After being released from prison, Yan Sikong feigned illness and rested at home for a few days. One reason was to understand what happened during his imprisonment so as to have a better grasp of the situation, and the other was to arrange things for after he left Beijing.
Ali asked to go to Hetao with him because the northwest was barren, with poor mountains and bad water, and there was no telling how many dangers there would be on the way, but he did not let Ali go with him.
The first thing he did when he returned to the mansion was to drive away Zhao Quan, the spy planted by Xie Zhongren in the mansion, and several servants and maids. However, the family cannot be without a responsible person. Although Ali is not good at talking, he is loyal and reliable. He cannot be assured to hand over the huge Yan Mansion to Wanyang. With Ali, at least he can prevent the mansion from having traitors and using Wanyang to deal with him. After a few months, when Wanyang is about to give birth, Ali will also be needed to deal with it.
She Jun also secretly met with Yan Sikong again in the mansion. Xie Zhongren was imprisoned and awaiting trial. She Jun also got his revenge and his face was really bright. Unlike before, he used cynicism to cover up his worries.
However, when he heard that Yan Sikong was going to Hetao, he frowned tightly: "You want to look for Feng Ye? Why did you tell me now? And you didn't even discuss it with me."
"I have had this plan in mind for a long time, and everything is going according to my plan. Now I can legitimately serve as Shengjun's lobbyist and negotiate between Shengjun and Fengye."
"'Circle'? Nanyu, what exactly is your purpose?" She Zhun's tone turned cold. "If you say you really want to persuade Feng Ye to surrender, I will never believe it."
Yan Sikong looked directly at She Zhun and said anxiously, "She Zhun, Da Sheng now has barbarians outside and a tyrant inside. There have been major disasters and minor troubles year after year. The treasury, which has been filled with the reduction of vassal states and the sea tax in Jiangnan, can't support it for a few years. Even if we wipe out the eunuch party now, it will take at least five years for our dynasty to recover. But now there are internal and external troubles, how can we have such a rich How much time do we have left? Looking at the whole country, we can see that there are only a few generals available, and the ministers with good intentions are powerless to turn the tide. If this continues, the Jin Kingdom may annex Liaodong and attack the capital directly, and the Oirat may make a comeback and invade the northwest. The people will be miserable and rebellious. Sooner or later, it will not be just Sichuan and Shu that will rebel. If the princes from all directions take advantage of the chaos and rise up together, the world will be over. "
She Zhun was stunned: "But, right now, the local rebellions are not strong enough, the imperial court is also providing disaster relief, Zhao Fuyi is blocking Liaodong, and Wala has not yet recovered from the defeat four or five years ago."
"Do you think I'm scaremongering you?" Yan Sikong said in a deep voice, "It seems that although the country is not a peaceful one, it is not in a state of terminal illness and no medicine can cure it. It is said that the national treasury was still very well-off last year. But what if I tell you that next year, or at most the year after, the national treasury will be out of money?"
She Jun was shocked: "...How is it possible?"
Yan Sikong said slowly, "At the beginning of the year, we spent 800,000 taels of silver on disaster relief, most of which went into my own pocket. The Liaodong war cost 1.3 million taels of silver in just a few months, and we have to keep spending money. Now, in order to defend Fengye, we estimate that a million taels of military expenditure is necessary. Do you know how much the national treasury earns every year?"
"During its heyday, not counting the emperor's private treasury, there were probably about seven or eight million."
"Yes, during the reign of Emperor Mingwu, the Great Sheng was a country that was respected by all nations and dominated the world. During its heyday, the emperor's private treasury collected nearly 10 million taels of silver a year. But since Emperor Zhaowu... no, since his father, the most abundant period for the national treasury was the first two years, when the government reduced the number of vassal states and increased the sea tax in Jiangnan, reaching nearly 6 million taels of silver. But now, it has been many years since the reduction of the vassal states, and there is nowhere to reduce the number of taels, so it can be gradually ignored, and the sea tax in Jiangnan will soon be uncollectible."
She Zhun's eyes widened: "Because the eunuch party has fallen!"
Yan Sikong said solemnly: "Yes, once the eunuch party falls, the gentry will rise, and we will gradually return to the era when Yan Zilian was alive, when officials in Jiangnan dominated the area. The sea tax in Jiangnan will gradually decrease because of them. Next year, the national treasury will collect at least two million taels less, and next year, the war will never stop. If there is a place to use silver at this time, such as a natural disaster..."
She Jun finally understood Yan Sikong's worries. It was not just about being stern and obedient. For thousands of years, dynasties had come and gone on this land. In the final analysis, most of them were due to poverty. If the treasury was full, it meant that the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, men farmed and women weaved, and only then could taxes be collected. With enough taxes, it meant that the military was strong, the government was stable, and the people were harmonious, and foreign barbarians dared not invade.
Without money, no matter how powerful a dynasty is, it will crumble.
She Jun said: "You have seen so far."
"It's not that I can see far, but I have seen a lot. In history books, there are many such precedents. I am not the only one who can see it. Officials in the court have expressed their concerns, but the dog emperor doesn't care at all." Yan Sikong said sternly, "She Zhun, if you wait until you find that the country is in danger, it will probably be too late to save it."
She Jun paused and said, "Even so, what does this have to do with your meeting with Feng Ye?"
"I want to stop all this." Yan Sikong raised his voice. "This corrupt dynasty can die, but if it dies, the people of Central Plains will suffer. Since I have the opportunity to stop all this, how can I do nothing?"
"What do you want to do?"
Yan Sikong pursed his lips and looked at She Jun, his eyes burning with desire: "I want to help Feng Yebing to reach the Forbidden City and welcome Chen Yi to the throne, then all power will belong to the two of us."
She Jun shivered slightly, feeling a chill coming over him. His scalp almost exploded. He trembled and said, "You are so ambitious. Back then, you and Feng Ye wanted to force her to abdicate in the Spring Hunt, but you failed miserably. I didn't expect you to not give up yet."
Yan Sikong sneered: "My words may sound like a dog's barking to others. If I can't hold power, what's the point of talking about self-improvement and peace, and saving the country and the people? As long as I am still alive, I will never give up."
She Zhun said coldly: "Do you really want to save the country and the people, or are you addicted to power?"
“What if I say it’s both?”
She Jun narrowed his eyes and said, "Nanyu, you are very smart, perhaps the smartest person I have ever met, but things in this world cannot always go as you expect. What you want to do is a thousand times more dangerous than defeating Xie Zhongren."
"So what? Everyone will die one day. If a man doesn't have the ambition to make great achievements, then he has lived in vain."
She Jun was silent.
"She Zhun, I don't believe you are willing to wander around the world for the rest of your life. Don't you believe in being respected by the world and leaving your name in history?"
After hesitating for a moment, She Jun said, "I am used to being at ease. Fame and fortune are a burden to me. But if you are sincere about serving the people, I will help you."
"She Zhun, you and I have known each other for more than ten years. You know that I have no interest in fame, wealth, money, wine and sex. I hate cunning officials who ruin the country and do nothing. I want power because only with power can I do what I want. You have to believe me on this point."
She Zhun nodded and said mockingly: "But Feng Ye may not believe you. What if Feng Ye... wants to be the emperor?"
Yan Sikong frowned: "Based on my understanding of him, he can't stand such constraints."
"As you said, as a man, who doesn't want to make great achievements? Who hasn't dreamed of ruling the world and owning the country? How do you know he doesn't want to?"
Yan Sikong was silent for a moment, then said, "He is a handsome man, not an emperor. Besides, this is the kingdom of the Chen family. It is legitimate for Chen Yi to ascend the throne. If he were to become emperor, the princes would rebel and the world would be in chaos. He won't do that." He narrowed his eyes, "If he really wants to, I will stop him."
"Nanyu, you are taking a risk."
"Every step I take is risky." Yan Sikong smiled faintly, "Even if it means going through mountains of swords and seas of fire, I will not look back. I, Yan Sikong, was born to subvert the world."
She Jun sighed, "I hope you can get what you want. No matter who becomes emperor, I think he will be better than the current dog emperor. After hearing what you said, I feel that the disaster of destroying the top is not far away."
"It is indeed so, and I am not exaggerating." Yan Sikong said, "She Zhun, after I leave, everything will be handed over to you and Ali. You must tell me everything about the court without leaving out any details. You must protect Wan Yang, and especially don't let the matter of the child be exposed."
"I will."
"Wait for my news."
"Nanyu..." She Jun hesitated to speak.
"Go ahead."
"Have you ever thought about what would happen if you met Feng Ye?"
Yan Sikong was stunned. Did he want to? Perhaps he had thought about it. In the idle prison, he repeatedly considered whether his plan would work and whether he could meet Feng Ye. But every time he thought about the scene of meeting Feng Ye again, he would avoid thinking about it.
Back then, he married Wan Yang and refused to give up everything to follow Feng Ye. The two of them had severed all ties. Later, he defected to the eunuch party and became notorious. Now that they meet again, how will Feng Ye look at him?
He really didn't dare to think further. He would have to face closure one day. Thinking about it a thousand or ten thousand times would be useless and would only add to his worries.
But deep down in his heart, he holds hope. He hopes that Xie Zhongren's fate can make the two of them reconcile. Feng Ye once loved him sincerely, and the two of them were sweet and happy. Will Feng Ye...will he forgive him?
She Jun shook his head and pointed out his mistake: "You don't dare to think about it, right?"
Yan Sikong took a deep breath and said, "What's the point of thinking about it? You are just wasting your time. I'll talk about it after I meet him."
She Jun stood up and said sternly, "Nanyu, the journey to the northwest is long, and I don't know how many dangers are waiting for you. You must take care of yourself."
Yan Sikong nodded solemnly: "I will come back with an army that can cover the sky and the sun."