Chapter 24: Old Man, We Need to Amass Troops

"Fugui, bring the box here."

Once inside the study, Zhao Ang could hardly contain his impatience. He had only heard a rough summary of the contents from Wang Pingzhi earlier, but he hadn't inspected them himself. Only by personally counting the banknotes and property deeds would he truly feel satisfied. After all, this was the first significant sum of wealth he had managed to secure since arriving in this world.

"Yes, Your Grace."

Fugui handed over the box, and Zhao Ang quickly opened it. He separated the deeds for shops and estates into one pile and the banknotes into another. Upon counting carefully, he found dozens of property and land deeds among them, many of which were for prime locations within the capital. As for the ready cash, it was indeed as Wang Pingzhi had stated—around six hundred thousand taels. It was a massive fortune; clearly, while Wang Pingzhi appeared incorruptible on the surface, he had actually amassed quite a lot of wealth. Otherwise, as a mere Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, he could never have produced such a sum.

"Fugui, take five hundred thousand taels of this to the pawnshop and redeem my shops."

The shops he had pawned to pay off Wang Chengfeng’s gambling debts were held under flexible contracts. Now that he had the funds, he could easily get them back.

"Right away!"

With the five hundred thousand taels and the pawn tickets in hand, Fugui hurried off. Zhao Ang turned his attention to the remaining hundred thousand taels. In the Great Qian Dynasty, a common household earned no more than twenty or thirty taels a year. While this remaining sum might seem small to him, it was enough to support nearly ten thousand families. Letting this money sit idle would be a waste. Perhaps...

Zhao Ang sifted through the land deeds and quickly selected a few estates. These properties were in a remote location but were contiguous, making them perfect for quartering troops. No, he needed to consult the Old Prince. Keeping a few tens of thousands for his own medicinal baths, he took the deeds and the remaining silver to the Old Prince’s courtyard.

"Uncle Wang, please station the men around the perimeter of the courtyard."

"Rest assured, Your Grace."

Wang Xin led the men to secure the area with practiced efficiency. Zhao Ang dismissed the servants before turning to the Old Prince.

"Old man, I’ve come to discuss something with you."

"Oh? What is it?"

The Old Prince was curious. Usually, he was the one seeking out Zhao Ang to discuss matters. This was the first time Zhao Ang had initiated such a conversation.

"Old man, look at this..."

Zhao Ang placed the selected deeds on the table and brought out a map of the capital. He traced the area covered by these estates, and the Old Prince followed his finger.

"These estates are connected, backed by mountains and forests, and there’s a river flowing nearby. Plus, the location is secluded; it’s truly perfect for training troops. You mean to..."

The Old Prince looked at Zhao Ang, who finished his thought.

"Exactly. The Emperor is currently eyeing you with hostility. The Black Tiger Army is exposed, and the Southern Defense Army is far away at the border. If we lose our standing and these two forces are suppressed, we will be nothing more than fish on a chopping block. Therefore, it is time to cultivate a secret army hidden underground, so we have a means of self-preservation should we fall from grace."

Zhao Ang’s logic was sound, yet the Old Prince hesitated. He had been loyal to the throne his entire life, even if the Emperor had shown signs of discarding him lately. To secretly raise an army was treason, and he struggled to make that final decision.

"Grandfather, don't hesitate any longer! With the right timing, location, and support, this is the perfect moment to build our private forces. If we wait until the Emperor makes his move, it will be too late!"

Zhao Ang had no patriotic sentiment; he only cared about survival.

"Fine," the Old Prince gritted his teeth and finally made up his mind. "I will do as you say!"

"But how do you intend to pull this off? Everyone in the capital is watching the Prince of Southern Defense’s estate!"

It would be difficult for anyone else, but for him, it was manageable.

"Old man, have you forgotten? I am the capital’s number one playboy. If I hear rumors of beauties outside the city and go out for an excursion, who would suspect anything? Once you send the men to me, I’ll handle the rest!"

Zhao Ang already had a plan in mind. The Old Prince sighed with emotion.

"I used to despise your dissolute nature, but now it seems there is no better cover than this! Very well, three days from now, there will be beauties outside the city."

With the Old Prince’s word, Zhao Ang was at ease. As he turned to leave, the Old Prince called him back, pointing to the items on the table.

"Take these with you. Since you were the one who proposed this, you are responsible for it. Remember, train these soldiers well; don't tarnish the reputation of the Zhao family!"

"Don't worry, old man."

Zhao Ang wasn't concerned. He had been a soldier in his previous life; why would he fear training troops? Watching Zhao Ang’s spirited demeanor, the Old Prince couldn't help but recall his own younger self.

"Brats," he muttered, his eyes filled with appreciation.

That daring and aggressive spirit—that was his grandson!

"Your Grace, why have you come from the Old Prince’s courtyard? Did he beat you again?"

It was no wonder Fugui was suspicious; the Old Prince had beaten him more in the last few days than in all the years prior. Although it was all for show, everyone else took it seriously. But Zhao Ang hadn't done anything wrong today. Could it be that yesterday’s beating was delayed until today? Fugui thought it over; only Zhao Ang’s behavior last night had been somewhat out of the ordinary.

"You really do hope I get beaten, don't you?"

Zhao Ang flicked his forehead and held out his hand. "What about the shops? Did you redeem them?"

"Of course I did, Your Grace. Don't you trust my work?"

Fugui triumphantly handed over the deeds for the three shops. After confirming they were correct, Zhao Ang handed him the deeds for the estates.

"Your Grace, this is..."

Meeting Fugui’s confused gaze, Zhao Ang looked around, acting cautious. "Fugui, you are my right-hand man, are you not?"

"Of course I am!" Fugui puffed out his chest without hesitation.

Zhao Ang continued the deception. "That’s why I’m entrusting you with a major task. Go and deal with these estates secretly. Send away the tenant farmers and hire people to build some housing. I’ll give you three days. Can you do it?"

"Huh?" Fugui was puzzled, but seeing the look in Zhao Ang’s eyes, he nodded firmly. "Your Grace, don't worry, I will get it done."

Zhao Ang nodded with satisfaction, patted Fugui on the shoulder, and added, "Remember, no one must know about this! It’s best if the ownership of these estates isn't linked to me in any official capacity!"

As soon as Zhao Ang said this, Fugui understood. He looked at Zhao Ang with a knowing expression.

"Your Grace, don't worry, I’ll make sure these estates are handled perfectly."

Secluded, kept a secret, and even the public name of the owner had to be changed. It seemed his Young Master intended to keep a mistress outside the city—a "Golden House" for his beloved! Or rather, a "Golden Estate." He just wondered who the lady might be.