Chapter 520: Unfair to Me or You?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
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.
"Did you find any clues or not?" asked the emperor.
Marquis Yun sighed deeply. "I'm so thirsty!"
"Men!" The veins on His Majesty's forehead were popping. "Take this insolent, contemptuous…"
Marquis Yun waved his hand in dismissal. "Forget it, will you?"
"Let me tell you properly, with my current cultivation base and ability, just those few people under you can't stop me from doing anything I want – anything!" he quipped.
The emperor almost choked as his eyes widened, his finger pointed in accusation. "Great! You're capable now, all grown up! Would you dare to go against your older brother now? Haven't you already had this capability since a long time ago? Say, what do you want to do? Say it, say it!"
Watching the emperor, whose behavior was in contrast to his usual calm demeanor, Marquis Yun was a little dumbstruck. He raised his hand. "I'll tell you, I'll tell you as it is."
"Speak! No more nonsense!"
"Yet, it is truly nonsense that I will speak of. I didn't find out anything." Marquis Yun spread his hands wide. "Nothing."
Stars swirled in His Majesty's vision for a moment. Enraged, he lifted his hand to smash the teacup that had just been served to Marquis Yun to shatter on the floor!
Nothing – nothing, but you've built up the suspense? What the f*ck? How impudent of you, why don't you be God?
Marquis Yun sighed and with a wave of his hand, the teapot that had been placed far away flew over. He poured a cup of tea unhurriedly and said softly, "I'm telling you the truth. It's not that I intentionally didn't investigate it for you, but I really didn't find anything out… Actually… I don't understand it at all. Why must you get to the bottom of who Supreme Cloud is? Isn't it enough that you know he's of no harm to you?"
The emperor sat on his royal dragon chair huffily, his eyes glaring at Marquis Yun with a solid threat in them, sizzling like electricity.
"Actually, is it truly so important who the Nine Supremes or Supreme Cloud is?" Marquis Yun said softly, "No matter who he is, he is still Yutang's loyal guardian!"
"What can you do after you find out anyway?"
"Supreme Cloud has always concealed his identity, so no one knows his true self. Don't you know why he does that?" Marquis Yun asked, as if asking the emperor, but also as if talking to himself.
"The sole survivor of the Nine Supremes, he wants revenge, but he has to be safe first. Only when he is safe can he talk about the rest. From another perspective… as long as Supreme Cloud's identity is not revealed, it leaves another day of intimidation to the whole Tianxuan Continent – a unique intimidation that belongs only to the Nine Supremes!"
"However, if Supreme Cloud's identity is revealed one day, his identity, background, and everything else will be exposed. Then… how long do you think the legend of Yutang's Nine Supremes can last?"
"Once others know about his identity, he wouldn't even last for three days!"
"Then, the Nine Supremes will become a legend!"
Marquis Yun said, "So, I propose that we don't investigate this any further."
His Majesty's gaze slowly turned gentle and helpless as he answered, "How could I not understand this? If it had been before, I wouldn't have investigated it on purpose, but things have changed now."
"You should know that the head of the Nine Supremes is my eldest prince… By chance, he has left a bloodline behind, and this was informed to me by Supreme Cloud…"
The Emperor closed his eyes helplessly and said, "Do you know that… this also means that this Supreme Cloud can now manipulate the imperial power and even the royal heir… If I ultimately pass my throne to that child, this Supreme Cloud could be the puppeteer…"
"I… don't want to check... but I… I have to…"
His Majesty sighed.
This was an emperor who was helpless. The art of being an emperor was difficult to understand. When certain people and certain matters exceeded the area of an imperial power's control, it was all the more perplexing.
Marquis Yun snorted. "If so, it is even more imperative that you shouldn't get to the bottom of this. You thought that I was joking earlier? When did I say that your current authority can't stop me from doing anything I want? My apologies, this is the truth and the reality. If this true for me, what more Supreme Cloud!"
The emperor was at a loss for words.
Marquis Yun glanced at him and said with unadulterated mockery, "Look at these sons you've given birth to; what are they even made of? Other than fighting for power and influence, they're all selfish and wicked. All of them are pleasant to those outside but vicious to those inside. Is there one or even half of them who is better than that? I say…"
"What?" His Majesty lifted his head weakly.
The corner of Marquis Yun's lips twitched. "Sometimes, I truly suspect that you were being cheated on. Other than the eldest, no one among these fellows is like you – no, none of them seems to carry our family's blood."
Before he could finish ridiculing the man, the enraged emperor had violently slapped a book against Marquis Yun's head. "You bastard!"
Marquis Yun knew that he had gone overboard. Coughing, he swept away the crumbs on his head and face before sitting straight like nothing had happened. "I'm just joking, this is really a joke now."
"Joke!" The emperor was shaking with anger.
Another few books were crushed against Marquis Yun's head but the emperor's fury was nowhere near done. "What I'm angry about now is why father couldn't keep his hands to himself all those years ago and went out to commit such lewd acts, with you as the final product. You must have been sent by heaven just to anger me!"
Marquis Yun rolled his eyes and said, "You should be thankful that he was so improper… If there was only you, you'll be even more tired… Do you admit that I've helped you a lot, and very useful help at that! As a person, we have to be able to answer to our conscience. Even if you are the emperor, the ruler, you can't entirely omit your conscience, can you?"
"You, you… You – you! … You are going to anger me to death!" His Majesty's eyes were rolling up from so much fury, his breaths hastened and short, as he pointed a trembling finger towards Marquis Yun.
Just like Marquis Yun had said, he had indeed helped the Emperor of Yutang. Other than him being a dynamite of rage, there was really nothing much to pick at.
Marquis Yun rolled his eyes softly and said, "Okay, okay, stop being angry. It's useless no matter how angry you get anyway. Let me dish out the truth to you directly. Yun Yang is a special child. He has a pure heart and great ambition. He doesn't favor imperial power, or else I would have pushed for him to inherit the throne, even if he wasn't my biological son. It's too bad that the child doesn't even care much about this little empire of ours. Besides, he's really not Supreme Cloud. I am very certain about this."
The emperor scoffed and glared at the Marquis, waiting for his elaboration as he knew that there must be a basis as to why he said what he said.
"The battle was critical then. To our surprise, when the Nine Supremes' power assisted in our war, all nine powers appeared simultaneously. I was watching from the side, this is unmistakable. At that time, Yun Yang was charging through the army mounted on his horse… He can't be Supreme Cloud." Marquis Yun sighed, "On the surface, I was in charge of sending Old Qiu back, but, in truth, I returned to covertly check up on matters. Think about it, every task you have ever asked me; when have I ever not gone to great lengths for them?"
"But…" His Majesty frowned.
"I'll repeat this for the last time – it's really not him!" Marquis Yun spread his hands in a helpless gesture. "If you don't even believe me, who else can you trust? We're biological brothers."
The emperor sighed, "Biological brothers… I must have been extremely fortunate to have a biological brother like you then… Look at you roaming around every day, so idle and happy, while I can barely breathe from fatigue every day…"
"What did you say? Try repeating it," Marquis Yun glared.
The emperor snorted, "Try I shall. Am I not speaking the truth? Is it not a fact that you cruise around outside every day? In contrast, what sort of life am I living? You have not the slightest idea! It's so unfair to me! So unfair, do you know this?"
Marquis Yun's eyes bulged. "What did you say? Unfair to you?! Is it as unfair to you as it is to me! You aren't outstanding in anything as an emperor, but your skin is so thick, no one can be on par with it!"
He stood up abruptly. "I wouldn't have been angry if you hadn't mentioned this, but since you brought it up, I'll argue about it. How dare you say it's unfair to you – where is the injustice? You're the high and mighty emperor, your nobility triumphs the world. Me? The whole f*cking country knows that I am royalty, but they also f*cking know that I am an illegitimate son! This includes the other aristocrats – who has ever done me imperial courtesy when they see me?"
"You f*cking have three palaces and six courtyards with countless concubines, enjoying the pleasure of life, but me? I'm already over forty years old, but I am still single! When you have children, it's called passing the bloodline, even if those produced aren't anything great. You still have lots of children, but as for me…"
"You say I have the looks and fortune comes easy for me. No one dares to provoke me, and I even have formidable cultivation base, but what kind of life have I been living all these years? Unfair to you?"
"Is it because I don't have many confidants? Not at all! Then why am I still single?"
"Isn't it all thanks to our brilliant father? How amazing he was! Forcing my hand and making me agree that I shall not marry in this lifetime before he died – even if I did marry, I would not have children. He was afraid of triggering an imperial power strife. He knew that if I had a family, I would do much better than you…"
"Look at the both of us now. Is it not unfair?"
"I've sacrificed everything for you and I have never said that it was unfair. How dare you complain about fairness!"
"There is only one thing that you are right about; you are truly fortunate to have me as your biological brother…"
"Since you say it's unfair, let us exchange roles!"
Marquis Yun was infuriated. "Come, let us switch places. Let's see if I, Yun Xiaoyao, can be a great emperor! At the very least, I can teach my son well – unlike you, can you even cultivate a useful son? Don't talk to me about the eldest prince. Is it because you've taught him well? The child is innately talented! And here you are, still telling me that it's unfair to you…"
The emperor was speechless for long moments. It was only after a good while that he rolled his eyes and said, "This is what father had decided on back then. Go look for him if you have something to complain about!"