Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

Zhen Yi sat down and took a sip of the hangover tea. "I was almost scared to death just now."

"What are you scared of?" Zhen Yan asked, puzzled.

"I thought the Marquis of Champion would ask for an exorbitant amount, perhaps five million or ten million shi of grain."

Zhen Yi continued, "In the end, they only received two million shi... all that worrying for nothing."

Zhen Yan, Zhen Yao: "..."

Two million koku... and "only"?

Father, do you have some misunderstanding about "small amount"?

Zhen Yan cautiously reminded him, "Father, two million shi of grain is no small sum. Although our Zhen family is wealthy, taking out such a large amount at once..."

"not much."

Zhen Yi waved his hand and said, "We have granaries in Jizhou, Xuzhou, Qingzhou and other places. If we pool our resources, we can come up with two million shi (a unit of dry measure). Besides, this is an investment."

Our son-in-law is now the Governor of Youzhou, wielding considerable military power and enjoying His Majesty's trust. His future is limitless. Helping him now is helping ourselves.

Two million shi of grain and fodder, in exchange for the favor of the Marquis of Champion, exclusive business, and the status of the Zhen family in Youzhou—worth it!

Zhen Yao nodded and said, "Father is right. Moreover, I think the Marquis of Champion is sincere towards my sisters and is also very generous to our Zhen family. This investment is worthwhile."

Zhen Yi then asked, "What do you think of that Shen Wansan?"

Zhen Yan said solemnly, "A business genius! We've only talked for less than an hour, and the marketing strategies, pricing plans, and channel development he proposed... are unheard of, yet upon closer examination, they make perfect sense. If this person were to go into business, he would surely become incredibly wealthy."

Zhen Yao added, "The Marquis of Champion said that Shen Wansan also has fine salt and paper. The fine salt is whiter and finer than the tribute salt from the palace, and the paper is cheaper and thinner than Cai Hou's paper—if it's all true, then our Zhen family will be rich!"

Zhen Yi counted on his fingers: "Fine salt, fine wine, paper... these are all highly profitable businesses. With these, let alone two million shi, even five million shi could be earned back in just a few years."

Then his eyes lit up: "Excellent! Excellent! This trip to Youzhou was the right one!"

"Alright, go and rest."

Zhen Yi waved his hand and said, "Starting tomorrow, get to work with Shen Wansan. Our Zhen family must establish a firm foothold in Youzhou and make our mark!"

"yes!"

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the night view outside.

The night in Zhuoxian was quiet, but Zhen Yi seemed to see a prosperous future.

The Zhen family rose from a merchant family to become related to the Marquis of Champion by marriage and an important pillar of Youzhou.

That was the right move.

Meanwhile, Liu Ce was rolling around on his bed in the Liu residence.

"Two million shi of grain..."

He muttered to himself, "Why the hell did I only say two million koku... What a huge loss, what a huge loss..."

...

The next morning, when Liu Ce strolled to the governor's mansion, the council hall was bustling with activity.

Before even entering, one could hear Guo Jia's booming voice from inside: "...My Lordship's wine! Good heavens, crystal clear, smooth on the palate, with a sweet aftertaste! I, Guo Fengxiao, have tasted wines all over Yingchuan and Luoyang, and apart from the divine brew, I've never seen such fine wine!"

Xi Zhicai's voice was tinged with laughter: "Fengxiao, you should drink less. You wouldn't let go of the wine jar last night, and your eyes are still red this morning."

"What do you know!"

Guo Jia retorted, "Wine is the essence of grain; the more you drink, the younger you become!"

Liu Ce pushed open the door and saw Guo Jia gesturing with an empty wine cup, Xi Zhicai shaking his head and smiling bitterly, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui checking documents, Xun Yu doing accounts, Tian Feng and Ju Shou arguing about something, and Chen Gong writing something...

"Hey, having a good chat?" Liu Ce walked in with a smile.

When everyone saw him arrive, they all stood up and bowed.

"Sit down, sit down, don't be shy."

Liu Ce waved his hand and sat down in the main seat. "What are you chatting about so animatedly?"

Guo Jia was the most enthusiastic: "My lord, we're talking about all the wonderful things you've produced! Fine salt, paper, wine—everything is a treasure! Especially the wine, it's absolutely amazing!"

Xi Zhicai nodded: "Paper is good too. It's thin and tough, and it's smooth to write on, much more convenient than bamboo slips. If it were widely adopted, it would be a blessing for scholars."

Fang Xuanling laughed and said, "My lord's inventions may seem insignificant, but they are actually beneficial to the country and the people. Fine salt allows the people to eat well, paper allows knowledge to spread widely, and fine wine... well, it allows Fengxiao to drink happily."

Everyone laughed.

Guo Jia wasn't embarrassed at all; on the contrary, he was quite pleased with himself: "That's right! That's right!"

Amidst the laughter and chatter, Guo Jia suddenly leaned closer, lowering his voice and chuckling mischievously, "My lord, our in-laws have arrived. How are you feeling? And... the harem hasn't exploded, has it?"

He winked and made faces, his gossip-loving spirit burning brightly.

Liu Ce was taken aback, then burst into laughter.

He stood up, hands behind his back, striking a pose that screamed "I'm awesome!": "Who am I? Marquis of Champion! General of the Cavalry! Governor of Youzhou! Harem in chaos? You're kidding! My harem, Liu Bolue's, is perfectly harmonious! Sisters and brothers love each other dearly, and we're all very happy!"

Guo Jia gave a thumbs up: "My lord is truly remarkable! No wonder you were able to write 'To establish a heart for heaven and earth,' and you also have a knack for managing a household!"

Xi Zhicai covered his mouth and laughed, "Indeed. Only with a stable backyard can one focus wholeheartedly on the front lines."

Everyone else couldn't help but laugh.

Liu Ce sat down smugly, about to continue his boasting, when he suddenly remembered what happened yesterday.

"Oh, right."

He said seriously, "Let's get down to business. At yesterday's banquet, Zhen Yi, the head of the Zhen family, agreed to provide us with grain and fodder free of charge."

He then cleared his throat, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense: "Guess how much the Zhen family head promised to give?"

Fang Xuanling cautiously replied, "The Zhen family is extremely wealthy, but providing it free of charge... should be capped at 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure)."

Du Ruhui shook his head and said, "Three hundred thousand shi is not enough. Given the relationship between our lord and the Zhen family, how about five hundred thousand shi?"

Xun Yu pondered for a moment and said, "Perhaps... 800,000 shi?"

Guo Jia was the most daring to guess: "One million shi! No more than that!"

Liu Ce looked at them and slowly extended two fingers.

"Two hundred thousand shi?" Xi Zhicai asked.

Liu Ce shook his head.

"Two...two million shi?!" Guo Jia's voice changed.

Liu Ce nodded with a smile and said, "Yes, two million shi. Zhen Yi personally promised that he would send the rest of the supplies to us once they arrived."

"boom--"

The hall fell silent instantly.

Then, with a "whoosh," it exploded.

"How much?!" Xun Yu dropped the pen in his hand.

"Two...two million shi?!" Tian Feng's eyes widened like copper bells.

Ju Shou's hands trembled: "My lord, you...you're not mistaken, are you?"

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

Chen Gong counted on his fingers: "Two million shi... enough to feed an army of 100,000 for more than a year... My God!"

Guo Jia jumped up and spun around the room: "Two million shi of grain! My goodness! My Lord Marquis, your father-in-law... is too kind!"

Xi Zhicai murmured, "Lord Zhen... what a grand gesture..."

Seeing the shocked expressions on everyone's faces, Liu Ce felt incredibly pleased.

He said slowly, "Of course it's true. Patriarch Zhen personally promised that once the Zhen family's supplies arrive, they will be delivered as soon as possible."