Chapter 672: Lin Feng's Story [Two-in-One]
"Ah owe-"
Gong Xiqiu rubbed his nose, which was still itchy.
I sneezed several times before I calmed down.
"Who's calling me at this hour?" Gong Xichou picked up his wine cup and took a large gulp, his brows furrowing. During his days as a "prisoner" in Xiaocheng, he'd only drunk the finest wines, which had somehow spoiled his palate. Now, he found drinking outside wine unsatisfying. He put down his bowl, ate a bite of the accompanying snack, and muttered, "It must be either Alai or Mama..."
He was about to finish eating and go back to his room to rest.
The conversation of diners by the window caught his attention.
Diner A sighed repeatedly, while Diner B inquired with concern.
"...Sigh, nothing's wrong with my family, but I heard that war is about to start again. I was planning to order some grain this year when the market was better, but who knew...sigh."
Diner A was upset. His family were grain merchants, and selling only the grain from their own fields wasn't enough. They needed to go out and buy grain at low prices, then transport it back and sell it at higher prices, making a profit from the price difference.
These grains cannot wait until the autumn harvest to be collected; agreements must be made several months in advance, and a deposit paid, to prevent other competitors from snatching them up. Without grain to sell, business naturally cannot be done.
Household expenses are high, and we're running out of money just by sitting around.
Customer B asked, "Is there going to be another war? Where?"
Diner A rolled his eyes: "Where else could it be? Isn't it still the same group of people and the tyrant? They've been fighting for so long and haven't gotten anywhere. All they're thinking about is exploiting us commoners. They're levying grain and corvée labor, and if you push them too far, they'll even resort to robbery."
The Dragon Slaying Bureau's allied forces still had some face to save. When they were short of food, they would send people to collect grain from all over the place, buying it in large quantities at prices lower than the market price. As for how much lower? Grain merchants who ran into them would just accept their bad luck, but they wouldn't go bankrupt or lose their lives.
The inhumane officials under Zheng Qiao were a different story. Not only did they force people to buy and sell goods at almost free prices, but they also forced commoners to work as grain transporters and cooks, and to perform forced labor. Those who refused were either severely beaten or their families were destroyed.
Some grain was looted before it was even left in the fields.
but--
These two groups are essentially the same.
There's no need to compare the difference between bad and worse.
Diner B hurriedly said, "In this world, we should be careful, lest the grain we collect is intercepted halfway."
Diner A could only console himself that every cloud has a silver lining. The two men, discussing this topic, naturally vented their frustrations together. Just then, a tall figure approached, emanating an invisible, terrifying pressure.
This person was none other than Gongxi Chou.
"Where is the war you're talking about? Who's fighting whom?"
Diners A and B, looking at Gong Xi Chou's physique, instinctively felt fear. Seeing that Gong Xi Chou was merely curious, they lowered their guard. Diner A replied, "Isn't it just that allied forces that slay dragons and such, fighting Zheng Qiao?"
He recalled the news he had heard.
"Oh, it's said to be in Xingyang Road." Although merchants traveled north and south, transportation was inconvenient and their range of activities was limited. He didn't know exactly where Xingyang Road was. He then asked Gong Xichou, "Judging from this strong man's demeanor, he doesn't seem like an ordinary person. Are you asking about this because you want to gain fame and fortune?"
The battlefield is the best stage for brave warriors to make a name for themselves.
Some people who want to make a name for themselves will go wherever there is a war.
Diner A thought that Gong Xi Chou was one of them.
"No, I'm just curious. I have a friend who I think will be going too..." Gong Xichou brought over wine and dishes, acting like a familiar friend and inviting the two to drink, hoping to extract more information from them, such as how many forces would be participating and how many troops they would have.
Unfortunately, both of them were ordinary people, and the information about Diner A was only heard by chance and they didn't know much about it.
but--
Diner B, while drinking Gong Xi Chou's wine, suddenly remembered something and said, "That dragon slayer is probably going to be slain."
Gongxi Chou asked, "What makes you say that?"
Diner B gestured for Gong Xi and Chou to come closer.
He whispered, "You don't know..."
Diner B has a distant relative whose brother-in-law works in the mansion of a powerful figure. The nobleman he serves is said to be the top fighter under the tyrant Zheng Qiao. With him on the job, killing people is as easy as chopping melons and vegetables. It is also rumored that he is about to break through to a higher level, and his strength is terrifying.
Gongxi Chou asked, "Really?"
Diner B said, "Of course it's true."
Fearing that Gongxi Chou would think he was boasting and making things up, he said, "I've heard that the tyrant has bestowed so much gold, silver, and beautiful women that his courtyard is overflowing. If they weren't so powerful, would the tyrant value them so much?"
Diner B concluded, "Just wait and see how it goes. Listen to this advice, strong man: if you're going to go, don't go to that dragon-slaying place, lest you get slaughtered like an insect by the tyrant..."
Diner A: "Isn't that being a lackey of a tyrant?"
Customer B: "Is being a dog more important or your life?"
After saying that, the two of them sighed at the same time.
Gong Xiqiu quietly drank his wine, listening attentively, and prepared to inquire about the situation in Xingyang Road the next day.
Yanzhou, bordering Xingyang Road.
The allied forces of the Dragon Slayer Bureau and Zheng Qiao's troops had fought several major battles here, with both sides experiencing victories and defeats, but neither side could gain a decisive advantage. Last year, both sides reached a stalemate. The biggest problem was not troop strength, but the supply of food and provisions.
Wu Xian was also delayed due to the problem of food supplies.
"Because of supplies?"
Shen Tang listened to the gossip to pass the time, and was surprised.
He shook his head and said, "That's impossible."
Wu Xian had Xu Jie as his personal ATM, a machine that could make money on its own, and in a sense, it was inexhaustible. Over the past few years, he had been helping Shen Tang sell high-quality refined salt, secretly making a fortune.
No one is ever short of money, not Xu Jie.
How could he not be able to procure enough provisions for an army of tens of thousands?
Gu Chi sneered: "Why not?"
Today's fishing companions are Xun Ding and Gu Chi.
Gu Chishang Wu Xian's camp took a stroll around and ate his fill of melons.
Shen Tang recalled the accounts Xu Jie had settled last time and counted on her fingers: "How do I calculate it? Xu Wenzhu is far from going bankrupt. How could a mere tens of thousands of shi of grain be a problem for him?"
When the topic turned to a mere tens of thousands of bushels of grain, Shen Tang's expression revealed undisguised jealousy; she also longed to own an ATM.
Gu Chi said, "Under normal circumstances, it shouldn't be difficult."
Unfortunately, the situation is not normal.
Wu Xian dispatched his trusted confidants to assist Xu Jie in procuring grain.
The grain collection area is concentrated in Heyin.
This area had four consecutive years of bumper harvests. Although the yields in the last two years were not as high as the first two, Xu Jie's diligent management, coupled with the infrastructure left by Shen Tang's team before their departure, resulted in good harvests. Every household had more surplus grain year by year.
Xu Jie wanted to buy grain at market price.
As a result, the defendant filed a lawsuit, accusing him of embezzling public funds and deliberately making things difficult for the government, demanding 30% of the market price to buy all of the surplus grain belonging to the governor of Heyin.
Shen Tang nearly spat out her water: "Xu Wenzhu paid the money, so what? Did he line his own pocket? Was he just transferring money from one hand to the other?"
Gu Chi: "Wu Zhaode didn't contribute a single penny either."
Xu only revealed the big picture.
All accounts are kept in the public accounts.
Shen Tang asked again, "And then?"
"They complain that the grain they received was two years old, or that it was moldy and could cause diarrhea in the soldiers. Then, once the grain was stored, they said the actual amount received didn't match the accounts… And then there are the cooks. Wu Zhaode has used up most of his resources this time. With the grain supplies increased, naturally the number of cooks needed to transport the grain also needs to increase, so he's thinking of conscripting laborers from the Heyin territory…"
In those days, forced labor meant not only paying out of your own pocket to do the work, but also risking your life if you were unlucky enough to die from overwork. Xu Jie naturally wouldn't agree to this, which created even more conflict.
Gu Chi's lips curved into a smile.
"...Wu Zhaode's confidant was repeatedly rejected by Xu Wenzhu, and the two had a deep-seated conflict. In a fit of rage, Wu Zhaode made reckless remarks, calling Xu Wenzhu a toad on the table, thinking he was a dish, and saying that merchants were indeed despicable and profit-driven. Xu Wenzhu was thoroughly enraged and deliberately delayed the delivery of supplies. Wu Zhaode had no choice but to swallow his pride and try to reconcile several times..."
Xu Jie timed his time perfectly to get things done for Wu Xian.
Shen Tang clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Wonderful!"
"So, Wu Zhaode and Wen Zhu have completely fallen out?" Shen Tang seemed to see an ATM rushing towards him, and his heart stirred with excitement. "No, we still need a spark."
Gu Chi laughed and said, "This fire will be lit soon."
Looking at the fishing rod that was still not catching any fish, Shen Tang suddenly thought of someone: "Qin Gongsu didn't say anything to stop it?"
She didn't know the others under Wu Xian, except for Qin Li, whom she was somewhat familiar with. A man who had been tricked by Yuan Liang but still managed to escape with his life—this Qin Li was certainly no ordinary person.
They certainly wouldn't just stand by and watch their own side make a fool of themselves.
Gu Chi said, "The Tianhai faction is very xenophobic."
Qin Li's voice alone could not outweigh the combined voices of everyone else.
Moreover, deep-seated problems don't arise overnight, and some conflicts don't develop to this extent in a day or two. Gu Chi sighed as he spoke of this: "It also involves the power struggle between Wu Zhaode's two legitimate sons; in short, it's very complicated..."
Qin Li shouldn't get too involved either.
Without anyone secretly instructing him, even if that confidant was at odds with Xu Jie, he wouldn't make things too difficult for the sake of money, let alone verbally humiliate him. Xu Jie has truly devoted himself to protecting He Yin County these past two years, fulfilling his promise to Shen Tang.
Chen, the single dog, was stunned.
"That complicated?"
Gu Chi said, "It's very complicated."
After thinking for a long time, Shen Tang came to a conclusion: "Indeed, we should respond to the call for one-child policy and have only one child... With more heirs, although there are more choices, there are also more struggles..." After saying that, he nodded seriously, indicating that he had made a note of it.
Gu Chi's lips twitched slightly: "It's difficult for my lord to have more children even if he wants to."
Men can have multiple wives and concubines pregnant at the same time, but women can only give birth to one child a year at most. Shen Tang is also the leader of a powerful force, and most of his energy should be focused on official duties rather than childbearing. Having one heir is enough; why would he want a second child?
Shen Tang chuckled, "Maybe I have a special talent."
Gu Chi: "???"
"To make a man have my child."
Gu Chi: "...Hehe."
It is forbidden for a boy to have a child.
He doesn't like watching these bizarre stories.
Sibao County, government office.
Lin Feng brought piles and piles of treasured collections, some of which were unique copies. The subjects were so bold and the content so unrestrained that it made people blush and only dared to peek at them from their rooms.
"Registrar, you can try these topics."
With his teacher accompanying him on the campaign, and his senior brother Tu Rong also going along to gain experience and broaden his horizons, Lin Feng was experiencing this level of freedom for the first time.
Liao Jia flipped through it casually.
He had read one of the books before, but only the first volume; Lin Feng had both. The story was about a young courtesan, strikingly handsome from childhood, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, attracting countless suitors. In his later years, as his beauty faded, he fell in love at first sight with a patriarch of a powerful family. The patriarch then had the courtesan disguise himself as a woman and take him into his household as his ninth concubine.
This is the first volume that Liao Jia read.
The second volume is explosive.
The patriarch of a powerful family had been childless with his wife for many years. This young man brought good fortune; the wife gave birth to a son, and the family lived harmoniously. However, fate intervened. The patriarch was implicated in a succession struggle, and his entire family was exiled to the army. The young man, disguised as a man, escaped with the family's only child, determined to overturn the patriarch's case.
The young male prostitute was lucky enough to meet a wise man. This wise man had admired the young prostitute's looks in his youth, which led to another entanglement. After completing his apprenticeship, the young prostitute, as a second-rank scholar, joined the most powerful warlord's faction as a staff member, thus contributing to the rise of the new emperor.
Finally, the young man achieved fame and success, sent people to inquire everywhere, and brought back the clan chief's family, so they could continue to live happily ever after.
"...Wu Hui was right not to let you read too many storybooks."
What is this little girl looking at?
Is she sure this instinct came out?
Yes, acting.
Shen Tang led her troops into battle, and Lin Feng and Shen Zhi made new progress in selecting cotton seeds. She decided to take a two-day break and, bored, started reading a storybook. Unsurprisingly, she was discovered by the registrar, Qi Shan, whose gaze was piercing. Lin Feng then revealed his shield!
The lord instructed her to collect more storybooks.
Qi Shan and Liao Jia found the idea Lin Feng relayed quite novel, and they also keenly noticed many benefits—by bringing the storybooks to life, ordinary people would have a place to have fun, which would invisibly reduce crime, and they could also influence ordinary people through the content.
He immediately asked Lin Feng to contribute the storybooks he had collected.
result--
Are you sure it's possible to do something this explicit???
Liao Jia smiled and said, "Everyone in the storybooks is an absolute beauty. Where are we going to find so many beauties?"
Lin Feng: "Isn't this Registrar Qi?"
There are no natural ones, but there are countless man-made ones.
Qi Shan: "...???"
Liao Jia stroked his chin and pondered seriously: "It's fine, but we can't accept scripts with bizarre content. We should act out some normal, inspirational ones, or even those that sing praises, which would be better than this one."
He raised the second volume, which had shattered his worldview.
Lin Feng hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
She wanted to say...
She knew the author of this storybook.
If you didn't know someone, how could you get your hands on the second volume of this rare copy?
The next day, Xingyang Road.
The cold wind howled, and the banners fluttered in the wind.
The various factions' camps were set up here, appearing as a continuous stretch from a distance. While seemingly connected, they were actually mutually defensive, each with its own distinct layout. In the previous battle, Wu Xian had left a portion of his troops here to garrison the area; the camps were already in place, so there was no need to build them anew.
Shen Tang needs to start from scratch.
The Dragon Slaying Bureau had several familiar faces, but even more were unfamiliar. Those who had previously joined the Xiaocheng Alliance ranged in age from three to almost a month old. This demonstrated the frequency of power shifts and the cheapness of human life.
No sooner had Shen Tang set up camp than a familiar face came to visit—an uninvited guest who was being besieged.
"Stop everything and let them in."
Shen Tang recognized the person as Gu Ren's "aunt".
Chao Lian was ranked twelfth, and Shao Chong was ranked thirteenth. The former was still fine, but the latter had grown so much in recent years that he was almost unrecognizable.
ヽ(°▽°)ノ
The story was something I saw a few days ago, slightly modified, but the core remains the same. I can only marvel at the incredible imagination of the ancients.
(End of this chapter)
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