I started as a concubine, and I made the crown prince cry with my delicious food.

A deathly silence pervaded the Qianqing Palace.

Xiao Jingshi's fingers tapped repeatedly on the armrest of the dragon throne, producing a dull "thump-thump" sound. Each tap seemed to strike the hearts of the kneeling nobles.

His gaze was as cold as ice, fixed intently on Li Yuan, the Duke of Zhenguo, who was at the head of the group.

He realized that the old man had calculated that he wouldn't dare to confront him head-on, risking the stigma of "disrespecting ancestors and mistreating meritorious officials."

This is no longer a question of whether or not to pay taxes.

This is a naked clash between the authority of the new emperor and the privileges of the old powers.

If he were to abdicate today, any new policies he were to implement in the future would face endless obstacles. He, the emperor, would then become a puppet figurehead controlled by powerful clans.

But if they don't refund...

Do we really have to do what we did with the Fu and Zhang families back then, directly using the Imperial Guards to raid their homes and arrest people?

No.

Xiao Jingshi immediately dismissed the idea.

The Fu family and the Zhang family, one a civil official and the other a royal merchant, both had relatively shallow foundations. But the people kneeling before them represented the entire military merit group of the Great Liang! Their fathers and grandfathers were all powerful regional officials who held military power, and their protégés and old friends were all over the army.

If we forcibly take action against them, and if the situation is not handled properly, it could incite a mutiny, with unimaginable consequences.

Xiao Jingshi felt a throbbing sensation in his temples.

He had been the crown prince for so many years and had handled many thorny political affairs as regent, but he had never felt so frustrated and angry as he did today.

It was like punching cotton; he had the strength, but couldn't use it.

"Great, what a wonderful 'all-inclusive exemption' policy."

After a long pause, he squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth and slowly stood up.

"Duke Zhenguo, do you mean that as long as one is the descendant of a meritorious official, no matter what they have done, they can be exempted from punishment?" His voice was not loud, but it carried a sense of impending doom.

Li Yuan lowered his head and respectfully replied, "This old minister dares not. This old minister only said that regarding the matter of taxes, I hope Your Majesty can follow the ancestral system and consider it at a long-term perspective."

"Take it a long time?" Xiao Jingshi sneered. "The national treasury is empty, the northern border is eyeing us covetously, military pay, river works, disaster relief... which of these can wait for me to take it a long time?"

"I levy commercial taxes for the sake of the country, not for my own private gain! The taxes are taken from merchants and used for the benefit of the people! Even those emerging merchants know to share the burdens of the nation, so why do you, the pillars of the state who have enjoyed the imperial salary for generations and hold high positions, choose to compete with the country and the people for a little bit of profit?!"

He became increasingly angry as he spoke, and his voice grew louder and louder until it almost turned into a roar.

"Your ancestors shed their blood and sacrificed their lives for the Great Liang Dynasty, only to be rewarded with a legacy of glory for you unworthy descendants, becoming parasites on the nation?!"

The emperor's thunderous wrath terrified the princes and nobles.

But Duke Zhenguo, Li Yuan, remained kneeling upright, unmoved.

He knew that no matter how angry the emperor was, as long as he didn't dare to openly break ties, he couldn't do anything to them.

"Your Majesty, please calm down." He said in his usual unhurried tone, "We are not fighting for the country's interests, but the ancestral system cannot be abolished. If Your Majesty insists on waging war, please... first take back the imperial edicts and iron certificates bestowed upon our ancestors by the founding emperor."

A certificate of imperial authority!

Upon hearing these four words, Xiao Jingshi was completely ignited.

The "Iron Certificate of Immunity" was the highest honor bestowed by Emperor Taizu upon the founding heroes of the dynasty, known as the "golden token of immunity from death." Although it could not actually absolve them of serious crimes such as treason, it represented the supreme political status and privileges of the meritorious officials.

By bringing out the ironclad edict, Li Yuan was using the strongest possible method to tell Xiao Jingshi: We have this protective document, and you cannot touch us.

"Fine...fine!" Xiao Jingshi stammered twice in anger, pointing at Li Yuan, his finger trembling. "Li Yuan, you're very good!"

He turned away with a flick of his sleeve, leaving behind the words, "That's enough for today, court adjourned!" and left the hall without looking back.

This was the first time since his ascension to the throne that he had so embarrassingly "fled away" from the court.

The news sent shockwaves throughout the capital.

Everyone could see that the conflict between the new emperor and the old nobles had become completely public.

That evening, Xiao Jingshi sat alone in the imperial study for a long time.

There was a pot of wine in front of him, but he didn't drink a drop.

He had only one thought in his mind: kill.

Kill that old scoundrel Li Yuan, along with all those stubborn and arrogant fools behind him. Confiscate their property and put all their money into the national treasury.

He refused to believe that if he killed all the old ones, the new ones would dare to disobey.

A murderous intent grew wildly in his chest. He had even begun to plan how to mobilize the troops of the capital's military camp to complete this purge without causing major upheaval.

Just then, a familiar, sweet fragrance wafted over.

Ye An'an quietly walked in, carrying a bowl of late-night snack.

As soon as she entered the room, she felt the cold, blood-soaked murderous aura emanating from it. Looking at Xiao Jingshi's face, so grim it seemed to drip with water, and his bloodshot eyes, her heart skipped a beat.

She knew he was backed into a corner.

"Are you still angry about what happened during the day?" She put the late-night snack aside, walked to his side, and gently took his cold hand in hers.

"I want to kill them." Xiao Jingshi didn't look up; his voice sounded like it came from hell.

Ye An'an's heart tightened.

She knew that if he actually did that, the Great Liang Dynasty might be plunged into internal strife.

"Killing is the simplest, but also the most foolish, method," she said softly. "Why does Li Yuan dare to challenge you like this? Because he knows you wouldn't dare to easily touch them. He's gambling, gambling that you wouldn't risk the fate of the nation."

"So, I have no choice but to endure it?" Xiao Jingshi's voice was filled with resentment.

"Of course not." Ye An'an shook her head. "You can't deal with hooligans using gentlemanly methods. Aren't they unreasonable and trying to be shameless? Then we'll use even more shameless methods to make them hand over their money obediently."

"What method?" Xiao Jingshi raised his head, a hint of doubt flashing in his bloodshot eyes.

Ye An'an looked at him, a sly, fox-like smile curling at the corners of her lips.

"They have money but don't pay taxes, right? Then let's find a way to make them willingly, even eagerly, take their money out of their pockets and hand it over to us."

She leaned close to Xiao Jingshi's ear and uttered a word that left him speechless, in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"We... issue the 'Royal Lottery'."

### Chapter 39: The Queen's Ingenious Plan: Issuing the Royal Lottery!

"Royal... Lottery?"

Xiao Jingshi stared blankly at Ye An'an, wondering if he had misheard.

What is this thing? It sounds so... indecent?

"Yes, it's the lottery." Ye An'an could tell from his bewildered look that he couldn't understand this financial instrument that was ahead of its time.

She patiently explained, "You can think of it as... a game of chance involving the whole nation, but with the royal family acting as the banker."

"Gambling?" Xiao Jingshi frowned even more deeply. "Nonsense! How can the imperial court lead the way in organizing gambling? What kind of behavior is this!"

"Oh, don't be so quick to deny it." Ye An'an pulled his hand and made him sit down. "This gambling is not like that kind of gambling. Those gambling dens in the streets are just trying to swindle gamblers out of their money; they're harmful. But our 'Royal Lottery' is for raising funds for national development; it's a good thing for the country and its people!"

She began to explain her plan in detail.

"Look, this is how we operate. We print a voucher called 'Royal Fortune Lottery,' and each one only costs ten coins. Ten coins isn't a burden for any ordinary person, right?"

Xiao Jingshi nodded. Ten coins, that's about the price of a bowl of noodles.

"Then, we'll set up a huge temptation that no one can resist—the jackpot!" Ye An'an's eyes sparkled. "We'll say that everyone who buys a lottery ticket has a chance to win the jackpot. And what's the prize? One hundred thousand taels of silver! Plus a three-courtyard mansion within the Second Ring Road of Beijing!"

"What?!" Xiao Jingshi was once again stunned by the number, "One hundred thousand taels?!"

He was just struggling to raise three million taels of military funds, and now she's offering one hundred thousand taels as a prize.

"Yes! We want 100,000 taels! We want that kind of figure that will drive everyone crazy!" Ye An'an exclaimed confidently. "Think about it carefully. For just ten copper coins, you have the chance to become a person with 100,000 taels in assets. Who can resist that temptation? At that time, not only ordinary people, but even princes and ministers will probably secretly send their servants to buy it!"

"We're rolling out this lottery nationwide. How many people live in Daliang? Tens of millions! Even if only one-tenth of them buy it, and each person only buys one ticket, how much money can we make? You can do the math, right?"

Xiao Jingshi silently calculated in his mind, then gasped.

If each of the millions of people pays ten coins, that's millions of taels of silver!

This figure far exceeds the commercial tax he wanted to collect!

"But... we have to offer 100,000 taels as a prize, and only the remaining money can go into the national treasury. Moreover, this kind of thing is ultimately opportunistic, and it will damage our reputation..." He still had some concerns.

"Of course, we need to package our reputation!" Ye An'an had already prepared her explanation. "We don't call it gambling; we call it 'Building a Better Future Together.' We'll say that this lottery is to raise money to repair the canal and to pay the soldiers in the Northern Frontier. All the money from buying lottery tickets, except for the prize money, will be used for national construction."

"We can also say that this jackpot is a blessing from heaven to our Daliang, a reward from the gods to patriots. Whoever wins the prize is the chosen 'lucky star.' In this way, not only is the speculative nature diluted, but it is also given the lofty meaning of 'patriotism' and 'prayer for blessings.'"

"As for the 100,000 taels of prize money," Ye An'an laughed, "don't worry, the money comes from the people themselves. We sell millions of lottery tickets, earning millions of taels, and then take 100,000 taels from that as prize money—isn't that more than enough? We're using the people's own money to paint them a rosy picture, and then putting most of the money into the national treasury. That's called 'crowdfunding'!"

Xiao Jingshi was completely speechless.

Looking at his empress, he felt that what was in her mind was not palace intrigue or needlework, but a completely new world that he could not understand at all, full of all sorts of wonderful rules.

She always manages to come up with an unbelievable yet ingenious solution from an angle that no one else would have thought of when he is at his wit's end.

"Aren't they just using their money and privileges to refuse to pay taxes?" A sly glint flashed in Ye An'an's eyes. "Fine, then we won't collect taxes from them. We'll try a different approach; we'll 'borrow' money directly from the pockets of all the people in the country. Once our national treasury is full and our army is strong, will we still need to put up with those stubborn old fogies?"

"At that time, they will find that the wealth they are so proud of is utterly insignificant in the face of the enormous machine of the state. Their so-called 'privileges' will become a huge joke."

"We are using the gentlest method to undermine their very foundation and slowly dismantle the basis upon which they depend for survival."

Looking at her, all the anger, resentment, and murderous intent in Xiao Jingshi's heart transformed into endless admiration and appreciation at that moment.

Murder is the worst option.

The best strategy is to win people's hearts and minds.

His empress intended to use a nationwide celebration to make those self-righteous old nobles admit defeat and be rendered speechless.

"Good!" He slammed his hand on the table, his eyes regaining their light. "We'll do it your way!"

"I will not only hold it, but I will hold it on a grand scale! I will make this 'Royal Lottery' the grandest carnival since the founding of my Great Liang Dynasty!"

He couldn't wait to see the expressions on the faces of Duke Li Yuan and his men when they saw the people queuing up like crazy for a mere ten-coin lottery ticket.

### Chapter 40: A Nationwide Carnival, and the Powerful Families Are Stunned!

The emperor's efficiency was astonishing.

The next day, an imperial edict entitled "Imperial Edict for River Construction, Fundraising of Military Funds, Praying for National Prosperity, and Issuing Royal Fortune Lottery" was posted all over the streets and alleys of the capital.

The imperial edict, written in the most plain and easy-to-understand language, explained the purpose and rules of this "royal lottery" to all the people.

The imperial court wanted to repair the canal and pay the soldiers stationed on the border, but the national treasury was empty.

—His Majesty the Emperor could not bear to increase the taxes on the people any further, so he came up with a good solution.

— Issue a "Royal Fortune Lottery" that sells for only ten coins per ticket.

—All the money from lottery sales will be used to build the country.

—To express his gratitude for the people's support, His Majesty the Emperor has personally funded a grand prize! The top prize winner will receive 100,000 taels of silver, plus a three-courtyard mansion located on Zhuque Street in the capital!

—Ten second-prize winners, each receiving one thousand taels of silver!

—One hundred third-prize winners will each receive one hundred taels of silver!

—And several commemorative awards!

—In half a month, the lottery will be held publicly outside the Meridian Gate, presided over by His Majesty the Emperor, with no deception of the young or old!

The moment the imperial edict was posted, the entire capital city erupted in an uproar.

"One hundred thousand taels? My God! I can't believe my eyes!" A vegetable vendor rubbed her eyes hard.

"And there's a house on Zhuque Street! You can't buy a house like that even if you have money!" A scholar-looking man said excitedly, his face turning red.

"Ten coins a piece! Just ten coins! You can't go wrong with that! What if I win? Then I'll never have to worry for the rest of my life!" A laborer carrying a sack threw it down and ran towards the sales point.

"Let's go! Hurry and buy them! They might be sold out if we're too late!"

For a time, the entire capital city was plunged into a state of frenzy.

From royalty to commoners, everyone's conversation revolved around the "Royal Lottery".

"Have you bought it?" has become the latest way for Beijing residents to greet each other.

At the entrance of the "Royal Bank" managed by Shen Wansan, and at the lottery sales points set up by various "Shen's" businesses, long queues formed every day before dawn.

People held their coins, their faces filled with excitement and anticipation, chattering excitedly.

"If I won 100,000 taels of silver, I'd go back to my hometown first and buy 100 acres of land! I'd put the rest in the bank and live off the interest! I'd live a life of luxury every day!"

"If I win, I'll marry Cuihua from next door! I'll never let her father look down on me again!"

"I prayed to Buddha, and Buddha said my luck is great this year! This jackpot is definitely mine!"

Everyone is using ten coins to weave the most beautiful dream.

This carnival quickly spread from the capital to all parts of the country.

Shen Wansan's caravan transported bundles of lottery tickets to every prefecture and county across the country.

The entire Daliang was in an uproar.

The Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.

As Li Yuan listened to the news brought back by his steward, his wrinkled old face darkened so much it seemed to drip water.

"You mean... everyone in the city is scrambling to buy that... lottery ticket?" He couldn't believe his ears.

"Yes, Your Highness," the steward said with a bitter face, "the queues almost stretch from the east gate to the west gate! I heard that on the first day alone, over a million tickets were sold in the capital! That's... tens of thousands of taels of silver!"

Li Yuan's hand suddenly trembled, spilling all the water from the teacup.

Ten thousand taels a day?

Is this just one place in the capital?

He suddenly had a very bad feeling.

He and other noble families went to great lengths, invoking ancestral rules and imperial edicts, to successfully resist commercial taxes. They believed that this would put the emperor in his grip and show him who the true foundation of the nation was.

But to their utter surprise, the emperor simply refused to play along with them.

He no longer collects your taxes; he's switched tracks and is now openly "robbing" money from the pockets of the world's poorest people in a way they can't even comprehend!

Moreover, the people were overjoyed and grateful, regarding him as a living bodhisattva!

In the following days, the news became increasingly astonishing.

"My Lord! Something terrible has happened! I heard that lottery tickets are selling like hotcakes in several wealthy southern prefectures! Shen Wansan has sent several boxes full of silver notes back by fast horses!"

"My Lord! Breaking news! The Royal Bank has announced that, as of yesterday, the total sales of lottery tickets nationwide have... have exceeded three million taels!"

"My Lord! His Majesty has just issued a decree, saying that because the people have been so enthusiastic, to express his gratitude, he has decided to increase the grand prize by another 100,000 taels! It will now be 200,000 taels!"

Each message, like a heavy hammer blow, struck Li Yuan and his nobles with devastating force.

They were completely dumbfounded.

They worked hard, risking a falling out with the emperor, to protect their meager tax revenue.

But in the blink of an eye, the emperor used the "ingenious skills and tricks" they looked down upon to easily raise millions of taels of silver, more than all of them combined!

Their so-called "coup" and their self-righteous "victory" seem so insignificant and ridiculous in the face of this nationwide wealth frenzy.

Standing on his own pavilion, Duke Li Yuan looked at the bustling scene at the entrance of the "Royal Bank" in the distance, and then thought about how deserted his own mansion was.

He felt like a fool clinging to a few moldy buns while watching his neighbor build a golden house.

For the first time, he began to have deep doubts about the "ancestral rules" and "privileges" that he had upheld his entire life.

He suddenly realized that the times seemed to have really changed.

These old fellows, it seems, have been left far behind by that young emperor and his even more enchanting empress.

He lost.

They suffered a crushing defeat, utterly humiliated.