Lighting Lanterns in the Mountains and Seas

"No need, no need." Shi Chun refused, then turned to Jiang Wushou and said, "It's okay, they're our own people, you can wait outside."

Jiang Wushou took out the Mother-child Talisman to signal, "Sir, please respond every now and then."

Young Master Nan seemed stunned, looking at the situation, it felt like he was often being assassinated.

"Got it." Shi Chun waved his hand behind him and invited Young Master Nan to enter together.

Being familiar with each other, after settling in the living room, there was no need for formality. After serving tea, Young Master Nan curiously asked, "You wouldn't come to me without a reason, what's going on?"

Shi Chun was direct, asking: "Since your business is widespread, surely there are some within the Heavenly Court, right?"

Young Master Nan chuckled, "Not everywhere, but at least in every domain. Why are you asking?"

Shi Chun: "I won't beat around the bush, I'd like for your stores to help a little."

"Tell me what needs to be done, if I can help, there is certainly no problem."

"Here's the plan: in your stores within the Heavenly Court, place a sign recruiting for the Heavenly Domain Dingnan Prefecture, announcing the population introduction plan."

Young Master Nan looked intrigued, "It's easy enough to do, but would it work? Just putting up a sign, and people would come, wouldn't that be a miracle?"

Shi Chun: "Here's the deal: according to the population introduction plan, both people and shape-shifting monsters are counted as one. Anyone who officially registers and resides in our Heavenly Domain Dingnan Prefecture will have their travel costs through the Exit Xun Gate covered, and receive a free house within any city of our Heavenly Domain Dingnan Prefecture. After residing for three years, they will receive five hundred Sandalwood Gold free of charge."

"..." Young Master Nan was stunned for a while as if hearing heavenly scriptures, then asked: "You plan to introduce one billion people?"

Shi Chun nodded, "There's no choice, it's the task assigned by the Heavenly Court."

Young Master Nan waved his hand, turned sideways, opened the lid of the teacup, and immediately placed an abacus on the tea table, fiddling with it swiftly, murmuring, "The travel cost within the Heavenly Domain, from the Heavenly Capital to the Heavenly Domain, isn't a short distance and costs 1,500 Sandalwood Gold per person per trip. Assuming everyone is from the Heavenly Capital, plus the extra 500 Sandalwood Gold given as a gift, that's 2,000 per person. The most basic house, even if there's nothing in the Heavenly Domain, would cost at least 50,000 per set, right? One billion people, that's 50 trillion and 20 billion Sandalwood Gold..." He looked up at Shi Chun, "Did I miscalculate?"

Shi Chun replied, "The travel cost might be entirely avoidable."

Young Master Nan didn't know why one billion people's travel cost could be avoided, he didn't ask, but directly fiddled with the abacus again, "I'll subtract that."

Shi Chun continued, "The free houses needn't be that good; halve the construction area, use local materials as much as possible, preferably stone. Gathering materials for one billion houses is indeed difficult, but I can mobilize three departments' forces and assemble an army of one hundred thousand monk laborers for free, aiming to keep the cost per house within five thousand Sandalwood Gold."

"..." Young Master Nan was startled again, halving the house area and trying to use cost-free stone materials, mobilizing one hundred thousand Heavenly Generals to do labor. Is this feasible? He shook his head and sighed, "If it's just to make a dirt mound or dig a hole in stones, maybe one thousand gold would suffice."

Shi Chun: "That won't do, it must resemble normal houses, with roofs, windows, doors, beams, small courtyards, and some basic living facilities; otherwise, how to attract people? If we save to that extent, I might as well dig a pit on-site; if there's no value, who would go?"

"Fine, let's say five thousand," Young Master Nan fiddled with the abacus to reduce the amount, then curiously asked, "Even after saving so much, why still offer five hundred Sandalwood Gold? If people are really attracted, why give an extra five hundred Sandalwood Gold afterward?"

Shi Chun quietly admitted, "Those attracted by these conditions are typically impoverished, who would go under normal circumstances? Many might have nothing at all, the majority have poor conditions. Getting things running in my Dingnan Prefecture will surely take time, loads of poor people would need minimal conditions to last a year, year and a half, or three years, right? If they have a little money, the operations of Dingnan Prefecture can gradually get going. I cannot offer it upfront as I don't have the funds currently; if given afterward, it can barely act as a guarantee, allowing them to figure out ways to borrow. After due time, any compliant debts will be repaid by my Dingnan Prefecture."

"..." Young Master Nan fell silent for a while and then asked, "How do you plan to solve the five trillion for gifting houses?"

Shi Chun casually glanced at him, took a sip of tea, and lightly said, "This is a five trillion big deal, I'd like to ask Brother Nan, do you want to do it?"

"..." Young Master Nan was shocked to the core, his face gradually unstiffening on one side, wasn't this Wu Jinliang's old scheme to entice people to open brothels?