At this moment, with the royal city on the verge of civil war and the storm gathering, the former number one courtesan of the royal city had actually brought over a dozen prostitutes to the royal palace to request an audience with the kingdom’s regent duke.
No wonder Zhuang Zhixuan added afterwards, “Shall we drive them out?”
Moreover, what did the Royal City Gold House’s gold coin reserves have to do with a group of prostitutes? This was a matter of state!
Not only was Zhuang Zhixuan’s expression displeased, but even the eunuchs and Imperial Guards outside also had displeased faces.
At this time, the former number one socialite of the royal city, Yi Manman, was even more filled with unease!
Last night someone had incited all the royal city’s prostitutes to run on the Royal City Gold House. Yi Manman instinctively felt something was wrong.
Firstly, she also worried that the Royal City Gold House’s gold coin reserves had truly vanished into thin air, then the lifetime savings of countless sisters would be gone in smoke. The young and beautiful ones would be fine, but who knew how many of those who had grown old and lost their looks would go hang themselves.
Secondly, she had once been Suolun’s confidante and instinctively worried for Suolun.
So last night she had volunteered, agreeing to bring over a dozen prostitutes as representatives to pay a visit to Suolun.
But early this morning, when Yi Manman led the dozen prostitutes to before the royal palace, she saw dense rows of Imperial Guards, and her legs nearly went soft with fear.
Moreover, while still several hundred metres from the royal palace, they were immediately stopped.
Originally, Yi Manman knew that the gap between her and Suolun’s status was already like heaven and earth. At this moment she felt even more how absurd her thoughts from last night had been.
What was her status? She actually still wanted to receive an audience with the future regent? Truly not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth.
Of course, since she had come, there was no longer any etiquette of retreating.
But merely the moment she spoke the words requesting an audience with Regent Duke Suolun, the eunuchs and Imperial Guards outside the royal palace completely changed colour, even directly drawing blades to carry out arrests.
The regent duke was the dignified ruler of a nation. Was he someone you lowly women could see?
Yi Manman was frightened and quickly said, “I am very familiar with Duke Suolun, I was once his confidante!”
At this, the Imperial Guards and eunuchs did not dare act recklessly. After all, they knew of the regent duke’s romantic history. If the woman before their eyes was truly a former woman of the duke, it would not be good if they truly moved to arrest her.
Thus, an eunuch quickly went in to report to a superior eunuch, and the superior eunuch quickly reported to Zhuang Zhixuan.
Finally, Zhuang Zhixuan reported to Suolun!
Among the Royal City Gold House’s savings, prostitutes occupied a very large portion. Suolun had also heard of this.
So despite being extremely busy and pressed for time at this moment, Suolun still decided to set aside ten minutes for Yi Manman.
…
In a side palace, Yi Manman brought over a dozen prostitutes and saw Suolun.
Walking within the royal palace, her heart pounded wildly, feeling a kind of breathless sensation.
The other prostitutes were even more overwhelmed. One could say these women had seen much of the world, had seen countless high officials and noble personages, and frequently entered the homes of the powerful.
And this royal palace, besides being solemn and dignified, was not particularly magnificent and splendid, but they still felt a supreme imposing aura, walking on tiptoe, not daring to make a sound.
“This commoner woman Yi Manman pays respects to Regent Duke!” Yi Manman meticulously knelt and kowtowed, and the dozen prostitutes behind her also knelt down in a group.
Yi Manman was already the royal city’s number one socialite several years ago.
And she was one of the rare women who sold art but not her body. She had followed the spendthrift Suolun for several years, being his lover.
Of course, at that time the spendthrift Suolun already had little money, so Yi Manman not only did not earn money following him, but instead had to subsidise him.
And when Lanling became Suolun, because he owed the Royal City Gold House three thousand nine hundred gold coins, he specifically went to ask Yi Manman for help. This woman without a word took out over half her savings.
Moreover, this woman could be considered born of a high-ranking family. Her father was once a high-rank warrior lord, at the highest even serving as deputy commander of a prefectural city’s city guard troops.
And she herself had extremely high martial arts talent. If nothing unexpected happened, she would very likely become her family’s only female Dragon Martial Artist.
But unfortunately, the master her family served was of Crown Prince Zhilan’s faction. In the several years after King Zhibian ascended the throne, he constantly eliminated dissidents. Her family was caught in the crossfire, and she as a little girl also fell into the royal city’s brothels.
This was a woman with a very chivalrous spirit.
And after Suolun rose to prominence, Yi Manman had also entertained thoughts of whether to go throw her lot in with Suolun?
But every time this thought arose, it immediately died down, feeling self-abasing and ashamed.
When she heard that Suolun would marry Princess Zhiyan, she lost even the courage to come see Suolun.
So, after Suolun entered the royal city, she had not once come to pay her respects. She probably felt she did not even have the qualifications to look up at Suolun, so she simply quietly watched Suolun shine brilliantly from a corner.
If not for this special situation, she would probably never come to see Suolun.
Suolun stood on the high steps above, looking at Yi Manman kneeling prostrate on the ground, motionless, also not speaking.
Instantly, Yi Manman’s heart became even more uneasy, pressing her body even lower, her entire forehead pressed against the ground.
However, this way, her full and rounded buttocks stuck up even higher, and the curve of her waist and hips appeared even more alluring and moving.
Suolun stepped forward, frivolously slapping her buttocks, saying, “Manman, I have been in the royal city for so long and you have not come to see me. Could it be that I should go to the Yuhua Pavilion to find you again? For me, the dignified regent duke, to go whoring at a brothel, that would not look good for my face either.”
Yi Manman felt her buttocks go numb. Hearing Suolun’s familiar yet charming frivolous tone, she suddenly could not believe her own ears, her heart bewildered as she raised her face to look at Suolun.
Suolun glanced inside the side palace. Besides Zhuang Zhixuan, there were only a few eunuchs and palace maids, no one else.
Instantly, he waved his hand and said, “Everyone except Zhuang Zhixuan, leave.”
“Yes!” The few eunuchs and palace maids withdrew.
Suolun’s two hands dishonestly grabbed toward Yi Manman’s buttocks, saying, “Several years without seeing, still this firm? Sure enough you listened to my words, practising sword every day?”
Three years ago, Suolun painted a picture for Yi Manman, painting a chivalrous woman, the Yi Manman in her own heart’s eyes.
Then he jokingly told her not to put down her sword arts.
Thus, Yi Manman instinctively practised sword every day. So these three years, despite her being responsible for the arts committee’s work and sitting for long periods, her figure remained firm and fiery.
Her body was very voluptuous, yet not fat at all, appearing very firm and fiery.
Yi Manman nodded blankly.
Suolun pulled her up. He sat down first, then pulled Yi Manman to sit on his lap with one plop, one pair of hands not the least bit honest, grabbing here and there on her fiery sexy body.
This scene was exactly the same as several years ago. At that time Suolun was the ancestor of the pleasure quarters, completely unrestrained within brothels.
And seeing this scene of Suolun, these prostitutes immediately put down the fear in their hearts, feeling that Suolun was actually still so amiable.
“Manman, tell me why you have not come to the princess residence to see me?” Suolun said, “My wife Zhiyan is very magnanimous. Seeing a former lover of mine come to find me, she absolutely would not be angry.”
“This lowly concubine’s status is lowly, how would I dare come profane the duke lord.” Yi Manman said.
“I finally rose to prominence, yet you do not come find me. Then I cannot show off before familiar people, how uncomfortable that is.” Suolun teased, then skillfully put his hand into Yi Manman’s undergarment.
Yi Manman’s delicate body went soft, casting a sideways glance at Suolun, saying coquettishly, “Even after becoming regent duke, you are still so annoying.”
Suolun kissed her full lips and said, “Speak, what matter do you seek me for?”
Yi Manman said solemnly, “Last night, someone spread rumours that the Royal City Gold House’s gold coin reserves had disappeared, wanting to incite all prostitutes to withdraw money from the Royal City Gold House, attempting to create a run crisis. I felt the matter was of great importance, and first used the arts committee’s power to suppress this wave, then came to find you early this morning. Now thinking about it, it was truly somewhat not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth.”
Suolun could not help but be startled, not expecting that the Hidden Origin Society’s first fire would actually attempt to burn on the prostitutes.
Imagine, if this morning several thousand or tens of thousands of prostitutes went to the Royal City Gold House to withdraw money, what kind of storm would that create?
Fortunately, the brothels were his territory. The Hidden Origin Society controlled the brothel bosses, but these girls were still of one heart with Suolun.
Immediately after, Suolun saw a huge opportunity.
Since the Hidden Origin Society wanted to set the first fire of the run storm on the prostitutes, then Suolun would use these girls to thoroughly eliminate this crisis in its infancy.
Although Suolun had already found these gold reserves, after all they had all been melted into mountains of gold and seas of silver. Wanting to recast them into gold and silver coins required a very long time.
And once a run storm was incited, there would still be enormous trouble, even crisis. Because in a short time, Suolun also had no way to cast large amounts of gold and silver into currency.
Instantly, Suolun also felt incomparably fortunate. These brothel girls, after all these years, actually still thought of him, not letting this run storm burn up.
Suolun gave Yi Manman another fierce kiss on the face, saying, “Worthy of being a former lover, after all these years still of one heart with me.”
Yi Manman said somewhat uneasily, “Suolun, I merely temporarily suppressed this storm. If the Royal City Gold House’s gold coin reserves have truly disappeared, the consequences would be unimaginable. Who knows how many older sisters would go hang themselves, would go throw themselves into lakes to commit suicide.”
Suolun nodded and said, “I know, this money is their entire lives’ worth! Not only the brothel girls, but also commoners doing small business, and those honest and dutiful soldiers, they are all the main force of the Royal City Gold House’s savings. The money deposited in the Royal City Gold House is these people’s lifetime savings. Once lost, they truly would seek death.”
Yi Manman quickly nodded.
Suolun said, “So I originally prepared to confiscate the nobles’ property, using the obtained gold coins to fill these commoners’ deficit. And from Tianshui City I also transported several hundred thousand gold coins into the royal city, determined not to let these people be unable to survive.”
Yi Manman’s face completely changed colour and she said, “That is to say, the Royal City Gold House’s gold coin reserves truly disappeared? It was not a rumour?”
Once these words came out, the dozen prostitute representatives present also turned pale with fright.
Suolun said, “It once disappeared. The Hidden Origin Society attempted to make over ten million gold coin reserves vanish into thin air, driving me to a dead end. But this morning, I found this batch of gold coin reserves. Guess where?”
“Found it?” Yi Manman, who had originally despaired, had her mood once again pulled from hell to heaven, and she said in pleasant surprise, “Where?”
Suolun said, “They melted all the gold and silver, poured it underground, a full over ten million jin of gold and silver, poured beneath the vault. I dug three feet into the earth and finally found it.”
“Truly?” Yi Manman said in disbelief.
“Truly.” Suolun pointed at Zhuang Zhixuan behind him and said, “Do you see that woman?”
Yi Manman turned around and saw the fiery sexy, cheetah-like Zhuang Zhixuan, filled with an incomparable exotic charm.
“She is the one who dug out this mountain of gold and sea of silver.” Suolun said, “After finding it, I fought three hundred rounds with her on the golden floor.”
Once these words came out, Zhuang Zhixuan’s face turned red, fiercely glaring at Suolun.
It was also truly strange. When Suolun had just spoken of digging out the mountain of gold and sea of silver, these prostitute representatives were still half-believing and half-doubting. But when Suolun spoke of fighting three hundred rounds on the golden floor, they felt Suolun’s words were especially credible.
This was the charm of stories.
Even in modern society, whether Nobel Prize selections or presidential elections, people liked to tell stories.
Because stories could move people’s hearts, full of tactics.
Suolun stood up, pulling Yi Manman to come before this group of prostitute girls, saying, “Manman, how about this? I will immediately have someone bring you and these dozen girls to tour the Royal City Gold House headquarters’ vault, letting you broaden your horizons, see what is a mountain of gold and sea of silver? How about it?”
“Truly?” Yi Manman’s beautiful eyes widened round.
The other dozen prostitute girls also showed disbelieving gazes.
“Truly, a full nineteen million jin of mountain of gold and sea of silver, a once-in-a-lifetime sight.” Suolun incited, “Who let you be so of one heart with me? I will immediately abuse public power for private ends, have someone bring you to open your eyes once.”
“Wonderful, wonderful…” Instantly, the dozen girls’ beautiful eyes grew bewildered, their gazes toward Suolun also growing disoriented with passion.
Heavens, this regent duke was too charming. Even after becoming the ruler of a nation he was still so romantic.
And Suolun, of course, wanted to borrow these girls’ mouths to spread the news that the vault reserves were safe and sound.
Brothels were forever the royal city’s public opinion centre. After these girls saw the mountain of gold and sea of silver in the Royal City vault, they guaranteed to spread it throughout the entire royal city before evening.
This way, all the prostitutes would not go to run and withdraw money. If they did not run, their clients also would not go to run.
So, even if someone went to the Royal City Gold House to withdraw money, it would not cause a run storm.
Economy, many times, is about people’s hearts!
At this time, these girls also instantly forgot their restraint and fear, one after another casting flirtatious glances at Suolun.
“I will immediately arrange two thousand men to protect you in going to the Royal City Gold House to see the sights.” Suolun smiled.
Yi Manman clearly knew Suolun was doing this to stabilise people’s hearts, yet she still felt incomparably gratified, feeling her heart was about to melt, completely disoriented with passion.
Yi Manman gazed at Suolun obsessively, saying softly, “After returning, I know what to do. I will definitely help you stabilise people’s hearts, and will not let a run storm form.”
Suolun lightly kissed her red lips, and gave her full and rounded buttocks a slap, saying, “Go!”
Yi Manman’s half-side delicate body went numb, her two legs as if walking on clouds.
After leaving the royal palace, under the protection of two thousand Imperial Guards, Yi Manman led the prostitute representatives to the Royal City Gold House headquarters, to tour the legendary gold coin reserves that had vanished into thin air.
…
After these girls left, Zhuang Zhixuan cast a sideways glance at Suolun and said, “You are truly shameless, using these girls’ infatuation with you to make them do things for you. Truly you sell them, and they still help you count the money.”
Suolun gazed at her well-defined small mouth, and said seriously, “You are so sharp-tongued now, why were you so clumsy just now? You scraped me so painfully.”
Once these rogue words came out, Zhuang Zhixuan’s face immediately turned red, feeling her entire body go numb.
This charming scoundrel, sometimes with one sentence could easily stir you into disoriented passion, making you go through fire and water for him.
Suolun then smiled and said, “If I sold you, would you help me count the money?”
Zhuang Zhixuan’s voice trembled as she said softly, “Yes!”
After stirring Zhuang Zhixuan until her legs trembled, Suolun sat in his seat, finished writing the final decree, then stamped it with the king’s jade seal.
“Come in.” Suolun said.
Grand Eunuch Gao Yin entered.
“Lord Gao, arrest people according to this list.” Suolun said, “Remember, do not bring too many soldiers. Before arresting, read out this person’s crimes in public, and the specific gold coin amounts of corruption, time, and date! In short, let everyone see that we are not carrying out a great confiscation, but arresting a few kingdom mega-corrupt officials.”
“Understood!” Gao Yin bowed and said, then stepped forward to receive the new decrees, a total of ten!
These ten people were all super mega-corrupt officials corroded by the Hidden Origin Society. Every sum of money was clearly recorded on Finance Minister Suofu’s ledger.
The money obtained from confiscating the property of these ten people would be enough to deal with the coming small-scale runs, and could also maintain the Furious Wave Kingdom’s turnover for the coming months.
…
Suolun successfully finding the disappeared gold coin reserves was completely catastrophic news for the Hidden Continent and the Zhi Capital Holy Temple.
With these eleven million gold coin reserves as a base, then according to Suofu’s ledger confiscating those mega-corrupt officials in the royal city, the obtained gold coins would be enough to maintain the kingdom’s operation and fill the deficit that Zhili had diverted.
As for the debt owed to the Hidden Origin Society, since they had already thoroughly torn faces, one should not hope that Suolun would repay it.
If Fang Qingyi dared go demand repayment, Suolun would definitely have him go find Zhili for it.
Some debts cannot be reneged on. Once reneged on, the kingdom would fall into great chaos, and countless people would hang themselves.
But some debts must absolutely be reneged on. Only a sucker would repay them.
The key was that after finding this batch of gold coin reserves, Suolun would not carry out a great confiscation of the royal city nobles.
As long as Suolun did not confiscate, guarantee that these nobles would one by one run before him to kneel and lick his boots. Do not hope that they would rise in rebellion.
Then this civil war would not break out!
Once Suolun successfully passed this crisis, next would undoubtedly be a massive purge.
Suolun did not dare move against the Dragon God Holy Temple, but toward Hidden Origin Society forces, Suolun would certainly show no mercy, uprooting them entirely.
And the power vacuum left after purging the Hidden Origin Society would just be filled by the Ocean Guild that Suolun controlled.
Once that time came, the Hidden Continent’s colonial plan for the Furious Wave Kingdom would completely fail.
Decades of effort, astronomical numbers of gold coin investment, would all be destroyed in one go.
At that time, not to mention being unable to protect his young master position, even his life would be hard to guarantee. Those tiger and wolf brothers within the Hidden Continent would certainly pounce on him and tear him to death alive.
The lesson of Fang Qingshu was right before his eyes!
At this time, Hidden Continent young master Fang Qingyi seemed to vaguely see his own terrifying end, instantly feeling boundless fear.
No, he absolutely could not sit and wait for death. He must save himself!
Fang Qingyi’s brain rapidly turned, searching for his potential allies!
Very quickly, he thought of city guard troops commander Yu Wengai!
Right, Yu Wengai and the city guard troops commanders were also facing catastrophe, they also had no way out.
The royal city nobles could not be relied upon. With Suolun not confiscating, these nobles would not only not rebel, but would instead transform into great loyal subjects, escorting and protecting Suolun.
The city guard troops must be made to rise in rebellion ahead of time. He must borrow this opportunity to kill Suolun.
If Suolun did not die, perhaps it would be him, Fang Qingyi, who died!
Decisively, Fang Qingyi immediately hurried toward the city guard troops commanders’ secret assembly location.
A hidden corner of the royal city, where the city guard troops’ rebel commanders were carrying out final planning, deploying the coming battle matters, and waiting for the Hidden Origin Society and Zhi Capital Holy Temple’s signal.
This secret assembly location was top secret. Besides the city guard troops’ core commanders and Fang Qingyi, no one knew of it!
If Suolun were to find out, he only needed to dispatch a few hundred Shadow Pavilion experts and he could directly catch them all in one net.
…
And at this time, in city guard troops commander Yu Wengai’s residence, a gorgeous young married woman was tossing and turning.
She was city guard troops commander Yu Wengai’s daughter-in-law, daughter of a kingdom viscount, Ye Feidie!
Of course, she had another identity, that was Suolun’s archery instructor and former lover!
This spendthrift Suolun, truly lovers all over the world!
And at this time Ye Feidie had fallen into a difficult choice. She did not know whether she should expose her husband and father-in-law Yu Wengai to Suolun!