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Chapter 203 Attracting Investment
Although Chai Rong praised Li Yi highly, he did not adopt his strategy on the spot.

After all, fighting a war is not just about the bravery of soldiers; it involves balancing various factors.

If the military is likened to a sharp blade, then what supports the wielding of this blade is the silent roar of the state apparatus in the shadows.

Especially wars of a scale like the conquest of the Southern Tang.

The mobilization and transportation of grain, fodder, and equipment, the conscription and employment of able-bodied men... all these were prerequisites that loomed ahead like mountains.

It is by no means something that can be taken lightly based on mere enthusiasm or ingenious schemes.

Therefore, after leaving the Privy Council, Chai Rong immediately summoned Chancellor Fan Zhi, Wang Pu, and other close officials, including Hanlin Academicians, to the Imperial Palace to discuss the specifics of the southern expedition.

Li Yi's strategy focuses on the key to victory on the battlefield, aiming to crush the enemy's will with overwhelming force.

The chief ministers who control the central government and manage all affairs are completely different from military generals like Li Yi who lead troops into battle. Their responsibility is to oversee the overall situation and coordinate all parties, so they are very cautious in their attitude towards war.

Compared to the feasibility of the battle plan, they were more concerned with the myriad complexities behind the war and the serious consequences of failure.

Therefore, key ministers such as Fan Zhi and Wang Pu did not agree with Li Yi's "military adventure" and preferred Wang Pu's more prudent battle strategy.

However, all these pros and cons are temporarily irrelevant to Li Yi.

He had said everything he needed to say, and the final decision was up to the emperor and his prime minister.

Upon returning to the Palace Guard's office, Li Yi acted as usual, first summoning the generals to roll call and giving them instructions, and then returning to his office to handle military affairs.

Although the emperor had already returned to the capital, Li Yi's assignment to inspect the military was automatically terminated.

However, since Zhang Yongde and Shi Yanchao were still in Huainan, he was temporarily in charge of the daily affairs of the Palace Guard.

As for the Imperial Guard, Han Lingkun, the cavalry commander, was still recuperating at home after returning to the capital, while Han Tong, the commander of the Imperial Guard, was already busy with many construction projects in the capital, and now he had the added responsibility of supervising the construction of naval warships.

In this way, Li Yi nominally returned to his original post as a member of the Imperial Guard Cavalry, but in reality, he still concurrently managed many military affairs of the two departments.

Fortunately, the fighting had just ended, and it was also the end of the year, so the official business in the government office was relatively less busy.

Having finished most of his business, Li Yi did not rush to leave. He picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began writing a memorial to the throne.

The first priority is the renovation and reconstruction of the Longjin Bridge area.

The project has officially started, and everything is progressing smoothly.

News of Li Erniang's family also came from Chengdu not long ago, clearly stating their willingness to provide full assistance in building "Tokyo's First Building," and that a caravan carrying money and goods was already on its way to Tokyo.

Since the other party was so cooperative, Li Yi would certainly keep his promise—he planned to petition the emperor for permission to grant Li Erniang's family the exclusive right to operate a wine and tea business in Tokyo.

In his memorial, he specifically pointed out that the Li family merchants came from Shu (Sichuan), and that their investment in the construction of Longjin Street Market was due to their "admiration for the mighty Zhou Dynasty and their deep belief that the unification of the world was not far off."

Therefore, driven by their admiration for the strength of the Great Zhou Dynasty and their belief that the Zhou state would surely unify the world, they "wanted to first occupy the precious land of Tokyo in order to plan for future prosperity."

The purpose of granting them exclusive rights and benefits was to "establish a model for merchants and demonstrate the emperor's magnanimity in encompassing the entire country," so that "merchants from all directions would be drawn to the land and flock to it to increase the nation's wealth."

Li Yi named this strategy "Attracting Investment," intending to "gather wealth from all over the world to build the foundation of the Great Zhou Dynasty and promote the prosperity of commerce and industry." "...The 'First Building,' constructed of bricks, stones, and cement, stands proudly beside the Longjin Bridge, overlooking the towering winds above and the bustling city below; its sturdy and innovative form is truly unprecedented!"

Officials, scholars, merchants, and common people alike could see the grand vision of our Great Zhou Dynasty in its reform and innovation, and its ambition for national prosperity and peace.

The greenery along the riverbanks and the clean, open drainage ditches further demonstrate the imperial court's commitment to practical governance and benefiting the people.

Once it is fully developed, the new market area around Longjin Bridge will surely become Bianliang's premier hub for commerce, a place where craftsmen compete and all people live in peace.

At that time, commercial taxes were plentiful, markets were bustling, and the city was well-organized, serving as a model for the construction of capital cities in all the prefectures and counties of the world, attracting the attention and praise of scholars from all over the world who came to pay tribute.

We earnestly implore Your Majesty's gracious favor, granting the Li family merchants exclusive rights to operate in the wine and tea trade, to supply their households, and to enjoy preferential tax treatment... We humbly submit to Your Majesty's decision!

With the final stroke, the thick ink quickly solidified in the dry, slightly chilly air.

Li Yi carefully read through it several times, confirming that every word and phrase was correct and without any problems, before solemnly rolling it up and carefully tying it with a bright yellow silk ribbon.

He took a deep breath, slightly moved his stiff wrists, and looked at the blank new paper on the desk.

Li Yi is preparing to write another memorial concerning strategies for deepening the reform of the Imperial Guard.

However, as the pen hovered over the paper for a moment, many thoughts flashed through my mind: those ideas could indeed strengthen the military and defend the country, and gradually eliminate bad practices in the military, which would be beneficial in the long run... but it would be difficult to see results in the short term.

Moreover, it involves many intertwined interests, such as military registration, promotion, and even the division of military power and responsibilities.

Given the current situation where the world is not yet unified, it would certainly be inappropriate to propose this so rashly.

Moreover, given Li Yi's status, there are some things he shouldn't be saying right now... After much deliberation, he ultimately couldn't bring himself to put pen to paper.

"Knock knock!" Just then, a soft knocking sound came from the door, breaking the silence inside the official's room.

Immediately, a respectful voice sounded from outside the door: "Commander Li, it's noon. Should we serve lunch now?"

Li Yi snapped out of his reverie and looked out the window to find the courtyard bathed in sunlight.

The winter sun, carrying a faint warmth, pierced through the wooden latticework of the official's house windows, casting long, slanted geometric patterns of light and shadow on the ground.

In the light, countless dust particles floated and danced silently, proclaiming the passage of time.

"Have someone bring the food." Li Yi put down his pen, his voice calm and unwavering.

He rubbed his aching temples and neatly arranged the several spread-out documents.

Not long after, the door hinges creaked slightly, and the clerk, bowing, carefully walked in carrying a black lacquered wooden tray in both hands.

On the plate was a steaming bowl of food: a large bowl of thick corn and meat soup, a small dish of neatly cut mutton drizzled with a dark brown garlic and vinegar sauce, a side dish of pickled vegetables, and two large flatbreads.

The aroma of food instantly filled the air, diluting the stale smell of ink and documents, and bringing a sense of comforting warmth.

The clerk quietly placed the tray on a corner of the desk, and seeing that Li Yi had no further instructions, he silently withdrew and closed the door.

(End of this chapter)