Although Lin Yongqian had become Qin Mo's brother-in-law, he dared not be disrespectful. He wouldn't even dare to call his own father "son-in-law"! He had to be extra careful.
Qin Mo watched Lin Yongqian leave, shook her head helplessly, and turned her attention to the intelligence Lin Yongqian had brought.
Located on the south-eastern coast of Zhu, Piedali is easily accessible via rivers leading inland and is the largest port in the surrounding hundreds of miles.
According to the information collected by Lin Yongqian, the power structure of the local Yeli is very simple: several high-caste families divide all the wealth and power, and the Wias family of Hubaye is the largest branch.
The Vias family belonged to the Brahmins and should have been in charge of temples and religious authority. Although they owned a lot of land, they had never been involved in commerce.
Since Hubaye returned to his hometown, this most shy direct descendant of the Vias family has changed his ways.
Hubaye became the most popular person within a radius of hundreds of miles. Precious goods from the Great Xia Dynasty arrived in the local port of Yeli in a steady stream, bringing him not only great wealth but also considerable prestige.
Several months ago, the northern city-state of Masuliparinan sent envoys demanding the distribution rights of goods north of the local city of Yeli. They threatened to cut off the trade route to the north if Hubaye did not agree.
The city-state of Masuliparinan was 700-800 miles away from the local city-state of Yeli. In terms of both territory and military strength, it far surpassed the local city-state of Yeli. More importantly, it was originally an important trading port for the countries of Southeast Asia.
Nowadays, a family named Vias has emerged in the local area, attracting all the merchants to the area, causing a sharp drop in tax revenue for Masuliparinan.
Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents. Even Brahmin ascetics need money to make offerings to the gods, let alone the other ruling classes of the city-state. The warrior class of Masuliparinan initiated a resolution to conquer the local city of Zali by force, but this was suppressed by the city lord.
Just as Qin Mo was about to arrive in the local area, Masuliparinan finally dropped all pretense and openly attacked Hubaye's people.
"Sir, my brother and his caravan were detained yesterday in Masuriparinan. Please help us! They don't want a ransom, they just want the goods. What do you think we should do?"
Hubaye's wife, her face streaked with tears, clutched his sleeve and wept. She had borne him six sons and was a pillar of the family; Hubaye usually valued her highly, but now he was deeply troubled by her situation.
“Purami, it’s not that I’m unwilling to give them the goods, it’s just that we can’t! They want so much armor and weapons, they’ll end up attacking us.”
Pulami broke down in tears. When Hubaye first disregarded his noble status to go into business, she and her brother withstood pressure and covetousness from all sides at home. Now that her brother is in trouble, she has lost her composure.
"Master, Master, the Great Xia ship has arrived! You must go and see! Everyone is alarmed."
Hubaye's steward rushed in, shouting, which was very impolite in India, but he didn't care anymore.
Hubaye hurried out the door, and before he even reached the dock, he saw the VIP's fleet, densely packed, crowding towards the bay he had already purchased.
The massive hull of the large galleon created a tremendous sense of oppression for those on the shore, but Hubaye felt completely at ease. Before the mighty Masuliparinan, only annihilation was possible.
And he himself, as promised by the Xia people, would become a local lord, ruling with power and influence in India.
I uploaded the chapter without writing the title, and now I can't change it myself and have to contact the editor. What a silly mistake... Sigh!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com