Chapter 306 - 243: Preparing to Leave, Distributing Money by Headcount

Chapter 306: Chapter 243: Preparing to Leave, Distributing Money by Headcount

"What? You have a problem with that?" Wu Liangchen swept his gaze over the crowd, his voice cold.

"No, no, no, not at all! We were just wondering how to distribute this money to the poorest of the common folk without people making false claims," the man in the lead responded quickly.

Wu Liangchen’s proposal was wildly fantastical—he actually wanted to distribute all the wealth accumulated in the Imperial Palace to the poor.

After hearing the man’s words, Wu Liangchen said, "You don’t need to worry about that. Elder Jiang has already sent people to look into it. There will also be local Martial Artists present throughout the process to maintain order."

Jiang Minghai had spent many years in the Imperial Capital; his network of connections was immense.

His people were everywhere, from the six government ministries to the lowest rungs of society.

So, despite the Imperial Capital’s massive population, it was no challenge for him.

"That’s good. So, Master Wu, when would you like us to begin?"

"No time to waste. Start now!"

"Right away!"

Though they didn’t quite understand, and it even pained their hearts—after all, that was piles of shiny silver coins—’Isn’t it a crime to just give it all away to the common folk?’

But since Wu Liangchen had given the order, these men didn’t dare say another word and immediately sprang into action.

In an instant, the entire Imperial Palace burst into activity.

It wasn’t just these constables; Jiang Minghai had also brought in many Martial Artists from the outside to serve as mutual overseers.

And soon, the news began to spread.

"What? The palace is giving out money? Per person? Don’t joke with us poor folks, sir. I, Old Man Yang, have lived all my years, and I’ve only ever handed money *up* to the government. When have I ever gotten a single copper plate *from* them? Even if something this good were true, how could it ever be my turn?" a ragged old man sneered, utterly unconvinced.

Many others reacted just like him.

In fact, the first reaction of nearly every commoner was disbelief.

The reason was just as Old Man Yang had said: if there was ever any good fortune to be had, it would never fall to them.

So they watched with cold skepticism, some even cursing the messengers.

But as time passed, and especially when people started returning with faces beaming with joy, clutching money in their hands, the commoners finally understood.

It was actually real!

And so, people flocked to the Imperial Palace, forming a massive line before its gates.

Old Liu was no exception.

He hadn’t even set up his stall today, instead making his way to the palace gates bright and early.

He had never been to this place before.

A man of his station would have been beaten and chased away by the officials long before he got this close.

He was well aware that his ragged appearance would "tarnish the court’s image," so he had always stayed away.

’To think my first time here would be to collect money.’

’Well, there’s a first time for everything!’

He had come early, but others had come even earlier. By the time he arrived, the area before the palace gates was already teeming with people.

Yet despite the massive crowd, there was no chaos. On the contrary, everything was perfectly orderly.

Old Liu peeked at the Martial Artists up front who were maintaining order, his heart pounding with anxiety.

In the past, whenever he encountered these master Martial Artists, he would have been so scared he’d have practically knelt on the ground. He would never have dared to observe them this closely.

But today, these same master Martial Artists—usually so arrogant and overbearing in his memory—were incredibly kind and approachable.

When Old Liu’s nervousness caused him to stumble and nearly fall, one of the Martial Artists even reached out to steady him.

"Careful there, old-timer!"

Old Liu felt as if he were drunk. He dazedly made his way through the line and received his share of the money.

In truth, it wasn’t a lot of money—just over two silver coins.

But a little over two coins per person added up to an astronomical sum.

It was safe to say that Wu Liangchen had completely emptied the treasury of Great Yan, leaving nothing behind.

Old Liu caressed the coins in his hand, and tears suddenly streamed down his face.

The bookkeeper handing out the money was already used to seeing this.

Some people nearby were so overwhelmed with emotion they knelt on the spot, crying out, "Long live Master Wu!"

Old Liu didn’t go that far, but he etched his gratitude for Wu Liangchen deep into his heart.

In fact, his feelings were even more intense than others’.

Because if Wu Liangchen hadn’t intervened that day, he would have been completely ruined.

He never told anyone about this, however. He kept it buried deep in his heart, along with a small sliver of pride.

’Master Wu drank my wine.’

He also decided that when he got back, he would carefully put away the silver coin Master Wu had given him and pass it down to his children and grandchildren as a family heirloom.

As the long line snaked before the Imperial Palace gates, a man and two women stood watching from a distance.

"Hmph. He’s just doing this for fame!" the man sneered, his features twisting with contempt.

Had anyone who knew him been present, they would have been shocked to see this man.

The speaker was none other than Shan Rui, the former head disciple of the Broken Sword Sect.

The two women beside him were his junior martial sisters, Da Jiao and Er Lan.

The Broken Sword Sect of today was no more.

Ever since Gu Yi’s death, its disciples had scattered.

Only Shan Rui was left, struggling to keep it afloat.

But the sect’s reputation was in tatters, so despite Shan Rui’s considerable skill, no one came seeking to become his disciple.

This had sent Shan Rui into a deep depression, and for a time, he had hidden away in his room, refusing to see anyone.

Fortunately, Da Jiao and Er Lan were good to him. Remembering their past bond as fellow disciples, they brought him food and offered words of comfort every day, which was the only reason Shan Rui managed to endure.

Despite falling so low, Shan Rui didn’t even entertain the thought of revenge.

The reason was simple: the gap in their power was just too vast.

He knew he could never hope to catch up to Wu Liangchen in this lifetime, especially after hearing how his battle with the state’s guardian Grandmaster had nearly demolished the Imperial Palace.

But that didn’t stop him from hating Wu Liangchen.

When he first heard that Wu Liangchen was giving money to the people, his immediate assumption was that the man planned to seize power and become the new ruler of the realm.

Otherwise, why would he go to such lengths to win over the hearts of the people?

But he later discovered that things were not as he had imagined. Wu Liangchen, it seemed, was serious.

Every single person in the Imperial Capital could claim a share of the money. The total sum was so enormous that Shan Rui didn’t even dare to imagine it.

If this was all just to win people’s hearts, the price was far too steep.

So, unable to contain his curiosity, he had snuck over to see what was really happening.

Da Jiao and Er Lan had already returned to their homes, but they had come back to watch the spectacle after hearing the news.

Now, upon hearing their senior brother’s words, filled with hatred and jealousy, the two women remained silent. Instead, they stared at the scene before them with expressions full of awe.

The two of them had never been particularly close to Gu Yi, so they weren’t bothered by his death.

As for Wu Liangchen, whom they had met a few times, their curiosity only grew.

Seeing the looks in his junior sisters’ eyes—awe mixed with a hint of admiration—Shan Rui grew flustered and angry.

"All right, there’s nothing more to see. Let’s go!"

With that, he practically dragged the two women away from the Imperial Palace and toward Plum Blossom Alley.

The streets were thronged with people, a stark contrast to the recent desolation, bringing the entire Imperial Capital to life.

Shops selling rice, flour, grain, and oil were especially packed.

With money in their hands, apart from a few naturally stingy souls who hoarded their coins, almost everyone began buying rice and flour.

With the end of the year approaching, it was a natural impulse. Their wives and children had suffered alongside them all year; now they finally had a chance to treat them.

Thus, butcher shops and tailor shops were also swarming with customers.

Not only that, but taverns and restaurants also began to bustle with activity.

The shopkeepers were all beaming, looking as if they wanted to build a shrine to Wu Liangchen on the spot.

As for whether prices had risen...

Let’s just say that under Wu Liangchen’s fearsome reputation, anyone who valued their life didn’t dare try anything funny.

Besides, the invisible hand of the market would teach them a lesson anyway.

This commercial boom was so ferocious that everyone wanted a piece of the pie.

Under these circumstances, no merchant guild or alliance could control the actions of its individual members.

If you raised your prices while others didn’t, wouldn’t you just be throwing away your opportunity?

As a result, prices didn’t rise. In fact, they dropped slightly.

Looking at the prosperous market, even Shan Rui, who was actively looking for something to criticize, was left speechless.

He could only watch in silence for a moment before turning away, dejected.

Meanwhile, inside an unremarkable carriage parked by the side of the road, a man stared out at the scene, equally lost in thought.

Just then, someone asked in a low voice, "My Prince, where to next?"