Immortal Travel of Longevity

The King of Wei was likely the only one who truly understood his own stifling frustration.

The world would not appreciate his painstaking efforts; only a handful of those closest to him understood just how agonizing it had been to make such a decision.

How did the world see him?

A prince utterly devoid of dignity, who swallowed his pride and suffered in silence even as the enemy battered down his doors?

A cowardly prince who clung to life and threw away his hard-won foundation?

A prince who surrendered halfway, before the battle had even truly begun?

Zhao Lin had thick skin, but that didn't mean he was completely numb to the scorn. He had never wanted his dignified title as the King of Wei to be remembered like this. He had carved out a pocket of peace in this chaotic world, standing as a singular anomaly in this cruel era, yet this was how it all ended. Put in his shoes, anyone else would have likely lost the will to live, perhaps slitting their own throat outside the gates of Qingshan City on that very day.

The endless barrage of curses and insults ensured that when he was written into the annals of history, he would likely serve as a cautionary tale.

Few would pause to consider that he had done it for the commoners. Faced with a war where the bitter end was already clear, he had chosen the path that was best for everyone.

Zhao Lin wept bitterly, as if trying to pour out all the suffocating frustration trapped in his chest. The dignified King of Wei now cried like a babbling toddler, throwing what looked like a childish tantrum.

That night, the grilled fish smelled wonderful, but it was gnawed to pieces in a chaotic mess.

.

.

Inside the Prince of Yan's tent.

A man had come to pay his respects.

The visitor's clothes were tattered and his hair an unkempt mess. Likely due to spending a considerable amount of time in prison, he looked like a madman.

The man before them was incredibly old, having lost many of his teeth.

"So you are Rong Shili?"

The old man glanced up at Zhao Gongzuo, who sat high in the hall, and gave a nod.

"I hear you possess a rare genius for commerce and managing the state treasury," Zhao Gongzuo said. "In just a few short years, you reorganized the King of Wei's coffers and multiplied his wealth several times over."

"Might I ask what the Prince of Yan means by bringing this up?" Rong Shili asked.

"I see great potential in you," Zhao Gongzuo said. "Now that the King of Wei is gone, are you willing to serve me?"

Rong Shili furrowed his brow. "I am not."

Zhao Gongzuo gave him a look but did not lose his temper. Instead, he asked, "I know you were once Prince Kang's man. If you could switch your allegiance to the King of Wei, why can you not do the same for me, the Prince of Yan?"

Rong Shili met his gaze and said, "The King of Wei had absolute faith in me. He granted me special permission to act with full discretion. I was allowed to mobilize the army's officers and soldiers, and I had the final say on all treasury matters. He rarely interfered with my actions and seldom questioned my judgment. Can the Prince of Yan promise the same?"

Zhao Gongzuo paused at those words, a flash of hesitation crossing his face.

Truthfully, he found it somewhat hard to believe.

He had no idea how Zhao Lin possessed the nerve to delegate such sweeping authority. Control over the treasury was the very lifeblood of a faction, yet Zhao Lin had comfortably handed it over to an outsider.

If it had been him, he could never have done it.

Rong Shili paused for a moment before adding, "If the Prince of Yan can offer the same, then I am willing to give it a try."

The Prince of Yan simply shook his head. "If you are truly talented, why would you need such external support?"

Hearing this, Rong Shili showed no fear, merely rolling his eyes at the Prince of Yan.

"By your logic, if civil officials are capable enough, there's no need for military officers at all, is there? You simply don't have the courage to delegate power, Your Highness. Why bother making excuses?"

Zhao Gongzuo stiffened and gave a light cough. "Why would you need such immense authority? To the point of mobilizing troops? I may not be an expert in these matters, but surely managing the treasury doesn't require military deployment."

Rong Shili nodded. "In principle, it does not. However, there are many things that simply cannot be changed without the backing of force. You must understand, Your Highness, my work is not merely adding a few decorative touches to a finished painting. I tear down the old systems entirely. It is a revolution."

Zhao Gongzuo furrowed his brow upon hearing that word.

He hesitated, entirely unable to make up his mind.

"Step down for now."

Zhao Gongzuo waved his hand dismissively.

He could not give a definitive answer.

Rong Shili was led away.

Zhao Gongzuo went to see Zhao Wuji and recounted the conversation.

Upon hearing the report, Zhao Wuji immediately took an interest in the man.

"Have him brought to me later."

"I want to see what kind of skills he actually possesses to dare spout such arrogant nonsense," Zhao Wuji said.

Following his orders, Zhao Gongzuo had Rong Shili brought over.

When Rong Shili laid eyes on the man standing further back, a profound shock rippled through his heart.

"Your Highness, who is this?"

Instead of answering, Zhao Gongzuo simply cupped his hands in a respectful bow toward Zhao Wuji. "Your Highness, I will take my leave."

Zhao Wuji gave a nod.

Rong Shili froze, a sudden realization crashing over him.

The Prince of Yan...

This...

From the simple gesture of Zhao Gongzuo bowing his head, he instantly understood everything.

The true master of the Yan Land was not Zhao Gongzuo at all, but the man standing right in front of him.

Rong Shili instantly felt his scalp go numb.

The Yan Land had been hiding its true colors incredibly well.

Zhao Wuji glanced at him. "Come sit down, old Mister Rong."

Rong Shili snapped back to his senses. "I am but a lowly commoner. I would not dare sit beside a prince."

Zhao Wuji gave him a look. "Very well, then I will skip the pleasantries. I want to hear your insights regarding commerce and the management of the treasury."

Rong Shili paused. "There are quite a few facets to this subject. Which specific area does Your Highness wish to hear about?"

"Hmm..." Zhao Wuji thought for a moment. "You mentioned a revolution earlier. Tell me how exactly you would revolutionize the administration of the treasury."

Rong Shili answered immediately, "For reforming the treasury's administration, the most critical aspects are the auditing methods and the mobilization of personnel. It involves dividing responsibilities, streamlining communication, formalizing procedures, and strict accounting..."

Rong Shili's ideas were incredibly novel.

Zhao Wuji found himself fascinated as he listened. Many of the proposed methods and systems sounded exceptionally practical, and if they were actually implemented, they would boost efficiency immensely.

"Tell me about something else," Zhao Wuji urged. "If you can truly win me over, the demands you made earlier might not be out of the question."

Rong Shili was taken aback. "Surely Your Highness jests?"

He had fully expected his previous demands to sound like the ramblings of a madman.

Yet the man standing before him was genuinely considering them.

"Do I look like I am joking?" Zhao Wuji asked. "But that is on the condition that you can truly impress me."

Rong Shili's spirits soared. He gave a light cough and asked, "Might I ask Your Highness for a cup of tea to soothe my throat?"

Seeing the old man brimming with confidence, Zhao Wuji laughed. "Bring Mister Rong some tea!"

Taking the cue, Rong Shili finally sat down.

After taking a sip to wet his throat, Rong Shili began to speak once more.

"Let us move on to a far more critical matter, Your Highness—the intricate relationship between a nation's economy and its currency..."

For Rong Shili, while a certain book held many astonishing theories, none of those brilliant strategies had shocked him to his core quite as much as the first time he had learned about the concept of currency.

At first, Zhao Wuji did not pay it much mind.

But the further he listened, the more questions he had, and as those questions were expertly unraveled, he felt a sudden, brilliant clarity wash over him.

"Wonderful, wonderful..."

Zhao Wuji could not help but sigh in admiration, his gaze softening and shifting as he looked at Rong Shili.

This man was an incredibly rare talent!

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