Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost-Chapter 478: Surrender the World’s Soldiers, End the Country’s Reign_1
"What on earth is His Majesty trying to do now?" Li Zheng looked at the decree in his hand, his expression somewhat troubled. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶
Emperor Jing was actually planning to reclaim all steam-related machinery for the exclusive use of the Royal Family.
"Isn’t it obvious? He no longer wants to share the spoils with everyone else. He wants it all for himself." Zhang Lin sneered, then said, "From the scale of this move, I suspect it’s not just His Majesty who’s involved. The Royal Family must be a part of this too. Otherwise, how could we remain totally unaware?"
Wang Linchi was indeed dead now, even though he ascended to godhood and became Heaven Equivalent Benevolent Holy Emperor. However, they had never laid eyes on him, thus they were unable to coordinate control over the situation.
Once ascended to godhood, it wasn’t easy to meet him. A sizable ceremony needed to be conducted.
However, ceremonies related to gods were excessively expensive, and they naturally had no willingness to shell out for that.
The Temple Masters at Dai Temple were not willing either, as constant ceremonies would diminish the sense of mystery surrounding the god.
These Temple Masters were either transferred from the Shamans or underwent fresh training before taking up their posts.
And besides wealth, the Great Families valued the blessings of the Heaven Equivalent Benevolent Holy Emperor more. These blessings could tangibly increase their lifespan. So long as they received blessings once a year, adding a year to their lifespan each time, they could live forever. That was better than leaving mountains of gold and silver for their descendants.
Why let descendants enjoy mountains of gold and silver when they can enjoy it themselves?
Thus, after gaining an increase in lifespan, a significant change occurred in the mindset of many top-tier members of the Great Families.
"Dealing with this monopolization won’t be easy," Li Zheng also felt troubled. If it were only Emperor Jing, they could sabotage him to their heart’s content. But with the involvement of the Royal Family, it would be very troublesome.
After the ’death’ of Wang Linchi, the interest groups were left with only superficial covers for their shame. Internally, each member was insatiably greedy, leading to a resurgence of public resentment in many places.
This continued wave after wave. If no one put a stop to the greed of the Great Families, many people might soon find themselves unable to afford food.
"The price of grain among the populace has already risen from yesterday to today," Zhang Lin commented.
Li Zheng drew a sharp breath. This is going to blow up into a real problem. He didn’t usually pay attention to the price of grain, but he understood what a rise in grain prices meant—either someone was deliberately manipulating them, or a serious issue had arisen.
Since Zhang Lin had spoken up, it meant that the rise in food prices wasn’t a trivial matter.
"The national treasury won’t be able to hold up much longer either," Zhang Lin dropped another bombshell.
Wait, it hasn’t even been three months since King Heaven Equivalent’s funeral! How did things get into such a mess? What happened to all the silver that we couldn’t even find room for? Li Zheng was dumbfounded; he couldn’t understand how the national treasury could be in such poor shape.
His Majesty is talented at ruining good things. Zhang Lin didn’t say it outright, but his implications were clear: Emperor Jing had squandered a winning hand.
With the foundation Wang Linchi left behind, they could have won by simply doing nothing.
"That’s why they want to monopolize the technologies of the steam industry. Not only can it become a money-making machine, but they can also control powerful military forces," Li Zheng quickly understood what the Royal Family wanted. It didn’t matter that Wang Linchi was gone. The core technology that could enrich the world had to be in their hands, even if they didn’t use it.
"Leak some news to them, and let them learn the hard way what it means to lose more than they’ve gained," Zhang Lin sneered coldly. That was why he had come to find Li Zheng.
As Li Zheng was the Imperial Command Envoy, he naturally had his own channels for obtaining information.
The Royal Family wants to monopolize everything? Then we’ll make sure they can’t.
Zhang Lin was determined. I can do without the riches, but they won’t get to hoard them either. He believed the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes would stand by his side.
"We could do that, but there is a severe problem that you may not have considered," Li Zheng agreed, but then immediately issued a warning.
"What problem?" Zhang Lin didn’t understand.
"When people go hungry, they rebel." Li Zheng realized that Zhang Lin, having been in a high position for too long, had overlooked such crucial matters this time.
"How could they ever go hungry... Oh no. Damn it, he’s right. We’re in for real trouble," Zhang Lin also realized the gravity of the situation immediately.
The prosperity of the kingdom and the well-being of the citizens were built on the ’Strong Policy’ put forward by Wang Linchi. The steam machinery was key to this; once it was gone, not only would welfare crumble, but production efficiency would also decline.
A single action could affect the entire situation.
When people became desperately hungry, they would take matters into their own hands without any instigation.
"It shouldn’t come to that. We still have time. As long as we resolve this matter before the Royal Family does, we can..." Zhang Lin spoke calmly.
But he was interrupted by Li Zheng, "Why should we obstruct or resolve anything?"
"The mess is of the Royal Family’s making, the kingdom belongs to the Li Clan, and it is the common people who will suffer. How does that concern us?"
With this comment, Zhang Lin had a jolt. He was accustomed to binding his Zhang Clan and Dajing together when weighing pros and cons. After being reminded by Li Zheng, he instantly understood.
This event seemed to have no direct concern to him, so why should he clean up the mess for the Royal Family?
Indeed, they brought it on themselves.
"So what do you intend to do?" Zhang Lin began to look once again at Li Zheng, the Imperial Command Envoy, who seemed to hide his thoughts quite deeply.
"Of course, we just wait and see. Those who rule wouldn’t necessarily be from the Li Clan. Even those belonging to the Royal Family need not necessarily have the surname Li," Li Zheng said calmly.
From the situation, it seemed that Li Zheng was utterly disappointed with the Royal Family and Emperor Jing. Otherwise, how could he, as the Imperial Command Envoy, utter such words?
"Then we’ll follow Li Command Envoy’s advice." Zhang Lin showcased a slight smile. Indeed, the people Wang Linchi valued weren’t ordinary. It was just that Li Zheng, having followed Wang Linchi, had been overshadowed for too long, leading everyone to assume this Imperial Command Envoy was unremarkable.
"I dare not take credit; Chief Assistant Zhang sees more clearly." Li Zheng naturally wouldn’t welcome praise. This was his way of avoiding the grim fate that often befell an Imperial Command Envoy.
However, he was still not satisfied. The best solution, of course, would be for Dajing to perish.
So what if that would lead to chaos? What does that have to do with me?
It was Emperor Jing and the Royal Family who sought their own ruin. Am I expected to take the blame?
If Emperor Jing hadn’t forced Wang Linchi to his death, the world would now be at peace, prosperous and tranquil. How could there be such a mess?
"Let’s not discuss this matter for now. How’s the progress of the Holy Emperor Temples everywhere?" Li Zheng asked again.
The Holy Emperor Temples were related to everyone’s lifespan the following year, so there could be no slackening.
"Progress is indeed swift. By the 28th of March next year, before the Holy Emperor’s birthday, 365 temples can be completed," Zhang Lin solemnly promised.
If it were 3,650 temples, it wouldn’t be that easy, but for just 365, it wasn’t a problem.
It wasn’t that any temple could be named a Holy Emperor Temple. In terms of location selection, scale, and other aspects, relevant considerations were required.
"As expected from the Southern Zhang Clan, such a feat is indeed extraordinary," Li Zheng couldn’t help but exclaim.
"We still need the help of the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes, who share roots with us; otherwise, our Southern Zhang Clan would be incompetent," Zhang Lin deliberately downplayed the involvement of the Court and the Royal Family.
So many Holy Emperor Temples would definitely require the Court’s support.
The depleted National Treasury was also related to this.
If the Holy Emperor Temples were built shoddily and became an eyesore, they wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences.
「...」
Birth rates affect my primary life duty, and death rates affect my primary death duty. Interesting. Wang Linchi successfully passed the Stage of Corpse Solution and reached the Cicada Shedding Stage.
In the Cicada Shedding Stage, Wang Linchi could interfere with the world’s birth and death through his own divine duties.
Birth and death rates were a kind of derivative of his duties.
Life and death, as simple as that.
The further derivatives after this would be his concern after he shed his Mortal Liberation Immortal form and became a Ghost Immortal.
Increasing birth and death rates can also earn me incense offerings.
It’s easy to improve the birth rate, but how to manipulate the death rate? Wang Linchi started to think about how to maximize benefits after discovering another channel.
Not to mention the birth rate; that doesn’t even need consideration. Childlessness in marriage is considered heresy here, and the Court would arrange for it.
The death rate is difficult. Although death occurs constantly, the quantity is still small compared to the birth rate.
Most importantly, he needs to balance the birth rate and death rate.
Otherwise, if the two become imbalanced, then it is time for his income of offerings to collapse.
In that case, I’ll give it a push, Wang Linchi mused. Do I need a war, or perhaps a change of dynasty?
Anyway, as long as people die and are born, it will suffice.
This maneuver by the Royal Family is truly infuriating. Do they really think all good things are theirs for the taking? If I don’t step on the accelerator for them, I’d almost be doing a disservice to their grand design.
