On the Heng River, Qin Feng sat at the prow of the boat, gazing north towards the Central Plains, his heart filled with melancholy.
Mu Cheng's asthma symptoms had persisted for over half a year, causing great concern.
After Mu Cheng's passing, how would the Daliang Kingdom face the Daqian Kingdom?
Both he and Mu Cheng needed Liang Xiao, for Daliang, and for Daqian!
Once Mu Cheng was gone, and a new monarch ascended the throne, the Daliang Kingdom would very likely change its policy towards Daqian.
Su Wanqing had become a consort in Daliang. The former Daqian envoy, Su Wencheng, had resigned and become the maternal uncle to the Daliang Emperor.
Su Wencheng held considerable intelligence regarding Daqian's Jiangnan region and had been instigating Mu Cheng to plot against Daqian.
As for Qin Feng, he was now thirty years old. Without Mu Cheng's support, the powerful aristocratic families might not heed his commands.
Zhirou nestled in Liang Xiao's embrace, watching the river, her heart a complex mixture of emotions.
In the past two years, besides her, her beloved Qin Lang and her father, the Emperor, had spoken the names "Liang Xiao" and "Marquis An Guo" the most.
Liang Xiao had won them over, especially the Daliang Emperor, who had detested the aristocratic families since childhood.
Her father, the Emperor, had even condescended to issue a decree to the entire realm, personally warning the leaders of all aristocratic families.
"I want you to understand that the people of Daliang can live without you! If you wish to shirk your duties, or even plot rebellion, then I can only hope that the scholars of Daqian will unite with us and the two nations will become one!"
The imperial couple vaguely recalled how shocked and enraged the aristocratic families had been upon hearing Mu Cheng's "absurd words," yet they could only endure in silence, fearfully pledging loyalty to the Emperor, with no intention of disloyalty.
Liang Xiao, far away in Daqian, could intimidate the Daliang court without even setting foot in Daliang – what a marvel!
However, this was merely a temporary solution. Mu Cheng could not completely eradicate the threat of the aristocratic families and would never find true peace!
An Guo bookshops in the Jiangnan region also received urgent dispatches from the capital, commencing the sale of books.
The Ouyang family's bookshops were collapsing entirely!
The common people across the land rejoiced and eagerly purchased books.
Gongsun Ye held a copy of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Part 1)," his emotions complex.
"Liang Xiao was right. Being the richest is not important; what matters is the stability of the nation and the enduring prosperity of the family!"
This was also why Gongsun Ye had insisted on donating twenty million taels of silver. Liang Xiao was now very wealthy, but he did not have a habit of flaunting wealth. To Liang Xiao, fifty million taels and thirty million taels made no difference, but using twenty million taels to support the nation and ensure greater stability, while also securing his own peace, why not?
In fact, the Marquis of Dingguo's mansion was the same.
It was just that Gongsun Ye had overlooked one point: half of Liang Xiao's wealth came "graciously" from the Ouyang bookshops. Donating such money caused him no heartache at all...
"I'm truly worried that Liang Xiao's bookshop will incur losses, and the Yan family bookshops of Daliang must also hate Liang Xiao to death," Zhuo Zifang held several books, sighing profoundly.
It was impossible for such inexpensive books not to affect the book prices in Daliang!
But what truly earned Zhuo Zifang's admiration for Liang Xiao was that the An Guo bookshops in various regions repeatedly emphasized: it was at the Emperor's behest that their Marquis An Guo was selling books at low prices.
While the common people were grateful for Liang Xiao's benevolence, they did not forget to also appreciate the virtue of Xiao Qing.
"The sales of potatoes are a bit lower than the other two crops, but quite a lot have been sold. With so many potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn, if they can be successfully consumed, the people and the nation will be able to store more durable grains to cope with years of famine," Li Xiuyun could not help but place a hand over his chest and sigh endlessly.
Everyone nodded, their faces showing joy.
The disaster relief this year was much easier than in previous years!
Late at night, Zuo Jing, nestled in her quilt, slowly awoke. Finding Liang Xiao absent from her side, she quickly dressed and got out of bed. Approaching the desk, she saw Liang Xiao writing national policies and immediately retreated.
"No need to retreat. I will have someone make a copy later. You can take it to your father, and he can give it to the Daliang Emperor to claim credit," Liang Xiao said.
Zuo Jing was stunned: "How can you be strategizing for the Daliang Kingdom..."
Liang Xiao smiled: "Politics is very complicated. This movable type printing technology, Daliang can use it, but the Daliang Emperor may not dare to. This would offend the Yan family bookshops. As for whether to present it to the Daliang Emperor, the initiative is in your father's hands; he has his own judgment. Since the Ouyang family bookshops have gone bankrupt, Daqian has prepared to vigorously promote movable type printing."
Zuo Jing, half understanding, readily agreed. Her gaze then fell upon a line of text, and her pupils contracted: "Unbelievable!"
[Movable type printing can reduce the cost price to below two hundred wen.]
Only then did Zuo Jing finally understand how Liang Xiao's bookshops had defeated the Ouyang family's bookshops!
If Daliang also promoted movable type printing, then the Yan family's so-called "costs" would be exposed...
According to her understanding, the Yan family would vehemently oppose the commercial exchange of books between the two nations, lest Daqian's inexpensive books flow into Daliang and cripple the Yan family's high-priced book business.
But if movable type printing were popularized, and known to the world, usable by even small workshops, then the Yan family's attempts to conceal would be futile...
And Liang Xiao giving this to her father was both a gesture of goodwill and a trap. In any case, the aristocratic families absolutely must not know that it was her father who recommended movable type printing to the Daliang Emperor...
Zuo Jing suddenly remembered something and huffed, "I've been practicing calligraphy for a long time; it doesn't look bad anymore!"
Liang Xiao saw that the characters Zuo Jing wrote were much more elegant than before and smiled with satisfaction. He couldn't help but gently stroke her small face.
This girl, for him, had practiced calligraphy and meticulously cared for her hands...
"You're so bad to others, don't you need any rest?" Zuo Jing said, her face flushed.
Liang Xiao was taken aback. After finishing writing about the search and inspection, he took Zuo Jing back to lie down.
At the Liang residence, Zuo Jing was able to dress up and groom herself, no longer temperamental, appearing more like a young lady from a good family.
Liang Xiao did not mind introducing Zuo Jing to his friends and family, but Zuo Jing did not wish to cause Liang Xiao any further trouble and chose to remain low-key, living only in Liang Xiao's courtyard and rarely venturing out.
The eight Cloud Sky Guards, temporarily residing at the Liang residence with Zuo Jing, felt their hearts a complex mix of emotions.
Their young lady had lost her chastity to Liang Xiao. How would they report back to their master?
The next day, Lü Yi arrived with an urgent dispatch delivered by carrier pigeon from Xichuan, his expression grave.
"Rebellions have suddenly broken out in various parts of Xichuan, with a well-trained force defending them! The terrain along the route is rugged, not conducive to the movement of large cavalry units!"
Nan Jiyun immediately stepped forward: "This humble general is willing to go!"
Lü Yi immediately entrusted him with twenty thousand soldiers, and Nan Jiyun led the troops, advancing from the southwest.
At this time, Liang Xiao and others were also contemplating the situation in Xichuan.
It was precisely there that the Hui Chun Sect's rebellion had erupted?
The roads of Shu are treacherous, harder than climbing to heaven. The court found it difficult to control Xichuan, providing opportunities for various rebels to cause trouble.
"If necessary, I will lead a large army south to completely pacify Xichuan, the southwest, and Jiaozhou, and then subdue the barbarians!" Liang Xiao said sternly.
Everyone's hearts grew tense, followed by an inexplicable sense of peace.
After receiving the imperial rewards, the soldiers were overjoyed. Taking advantage of their rotation leave, they sent their prize money home.
Nan Jiyun first led twenty thousand elite troops to Xichuan. The remaining soldiers would rest for three days in Yanzhou before being dispatched to various garrisons.
A few days later, Qin Feng arrived in Jinling and visited Zhuo Zifang.