Chapter 469 : Founding the Nation (3)
Chapter 469: Founding the Nation (3)
"For starters, why don't we try bringing the northern nomads into our Divine Cult? We've already successfully converted the nomads around the Tianshan Mountain Range, so converting the rest shouldn't be too difficult."
As he pitched the idea, Il-mok idly scratched a rough sketch of the Central Plains’ map on the floor using his scabbard.
"Up in the northern steppe, there is a vast desert that divides the grasslands from north to south. If we absorb the nomads living south of it, we can make them part of our Empire's territory. Furthermore, the desert acts as a massive natural fortress, meaning defending our borders thereafter should also be far more manageable."
It was a plan based on memories of his past life.
Il-mok couldn’t precisely recall all of the details when the historical borders were drawn, but he knew for a fact that the Gobi Desert was the dividing line between the Inner Mongolia to the south and the independent state of Mongolia to the north.
"Since these tribes herd horses and sheep, we can hand out basic rations like rice to accelerate the conversion process, then buy up their livestock. It’s a perfect win-win."
Maybe it was the thought of establishing a trade route that got his gears turning, because a whole new wave of lucrative schemes suddenly popped into his mind one after another.
“And now that the war has ended, isn't it time we opened up trade with the Western Regions again? Since there are signs that the civil war among the Muslims will drag on, they will be desperate to purchase military supplies. We can sell them long-lasting rations like rice and beef jerky, or the iron needed to forge weapons, at a price far above the market rate."
Suddenly, the madman who was attentively listening to Il-mok's seemingly endless explanations cocked his head to one side.
"What good does it do to earn money from those Muslims? This Minister desires nothing more than to spread the greatness of our Divine Cult across the whole world as swiftly as possible!"
"Right, but hasn't your lack of funding been the very reason you can't carry out any of your desired projects? Instead of sitting around waiting for the Minister of Finance to toss you some spare change, why not just go out and make the money yourself?"
"Oh!! When you put it like that, it makes perfect sense! As expected, the Grand Preceptor's intellect is truly divine! Hahaha!"
Seeing the madman already sprinting out to carry out his project, Il-mok hurriedly called him out.
“Minister, you must first present a report to His Majesty at tomorrow morning's audience, and begin only after! For today, it would be best to prepare the materials for that report!"
"Hahahaha! Fret not, Grand Preceptor! His Majesty will surely grant his approval!"
Watching the man stride away with confidence, Il-mok couldn't help but feel a profound dread for tomorrow morning.
***
The following morning, in the grand assembly hall of the Forbidden City.
As Baek Un-hak confidently marched up to the throne and started passionately running his mouth, Il-mok died a little inside.
"By earning a massive fortune through this method, we shall preach the greatness of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult to the entire world! We humbly beg for Your Majesty's permission!"
Roughly half of the detailed explanation Il-mok had given him was missing, and in its place were Baek Un-hak's own personal opinions in abundance.
For instance, he included nonsense about using the money squeezed from the Muslims to purchase and manufacture gunpowder, all to develop even more spectacular Thunder Bombs.
Unsurprisingly, the atmosphere in the audience hall was frigid. But the clueless Baek Un-hak just stood there beaming, genuinely believing he had stunned the entire court into silence with his brilliance.
Realizing his perfectly good economic strategy was about to be thrown into the trash, Il-mok had no choice but to step in.
“A moment, Your Majesty. If we exclude the few extreme suggestions—such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs monopolizing all the profits from the trade with the Muslims to develop Thunder Bombs for missionary uses—this proposal will undeniably contribute to the Empire's development."
"Hmm. The Grand Preceptor's words do carry a point. However, we currently lack the funds even for the various projects taking place within the Central Plains. Do we truly have the luxury to initiate trade with the Muslims?"
It seemed the others shared the Emperor's sentiment, as the majority of the officials turned to look at Il-mok with expressions full of doubt.
Il-mok could only suppress a groan of despair.
'I guess this is what happens when you fill a room with guys who only know how to punch things. Their financial literacy is practically zero.'
It wasn't like Il-mok was some Wall Street genius with a master's in economics, but he at least had the basic common sense carried over from his modern past life.
"If we look at the bigger picture, Your Majesty, we actually can't afford not to start foreign trade right now. The Muslims are gearing up for a massive civil war. If we gouge them on the price of food and iron, we stand to acquire tremendous wealth."
No sooner had Il-mok finished speaking than several ministers made their opposition known.
"Your Majesty. Though the Grand Preceptor's words have merit, this carries the risk of setting a harmful precedent."
"Indeed so. If the Imperial Family were to engage directly in commerce, there is every danger that even the common people might come to value money above the teachings of the Divine Cult."
It was an unbelievably backwards way of thinking.
But what really shocked Il-mok was that it wasn't just the Divine Cult’s resident religious nuts complaining. Even the former Left Commissioner Cheon ryang—a guy Il-mok actually thought had a working brain—stepped up to shoot the idea down.
"Please recall the behavior of the Eastern Depot during the Han Dynasty. They too abused the authority of the Imperial Family to engage in private commerce and hoard immense wealth."
Amid all this, only Zhuge Mun looked on at Il-mok with an expression of keen interest. So far, he was the only one who had not voiced any objection.
Il-mok choked back another weary sigh and swept his gaze over those who had declared their opposition. "Alright, then what’s your plan when we run out of money and all our state projects grind to a halt?"
"We need only levy additional taxes to cover the shortfall. Above all, now that the lands known as the Three Great Plains have all become imperial territory, the tax revenues we can collect have grown considerably."
To this response from Cheon Ryang, Il-mok shot back, "And what happens when a famine or natural disaster occurs? Are you just going to raise the tax rates and forcefully rip the rice right out of the starving farmers' hands?"
"…I admit that method might have its drawbacks, but is your plan really any different, Grand Preceptor? The Grand Preceptor intends to sell rice and provisions to the Muslims, which means collecting the crops your subjects have harvested and selling them on to outsiders, does it not?"
The majority of those present in the audience hall reacted as if Cheon Ryang were entirely correct. While a small minority quietly awaited Il-mok’s rebuttal, most looked at him with expressions that seemed to say, 'How could the Grand Preceptor make such an elementary mistake?'
Il-mok felt a sigh threatening to escape his lips.
'Is it a problem with the era, or a problem with the people?'
It seemed the very concept of "investment" simply did not exist in their minds.
The very concept of investment appeared to barely exist in their minds.
For the high-ranking zealots of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, exploiting lower-ranking believers under the justification of "for the Divine Cult!" was a daily occurrence, so their ignorance was to be expected.
Yet, even a well-educated scholar like Cheon Ryang was no different.
And Cheon Ryang, who had received a fair amount of formal education, was no different.
In fact, it was because Cheon Ryang had spent decades as a career politician that his brain was permanently hardwired to think that the only way to get money was to squeeze it out of the taxpayers.
"They are very different, Vice Minister of Finance. If we sell rice to the Muslims at a steep price, then from that point forward, we can take those profits and actually buy the surplus rice from our own farmers at market value, rather than just taxing them to death."
Some appeared to grasp the point; others still did not seem to follow.
"Furthermore, this is not a matter limited to agricultural produce alone. If we can multiply the wealth collected through taxation many times over, then the funds available for affairs of state will increase as well. It’s not like everyone and their mother are going to privately pocket the wealth for themselves like the Eastern Depot of the Han Dynasty. And since every single penny goes right back into the Empire, where's the problem? In short, this endeavor is not simple commerce but rather a form of investment."
The concept of investment was quite familiar to Il-mok, owing to his past life as a civil servant.
It wasn't just because modern governments in places like South Korea actively managed massive state investment portfolios.
It was because the universal hallmark of a government job was a stable but painfully tiny paycheck. And so, to escape that reality, almost everyone he knew was aggressively dumping their money into stocks and other investment avenues.
Especially in the years just before his death.
A few years before his death, right when the COVID pandemic hit the world, the stock market, crypto, and real estate all went absolutely parabolic. Suddenly, half his office was filled with people walking around acting like they were the next Warren Buffett.
Some folks swore they only stayed in their cubicles for the pension and health benefits, while others loudly bragged that they were just one lucky crypto pump away from rage-quitting forever.
That lasted until the boom ended, and they had all reverted to the faces of depression patients enslaved once again to their paychecks.
While that showed how inherently risky investments could be, this current situation was entirely different.
They were talking about war profiteering off a neighboring nation. There was literally no better way to print money in this current era.
"Moreover, should a true civil war break out in the Western Regions, we can use the trading mission to observe and assess the situation there. Therefore, commerce with the Western Regions is an necessity for the nation."
After wrapping up his speech, he cast a sweeping glance over the dissenting ministers.
That’s when a thought occurred to him.
'Wait, why am I standing here trying to logic with a bunch of martial arts meatheads?'
Now that he had realized there was a simple method, Il-mok drove the final nail to his argument.
"If you're all still that unhappy with my proposal, how about we just settle who's right and wrong with a duel right now?"
It had been about a month since the war ended. His internal injuries were basically healed, meaning he was fully prepared to beat the economics into them if necessary.
As a suffocating silence settled over the court in the wake of Il-mok's blatant threat...
"Hahahaha!"
Wi Jin-hak's hearty laughter burst forth.
All eyes turned toward Wi Jin-hak and he first addressed Il-mok,
"Do not worry, Grand Preceptor. I don't think we'll need to resort to drawing swords over this particular agenda."
With his decision final, he turned to address the ministers beyond Il-mok.
"I fully understand your concerns regarding the emerging risk of a wicked trend where the people begin to prioritize wealth over our sacred doctrines. However, what has been the root cause of every conflict in our recent assemblies? Even when we wish to carry out the holy task of teaching our doctrines and caring for the masses, don't you always end up at each other's throats because we're entirely out of funds? For that reason, I hereby order the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to organize a merchant caravan and commence trade with the Western Regions."
"Your Majesty's grace is immeasurable!!"
No sooner had Baek Un-hak bowed with the face of a man who had finally gotten his wish than Wi Jin-hak abruptly called out Seo Wan-pyeong's name.
"Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"I want the Dark Shadow Pavilion to establish a separate bureau to operate alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and select men to work with them. Not a single person may embezzle the earnings from commerce for private gain, and I shall personally oversee all matters through the Dark Shadow Pavilion. Furthermore, the revenue earned through commerce shall pass through the Dark Shadow Pavilion and be additionally distributed to each ministry via the Ministry of Finance."
It was tantamount to saying that since the Dark Shadow Pavilion and the Cult Leader would personally manage and monitor the funds.
There was no need to debate any further.
"I am warning you specifically, Minister of Foreign Affairs. If I catch even the slightest hint that you are embezzling these profits to manufacture gunpowder or the Thunder Bombs, I will absolutely not let it pass."
The pure joy radiating from Baek Un-hak's face instantly froze.
And just as Baek Un-hak belatedly opened his mouth to say something, Il-mok smoothly cut in ahead of him.
"Your Majesty. I believe it would be most appropriate for the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, who has previous experience leading the Heavenly Light Merchant Guild, to take charge of organizing the caravan and traveling to the Western Regions.Therefore, might I suggest that in place of the westward journey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs be assigned the mission of converting the northern nomads and expanding our borders?"
"Hahaha. That is exactly what I had in mind. Just as we did when dealing with the nomads in the past, the Minister of Foreign Affairs shall discuss the matter with the Grand Marshal and proceed to convert the northern tribes."
The frozen Baek Un-hak started in alarm and cried out in a panic.
"W-What do you mean by this, Your Majesty? I am to proceed with matters in consultation with... the Grand Marshal?"
"We must absorb the nomads who are willing to convert and drive the unwilling ones past the desert. Obviously, that requires a heavy military presence. Go coordinate with the Grand Marshal."
"…"
Realizing he was doomed to suffer through another deployment with Dokgo Ryong, Baek Un-hak looked like he was mere seconds away from sobbing uncontrollably.
"BWAHAHAHAHA!! I've been praying for a chance to expand the Empire's borders, Your Majesty!! Just give the word, and I'll wipe their entire bloodline off the face of the earth!!"
Whether he was genuinely excited about expanding the nation's territory, or just absolutely thrilled that he finally got to butcher people again...
Dokgo Ryong currently looked like a kid in a candy store.