YWTGU -Chapter 3 Worthy of the Top Scholar I Personally Chose!

Several censors at the side rushed forward, afraid that if they voiced their stance a moment too late, they would appear insufficiently loyal.

“Your Majesty! This boy comes from a humble background and knows nothing of court protocol. Yet he dares to spout wild words in the Golden Hall, treating the ancestral laws as if they were nothing!”

“Selling offices and titles has, since ancient times, been the omen of a nation’s fall! If Great Qi adopts such a policy, we will become the laughingstock of the world!”

Upon the Dragon Throne, Emperor Zhao Ling’er also frowned slightly, a trace of disappointment flashing through her eyes.

Originally, she had expected this top scholar—who dared to speak blunt truths—to present some earth-shattering strategy. Who would have thought it would be such a… despicable method?

Selling offices and titles?

Wasn’t that like drinking poison to quench thirst?

Yet at the center of the storm, Li An appeared utterly calm—he even looked like he wanted to laugh.

Curse away! Go on!

The harsher you scold, the more vicious this method must be!

Don’t want the country to fall? That won’t do!

I’m still waiting to cash in the system’s gold and go back to the modern world!

If we’re going to ruin the nation, we have to use a heavy dose!

Li An felt delighted inside, but on the surface he wore an expression of “Though a thousand oppose me, I will still go forth.” He stood tall in the middle of the hall, chin raised, letting the spittle fly from all directions.

Amid the siege of officials, Grand Academician Zhang Tingyu of the Hanlin Academy trembled as he stepped forward.

“Top Scholar Li.”

Zhang Tingyu said in a deep voice, “Allow this old man to ask you: In the past, Emperor Xian of Wei sold offices and titles, leading to corrupt ministers seizing power and the collapse of court order. Within three years, the state perished. Let past lessons guide the future—how dare you drag His Majesty into injustice? How dare you push Great Qi toward ruin?”

Old ginger is spicier.

With that speech, Zhang Tingyu cited history with precision, ready to nail Li An to the pillar of historical shame.

Ding!

【The Grand Academician refutes the sale of offices with historical precedent! Court morale surges!】

【National Fortune of Great Qi +5】

【Current National Fortune: 88,079】

Li An nearly cursed out loud.

Damn it! It went back up again!

The old man just said a few words and it rose five points—what kind of nonsense is that?

No, I’ve got to turn this around quickly!

The ministers chimed in one after another:

“Elder Zhang speaks wisely! This is a path to self-destruction!”

“Did you hear that, Li An? You’re trying to become a sinner for all eternity!”

“And you call yourself the top scholar? You don’t even know basic history?”

Li An looked at these indignant “loyal ministers” and let a mocking smile curl his lips.

If you want to play, then let’s play big.

“A path to self-destruction?”

Li An sneered, meeting Zhang Tingyu’s gaze without fear. “Elder Zhang, I ask only one question: The one hundred thousand soldiers at the frontier—right now, what are they eating? What are they wearing? What are they using to resist the hundred thousand iron cavalry of Northern Yan?”

Zhang Tingyu faltered. “The… the court will naturally raise funds…”

“Raise funds? With what?”

Li An pressed forward step by step. “With your lofty talk of benevolence and righteousness? Or with your spittle?”

He swept his gaze around the hall and sneered. “All of you wear silks and satins, keep three or five concubines at home, living in comfort. But the soldiers at the frontier? They wear tattered cotton coats, eat moldy coarse rice, and wield chipped steel blades—while shielding you from Northern Yan’s cavalry!”

Ding!

【Li An exposes the ministers’ extravagance, stirring public opinion!】

【National Fortune of Great Qi -4】

【Current National Fortune: 88,075】

Li An glanced at the system panel, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

It dropped! Good—keep going!

“You… vulgar!” Zhang Tingyu choked, his face flushed red.

“Vulgar?” Li An laughed loudly. “At a moment like this, it’s called being pragmatic!”

“Elder Zhang says Wei fell because it sold offices? What a joke! Wei fell because Emperor Xian was incompetent and entrusted power to the wrong men! If His Majesty is wise and heroic, and the proceeds from selling offices are used for national defense, how could that lead to ruin?”

His voice suddenly rose sharply: “Or does Elder Zhang believe that our Great Qi’s emperor is also an incompetent ruler?”

That counter-question was lethal.

Zhang Tingyu staggered back two steps, face pale.

“You… you slander me!”

His beard trembled as he hastily knelt toward the Dragon Throne. “Your Majesty, please discern clearly—I meant no such thing!”

Ding!

【Li An debates the scholars and turns the tide! The ministers are left speechless!】

【National Fortune of Great Qi -6】

【Current National Fortune: 88,069】

Li An was overjoyed inside.

Wonderful! The more forcefully I confront them, the faster the national fortune drops!

So this is the proper way to “throw the court into chaos”!

Without giving Zhang Tingyu a chance to recover, he suddenly turned and faced the gathered officials, his voice ringing like a great bell:

“My lords, you all say selling offices will ruin the country. Fine! Then produce a method that won’t!”

“If anyone here can immediately produce two million taels of silver to resolve the frontier crisis, I, Li An, will smash my head against the Golden Hall and die on the spot to entertain you! How about it?”

Silence fell over the entire hall.

Two million taels?

Even if they sold themselves, they couldn’t gather that much!

Li An sneered inwardly. Exactly.

A bunch of iron roosters—greedy to the bone in peacetime, but pretending to be poor when the nation faces disaster.

Asking them to pay up would be harder than taking their lives.

Seeing them mute, Li An’s contempt deepened.

“What’s the matter? All silent now? Weren’t you scolding quite enthusiastically just now?”

“If you can’t produce the money, then shut your mouths!”

“Not only can you not produce money, you’re also blocking the only method that can raise it. I say it’s not I, Li An, who wants Great Qi to perish—but you so-called ‘loyal ministers’ who occupy your posts without doing your duty!”

Ding!

【Li An denounces the incompetence of the officials! The court is shaken!】

【National Fortune of Great Qi -5】

【Current National Fortune: 88,064】

Who could possibly accept a charge like that?

The ministers were red-faced from scolding, yet utterly speechless.

Li An looked at the steadily dropping number on the system panel and felt immense satisfaction.

Now this is the proper way to ruin a nation!

Prime Minister Wang Fu narrowed his eyes slightly and said coldly, “Top Scholar Li speaks boldly. Even if we follow your proposal and sell offices, it is nothing more than killing the chicken to get the eggs. And in the short term, how much silver could you possibly raise? It would be but a drop in the bucket.”

“A drop in the bucket?”

That was exactly what Li An had been waiting for.

He swept his sleeve dramatically and fixed his blazing gaze on the emperor atop the Dragon Throne.

“Your Majesty!”

“Since the ministers doubt me, I am willing to sign a military pledge!”

“Ten days! In just ten days, using this method, I will raise two million taels of silver for Your Majesty! If I fall short by even one coin, I will present my head in atonement!”

Boom!

The hall exploded in uproar.

Two million taels? Ten days?

Did this madman even know what he was saying?

The entire annual tax revenue of Great Qi was only a few million taels!

Ding!

【Li An signs a military pledge, staking everything on one throw!】

【If successful, it will greatly boost national strength; if it fails, it will shake the trust between ruler and ministers!】

【System detection: High-risk event. Awaiting outcome…】

“Ten days? Two million taels?”

Wang Fu couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. “Top Scholar Li, I’ve served as an official for thirty years and have never seen anyone so arrogant!”

“The Prime Minister’s narrow vision is the Prime Minister’s problem.”

Li An showed no fear at all. “It is not that this student is arrogant—it is that you esteemed lords are incompetent.”

“But!”

Li An abruptly changed his tone. His gaze swept across Wang Fu and the gathered ministers, and he revealed an exceedingly provocative smile.

“If I succeed, shouldn’t you lords also show some sincerity?”

“As pillars of the court, you can’t possibly be inferior to a treacherous petty man like me who proposes selling official posts, can you?”

“It’s not much. I’ll raise two million. All of you together—no matter what methods you use—raise one million taels. That’s not too much to ask, is it?”

This was a blatant provocation.

He was grinding the dignity of the entire court into the dirt.

Wang Fu’s face turned ashen. Qian Tong trembled with rage.

But the words had already reached this point. If they refused, wouldn’t that mean admitting that this group of veteran officials couldn’t even compare to a mere young upstart?

How would they ever survive in court afterward?

Besides, ten days for two million taels? That was an impossible task!

This brat was as good as dead!

“Fine!”

Through gritted teeth, Wang Fu said, “If you truly manage to raise two million taels, I will smash pots and sell iron if I must, and lead the officials to gather that one million! But if you fail…”

“If I fail, there’s no need for the Prime Minister to act. I’ll twist off my own head and use it as a ball!”

Li An threw down these ruthless words, sealing the deal completely.

Meanwhile, the emperor, Zhao Ling’er, who had been observing coldly from the sidelines, now had a strange gleam in her eyes.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

She had originally thought Li An was merely a forthright and outspoken official. She hadn’t expected him to be someone bold enough to wager his life.

Selling official posts would indeed damage reputations and carried risks.

But just as Li An had said, what mattered most now was money—the urgently needed military funds at the frontier!

Moreover, this “provocation” had not only stirred the stagnant waters of the court into turmoil but had also placed these stingy aristocratic families and meritorious nobles over an open flame.

Ten days. Two million taels?

If it succeeded, not only would the border crisis be resolved, but the treasury would also be replenished!

As for the infamy? Li An would bear it.

As for the risk? There was a written military pledge—if it failed, executing Li An to atone would suffice.

No matter how she calculated it, this was a deal she couldn’t lose!

In the end, she would be the ultimate winner!

Bang!

Zhao Ling’er slapped the armrest of the dragon throne and rose to her feet.

“Excellent! Truly worthy of the top scholar personally chosen by me!”

“Since Minister Li possesses such ambition, I shall grant you this opportunity!”

Her gaze swept across the assembled ministers before settling on Li An, her voice dignified and resolute:

“I approve Li An’s proposal! The ‘Military Funds Office’ shall be established immediately, with Li An fully in charge. All matters shall bypass the Six Ministries and be reported directly to me!”

Ding!

【The Emperor appoints the treacherous minister Li An—foolish and incompetent!】

【The court is in uproar; hearts are unsettled!】

【Great Qi National Fortune -108】

【Current National Fortune: 87,956】

Li An was overjoyed inside.

It dropped another eight points!

And he’d even secured an independently operated “Military Funds Office”!

This was a genuine department with real power!

With this, he could cause destruction however he pleased!

“Prime Minister!”

Wang Fu stiffened. “This old minister is here.”

“You heard it as well. Since a wager has been made, you must be prepared to accept the outcome. Go and prepare that one million taels. In ten days, I expect to see the results in the main hall!”

Wang Fu felt bitter inside—why did it feel like he’d fallen into a trap?

But he could only steel himself and respond, “This old minister… obeys the decree.”

“Court dismissed!”

With a sweep of her sleeve, Zhao Ling’er turned and departed.

Only after the emperor’s figure disappeared did the suffocating tension in the hall finally break.

The ministers now looked at Li An as if he were already a dead man.

“Hmph! Ignorant brat!”

“Ten days for two million? Let’s see how you die!”

“Better tell your family to prepare a coffin!”

Li An ignored the curses entirely.

You old fossils!

What do you know of the power of private capital?

Those merchants who long to obtain official status are holding vast fortunes in their hands!

Spending a bit of money to buy an official post—this is the best deal in the world!

And more importantly…

He secretly glanced at the system panel—

【Today’s National Fortune Change: -123】

【Cumulative Change: -44】

【Current National Fortune: 87,956】

Whoa!

Seeing that delightful -44, Li An felt elated!

That’s 4,400 taels of gold earned just like that!

Even if he were executed now and sent back to the modern world, it would still be worth it!

But this little bit… how could it possibly be enough?

With the emperor’s edict establishing the “Military Funds Office,” he could now legally and openly wreak havoc across Great Qi!

Simply selling official posts? That’s too superficial—too low-level!

What he intends to sell is chaos! Hearts and minds! The very foundation of the nation!

Let the national fortune drop, drop, drop… all the way into the negatives…

“Hehehe…”

Walking out of the grand hall, Li An looked up at the pristine blue sky above and couldn’t help letting out a triumphant chuckle.

Great Qi, are you ready to welcome my “ruinous” storm?

Two million taels?

Who are you underestimating?

As long as I’m allowed to sell, forget two million—I could sell Great Qi down to its very foundations!

When the national fortune plummets and system gold soars…

Just thinking about it feels wonderful!