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墨書 Inktalez
At that moment, the door swung open, and a person walked in, dressed like a butler. The newcomer was none other than Old Mu.
Old Mu had been with Lu Chen the longest, longer than anyone else, and now, despite having many accomplishments for the establishment of the Great Zhou Dynasty, he had refused any titles or rewards offered to him.
Although Old Mu had done many things and contributed significantly to the Great Zhou Dynasty, Lu Chen had tried to secure a title for him, but Old Mu declined, claiming that serving Lu Chen was enough for him. Lu Chen found himself helpless in this matter.
Once Old Mu set his mind on something, it was difficult to change it; his stubbornness was almost unbearable.
Lu Chen had long considered marrying off Old Mu. He thought about giving Yue Shaoting to Old Mu but feared that Yue Shaoting might refuse. However, Lu Chen had never consulted Old Mu about his feelings or intentions regarding marriage.
"Master, have some soup; staying up late is not good for your health," Old Mu said as he placed a steaming bowl of soup on the table in front of Lu Chen.
Old Mu did not seek praise or wish to hold an official position. After Lu Chen was granted the title of Marquis, Old Mu aged alongside the marquisate and took on the role of a butler.
Old Mu's primary responsibility was to attend to Lu Chen's daily needs. He understood Lu Chen's habits better than anyone else.
Lu Chen had enjoyed the service of countless people, but the most attentive and satisfying service came only from Old Mu. It was strange; whenever he had a different servant, Lu Chen felt uncomfortable, which even he found puzzling.
Lu Chen nodded at Old Mu but did not take action; instead, he prepared to listen to Lian Dashuang's report. After placing the soup down, Old Mu stood silently behind Lu Chen, bowing his head and remaining still. If one did not look closely, it would be hard to notice Old Mu's presence.
Typically, Old Mu waited until Lu Chen went to bed before turning off the lights to rest himself and would rise earlier than Lu Chen.
Lian Dashuang glanced at Old Mu, his expression unchanged as he began his report. "Reporting to the Marquis: The Great Zhou Court has finally launched a new round of attacks against the other four nations. However, this time it is not a conventional battle with swords and guns but a new type of combat. I don't know if the Marquis has heard of it; I certainly have not and even find it hard to believe."
More precisely, Lian Dashuang doubted whether the Great Zhou Court could achieve victory with such tactics or whether they would yield any returns. It was also uncertain whether their grand display would ultimately be effective.
Lu Chen felt a bad premonition rise in his heart and asked, "What is it? What kind of new battle are we talking about?"
Lian Dashuang took a deep breath and cupped his hands, saying, "Reporting to the Marquis, the Great Zhou Court has imposed an economic blockade on our dynasty, as well as on Qi Kingdom and Han Kingdom, cutting off trade between us and recovering currency flowing from the other Three Kingdoms. Essentially, it means only goods can come in, but nothing can go out. I have no idea what they are up to." Lian Dashuang said, confused.
This situation was something Lian Dashuang had heard from the merchants under him. As a rough man, he didn't understand the specifics; after all, he preferred wielding weapons and had little interest in economic matters.
"Is that so?" Lu Chen nodded upon hearing this. He also found it hard to discern any clues from this situation. He wasn't well-versed in economic issues either, and until now, he had finally encountered something he didn't understand.
Moreover, Lu Chen's concept of money was rather vague; he didn't care much about it and rarely used money himself. He left all financial matters to Old Mu, so now he was somewhat perplexed by this situation.
As for Old Mu standing beside him, he probably understood even less about what was going on. If Old Mu had understood, he would have spoken up long ago.
After pondering for a long time without coming up with any insights, Lu Chen said to Lian Dashuang, "Go fetch Shuang for me. I need to discuss something with him. You can come along to listen; after all, we need a strategy against the actions of the Great Zhou Court."
Since this was a new type of battle initiated by the Great Zhou Court, the Daiwa Dynasty needed to understand how to respond and retaliate effectively. After Lu Chen finished speaking, Lian Dashuang immediately left, and the room fell into silence.
Old Mu stood silently behind Lu Chen without moving at all. If it weren't for his visible presence, one might not even realize he was there; that was just how Old Mu was—sometimes appearing quite eerie.
After a while, Lian Shuang arrived. Now, Lian Shuang had grown into a graceful young man with a refined appearance and an air of scholarly elegance.
"Marquis, you summoned me. Is there something you need?" Lian Shuang cupped his hands and smiled slightly as he addressed Lu Chen.
Lian Shuang was much more meticulous in his work than Lian Dashuang. Although they were brothers, their personalities were vastly different—one excelled in martial skills while the other was adept in scholarly pursuits. They truly made an interesting pair of brothers.
Lian Shuang was quick to read books and had a deep understanding of various historical texts, even more so than Lu Chen. For matters related to this, Lu Chen had to consult him personally. Moreover, after spending some time in Yushan Kingdom, Lian Shuang had grown significantly, and his experiences were far beyond what an ordinary person could compare to. His talent was exceptional, even catching the attention of Queen Yushan Orchid.
From the moment Lian Shuang entered the room and greeted Lu Chen as "Marquis," it was evident that he was a meticulous and courteous person, not reckless and able to remain calm. Lu Chen felt proud and pleased that the Lian couple had such a son.
"The situation is like this," Lu Chen said, sharing the news he received about Lian Dashuang with Lian Shuang. This information was still confidential, known only to a few.
They would have to wait for Lian Dashuang to bring back news for Lu Chen, who would then write a memorial to report to Emperor Sun Zizhao for review.
In some cases, Lu Chen could approve matters himself without submitting them to Sun Zizhao; he could issue orders that held the same weight as imperial decrees. No one dared to defy him; seeing Lu Chen's handwritten notes was equivalent to receiving an edict.
After hearing this news, Lian Shuang's brows furrowed tighter until he fell silent, showing no reaction or response. However, seeing Lian Shuang's demeanor made Lu Chen realize that the situation was not easy to comprehend; it seemed there was indeed something significant at hand.
"This is indeed a new type of warfare. I don't know how the Great Zhou Dynasty learned it, but from my perspective, if this continues for long, our country, along with Qi Kingdom and Han Kingdom, will collapse due to the risks posed by market prices. Once it reaches that point, there won't be any need for war; we will be exhausted into submission," Lian Dashuang said gravely.
"Is it that serious? It means that the currency we control can only flow out but not come in. Once everything is in the hands of the Great Zhou Court, our Treasury will be empty, leaving only goods behind. The economy of the entire nation will be in chaos, leading to an inevitable collapse—is that what you mean?" After a moment of silence, Lu Chen asked Lian Shuang.
Lian Shuang nodded and replied, "That's essentially it. However, in some areas, it's not just vague; it needs to be even stricter. The outcome is beyond our imagination—overall, it will be a hundred times or even ten thousand times more severe and difficult to estimate."
Lian Shuang's tone was extremely serious and earnest; there was no hint of jest in his words, indicating that the matter was indeed very grave.
The economy is the lifeblood of a nation and is of utmost importance. Moreover, a country cannot be established solely through military force; it requires a vast financial system that is far more complex than what ordinary people understand.
The importance of the economy far exceeds that of war; this is a fact. The economy is more important and holds a higher status than military force.
How did the Great Zhou Dynasty acquire such a method to sanction several other countries? It is obvious that it is the Earth Book. The Great Zhou Court obtained the Earth Book, which has now finally emerged and is being applied in the Great Zhou Dynasty, with effects evident in three major countries.
This tactic is indeed ruthless. The Great Zhou Court can achieve its goals without bloodshed, dragging down Great Qi, Korea, and the Daiwa Dynasty through cunning strategies.
After realizing the implications of this situation, Lu Chen fell silent. It seems that the Great Zhou Court has made up its mind to eliminate the newly established countries. The recent silence from the Great Zhou Court does not mean they are not angry or that they are powerless against these countries; rather, they have been accumulating strength, waiting for this moment.
"Since that's the case, how should we respond? Is there any way to counter this?" Lu Chen asked Lian Shuang.
In the face of economic sanctions from the Great Zhou Court, it is certain that Great Qi and Korea are also aware of it and are thinking of ways to respond. However, finding solutions is not so easy. A group of so-called scholars and professionals must be overwhelmed and at a loss for what to do.
Lian Shuang shook his head with a serious expression and said, "Basically, there is no way. However, I can go back and think about it carefully. If I have any news, I will come to inform the Marquis immediately."
Lu Chen nodded and said, "Alright then, you should go rest for now. Come see me when you have a solution. By the way, wasn't Big Shuang with you? Where is he?"
"He had to go to the military camp due to some urgent matter," Lian Shuang replied with a wry smile before leaving.
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