IDWBE -Chapter 178 Silver Notes

Shan Qi smiled and said, “Your Highness’s words are like gold and jade, firm as a mountain—exactly right!”

“Good that you understand. Honestly, in this life, I don’t have many ambitions,” Lin Yi suddenly stood up and began pacing back and forth in the hall, occasionally glancing at the heads-down people around him. “My biggest dream is simply to be free, unbound, doing as I please. No noisy chaos, no petty squabbles, no worldly fame or fortune. That’s why I came all the way to Sanhe, thinking I could let the fish leap freely in the sea and the birds soar high in the sky. But then, that bunch from Jizhao Nunnery, balancing on bamboo poles to use the latrine—disgusting! Now I don’t even dare to step outside, afraid they’ll stab me straight in the heart with a sword! If I die, I die—but I won’t die like a coward.”

Whenever His Highness Lin Yi blurted out a few such outrageous statements, no matter how tough the people were, they couldn’t help but laugh.

Wang Qingbang turned his back, finished laughing, then cupped his hands and said, “Your Highness, please calm your anger!”

“People always see me smiling and say I’m easy to get along with, but truly, if you push me, just try me!”

The thought alone made him even angrier.

No more air-conditioned rooms, cola, or watermelon—it was already humiliating enough!

And now, on top of that, people are chasing me everywhere!

I wish I could explode right here!

Blow up these troublemakers with me!

“I’ll tear her bones apart one by one, and those two fools will smash them with hammers,”

Lin Yi said through gritted teeth. “From now on, all of you follow me. If you fail, look for the reasons within yourselves!”

Everyone froze.

Look for the reasons within themselves?

What kind of nonsense is that?

But nobody dared to contradict him face-to-face.

Shan Qi smiled wryly, “Your Highness is wise and mighty, capable of planning great deeds!”

“Better be so.”

Lin Yi suddenly laughed. “Otherwise, Jizhao Nunnery would laugh at us.”

Everyone echoed in unison, “Yes!”

His Highness’s meaning was clear: they mustn’t give Jizhao Nunnery any reason to mock them.

Lin Yi raised his cup. “I’ll drink one more with all of you. May everyone enjoy health and good fortune in the new year!”

“Thank you, Your Highness! Long live the Prince!”

Finally, a sentence that sounded like normal human speech! The group was moved to tears.

Lin Yi waved his hand, signaling everyone not to be formal and to eat and drink as they pleased.

For a while, the hall was filled with clinking cups, everyone toasting each other.

Lin Yi kicked Yu Xiaoshi, who was crouched on the ground hugging a wine jar, and said irritably, “The wine isn’t free, you have to drink this hard?”

“…”

Yu Xiaoshi smiled awkwardly, unsure what to say.

Because indeed, he didn’t need to spend his money!

“The wine outside doesn’t taste as good as Your Highness’s!” A-Dai shouted loudly.

Most of their monthly allowance was spent on wine.

They didn’t mind spending it—but outside wine didn’t compare!
It lacked the mellow flavor of the wine at the Prince’s residence.

“I won’t deduct from your allowance,” Lin Yi glared at the two of them and ignored them afterward.

They drank into the late night before people gradually dispersed.

Just after the Lunar New Year, as Baiyun City prepared for spring planting, batches of Li, Lian, and Qian people rode elephants, drove livestock, and carried grain northward, arriving at Baiyun City.

Those tribes who came earlier with Baiyun City’s army had initially struggled, but after a short while, they began to appreciate the advantages here.

They refused to leave.

In the spirit of “shared joy is better than solitary joy,” many ran back to their homelands, calling friends, bringing everyone along.

On quieter days, there were thirty or forty people; on busier days, over a thousand, all traveling in tribal groups with pots, pans, and pottery.

Not only Lin Yi didn’t expect this—people of Baiyun City hadn’t either.

Generations living in Baiyun City had no idea that so many people lived hidden in the border mountains of Sanhe!

Many tribal names weren’t as familiar as Qian or Li but were completely unheard of.

Kuoren? Erren?
Who’s ever heard of them?

Gradually, forty or fifty thousand more streamed in, giving Lin Yi a headache.

If left unchecked, they would immediately cause chaos.

These people were truly wild and free-spirited!

Forget the Sanhe regulations or labor reform—they ignored everything, facing constables with knives if necessary.

The key was to promote employment.

Lin Yi allocated land within fifty li south of the Nan’an River to them, lent farming tools and seeds, and arranged Baiyun City’s skilled farmers to teach them how to farm.

He also mandated that all children aged five and above must attend school.

He thought it wouldn’t be a problem—but the tribes strongly resisted.

By tribal custom, children at five were supposed to learn hunting and set traps.

If a child couldn’t use a bow or hunt, how could they be called “children of the forest”? And meals and lodging aren’t optional?

Lin Yi wasn’t convinced!

He built a new school in the tribal gathering area, with Han Jin, a student who had barely completed the three-year compulsory education, appointed as principal.

Following Lin Yi’s orders, he cooked rice and stewed meat at the school entrance for three consecutive days.

The fragrant aroma spread everywhere, luring children to eat.

Aside from taste and smell, the meals had all necessary condiments. Once the children ate, they wanted more.

But on the fourth day, the big stove stopped. The meat was gone, the sweets and candied fruits were gone.

Kang Bao, acting as translator, told the children: only studying earns food; no study, no food.

Children’s cries echoed through the entire village.

Most parents relented; the children’s cries were trivial, and a beating would solve it.

Mostly, it was the food—they valued the flavorful meals!
They saw for themselves!

Salt was precious in these times, and they weren’t ignorant of that!

Of course, there remained a stubborn group—some sent none of their children, some only sons.

For this minority, Lin Yi finally struck hard.

Tribal leaders were held accountable: if one child didn’t attend, it was the leader’s fault.

He didn’t hesitate to summon these leaders under the tiger-like authority of Li Shuai on the border, had in-depth talks with them, and sent back those who didn’t comply.

These leaders, usually arrogant, took their frustrations out on their children’s parents.

From then on, the three-year compulsory education plan began among the tribes.

Next, Lin Yi focused on promoting silver notes in Sanhe.

First, the Finance Department only accepted Sanhe Bank’s silver notes for taxes, no longer collecting silver coins.

Anyone wishing to pay taxes had to first exchange their money for silver notes at Sanhe Bank.

Second, from soldiers to palace guards, monthly salaries were issued only in silver notes—including suppliers and road workers, all paid in silver notes.