YWTGU -Chapter 17 This Is Practically Great Qi’s Disaster Dream Team

Inside Cining Palace.

“Your Majesty! Now who has upset you this time?”

Empress Sun Ruoxi stepped forward with a smile, looking at Emperor Zhao Ling’er, who had just entered with a displeased expression.

“Who else could it be? The top scholar I personally selected! I gave him a token and special permission to enter the palace. He used the token—and instead of coming to see me, he went to see some old eunuch…”

There was a sour edge to Zhao Ling’er’s voice.

“If I’m not mistaken,” Sun Ruoxi said with a smile, “Lord Li would never enter the palace for no reason just to see an old eunuch he’s never met. Unless… it has something to do with his business of selling official posts.”

“As expected of you, Empress—you’re sharp. Still, I can’t help but feel Li An’s imagination runs a bit wild. Liu Xi is already so old. His greatest wish is probably just to retire peacefully.”

“I don’t think so. Judging by Lord Li’s actions, he’s always full of surprises. Your Majesty, just wait and see—perhaps he’ll give us a very big surprise.”

“I hope so. It wasn’t easy for me to discover such a talent. I truly can’t bear to see him die just like that.”

…

Meanwhile, Li An was hurrying toward Linjiang Pavilion in the western part of the city.

It was one of the most expensive restaurants in the capital.

In a private room on the third floor sat a drunken young man slumped over the table, shouting hoarsely:

“Shopkeeper! Another jar!”

This was Qian Xiaohai, eldest son of the Minister of Revenue—a regular patron of Linjiang Pavilion.

“Young Master Qian, you’ve already had seven jars…”

“So what if it’s seven? I can drink ten more! Bring the wine!”

The shopkeeper shrank back in fear and stopped trying to persuade him.

Qian Xiaohai slumped back over the table. Dark circles ringed his eyes, stubble shadowed his jaw—he looked like a down-and-out vagrant.

After a while, the door to the private room was pushed open.

A young man in official robes walked in, smiling as though they were old acquaintances.

“Young Master Qian, what fine leisure—drinking in broad daylight.”

Qian Xiaohai raised his eyes. “Who are you?”

“Li An. Hanlin Academy editor, Director of the Provisioning Office, newly crowned top scholar.”

“Li An?” Qian Xiaohai narrowed his eyes. “The one selling official posts all over the capital?”

“The very same.”

“Hah.” Qian Xiaohai snorted. “What are you here for? To sell me a post? Sorry—I have zero interest in being an official.”

“Young Master has no interest in office?”

“Not in the slightest.” He gulped down wine. “I ran out here just to escape my father’s nonsense. Forcing me to marry, produce heirs, inherit the position, glorify the family name—he drones on about it all day. Annoying as hell.”

“And what does Young Master want to do?”

“Why do you care?”

“I didn’t come merely to sell you a post.”

Li An calmly took out a sheet of paper and spread it open.

“I hear Young Master wants to sail overseas?”

At the words “sail overseas,” Qian Xiaohai’s expression changed instantly.

The drunken indifference vanished. He sat upright.

“You’ve investigated me thoroughly, haven’t you?”

“I’ve heard a little.”

Li An pointed at the lines on the paper. “This is the eastern coastline. From Dengzhou southward—here is Quanzhou, here is Guangzhou…”

“A nautical chart!” Qian Xiaohai leaned in, eyes shining. “You understand sea charts, Lord Li?”

“A little.”

“That’s not simple. Most scholars can’t make sense of this.”

“Look—beyond lies Yizhou, Ryukyu, the Southern Islands… and farther still?”

“Farther?”

“The whole world.”

Qian Xiaohai’s breathing quickened.

He stared at the blank space beyond the map’s edge, a fervent light igniting in his eyes.

“I know all this! I’ve studied it for ten years!”

“Then why haven’t you set sail?”

“My father!” He slammed the table. “Talking about storms, pirates, certain death! What does he know?”

“Have you tried sneaking out?”

“Three times!” he gritted his teeth. “All three times he sent men to drag me back! The third time he even rode two thousand li from the capital to Guangzhou to catch me!”

“Your father is quite determined.”

“No kidding! Over fifty and still rode two thousand li!”

“What if I told you… there’s now a chance for you to sail legitimately?”

Qian Xiaohai froze. “What chance?”

“You can bring your own fleet, recruit sailors, and wield the authority to execute first and report later.”

“You’re serious?!” His voice cracked.

Li An took out an official seal and placed it on the table.

“Maritime Inspection Commissioner. A newly established post—responsible for patrolling the seas, combating pirates, and protecting shipping lanes.”

Qian Xiaohai grabbed it, examining it over and over.

“This… this is real?”

“Reviewed by His Majesty, sealed with the imperial jade seal, registered with the Ministry of Personnel. It’s genuine.”

“But my father would never agree!”

“When the imperial decree arrives, does the Minister dare defy it?”

Qian Xiaohai blinked. Then smacked his forehead.

“Right! An imperial decree! With that, how can he stop me? He can’t exactly tell His Majesty, ‘I won’t let my son be an official,’ can he?”

“Exactly.”

“Hahahaha!” Qian Xiaohai burst out laughing. “Lord Li, you’re a genius!”

“You’ve been fighting your father on his turf. You’ll never win. Change the battlefield—use an imperial decree to suppress him. No matter how much he opposes it, he’ll be powerless.”

“Brilliant! I’ll take the post! Name your price!”

“Three hundred thousand taels.”

Li An named an astronomical price. After all, your surname is Qian.

“That’s it?” Qian Xiaohai laughed. “I thought it’d be five or eight hundred thousand! Three hundred thousand? That’s nothing!”

He immediately pulled out banknotes and counted them.

“Two hundred fifty thousand. As for the remaining fifty…”

He glanced at the jade ring on his finger.

Snap—he removed it.

“This was bestowed by the late emperor upon my great-grandfather. Worth at least seventy or eighty thousand. Consider it payment.”

He stuffed the notes and ring into Li An’s hands.

Ding!

【Qian Xiaohai has purchased the Maritime Inspection Commissioner post!】

【The chuunibyou rich young master is about to take control of the seas! Great Qi’s naval defense will collapse! National fortune greatly reduced!】

【National Fortune -250】

【Current National Fortune: 84,929】

“Young Master Qian is refreshingly decisive.”

Li An accepted the payment, inwardly delighted.

He’d thought there would be some scheming involved—perhaps sneaking to the Qian residence to “borrow” money. Instead, the wealthy Qian family’s young master carried 250,000 taels just for a casual drinking outing. Outrageously rich.

Three hundred thousand taels secured!

Adding the previous 1.8 million… 2.1 million taels total!

Overachieved!

“All right, Lord Li,” Qian Xiaohai lowered his voice, “this authority to execute first and report later—it’s real? If I encounter pirates, I can just chop them down?”

“Yes. Report afterward.”

“What about smugglers?”

“Seize them first.”

“And disobedient merchant ships?”

“Handle them as you see fit. Submit a memorial later.”

“Wonderful!” Qian Xiaohai nearly jumped. “Lord Li, you’re like my reborn parent!”

“Too kind. Report to the Provisioning Office tomorrow at the hour of Si. Meet your fellow colleagues.”

“Absolutely!”

Qian Xiaohai personally escorted Li An downstairs, grinning from ear to ear.

After Li An left, he dashed back upstairs, shut the door—

“Ahhh—!!!”

A roar suppressed for twenty years.

“The stars and the sea! Qian Xiaohai is coming!!!”

…

On the other side, Li An stepped out of Linjiang Pavilion, feeling lighter than ever.

He glanced at the system:

【Today’s National Fortune Change: -450】

【Total Change: -3,071】

【Current National Fortune: 84,929】

【Projected Settlement Reward: 3,071,000 taels of gold】

Over three million taels of gold!

Delightful.

He counted on his fingers.

Four posts—all sold.

Street Office to Jin Daye.
Trade Supervisor to Zhao Dadan.
Prison Interrogation Officer to Eunuch Liu.
Maritime Inspection Commissioner to Qian Xiaohai.

A thug, a rogue, a perverted eunuch, a chuunibyou rich brat…

What a lineup.

Tsk tsk tsk.

This was practically Great Qi’s Disaster Dream Team.

The more he thought about it, the better he felt.

In a couple of days at court, he’d let those old fossils see something truly eye-opening.