Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi immediately let out heavy sighs, while the other strategists all wore solemn expressions.
“To be completely honest, what we’ve seen and heard along this journey has truly weighed heavily on our hearts. For so many years, we old ones have followed Your Highness, seeking nothing more than to never again witness such tragic scenes.”
“Exactly so. The Emperor—who knows what he’s thinking? Surely His Majesty must know about the miserable conditions throughout the realm?”
Speaking of this matter, the strategists all became righteously indignant, expressing their dissatisfaction: “The Emperor’s actions are truly too disheartening. As a ruler, instead of thinking about how to bring benefits to the people all day long, he only thinks about how to concentrate all power, completely disregarding the lives and deaths of those below.”
“Indeed, such behavior, such petty-mindedness, is truly contemptible.”
Having followed Pang Xiao for a long time, with Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi as their leaders, they could access many secrets that others had never encountered. For instance, regarding the treasure matter—everyone present was privy to it. Pang Xiao trusted them so much that he allowed them access to the most confidential affairs, so naturally everyone felt their status was a level higher than those other strategists who hadn’t been invited.
Therefore, when discussing these matters face-to-face now, everyone spoke without restraint, saying whatever came to mind.
Pang Xiao allowed everyone to vent all their inner thoughts completely before saying in a deep voice: “Things have come to this point. Pondering further about the Emperor’s actions and motivations is useless. The disaster is currently raging—you must all have seen clearly along the way.”
Once Pang Xiao spoke, everyone fell silent and looked at him inquiringly.
“Natural disasters are ravaging the land. The Emperor only gave this prince eight cartloads of relief grain. From the capital to here, it’s already been exhausted. The journey south is long and distant—the court’s relief supplies cannot possibly arrive anytime soon. Each day grows colder than the last. With the people suffering from hunger and cold, how can they endure?”
Upon hearing this, Xie Yue, Xu Weizhi and the others vaguely guessed Pang Xiao’s intention for speaking with them today. For a moment, none of them spoke, instead carefully weighing the pros and cons in their hearts.
The strategists were all sharp-minded and skilled at calculation. Pang Xiao’s words didn’t need to be spoken through completely—everyone understood that in order to provide disaster relief, Pang Xiao intended to use the treasure.
“Your Highness, your kind heart and concern for the people fills this old one with deep admiration. But you must also consider how difficult it was to obtain that treasure in the first place. Moreover, this treasure is one of your trump cards!”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Once one person spoke up, others chimed in agreement.
“Your Highness is a righteous person who can disregard gold and silver for the sake of the people. But the Emperor has always been wary of you, repeatedly trying to bring about your death. Right now, if not for anything else, just for the Princess Consort’s sake, you must preserve your strength.”
“Exactly so. Your Highness, those who achieve great things cannot be soft-hearted like women. You cannot wastefully give opportunities to others, sacrificing yourself to make others’ wedding clothes.”
“Your journey to this point hasn’t been easy. For the Great Zhou Dynasty, for loyalty to the Emperor—how much have you sacrificed? But how has the Emperor treated you? This disaster relief should be the Emperor’s responsibility. He refuses to provide grain, yet makes you handle disaster relief, precisely to make you exert effort for nothing.”
“Such a foolish ruler truly isn’t worth your assistance. The Tatars have already reached Hui River, yet the foolish ruler still only thinks about being wary of meritorious officials, completely unwilling to give you the opportunity to go to Hui River.”
…
Several people spoke one after another, pouring out all the dissatisfaction that had been building in their hearts for a long time.
Pang Xiao naturally knew that these people willing to follow him until now were all utterly loyal. What they said was indeed the truth.
If this time he couldn’t bear to watch and, not wanting the people to suffer, brought out the treasure, the result would very likely be as the strategists worried—he would provide the silver, but all the credit would go to Li Qitian.
Moreover, even if no one said it, everyone understood in their hearts that this disaster relief silver was fundamentally a bottomless pit. There were so many disaster victims in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and Pang Xiao’s journey to the former capital of the Yan Dynasty would pass through how many places, large and small? No matter how much treasure there was, how long could he sustain it?
Xie Yue sighed: “Your Highness, the matter of feeding the people of this realm really shouldn’t all fall on your shoulders.”
“Your Highness has already sacrificed too much for the people and for the Great Zhou.” Hearing Xie Yue speak thus, the other strategists immediately had their backbone.
Among Pang Xiao’s advisors, Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi were the two most trusted. It could be said that when the other strategists usually made decisions or couldn’t determine the right direction for action, they would first observe these two’s attitudes. What they guessed was basically what Pang Xiao was thinking.
So once Xie Yue spoke up, all the other strategists began verbally attacking Li Qitian, criticizing his selfish and narrow-minded nature, his treatment of meritorious officials, and his disregard for the people’s lives until nothing was left intact. Some even slammed the table and stood up to curse the foolish ruler.
“Your Highness, you absolutely cannot be soft-hearted like a woman! You’re thinking of the people, but who knows—in the end, those people might eat the grain you found ways to obtain, yet not be grateful to you at all!”
Upon hearing this, Pang Xiao raised a hand, and only then did everyone’s voices gradually stop as they looked at him expectantly.
Pang Xiao looked toward Xu Weizhi and smiled: “Master Xu, what do you think?”
Xu Weizhi raised his eyes to look at Pang Xiao’s handsome face. Seeing his gentle smile with no readable emotion, he blinked and thought carefully for a moment, then immediately understood.
“Your Highness, this old one believes there’s a saying that puts it very well.” Xu Weizhi stood up and bowed.
Pang Xiao smiled and raised an eyebrow: “Oh? Which saying does Master Xu refer to?”
“‘Water can carry a boat but can also overturn it.’ There’s also another saying: ‘Those who win the people’s hearts win the realm.'” Xu Weizhi smiled with deep cunning and calculation, said no more, and sat back down.
Upon hearing this, everyone couldn’t help but look at Xu Weizhi in confusion.
However, everyone present was intelligent—in the blink of an eye, they understood Xu Weizhi’s meaning.
Their hearts couldn’t help feeling somewhat disappointed.
Those with more stable temperaments could still restrain themselves from speaking.
But the more impatient ones were already saying anxiously: “Your Highness, you must think clearly! That treasure wasn’t easily obtained—it’s very likely the foundation for your future military campaigns. If you use it now to save those unrelated common people, you might even end up pasting gold on the foolish ruler’s face. What exactly are you trying to achieve!”
“Those who achieve great things don’t get bogged down in minor details. Your Highness, you absolutely cannot be soft-hearted like a woman!”
But Xie Yue shook his head: “Gentlemen have probably forgotten what our original intention was when we first followed His Highness.”
Everyone’s gazes turned to Xie Yue.
Xie Yue said: “What all you brothers say makes sense. We’re all doing this for His Highness’s great cause, which is why we speak thus. But the reason His Highness is worthy of such devotion from us, willing to shed our life’s blood for him—isn’t it precisely because of His Highness’s character?
“If His Highness disregards the people’s lives and deaths at this moment, only thinking about preserving the treasure, then his actions would be no different from the foolish ruler’s!”
Everyone was stunned upon hearing this, unable to find words to refute for a moment.
Xie Yue continued: “This old one agrees with Brother Xu’s view. Now is precisely the time for His Highness to win the people’s hearts. Scattered gold will return again. His Highness’s future is brilliant—why should he be constrained by these yellow and white objects before him?”
The room fell completely silent as everyone analyzed Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi’s words.
Clearly, His Highness had already made his decision.
Seeing that no one spoke, Pang Xiao stood up and said slowly: “This prince originally followed the Emperor in raising the banner of rebellion because the former ruler of Northern Ji was foolish and tyrannical, oppressing the people, never allowing the realm a moment of peace. This prince wanted to restore clarity to this realm, which is why I inherited my late father’s will and followed the Emperor.
“All these years, this prince has acted seeking not merit but avoiding fault. Even sacrificing family members and enduring grievances, this prince could bear it all. Because this prince knows what he wants. What this prince has always wanted isn’t personal glory, but for this realm to become what this prince envisions.
“The realm is vast, with magnificent mountains and rivers. Without people, how would the fields be cultivated? How would future generations multiply? A Great Zhou without people—how could it resist foreign invasions? When Tatars come to raid, wouldn’t they ride straight to the capital?!”
Listening to Pang Xiao’s forceful and resonant words, everyone couldn’t help but feel their blood boiling.
Indeed! For years they had followed Pang Xiao, strategizing and weathering storms together. Though they sought the merit of following a dragon to success, when they first followed Pang Xiao, who among them wasn’t full of passion, hoping the realm could achieve peace and stability?
After so many years, as they drew closer and closer to success, they had forgotten their original intentions.
“What we’re working for—everyone understands in their hearts.” Pang Xiao said in a deep voice: “This prince has decided to use the Great Yan treasure for disaster relief, truly achieving ‘taking from the people and using it for the people.’ Do any of you have opposing opinions?”
After this long discussion, who could still not understand Pang Xiao’s thinking?
Some still opposed in their hearts, feeling this silver wasn’t worth using here. But Pang Xiao’s upright bearing and calm composure, and most importantly his persistent adherence to his original purpose of wanting the people to live good lives, truly impressed them.
Those who had been calculating the merits of following a dragon and future prospects now truly understood what passionate heroism meant, even diluting their established mindset.
Seeing no one objected, Pang Xiao said: “Since this is so, this prince plans to have someone secretly retrieve the treasure. This year’s weather has been poor—most common families have had complete crop failures. Wealthy merchants began hoarding grain in large quantities when the disaster first appeared. There’s no shortage of grain in this realm—it’s just not in the Emperor’s hands.
“Now this prince plans to retrieve the treasure and begin having people search everywhere for suitable candidates for purchasing grain and grass. Even if rice prices are expensive, that large treasure should sustain things for a while. Once we get through this winter and spring arrives with warm flowers blooming, letting the disaster victims return home to farm again, life will improve.”
“Your Highness speaks reasonably. There are indeed many unscrupulous merchants profiting from national disasters. I fear when Your Highness goes to purchase grain, if not handled carefully, you might end up covered in infamy,” Xu Weizhi cautioned.
Pang Xiao smiled slightly: “This prince understands. This prince naturally has ways to deal with these people.”
Seeing that Pang Xiao had made up his mind and that no amount of further counsel could change his thinking, the strategists all quieted down, no longer offering guidance, only thinking about how to help Pang Xiao accomplish this matter well.
“Your Highness, this matter isn’t difficult to handle. It’s just ordinary grain purchasing. When we later set up soup kitchens, we’ll need even more grain—I don’t believe those unscrupulous merchants won’t seize this opportunity to make a fortune.”