Chapter 114 International Booth
The smoke had not yet completely dissipated, and the air was filled with a pungent smell mixed with scorched earth and blood.
Yingxue City, an important city in the eastern part of Fuying, has been completely reduced to burning ruins and huge bomb craters under the saturation attack of Yan Country's "Kepiduo".
The Yan army camped outside the ruins, but the atmosphere inside the central army tent was completely different from the mess outside.
Nangong Ye sat in the main seat, and even his dark uniform could not hide the coldness of a veteran on the battlefield.
Crown Prince Nangong Chengqian sat at the bottom, his young face showing the sharpness of someone who had just taken power, but deep in his eyes there was also a hint of shock at the destructive power just now.
The most eye-catching person was Dongfang Yuning, who was still held in Nangong Ye's arms and occupied the "special seat" on the side of the main seat.
She was dressed in misty green men's clothing, with her hair tied up with a jade crown. Her small face was as white as jade in the firelight. She was holding a small silver knife and slowly peeling a Fuying honeydew melon that had survived by chance and was scavenged from the edge of the ruins. She was as leisurely as if she was having a picnic in her own back garden.
The core generals in the tent stood on both sides, looking at the jade-faced young man being protected by the prince as if he were his own eye, and then thinking about the ruins outside that were still smoking... They had complicated emotions, but more of awe.
“Report—!”
A scout hurried into the tent and knelt on one knee.
"Your Highness, Your Highness the Crown Prince! Urgent news from the Fuying Capital! The news of the fall of Yingxue City and the razing of Heiyao City has reached Fuying Kyoto!
The Fuying government and the people are in a state of panic! According to insider information, Emperor Fuying is so frightened that he vomited blood. His ministers are divided into two factions. One faction advocates war, clamoring to use "kamikaze" warriors to destroy our country together! The other faction... is urging peace!
The scout paused, a trace of disdain on his face:
"The peace faction has gained the upper hand! They propose immediately gathering the treasures of the national treasury, selecting the most beautiful women, and dispatching a high-ranking delegation to our Yan Nation... to beg for surrender and peace!"
The tent suddenly became quiet.
Nangong Chengqian snorted coldly, his young voice filled with the arrogance and disdain of the crown prince:
"Seeking peace? Are you afraid now? Too late! What were you doing before? Last time, my father was kind and, considering it was their first offense, he let them off with a light punishment and a heavy warning. I didn't expect it would last long.
You dare to collude with the Northern Di and invade our border again! You are simply courting death!"
He thought of the vicious curses against his aunt, and his eyes became even colder.
Nangong Ye did not speak immediately, but just picked up the teacup beside him and slowly skimmed off the foam.
His deep eyes were lowered, and no one could see the thoughts surging in them, but the invisible pressure made the temperature in the tent drop a little. He sneered in his heart:
"I gave you a chance last time, Fuying. You didn't cherish it, and you jumped out to seek death. Now that the knife is at your neck, you're only thinking of asking for peace? There's no such thing as a cheap deal!"
Dongfang Yuning had just cut off a small piece of crystal clear honeydew melon and naturally handed it to Nangong Ye's lips.
Nangong Ye opened his mouth and took it in very naturally, his fingertips brushing against her tender fingertips as if unintentionally.
This intimate gesture made several veterans in the tent blush and look away.
[118, did you hear that? The Fuying people are scared! They're offering money and beautiful women to make peace!]
While Dongfang Yuning was feeding Nangong Ye, he was complaining to the system in his mind.
[What a pity, they don’t know that my brother-in-law, my eldest nephew, and my dear husband have all seen the world!
How can a mere vulgarity and vulgarity compare to the joy of destroying their very nest?
System 118 immediately answered:
[The host is wise! Fuyingren's actions are a typical example of 'not crying until you see the coffin, but wanting to bribe after seeing the coffin'.]
The fathers of the Yan Kingdom said: "We've already given you the coffin, bribe? Too late!" (The system displays a Q-version animated picture of the ministers running around in panic)
Nangong Chengqian:
[My aunt's description... although it's rough, it's true! Bribe? What do I need from him? My private treasury is already overflowing with money from my aunt!]
Nangong Ye swallowed the sweet honeydew melon, and stroked Dongfang Yuning's wrist with his fingertips. His eyes fell on her cunning and smart profile, and with a hint of exploratory and indulgent interest, he asked in a low voice:
"Ning'er, after Fuying was razed to the ground, what were your thoughts? Do you really want to completely incorporate that tiny piece of land into the territory of our Yan Kingdom?"
This question instantly attracted everyone's attention. The prince also looked over.
Annex? How to govern? The Fuying people are unruly and difficult to tame, and their culture is very different from that of the Yan Kingdom. Forcible annexation would incur enormous management costs and could lead to future problems.
Dongfang Yuning's eyes lit up when she heard that! She immediately sat up straight, her face lit up with excitement, as if it was finally her turn to perform! She even put down the melon in her hand.
"Merge? No no no!"
She shook her little head like a rattle, turned around in Nangong Ye's arms, faced him and the prince, and gestured excitedly with her little hands.
"Brother Aye! Nephew! The situation! We need to open up the situation!"
[118! Quick! Give me some exciting background music! This CEO is about to release the blueprint for his business empire!]
She called out in her heart.
System 118:
[Ding! 'Business Genius' mode activated! The high-energy version of the background music "We are the Champions" is loading! Host, please begin your performance! (The system's virtual PPT background board is ready)]
"Think about it,"
Dongfang Yuning cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound more convincing (although it was still crisp and pleasant).
"That shabby place called Fuying is incredibly poor, save for a few silver mines and kelp! The land is barren, and there are earthquakes and tsunamis every few days!
We go to great lengths to send troops to garrison and officials to govern, and then we have to worry about them launching national restoration movements at the slightest provocation. How tiring! The input-output ratio is seriously mismatched!
She clapped her hands:
"So! My plan is to turn the entire Fuying Country into a super-large international stage! Oh no, to be more precise, an international booth!"
"International...big stall?"
Nangong Chengqian was confused.
The generals looked at each other in confusion; this word was new to them.
"right!"
Dongfang Yuning nodded vigorously, her face shining.
"Doesn't our Yan Kingdom have many vassal states and trading partners? For example, Siam to the south is rich in spices and gems, the grassland tribes to the north have high-quality cattle, sheep, and horses, the Arab merchants to the west have many rare treasures, and the Korean ginseng across the sea is quite good...
In the past, if they wanted to do business with us, they either had to travel thousands of miles to Beijing, or they had to fight at the border. How inconvenient!
She became more and more excited as she spoke, gesticulating:
"Now! Let's conquer the entire territory of Fuying! Turn it into a completely neutral free trade island with the strong security of our Yan Nation!
Mark out the territory! Build the best port! Build the most spacious market! Build the safest roads! And then—recruit investors!
Attract those countries' flagship products and specialty industries to open stores! Open branches! Hold exhibitions! Let them compete on the same stage and trade fairly at Fuying, the international booth!
Everyone in the tent was stunned. A free trade island? Attracting investment? Competing on the same stage? These words sounded fresh and grand.
Dongfang Yuning continued to describe her blueprint:
"Just imagine the scene! Siamese spice stalls next to grassland fur shops, Arab glassware facing Goryeo ginseng shops! Merchants, goods, gold and silver from all over the world, all gathered in Fuying! How lively and prosperous would it be? As the host and maintainer of order, our Yan Kingdom can just sit back and collect the money!"
She counted on her fingers:
"First of all, the land is ours, right? Opening a shop? We have to pay rent! Stall fees! Charges based on the size of the space! It's called a venue usage fee!"
"Secondly, transactions must be conducted using our Yan Nation's officially issued silver notes or designated currency, right? There's a handling fee for the exchange! It's called a financial service fee!"
"Again, with so many people gathered, safety is paramount! We've sent elite troops to maintain law and order and protect the merchants. Is it reasonable to charge a security management fee?"
"Also, we have to find an official agency established by our Yan Nation to arbitrate disputes, right? They'll charge arbitration fees!"
"Port mooring, cargo storage, even inns providing accommodation for merchants... everything can be charged! It's called ancillary service fees!"
She waved her hand with great pride:
"From now on, every city in Fuying will be an international chain store of our Yan Nation! Every inch of land will generate a steady stream of rent and tax revenue for our Yan Nation!
The profits are definitely huge! It's a hundred times better than ruling them directly and making them farm and pay taxes!"
[Host! Business genius! This wave of operations is simply a dimensionality reduction attack! Elevate Fuying from the quagmire of geopolitics to the world's CBD (Central Business District)!
Landlady mode, collecting rent while doing nothing! yyds! (The system displays a virtual Fusakura Island map, complete with skyscrapers and flags of various countries fluttering.)]
System 118 is cheering like crazy.
Silence fell in the tent. The generals were stunned. Although they didn't quite understand some of the terms (such as CBD and landlady), they understood the core idea: turn Fuying into a large bazaar, let other countries spend money, and Yan State would sit back and collect the rent!
Nangong Chengqian's eyes became brighter and brighter:
[Brilliant! What's wrong with my aunt?! Fuying has completely lost its cohesion as an independent nation and the foundation for its restoration!]
They have become a gathering place for merchants from all over the world, with their interests intertwined. If anyone wants to restore the country, we don't need to do anything. Those merchants and other countries whose interests have been damaged will be the first to disagree!
All we have to do is maintain order and reap the benefits! We also avoid the hassle of assimilation and governance! Great! Truly great!]
Nangong Ye's deep eyes gazed at the spirited little woman in his arms. Looking at her cheeks flushed with excitement and her sparkling eyes, his heart was filled with indescribable pride and pampering.
His Ning'er always brought him unexpected surprises. This vision and perspective far surpassed those old men in the court who only knew how to fight for power and profit!
A smile played on his lips, and his arms tightened around him, silently expressing his support.
"good!"
Nangong Chengqian couldn't help but high-five in praise.
"Aunt, this is a brilliant plan! It turns war into business, and a burden into a source of income! It's truly a brilliant plan for the ages! Cheng Qian admires it!"
He looked at Nangong Ye,
"Uncle, what do you think?"
Nangong Ye nodded slightly, his voice steady and powerful:
"Ning'er's plan is very good. Once Fuying Kyoto is pacified, we will act accordingly. The specific details still need to be discussed in detail."
This was tantamount to the final word, making Dongfang Yuning's fantastic yet highly feasible business empire blueprint a national policy!
The generals in the tent also reacted and clasped their fists:
"Your Highness (Princess) has great foresight! I admire you!"
The look in her eyes when she looked at Dongfang Yuning was filled with not only awe but also deep admiration. This princess could not only create "adorable" weapons that could destroy the world, but she could also come up with a brilliant idea to make money without doing anything!
It's simply a combination of the God of Wealth and the King of Hell!
Dongfang Yuning felt a little embarrassed by the praise, her face flushed slightly, and she shrank into Nangong Ye's arms, feeling happy in her heart:
[Hey, don't be silly with your basic skills! We're all porters of the modern business model!]
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