At this moment, Sauron deeply felt that the power of the Dragon Temple was truly pervasive.
Especially when the high-level politics of a certain country fell into chaos and strife, the Dragon Temple’s infiltration methods were utterly unscrupulous.
No wonder this finance minister, despite having embezzled over six hundred thousand gold coins, still had not fled. It turned out that he had always considered himself a man of the Dragon Temple.
This was somewhat similar to the late Qing Dynasty, when the Briton Robert Hart served as the Inspector General of Customs for the Qing government for decades.
On the surface, this Hart held an official position in the Qing court and was even conferred the title of Grand Guardian of the Crown Prince. Yet he was truly a man of the British Empire.
Of course, the Kingdom of Fury Waves was far more spirited than the Qing Dynasty, far less cowardly.
But the finance minister Sof before him clearly saw himself as an imperial commissioner dispatched by the Dragon Temple and Hidden Continent to the Kingdom of Fury Waves.
And indeed it was so, because the entire human kingdom lacked gold and silver mines. Thus, a considerable portion of the world’s gold and silver coins were minted by Hidden Continent.
Moreover, the Hidden Yuan Association served the role of a world bank. Sof, as one of the ten elders of the Hidden Yuan Association organization, was equivalent to a vice president of the world bank.
Therefore, he felt that the Kingdom of Fury Waves had no right to deal with him.
Because he was a man of Hidden Continent, a man of the Dragon Temple. He was an important bridge between the Kingdom of Fury Waves and Hidden Continent, indispensable.
Sof smiled and said, “Actually, in recent years, the fiscal problems of the Kingdom of Fury Waves have been very severe. With me here, it can still be maintained. Once the problems inside explode, it will cause enormous damage to the entire kingdom.”
“Tell me about it.” Sauron said.
Sof said, “First, because Prince Zili spends money too extravagantly, the kingdom’s treasury deficit is now enormous. Not only has it misappropriated money from the Royal City Gold House, but the gold coins borrowed from the Hidden Yuan Association also exceed three million.”
Sauron said, “Just tell me, how much does the Kingdom of Fury Waves’ treasury currently owe?”
“Over seven million gold coins.” Sof said, “Half of this debt is the misappropriation of nobles’ savings. The other half is loans from the Hidden Yuan Association.”
Seven million gold coins?!
Sauron’s heart violently clenched!
When King Zibian held full power, the Kingdom of Fury Waves’ annual tax revenue was only one million six hundred thousand gold coins. Adding the kingdom’s industries, the kingdom’s annual income was approximately two million eight hundred thousand gold coins.
After more than a decade of Zibian’s reign, the Kingdom of Fury Waves not only had no deficit, but the treasury had actually accumulated a surplus of nearly eight million gold coins. This was the family fortune that the Kingdom of Fury Waves had saved up over decades.
Among these, small-scale wars had occurred four or five times, and one super large-scale war had occurred, namely that Rouran great battle which nearly destroyed the Yelan Duchy, causing the kingdom’s territory to expand by a full thousand li.
Yet within just a few short years after the king was gradually reduced to a figurehead, not only were the treasury’s eight million gold coins consumed, but there was also a deficit of seven million gold coins.
In other words, in just six or seven years, the Kingdom of Fury Waves spent nearly thirty million gold coins, over four or five million gold coins per year.
Compared to ten years ago, it had more than doubled!
But what had the Kingdom of Fury Waves accomplished in these years?
The army had not expanded, nor had an inch of land been conquered.
As for war expenses, there were only three campaigns to destroy the Suo family, totaling just over one million gold coins.
Where had the rest of the money gone?
Sauron truly felt like he was going mad. He was already considered super wealthy, absolutely rich enough to rival a nation.
But facing the Zili faction of the Kingdom of Fury Waves that had spent thirty million gold coins in six or seven years, he was completely astounded, even completely unable to believe it.
Moreover, although King Zibian had been reduced to a figurehead over three years ago, his tiger’s might still remained. The corruption of many nobles and officials had not yet dared to be so blatant.
The true corruption running rampant should have been after the king suffered a stroke and the Zili faction thoroughly seized control of the court.
In other words, the vast majority of the gold coins had been embezzled within these three years.
Sauron could now be certain that the finance minister Sof before him had definitely embezzled far more than just six hundred thousand gold coins.
This astronomical sum of gold coins, at least over seventy percent, had flowed into the various levels of nobles and bureaucrats of the Kingdom of Fury Waves, flowing into the interest group represented by the Dragon Temple.
No wonder everyone supported Zili. How delightful it was to scramble for money with all one’s might!
In just three to five years, through Zili’s concessions and the Dragon Temple interest group’s infiltration, the Kingdom of Fury Waves had already created a heaven-defying corruption group.
When Finance Minister Sof saw Sauron’s face turn pale, he immediately revealed a smug gaze and said, “Your Grace the Duke, with such an enormous deficit in the Kingdom of Fury Waves, I truly feel as though I am sitting beneath a volcano at every moment, feeling as though it could erupt at any time.”
Sauron said, “Does Your Excellency mean that if you leave the position of finance minister, this volcano will immediately erupt and completely overturn the entire Kingdom of Fury Waves?”
“Yes.” Finance Minister Sof said, “After all, the Kingdom of Fury Waves’ finances are now struggling. The taxes submitted annually by the feudal lords below are decreasing, and the taxes submitted by the eleven provinces are also decreasing. Yet the kingdom’s expenditures increase every year, so the deficit grows larger and larger. The entire kingdom’s finances completely rely on the Hidden Yuan Association’s loans to circulate. And once I leave this position, whether the Hidden Yuan Association can still lend out so many gold coins annually, I completely cannot guarantee.”
After Sauron finished listening, he immediately sneered coldly, “Zili truly is a bastard.”
“Hehe…” Finance Minister Sof also sneered coldly.
Sauron said, “The treasury currently has a deficit of over seven million gold coins, correct?”
Finance Minister Sof said, “Yes.”
Sauron said, “I cannot touch you. Once I do, the kingdom’s finances will immediately erupt like a volcano! The Hidden Yuan Association will not only immediately stop lending, but will also demand repayment of previous debts. Moreover, the truth of the Royal City Gold House’s deficit will immediately explode, causing a run. At that time, the entire Kingdom of Fury Waves will erupt in a massive economic crisis!”
“Yes!” Finance Minister Sof said indifferently.
A naked threat, and the most terrifying kind at that!
That bastard Zili had held the court for just a few years, yet Hidden Continent had infiltrated so deeply. Nearly half the country’s finances were in the hands of the Hidden Yuan Association.
No wonder Zili had finally gone mad and assassinated the king, yet Hidden Continent supported him to the end. It turned out they had no other choice.
Sauron sat on the throne, closed his eyes, and tightly furrowed his brows!
This was not a hornet’s nest, but a true volcano crater.
Once touched, the volcano would erupt, and an astonishing crisis would explode in the Kingdom of Fury Waves.
And this was precisely the Kingdom of Fury Waves’ weakest moment. The consequences would be completely fatal, even causing the kingdom to overturn.
A deficit of seven million gold coins. Even with Sauron’s wealth rivaling a nation, it would still take three to four years to fill.
No wonder Sof was so fearless, not showing any flattery whatsoever, but instead carrying arrogance and coldness.
In his view, he felt more like the savior and creditor of the Kingdom of Fury Waves! Even if Sauron had heaven-defying courage, he would not dare to touch this finance minister.
So, this finance minister Sof had not brought these two hundred thousand gold coins to bribe him.
These two hundred thousand gold coins were actually a declaration of war, a silent declaration of war!
Seeing Sauron’s pale face as he sat on the throne, Sof placed the two hundred thousand gold coins in his hand and said indifferently, “These two hundred thousand gold coins count as a meeting gift for you. Additionally, Count Fu’e is our friend. We hope you can release him!”
“We?” Sauron said in astonishment.
Finance Minister Sof said, “We refers to the Hidden Yuan Association, and the Dragon Temple behind it!”
His words were quite direct.
The Dragon Temple was no longer just a great mountain pressing down on the Kingdom of Fury Waves’ back, but a terrifying vampire, madly devouring the entire kingdom’s vitality.
“Farewell.” Finance Minister Sof smiled, then retreated.
At this moment, the mockery on his face was completely unmasked!
So what if you, Sauron, have great ability? You could make the prime minister Yan Wuzhi commit suicide, but can you do anything to me?
Your ability to fight wars is not bad, but your political skill is truly not worth mentioning!
With every step Sof retreated, the contempt in his heart increased by one degree!
If Sauron compromised today, then he would compromise step by step in the future, still becoming like Zili, just a clay Bodhisattva.
At this moment, the kingdom’s newly appointed prime minister, Duke Ziting, walked in. He encountered Finance Minister Sof head-on and could not help but be startled, saying, “Lord Sof, you are still going out at this time? The roll call for duty is about to begin.”
Sof said, “By the regent duke’s command, going out to handle some matters.”
This person did not place Sauron in his eyes, so naturally he placed Duke Ziting even less in his eyes. He left without saluting.
Duke Ziting walked into the cabinet and immediately saw Sauron sitting in the main seat, holding a book in his hand. Upon closer inspection, it was actually a thick stack of gold coins.
Duke Ziting was startled and said, “Regent Duke, did I come at a bad time?”
Sauron handed over this stack of gold coins and said, “Uncle Ziting, I had originally thought that because the previous generations of kings were spirited, the Dragon Temple’s infiltration of the kingdom was not too severe. However, I had not expected that the interest group led by the Dragon Temple has completely grasped the kingdom’s economic lifeline.”
Duke Ziting’s expression turned solemn and he said, “Under the operation of Zili, the Hidden Yuan Association, and Sof, this iron triangle, the entire finance ministry is watertight. I knew the kingdom’s finances were very pessimistic, but I did not know how specifically deteriorated they had become.”
Sauron said, “The treasury has a deficit of over seven million gold coins, equivalent to five years of tax revenue, three years of fiscal income.”
Duke Ziting’s face instantly turned pale. He nearly collapsed onto the ground, completely unable to believe his own ears, and said in a trembling voice, “This… this much?”
Of course, on Earth, the United States’ national debt reached tens of trillions of dollars, and Japan also had nearly ten trillion dollars. But that was in a modern society with an extremely developed economy, so it mattered little.
Yet the Kingdom of Fury Waves’ economy was still very primitive. Such a large deficit was absolutely fatal.
“Zili deserves to die, Zili deserves to die…” Duke Ziting said angrily, “Several generations of kings worked diligently to govern. With great difficulty, they saved up a family fortune of eight million gold coins. I had not expected that in just a few short years, it would be completely squandered away, with a deficit of over seven million gold coins on top of that. No wonder he received so much support. He completely used the ancestors’ foundation to satisfy these people’s greedy appetites.”
Then, Duke Ziting sighed and said, “Sauron, I know you want to take down Finance Minister Sof. Now he cannot be touched. Once he is touched, the entire kingdom’s fiscal predicament will explode like a volcano. The consequences are unthinkable!”
Sauron said, “If we compromise, then this interest group led by the Dragon Temple will continuously devour the Kingdom of Fury Waves until the kingdom’s vitality is severed and it completely becomes a puppet of the Dragon Temple.”
This made Sauron think of a phrase. Moving against Finance Minister Sof now would be seeking death.
But not moving against him would be waiting to die!
Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish. Sauron had originally planned to use a small fire to slowly stew, a warm water boiling frog approach to complete this court transition.
He had originally wanted to use the minimum amount of killing to complete the entire cleansing of the Kingdom of Fury Waves.
Now it seemed impossible. These nobles, these officials were too good at courting death.
At least economically, the Kingdom of Fury Waves was already terminally ill. It needed a strong dose of medicine.
Fortunately, the previous generations of kings had been spirited. The entire kingdom’s foundation was still very good. This strong dose of medicine could still be endured without completely collapsing.
The most taboo thing for a person is to conceal illness and avoid treatment. The same is true for a nation!
The Kingdom of Fury Waves had a good foundation. The Dragon Temple and other interest groups’ infiltration was still only at the kingdom’s uppermost level. The middle and lower levels remained stable.
There was still time to treat it now. If Sauron compromised now, in a few more years it would be completely too late!
Moreover, Sauron also had a huge interest group in his hands, and that was the Ocean Guild!
The Royal City Gold House was the Kingdom of Fury Waves’ largest bank, completely controlled by the Hidden Yuan Association. Since it had rotted and could not be used, then thoroughly abandon this shell, start anew, and rebuild a royal bank.
The Zhi family, the Suo family, the Hai family of Yingzhou Island, and the Ocean Guild, these four forces combined, similarly possessed incomparably enormous economic power. Establishing a royal bank would be more than sufficient.
Although the deficit of over seven million gold coins was terrifying, with a brand new royal bank, it might not be impossible to weather this crisis!
Of course, the royal family currently did not have much money in hand. The treasury even less so.
Then, Sauron would make it have money!
How to make it have money? Naturally, by killing people and confiscating property!
Anyway, Sauron was just taking back the money that belonged to the treasury!
“I originally did not want to massacre on a large scale, but since you insist on forcing me to kill until rivers of blood flow, then do not blame me. You are seeking your own destruction!” Sauron’s gaze became resolute, his entire face turning murderous.
“Uncle Ziting, come with me to see His Majesty the King!” Sauron said.
…
Sauron once again entered the Purple Jade Palace. The king and Gao Yin were both very surprised.
Nowadays, all court affairs were entirely handed over to Sauron. He could decide anything on his own. Why did he still need to come see the king?
Sauron knelt on both knees and said, “Your Majesty, I wish to postpone the wedding with Princess Zhiyan.”
The king’s gaze trembled, and he opened his mouth to speak.
Gao Yin relayed the question, “Why? Postpone until when?”
Sauron said, “I have already begun cleansing the court. The first target is Finance Minister Sof. Today he issued a declaration of war to me on behalf of the Dragon Temple interest group. If I compromise, I can only allow this interest group to continue devouring the kingdom’s interests, gradually becoming a puppet of the interest group. And if I do not compromise, the kingdom will erupt in a massive economic crisis. At that time, it will be a massive disaster.”
The king’s gaze turned heavy, and he opened his mouth to speak. Gao Yin relayed, “How much is the treasury deficit?”
King Zibian was truly remarkable, immediately striking at the heart of the matter.
Sauron said, “Over seven million gold coins. Now it completely relies on the Hidden Yuan Association’s loans to circulate.”
Instantly, the king’s body swayed, as if completely unable to believe this fact.
Before his stroke, the treasury still had a surplus.
In just three short years, not only were decades of accumulated wealth completely squandered, but there was also such a large deficit.
The king spoke, and Gao Yin relayed, “What do you want to do?”
“Massacre on a large scale, confiscate property and exterminate clans, declare war on the entire Dragon Temple interest group!” Sauron said, “It may kill tens of thousands, over a hundred thousand, or even more! It will definitely cause massive turmoil in the kingdom!”
The king’s eyes narrowed. In an instant, he seemed to transform from a dying old man into a man-eating hungry tiger.
“Do it!” The king used all his strength to utter these words.
Although these two words were very unclear, they were filled with resolve and killing intent.
“Yes!” Sauron said.
Then, he gave the order, “Lord Gao, transmit orders to Tianshui City. The wedding between me and Princess Zhiyan and Yan Nai’er is postponed. Have Yan Chuo’er lead forty thousand Yan pirate legions to march on the royal city!”
“Yes.” Gao Yin bowed.
“Transmit orders to Yan Wuzhi, Gui Xingfu, and Hai Gang to immediately enter the royal city!”
“Yes.”
“Transmit orders to Hei Ningqi to immediately lead the imperial guards to arrest Sof’s entire clan, seal the residence, confiscate family property. Those who dare resist shall be killed without mercy!”
“Yes!”
Amidst Sauron’s string of orders, he formally declared war on the Dragon Temple interest group!
He had wanted a smooth transition, but had not expected that some people would not give him the chance, forcing him to massacre on a large scale!
He, Sauron, would let everyone see his incomparably resolute will.
Even if he had to fight another civil war, he would uproot this interest group completely and return a bright and clear world to the Kingdom of Fury Waves!