dynasty, it would not be sustainable. So... the plan is to issue Zhou Kingdom bonds in the na of Zhou Kingdom to raise funds!"
Chun Tao, along with Chun Zhi, brought hot tea and pastries, and tactfully placed the strong tea and snacks by each official’s side during the break, ensuring that Bai Qingyan, the Bai family young masters, young ladies, and Commandant Lu wouldn’t grow tired and hungry during the late-night eting.
"At this ti, issuing Zhou bonds, allowing Master Wei Bugong to calculate the numbers... citizens everywhere can purchase them and receive interest and principal based on the duration of their purchase," Bai Qingyan tapped the table with her fingers, her black-and-white eyes faintly flashing, "This way... in Yan, where the new Zhou law is implented, if citizens or rich rchants are willing to buy, the interest and principal will be paid back once the ti cos. This... is a way to establish trust for us in Yan, and it’s the most effective thod!"
Commandant Lu and Dong Qingping suddenly realized, if so... once war breaks out and Zhou bonds are implented in Yan, it would indeed be advantageous for Zhou!
Shen Tianzhi has led the Zhou officials to the Yan Kingdom for a while now, but... the Yan Kingdom’s people are inherently patriotic and extrely distrustful of the Zhou Dynasty. Though Shen Tianzhi is clever and resourceful, implenting new policies has been a struggle!
Now Zhou needs to go to war, issuing Zhou bonds to raise military funds and supplies is reasonable, and it’s not compulsory. Since it’s issued within Zhou’s domain, with voluntary purchase, it’s a justified move, and there’s no ulterior motive to protect Yan territories, leaving the Yan court with no grounds for objection.
The next step is to return the principal and interest of the Zhou bonds on ti, which builds trust among the Yan people! Just like in ancient tis... moving the wood to build trust, only then would the people trust the court and governnt.
"Reasonable, and able to win the trust of the Yan people towards the Zhou court. Judging from this, His Majesty’s resolve to conquer Dongyi Kingdom is indeed not acting on impulse!" Commandant Lu was convinced, straightening up to bow to Bai Qingyan, "His Majesty’s foresight... is beyond us!"
Dong Qingping’s eyes were already showing delight: "Once we implent these Zhou bonds thoroughly, if the Yan Kingdom imitates us... it proves that they admit our new policies are better than their national policies, and they have lost!"
Bai Qingyan nodded.
"I... concede to His Majesty!" Dong Qingping looked at his niece, full of pride.
"Oh my, there are so many twists and turns behind waging a war!" Bai Jinzhi couldn’t help but exclaim.
She recalled her third sister saying that her eldest sister is always soone who plans many steps ahead, and thought of the ti when the Bai family faced difficulties, with agitators clamoring at their door, and she, in her anger, about to lash out at them, was admonished by her eldest sister...
Her eldest sister said, whether it’s being a person or doing things, you can be sharp and unreserved, but only if you have the ability and strategy to control the situation.
Today, Bai Jinzhi finally understood this statent!
The Dongyi Kingdom dared to brandish their sword against Zhou, and the eldest sister intended to destroy their kingdom. However... annihilating Dongyi is not to be done by sacrificing and harming the kingdom but by using ability and strategy to turn the tide, making what seed to be detrintal, advantageous.
"Elder sister, this ti in annihilating Dongyi, I will go!" Bai Qingyu spoke again, looking at his elder sister with determined eyes, "Although I haven’t experienced naval battles, if it’s a war to conquer Dongyi, then soone from the Bai family must be there!"
"I’ll go too! I’ll go too!" Bai Jinzhi quickly added.
"A Yu is right, if we conquer Dongyi without soone from the Bai family to oversee, it won’t work! Eldest sister, let go!" Bai Jinxiu spoke, her eyes deep, "I have trained an elite naval force before and have so confidence in naval warfare. Eldest sister, give Ah Jue and the fourth young master, Jinxiu... vows not to return until Dongyi is vanquished!"
Bai Qingjue nodded: "I am willing to go to Dongyi!"
"I am willing too!" Bai Jinzhi quickly spoke, not caring who would go, as long as she was included.
"Let go instead!" Bai Qingqi turned to Bai Jinxiu and gently said, "Brother Wang nowadays clings to the mother so much, and you’ve already been apart more than together. Now, with your responsibilities in the School Affairs Office, it’s best not to leave easily."
"A Qi and A Yu need to handle kingdom affairs and absolutely cannot leave! Jinxiu is responsible for the School Affairs Office... and as A Qi said, Brother Wang and the mother have been apart more than together, so Jinxiu cannot leave either; she must stay to spend more ti with Brother Wang and the second aunt!" Bai Qingyan hadn’t forgotten the look of disappointnt when the second aunt realized her son hadn’t returned, and so she wouldn’t let Bai Jinxiu leave.
"Does His Majesty intend, perhaps... to personally lead the army?" Commandant Lu felt his whole body tense up; Bai Qingyan wouldn’t allow the King of Zhen, nor the King of Supporting, nor the King of Guarding to go. If Commandant Lu couldn’t guess her intent, he’d be unworthy of Bai Qingyan’s trust as a minister, "Your Majesty, you must not!"
Seeing Bai Qingyan not refuting Commandant Lu’s words, Dong Qingping’s eyes widened: "This cannot be! You can wage war! But as the Emperor of Zhou, bearing the burden of the kingdom, how can you take risks lightly? Throughout history, an emperor only personally leads battles to boost morale for certain victory or in the most desperate situations! Dongyi is just a tiny kingdom... even if a state is to be destroyed, are there no generals in our Zhou? How can the emperor go!"
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