Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 141 Stone Engraving
After Yan Yi destroyed all the ferry crossings on the south bank of the lower reaches of the Qiantang River, he led his troops towards Zheyang Ferry. Because they carried a lot of baggage, their march was very slow.

These baggage included both the military equipment and supplies carried by the entire army when they set out on the expedition, as well as various types of spoils from Zhou Xin's army.

In addition, the weapons, armor, horses, etc. of the fallen soldiers will also be brought back.

The entire army marched along the bank of Qiantang River for an hour. When they passed the Keishi Pavilion under the jurisdiction of Qiantang, they saw shadowy figures on the official road of the pavilion in front of them from a distance. There were dozens or hundreds of people gathered, and they seemed to be the residents of the pavilion.

A cavalryman came galloping to report, "Young Lord, the head of the Stone Carving Pavilion is leading dozens of common people, with food and drink, to meet the marquis at the front. They wish to see you, Young Lord."

Yan Yi was very happy to hear this. Since he led his army south, he had often been rejected by the people of Qiantang. This was the first time he had encountered goodwill from the people. He immediately became interested and galloped forward under the protection of Yin Li and others.

Arriving in front of the pavilion, I saw a high-legged table placed on the left side of the official road near the wall. On the table were an incense burner, three kinds of meat, vegetables and fruits, a wine cup, and two copper basins.

A group of people stood respectfully about ten steps behind the desk. As the sunlight shone down on them, beads of sweat appeared on the foreheads of many people. It was obvious that they had been waiting for a while.

A man in his thirties, with a dark complexion, dressed in a pleated hakama, a red cap on his head, and a polished leather belt around his waist, holding a broom in his hand, saw Yan Yi reining in his horse and hurriedly stepped forward, bowing his head and saying respectfully, "I, Zhang You, the head of the Keshi Pavilion, greet the general. I heard that your army was passing through my pavilion, so I led the villagers to greet you."

Dozens of people standing behind him shouted, "Greetings, General."

Yan Yi dismounted, walked up to Zhang You, and said softly, "Thank you for your hospitality. I really don't deserve it."

A cavalryman beside Zhang You said, "Captain Zhang, this is my young master."

Zhang You was startled by this and hurriedly handed the broom to a guard behind him. He lifted his robe, knelt on the ground, and bowed his head. "I didn't know you were coming. I beg for forgiveness. I have long heard that you are kind and caring. I am honored to meet you today. I wish you long-lasting blessings and great achievements."

Yan Yi helped him up and said with a smile, "Mr. Zhang, you are too kind. Our army has caused much disturbance during our passage through this area, and I am already feeling uneasy. If anyone in the army commits any illegal acts or disturbs the people, please send someone to report it to me. I will punish them severely and restore military discipline."

Zhang You heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this, thinking to himself that the rumors were true, and that the young master of the Yan family was indeed a man who loved the people.

An old man with white hair and beard walked out from behind Zhang You, approached the table, held up a copper basin in both hands, and walked tremblingly to Yan Yi: "This is the water of the Qiantang River. Please wash your hands. I will surely bless you with success in your future."

"Thank you, father." Yan Yi reached out to take the copper basin. He saw that the water in the basin was very clear, with a layer of mud and sand on the bottom. He handed the basin to Yin Li, put his hands in the basin, washed his hands with river water, turned around and called a quartermaster, and ordered: "Bring me two hundred thousand coins."

The quartermaster quickly brought a gold cake, and Yan Yi personally pressed it into Zhang You's hands, saying gently, "I have received your kindness and welcome, and I have no way to repay you. This gold, though small, is a token of my gratitude. You can use it to help the elderly and widows in the village."

Two hundred thousand coins are enough to allow the orphans and widows in Keshiting to live without worries about their livelihood for a few months.

Zhang You wanted to decline, but when he thought about the current situation in the pavilion, he swallowed the words back when they came to his lips.

In order to support Zhu Zhi's war efforts, Qiantang has recently been burdened with heavy corvee labor. Some orphans and widows in the pavilion have reached the point where they have no food to eat. If it weren't for the help from other villagers, the consequences would be disastrous.

He was at a loss as to what to do, but unexpectedly, a stranger he had never met before came to his rescue.

Zhang You was deeply moved and bowed deeply, saying, "Young Master is so kind. On behalf of the people in this pavilion, I would like to thank you for your kindness."

The surrounding villagers were so grateful that their eyes filled with tears, and they all bowed to the ground: "Thank you, young master!"

Yan Yi helped several people to their feet and called on others to stand. Seeing that his goal had been achieved, he changed the subject and asked Zhang You, "I see that the people here are not as afraid of our army as those in other pavilions. Do you know why?"

Zhang You smiled slightly, walked to the table, pointed at another copper basin and said, "Young Master, please look, this is the reason."

Yan Yi took a few steps forward and looked into the basin. It was filled with river water, and in the water lay a flat, scaleless Songjiang perch. He couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.

Of course he knew about Songjiang perch, which is also known as Songjiang four-gilled perch. Its meat is extremely delicious. It has been a delicacy at banquets since ancient times and has become a delicacy sought after by nobles and literati. In history, Sun Quan often used this fish to entertain guests.

Cao Cao was especially envious of Songjiang perch, and once lamented the lack of it at a banquet, saying to his attendants, "Today is a grand gathering, and the delicacies are few and far between. The only thing missing is Wu Songjiang perch sashimi."

Wild Songjiang perch has become extremely rare in later generations and is listed as a second-class protected animal. Yan Yi had no chance to eat this fish, but since he traveled through time, he has eaten it a lot and loves its delicious taste.

Zhang You saw the confusion in Yan Yi's eyes and explained, "Young Master, you may not know this, but besides Songjiang, the most famous areas for Songjiang perch are Wu County and Fuchun. Because our pavilion is close to Fuchun, these fish are also common here. Fish merchants from other counties come here every month to buy them. Young Master's reputation for benevolence and love for the people is spread by these fish merchants. The people in other villages and pavilions in this county are afraid of Young Master, probably because they're isolated from the news."

Yan Yi suddenly realized what was going on and couldn't help but covet Fuchun again. He smiled at Zhang You and said, "Thank you, Mr. Zhang, for clearing up my confusion."

Seeing that he was approachable, Zhang You felt a little bolder and couldn't help but say, "There's another place in this pavilion worth visiting. Since you're here, why not take a look?"

Yan Yi nodded happily and instructed Fan Yan, "You lead the troops to Zheyang Ferry. I will come later."

Seeing that he was in high spirits, Fan Yan nodded and whispered, "Young Master, please bring more guards."

Yan Yi nodded slightly. He always attached great importance to his own safety, so how could he make the same mistake as Sun Ce? He immediately took Yin Li, Si Qing and more than a hundred cavalrymen, and headed north under the leadership of Zhang You.

After walking for a few miles, we heard the sound of continuous waves, and the Qiantang River came into view like a giant silver dragon.

Zhang You led the group from the main road onto a flat path along the river. The weeds along the path were neatly trimmed, indicating that people often walked on it.

After walking a few hundred steps along the path and passing through a woods, the sound of the waves became more and more intense, as if roaring right in my ears.

Yan Yi emerged from the woods, his vision suddenly opening up. The boundless Qiantang River stretched before him, barely twenty or thirty paces away, within reach. The river surged with mighty force, its waves crashing against the rocks on the shore, the splashes so strong they soaked his clothes.

"nice!"

He gazed at the beauty before him and couldn't help but sigh. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner turmoil, but found that his breathing had already merged with the rhythm of the river. When the tide came in, his heartbeat quickened; when the tide receded, his breathing became longer and longer.

For a moment, Yan Yi felt as if he had become one with the Qiantang River.

The river, the sound of the waves, reminded him of the time in his past life when he visited the Qiantang River. Those people he missed, those unfinished business, seemed to flow in the river.

"Young Master, please look!"

Zhang You's words interrupted his thoughts.

Yan Yi followed the sound and saw, two or three hundred paces to his left, a flat expanse of rammed earth and bricks, a stark contrast to the surrounding gravel and weeds. In the center of the clearing stood a two-meter-tall stone monument, a silent giant overlooking the ever-flowing river. Although the monument had some damage, it hadn't diminished its majesty.

Yan Yi arrived in front of the stone tablet, only to see that it was covered with traces of time. Moss spread between the cracks in the stone, and vines wrapped around the stone, as if trying to merge the ancient stone tablet with the earth.

On the stone surface, the engraved characters are vaguely visible, with vigorous brushstrokes, and every stroke seems to penetrate the stone wall and reach people's hearts.

"The Emperor is virtuous and magnanimous, pacifying the whole world. His virtue and benevolence are enduring. When the sage Qin came to power, he first established criminal law and brought the old rules into prominence."

Yan Yi looked up and read the words on the stele. He felt a touch of emotion and murmured, "This is..."

Zhang You said, "This is the stone inscription left by the First Emperor during his southern tour of Kuaiji. There are three in total. The largest one is on Kuaiji Mountain in Shanyin, and it's three meters high. This one in front of us is second only to the Kuaiji Stone. The smallest one is in Shangyu."

On the guichou day of the tenth month of the thirty-seventh year, the First Emperor went on a journey. The Left Prime Minister Si Cong was with him, while the Right Prime Minister Qu Ji was stationed there. His youngest son, Hu Hai, admired him and asked to accompany him, and the Emperor granted his request. In the eleventh month, he journeyed to Yunmeng and offered sacrifices to Yu Shun at Jiuyi Mountain. He sailed down the Yangtze River, observed the Ji Ke trees, and crossed the Haizhu Island. Passing Danyang, he reached Qiantang. Approaching the Zhejiang River, the waves were rough, so he crossed the narrows 120 miles west. He then reached Kuaiji, offered sacrifices to Dayu, gazed at the South China Sea, and erected a stone inscription praising the virtues of Qin.

Yan Yi couldn't help but recall some descriptions of the First Emperor's southern tours he had read in his previous life. Looking at the towering stone tablet before him, he was deeply moved. He read the 289 seal characters on the stone tablet one by one, feeling a surge of dominance, a feeling of supremacy unrivaled in heaven and earth.

He stood before the stone with a solemn expression, and after a long sigh, he said, "The First Emperor's arrogance is truly astonishing. Looking at this stele today is like looking at the man himself. That's enough for me!"

After saying this, he slowly bowed down and kowtowed deeply to the stone. Suddenly, a sentence suddenly emerged in his mind: "A real man should be like this!"

When he raised his head again, there was an indescribable look in his eyes, and his temperament seemed to have changed a little.

Everyone stayed by the river bank for a quarter of an hour before leaving.

On the way back, I took another route and passed a temple. There was a stone statue standing in the temple. In front of the statue was an incense burner with bamboo incense burning in the burner. There was green smoke curling up, which showed that people often worshipped there.

Zhang You pointed at the stone statue and said, "This is the statue of Wu Gong."

Yan Yi nodded slightly, Wu Gong was referring to Wu Zixu.

Wu Zixu was unjustly murdered by King Fuchai of Wu, and his body dumped in the Qiantang River. According to folklore, his soul became the Tide God, and the Qiantang River tides were the embodiment of his resentment.

Every year on the 18th day of the eighth lunar month, the Qiantang River surges with such mighty force that it shakes the earth. People believe that this is the spirit of Wu Zixu appearing, to show that his grievances have not been redressed and his heroic spirit is immortal.

Wu Zixu had a very high status in Wu, and many people worshipped him.

After leaving Wu Gong Temple, everyone returned to the stone carving pavilion.

Yan Yi felt that the trip was worthwhile, and ordered someone to bring a gold cake to give to Zhang You.

As Zhang You bid him farewell on the official road, he said earnestly, "With your benevolence, you deserve to be the ruler of Qiantang. I hope you can pacify Qiantang soon. If you need me for anything, please let me know. I will do my utmost to help you."

Yan Yi patted his arm, jumped on the horse, and galloped away.

Although Zhang You was only a small pavilion chief, his words gave us a glimpse into the thoughts of the local people, which was a good sign.

A quarter of an hour later, he arrived at the central army. Seeing him return, Fan Yan quickly handed him a scroll of bamboo slips and said, "Young Master, this is an urgent letter just delivered by the Office of Investigation."

Yan Yi removed the seal and read the letter.

Inside the letter was Xu Zhao's reply.

If you want to take it, you must first give it.

He had previously promised Xu Zhao great benefits in an attempt to lure him onto his side, and he was somewhat confident in his heart.

Xu Zhao had sold illegal salt before, so he had a ready-made salt sales channel. Using the salt profit to lure him was definitely more effective than giving him money directly. Because only those who had done illegal salt business could truly understand the huge profits involved.

For Yan Yi, this was a good deal: the salt and cloth sent out were all self-produced and had very low costs. In exchange for Xu Zhao's participation in the war, his chances of capturing Qiantang would immediately increase by two points.

As long as Qiantang can be conquered, a mere 30,000 kilograms of salt, tens of thousands of pieces of cloth, and tens of thousands of stones of grain are really insignificant.

Qiantang, later part of Hangzhou, not only guarded the gateway to the East China Sea but also served as a transportation hub between Wujun and Kuaiji. Historically, both the Wuyue Kingdom and the Southern Song Dynasty used this area as their capital, so its significance can be imagined.

As long as he captured Qiantang, he would have access to the sea and could establish trade routes with Wa, Liaodong, and the Nanyang countries. He could even trade with the countries along the Indian Ocean through the Nanyang countries. The countries along the Indian Ocean coast had trade relations with Rome.
Okay, that's a bit off topic, let's get back to Xu Zhao. Yan Yi knew Xu Zhao quite well and didn't worry about his efforts going to waste. He was a very righteous person. If you gave him three points of profit, he would work three points for you. If you gave him ten points, he would give you ten points in return.

However, Yan Yi only planned to cooperate with Xu Zhao for a short period of time. The other party's proposal of an alliance surprised him and made him a little hesitant.

If we form an alliance, it means that we will not be able to annex Yuhang in the short term.

Xu Zhao guessed correctly. Yan Yi had already included him in the attack list, and once Qiantang was conquered, he would be killed.

"Write back to Xu Zhao and tell him I promised you this."

Yan Yi thought for a moment and agreed, deciding to focus on conquering Qiantang first and then make other plans.

Xu Zhao is a good knife and can be used for a while.

When the time is ripe to attack Yuhang, what kind of constraint can a mere piece of covenant have? The truth lies only on the sword, not on paper.

Xu Zhao is a man who knows when to advance and when to retreat, and he has a very good relationship with Yan Baihu, so perhaps he can use gentler means to handle the situation.

Yan Yi closed the bamboo slips and looked ahead thoughtfully.

Zheyang Ferry is in sight.

(End of this chapter)