The Great Qian Empire, after a hundred million years, has completely shut down trade with the barbarians of the wilderness. The merchants from the northern regions have lost their biggest customers and are suffering greatly.
He Wenting, the patriarch of the He family, stood on the tall building of his mansion, looking at the constant movement of the guards within Yunzhou City, filled with anxiety.
The three northern regions—Yanzhou, Yunzhou, and Shuofang—have all begun to seal their cities and enforce curfews. Entry and exit are subject to strict scrutiny, and only after confirming one is not a barbarian might passage be granted.
"How could the barbarians be so careless? By all logic, with Minister Dugu obstructing, the Great Qian soldiers should have suffered a crushing defeat," He Wenting muttered to himself, then gritted his teeth.
The He family, being the foremost wealthy merchants in the north, had a good relationship with the barbarians and had received their promise that even if the northern cities fell, not a single hair on any He family member would be harmed.
The He family could leverage the barbarian invasion, or even the city's fall, to inflate grain prices and, at the same time, offer refuge to fleeing civilians at a high cost in exchange for protection fees.
Furthermore, through their prior legitimate and legal trade with the barbarians, the He family had been secretly smuggling large quantities of military grain and weapons hidden within their cargo to the barbarian camps for clandestine transactions.
This was a "tradition" that had existed since the Great Zhou Dynasty: seeking fortune in danger.
As for the lives of the common people, they weren't their own family members, and they could even exploit the situation for profit by charging exorbitant prices for protection...
Last year, Yanzhou repelled the barbarians. This year, Yanzhou again beheaded seventeen thousand enemies, invigorating the Great Qian army and its people. However, these merchants and noble families were unhappy.
Especially the He family, who had lost their trade channels, saw their income dwindle.
Similarly, the Dugu family, who secretly supported these wealthy merchants, also had their financial lifeline severed.
Dugu Qunsheng, Minister of War, was promoted to Grand Tutor and Grand Official, while Dugu Yuncheng, Vice Minister of War, was promoted to Crown Prince's Junior Tutor. These were nominal promotions that stripped them of military power from the Ministry of War.
Other Dugu and He family officials within the Ministry of War were reassigned to different posts through personnel changes orchestrated by Xiao Qing.
In the capital, positions were filled by members of the Gu, Mu, Wang, and Huang families, as well as the He, Li, Liu, and Lu families from Jiangnan. Some minor official posts were filled by advisors recommended by Liang Xiao.
"Father, is there no way to destroy the city walls and allow the barbarians to raid us?" He Wenting's eldest son asked with a worried expression.
He Wenting shook his head, then his gaze sharpened. "However, Yunzhou has less than a hundred thousand defenders. We can find a way to inform the Right Virtuous King of this information, allowing the barbarian cavalry to use their marching advantage to take a detour and launch a surprise attack on Yunzhou. This has great potential!"
After his eldest son departed, He Wenting muttered to himself, "Ignorant ruler, Liang Xiao, you are unrighteous, so do not blame this old man for being disloyal!"
In Yunzhou City and Shuofang Commandery, hidden guards disguised as itinerant merchants, along with some officials and constables from the Ministry of Justice, were secretly investigating the origin and destination of the goods traded by the He family in these two regions in previous years, to facilitate accounting.
The northern troops were still advancing cautiously, making steady progress and never dispersing.
In the capital, on the day Xiao Qing received news of the army's mobilization, she went to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices and pray for Liang Xiao and the soldiers.
After the ancestral worship, Xiao Qing made further personnel adjustments.
Some disciples of the He family serving in official positions within the Ministry of Personnel were replaced by disciples of the Dugu family who had been transferred from the Ministry of War. These He family disciples were then sent to the Ministry of Rites, under the leadership of Minister of Rites Gu Hong.
Officials originally belonging to the Ministry of Rites were assigned to various departments, with all receiving a promotion of one rank and taking on entirely new official titles. They were responsible for maintaining stability in the capital while also engaging in propaganda among the populace.
In Yanzhou, Liang Xiao's wives sat in their warm, spacious homes, each rubbing their growing bellies with affectionate eyes.
How they wished their children's father could return to Yanzhou before their birth.
But Liang Xiao had prepared at least two years' worth of supplies, determined to conquer Helan Mountain.
Just then, Mu Xueqin's voice was heard from outside: "Children, see who has come!"
Everyone looked towards the sound and saw that the Three Sages of Great Qian had entered the room with Liu Yunzi, followed by Gongsun Yu.
"Father! Master! Old Grandpa, you're here too!" Jian Qinwan exclaimed with surprise and joy.
The others quickly composed themselves and bowed to Liu Yunzi.
The Sword Saint explained, "This senior heard the news of our son-in-law's victory, so he packed up his Taoist temple and led everyone north. Firstly, it relieves the Feathered Forest Guard of their protection duties. Secondly, they can live out their remaining years peacefully in the north."
Everyone suddenly understood.
Even if Liu Yunzi was not afraid of the Spring Returning Sect, he had to consider the safety of his disciples. Yanzhou and the capital were places the Spring Returning Sect would least dare to reveal themselves.
"This old man's little emperor is truly a young hero of unparalleled talent..." Liu Yunzi, full of vigor, could not hide his joy.
The others dared not neglect them and sent people to entertain the Taoist guests properly.
As Liang Xiao's nominal sworn elder brother, Liu Yunzi had previously gifted Liang Xiao a pile of treasures.
According to Liang Xiao, the "Ghost Valley True Teachings" had benefited him the most.
Gazing at Liu Yunzi, who was resting with his eyes closed, everyone couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
Liu Yunzi was already ninety years old, nearing the twilight of his life. He had traveled thousands of miles to Yanzhou, perhaps knowing his end was near, hoping to witness the northern troops recapture Helan Mountain and return victorious to Yanzhou before he died, perhaps even to receive the good news personally from his sworn younger brother, so he could depart in peace...
Sophia remained in her room, often talking to herself, only occasionally chatting with Christa, who came to visit. Bute and Liang Mingyu had not noticed anything unusual.
The northern army advanced along the Tian River towards Helan Mountain in the southwest. After five days of travel, they were halfway there.
The Tian River in this area was even more thoroughly frozen, completely covered in ice, impervious to blades.
"The freezing this year is more complete than in previous years!" Lu Yi sighed.
The early freeze accelerated the Right Virtuous King's attack on Yanzhou. If it dragged on too long, the intelligence about the Yanzhou defenders' greatly improved military preparedness might be obtained by the barbarians, and the Right Virtuous King would not be so easily fooled.
This also made him more convinced of Liang Xiao's abilities, recognizing his adeptness at utilizing all advantages—timing, geography, and human relations—while acting cautiously and prudently, demonstrating considerable clarity of mind.
"My greatest worry now is whether those crops will be affected this year," Liang Xiao sighed.
"At worst, we'll use more firewood for warmth!" Lu Yi replied without hesitation.
He had entrusted Liang Xiao to purchase a batch of so-called "thin-soiled" land in Yanzhou, where new crops could be planted upon the arrival of spring warmth.
Compared to reclaiming Helan Mountain, this profit was negligible. However, the promotion of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn could significantly impact the nation's grain policy.
With high-yield new crops to fill stomachs, the country could store more grain for emergencies. In the future, whether for short-term skirmishes or distant campaigns, more provisions could be rapidly procured.
Liang Xiao merely nodded in silence.
New crops were important, but not absolutely infallible.
As latitude increased, and altitude decreased in the southern regions, potatoes suffered more severe "degeneration." However, potatoes in the north did not face such issues.
If potatoes harvested this year were used to plant the following year in the south, problems such as stunted growth, wrinkled leaves, and reduced yield would arise.
He Liuzhu, who had brought potatoes to the Great Qian Empire, had also confirmed this issue.
Liang Xiao had only mentioned this to Zhuo Zifang without going into detail about the cause, as it involved concepts like "viruses" that did not exist in this era.
Therefore, it was crucial that the northern potatoes did not suffer a "complete annihilation" due to the severe cold...
"Marshal, the barbarians have dispatched cavalry to harass our army again. This time, their numbers are estimated to be in the tens of thousands!"
While Liang Xiao and Lu Yi were conversing, an urgent report came from outside the military tent.