When the refined salt reached the border between Wei and Shu, the transporters stopped and paused, refusing to move forward. Seeing the crowds finally stop, Wang Defa finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Wang Defa, an envoy from Shu, was on an important mission to Wei. He knew that if he really brought these 200,000 Wei people into Shu, he would become a criminal of Shu and face unimaginable consequences.
Chang Sun Dechong stood at the border and said to Wang Defa, "Envoy Wang, we can only deliver the refined salt here. Please take care of the rest of the journey."
Wang Defa solemnly replied, "Rest assured, Minister Changsun, I will fulfill my mission and ensure the safe delivery of this shipment of refined salt to Shu." With that, Wang Defa began directing the soldiers on the Shu border to receive the refined salt in an orderly manner. He meticulously orchestrated every step of the transportation process, ensuring the smooth arrival of this precious cargo.
The soldiers of Shu had never seen such a large quantity of high-quality refined salt. When they were transporting this precious salt, every move they made was extremely cautious and careful.
Changsun Dechong looked at the scene before him and couldn't help but raise his question to Wang Defa: "Emissary Wang, isn't it a bit cumbersome to transport such a large amount of refined salt like this? After all, this is a full five million kilograms of refined salt! You have the soldiers transporting this salt using Shu's horse-drawn carriages, but does Shu really have enough carriages to carry so much refined salt?"
After hearing Changsun Dechong's words, Wang Defa began to think seriously. He realized that Changsun Dechong's words were indeed reasonable. Five million kilograms of refined salt was no small amount. Even with the assistance of Shu soldiers, completing such a large transportation task in such a short period of time was almost impossible.
Furthermore, Shu didn't actually have that many carriages available. Wang Defa recalled his initial diplomatic mission to Wei. He had initially thought he could only purchase 100,000 kilograms of refined salt, but unexpectedly, Wei generously provided him with a full 5,000,000 kilograms. This caught him off guard, as he simply didn't have enough carriages for such a large-scale transport. It was undoubtedly an embarrassing situation.
Changsun Dechong immediately noticed Wang Defa's embarrassment. He smiled and said, "I guess your Shu Kingdom doesn't have enough carriages to transport this refined salt. Since your Shu Kingdom hasn't paid the money yet, why don't we have 20,000 people from Wei Kingdom help escort these carriages full of refined salt to your Shu Kingdom? When the time comes, you can just send these 20,000 people back to Wei Kingdom with the silver and the carriages."
Wang Defa listened to Changsun Dechong's words with such overwhelming gratitude that he practically knelt to proclaim him his adoptive father. Wei, not only hadn't taken the money from Shu, but had also sent five million kilograms of refined salt and thoughtfully arranged for it to be transported to Shu. What a kindhearted person!
As carriages laden with refined salt slowly entered the Shu Kingdom's border, the tension that had previously permeated the border began to dissipate. Standing at the border checkpoint, Wang Defa watched as ten thousand carriages entered Shu territory one after another, finally breathing a sigh of relief. He knew that these five million kilograms of refined salt might not bring about earth-shaking changes in Shu, but at least it would bring immense wealth to the Fourth Prince and Consort Wang, and he himself would also be able to make a small fortune from the profits.
Wang Defa was well aware of the enormous profits behind the refined salt trade. It wasn't just a simple transaction of goods; it was a symbol of power and wealth. If the Fourth Prince and Consort Wang could obtain the inexpensive refined salt and sell it in Shu, they would surely win the hearts of the people. Their influence in the court would be further consolidated, and as a key figure in this transaction, he would naturally reap significant benefits.
Wang Defa had already drawn a beautiful blueprint for the future in his mind. He planned to use this merit to expand his business and even gain a higher position in the court.
Wang Defa stood at the border, watching the last carriage disappear from sight, his heart filled with anticipation and joy. He knew this was more than just a simple cargo transport; it marked a major turning point in his life. With this success, he believed more opportunities awaited him in the future, and he would write his own legend on this land.
Changsun Dechong, leading a graceful young man, slowly approached Wang Defa. He said, "Emissary Wang, once our people enter Shu territory, the 20,000 people from Wei will be under the full responsibility of this young man, Wen Hejun. He is the son of the Imperial Censor Wen Zhengqing. You two must get along well and support each other in the future."
Wang Defa heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing that this young man was the son of the Imperial Censor. It was a common knowledge that the Imperial Censor was a leading figure among civil officials, always disdaining military men and certainly not personally leading a battle. Therefore, it was clear that such a weak scholar leading these 20,000 Wei civilians posed no threat to Shu.
Then Wang Defa respectfully bowed deeply to Wen Hejun and said, "Greetings, Master Wen."
Wen Hejun responded modestly, "I have no achievements of any kind. I am truly flattered by the royal envoy's generous hospitality."
Wang Defa and Wen Hejun had an in-depth exchange and discussed in detail many things that needed to be paid attention to when entering Shu.
As the last bag of refined salt was carefully loaded onto the carriage, Wang Defa bowed deeply to Changsun Dechong to express his gratitude. Changsun Dechong smiled and nodded to express his acceptance of Wang Defa's gratitude.
Afterwards, Wang Defa got on his carriage and slowly headed towards Shu. The convoy gradually moved away in the afterglow of the setting sun, leaving behind a long trail of ruts.
Chang Sun Dechong stood there, watching the convoy disappear on the distant horizon. His eyes revealed an increasingly fierce look, as if a storm was brewing in his heart.
He and many of Wei's ministers had been playing their roles in this carefully planned drama for too long, even sacrificing a large amount of precious refined salt resources. He secretly vowed that he would never let the Fourth Prince of Shu and Consort Wang escape easily, and would make them pay a heavy price for all this.
Chang Sun Dechong turned and gave orders to his attendants: "Everyone, set up camp immediately. No delay. Also, send a message to the commander stationed here, telling him to come to me without delay."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
