Chapter 153 Feng Er's Plan
Xu Huiming was a little frightened by what she said, but after thinking about it carefully, he felt that the Great Zhou Dynasty would definitely develop as she said.
He murmured, "You're right. Jinzhou probably doesn't have the time to deal with us. The refugees everywhere and the taxes for next year are enough to make the prefect anxious, not to mention Qianzhou. If what my sister said is true, is there really no pure land in the Great Zhou Dynasty where we can find shelter? We have changed our identities, so we can't go to the countryside to farm. Do we have to... do we have to become bandits? No matter how you say it, our behavior of claiming to be the king of Champa is nothing but banditry!"
"I didn't deny it. You said escape, but where can we escape to? When the nest is overturned, all the eggs will be left intact. Once the war starts, the entire Zhou Dynasty will be reduced to scorched earth!"
"Sister, please don't exaggerate. We are not well-informed. The situation outside may not be as bad as you think."
"Brother, you're being naive. Do you really think the nine vassal kings are coming to the capital to protect the young emperor? Just wait and see, these people won't stop until heaven and earth are turned upside down. If I were one of them, I would certainly behead Zhu Guojiu and others in the name of clearing the court of corrupt officials, and then use the emperor as a weapon to control the princes, keeping the young emperor as my pawn. The remaining vassal kings would also be eager to make a move and start a war, each of them wanting to control the young emperor. If so, the Great Zhou Dynasty would immediately be divided into many factions and plunged into war. Then, powerful heroes would emerge, bandits would swarm, and peasants would revolt everywhere. So I say, as long as these nine vassal kings come to the capital, the Great Zhou Dynasty will never have peace!"
"How do you know that?"
"I don't know the trajectory of history, but I know human nature. Brother, tell me, once those princes enter the capital, who will leave? Who will spit out the fat meat in their mouth? Uncle Zhu has offended so many people over the years, and the young emperor is still young. These princes have long wanted to kill him. Uncle Zhu is stupid and actually let the wolf into the house. You just wait and see, at the latest in a month, Zhu Ci's life will be in danger!"
Xu Huiming was too weak to sit down, his chest heaving, and he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
Xu Zhenying pressed on, "So, becoming a bandit is the worst option. To protect ourselves in troubled times, we need money, cities, and people. Brother, your loyalty to the emperor and patriotism won't work in troubled times. If we don't make plans sooner rather than later, we'll be starved to death, killed, or murdered."
Xu Huiming looked at her with his eyes wide open. "So, what do you want to do?"
"My initial thought is that we should first occupy Lan County and operate there. Lan County is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and its location is not bad. Although Qianzhou is behind it, the chieftains of Qianzhou won't travel so far, so it is relatively safe. Moreover, there are many refugees in Lan County, and these are all people we can absorb. We can develop and see how the situation develops. If the Great Zhou can survive this, we will inevitably be recruited when we grow to a certain level of strength, and then we can land safely. If the Great Zhou Dynasty really does prolong the war, then we own this city and have the leverage to gamble. Whether we surrender or hold on, the outcome is in our own hands."
He looked at Xu Zhenying's eyes, which were clearly black and white, and was extremely shocked. He never thought that Xu Zhenying was so far-sighted.
He never expected Xu Zhenying to be so ambitious.
This... this... What's the difference between Champa waiting for a price to become king and rebellion?
Xu Huiming's mind went blank for several seconds. After the initial shock, he quickly evaluated the whole thing and found that, as Xu Zhenying said, their occupation of Lan County was indeed a method that could be used for both offense and defense.
But he could never get over it in his heart.
Think about how Xu Huiming studied hard in the first half of his life, reading books of sages about loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, but later he had to become a bandit for his own sake.
"I know you might be struggling, you might disagree, and you might have your own ideas. So what I want you to do is not only for the people of Lan County, but also to leave a way out for our Xu family."
Xu Zhenying was forced into a desperate situation and had no choice but to say, "Tell me about your plan first."
"I'll give you a few recipes. They're similar to the soap we made before, but they'll definitely be a more profitable business. The south is richer, so you can go there and start your business. All the profits you make will go towards Lan County's daily expenses. But don't worry, it's only for the first few years that we need to invest in infrastructure. Once things are on track, you'll be earning money for our Xu family."
If Xu Huiming still didn't understand what Xu Zhenying meant after hearing this, then all those years of studying would have been in vain.
Xu Zhenying wanted to maintain a city. If they really became bandits, then she, Xu Zhenying, would be the boss who occupied the mountain and became the king, while he would be the second in command who was responsible for providing food and grass. No wonder Xu Zhenying specifically asked him to go.
Such a huge fortune can only be kept safe when it is in the hands of one's own people.
"At the same time, you must also promote our Lan County as a pure land, attract more talents to join us, and continuously strengthen our own. In addition, a cunning rabbit has three burrows. If the situation here is not good, you must also be our Xu family's retreat. You must consider transferring money, finding a hiding place, and escaping. Brother, you must take all these into consideration."
Xu Huiming smiled bitterly, feeling even more overwhelmed.
He really wanted to ask: Does this count as rebellion?
But he knew that even if he asked, Xu Zhenying would not answer.
This sister was too deep-minded and her words were evasive, so he had no way of telling whether they were true or not.
He could only comfort himself that even if Xu Zhenying had great ambitions, she was still a woman after all!
Throughout history, there has never been a woman who dared to rebel!
"Is this matter left to me alone?"
"Of course not. I will assign you a team to protect your safety and send some people to assist you. As for the candidates, I really haven't thought of them yet. If you have any recommendations, you can tell me directly."
Xu Huiming sighed, neither agreeing nor refusing, and simply said, "Give me a few days to think about it."
"Of course. We're going to a long, long journey, and I'm afraid we won't be able to see each other for several years. I don't know if my parents would agree. But this matter is of great importance, and it requires control of all the wealth of my Xu family. There are not many people I can trust, so please think twice."
Xu Huiming nodded and walked out in a daze.
Xu Zhenying stared at the man's receding back, then looked at the cold Yuanxiao in the bowl, feeling a little lost for a moment.
There were some things she still couldn't tell Xu Huiming.
Even though Xu Huiming was connected to her by blood. Even though the Xu family was connected to her by blood.
Soon, it will be New Year.
There is peace in Lan County.
Xu Huiming finally agreed to go out and develop business lines.
Miao and Xu Degui naturally refused. There was chaos and war outside, and they didn't know when Xu Huiming would be gone. How could they feel at ease?
Miao didn't understand any big principles, so she naturally thought that making more money was pointless and it was better to stay together as a family.
Xu Degui was worried about Xu Huiming's personal safety. After all, Xu Huiming had never traveled far before. Now there was chaos outside, and he was left alone outside, shouldering the heavy responsibility.
Xu Degui was worried that Xu Huiming could not bear the heavy burden.
Xu Zhenying originally thought that he would have to do some ideological work on them, but he didn't know what Xu Huiming said to his parents. Although his parents did not agree, their tone was obviously much more relaxed.
This saved Xu Zhenying a lot of effort.
Although the people of Lan County were unaware of Xu Huiming's departure, the Xu family and her core team had heard about it.
Xu Zhenying didn't expect that Feng'er was the first one to come to him.
As soon as Feng Er entered the house, she said, "City Lord, I heard that the master is going south to earn money for the people of Ye County?"
Xu Zhenying nodded: "That's true."
"City Lord, the issue of the female soldiers here has been basically sorted out. It doesn't matter whether Feng'er is here or not. It won't affect you if you replace her." Feng'er's eyes were bright and she didn't shy away. "I want to accompany you south!"
Xu Zhenying raised his eyebrows slightly, a little surprised, "You want to go south?"
"That's right. I've been thinking about this for several days. I had this idea when I heard that the master was going south."
Xu Zhenying sat down and tapped the table. "Tell me the reason."
"City Lord, I heard that you gave me several prescriptions, each of which is worth a fortune."
Xu Zhenying laughed, "Who told you that?"
"That's what everyone says. Anyway, they say they won't lose to soap."
"That's true. Why are you going there just for these prescriptions?"
Feng'er shook her head. "There's no place for me in Lan County anymore. Sister Zhenniang is in the secretariat, the Fang family is in charge of the education and agriculture departments, Jiang Yongkang and Dazhuang are in charge of the military affairs department, and the Xu family's aunts are in charge of logistics. They're all doing a great job and have managed the work at hand very well. But the city lord wants to go south to open up a new line of operation, which is related to the survival of Lan County. The eldest son is alone and weak, and he's going to an unfamiliar city. He needs help. I think this is an opportunity to train myself, and I don't want to miss it!"
Xu Zhenying looked at Feng'er's firm and calm eyes, and she suddenly smiled, but that smile was somewhat meaningful.
Feng'er suddenly became a little nervous.
Xu Zhenying then waved his hand, signaling everyone around him to leave. Xu Yinxi, Qian Zhenniang, and the others all retreated outside.
Suddenly, there were only two people left in the room.
Feng'er's heart was pounding.
Her request this time was a bit willful.
But she was not afraid. The city lord said that she liked girls who were ambitious and capable!
Xu Zhenying sat down slowly and then asked, "Do you know the real reason why I asked my eldest brother to go south?"
"I've thought about this before. I guess the city lord will have many more expenses in the future after occupying Lan County. The city lord is responsible for more than 15,000 people, but he also reduced taxes for the first year. We only have investment without returns in a short period of time, so we will need a lot of money."
"You're right. But guess what? Why would I bear the burden of these fifteen thousand men? We could be purged by the imperial court at any moment, so why would I continue this losing business?"
Feng Er frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said honestly: "I can't think of it, but I only know that I will do whatever the girl asks me to do!"
Xu Zhenying stood up and slowly walked over. She smiled slightly, with a look of detachment and mischief in her eyes.
She leaned close to Feng'er's ear and said lightly, "Because I want to rebel."
Then Xu Zhenying looked at Feng'er with her mouth wide open, unable to speak for a long time.
There was a long silence in the room.
After Xu Zhenying finished speaking, she ran back to her seat. She crossed her legs leisurely, opened the latest textbook she had written, and waited slowly for Feng'er to react.
It was unknown how long it took before Feng'er came to her senses.
"City Lord, are you serious?"
Xu Zhenying put down the book, his expression lazy, and asked instead of answering: "What do you think?"
Feng Er nodded blankly, finally digesting this shocking news. To Xu Zhenying's surprise, she nodded calmly: "Miss, I understand."
Xu Zhenying's smile had a hint of triumph. "Now do you understand how important this trip south is?"
"Military expenses, food, weapons, and we have to support so many, many people."
"That's right. Going south is more important than you think."
Feng Er hesitated for a moment, "Does Master know about this?"
"He doesn't know. You're the first."
Feng'er's eyes suddenly lit up.
The city lord actually told her such an important thing first?
Does it mean that in the girl's heart, she is her most trusted confidant?
"Are you afraid?"
Feng Er shook her head, "Follow the girl, I'm not afraid of anything."
"Then do you know why I'm telling you?"
"Because the girl trusts me." Feng'er thought about it carefully. She is no longer the cowardly woman who followed Qian Zhenniang before. She has escaped from danger, killed people, blown up city gates, negotiated alone, and has been tempered in the military camp for more than a month. She has grown into a tough and brave girl.
Feng Er added, "The city lord wants me to go south and do more things, things that I can't do."
Xu Zhenying nodded with satisfaction, "Yes, you are such a smart girl."
Feng Er asked directly: "What do you need me to do, young lady?"
Xu Zhenying finally dropped his joking expression. "Your mission will be a thousand times more important than my brother's. He only needs to earn money to exchange for the supplies we need, but you will not only cooperate with him, but also secretly train spies for me, transmit intelligence, promote our books and ideas, and let everyone in this world know that there is a pure land here, far away from war and hunger!"
Xu Zhenying's voice was so shocking that it made Feng'er's heart numb.
She was speechless for a long time. She just stared at Xu Zhenying blankly, her eyes a little blurry. She seemed to be asking herself, and also seemed to be asking Xu Zhenying, "Girl... can we accomplish such a big thing?"
"Someone has to try."
Feng'er clenched her fists slightly, her chest kept heaving, and her eyes seemed to be moist.
She never asked Xu Zhenying why he did this from beginning to end.
She just remained silent, doubtful, confused and afraid, but gradually, her eyes became calm and determined.
She solemnly promised: "Girl, I am willing to go through fire and water for you."
Xu Zhenying smiled faintly, and the two of them looked at each other, with a sense of mutual admiration.
"Go back and pack your bags. Opening up new trade routes south is inevitable, and sooner rather than later. Think about it and choose a few capable and trustworthy people to accompany you. Remember to write to me often when you get there."
"yes!"
Feng'er's answer this time was more resolute than ever before!
She turned around, her back lengthened by the sunlight, looking a little lonely.
Xu Zhenying watched his companions leave one by one, feeling a sense of loss.
But she was certain that the short separation now was for a long reunion in the future!
Feng'er walked out of the room, the sunlight shone on her face, and she felt warm.
It seems that once people have decided where they are going, they no longer feel panicked.
Now that she had a direction to strive for in life, she felt full of endless energy.
How lucky she is that Feng'er can also find a career that allows her to devote her life to it.
Maybe one day, her name will appear in history books, in the Taimiao, and in every corner of this land?
rebel.
She didn't even have the courage to say these two words before.
But now, she is no longer afraid of it.
What is there to be afraid of? Anyone who follows the girl will live a good life. She Feng'er not only wants to live such a good life herself, but also wants the people of the Great Zhou Dynasty to live a good life!
This is not rebellion, but accumulating virtue!
If everyone in this world could live a life of plenty, why wouldn't she dare to rebel?
Are kings, princes, generals, and ministers of different races?
Qian Zhenniang, who was guarding outside, saw Feng'er in a daze. She slowly walked over and asked, "Feng'er, what are you thinking? Why didn't you discuss this with me before heading south with the eldest master? You know it's a chaotic place out there, full of bandits and robbers. How could a woman like you go so far away alone?"
Feng Er was a little dazed at first, but she came back to her senses when she saw Qian Zhenniang's anxious face. She smiled and said, "Don't be afraid, sister. Not only is the eldest young master with us on this trip, but the city lord has also allocated a small team to protect our safety."
"Even if it's safe, you're still leaving your hometown. It'll be just you and the eldest master. What if something happens?" Qian Zhenniang became increasingly annoyed. "Feng'er, tell me the truth. Are you... are you..."
Qian Zhenniang bit her lower lip, her eyes sparkling with tears. "You don't have any other thoughts about the eldest master?"
Feng Er was slightly stunned when she heard this, and then she smiled, "Sister, why would you have such an idea?"
Qian Zhenniang also realized she had spoken out of turn, and a trace of apology crossed her face. "It's you? You're leaving so suddenly, it caught me off guard. You and I have been together since childhood, never apart, and now you want to leave me and me alone. How can I not worry too much?"
Feng Er shook her head and pulled Zhen Niang to a secluded place before telling her the truth: "To be honest, I came south for two reasons. One is to gain more experience so that I can better serve you in the future. The second is..."
Feng'er hesitated, "Sister, you should know that this trip south is a serious matter. Previously, the City Lord's soap house stirred up a storm in Xingyuan Prefecture and earned nearly 100,000 taels of silver. Now, the City Lord has produced several prescriptions in one go, each of which is priceless. Those belong to the City Lord! Not Xu Huiming or anyone else in the Xu family!"
When Qian Zhenniang heard this, she came to her senses.
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