My lord, spare his life!

For some unknown reason, Lu Yuan sighed.

As she expected, Zhang Yang also inquired about it.

Lu Yuan said, "When my godmother mentioned the lustful devil, I was reminded that I once had one myself. Although he was the old man's spy, he was still quite dedicated when serving people. It's just that the lustful devil has no patience and can't be indulged too much."

Zhang Yang: "???"

Is this a topic I can discuss with her?

On second thought, she realized she was the other woman's godmother, and they were mother and daughter. The boundaries and depth of conversation between mother and daughter were naturally broader and deeper than in other relationships. Why was Ba Feng suddenly bringing this up with her? A guess formed in Zhang Yang's mind.

"A country has its laws, and a family has its rules. When the new laws are revised in the future, my son will have to set an example for others. If neither you nor I abide by them or take them seriously, who will? I know your previous godfather liked to reward you with all kinds of beauties, but I don't think that's right. I can give you money, and you can find one yourself. You can decide what to do privately."

It is not permissible for her to bestow gifts upon beautiful women.

She would at most give Lu Yuan pocket money as a dating fund.

Ritsumoto: "..."

Completely baffled by her adoptive mother's sudden outburst, she had intended to tell the young woman that lustful men are truly persistent, and their desire threshold keeps rising until they're utterly ruined. She knew the man her adoptive mother spoke of, Uncle Yan, but wasn't sure of his abilities; he was clearly Yuan Cong. Now was a time when talent was invaluable, and it would be a pity if her young adoptive mother, lacking the ability to resist the clutches of lustful men, completely destroyed him. She needed to exercise restraint.

However, judging from the stepmother's reply, the other party clearly misunderstood.

Knowing the situation, Lü Yuan didn't point it out. Instead, he followed Zhang Yang's lead and asked, "Then... what document is feasible?"

Zhang Yang: "...Do you really have to keep an eye on his nursery?"

She could see He Zhi's wariness of Lu Yuan.

"Why is it wrong if the man and woman are unmarried?"

"He is indeed unmarried, but He Wen is clearly not happy about it."

If Lu Yuan did that, He Zhi would really fight him to the death.

Lu Yuan smiled wryly: "Can't I even scare you a little?"

Zhang Yang: "..."

"These respectable girls who cover themselves up so thoroughly are the easiest to bully." Lu Yuan didn't know why she had this hobby; perhaps she really was a bit perverted. "Interesting."

Zhang Yang pondered.

He said in a serious tone, "What you said makes sense."

As a mother, I will respect every child's XP.

Lu Yuan quickly ended the conversation. She thought about what Xiao Sui had talked about with her and dared not lead her godmother astray—although her godmother also had a lustful man, her age was a factor.

To demonstrate his loyalty and prove he had no intention of betraying Zhang Yang, Lü Yuan informed his confidants that Zhang Yang was the new master and even brought them all to meet Zhang Yang in person, thus giving them a heads-up. However, Zhang Yang clearly hadn't anticipated this.

She accepted the fact that she had more subordinates very naturally, and there was no sense of distance when communicating with them or holding meetings, as if they were born to be her subordinates. She took out a money bag from her game backpack and poured out the coins inside with a clatter.

"The new currency has been gradually put into use within Tianyue territory."

Lu Yuan and the others exchanged glances as they looked at the small pile of coins.

He Zhi and He Wen each had their own thoughts.

Xiao Sui observed all their reactions.

Zhang Yang was unaware of their thought process, and simply introduced it with a slightly proud tone: "It's called Yuanyuan Coin."

"Is your godmother planning to publish it throughout the county?"

As an adopted daughter, Lu Yuan should be careful what she says.

The people present were certainly not selfless individuals; regardless of their outward appearance, they were all cunning foxes with countless schemes at their core. The replacement of old currencies with new ones presents numerous opportunities for profit. The mere advantage of having access to information alone could be enough to make a fortune.

Zhang Yang nodded and then shook his head.

"We should wait until the minting output increases before promoting the currency, and only after we've conquered all the other persimmons in the mountains. When our power is at its peak, the resistance to issuing the currency will decrease. Promoting the new currency just by holding onto Chesi County will not be accepted by the people, will breed panic, and will affect the livelihood of the people within the territory, which is not good." Chesi County uses the new currency, while other places that haven't been conquered still use the old currency, which is very detrimental to private trade.

"I'm just letting you know that I already have a plan for this, so you don't need to worry about it."

The repetitive workload is also quite annoying.

Everyone: "..."

Why are they promoting new currencies all the time?

This kind of work is lucrative, but it's labor-intensive and increases labor costs. When warlords occupy a place, they plunder hard currency like gold and silver, and the common people simply continue to use old customs for small denomination coins.

There's no need to create trouble for yourself.

Lu Yuan smiled and said, "Could my godmother bestow one upon me?"

Zhang Yang: "What's there to reward?"

As he spoke, he tossed one to Lu Yuan.

Others realized what was happening and followed suit.

Only Xiao Sui and He Zhi, uncle and nephew, remained silent. Xiao Sui had no reason to, while He Zhi and his nephew didn't want to get involved, much less associate with these martial artists. What was the purpose of everyone asking for a newly issued coin as a reward? It certainly wasn't to gain recognition.

It's just that I'm taking the new currency back to study its composition.

They might not necessarily be counterfeiting privately, but secretly calculating the components used in the new currency and stockpiling raw materials to make a profit is highly probable. They want to skim some cash before others react. These people might not dare to act recklessly in Chesi County, but what about the mountain counties?

Material prices vary from place to place.

The material content of old coins circulating in the public market also varies. Some old coins are recycled and melted down to make new coins, which can generate some profit.

He Zhi and his nephew did not ask for a reward, but they did take a look at the new coins.

With just one glance, one can form a general judgment in one's mind.

It's impossible to imitate now.

Lu Yuan: "This Yuan coin is exquisitely made."

"That's right, I oversee every single step of the process."

Lu Yuan's praise of Yuan Yuanbi was tantamount to acknowledging her aesthetic sense and achievements, which naturally pleased Zhang Yang. She turned to Xiao Sui and instructed her that the task for Che Si County in the next six months was to improve people's livelihoods. The county's population needed to be recalculated, and hidden households also needed to be included.

She specifically emphasized the hidden door.

"Hidden door?"

Most of the people present owned some kind of property.

Zhang Yang, still furious at the thought, cursed amidst the various thoughts on the matter, "Yes, it's truly infuriating. Let me tell you, when we took over Tianyue, the lives my children led were heartbreaking. I asked around, and Jiu Si and the others said the prefecture and county governments were broke, barely collecting any taxes a year. Without local funds, they couldn't guarantee their children's living conditions. Those heartless bastards didn't even give their children household registration; unregistered children were beaten to death without any recourse. They're utterly despicable!"

Lu Yuan, acting as the straight man, asked Zhang Yang how he had resolved the situation.

She knew to some extent how serious the hidden danger of the Heavenly Moon was.

Zhang Yang tilted his head and said matter-of-factly, "Kill them."

Everyone: "..."

Zhang Yang narrowed his peach blossom eyes, seemingly recalling the scene from that day: "Tianyue was experiencing the chaos of the four seasons, and winter suddenly arrived overnight, freezing countless people to death. The county government had no money, no grain, and no warm clothes. Xu Jiusi was so indecisive, and by the time he had begged and pleaded with those local tyrants to get anything, everyone was dead. I thought this wouldn't do, so I set up a banquet, invited everyone with money, people, and clothes, and held a serious meeting."

Everyone: "..."

Isn't this just a trap?

The moment the thought crossed his mind, those with quick reflexes shuddered, their eyes darting furtively to check for lurking assassins in the blind spots. Tianyue's place was a trap; could this be a trap as well? He secretly released his aura, only to be forcefully rebuked.

Everyone: "!!!"

Guan Si, who was swept over by several auras almost simultaneously: "..."

Zhang Yang continued telling his story.

He remarked with a sigh, "Meetings really are useful."

He Zhi and his nephew muttered to themselves.

The Feast at Hongmen was certainly useful.

Zhang Yang said, "I killed a group of people, but the registered population of the prefecture actually increased. The more I killed, the more there were."

Many of Lu Yuan's men secretly began to sweat.

The new master is targeting them.

If they don't know what's good for them, kill them too.

However, they weren't too bothered by the thought of abandoning these hidden tenant farmers. They hadn't been operating in Chesi County for long, and their roots weren't deep enough to compare with the local powerful clans. Even if it was a matter of paying to avoid trouble, it was still cost-effective. A few moments later, the person with the lowest sunk cost reacted first, stepping forward and clasping their hands in greeting.

Zhang Yang, who was engrossed in telling the story, also stopped.

He asked in a calm voice, "Is there something you need?"

"I do have something to report."

"you say."

"Several years ago, my family took in more than a hundred refugee families. My husband, seeing their plight, arranged for them to take care of the family's surplus land. However, the county government has strict household registration and the old ruler was harsh, so we have never been able to find an opportunity to give them a legitimate path."

Zhang Yang blinked: "And then?"

"My lord is merciful. Could you send a clerk to do the hard work for a few days? Give them a proper household registration so they can make a living in the future."

The others weren't as quick as her, and after hearing her shameless words, they all cursed her inwardly. A hundred households wasn't a small number, but the problem was, what kind of nonsense was she spouting? What did she mean by taking in refugees? What did she mean by giving them surplus land to manage? Was she really being kind? Most importantly, she acted way too fast!

The hidden dangers were brought up in just a few words.

She's abandoned it, but what about those who have more hidden accounts under their names than her?

The crowd cursed while anxiously awaiting Zhang Yang's response.

Zhang Yang responded in a flat, emotionless voice: "Oh? You're kind-hearted. Let Xiu Ying worry about this."

The person who jumped the gun had mixed feelings.

Putting Xiao Sui in charge instead of He Zhi and his nephew in charge shows greater trust in trusted confidants rather than the original staff of Che Si County.

Fortunately, she didn't lie much.

At least in terms of numbers, they didn't lie.

Xiao Sui accepted the task with a bow.

Just as Zhang Yang was about to say where he had left off, before he could speak, another person stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I also have something to ask."

"explain."

Her aloofness only made people nervous.

"...In my early years, I made a name for myself by performing meritorious service. When I returned to the village, the village head and a group of fellow villagers wanted to register their land under their names to avoid some land taxes. Somehow, this news spread, and people from other villages, who were also related to them, also managed to register their land under their names."

"Can I pay less tax?"

"According to the law, it is permissible not to pay taxes..."

"Legitimate tax avoidance? But that's still exploiting loopholes."

The man was sweating profusely.

In particular, he now noticed a hidden and sinister aura swirling around him, slowly creeping up his throat.

"What I mean is that this is not good..."

"not good?"

"Although it is difficult to refuse due to the bonds of friendship with my fellow villagers, if others were to learn this method, it could become a major problem in the long run."

Zhang Yang nodded: "That makes sense."

She turned to look at Xiao Sui again.

"I'll trouble Xiuying with this matter as well."

Wait, where was she in her story?

Zhang Yang scrolled up through the system log conversations and looked up to see that more people had stepped forward, but this time there were two of them. They almost bumped into each other and exchanged a reproachful glance.

"You guys have something to do too?"

The two men replied sheepishly, "...Yes."

Zhang Yang: "..."

It seems her glorious story can't be told for the time being.

After everyone came forward to confess, Zhang Yang gently stroked Lü Yuan's hand and said, "My possession of the Eight Winds is like a fish's possession of water. These people under your command are all pure, kind, and loyal, which is truly rare. You must treat them well and make good use of them in the future."

Xiao Sui's lips, hidden beneath the fan, froze.

Lu Yuan's body stiffened.

Those within the family know best what's going on in their own affairs. Lu Yuan was well aware of the nonsense her subordinates were spouting and what they were worried about. Fortunately, they were quick-witted and perceptive, and decisively severed ties while the threat was still relatively small, saving her trouble.

Her adoptive mother's words gave her a lot of face.

but--

Lu Yuan's mind raced.

She suddenly realized this was a perfect opportunity to legitimately make things difficult for those she had grudges against. The sunk costs of these people were far greater than just a hundred or so households; she could use them as a gift to please her godmother, killing two birds with one stone.

Coincidentally, Xiu Ying was also one of her cronies.

Thus, Lü Yuan's smile grew even brighter and more sincere. Zhang Yang quelled everyone's discontent with just one sentence: "When I looked at the county's accounts, I noticed that the money in the accounts wasn't quite enough."

Lu Yuan looked at He Wen.

He Wen, who had previously had access to these things and was the most knowledgeable about the finances of Che Si County, nodded and said reluctantly, "The former master was extravagant and often drew rewards from the public accounts."

Although it was called a public account, it was actually the warlord's personal purse.

Use it if you want, take it if you want.

To reward and win over adopted sons, daughters, and other subordinates, it was commonplace to bestow land and people as gifts.

The fact that the public accounts are not in deficit suggests that the accounting methods are sophisticated.

As for the profits gained from trading with other forces?

The lion's share naturally went into the former prefect's pocket, the remainder was divided among several other groups, and only the last bit went into the local treasury. It was the Che Si County government that was short of money, not the Che Si County prefect.

Zhang Yang thought for a moment and said, "Even a hero can be brought down by a penny. How can you manage a large family without any money in your hands?"

Xiao Sui, who was sitting calmly, tensed up upon hearing these words.

She leaned forward slightly, her curious gaze falling on Zhang Yang.

The next second, Zhang Yang pulled out a large yellow croaker—

A large gold bar, as thick as half a palm and as long as an arm. One after another, twenty bars were taken out and arranged neatly.

Then he took out more than thirty silver coins.

"We'll get those copper and iron later. You keep an eye on them and make them into circulating units to maintain business with other counties." Zhang Yang then subtly hinted, "We're not short of money, we're short of supplies. If you don't have enough money, just tell me. Keeping people's hearts at ease is the most important thing."

These were all exchanged for supplies.

"...We will continue to do the business as before if we can."

We must exchange it for supplies!

Everyone stared intently at the dazzling gold and silver, their breathing becoming heavy, unable to believe what they were seeing.

??(?w?)