The novel has already been fully translated up to the final chapter. You can access it on my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/caleredhair
Golden sunlight poured into the imperial study, bringing a hint of warmth.
Pang Yukun pondered for a long time and then said, “Given this, we cannot sell this steam engine to the Dutch, though it is quite a pity. Five hundred thousand taels of silver is no small sum.”
“No need to rush. If we cannot sell it now, perhaps we can sell it in a few years. Lin Wentao has been improving the steam engine. It won’t be too late to sell it to them after the Great Yu Empire’s steam engine undergoes an upgrade,” Xiao Ming said with a faint smile.
Branden’s eagerness to purchase the steam engine gave him an initial assessment of the level of Western steam engines. At the very least, it indicated that the Great Yu Empire’s steam engine was more advanced than the British one.
“Your Majesty is absolutely right. If that’s the case, I will go back and send him away, otherwise, who knows how long this Branden will stay in Qingzhou Province,” Pang Yukun frowned.
According to Branden’s plan, he should have left Qingzhou Province and returned to Zeelandia long ago, but now he had clearly treated Qingzhou Province as a treasure trove, searching for treasures there with great interest.
At the mention of the steam engine, Xiao Ming recalled the previous auction. He said, “Oh, by the way, did the last auction add a lot of silver to the national treasury?”
“A full eighteen million taels of silver,” Pang Yukun said, his expression like a miser seeing treasure.
Xiao Ming nodded. It was no wonder Pang Yukun’s stance on Branden’s suggestion had wavered; this steam engine was a money tree.
“Since that is the case, the provincial office now has money to pave cement roads and improve farmland, correct?” Xiao Ming said. The Great Yu Empire was now in a state of disrepair, requiring a large amount of silver to restore production. Coupled with the construction of imperial workshops, there were countless places to spend silver.
However, he also had Pang Yukun spend lavishly to stimulate domestic demand and promote the circulation of silver within the Great Yu Empire, thus revitalizing the Great Yu Empire’s commerce.
After all, common people needed silver to buy things, and their silver usually came from selling grain and labor.
When infrastructure flourished, common people could earn money through labor. With money, they could buy industrial goods, the popularity of industrial goods could promote the development of industry, and the development of industry and commerce could provide more taxes for the Great Yu Empire. This was a virtuous cycle.
It was precisely because of this consideration that Xiao Ming had Pang Yukun spend the national treasury’s silver.
“Your Majesty, I and Elder Fei have already drafted the required amount of silver for each prefecture. With this silver, roads, schools, and official workshops in each prefecture will be established,” Pang Yukun said, bowing. Having read many books on governance at Bowen Academy, Pang Yukun could now understand the causal relationships involved.
“That’s good. Now the barbarians are restless. We don’t have much time left. Once the barbarians realize their mistake and abandon Goryeo to launch a full-scale invasion of the Great Yu Empire, it will be a fierce battle.”
After a pause, he continued, “Additionally, you should set aside another one million taels of silver for Lin Wentao and Lu Tong, so that they have sufficient funds to research new crafts.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Pang Yukun answered succinctly. Previously, he did not understand the purpose of these crafts. Now that these crafts had brought such great changes to the Great Yu Empire, he had no reason to object.
In fact, not only him, but more and more officials were now beginning to attach importance to the development of industry and commerce.
Of course, the officials’ ability to think this way had a lot to do with Xiao Ming. As the saying goes, “a new emperor, new courtiers.” Since Xiao Ming valued these things so much, the ministers naturally catered to his preferences.
Having settled these two matters, Pang Yukun left the temporary palace. Branden was still lingering in his office, unwilling to leave.
Returning to the prefectural office, Branden immediately eagerly approached. He said, “Esteemed Senior Grand Secretary Pang, what did His Majesty say? Can we take a steam engine back?”
Branden spoke, and Rhodes translated.
Shaking his head, Pang Yukun said, “His Majesty commanded me not to sell the steam engine to you, as it is the highest secret of our Great Yu Empire. Envoy Branden, you should return.”
Branden showed a hint of unwillingness. He said, “Senior Grand Secretary Pang, this steam engine is now being sold to merchants of the Great Yu Empire. How can it still be a secret? Since we cannot purchase steam engines from the Provincial office, can we purchase them from other merchants?”
“That is also not allowed. Every steam engine sold by the Great Yu Empire is registered. No merchant is allowed to take a steam engine out of the Great Yu Empire. Otherwise, the Provincial office will severely punish both parties involved in selling the steam engine. Envoy Branden, I hope you will not defy His Majesty’s order, otherwise, I will have no choice but to expel you from the Great Yu Empire,” Pang Yukun said sternly.
Branden still refused to give up. He spread his hands. “Senior Grand Secretary Pang, the Great Yu Empire and the Dutch are not enemies. I think we have many areas where we can cooperate.”
Facing Branden’s persistent badgering, Pang Yukun shook his head and simply found an excuse to leave.
“My Lord Earl, what do we do now?”
With Pang Yukun gone, Branden and his group could only look at each other helplessly.
Looking at Rhodes, Branden no longer had the arrogance he displayed when he first arrived in Qingzhou Province. He said with some annoyance, “What can we do now? It’s clear that the Great Yu Empire people have never trusted us, just as we haven’t trusted them.”
Rhodes said, “My Lord Earl, what I mean is that the Great Yu Empire’s steam engine is not important. What is important is who gave them the technology for the steam engine. In short, I don’t believe a backward, indigenous country could possess such advanced technology in such a short time.”
“You don’t believe it, and of course, I don’t believe it either. But the facts are before us now. This Emperor of the Great Yu Empire is truly not a simple character,” Branden said.
“That’s right. According to the information we gathered, when this Emperor was still King Qi, he once explained the source of these technologies. He said it came from a missionary. But a missionary couldn’t possibly possess crafts that we in Europe don’t have. So I’ve always suspected that all these technologies came from this Emperor himself, but this Emperor is so high above us, no one dares to ask him about them,” Rhodes said.
Branden slowly nodded. “Indeed. It’s a pity he is the Emperor of the Great Yu Empire. If he doesn’t want to speak, no one can force him.”
Sighing, he continued, “However, this makes it even more important for us to maintain our current good relations with the Great Yu Empire. When I return to the Netherlands, I will inform Parliament of this matter in detail, so that Parliament can make the final decision on how to deal with the Great Yu Empire from now on. Additionally, during your extended stay in Qingzhou Province, you must try your best to understand all kinds of technologies in Qingzhou Province. Even if you only acquire one, it could make us rich in Europe.”
Branden’s fanaticism ignited the fervor in the others as well. Wasn’t the reason they traveled thousands of miles here to get rich overnight?
At this moment, they suddenly realized that besides porcelain and other goods, they had found another way to make a fortune.