Chapter 53 "Not even a single note?"...
Inside the government office, Lu Mingzhu had been eagerly waiting. While waiting, he had already borrowed the map using the princess's token. He was happily heading towards the carriage, ready to claim credit, when he saw Gu Chunwen get off the carriage with Feng Mian.
He was somewhat taken aback. Why did the princess come along, Brother Gu?
Yesterday we were clearly told to gather at the government office.
Facing the astonished gazes of his classmates and colleagues, Gu Chunwen remained calm and composed, naturally explaining that he had happened to meet the princess while waiting for the carriage and had shamelessly hitched a ride with her.
"Brother Lu, are you angry that I didn't come with you?"
Lu Mingzhu quickly waved his hand, saying it was such a small matter, not worth the trouble.
He was carefree and forgot about it in an instant. He looked at Feng Mian and said as he led the way, "The prefect has prepared a study for the princess to discuss matters, and the map has been sent over."
Besides, he was also concerned about the time and effort required for meetings, so for the first time in this unfamiliar government office, he ordered the servants to prepare some tea, snacks and fruit.
He didn't dare to handle the food himself, fearing that if the food passed through his hands, it would cause diarrhea once it entered his mouth.
Gu Chunwen added, "I have also done some research on the local products that are abundant in the Northern Frontier. They can be roughly divided into three categories: prohibited trade goods, restricted trade goods, and encouraged trade goods. This is the first time that the Northern Barbarians and Dayong have opened a trade market in decades, and the government still needs to set prices."
As Feng Mian walked, she lifted her skirt and said, "Let's sit down and chat slowly later. Yesterday, I also asked Baili Xunzhou some questions about the thirty-six tribes of the Northern Frontier. I'll tell you all about it later and we can discuss it together. Which tribes should we choose for this first trade fair?"
Defining the range of tradable goods is relatively simple. Items such as ironware and weapons are obviously prohibited from being traded. Next are tea bricks, medicinal herbs, and salt, which can be traded within the restricted scope.
As for handicrafts such as silk and porcelain, they were items that were encouraged to be traded, but there were not many silk and porcelain items circulating in the northern border region.
Feng Mian felt that as the initiator, he should actively participate in the trade, so he allocated one-third of the resources in his shops to trade for goods, hoping to exchange them for more swift warhorses from the Northern Barbarians.
However, everyone was having some trouble choosing a location for the trade market.
To reassure the northern tribes participating in the trade, the trade location naturally had to be in the border region. However, the people in the border region had almost all been plundered by the northern tribes, and they harbored hatred that was difficult to quell in a short period of time.
Getting them to do business with the Northern Barbarians would be extremely difficult.
“Among the thirty-six tribes of the Northern Barbarians, there are five tribes that have never plundered the border people. I think we can start with them for this trade.” Feng Mian tapped the map lightly with his fingertips, his voice calm.
Hatred is hard to resolve, and they certainly couldn't force the border people to trade with the northern barbarians with whom they had a blood feud. At the beginning of the trade, they absolutely could not become a sharp blade stabbing the people of Dayong in the back.
Although the border people may see the thirty-six tribes of the Northern Barbarians as no different, all of them fierce-looking enemies, Feng Mian believed that as long as they knew these people had not stained their own people's blood, the people would be willing to take the first step.
As for what comes afterward, the most basic necessities for survival can always pierce through the ice of hatred.
This trade market was not merely a route for the exchange of goods, but a path to maintain peace and prosperity. What they needed to do was not to forcibly mend blood feuds, but to build a strong barrier to keep out the grudges of war and allow only the exchange of goods.
Over time, when the border people saw the northern barbarians' horses again, they felt more than just fear and hatred. When the northern barbarians enjoyed the hot tea and herbs of the Central Plains, they also began to yearn for a peaceful and stable life.
“Besides them, there is another tribe that is also very important,” Gu Chunwen said softly, “the Northern Barbarian Canglang tribe.”
"Is it that light cavalry tribe skilled in mounted archery? I've heard that their people are swift as the wind, occasionally engaging in raids, but never harming anyone." Lu Mingzhu searched his mind for information about the Canglang tribe.
Gu Chunwen nodded: "The Canglang tribe is currently a tribe that the Alna tribe is trying its best to win over. Their numbers are relatively small, but they are very united and have strong fighting power. If we can win them over, the Northern Barbarians will lose a major fighting force."
Feng Mian knew about the Alna tribe, which was currently the most powerful tribe among the Northern Barbarians. In the seventeenth year of Yongchang, it was the Alna tribe that rallied forces from the Northern Barbarian tribes to break through Dayong, forcing Emperor Zhaowu to march south.
After being driven out of the northern frontier by the first King of Dingbei, he has continued to relentlessly attempt to re-enter the northern frontier for many years.
The tribe that the Arna tribe wanted to seize, Dayong would only feel at ease if it was first secured by them.
For three whole days, Feng Mian went to the government office early in the morning and returned to the Prince's Mansion late at night. The Princess was very worried that she would exhaust herself, so she got up early to prepare breakfast and sent ginseng soup late at night, completely forgetting about the other person who hadn't even returned to the Prince's Mansion.
It's been three days already, what news is the Crown Prince waiting for?
The soldier from the courier station knelt on the ground, mustered his courage, and looked up at Baili Xunzhou, who was seated above him. He said again, "I have been waiting with my eyes open these past few days, and I have indeed not sent a letter to Your Highness."
"Not even a single note?" Baili Xunzhou asked with a dark expression.
"Not a single word!" The soldier's voice cracked with anxiety, but Baili Xunzhou glared at him angrily, and he quickly shrank back.
Yao Zhiyuan couldn't stand it any longer and waved for him to leave, saying, "Alright, you can go now."
"Thank you, strategist!" The soldiers, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, slipped away as fast as they could.
Yao Zhiyuan glanced at Baili Xunzhou, who still had a cold expression, suppressed the smirk that seemed to be watching a good show, and asked knowingly, "Whom is Your Highness waiting for to deliver a message?"
Baili Xunzhou let out a soft hum from his nose, not wanting to answer.
"Didn't the young master send Qingyi to check on everything? The princess has been busy with the trade with Lord Gu and Lord Lu these past few days."
Thinking of this, Yao Zhiyuan couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement. Qingyi's lightness skill was amazing and her hearing was excellent. In the past, she was always sent to investigate the Northern Barbarians. Now, she was sent by the Crown Prince to inquire about the Princess's whereabouts. Has the Crown Prince not realized his thoughts yet?
He wanted to offer a word of advice: "Now that we know the princess's whereabouts, why wait for her note?"
The note merely briefly described his whereabouts for the day. The young master clearly didn't want to see the note; he wanted to see the person.
Previously, whenever he was in the military camp, there would be notes every day; now, for three consecutive days, there have been only a few words...
Baili Xunzhou narrowed his eyes slightly. Ever since that top scholar surnamed Gu came to the Northern Frontier, this note has been gone.
He suddenly stood up, and Yao Zhiyuan's eyes followed his movements. "What is the young master going to do?"
"How could I, the Crown Prince, not be present when a trade market is being opened in the Northern Frontier?"
Baili Xunzhou pushed open the study door aggressively, but before he could even speak, he was met with Feng Mian's clearly joyful gaze.
"You're here! I was just about to come find you!" Feng Mian greeted him happily.
The inexplicable frustration that had been building up in Baili Xunzhou over the past few days completely dissipated, and the prepared questions he had prepared in his mind were completely forgotten. He obediently followed her to the table and sat down.
"What do you want with me?"
“I want to borrow some men from the Swift Feather Camp.” She gazed intently at Baili Xun’s boat and explained her thoughts in detail. “Firstly, it’s to intimidate the Northern Yi tribes, stabilize the people’s hearts, and serve as ‘market patrol officers’ to supervise market order. Secondly, we also need to ask someone to inform those tribes about the preparations for the mutual market.”
"After much consideration, I still think the soldiers of the Swift Feather Camp are the most suitable. I just don't know if there are enough men available in the camp these days?"
Baili Xunzhou pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Of course, no problem. I'll allocate five hundred elite soldiers to Lord Gu, is that enough?"
Gu Chunwen: "That's enough. Thank you, Your Highness."
"Has the location for the trade market been decided?" Baili Xunzhou glanced at him once, then turned his gaze to Feng Mian.
She was dressed very simply today, looking as pretty as a newly sprouted flower bud on a branch.
"I plan to go to Heishigou."
Bai Lixun raised an eyebrow slightly as she continued, "Heishigou is located right at the border between the Northern Barbarians and Dayong, and it has suffered a disaster. Only one-tenth of the crops survived, and the people were scattered. There should be no one who would object to setting up a market there."
"If more trade markets can be set up, it can also help the local people recover their livelihoods. Even if the displaced people have lost their crops, they can always make a living again through the market. Whether it is transporting goods, setting up stalls, or providing food and lodging for merchants, they can always find a way out."
“The princess’s considerations are very thorough; we all think it’s feasible,” Gu Chunwen echoed, and Lu Mingzhu nodded repeatedly.
"That's good. Then A-Yang and the others can go home too?" Baili Xunzhou asked, thinking of A-Yang and the others who were still living outside the city.
"Yes, I was just thinking of going to see you before telling them about this outside the city. Now that you've come, it saves me a lot of trouble."
As Feng Mian spoke, he stood up, and the other three people at the table followed suit, clearly intending to go with him.
Baili Xunzhou glanced at the two people opposite him and spoke first, "I'll go with you. I haven't been to see them since they were settled."
"Lord Gu and Lord Lu, there's no need to see us off. The rules for the trade still need to be carefully drafted by you. Please stay."
“That’s true. Make a few more copies and take them with you when you contact those tribes later.” Generally, the Northern Yi tribes train people to learn the Dayong script, so Feng Mian is not worried that they will not be able to understand it.
Gu Chunwen and Lu Mingzhu were frozen in place by an order, and could only watch helplessly as Baili Xunzhou led Feng Mian away.
The two exchanged a glance. One's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes were slightly downcast. The other's brows furrowed with a hint of dejection. They sat down in unison, ground ink, picked up their brushes, and began to write.
Outside the city, a small stall was set up, and the people of Heishigou lined up in an orderly fashion in a long queue.
At the head of the line, the village chief, with his sleeves rolled up and a delicate hand resting on his wrist, asked anxiously, "Dr. Liu, how is she?"
Behind the character "摊" (tan), Liu Jixue was solemnly and attentively taking his pulse. Upon hearing this, her expression softened, she withdrew her hand, picked up a pen, and wrote something, "There's nothing seriously wrong. Just drink two more doses of medicine to consolidate the effect."
The village chief immediately breathed a long sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve. Doctor Liu was excellent in every way; he came every day without fail to take their pulses, prescribe medicine for those who were sick, and take preventative measures for those who were healthy. He was extremely dedicated and responsible.
The only downside is that he has a serious expression when taking pulses, which makes people's hearts pound.
The village chief took the prescription written by Liu Jixue, thanked her, and was about to go to the side to get the medicine when he suddenly looked towards the city gate and exclaimed softly, "Oh dear, isn't that the princess's carriage?"
Liu Jixue immediately turned around and saw a familiar carriage slowly approaching, followed by a very familiar figure jumping down.
"Ah Xue!"
Upon seeing Feng Mian, Liu Jixue smiled before even speaking.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
