"When I was a child in the town of Yanhui, I saw the imperial court spending many resources for the sake of Ziliujin. I have been thinking about it in these recent years: why do we have to strictly control it? If everyone can buy and sell Ziliujin as freely as buying food or silk, would it not mean that there will be no more black markets?"

Chang Geng shook his head. "I later realized that it was impossible. Allow me to say a few disrespectful words, regardless of who becomes the Emperor, whether they are wise or incompetent, favored literary arts or favored martial arts - no one can allow the civilians to freely trade Ziliujin.

"Otherwise from now on - merchants, foreigners, Eastern Yi people, the lawless thieves, and even some officials, will all possess these resources... everyone will hold this blade in their hands."

Gu Yun: "Much like those bandits in the Southern Frontier."

"Correct," Chang Geng said. "This is just a few black markets, just a few bandits. It's just a few hills in the small territory of the Southern Frontier. What would happen if it were to expand into the entirety of Great Liang? What if everyone everywhere possessed this 'blade' in their hands? The imperial court, of course, cannot afford to manage the interests of all people. When that time comes, one problem will give birth to another, they will be under the control of the 'largest blade'.

"Who would not want to possess this Dragon-killing blade? People would then fight, biting at each other, without any regard for morality or laws, much like raising worms, waiting until the worm king appeared, whose hands will this nation belong to?"

Gu Yun frowned: "Chang Geng, it is fine for me to listen to these words, don't mention it to others — then according to your point of view, is it necessary to bring back the Rong Jin Law?"

"It is not, in fact, it is best to continue the lax control of the former Emperor, to stabilize, and to solve the most urgent task of finance first.

"Since the appearance of the farming puppets, a significant amount of the annual production of food has been left to rot in the storage. The price of rice has become lower and lower, people have switched to stocking money, every little bit of gold and silver has been hoarded in warehouses, so the treasury naturally could not be filled."

"It is impossible for silver to be manifested out of thin air. Increasing the production of money now is just a distant water that cannot quell a nearby fire; we can only rely on the Western foreigners. Once the Silk Road is completely opened, with this achievement, yifu's name will forever go down in history, even stabilizing a hundred rebellions cannot be compared."