Chapter 86 Who Will Win? There will be plenty of opportunities like this in the future…

"It should be Qin Shubao's team."

Wei Zhongxian heard these words clearly, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Qin Shubao?

He had indeed overlooked this team. After all, Bai Qi, Huo Qubing, and Wei Qing were all renowned generals throughout history, and with a powerful ruler like Zhu Di preceding them, it seemed impossible for Qin Shubao to emerge victorious. However, Jiang Ge's words had a hidden meaning, forcing him to reconsider.

"Take a closer look, lest you be blind to the value of a gem."

Jiang Ge's tone was somewhat teasing, a half-smile playing on his lips, as if hinting at something. Wei Zhongxian narrowed his eyes, wondering to himself—was Qin Shubao's army truly well-hidden, or had he really misjudged them?

He slowly turned around, his gaze sharp as a knife, and swept it once more over the troops below the city wall.

Ten men, no more, no less, yet each possessed an extraordinary air. Aside from Li Shimin and Qin Shubao, whom they already knew well, the other eight were all valiant and imposing, their brows revealing the sharp edge of seasoned warriors. One of them, however, was particularly striking.

The man stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his face calm and deep, his eyes unfathomable, as if concealing endless storms and schemes. Wei Zhongxian stared at him, and a strange sense of familiarity arose within him, yet he couldn't recall where he had seen him before.

Who is this person?

His gaze was so direct that those below the city walls seemed to sense it, and suddenly looked up to meet his eyes.

In that instant, Wei Zhongxian felt a chill run down his spine.

The other man's eyes were like lightning, showing no fear whatsoever, even carrying a hint of cold scrutiny. Li Jing, who dared to meet the gaze of even a tiger head-on, would certainly not fear the eyes of a eunuch.

"Li Jing?!"

These two words were practically squeezed out from between his teeth. As the Grand Eunuch, Wei Zhongxian knew the names of famous generals throughout history like the back of his hand. And this man before him—wasn't he none other than Li Jing, the military genius of the Tang Dynasty? The unparalleled commander who crushed the Turkic court with only three thousand iron cavalry!

"Does the Grand Eunuch understand now?" Jiang Ge waved his hand with a half-smile. "General Qin's team is truly a hidden force of dragons and crouching tigers."

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Wei Zhongxian's forehead. He finally understood why this army had won first place—with Li Shimin at the center, Li Jing commanding the army, and Qin Shubao leading the charge, this combination was practically perfect. Even more terrifying was that they had brought along two strategists, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui; they were practically a mobile version of the Zhenguan court!

At this juncture when Wei Zhongxian was pondering the matter.

Jiang Ge slowly appeared in front of everyone, and for a moment everyone's eyes were focused on Jiang Ge. They had been standing here for a long time for this moment. Who would get the 50,000 yuan?

These heroes from various dynasties had been waiting patiently for this moment. Some clenched their fists, some squinted, and others unconsciously straightened their backs. The reward of 50,000 coins might not seem like much, but for these ancient people who received fixed salaries, it was a huge fortune.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Django's voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly. She looked around, her gaze finally settling on the dragon-phoenix pig, a playful smile flashing in her eyes.

—Unless there are unforeseen circumstances, it would be difficult to see three "greatest emperors of all time" appearing at the same time.

Ying Zheng, Liu Che, and Li Shimin.

One unified six kingdoms, one expanded territories, and one ushered in a golden age. Now that the three of them are gathered together, their mere presence exudes an invisible pressure that makes people hesitant to approach.

Oh, right.

Jiang Ge suddenly remembered something, his gaze shifted slightly, and he glanced at Zhu Di standing to the side.

—I almost forgot, there's also the Yongle Emperor.

The gathering of four "greatest emperors of all time" is truly a rare and magnificent occasion.

A slight smile played on her lips as her gaze finally settled on Qin Shubao's group, her voice clear and resolute:

"The best team this time is Qin Shubao's team."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

Ying Zheng's gaze darkened, and his fingers tightened slightly; he hated the taste of defeat.

Meanwhile, Liu Che, who was still cosplaying as a soldier, narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue in a half-smile.

Li Shimin remained calm. Before coming, they had made meticulous preparations for the quota. Other teams had more or less wasted quotas, but Qin Shubao's team had not wasted a single quota.

Besides, they also have their trump card.

Zhu Di—he raised an eyebrow and looked sharply at Qin Shubao, seemingly reassessing this once-famous general of the Tang Dynasty.

Huo Qubing laughed out loud, crossed his arms, and looked at Wei Qing: "Interesting."

The motorcycle didn't make it... Interesting! Really interesting!

Looking at Huo Qubing, Wei Qing shook his head helplessly, but didn't say anything more.

Bai Qi remained expressionless, but his aura had grown even colder.

Meanwhile, Zhuge Liang and the others seemed to have expected this.

This judgment is also quite reasonable.

Django took in everyone's reactions, and his smile deepened.

The real show is just beginning.

After the winners were decided, Jiang Ge warmly invited everyone back to the county government office for a detailed discussion. After all, 50,000 yuan was no small sum, and they needed to carefully plan how to use it, ensuring every penny was spent wisely.

They can't even spend 50,000 yuan, can't they see how Datang spends it?

Every extra look is a good one.

Like Huo Qubing, Li Shimin had already prepared a detailed procurement list in his mind.

This wise and benevolent ruler of all time did not desire rare and exotic treasures, but rather practical items that could benefit the people of the Tang Dynasty: an astonishingly accurate world map, a comprehensive encyclopedia, high-quality agricultural tools crafted from fine steel, antibiotics capable of reviving the dead, and printing equipment that would revolutionize the course of civilization...

At this moment, Li Shimin's eyes shone with a light that transcended his time.

Like Huo Qubing, he had already planned it out, yet he was completely different—this Emperor Zhenguan did not consider personal enjoyment at all; all he was thinking about was how to use these modern wonders to improve the lives of the people of the Tang Dynasty.

He wanted to be the greatest emperor of all time, and to make the Tang Dynasty's fame resound throughout the world.

Thinking of this, a confident smile appeared on Li Shimin's lips.

In his eyes, Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han were merely passersby in the long river of history. Only he, Li Shimin, would lead Chinese civilization to unprecedented glory.

These modern items, worth a mere 50,000 yuan, might only improve the livelihood of an ordinary person temporarily, but in the hands of the brilliant and ambitious Emperor Taizong of Tang, they would surely become a lever to propel the entire progress of civilization.

Meanwhile, Li Shimin, leading his troops, followed Jiang Ge toward the county government office. He walked with composure, a smile playing on his lips.

Upon arriving at the official residence, the yellow and white screen of the system's online store was projected into the void, displaying a dazzling array of goods. This time, Li Shimin could finally shop with abandon.

Before, I only had a small monthly salary, so I had to carefully calculate every penny I spent to make sure it was spent wisely. Now, things are much better. Maybe after buying everything on my to-do list, I'll still have some left over.

Inside the official's office, the system's online store's light screen slowly unfolded. The dazzling array of modern goods overwhelmed the ancients. Li Shimin's slender fingers lightly tapped the light screen, his movements fluid and graceful.

"A world map, the largest size possible."

"I'll take a set of the Encyclopedia."

"Antibiotics...we need twenty vials first."

With each item selected, a collective gasp of astonishment rose from behind. Liu Che stared at the fluctuating sums of money; this was far too extravagant. Did they even know how to manage their finances?

Before he could finish speaking, Li Shimin suddenly stopped in front of a candy shelf. The resolute face of the Heavenly Khan softened instantly, and without hesitation, he clicked to buy: "Two pounds of strawberry, and lychee too..."

"Li Shimin!" Zhu Di finally couldn't hold back any longer. "You're just going to squander 50,000 taels of silver like this?" He wouldn't say anything about buying other things, but why buy candy? Have you never eaten candy before?

Li Shimin didn't turn his head, his tone incredibly gentle: "Guanyinbi has been suffering from severe morning sickness lately and needs sweets to calm her down." He then bought several more boxes of beautifully packaged chocolates, adding, "Chengqian and the others should like them too..."

The children were very interested in these snacks, and Li Shimin also asked his men to figure out how to make them, but none of them tasted right, so he decided to just buy them directly.

This unexpectedly heartwarming scene suddenly made the previously tense atmosphere delicate.

A slight ripple crossed Ying Zheng's cold face, Zhu Di thoughtfully stroked his chin, and even Bai Qi couldn't help but glance at Li Shimin a couple more times.

Huo Qubing suddenly burst into laughter, grabbing Wei Qing's shoulder and saying, "See that? That's what a real man is!" He then turned to Li Shimin, his eyes full of admiration, "Your Majesty, would you teach me a few moves sometime?"

Li Shimin smiled without saying a word and continued his shopping spree. When the last item—a simple printing press—was added to the cart, the total came to 657 yuan.

This cost me two months' salary.

Just as Li Shimin was about to confirm the order, Jiang Ge suddenly reached out and pressed down on the light screen: "Your Majesty, please wait, you have missed something very important."

Li Shimin raised an eyebrow slightly: "Oh? What brilliant idea does Magistrate Jiang have?"

With a flick of his finger, Jiang Ge switched the light screen to the industrial equipment area, where a delicate model of a spinning jenny was displayed: "Compared to a printing press, this can change the lives of ordinary people in the Tang Dynasty even more."

Printing presses are difficult to replicate, and textile machines offer more advantages.

Upon hearing this, Qin Shubao strode forward, and after reading the description, he suddenly gasped in astonishment: "The amount of fabric woven in one day is equivalent to that of thirty skilled weavers?!"

“Indeed.” Jiang Ge looked at Li Shimin meaningfully. “Does Your Majesty know the current value of a single bolt of Persian brocade in the West Market of Chang’an? If the Tang Dynasty could produce its own…”

Before he could finish speaking, Du Ruhui excitedly grabbed Li Shimin's sleeve: "Your Majesty! This item can increase our dynasty's cloth production tenfold! It will not only meet domestic demand but also be exported to the Western Regions—"

We made a fortune! We made a fortune! We made a fortune!

Even the shrewd and calculating Li Shimin could not hide his shock. He stared at the parameters of the spinning machine, his mind already conjuring up images of camel caravans laden with Tang brocade along the Silk Road. But when he saw the price tag of 5999 yuan, his brows furrowed.

This is too expensive. I bought a textile machine and then had to return the printing press. I can't buy anything else with the money left.

Ying Zheng, who had been observing coldly from the sidelines, suddenly sneered: "With this money, it would be better to buy more swords and weapons."

The swords in the system are ten thousand times sharper than those of the Qin Dynasty; they are practically divine weapons. Originally, Ying Zheng had planned to buy swords after winning the war, but now he can only watch helplessly as Li Shimin buys them.

well.

Jiang Ge calmly countered, "Just as Guan Zhong used 'silk fabric' to subdue Lu and Liang, the profits from textile production were equivalent to an army of 100,000."

From the silk tax in the Han Dynasty to the rent, labor service and tax in the Tang Dynasty, and then to the in-kind tax before the Single Whip Law in the Ming Dynasty, silk and cloth were long the second largest form of taxation after grain.

Cloth was legal tender from the Wei and Jin Dynasties to the mid-Tang Dynasty, and textiles were one of the few ways for women in ancient times to achieve economic autonomy.

Upon hearing this, Liu Che's eyes gleamed, and he immediately moved closer to the light screen: "This spinning machine, my Great Han also wants one!"

“Sorry,” Django said with a sly smile, “the Great Han’s balance is insufficient.”

Insufficient balance...

I never imagined that Liu Che would ever be penniless.

Li Shimin suddenly burst into laughter and waved his sleeve: "Buy it! Buy it no matter how expensive it is!" He turned to Li Jing and said solemnly, "Brother Yaoshi, it seems that with this spinning machine, we can reduce the need for weapons."

It was the "plan to sell silk" mentioned by Magistrate Jiang that gave him inspiration. If he dumped cheap Tang silk on the Turks, destroyed their wool textile industry, and forced the nomadic people to become economically dependent, wouldn't that eliminate the need for fighting?

He glanced at his balance and saw that it was almost gone. "Two hundred left..." He thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "Two more pounds of milk candy, to share with everyone."

This action completely broke the deadlock. Even Liu Che took the candy and carefully unwrapped it. As the sweet aroma melted in his mouth, a barely perceptible hint of gentleness appeared on the cold face of this great emperor.

Django leaned against the door, watching these once-powerful historical figures share candy like children, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips: "I forgot to tell you all, each team received a reward of three thousand yuan, as compensation for your hard work on this trip."

These legendary generals should not be given away for nothing.

Three thousand taels of silver for the team's expenses isn't a lot, but it's not a small amount either—that's almost two years' worth of salary. Seeing Li Shimin spending money like water just now was truly an eyesore; now that he himself held real gold and silver in his hands, who would want to watch others buy things?

Ying Zheng crunched the candy in his mouth, the rich, sweet aroma exploding between his lips and teeth. The cloying taste made him frown, but he still held the candy against his tongue, letting it slowly melt. Three thousand coins might not buy those awe-inspiring artifacts, but it was better than his previous meager budget of a few hundred. This emperor, one of the greatest in history, narrowed his eyes, his knuckles tapping lightly on the table—every penny would be used on the fulcrum that would determine the fate of the Qin Dynasty.

"Great-grandson, it's best if I keep this money for you." King Zhaoxiang of Qin approached unnoticed, smiling like an old fox who had caught a chick, his withered hand already resting on Ying Zheng's. His tone was like that of an elder coaxing children for New Year's money, yet Ying Zheng was clearly a king in his thirties, who had also achieved the hegemony of unifying the six kingdoms.

Faced with his great-grandfather's unreasonable demands, the young emperor's pupils suddenly contracted.

Just as tensions were about to rise, a series of steady, powerful footsteps broke the deadlock. Bai Qi strode up to Jiang Ge, his black armor clanging coldly with each step. He leaned slightly forward, his eyes, which had seen countless battles and carnage, meeting Jiang Ge's gaze directly:

"Magistrate Jiang, will there be another opportunity like this in the future?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it silenced the entire county office. Everyone understood the weight behind his words—it wasn't just an inquiry, but a declaration of war from a god of war. If he were fully prepared, victory would surely belong to him, Bai Qi. This time, it was merely that those around him had held him back... (I'm talking about you, King Zhaoxiang of Qin.)

All eyes in the office fell on Jiang Ge. Everyone was curious whether there would be another opportunity like this in the future, since saving 50,000 yuan was very difficult.

Jiang Ge met Bai Qi's gaze, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "Don't worry, Lord Wu'an, there will be plenty of opportunities like this in the future."

-----------------------

Author's Note: I revised the synopsis for the pre-order novel yesterday. Jiang Lan's startup is on the verge of bankruptcy. While working late into the night, she gets bound to a strange system—

[Eternal Female Talent Introduction Program]

The next day, a woman dressed in Ming Dynasty Hanfu pushed open the door and bowed gracefully: "I am Wan Zhen'er, and I have come to apply for the job."

Jiang Lan: "...?"

Little sister, did you wander into the wrong movie set while cosplaying?

Until Wan Zhen'er vanished into thin air right in front of her.

Until Empress Lü, Empress Wu Zetian, Wang Zhaojun, Ba Qing, Li Qingzhao... all came.

Looking at the company full of female historical figures, Jiang Lan finally understood—

This isn't cosplay, this is her good fortune!

So, modern working-class people spend every night glued to the [Lanchao Culture] livestream room, frantically taking notes:

Lü Zhi Special Session: "From the Cold Palace to CEO: The Art of Workplace Counterattack"

Wu Zetian: "The Empress Teaches You How to Seize Power Elegantly"

Ba Qing collaborated with Li Qingzhao to sell courses: the "Elegantly Cursing with Poetry" series sold over a million copies.

Viewer: "Sister, this is killing me! This isn't some ancient cosplay livestream, it's a survival bible for modern working women!"

...

Later, a reporter interviewed Lanchao Culture, which had become incredibly popular: "How did you build such a top-notch female team?"

Jiang Lan looked at the ancestors behind her who were eager to fight and smiled: "Thanks for the invitation. I'm in the modern world and I just picked up a bunch of ancestors."

Welcome everyone to bookmark this page! [clasped hands][clasped hands][clasped hands]