Any noble families, any political figures, in three years they would all be a mob.
In his past life, besides the wealthy forming their own teams, there was a powerful alliance: the Noble Family Alliance. However, its very formation was a joke.
With internal power struggles and covert conflicts, most members were lost. Before the foreign races even arrived, the alliance had already crumbled. A disunited populace, no matter how wealthy, was ultimately futile.
Later, with the rise of regional alliances, the major noble families within the Noble Family Alliance seceded and attached themselves to their respective regional alliances. Yet, even then, Huaguo's strongest East China Regional Alliance didn't rank in the top ten of the world powers list.
The current incident had escalated so significantly primarily because Ye Yun intended to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys, extinguishing any lingering thoughts of ambition towards the Dragon Palace.
As for the Elder Council, they were no better. Using their dying status, they played a balancing act, even believing their own innate talent allowed them to profit from him.
This time, I want you to try to steal a chicken and end up losing your rice.
Ye Yun was patriotic, but not blindly loyal. If you want to play mind games, play amongst yourselves, but don't drag me into it, or don't blame me for flipping the table.
"General, this is the compensation from the Li family, a total of two billion. Additionally, five hundred million has been paid as ransom for Li Le and the other two. The funds have arrived, what do you think..." Li Chenxu entered. Without Ye Yun's command, no one dared to release Li Le and the others.
"Besides this, how are the negotiations with the others?" Ye Yun sprawled in his chair, legs crossed.
"The Ministry of National Defense called, stating that to express their apology, they are willing to add an extra one billion gold coins per month. The Modu Prefecture also agreed to help us with the expropriation of surrounding properties."
After speaking, Li Chenxu looked at Ye Yun somewhat nervously. He hadn't felt this much pressure in front of Ye Yun before.
"One billion? Heh, are you trying to fob off a beggar! Make them pay a full year's quota upfront, including the previously agreed twenty billion. If even a cent is short, this matter is far from over!"
One billion seemed like a lot, but for the wealthy Ministry of Defense, it was pitifully small.
Once this money arrived, it would take a full year. In a year, the situation would have completely changed. One had to understand that 'Tiandao' was all about seizing the initiative.
The annual defense budget was openly stated as one trillion, but the special budget that followed often contained a lot of padding. For instance, to cope with the changes brought by 'Tiandao', their special budget had soared to five hundred billion!
"Alright, I'll make arrangements immediately." Li Chenxu nodded. With Zhou Ningdong recuperating and Liu Hai handling the aftermath, he was the only one available.
"No need. Just issue a notice. Post it on our Dragon Palace's official website."
The biggest drawback of the Dragon Palace was that all funds were controlled by various departments. Without their cooperation, the Dragon Palace would struggle. However, Ye Yun possessed sufficient strength, and each department had its own considerations. Ultimately, the fiscal funds of the military and government departments would be unified as a payment method, not just limited to the Ministry of Defense.
"A pity, the Elder Council hasn't made a move yet!" Ye Yun murmured, watching the lingering sunset glow outside the window.
The next day, the Dragon Palace's accounts, after deducting the original over one hundred billion, increased by another 484 billion. This included 231 billion from the Ministry of Defense, 198 billion from various ministries of the State Council, and 55 billion from provincial and municipal governments.
Upon receiving the Dragon Palace's announcement, they immediately transferred their remaining eleven months' quota for the year into the Dragon Palace's account.
Internal calls within the Dragon Palace were flooded by various government officials. Besides reporting the payment of fiscal quotas, most aimed to build good relations with the Dragon Palace through this channel.
They all had channels to obtain videos of Ye Yun's battle with the Li family, and naturally understood what Ye Yun's existence signified.
It could be said that Ye Yun achieved fame overnight, shocking the entire top echelon of Huaguo. His brilliance was undeniable, and no one dared to offend him.
This, however, caused Ye Yun to worry.
With nearly 600 billion in funds, if the donations from three funds arrived next month, he could create an individual with X-level talent. However, that would still take over twenty days! And after using it, only a few tens of billions would remain for daily expenses. Worse still, he needed to acquire a large area of surrounding buildings.
Damn it, back then I would have sold my soul for a few dozen yuan, and now I have 600 billion, but I don't know how to spend it?
Ye Yun looked at the documents in his hand with a frown.
600 billion, after deducting daily expenses and the upcoming acquisition and construction of surrounding properties, Ye Yun could only utilize about 450 billion at most.
This amount could create fourteen SSS-level talent members, or it could cultivate 281 official SS-level talent members of the Dragon Palace.
This put Ye Yun in a difficult position.
Just as Ye Yun was pulling at his hair in frustration, Liu Hai rushed in.
"General, someone from the Elder Council has arrived."
They're finally here? I've been waiting for these guys like a child waiting for their grandparents.
"Let's go see them." Ye Yun was overjoyed.
The Elder Council was rumored to consist of five people, two representing the military, two representing the government, and one representing the major noble families. They were the nexus of power in various departments, the most influential individuals in Huaguo. If they were willing to consent, Ye Yun's worries about the funding chain would be resolved.
"Haha, thank you for thinking of me, young friend. It is I who should have come to disturb you; please forgive my rudeness," a voice echoed from afar just as Ye Yun finished speaking.
A master!
Ye Yun's eyes narrowed as he watched the figure treading on air outside the floor-to-ceiling window, his thoughts unknown.
The visitor was swift, covering several hundred meters in just two or three steps, and stood before Ye Yun.
"Could it be that every member of the Elder Council can tread on air?" Ye Yun smiled slightly, looking at the old man standing before him.
"Not necessarily. I am merely here at the request of the Elder Council, not a member myself. This old man has dedicated his life to martial arts and has no desire for worldly power. May I be invited to sit?"
The old man was clad in a simple gray cloth robe, with two mended spots at the elbow joints of his sleeves. His hair was white, complemented by a long white beard. He wore cloth shoes that seemed to hover just above the ground, not touching it, giving him an air of ethereal grace.
Damn, such a simple-looking master? Or is this guy wearing a custom-made beggar's outfit?
"Not a member of the Elder Council?" Ye Yun's desire to continue the conversation vanished upon hearing the man's words.
"Allow me to introduce myself formally. I am Zhang Junbao, the last guardian of this mother star. Greetings, Heavenly Man Ye!" Seeing Ye Yun's impatient expression, the old man showed no dissatisfaction. Instead, he lowered his posture and performed an ancient gesture of respect towards Ye Yun.
Heavenly Man was the term the secular world used for those in the Innate realm.
"Hold on, hold on... You say you are Zhang Junbao? The one from Tai Chi? And you say you are some kind of guardian? What the hell is that?" Ye Yun was greatly astonished by Zhang Junbao's words.
"Indeed. I didn't expect Heavenly Man Ye to know this old Daoist." Ye Yun's words brought a look of "as expected" to Zhang Junbao's face. When he was first approached by the Elder Council, his initial thought was that Ye Yun should be someone like himself.
Is this world going mad, or am I?
Ye Yun was greatly shocked upon hearing the old man's words.
Zhang Junbao! The Grandmaster of Tai Chi! A man from over eight hundred years ago!
Damn it, how is this possible!
Ye Yun gazed at the old man's wizened face, his heart churning like a tempest.