Gu Mochen stared at those few pages of paper, and the wine in his glass sobered up considerably.
Once you arrive in Anyang, if you take this set of documents to the Xiang Prefecture, that old man won't dare to openly stop you.
Over the years, I've given away a lot of money.
Besides, his father-in-law is the Minister of Ministry of Personnel.
Xiang Prefecture was hesitant, he would first observe the prevailing winds and not immediately break ties with the Prince An's Residence.
If this policy is implemented in Xiang Prefecture, the army will receive the money first, the merchants will reap the profits first, the common people will receive the grain and cloth first, and the royal court will manage the accounts in the middle.
The government treasury has silver.
Military households accept vouchers.
By then, whose orders will Anyang still have to listen to?
The wick of the lamp on the table made a soft crackling sound as it burned.
Gu Mochen pressed his fingers against the edge of the paper, his mind already conjuring up images of the military camps Anyang City, the shops inside the city, and the people queuing up to exchange coupons in front of the Prince's Mansion.
Gu Moran lay on the table, her face buried in her arms, mumbling indistinctly:
"Second brother, don't turn the page anymore... it's giving me a headache."
Gu Mochen closed the booklet and smiled.
"Third brother, the person behind you is no ordinary person."
Gu Moran spoke drunkenly:
"I said the same thing. He even scolded me for not understanding military affairs and told me not to get involved with the military. He said things like... all you care about is making money, enriching the army, and supporting the people."
Gu Mochen tapped his fingertip twice on the table.
Behind the screen, Zhou Huaili immediately lowered his head.
The corner of the paper was pressed down, and the pen tip moved very fast.
When he copied down the sentence, "If a prince can share joy with the people and use the art of creating a stir among celebrities to win over the powerful and wealthy in the city, all the people in the city will recognize the name of the prince's palace," his pen paused for a moment.
That's useful.
That's weird too.
Copy down the rest.
"On ordinary days, the army can practice the Northern Territory Horse-Riding Formation, which is entertaining and can be watched by both soldiers and civilians. The formation of twelve riders straddling a single horse is particularly impressive, and twelve people can also form a human pyramid while riding one horse..."
Zhou Huaili frowned.
This is hardly military discipline.
This is like moving a military camp to a theater to create a spectacle.
inappropriate.
We must persuade them.
Gu Moran his face against his arm, and through his slits, he saw the shadow behind the screen moving swiftly.
copy.
Copy a few more lines.
The pit is too shallow; it can't bury the leg of the Prince An's Residence.
Gu Mochen poured him two more cups.
Gu Moran calculated that it was almost time, her tongue began to feel numb, and her speech became slurred. Finally, she was helped up by Uncle Fu.
"Second brother... I'm going back now. My six wives are still waiting to scold me."
Gu Mochen shoved the booklet back into his arms and personally delivered it to the door.
"Take care, Third Brother."
Gu Moran helped Uncle Fu up and turned back to wave at him.
"Take care, Second Brother."
The carriage left the Prince An's Residence.
The wheels rolled over the bluestone road, and the smell of alcohol mixed with the night wind seeped into the gaps in the curtains.
Gu Moran leaned against the car wall, the drunkenness on his face completely gone.
Uncle Fu said in a low voice:
"Your Highness, they've confiscated it."
Gu Moran took out the booklet and turned to the pages that had been pressed down.
There are slight marks on the paper.
"They copied it in a hurry."
Uncle Fu frowned as he looked at the few lines of text.
"If Prince An really does as he says, Anyang will likely descend into chaos."
"I'm not afraid of him doing it," Gu Moran, closing the booklet. "What I'm afraid of is him only doing half of it."
Uncle Fu looked up.
Gu Moran lifted the carriage curtain and glanced at the lights of the Prince An's Residence, which were gradually receding into the distance.
"He lacks silver, soldiers, and his father's trust."
A night breeze blew in, dispelling the lingering smell of alcohol in the car.
Gu Moran lowered the curtain.
"This kind of person is most afraid of one thing."
Uncle Fu asked:
"What?"
"I'm afraid someone will tell him there's a shortcut ahead."
The lights were still on in the study of Prince An's Residence's mansion at night.
Gu Mochen placed the booklet that Zhou Huaili had copied onto the table.
"Finished watching?"
Zhou Huaili read a few pages, crumpling the corners of the paper in his hand.
"Your Highness, this strategy is extremely efficient in raising funds. However, with the Prince's Mansion acting as guarantor and the army issuing vouchers, this is no small matter."
He looked up, his tone even more somber.
"This is crossing the line with the Ministry of War. Anyang is a strategically important location, and the imperial court is keeping a close eye on it."
Gu Mochen tapped his fingertips on the table.
"Money is most important, especially at times like these."
Zhou Huaili took half a step forward.
"Your Highness, the matter of offering elixir is not yet settled. Going to Anyang at this time, we should be more cautious."
Gu Mochen looked up at him.
"Receive?"
He pushed the papers in front of Zhou Huaili.
When will you receive it?
Zhou Huaili stopped.
Gu Mochen lowered his voice.
"Did you receive news that Gu Moran has raised a fortune in Yi Prefecture? Did you hear that the Crown Prince has turned the tables? Or did you hear that Father Emperor has actually gone to help those two children?"
Zhou Huaili's lips moved, but he didn't dare to answer.
Gu Mochen pointed to a sentence on the paper.
"Upon arriving in Anyang, take care of this first."
Zhou Huaili looked down.
The prince's palace will deposit the seal, and the military households will first deposit the coupons.
The paper in his hand was almost crumpled up.
"Your Highness, military households are not merchants. If a merchant loses money, they can at least complain. But if military households cause trouble, the Ministry of War will take their heads."
Gu Mochen leaned back in his chair.
"What's there to be afraid of? What I want is for the military households to acknowledge the debts owed to the Prince An's Residence first."
Zhou Huaili grew anxious.
"Your Highness, this is siphoning the army's treasury funds into the Prince's residence."
He paused for a moment, then made his point clear.
"If you succeed, the court will suspect you of trying to win over the soldiers. If you fail, the soldiers will riot, and the first thing they'll smash is the plaque above the Prince An's Residence's mansion."
Gu Mochen stared at those lines of text without saying a word.
The thorn in the side of the elixir offering case still looms large before the emperor.
The Crown Prince still holds the title of the Eastern Palace.
Gu Moran led six families to Yi Prefecture.
As each case piled up, the paper on the table looked more and more like a path that could be walked.
Even if there are traps on the roadside.
But am I not smarter than Gu Moran?
Gu Mochen raised his hand and pressed down on the notebook.
You're so short-sighted.
"Look behind you. The third brother mentioned the limelight on the street; I want that too."
Zhou Huaili was stunned.
"Your Highness, as a prince, do you really intend to learn those ways of the common people?"
Gu Mochen's face darkened.
What do you know?
Zhou Huaili knelt down.
"I am not trying to stop Your Highness from being close to the people."
He looked up; sweat was already beading on his forehead.
"Your Highness is afraid that you will be led astray by Prince Yi. He caused trouble in the capital, and six families protected him. But when Your Highness arrives in Anyang, there won't be six Yue families to shield you."
Gu Mochen's expression changed.
Zhou Huaili's words were like a knife to his heart.
His own wife was very petty, yet he dared not offend his father-in-law, the Minister.
He had long been jealous of Gu Moran's ability to manage six women simultaneously.
He stood up and walked over to Zhou Huaili.
"That's why I want my own money, my own reputation, and my own military households."
Zhou Huaili looked up.
Gu Mochen pointed to the notebook, enunciating each word heavily.
You don't understand the third brother.
"He doesn't put on airs like a prince when he goes out; he can joke and laugh with ordinary people."
"It looks outrageous, but how many people in the capital imitate his hairstyle? How many shops sell the same folding fans as him?"
So what if my reputation is bad?
Gu Mochen patted the paper on the table.
"The people are close to him."
"Six daughters are also willing to go with him."
Zhou Huaili's throat tightened, and the words of advice he was about to say stuck in his throat.
Gu Mochen stared at the lamplight, his eyes filled with suppressed resentment.
"I used to think he was just being absurd."
He chuckled softly, but there was no trace of relief in his laughter.
"It's not that he can't argue."
He's winning hearts and minds.
"That's called true wisdom appearing as foolishness."
In the study, the lamp wick crackled as it burned.
Zhou Huaili wanted to persuade him further.
Gu Mochen had already turned around and was looking at the night view outside the window.
"If he can walk this path, so can I."
"Once we arrive in Anyang, I will make them know..."
" Gu Moran is a living advertisement."
He pressed down on the edge of the table, lowering his voice even further.
"I can too. Those merchants can just wait to get rich with me! Ha!"
Zhou Huaili did not give up.
"Your Highness, other things can be discussed. But it is absolutely unacceptable for the military to hold horse shows while the common people gather to watch."