novelden Chapter 968 Gu Liang said something the court disagreed with, but Bai Lu said something the court wo
Chapter 968 Gu Liang said something the court disagreed with, but Bai Lu said something the court wo
He was a powerful ruler, so he could naturally see the control intent hidden behind this plan.
Once the Jurchens' economic lifeline is tied to Pingzhou, it means they will completely lose their military initiative.
However, the future that Gu Liang and Bai Lu described was so tempting.
No famine, no internal strife, tribes at peace, people prosperous... Isn't this the dream he pursued all his life?
More importantly, the other party chose to be open and honest.
They didn't resort to underhanded tactics, but instead laid everything out in the open and gave him the choice.
This openness, ironically, dispelled most of his wariness.
He knew that if the other party really wanted to use a conspiracy, there were plenty of ways to do so, and there was no need to go to such great lengths.
After a long while, Wanyan Zonghan finally raised his head.
The struggle in his eyes had faded, replaced by a resolute determination.
He placed the draft heavily on the low table and said in a deep voice, "What an open and honest policy! What a brilliant strategy for expanding the tea-horse trade northward!"
He stood up, his gaze sweeping over Gu Liang and Bai Lu, and finally, he let out a hearty laugh.
"Hahaha! If I, Wanyan Zonghan, didn't even have this much courage, how could I talk about unifying the Jurchen tribes! I agree to this plan!"
He stretched out his large, fan-like hand: "However, I have one condition."
"Your Majesty, please speak." Gu Liang felt a sense of relief, knowing that the most difficult hurdle had been overcome.
"The appraisal firm must have someone I designate. The barter certificates must also feature our Jurchen totems!" Wanyan Zonghan stared at Gu Liang. "I want my people to know that this is not a handout from the Great Wu, but an equal partnership between us and the Great Wu!"
Gu Liang and Bai Lu exchanged a smile.
“This isn’t a condition; it’s part of the plan,” Gu Liang replied without hesitation. “Cooperation is naturally based on equality.”
He also reached out and firmly grasped Wanyan Zonghan's large hand.
When Gu Liang's urgent memorial was presented to Emperor Dawu, the entire court was shaken.
The emperor summoned his cabinet ministers overnight and circulated the memorial entitled "Memorial on Long-Term Peace and Security in the Northern Border of Pingzhou".
In his memorial, Gu Liang elaborated on the regional governance and mutually beneficial trade... and attached a draft agreement signed with Wanyan Zonghan.
The atmosphere at the morning court session the following day was more somber than ever before.
Minister of War Zhang Ling was the first to step forward. His face was ashen, and he held his official tablet, proclaiming loudly:
"Your Majesty! I believe this is absolutely unacceptable! This is tantamount to opening the door to thieves and raising a tiger to cause future trouble!"
"Since ancient times, our dynasty has always prioritized defense against the northern barbarians, building the Great Wall and stationing large armies to intimidate them. There has never been any reason for us to feed them with grain!"
"The Jurchens are ambitious and unruly. Today, when they are short of food, they wag their tails and beg for mercy from our dynasty!"
"When the pens are full of cattle and sheep, and the army is strong and powerful, the first thing we'll bite will be our Great Wu!"
Zhang Ling turned to the assembled officials and said with great anguish, "Gu Liang's plan, though seemingly ingenious, is in reality using the flesh and blood of our Great Wu to fatten a hungry wolf that could devour its master at any moment!"
"The so-called barter coupons are utterly ridiculous!"
"This move is tantamount to acknowledging that the Jurchens are equal to our dynasty. If this continues, our country will cease to exist!"
"Moreover," he shifted his tone, pointing to a more practical problem, "our dynasty has been at war for years, and the national treasury is already depleted. Now, we need to spend a large amount of grain and ironware to trade with a barbarian tribe. Where will this money come from? Will it be deducted from the salaries of our soldiers guarding the border? Or will it come from the funds allocated for disaster relief?!"
"Gu Liang's actions, ostensibly to secure the border, are in reality aiding the enemy! If this continues, the Jurchens will accumulate more and more warhorses, while we will exchange our precious grain for a pile of useless furs. With this disparity, the northern border will be in grave danger within ten years!"
"Your Majesty, I implore you to immediately issue an edict rebuking Gu Liang's absurd actions, revoking the rewards bestowed upon Wanyan Zonghan, and dispatching another general to annihilate the Jurchens with overwhelming force!"
Zhang Ling's words were passionate and inspiring.
"Minister Zhang is absolutely right! Those who are not of our kind are bound to have different hearts!"
"Trading grain for warhorses is tantamount to handing a knife to the enemy."
"Gu Liang is just a scholar, good only for armchair strategizing. How could he know the dangers on the border? This plan is absolutely unacceptable!"
For a time, the court was filled with indignation, and everyone regarded Gu Liang's plan as treason.
Just as the voices of opposition reached their peak, Lin Wenbo, the Minister of Revenue who had remained silent, slowly stepped forward.
As the chief steward in charge of the nation's finances, his opinions carried great weight.
"Your Majesty, I have a different opinion."
"Minister Zhang's words sound loyal and brave, but in reality they are pedantic and conservative, only knowing one side of the story and not the other."
"May I ask, Minister Zhang," Lin Wenbo turned to Zhang Ling, "how many tens of thousands of troops does our dynasty have stationed in the northern border? And how much does it cost in military pay, provisions, and equipment each year?!"
"Has this expenditure already put a strain on the national treasury?"
"Even so, have the Jurchens' raids in the south ever ceased?"
This question left Zhang Ling speechless and choked with embarrassment.
Lin Wenbo continued, "Gu Liang's strategy, seemingly nurturing an enemy, is actually controlling one! By using trade as a rein and grain as a shackle, he firmly grasps the economic lifeline of the Jurchens in our hands. This is a hundred times more ingenious than simple military defense!"
He picked up an account book and proclaimed loudly, "You all only see that we've given up grain, but you haven't seen what we've gotten in return! Warhorses!"
"This is the most urgently needed strategic material in our country!"
“In the past, a top-quality warhorse would be worth a fortune on the black market, but now we can exchange it for grain at a price far below market value. This is a sure way to make a huge profit!”
"And then there are furs and medicinal herbs. These are transported back to the interior and monopolized by officials and merchants. The profits are enough to support Pingzhou and even fill the national treasury! How can this be a losing proposition?"
"As for the claim that they aid the enemy, that's utter nonsense!" Lin Wenbo's gaze swept over everyone. "The Jurchens do not engage in production; their strength is entirely based on plunder."
“Now we’re giving them a way to survive, turning them from plunderers into producers. Would a herdsman who’s used to stable trade, has surplus grain at home, and can get through the winter safely still be willing to follow their leader and risk their life to fight?”
"This is a decisive move, destroying their fighting spirit at its root! It is the best strategy to subdue the enemy without fighting!"
"Your Majesty!" Lin Wenbo bowed deeply to the emperor one last time, "Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish, or like controlling floods. It is better to dredge than to block."
"Gu Liang's strategy is a dredging strategy that takes advantage of the situation! Although it carries risks, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks!"
"I believe this is a brilliant strategy for securing the borders and stabilizing the country. I earnestly request Your Majesty to disregard the objections of others and fully support Gu Liang!"
"Give the Northern Territory a chance, and give my Great Wu a chance to breathe!"
Lin Wenbo's words were logically clear and received the approval of most of the civil servants.
The Duke of Liang and the Duke of An exchanged a glance and both nodded.
General Murong and General Li exchanged a glance. General Murong finally sighed and said, "Your Majesty, there is something unpleasant to say that I originally intended not to, but since Lord Zhang has brought it up... we have no choice but to say it."
"In the previous battle against the Turks at the border, we have already lost a lot of silver and troops... Our national treasury is really overburdened! Furthermore... going back further, the battle at the Liangzhou border also resulted in a significant loss of silver. If we were to follow the Minister's suggestion to wipe out the Jurchens, I'm afraid we simply wouldn't have the spare money or the necessary troops."
"Years of war have placed an extremely heavy burden of taxes on the people; they are the ones who suffer the most..."
On the dragon throne, the emperor's face revealed no emotion.
Both perspectives have merit, but each also has its limitations.
After a long silence, the emperor slowly spoke.
"Gu Liang added a sentence at the end of his memorial."
He picked up the memorial and read aloud:
"To take, one must first give. In exchange for ten thousand bushels of grain, a million people, and ten years of recuperation, we can expand our territory by a thousand miles. This is not a transaction, but a gamble on the fate of the nation. Your Majesty, I am willing to take this gamble and stake my life on it!"
Upon hearing this, the entire court fell silent.
The emperor gently put down the memorial and his sharp gaze swept over the officials in the hall.
"I trust Gu Liang. I am willing to stake the fate of the nation on him!"
As the emperor finished speaking, gambling with the fate of the nation, a deathly silence fell over the Golden Palace.
Everyone was stunned by the Emperor and Gu Liang's words.
Using one's own head as collateral? What audacity, and what madness!
Zhang Ling's face turned pale and then red. He wanted to argue further, but he found that the emperor's gaze left no room for argument.
He sighed inwardly: It's over, His Majesty has been bewitched by this brat Gu Liang!
This world is about to descend into chaos!
Several old ministers who were on good terms with Zhang Ling exchanged glances, their eyes filled with worry and confusion.
"Your Majesty... please reconsider!" A censor finally couldn't hold back any longer and stepped forward, trembling. "How can the fate of the nation be treated so lightly! Gu Liang is young and may be acting impulsively, Your Majesty..."
Before he could finish speaking, the emperor raised his hand to interrupt him.
A mysterious smile suddenly appeared on the emperor's face; it was a smile of confidence.
"Do you all think I've been blinded by Gu Liang's boastful words?" He looked around and said slowly, "I tell you, Gu Liang is not the only guarantor in this gamble!"
He paused for a moment, then threw out a name that surprised everyone.
"Marquis Bai Lu of Anguo also gave her a guarantee."
"what?!"
"Lady White Dew?"
Zhang Ling was stunned. He opened his mouth, but the long list of rebuttals he had prepared got stuck in his throat.
He could question Gu Liang's political experience, but he couldn't question Bai Lu's business acumen.
Bai Lu is renowned for her Midas touch in business; would she really go and do a deal that's destined to lose money? That doesn't make sense.
Just as everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, several important figures stepped forward one after another.
The tall and imposing Duke Anguo said in a booming voice, "Your Majesty is wise! Bailu is more shrewd than anyone else when it comes to business; she has never lost money on a deal she has set her sights on!"
"Since she dares to vouch for it, this old minister dares to endorse it with the century-old reputation of the Duke of Anguo's mansion! This plan will surely succeed!"
Immediately afterward, the burly and resolute Duke of Liang also stepped forward.
He was in charge of the capital's defenses and was a pivotal figure in the military. "Your Majesty, I'm a rough man and don't understand anything about economic planning. But I trust that girl, Bailu!"
"When we replaced our warhorses last time, she helped us get some superior breeds from the Western Regions. The price was fair... she was honest and fair to everyone!"
"She says she can exchange grain for better horses, then she definitely can! I second that proposal!"
General Murong and General Li also stepped forward at the same time.
General Li clasped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I also believe in Lady White Snake."
General Murong added, "More importantly, Lady White Snake's caravan can go to places our army can't..."
"Her understanding of the northern tribes is probably no less than that of any of us."
"She believes this plan is feasible, which must be based on the most meticulous calculations. I second that proposal!"
Duke of Anguo, Duke of Liangguo, General Murong, General Li...
One by one, these figures, whose mere stomp of their feet in the Great Wu court could cause a stir, stepped forward to endorse Bai Lu.
Their reasons were remarkably consistent.
It wasn't because they understood Gu Liang's complicated plan, but because they trusted Bai Lu.
The opposition, which had been so indignant just moments before, has now fallen silent.
They could debate with Gu Liang about the distinction between the civilized and the barbarian, and they could argue with Lin Wenbo about the national treasury's revenue and expenditure, but they couldn't debate with Bai Lu's credibility!
The credibility of the White Dew solar term... is indeed extremely high!!
Zhang Ling's face was ashen, and he fell silent upon hearing Bai Lu's guarantee.
The emperor watched all this with satisfaction.
What he wants is this effect.
"Since all the ministers have no further objections," the emperor's voice rang out again, "Minister of Revenue Lin Wenbo, hear my decree!"
"Chen is here!"
"I hereby order you to immediately coordinate with the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Works to establish the Pingzhou Mutual Trade Preparatory Office. All funds, grains, materials, and craftsmen requested by Gu Liang must be allocated with priority and without error!"
"Your subject obeys the decree!" Lin Wenbo excitedly accepted the order.
"Duke of Anguo and Duke of Liang, heed my decree!"
"Chen is here!"
"I hereby appoint you two as inspectors to oversee all matters concerning the Preparatory Office. If any of you are negligent or shirk your responsibilities, you may be executed without prior notification!"
"Your Majesty, we obey!" The two dukes' voices boomed like bells.
One imperial edict after another was issued.
No one in the imperial court objected anymore.
Lin Wenbo's official residence quickly became the busiest place in the capital.
On the first day, the Vice Minister of Works came to the door with a sob in his voice.
"Lord Lin, please be lenient! The expansion of Pingzhou Pass, the construction of trade routes and warehouses, and the specifications on the blueprints require 100,000 taels of silver and 5,000 craftsmen. It would take at least six months to complete! But you have only approved 50,000 taels. Are you deliberately making things difficult for me?"
The next day, although Minister of War Zhang Ling did not come in person, he sent his trusted physician with a list that could be described as harsh.
"Lord Lin, the Minister said that since it is a tea-horse trade, horses are of paramount importance. This is the standard for warhorse procurement proposed by our Ministry of War. They must be fine steeds between three and six years old, and their shoulder height must not be less than four feet five inches."
"For the first batch, we need five thousand horses! The Preparatory Department must ensure that all the horses exchanged from Pingzhou are of this quality!"
Lin Wenbo was so angry that his beard stood on end when he saw the standard that was almost equivalent to that of a Pegasus.
This isn't just exchanging horses; it's clearly trading Gu Liang's life for one!