Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 298 Zhuti Copper Mine, the Fate of the Han Dynasty

After much deliberation, Dong Yun, who was never afraid to speak frankly and directly to the emperor, had a much clearer understanding of the situation, but his brows remained furrowed. Finally, he bowed once more.
"Your Majesty, I still have concerns about this national debt, and it is like a fishbone stuck in my throat."

"Please speak freely, Your Excellency," Liu Shan said.

Dong Yun took a deep breath, then sighed and said:

"Your Majesty is learned and knowledgeable, and should know the story of King Nan of Zhou who was heavily indebted."

Upon hearing this, the temple fell silent instantly.

Fa Miao, Zhang Biao, Huo Yi, and other close ministers of the emperor all showed slight changes in expression, clearly knowing the meaning behind this allusion.

Even Fei Yi, who held great power, subconsciously glanced at the emperor's expression, fearing that the emperor might be angered by Dong Yun's words.

"Debts piled up... How could I not know?" Liu Shan showed no anger, but instead smiled with a mixture of understanding and emotion.

After Lord Xinling stole the tally to rescue Zhao, he defeated the powerful Qin state.

King Kaolie of Chu, Xiong Yuan, harbored deep hatred for the Qin state. Upon learning of the Zhao-Wei allied forces' great victory over the Qin army, he was greatly encouraged and resolved to unite with the various vassal states to annex Western Qin in one fell swoop and avenge the Chu state.

However, knowing that his prestige was insufficient to command the feudal lords, he sent an envoy to ask King Nan of Zhou to use his authority as the sovereign of the world to order all the states to unite and send troops, and to recommend himself as the commander-in-chief to attack Qin.

King Nan of Zhou had long understood that the State of Qin was the greatest threat to the Zhou royal family's authority as the supreme ruler of the world. He also wanted to take this opportunity to restore the prestige of the Zhou dynasty. Therefore, he readily agreed to the King of Chu's request, ordered the assembly of the armies of the feudal lords, and appointed the Duke of Western Zhou to lead the war against Qin.

However, the Zhou dynasty had been in decline for a long time, the feudal lords had not paid tribute for many years, and the national treasury was empty. Since troops needed to be mobilized, a large amount of grain and military supplies were required.

King Nan of Zhou had no choice but to borrow money from wealthy and powerful families in the capital.

After careful deliberation, the wealthy households agreed to lend money to King Zhou, but demanded that a written agreement be drawn up as proof, stipulating that the principal and interest would be repaid together after the Qin state was defeated. King Zhou Nan agreed to all of them.

Soon after, the Duke of Western Zhou led a large army from Henan to Shaanxi, intending to join forces with the armies of the other feudal lords.

Since the State of Chu was the initiator of the proposal to attack Qin, it naturally took the lead in sending troops. The State of Yan also valued integrity and sent troops to join them.

However, after the three armies joined forces and waited for a long time, they still could not see any other vassal states. The army had no choice but to set up camp on the spot. For three months, no other countries sent a single soldier.

The King of Chu had no other choice but to order a retreat, and the armies of the three states returned to their respective territories.

Although the Zhou army had not experienced any battles, its military funds had been exhausted. King Nan of Zhou did not know where to raise funds to repay the debts. Meanwhile, the wealthy families who had lent money to the emperor saw the Zhou army return to the capital and entered the palace with their IOUs to demand repayment from King Nan.

King Nan of Zhou had no money to repay his debts, so he had to strictly order the palace guards to keep all creditors out of the palace. The creditors made a ruckus outside the gate, and the noise reached deep into the palace. King Nan of Zhou was restless and unable to eat or sleep, so he simply hid in a high platform in the deep palace to avoid the sounds of debt collectors.

Dong Yun replied with a solemn expression:

"King Nan of Zhou had no money to repay his debts and was filled with shame. He had no choice but to hide on a high platform, ashamed to see anyone. Later generations ridiculed him for his high debt."

After a pause, Dong Yuncai continued:
"Your Majesty... the King of Nan is a ruler in the end times, which is certainly not a good omen."

“It is rare for a country to borrow money in ancient times, not because it is ignorant or unable, but because it does not want to follow in the footsteps of King Nan and avoid such an ominous omen.”

"Therefore, I fear that if this policy is actually implemented, even if it alleviates the country's immediate crisis, it will severely damage Your Majesty's reputation and the dignity of the royal family."

"It will cause concern and worry among loyal ministers and patriots throughout the land. If they were to repeat the mistakes of the Prince of Nan, they would be ridiculed by later generations and by unofficial histories and slanderous books."

Dong Yun, having offered his most direct and forceful advice, bowed deeply.

The flickering candlelight in the official temple cast an unpredictable glow on the diverse expressions of the people present.

Liu Shan had anticipated Dong Yun's words and responded with a solemn expression:
“Dong Shizhong is deeply concerned about the country and is a truly loyal minister.”

"When I was young, I read history and felt deeply saddened by the matter of King Nan of Zhou. His heart was pitiful and his feelings were tragic, but his actions were indeed unwise and not worthy of emulation."

Upon hearing the emperor's words, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Since the emperor has decided to borrow from the wealthy, why does he say that Prince Nan is not worthy of emulation?
Liu Shan, knowing the crowd's doubts, said:

"The national debt I am issuing today is similar in form to the debt taken out by King Nan of Zhou back then, but they are completely different in essence. There is a world of difference between them."

"I hope Your Majesty will enlighten me," Dong Yun said, puzzled.

Liu Shan walked back to the front of the table, but did not sit down:

"Firstly, the purpose and basis of my borrowing are different from those of Prince Nan."

"King Nan of Zhou borrowed money merely to maintain the crumbling Zhou dynasty in name only, without any real national strength, military power, or tax revenue to support it."

"The wars that are to be waged are not well-intentioned by the various states and their rulers, and are like throwing an egg against a rock, with no chance of victory whatsoever."

"The decline of the Zhou royal family and the state was not a problem for one generation, but a problem for a hundred years. Its foundation had long been rotten and broken. Borrowing was like water without a source or a tree without roots, and it was naturally difficult to continue."

"The virtue of our great Han Dynasty is such that even in decline, it is not severed. In the past, Emperor Guangwu revived the Han Dynasty, and now the late emperor and I have continued the Han Dynasty for the third time."

"The hearts of the people of the world who are devoted to Han are like the carp in the Yangtze River, countless and inexhaustible for ten thousand generations."

"Now, our Great Han has achieved a great victory in the Northern Expedition and returned to the Western Capital. The Eastern Expedition has also been a series of victories. In one month, we have swiftly captured three important towns of the Wu bandits. The entire Wuling Prefecture has responded, which shows that the people's hearts are with us and the army's morale is at its peak."

Liu Shan looked around at the assembled people and said:

"The power of the Han Dynasty is rising like the sun, completely different from the late Zhou Dynasty. This is the foundation of the nation's strength."

"Since I have promised you money, why should I worry that loyal and patriotic people of the Han Dynasty will not lend a helping hand to the prosperous national fortune and bright future of the Han Dynasty?"

The emperor spoke calmly and unhurriedly, his words were reasonable and well-founded, and carried an undeniable authority. All the ministers present agreed with him and immediately composed themselves.

Liu Shan, however, disregarded the expressions of his ministers and continued speaking calmly:

"Secondly, the current national debt, its lending methods and creditworthiness are also very different from those of Prince Nan."

"King Nan of Zhou borrowed money privately, which was also coerced. The procedures were unclear, the vouchers were unknown, and there was no guarantee of repayment. It relied entirely on the credit of King Nan and the royal family, but at that time, the credit of King Nan and the Zhou royal family had already gone bankrupt."

"The national bonds that our great Han Dynasty is about to issue are legitimate and aboveboard, guaranteed by national laws and the reputation of the imperial court, with evidence and proof, and with a clear term and reasonable interest."

"Managed by a specially established agency, with transparent procedures and records, and with the Emperor himself personally signing and affixing his seal to announce it to the world, this national debt is not a temporary borrowing method, but a complete and reliable national policy!"
"My reputation, and the reputation of the nation, are the very lifeblood of the national debt. The lifeblood of the national debt is inextricably linked to the great cause of restoring the Han dynasty. How can I and the nation not exert every effort to safeguard it?"

Upon hearing this, Dong Yun finally nodded thoughtfully. The emperor's pointing out of these differences had indeed hit the nail on the head.

Liu Shan's face revealed a sharp edge, and he smiled nonchalantly:
"Thirdly, and most importantly."

"King Nan of Zhou borrowed money in secret, but was unable to repay it because he could not defeat his enemy. He became a laughing stock and hastened the demise of the Zhou royal family."

"Our great Han Dynasty has already made strategic plans for this eastern expedition. Sun Quan's forces are currently stretched thin and the people are not loyal. We only need to proceed steadily and wait for the counties in Jingnan and Cao Wei to launch attacks on Sun Quan from the south and north. With enemies on three sides, the recovery of Jingzhou can be expected in a short time."

"The only problem facing our great Han Dynasty is the lack of military supplies. Issuing national bonds and gathering the people's wealth to fund important military and national affairs is perfectly acceptable."

"Once the prosperous lands of Jingzhou are all incorporated into the territory of our Great Han, with the tax revenue greatly increased, repaying the mere million in national debt will be easy."

"More profoundly, national debt can bind the private interests, family interests, and clan interests of loyal and patriotic individuals to the fate of the Han Dynasty, thereby uniting the people's hearts."

After much deliberation, the upright official Dong Yun finally agreed that the emperor's words were reasonable and well-founded, but... after much hesitation, he finally stopped avoiding the question and asked directly:

"Your Majesty, what if we fail to capture Jingzhou?"

Liu Shan also spoke frankly: "If we cannot succeed, we will first use the grain, taxes and cloth from next autumn's harvest to repay the first batch of national debts, and then issue the second batch of national debts in the winter New Year."

"True patriots will not hesitate."

"Those who hesitated and speculated, seeing that the first batch of national bonds of our great Han Dynasty were truly repaid, and seeing that the first batch of bond buyers received substantial returns, will not hesitate to rush to buy the second batch of national bonds."

Human nature is driven by profit, and there is a reason why Ponzi schemes, which are like a game of musical chairs, can continue to be played and thrive for so long.

The current three-way struggle for supremacy is a matter of life or death. If Jingzhou is not captured, and if issuing national debt several times in a row fails to expand the base of support, leading to a default and the loss of national credibility, then it can only be said that it is a matter of fate.

However, this game of musical chairs will last for several years from its beginning to its final collapse. Given the wealth and tax revenue of Guanzhong and Shu, this game can be sustained for at least five years.

With Dong Yun's wisdom, how could he not know that the emperor was gambling? Although now it seems that the odds of winning this gamble are very high.

But what if?
What will the Great Han do if it eventually reaches a point where it can no longer be sustained?

Once the emperor's credibility and the nation's credibility are completely lost, then the once mighty Han dynasty will truly be nothing but a mirage.

Liu Shan naturally noticed the worry in Dong Yun's eyes and continued to reassure him:

"National finances are nothing more than increasing revenue and reducing expenditure."

"The current national debt is a source of revenue. "The iron plow and dragon-bone waterwheel invented and modified in prisons are also sources of revenue."

"Dispatching agricultural officials to popularize crop rotation and field enclosure methods among the people is a way to increase income."

"Since the Northern Expedition and the Eastern Expedition, we have acquired countless fields and weapons, which is an increase in resources. We have also captured more than 200,000 livestock, soldiers and civilians, who have been settled in Han settlements and cultivated the barren land, which is also an increase in resources."

"In addition... there is one more thing that I have not yet told you all."

The ministers, who had been deep in thought, all turned their attention to the emperor upon hearing his last words.

Liu Shan said calmly:
"When I was young, I often went out to see and travel."

"Upon arriving in Nan'an (Leshan), I heard that merchants from Zhuti often brought privately minted copper coins from there to purchase salt, rice, and other goods."

“Even worse, some people used their private money to exchange for Shu Zhibai (a type of brocade) from wealthy people there, and then went to Chengdu Jin Guan City to exchange for Shu brocade, making a considerable profit.”

Dong Yun frowned slightly.

Zhuti is located in the south, where barbarians and Han people live together. Although it is under the rule of the Han Dynasty, the mountains are high and the roads are long, and the rule has always been weak. It is common for private minting of coins.

It was common knowledge that people used their private money to exchange for Shu Zhibai (a type of ancient Chinese silk) from local tycoons and then to buy Shu brocade in Chengdu. Although the imperial court knew about this, it still allowed it, which could be considered one of the ways to increase revenue.

The reason why these Zhuti merchants wanted to exchange Shuzhibai with the wealthy people of Nan'an was that the imperial court had already established a law that privately minting coins was a serious crime.

But this method can only be maintained in the vicinity of Chengdu. In other places, how can it be managed so much?

Gold and silver are natural currencies, and at that time, copper, which was produced in small quantities, was also a precious metal and thus a natural currency.

Private coins are also made of copper, and as long as the copper content of the coins is acceptable, they can naturally circulate among the people.

"Last year, I was troubled by the lack of funds in the country. Suddenly I thought of the private money in Zhuti. Since there is private money there, there must be copper mines."

"I then secretly ordered the Governor of Yijiang (Li Hui) to send reliable and capable men to search for copper mines in the deep mountains and dangerous ravines of Zhuti."

Zhuge Qiao, Huo Yi, Fa Miao, and the others were all taken aback upon hearing this, but were also delighted.

Your Majesty brings this up at this time; could it be that Zhu Ti has discovered a copper mine?
Dong Yun hesitated, then exchanged a glance with Fei Yi, sighed inwardly, and said:
"Your Majesty is on a distant expedition, yet you still consider the nation's finances. Your thoughtfulness is truly admirable, and we admire you greatly."

When Dong Yun said this, everyone knew that the Chamberlain had said "however".

As expected, Dong Shizhong changed the subject:
"However... we have not been unaware of the possibility of exploring the Zhuti copper mine."

"Even before the late emperor, the prime minister was in charge of all state affairs. Due to the small size of the country and the poverty of the people, he was always worried about the country's financial difficulties and studied in depth how to increase revenue and reduce expenditure."

"The late emperor and the prime minister were already aware of the private minting and circulation of copper coins in Zhuti, and had even deduced that there must be copper mines there."

"From the eighteenth to the twentieth year of Jian'an, the Prime Minister secretly dispatched several groups of officials skilled in mining and metallurgy to conduct in-depth investigations in Zhuti and Huiwu counties under the guise of trade or road surveying."

"However, the results of each investigation were disappointing."

“There are indeed some scattered small mines there, but they are mostly controlled by local powerful families or Yi tribes. They are very small in scale, with thin and weak veins. The copper content of the ore varies, and mining is quite difficult.”

At this point, Dong Yun paused, his gaze towards the emperor becoming even more earnest:
"Your Majesty, mining is not just about having ore; it requires a lot of manpower to dig tunnels, support mine shafts, and provide drainage and ventilation. It also requires setting up furnaces for smelting, which consumes countless amounts of charcoal."

“Zhuti is located in southern Xinjiang, with high mountains and dense forests, and dangerous roads. The amount of manpower and material resources required to transport the mined ore out and then smelt it into copper is far beyond imagination.”

"According to estimates at the time, even if all the profits from those small mines were used up, the value of the copper obtained would probably not be enough to cover the costs of mining and transportation."

"For the national treasury, this is a drop in the ocean and a losing proposition."

This is one of them.

"Secondly, the Han and Yi peoples lived together in the southern prefectures, and the situation was complicated. Many small mines were actually the private property of local big families and Yi chieftains."

"If the imperial court forcibly intervenes in the mining, it will be tantamount to competing with the people for profits, which will inevitably provoke a backlash from the Han and Yi peoples there."

"The southern region has only recently been pacified, and the people's hearts are not yet fully devoted to it. If the copper mine issue causes further turmoil and unrest, it will not only fail to generate new revenue but will also shake the foundation of the nation and greatly damage the prestige of the court."

"After careful consideration, the late emperor and the prime minister decided that it was not advisable to take any rash actions for the sake of the overall situation, and therefore abandoned the plan to open mines in the south."

After speaking, Dong Yun bowed deeply again and said no more.

Mining copper in the south is not only economically unprofitable, but also politically risky.

Dong Yun's words undoubtedly poured cold water on the heads of young second-generation talents such as Zhuge Qiao, Huo Yi, Fa Miao, and Zhang Biao.

Fei Yi nodded slightly, clearly aware of this past event.

Liu Shan looked around at his ministers and burst into loud laughter.

Seeing this, everyone looked at each other in disbelief, a mixture of surprise and delight rising once again in the official temple.

After all, the emperor is not blinded by gains and losses. Since he is acting like this now, could it be that... Zhu Ti has actually discovered a large copper mine?
Liu Shan laughed and said:

"The destiny and fate of the Han Dynasty lie here."

"The copper mine discovered by the governor of Yijiang this time is not one of the scattered small mines known to the late emperor, the prime minister and the ministers, but a huge deposit unprecedented in history."

"A massive treasure?!" Fei Yi blurted out, clearly in disbelief.

Unprecedented in history? Dong Yun was also dumbfounded.

Before the emperor could say anything more, Fa Miao, Huo Yi, Zhuge Qiao, and the others were already filled with excitement as they looked at each other in bewilderment.

Liu Shan solemnly said:
"According to the Governor of Yijiang, the scale of this mine and the richness of its mineral deposits far exceed human imagination. In fact, it is probably impossible for any copper mine recorded in history to compare with it."

Upon hearing this, Fei Yi and Dong Yun finally realized the gravity of the matter, and a sense of shock washed over them.

If, as the Emperor said, Li Hui truly discovered a large copper mine in Zhuti that could be called a "giant treasure," it would mean that the Han Dynasty would have a vast and stable source of raw materials for minting coins. This would allow them to dispatch a large number of people and troops to mine and maintain the mine, and in this way, cost would not be an issue at all.

Once you own a mine, your financial difficulties can be greatly alleviated, which is a more fundamental solution than so-called government debt and borrowing!

Liu Shan summoned Longxiang Lang Gao Ang to fetch a wooden box from behind the hall.

When the wooden box was opened, what was presented to the officials and ministers was a large piece of greenish ore.

"At the beginning of this year, the Governor of Yijiang sent this item to Baidi City."

Liu Shan then showed Li Hui's letter to his ministers.

It turned out that the prospectors sent by Li Hui discovered malachite in a treacherous place called Tanglang Mountain in the western part of Zhuti County.

They then followed the mountain stream where malachite is distributed, venturing deep into the heart of Tanglang Mountain.

Finally, in a remote valley, a huge mineral outcrop was discovered.

In his letter, Li Hui described how the rock face on one side of the mountain where the mineral vein was exposed was covered with large swaths of emerald green, ochre red, and deep blue, stretching for miles and a sight that was breathtaking.

Prospectors selected several sites for deep digging, excavating away the topsoil and digging down less than ten feet. They found that the ore color was becoming increasingly pure and rich, indicating that the copper content was far greater than any other mineral deposit they had ever seen before.

After receiving the report, Li Hui personally inspected the mineral samples brought back by the group.

When smelted, copper flows out like a torrent.

After reading the letter, Fei Yi asked urgently:

"Your Majesty, has De'ang estimated the reserves of this mine?"

This secret document was only half-written and did not mention production output. Presumably, the other half involved some secret that the emperor had not shown to others.

Liu Shan replied:

"The governor of Yijiang personally went to Zhuti and explored along the vein in many ways, trying to find its end. However, the vein extended along the mountain and disappeared into the deep mountains and ridges. Without sending a large army to cut through the mountains and open up a road, it was impossible to find its edge."

"But... the Governor of Yijiang wrote to me, saying that based on the scale of the mine outcrops and the copper content of the ore, the copper mine in Tanglang Mountain is so vast that even if our Great Han exerts all its strength to mine it, it will be difficult to exhaust even one-hundredth of it."

"Based on his bold statement, the copper in this mine may not be exhausted even in a thousand years."

"Even a thousand years... might not be enough?!"

As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the audience was shocked.

(End of this chapter)