Chapter 10: I Shall Marry My Most Beautiful Daughter to You!

Wuying Hall.

On a long redwood table carved with dragon patterns lay a map of the Yellow River basin.

Elder Zhu sat upright by the table, patiently listening as Qin Feng explained his strategy for managing the Yellow River.

“To control the Yellow River, one must both restrain the water and combat the silt. At the sections of the embankments prone to breaches, we must build water diversion dams to lower the riverbed and prevent sediment accumulation. Only by doing so can we take the first step in river management!”

Elder Zhu nodded thoughtfully. “And the second step?”

“Your Majesty, just this first step alone will likely require two to three decades of effort. The Crown Prince was right—managing the river is a century-long undertaking, not something achievable overnight.”

“But how can the people wait twenty or thirty years for relief?”

“Then the people must be relocated in advance from critical breach points along both banks. However, such a massive project will consume tremendous time, labor, and finances. Your Majesty may not be able to prioritize river management as the realm’s foremost concern indefinitely.”

“If Your Majesty truly wishes for the Yellow River to flow peacefully, to act before disaster strikes for the sake of future generations, then you must begin now to invest great manpower, materials, and wealth into the river.”

“As long as Your Majesty has the resolve to govern the river, I guarantee that once the diversion dams are built, the Yellow River will no longer cause floods.”

Without hesitation, Elder Zhu declared, “I naturally have the determination to manage the river!”

“Then that is good. I have just calculated the expenses: the cost of relocating people on both banks, plus annual river management expenses, and the cost of building the diversion dams. Altogether, it will require thirty-five million taels of silver.”

Elder Zhu had been full of ambition, ready to launch a grand campaign against the Yellow River’s floods. Yet, the total sum calculated by Qin Feng dampened his spirits.

Thirty-five million taels was an enormous sum for the fledgling Ming dynasty, which was still recovering from devastation. The court could hardly bear such a burden.

Elder Zhu pondered aloud, “Sir, are you truly without any other solution?”

Qin Feng shook his head. “There is no alternative to building embankments. Of course, Your Majesty could choose to manage the river perfunctorily each year.”

“But if the Yellow River breaches again, millions of people will be doomed to disaster. The horrific scenes described in reports will repeat endlessly.”

“Does Your Majesty truly have the heart to witness starving corpses lining the roads and bones strewn across the fields once more?”

Elder Zhu took a deep breath, as if making a momentous decision.

“Since you have such confidence in the diversion dams, I shall have them built at these critical embankments!”

“I will tighten my belt if I must, to ensure the Yellow River’s peace and spare future generations from this calamity.”

“To achieve such a lasting solution would be a monumental merit for me to accomplish.”

Qin Feng replied, “Whether the dynasty prospers or falls, it is the people who suffer. The disaster in western Huai is severe; Your Majesty should also consider how to provide relief.”

Elder Zhu sighed helplessly. “I have already dedicated all the grain in the treasury to aid the disaster areas; now even the court’s salaries cannot be paid.”

---

It was unexpected that the early Ming under Elder Zhu was so impoverished.

Both money and grain were in dire shortage, unable to withstand any natural or man-made calamity.

Rubbing his hands awkwardly, Elder Zhu shamelessly said, “Sir, with your extraordinary talents, surely resolving the Ming’s financial and grain shortages is no problem.”

Seeing the covetous glint in Elder Zhu’s eyes, Qin Feng suddenly realized how insatiable humans could be.

Elder Zhu had first sought his advice on controlling the Yellow River, and now wanted him to solve the entire realm’s financial and grain crises.

“Your Majesty, I am but an ordinary man. This is asking far too much of me.”

Elder Zhu’s voice grew stern. “Mr. Qin, are you willing to watch the people suffer endlessly?”

Qin Feng blinked in astonishment.

Good heavens!

Elder Zhu was attempting to guilt-trip him using the suffering masses?

“Your Majesty, I truly lack such great ability! If you want me to predict future historical events, that’s one thing—but having a tutor to the Crown Prince handle money and grain? That’s quite inappropriate.”

Elder Zhu inhaled deeply, clenching his fists and articulating firmly, “If you can solve the realm’s financial and grain problems, I will marry you to my daughter!”

Reduced to offering his daughter in marriage, Elder Zhu was truly at his wit’s end.

As a man from the future, Qin Feng was a rare talent for the Ming dynasty.

If Elder Zhu wished to have him wholeheartedly serve the court, they must first become family.

“Your Majesty, I suspect you’re laying a trap for me.”

Elder Zhu resolutely declared, “I shall marry my most beautiful daughter to you!”

“...”

Qin Feng was stunned speechless.

Elder Zhu was truly going all out for the realm’s finances.

“But what if your daughters are ugly?”

“Qin Feng! Don’t be disrespectful! Each of my daughters is a beauty worthy of the heavens. Marrying one to you would be your good fortune!”

Who would believe Elder Zhu’s genes could produce such beauties?

At least Qin Feng did not.

“If Your Majesty truly wants me to raise grain for the court, then lend me the Shanglin Park.”

---

Elder Zhu thought: Goodness! That’s a lion’s demand. You want me to raise grain, and you want my Shanglin Park too?

Yet the treasury’s grain was insufficient; if this continued, even officials’ salaries would go unpaid.

Better to lend Shanglin Park to this fellow for a while, in exchange for a bit of breathing room.

After all, Qin Feng said it was only a loan!

“Granted! It’s just Shanglin Park. I’ll lend it to you for hunting for a few days. But you must raise the grain within one year.”

“No problem. But I have one more condition.”

Elder Zhu suppressed his irritation and patiently asked, “What condition?”

“I need three to five thousand infantry under my command, and you must provide them with sufficient rations. Otherwise, it will hinder my grain-raising efforts.”

Elder Zhu frowned deeply. He could not fathom why Qin Feng required three to five thousand troops.

Was he planning to lead them to rob the rich and aid the poor? Or to attack bandits?

Even to suppress bandits, would it require so many soldiers?

Three to five thousand infantry wielded considerable power on the battlefield.

Unable to guess Qin Feng’s intentions, Elder Zhu warned, “Sir, do not use these troops for unlawful deeds.”

“Rest assured, everything will be legal and proper. But one thing: since I’m borrowing Shanglin Park, I decide how it is used!”

“My word is law. If I lend it, you may use it as you see fit.”

Before Qin Feng, Elder Zhu ordered Wang Jinghong, “Relay my command to the Ministry of War: transfer three thousand infantry from the Fifth Army Camp to be under Tutor Qin’s command.”

“Yes! I’ll attend to it immediately.”

Qin Feng nodded with satisfaction. “Your Majesty, does this mean I can soon collect rations for the three thousand troops from the Ministry of Revenue?”

“Wait! The granary’s grain has all been sent to famine relief. I will give you a special pass so you may draw from the inner treasury.”

The inner treasury was the emperor’s private reserve!

To raise grain, Elder Zhu had even put up his own assets—truly a wholehearted effort!