Hearing that the Emperor intended to prepare and establish a military academy, Huo Quan immediately brought Jiang Yang and Dong Wan into the palace to seek an audience with His Majesty.

At that time, Yin Shuhuai was in the Chongde Hall, listening to reports from Fan Juan, Huo Hong, Gongsun Yan, and others regarding the resettlement of refugees.

A million refugees had followed the Emperor in moving the capital to Youzhou. The imperial court not only had to consider the livelihoods of these people after their arrival in Youzhou, but also whether such a sudden migration of so many people from places like Guanzhong and Henan to Youzhou would cause them to suffer from a lack of acclimatization, and whether they could quickly integrate into the State of Yan. Especially since winter was just around the corner, and winter in Yan was much colder than in Guanzhong. The court had to prepare enough winter clothes, heated brick beds, and stoves to ensure that the common people would not suffer from the freezing cold.

Worried that the citizens might fall ill, Yin Shuhuai also issued an order commanding the Imperial Medical Bureau to gather folk doctors and establish dozens of medical clinics. Each clinic was responsible for a different area, providing free medical treatment to the residents within that sector, and the medicinal herbs used for treatments were charged only at cost price.

Beyond that, Yin Shuhuai wanted to open schools and literacy classes in various commanderies, counties, and villages throughout the State of Yan. He aimed not only to send all school-aged children in the Yan region to study, but also to have the common folk attend literacy classes during the slack agricultural season to learn to read and write, study the new agricultural tools and techniques developed by the Ministry of Industry and the Imperial Manors, and even learn how to identify and process medicinal herbs. Yin Shuhuai also wanted the doctors at the clinics to teach the people how to gather herbs in their spare time, preparing for the future establishment of a nationwide pharmaceutical bureau.

Yin Shuhuai also wanted to organize the Great Yin Weekly to quickly spread imperial decrees, major national events, and matters the citizens needed to know through newspapers. Furthermore, he wanted to set up livestock farms in various prefectures and commanderies across the State of Yan, having people constantly experiment with how to stuff winter clothing with the down feathers of chickens, ducks, geese, and sheep for warmth, striving to improve the quality of life for the people in every aspect of clothing, food, housing, and transportation.

So many matters required people to carry them out. And Yin Shuhuai had long been sick and tired of the court full of civil and military officials who held positions without doing any work. Therefore, regarding the resettlement of the refugees, he generously employed a great number of newcomers.

These people were either exceptional talents recommended to him by Huo Yan and Zhao Bushi, talents screened and selected through the recruitment examinations, or the younger members of aristocratic and noble families recommended by their own houses to show submission to the Emperor after the court moved the capital to Jixian. Although their political stances differed, they all shared a need to build a career and achieve merit. Consequently, they would do their utmost in the resettlement of the refugees, also wanting to use this opportunity to showcase their talents and abilities before the Emperor in hopes of being heavily relied upon by His Majesty. What Yin Shuhuai wanted was precisely for them to have desires. As long as they wanted something, they would properly execute the tasks assigned by Yin Shuhuai, allowing the common people to truly enjoy the benefits of the court’s policies. It would not be like before, when the court racked its brains to pacify the world and settle the people, while the powerful aristocratic clans also racked their brains to execute those policies into something that ruined the country and brought disaster to the people.

Watching the good governance formulated by the court being implemented bit by bit, and seeing that the officials executing the policies could even actively discover and correct impractical areas during the process—truly adapting to local conditions so that all citizens could receive tangible benefits—Yin Shuhuai finally experienced the sense of accomplishment that came from achieving a good deed.

Compared to last year’s disastrous policy of replacing wheat with mulberry trees, which forced the people into rebellion, all these changes could truly be described as having come through immense trials and tribulations.

Thus, upon seeing Huo Quan, Jiang Yang, and Dong Wan who had come to face the Emperor, Yin Shuhuai unexpectedly revealed a smile of relief, and was even in the mood to joke with the three of them, saying, “Have you ministers entered the palace at this hour because you knew the Chief of Imperial Security has prepared a grand feast to reward the meritorious officials?”

The so-called meritorious officials were naturally those who had strictly implemented the court’s decrees during the refugee resettlement process.

The ministers’ eyes lit up upon being met with Yin Shuhuai’s smile, suddenly feeling that the sunlight streaming into the Chongde Hall had become much brighter.

Huo Quan steadied his mind, cupped his hands, and spoke about the military academy, saying, “…We heard that Your Majesty intends to prepare and establish a military academy, letting the generals in the army recommend fine young men to enroll for further studies, so they may become disciples of the Emperor?”

“Disciples of the Emperor?” Yin Shuhuai was startled upon hearing this, then smiled and said, “Is that how you heard it?”

Huo Quan instantly caught the subtle information revealed by the Emperor when he said this phrase. Before he could think through the deep meaning behind Yin Shuhuai’s words, he heard Yin Shuhuai say with a beaming smile, “Since the Grand Marshal is also interested in this matter, why not call the Prime Minister into the palace as well, so everyone can sit down and discuss it properly.”

Hearing the Yin Emperor’s words, Jiang Yang and Dong Wan looked at each other, cupping their hands to request instructions, saying, “Recently, many young men from respectable families have come to the army to ask if the court intends to expand the military? They wish to rejoin the Northern Army and serve Your Majesty.”

Hearing these words, Yin Shuhuai could not help but look at the two of them in some astonishment.

Before the court moved the capital, Yin Shuhuai had disbanded the soldiers who exceeded the authorized establishment in the two hundred thousand strong Northern Army, letting them return to their hometowns to reunite with their families.

The reason for such a decision was, on one hand, because the harvest from the court’s summer crop this year was not good, making it difficult to bear the provisions and logistics for a two hundred thousand strong army, so down-sizing was necessary. On the other hand, it was because the court was about to move the capital. Yin Shuhuai wanted the soldiers to persuade their families to follow the court in moving the capital together. If the citizens were unwilling to move, Yin Shuhuai also hoped that these men from respectable families could rush back home in time before the capital’s relocation to properly protect their families and relatives. This was to prevent the citizens of Guanzhong from suffering violations by roving bandits and robbers during the power vacuum period after the court moved the capital and before the Yan army fully occupied Guanzhong and Henan.

But what Yin Shuhuai did not expect was that the soldiers of the Northern Army were simply too capable. They had actually executed the policy of mobilizing the public to follow the capital’s relocation so exceptionally well. To the point that after the millions of common people in Guanzhong and Henan learned that the court was moving the capital, they actually trusted him, an incompetent Emperor, so much that they were willing to relocate along with him.

The young men from respectable families who could be selected into the Northern Army were already the elite among elites. They played a vital role in the process of escorting the citizens during the capital’s relocation to Youzhou. This also resulted in the local Youzhou army, stationed locally, looking with great envy at these young men who were highly skilled in archery and horsemanship and displayed organizational capabilities after the millions of common folk arrived in Youzhou. They even took the opportunity during the refugee resettlement to recruit these men into the Youzhou army.

Yet, the unanimous reaction of these young men upon receiving the invitations from the Youzhou army was to look for the generals of the Northern Army instead, asking whether the court intended to expand the military. If the court was going to expand the army, they would return to the Northern Army once more with their horses and bows to guard the borders and protect the Emperor. If the court did not wish to expand the army, they would stay at home to farm and till the land with their families.

They completely disregarded the option of accepting the Youzhou army’s recruitment and joining them on the spot!

On the night before the court decided to move the capital, there were a total of one hundred and fifty thousand Northern Army soldiers personally ordered to disband by Yin Shuhuai. The majority of these one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers did not accept the Youzhou army’s recruitment. After the news spread, there was an uproar throughout the entire Youzhou army. Even the high-ranking generals were alarmed. They truly had not expected that the people of Guanzhong and Henan would be so profoundly loyal that they would rather farm for the Emperor than become corporate commanders, squad leaders, or centurions in the Youzhou army.

They had never seen an Emperor so beloved by the common people.

This was probably also an important reason why the ministers of the State of Yan became increasingly vigilant toward the Yin Emperor.

When Yao Wenru learned from Shentu Yang’s mouth that the Yin Emperor wanted to establish a military academy in Youzhou, the first thought that flashed through his mind was that the Emperor was no longer satisfied with gathering the loyalty of the people within the passes and Henan. He also wanted to stretch his hands into the military of the State of Yan, using the empty title of “disciples of the Emperor” to seize the loyalty of the Yan army’s soldiers.

“He wants to pull the rug out from under us, completely cutting off the foundation of our State of Yan’s ability to revolt against the throne. Yet my lord is blinded by the gentle illusion displayed by the Emperor…” Yao Wenru felt deep grief and spoke with absolute certainty as he scolded, “Is my lord not worried that one day, His Majesty will kill the hound once the hares are caught?”

“I am not a dog.” Shentu Yang did not take Yao Wenru’s alarmist talk to heart at all. Instead, he hooked his arm around Yao Wenru’s neck and said with a grin, “Besides, His Majesty is not that kind of person. Wenru, your opportunities to interact with the Emperor are still too few. If you were like me and spent more time interacting with the Emperor, you would know how broad-minded His Majesty is. He is absolutely not an incompetent, dim-witted ruler who fears his ministers becoming too powerful and eclipsing the throne.”

Just like you…

Yo Wenru looked sideways at the foolishly grinning Shentu Yang, his gaze throwing some unspoken profanity.

Shentu Yang rubbed his nose. Just as he was about to say something, a guard came in to report that a young eunuch from the palace had arrived to deliver an imperial decree, stating that the Emperor invited the Duke of Yan into the palace to discuss the preparation and establishment of the military academy.

Shentu Yang swallowed his words of defense back into his stomach, pulled Yao Wenru, and said, “Just right, you come into the palace with me too.”

After Shentu Yang and Yao Wenru entered the palace, they discovered that Huo Quan and the colonels of the Northern Army were actually all present. They had arrived so swiftly, clearly having caught wind of the situation outside and wanting to get a piece of the pie regarding the establishment of the military academy.

Yao Wenru was already highly vigilant about the Emperor’s desire to establish a military academy in Youzhou. Seeing that Huo Quan and the Northern Army colonels actually wanted to target the military academy as well, diluting the Youzhou army’s authority in it, made him even more displeased.

At this moment, Yao Wenru, who was already guarded against the Yin Emperor, rapidly darkened his face. But when his gaze quickly swept across the Yin Emperor’s features that were looming indistinctly behind the twelve beaded tassels of his imperial crown, he could not help but let out a helpless sigh.

Facing such a face, Yao Wenru seemed to understand why his lord would be so utterly blinded by lust to this extent. As the saying goes, to die under a peony flower leaves one romantic even as a ghost, and the current Emperor was far more noble and beautiful than any peony flower.

After all, though the peony flowers of Luoyang were famous throughout the world, they were still mortal flowers that could be bred as long as a gardener cultivated them carefully. But the Emperor from Luoyang was rare in the world, one of a kind.

Even mortal flowers were pursued by the world, so how much more so for the Emperor?

Furthermore, his lord was also a rare hero in the world. As the old saying goes, heroes find it hard to pass the barrier of a beautiful woman, which was just all too normal.

Yao Wenru kept an expressionless face, letting his thoughts wander, until the Emperor, who possessed a magnificent and noble bearing, suddenly stepped forward, grasped his hand, and said with a warm and gentle smile, “So you are the Prime Minister of the State of Yan, Yao Wenru. I have long heard that you are highly resourceful and excellent at domestic administration…”

Shentu Yang spoke up at the right time, saying, “Wenru is the military strategist I value the most, and also my most trusted brother. I discuss all matters, big and small, within the army with him. When I am not in the State of Yan, he acts on my behalf to preside over all affairs of Yan. Today I bring him to Your Majesty, hoping Your Majesty can recognize his worth and employ his talents well…”

A string in Yao Wenru’s mind instantly tightened with alertness. Before he could speak, he saw the Yin Emperor firmly grasp his shoulder, saying with absolute sincerity, “Now that I have obtained you, it is just like King Tang of Shang obtaining Yi Yin, or King Wu obtaining Master Jiang. The great undertaking is within our grasp.”

Yao Wenru only felt a loud buzz in his brain, left completely blank by the few sentences thrown at him by the Yin Emperor. Before his eyes was only the Yin Emperor’s handsome countenance that was as brilliant as bright clouds, and his ears repeatedly replayed the Yin Emperor’s phrase, “Now that I have obtained you, it is just like King Tang of Shang obtaining Yi Yin, or King Wu obtaining Master Jiang.”

For a moment, Yao Wenru, who had always been calm, composed, and deeply shrewd, felt the world spinning and his head growing dizzy. It took him a good while to react, saying in dumbfounded astonishment, “Your Majesty’s deep affection leaves this minister boundlessly grateful. But as the Prime Minister of the State of Yan…”

Yin Shuhuai did not wait for him to finish his sentence, praising him with warm words once more, saying, “I truly envy your loyalty to the Duke of Yan. As a man of virtue, I naturally know the principle that a gentleman does not take away what another prizes. You can rest assured; I do not wish to forcibly take you away. The Duke of Yan and I have already agreed to place the full authority of organizing the military academy and refining fine salt into your hands. This matter is truly of grave importance, and we cannot trust anyone else!”

Shentu Yang was startled upon hearing this. What fine salt? How come he did not know there was an issue about fine salt?

However, though he felt suspicious in his heart, Shentu Yang still had to pretend to have a look that said “I know everything,” nodding repeatedly and chiming in, saying, “His Majesty is right. This matter can only be given to you to handle; we cannot trust anyone else!”

Yin Shuhuai smiled upon hearing this, and glanced at Zhuang Wuwei.

Zhuang Wuwei bowed slightly and immediately presented a sandalwood box that had been prepared beforehand.

Yin Shuhuai took the box and personally placed it into Yao Wenru’s hands.

By this time, Yao Wenru had already been made to feel as if he were riding on clouds by the succession of massive actions from the Yin Emperor and Shentu Yang, leaving his entire person somewhat lightheaded. It was not until he personally opened the sandalwood box under the encouraging gazes of the Yin Emperor and Shentu Yang, looking at the snow-white, crystalline fine salt contained within, that Yao Wenru felt as if his entire person had been plunged into ice and snow, suddenly cooling down.

“This is…” Yao Wenru did not dare to believe it, extending a finger to take a lick, and said in shock, “This is actually truly salt?”

Yao Wenru could not believe it, and Huo Quan and the others standing nearby watching the show were scratching their hearts and lungs even more as they stared at the fine salt contained within that sandalwood box.

Even as the top-tier aristocratic and powerful clans of the Yin Dynasty, they had never seen such exquisite fine salt! It was as white as snow, fine and rich, and upon tasting, it did not have even a bit of the coarseness and bitterness of the crude salt commonly used nowadays. Only Shentu Yang looked thoughtful, subsequently looking toward Yin Shuhuai with excitement.

Yin Shuhuai saw everyone’s reactions in his eyes, saying with a smile, “Correct. This is fine salt refined by the Ministry of Industry using a secret method.”

“I intended to gift this secret method to the Duke of Yan, letting the Duke of Yan secretly open a new salt processing facility in Youzhou. Yet the Duke of Yan said the Prime Minister is the Prime Minister of the State of Yan, and opening a salt facility in Youzhou involves the domestic administration of Yan, so it should rightfully be handed over to the Prime Minister to be responsible for the specific matters.”

Before Yin Shuhuai could even finish speaking, Yao Wenru’s expression was already incredibly excited.

As the Prime Minister of the State of Yan, how could he not know how massive the benefits would be for the entire State of Yan if fine salt of this quality were brought out? Compared to the fine salt brought out by the Emperor, things like buying people’s hearts or gathering authority were simply not worth mentioning.

In any case, with Shentu Yang’s influence in the State of Yan, even if the Yin Emperor personally led the army into battle, he might not necessarily match Shentu Yang’s reputation of being invincible and unconquerable in the hearts of the soldiers.

That was prestige accumulated from battle after battle, a kindness shown by waving a hand to gift millions of cattle, sheep, and horses to the people of the Yan region, a grand aspiration shown by Shentu Yang leading the young men of Yan deep into Xiongnu territory to raise the nation’s prestige, and a camaraderie born from the soldiers sharing cloaks and beds night after night. How could it be influenced by a mere phrase like “disciples of the Emperor”?

Just as the young men from respectable families who came from within the passes and Henan would rather return to the Northern Army to be common soldiers than join the Youzhou army which offered better treatment, the citizens of his State of Yan naturally only knew of the Duke of Yan and knew nothing of the imperial court. Everyone served their respective masters, so there was fundamentally nothing much to say about it.

But if the State of Yan mastered this kind of method to refine fine salt, it would be different.

Everyone in the world knew that the Yan region was bitter and cold. That was because the State of Yan was vast but sparsely populated, its winters were long and severe, and it suffered from continuous invasions by the Xiongnu year after year, leaving the people with an insecure existence and destitute lives. Yao Wenru remembered that during their most embarrassing times, they actually had to rely on extorting ransoms to gather the provisions to fight the Xiongnu.

But this did not mean the State of Yan was truly poor. At least for a country, the resources of the State of Yan were highly abundant.

Anyone familiar with the geography of later generations would know that the State of Yan possessed the largest iron ore reserves in the country, which were not only rich in storage but also excellent in quality. The State of Yan also had the highest quality sulfur-free coal mines, and the ironware forged with this kind of coal was of better quality. The State of Yan also had the sea; since there was the sea, there was salt. Now that they also had the method to refine fine salt, Yao Wenru could already imagine the scene of the State of Yan being completely invincible among the populace by relying on fine salt of this quality.

Thinking up to this point, Yao Wenru quietly accepted the sandalwood box filled with the fine salt and the secret recipe for making it, saying with a humble attitude, “This minister respectfully obeys Your Majesty’s decree. I will certainly arrange this matter perfectly, without leaking the slightest bit of information.”

Witnessing everything with their own eyes, Huo Quan and the others opened their mouths as if wanting to speak, but in the end, they still said nothing. Even Huo Hong, who was the least composed, merely glanced back and forth between Yin Shuhuai and Shentu Yang, his handsome face shifting between light and dark, clearly calculating something.

Everyone looked with quite some wariness at Shentu Yang, who was lost in his own silent contemplation. They all understood in their hearts that this was, after all, the State of Yan. Even if they envied the method of making fine salt, there was absolutely no way they could bypass Shentu Yang to snatch the secret recipe from Yao Wenru’s hands. What was more, at this very moment, even if they managed to snatch the formula, it would be useless.

Because the major aristocratic and powerful clans had been forcibly moved to Youzhou by the Yan army. They were not just officials of the court, but were furthermore hostages held in the palm of Shentu Yang’s hand. As the old saying goes, when a person is under another’s roof, they have no choice but to bow their head. How could a group of hostages like them bypass the local forces of Yan to open a salt processing facility within the borders of the State of Yan?

Yet even if they could not seize the secret refining recipe from the source, they could reach a cooperation with Shentu Yang to purchase fine salt in the State of Yan, and then use their respective networks and channels to sell the fine salt to other prefectures and commanderies. They could still obtain massive profits in the same way—with the manpower and national strength of the State of Yan, they clearly lacked the capability to market the fine salt far and wide across the world! But these clans did!

Yao Wenru presumably had the same thought, and his gaze toward Huo Quan and the others turned unusually gentle.

Noticing that Yao Wenru’s attitude had undergone a visible shift, the smile at the edge of Yin Shuhuai’s lips also grew deeper. His gaze intersected imperceptibly with the look Shentu Yang threw over. At that moment, Shentu Yang even gave rise to the treasonous thought of chasing everyone else out, leaving only himself and the Emperor to pour their hearts out to each other.

—To think that His Majesty actually brought out a devastating weapon like fine salt just to appease Yao Wenru. Yao Wenru was right; His Majesty truly loves me! The Emperor and I are indeed mutually in love.

At this moment, Shentu Yang only felt his head growing light and his feet turning soft, as if he were stepping on a massive expanse of pink auspicious clouds. He was wrapped up in his own happiness, completely ignoring the undercurrents moving within the Chongde Hall.

Yin Shuhuai naturally did not know that Shentu Yang’s thoughts had strayed to such an extent, and he was also filled with emotion.

From Luoyang to Jixian, Yin Shuhuai had been a puppet emperor for three years. He knew exactly how many obstacles and difficulties a person would encounter if they wanted to accomplish something. These three years of setbacks and continuous instances of things going against his wishes had also taught Yin Shuhuai one thing. That was, if you want the horse to run, you have to give the horse grass to eat. If you want to gain a firm foothold in Youzhou without being constrained by local forces, you must understand what an exchange of interests is.

Yin Shuhuai had already understood the simple principle that if you give a blow, you must also give a sweet date. If preparing and establishing the military academy was Yin Shuhuai showcasing his intellect, shrewdness, and methods as the Emperor to the ministers of Yan, then gifting the fine salt was Yin Shuhuai demonstrating to the ministers of Yan the abundant benefits he could bring to them.

Letting Shentu Yang’s supporters watch with their own eyes as Yin Shuhuai won over the hearts and military power of the State of Yan bit by bit might make them uncomfortable. But what if Yin Shuhuai also gave them immense benefits during the process of winning over those hearts?

And what about those powerful aristocratic clans who deliberately misinterpreted the court’s decrees for the sake of immediate interests, ultimately leading to disaster? Would they feel regret upon seeing this scene? Would they draw lessons when doing things next time, learning to obey the Emperor’s decrees even if it was just for the sake of the big pie dangling in front of their eyes?

Yin Shuhuai was not a natural-born emperor, nor did he understand the art of managing subordinates, and he was even less of a decisive and ruthless killer. Facing the resistance, exclusion, and overt compliance but covert opposition of the Yan ministers and powerful clans, the only solution he could think of was to drive them with benefits.

When all was said and done, Yin Shuhuai merely wanted to be a real-power Emperor who would not be ignored or sidelined, rather than having to be an autocratic tyrant who made solitary decisions. He simply wanted to develop his country better and wanted to make the citizens under his rule live more happily. And did the ministers, subjects, and citizens of the State of Yan not also wish to live a better life?

On this point, Yin Shuhuai felt that he shared a commonality of interests with the ministers and citizens of Yan. The relationship between them was by no means a zero-sum game. They could completely join forces to become bigger and stronger! More importantly, Yin Shuhuai also did not want to see Shentu Yang develop a rift with the Yan ministers whom he regarded as brothers just for his sake.

Therefore, after thinking it over carefully, Yin Shuhuai still decided to bring out some good things to win over the ministers of Yan, letting them know the benefits of supporting the Emperor. He wanted them to understand that the Emperor’s relocation of the capital to Youzhou could not only bring them massive benefits politically, but could also grant them more in terms of wealth. And people would only believe they had not lost out when they saw the benefits delivered right before their eyes. Only when protecting their own vital interests would they lay down their prejudices and unite as one.

What Yin Shuhuai needed to do now was to use more gentle methods to blend them into one entity. Gifting the refining method of fine salt to Yao Wenru was starting from the aspect of interests, letting the local forces of Yan taste the sweetness of supporting the Emperor and cooperating with the court. The military academy about to be established provided an opportunity for the soldiers of the Northern Army and the Youzhou army to understand each other and become classmates. As for the Great Yin Weekly that had yet to be created, it was meant to bind the citizens of Yan and the court together ideologically.

Yin Shuhuai simply wanted to use this method of moistening things silently to complete his transformation from a puppet emperor to an emperor with real power.