520 Unfair to Me or You? (1/2)
The emperor called for the President of the Board of Revenue and asked him directly, ”How much does the treasury still have in reserve?”
The Board of Revenue's President was crestfallen when he replied. ”We have no more than twenty million taels.”
Based on their normal daily expenses, the twenty million taels in the treasury could last them at least a year, perhaps more. It was not a small amount, but for now, it was wholly inadequate!
There wouldn't even be change left over.
They had millions of heroic souls, how much would it cost to give everyone a hundred taels? Besides, how could a hundred taels each be enough to compensate them?
”It's not enough! Far from enough!”
His Majesty murmured under his breath and asked immediately, ”How much taels do we have in cash? I want a precise number.”
”No more than five million taels.”
The President of the Board of Revenue answered promptly this time, but he could not understand His Majesty's intention behind asking this question. Even if he wanted to reward the army, it could not just be in cash. Even if this sum was added to the total, it would not suffice at all! It was not even enough to cover their salary, let alone the pensions, rewards, and other expenditures.It was like pouring a cup of water onto a cart of burning straw.
”Five million taels… That will be enough to complete a thought of mine then.” The emperor frowned, stroking the space between his brows, and said slowly, ”Ask the Board of Works to start work immediately. Have them work through the night to make… three million silver coins.”
”I beg your pardon?”
The Board of Revenue's president lifted his head in a daze, his eyes about to bulge out, as he pondered upon the request.
”What do you want to do? There isn't enough money… There's already so little left, but they're to be turned into silver coins?”
”What are the silver coins for? Our national expenditure has never distinguished between gold and silver coins. Are you planning on introducing a new coin system?”
”We haven't had any corresponding preparations prior to this! There are too many complications that will stem from such a move. It's not something that we can solve overnight!”
Seeing the President of the Board of Revenue's perplexity, His Majesty explained, ”This batch of silver coins is not for transactional purposes. These eight words are to be engraved on the front of the coin, 'Heroic Souls Never Perish, Noble Spirits Live Forever' – under the eight words, imprint the imperial jade seal. The back will be Yutang's national flag. This will be the design on the coins.”
”Then, on each silver coin, engrave the fallen soldier's name. Each one of them must have a coin made in his honor.”
The emperor said in a melancholic voice, ”I want all the orphaned families of the fallen soldiers – other than the honorable decorations, pensions and follow-up rewards that they deserve - to have a silver coin of patriotism. Each family should be counted in.”
The Board of Revenue's President eventually understood the emperor's intention and agreed in a low voice, ”Yes.”
”These silver coins of patriotism cannot be used for spending purposes; strictly no deals are to be made from them. However, for anyone who holds this coin, their children shall receive a fifty percent rebate for schooling. They will be prioritized for any matters, and they will be served first when they bring this coin to the local officials if they are bullied.”
”Your Majesty, this official knows that Your Majesty sympathizes for the orphaned families of the soldiers, but once this batch of coins is distributed, the complications are plenty. For one, the silver coin is easily obtained and forged. With a large number of coins sent out, it'll be inevitable that we will face the issue of identifying the genuine and forged coins. This silver coin is very useful too… If people were to duplicate them… we are in for a huge load trouble,” said the president after a long pause for consideration.
The emperor replied lightly, ”If this was so easy, I would have delivered my dictum immediately. Why would I need to consult you? I only have one request; the coin is not to be duplicated.”
The Board of Revenue's President was baffled. Not to be duplicated? It was already the world's toughest issue! How could he have any solution to this age-old problem? The emperor was giving him an impossible task!
”You are dismissed.” His Majesty said, ”Think this through. Think well and hard about how it should work, so that it can't be duplicated, not… not… not…”
With a sigh, he waved his hand, ”You may leave. Let me know when you've figured this out.”
The president looked troubled, dismissing himself with a long face. It looked like he had to conduct a brainstorming session throughout the night to solve these problems…
”Oh, how hard my life has become! To be this poor country's Board of Revenue's President, I have to be a miser every day! Oh, how I long to divide a copper coin into eight… I have to ask for money everywhere on behalf of this position. I don't even know how many people I've offended!”
”Every imperial assembly, I am the one to be challenged the most!”
”Can't I have anything easy? I have been given an extra task today, a task that's nothing short of a headache. Oh, my God!”
…
The President of the Board of Revenue had left.
”Is Marquis Yun still here?” asked the emperor.
”Your Majesty, Marquis Yun has been waiting for a long time outside the hall.”
”Ask him to come in,” ordered the emperor.
As he spoke, the eunuchs were already packing the royal study tight with piles of books. There was still an endless stream of people carrying books,which was slowly turning into a hill. Usually, the emperor's royal study prohibited too many people from going in and out. Even when it was under the emperor's orders, it could only be executed after he left. After all, it posed a hidden danger for too many people to buzz in and out of the room.
However, the books the emperor had asked for this time were numerous. A lot of them included old readings from the previous dynasty. A rough estimate would indicate that they might even fill two royal studies to the brim.
Due to this point, the head eunuch had reported it immediately. Everyone knew that the emperor regarded this information search very highly, thus not one of them dared to slack off.
”Move some in first. When they have been filtered and deemed to be unrelated, then move another portion inside,” His Majesty ordered.
Before his words could even echo in the air, Marquis Yun entered hastily.
”What are you doing?” Marquis Yun was shocked to see the room full of books.
The royal study was a study room and it had already contained a plethora of books, but it was still used mainly as a place for the emperor to manage, govern and go through dossiers. It was rare to fill it with so many books indeed.
”Forget about this first.” His Majesty's eyes were trained on Marquis Yun. ”That… that topic I've asked you to investigate before... how is it? Do you have any results?”
Marquis Yun rolled his eyes and sat himself down at the palace armchair, speaking in a calm voice, ”Give me a cup of tea first.”
Throughout the entire Empire of Yutang, the three infamous capital city rogues Qiu Jianhan, Leng Daoyin, and Fang Qingtian included, there was no one who dared to act so boldly in front of the Emperor of Yutang, Yu Peize, but the Marquis of Heavenly Clouds, Yun Xiaoyao was apparently an exception.
In the face of the emperor's question, he had impudently asked for tea!
The Emperor closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.
”Servant, serve tea!”
”Serve your Palace Snow Bud Tea!” Marquis Yun said. ”I am extremely fond of the taste.”
His Majesty closed his eyes again, with another deep breath. ”Serve it! Serve the Snow Bud Tea!”
Tea was served.
Marquis Yun was delighted, his hands stretching forward to reach for the brew.
”Halt!” His Majesty stopped his hand. ”Let's speak about serious matters first. You can drink afterward, however much you like. However, before you talk about this matter, there is no tea for you to drink in a hurry!”
Marquis Yun closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of the tea deeply before slowly exhaling.
His Majesty looked at him irritably – piece of cake, let's see if you can refuse!
Obviously, tea was Marquis Yun's little weakness, a handle that warranted his submission.
”Which matter? About the war?” Marquis Yun finally decided to comply with the request.
There was no need to be headstrong in certain things, especially when one was facing the head of the country. It was alright to submit, he had nothing to lose by complying with the emperor's wish anyway!
”I meant… what I asked you to check upon…” The emperor lowered his voice, sticking his mouth close to Marquis Yun's ear. ”The matter of your precious son Yun Yang… if he is… Supreme Cloud!”
Marquis Yun took another long breath and breathed out slowly.