Dragon's Origin

Chapter 625 Neutrality (Part 2)

After a long silence, the Emperor slowly shook his head, "Permanent neutrality is not suitable!"

Wang Sheng didn't seem surprised upon hearing this. If the Emperor really declared permanent neutrality, it would mean giving up future imperial expansions, which the current Emperor would probably never accept.

Reviving the glory of the royal family definitely doesn't mean confining them to a corner of the capital. If that were the case, the royal family could already do it now without declaring neutrality to the outside world.

"Then, let's start with de facto neutrality," Wang Sheng didn't press the issue. Anyway, it was the royal family's own business, and Wang Sheng was only responsible for offering suggestions. "Just don't say it. In fact, the capital is already acting that way, so just continue as before."

De facto neutrality, doing without saying, was something the Emperor could accept, and he nodded. As long as it didn't hinder future imperial expansions, the royal family had done plenty of things that could only be done and not said.

The topic turned back to spending money. This time, Wang Sheng explained in much more detail.

"There should be at least one academy that gathers great scholars from all over the world to study and teach disciples. You can choose any name you like," Wang Sheng said to the Emperor in detail. "Prepare a place and arrange accommodations for those great scholars, using a certain rank of court official to settle them, so they don't have to worry about food, clothing, housing, firewood, rice, oil, and salt, and can focus on their studies. Let them write books and spread them widely throughout the world. Of course, promote those that align with your intentions, and for those that don't..."

The rest didn't need to be said. With the Emperor's methods, he would definitely have more ingenious ways of handling things than Wang Sheng, and no one would dare to say a word against it.

This concerned the Emperor's and the royal family's future say in public opinion, so the Emperor naturally took it seriously, nodding frequently. Especially Wang Sheng's last sentence, which almost spoke his mind.

Steward Zhou was no longer just serving by the side but had spread out paper, ink, and brush on a table not far away, recording everything quickly. Judging by the look of it, he had already become a secretary, clearly attaching great importance to what Wang Sheng was saying.

"Designate a special area in the academy for scholars from all over the world to come and study," Wang Sheng thought about the structure of universities on Earth. Seeing the Emperor listening attentively, he couldn't help but bring up the ancient imperial examination system. "If there's a suitable opportunity, give them a chance to become officials. Arrange a national examination every few years, and those who rank at the top will be selected as officials, stimulating those scholars who want to become officials to gather in the capital. You're definitely better than me at arranging the specific official positions."

The Emperor continued to nod frequently. Wang Sheng only needed to start, and he knew how to specifically attract those scholars. In fact, the Emperor had already done a good job in this regard. The royal family had a connection with most of the famous scholars in the world. Now, Wang Sheng's trick was obviously to win them over generation after generation, which was exactly what the Emperor wanted.

"In addition, the Grand Theater only has a thousand seats, which is obviously not enough," Wang Sheng continued to suggest. "Continue to build more, one in each of the southeast, northwest outer cities, and make them bigger with more seats. Each theater should have a performance every ten days or half a month. Many people from the Royal Academy of Arts have already graduated and are willing to stay in the capital. Form several more bands and have them perform in the four theaters. There will be a show almost every day or two. Even if they're not grandmaster-level, they can still promote cultivation, and the prices will be more affordable, which will definitely be attractive to martial artists who cultivate."

The Emperor's eyes lit up. He had started to win over the literati, and now he was starting to win over the cultivation experts. Perhaps not many experts from the various major families would be attracted by this method, but those rogue cultivators would definitely be attracted.

"What you said before, is it mainly to attract the attention of people all over the world?" The Emperor listened and pondered, suddenly seeming to think of something, and asked Wang Sheng.

"It's not just to attract their attention," Wang Sheng admitted frankly. "It's also to attract their people, hoping to live in the capital, and even if they don't live in the capital, they hope to stay in the capital for a while. To reiterate, make the capital a place they desire and look forward to."

"What's the ultimate goal?" The Emperor didn't realize what role the imperial power played in it, so he asked in confusion.

"It's to let them know that the capital is safe and to be willing to protect the capital's safety," Wang Sheng said to the Emperor, thinking about the Swiss bank. "The ultimate goal is to make them willing to invest their wealth in the capital and deposit it in the capital because it's safe here."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor's eyes lit up instantly. If he had been worried about being besieged because he might have too much money in his hands, then Wang Sheng's last sentence completely put the Emperor's mind at ease.

He would definitely be targeted if he had money, but if other people's money was also placed together with his money, then he would definitely rack his brains to find ways to protect it.

How could he not have thought of such a simple method? The principle was too simple! At this moment, the Emperor was truly and completely convinced by Wang Sheng's plan.

Although the previous methods could also solve the problem, they forced him to spend money and let everyone know about it, which made the Emperor feel very uncomfortable. He, the dignified Emperor, hadn't even done anything yet, and he was already afraid of being attacked because he got a large sum of gold coins, so he had to spend it again, and it was spent in places he wasn't very willing to spend it on. This feeling was really frustrating!

But now it was completely different. He built the capital into a beautiful place, making people linger and forget to return, and even everyone was willing to deposit their gold coins in the capital. This was the most fundamental way to truly reassure everyone.

Being forced to spend money and taking the initiative to spend money were completely two different things. Without Wang Sheng reminding him, the Emperor could proactively think of where and how to spend it, which was more suitable for this era and more suitable for the people of the capital than Wang Sheng's ideas.

Seeing the Emperor's appearance, Steward Zhou knew that the Emperor's mentality had finally turned around.

Wang Sheng didn't have much contact with the Emperor and wasn't the kind of person who understood him from the root, but he could now instantly sense that the atmosphere in the room had suddenly become harmonious. After thinking about it for a while, Wang Sheng understood the reason.

"So, you were afraid of being poor before," Wang Sheng joked with a smile. "You thought that you were being watched by the whole world because you had a little bit of money and felt relaxed."

"It's not that I'm saying this," Wang Sheng said to the Emperor with contempt. "You're at least Mei'er's father, can't you have a little vision? You're making a fuss over such a small matter, I'm ashamed for you!"