TGCFNM -Chapter 229 My Elder Brother’s Ambitions Are Truly Wild

On one side, Wan Xing invited guests to a restaurant for a banquet. On the other, Steward Zhu ordered a full feast to be delivered to the yamen and formally expressed his apologies.

Wan Xing had social obligations to attend to and was temporarily unable to come.

Chu Ling folded her arms and smiled. “We saw him on the way back. Young Master Wan truly has important matters to handle. It’s no trouble for us.”

Steward Zhu pondered the meaning behind Chu Ling’s words. After cautiously glancing at her, he asked respectfully, “Does Your Excellency have any instructions?”

Chu Ling nodded decisively. “Yes.”

Steward Zhu was startled. Thinking that since Wan Xing was absent he probably shouldn’t make decisions on his own, he continued, “If Your Excellency has instructions, I’ll report them to the young master.”

“For the Wan family, it’s actually a very simple matter,” Chu Ling said.

Wan Sanjin immediately jumped over. “Your Excellency, and you still say you’re not planning anything!”

Chu Ling spread her hands. “I truly am not. I’m not doing anything—I’m asking the Wan family to do one thing. A very simple thing.”

Wan Sanjin looked at her with complete distrust.

Steward Zhu kept a polite smile on his face. “Your Excellency, please speak.”

Leaning against the doorway, Chu Ling lowered her voice. “This time, your Wan family has come saying you’re from the capital.”

Steward Zhu looked surprised. “Your Excellency, we are indeed from the capital. How did you know?”

Chu Ling smiled in satisfaction—Heaven itself was helping her. “I’ve noticed that the Wan family’s trade caravan brought quite a few people this time, and you’ve just returned from the capital. If some rumors were to spread among the Wan family members—rumors said to have been heard in the capital—that would be perfectly normal, wouldn’t it?”

Steward Zhu straightened his expression and looked at her seriously. “Your Excellency, what kind of rumors do you wish to spread? What are you trying to accomplish?”

Chu Ling gestured invitingly and led him into the study, then had Wan Sanjin close the door.

Steward Zhu braced himself.

Chu Ling looked at him and said, “The common people possess less and less farmland, while the great clans hold more and more.”

Steward Zhu nodded. That was indeed the case.

“When the people have less land, they pay less tax. Even if taxes are increased, the national treasury continues to empty day by day. So if one wishes to replenish the treasury, a new method must be adopted—those who hold large amounts of land must pay more taxes, and the tax rate should be significant.”

After speaking, Chu Ling looked at Steward Zhu, waiting for his response.

Steward Zhu froze on the spot. “Your Excellency, if such words were spread, would anyone even believe them?”

“It doesn’t matter whether they believe it,” Chu Ling replied, looking at him. “What matters is how widely and fiercely the rumor spreads. This pattern of land ownership has existed for a long time. I refuse to believe no official has ever memorialized the throne about it. So if the matter is raised again now, and accompanied by some ‘evidence,’ there will naturally be those who believe it.”

Wan Sanjin suddenly added, “Actually, as long as one person believes it and takes action, the others will be influenced as well.”

Chu Ling clapped her hands. “Exactly.”

Steward Zhu’s eyes widened as he looked from Chu Ling to his own young master.

These two truly had audacious courage—daring to spread such a rumor.

But thinking it over carefully, it was still feasible. After all, it would only be internal, ambiguous discussion. And merchants always pay close attention to the court’s direction, so certain “rumors” could indeed spread widely.

“Then, Your Excellency, what kind of evidence are you referring to?” Steward Zhu asked in detail.

Chu Ling raised her brows slightly. “The evidence would naturally be something that spreads outwards. For example, we could say that recently in the capital, someone seems to be selling off large tracts of good farmland. Although the land is in remote areas, the soil quality is good and worth purchasing.”

Steward Zhu pondered for a moment and felt it was workable, but he still had doubts. “Your Excellency, what if someone chooses to divide the good farmland among their own relatives and friends? Wouldn’t that render our efforts useless?”

Chu Ling thought for a moment and asked, “Recently in the capital, have any young masters from aristocratic families done anything outrageous? Or has anything been reported to His Majesty?”

Steward Zhu’s eyes widened. “Your Excellency, there actually has been!”

Chu Ling nodded. “Good. Then we’ll say that the aristocratic families have been acting arrogantly and finally someone reported them to His Majesty. Although His Majesty did not openly say much and only gave a minor warning, news about taxation somehow spread like wildfire. Who’s to say it wasn’t deliberately leaked by His Majesty…?”

Steward Zhu wiped the sweat forming on his forehead. “When Your Excellency puts it that way, it does seem feasible.”

Chu Ling smiled. “Steward Zhu, there’s no need to be nervous. We’re merely talking about rumors. And rumors stop with the wise. As for why some people would believe them—well, that’s because they have guilty consciences. What does that have to do with us?”

Steward Zhu cupped his hands solemnly. “I’ve remembered everything Your Excellency said. I’ll return at once and inform the Eldest Young Master. As for the specific arrangements, I imagine he will handle them personally.”

Chu Ling bowed slightly in thanks. “Much appreciated.”

Steward Zhu hurriedly waved his hands. “Your Excellency runs about for the sake of the common people. You are the one who works hard.” With that, he took his leave.

After he left, Wan Sanjin looked at Chu Ling. “If this matter is arranged by my elder brother, then there’s nothing to worry about. But if the aristocratic families really decide to sell their good farmland, will the common people actually buy it?”

Chu Ling raised her brows with a smile. “Guess why I specifically asked Steward Zhu about this?”

Wan Sanjin replied somewhat blankly, “Naturally to have my elder brother help.”

“Exactly!” Chu Ling laughed. “So your elder brother will buy up the good farmland that the aristocratic families are dumping. And in a suitable manner, he’ll lease it to the common people for cultivation.”

Wan Sanjin froze in place. “So the reason my elder brother is willing to take the risk… is because he can even take over all the farmland the aristocratic families sell off?”

Chu Ling nodded firmly.

Wan Sanjin drew in a sharp breath. “My elder brother is truly bold!”

Chu Ling dragged over a chair and sat down. After motioning for Wan Sanjin to sit as well, she continued, “When I first thought of this plan, I already guessed your elder brother would choose to help. Because once he swallows all the good farmland in the aristocratic families’ hands, he will never return it.”

“And once the collateral branches of those aristocratic families here in Dongle City lose a source of income, it will inevitably affect their main households in the capital. But at this tense moment of succession struggles, those families will have no time to deal with the Wan family. They’ll have to act even more cautiously—and that will be the Wan family’s opportunity.”

Wan Sanjin lowered his eyes, deep in thought.

After a long while, he looked up at Chu Ling, shock written across his face. “If the Wan family has good farmland and wealth, then after the struggle for succession leaves everything in ruins and the country urgently needs to recover, we can hand over half of our family assets.”

This was the method to protect the Wan family—also the most dangerous, yet the only viable path.

Chu Ling nodded in affirmation. “Your elder brother’s plan isn’t to support a particular prince and gain the merit of aiding a future emperor. It’s to step in after the dust settles and stabilize the Wan family’s foundation.”

Just imagine—even if the Wan family never supported him, once the new emperor ascends the throne and is able to stabilize Great Zhou with the Wan family’s help, that becomes the new emperor’s achievement.

And it will also mark the beginning of the Wan family’s dominance.