"Uncle Grand Commandant, do you really think there are large flying birds in the south?"
The wicked husband was explaining military strategy to young Fusu when he was suddenly asked this question, and he almost bit his tongue.
"Why did Your Highness suddenly ask about this?"
"I heard it from the merchants at the market," Little Fusu blinked innocently. "They said there's a place in the south called Jiaozhi, where the birds are bigger than people, and their wingspan can blot out the sun!"
They also said that there are herds of elephants over there, and when they stomp their feet, the ground shakes the earth...
The wicked man couldn't help but stroke his chin.
These words reminded him that the southern caravans had indeed been sending him many strange and unusual stories recently.
Especially in the South China Sea region, merchants would bring strange and unusual things every few days.
However, he was more concerned about something else than big birds and elephants.
"I'll have someone get His Highness a peacock to play with later," the wicked husband said dismissively, while secretly plotting in his mind that ever since unifying the six kingdoms, the other side had always been elusive.
On the surface, they submit to the emperor and pay tribute, but behind the scenes they are secretly accumulating power.
Most critically, they occupy key sea routes, which inevitably leads to a tendency to monopolize maritime trade in the future.
According to news from Nanhai County, any merchant ship going south to do business must pass through the checkpoints of Nanyue.
What's even more infuriating is that they actually seized the commercial taxes he implemented, not only were they even more greedy than him, but we also had to accept their "protection" and pay another fee.
"Uncle Grand Commandant, you're daydreaming again!" Little Fusu pouted in dissatisfaction. "If you keep this up, I'm going to tell Mother!"
"Huh? Oh..." The wicked man finally came to his senses. Looking at the little boy in front of him, an idea suddenly came to him. "Your Highness, would you like to hear some stories from the south? They're much more interesting than fighting."
"Really?" Little Fusu immediately perked up. "Tell me, tell me!"
The wicked man cleared his throat: "Not only are there rare birds and animals there, but also countless treasures. Pearls are as big as grains of rice, and jade is everywhere..."
"Wow!" Little Fusu exclaimed in disbelief, "Then why don't we just go and get it?"
Just as the wicked man was about to reply, a secret agent from the Black Ice Guard rushed over: "Grand Commandant, an urgent report has arrived from the South Sea Commandery!"
"explain!"
"The Southern Yue sent a caravan, saying they wanted to pay tribute. However..." The spy glanced at Xiao Fusu, then hesitated.
The wicked husband understood immediately: "Your Highness, that's enough for today. You should go find Princess Mi Ji first, and I'll tell you the story of the south later."
After little Fusu skipped away, the wicked husband turned to the spy: "Tell me, what exactly happened?"
"Reporting to the Grand Commandant. The caravan ostensibly came to pay tribute, but according to my investigation, they've been probing our strengths and weaknesses along the way. They're particularly interested in our military equipment and supply lines. Furthermore, they seem especially interested in our newly built port."
"Ha!" the wicked man sneered. "These monkeys from the South Seas are courting death! They're all smiles on the one hand, and spying on us on the other—their intentions are crystal clear! Go and bring me all the reports from the South Sea Prefecture for the past three years!"
Soon, a stack of bamboo slips was placed on the table.
The wicked husband examined it carefully, and the more he looked, the more his brows furrowed.
"Interesting," he muttered to himself. "Southern Yue has expanded rapidly these past few years. First, they occupied the South China Sea, then swallowed Xiang County, and now they want to get their hands on Jiaozhou. No wonder they dare to be so arrogant; their appetite has grown!"
"And another thing," the spy added, "is said to be the construction of warships in Southern Vietnam, and on a considerable scale. Last year alone, they conscripted tens of thousands of craftsmen."
"Shipbuilding?" The wicked man narrowed his eyes. "What are they planning to do?"
"Reporting to the Grand Commandant, I have obtained some information," the spy lowered his voice, "Southern Vietnam seems to want to control the entire shipping lanes of the South China Sea. They have built many outposts along the coast, claiming it is to 'protect' merchant ships, but in reality..."
"They're actually trying to strangle us!" the scoundrel slammed his fist on the table. "These bastards, what a clever scheme!"
He walked over to the map and examined it carefully.
The location of Nanyue is indeed important. Not only does it control the sea routes, but it also has direct access to the depths of the southern barbarians. If they were to grow too powerful, they would definitely become a major threat.
After dismissing the spy, the wicked man paced back and forth in the courtyard.
Recalling what Xiao Fusu had just said, he couldn't help but smile.
There are indeed some strange and unusual things in the south, but compared to big birds and elephants, spices, jewels, and the benefits of controlling maritime trade are the real treasures.
Unfortunately, all of these things were in the hands of the Southern Yue.
He couldn't swallow this insult!
"Grand Commandant!" Zhang Erhe strode over. "The Minister of the Imperial Household requests an audience."
"Let him in."
As soon as the Chief Steward entered, he eagerly said, "Grand Commandant, you must inspect these tributes from Nanyue!"
"What is that now? A pearl or a tortoiseshell?"
"They have everything, and the quantity is double that of previous years," the Imperial Treasury official said mysteriously. "Most importantly, they've also brought a new tribute called 'pepper.' I heard it was transported from further south and is said to ward off the cold..."
"Pepper?" The wicked man's eyes lit up. He knew this stuff all too well; it was an indispensable condiment for later generations.
"And..." the Minister of the Imperial Household lowered his voice, "it's said they've discovered new sea routes that allow them to reach even farther places. There are even more rare and precious treasures there, and even the sand smells sweet..."
"Xiangsha?"
"Yes! They call that place 'Xianglin' (Fragrant Forest). Grand Commandant, do you think Nanyue has some ulterior motive?"
The wicked man pondered for a moment: "They're just showing off their strength."
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