Chapter 149: Short On Clerks
Gan Ning has already returned to Chaisang. At this time, the Yuzhang Army’s intention to move the capital is very obvious. The army is deployed in Chaisang, Pengze, Wuchang, and Xiakou, ready to cross the Yangtze River at any moment.
Gan Ning is very clear that Liu Biao will not let it go easily and will definitely counterattack Jiangxia Commandery. Gan Ning has made preparations and is ready to give Liu Biao a head-on blow at any time.
In terms of military strength, Gan Ning’s current army size is about the same as Liu Biao’s, but Gan Ning has the largest number of warships in the south, so his military strength actually surpasses Liu Biao’s.
In addition, Gan Ning currently controls five and a half commanderies, while Liu Biao has only Nan Commandery. Although Nan Commandery has excellent conditions with vast plains from Xiangyang to Jiangling and a population of nearly two million.
But Gan Ning also has the Pengli Marsh plains, Dongting Lake plains, and Jiangxia plains, with a total population exceeding three million, close to four million. On this point alone, Gan Ning’s military and economic strength surpasses Liu Biao’s.
Gan Ning’s only weakness is that his base is not stable enough yet and needs time to slowly digest it. Once his core base is secured, he won’t fear even if Cao Cao’s army comes south.
Not only that, Gan Ning has also sent a large number of scouts to Nan Commandery, monitoring Liu Biao’s army movements at all times. Once Liu Biao’s army shows unusual mobilization, he will immediately send troops to respond.
This morning, Strategist Lu Su hurriedly found Gan Ning.
“There’s something I need to let the lord know.”
Gan Ning put down his pen and smiled as he asked, “Is it about the second batch of new currency?”
“The lord already knows?”
Gan Ning took out a few pieces of new currency and smiled. “The reverse side has an extra five-pointed star. The personal guards didn’t know what was going on and were very worried, so they brought them to me. I knew right away that the new currency was out.”
“Reporting to the general, this was just a test. We invested five thousand guan to probe the market reaction. The official ten thousand guan has not yet been released to the market!”
“How is the market reaction?”
“This is what this subordinate came to report. The market reaction is very positive. We surveyed over three hundred people, and all praised the new currency highly.”
At this point, Lu Su placed one guan of new currency on Gan Ning’s desk. “Please give it a final review, general. If there are no issues, we will release the ten thousand guan of new currency.”
“The new currency has no problems. What I care about is how it will be released. Will it cause a sharp rise in prices? Will it be hoarded by merchants? What is your plan?”
“The plan was given to the general a few days ago!”
Gan Ning exclaimed “Eh!” and quickly rummaged through a pile of unread documents. After searching for a while, he finally found the new currency plan submitted a few days ago.
Gan Ning felt secretly ashamed. It turned out Lu Su had sent it long ago, but he hadn’t seen it.
“Both plans are fine!”
Lu Su’s first plan was to issue the new currency as this month’s salary to the officials. The second plan was to pay it as wages for city construction. Together, they amounted to exactly ten thousand guan.
“How much currency can be cast in a year?”
“Normally around three hundred thousand guan. If going all out, up to five hundred thousand guan! This ten thousand guan is what we saved over three months.”
“Approved!”
Gan Ning took his pen, drew a red circle on the document, and handed it to Lu Su. “Implement it!”
Lu Su took the document and smiled. “I need to find a clerk for the general. I estimate the general hasn’t seen the plan for dividing the new commandery either.”
Gan Ning hurriedly searched and finally found the plan to merge eastern Jiangxia Commandery and western Lujiang Commandery into a new commandery.
Gan Ning smiled somewhat embarrassedly. “I’ll take a look first! I’ll reply to the strategist later.”
Lu Su smiled, shook his head, and left.
Lu Su returned to his study, still thinking about finding a clerk for the lord. The base is getting larger, and various government affairs are increasing. The lord simply doesn’t have time to read all the important documents and reports. If there were a clerk to sort and categorize the documents, write summaries, it would make things much easier for the lord and help distinguish priorities.
This was actually an idea Lu Su had long held. Before this, he thought the most suitable candidate was Zhuge Jin, but the lord had arranged for Zhuge Jin to gain experience in a local government office.
At this time, Jiang Wan walked into the room and smiled. “Has the general approved the new currency plan?”
“It’s right here!”
Lu Su handed the report to Jiang Wan and smiled wryly. “The general just saw it.”
“How could that be?” Jiang Wan was stunned. “We gave it to him ten days ago.”
“The general still has a large pile of documents to process! At least forty or fifty, so it’s normal he didn’t see our report.”
“Strategist Lu, this won’t do!”
Lu Su nodded. “I’m also considering this issue, finding a suitable clerk for the general.”
Jiang Wan thought for a moment and said, “I’ll go to the Recruitment Hall today. There are a few very promising young talents there. I’ll find a few more and let the general pick himself.”
“Good!” I’ll recommend a few too, and let the general choose himself.
In the afternoon, a somewhat overweight middle-aged man arrived at the Wuchang Marquis Residence, which was Gan Ning’s private residence.
The middle-aged man was surnamed Jiang, named Jiang Feng. He was the chief steward of Gan Ning’s private trading company.
In any normal, well-instituted dynasty or vassal state, the supreme ruler would have private industries. Gan Ning also received a salary like his subordinates; he was five thousand stone. Additionally, he had his own sources of wealth, namely the private property of enemy leaders from the spoils of war.
There were also investments in shops, restaurants, trading companies, warehouses, fleets, and so on. Currently, there were over thirty, bringing Gan Ning a steady stream of wealth every year.
Jiang Feng was the chief steward of the Ning trading company. All shopkeepers had to report to him, and he would compile them before reporting to the master.
Jiang Feng was invited to sit in the guest hall and wait. A large screen stood in the middle of the guest hall, dividing it into two parts.
Soon, the sound of jade pendants rang out. A large group of maidservants escorted Da Qiao and Xu Wei in through the back door. They sat behind the screen.
Jiang Feng hurriedly bowed in salute. “Greetings, Madam!”
Gan Ning had entrusted his industries to Da Qiao to manage, but Da Qiao had a gentle and kind personality, or rather somewhat soft. Sometimes she clearly noticed issues but was too embarrassed to point them out.
But with Xu Wei coordinating with her, they worked very well together. Xu Wei was shrewd and capable, willing to confront and question. After Xu Wei got involved, the stewards no longer dared to deceive the madam.
However, while Xu Wei dared to speak and act, the final decision still rested with Da Qiao. Only after Da Qiao clearly stated her position could a matter be settled.
“Chief Steward Jiang, is there any important matter to report?”
Da Qiao asked casually. Today was her summoning Jiang Feng, not him coming to report.
“Everything is going smoothly at present, no major issues. We are preparing in Jiangxia Commandery.”
Da Qiao nodded and gave Xu Wei a look. Xu Wei said, “The general gave us several Jiangxia Commandery industries, a total of four: two each in Zhu County and Xiling County. Send someone to take them over!”
These four industries were all Huang Zu’s. Although Gan Ning did not confiscate the Huang Family’s family property and even gave some to Huang She, Huang She still gave these four important industries to Gan Ning.
A large warehouse and a dock in Zhu County, then the largest restaurant and a large grain store in Xiling County.
Xu Wei gave the industry list to a maidservant, who walked over and handed the list to Chief Steward Jiang.
Chief Steward Jiang was overjoyed. “Excellent! I’ll take a boat tomorrow to receive them!”
