Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 97 How to Spend Money
A few days later, Cao Cao returned to Luoyang.

Liu Bei gave his shares to Cao Cao, and Cao Cao used all the money and silk he brought to buy Su Shuang's shares.

Cao Cao accounts for 60%, while Qian Zhao, representing Zou Jing, accounts for 40%.

Like Liu Bei, Cao Cao was very honest in business. He not only did not embezzle Su Shuang's property, but also shared profits with Qian Zhao proportionally every time goods were shipped.

Xiahou Dun took over Su Shuang's horse farm, but Su Shuang remained there.

For the next six months, Su Shuang will bring his skilled horse handlers here to help Cao Cao with the transition of business—mainly because his money hasn't been able to be transported home yet.

Liu Bei would send a few horses to Qian Zhao's camp every now and then, and then have Qian Zhao "sell" them to the horse farm. However, the quantity was much less than before, because Liu Bei kept the best horses for himself.

Moreover, horse prices in the south began to fall rapidly during this period because the Yuan family also started to sell their horses.

But no matter how much the price is reduced, even to 100,000 per horse, it is still a huge profit for the horse farm.

On the contrary, the new terminal retailer, Ho, may not make much money.

Liu Bei completely hid himself in Xihe Pavilion and rarely appeared in other places.

He's spending money.

Spending money is a more strategic thing than making money, because it's hard for others to know exactly how much you've earned, but it's easy for them to see how much you've spent.

Therefore, Liu Bei wanted to spend money on people and technology, and he did not intend to spend it himself.

The money was earned by the brothers for the family, and the brothers should also help spend it—few people can do this, not even Liu Bei before he time-traveled.

But now, Liu Bei comes from the future and has no home in this world.

The word "home" represents a house that shelters you from the wind and rain, and contains food and wealth.

Family members are those who eat together at home and work together to earn and spend money for the family.

The Liu clan was actually quite unfamiliar to Liu Bei. Apart from Liu Yuanqi, he had almost never interacted with other members of the clan, so it was difficult for him to feel any sense of belonging.

Liu Bei's only family now consists of his retainers and followers who are loyal to him, care for him, and rely on him.

Then family members should spend the family's money; otherwise, who will use all that money they earn?
……

"Brother, you mean, let the brothers decide how to spend the money, and then just take money from the treasury and spend it however they want?"

Zhang Fei stared at Liu Bei in disbelief, his eyes clearly looking at a spendthrift son: "Brother, have you been sleeping poorly lately...?"

When Zhang Fei said he hadn't slept well, he subconsciously glanced at Bian Ji.

Zuo Yuan, who was standing next to Zhang Fei, glared at him fiercely.

Zhang Fei shrank back.

This is a private discussion, so there's no need to be formal. However... these days, only Zhang Fei and Jian Yong would speak so freely.

This is also why Liu Bei summoned Zhang Fei and others to discuss the matter; friends who can speak freely without restraint are truly precious.

“It’s not about spending money recklessly… We need to let the brothers come up with their own plans. As long as the plan is reasonable, I’ll give them the money, no matter how much it is.”

Liu Bei nodded, indicating that this was exactly how he intended to squander his wealth.

"Isn't that the same thing... Brother, it will be embezzled."

Zhang Fei shook his head violently: "Unless it's Sister Zuo or Brother Yun... it won't work for anyone else."

"I'd love for someone to embezzle... If someone can get things done and also pocket money from me, that's a real talent, and they should be given important responsibilities!"

Liu Bei said he didn't care, then turned to Jian Yong and asked, "Xianhe, if I gave you the money, would you embezzle it?"

"That depends on how much they offer. If it's too much, I might embezzle it..."

Jian Yong stroked his chin and spoke honestly.

“Xianhe, if I gave you a hundred million to embezzle, where would you take the money?” Zuo Yuan mocked from the side, “Look at Manager Su, he’s still worrying about how to get the money home.”

Jian Yong thought about it and agreed. It's only when you have little money that you're afraid of embezzling; it's really hard when you have a lot of money... You need real skills to run away with the money; at the very least, you have to be a good logistics and transportation expert.

“There are thieves all over this place. Thieves don’t usually embezzle… Those who do embezzle are called officials.”

Liu Bei shook his head and smiled: "Whoever can embezzle money from Zuo Yuan and Bian Ji will truly become an official."

"Brother, are you really planning to let people embezzle money?"

Zhang Fei was a little confused: "Fei doesn't quite understand."

“Go and tell the brothers that I, Liu Xuande, am going to start squandering money. Have everyone who thinks they have the ability to spend or make money write a plan, and I will invest money in them.”

Liu Bei said in a serious tone, "Remember, you must write a plan; just talking about it won't do... If they can't write, then have them find someone who can to help them."

"Write a plan?"

Zhang Fei thought about it carefully and felt that his elder brother had a point. Although he didn't quite understand, he nodded and said nothing.

After all, there aren't many people who can write.

"Brother, are you trying to get the brothers to learn to read and write?"

Jian Yong was smart enough to nod and say, "That's right, otherwise there are too few people who can understand military orders."

"No, I want to squander money and get the brothers to help me think of things I haven't thought of before."

Liu Bei shook his head: "Moreover, money only has value when it is spent... This is also to let the brothers see the world. People who have seen a lot of money are hard to be bought with money."

……

Guan Yu went on a long trip during this period.

Guan Yu is now a law-abiding citizen with a legitimate status, and has even been promoted to the rank of Marquis of Liu Bei's personal guard.

Liu Bei did not give him any special treatment, but Guan Yu's abilities were undeniable, and he was now respected by everyone in the army, so he should naturally be made the leader of the personal guards.

For personal guards, loyalty and combat skills are the most important qualities. Guan Yu was usually a man of few words, so he was indeed extremely reliable.

For Guan Yu, Xihe Pavilion was truly the perfect place he had always dreamed of.

Guan Yu knew that most of the people in Xiheting came from the Taihang Mountains. He had always been by Liu Bei's side and had personally witnessed how this place had transformed from a wasteland into a vast expanse of fertile land in just over a year.

There were no officials harming the people, no exorbitant taxes, no villains causing trouble, and no powerful figures committing evil deeds.

Every household here has a wanted criminal, yet every household is also a law-abiding citizen.

At first, some Hu people tried to plunder, but under the continuous attacks and construction by Liu Bei and Duan Jiong, most of the gaps in the abandoned Great Wall in the north were sealed.

The few remaining intersections were marked with wooden stakes, on which hung the corpses of the Hu people, and the words "Those who invade the border shall die" were carved on the stakes.

From then on, all the Hu people coming from the direction of Shanggu became friendly and approachable merchants...

Guan Yu knew that Liu Bei was not lying to him; this was indeed an effort to expand the territory of the Han Dynasty.

As more and more people came to Xiheting, the fertile fields in the area also expanded outwards.

Apart from pastures suitable for raising horses, farms are visible everywhere.

Every morning and evening, smoke rose from every house and the aroma of millet filled the air. Guan Yu felt that this was what people meant by 'peace'.

If there were a few more years of peace, Guan Yu thought this place would continue to spread, reaching White Wolf Mountain, Tanhan Mountain, and even further afield.

Having acquired a house in Xiheting, made new friends like Zhang Fei and Jian Yong, and earned a decent income, Guan Yu decided to return to Hedong to bring his wife and children over.

I'll also spend a little bit of money.

(End of this chapter)