Chapter 11: The Four Ghosts of Western Hunan
Shen Hao stretched lazily and said offhandedly, "Could it be that someone's been embezzling funds?"
Xuandezzi was so frightened that he immediately dropped to his knees, trembling as he said,
"Your Majesty, absolutely not! I've gone through the accounts of the Imperial Household Department, they're clean. Although there's some embezzlement, it's nothing more than petty profits.
The national treasury itself is far from full, and the silver allocated to the Imperial Household Department is pitifully little.
The late Emperor used to sell treasures from the treasure vault during holidays to cover expenses.
Furthermore, according to past customs, the Emperor's consorts and palace maids were to be buried with him. That used to save a considerable amount.
But you spared them, and this has unknowingly added a lot of expenses. Right now, the palace is merely managing to scrape by."
After he finished, Xuandezzi appeared somewhat resentful, as if blaming Shen Hao for meddling too much, for abolishing the burial tradition.
Shen Hao hadn't expected that a grand dynasty like Da Zhou would be this poor.
The Emperor had to sell things just to celebrate a holiday?
Having read much history, he knew, when the court was poor, it was the officials and the local gentry who were fattening themselves. That was always the case.
However, at the moment, Shen Hao had no one he could use.
Everything was uncertain. No one was available.
"Hmph. If a dynasty has to save money by burying palace maids and consorts alive, then it might as well collapse already," Shen Hao said with clear displeasure.
"Your Majesty, please mind your words!" Xuandezzi hurriedly warned.
Shen Hao pulled out a banknote worth a hundred thousand silver taels from his sleeve and handed it to Xuandezzi.
When he saw the bill, Xuandezzi's eyes widened in disbelief. "Your Majesty… how do you have this much money?"
Shen Hao said proudly, "Money is just a worldly possession. Use it freely, boldly. If there's one thing I'll never run out of in this life, it's money."
In this world, there were plenty of treasures. Shen Hao certainly didn't lack wealth. Besides, as a modern man, he had far too many ways to make money.
Then, he took out a manual from his sleeve and handed it to Xuandezzi.
Xuandezzi blurted out in shock, "The Bixie Sword Manual! Your Majesty… how do you have this?"
Shen Hao didn't explain. He just smiled and patted Xuandezzi on the shoulder. "No need to worry about that. Go find one hundred young eunuchs and have them all train with this sword manual. I want a team of unbeatable eunuchs in the shortest time possible."
Upon hearing this, Xuandezzi shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, I fear you're being too optimistic.
Most eunuchs who enter the palace come from poor families.
They're illiterate, lack physical foundation, and are of average talent.
Without three to five years, they won't even scratch the surface. If even one out of a hundred is suited for martial arts, that would already be quite good.
Though this Bixie Sword Manual is a rapid-training technique, it still requires some martial foundation, it depends on talent."
Shen Hao stayed silent for a while after hearing this. He looked like a frost-bitten eggplant, completely deflated.
After a moment, he furrowed his brows. "What if someone is exceptionally talented?"
Xuandezzi replied, "If they're literate and already have some martial background, their progress would be twice as fast with half the effort. But unfortunately, these eunuchs… the fastest could get started in half a year, gain basic proficiency in three years, and become presentable in five.
Even so, without real combat experience, without having seen blood, they still won't be battle-ready."
Hearing this, Shen Hao suddenly understood.
When it came to talent, the martial world had no shortage of it. Shen Hao had a new idea.
Suddenly, Xuandezzi's whole body tensed, and he rushed to protect Shen Hao.
"Who's there? Show yourself at once!"
Just as he spoke, a shadow in a green robe appeared before Shen Hao.
Moments later, it split into four figures.
Xuandezzi's expression changed. Highly alert, he said, "You… you're the Four Ghosts of Western Hunan?"
Though the Four Ghosts were all masters, they moved as one. Even when facing a Grandmaster, they weren't at a disadvantage. If not for their strength lying more in defense than offense, they would have been even more formidable.
Seeing that they were allies, Shen Hao smiled. "Relax, they're on our side."
Xuandezzi was stunned. Before he could respond, the Four Ghosts of Western Hunan dropped to one knee and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
"You may rise."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Looking at the Four Ghosts standing respectfully before him, Xuandezzi simply couldn't believe it.
These four were actually the Emperor's people?
It was said that the Four Ghosts of Western Hunan wanted nothing to do with the Central Plains' martial world. No one had ever managed to recruit them.
For twenty years, the Eight Great Martial Sects of the Central Plains had repeatedly invited them to attend the Martial Arts Conference, but they never accepted.
Only now did Xuandezzi begin to realize just how unfathomable his Emperor truly was.
Without wasting time, Shen Hao ordered, "Copy the Bixie Sword Manual and send a copy to the Fuwei Escort Agency. But after delivering it, make sure to stir up a huge commotion about it."
"Understood, Your Majesty," the Four Ghosts responded respectfully.
Inside the imperial study, watching the Four Ghosts vanish like phantoms, Xuandezzi still couldn't wrap his head around it.
They were now serving the Emperor?
He had followed Shen Hao since childhood, but had never heard anything about this. All he could do was marvel, as expected, His Majesty's power runs deep and boundless.
At present, what Shen Hao lacked most was talent. Even Qiao Huangrong had run off.
But that, too, was her nature, rebellious, clever, and impossible to tame.
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