You're Strong But Now You're Mine
Chapter 143 - 142: The Merchant’s Ambition

Chapter 143: Chapter 142: The Merchant’s Ambition

After listening to Qin Leyin’s powerful speech, Le Yu was silent for a moment and said:

"I’m very surprised."

Qin Leyin was not surprised: "Do you find it odd for someone like me to say such things?"

Le Yu did not deny it: "In many people’s eyes, Prince Redblood Qin Leyin is the next patriarch of the Qin Family, decisive in his methods, with unique insight, acting swiftly and decisively... Forget it, I can’t think of a more tactful way to say this, so I’ll just be blunt—"

Le Yu leaned closer slightly and said in a deep voice:

"You are also a scoundrel merchant."

"Just like you said yourself, merchants are naturally profit-driven, and you are a born merchant. Your words are sincere and powerful, but I can’t find any ’ironclad evidence’ in your actions that aligns with what you say."

"Didn’t your Qin Family kill the second leader of the Yitian Gang? And isn’t your Qin Family’s hired construction team often skimping on pay? I’ve heard that after you got involved in the Qin Family’s affairs, their businesses have been doing better and better, but there are also many accusations of your Qin Family being ruthless and tyrannical."

Qin Leyin seemed somewhat puzzled: "Yes, so?"

Le Yu: "You claim to value the orthodox tradition, but your actions are no different from others, still exploiting the populace, widening the wealth gap, and creating instability. You say you’re patriotic, but all I see is you hollowing out the country."

"I understand what you’re trying to say..." Qin Leyin couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head: "I’m also surprised, Wei Shao, that you think this way— I maintain the glorious orthodox tradition, but what does that have to do with those bottom-level commoners?"

"The so-called glorious orthodox tradition is composed of millions of people," Le Yu said in astonishment: "And didn’t you just say it’s where people’s hearts lie? Didn’t you say that the Backlight Organization and the warlords waging wars are irresponsible to the commoners? You acknowledge the power of the commoners, yet you participate in exploiting them. Isn’t this double standards?"

Qin Leyin asked: "What does double standards mean?"

Le Yu: "It means applying two different sets of standards to two similar things. For example, if you have two children, and both scored 90, but you only praise one for ’doing well’ and criticize the other for ’losing 10 points’—that’s double standards."

"But I don’t have double standards." Qin Leyin spread his hands and said: "I admit the power of the people’s will, detest the ambition of the Backlight Organization and warlord factions, and hope the people won’t be ravaged by war, and what does all this have to do with me trading and making money?"

"I’ve only ever had one view of commoners from beginning to end—"

Qin Leyin played a direct strike card with a smile and said: "They are resources."

"In politics, they are the cornerstone of brilliance."

"In commerce, they are the producers of goods."

"In military, they are the soldiers who resist foreign invaders."

"Precisely because they are such important resources, they shouldn’t be exhausted in internal strife."

"They should be used at the borders, in factories, and in more valuable positions."

"I can understand your confusion, Wei Shao— you probably confuse the glorious four guards with those disorganized dark elements of the Backlight Organization. Unlike the Backlight Organization’s chaotic villains trying to destroy everything and reshape rich and poor differences, the glorious four guards maintain order, while also acknowledging reality."

Qin Leyin slightly leaned back and turned his head to look at the Half City factory area lit by the lights at night, one after another, forming a group of huge, exquisite, heavy cages.

"Some people will have to go to the factories, some will have to farm, some will have to serve as subordinates. Many people in this world cannot enjoy resources; many people, themselves, are resources."

"The Backlight Organization’s slogan of ’equality of all beings’ is nothing but an arrogant illusion. Ignoring whether their fragile system can even be sustained, this world’s resources are not enough for everyone to share. In the end, they’re only building a regime of ’all beings equal, but me above them all,’ isn’t that the same as now."

"As you said, Wei Shao, I am a merchant exploiting workers, but at the same time, I am also a practitioner maintaining the glorious orthodox tradition. These two are not in conflict." Qin Leyin smiled: "The Imperial Court levies harsh taxes, merchants profit through economic oppression, officials abuse power for personal gain—essentially, it’s all the same—we’re all acquiring resources."

"It’s just that the Imperial Court’s decision-making mistakes and wrong judgments have led to the rotten situation in Skyrim."

"’Making a plea on behalf of the people’ always has two explanations: one is ’can’t bear to see them living, let alone dying’; the other is not being able to watch these resources die unexplained."

"And we have the responsibility to protect the common people and also to gain their surplus resources. Even if they have studied books, learned combat techniques, most of the populace is still foolish. If they keep their possessions, it only makes them lazy, caught up in brothels or conned by gambling dens— better it flows into merchants’ hands, where it can at least open more factories and launch more sea vessels."

Ah, ah, ah, young earners making too much money is no good, it makes people lazy and unmotivated... Le Yu suddenly felt this argument was somewhat familiar.

"So Wei Shao, you can rest assured." Qin Leyin covered a card: "The glorious four guards don’t hate wealthy merchants, they only fear a coalition of wealthy merchants—notably, a coalition not used by the Imperial Court."

He suddenly changed his line of thought: "To be honest, Wei Shao, you were so aggressive just now, I thought I was talking to a Backlight Particle. But then I quickly remembered—if merchants are truly hollowing out the country, then the Qin Family is just a small critter, while the Jing Family is the big one."

Le Yu chuckled dryly to agree, secretly warning himself to watch his words.

Fortunately, he is now Jing Zhengwei. If someone else said such things, they might get brutally beaten by Qin Leyin, but if it’s Jing Zhengwei saying it, it’s definitely a deliberate provocation.

In terms of extraction, being a scoundrel merchant, exploitation, the Jing Family is the harshest business association in Xuanzhu County, with several mines and many factories, over ten thousand servants and workers. If the people of Xuanzhu County line up for target practice, Jing Zhengwei is definitely among the top three, probably in the top ten.

Qin Leyin watched Le Yu silently playing cards, neither agreeing nor refusing, knowing that his offer was still inadequate, so he sighed longingly: "It seems it’s truly hard to win over Wei Shao’s heart."

"I’ll think about it." Le Yu responded perfunctorily.

"Is Wei Shao interested in entering politics?"

"Politics?" Le Yu shrugged. "You mean the Governor’s Mansion or the Proclamation Government Office?"

Qin Le Yin shook his head. "No, it’s going to Yanjing."

"Yanjing?" Le Yu laughed. "Why? If I’m cooperating with you, can the Glorious Four Guardians still send me to be a capital official?"

"Of course not." Qin Le Yin smiled. "But we can offer Wei Shao an investment opportunity."

"What investment opportunity?" Le Yu felt puzzled, wondering if Qin Le Yin might be spouting nonsense only to finally attempt to scam him for money.

Qin Le Yin cleverly changed the subject. "Wei Shao, what do you think is the business with the greatest returns on investment?"

Le Yu guessed. "Slave trade? Arms?"

"No, no, no, those can only bring money, but the greatest return on investment in this world can give you power over tens of thousands..."

Le Yu understood instantly.

"What business can offer a billion-fold return better than investing in the Emperor?"

Qin Le Yin revealed his hand, it was a Critical Strike card:

"Earlier we talked business, now it’s time for personal matters."

"Although the world is turbulent, they only have twenty years. As long as Yanjing remains unbroken for twenty years, the suspended Holy Sword can reestablish dominance, stabilizing the Eight Regions instantly."

"I joined the Glorious Four Guardians not just because their orthodoxy is more important, but because... the Glorious is most likely to be the victor!"

"The Silver Blood Association’s path is wrong, but their mistake is being too arrogant."

"Twenty years, these are both the heroic twenty years and our twenty years! If we can help the Imperial Court suppress the eight zones, naturally we’ll find many development opportunities. Even if the Holy Sword shines again, we’ll already be on track for a merchant’s era!"

"Wei Shao, let’s have a sincere dialogue."

Qin Le Yin said solemnly. "The world is rife with chaos; who doesn’t want to seize the opportunity to achieve great things? Who doesn’t want to rise straight to the top?"

"But just a mere twenty years, the risks are too great, and continuous warfare will only result in devastation. The only righteous path is to rely on the certain victory of the Imperial Court, support the Emperor to quickly quash the rebellion."

"I really liked your earlier statement, Wei Shao: hollowing out the nation. In wartime, it’s the best opportunity for us to hollow out the nation. Generals, armies, officials... all these resources others rigorously protect, only in war do we have the chance to take aim."

"The nation is rotten, the system is backward, I’m aware of that. But rather than tearing everything down and starting anew, we should strive to hollow out the nation within these twenty years, secretly connecting with the army, aligning with officials, fattening ourselves, then we have the chance..."

"To implement constitutional reforms!"

"As a merchant from Dongyang, support the new Emperor’s ascension, stabilize the building as it crumbles, reverse the tides when it’s about to fall, implement constitutional reforms, limit imperial power, leave a legacy in history, be remembered for generations... this is the future I envision."

Listening to Qin Le Yin’s gentle and soft expression of such rebellious ideals, Le Yu was stunned for a moment, then slowly said, "The pie you’ve drawn would practically burst me."

"Of course, we are still just two young men who aren’t even trade association leaders, discussing this is too premature." Qin Le Yin smiled. "But my effort in toppling the Silver Blood Association is a preparation for the future—investing in the Emperor requires substantial funds, and the Qin Family’s current financial strength is not enough to make such a huge investment. I must feast when the Silver Blood Association collapses, only then can I proceed with my next plan through the channel of the Glorious Four Guardians."

Le Yu suddenly asked, "Are you so eager because you’re afraid if the Silver Blood Association suddenly decides to support the Imperial Court, your grand plans would be in vain?"

Qin Le Yin smiled, neither affirming nor denying, "The Silver Blood Association is a bunch of skeletons in the grave, they can’t envision that far."

"Nonetheless, I’ve never told anyone about this plan, not even my own brother... Wei Shao, you’re the first to know."

The world’s cunning merchants, only you and Le Yin... Le Yu mockingly thought but spoke without reservation, "As they say, sharing deep words after shallow acquaintance, aren’t you afraid I’ll spread this news? By then, both Silver Blood Association and Glorious Four Guardians will certainly trouble you."

"I’m not afraid." Qin Le Yin shook his head.

Le Yu thought he would say something like ’I trust you Wei Shao’ or ’I feel we have great chemistry’—those kind of "gay" lines, but unexpectedly, Qin Le Yin added, "I can simply deny it, and don’t you think this rhetoric and plan also sounds like it could come from you, Wei Shao?"

"Silver Blood Association are easy to fool, and the Glorious Four Guardians trust me, I won’t have any trouble. But if I smear your name, your brothers won’t miss such a good opportunity..."

"When the tree falls, everyone pushes it, when the drum breaks, everyone beats it. Maybe inside your newspaper office, there’s already an insider sent by your brothers, who’ll stand up to report himself as a member of the Backlight Particle, then the newspaper office will be finished..."

Le Yu was startled and sighed deeply, "Alright, how do you want to cooperate?"

Qin Le Yin thought to himself, Jing Zhengwei is hard-core and doesn’t give in easily, a true stubborn fool.

Le Yu felt a bit fearful inside.

Damn, is there really a Backlight Particle inside my newspaper office!