Chapter 548 If you don't fight her, you're doomed!
(Thanks to 素素123 for casting 2 monthly votes.)
After saying her earnest words, Li Shiyue slammed her hand on the table, so hard that the fine salt in the white porcelain plate on the table bounced a few times.
"If you want to survive, and live better, you have to hold the knife handle and the money bag in your own hands!"
The heads of Japanese pirates can be exchanged for rewards, and this pure white salt can be exchanged for endless money!
This general has always been an easy person to talk to. You have been so 'wise and generous' in giving me money, so naturally, when I have something good to share, I will think of you.
If you use my salt-making method, countless grains of fine, snow-white salt will not only bring you immense wealth, but also help me obtain grain and warships!
With these, why worry about not eliminating the Japanese pirates? Why worry about not prospering in Jian'an?
Once I, the general, lead my troops to wipe out all the Japanese pirates in Jian'an, all of you present here will be credited with great merit!
Li Shiyue's words struck like a heavy hammer, resonating in the hearts of every merchant.
Profits are tempting; Li Shiyue's promises are so enticing that just hearing them makes them sound delicious.
After all, that's salt!
Every human being needs to eat salt!
People who don't eat salt have no energy. They can endure it for a few days, but if they don't eat it for a long time, they're not far from death.
Therefore, this deal is indeed as Li Shiyue said—it can truly bring in a fortune!
"I have summoned you all here today not to discuss anything with you."
Li Shiyue's voice suddenly turned cold, leaving no room for doubt: "It's giving you a path to wealth, but also giving you a choice you must make."
She clapped her hands, and Chen Yong immediately led a squad of armored soldiers into the room. Each soldier carried a pre-prepared document and writing materials, and they stood silently behind each merchant.
The cold, scraping sound of the armor plates caused the temperature inside the room to drop sharply.
"Gentlemen, once you sign this document, contribute money, effort, and manpower—whatever you can contribute—and in the future, the salt produced by the Jian'an seaside will be distributed according to your investment share."
The profits from that alone would be enough to keep your family prominent for decades.
Li Shiyue's voice was calm and even, yet carried a deadly pressure: "I won't sign..."
She paused, her gaze falling on the plump merchant who had spoken out in question. She smiled slightly, but the smile was colder than a blade: "You are all renowned merchants in Jian'an. If you look down on this small business, I will not force you."
Not insisting?
Li Shiyue asked, "Not forcing it?"
Of the merchants present, who could believe these words?
Even though several months have passed, they still haven't forgotten Zhao Liangfu's fate!
Refuse to sign?
Will they be able to leave this mirage boat today?
"I'll sign! I'll sign!"
Li Yu was the first to react. She practically snatched the brush and signed her name on the document, which could be described as a "contract of servitude," and pressed her bright red fingerprint on it.
He could see clearly that this female general was incredibly audacious and ruthless, and she also possessed the secret method of salt production and thousands of soldiers. Following her was a gamble with a life-or-death situation for immense wealth.
If we don't fight her, we're doomed!
With a leader in charge and under the "protection" of those gleaming weapons, how could the other merchants dare to hesitate?
One by one, they signed their names. Some of the more timid ones had sweat beading on their foreheads and their hands were shaking so badly they could barely hold the pen.
Looking at the scene before him, Li Shiyue finally showed a genuine smile.
"very good."
She took all the documents from Chen Yong's hands, saying, "In that case, you and I are now one."
Let me make this clear from the outset: this method is a closely guarded secret. If anyone dares to leak it, or outwardly comply but inwardly defy it...
She didn't finish speaking, but the murderous intent in her eyes said it all.
"I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!"
The crowd responded in unison, some of them already with their backs soaked in cold sweat.
"Li Yu," Li Shiyue called out.
"Your Excellency is here!"
"You are in charge of this matter. Coordinate the funds and manpower of various parties, select a site, recruit reliable craftsmen and laborers, and start working on it immediately."
Chen Yong would send the Xuanjia Army to protect the salt fields, firstly for secrecy, and secondly to prevent harassment by Japanese pirates.
I want to see mountains of salt piled up as quickly as possible!
"Yes! I will do my utmost to live up to your expectations, General!"
Li Yu was both excited and apprehensive at that moment.
He knew that from this moment on, the fate of the Li family and even the entire Jian'an business community was firmly tied to this young female general.
As the banquet ended, the merchants left in a daze, clutching documents that could wipe out their entire clans and their hearts pounding wildly.
The mirage boat gradually quieted down.
Li Shiyue leaned against the railing alone, gazing at the pitch-black sea not far away.
The sea breeze rustled, stirring her robes.
Chen Yong appeared silently behind her: "General, this, this... isn't it too risky?"
"If the matter of smuggled salt were discovered by the General..."
"Kyoto is in chaos."
Li Shiyue suddenly said this.
Chen Yong heard it, but he didn't react immediately.
Li Shiyue sighed and continued, "I used the golden eagle to communicate with Lady Xie in Youzhou. The capital is in chaos now."
The sage has followed the old path of the former emperor, and has already begun to seek immortality and take elixirs.
The Crown Prince and the Third Prince are locked in a fierce battle, and now everyone in the capital is living in fear.
"It's just that outside of Kyoto, the Xie family is blocking things in Youzhou, and Andong is suppressing the Turks from behind; otherwise..."
Li Shiyue scoffed, "Otherwise, foreign enemies would probably have already reached the capital. This Great Long Dynasty..."
Chen Yong naturally understood what Li Shiyue had left unsaid.
"But, General, what about the Great General...?"
Li Shiyue interrupted Chen Yong directly, "The General is currently too busy to take care of himself. He's busy catching traitors within the army and eliminating dissidents."
How could he possibly have time to care about us?
Besides, as long as we can protect Jian'an, we can also fight the Japanese pirates;
Not only do we not need to ask the general for money, but in the future, we can even benefit Jinzhou. Who would really care whether this salt is from the government or private sources?
Li Shiyue didn't tell Chen Yong anything else—Liu Tan accepted more than a dozen girls as tribute from the Turks, which made the backyard of the Prince's Mansion very unstable, and even made Princess Jiang Huijun jealous and targeted her last year.
This suggests that all sorts of evil spirits and monsters will likely emerge from the shadows.
Her decision to leave Golden State was absolutely the right one.
Liu Tan, the Prince of Zhenbei, will probably end up like his father Liu Cong, defeated by the women in his harem.
Of course, this was just Li Shiyue's guess.
Now, all she hopes is that Liu Tanteng won't interfere with her.
The windows of Haitian Pavilion were wide open, and Li Shiyue gazed into the distance at the Black Sea, as if she had pierced through the heavy night and seen the future.
"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures."
If Jian'an wants to be vibrant and strong, it cannot follow the rules.
This salt, from now on, will be our blood, our flesh, the sharp blade we use to cut down the Japanese pirates, and indeed, all future enemies!
"Have our men keep a close eye on those merchants. If any of them make any unusual moves, kill them without mercy."
"Yes!" Chen Yong replied in a deep voice.
Li Shiyue took a deep breath of the salty, fishy night air and a smile appeared on her lips.
The "Order to Kill the Bandits" is the fire that has been ignited, and this salt will be the oil that makes the flames burn even brighter until they spread like wildfire.
From the day she arrived, the world of Jian'an was destined to change.
The night on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month at the Mirage Boat merely pushed this transformation onto an even more turbulent and irreversible path.
At the same time, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which is also the Dragon Boat Festival.
Lijiatun in Jinzhou, more than a thousand miles away from Jian'an, had little festive atmosphere.
The air was not filled with the fragrance of bamboo leaves and mugwort, but with a silent, thick sense of parting and the weight of choices.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
