Chapter 357 — Squandering the Family Fortune, Draining the Treasury

On the other side, Shen Mu had all but emptied the national treasury, and had summoned boatload after boatload of dark gold, dark iron and dark copper from mines across the land, until treasures of every kind were piled up like mountains outside the new foundry. The new workshops had already begun operation.

Shen Mu had designed new alchemical furnaces with fiercer fire; a hundred or so towering metal mechanical giants hammered and refined dark gold and dark iron, and the refined gold, silver, copper and iron were stacked in neat rows.

Emperor Yanfeng came back to himself and summoned the Minister of Works: "What is left in my national treasury? " The Minister of Works hesitated.

"To report to Your Majesty, essentially nothing. Even the materials in the rat holes have been carried off by Superintendent Shen! " Emperor Yanfeng walked into the new foundry.

Inside, all was seething with activity; all manner of new machines had been set running, furnace after furnace blazed, keeping the mechanical giants in motion, and boilers great and small steamed and hissed, their glare dazzling to the eye. "In the new workshops, the medicines and minerals consumed in a single day equal the daily consumption of a medium-sized war. " The Minister of Works said, "Superintendent Shen has also designed an energy source for the divine cannon: fifty-six of the most powerful alchemical furnaces.

The medicines and minerals consumed in a single activation are about the same as those the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping carried off when he set out to punish the Kingdom of Mandi. " Emperor Yanfeng was struck dumb.

After a long while he said slowly, "It really isn't his money he's spending.

Where is Superintendent Shen? I want to ask him whether spending money feels good. " "Superintendent Shen has gone off drinking with the princess.

" The Minister of Works said cautiously, "He said he owed someone a drink, and that the man had waited many days.

There is essentially no work here for him, so he simply went to treat the man, lest he remain in his debt. When the princess heard, she went along with him, and a little fox went too.

Superintendent Shen said there was no good wine, so the princess fetched tribute wine from the palace. " Emperor Yanfeng raged: "I was invited here and I have been running myself ragged, and he — he runs off to drink, and drinks my wine, and takes my daughter along to carouse! I want his head!

" The Minister of Works said hastily, "Your Majesty, the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon is not yet finished. .

. " Emperor Yanfeng, magnanimous: "Note his head down for now.

" The Minister of Works said, "Superintendent Shen says he cannot owe wages.

He has already written out the bill and asks Your Majesty to look it over. " Emperor Yanfeng glanced at it and flew into a fury: "So much money?

My treasury has been emptied by him — where am I to find money to pay him? I want his head! " The Minister of Works said hastily, "Your Majesty, the Kingdom of Mandi has been broken and the Kingdom of Langjuxu has been taken.

We will have money. " Emperor Yanfeng's anger turned to joy.

He laughed: "Note Superintendent Shen's head down for now. I cannot treat these heavenly craftsmen shabbily; when there is money I will pay them. Has any word come from the northern frontier?

" "To report to Your Majesty, the Grand General of Heavenly Strategy sends news of victory. He has already broken the royal court of Langjuxu; its king has surrendered.

The Grand General garrisons Langjuxu, and the crown prince is escorting the king of Lang in under guard, and will arrive either today or tomorrow.

" Emperor Yanfeng nodded and smiled. "Yushu gives me far less worry than his elder brother. " "Superintendent Shen. . .

" Emperor Yanfeng raised a hand. "Not him! Someone else, something else.

" "Grand Libationer Pei Wujiu has asked the Ministry of Revenue whether he might draw a month's salary in advance.

.

. " "There's no money!

" Emperor Yanfeng sneered. "Grand Libationer Gu has always been a schemer.

How could he lack money? " "Lord Gu truly has no money.

" The Minister of Works smiled. "He spent his entire fortune to redeem the Chubao Sword.

I hear the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sage Cult brought the Chubao Sword to him and asked whether he wished to buy it back, and so Lord Gu was ruined. And this time Lord Gu helped survey the divine cannon, which is a merit of his, so he wished to draw his salary in advance. " Emperor Yanfeng said in astonishment, "Isn't the Chubao Sword with Superintendent Shen?

How did it fall into the hands of the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sage.

.

.

pah, you have brought him up again!

I want your head!

It isn't my fortune that has been ruined, it is my whole kingdom.

Where is there money?

All of you come to me for money. Everything in my palace has been sold off, all but the dragon robe and the dragon throne! I truly have nothing left to sell! " The Minister of Works said with a placating smile, "Your Majesty, once the steppe and the snow plains are unified, money will not be lacking.

And Superintendent Shen has improved the foundries, building all manner of tower ships and machines to sell to the merchants, so that money flows into the treasury like water. . . " Emperor Yanfeng sighed. "His head and your head — note them both down for now.

Superintendent Shen has gone drinking with my precious daughter and who else? "