The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 402 The Emperor's heart is set on the entire nation; one or two counties are of no concern.
Xuzhou, within the city of Xiapi.

The cold wind whipped up yellow sand and lashed against the streets.

Zhen Chang and the manager Zhen Fu sat in a restaurant with a sign that read "Northern Hu Sheep".

The white broth in the copper pot in front of them was boiling, but it couldn't warm the frost on their faces.

"Too deceiving!"

Zhen Chang slammed his hand on the table, making the bowls and chopsticks rattle.

"These are clearly ordinary commercial goods, but they insist on calling them military supplies and confiscate them without warning!"

When did the people of Xuzhou become so rude?

They received a reply from Zhen Yao, instructing them not to cause trouble for the time being.

It's as if the Zhen family's trip to Xuzhou was a complete waste of time and resources.

This was nothing short of a disgrace to the Zhen family, who were imperial merchants and related to the Prime Minister by marriage.

Zhen Fu sighed, poured a cup of the warmed wine to the brim, and pushed it over:

"...Please calm down, young master."

“The Mi family is very powerful in Xuzhou. Since they have come forward, we cannot confront them head-on.”

“My uncle must have a deeper meaning in instructing me to be patient.”

Zhen Chang sneered, glancing at the bustling diners in the restaurant:

"The Mi family? They've become so arrogant just because they married into the Prime Minister's family early on."

"My Zhen family has been in business for decades, and we have never suffered such humiliation!"

After saying that, he picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of mutton, and put it in his mouth.

With just one chew, his expression changed drastically. He spat the meat onto the ground with a "pfft" and shouted angrily:
Where is the shop owner?

Seeing that the two men were dressed in fine clothes, the bartender knew they were either rich or noble, so he quickly smiled and approached to ask:

"What are your instructions, esteemed guest?"

Without even lifting his eyelids, Zhen Chang sternly rebuked:
"Does this have anything to do with you? Call your shop owner over here!"

Soon,
A middle-aged man with a round face strode over, cupped his hands, and said:

"I am the shop owner. What advice do you have for me, esteemed guest?"

Zhen Chang pointed at the mutton in the pot with his chopsticks, his voice as cold as iron.
"Tell me, is this mutton really from the grassland sheep?"

The shop owner's expression remained unchanged:

"It is Hu sheep, and our shop never sells inferior goods as superior ones."

"What a fine example of never using inferior goods as superior ones!"

Zhen Chang suddenly stood up, drawing the attention of the surrounding diners.

“Nai Gong grew up in the north and ate Hu sheep from childhood.”

"Grassland mutton is firm and resistant to overcooking, and it doesn't get tough even after long cooking."

"Your meat turns black as soon as it's cooked, and has a pungent, fishy smell. Do you think I don't know your stuff?"

Upon hearing this, the shop owner broke out in a cold sweat, realizing he had met an expert.

He could only bow and apologize, saying:
"Distinguished guests have discerning eyes; the petty person knows their mistake."

"In fact, the Xianbei chieftain Kebineng recently cut off the supply of northern sheep."

"There were no sheep available in Xuzhou, so we had to buy sheep from Hebei."

Zhen Fu said coldly:
"Since you know you are in the wrong, you should know the rules of business: if it is fake, you should compensate ten times the price."

Just as the shop owner was about to reply, Zhen Chang suddenly interrupted him:
"You just said that all the mutton in Xuzhou comes from Hebei?"

“…Exactly.”

The shop owner nodded repeatedly and said:

"Not to mention small shops, all of the more than 200 mutton restaurants in the city now use Hebei sheep."

"If you two distinguished guests wish to eat Hu mutton, I'm afraid you'll have to go to Youzhou."

"That place is close to the source of the goods, and the supply from the Hu merchants is quite sufficient. You can eat there."

"You probably can't get this in Xuzhou."

A glint of light flashed in Zhen Chang's eyes. He exchanged a glance with Zhen Fu, then suddenly burst into laughter:

"Fine! Fine! I won't hold it against you today!"

Having said that, he tossed down a string of Jingyuan coins, grabbed Zhen Fu, and left.

Stepping out of the shop, Zhen Fu was puzzled:
"Sir, what's going on?"

"Wonderful!"

Zhen Chang took his hand, her eyes burning with excitement.

"More than 200 restaurants in Xuzhou all need Hebei sheep, and seven or eight out of ten livestock transactions in the north pass through the hands of my Zhen family."

"This is a golden opportunity!"

Thanks to Li Yi's futures trading in Youzhou, and the invention of dumplings, iron pots and other items.

This greatly promoted the rise of local restaurants, especially those serving mutton.

There are always plenty of livestock on the grasslands.

Take the Southern Xiongnu as an example.

The Southern Xiongnu had only 30,000 households, with a population of about 230,000.

These 230,000 herders have as many as two million head of cattle and sheep.

The estimate of two million heads is a conservative one, taking into account the impact of war.

According to the nomadic custom of having one person with multiple livestock, the Southern Xiongnu should normally have had three million cattle and sheep.

As for the Xianbei people, who replaced the Xiongnu as the dominant power, their cattle and sheep were conservatively estimated to number 12 million.

However, these cattle and sheep have a fatal flaw: they cannot be preserved for long periods of time.

That's why Li Yi started futures trading based on this.

This allowed large numbers of cattle and sheep from the grasslands to flow into the Central Plains.

Before flowing into the Central Plains, it first had to pass through Hebei, which was the trade route controlled by the Zhen family.

When the two reached a secluded spot, Zhen Chang whispered:
"Go quickly to the Southern Xiongnu and purchase 20,000 Hu sheep."

"I will go to the Xianbei again to purchase 10,000 sheep from the Xianbei leader."

"It needs to be fast and secretive!"

Ten days later.

Outside Ye City, dust billowed and hooves thundered.

Twenty thousand cattle and sheep surged across the plains like a tide, their shouts and the neighing of the animals creating a cacophony.

On the high floor of the Zhen family mansion, Zhen Jiang, the eldest daughter of the Zhen family, leaned on the railing and gazed into the distance.

Seeing her ranch suddenly become overcrowded, Liu Mei frowned.

She hurried downstairs, her brocade robes brushing against the stone steps, carrying a fragrant breeze.

"Chang'er!"

As she walked to the front yard, she encountered Zhen Chang and Zhen Fu directing the servants to count the livestock. She immediately shouted:
"Are you all crazy? Buying so many cattle and sheep at once."

"If an epidemic breaks out, or if there is a sales slump, wouldn't the Zhen family's business be ruined in an instant?"

Zhen Chang turned and bowed, her expression composed:
"Don't worry, Auntie, I have my own plans."

After saying this, he turned to Zhen Fu and asked:
How many cattle and sheep were purchased in total?

Zhen Fu bowed and replied:
"We have purchased 20,000 heads from the Southern Xiongnu, and another 10,000 heads are on their way from Kebineng of the Xianbei, and will arrive soon."

After all, the Zhen family controlled the trade routes in Hebei.

Therefore, they naturally had connections and ways to easily purchase cattle and sheep from the Xiongnu and Xianbei people.

Upon hearing this, Zhen Chang clapped his hands and laughed:
"Brilliant! Brilliant plan!"

"This time, we will teach the Mi family a lesson: the Zhen family is not to be trifled with!"

Zhen Jiang was so angry that her face turned pale:

"Your brother Yao has gone to Luoyang to report on his duties, and you all act so recklessly!"

"The Xianbei have recently been at odds with the court. How could Kebineng be someone so easily dealt with?"

"If something goes wrong along the way, wouldn't all those ten thousand sheep be wasted?"

In the midst of the argument,

Suddenly, dust rose again in the distance, and the Xianbei herdsmen were driving tens of thousands of barbarian sheep in a mighty procession.

The flock of sheep landed like white clouds, their horns wailing; they were indeed top-quality grassland sheep.

Zhen Chang's eyes lit up, and he took Zhen Jiang's hand, saying:
"Auntie, please look. This sheep is plump and has shiny fur."

"It is a top-quality Hu sheep from the foot of Yinshan Mountain."

"Compared to this, the Hebei lamb served in Xuzhou restaurants is like the glow of rotten grass compared to the bright moon in the sky!"

Soon after, the Zhen family's caravan, carrying thousands of Hu sheep, headed south to Xuzhou.

as predicted,

The tender and flavorful grassland lamb caused a sensation among Xuzhou diners as soon as it hit the market.

Restaurants across the country changed their names and competed to purchase Zhen's mutton.

Zhen Chang took the opportunity to raise the price, and each sheep sold for five strings of cash, but the supply still could not meet the demand.

In Xiapi, Chen Ying, the Pingzhun magistrate, was restless.

On this day, he secretly summoned Xu Dan and Zhang Kuang to his residence to discuss matters.

"The Zhen family took away no less than 100,000 strings of gold and silver from Xuzhou on this trip."

Chen Ying pointed to the account books on the table, his face grim:
"If this continues, all of Xuzhou's wealth will flow to Hebei!"

Xu Dan slammed his fist on the table and stood up:

"This humble general is willing to lead his troops to seize their sheep! Tell them that the border urgently needs military supplies."

"No!"

Chen Ying shook his head, "The previous seizure of goods already caused controversy."

"If we continue to forcibly detain them, it may alarm Luoyang."

"The Zhen family has connections with many ministers in the court, and they are not easy to get along with."

Zhang Kuang stroked his beard and pondered:

"How about we only deduct a portion? And then use the 'stabilization order' to further reduce the price?"

"The price of local sheep in Xuzhou has dropped to 300 yuan a head. Let's see which ones those restaurant owners buy!"

Xu Dan echoed:

"Brother Zhang, your insight is brilliant! Chen Pingzhun's actions under the guise of controlling prices are perfectly legitimate."

"Furthermore, order all restaurants to cease purchasing sheep from the Zhen family. With this two-pronged approach,..."

Chen Ying pondered for a while, then nodded.

Three days later, Chen Ying hosted a banquet for the owners of major restaurants in Xuzhou.

After several rounds of drinks, he raised his glass and said:
“Foreign merchants are now raising prices and making exorbitant profits, making it difficult for the people of Xuzhou to afford meat.”

"You are all pillars of Xuzhou, and we should work together to safeguard the local commerce."

None of the merchants dared to oppose Chen Ying, and they all agreed.

Chen Ying then issued a purchase restriction order, strictly prohibiting all restaurants from purchasing sheep from the Zhen family.

At the same time, Xu Dan led his troops to intercept the Zhen family's sheep transport convoy, seized three thousand sheep, and said:
"The soldiers stationed at the border are hungry and cold, and need to borrow military supplies temporarily."

This time, however, they dared not detain all the sheep and allowed the rest to pass.

In the darkness of night, Zhen Chang stood before the window of the inn.

Looking at the truckloads of unsold sheep, he sneered:
"That Chen Ying, that Mi family! They actually resorted to such despicable means."

Zhen Fu was deeply worried:

"...My lord, the Xianbei sheep debt is due, and the Southern Xiongnu's remaining debt is yet to be settled."

"If the sheep cannot be sold and the cash flow is broken, the Zhen family will be in danger!"

Zhen Chang played with the jade pendant in his hand, then suddenly said:
"Uncle Fu, do you know who the person in Xuzhou loves to eat the most mutton?"

Zhen Fu was taken aback:
"They are naturally those high-ranking officials and nobles..."

"No."

Zhen Chang smiled, "They are soldiers guarding the border."

"The northern lands are bitterly cold, and the soldiers cannot stay warm without meat."

Ye City, inside the Zhen residence.

At Zhen Chang's command, hundreds of craftsmen abandoned their original professions and gathered at the ranch.

Amidst the flashing of blades, the fat sheep cried out in agony and collapsed to the ground, its blood flowing in a stream.

Servants moved about busily, carrying the slaughtered sheep to the storeroom.

Upon hearing the news, Zhen Jiang rushed over and, seeing this scene, trembled with anger:
"Chang'er! Have you gone mad?"

"The craftsmen have put aside their proper work to indulge in your folly; even if we had a feast every day, we still couldn't finish eating all these ten thousand sheep!"

"By spring, the meat will have rotted."

"You're going to squander the Zhen family's century-old legacy!"

Zhen Chang was directing the servants to move the mutton when he turned around and bowed deeply:

"...Auntie, please calm down."

"The arrow is already on the bowstring, and there is no choice but to release it."

"Please lend me the storeroom in your household for the time being, Aunt."

"Don't think about it!"

Zhen Jiang angrily shouted, "The storeroom is full of silk and brocade, how dare you pile up such foul-smelling things?"

Just as they were arguing, they suddenly heard the tinkling of jade pendants, and the fourth sister, Zhen Rong, walked gracefully towards them.

She gently took Zhen Jiang's arm and said softly:

"...Elder sister, please calm down."

"Although Chang'er is young, he is not a reckless person."

"Wasn't it him who turned the tide in the Xuzhou incident?"

"Since things have come to this, let him do it."

"Even if there are losses, our Zhen family can still afford them."

Zhen Jiang stamped her foot and said:
"...How could Fourth Sister be so confused!"

"The key to doing business is to make steady profits over time. Besides, we are imperial merchants, how can we be so extravagant?"

Zhen Rong smiled and whispered a few words in her ear.

Zhen Jiang's expression softened, but she still reluctantly said:
"Fine! I'll give you the ten storerooms in the west courtyard."

"If the meat rots next spring, how will you explain it to your uncle!"

Zhen Chang was overjoyed and immediately ordered people to sprinkle cold water all over the storeroom.

It was the dead of winter, and the wind was biting cold.

In just one night, all ten warehouses turned into ice cellars.

Frost condensed on the beams and pillars, and mutton was suspended in them without spoiling.

The next day,

Zhen Chang came up with a new trick, summoning all the servants in the mansion:
"Chop all this mutton into filling and wrap it into dumplings!"

Zhen Fu was stunned:

"Young master, if all ten thousand sheep were wrapped into dumplings, they would pile up like a mountain!"

"It's about to pile up into a mountain!"

"Zhen Chang laughed, "Quickly go and hire some day laborers, double the wages!"

In just three to five days,
Everyone in Yecheng knew that the Zhen family had hired people to make dumplings at great expense.

For a time, carriages and horses streamed in front of the Zhen residence, and thousands of day laborers gathered inside.

Kneading dough and chopping fillings—it was quite a lively scene.

Zhen Chang personally invited Zhen Jiang:

"I would like to trouble my aunt to make a basket of dumplings by hand and to carve patterns on them."

Zhen Jiang frowned:

"With so many dumplings, when will you finish carving all those intricate designs?"

"What exactly do you want?"

"Only one cage needs to be carved."

Zhen Chang smiled mysteriously, "This cage is for my nephew to take to Liaodong."

Liaodong?

Zhen Jiang paused, her rolling pin in her hand, and suddenly realized what was happening.

"Liaodong is Lü Bu's territory, you...you're going there?"

Zhen Chang nodded and gave a sly smile:
"That is precisely what I intend to do."

“The soldiers of Xuzhou have repeatedly seized our goods, simply because they take advantage of the hardships of guarding the border and the preferential treatment they receive from the imperial court.”

"But I knew very well that those supplies would eventually end up in Liaodong.

"If they can detain it, then we can deliver it!"

"Send them directly to the Liaodong camp, let's see how they manage to detain them then!"

The Zhen family suffered twice because they lacked an army.

The people of Xuzhou, relying on their military strength, robbed their goods, and the locals dared not retaliate.

Okay, in that case.

I'm going to find a powerful backer too!
The goods you seized will definitely be smuggled to Liaodong.

Then I will go find the warlords in Liaodong!

Zhen Rong's eyes lit up as she listened from the side:

"What a brilliant example of turning the tables on me!"

"General Lü was stationed in Liaodong, and he placed the greatest importance on military provisions."

"If we provide support, we will be deeply grateful for the Zhen family's kindness."

Zhen Jiang finally smiled, took out a silver knife, and carefully carved lotus patterns on the dumplings.

"...General Lü loved lotus flowers the most."

“When he came to Hebei back then, he praised my Zhen family’s lotus-patterned shortbread.”

She suddenly stopped cutting and stared at Zhen Chang:
"You planned this all along?"

Zhen Chang bowed deeply:

"...I dare not deceive my aunt."

"The Xianbei cutting off supplies and the purchase restrictions in Xuzhou were all within my expectations."

"Only by establishing a direct route to Liaodong can this stalemate be broken."

Three days later,
A hundred large trucks loaded with frozen dumplings set off in a grand procession northward from Ye City.

Zhen Chang personally escorted the vehicle, with Zhen Fu by his side.

The north wind sweeps across the land, snapping the white grass.

The Zhen family's convoy struggled to move forward across the vast snowfield, their wheels sinking deep into snowdrifts.

The horses puffed out white steam, their footsteps crunching through the snow.

"Young master, I really can't walk any further!"

Zhen Fu's beard and eyebrows were all white, and his breath turned to frost.

"Three people have already frozen to death. If we continue on this journey, I'm afraid we won't make it to Liaodong before we collapse here."

Zhen Chang reined in his horse and looked back. He saw that the servants were pale, and some were even trembling on their backs.

He looked up at the sky; the leaden-gray clouds hung low, and snowflakes fell like goose feathers.

"Uncle Fu, how could I not know how hard the brothers have worked?"

Zhen Chang's voice was hoarse, "But if we don't make it in time for the New Year, these 10,000-plus kilograms of dumplings will lose their meaning."

"The soldiers guarding the border in Liaodong suffer from the bitter cold; what is a little bit of cold and hunger to us?"

He suddenly swung his whip, pointing it north:
"Pass down the message: each person will be rewarded with five thousand coins upon arrival in Xiangping, and those suffering from frostbite will receive additional medical expenses."

"But we must cross this mountain today!"

The group gritted their teeth and continued trekking through the deep snow.

Occasionally someone would fall, and they would be wrapped in a felt blanket and buried on the spot, with a bamboo pole stuck in the ground as a marker.

Every time Zhen Chang saw this, she would secretly clench her fists.

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, Xiangping City finally appeared in the snow.

The soldiers on the city wall spotted the strange convoy from afar and immediately prepared their bows and crossbows.

"Halt! Who dares to trespass on this military area?"

The garrison commander demanded an explanation in a stern voice. Zhen Chang dismounted and bowed deeply.
"The Zhen family from Hebei have come to reward the soldiers of Liaodong."

"The cart is carrying mutton dumplings. Please inform General Lü."

The captain was taken aback, then his eyes lit up:

"Dumplings? Really dumplings?"

Without waiting for an answer, he turned and ran down the city wall:

"Quickly report to the General!"

Inside the central command tent, the charcoal fire crackled.

An elderly man with white hair was sitting there.

This man was none other than Lü Bu, who was then serving as the General Who Guards the North and was sixty-three years old.

Lu Bu stroked his long, white beard and frowned upon hearing this:

"The Zhen family? Sending dumplings?"

"Is this freezing weather just a way to amuse this old man?"

Before the words were finished, Zhen Chang entered the tent carrying a food box and announced loudly:

"The General Who Guards the North is renowned beyond the Great Wall; how dare a junior like me presume to presume upon him?"

As he spoke, he lifted the lid of the box, revealing neatly arranged dumplings that looked like white jade.

Each dumpling is decorated with an exquisite lotus pattern.

Lu Bu suddenly stood up, his armor clanging loudly.

He strode forward, picked up a frozen dumpling, and examined it closely in his hand:

"Holy crap...it really is dumplings! And they even have carved lace on them!"

He suddenly looked up, his gaze sharp as lightning:

"Speak! What do you want?"

Zhen Chang bowed and said:
"...I have no other requests."

"I only wish that the soldiers can eat dumplings during the New Year, and that the general can smile."

Lü Bu stared at him for a long time, then suddenly burst into laughter, the sound shaking the roof tiles:
"Good! Well done, young man of the Zhen family!"

"Hou Cheng, pass down the order: the entire army will cook dumplings tonight!"

That night, the city of Xiangping was filled with fragrance.

Thousands of dumplings tumbled in the boiling water, while soldiers held their bowls and chopsticks, eagerly watching the smoke rise from the chimneys.

Lü Bu personally served a bowl to Zhen Chang:

"Kid, try some dumplings you made yourself."

Zhen Chang took a bite and was immediately stunned—

The dumplings had a delicious filling and a chewy wrapper, looking as if they had just been made.

Lu Bu laughed loudly upon seeing this:

"You didn't expect that, did you? I had someone sprinkle dry flour on the dumplings."

"After freezing, they are packaged and cooked just like fresh dumplings!"

He patted Zhen Chang on the shoulder as he spoke:

"I will remember this kindness."

The military camp was filled with sweltering heat.

The soldiers held large, rough porcelain bowls, and dumplings rolled in the boiling water, filling the entire city of Xiangping with the aroma of meat.

An old soldier with a weathered face suddenly put down his bowl and wiped his face with the back of his rough hand.

The young soldier beside him asked in surprise:
"Uncle Zhang, what's wrong?"

The veteran's voice choked with emotion:

“I…I thought of my elderly mother at home.”

"Ten years ago when I left my hometown, she made me mutton dumplings like these."

As she spoke, she broke down in tears.

For a moment, sobs filled the camp.

These tough men have endured years of hardship at the border; they have never eaten such a thoughtfully prepared New Year's meal before.
Those who taste it now cannot help but weep.

Upon seeing this, Hou Cheng raised his bowl and shouted:
"Brothers! These dumplings were a gift from Young Master Zhen. Let's toast him!"

Hundreds of soldiers stood in unison, the dumpling soup in their bowls simmering.

"Respectfully, Young Master Zhen!"

Zhen Chang quickly raised her bowl in return.

Amidst the rising steam of the hot soup, one could see that these border guards were dressed in thin clothing.

Many people's armor was still patched, which made me feel emotional.

In recent years, the country's military focus has been on the Jiangnan and Guanzhong regions.

Naturally, this would only cause hardship for the soldiers stationed on the northern border.

After all, the best resources should be given priority to the soldiers fighting on the front lines.

After the banquet, the charcoal fire was burning brightly inside the central command tent.

Lü Bu summoned the chief clerk:

"Calculate how much these dumplings are worth, and pay the full amount."

Zhen Chang hurriedly stopped him:

"General!"

“Since I said it was a free gift, there is absolutely no reason for me to accept money.”

"Oh?"

Lu Bu raised a white eyebrow:
"Really giving it away for free?"

"Then let me ask you, are you suggesting that you're giving them away for free every year?"

Zhen Chang hesitated for a moment, then said loudly:

"As long as the General guards Liaodong, the Zhen family will send dumplings every year!"

"Hahaha!"

Lü Bu slammed his hand on the table and laughed, "What a quick-witted lad! I've been in Liaodong for over ten years, and it's been a long time since I've seen someone like you."

"but……"

He suddenly changed the subject, speaking seriously:

"Bu is, after all, the General Who Guards the North, appointed by the imperial court. How can he take advantage of a young man like you?"

"Registrar, calculate the price according to the market rate!"

The registrar awkwardly bowed:
"General, the imperial court has not yet set a price for dumplings, so this is not a good way to calculate the cost."

"Pooh!"

Lü Bu laughed and scolded:
"Those bastards in the Ministry of Revenue spend their days indulging in debauchery, enjoying women and riding horses in Luoyang."

"We don't care about the lives of those on our border!"

Border trade has been affected, and the economic environment in Liaodong is not as good as it was a few years ago.

In addition, due to the imperial court's military strategy of prioritizing the south over the north, Liaodong received far less aid than in previous years.

Of course, most importantly, Li Yi was no longer in charge of Hebei.

When Li Yi was in charge of Hebei, he took great care of the people of Hebei.

People from Hebei receive the lion's share of the annual subsidies.

At that time, it was still the State of Qi, and Hebei received the most annual transfer payments.

In his peak year, Lü Bu was even better off than the people of Xiapi in Xuzhou at the time.

However, times have changed, and these days, Lü Bu's life is not easy either.

Therefore, he is currently in a state of near-retirement in Liaodong.

"Let's calculate it based on the price of mutton!"

Lu Bu waved his hand and ordered the chief clerk to do the accounting.

The clerk fiddled with the abacus beads for a long time before announcing the number.

Lu Bu shook his head:
"And what about labor costs? Making so many dumplings without paying wages? Double the price!"

Zhen Chang was about to decline when Lü Bu's tiger-like eyes widened in surprise:
"What? You won't give this old man face?"

Zhen Chang had a sudden inspiration and bowed, saying:
"If the General insists on bestowing a reward, this junior only asks for one thing."

"Among the goods seized by Xuzhou last time, there was a batch of silk that was originally intended to be sold in Jiangnan."

"Now they have probably been smuggled to the Xianbei and Goguryeo."

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu burst into laughter, his voice shaking the roof tiles:
"What's going on here! Hou Cheng, Song Xian!"

The two generals entered in response:

"The general is here!"

"Investigate immediately! Find all the Zhen family's goods!"

Lu Bu winked at Zhen Chang again, "Kid, do you know how much that batch of goods is worth now?"

Zhen Chang smiled:

"I heard that the price of silk from beyond the Great Wall has increased fivefold."

Lü Bu clapped his hands and laughed:

"What a shrewd businessman!"

"How about this, you get 30% of the recovered goods?"

"Don't dare."

Zhen Chang bowed deeply, "I only ask that the General allow the Zhen family to open a business in Liaodong, so that the border troops may have what they need in the future."

"The Zhen family is willing to supply it at 70% of the market price."

Lu Bu's eyes gleamed:

"Including dumplings?"

"Nature includes."

Zhen Chang laughed, "Not only are there dumplings, but also cured meat, smoked chicken, and pickles..."

"I guarantee that the soldiers will be able to enjoy the taste of home during the Spring Festival."

The wind and snow outside the tent were getting fiercer, but inside the tent it was warm and cozy.

The old general looked at the young man before him and suddenly sighed:
"If all the officials in the court were as reasonable as you, why would we worry about unrest on the border?"

As night deepened, Zhen Chang was about to take her leave.

Lu Bu suddenly said:
"Wait a minute."

He took out paper and pen, and with a flourish of his brush, he painted and stamped the military tally:
"...Take this."

"From now on, let's see who dares to make things difficult for the Zhen family's caravan in Liaodong!"

On the snow-covered ground, the Zhen family's convoy slowly made its way south.

Zhen Fu couldn't help but ask:

"Young master, why don't you want the remaining 30%?"

Zhen Chang stroked the Lu Bu token in his arms and smiled slightly:
"Uncle Fu, do you know that with this talisman, the benefits are more than just 30%?"

"Our Zhen family is going to open up the entire trade route in the northern frontier."

On the distant city wall of Xiangping, an old general with white hair watched the convoy disappear into the horizon, murmuring:

"The younger generation is truly formidable! The younger generation is indeed formidable... Guards!"

"Pass down the order: from now on, all Zhen family caravans are to be allowed to pass through checkpoints!"

……

As the snowstorm subsided, the rumble of carts echoed along the official road in Liaodong.

A caravan traveled along, the goods on the carts covered with tarpaulins, yet the unique luster of the silk could not be concealed.

They were Xuzhou merchants responsible for smuggling goods to the Xianbei and Goguryeo.

He has Chen Ying and Xu Dan as his backers.

"stop!"

Hou Cheng led a troop of cavalry, swords drawn, and blocked their path.

"By order of the General, inspect the goods!"

The caravan leader hurriedly stepped forward with a fawning smile:
"...General, you've worked hard."

He handed over a bag of silver coins, saying, "It's freezing cold, please have a drink to warm yourselves up."

Hou Cheng didn't even glance at the money pouch, and said coldly:

"The past is the past, today is today."

"The General has issued a new order: all passing goods must be inspected!"

The leader's expression changed slightly:

"General, you flatter me. We're just following the old rules..."

"rule?"

Song Xian spurred his horse forward, declaring, "General Lü's words are law!"

"Any further provocation will be dealt with according to military law!"

Left with no other option, the leader had to allow Hou Cheng and the others to inspect the items.

The inspection had barely lasted a moment when Hou Cheng suddenly shouted:
"The ledgers don't match!"

"This shipment is clearly smuggled; seize it all!"

The leader was greatly alarmed and hurriedly said:

"General, please reconsider! This shipment belongs to the Mi family."

"Snapped!"

Hou Cheng lashed out with his whip and said coldly:

"What are the Mi family? How dare they use the Mi family to intimidate us!"

"Listen to me, in Liaodong, dragons have to coil up and tigers have to lie low!"

"Don't tell me you're just a dog kept by the Mi family."

"Even if Mi Zizhong himself comes, what can he do to me?"

After saying this, he ordered his soldiers to forcibly take the goods away.

Just as the soldiers were about to take away the goods, they suddenly heard the thunderous sound of horses' hooves.

A troop of armored cavalry charged in.

The leader in the lead was a white-faced man with a long beard, none other than Tian Yu, the Protector of the Xianbei.

"What's the fuss about?"

Tian Yu sat upright on his horse, his gaze sharp as lightning.

Hou Cheng hurriedly stepped forward and bowed:
"Reporting to the Captain, we have been ordered by the General of the Northern Garrison to seize a batch of smuggled goods."

Where are they smuggled to?

"It seems they went to the Xianbei."

Tian Yu sneered:
“Since they are going to the Xianbei, they should be dealt with by this official.”

"Someone, take control of the goods!"

Upon receiving the order, Tian Yu's soldiers seized the goods.

Hou Cheng was about to argue when Song Xian quietly tugged at his sleeve:

"Tian Yu is directly under the imperial court, why offend him?"

"Anyway, it's all smuggled goods, so let him take it if he wants it."

Hou Cheng pondered for a long time before agreeing to Song Xian's proposal.

Just as Tian Yu's subordinates were taking over the goods, someone in the caravan suddenly shouted:

"Commander Tian! We are acting under orders from the magistrate of Pingzhou!"

"Behind them are the Chen and Mi families of Xuzhou!"

"Your seizure of goods today will surely be met with retaliation tomorrow!"

Instead of being angry, Tian Yu smiled and took out a handwritten letter from his bosom, unfolding it:

"Look carefully, I am acting on the orders of the Grand Marshal, General-in-Chief, and Lord Li of the Prime Minister's Office!"

Everyone stared intently, and saw that the red seal on the silk was indeed the seal of the Prime Minister's residence.

The caravan members were ashen-faced, and some even collapsed to the ground.

"Take them all!"

Tian Yu waved his hand, "Take him to Jicheng for trial!"

After Tian Yu's men escorted the people and goods away, Hou Cheng spat:
"Pah! That bastard got the better deal!"

Song Xian pondered for a moment and said:

"Strange...why is the Prime Minister's residence suddenly getting involved in border smuggling?"

"Could it be..."

Hou Cheng and Song Xian hesitated and could not make a decision, so they had to hurry back to Xiangping.

He requested an audience with Lü Bu overnight.

Inside the central command tent, charcoal fires roared, and the old general, draped in a cloak, listened as the two recounted in detail how Tian Yu intercepted the goods.

“...Tian Yu was clearly prepared long ago.”

Hou Cheng said indignantly, "How can a royal edict from the Prime Minister's office be obtained on short notice?"

"I reckon that Prime Minister Li started planning this at least two or three months ago!"

Lu Bu stroked his beard and pondered, his armor gleaming faintly in the firelight.

“Smuggling has always existed at the border, and the imperial court has always turned a blind eye to it.”

"The Prime Minister's residence suddenly intervened this time..."

He suddenly sneered, "It's definitely not for that petty gain."

Song Xian asked cautiously:

"What does the General mean?"

"Xiang Zhuang's sword dance was aimed at Liu Bang."

Lu Bu rose and paced back and forth, his boots clattering on the ground.

"Li Xiang is a cunning old fox; he's bound to use this smuggling case to make a big deal out of it."

"The Chen and Mi families of Xuzhou... I'm afraid someone is about to suffer a great misfortune."

Outside the tent, the wind and snow howled, when suddenly a personal guard came to report:
"General, an urgent message from Youzhou!"

Lu Bu opened the wax-sealed envelope, his expression growing increasingly solemn as he read it.

After a long while, he threw the letter into the brazier and watched the flames devour the silk.

"Pass the order,"

Lu Bu's voice suddenly turned stern, "From this day forward, all units shall strictly guard the passes."

Anyone suspected of smuggling will be detained and investigated!

"Especially keep a close eye on the merchant caravans from Xuzhou!"

The generals were stunned.

Hou Cheng was puzzled and couldn't help but ask:

"General, many of our brothers are counting on us."

"Shut up!"

Lu Bu slammed his fist on the table, "Tell those who are skimming off the profits, they'd better behave themselves while I'm at it!"

"Whoever runs into the line of fire—"

He sneered, "Don't blame me for being ruthless with military law; I won't be able to protect you then!"

Although Lü Bu was a mere warrior, he served as the "King of Liaodong" for nearly twenty years.

He already has extensive experience in politics.

At least on matters of principle, they have a very clear understanding of right and wrong.

The smuggling case may seem minor, but it will definitely lead to bigger problems.

He needs to keep a low profile during this period in order to protect himself later.

After the generals had left, Lü Bu sat alone in his tent and took out the jade pendant given to him by Zhen Chang to admire.

Suddenly, he chuckled softly to himself:

"Well done, young man of the Zhen family... Did you foresee this situation all along?"

"Let me wait and see what the court intends to do."

……

(End of this chapter)