20demayo Chapter 318 Strike first, strike later and suffer the consequences.
Chapter 318 Strike first, strike later and suffer the consequences.
Chapter 318 Strike first and you'll be strong; strike later and you'll suffer.
Yinzhuo was like a generous benefactor, handing over piles of silver without hesitation. Yinzhen, the recipient, was completely stunned by this windfall. If Yinzhen hadn't clearly told him that the money was for his sixth brother to build a ship, Yinzhen would never have dared to accept it, even if he were drooling over the silver notes.
As the saying goes, it's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. For the past twenty-odd years, Yinzhuo has lived a comfortable and carefree life, with everything handed to him. He was a typical example of someone who doesn't know the cost of living until he's in charge of the household. The amount he casually gave away was no small sum. Not only did Yintang feel the pinch, but even his emperor father looked at him with the same smug gaze that Yinzhuo felt like he was being eyed as a fat sheep.
"Father, could you please stop staring at me like that? Your gaze is making me uneasy, like I'm being watched. Dai Zi's inventions are a bottomless pit; I've poured a lot of money into them and haven't seen any results yet. Now, with Xiao Shi's shipbuilding business, I'm not exactly flush with cash. If you're thinking of taking my secret stash, I advise you to give up. Of course, if you're really short of money, I can give you a suggestion: Xiao Jiu, your son who's known as the God of Wealth? He's incredibly rich. You could rob him; you'd definitely make a fortune. I hope you'll give me a little something in return for this idea, so I won't have to come begging to you when I'm broke."
There's a saying, "Strike first, strike hard; strike later, suffer the consequences." To avoid getting into trouble himself, Yinzhuo was essentially risking everything for Yintang. But what he said wasn't wrong; Yintang had indeed made a fortune in recent years. Kangxi knew Yinzhuo well enough to know what he was going to do the moment he bent over. Upon hearing this, Kangxi raised his hand and gave Yinzhuo's shiny forehead a good whack.
"Ha, you've been so generous, using Yinzhen to do me a favor. Does your silly brother even know? And you're even pointing me in the right direction? I bet you're eyeing his little treasury, aren't you? You're not exactly rich, are you? If you didn't have money, would you have casually sent Yinzhen millions of silver notes? I've always wondered, you don't look like someone who can go to the battlefield and fight, so why are you so interested in these guns, cannons, and ships?"
When Kangxi told Yinzuo to take Yintang out to do favors, he was a little guilty, since it was indeed his fault at that time. But the more he listened to the other party, the more confident he became.
“Father, you’re wrong. What do you mean I’m being generous with other people’s money by using Xiao Jiu to do you a favor? Weren’t you the one eyeing me like a fat sheep? And don’t wrong me. Even if your son is no good, he wouldn’t be so greedy as to try to steal your brother’s money. I was just trying to distract you and prevent you from targeting me. If you really did that, I would at most be an accomplice. You’ve already labeled me as such. You’re eating the meat, but you won’t even let me have a sip of soup? And you asked me why I’m interested in these guns and cannons, but didn’t you give the answer in your previous sentence? It’s because I don’t look like someone who can fight on the battlefield.”
Yinzhu raised his hand to rub his forehead, which had been covered with a potsticker by Kangxi, pushed the chessboard in front of him toward his father, and leaned to the side on the couch, his mouth never stopping, truly unwilling to suffer any loss.
“Father, I seem to remember telling you before that dignity only exists on the edge of a blade, and truth only exists within the range of cannons. Whether I can go to the battlefield or not is irrelevant, as long as I am interested in those guns and cannons and they can be used on the battlefield, that's enough. I believe that one day these things that interest me will change the course of war, and even reverse the fate of the nation…”
Once Yinzhu starts talking, it's not easy to stop him. Fortunately, Kangxi is used to his way of doing things. While busy with his own affairs, he can still multitask and spare a bit of attention to listen to his rambling. Yinzhu doesn't care whether his father is listening or not; he just keeps talking. He says whatever comes to mind. For a moment, the huge Qingxi Study seems to be filled only with Yinzhu's voice expressing his own opinions and the occasional rustling sound of Kangxi turning the pages of memorials.
"Father, if Xiao Shi's ship is really built, could we practice on the Japanese next door first? I heard that Dai Zi's artillery has made a breakthrough. I'm thinking we could combine the two, and it would be best to form a fleet. It's a pity that General Shi Lang died too young. If only he were twenty or thirty years younger. Father, do we have any outstanding young naval commanders? If so, how about sending Fourteenth to gain experience? He's almost twenty, and he can't just keep idly wandering around like this. And Thirteen, those two are inseparable. They could keep each other company and prevent him from missing home when he's away..."
For the entire afternoon, the father and son simply listened and talked. Although they didn't exchange many words, Yinzhuo could tell from Kangxi's slightly thoughtful expression that his father had taken some of his words to heart. As it turned out, he was right. Not half a month after their casual chat, his father sent the thirteenth and fourteenth sons to Fujian.
Whether it was the thirteenth or the fourteenth, they were both princes who had been raised in luxury since childhood. Even when they went out, they were always surrounded by servants. But what kind of place was the military camp? It was a place where the strong were respected. If you wanted to earn the respect of the soldiers, you couldn't just rely on your status as a prince. Yinzhuo had experienced this firsthand and naturally understood the principle even better. So when he learned that the thirteenth and fourteenth had been sent to Fujian by their father, he immediately called the two of them over and gave them some instructions. Even so, he was still not at ease. On the day the two of them set off, Yinzhuo specially went to Emperor Kangxi to ask for permission and accompanied Yinti, Yinreng, and Yinzhen to see the two unfortunate boys off.
"It's not like home outside. Fourteenth, you better control your temper. Thirteenth, keep an eye on him for Sixth Brother. If he dares to act stubborn or act recklessly because of his status, send me a message right away. Although I can't go to Fujian to punish you since the emperor is far away, Fourteenth, don't think I can't deal with you. Whenever I receive a letter from your Thirteenth Brother, I'll go to Father and ask for an imperial decree to fine you a year's salary. If Thirteenth ever runs out of money from the fine, don't worry about him..."
Despite Yinzhuo's words that he wouldn't let the thirteenth brother interfere with the fourteenth, how could he be at ease when his two younger brothers were traveling so far on their own for the first time? As the saying goes, "a poor family needs to be rich on the road." Yinzhuo, as the older brother, may not have much else, but he is quite wealthy. And now, the generous spender has once again appeared, giving each of them ten thousand taels of silver.
"When you encounter injustice while traveling, money can pave the way. It's always good to carry more money. Once you have all the money, don't say anything or ask anything. Just say two words: 'I have money.'"