The young Emperor had plenty of money, but he was unwilling to spend it, always wanting to store it up. The enormous Imperial Treasury was like a money-devouring Taotie that only ate and never excreted, and thus a money shortage inevitably appeared. As Minister of Finance, Shen Gonghai tearfully pleaded with the Emperor to spend the money he had stored away. Otherwise, the currency circulating in the Great Tang’s markets would become severely insufficient.
When initially formulating the banking regulations, they had strictly stipulated the quantity of currency that needed to be reminted each year. Shen Gonghai simply had no way to require the Minting Bureau controlled by Dugu Mou to cast even one more silver coin.
The young Emperor, vexed beyond endurance by the ministers’ bitter pleas, finally prepared to spend money. Thus, the construction of the Great Tang railway once again reached a climax. The remaining coins were used by the spiteful Emperor to reconstruct Chang’an City, and so a colossal city unprecedented in history was completely finished this March.
The Chang’an City that Yu Suppu saw was precisely at its most magnificent moment. In the Great Tang, city walls had long lost their defensive function. At certain times, city walls even became traffic obstacles for the entire city.
Two million people crowded into one city simply could not be contained by any city wall. Thus, along the city walls appeared some markets and gathering places similar to the Yun Family estate.
While Yu Suppu praised the grandeur of Chang’an City, Yun Ye completely moved his entire family out of Chang’an City. He believed this city was no longer suitable for human habitation.
In winter, coal smoke shrouded the entire city. When you went out wearing a mask and returned, the white mask would immediately turn black. Thus, at Yun Ye’s initiative, the Emperor and Grand Empress Dowager also relocated from Chang’an City and moved into the traveling palace at Yushan. The hundred officials also benefited from this, escaping that city and no longer having to breathe toxic air every day.
Yushan Academy was urgently researching how to reduce coal smoke emissions. If this continued, Chang’an City would not be destroyed by enemies but would be destroyed by coal smoke damage.
Relocating the population seemed to be a feasible method, but despite the government offering the most generous conditions, Chang’an people still were unwilling to leave.
So in a very short time, wealthy people began living outside the city. Only those who had no other choice would peacefully live inside the city. The vast Chang’an City was becoming a strange place. Every morning, convenient public carriages would travel through the streets and alleys, continuously dropping people off, then desperately continuing to run.
This reminded Yun Ye of some major cities from later generations. For him, history was repeating itself, but for others, it was the most difficult moment. Now no wealthy person was willing to live in Chang’an during winter. This had already become a trend, with no exceptions from royalty to wealthy merchants.
“Chang’an already has sixty percent similarity to Bai Yujing.” Yun Ye played go with Xinyue with a smile. Originally wanting to bet on stripping clothes, he was severely spat at by Xinyue, so he could only make idle conversation.
“Doesn’t that suit your intentions perfectly? You don’t know, but a few days ago, your concubine went to Chang’an once. How dirty it was! After one trip with the carriage canopy, there was a thin layer of coal ash. You’re the Chang’an Garrison Commander but don’t know to manage it. Hiding at home all day without going out—what kind of behavior is that?”
“How to manage it? Foreign people are crazily wanting to rush into Chang’an City to breathe toxic air. Do you know how many excrement buckets Chang’an City transports out every day now? In the past, they were hauled by donkey carts, later became large carriages, then later became boats transporting them out. Now, they’ve had to specially build a simple railway to transport excrement, urine, and garbage outside the city every day. Two million people—even if each person produces one jin of excrement daily, that’s two million jin…”
Xinyue dry heaved once, forcefully stroked her chest, and hurriedly walked away. Yun Ye stretched his neck to see Xinyue leave, only then leisurely putting the go pieces back. On such a beautiful day, why stay cooped up in the house playing go instead of going out for a walk?
Finally reduced to a decoration—no one pays attention! Within the Great Tang’s borders, singing and dancing prosperity was severe. The east barely had some rebellion that needed suppressing. The Goguryeo people were always persistently rebellious. With just a hundred or so people, they wanted to restore Goguryeo’s glory. Who knew what they were thinking? Killing one or two officials could only bring the Great Tang’s crazy retaliation—what else could it accomplish?
The young Emperor was very interested in this matter. From time to time, he would run out from the traveling palace to find the Grand General to compete on the sand table. This child had never fought in battle, so he had a particular hobby for deploying troops and commanding generals.
Casually flipping through the intelligence reports at hand, Yun Ye was full of respect for Gaoshan Yangzi, this woman who hadn’t died yet. She was currently using fifty thousand slaves to excavate a canal day and night, planning to dig through the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea. The opinion of the Lingnan Navy was to stop harassing the Red Sea, give Gaoshan Yangzi peaceful work time, and after the canal opened, the great army would run over to compete. Those generals were full of confidence in their combat power because no wooden ship could match an ironclad warship.
Competing for transportation hubs was a minor matter. The Goguryeo people’s rebellion was a minor matter. Today, He Shao planning to visit—this was a major matter. Fatty He hadn’t stepped out of his home for nearly five years. Last time when Yun Ye brought Wang Cai to see He Shao, Wang Cai immediately took a liking to that fatty—not because he was handsome, but because that fatty’s bed was piled with various delicious fruits.
He Shao coming to the Yun home required advance preparation. The Yun Family’s main gate now opened very rarely. Generally, only when the Grand Empress Dowager came over would it open once. Even when the Emperor came now, he used the side gate—he was already accustomed to it.
He Shao’s bed had become narrower but much longer. Eight burly men laboriously carried a mountain of flesh into the Yun home. Placing it in the courtyard, there was nowhere else to go—even turning a corner was difficult.
Xinyue came out and habitually complained to He Shao for a while. If he continued getting fatter like this, what would become of him? Wang Cai had long ago stuffed his mouth into He Shao’s exquisite porcelain basin and started eating fruit—apples from the Western Regions that even the Yun Family didn’t have.
“I’m about to die!”
He Shao’s words finally achieved the degree of shocking without rest. Yun Ye put down the apple in his hand and looked at He Shao in surprise.
“I haven’t eaten anything for three days, so I’m about to die. I know it!”
“With your current physical condition, I think not eating for half a year would be appropriate. If you can’t eat for three days, you should celebrate! Hearing He Shao’s explanation, Yun Ye was even more surprised.”
“I know my own body. The reason Heaven caused me to be born in the Great Tang was to compensate me, letting me enjoy all worldly wealth and honor in this lifetime. Now that I can no longer enjoy blessings, I’m about to die. That is to say, from three days ago, Heaven has made up for everything it owed me in my previous life, so I’m about to be finished!”
When He Shao said these words, it was as if he were joking, but from his eyes, Yun Ye discovered this fellow now seemed very serious.
“Since you’re about to die, why are you still running around? Don’t you need to arrange things for your dozens of wives and hundred-some children?” Yun Ye didn’t believe He Shao would specially come to report his own death news.
“I cannot die with eyes closed!” He Shao sat on the bed, grief-stricken beyond measure.
If it were someone else facing death, Yun Ye would feel sorrowful no matter what, but when it came to He Shao, even tragedy would be turned by him into comedic effect. A fellow who had enjoyed all worldly wealth and honor actually said he could not die with eyes closed. This statement had too much comedic effect. Yun Ye didn’t know whether he should grieve or laugh.
“Only before dying did I discover I did too many wrong things in this lifetime. Two years ago, there was a person named Yuan Jia. He came to find me with his manuscript, hoping I could help him print this book. Because he was an official, I received him. I hastily browsed through his manuscript and suddenly discovered that every word in his book spoke to my heart. I wanted to develop and expand his theories. Now at the most critical moment, I suddenly discovered I’m facing death.”
Yun Ye said with a frown, “I’ve read that ‘Four Classes Theory’ you printed. The entire book is indeed a good book, thought-provoking, but what does it have to do with me? My status is scholar-gentry, is nobility. I cannot possibly betray my own class to help you, so if you want me to help, you’d better keep your mouth shut.”
“You’re not suitable—I knew that long ago. Naturally, I wouldn’t ask you to promote this matter. I’m only requesting that you, at the appropriate time, pretend not to see or hear. The rest I’ve already arranged very appropriately.”
Yun Ye looked at He Shao and walked a circle around his bed, saying, “You’ve arranged people beside the Emperor?”
He Shao nodded and said, “This matter couldn’t possibly be hidden from you, so I’m giving advance notice to avoid having you, this death-bed minister, chop off the people I worked so hard to insert.”
“I have no other meaning. I’m just arranging people beside the Emperor to help speak for the other four classes. This isn’t excessive, is it? I want to make the Emperor accept this viewpoint through subtle influence. It’s not harmful to the Great Tang.”
Yun Ye nodded and said, “Since it’s like this, then I won’t interfere. Old He, don’t get crooked ideas. Once you get crooked ideas, I guarantee that even if you go to hell, you’ll regret it. If you want to be safe, just try hard to live seven more years. After seven years, I’ll wash my hands of the court and won’t care. Do whatever you want—I’ll hide on the shore and watch the monkey show!”
“Can’t live seven more years. Estimate at most seven more days. Master Sun took my pulse and couldn’t find my pulse. He had to cut open the flesh on my arm to find the pulse. The old man said I have less than ten days left to live. I’m not afraid of death, just worried that my heart’s blood will be wasted. I discovered this book too late, really too late.”
“Nine out of ten things in the world are unsatisfactory. It’s impossible for everything to go your way. Now go home and properly arrange your funeral affairs. In a few days, I’ll come to your funeral!”
He Shao, seeing his objective had been achieved, said to Yun Ye, “Remember to come! With you, the Grand General of Cavalry and Chariots, paying respects, the He Family’s face will have more glory…”
The two men’s words were very ordinary, without the slightest meaning of grief. Yun Ye sent He Shao out the family gate for the first time. He Shao said with a smile “farewell forever,” then was carried away by people toward the depths of Yushan. He Shao had a beautiful pavilion there.