Chapter Forty: He Had Made Up His Mind

At that moment, Yang Chuan paid little attention to the old farmer’s expressions of gratitude. Instead, his eyes were fixed intently on the carcass of the donkey, his mind racing.

The Wooden Ox and Gliding Horse!

According to his understanding of history, after the era of the Seven Warring States ended, the Nine Provinces would eventually be unified. In the timeline he was familiar with, the world would once again fall into chaos a dozen years after that unification. Later, the ancestors of the Great Han would reunify the land, only for it to descend into turmoil again centuries later. That era had birthed countless geniuses and heroes, among them the legendary strategist Zhuge Wuhou, whose name would be synonymous with loyalty and military brilliance for thousands of years.

During the latter part of the Three Kingdoms period, this man, often called a celestial being, invented the first wooden mechanical contraption in history—the Wooden Ox and Gliding Horse—to facilitate the transport of grain through the rugged paths of Shu. The device utilized a gear-driven mechanism that allowed the wooden beasts to walk across any terrain without external traction. The space within their "bodies" could carry grain, and men could even ride upon them.

If he could develop this ahead of time, would it not solve the grain transport problems for the farmers of Great Qi? As he had seen today, the old farmer had saved for five years just to buy a donkey, only for it to die from illness after a year of hard labor before it could even recoup its cost. But the Wooden Ox and Gliding Horse required no food and no rest; with regular maintenance of their internal gears, they could work indefinitely. Applying this to agriculture would drastically reduce costs for the common people, and with the burden of transport lifted, they would have more wealth to pay taxes to the state. It was a win-win—a project that would benefit both the nation and the people, and it had to be done immediately!

Then, there was the bustling city of Xiao before them. Yang Chuan reasoned that since Xiao was so prosperous, it could serve as an "economic hub." By producing massive quantities of goods here and transporting them to other cities or even foreign lands for sale, the entire economy of Great Qi could be rapidly stimulated.

Excitement surged within him at these thoughts. After seeing the old farmer to the end of the alley, he could not help but take Tian Yueying’s hand.

"My dear, I’ve been thinking, and I’ve come up with two ways to boost our economic growth. If even one of these can be implemented successfully, it will cause the economy of Great Qi to surge, and the two million taels of gold we lost will be recouped within a year!"

"My husband, is that truly possible?"

Though she remained half-skeptical, Tian Yueying was visibly stirred. She had expected this inspection tour to take days of observation before Yang Chuan could devise a strategy for governing the state. She never imagined that after visiting only the first city, he would already have a plan.

"My dear, have I ever deceived you with my wits?" Yang Chuan gave a wicked smile, then continued, "However, the first of these plans is easier to implement. I just need to find a place to draw up the blueprints for my invention and secure the initial production capital."

"Oh? You’re inventing something new again?"

She felt as though Yang Chuan were a deity descended to earth; any problem that seemed insurmountable to ordinary men became remarkably simple in his hands. He was not only a master of statecraft but also a breathtaking genius when it came to invention.

"Tell me, what are you inventing this time?"

"It’s a secret!"

Rarely having the chance to play the role of a married couple with Tian Yueying, Yang Chuan took the opportunity to display his masculine charm, playfully flicking her dainty nose. Truth be told, teasing the Empress in this way was a pleasure all its own.

"Ahem, as for the blueprints, we can find anywhere to draw them, but for the initial capital, I intend to find some 'unlucky soul' in this prosperous city of Xiao to help me out."

The "unlucky souls" he referred to were, naturally, the wealthy magnates of Xiao or those local officials who squeezed the lifeblood out of the people and withheld tax revenue. In a city this affluent, there were surely plenty of wealthy individuals, and it was impossible that there were no officials with hidden agendas. Ultimately, Yang Chuan decided to head to the local prefect’s office and reveal a hint of their true identities. One could judge the bureaucratic climate of a city simply by observing its prefect.

By evening, the two arrived at the county magistrate's office, leading their horses. As it happened, the local prefect had just finished his duties and was stepping out of the office, his hands clasped behind his back.

One judges a man by his appearance and physique. As soon as the official stepped out, Yang Chuan and his companion stared at him intently, as if possessed.

The prefect, sensing subconsciously that he was being watched, cast a quick look around. Seeing the strange behavior of the pair, he walked straight toward them.

"The two of you, coming to my magistrate’s office in the dead of night—what is the meaning of this?"

"My lord, I observe that the prefect has a kind face and a lean build; he doesn't look like a man prone to corruption or lawlessness."

"My dear, one can know a man's face but not his heart. While he may look pleasant enough at first glance, in a city as prosperous as Xiao, a prefect is easily tempted by wine, wealth, and status. Whether he is truly upright remains to be seen after further interaction."

Watching the prefect approach, the two discussed him as if he were not standing right there.

"Hey!"

The prefect was taken aback. In all his years, he had seen many kinds of people, but this was the first time he had encountered anyone who dared to openly critique a local official to his face. However, he knew one thing: the more abnormal the behavior, the more suspicious the situation.

The two possessed an extraordinary aura. Especially the woman—though she wore no makeup and her attire was not overly opulent, she exuded a sense of nobility that even he, a prefect, found daunting. Could it be...

"Are you two, perhaps, people of high standing? What is your business in my city of Xiao?"

Being a man of integrity, he felt no fear. He believed that even if these two were dignitaries from the capital, his years of loyal service in building Xiao into a prosperous city would withstand any investigation. As for his own conduct, he took nothing beyond his monthly salary. His loyalty and self-discipline were witnessed by heaven and earth!

"Heh, my good sir, we have indeed come from the capital to investigate the state of the economy in Xiao!"