Chapter 96: Governance Plan

Back at the inn, Ma Chun was directing the staff to welcome guests and seat them. Upon seeing Lin Dong arrive, Ma Chun rushed over quickly and whispered, “Boss, Dean Ren just left. Before going, he secretly gave me a stack of silver bills—five thousand taels.”
“How did he bring all that silver?”
Lin Dong was stunned. He hadn’t expected Liu Chuanxiang to go after Ren Qingsong. Fortunately, Ren Qingsong was shrewd. Knowing Liu Chuanxiang’s intentions and having ten thousand taels of silver at hand, he feared that if he refused, Liu Chuanxiang would turn to someone else for help, so he agreed first. After Liu Chuanxiang left, Ren Qingsong came to the inn that very night.
Apart from being an official, Ren Qingsong regarded money and power as trivial. After planning their next steps, Ren Qingsong intended to give all ten thousand taels to Lin Dong. Lin Dong thought that although Ren Qingsong was the main driver, the inn also needed to contribute, so he deserved a share too. It was difficult to compete with the common people for benefits from Zhou Zhengye, while Ren Qingsong was alone, so there was no need to be picky. Thus, he reluctantly accepted five thousand taels.
To his surprise, Ren Qingsong gave him the remaining five thousand taels as well.
“Dean Ren said that money is useless. If you can go to the Military Assessment Institute within three days, he’ll give you another surprise,” Ma Chun explained in a whisper.
“A surprise?” Lin Dong clicked his tongue, feeling a hint of anticipation. Ren Qingsong was giving him motivation to train hard! It surely wouldn’t be something bad.
“Mm!” Ma Chun nodded smilingly. His boss was highly regarded by the dean of the Military Assessment Institute, which made him feel proud.
In the past, in the eyes of a scoundrel like him, the dean of the Military Assessment Institute was a towering figure whom one had to look up to. The idea of such a powerful person giving him silver bills was unthinkable.
“Alright, go back to work!” Lin Dong ordered.
Ma Chun dashed off, enthusiastically serving the guests.
In a corner of the inn, Jiang Zhen stood up.
Lin Dong nodded and strode into the back yard. Soon, Jiang Zhen followed, taking out a dark-colored warrior card and handing it to Lin Dong. “Boss Lin, I’ve fulfilled my mission.”
Lin Dong couldn’t help but laugh. His tone was similar to Ren Qingsong’s.
As a disciple of a sect, Jiang Zhen naturally didn’t have a warrior card. It belonged to Ren Qingsong, and if examined closely, Ren Qingsong’s name would surely be on it.

Taking the warrior card and placing it on the mobile counter, Lin Dong smiled and said, “Thank you for your hard work. Although you won’t need to get involved in the troubles that follow, to avoid being seen by the spies from Maple Forest Restaurant, I still need you to keep eating braised tofu for a while. It might take three to five days at the earliest, or a month at the latest, but this matter will definitely be settled.”

“Manager Lin, you’re too kind,” Jiang Zhen shook his head repeatedly. “If you have no other instructions, shall I go back to my room to practice?”

“Mm!”

Lin Dong nodded. After Jiang Zhen left, he played around with the silver rabbit for a while before returning to his room to practice as well.

The level of spiritual energy in his dantian had already exceeded 90%. By sunset, it seemed to have advanced even further—so much so that it appeared fully charged if not examined closely.

Going out to the kitchen, Lin Dong prepared some simple dishes and a bowl of white rice. He carried the tray to the stone table. Before he could even sit down, a waiter rushed in.

“Manager, there’s a guest wearing a bamboo hat who claims to be surnamed Chen and wants to see you.”

“Ask him in!” Lin Dong perked up. The meeting method he had agreed with Zhou Zhengye was for the other person to wear a bamboo hat and claim to be surnamed Chen.

Soon, a man wearing a withered yellow old bamboo hat came in, guided by the waiter.

Lin Dong was slightly surprised. The man was thin and certainly not Zhou Zhengye.

The hat was tilted slightly, revealing a gaunt face filled with a smile.

“Dean Fu!”

Lin Dong stood up, feeling pleased. Fu Chunjian had been busy investigating various towns and villages lately. His return meant that the future governance strategy for Xilan County had been fully revised.

“Manager Lin, I’d like to have some turtle stewed in maple leaves. Do you mind?” Fu Chunjian said with a smile.

“Of course not!” After sending the waiter away, Lin Dong placed the dishes on the tray. “Dean Fu, let’s talk inside.”

“Mm!” Fu Chunjian nodded.

After leading Fu Chunjian into the room, Lin Dong went to the kitchen to prepare some turtle stewed in maple leaves before closing the door.

“Dean Fu, with your return, are you planning to take action?” Lin Dong asked.

Fu Chunjian took a sip of the soup and pulled out a crumpled, dirt-stained booklet from his clothes, pushing it toward Lin Dong. Excitedly, he said, “The detailed plan is ready. If it gets approved here, we can start implementing it within a few days.”

Lin Dong didn’t want to dampen Fu Chunjian’s enthusiasm, so he picked up the booklet and flipped through it. The first page stated that the county government would allocate funds to purchase farming tools and oxen, and those in need could register to receive them by paying a small rent. The second page listed tea merchants from various prefectures in Lingnan Commandery; if an agreement could be reached, they would promote the cultivation of Hongyun Tea, unique to Xilan County. The third page discussed reducing various taxes imposed by the county government… Lin Dong had initially intended to just go through the formality, but the more he read, the more impressed he was by Fu Chunjian’s thoroughness and meticulous planning. He read while eating, spending over an hour before finishing it all.

Lin Dong put down the booklet and said with admiration, “Once these plans of President Fu are fully implemented, within three to five years, Xilan County will undergo tremendous changes. It’s even possible that it could become the wealthiest county in the Great Han Kingdom within ten to twenty years.”

Fu Chunjian smiled bitterly. “It’s easy to say, but actually doing it is the hardest part. Take officials who abuse their power when collecting taxes, or landowners who refuse to lower their rent rates from 30% to the legally required 10%. Without the help of Manager Lin, it’s just wishful thinking.”

“Whoever dares to act in secret against these rules, President Fu, just give me a list, and I guarantee they’ll have no peace,” Lin Dong said slowly.

“Wang Liuzhi’s thugs might work against minor officials and local gentry, but the Liu family…” Fu Chunjian said helplessly. “The Liu family has businesses all over Xilan County, and there are two warriors in their clan who have surpassed the Spiritual Mobility stage. If they refuse to lower their rents, no one can do anything about it!”

“The Liu family…” Lin Dong hesitated for a moment before resolutely saying, “If they oppose it, I’ll find a way. President Fu, don’t forget my relationship with Emperor Gu Huan.”

Fu Chunjian was overjoyed and bowed, saying, “Then we rely on Manager Lin.”

“You’re too kind, President Fu,” Lin Dong shook his head.

“One more thing,” Fu Chunjian said meaningfully. “It seems the owner of Fenglin Restaurant is rather anxious; he went to the county government even before dark.”

“He really went to the county government? Which one did he go to?” Lin Dong was amused. He and Zhou Zhengye had discussed that there was only one way to use official power to bring down Lin’s Inn—that was to warn the wealthy families not to use it.

Of course, this method could also be adapted in various ways. For example, posting notices claiming that Lin’s Inn used drugs and hacking techniques, but since there were warriors guaranteeing its safety, the inn couldn’t be shut down. Or simply gathering the wealthy families together and indirectly warning them not to go to Lin’s Inn, or even sending some officials to stand at both ends of Shibei Street to intercept them whenever they appeared.

Fu Chunjian said calmly, “He chose to have Zhengye take the lead in hosting a banquet at Fenglin Restaurant for all the wealthy families in Xilan City. Then, at the banquet, Zhengye would announce that anyone who dared to book a banquet at Linji Inn would be causing him trouble.”
“That’s a good idea—it can both bring Linji Inn down and promote Fenglin Restaurant!” Lin Dong praised and asked, “When?”
“Three days from now.”
“How much silver was given?” Lin Dong pressed further.
“Ten thousand taels.”
Lin Dong sighed in amazement, “Fenglin Restaurant is truly wealthy! A mere shopkeeper can afford such a large sum.”
“Indeed!” Fu Chunjian nodded. “Including these ten thousand taels, it totals thirty-one thousand taels. Just this amount is enough for Zhengye to serve as county magistrate again. Although this situation is extremely unusual, in just over half a month, gifts from other wealthy families have already amounted to no less than three thousand taels. It’s true that a corrupt magistrate can save up hundred thousand taels in three years if they’re ruthless enough.”
“I hope Fenglin Restaurant will stop doing this in the future. There are too many coincidences; I’m afraid they might notice something suspicious.”
“Mm!” Fu Chunjian nodded. “The methods to bring down Linji Inn through the county magistrate should end here.”
Lin Dong smiled bitterly. With no hope left from official forces, and having enough silver, he wasn’t worried they couldn’t come up with other methods. He could only hope that Liu Chuanxiang had already used up all his silver. Otherwise, the bold claim that Fenglin Restaurant would be forced to leave Xilan City within a year wouldn’t be realized for much longer.