sjar Chapter 614 This official is going to use your money to do your thing!
Chapter 614 This official is going to use your money to do your thing!
Her slightly hunched figure, her expression of wanting to cry but not daring to, and her pitiful tone tinged with pleading—even a hard-hearted person would feel a pang of pity upon seeing her.
Unfortunately, although Yang Shaofeng did not have the experience of killing fish at RT-Mart for ten years, he had seen a movie with a "garland" and many videos of soldiers holding hands to wade through landmines.
Feeling pity for the monkeys?
Yang Shaofeng forced out a hint of pity, let out a long sigh, and said, "Envoy Du, even if I am willing, I am powerless to help your country."
Before Du Shunqin could plead again, Yang Shaofeng raised his hand and said preemptively, "There are no outsiders here, so I might as well make things clearer to Envoy Du."
"Chen Rixuan can die."
“Chen Shuming can also become the new ruler.”
"However, the Annamite royal family cannot elect a new king without His Majesty's permission."
"Even if a new king is to be elected, it should not be Chen Shuming, who has been beaten to death with sticks by his father and son."
"But that idiot Ruan Rulin has already exposed everything."
"If the Ming Dynasty sits idly by and does nothing, wouldn't all the other vassal kings feel insecure?"
Du Shunqin's figure became even more hunched.
As Yang Shaofeng said, whether Chen Rixuan lived or died was not important. What was important was that the Annamite royal family directly elected a new king without the permission of the Ming emperor, and the elected new king was Chen Shuming, who had Chen Rixuan and his son beaten to death with sticks.
If the Ming emperor pretended to know nothing and appointed Chen Shuming as the new ruler of Nan'an, wouldn't the powerful ministers of other vassal states follow suit?
Kill the king and become the new king yourself, wouldn't that be wonderful?
Similarly, wouldn't the noble ministers and arrogant generals of the Ming Dynasty have similar thoughts?
Therefore, the Ming Dynasty must punish Annam.
The only problem is how severe the punishment will be.
Abstaining from tribute?
Destroy the country?
Having witnessed the subservient attitude of envoys from various vassal states in Dengzhou Prefecture, and the numerous Japanese pirates who were used as forced laborers and then mysteriously disappeared, Du Shunqin did not believe that Annam had the strength to confront the Ming Dynasty.
Just as Du Shunqin was pondering this, Yang Shaofeng sighed slightly and said, "As far as I know, the opinion of the Grand General's Office is to capture and kill Chen Shuming, while the opinion of the Secretariat is to cut off tribute."
As Yang Shaofeng finished speaking, Du Shunqin's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally died completely.
The capture and killing of Chen Shuming meant that the Ming Dynasty would send troops to conquer Annam.
Cutting off tribute means that the Ming Dynasty will allow Champa, Siam, Burma and other countries to attack Annam at will, and if Annam retaliates, the Ming Dynasty may take the opportunity to send troops.
Will Annam... still exist in the future?
Suppressing his grief, Du Shunqin cupped his hands in a fist and pleaded with Yang Shaofeng, "Your Highness, please save Annam, save the people of Annam!"
Yang Shaofeng shook his head slightly and sighed, "Envoy Du, it will be difficult to preserve Annam's rule."
Du Shunqin's eyes lit up immediately.
As the saying goes, listen to the underlying meaning behind the words.
The prince consort said it was difficult, not impossible.
In other words, there is still hope for Annan.
However, the price to pay for this may be higher.
Du Shunqin didn't have time to think much before he approached Yang Shaofeng and whispered, "Your Highness, several elephants in our country suddenly had a mental breakdown and crashed into trees, leaving behind several tusks. I dare to ask Your Highness to help me appraise them."
Commissioner Yang was immediately displeased.
ivory?
What's so good about that piece of junk?
If I want it, I can just ask Mu Ying for it after he goes to Yunnan. I can get as much as I want.
Besides, don't you have any idea how big a mess you've made, Annan?
Trying to appease me with a few ivory tusks? You're really out of your mind!
Commissioner Yang Misi sneered and said, "I don't know much about ivory either, so let's forget about it."
Seeing that Yang Shaofeng showed no interest in the ivory, Du Shunqin quickly added, "I heard that Your Highness has built a courtyard in Dengzhou Prefecture and is currently looking for sand to fill it. Fortunately, Annam has a special product called placer gold, and I have specially ordered 160,000 catties to be prepared so that Your Highness can use it to fill the courtyard."
160,000 jin of placer gold?
So that's one million taels of gold?
One million taels of gold is roughly equivalent to ten million taels of silver.
It's a bit too little.
Compared to the hundreds of millions of taels of silver that He Zhongtang used to spend, one million taels of gold really didn't amount to much.
But Du Shunqin said that this was for his own use as paving stones for his courtyard.
Yang Shaofeng's expression softened slightly, and he said, "Envoy Du is indeed thoughtful."
"However, the information that Envoy Du heard was incorrect."
"It is not I who want to build a courtyard in Dengzhou Prefecture."
"But His Majesty wants to build a temporary palace."
"There's also the Duke of Han from the Secretariat, the Duke of Wei from the Grand General's Office, and the Duke of E, the future father-in-law of His Highness the Crown Prince. They're all going to build a courtyard in Dengzhou Prefecture."
As Yang Shaofeng finished speaking, Du Shunqin couldn't help but secretly groan inwardly.
The Duke of Han, the Duke of Wei, and the Duke of E each deserve at least one million taels of gold.
After all, Yang Dianfeng was given a million taels of gold. If these three people were given less, it would offend both them and Yang Dianfeng.
And there's also the Ming Dynasty emperor.
If each of the officials received one million taels of silver, would the emperor also receive one million taels?
It would cost at least two million taels to get started!
So, to preserve Annam, it would cost approximately six million taels of gold?
The problem is that even if you sold the whole of Annam, you might not get six million taels of gold!
As for what Yang the madman said about not living in the courtyard?
Just ignore this nonsense!
Du Shunqin grew increasingly desperate, and couldn't help but say in a trembling voice, "Your Highness, Annam is a small country with a small population, this..."
Yang Shaofeng glanced at Du Shunqin.
"Do you think I'm asking you for money?"
"joke!"
"What do I need your money for?"
"I need your money to get things done for you!"
Standing next to Yang Shaofeng, Chen Mo sneered and said, "Envoy Du, some things can be settled with money, so settle them quickly. If you drag it out until money can't settle them, then it won't just be a matter of money."
With a face full of despair, Du Shunqin said in a trembling voice, "Your Highness, it's not that I'm unwilling, but the Annamite treasury simply can't produce so much gold dust!"
Yang Shaofeng shook his head slightly, adopting a compassionate posture, and said, "In fact, I also know that producing 160,000 catties of placer gold is already Annam's limit."
"No matter how much you plunder and pressure them, you can't conjure up 800,000 catties of gold out of thin air."
"However, now that I have mentioned this number, I am certain that this problem can be solved."
"After all, I do not want to see Annam suffer such devastation."
Chen Mo, who had been standing next to Yang Shaofeng, couldn't help but admire him greatly.
Look, look.
What is meant by "vision"?
This is called pattern!
What does it mean to be shameless?
That's what you call shameless!
That county magistrate is awesome!
Du Shunqin quickly replied, "Please enlighten me, Your Highness!"