Chapter 0138: The Defeated

Chapter 0138: The Defeated

As the lanterns began to light up, the bustle on Treasure Street intensified rather than diminished. Even the foreign merchants with their long beards and sheepskin coats came out to play. They conducted business during the day and indulged freely at night. To cater to these guests who enjoyed coarse entertainment, many shops hired young women.

Normally, the staff in small shops would all be men. The reason for hiring women was self-evident.

Qu Yunmie had explicitly forbidden brothels and similar establishments, but some people still operated them secretly. Fortunately, there were patrols around the clock in the city, so such activities were not widespread, especially in the larger shops. Initially, they had been forced by Xiao Rong to relocate here, but later they realized that Xiao Rong had given them an excellent opportunity. They changed their attitude and started to curry favor with him.

They dared not defy the government or upset the officials, but the inherent nature of merchants to seek profit remained unchanged. Seeing others make substantial profits, they too became envious and began to skirt the rules.

Hiring female staff was just one of the tactics; there were also daily-paid maids, singers, dancers, and most popular among scholars—the scholar ladies.

Scholar ladies were not just anyone; they had to be beautiful, literate, and possess a special skill. In the past, there were talented women like these, but once they gained fame, wealthy families would buy them and keep them hidden. The scholar ladies on Treasure Street, however, could be seen but not bought, as any involvement in human trafficking would lead to inquiries by patrolling soldiers.

Before the chaos began, nobles had household slaves. After the chaos, many emperors enacted new laws annually to consolidate their rule, leading to different regulations in each city. Some allowed household slaves, while others only permitted hired servants.

Chenliu used to allow the buying and selling of household slaves, but Xiao Rong had not yet clarified whether it was permissible now. Implementing this law involved too many stakeholders, so he cautiously introduced it as a pilot program. The first trial was on Treasure Street, where no human trafficking was allowed, and all staff, including maids, were hired under contracts that could not exceed five years.

At this point, the law did not significantly affect most shops, as those who could afford to open stores already had servants they had purchased previously. These scholar ladies, however, had to be found elsewhere.

Xiao Rong's intention was to prevent these unfortunate individuals from being sold like goods, but some were determined to follow their patrons, and he couldn't outright ban redemption.

The principle of yin and yang applies everywhere; the brighter the surface, the darker the underside. Standing on the arch bridge, gazing at the sea of lanterns along the street, Xiao Rong had to admit that Chenliu felt more like a bustling city that never sleeps since these women appeared.

It seemed that certain things could not be controlled simply by his intervention, as the development of things followed its own natural course. No matter what Xiao Rong did, he could not change this.

...

Xiao Rong's eyes shifted slightly. He stood on an arch bridge that had been recently built, with fresh marks from stone polishing still visible. Snow clumps rested on the bridge railing, and the wind blew his cloak, causing the edges to catch a bit of snow.

The cloak retained Xiao Rong's body heat, and if left unattended, it would soon become wet from the melting snow.

So Qu Yunmie reached out, brushing the snow off Xiao Rong's cloak, then raised his iron hand and slapped it down, leaving at least three railings bald.

Xiao Rong: "…"

He looked at Qu Yunmie.

From the same vantage point, Xiao Rong saw the fruits of his labor, the frustrations of reform, and the philosophical notion of the river flowing year after year. But Qu Yunmie could only see the crowded and noisy street, wondering why these people didn't need sleep.

...

Although annoyed, he did not move because Xiao Rong was still standing there. Before safely escorting him back to the mansion, Qu Yunmie would not leave him more than an arm's length away.

Xiao Rong felt a strange sensation.

Even though Qu Yunmie did not understand the significance of establishing this street, in a sense, it was the result of their joint efforts. Xiao Rong handled internal affairs, while Qu Yunmie managed external matters. One worked tirelessly for development, while the other acted as a stabilizing force, deterring troublemakers.

In the night, Xiao Rong smiled lightly, and Qu Yunmie's ears twitched. As he turned to look at Xiao Rong, he saw him raise his head and ask seriously, "Qu Yunmie, do you believe in fate?"

Qu Yunmie: "?"

His face showed confusion. After leaving the restaurant, it was Xiao Rong who wanted to come here to enjoy the night view. How did enjoying the night view lead to such a profound question?

After a moment of silence, Qu Yunmie gave Xiao Rong some face and slowly thought about it, eventually concluding, "No."

Xiao Rong was taken aback.

This answer caught him off guard: "No? You... don't believe in it at all??"

He had much to say, but when it came to expressing it, he didn't know how to start. Strength is indeed the foundation of success, but he should acknowledge that among so many people, only he reached the edge of supreme power, which must involve some luck.

And me, a modern person, experiencing such incredible events to be by your side, and a broken system forcing me to help you—this isn't fate?

Xiao Rong's surprise was evident, and Qu Yunmie frowned before explaining, "Fate means something that doesn't belong to me is given to me by heaven out of pity. I don't think anything I have was given to me as charity. I fought hard to get everything I have."

Xiao Rong listened, feeling a bit odd. He buried half his face in his cloak, muffled by the thick fabric, and asked softly, "What about me?"

Was I also something you fought for?

...

Xiao Rong's eyes looked up, and the cold air made everything clearer. Qu Yunmie had a fleeting illusion that Xiao Rong's eyes seemed even more crystalline.

Staring into those eyes, Qu Yunmie replied, "Not you."

He paused and added, "You fought hard to bring yourself to my side. This can't be called fate. Ninety steps were your effort, and the last ten were mine."

Xiao Rong fell silent.

Qu Yunmie's words made sense. The broken system only served as a ticket, and everything else was accomplished together. The term "fate" might sound mysterious and romantic, but it trivialized their efforts. Even if fate destined them to meet, the subsequent experiences and emotions were still their own.

A sense of accomplishment arose within him, but he quickly suppressed his smile. He pulled his chin out of the warm cloak, leaned against the railing, and looked at Qu Yunmie, "Don't talk nonsense. We're not together yet. We've barely reached the ninetieth step. It's said that the last ten steps are the hardest. If something goes wrong now, I'll be devastated."

Fortunately, Qu Yunmie didn't know the phrase "pulling out without care," or he would have said it in front of Xiao Rong.

But Qu Yunmie felt fine. He didn't feel defeated or frustrated because he knew that Xiao Rong never spoke the truth, even when he thought he was. To understand Xiao Rong's heart, one must observe his actions, not his words.

Hmm... thinking about Xiao Rong's recent actions, Qu Yunmie smiled.

Xiao Rong: "…………"

Qu Yunmie's expression made his hair stand on end, but then Qu Yunmie smoothed his lips and said, "Nothing will go wrong. Even if it does, I'll handle it. Just don't get captured again."

Xiao Rong's face fell: "Do you think I want to get captured? There are too many villains in the world; it's not my fault!"

Xiao Rong had been captured twice: the first time due to the palace's vulnerabilities, and the second time because they were unfamiliar with the new city, while Yuan Baifu held a strategic advantage.

Though Xiao Rong understood these reasons, being captured twice had made him irritable. Another capture would turn him dark, even without Qu Yunmie's help.

Qu Yunmie looked at him and subconsciously stomped his feet twice. He crossed his arms, his brows tightly furrowed, looking extremely agitated.

Qu Yunmie didn't say anything; he had his own set of principles, and no one could convince him to let Xiao Rong face danger again.

...

*

As soon as Yu Shaoxie returned, Xiao Rong took the day off without any qualms. At this point, Yu Shaoxie hadn't realized the severity of the situation. When he learned that Xiao Rong had indeed spent the entire night out with The King, although he felt it was inappropriate, he didn't say anything.

The next day, they held an urgent meeting all morning and finally agreed on how to handle the influx of refugees.

They would provide porridge and allow them into the city, but not to go further north, only to stay in Runan City.

The pressure on Runan increased dramatically. The newly appointed governor sent three letters a day asking for money. Now that Xiao Rong was in charge of finances, after giving twice, he couldn't bear it anymore. It was a constant drain, and when would it end? Moreover, it was just before the New Year, people were eating through their savings, and the government needed to provide heating subsidies due to the large population. There wasn't even enough firewood to collect.

People were freezing and starving to death outside the city every day, leaving Xiao Rong no choice but to continue providing funds. He wiped his face and immediately summoned all the soothsayers in the city.

He wanted the soothsayers to divine which direction had the best feng shui. He planned to designate that area and force all the refugees to chop wood and quarry stones there, no longer allowing them to ask for money. They would all have to work!

...

Divination is a Daoist specialty. Upon hearing that the government was seeking a feng shui treasure land, the renowned Daoists in the city became excited. With them around, the wild Daoists and fortune-tellers had no chance to shine. Several Daoist temples united, effectively pushing those people aside.

Receiving the letters from the Daoists, Xiao Rong discovered that the number of Daoists in Chenliu had multiplied, and each one claimed significant lineage. Some came from famous mountains, others were direct descendants of certain temples, and some even claimed to have seen Qu Yunmie's name in the heavens, declaring him the next Heavenly Emperor.

Reading these claims, Xiao Rong sneered. He wasn't bothered by the flattery but thought it wasn't grandiose enough.

After reading a few more, another flatterer caught his attention, making Xiao Rong's eyes light up.

This person said he saw Qu Yunmie in the heavens, but not as someone chosen by the gods; Qu Yunmie himself was a god. His true name was Ji Tian Gong De Jing Ren Ziwu Great Emperor, who descended to earth to end human suffering. After his death, he would return to heaven to continue being a god.

Good!

Xiao Rong thought, rubbing his feet against the ground, feeling both embarrassed and pleased. This person was truly adept at flattering!

Satisfied, Xiao Rong selected a few eloquent ones and a few with high public esteem. He held a small meeting with these Daoists, reminding them of their future stance and speech, promising them numerous benefits, including building a royal Daoist temple once Qu Yunmie became emperor, with annual donations.

Since they had elevated Qu Yunmie to a deity, building a temple was inevitable.

Initially, Xiao Rong asked the Daoists to contribute recipes and spread the news about who did this good deed. Those who initially provided the recipes now had the title of Celestial Master. Both Buddhism and Daoism started at the same level, teaching scriptures, collecting money, and occasionally doing good deeds. However, because Buddhist rules were simpler and promised greater rewards unseen, people tended to choose Buddhism.

Who could understand matters of the afterlife? Such teachings gave people hope for a better future, regardless of whether it was a deception or not. People found psychological comfort in it.

On the other hand, while Daoism didn't deceive, most people couldn't accept such reality. If they couldn't achieve sainthood in this life, everything was over. The problem was that most people were ordinary and unwilling to accept this truth.

Xiao Rong promoted Daoism, creating a gap between the two. Buddhism had no notable inventions, while Daoism's minor inventions genuinely improved people's lives. Public sentiment towards Daoism improved, and some realized that tangible benefits were real benefits.

With more practical-minded people, Daoism gained more followers. Now tasked with finding feng shui treasure lands, some Daoists cleverly switched tracks, offering to help Xiao Rong against the Breeze Sect, exposing their ugliness.

Looking at these Daoists, Xiao Rong smiled and readily agreed.

But after sending them away, he turned to Mi Jing, subtly reminding him that the number of Daoists in the city was increasing, and their actions were becoming more high-profile. Didn't the Buddhists have any objections? What about the donations to build orphanages and hospitals?

Mi Jing: "…………"

Xiao Rong looked at him expectantly.

Yes, Buddhism had no inventions.

But they had money!

A temple protected by the government received enough incense money annually to support an entire village. A temple like Zunshan Temple, where Mi Jing stayed, could receive tens of thousands of gold coins a year. Even in the poorest years, they still collected several thousand gold coins.

And this wasn't an exception. The saying "four hundred eighty temples" understated the actual number.

Mi Jing wasn't the abbot and had no personal assets. He had no disciples, no house, and lived in the palace. The only things considered his personal property were gifts from kings and queens, which he had already given to Xiao Rong to manage.

But Mi Jing's greatest value wasn't in material possessions but in himself.

If he spoke, countless people would rush to give him money. If he refused, they would be depressed for years.

...

Everyone revered the Buddha's son, yet here was someone treating him like an ATM.

... And the Buddha's son endured it. He found time to visit the largest temple in the city and sat with the sixty- to seventy-year-old abbot. He explained the current predicament of Buddhism and the people, emphasizing that this action could save the world and regain some of the lost prestige from Daoism.

Mi Jing spoke calmly, and the frail old man listened attentively, nodding. After sending Mi Jing away, the old man immediately called out, "Children, invite all the abbots from other temples!"

The Buddha's son had new instructions, and they needed to act quickly!

*

Xiao Rong wanted the Daoists to find a feng shui treasure land to start construction on the palace next year.

Xiao Rong himself didn't believe in feng shui, but everyone else did. He couldn't fight the tide, and he didn't want to argue over such a trivial matter. As long as the location wasn't absurd, the palace could be built anywhere.

At this time, people favored competition and flaunting wealth. Commoners and nobles alike showed off, and even the imperial family couldn't escape this trend.

Every new emperor who overthrew a dynasty built a larger palace than the previous one. The most outrageous example was the Yong Dynasty, which fled south, yet their palace in Jinling was larger and more luxurious than the one in Chang'an.

Xiao Rong could never understand how Emperor Guangjia's mind worked. Why build such a massive palace and not feel ashamed? It was even more shameful. He couldn't believe they were primates!

...

However, Emperor Guangjia probably didn't feel ashamed. Before fleeing, officials had already started scouting locations, and when he began his escape, construction in Jinling had just begun. It took two years, deforested several mountains, and exhausted countless laborers. In the end, Emperor Guangjia only lived there for half a year before passing away.

Oh, right. Because the palace took so long to build, Emperor Guangjia had a smaller palace constructed earlier. Since the current young emperor was too young, that palace remained empty, requiring daily maintenance. Thinking about these two places draining Southern Yong's wealth, Xiao Rong felt heartbroken.

They weren't spending Southern Yong's money, but the future Northern Pacification Army's!

Sun Renluan was oblivious to the fact that Xiao Rong was beginning to feel a pang of heartache over their wealth. Lately, he had hardly any spare time, only able to catch two or three hours of sleep each day. Despite his still-vigorous spirit, his garments were gradually becoming more baggy with each passing day.

He was working hard to extend the Southern Yong's lifeline. Even his arch-enemies had stopped causing trouble, but not everyone was as perceptive, and there were always those who couldn't see the current situation clearly.

Sun Renluan ordered his subordinates to purchase grain and fodder, piling it all up within Jinling City. Now, the price of grain in Jinling had skyrocketed, even affecting the area north of the Huai River. However, under the Northern Pacification Army's swift actions, they strictly controlled the distribution of grain and fodder and did not allow prices to rise north of the Huai River.

Anyone caught violating these orders or secretly selling grain at high prices would face no leniency. Even if they sold just one pound of grain at a higher price, they would be executed on the spot.

After dealing with a batch of bold offenders, the unrest north of the Huai River was quickly suppressed. Ironically, a branch family of a prominent clan attempted to sell grain to Jinling. After being caught, they still hoped their main family would come to their rescue. The person handling this matter was Song Shuo. He pretended to let them off, but then sighed, saying he could not release them due to his position as the Administrator of Chenliu.

So he helped them write a letter, sending it to the main family in Southern Yong. For some reason, the main family actually sent someone over, and the envoy was of high status, the eldest son of the direct line. Even someone of Song Shuo's standing was crucial within the family.

In front of this eldest son, Song Shuo executed every member of the branch family, from old to young, scaring him almost to madness. Then he told him, "You also write a letter, asking your main family to redeem you with grain. In the face of an impending war, how dare your family disobey the Northern Pacification King's orders? Instead of repenting and taking your own lives, you dared to use your main family to pressure us. Where is the law? Where is the Northern Pacification King's authority? You share the same surname, so you can't be a good person either!"

...

At first, it was just about dealing with this family, but after a couple of days, the nature of the issue changed. The prominent clans stood with the court. Even the branches and those north of the Huai River were thinking of supplying grain to Jinling. This was truly despicable; they were ungrateful wolves! Kill them, kill anyone who dares to do this! Drive them out, drive out everyone associated with the clans!

Those clan members who came to Chenliu were tasked with securing a backup plan for their families or observing which side to join. But now, the entire Northern Pacification Army took a unified stance, viewing the clans as lackeys of the Yong Dynasty, neither trustworthy nor worth trusting.

Upon learning of this, the families in Southern Yong felt that the Northern Pacification Army was forcing them to choose sides. Some smaller families lost their patience and even sent their younger members to plead with the Northern Pacification King's people. The larger families, however, sneered, knowing well that the law does not punish the masses. While killing a chicken might warn the monkeys, it wouldn't deter others. They, these wealthy families, were different. Once the Northern Pacification King became the new emperor, he would still need them, just like any other emperor.

Although Xiao Rong didn't hear them say this, their silence spoke volumes.

Xiao Rong sat in the meeting hall, counting the visiting cards and letters like counting money. Families with confidence were still in the minority.

Song Shuo sat beside him, pouting. He was still unhappy that Xiao Rong had suddenly intervened, preventing him from killing the main family's useless member.

After finishing the count, Xiao Rong looked at Song Shuo and shook his head: "I'm really afraid you'll become a cruel official someday."

Hearing this, Song Shuo looked at Xiao Rong in surprise, then chuckled: "Whether I am a cruel official depends on who is judging me. I don't think ordinary people would hate me deeply."

Xiao Rong: "The words of ordinary people won't be recorded in history books. At the beginning of a new dynasty, some stern measures are indeed needed to intimidate people, but there's no need for them to come from you. Don't you care about your reputation?"

Song Shuo winked at Xiao Rong: "I do."

Xiao Rong: "Then..."

Song Shuo continued: "But I don't think killing a few people will affect my reputation. A few years ago, a fortune-teller said I would live to be forty. That means I have nearly twenty more years. By then, a new generation of officials will have taken over. Besides, Xiao Rong, not only do the words of ordinary people not make it into history books, but defeated ones are even less significant than ordinary people."