Chapter 1314: Nangong Shouchong's Advice
After Nangong Shouzhong finished speaking, he fell to his knees and buried his head deeply in the ground.
At this point, he resembled a desperate gambler who had staked everything, down to his last copper coin, on the roulette table.
As all human efforts have been exhausted, all that remains is for him to pray that fortune favors him.
It is not fate, but the Prince of the Qin Empire standing before us, who decides whether this good fortune will come to pass.
Li Chen looked at Nangong Shouchong kneeling before him, a faint smile on his face, neither confirming nor denying.
Fingers rhythmically tapped lightly on the desk.
knock knock knock...
One after another, the rhythmic knocking echoed in the silent Xizheng Hall. Besides his own heartbeat, Nangong Shouchong could only hear this incredibly rhythmic sound.
Li Chen remained silent, and the longer he did so, the greater the pressure it put on Nangong Shouzhong.
As time passed, Nangong Shouchong's mindset underwent subtle changes.
From the initial anxiety, to the uneasiness that followed, and now to this overwhelming fear.
That fear in Nangong Shouzhong's heart was amplified infinitely, until finally, cold sweat trickled down his forehead, gathering at the tip of his nose, dripping onto the floor of Xizheng Hall. His face itched unbearably from the flowing sweat, but Nangong Shouzhong didn't even dare to wipe it away.
His body trembled like chaff, and in this unparalleled torment, Nangong Shouchong didn't know how long he had waited, but finally heard Li Chen's voice.
"Actually, for this palace, this is a very unprofitable deal in the short term."
Li Chen raised his hand and said, "Stand up and answer first."
The weight that had been hanging over Nangong Shuzhong's heart suddenly lifted somewhat, but he still dared not be careless. He stood up cautiously, not knowing if it was due to excessive nervousness or the long time spent kneeling, but as soon as Nangong Shuzhong stood up, he staggered and almost fell back to the ground.

"After Nangong Shouzhong stood still, Li Chen continued, "Business transactions are like this: some people aim to make a quick profit and leave immediately, regardless of the long-term consequences. They focus on one-time gains without considering future stability. Others, however, value long-term cooperation. They don't seek short-term profits but instead focus on building lasting partnerships."
"The former accumulates quickly, the latter has a solid foundation. What does Mr. Nangong think?"
Standing there obediently, not daring to miss a single word, Nangong Shuzhong hurriedly replied: "Your Highness is wise, I am but an insignificant commoner!"
With a light chuckle, Li Chen said, "Right now, I intend to make a long-term deal with you. It doesn't matter if we don't make money in the short term, even if we lose a bit, the problem is not big. But you must be able to bring me long-term benefits, right?"

Nangong Shuzhong knelt down with a thud and trembled, "The commoner is willing to go through fire and water, and will never disappoint Your Highness!"

Having said that, Nangong Shuzhong gritted his teeth. He knew he had to show his usefulness as soon as possible. The greatest way to demonstrate his value was by helping the Crown Prince solve real problems.
Thinking about this, Nangong Shouchong took the initiative to speak: "Your Highness, regarding the national debt, I have some thoughts."
Li Chen said with interest, "Tell me more."
After a brief pause, and having organized his thoughts, Nangong Shouzhong spoke in a deep voice: "Your Highness, the main buyers of national debt are actually merchants and common people. Although those wealthy businessmen have considerable assets, compared to the wealth of the entire country, they are insignificant."

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