Chapter 219: Chapter 219

The northern grasslands in early spring were already warming beneath the soft sunlight, and across the Turkic plains, the rumor of hidden gold had driven countless fortune-seekers into a frenzy.

The others all watched intently as a small group unearthed a glittering lump of gold.

The man holding it straightened his expression and declared, “I dug through countless stretches of grassland before I stumbled upon this. It’s not really about luck. If you just keep digging, you’ll eventually find something.”

With that, he gathered the gold tightly, his face wary as a few companions quickly shielded him. They left together, disappearing into the distance, leaving behind only a crowd of people whose greed had been thoroughly reignited.

Over the course of the following month, every so often, news would spread of someone else digging up another large piece of gold. Whenever despair threatened to settle over the crowd, a new discovery would be announced, reigniting their hopes and determination. After all, if others could find gold, why couldn’t they? Fueled by this belief, they dug on relentlessly.

As three months passed, the fever surrounding the so-called Turkic treasure gradually began to cool. The endless waves of treasure hunters finally thinned, though the “gold rush” itself persisted. There were always some lucky enough to uncover gold, just enough to keep the dream alive.

However, as the excitement dimmed, a few began to voice their doubts.

“Hey, something’s not right,” someone muttered. “After all this time, people are only finding one or two chunks of gold? Wasn’t the Turkic treasure supposed to be abundant? Why are we only seeing scraps?”

“I don’t know,” another replied, frowning. “It feels like something fishy is going on.”

“I heard the same group of people found gold multiple times,” someone else chimed in, lowering their voice. “They’ve been spotted at different grasslands, two or three times now.”

“What? Are you serious?”

Murmurs of suspicion rippled through the crowd, but in an era when information traveled slowly and poorly, such doubts barely caused a stir. This update ıs available on NoveI-Fire.ɴet

A few cautious individuals quietly withdrew, but many more came running, unwilling to give up their dreams of sudden wealth. The frenzy sputtered on for another two or three months before finally dying out completely.

By then, under the bright skies of mid-spring, the once-scarred Turkic grasslands had undergone a miraculous transformation. Fresh shoots covered the soil, and the fields were once again blanketed in green.

In Luoyang, within the solemn grandeur of the Qianyuan Hall, Xu Jingzong stood before the Dragon Throne, a pleased smile on his face as he reported,

“Your Majesty, after our latest survey, most of the Turkic grasslands have sprouted new growth. The majority of the land has recovered. Within six more months, we expect it will be fully restored to its former richness.”

A wave of astonishment swept through the officials gathered in the hall. They turned to Yang Yi with expressions of pure shock.

Yang Yi’s plan had succeeded beyond all expectations. In merely half a year, the Turkic grasslands had been churned and tilled by desperate treasure hunters, allowing wild grasses to grow in thick, unbroken waves across the plains.

It was nothing short of a miracle.

No one could help but feel awe toward Yang Yi. To be able to destroy and then restore an entire grassland through mere strategy—he truly lived up to his fearsome title.

Wu Zhao pressed her lips into a slight smile, her phoenix eyes glinting with an unreadable light. She nodded approvingly.

“Very good. With the Turkic grasslands restored, we can begin raising warhorses once again.”

She paused, then commanded firmly, “Have the Ministry of Revenue draft new policies. Lower the prices of sheepskin and mutton. I want to see herds of cattle and horses flourishing across the Turkic plains!”

The ministers bowed deeply. “Yes, Your Majesty!”

Half a month later, beneath the red-painted beams of Fengtian Hall in the Ming capital, Zhu Biao approached his father respectfully, holding a memorial in his hands.

“Father, this is last year’s tax revenue report for the Ming dynasty. Please review it.”

Zhu Yuanzhang took the memorial, glancing through it briefly. His mood darkened. Although the Ming had generally been developing well over the past two years, last year’s covert losses to the Great Zhou had left the state treasury in disarray.

Letting out a slow breath, Zhu Yuanzhang placed the memorial on the table and said thoughtfully,

“The Great Zhou has been unusually quiet these past six months… It doesn’t fit Yang Yi’s character. Is there truly no movement at all?”

Zhu Biao scratched his head awkwardly, offering a sheepish smile.

“The Jin Yi Wei have been watching closely. It’s true that the Great Zhou has been keeping a low profile. Aside from the gold rush gradually dying down in the Turkic region, nothing else has happened.”

He hesitated before adding, “Oh, and the Great Zhou recently issued a decree lowering the price of sheep. They’re encouraging the Turkic people to raise horses and cattle, even offering tax incentives to those who participate.”

Zhu Yuanzhang froze, his brow furrowing instinctively. “They’re trying to rebuild the Turkic livestock industry… restoring grazing to its former scale.”

His voice sharpened suddenly. “Wait a minute—”

A flicker of realization crossed his face.

“Didn’t most of the Turkic grasslands get destroyed? What confidence do they have to rebuild now?”

Zhu Biao blinked, clearly caught off guard. He hadn’t thought that far ahead.

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his hand down on the table. “Summon Mao Xiang immediately.”

Moments later, the commander of the Jin Yi Wei, Mao Xiang, entered the hall, bowing deeply.

Zhu Yuanzhang’s gaze was piercing. “I recall instructing you half a year ago to keep an eye on the so-called Turkic treasure. The matter seemed to die out after that. Tell me—what is the current situation with the Turkic grasslands?”

Mao Xiang hesitated for a moment, puzzled by the emperor’s question, but answered honestly,

“Reporting to Your Majesty, most of the gold seekers have dispersed. The Turkic grasslands were dug up almost entirely. Now, though the land remains uneven, wild grasses have sprung up across it with the arrival of spring.”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s pupils contracted sharply. “You’re saying that the Turkic grasslands have regrown?”

Mao Xiang was slightly stunned. He didn’t understand why His Majesty cared so much about grass, but he hurriedly elaborated,

“One of my men disguised himself as a gold hunter and stayed in the area. When he returned, he reported that come spring, vast patches of tender grass grew back on the plains, attracting swarms of insects and ants. The bites were quite troublesome for them.”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s palm slammed against the table with a resounding crack.

“I understand now! Yang Yi has orchestrated everything behind the scenes! By exploiting human greed, he achieved a monumental feat without anyone even realizing it.”

This Yang Yi is truly a master of supreme intelligence.