Prince 06 02

"Prince, what do these terms mean—money house, accounts register, and operations hall?" Li Zizai finally asked once they were inside a room.

Fang Zhiyi spread out a sheet of paper and began writing names as he explained: "Money house, as the name suggests, handles my money... You do the filtering, and I'll make the final decisions. Besides that, they actually need to set up money houses on my behalf."

"The accounts register requires fewer people—just the bookkeepers. Pick a few trustworthy ones from the ranks below, ideally people who don't know each other."

"The operations hall needs more people. Select a few with sharp minds and good skills."

"As for trade transport and external liaison, one handles shipping, the other gathers intelligence and deals with local powers."

Li Zizai felt completely lost. He could read, and now looking at Fang Zhiyi's handwriting, the very first name listed was the current Grand Preceptor Wang Changlin. Following that, the page was filled with names of various officials, arranged in order by rank.

"Prince... what are you planning?" Li Zizai couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease.

They'd barely managed to cover up the rebellion matter, and the Prince had only just walked free from the imperial prison. Was he stirring things up again? If something else went wrong, even the Emperor might not be able to protect him this time.

"These... are all the rotten worms of Great Zhou." Fang Zhiyi tapped his brush lightly and smiled.

"One more thing... I don't understand why you kept those assassins and the private soldiers Ye Chengtian trained. They're always going to be a threat."

Fang Zhiyi set down his brush, turned to look at Li Zizai, and said: "Oh? Then tell me, how should I handle them?"

"With all due respect, I suggest you hand over their roster to the Emperor." Li Zizai bowed his head with folded hands.

Fang Zhiyi let out a soft laugh: "Do you know why Ye Chengtian wanted to kill you? A man as clever as him—he knew all about your soft-hearted weakness."

Li Zizai bit his lip.

Fang Zhiyi patted Li Zizai on the shoulder: "Because I have only you on my side who is truly loyal to me and still cares about Great Zhou. As long as you're alive, he can't sleep at night."

Li Zizai looked up sharply.

"All these years, I've been observing. I'm not stupid. Do you think Wang Changlin would suddenly be so kind as to recommend a strategist to me out of nowhere? And Ye Chengtian—asking for nothing, just happy to make money for me? Was he insane?"

Fang Zhiyi picked up his brush again, wrote down Ye Chengtian's name, and then drew a heavy cross over it.

"He clearly planned to use me to fight the Emperor for the throne. The assassins he raised, the private soldiers—they were meant to help me ascend at first glance, but really, they were for plunging Great Zhou into chaos."

"He's from Liao Country."

Li Zizai was stunned. He had truly been unaware of that.

"Ye Chengtian is from Liao Country... Then doesn't that mean Grand Preceptor Wang..."

Fang Zhiyi snorted in disdain: "Don't worry. Old Man Wang is a native of this country. But those types—they all lean whichever way the wind blows. Court politics... it's beyond what I can explain to you."

Li Zizai's face flushed. He was just a low-ranking officer; what did he know about all these schemes?

"From what I know about Ye Chengtian, for quick results, he probably gathered those assassins through threats and intimidation. You have to understand—fear makes people fear you, but it also makes them hate you. When that hatred peaks, betrayal follows."

"On the other hand, endless leniency makes people think you're weak and pushover. They'd look down on you—just like my imperial brother."

Li Zizai wanted to cover his ears. How could the Prince say something like that? That was treason.

"In the founding years of the dynasty, an imperial brother like him might have earned the world's praise. But now... with wolves everywhere, being a benevolent ruler won't save Great Zhou, nor will it save the people."

Li Zizai was dazed for a moment, but he understood that line: the Prince wasn't planning to rebel—he wanted to save Great Zhou.

A strange feeling swelled in his chest he couldn't name. He looked at this money-obsessed Prince before him and suddenly felt a faint glow radiating from him.

"But Prince, you've been stripped of every official title. All you have left is the title of Prince. How can you save Great Zhou like that..."

Fang Zhiyi turned to Li Zizai.

"I'm starting to think Ye Chengtian had every reason to kill you. You really do say whatever comes to mind."

Li Zizai lowered his head.

"Never mind. Let me show you what a man with no power or status can achieve." Fang Zhiyi turned and walked toward the door. "Only when I have no power, no influence, and carry a blemish—only then will those vermin lay off me for a while. So our time is tight."

Li Zizai pursed his lips: "I'll get started on what you've ordered right away, Prince!"

"Oh, one more thing." Fang Zhiyi called him back. "You'll have to work hard these next few days."

"Your command!"

"Ye Chengtian is dead, so the connections he relied on are gone. But all the farmland, shops, and managers he set up in my name—I need that information brought to me immediately." Fang Zhiyi stared intently at Li Zizai.

Li Zizai bowed deeply: "Yes!"

Xiaoxiaohei waited until Li Zizai left before asking, "Prince... no, Host, are you trying... to save this kingdom?" Having passed through previous worlds, it had gradually gotten some understanding of Fang Zhiyi—his mind was utterly unfathomable.

Fang Zhiyi remained silent, merely brushing his fingers over the list of names.

"Host, even though the main body has instructed you to play it however you want, given the original owner's situation, the pressing task is to pack up and head south. Great Zhou is hanging by a thread."

Fang Zhiyi looked at his fingertips—the ink from the names was still wet, staining them black.

"Hanging by a thread? I've never had a better hand to play!"

Xiaoxiaohei was startled. Was this host going mad again?

"Hey, Shao Bai, did you hear?" A private soldier whispered as he swept the floor. "The Prince said he's opening a few pawnshops and money houses outside. I heard Liu Laogou and Zhu Hong were chosen."

Leng Shaobai said nothing, focusing on his own task.

"We don't work for that surname Ye anymore. It feels so good. I was so tense before, afraid I'd drop dead any day."

A voice came from the distance.

"Leng Shaobai! Get over here quick!" Li Zizai waved from afar. "The Prince wants to see you. Put in some effort, kid—don't make me lose face!"

"Yes!"

Watching Leng Shaobai scurry away, the private soldier shook his head: "Hmph, looks like another sweet gig."

Before he finished his words, someone else shouted: "You there, sweeping the floor! Hurry up—the hall master's calling a meeting!"