Chapter 142 Take You to Make Money and Soar?

Hearing Li Shi ask this, Wei Renshi thought for a moment and replied, "To allow my family to live a bit more comfortably, Your Majesty, this subject started a small business."

Li Shi suddenly sighed and said, "It is a pity that the Inner Palace does not produce a talent like Minister Wei. I wonder when this inner treasury of mine will ever match Minister Wei's ability to generate such revenues in a mere half year."

This blatant hint left Wei Renshi momentarily stunned.

This fellow truly has no shame.

Dispatching commissioners across the provinces to demand monthly and daily tributes from regional military governors, establishing palace markets and letting eunuchs engage in daylight robbery—weren't all these ill-gotten gains funneled into the inner treasury to fund your personal luxuries?

However, considering that he still had to work under this man's rule in the future, Wei Renshi had no choice but to say, "This subject is willing to share Your Majesty's burdens! I wonder how much Your Majesty requires?"

Li Shi looked at Wei Renshi, smiled, and said, "Heh, I am the ruler of a nation. How could I open my mouth to ask Minister Wei for money?"

Wei Renshi sneered inwardly. If not for that, then what?

"Please enlighten me, Your Majesty!" Wei Renshi asked.

"I am seeking a strategy from Minister Wei," Li Shi said, staring at Wei Renshi with measured deliberation.

Understood. So this means you want this young master to take you along on the path to making a fortune?

Wei Renshi immediately nodded and said, "This subject understands. Your Majesty, there is indeed a method right now that can add a new stream of revenue to Your Majesty's inner treasury. Furthermore, if handled properly, this stream of revenue will not only be substantial, but can also be sustained indefinitely."

A look of genuine interest finally appeared on Li Shi's face, and he asked, "Let Minister Wei speak and tell me about it."

"As you command," Wei Renshi said. "Your Majesty, before this subject received Your Majesty's favor and bestowal, there was a restaurant in Luoyang City named the One Dream Tower. Currently, this One Dream Tower is rebuilding the river embankment not far outside Luoyang City. The revenue I speak of originates from this very river embankment."

"A river embankment?" Li Shi frowned slightly, his expression turning somewhat displeased. "Repairing river embankments has always required vast expenditures. How could it possibly generate revenue instead? Minister Wei, you had better weigh your words carefully before speaking."

Wei Renshi felt his heart grow even colder. As expected, this was already a muddle-headed and obtuse monarch. Upon hearing this, his first reaction wasn't to ask why a restaurant was repairing a river embankment, but rather how a river embankment could possibly yield a profit!

Heh, it truly gave one the impression of ignoring the plight of the common people while consulting ghosts and spirits. Wei Renshi sneered in his heart.

"Hmm? Repairing river embankments is the business of the prefectural government, and the Ministry of Revenue allocates special funds for it every year. How could a mere restaurant be allowed to repair a river embankment?" Li Shi suddenly knitted his brows and asked.

Wei Renshi's spirits lifted. Oh, well, at least he finally touched upon the actual matter at hand.

"Naturally through prefectural government levies," Wei Renshi replied. "However, Your Majesty, that is not what this subject is talking about today. What this subject is saying is that using prefectural levies to have private entities repair river embankments is actually a viable path to securing revenue."

Wei Renshi wisely refrained from arguing over who should properly shoulder the responsibility of embankment repairs.

If the emperor cared to manage it, this single sentence was already enough. If the emperor chose to feign ignorance, no amount of explanation would be of any use.

"Repairing river embankments has always been a massive expense. How can it generate revenue?" Hearing this, Li Shi temporarily set the other matter aside and asked.

"An ordinary river embankment would naturally only entail expenses without any income," Wei Renshi said. "However, if I redesign the river embankment, it becomes entirely possible."

"Oh?" Highly interested, Li Shi sat up straight and leaned closer toward Wei Renshi.

"This subject divides the river embankment into three tiers," Wei Renshi explained. "The highest tier serves as roadways and bustling commercial streets; the middle tier is a scenic area for viewing and enjoying the river; and the lowest tier is a promenade for walking right along the water's edge, beneath which flows the river itself. Each tier is connected by dozens of stone steps. These three tiers of the embankment, combined with the body of water, are integrated to create a landscape park. Since such an embankment also functions as an unrestricted public park where anyone can visit and stroll, it will naturally attract a massive crowd of people."

Li Shi asked, "River embankments already demand enormous expenditures. To transform one into a garden-like landscape would surely cost even more. Once it becomes a park with open access, it will naturally draw many people to visit. But how is this related to generating revenue?"

"The commercial street on the topmost tier is built by me as well," Wei Renshi continued. "Since the embankment park attracts so many people, these visitors will inevitably want to eat, drink, and perhaps purchase other goods while enjoying their outing. We can easily turn the upper streets into a commercial district, lined with shops just like the eastern and western markets. Whether these shops are leased out to others or operated as restaurants and eateries by ourselves, aren't these all sources of revenue? As long as visitors never cease, the revenue will never end."

Upon hearing this, Li Shi declared, "Minister Wei means that my inner treasury can also commission the construction of these new river embankments, just like your restaurant did? And once completed, use the embankment park to draw crowds, while generating rental income or operating profits from the commercial streets above?"

Wei Renshi nodded, "Precisely so! Our dynasty repairs numerous river embankments every year. If we gradually convert them into this style during repairs, just imagine how many commercial streets the inner treasury would acquire, how many storefronts would be housed within them, and how much financial profit could be reaped from them!"

Li Shi looked somewhat astonished, the expression on his face appearing almost incredulous.

Wei Renshi guessed that if his current mood were described in modern terms, it would definitely be: "You can even do things this way?!"

"Your Majesty, this subject is willing to dedicate half of the commercial storefronts atop that section of the river embankment outside Luoyang City to Your Majesty!" Wei Renshi seized the opportunity to bow and say, "Your Majesty may temporarily use this section of the embankment in Luoyang to observe the actual results first."

Since this ruler loved wealth, he would cater to his preferences.

Having said that, Wei Renshi added, "Your Majesty, it is not that this subject is reluctant to offer the entirety to Your Majesty. It is just that for the construction of this embankment, several other restaurants and eateries in Luoyang City also contributed funds or labor. Furthermore, since embankment construction was levied by the prefectural government, the prefectural government also holds a stake in it, so this subject does not have the final say over all of it. The half I am offering to Your Majesty was originally promised to this subject by the prefectural government, which is why I am able to dispose of it."

"Hmm, Minister Wei has offered an ingenious strategy for me, yet how could I possibly take advantage of Minister Wei?" Li Shi smiled, but his expression suddenly darkened as he said, "The imperial court allocates funds to the prefectural governments every year specifically for repairing river embankments. For the prefectural government to resort to private levies instead—heh, Minister Wei, once the river embankment in Luoyang City is completed, Your Majesty and Minister Wei shall each hold a half share."

As he spoke, a cold sneer crept across Li Shi's face.

Wei Renshi, however, was inwardly overjoyed. Originally, the biggest variable in this embankment repair project was the risk that the prefectural government would witness the profits upon completion and go back on their word, taking back even the share originally promised to him. In that case, the One Dream Tower would only gain a good reputation for building the embankment—though building an excellent reputation would help establish the One Dream Tower's brand effect and would not result in a net loss in the long run, it would still mean missing out on immense immediate gains.

Now, with the emperor's royal decree, this half-share of the commercial street was set in stone. No matter how bold the Luoyang prefectural government was, they would never dare to take it back.

"This subject deeply thanks Your Majesty!" Wei Renshi bowed once more and said, "Your Majesty, this method can actually be expanded even further. Just as with this instance, Your Majesty can also commission private entities to undertake the construction of embankments. However, rather than imposing a levy, we can allow private parties to actively bid for the repair rights of the embankments. This not only saves the state the cost of embankment construction, but instead adds yet another stream of revenue."

Li Shi was stunned and subconsciously asked, "Is Minister Wei joking? Where on earth would there be such fools?"