Chapter Sixty: Treated as the Sovereign of a Nation

Beining Bookstore?
Qiu Xingzhi was completely baffled.
He was, after all, the prefectural governor of Beining City; was there any matter high or low that he did not know about?
When had Beining City ever acquired a Beining Bookstore?
"Your Highness, you surely aren't planning to emulate the Heavenly Soap Pavilion and conjure up a Beining Bookstore overnight, are you?"
Qiu Xingzhi looked at Qin Xuan with a wary expression.
The last time soap was promoted, Qin Xuan had directly purchased a shop in Beining City, left the interior decoration completely unchanged, hung up a sign, and started selling immediately.
"Those who know me are my best teachers."
Qin Xuan laughed heartily. The name of the bookstore was unimportant; as long as it had a title and a storefront, that would suffice.
However, Qiu Xingzhi was unaware that Qin Xuan possessed both movable type printing and papermaking techniques. Assuming Qin Xuan intended to hang a sheep's head and sell dog meat, he hurriedly tried to dissuade him: "Your Highness, we are talking about printing books here, not selling soap. Even if you manage to coax the great Confucian scholar Kong Ru, you still have to actually print the books at the cost of one tael of silver each! You will lose your shirt and be ruined beyond redemption."
In the current dynasty, aside from the bookstores controlled by the great aristocratic families and powerful clans, even the four major merchant associations of the past lacked the capability to publish books at one tael of silver per copy.
After all, *Confucianism* was the lifelong crystallization of the Confucian Sage Kong Ru's efforts. Once published, demand would inevitably exceed supply.
Which of the scholars across the realm would fail to purchase a copy?
If financial resources were exhausted due to continuous losses, surely production could not simply be halted halfway?
Not only would this become a laughingstock, but it would also enrage the Confucian Sage and scholars throughout the world.
"I already have arrangements in place for this matter. You can rest assured and simply have your mentor pass along a message for me."
Qin Xuan had no intention of revealing movable type printing and papermaking. For one thing, such technologies were genuine state secrets, far more precious than the manufacturing processes for items like soap.
Secondly, even if Qin Xuan were to speak of them now, Qiu Xingzhi would never believe him.
This was not a matter of trust, but a limitation of cognitive horizons.
"Very well. Since Your Highness is so persistent, Xingzhi will cast aside his old face and ask my master to relay the message."
Cornered and left with no other choice, Qiu Xingzhi could only agree with a sigh of resignation.
While Beining City was fixated on the affair of the Confucian Sage, deep within the Great Qi imperial palace, Emperor Qin Tian of Great Qi had already summoned numerous civil officials to deliberate.
"The Confucian Sage is a citizen of our Great Qi. If the final location for his lectures and teachings ends up in some foreign barbarian territory, wouldn't that be the ultimate joke for Great Qi?"
The Vice Minister of Personnel reported with deep anxiety: "Your Majesty, I suggest we dispatch Pan Ruoan, the newly appointed Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, to Luocheng to persuade the Confucian Sage to come to the capital of Great Qi to lecture."
"This plan is unfeasible."
Someone immediately voiced opposition; it was none other than the Minister of Rites stepping forward: "Although Pan Ruoan possesses considerable talent and holds a respectable reputation in scholarly circles, you must not forget that his teacher once engaged in a debate on the classics with the Confucian Sage. Though he was defeated, he was labeled a proponent of heterodox doctrines by the Confucian Sage. If Pan Ruoan were actually to go, he probably wouldn't even be able to get past the front gate."
"Indeed, what the Lord Minister says is entirely correct. Vice Minister of Personnel, what are your intentions in making such a proposal at a time like this? Are you eagerly hoping to offend the Confucian Sage immediately and bring shame upon Great Qi?"
Deng Qun, the Vice Minister of Justice, seized the opportunity to sneer. Dropping such a heavy accusation instantly caused the Vice Minister of Personnel to tremble all over, dropping to the floor and kowtowing repeatedly in denial.
The Emperor of Great Qi furrowed his brow slightly, his thoughts suddenly turning to Qiu Xingzhi.
Had he been present, they could have requested the Qingshan Academy to step forward and liaise with the Confucian Sage.
Yet that damned Qiu Xingzhi had chosen instead to support Qin Xuan, an act quite unforgivable.
"Kong Ru is a sage of our era; he will not favor any faction based on personal relationships. Since he has already set his conditions, let the Qingyun Bookstore step forward and take on the task of publishing the book *Confucianism*."
With a headache, Emperor Qin Tian issued his command.
This Qingyun Bookstore was the imperial bookstore of Great Qi, standing as one of the largest and most prestigious publishing houses within the realm.
"Your Majesty is wise. This move will undoubtedly summon the Confucian Sage to the capital."
Wen Liangshan, the Minister of Personnel, bowed and said, "However, since the Qingyun Bookstore is affiliated with the royal family, stepping forward directly might provoke criticism that the imperial house is competing with the common people for profit. Therefore, this subject implores Your Majesty to select one of the three major bookstores of Great Qi to execute this task."
"Old fellow, he simply doesn't want the royal house to reap further glory!"
Qin Tian sneered inwardly.
By now, everyone knew that whoever successfully published *Confucianism* would be remembered by generations of scholars to come, regardless of the bookstore's prior standing.
The dividends brought by this would be inexhaustible for lifetimes.
"Lord Wen's words are misguided!"
Tang Huaxi, the Minister of Revenue, immediately retorted, "Precisely because the Qingyun Bookstore represents the royal family and Your Majesty, it is fitting that it steps forward to demonstrate Your Majesty's deep benevolence toward the scholars of the world!"
"Furthermore, the Confucian Sage himself stated that each copy shall not exceed one tael of silver. This is clearly a venture destined for a loss; how can anyone speak of competing with the people for profit?"
"Yet the Qingyun Bookstore has always been funded by the national treasury. Since losses will be incurred, the losses will naturally be borne by the treasury—in other words, the wealth of the common people across the realm."
"This subject merely fears that some might accuse Your Majesty of using the common people's money to bestow favors, thereby earning an undeserved reputation for hypocrisy."
Wen Liangshan refused to yield an inch. His two sentences struck directly at the heart of the matter, instantly rendering Tang Huaxi, the Minister of Revenue, completely speechless.
"Enough, enough. We shall discuss this matter further at a later time."
Qin Tian rebuked with a wave of impatience, "Have there been any recent updates from Beining City?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, ever since the twenty thousand refugees entered the city, Beining City's food supplies and provisions have once again fallen into critical shortage."
The Minister of War hastily replied, "Moreover, according to reports from our scouts, the local populace of Beining City holds a strong aversion toward those refugees, terrified of contracting diseases. One can imagine that Beining City must currently be in utter chaos."
Hearing this, Emperor Qin Tian's brow finally relaxed.
This was the most pleasing news regarding Beining City that he had heard in a long time.
"And what of those items previously researched by the Directorate of Works? Has there been any progress?" Qin Tian continued to inquire.
"The Ministry of Works has already achieved initial results; the so-called coal stoves can now be mass-produced. As for coal briquettes and refined salt, they are still under ongoing experimentation."
The Minister of Works answered with trepidation.
In truth, the coal stove involved no complex manufacturing processes, so it could naturally be easily replicated.
However, coal briquettes and refined salt—especially refined salt—required a period of proportion adjustment and experimentation before they could be successfully produced, even when the ingredients were already known.
Qin Tian, however, understood none of these nuances. Hearing that one of the three items could already be replicated, he laughed heartily and said, "Good, the Ministry of Works has performed well this time. I hope to see the finished products of the other two items as soon as possible."
"This subject shall not fail Your Majesty's expectations."
The Minister of Works hurriedly kowtowed in gratitude, though inwardly he felt deeply troubled.
Meanwhile, Fuchaahar, the Emperor of the Jurchen nation, dispatched the Imperial Preceptor Gurna along with a royal caravan to officially set out for Shanhaiguan.
"Imperial Preceptor, on this trip, you must spare no expense to invite the Confucian Sage here."
When Fuchaahar was still the Crown Prince of the Jurchen nation, he had attended lectures in the imperial palace for three days. To this day, he still found the experience lingering in his mind, holding an intense and profound reverence for the Confucian Sage.
The Imperial Preceptor nodded solemnly: "Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Gurna will certainly fulfill Your Majesty's mission this time."
"Very well." The Jurchen Emperor nodded. "However, you must also exercise caution regarding another task. That Qin Xuan is by no means merely capable of leading troops in battle."
Over this recent period, coal stoves, coal briquettes, refined salt, and soap had already flourished throughout the Jurchen nation.
Yet, unlike the Great Qi Emperor's attempts at containment and blockade, the Jurchen nation was in such dire need of these supplies that they simply could not refuse them.
Moreover, the Jurchen Emperor had perceived infinite business opportunities within them, which was why he had instructed Gurna to make a side trip to embassy Beining City while heading toward Shanhaiguan.
"This subject understands." Gurna sighed inwardly.
Recalling merely a few months prior, Qin Xuan had been nothing more than a vassal prince or a general; yet now, his own emperor treated the man almost as a sovereign of an equal state.
"Qin Xuan, I look forward to our meeting again!"
Gurna murmured quietly to himself.