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I Built a Territory in Ancient Times Chapter 115

Chapter 115


The news from the court quickly spread through the streets. It was said that Duan Wang had single-handedly opened the West-Qi Corridor to avoid being constrained by the Suixi Kingdom. This would allow Great Yan’s goods to go out of the country and more goods from the Western Regions to enter Great Yan.

 

The trade between Great Yan and the countries of the Western Regions was a great thing. Hadn’t Duan Wang’s goods already been highly favored by the officials and nobles? Even the emperor himself had used these items.

 

It was said that Duan Wang had presented a glass mirror, over a person’s height, to the emperor, which was placed in the emperor’s palace. The emperor looked into the mirror every day to adjust his clothes and crown. There was even a saying that went around: “A mirror made of glass can straighten one’s clothes; a mirror of the past can reveal rise and fall; a mirror of people can show gains and losses.” (1) The emperor was a good ruler, and Duan Wang’s actions would benefit the common people.

 

If the West-Qi Corridor were opened, trade would flourish, and the goods from the Western Regions would come to Great Yan in increasing quantities. Perhaps even ordinary citizens could benefit from these items in the future.

 

The common people of the capital were eagerly watching the news. They could only stand by and watch, not yet able to partake in the excitement. This was one of the rare big events of recent years, and it was a lively topic of discussion during their free time.

 

At a small tavern, people were passionately discussing the matter.

 

“Do you think Duan Wang’s plan will succeed? I’m not sure; it seems a bit unreliable. I’ve heard the national treasury is out of funds,” one of them said, warming to the conversation as the wine flowed.

 

“Don’t worry about it,” someone else replied, “If Duan Wang dared to bring this up in the court, he must be confident. Otherwise, how could the emperor and the officials have all agreed?”

 

“That’s true. If it works, Great Yan’s goods will be able to leave the country, and they’ll sell at great prices.”

 

“Of course! I’ve heard that every time Duan Wang’s trade caravan goes out, they make a huge profit. The people of the Western Regions have never seen Great Yan’s tea and silk. Our common items are like gold in their eyes, and it’s no less of a sensation than the Western goods in Great Yan.”

 

“Ha! If my goods could be sold over there, I’d make a fortune too. It’s far better than letting them sit here gathering dust!”

The man owned a small shop in the capital selling cloth, silk, and ready-made clothes. His shop was small, barely enough to feed his family. In recent years, with the national treasury tight and natural disasters affecting the economy, business had become increasingly difficult.

 

In times of hardship, one must change strategies. No one could afford to keep hanging on to one option. The news today sparked new thoughts in the minds of many enterprising individuals. Even though they didn’t have much capital, they were brainstorming ideas, hoping to make a living from this opportunity.

 

If small merchants were thinking of new ideas, the larger businesses with control over the economy were even more eager. Soon, the details of what had happened in the court spread, and even the little book that Ming Yu had sent to the ministers was circulating among those with the right channels.

 

They carefully reviewed the contents of the booklet several times before closing it and sinking into deep thought. As merchants, they were more attuned to matters like this than the courtiers, with a sensitivity that was even sharper. The plans outlined by Duan Wang in the booklet had made them, seasoned in the business world, feel somewhat inadequate.

 

This clearly showed that Duan Wang was not as foolish and incompetent as the rumors suggested. After all, if the rumors were true, how could he have possibly thought of bringing goods from the Western Regions back to the Great Yan? The profits earned from this venture were so significant that even the top merchants were envious.

 

Now, Duan Wang’s proposal to develop the Western Qi Corridor had made even more of an impression. If he truly had the means to pull this off, it could alter the entire fate of the Great Yan. And wouldn’t that present a massive opportunity for merchants everywhere? What they needed to do now was seize this chance.

 

“Father!” Ma Jinyu carefully glanced at his father, Ma Siyong, who had remained silent since receiving the booklet. It had been a while, and he had no idea what his father was thinking.

Ma Siyong finally came back to his senses and handed the booklet to his son, signaling him to read it first before speaking.

 

Ma Jinyu didn’t dare to refuse, carefully reading through it before saying, “As expected, Duan Wang has extraordinary insight. When I spoke with him that day, he already hinted at his plans. I didn’t expect that things would move so quickly to the point where it is now being discussed in the court and gaining approval from all the ministers. It’s truly astonishing.”

 

When the court first discussed this matter, most officials had opposed it, with the main argument being that it would require substantial funding, and since the court didn’t have enough money, there was no point in pursuing it. But now, Duan Wang had single-handedly taken charge of the matter in court, and no one could match his boldness.

 

“Do you think Duan Wang has a way to secure the funds? The Western Qi Corridor is no joke; the money required is something no one outside the court could possibly provide,” Ma Siyong asked, looking at his son.

 

Ma Jinyu frowned and thought for a long time, finally shaking his head. He had no idea about Duan Wang’s plans. “Father, do you think Duan Wang is just playing around with this?”

 

Ma Siyong chuckled lightly, saying, “Playing around? Who would play games in the court like that? Don’t they fear losing their heads?”

 

Ma Jinyu awkwardly replied, “Isn’t the Emperor the one who spoils him the most? So…” But then he reconsidered, realizing that even though the Emperor favored his son, he wouldn’t make a joke out of national affairs. The current Emperor wasn’t a foolish ruler. If he had agreed to let Duan Wang proceed, it meant he believed Duan Wang could handle this matter. “But I really can’t figure out where Duan Wang might be getting the money from.”

 

Ma Siyong smiled faintly and said with confidence, “Just wait, Duan Wang is a man whose actions others cannot fully understand, but sooner or later, we will come to realize his methods.”

 

Ma Jinyu nodded, and then Ma Siyong added, “Find an opportunity to get close to Duan Wang and be sure to gather first-hand information.”

 

“Yes, father, I understand.”

 

It wasn’t just the merchants who were keeping an eye on Ming Yu—everyone in the capital, from the common people to the court officials, had their eyes on him. They all wanted to see how he could possibly get his hands on so much money. Of course, most people were watching with a mocking attitude. They probably thought, “He’s just a fool who made a rash boast. Now he’ll fail and become a laughingstock.”

 

But Ming Yu didn’t let these idle rumors bother him. He went about his daily life, eating, drinking, and from time to time, visiting the homes of various ministers, not to beg for alms, but to solicit sponsorship and loans. Of course, the ministers weren’t fools. Why would they give their money to a foolish prince who could squander it? So every time they saw Ming Yu, they scurried away faster than rabbits.

 

At Prime Minister Wen’s residence, Ming Yu was enjoying snacks and tea. When he had nearly finished, he wiped his mouth and said, “The snacks here are still the best, second only to the ones in the palace.”

 

Prime Minister Wen sat on a low couch, reading a book. He glanced at Ming Yu and chuckled helplessly, “In my years of service, I’ve kept my hands clean, and the little savings I had left, I’ve lent to you. Why do you keep coming to me?”

 

Ming Yu had visited nearly every minister’s home, but he came to Prime Minister Wen’s residence the most often.

 

Ming Yu felt somewhat wronged. “It’s not like I have anywhere else to go. The other ministers don’t welcome me, but only you, Prime Minister Wen, have such good snacks.”

 

Prime Minister Wen laughed. “Just admit it. You’re after the snacks here.” He knew well that in the circles Ming Yu frequented, the royal family, the high-ranking officials, and courtiers all avoided him as much as possible, fearing that he would ask them for money.

 

Ming Yu wasn’t bothered by this and laughed mischievously, then sighed exaggeratedly. “I’ve tried so hard to give them all a chance, but they don’t appreciate it. They’ll regret it one day.”

 

Prime Minister Wen shook his head, unsure of how to respond. He only said, “You can’t blame others for not appreciating it when you go asking everyone for money. They’re not fools to be tricked. But, Your Highness, you can’t keep going on like this. Even if they come up with some money, it’s probably not enough to make a real difference.” He didn’t say this directly to Ming Yu’s face but said it out of consideration for his dignity.

 

At the moment, Ming Yu had only the support of Marquis Dingyuan Xue Lun and Prime Minister Wen. How Marquis  Dingyuan had been convinced, he wasn’t sure, but Prime Minister Wen had supported Ming Yu mostly because he was the Emperor’s most favored son, and there was always a bit of lingering affection for the prince in his heart.

 

Now, whenever he and Marquis Dingyuan went out, they were looked at with pity by the officials. They probably heard that they had lent money to Ming Yu, and now they regarded the two of them as fools like Ming Yu. But Prime Minister Wen didn’t care about these looks. If anyone was a fool, it was the Emperor, who had unconditionally supported Ming Yu, even allowing him to empty out his private treasury.

 

Thinking about how the Emperor had complained to him, Prime Minister Wen couldn’t help but laugh. Ming Yu had a way of making people feel at ease and comfortable. No wonder the Emperor spoiled him so much.

 

He really couldn’t understand how Ming Yu could remain so carefree in such a situation, as if nothing were wrong. If it were him, he would probably have been overwhelmed and stressed out by now.

 

“What’s the rush? I never expected anything from them in the first place. What I’m doing is just to annoy them a bit, so one day in the future, they’ll regret it—‘There was an opportunity to make money, and I didn’t cherish it. Now, I deeply regret it. If I had a chance to do it all over again, I would definitely send them money in large amounts.’”

 

Ming Yu, besides teasing these people and having a little fun, was also preparing to silence them in the future. He had given them a chance, and if they didn’t appreciate it, he wouldn’t feel sorry for them. From now on, even if he held mountains of gold and silver, they shouldn’t think of taking a single coin.

 

Ming Yu’s exaggerated words made Wen Qing smile helplessly. He had suspected Ming Yu wasn’t up to any good. This kid might seem foolish on the outside, but his mind was sharp.

 

However, he still worried about where Ming Yu would get the money from. If that happened, wouldn’t the family fortune he had lent him be gone without a trace? Although wealth was just an external possession, it was always better to have it than not.

 

After thinking it over, Wen Qing asked, “Your Highness, can you give me a hint? Looking at the situation, I’m truly uneasy. Otherwise, could Your Highness return a portion of what I lent you, and we can reconsider this matter?”

 

Ming Yu widened his eyes and suddenly jumped up, saying, “No, no, that’s out of the question! It was all signed in black and white, no backing out of it! Don’t worry, Lord Prime Minister, there should be news soon. I can’t give you specifics right now, but in a short time, it’ll be clear. It’s getting late, so I’ll take my leave now, and we’ll talk more when I have the chance.”

 

It was as if Ming Yu was genuinely worried that the Prime Minister might ask for the money back. He hurriedly bid farewell and rushed out of the Prime Minister’s residence. Wen Qing didn’t even have the chance to say a word to stop him before he had already disappeared.

 

Once Ming Yu left the Prime Minister’s residence, he sighed in relief. It wasn’t until he turned the corner of the street that he slowed down his pace. He had just borrowed the money—how could he back out right away? There was no way he could cancel the deal now. No matter what, he wasn’t getting something for nothing. The agreement was clearly written—this money was an investment, and in the future, it would be proportionally split as dividends. This investment would definitely not be a loss.

 

Just as he was strolling along, a surprised voice suddenly called out from above, “Duan Wang? Duan Wang? Oh, what a coincidence to meet you here!”

 

Ming Yu looked up and saw Ma Jinyu, whom he had met not long ago at the Eldest Princess’s garden party, greeting him from the railing of a tavern nearby.

 

Ming Yu’s eyes narrowed into a smile. The big fish had arrived! After waiting for so many days, wasn’t this exactly what he had been hoping for?

 

Ma Jinyu quickly descended the stairs and reached Ming Yu. His guards tried to stop him, but Ming Yu waved them off. “Ah, it’s Young Master Ma.”

 

Seeing that Ming Yu remembered him, Ma Jinyu was thrilled and immediately bowed. “Does Wang Ye still remember me?”

 

Ming Yu laughed. “How could I forget? We had quite a pleasant chat at the garden party. It’s quite a coincidence to meet again today. It must be fate.”

 

Ma Jinyu nodded eagerly and invited him warmly, “I’m really thrilled to see Wang Ye today. If you don’t mind, would I have the honor to invite you up for a drink?”

 

Ming Yu laughed heartily. “Let’s go, having someone’s treating, it would be a waste not to go.”

 

Seeing Ming Yu agree so readily, Ma Jinyu’s heart was filled with joy. He quickly led him upstairs, instructed the tavern staff to freshen up everything, and had the best wine and food served before inviting Ming Yu to sit.

 

Ming Yu didn’t refuse, casually sitting down. They exchanged drinks a few times, and after a few rounds, when the atmosphere was lively, Ma Jinyu finally started probing for information.

 

He didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly, “Wang Ye, I heard that you’ve been short of money recently?”


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I Built a Territory in Ancient Times

I Built a Territory in Ancient Times

我在古代建设领地
Score 8.2
Status: Ongoing Type: Author: Released: 2020 Native Language: Chinese
The youngest, silly fourteenth son of the Yan Emperor had reached the age where he should be given a separated territory now. He rejected the wealthy land, neighbouring the capital city, and instead chose the wildest land in the western region— Liangcheng. Everyone shook their heads and sighed. A fool is indeed a fool. If you go to Liangcheng, you will be killed by barbarians in less than three to five years. One year later, the watermelon presented to the Emperor as the tribute from Liangcheng in the west was sweet and crispy. There was no one in the palace who did not love it. Two years later, Liangcheng presented corn as a tribute to the Emperor. The yield was high, and the taste was good. No one in the country could resist liking it. Three years later, Liangcheng defeated the barbarians and presented their prisoners in front of the imperial court. The people of Yan were excited and their morale was greatly boosted. Four years later… Everyone said that the fourteenth prince Mingyu was a fool, while the little fatty Yu, who transmigrated with the golden finger, chuckled. Let’s see how you guys look at this fool build his own territory, then.

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  1. LicoLico says:

    Thank You for the new chapter -ω(´•ω•`)♡

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