“Spendthrift!”
“Wasting the people’s labor and the nation’s wealth!”
“That top scholar Li An is determined to wreck Great Qi!”
East Street of the capital.
A group of workers were digging up the road to lay bluestone slabs. Dust filled the air, making passersby cough.
In a nearby teahouse, several old men cursed as they sipped their tea.
“The road was perfectly fine—why dig it up and redo it?”
“One lamp every ten steps! How much lamp oil will that burn?”
“Did the treasury’s silver fall from the sky?”
And it wasn’t just East Street.
The entire capital had turned into one massive construction site.
Streets were dug into pits and trenches; carriages could barely pass.
The constant clang-clang of hammering echoed from morning till night.
The common people were miserable.
Life had been peaceful, but now the roadworks had thrown everything into chaos.
“I heard this was all Li An’s idea!”
“They’re using millions of taels from the treasury to fix these roads—what a waste!”
“How can the court let someone like that make decisions?”
Criticism of the roadwork—and of Li An—was endless.
In just three days, his reputation had sunk to rock bottom.
On the second floor of the teahouse, several merchants furiously worked their abacuses.
“This road’s been blocked for three days—I can’t ship my goods!”
“You don’t understand—because of this construction, I’ve already lost three business deals!”
“Exactly! Li An only cares about his political achievements—he’s ruining the livelihoods of ordinary people!”
From teahouses to vegetable markets, the complaints spread everywhere.
The market aunties were even more direct.
“If not for the Emperor protecting him, Li An would’ve been impeached and thrown into prison long ago!”
“Keep your voice down! What if the Street Office hears you?”
“Afraid of them? Those pests are just Li An’s lapdogs!”
…
And what about Li An himself?
At that very moment, he was reclining comfortably at the Top Scholar Residence, legs crossed, leisurely sipping tea.
Listening to Hongmei report the public’s reactions from across the city.
“They’re cursing me? Good!”
He thought with delight.
“The harsher the better!”
“The greater the resentment, the faster national fortune drops!”
Just as he was savoring the thought, a notification suddenly sounded in his mind.
Ding!
【Severe public sentiment fluctuations detected】
【“Capital Renovation Plan” has triggered widespread resentment】
【Public grievance level: Extremely High】
【Treasury expenditure: Continuously draining】
【Impact on national fortune: Negative】
【Calculating specific value…】
Li An’s eyes lit up. He was ecstatic inside.
Here it comes!
Finally!
He straightened up, waiting for the system’s final report.
It felt like a student who knew he’d done well on an exam, anxiously waiting for the results to be released.
Ding!
【Calculation complete】
【Due to large-scale construction, public disturbance, fiscal extravagance…】
【Great Qi National Fortune deducted: 18,000 points】
【Current National Fortune: 97,800】
Eighteen thousand points!
Li An nearly leapt from his chair in joy.
That was eighteen thousand!
Since transmigrating, he had never seen national fortune drop so much at once!
“Hahahahaha!”
“It worked! It finally worked!”
“I’ve finally knocked national fortune down!”
At last—at last he had found the correct method to sabotage the nation!
“Just as I thought!”
“The people of Great Qi are so easy to manipulate!”
“As long as I waste money, they’ll curse me!”
“I get cursed, the treasury gets drained—how could national fortune not fall?”
“Perfect!”
The more he thought about it, the wider his grin stretched.
If he could lose ten or twenty thousand points a day…
He’d complete the mission in no time!
“Young Master?”
Hearing his laughter, Hongmei suddenly jumped in through the window.
“What were you laughing at just now?”
Li An quickly suppressed his grin and coughed.
“Nothing.”
“Just thinking of something amusing.”
Hongmei looked at him suspiciously.
The whole city was cursing him. His reputation had completely soured.
Most officials prayed to be praised by the people.
Yet this one—being cursed seemed to make him happier?
“Young Master, Jin Daya is outside. He says he has something to report.”
“Let him in.”
Li An immediately composed himself.
The moment Jin Daya entered, he began complaining loudly.
“My lord!”
“The insults out there are unbearable!”
“Our Street Office brothers are getting spat on every day!”
He looked aggrieved.
“The commoners are calling us accomplices!”
“They say we’re helping you ruin the capital!”
Li An listened attentively, but inside he was overjoyed.
Good! Excellent! Wonderful!
Outwardly, however, he remained calm.
“What’s there to panic about?”
He lifted his teacup and took a slow sip.
“Being cursed won’t cost you flesh.”
“Just do your job.”
Jin Daya blinked.
My lord… doesn’t care at all?
“But—”
“No buts.”
Li An set down the cup, his expression deep and inscrutable.
“You just focus on the work.”
“Finish within three days.”
“Spend the money properly. Do the job beautifully.”
“As for the insults…”
“Let them curse.”
Jin Daya stared at him in awe.
This composure… truly admirable.
If it were anyone else, being cursed by the entire capital would have shattered them.
But Lord Li?
Calm as a mountain.
This was the bearing of a great man!
“Your subordinate understands!”
He straightened his back.
“Even if I’m cursed to pieces, I’ll see this through!”
“Go.”
Li An waved his hand.
“Remember—three days.”
“In three days, I want to see a completely transformed capital.”
Jin Daya accepted the order and left.
Li An watched him go, unable to suppress his smile any longer.
Three days.
Just three more days.
If the spending continued like this, national fortune would drop even further.
When the cycle settlement arrived…
He would make a fortune!
Over the next two days, public resentment only intensified.
“This isn’t road repair!”
“This is torment!”
“Noisy during the day—and still noisy at night!”
“I can’t even sleep!”
“My baby cried three times from the noise!”
“My old father nearly fainted from anger!”
“It’s all Li An’s fault!”
Some even threw rotten eggs at the workers.
One worker was hit square in the head with rotting vegetable leaves.
When Jin Daya heard, he stomped in fury.
“These fools! Once they enjoy the benefits, they’ll forget everything!”
“Let them curse now!”
At court, impeachment memorials against Li An piled up like a small mountain.
Prime Minister Wang Fu was the first to step forward.
“Your Majesty!”
“Li An’s actions waste both labor and wealth!”
“The capital’s people are seething with resentment!”
“If this continues, chaos may erupt!”
Grand Commandant Sun Qian followed.
“The Prime Minister is correct!”
“I advise halting the project immediately!”
“Punish Li An to calm public anger!”
On the dragon throne, Zhao Ling’er frowned deeply.
Truthfully, she had heard plenty of insults herself.
Some citizens had even thrown stones toward the palace, calling her a foolish ruler for favoring a treacherous minister like Li An.
Such incidents had never happened in Great Qi’s history.
But…
“Wait a little longer.”
She spoke in a low voice.
“Since Li Aiqing dares to act so boldly, he must have his reasons.”
“I trust him.”
The officials exchanged uneasy glances.
Was His Majesty trusting Li An too blindly?
But no one dared say it aloud.
The Prime Minister’s face turned green.
The Emperor’s trust in Li An bordered on blind faith.
What kind of potion had Li An fed her?
Even Sun Qian felt conflicted.
Yet… every time Li An had acted absurdly before, it had eventually proven farsighted.
This time…
Should be the same… right?
Right…?
As for Li An?
He paid no attention to court quarrels.
He was staring intently at the system panel.
Ding!
【Public resentment continues to ferment】
【National fortune continues declining】
【Total deduction: 28,000 points】
Seeing the number, Li An felt blissful.
Twenty-eight thousand.
A record.
Never before had he personally lowered national fortune this much.
Previously, every attempt to lower it only made it rise.
This time, he had finally turned fate around!
“Keep dropping…”
“Just keep dropping…”
“When settlement comes, I’ll be rich…”
He leaned back in his chair, smiling uncontrollably.
Let the city curse.
He was earning gold!
If those commoners knew his true thoughts…
They’d probably spit blood.
The more you curse, the happier I am!
The lower national fortune falls, the happier I am!
After months, he had finally discovered the secret to ruining a nation!
However—
Good times never last.
On the evening of the third day—
Jin Daya burst in, panting.
“My lord!”
“It’s finished!”
“Half a day ahead of schedule!”
Li An froze.
“What? That fast?”
“Of course!”
Jin Daya beamed proudly.
“The wages were generous—the men worked with full enthusiasm!”
“Overtime day and night! We finished before dusk!”
Li An was stunned.
Ancient infrastructure… this strong?
Finished… so quickly?
Wasn’t it supposed to take three days?
Why ahead of time?
“My lord, shall we light the lamps tonight?”
Jin Daya’s eyes sparkled with anticipation as he spoke…
“Let the people of the capital see whether what we built is worth it!”
Li An thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Light them.”
They had already spent so much money.
The national fortune had already dropped by 28,000 points.
What difference would lighting the lamps make?
At worst, the people would see just how extravagantly he had wasted silver.
Surely the national fortune would fall even more.
Night fell.
The capital’s lights came on.
Li An brought Hongmei out of the Number One Scholar’s Residence to inspect the results of his “prodigal” project.
And then—
The moment he stepped out of the alley, he froze.
The capital… had changed.
Completely changed.
Wide, smooth bluestone roads shimmered with a faint bluish glow under the moonlight.
Every ten steps stood an exquisite glass lantern, radiating a soft golden warmth.
The entire street was as bright as day.
But what shocked him even more—
There were people everywhere.
Stalls lined both sides of the street.
Vendors selling sugar figurines, candied hawthorns, all kinds of snacks.
Acrobats. Singers. Storytellers.
The air was bustling and alive.
The scent of roasted chestnuts, candied fruit, grilled lamb skewers—
All blending into the richest aroma of earthly life.
Li An sniffed hard.
Damn it. It smells amazing.
But… something was wrong.
“This…”
He stared blankly at the lively night market before him, like a city that never slept.
This wasn’t the result he wanted.
This was—
“My lord! You’ve finally come!”
Jin Daye squeezed through the crowd, beaming.
“Look! Look!”
“The night market is open!”
“Everyone’s come out!”
Li An looked around at the festive scene and found himself speechless.
Wait.
Weren’t they supposed to be cursing him?
Weren’t they supposed to resent him?
Why did they all look so happy?
“Lord Li?”
A stall owner recognized him.
“Lord Li is here!”
“Look! It’s Lord Li!”
A ripple spread through the crowd.
Li An’s heart skipped.
Oh no.
He’s been recognized.
He instinctively took a step back, ready to bolt.
But—
“Lord Li!”
Instead of anger, the vendor ran over excitedly.
“Thank you!”
“Thanks to those street lamps you built!”
“We can finally do business at night!”
Li An froze.
Th-thank him?
“That’s right, Lord Li!”
Another vendor chimed in.
“Before, once it got dark, the streets were empty!”
“Now they’re lit up like daylight!”
“We can sell until midnight!”
“Business is booming!”
Li An’s sense of dread deepened. His face began to change.
“Lord Li is a living Bodhisattva!”
“For the sake of us common folk, he endured all that scolding just to build roads and lamps!”
“This isn’t wasting money—it’s benefiting the people!”
The crowd’s praises buzzed in his ears like a swarm of bees.
He opened his mouth to speak—
But nothing came out.
What was happening?
Three days ago he was a reckless spendthrift.
Three days later he was a living saint?
These people of Great Qi changed faces faster than flipping a book!
He had clearly meant to squander money!
He had clearly wanted to be cursed!
How did he get cleared so quickly?!
This was ancient times!
Low productivity, low consumption!
How could paving roads and adding lamps suddenly unlock spending power?
This wasn’t scientific!
It defied all economic logic!
“My lord! Zhao Dadan requests an audience!”
Hongmei’s voice sounded behind him.
Zhao Dadan pushed through the crowd, flushed with excitement, ledger in hand.
“My lord!”
“Guess how much revenue the night market made tonight?”
Li An wasn’t in the mood.
“How much?”
“Three thousand taels—just from stall fees!”
Zhao Dadan puffed up proudly.
“And those Western Region merchants I brought in!”
“When they saw the capital doing business at night, they were ecstatic!”
“They called it a Sleepless City! A wonder of the world!”
“They’re scrambling to pay for stalls—and planning to import even more goods!”
Li An’s face darkened further.
Three thousand taels.
Just stall fees.
Plus foreign merchants stimulating trade and circulation.
What the hell…
“And that’s not all!” Zhao Dadan continued.
“With the lamps on, patrols are much easier!”
“We didn’t catch a single thief tonight!”
“Not because we’re inefficient—”
“They just don’t dare come out!”
“It’s too bright—nowhere to hide!”
“Public security has improved overnight!”
Jin Daye jumped in.
“My lord, one more thing!”
“Our Street Office brothers, for performance points, helped 103 elderly ladies cross the road tonight!”
“The people are calling us a public service office now!”
“Who dares call us hooligans anymore?”
Li An’s face was as black as charcoal.
Helping old ladies cross the street.
For performance metrics.
What a bunch of talents.
Listening to these reports, panic welled up in him.
It’s over.
All over.
His grand plan to ruin the country—
Failed again.
Ding!
The familiar system notification rang in his mind.
【Major shift in situation detected】
【“Capital Renovation Plan” results manifested】
【Recalculating national fortune impact…】
Li An’s heart sank.
Not good.
Ding!
【Calculation complete】
【Factors as follows—】
Public resentment transformed into public support: +8,000
Night market stimulates economy: +5,000
Significant improvement in public security: +3,000
Praise from Western merchants, international prestige rises: +4,000
“Sleepless City” reputation spreads: +2,000
Infrastructure boosts employment, refugees resettled: +15,000
Restoration of previously deducted resentment points: +28,000
【Comprehensive assessment—】
【Total increase in Great Qi’s national fortune: +45,000】
【Current national fortune value: 132,800】
Li An stared at the numbers.
Forty… forty-five thousand?!
Not only were the 28,000 deducted points restored—
It even gained an extra 17,000?!
【Congratulations, Host!】
【“Capital Renovation Plan” is a resounding success!】
【The Sleepless City you created will become a symbol of Great Qi’s prosperity!】
【Keep up the good work~ ヾ(≧▽≦*)o】
Keep up the good work my ass!
Congratulations my ass!
System! I’m supposed to ruin the country this cycle!
Li An was beyond despair.
He had tried.
He truly had tried to squander money!
And what happened?
Every coin he spent turned into national fortune!
What kind of cursed constitution was this?
Other people go bankrupt when they squander.
He squanders—and the country gets richer?
Where is justice?
Where is fairness?
System! Come out!
Let’s talk!
No—let’s fight!
“Young Master?”
Hongmei looked at his frozen expression with concern.
“Are you alright?”
“You don’t look well…”
Li An took a deep breath.
“I’m fine.”
“Just… happy. Heh. Look how happy everyone is. I’m happy too.”
Hongmei eyed him skeptically.
Happy?
That didn’t look like happiness at all.
But she didn’t press.
She had never understood her master’s mind anyway.
Li An dragged his heavy steps back to the residence.
The moment he entered, he collapsed into a chair, lifeless.
“Why…”
“Why is it always like this…”
“I clearly wanted to ruin the country…”
“How did it turn into strengthening it again…”
He nearly wept.
Just as despair consumed him—
Ding!
Another notification sounded.
【External forces detected】
【Northern Yan national strength fluctuating dramatically!】
【Host, please monitor developments】
Li An froze.
Northern Yan?
He shot upright.
Had the Mohist disciples arrived?
Had they started teaching technology?
Was Northern Yan’s strength about to rise?
Was his compensation mission—
Saved?
Even if Great Qi’s main mission failed again, at worst he’d just earn less gold.
But if the Northern Yan compensation mission failed—
The system would erase him.
“Mo Bai and the others… don’t disappoint me…”
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