85 died in battle
◎"Do you think a divorce agreement can only be written once?" (Correction)◎
Gunpowder is a taboo in Daliang; no one except the Armory Bureau is allowed to touch it.
People like them who make firecrackers and fireworks not only have to register their nine clans with the imperial court, but also have to report on them frequently, for fear that they might develop gunpowder on their own.
“This won’t do. If the imperial court finds out, our entire family will be wiped out,” someone said. “Besides, we don’t know how to make explosives.”
Shen Suqin drew his knife and slashed it against the door frame, saying, "Tonight, you will have to learn whether you know how or not. I'm watching, and if you can't do it, I'll kill your entire family before the court even arrives."
Everyone gasped and retreated.
Shen Suqin pressed closer, saying, "The Shatuo have invaded the border, and there's a battle raging on the Shule River right now. You all know better than anyone the power of gunpowder. I need to use gunpowder to save the Black Flag Army. If you dare not lend a hand, then go and be buried with our fallen brothers!"
They had always known that there were constant small battles along the Shule River, but they never expected that there was actually a war going on right now.
They looked at each other, and someone stepped forward and said, "If it is for the sake of killing the enemy, we are naturally duty-bound to do so. But Madam must ensure our safety."
Shen Suqin clasped his hands in a fist and said, “Rest assured, everyone. If the court pursues the matter, I will take full responsibility. If I have spoken out of turn, may I be punished as severely as this knife.”
She pulled the knife out, broke it in half, and tossed it aside.
Everyone swallowed hard, looking at her with some trepidation.
"Then please come inside with me and let's begin."
In the fireworks industry, accidents happen. So, they all have a plan in mind; it's just a matter of whether they're willing to put in the effort to make it happen.
Shen Suqin stood by with her arms crossed, watching closely without leaving her side.
Someone advised her, "Madam, you should go and rest. This thing is not safe; it could explode at any time."
Shen Suqin shook her head: "You don't need to worry about me. Just do as much as you can. I'll be taking it with me at dawn."
"yes."
And so, Shen Suqin stood there from the deep of night until dawn. Meanwhile, outside the backyard, more and more people who had traveled a long distance arrived. They stood silently outside the courtyard, their faces covered, waiting for Shen Suqin to come out.
As dawn broke, the courtyard gate opened, and Shen Suqin walked out.
This was the first time she had openly gathered the people of the Secret Pavilion.
Upon seeing her emerge, the leader stepped forward from the crowd, clasped his hands in greeting, and asked, "Why did the master summon us here so urgently?"
This person is the deputy of the Secret Pavilion, and Ju Tao usually contacts him directly.
"There is news that General Xiao has died in battle. The Black Flag Army and the Shatuo are currently locked in a stalemate at the Shule River. I have summoned you here so that you can join me in supporting the Black Flag Army."
After he finished speaking, no one in the courtyard objected.
Shi Ye stood at the back of the crowd, watching everything expressionlessly, his thoughts unknown.
"We will obey any orders from our superiors, and we are ready to depart at any time."
Shen Suqin nodded: "Thank you."
As soon as the sun rose above the horizon, Shen Suqin and the others set off.
Shi Ye wasn't allowed to come along, after all, it was the front line of the battlefield, and if something happened to him, there would really be no one to take charge of Jinzhou.
The autumn sky is high and far, a pure blue that is reflected on a golden earth.
It's time to harvest the grain.
This year is clearly a bumper harvest, so the Shatuo people have gone mad.
The horses' hooves thundered as they galloped across the plains and roads, disappearing into the distance.
Zhou Baihu's retired soldiers, Shen Suqin's secret agents, and a group of veterans who made explosives managed to gather a force of about a thousand people, who traveled day and night toward the Shule River.
When they arrived, they found themselves in the midst of a new battle.
Shen Suqin waved to signal everyone to hold back for the time being, while she herself rode forward on horseback to calmly observe the battle situation.
Chai Shun was startled when he suddenly saw her in the crowd and hurriedly went to greet her, saying, "Madam, what brings you here?"
Shen Suqin shook his head, signaling him to stop talking nonsense. "Have someone feign defeat and lure the Shatuo to that depression. Remember to have our men run to the sides, not the middle."
"What does Madam wish to do?"
“I’m a man who holds grudges and will make them pay for their crimes in blood.”
Chai Shun stared in disbelief and agreed.
He retreated to the battlefield and secretly passed down orders, waiting for Shen Suqin to give the order before they moved.
Shen Suqin quickly ordered his men to bury gunpowder in the depression and to ambush men at the exit. Then he waved to Chai Shun, and the Black Flag Army on the battlefield obeyed his orders and retreated like a tide.
Overwhelmed by the impending victory, Shatuo chased after the enemy and stepped into a depression in the ground.
Shen Suqin waited nearby until they were deep in the territory before ordering the gunpowder to be lit.
With a deafening roar, the gunpowder exploded with earth-shattering force, and almost none of the Shatuo soldiers in the depression survived.
Those who managed to escape were also killed by those guarding the outside.
Thus, Shen Suqin defeated and killed more than 3,000 Shatuo without losing a single soldier.
After this was over, Shen Suqin couldn't wait a moment longer and asked Chai Shun to take him to see Xiao Pingchuan.
Chai Shun hesitated, stammering, but refused to talk about Xiao Pingchuan's current situation.
"What happened to him? Is he missing an arm or a leg, or is he paralyzed? You have to give me an explanation!"
Chai Shun's eyes reddened: "Madam, you should go see for yourself."
Upon hearing this, Shen Suqin felt as if her head had been struck hard by a heavy hammer, instantly becoming dizzy and her chest and abdomen ached so badly that she almost vomited.
She followed Chai Shun towards the camp with a blank expression. Her feet felt unsteady, and she staggered for a long time before finally reaching a tent at the far end of the camp.
“The general is inside. Madam, please go in and see for yourself,” Chai Shun said.
Shen Suqin stood still, the smell of rotting flesh wafting from the tent lingering in her nostrils.
Looking up, she saw that it was pitch black inside, like a wild beast with its jaws wide open, waiting for her to walk into its trap.
After an unknown amount of time, Shen Suqin stepped inside.
Inside the dimly lit and cramped tent was a dilapidated low couch. On the couch, Xiao Pingchuan's eyes were closed, and his waist and abdomen were wrapped in thick soft cloth, looking like he was seriously injured and beyond saving.
With a blank expression, she reached out to check his breath.
After sensing a faint breath, she let out a long sigh, knelt down on the low couch, and stared blankly into space.
At this moment, there was a deathly silence inside and outside the tent.
Light squeezed in through the narrow gap in the curtain, a thin sliver falling on Xiao Pingchuan's chest, as if slicing him open.
Shen Suqin looked down and stared for a while. Then she shifted her body and used her back to block the beam of light.
Xiao Pingchuan was completely enveloped by her shadow, looking lifeless.
Perhaps hearing her voice, Xiao Pingchuan opened his eyes, a look of surprise flashing across his face before he calmed down and feigned weakness as he asked, "Why are you here?"
"Does it hurt?" she asked hoarsely. When had she ever seen Xiao Pingchuan so weak?
Xiao Pingchuan shook his head, "The army doctor said my wound is infected... If I die, you can take the divorce papers and leave the pass."
"No, I'm not going."
"But isn't your wish to get rid of me and go beyond the Great Wall?"
"I'm not going."
Xiao Pingchuan closed his eyes, suppressing his inner elation, and coughed twice: "Cough cough... I, I don't believe it, unless you return the divorce papers to me."
Shen Suqin, without any suspicion, said directly, "I didn't bring it with me."
"Then write a void statement. There's paper and pen over there."
Shen Suqin turned her head and saw that there really was writing brush and ink in the tent. She hesitated for a moment, somewhat puzzled. Suddenly, Xiao Pingchuan coughed violently, "You still want to leave? I won't survive..."
“I’ll write it, I’ll write it right now.” Shen Suqin quickly got up.
After a while, "It's finished writing, where should I put it?"
Xiao Pingchuan immediately reached out to catch it, his movements so swift and decisive that Shen Suqin exclaimed, "Hmm? Your hand..."
Xiao Pingchuan paused for a moment, but just then a servant came to report that the Shatuo had attacked again.
Enraged, Shen Suqin tucked the obstructing hem of her skirt behind her and said to Xiao Pingchuan, "You wait, I'll go avenge you."
"No, don't go!" Xiao Pingchuan sat up and tried to pull her, but she was too fast and he couldn't stop her at all.
From the corner, Xu Youcai slipped in and quickly pushed the man back onto the bed, saying, "You're about to die, don't move around. If Madam finds out you lied to her, then it's all over!"
Xiao Pingchuan said urgently, "The battlefield is different from other places; swords and blades have no eyes..."
"Come on, Madam is far more skilled than me. No ordinary person could get close to her. Besides, if you show yourself now, our plan to lure the snake out will be ruined."
If Xiao Pingchuan doesn't get into trouble, the person behind Zhu Xie and Ge Bo won't be drawn out.
He had investigated and found that the man was Zhu Xiegebo's cousin, and that he was quite intelligent and more suitable to lead the Shatuo than Zhu Xiegebo.
"I can't worry about that anymore!" Xiao Pingchuan sat up abruptly. "If anything happens to her, even if I summon the Jade Emperor down, it won't help. Hurry up, bring me the armor."
On the other side, Shen Suqin put on his armor, picked up his spear, and charged into the battlefield first.
She was swift and decisive, targeting the most vulnerable spots, and almost every time she struck, she took a life.
The people in the Secret Pavilion were also trained by her; they followed the path of assassins, were agile, and could kill with every move.
Soon, everyone could see that this small team of only a few dozen people was invincible and unstoppable.
Jiruge, the general from the Shatuo side, waved his hand and charged over with the man wielding a spiked club.
With his spiked club aimed at Shen Suqin, he used his great strength to force Shen Suqin to retreat step by step.
Shen Suqin couldn't hold the spear, so she threw it away, drew a thin-bladed knife from her wrist, twirled it between her fingers, and pointed it directly at the man.
With a roar, the spiked club charged forward, attempting to smash open Shen Suqin's skull.
Shen Suqin ducked to dodge, then nimbly swung her right hand, aiming for the opponent's thigh.
The person opposite him let out a cold snort, wiped his thigh, saw blood, stomped his foot, and swung at Shen Suqin with all his might.
Shen Suqin dodged to the side, but she didn't expect her opponent to be so agile. The second blow followed immediately, and she was hit hard in the chest and sent flying backward.
Upon landing, Shen Suqin exhaled and glared at him coldly.
The man chuckled and said, "I once met someone as fearless as you, but in the end I cut off his head. You won't escape either."
As he spoke, he rushed over, intending to strike Shen Suqin's temple.
Shen Suqin rolled on the spot, her helmet fell off, and her hair fell down.
"Huh? It's a woman," the man said in surprise. "But I don't have a habit of not killing women."
Shen Suqin coiled her hair behind her head with one hand, held a thin-bladed knife in one hand and a silver hairpin in the other, and moved toward the man with a ghostly figure.
This time, she used both hands simultaneously, targeting the major acupoints all over the body with speed and precision, giving her opponent no chance to react.
After a few exchanges, she stepped back.
The man with the spiked club felt a little dizzy, and when he looked at his opponent, he saw double.
However, this spiked club was several sizes bigger than Shen Suqin's, and no matter how agile Shen Suqin was, it was useless in the face of absolute power.
Soon, the spiked club regained its strength and charged at Shen Suqin. Just as the massive spiked club was about to fall on Shen Suqin's head, a heavy sword suddenly thrust in diagonally and with a light touch, sent him flying.
Shen Suqin turned her head coldly, her eyes curving into a soft arc. Xiao Pingchuan was moved, but in the next instant, he saw her gaze fall on his waist and abdomen.
Shen Suqin narrowed his eyes, picked up the broadsword from the ground, and slashed at the blind Shatuo soldier, cutting him open and tearing his intestines apart.
Xiao Pingchuan felt a chill run down his spine. He picked up his heavy sword, turned around, and silently faced the spiked club.
"You are Xiao Pingchuan?" The voice of the spiked club was as loud as thunder.
Xiao Pingchuan nodded slightly.
"Today, I will take your life," the spiked club declared.
Xiao Pingchuan picked at his ear. "No fewer than a hundred people have said this to me, and none of them are alive now. You will be no exception."
With a sinister grin, he gripped the eighty-pound weapon in his hand and swung it at Xiao Pingchuan.
Xiao Pingchuan gripped the heavy sword Chenguang with both hands, twisted his waist, and slashed. Sparks flew and a tooth-grinding metallic clang rang out.
The two sides separated in a single strike, gaining a preliminary understanding of each other's strength.
He's a formidable rival.
Xiao Pingchuan became excited, slashing with his heavy sword as he lunged forward, his movements wide and fierce, forcing the spiked club to retreat step by step.
The greatsword injures not from its blade, but from its sheer force; the mace is similar, held with both hands and swung wildly, creating gusts of wind.
Within ten feet of the two, no one dared to approach. Anyone who dared to get close was instantly crushed to pieces upon contact, beyond saving.
After retreating, Shen Suqin glanced at the enemy while killing other enemies and his heart skipped a beat. So this is how he is when facing enemies: fierce and brave, like a torrent rushing down from a high mountain, or a tiger coming out of the mountain, unstoppable, ruthless and decisive.
Under Xiao Pingchuan's fierce attack, the spiked club gradually lost ground. His tiger's mouth was cracked, and blood stained the handle of the hammer. It was slippery and difficult to hold.
Xiao Pingchuan launched another fierce attack, sending his spiked club flying. Shen Suqin happened to be nearby. She swung her broadsword horizontally, grabbed his neck, and with a sudden force, cleanly severed his head, spraying blood all over her.
The surroundings fell silent. They hadn't expected the lady to be so skilled and ruthless.
As the spiked club fell to the ground, the Shatuo were completely annihilated. The bugle sounded, and the Shule River flowed gently, showing no sign that it had just witnessed a war.
Xiao Pingchuan's eyes were full of admiration, and his affection for her almost burst forth. He planted his heavy sword in the ground, walked over, and wiped the blood off her face.
Shen Suqin smiled at him, and the next second, she punched Xiao Pingchuan hard in the stomach. Chai Shun and the others around gasped and quickly ran away, clutching their stomachs.
Inside the tent, the doctor grabbed Xiao Pingchuan to help clean his wounds.
Xu Youcai, Chai Shun, Zhou Baihu, and others gathered inside, waiting to check the condition of the wounds.
Shen Suqin pushed aside the curtain and walked in. After looking around, she said to the doctor, "Leave it alone, let me do it."
The doctor quickly stepped back.
"Take off your clothes," Shen Suqin said coldly to Xiao Pingchuan.
Xiao Pingchuan didn't dare to delay. He quickly took off his shirt and said to Xu Youcai and the others, "You can go now."
“No, stay here, you’re not allowed to go anywhere,” Shen Suqin said.
Xu Youcai and the others silently moved their outstretched toes back in.
Shen Suqin broke off the arrow tail with one hand, brought the knife close, inserted the tip into the wound, and ripped it open with force. Blood splattered, and a few drops even landed under her eyes.
Then, the blade slowly rotated inside the wound, and the arrowhead was gradually pulled out.
Xu Youcai held his breath from the moment she inserted the knife tip into the wound. He considered himself to have taken hundreds of lives, yet he still couldn't do the same as the lady, cutting flesh and bones without batting an eye.
The person whose flesh was being cut away looked at the person opposite them with tenderness in their eyes, as if the knife was not digging into them.
After digging out the arrowhead, Shen Suqin used a knife to pick out a large clump of wound medicine and smeared it vigorously on the wound.
Then untie the bandage around his waist and abdomen.
Xiao Pingchuan wanted to stop her, but she glared at him fiercely, so he sheepishly withdrew his hand and dared not move again.
The bandages were removed, and the grayish-green herbal mud was scraped away, revealing a rotten, swollen wound that was deep enough to expose the bone.
"Which quack doctor treated your wound!" she shouted angrily.
The military doctor beside him cautiously shrank behind Chai Shun.
She turned the blade around, heated it over the candlelight, and pressed it into the wound on her waist and abdomen.
With a sizzle, Xu Youcai swore he smelled the meat burning.
Xiao Pingchuan grunted, pressed her hand down, and said, "It's dirty, I'll do it myself."
Shen Suqin shook off his hand, raised the blade, and slowly cut open the wound, scraping away the rotten flesh until the blood seeping from the wound turned bright red, before applying the medicine she had brought.
No one spoke throughout the entire process.
By the time she put down the knife, Xu Youcai and the others had already slipped away sometime earlier.
Xiao Pingchuan held her blood-soaked hand and said, "I told you to do it yourself, look how dirty you've gotten it."
Shen Suqin tried to pull her hand back, but couldn't. After a while, she stopped struggling and just lowered her head without saying a word.
"Don't be angry, I was wrong." Xiao Pingchuan apologized gently. As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed tears falling onto the back of his hand. His heart clenched, and he stammered, "I was really wrong. I'll never do it again."
"I was indeed injured a couple of days ago, from being hit by explosives. Later, I thought of turning the tables and pretending to be dead to lure out the new leader of the Shatuo to test the waters. Who knew they would go and inform you? I didn't expect it to scare you. I'm so glad you came, really."
He kept talking and explaining in Shen Suqin's ear, afraid that she would get angry again.
"Xiao Pingchuan."
"I am here."
Do you think a divorce agreement can only be written once?
Xiao Pingchuan was choked by the words.
"No, I was wrong. I swear I'll never do it again. Really, you believe me."
Xiao Pingchuan swore an oath to the heavens around Shen Suqin, wishing he could confess all the mistakes he had made in his life.
He was still injured and had lost some blood. He had been nagging around Shen Suqin for a long time and was exhausted. In the end, he rolled his eyes and fainted in Shen Suqin's arms.
Shen Suqin couldn't tell whether he was really dizzy or faking it. She patted his cheek and saw that he didn't react, so she realized that he had really fainted.
She sighed, pulled the person closer to her, and whispered, "If you don't care about your own health, do you expect strangers to care?"
After saying that, she gently stroked the wound on Xiao Pingchuan's face, settled him on the couch, covered him with a quilt, and then lifted the curtain and went out.
Xu Youcai and his group were still waiting outside the door. When they saw her come out, they all bowed and said, "Madam."
Shen Suqin nodded: "How is the situation in the army?"
Chai Shun stepped forward: "In this battle, 816 people died, 2,328 were seriously wounded, and 6,412 were lightly wounded. We still have enough food and fodder, but not enough medicine."
"Also, Zhou Kang is gone. His head floated away with the river. We sent people to retrieve it, but we couldn't find it."
Shen Suqin took a deep breath, recalling the scene when he chased after Cangshuang Tower back then. If he had known it would end like this, he wondered if he would have regretted insisting on going north.
"I understand. Bury him." Shen Suqin said. "Shiqi, help prepare the medicine for his injuries."
A masked figure not far away clasped his hands in a fist salute and said in a muffled voice, "Yes, sir."
“He’s one of my men. He’s well-informed and has a wide network of connections. Brother Chai, give him a list of the wound medicines you need, and he’ll send them to you as soon as possible.”
Chai Shun clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"What did the Shatuo say?" Shen Suqin asked again, "Why were they so aggressive this time?"
Xu Youcai shook his head: "All our spies in Shatuo Royal City were wiped out overnight, and there's been no news from Miss Ju Tao. The general's meaning is that the original king, Zhu Xie Zhikun, is no longer capable, and his brother, Zhu Xie Gebo, failed to take the throne. Instead, his cousin, a ruthless character, has taken it."
"Do you have information on his cousin?"
"No, the general only met him once many years ago. He said that the general was about the same age as him, intelligent and resourceful, and ruthless."
Shen Suqin: "I can see that. They even used gunpowder first. And that farce in Liangzhou might have been a deliberate test."
“Your Black Flag Army has really let your guard down these past two years,” she concluded. “You actually let the enemy fight you back and forth in your own territory, and even your commander-in-chief almost got killed.”
"We were indeed careless." There's no denying that.
“Alright, my men from the Secret Pavilion have to go back first,” Shen Suqin said. “You can see if you need Zhou Baihu’s men,” she said to Xu Youcai.
She only realized after arriving that the Black Flag Army's situation was not as serious as she had imagined; they still had at least 50,000 to 60,000 combat-ready men, enough to fight the Shatuo for several rounds.
"Based on your experience, will the Shatuo come again?" Shen Suqin asked.
Chai Shun replied: "Yes, they will. It's only been a short time since autumn began, and they haven't managed to grab a single grain of food. They'll keep struggling until the first snow of winter falls."
"I understand."
It seems that gunpowder and firearms need to be put on the agenda as soon as possible.
Firearms are far more lethal than melee weapons, so she had to build all the firearms she could before Shatuo did.
“You all keep an eye on the general and take good care of him. If he needs anything, send someone to Ningyuan and tell me,” Shen Suqin said.
"Is Madam going back?" Xu Youcai asked.
"Um."
"Aren't you going to wait until the general wakes up to say goodbye to him in person?"
“No, I have important things to do when I get back,” Shen Suqin said. “But please tell him for me that if I see him injured again, he doesn’t need to go home.”
Xu Youcai remained silent.
“Wait, Madam,” Chai Shun called out to her, “Could you teach us the hidden weapon you used on the battlefield the other day?”
It was a weapon used to lure the Shatuo people into a depression by feigning defeat, and then annihilate them in one fell swoop.
"We came in a hurry, and we didn't make many weapons; we've already used them all. But I'll order people to speed up the development when I get back, so you'll definitely be able to use them in the next battle," Shen Suqin replied.
Chai Shun and the others clasped their hands in a fist salute: "We are counting on you, Madam."
Shen Suqin packed up and hurriedly set off with the people she had brought to return to Ningyuan.
This time when she went back, she felt a great sense of urgency.
It turns out that the enemy won't wait for you to develop slowly; they will only seize every opportunity to grow rapidly and then attempt to cripple you.
Upon returning to Ningyuan, Shi Ye immediately came to his door, and the first thing he asked was, "How is Xiao Pingchuan?"
“He’s injured and bedridden,” Shen Suqin replied.
"how so?"
In Shi Ye's eyes, Xiao Pingchuan was invincible and unbeatable, a born war god, and no one could defeat him.
"The other side used gunpowder, which is incredibly lethal and cannot be withstood by flesh and blood."
"Gunpowder?" Shi Ye remembered it. "The Ordnance Bureau seemed to be researching it, but they couldn't make it work. Apparently, it was because it would explode if touched, which was too dangerous."
"I want to organize the manpower myself to do it."
"This... I can order the Weapons Bureau to expedite the research."
"No, they're too slow. Do you remember the experienced fireworks maker I had Zhou Baihu find? They made it."
"real?"
"It is true, but it is still quite crude and its power is limited."
"Then go ahead and do it. I'll take responsibility for any problems that arise," Shi Ye said.
“Give me the title of Imperial Merchant, and I will mine iron ore and smelt ironware myself,” Shen Suqin said, striking while the iron was hot.
"Why are we suddenly talking about this again? To mine iron ore, you need to have some existing mines."
Shen Suqin waved her hand, "Let Commander Zhou tell you that I'm very tired and want to rest first."
Ever since hearing about Xiao Pingchuan's accident, she hasn't had a full night's sleep; she's just too exhausted.
Seeing that she was pale, Shi Ye quickly said, "Then you should rest. I'll go ask him myself."
Shen Suqin slept for two days and two nights. When she opened her eyes again, a familiar face was sitting in front of her.
She rubbed her eyes and mumbled, "Am I dreaming?"
Yan Lin stroked her hair: "You're not dreaming. I received your urgent message and thought something had happened to you. I was worried about you, so I rushed back."
"You've lost weight." His eyes were full of concern.
Shen Suqin pouted, looking a little aggrieved, and said, "I'm so tired."
"I know, I know. I'm back now, so whatever you want to do, I'll help you."
"What about your things from outside the Great Wall?"
"It's alright as long as there are reliable people helping to keep an eye on things."
"Um."
"Sleep a little longer. When you wake up, take me to see what you've been doing for the past year or two."
"good."
————
Su Yubai knew Yan Lin, but the two didn't get along very well.
However, upon hearing that he had returned, Su Yubai immediately dropped everything and came to find him.
Upon meeting, Yan Lin said quite rudely, "You good-for-nothing, you're always hanging around her, how come you still make her so tired?"
"Stop trying to shift the blame. If you hadn't been a coward and hidden away outside the Great Wall, would she have needed to do everything herself? I'm the one running around helping her with everything, sharing the burden with her. And what have you done in return?"
"Bullshit! Do you think you're helping for nothing? You split the profits 40/60 with a soap workshop, 30/70 with a saltpeter workshop, and what about the jerky workshop? How will you split it? 50/50 or 40/60?"
Although Yan Linren was outside the pass, he knew everything that happened around Shen Suqin through the Secret Pavilion.
Su Yubai clung to Shen Suqin to make money, clinging to her relentlessly, and amassed a fortune, living a carefree life.
“I only got her pure profit, I covered all the costs, what more do you want? Besides, she didn’t have to worry about a thing, she could just sit and count her money. And you? You took her fortune and ran away, so decisively and thoroughly. I thought you were tired of her wealth and ran away. Why didn’t you just stay in the Northeast? What are you doing back here?”
Yan Lin took a deep breath: "I went to the border to rebuild our business. Haven't you heard that Xingyuan Restaurant opened in Shatuo territory? You, on the other hand, ruined the Su family, which had a great fortune, and the family members are scattered. Instead of thinking about revitalizing the Su family, you come here to sell ice and soap. What? Don't you care about the Su family's ancestors?"
"Who caused the Su family's misfortune? Wasn't it her who came begging to us? At that time, she was besieged on all sides, and only I risked the entire Su family to help her. And you? Where were you? The Su family has fallen now, but it will rise again one day. That was the promise she made to me. What has she given you in return?"
"She gave me all her savings."
Su Yubai: ......
"Alright, alright, how many days are you planning to stay this time? One day or two?" Su Yubai asked.
Yan Lin: "I'm not leaving for now."
"You...you're not leaving? You're giving up the business outside the Great Wall?"
“I can go back to visit often, but Zhaozhao’s side is more important.”
Su Yubai was speechless. "Then you can stay here and stay there until you die."
After saying that, he turned to leave.
Yan Lin pressed down on his shoulder, keeping him rooted to the spot.
He was tall, almost as tall as Xiao Pingchuan, but unlike Xiao Pingchuan, he had a refined appearance and handsome features that made people feel close to him.
In contrast, Su Yubai is fair-skinned, slender, and delicate, with feminine features. She has a sharp tongue and acts freely and unrestrainedly, never giving face to anyone.
"Tell me in detail about the businesses under Zhao Zhao's name," Yan Lin said.
Su Yubai shoved his hand away and said irritably, "Just talk, why are you touching me? I'll chop it off!"
Yan Lin looked at him in silence.
When he looks at people with a stern face, he can be a little intimidating.
Su Yubai shifted his gaze: "If you want to know, come with me. Guzongfang, in the western suburbs, covers 13,000 acres from north to south. That's enough for you to explore."
The two of them took a car out of the west city gate, and not far away was the gate of the ancient ancestral hall. The gate was thick and simple, and it looked very heavy.
The area around Guzongfang is now surrounded by a low wall, encompassing almost the entire western and southwestern suburbs. It extends north to Laomaoling, crosses the Guzong River in the middle, and reaches the Ningyuan Prefecture boundary in the south.
The neighborhood is laid out in a chessboard pattern, connected by crisscrossing wide bluestone roads, with the spaces between the roads marking different industrial zones.
The soap workshops occupy the largest area, spanning four zones and totaling thirty-eight factory buildings, employing nearly 50,000 workers, both permanent and temporary.
The second largest was the meat processing workshop, which occupied two districts and supplied five armies, including the Black Flag Army, and was often in short supply.
"Twenty-eight villages in two prefectures and six counties surrounding Ningyuan are raising pigs for us, but it's still not enough. We plan to expand further next year. Saltpeter is a seasonal business, and it's already the off-season now, so it will gradually decline. However, it originally used the land of greenhouses. After the saltpeter is removed, we can start preparing the land to grow vegetables. These green vegetables can be sold at a golden price in winter, which is very profitable."
"I heard you also own Chenji Treasure Shop?"
"Yes, but it's not very well done. So far, they only sell three things: vegetables, saltpeter, and various kinds of soap."
Yan Lin thought for a moment, "I do have some good stuff that can help you enrich your shelves."
"Silver and pewterware inlaid with gemstones, fist-sized gems, wool blankets with intricate patterns and colors, and all sorts of spices and foods... The outside world is far more vast than you imagine, Master Su." Yan Lin's tone was gentle. "There are silver and iron mines everywhere over there, and the rarest thing is actually tin, which nobody wants, and it's more valuable than gold. And there are palm-sized plain white porcelain cups; do you know how much they could sell for over there?"
"How much?"
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