Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 175 Pinghai
Bao Liang smiled and said, "Young Master has made careful preparations and has made all the necessary arrangements. I have no further concerns."

Zheng Jing, the head of the Zheng clan, took a sip of the honey and pondered, "Young Master, I have a question for you. If the military commissars are recruiting soldiers from the various tribes' captives and tenant farmers during the busy farming season, will this delay spring plowing and autumn harvest? I have no objection to this, but I am concerned that grain production and the collection of farmland taxes in the county will be affected."

Yan Yi poured some honey into everyone's cups and said with a smile, "Mr. Zheng's concerns are not without reason. Although the world is in turmoil now, and each region is prioritizing both farming and warfare, agriculture remains fundamental. I have ordered the addition of new regulations. During the spring plowing and autumn harvest seasons, the military service conscription will be carried out on the premise that it does not interfere with agricultural work."

Among the many new orders, the order to conscript all ethnic groups of captives and tenant farmers can definitely be regarded as the most ruthless, and it can be said to be a move to cut off the source of the problem.

The reason why the powerful are feared by those in power is that they own a large amount of land and population.

These people were not controlled by the government and were equivalent to their private subjects. Even if the number of their clan soldiers was limited, they could always recruit a considerable number of troops from these people.

The new conscription order targeted this very point, giving the government the power to manage these people. In this way, the threat posed by the powerful was greatly weakened.

Although several clan leaders were well aware of the pros and cons, they had no choice but to surrender when a knife was hanging over their necks.

Zheng Jing sighed inwardly, then smiled and said, "Young Master is so thoughtful. I have nothing to worry about."

Yan Yi glanced at the crowd and said meaningfully, "You all helped me capture Qiantang a few days ago, and now you are assisting me in my administration. I am deeply moved. Right now, there is unrest everywhere, and the people are suffering. Now is the time for heroes to use their strength and bring peace to the people. Why not put aside your clan affairs for a while and participate in these great events? In the future, you will achieve great things, and receive titles for your wives and children."

Several clan leaders were moved. They certainly understood the meaning of Yan Yi's words. Knowing that the other party had dealt them a blow, they began to make promises and appease.

Bao Liang was the first to rise, bowing and saying, "Your kind words have enlightened me. I am willing to follow you till death. All of us are willing to die for you. I beg you to accept us as your henchmen, and I will bear you no matter what!"

Yan Yi smiled and said, "I've long heard that the aristocracy is full of talented people. I have long admired them. Mr. Bao, please draw up a list of the young men in your clan. I will make appropriate arrangements and recruit them according to their abilities."

Bao Liang was overjoyed, thinking that he might have gained something in return if he had lost something in one place. This incident might provide a new opportunity for the family's development, so he hurriedly expressed his gratitude.

Seeing this, the other clan leaders regretted that they were a step too slow and rushed to express their opinions to show their willingness to serve.

Yan Yi comforted them one by one, made promises with gentle words, and everyone was satisfied. For a moment, everyone was happy.

As they talked, someone would occasionally hand in paperwork. Knowing he was busy, Bao Liang and the others tactfully stood up and said goodbye.

Yan Yi escorted them out of the flower hall, returned to the couch and sat down, unfolding a scroll of bamboo slips that had just been delivered.

After reading it, I couldn't help laughing.

This was the third letter Zhou Xin had written to him urging him to do so. Each time, his words became more urgent than the last, and his words were filled with anxiety.

Zhou Xin had no choice but to be anxious. He had secretly contacted his clansmen and was ready. He only needed Yan Yi to send a warship to pick them up so that he could move his clansmen to Qiantang at any time.

But Yan Yi delayed giving the order.

Zhou Xin couldn't help but feel a little resentful. When he was pursuing me, he treated me like his own sweetheart. Now that he has me, he starts to treat me perfunctorily?

He waited impatiently in his mansion every day, knowing that the longer this matter was delayed, the greater the risk. If Wang Lang discovered anything, disaster would befall the entire clan.

Yan Yi did not intend to delay on this matter, he was also anxious.

This was because the two Pinghai ships obtained in exchange for Shang Sheng had not yet left the port. If Zhou Xin's people were taken away now, Wang Lang would be furious and the two valuable ships might be lost again.

These two ships are extremely important and are directly related to when he can start trade with the countries in Southeast Asia.

Yan Yi pondered for a moment, then unfolded a scroll. He first wrote a letter to appease Zhou Xin. Then he ordered someone to bring silk and wrote a letter to the traitor Xu Jing, urging him to send Pinghai out as soon as possible. Xu Jing had been doing very well in Kuaiji recently.

After Yu Fan and Zhou Xin were trapped in Qiantang, Wang Lang temporarily lacked capable people around him, so he began to use Xu Jing and promoted him to the position of Gongcao of Kuaiji.

This was originally Yu Fan's official position, but now it has fallen into the hands of Xu Jing.

Xu Jing, who held great power, took advantage of Wang Lang's illness to do several important things for Yan Yi. Not only did he successfully sell the two Pinghai to Yan Yi, but he also restored the previously banned Kuaiji trade route for him.

Of course, Xu Jing also made a lot of money from this.

Now, he is actively promoting a crossbow that has just been developed by the Kuaiji Craftsmen Supervisor to Yan Yi. This crossbow is not only good at attacking cities, but can also be installed on ships and used in naval battles.

Yan Yi was very satisfied with Xu Jing's performance. Now he is considering arranging a "merit" for Xu Jing to consolidate his position in Kuaiji.

After writing the letter, he called Yin Li and sent it out.

Xu Jing's value is increasing, and he has become an important chess piece in Yan Yi's hands. Therefore, every time they contact each other, it is Yin Li who handles it personally. Very few people know the relationship between Yan and Xu.

Along with the letter, pearls, agarwood, rhinoceros horns, ivory and other items were also sent.

These things were seized from Zhao Rui's private warehouse and produced in Southeast Asia. They were sold at a very high price in Jiangdong. Just one or two taels of agarwood was worth a hundred taels of gold.

Xu Jing was overjoyed when he saw the letter. Of course, what he really liked were the expensive gifts.

With the money in his pocket, he immediately put down his official duties and personally supervised Pinghai's departure from the port.

The next afternoon, the two Pinghai ships, which could be called sea monsters, hoisted their sails and slowly left Shangyu Port and headed towards Qiantang Port.

A day later, the two Pinghai ships arrived at Qiantang Port, which immediately caused a sensation in Qiantang!

The officials of Qiantang, both big and small, were stunned. They wondered if Wang Lang had taken the wrong medicine or was crazy. How could he be willing to sell such a powerful maritime weapon as Pinghai?

They were well aware of Pinghai's strategic significance. The value of this ship could not be measured by its construction cost, and it would be hard to find even at a fortune.

Are Wang Lang and Shaojun enemies or friends? Didn't they just fight to the death in Qiantang?
Ignoring the outside world's commotion, Yan Yi breathed a sigh of relief and began to arrange for Zhou Xin's people to escape from Kuaiji.

He could smell Zhou Xin's resentment from several blocks away. If he delayed any further, this person would probably move into the Yan residence and keep an eye on him day and night.

At this moment, the situation of Zhou Xin's family has indeed reached a critical moment.

It was not an easy task for an entire family of two or three hundred people to escape from Shanyin, the capital of Kuaiji County, overnight.

If Zhou Xin's younger brother Zhou Ang had not issued a strict order prohibiting anyone from selling land, houses and all kinds of materials that cannot be taken away, the matter would probably have been exposed.

However, no matter how careful he was, as time went by, Zhou gradually revealed some flaws, attracting the secret attention of some people.

Among them is Xu Jing.

(End of this chapter)