Chapter 297 A Century-Long Plan

Xunyang Tower, an inconspicuous private room.

After listening, Wang Caozhi, Manager Ma, and other wealthy merchants looked at each other.

"I see."

They glanced at the blueprints being passed around and couldn't help but ask:

"So, Lord Ouyang's meaning is..."

Ouyang Rong nodded: "Isn't it just 'metal generates water'? I know that too."

He pointed calmly to the twin peaks outside the city and said:

"Since there is nowhere to place the Donglin Buddha statue in Xunyang City, I will carve the Twin Peaks outside the west of the city in two and divert the Xunyang River to flow through them."

"At that time, grottoes will be carved into the mountainside on both the east and west banks to create a magnificent scene where mountains and water complement each other, and metal and stone generate water."

"Please take your seat, Donglin Buddha!"

The entire room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Ouyang Rong's words were forceful and resonant, the last few words echoing in the private room.

Wang Caozhi and the other wealthy businessmen were somewhat shocked.

They looked at each other, neither knowing what to say for a moment.

Wang Caozhi couldn't help but smile wryly and put down his chopsticks:

“Brother-in-law’s ambition is a bit too great. He has planned this out in such a way, taking precautions in advance, especially…” he sighed, “He has also figured out the emperor’s thoughts so well and acted in accordance with the situation.”

Ouyang Rong shook his head, his expression unchanged.

Wang Caozhi looked down at the drawings and bamboo slips, and asked:

"Brother-in-law, what do you need us to do?"

"money."

Ouyang Rong's words were concise and to the point.

In the first half of the year, several counties in Jiangzhou suffered from floods, submerging half of the area, and the granaries were empty.

Apart from Longcheng County, which turned a profit thanks to the Zheyi Canal, the prefecture and county finances are tight, and they can't squeeze out much money.

The imperial court can't offer much help either.

If nothing unexpected happens, after the New Year and Winter Solstice holidays, Empress Wei will quell the opposition.

The decree to build the Donglin Buddha would reach the Jiangzhou Grand Hall, and an envoy from Luoyang would be dispatched to oversee the project.

The construction of the Donglin Buddha was initiated by Empress Wei.

It is certain that the officials of the Council of State, including Master Di, will not provide much funding for the construction.

She might donate a token amount for cosmetics, but that would still be far from enough.

If it weren't for the intervention of Ouyang Rong and others, based on past experience, Jiangzhou and several surrounding prefectures would likely have had to increase taxes, or assign labor service and conscript laborers.

Although the people of Longcheng County were spared lifelong mediocre service and corvée labor by the Empress's decree.

But what about the people in the other counties of Jiangzhou?

Ouyang Rong pursed his lips.

Therefore, he and Jiangzhou Datong needed to make preliminary preparations beforehand.

All feasible solutions are in place, the only problem is the funding gap.

This is also the reason why Ouyang Rong summoned everyone here tonight.

Having previously collaborated with Zheyiqu, wealthy merchants like Wang Caozhi, Manager Ma, and Manager Li naturally understood Ouyang Rong's intentions, and the two sides reached a tacit understanding.

The private room was quiet for a while.

Ouyang Rong suddenly raised his hand and dipped it in tea in front of everyone.

He wrote down a string of numbers on the table that he had long ago calculated and memorized.

This is the financial shortfall for the construction of the canal and the giant Buddha statue in the stone cave in Jiangzhou.

Everyone glanced at each other, pondered for a moment, then Wang Caozhi made a hand gesture under his sleeve, calculated something, and slowly nodded:

“Brother-in-law, this gap is quite large. Compared to the Zheyi Canal in Longcheng County, this time, we alone may not be able to fill it.”

Ouyang Rong smiled: "No, no, no, this isn't a gap, it's a pastry."

He carefully corrected:

"Of course, eat as many pastries as you can eat. If you can't finish them, you can call on some wealthy fellow villagers or friends to come over."

"I don't really like meeting strangers, but you are all old friends who have come all the way from Longcheng. Those who are unreliable have left halfway, so I naturally trust you."

Pointing to the numbers written in water stains on the table:

"Therefore, each of you has the opportunity to recommend someone to me to add a chair to the next banquet in this private room so that we can all share this big cake."

Ouyang Rong smiled faintly, brushing away the water stains with his palm.

The wealthy merchants, including Manager Ma and Manager Li, slightly widened their eyes. They exchanged glances and could all see the glint in each other's eyes.

Can you recommend someone to get a seat in this private room at the next dinner party?

Isn't it just the friendship of a prefectural governor of Jiangnan?

Moreover, he was a young chief secretary with a promising future and a successful career.

This gift is quite generous.

However, some people were more interested in Ouyang Rong's explanation of the pastries.

Wang Caozhi leaned over and asked curiously, "Brother-in-law, you said this is dividing up the pastries, what does that mean? Does it mean we're not only not losing out, but we're actually making a huge profit?"

A series of gazes quickly turned towards them.

Ouyang Rong slowly poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip:

"After reviewing the plan and doing the math, do you all think that investing this time will only result in a small loss, or at most, breaking even?"

Wang Caozhi and the others hesitated, nodding and then shaking their heads. The tall and burly Manager Ma couldn't help but say:

"Lord Ouyang, we all know each other, so I won't mince words. Please forgive me if I offend anyone."

“Yes, go ahead,” Ouyang Rong said calmly.

“Lord Ouyang, if it were just the construction of the canal at Shuangfengjian, there would still be money to be made. The successful experience of the Zheyi Canal is there for all to see; we can simply follow suit.”

"After the canal is excavated, with such wide banks, we should build some ferry crossings there. Once the Xunyang Grottoes are completed, they should attract some literati and scholars from afar..."

"Lord Ouyang must have a plan for this business opportunity. If so, it can be done slowly and steadily to recoup the investment, even if it's hard-earned money."

"After all, this new canal is located far outside the city, and it is certainly not as important or crucial as the Zheyi Canal. The new ferry crossing will not be able to prosper as quickly as Tanlang Ferry and divert passenger flow from Xunyang Ferry."

Manager Ma shook his head, his tone regretful:

"Xunyang Ferry is already the best-located golden ferry crossing in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and it is hard to replace it."

Ouyang Rong praised, "Manager Ma's analysis is quite good."

Manager Ma nodded and smiled, but then his face fell.

"If it were just about digging canals and managing water resources for the benefit of the people, that would be fine. But there's also the construction of the Xunyang Grottoes, which is a real money-losing proposition."

The experienced shopkeeper, who had traveled all over the country, shook his head:

"I can tell that Lord Ouyang has already tried his best to reduce costs."

"For example, the location chosen, Shuangfengjian, is very close to Xingzifang, where a large number of laborers and workers gather."

"For example, only excavating grottoes and building a large Buddha statue against the wall by the mountain and water can save costs."

"However, this Donglin Buddha was built according to the highest standards of protecting the country and praying for blessings for the Great Zhou Dynasty."

"Lord Ouyang also said that he would also melt and cast copper and iron, grind gold powder, and cast a hundred-foot-tall golden statue."

"These things all cost money for nothing, sigh."

After Manager Ma's sigh subsided, Wang Caozhi and the others also fell silent, their expressions somewhat troubled.

"The calculations are correct."

Ouyang Rong nodded, picked up a bite of food with his chopsticks, and chewed it twice.

Before the disappointment on everyone's faces could show, he suddenly spoke:

"But who said that we had to pay for all the money to build the Buddha statue? And who said that despite the huge investment, only a few Buddha statues were built?"

"What does this mean?" Everyone was stunned.

Ouyang Rong pointed with his chopsticks to Mount Lu in the distance outside the window and asked with a smile:

“Jiangzhou has more than just Donglin Temple, and the Lotus Pure Land School is not the only dominant sect.”

"There are so many lofty and proud monks and scholars in Mount Lu, as well as many famous temples and ancient monasteries with vast private wealth."

"How can we accept that this small Donglin Temple, which came from a poor mountain village, is so prominent and built the Donglin Buddha right under our noses, in the most conspicuous place on the banks of the Xunyang River?"

Ouyang Rong put down his chopsticks and blinked:

"If a small Donglin Temple can build the Donglin Buddha, why can't I build a Xilin Buddha or a Beilin Buddha?"

"At most, it lacks imperial edicts and official documents from the Ministry of Rites, so it cannot be built taller than the Donglin Buddha, and its location cannot occupy the most central throne on the shore."

"We can't compete in terms of height or location."

"But there's no rule that says we can't surpass it in terms of exquisite detail, and the same goes for inscriptions, murals, Yique Buddhist niches, and offerings and incense."

"Yes, they were overshadowed. That's because their Donglin Temple is not as skilled as ours. Our temple and sect's Buddhist and Taoist practices are not as exquisite, magnificent, and awe-inspiring. They have no one to blame but themselves."

"Going to complain to His Majesty, who is a devout Buddhist, will only lead to nowhere to seek justice."

Everyone opened their mouths slightly, looking at Ouyang Rong, who had a slightly mischievous smile, as he leisurely said:

"Therefore, the Xunyang Grottoes were not simply a task to complete, or just to build a Donglin Buddha statue."

"Besides being the closest Mount Kuanglu, any temple or eminent monk from all over Jiangnan or the world can come to us to build our sect's grand Buddha statue. They can all spread Mahayana Buddhism in this place where water transport and passenger flow are most developed in Jiangnan and where the world is at the forefront!"

He nodded:

"You are all in business, so there are some principles that I don't need to elaborate on. As the scale of the statues increases, the cost of building a single one will naturally decrease."

Ouyang Rong stopped there, leaning back comfortably in his chair, and looked at the group of shrewd merchants with a half-smile:

"Manager Wang, Manager Ma... do you all still think that building the Xunyang Grottoes is a losing proposition?"

"Brilliant!" Manager Ma, who had hesitated before, suddenly stood up and exclaimed in admiration.

"How could I not have thought of that? Those eminent monks of Mount Lu and those famous temples in Jiangnan, with their flourishing incense offerings, must have hidden away a great deal of wealth."

"Moreover, these bald monks are the most extravagant when it comes to spending money on Buddhism. If we encourage them to compete and rush to create statues..."

"Then we not only control costs, but there's also a lot of room for maneuver!"

Manager Li laughed heartily, stroking his beard as he added:

"Moreover, once the Xunyang Grottoes are completed, they will gather large Buddha sculptures from all sects in Jiangnan and even the world. Wouldn't that be a wonder? The Buddhist faith is widespread in Jiangnan. Why worry about a lack of pilgrims in the future?"

"In this way, wow, digging a new ferry crossing on the Xun River will bring in a huge amount of revenue."

The group of wealthy businessmen straightened their backs, their eyes shining.

Some people even stood up, pacing back and forth excitedly.

They couldn't wait to grab the money from the monks of Mount Lu and put it into their own pockets.

Wang Caozhi looked at Ouyang Rong with admiration and sighed:

"Brother-in-law, so you're actually trying to make money off these bald monks, not by competing with the people for profit, but by robbing the rich to help the poor."

"With such a large-scale construction project like the Xunyang Grottoes, and so much money being spent, the construction process will definitely ensure that the people and laborers of Xunyang City will have no worries about work for a period of time. In fact, due to the shortage of workers, wages may even increase."

"And those eminent monks and scholars in Mount Lu, if they fall into this trap, they'll probably be completely controlled by my brother-in-law."

Ouyang Rong glanced at Wang Caozhi, who was drawing inferences from one instance, and gently shook his head: "These are not the most important things."

Wang Caozhi paused, then asked in confusion, "Then what is the most important thing?"

Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes and said softly:

"Xunyang City has not been expanded for a long time, mainly because the urban area has expanded to the current limit of the terrain."

“The terrain of Xingzifang, the outermost part of the city, is already quite low. It is frequently troubled by the floods of the Xunyang River every summer. Further out, the terrain outside the western city is even lower, and the floods are even more severe, making it difficult to live there for a long time.”

"These are the main obstacles to the expansion of Xunyang City. It's not that we don't want to build it, but that it's impossible to build it."

"But now, once we can excavate Shuangfengjian and dredge the Xunshui River, we can completely solve the flood problem around Xunyang City."

"Then abandon the city walls and let Xingzifang gradually expand outwards, even extending all the way to Xunyang Grottoes at Shuangfengjian."

"Or, to put it another way, to directly adjacent to Xingzifang, replan and build a new neighborhood."

"It just so happens that the construction of Xunyang Grottoes requires a large number of laborers to be stationed near Shuangfengjian, working day and night in a great atmosphere, which will surely attract people and merchants to set up stalls... In addition, there is the transportation of materials from all sides, all of which can make the surrounding area prosperous quickly, thereby boosting the prosperity of Xunyang Ferry and the whole city."

"All of the above can be seen as the starting point for Xunyang City to expand into the western city area. This is a long process, but it is an opportunity for Xunyang City to take off again."

Ouyang Rong nodded calmly:

"Who says the new ferry crossing in the future can't gradually replace Xunyang Ferry?"

"The grand plan for Xunyang City, spanning a century, begins with the Xunyang Grottoes!"

These words shocked everyone present.

Wang Caozhi, Manager Ma, Manager Li, and the others were stunned into silence, pondering the matter.

The entire room fell silent.

...

"Are you sure you saw it clearly? Is it that handsome chief secretary?"

"Reporting to Madam, it is indeed the newly appointed Chief Secretary. I saw his face once at the welcoming banquet."

"This servant saw him appear in the building today in his everyday clothes, keeping a low profile. He went into the private room called 'Peony' on the third floor and hasn't come out for half an hour."

In a private box on the top floor of Xunyang Tower, after a moment of silence, a woman's languid voice rang out:

"Hmm, who is this young clerk here to see? Do you see clearly?"

"They are some unfamiliar merchants. I have served you, Madam, for so long and have never seen them in Xunyang City before. They must be from out of town. They are generous and wealthy."

"A wealthy merchant from out of town, how did he manage to get on the good side of this Chief Secretary... Alright, you can leave now."

"Yes, madam."

In the private room, an antique incense burner emits wisps of smoke, and a gold-inlaid tea set is placed on a rosewood table.

A cup of cloud and mist tea, brewed with the clear spring water from Gulianquan, releases steaming tea mist.

I listened intently for a while to the melodious sound of a pipa playing outside.

A noblewoman draped in a purple-gold lotus-patterned shawl gently blew away the steam from her tea, her red lips murmuring:

"This handsome young man has finally come out. What brings him to Xunyang Tower? Could it be that matter... that someone beat me to it?"

(End of this chapter)