Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 699 The Grand Ceremony is About to Begin
Although some mischievous people were being naughty and others causing trouble, no one could stop the passage of time. Soon the unbearable summer was over, and the crisp autumn days were just around the corner.

Autumn has arrived, and the harvest ceremony is about to begin. Envoys from various countries and regions have all arrived. However, this time, the Great Wei has declared that the ceremony will be conducted in accordance with the principles of fairness, impartiality, and openness. Whether they are currently at war or about to go to war, they must behave themselves in the capital of the Great Wei. Assassination attempts? If the Investigation Department finds out who committed the assassination, the Great Wei will immediately unite with the eighteen warlords to raze their ancestral graves.

Because the event was to be a resounding success, it drew on the strengths of many, with different regions and ethnic groups showcasing their unique talents. The harvest festival and the expo were combined, creating a grand feast reminiscent of a peacock displaying its plumage.

"They want about 400 acres of land. Have those barbarians from Northern Han gone mad?"

"give him!"

Old Zhang pointed to the map around Jinling City: "They probably want to create a pastoral plain. I saw a lot of grassland caravans carrying rolls of turf a few days ago. They really value this grand ceremony."

"Prime Minister Zhang, four hundred mu... Our Great Wei only has three hundred and twenty mu of land. If we give it to him, what will happen if the Li Tang also wants four hundred mu?"

“Li Tang wants a gouba.” Zhang Xiang spat: “Bei Han gives four hundred, you combine Tian Wei’s and Li Tang’s territories together, and make it four hundred.”

"Can……"

Old Zhang didn't even flinch: "But what? How can a usurper like him be worthy of a solo performance?"

"What Zhang Xiang said is absolutely right, but how should we make the sign for the entrance?"

Old Zhang paced back and forth for a while with his hands behind his back, then suddenly stopped and said, "Write 'Xinghan' (星汉). For 'Beihan' (北汉), write 'Yinhe' (银河)."

"The Milky Way field, the star field... wonderful, Prime Minister Zhang is wonderful, indeed Prime Minister Zhang is a great talent in the world."

"Stop flattering them." Xia Lin suddenly spoke up from the side: "These two sites alone cover eight hundred acres. What about other countries and regions? Think about it. They're coming here this time, and there's a peaceful coexistence treaty to sign. Are you clearly looking down on small countries?"

Old Zhang stroked his chin, while the official next to him didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

"How about this?" Xia Lin pondered for a moment, "Let them bid for all the land themselves and build on it, with a maximum of 300 mu. Whether it's the Great Wei, the Li Tang, or any other country, if they want to maintain their own characteristics, they have to spend their own money to build the site."

"Is it too late? There's still a month left."

"Hey." Xia Lin waved his hand: "A construction team of 58,000 people is ready to go at any time."

Xia Lin's method now seems to be the fairest, allowing people to choose according to their means. Those who pay more will naturally have a larger venue, while those who pay less will have a smaller one. If they are too poor, several small countries can share the space. This way, it is more legitimate to say that they are small countries with few people and not much to show off, so they will not lose face.

Therefore, although some results may be the same, different paths can lead to drastically different final outcomes.

As soon as this plan was announced, intelligent people understood why it was so effective, and some even exclaimed that the person who came up with it was a genius. Envoys from various countries also breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the news. While it's true that countries vary in strength and size, this move, which clearly showed respect to everyone, received unanimous praise.

With this plan, the allocation of venues is no longer a problem. It can be done according to the needs of each size. For example, Bei Han has a very advanced concept for its exhibition. They want to let the people in the south see the scenery of cattle and sheep grazing on the grasslands, and let the world know that they, the grassland people, are not barbarians who drink raw meat and eat blood, but civilized people who eat hot food and wear clothes, just like everyone here. So they decided to replicate the customs of the grassland tribes one-to-one, not only to sell goods, but also to let everyone experience the grassland customs for free.

"Do you think their grassland-themed show will have any exciting programs?"

After reviewing the report, Emperor Jingtai asked with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation, "Is there one?"

"Don't even think about it, there's no such thing." Xia Lin snorted coldly, "You're always dreaming. This is a grand harvest festival and a world exposition. Doing *that* in this kind of setting, don't you have any shame?"

"Boring." Emperor Jingtai pursed his lips, then pondered for a moment before saying, "So what is Li Tang's idea?"

"The Li Tang dynasty plans to build a mini-Chang'an, bringing the Zhuque Avenue from Chang'an. They also hired some craftsmen to replicate the statues and murals from the Mogao Grottoes. It seems like they're making quite a big splash."

"You scared me half to death! I thought they had actually chiseled those treasures down. Damn it..." Emperor Jingtai said with lingering fear, "What about us? As the host, we can't let them outdo us, can we?"

"Grain Mountain." Xia Lin raised his head and said to Emperor Jingtai, "With 300 million catties of grain as the main theme, we will showcase the development of 47 categories of industries, including animal husbandry, farming, aquaculture, fishing, hunting, crafts, and commerce, around the grain. We must integrate the past and present throughout the entire venue and take common development as the theme. In addition to showcasing our own achievements, we must also showcase the results of win-win cooperation with neighboring countries. This time, they are showing off their culture, and we must show off our inclusiveness."

Emperor Jingtai raised his head and took off his tortoiseshell glasses: "Let them know who the suzerain state really is?"

"Suzerain State, Suzerain State, you need to change your thinking. Make them clearly understand which country they should follow for a better future! In governing a country, everything is based on benevolence. Not the benevolence of a woman, but the benevolence of a kind and generous heart. You can no longer tell people that the Great Wei was founded on loyalty and filial piety."

"Then with what?"

"Renyi Zhonghou. Ren means to be kind-hearted. Yi means to be righteous and loyal. Zhong means to be loyal and devoted to one's country."

"Thick?" "Thick, yeah." Xia Lin laughed: "Don't be so arrogant."

"Hahahaha... Okay, okay, that's fine. Let's do it this way."

Xia Lin then held out her hand: "Please transfer the payment."

Emperor Jingtai looked completely bewildered: "What?"

"Money, if you don't give me money, where am I supposed to get you peace and prosperity?"

"No money."

"If you don't have money, Da Wei can just set up a stove next to the cowshed and sell people some fermented glutinous rice porridge to eat and then go to the toilet."

That afternoon, Emperor Jingtai urgently convened a meeting of the cabinet, consisting of the three departments and six ministries. In fact, there was nothing particularly important to discuss; it was just a matter of money.

The Ministry of Revenue refused to pay the money because the rule had not been established beforehand, and they simply couldn't afford to spend it now that it was being decided on a whim. The problem then shifted to the Ministry of Rites, because the rule was a lifesaver for them, resolving their immediate crisis and putting an end to the dilemma they had been facing.

But now the Ministry of Revenue is saying this is unreasonable?

That's unreasonable, my ass...

The court was in an uproar. The two ministers were figures whom ordinary people could not even dream of befriending. Here, they were practically ready to roll up their sleeves and start fighting. The three prime ministers also held different opinions. Old Zhang expressed his agreement, Ma Zhou took a neutral stance, and Xu Jingzong held an opposing opinion.

"The harvest festival is already a waste of manpower and resources, and now we have to spend extra money to rent or buy a venue on our own land. Isn't this the most ridiculous thing in the world?"

"It's not renting or buying." Old Zhang seemed... well, to put it nicely, he was at ease; to put it bluntly, he was shameless: "That's called construction cost. If you want to show the grandeur of a great power, how can you do it without spending some money? Go look at the Northern Han and the Tang dynasties; which one of them didn't spend a fortune?"

"They've come as guests. Why should our Great Wei pay extra for a venue in its own capital? To whom should that money go? The Ministry of Works? The Minister of Works!"

"This humble official is unaware," the Minister of Works stepped forward, first replying to Xu Jingzong, then bowing to Emperor Jingtai and saying, "Your Majesty, this subject is unaware..."

"The money first goes from the Ministry of Revenue to the Ministry of Rites, then the Ministry of Rites uses it to build the gardens, and the taxes generated during the festival go back to the Ministry of Revenue," Old Zhang patiently explained. "Actually, this is a sure-fire way to make money."

"The festival is tax-exempt!"

"Fuck you..."

Old Zhang was already swearing, but Emperor Jingtai coughed, forcing him to swallow the rest of his words. He continued patiently, "Those within the venue will not be taxed. However, all other merchants in Jinling City will still be taxed. The festival will bring in millions of people. Can't you gentlemen understand this?"

At this moment, everyone's mind was buzzing, and everyone had their own thoughts and calculations. In fact, everyone knew that this matter probably wouldn't go wrong, but ultimately they still wanted to seek the greatest benefit for themselves and their departments.

"Alright, it seems I can't convince you either." Old Zhang spread his hands: "I ask Your Majesty to make the decision."

Emperor Jingtai rested one hand on his chin, looking somewhat effeminate. He glanced around and sighed, "Since that's the case, I have no better solution. I'll have someone come and explain to you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Jingzong stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that Prime Minister Zhang's proposal is reasonable and well-founded, and worthy of your trust."

The Minister of Revenue nodded hastily: "The Ministry of Revenue has built up some foundation in recent years... and there's also the indemnity from the Northern Han a few days ago. It's feasible, it's feasible, we won't lose money anyway."

"Hey! You lot..." Emperor Jingtai almost blurted out the word "bastard," but he managed to hold it back. He straightened up and said, "If that's the case, then get on with it, and hurry up!"

"According to the order."

In the end, the six ministries dispersed, leaving only the officials of the three provinces standing there. Emperor Jingtai looked at Xu Jingzong and said, "Yanzu, you really change your tune quickly."

"Your Majesty, I believe that we should only reason with those who are reasonable, and just give in to those who are not. Your Majesty said you would find someone to reason with us, but why bother... I am already forty-two years old."

"Why didn't you just agree in the first place?"

"Actually, I really think this money shouldn't be spent... but what Prime Minister Zhang said makes sense, so let's do it this way."

(End of this chapter)