Yan Qing secretly crossed the river and the trade route began
After Lu Junyi left, Qiongying didn't bask in the joy of her initial victory for long. She knew that her alliance with Lu Junyi was only the beginning, like taking the first step on the edge of a cliff; every subsequent step would be treading on thin ice.
Her first action was to enhance her concealment. The shabby room where she had met with Lu Junyi was no longer habitable. With the assistance of her mute servant, Shi Xiu, they quickly and quietly moved to a more secluded location in the city that they had already prepared. Meanwhile, Taoist Qingshizi temporarily disappeared from public view in Yuncheng, leaving only vague rumors of his "wandering visits to friends."
Next, she set about reorganizing and expanding the Tongxin Society. With Lu Junyi's promised financial support (the first batch of money had already been delivered through secret channels), she had greater leeway. No longer content with sporadic information gathering, she began attempting to guide the Tongxin Society in a more organized and functional direction.
Through Shi Xiu, she conveyed new instructions to the four original backbone members: Zhao Da, Sun Er, Xiao Qi, and Zhou Wu:
Zhao Da, leveraging his prestige among the dock laborers, selected a group of strong, clean-cut, and loyal young men to form a reliable security force. Their nominal responsibility was to protect the safety of the Tongxin Society members and their families, but in reality, they began training them in basic martial arts. Qiongying even passed on some rudimentary boxing and kicking techniques and combined attack techniques to Shi Xiu.
Sun Er: Leveraging his status as a peddler, he traveled extensively, moving beyond simply gathering information to consciously record local commodity prices, trade routes, the temperaments of customs officials, and other commercial information. Qiongying provided him with funds, allowing him to purchase local specialties from cheaper regions and sell them in more expensive areas, profiting from the difference. This served as both a way to accumulate capital and a preliminary attempt to open up trade routes.
Xiao Qi: His beggar spies were further refined, divided into regions and assigned responsibilities. Qiong Ying instructed them not only to monitor official notices and the movements of strangers, but also to monitor rumors and sift through them for valuable information. She also instructed Xiao Qi to select several clever and loyal young beggars, and Shi Xiu would secretly teach them how to read and write simple code words.
Friday: The inn remains a crucial hub for gathering news. Qiongying has asked Friday to keep an eye on all merchants traveling north and south, especially those who share stories of overseas adventures, those from the southwestern frontier, or those who possess special skills (such as shipbuilding, navigation, or mining). If a suitable individual is found, he should seek to establish a relationship with them and record their information and needs.
These measures were carried out quietly. The "Tongxin Society" was still covered with the cloak of "mutual assistance", but its core, under the guidance of Qiongying, began to quietly transform into a complex of intelligence, business, and even paramilitary.
Just as Qiongying was busy sorting out the internal structure, the contact person promised by Lu Junyi arrived.
It was an evening, and there was a rhythmic knock on the door outside the new stronghold. Three long and two short knocks were exactly the secret code left by Lu Junyi.
Shi Xiu cautiously opened the door and ushered in a sturdy young man dressed like a scholar. He was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a handsome face, lively eyes, and a natural smile. Although dressed like a scholar, his steps revealed the lightness and coordination of a martial artist.
As he entered, his eyes swept quickly and politely across the courtyard, finally landing on Qiongying who had come out to greet him. He clasped his fists in greeting and said in a clear voice, "Is this Taoist Master Qingshizi? My name is Yanqing, and I've come to pay you a special visit on the orders of the patriarch."
The Prodigal Yanqing!
Qiongying understood. Lu Junyi had indeed sent his most capable and trusted confidant. Yan Qing was not only a skilled martial artist and a master of local dialects, but also possessed a meticulous mind and agile response, making him the perfect candidate for this secret mission.
"Brother Yan, there's no need to be so polite. Mr. Lu has already mentioned it to me." Qiongying led him into the house.
After Yan Qing sat down, without further ado, he took out a sealed letter from his bosom and presented it with both hands: "This is a personal letter from the master of the family to the Taoist priest. In addition, the master of the family ordered me to stay in Yuncheng, waiting for the Taoist priest's orders, and be responsible for future communications."
Qiongying took the letter and opened it for a closer look. In it, Lu Junyi briefly outlined the military situation: the war with Wang Qing remained stalemated, the imperial court urged the troops to advance, and the intermittent supply of food and fodder remained unresolved. He had secretly made tentative contacts with Zhu Wu, Hu Sanniang, and others. While they hadn't explicitly stated their stance, they all expressed concern about the situation and suggested they might be potential targets. At the end of the letter, he reiterated that Qiongying could safely discuss all matters with Yan Qing.
After reading the letter, Qiongying lit the letter paper with candlelight and watched it turn to ashes.
"Brother Yan, you've arrived just in time." Qiongying looked at Yan Qing with a calm gaze, "I have something I need your help with."
"Master, please speak."
"Yuncheng is located at a strategic point, with frequent commercial and travel traffic. I intend to open a warehouse here, openly operating a trade between the north and the south, and secretly serving as a hub for communication and turnover for us. This project requires a shrewd, capable, and well-versed person to preside over it. I wonder if Brother Yan is willing to take on this important task?"
A flicker of surprise flashed across Yan Qing's eyes, then quickly turned into intense interest. He was a man of quick thinking, and this challenging and secretive mission was exactly what he was looking for.
"The Taoist priest is trustworthy, Yan Qing dare not disobey!" He readily agreed, then asked, "But I don't know what name this warehouse operates under? What kind of goods does it sell?"
Qiongying had already thought it through. "The name will be 'Four Seas Warehouse,' inspired by the idea that 'all men are brothers' and that wealth flows across the world. As for the goods..." She smiled slightly. "At first, we'll naturally start with ordinary cloth, grain, oil, and mountain products to establish a firm foothold. But later, we'll need some more special 'goods.'"
She lowered her voice. "For example, we need iron for forging fine weapons, oxen and horns for making bows and crossbows, elixirs for healing sword wounds, and even...craftsmen skilled in building seagoing vessels, and guides familiar with the malaria-ridden areas of the southwest. All of these need to be secretly collected and transported through the warehouses."
Yan Qing was a very clever man, and he immediately understood Qiongying's deep meaning. This "Si Hai Warehouse" was ostensibly a trading company, but in reality it was a place to store strategic materials and talents for their future "finding another river and sea"!
"Yan Qing understands!" His expression straightened. "Don't worry, Taoist priest. I'll take care of this matter. I'll make sure this 'Si Hai Warehouse' lives up to its name!"
With the addition of Yan Qing, a capable and capable general, preparations for the "Si Hai Warehouse" progressed rapidly. Leveraging his exceptional social skills and the funds left by Lu Junyi, Yan Qing quickly acquired a substantial shop and staff near the Yuncheng docks, setting up the "Si Hai Warehouse" sign. He then transformed himself into the well-connected and capable young shopkeeper "Yan Qi," cultivating close ties with merchants, pawnbrokers, and even minor government officials.
The warehouse's business was booming, and secretly, Yan Qing began to take advantage of the convenience of the caravan's travel to quietly incorporate all kinds of materials and information needed by Qiongying into the circulation network.
Everything seems to be moving in the right direction.
However, the tree wants to be still but the wind does not stop.
One day, peddler Sun Er hurriedly requested a meeting with Qiongying via a secret code. He had unsettling news: the day before, while peddling goods in a neighboring county, he had overheard several merchants with Hebei accents conversing in a tavern. They seemed to mention words like "Zhang Qing," "flying rocks," and "hidden dangers," and even vaguely heard phrases like "If we can eliminate...it would be a great achievement." When he tried to listen more closely, the men had dispersed, wary.
Almost at the same time, the inn waiter Friday also brought news that the two "Tokyo silk merchants" who were concerned about the war on the front line had appeared again, this time with a companion with a gloomy face and thick finger joints. He did not look like a businessman, but more like... a soldier.
Qiongying connected these two pieces of information with the "hidden dangers in the army" mentioned in Lu Junyi's letter, and a chill ran down her spine.
The undercurrent against Zhang Qing did not stop, but seemed to spread from the army to the rear!
She immediately found Yan Qing and informed him of the situation.
Upon hearing this, Yan Qing's handsome face was also covered with a shadow. "Master, it seems that someone is unwilling to give up. Since it is difficult to take action in the front, they want to find an opportunity in the rear, or... create trouble to lure Brother Zhang Qing into a trap."
"We must remind Zhang Qing, and more importantly, find out the origins and purposes of these people!" Qiongying said firmly.
Yan Qing pondered for a moment: "It takes time to transmit information, and there is no guarantee that there will be no mistakes along the way. As for investigating these people... perhaps, I can go and meet them."
Qiongying looked at Yan Qing and knew that he was a man of great skill and courage, but she still warned him: "Be careful, focus on investigation, and don't alert the enemy."
Yan Qing smiled confidently: "Don't worry, Taoist priest, Yan will take care of it."
That night, Yan Qing disguised himself as a night traveler and quietly sneaked into the inn where the two "Tokyo silk merchants" and their companions were staying.
However, the news he brought back made Qiongying's heart sink completely.
"Those three were extremely alert, so I couldn't get too close. But from their sporadic conversations, it seems... they weren't Tian Hu or Wang Qing's men." Yan Qing's expression was solemn. "They mentioned 'Grand Marshal's Mansion' and... 'Once and for all.'"
Grand Marshal's Mansion! Gao Qiu!
Qiongying's pupils suddenly contracted.
They were actually sent directly by Gao Qiu! Their goal might be more than just Zhang Qing! "Once and for all"... Do they want to completely cut off Liangshan's future support, or create an "accident" that will doom Liangshan forever?
The storm is about to come, and the poisonous snake in the dark has already revealed its ferocious fangs.
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