Chapter 1672 — Suspended Alone Beyond the Mortal World
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
"Dreams cannot be eaten, and they cannot keep a man alive! Dreams are nothing but a burden upon you; they strip away the station you hold today, they dash your head bloody against reality, they send more of the human race to their deaths for the sake of vaporous phantoms! " Meng Yungui walked faster and faster as he hurried after the Haotian Emperor and his company, saying to himself in silence, "Dreams are too dear, for they must be bought with one's very life; and dreams are worth not a single coin—anyone may claim to hold a dream, but not everyone has the life left to enjoy one!
" He caught up with the Haotian Emperor, who was deep in thought, though of what no man could tell, and the Emperor suddenly spoke: "Heavenly Master Meng, you preside over the economy of the Heavenly Court. In your judgment, how much longer can the heavenly currency hold out? " Meng Yungui pondered a moment and answered, "If we bleed the other heavens, it can hold out ten years more.
If the Heavenly Court issues more heavenly currency and purchases mineral reserves from the great heavens, it can hold out twenty. " The Haotian Emperor said, "Oh? " and brightened with interest.
"Twenty years? Heavenly Master Shang, do you believe the Court can hold out twenty years by issuing more currency? " Shang Pingyin stepped out from the ranks, bowed, and said, "Your servant believes that issuing more currency is to quench a thirst with poison, and will bring the currency to collapse all the faster.
As things stand, a part of the heavenly currency of the myriad heavens is concentrated in two places, the Heavenly Court and Jingping, while the rest is gathered into the hands of the great and powerful houses; the common folk of the myriad heavens have very little money in their hands. If we issue more currency to buy up the mines and mineral reserves of all the heavens, the newly issued currency will fall into the hands of the great houses, the rich will grow richer, and prices will be forced upward.
The poor will grow poorer, and they will rise in revolt. To do this is only to hasten the collapse of the currency. " The Haotian Emperor cast a glance at Meng Yungui and said, "Heavenly Master Shang speaks with reason. " Meng Yungui said mildly, "Heavenly Master Shang acts on intuition alone, and has not subjected the matter to any detailed reckoning. Your servant can prove it by numerology. " His primal qi transformed into runes of numerology, laying out the data of trade and commerce between the myriad heavens; countless complex formulas and equations were set forth in a single sweep, and number after number was computed and transformed with a precision beyond compare—a truly breathtaking spectacle. "Your servant presides over the Court's mint and knows the commerce of the myriad heavens like the palm of his hand. These figures of trade, I have carried down to the haziest digit!
" Meng Yungui went on unhurriedly, "It is only once the issuance of extra currency reaches a certain degree that prices are forced up and the people are left with no means to live, and all of that can be avoided with proper control.
On the other hand, the Heavenly Court holds the right of minting; it can use the newly issued currency to buy up Jingping's imperial foundries, press Jingping down, and purchase everything that is Jingping's without bloodying a single blade. " He turned to Shang Pingyin with a challenging look and said, "Heavenly Master Shang, your numerology is but commonplace numerology; in attainment, is it any higher than mine?
" Shang Pingyin studied his primal-qi formulas and equations of numerology, examining them one by one, and said to the Haotian Emperor, "There is no error in Heavenly Master Meng's calculations; it was this minister's excess of caution. But as for his claim that his attainment in numerology surpasses mine, in my heart I am not convinced. " The Haotian Emperor laughed heartily.