Chapter 40 Using one tiger to devour another
Chang'an.
The bustling city life is intertwined with the splendor of nature.
During the day, Chang'an was bustling with activity, a true testament to the saying, "Fragrant carriages and jeweled canopies crowd the thoroughfares." Centered on the magnificent imperial city, bookstores, taverns, post stations, and jade shops unfolded like a scroll painting.
The closer to the land of high-ranking officials and nobles, the more expensive the price; the distinction between the poor and the rich is stark in this place.
Recently, a wind blowing from elsewhere has stirred up undercurrents in the peaceful and prosperous city of Chang'an.
The undercurrents converged into a raging torrent, successively affecting the residences of high-ranking officials, various post stations and restaurants. In the end, the boundaries between the poor and the rich were blurred, and even the streets and alleys knew that something new had appeared in Chang'an.
"Hey, have you heard of saltstone?"
"How could I not have heard? The other day, that group of merchants from the north made no attempt to hide their activities, causing such a commotion that even hibernating snakes would be awakened. Speaking of which, I feel there's some exaggeration in their claim that they 'bought saltstone from merchants in the Western Regions.' Do such valuable things really exist in the Western Regions?"
"Regardless of whether it's true or not, the fact is that restaurants using salt stone have made the food taste better than before, which has led to the price of salt stone being driven up to an extremely high level, and the supply can't meet the demand."
"It's not a matter of supply falling short of demand. I heard that Prime Minister Dong directly arrested the northern merchant caravan that was selling saltstone."
"Ah, I hadn't received any news about that. Why are they being arrested?"
"They said they were selling smuggled salt, but they released the caravan not long after. I heard some rumors, but I can't be sure, that the reason they released them was threefold: first, the caravan ran out of salt stones; second, they revealed the specific foreign merchants who bought the salt stones; and third, the caravan had a powerful background, and it would be difficult to clean up the mess if they were to be harmed. As for how powerful they were, it seems they had some connection with the lord guarding the northern border."
"Wow, even gods fight, they still have to consider the Buddha's face! But what does salty stone have to do with smuggled salt? Just because it's purer than salt and doesn't taste bitter doesn't mean we can call salty stone salt, right? We've all been eating salt for decades, can't we tell the difference?"
"The word 'official' has two mouths, so whether it's true or not isn't up to us to decide. The salt stones that the merchants brought have long been sold out; now, I'm afraid there aren't any salt stones left to sell in the entire city of Chang'an. If you want to buy salt stones, you can only go to the northern lands to find foreign merchants..."
...
Chang'an, Liang Mansion.
As the maternal family of Dong Zhou's wife, the Liang family has grown increasingly powerful over the years, becoming the Dong family's lackeys, serving them wholeheartedly and doing everything they couldn't do in person.
"Father, you can rest assured that I will take care of the task of finding the Hu merchants in the north. I will follow the clues and find out the truth about Xian Shi, and then return with a full load of goods." Young Master Liang said solemnly.
Dong Zhou's maternal uncle, Liang Tai, stroked his beard. "Prime Minister Dong attaches great importance to the matter of salt stone. Although it is called 'salty stone,' anyone with discerning eyes knows that it is more precious and purer than salt today. If we can find the source of salt stone, it would be like sitting on a mountain of gold."
He patted his eldest son on the shoulder, "The north is not peaceful. On this trip, in addition to taking your troops, take plenty of money. If you can't find the source of the saltstone, at least bring back as many goods as possible. Go, and come back quickly. Try to return within three months to report back."
Young Master Liang bowed respectfully, saying, "Your son obeys."
*
A scene similar to, yet not quite the same as, that appeared in the bustling cities of various counties in Qingzhou.
Qingzhou, Qianfeng County, Governor's Office.
“Father, you have not been home for many days, so you must not know that there are new things in the county. Look at this…” Upon hearing that her father had returned, Nangong Zijin rushed to the main hall with great interest and placed an open bag on the table. “This is salt stone. Everyone says it is better than salt.”
As the governor of Qingzhou, Nangong Xiong has been extremely busy these past few months.
The reason was simple: he and Fan Tianshi of Yanzhou had agreed to put aside their past grievances and work together to attack the Qinglian Sect, and initially everything went smoothly. However, one day, a high-ranking general in Fan Tianshi's army suddenly died in his room. Several people in the Yanzhou army claimed that the deceased had a conflict with a general from Qingzhou, and that the people from Qingzhou held a grudge and therefore killed him.
He was trying to prove that the murder was not committed by Qingzhou. The two sides were about to form an alliance to jointly attack the Qinglian Sect. At this time, such a mishap occurred. No matter how you look at it, it must be the Qinglian Sect's doing.
But that fool Fan Tianshi only listened to his subordinates' side of the story, causing the relationship between Qing and Yan provinces to deteriorate rapidly, which infuriated him.
However, facing his beloved youngest daughter, Nangong Xiong suppressed his anger and said to her, "My dear daughter, your marriage to Fan Yanzhou's son is most likely to fall through."
My daughter is sixteen years old. She got engaged to Fan Tianshi's son a year ago, but the relationship between the two states is so bad now that the marriage is probably in jeopardy.
Nangong Zijin didn't care at all. "So what if it doesn't work out? I've heard that there aren't many good young men in the Fan family. Let's not talk about the married ones for now. As for the unmarried ones, Fan Wu and Fan Liu, the former is mediocre, and the latter has enough concubines to fill several courtyards. I'll probably have a hard time managing the household then. Oh, and Fan Yanzhou also has two adopted sons. I've heard that their conduct is better. One has a handsome face, and the other is ugly as hell... But how can I, a legitimate daughter, marry a mere adopted son?"
Nangong Xiong chuckled, "It seems this marriage has been causing Nannan a lot of trouble for a long time."
“I am indeed unhappy, but since my father is determined to make me marry, I will not say a word of ‘no’.” Nangong Zijin pouted.
Nangong Xiong teased her, "You'd even marry your adopted son?"
It is not uncommon for powerful rulers to adopt sons. Some rulers will select some outstanding young orphans and raise them by their side for several years to develop their strong physique and loyalty, so that they can be driven to serve them.
Of course, those powerful rulers who didn't want to spend more years on food would take in some twelve or thirteen-year-old boys and raise them from a young age. Although their loyalty was not as good as those raised from childhood, they were still barely usable.
Besides these, there are also some martial artists who have made a name for themselves. These people are eager to achieve something, so they either become disciples of powerful lords or become adopted sons of others.
Regardless of which of the above applies, those who become adopted sons of others must be of humble origin and extremely lowly status; otherwise, why would they be so obsequious as to acknowledge others as their fathers?
If he remembered correctly, Fan Tianshi had raised his two adopted sons since they were twelve or thirteen years old. Ha, that guy was really stingy.
Nangong Zijin pursed her lips, her eyes reddening.
Nangong Xiong hurriedly said, "I was just joking with my daughter. If you want to get married, I won't allow those lowly people to humiliate you. How could such a frog dare to even think of marrying my daughter!"
Fearing his daughter would question him about his inappropriate remarks, Nangong Xiong looked at the open bag on the table. "Is this salt stone, which is even better than salt? Hmm, it's white and fine-grained. Judging by its appearance alone, it is indeed better than salt."
Nangong Zijin urged, "Father, please try it. It's really better than salt."
Unable to resist his youngest daughter's insistence, Nangong Xiong dipped his finger in the mixture and put it in his mouth. Upon tasting it, his eyes widened, and he unusually changed his expression directly in front of his daughter.
"Nannan, where did these salt stones come from?" Nangong Xiong asked hurriedly.
Nangong Zijin truthfully replied, "I bought it at the market. A caravan from the north was selling this stuff. They said they got it from the Western Regions and were now reselling it through a middleman. Although it's expensive, many restaurant owners are willing to spend a lot of money to buy these salt stones after trying them. By the way, it's not just restaurants; all the high-ranking families in the county are extremely enthusiastic about salt stones. Everyone who has tasted them says they are better than salt."
After Nangong Zijin finished speaking, she saw her father staring at the table in silence, and for a moment she couldn't figure out what he meant.
"Father, how could you..."
"My dear, I need to go to the study." Nangong Xiong got up from his seat and took the small bag with him. "I'll borrow this for my father's use."
After speaking, Nangong Xiong called out to the guards and ordered them to relay the message.
...
A few days ago, Zhang Mingdian accompanied his lord on his travels to and fro for the campaign against the Qinglian Sect. Now that the alliance with Yanzhou is at a standstill and there are signs of a potential breakdown, he returned to Qianfeng County with his lord.
Before he could even settle in at home, a guard from the governor's mansion came to deliver a message: "The lord requests your presence. Please come quickly."
Zhang Mingdian had no choice but to find some humor in his predicament, consoling himself that there was no need to bother changing his clothes. When he arrived at the governor's study, he saw the door wide open, and his lord standing behind the desk, gazing intently at something on it.
"I wonder why my lord has summoned me so urgently?" Zhang Mingdian had been traveling with Nangong Xiong and had only returned today, so he was also unaware of the new developments in the prefecture.
"Quan Shu is here! Come and take a look at this salt stone." Nangong Xiong called out his courtesy name, beckoned Zhang Mingdian over, and told him about the information he had just gathered from his daughter and the guards in the mansion, "...This salt stone is very strange. It looks like salt, but it is better than salt. I don't know where those foreign merchants got this treasure. This thing is very profitable."
After tasting it, Zhang Mingdian's expression changed drastically, just like every first-timer. He lowered his eyes, and the withered lines on his eyes were layered, like heavy vines hanging down in front of a cave.
For a fleeting moment, he raised his eyelids, his pupils dark and his gaze sharp as a blade, as if vines had been parted to reveal a blazing torch within. "My lord," he said, "I have just remembered something. Last month, Qin Shaozong decisively defeated the Li family salt smugglers who were entrenched in Ying County. While occupying Ying County, he also seized the salt lakes near Ying County. The caravans selling salt stones came from the north. Why don't we arrest them and interrogate them to see if they have any connection with Qin Shaozong?"
Nangong Xiong frowned. "Quan Shu, do you suspect that Xian Shi originated from Qin Shaozong?"
Zhang Mingdian nodded: "I personally believe that the two are inextricably linked. I went to the Western Regions in my early years. That place is rich in agate, honey, various spices, and fine horses, but I have never heard of salt stone. Moreover, the timing of the appearance of salt stone is too coincidental. Why not before, or why not many years later? It just happened to appear after Qin Shaozong occupied Ying County. Is there some mystery behind this? Or was it that the salt smuggler surnamed Li had just figured out a method, but before he could reveal it, Qin Shaozong swallowed it whole?"
Hearing this series of questions, Nangong Xiong fell into deep thought.
Zhang Mingdian added, "Whether it is true or not, we can find out by arresting that caravan and questioning them. If he is the one backing that caravan, then this matter is most likely related to Qin Shaozong."
Nangong Xiong agreed and immediately sent someone to do so.
The governor's guards acted swiftly, arresting people, bringing them to the government office, and interrogating them.
All of this happened in just half a day. By the time the confidant returned to the governor's mansion with the message, Nangong and Zhang had already rested for a while and were having dinner.
This meal uses salt stone instead of regular salt, so anyone with a sensitive palate can taste that the bitterness has been completely eliminated.
"Nangong Qingzhou, they've all confessed. This caravan does indeed have some connection with the Qin family. The leading merchant said they are distant relatives of Mo Zhiyuan," the guard reported.
Zhang Mingdian murmured, "The Mo family..."
Intermarriages were common among powerful and equally matched clans. Powerful clans would also choose to support weaker clans, making them their henchmen and lackeys.
Both the Mo and Yan families were subordinate to the Qin family. However, the former had been serving the Qin family since the time of Qin Shaozong's grandfather, while the Yan family was personally promoted by Qin Shaozong after he came of age.
The Mo family had a deeper foundation than the Yan family; however, in terms of trust, the Yan family was more trusted and was more valued by Qin Shaozong.
“Mo Zhiyuan, that name sounds familiar. I remember there was a Mo Yanyun under Qin Shaozong. It seems that this person and Mo Yanyun are either cousins or uncle and nephew.” Nangong Xiong clicked his tongue twice. “It seems that Quan Shu’s guess was right. Qin Shaozong is likely behind Xian Shi.”
After hearing this, Nangong Xiong couldn't help but feel envious.
Even with only a first encounter, he was quite clear about the value of saltstone. It was a gold mine, a source of endless funds for provisions.
Zhang Mingdian suddenly asked, "How much saltstone does that caravan still have?"
The confidant replied, "That's all. They sold everything, but made quite a bit of money. Nangong Qingzhou, should we...?"
He made a move to kill someone and steal their goods.
"Nonsense! Absolutely not!" Zhang Mingdian slammed his hand on the table and rebuked them sternly.
His reaction was so great that it even knocked over a wine vessel on the table, causing his confidant to shrink back in surprise. Even Nangong Xiong was astonished, "Quan Shu, what's wrong with you...?"
Zhang Mingdian said solemnly, "My lord, our relationship with Yanzhou has deteriorated, and the Qinglian Sect is secretly causing trouble on our flank. Why provoke Qin Shaozong at this time? Do we not think we have made enough enemies? Do we really want to be surrounded by enemies on all sides?"
Upon hearing this, Nangong Xiong realized it made perfect sense and immediately said, "We must not harm that caravan in the slightest."
Zhang Mingdian straightened the wine cup. "The salt stone has been sold out in Qianfeng County. Its fame is far greater than before. Qin Shaozong's move is probably just bait to attract fish. He must know how coveted the salt stone is. If he were to sell it elsewhere, it would be like a child carrying a gold brick through the market, destined to lose both money and goods."
He continued seriously, "However, if we use the Hu merchants as a front, we can barely clear ourselves of the matter of selling smuggled salt, since salt stone is indeed very different from salt today. Merchants are profit-driven and will flock to it. By leading the merchants to the north and having them come to pick up the goods, we can be absolutely sure of success."
The northern lands belong to Qin Shaozong. Even if others come from afar with their soldiers and troops, they will inevitably be exhausted after the long journey, and their numbers will certainly be no match for the Qin family.
At that time, let alone stirring up storms, they might not even be able to make a small splash.
Qin Shaozong really had a brilliant plan.
Following the strategist's words, Nangong Xiong seemed to see a golden mountain that was enclosed, with every corner completely sealed off.
He was consumed by jealousy, and even the dishes on the table seasoned with expensive salted stones tasted bland to him.
"My lord, I have a plan," Zhang Mingdian suddenly said.
Nangong Xiong was still grieving over the fact that the gold and silver mountains did not belong to him. When he heard Zhang Mingdian's words, he did not react much. He only subconsciously replied, "Please give me the complete technique."
Zhang Mingdian took the wine cup in front of Nangong Xiong and placed it opposite himself. Then he took an ear cup and placed it next to Nangong Xiong's wine cup. "After leaving Yun County, I've been thinking that with the alliance between the two states about to jointly attack the Qinglian Sect, such an assassination suddenly occurred. Didn't Governor Fan of Yanzhou really consider that the Qinglian Sect was behind it? Was he unable to think of it, or was he pretending not to know?"
Nangong Xiong was stunned.
“If it is the latter, my lord, your current situation is quite precarious. The allies you have ostensibly allied with have become a dagger planted by the enemy. Who knows when this dagger will be used?” Zhang Mingdian reached out again and this time picked up a wine pot from a distance.
"Clatter." The wine jug landed right next to his own wine vessel.
Wine bottles and ear cups, wine bottles and wine jugs.
The two sides faced each other, in a standoff.
"Using one tiger to devour another." Zhang Mingdian's eyes gleamed. "My lord, why don't you invite Qin Shaozong to discuss the campaign against the Qinglian Sect? If I'm overthinking it, Fan Tianshi has no connection with the Qinglian Sect, and Qin Shaozong's arrival will only help maintain the alliance. If I'm not overthinking it..."
Before he could finish speaking, Nangong Xiong clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "Excellent! With the complete technique by my side, what do I have to worry about?"
Zhang Mingdian paused for a moment and then said, "However, my lord, this plan has a drawback."
"What?" Nangong Xiong asked.
Zhang Mingdian picked up the wine pot on the table and shook it. They had only just begun their meal and hadn't drunk much wine yet, but the pot already felt heavy. "What should we do with this vicious tiger that has been invited to devour wolves? If it doesn't want to return to the mountains, how should we drive it away?"
Three years ago, the late emperor, who was obsessed with immortality, passed away, and the eleven-year-old young emperor ascended the throne. The affairs of the court were jointly controlled by Chancellor Dong Zhou and Empress Dowager Wang, who was backed by the Wang family and ruled from behind the curtain, creating a precarious standoff.
Since the late emperor's passing, the governors of various regions have become like tigers freed from their chains, taking frequent actions and no longer being as restrained as before.
Today, neighboring states clash and go to war; tomorrow, a governor of one state may lead his troops away from his territory—these are all common occurrences. Anyone with discerning eyes can see that a period of warlordism and fragmentation is imminent.
Nangong Xiong gritted his teeth, "Guoyun County is located at the border of Qing and Yan provinces. Even if Qin Shaozong wants to occupy it, he can't take much territory from my Qing province. Never mind, let's deal with the immediate problem first. If it doesn't work out, we can always solve the later problems by the old method."
*
Yingjun, the prefectural governor's residence.
Dai Li is eating grilled fish in the yard.
With the clear blue sky and fine weather, the salt business was over for her. Dai Li left the remaining tasks of shipping and distribution to Qin Shaozong and his subordinates, while she began her vacation.
Dai Li had the cook prepare mandarin fish and black carp. After cleaning the fish, she sliced them into thin pieces and skewered many river shrimp with sharpened wooden skewers. After setting up a small stove in the courtyard, she placed the fish slices, coated with fine salt, on it.
Because the fish slices were cut very thin, they cooked quickly with just a little grilling. She was very generous with the ingredients, and soon an irresistible aroma wafted from the stove.
Dai Li flipped the wooden skewers, turning them over so the bottom side was already golden brown. The oven wasn't big; it could only hold a few slices of fish and two grilled shrimp. Seeing that the fish and shrimp were done, she separated the grilled shrimp for Nian Xia and Bi Po, but the two girls initially refused to take them.
Dai Li said helplessly, "There are plenty of shrimp, it's not like we only have these two skewers. I have grilled fish slices to eat, so I don't need that extra bite. You all helped move the stove earlier, so why can't we eat a few skewers of shrimp?"
The two women, unable to refuse, reluctantly accepted the grilled shrimp.
At first, they were tense and cautiously observed Dai Li's expression, but seeing that she gave it to them and then went on to eat the grilled fish, Bi Po and Nian Xia gradually relaxed.
She brought out the custom-made recliner from the house, enjoyed the scenery, ate grilled fish and shrimp, and felt the spring breeze. Sitting in the recliner, Dai Li thought about how the two-month period was about to end and couldn't help but start to imagine what the future would hold.
Once we find Zhouzhou, we need to take good care of his mental health. After everything is settled, we'll arrange for him to go to school.
Nine years old, only in third grade. Even in a different era, she would still have to continue her studies. That's what Dai Li thought at that moment.
-----------------------
Author's note: Zhang Mingdian, courtesy name "Quanshu", belongs to the Qingzhou camp.
I'm desperately begging for nutrient solution again! [heart emoji] [shy emoji]
Here's a preview of my next book: A tentative exploration of the Shura Field (a battlefield of chaos).
The Mistress
◆Time-traveling beauty × Feudal father◆
After Yu Ci accidentally bumped her head, she suddenly remembered that she came from the present world a thousand years in the future. Before she could sort out the events of the past years, a girl with a youthful face and a calm gaze appeared in front of her—
"Mother, let's run away quickly, or Uncle will soon come with the clan elders to force you to remarry him."
Fu Youen had two regrets in her previous life:
She regretted misjudging him and blindly believing her childhood sweetheart's vows of eternal love; she regretted failing to stop her uncle from forcibly marrying her mother, and later offering her to the emperor for the sake of her own official career, after which her mother moved from one powerful man to another.
Reading Guide:
1. Parents' love.
2. The book title will be changed later, and the synopsis will be slightly adjusted later.
3. This is a case of cunning and forceful plunder; if you don't like this kind of thing, proceed with caution.
4. All of Mom's lovers from her past life are being criticized like crazy, the only difference being the degree of their madness.
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