blogombal Page 574
Page 574
These noble families, if traced back to their origins, all had some imperial blood.
As for those who end up in the slums, who knows they came out of that cesspool?
"Young Master truly ruthlessly eliminates his enemies!"
Upon hearing this, everyone's fear of Zhang Xiaoshan reached its peak.
They didn't even give them a chance to rise from the ashes. This is tantamount to severing the spiritual core of Japan's thousand-year heritage, which is extremely terrifying.
"So, what is your next move, young master?"
"The Zhang family is prepared to spend 100,000 taels of gold to build a private school."
Ninety-five percent of the lower classes in Japan are illiterate, so this is a good opportunity to export Chinese culture.
Originally, 100,000 gold coins could have built 10,000 private schools, but given the small size of Japan, 3,000 small private schools would have been enough to cover the entire country. The Zhang family planned to spend 60,000 gold coins on this.
The Zhang family plans to use the remaining 40,000 gold coins to build an academy on each large island, teaching the Four Books and Five Classics, where officials can take the imperial examinations.
"Young master is benevolent and righteous!"
Upon hearing Zhang Xiaoshan's next move, everyone bowed in respect.
Although Zhang Xiaoshan's motives were impure, his merits were undeniable.
No wonder so many Japanese people regard Zhang Xiaoshan as a savior and a Buddha of merit, and worship him with such reverence.
Strictly speaking, Zhang Xiaoshan really was their savior.
"As for private school teachers, there are plenty of poor scholars in the Central Plains."
The increased investment in the private school could easily transform it into a manor, complete with a beautiful wife. What do you all think of this arrangement?
Fuck!
Upon hearing this, everyone was utterly shocked by Zhang Xiaoshan's outrageous actions.
Where can you find a beautiful wife? There are plenty of beauties among the poor at the bottom of society.
Moreover, he could marry a scholar from the Central Plains, the kind of 'husband' that countless young women from Japan would fight over. Zhang Xiaoshan's conditions were undeniably generous.
"Young master, your plans are truly flawless!"
Just from Zhang Xiaoshan's explanation, they knew that this was an inevitable trend.
"The Buddhist ceremony has concluded, everyone!"
"Sir, please!"
Before the golden clay statue of the Buddha of Merit, besides the two great Buddhist nuns Mingchen and Fan Qinghui, the eminent Buddhist monks Liaokong, Xuanye, and Fangsheng all looked at Zhang Xiaoshan who was slowly approaching.
At first, they were also shocked by Zhang Xiaoshan's actions, and later made an agreement with Zhang Xiaoshan for a year.
If the incense is very strong, then the golden Buddha statue in the main hall will be enshrined in Zhang Xiaoshan;
If there are very few worshippers, they will be moved to a side hall.
Undoubtedly, they were disappointed!
The fact that 100,000 believers came to worship at the completion of the temple has left them deeply moved.
I never expected the Zhang family to have such a high reputation among the people.
It should be noted that in the Central Plains, the Mahavira Hall only enshrines the golden statue of Shakyamuni.
If the clay statue of Zhang Xiaoshan were to be enshrined in Japan and were to reach Kyushu, it could cause a huge uproar.
"Amitabha Buddha, greetings, young master!"
"Greetings, Master Kong, and all the eminent monks!"
Zhang Xiaoshan nodded, and the crowd went even wilder upon seeing him appear.
Because of the Zhang family's effective publicity, everyone knew that Zhang Xiaoshan was over forty years old, but now seeing Zhang Xiaoshan looking like a young man with an outstanding presence, everyone immediately began to worship him wildly.
hermit
The constant panting in the Japanese language is precisely what the immortals of the Central Plains mean.
Liao Kong and the others did not refuse, because according to the level of cultivation, Zhang Xiaoshan's condensation of the primordial spirit was indeed considered to be at the Celestial Realm of a terrestrial immortal.
"Please rise, everyone. Thank you all for your kindness in creating a clay statue of Mr. Zhang."
Since Mr. Zhang is known as the Buddha of Salvation and Merit, and as the golden statue of the deity who is worshipped, the Zhang family has decided to donate 500,000 gold coins to improve everyone's lives.
"One hundred thousand taels of gold will be used to build three thousand rural private schools, one hundred thousand taels of gold will be used to build one thousand paper mills, and three hundred thousand taels of gold will be used to build official roads!"
Your Highness is kind!
With a Japanese translator nearby, the pilgrims were moved to tears of gratitude.
For most people, private schools were the key to their descendants' success; workshops provided them with additional income during the off-season; and roads, needless to say, were essential for wealth.
This is the Buddha of salvation and merit in their hearts.
Moreover, this is also a tactic Zhang Xiaoshan uses to win over followers.
After all, this change was brought about by the Zhang family. If you don't believe in the Zhang family, why would they let you attend a private school for free, or let you work in a workshop to earn extra money...?
In any case, the Zhang family has earned tens of millions of gold and silver here in the past three years, let alone an investment of only 500,000 gold.
Even if the Zhang family invests one-tenth of their gold in Japan every year, their position in Japan will remain unshakeable.
And this kind of belief, if maintained for thirty to fifty years, will become deeply rooted.
"What terrifying methods!"
Upon witnessing this scene, Li Xin, the merchant, and the monk all marveled at how terrifying Zhang Xiaoshan was.
When it comes to winning people's hearts, this is already a masterful skill.
Because Zhang Xiaoshan knows best what they need.
Killing nobles and distributing land and grain, even building private schools for them to attend school and workshops for them to work... these methods made their faith in the so-called 'Buddha of Salvation' reach the level of pilgrimage.
It was even more insane than the "Ten Thousand Families Living Buddha" in the Central Plains.
···
"Respectfully bidding farewell to the Buddha!"
On the dock, a group of Japanese people watched with reverence as the large Japanese ship carrying Zhang Xiaoshan slowly departed.
The promise Zhang Xiaoshan made at Xiaoleiyin Temple has spread throughout Japan. To the Japanese people, it is no different from the promise of a living Buddha.
Moreover, the common people at the docks are the ones who can best feel the Zhang family's benevolence.
They not only received high salaries, but also had fish, vegetables, other meats, and unlimited white rice at every meal.
Moreover, they knew the Zhang family the most, since the merchants and their associates who came and went here were all gossipy and usually chatted about all sorts of things.
But without exception, they all held the Zhang family in the highest esteem.
Having come from humble backgrounds, they realized just how important the Zhang family's charitable work was.
They built dikes, private schools, and highways... and even brought high-yield crops from the distant New World, saving countless lives.
Therefore, no one objected to erecting a 'clay statue of Zhang Xiaoshan'; they were the people with the purest faith.
Farewell, everyone!
Zhang Xiaoshan cupped his hands in greeting, and the large Fujian-style ship slowly started moving, leaving the dock.
Zhang Xiaoshan had already arranged everything. The Central Plains began to gather scholars and transport papermaking equipment.
As for the imperial highway? It will be constructed using a mixture of mortar, lime, and sand!
Japan is prone to earthquakes, with 543 earthquakes frequently occurring there. The roads built with rammed earth are more convenient, while cement roads will crack in no time.
"Young master, news has just come from the Central Plains that the empire's number one swordsman has defected."
"Gai Nie has defected?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaoshan frowned.
As the Dragon Emperor's top swordsman, Gai Nie's swordsmanship has improved even more since his last battle with Fu Cailin, and he has vaguely reached the limit of a sword saint.
He thought Gai Nie would break through to the Sword God realm by the Dragon Emperor's side before leaving.
"A new era of chaos has begun; the empire's countdown has started!"
The empire's countdown?
Hearing Zhang Xiaoshan's mutterings, Liu Sheng Piaoxu, Master Mingchen, Fan Qinghui, and Shi Feixuan all looked horrified.
Shi Feixuan had been following Zhang Xiaoshan for the past three years, cultivating the Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique, and had already reached the Grandmaster realm. How could she not hear what Zhang Xiaoshan was saying?
"Young master, do you mean the empire is about to collapse?"
"Indeed, the Dragon Emperor's ambition is too great. Even though the Zhang family has been constantly trying to loosen the empire's nerves, the pressure from the Dragon Emperor is still too great."
The empire belongs to the Dragon Emperor; once the Dragon Emperor falls, the empire will inevitably disintegrate.
"Does the young master mean that if Gai Nie leaves the Dragon Emperor, the Dragon Emperor will be in great danger?"
Although Gai Nie is the empire's number one swordsman, he is not a grandmaster and is not invincible.
Besides, even without Gai Nie, there are still Zhao Gao, Meng Yi, Zhang Han... How could the empire be put in danger because of one Gai Nie?
"Gai Nie's departure is just the beginning."
The real danger to the empire lies with the people Gai Nie took away; that is the root of the problem.
Otherwise, how could a mere Gai Nie pose a threat to the empire?
"The person Gai Nie took away!"
The women were even more surprised upon hearing this.
The news didn't mention Gai Nie escaping with someone, so how did Zhang Xiaoshan know?
But they didn't doubt Zhang Xiaoshan's words, because Zhang Xiaoshan wouldn't make up nonsense on such an important matter.
Chapter 667 The Swordsman Ranking - Five Great Sword Gods and Ten Great Sword Saints
"It is said that the Empire's number one swordsman, Gai Nie, has defected to the Empire. His Majesty is furious and has issued an enormous bounty."
Anyone who uploads reliable information related to Gai Nie can receive a thousand gold pieces; if the traitor Gai Nie is killed, the empire will offer a reward of one hundred thousand gold pieces.
"Hiss hiss hiss... 100,000 gold coins, is Gai Nie really that valuable?"
"That's the empire's number one swordsman, don't you think?"
When Gai Nie defected, the empire immediately dispatched its most elite Dragon Elephant Cavalry in pursuit. Three thousand cavalrymen ambushed him on the banks of the Wei River. Guess what happened?
"Gai Nie escaped by diving into the water?"
"If that's the case, this number one swordsman of the empire is not worth 100,000 gold."
One man, one sword—the empire's three thousand most elite Dragon Elephant Cavalry perished on the banks of the Wei River. This battle enraged the Dragon Emperor, who then offered a bounty of one hundred thousand gold coins for Gai Nie's life.
Hiss...
Inside the brothels and taverns, everyone gasped upon hearing this.
The empire's three thousand Dragon Elephant Armored Warriors were no match for one man with one sword. Just how strong was this man? No wonder he was the empire's number one swordsman.
It should be noted that these Dragon Elephant Iron Cavalry were not ordinary cavalrymen, but rather knights selected from among the strongest warriors in the imperial army, riding the legendary Dragon Elephant Steed. There were only about five thousand of them in total.
In response, the empire promised the Zhang family a five-year tax exemption.
A thousand dragon-elephant steeds are exempt from taxes for a year, and it took the Zhang family five years to gather this five-thousand-year-old dragon-elephant steed.
As for the others, the Zhang family also assembled a thousand Dragon Elephant Iron Cavalry.
However, the Zhang family were not imperial guards, but rather a guard regiment, and also used for hauling goods.
Therefore, when the Dragon Emperor learned of this, he was only somewhat disappointed.
Killing a chicken with a bull's knife!
"Speaking of the empire's number one swordsman, he is also a legendary figure."
Born into the Guigu School, one of the two disciples of the Zongheng School, although he often refrains from making a move in front of His Majesty the Dragon Emperor, his battle record is still remarkable.
As a young man, he had just left the mountain when he and his junior brother Wei Zhuang, the leader of Liu Sha, defeated Xuan Jian, the number one assassin of Luo Wang at that time; the Black Swordsman who followed the Dragon Emperor and ran rampant in the Later Zhou Dynasty was defeated by this number one swordsman Gai Nie; and three years ago, during the empire's eastern expedition, the famous Kyushu Yi Sword Sect Master Fu Cailin was also defeated by this sword saint.