The Kingdom That Never Sleeps CH 151 Grand Preceptor Zhou
In the tenth month of the thirty-fourth year of Kaiping.
Jinzhou, located in the southwestern corner of the Great Song Dynasty.
Jinzhou is mountainous, with many famous peaks immortalized in poetry and paintings by literati. Not to mention, just two years ago, Fu Wei, one of the four great scholars of the realm, resigned from his official position and traveled to Jinzhou. After ascending Mount Lu, he wrote a line of poetry: "Long mists bid farewell to the returning traveler, dawn mists sever the smoky waves."
Surrounded by mountains, Jinzhou has always been inconvenient for travel. Half a year ago, the emperor ordered the construction of an official road connecting Shuzhou and Jinzhou. The difficulty of building this road was no less than that of the three official roads added together built north of Shengjing years ago. Thus, officials from the Ministry of Works and craftsmen from across the realm flocked to Jinzhou, busy constructing the road, determined to complete it within two years.
Outside the walls of Jinzhou, a carriage slowly made its way along a mountain path and arrived at the city gate. A guard stepped forward to inspect it. The coachman handed something to the guard, who, upon seeing it, was visibly shaken and immediately knelt to pay his respects. A calm and gentle voice came from inside the carriage, "No need for formalities. May we enter the city?"
The guard, trembling with fear, nodded repeatedly, "Please, please."
After the carriage entered the city, it headed straight for the governor's office. About an hour later, a handsome young man dressed in a blue brocade robe emerged from the office. Accompanied by his page boy, he made his way to the site where the Ministry of Works was constructing the official road. Along the way, they happened to pass by the Great Song Silver Bank in Jinzhou.
Tang Shen stopped and looked at the bank.
Two men dressed in coarse linen walked out, chatting and laughing, holding receipts from the bank.
"This Silver Bank is really convenient. It's so much easier to deposit and withdraw money. After selling my grain, I don't have to carry heavy strings of coins back to the village. I can deposit most of it here and withdraw it when needed."
As they spoke, the two men slowly walked away.
Seeing Tang Shen staring at the two men, Feng Bi, who had followed him for many years and understood his thoughts well, said, "Wang daren's work is truly excellent, young master. Wherever we go, we see the Great Song Silver Bank. Over the past year, more and more common people have started using it, and they all praise it."
Tang Shen asked, "Do you think it's well done?"
Feng Bi replied, "Of course."
Tang Shen shook his head with a smile, "It's not enough. This isn't what my senior brother wants."
"Huh?"
Feng Bi scratched his head in confusion. He was just a young servant who knew a few characters but couldn't grasp the deeper meaning.
Since the beginning of the year, Wang Zhen had been busy with the affairs of the Great Song Silver Bank. Over the past year, he had traveled across all thirty-six prefectures. Gradually, branches of the Great Song Silver Bank had sprung up in every prefecture. At first, the common people had no understanding of the bank and were afraid to approach it. This was something Wang Zhen didn't need to worry about. Xu Linghou, the Left Vice Minister of Revenue, devised a plan: on the same day, all branches of the Silver Bank across the realm would distribute military salaries.
Families with soldiers could go to the Great Song Silver Bank to collect their loved ones' salaries. The goal was not to force people to use the bank but to ensure they would at least step inside.
Soon, the common people began to accept this strange governmental office, realizing that it was indeed a place where ordinary people could conduct business.
As the common people started depositing their money in the Great Song Silver Bank, it inevitably caused ripples among the aristocratic families.
However, no matter how much money the common people had, it couldn't compare to the wealth of the great families. At any time, ninety percent of the wealth in the world is concentrated in the hands of the top ten percent. The aristocratic families were unwilling to see the success of the Great Song Silver Bank, but they couldn't repeat the bloodshed of the Revenue And Expenditure Department incident from years ago. Then, one day, thousands of common people in Qinzhou suddenly demanded to withdraw their money from the Silver Bank.
The Great Song Silver Bank wasn't just a simple warehouse where people deposited money and left it untouched. Naturally, the bank operated with the funds, keeping only what was needed for daily operations.
When this incident occurred, Feng Guangcai, the prefect of Qinzhou, was so worried that his hair turned white, because the Great Song Silver Bank couldn't immediately provide the funds!
Qinzhou was thrown into chaos. The matter reached Shengjing, and Emperor Zhao Fu angrily threw the memorial at Wang Zhen.
"Is this the good work you've done for me?"
Last month, Wang Zhen specifically went to Qinzhou to resolve the matter. Then he headed south to Jinling, returning to the Langya Wang family.
By the time Wang Zhen left, it was already three days later.
Wang Hui, the fourth master of the Wang family, personally saw him off. Watching his nephew's graceful figure, Wang Hui smiled bitterly and bowed, "Common people become officials to accumulate wealth for their families, to bring prosperity, and to allow their families to act arrogantly with borrowed influence. But you and my second brother are something else—you're digging at the very foundations of the aristocratic families!"
Wang Zhen returned the bow, his voice clear and resonant, as if echoing through the ages, "When I was young, Fourth Uncle once told me why the Langya Wang family has endured for three hundred years, remaining on this divine land, unlike the Xie family, which has declined over time."
Wang Hui laughed heartily, "In this world, there is no eternal giant! Moving with the times, like a door hinge that never rusts—this is the ancestral motto of our Wang family."
Wang Zhen bowed deeply, "Thank you, Fourth Uncle."
"You and my second brother are truly the biggest spendthrifts the Wang family has seen in three hundred years!"
Despite the scolding words, Wang Hui's face was filled with a smile.
What Wang Zhen was doing, Tang Shen naturally didn't know. But he knew that what Wang Zhen truly wanted wasn't just to create a place that made it convenient for common people to deposit and withdraw money. He wanted to "replace currency with paper"!
The Great Song's currency shortage was due to two main reasons.
First, precious metals were scarce, and raw materials were insufficient, so coins couldn't be minted in large quantities.
Second, the aristocratic families monopolized wealth. They hoarded vast amounts of gold and silver, leading to a vicious cycle where the rich grew richer and the poor grew poorer.
What Wang Zhen wanted to do was to reclaim wealth from the aristocratic families and, through years of accumulation, fill the national treasury with sufficient reserves. After that, he aimed to truly replace currency with paper. The common people wouldn't just recognize copper coins but also the paper currency issued by the Great Song Silver Bank.
However, this goal was still a long way off.
Now, seeing the Great Song Silver Bank in Jinzhou, Tang Shen felt both gratified and distressed.
"My senior brother truly has it tough!"
Reflecting on this, Tang Shen thought to himself: And how is it any easier for me?
He smiled and said no more, heading to the Ministry of Works.
In the twelfth lunar month, Tang Shen returned to the capital. Unlike the south, Shengjing was already blanketed in snow. For the past few days, the officials hadn't attended the morning court because Emperor Zhao Fu's headache had flared up. In recent years, every winter, Zhao Fu often suffered from headaches, and in severe cases, he would even lose consciousness.
But no one could have expected that this time it would be so severe.
Li Xiaoren, the Chief Astronomer of the Astronomical Bureau, led nine disciples in performing rituals and praying for the emperor's health at the Immortal Ascension Platform.
On the ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, three fast horses left Shengjing, heading to Gusu, Jizhou, and Liangzhou. The three princes received the edicts at home, and all three were shocked.
Emperor Zhao Fu had actually written a decree long ago: if one day he remained unconscious for ten days, the three princes were to be recalled to Shengjing.
The first thought that came to the three princes wasn't concern for Zhao Fu's health but the realization: Could it be that they were about to become emperor?
The three princes returned to Shengjing and soon learned that their two brothers had also returned.
In the past, they would have each maneuvered to increase their chances of inheriting the throne. But the palace coup two years ago had truly frightened them. They were terrified that this was another one of Zhao Fu's whims, another of their father's schemes.
The palace coup two years ago during the New Year—they still didn't know the full truth of what had happened. But they had learned one lesson from it:
Their father was truly cold-blooded and ruthless!
The three princes were both worried and excited. Worried that this might be another scheme, that one of their brothers might become crown prince or even emperor. Excited that... why couldn't it be them who was to become emperor?
Twenty-three days passed in a flash. On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, by this time in previous years, officials would have been preparing for their holiday. But this year, with the emperor seriously ill and unconscious, all the officials went to the Altar of Heaven to pray for the emperor's health. As the snow fell heavier and the weather grew colder, with no sign of the emperor waking, many officials began to sense that the emperor might not survive the winter.
On the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, Tang Shen was on duty to enter the palace. Even though Zhao Fu was unconscious, every day a third-rank high official would go to Qinzheng Hall and wait outside Funing Palace.
Tang Shen, dressed in thick cotton, stood outside Funing Palace for an entire day.
The chief eunuch, Ji Fu, brought out a bowl of hot soup and personally handed it to Tang Shen, "Tang daren, you've worked hard. Have some hot soup."
Tang Shen immediately accepted it with both hands, "Thank you, gonggong."
Ji Fu said, "It started snowing this morning and hasn't stopped all day. It's much colder than yesterday."
Tang Shen asked, "How is His Majesty's condition?"
Ji Fu's expression stiffened. He shook his head slightly at Tang Shen, signaling with his eyes: Don't ask anymore.
That meant the situation was very bad.
Tang Shen fell silent. At first, he had also wondered whether Zhao Fu was truly ill or if this was another ruse. But as the days passed, it became clear that Zhao Fu was genuinely seriously ill.
Zhao Fu's time was running out...
Tang Shen felt a deep sense of melancholy, unable to put his feelings into words.
Suddenly, in the midst of the heavy snow, a dark figure strode down the palace path from Chuigong Hall. A somber black cloak fluttered in the fierce wind. He wore a suit of armor, with an iron sword at his waist, one hand resting on the hilt as he walked with great strides. Though aged, he walked steadily and soon arrived before Funing Palace.
The man stood still, his hawk-like gaze sweeping the area. His eyes fell on Tang Shen for a moment before moving on. His presence was overwhelming, that single glance felt like suffocating under a sea of blood and bones, leaving everyone present breathless.
Tang Shen's lips moved as he looked at the white-haired but imposing old general before him. Suddenly, he realized who this person was.
In the palace, aside from the Imperial Guards, no one was allowed to carry a sword.
However, there was one person who could.
Ji Fu, his voice shrill, said with a forced smile, "This servant greets the Grand Marshal of the Realm's Military Forces, the Grand Preceptor. When did you return to the capital?"
Grand Preceptor Zhou spoke, his voice as cold as iron, "I rode day and night and just arrived in the capital. How is His Majesty?"
Ji Fu responded in a low voice.
Grand Preceptor Zhou was silent for a moment. His towering figure was like a massive mountain. "Take me inside."
"Yes."
Grand Preceptor Zhou strode into Funing Palace. As he passed Tang Shen, Tang Shen immediately bowed in respect. Grand Preceptor Zhou glanced at him but said nothing as he entered.
The palace doors creaked shut. Tang Shen held the bowl of now-cold soup in both hands.
He looked up at the snow falling from the sky and thought to himself: Twenty-five days, and this is the first official to enter Funing Palace. Is Grand Preceptor Zhou an official?
Yes, probably so.