Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 10 The Golden Brick Banquet at Yongji Pass

The good news from the southern frontier reached the capital. In the highest of the nine palaces, in the central palace, on the map of the vast territory, the emperor and his generals were strategizing. The southwestern prefectures were marked in green, meaning taxes could be increased.

For Da Yao, whether to suppress or appease the barbarians on the frontier is actually irrelevant to whether the barbarians consider themselves docile.

In the eyes of the Great Yao rulers, any barbarian tribes wielding weapons on the frontier would inevitably harass the border residents, which was considered disloyalty. The Great Yao rulers generally adopted a policy of forbearance towards "disloyalty." Allowing trade was considered a form of appeasement, because even if they were exterminated, they couldn't be truly governed; the barbarians would simply spring up again like weeds after a while. Therefore, as long as the barbarians didn't cause too much trouble, a light tap every now and then was sufficient.

Now, the Grand Astrologers have foreseen the dragon descending upon the East Sea, so they have ordered the border garrisons to unleash a fierce attack.

In other words, if Da Yao launches military operations in the East China Sea and trouble arises in the Southern Frontier, Wu Hanluan will have to take responsibility! As for the recent Pingnan Campaign, it seems the court did not send troops, but it did reduce taxes in the south.

When a dynasty deals with one war versus two, the hardship faced by the people is not simply doubled. Anyone who has played real-time strategy games knows that multi-front operations are far more difficult than single-front operations. For a real nation, deploying resources in two directions results in massive losses on both fronts.

During peaceful times, the price of grain in Da Yao was around ten coins per dou. However, when grain prices were low, farmers would suffer losses, and the price could even drop to 1.5 coins per dou.

During the Battle of Chilian Mountain, grain prices in the southern border region remained stable at 50 wen per dou, which was within the normal range. However, after the southern border region was pacified, grain prices did not decrease because the grain reserves in many parts of the southern region needed to be moved north.

Three hundred years ago, while Da Yao was fighting against the Northern Hu, a severe drought struck the land. At that time, the price of grain in the north reached three thousand coins per dou! The counties of Liangjiang, burdened by heavy grain requisitions, saw a large number of people flee, leading many to escape to the south. During their escape, corpses piled up along the roads. Only thirty percent of the survivors reached the south. It was during this time that the Wu family rose to power in the southern frontier.

The Wu family was merely a "military family"; although those who commanded troops did not interfere in local governance, they maintained intricate connections with local officials and gentry.
In peacetime, one can cultivate bandits to maintain one's own power, regularly exploiting the barbarians on the border to gain merit and secure one's position. However, if the court needs to wage war in other directions and one fails to maintain peace on the border, then that demonstrates a lack of understanding of the bigger picture and disregard for the overall situation.

After the battle, the central government proceeded smoothly with the bestowal of imperial wine, silk, and gold ingots, and granted Wu Hanluan the opportunity to recommend sons of military families for promotion. Everything seemed normal; the court remained the same.

…However, various unusual signs still appeared…

In the 24th year of the Tianli era, four canals in the capital city dried up overnight, exposing the silt at the bottom. Wandering knights crossed the riverbanks and searched for valuables at the bottom of the canals. When someone pulled out some silverware, the onlookers on both banks looked on with burning eyes.

In an instant, a soft female voice whispered in the ears of everyone on the riverbank: "Have you lost any gold or silver items here?"

Crowds thronged the capital city into the canal, rummaging for valuables. Some even found a dead elephant carcass, gleefully trying to extract its tusks. However, blinded by greed, the canal's silt surged, and many sank in. Before they could pull themselves out, the canal's water level rose suddenly, drowning thousands. Overnight, thousands of households in the capital were in mourning, and coffins were sold out.

Some officials in the court found the matter suspicious, so the Censorate advised, "This matter should be thoroughly investigated!"

The emperor approved it.

The four great constables set out simultaneously, only to uncover a colossal secret. Beneath the capital, a massive underground tunnel had inexplicably appeared, its connecting veins forming "evil lairs." The reason the canal had dried up was because these evil lairs had suddenly formed, drawing all the water underground. After the evil lairs dissipated, the water reappeared in the canal.

When the relevant reports reached the south, Xuan Chong connected them to the story of Wu Hanluan's ambush of the snake-men underground, and how the tunnel he had traversed had suddenly transformed into a hidden paradise. Realizing this, he was alarmed. Could such a vast underground tunnel beneath the capital house thousands of soldiers? What enormous conspiracy lay behind this?

Several days later, after the anti-theft squad had caused chaos in the capital, they suddenly stopped. This was not because the clues had run dry, but because they had discovered something extraordinary.

Emperor Shu outwardly terminated the duties of the anti-theft squad, but secretly instructed his inner guards to continue the investigation. The investigation led them to the Grand Marshal and the Prince of Bo. Enraged, Emperor Shu dispatched troops to seal off the area overnight. However, the Prince of Bo seemed to have received advance warning and fled, while the Grand Marshal committed suicide by self-immolation at home.

The imperial court issued a nationwide warrant for the arrest. However, the detective who was assisting in the operation later revealed to others that during their pursuit of the rebels, they saw some "purple moons" hanging upside down in the sky.

…The perspective shifts back to the peaceful south. …

At Yongji Pass, Wu Fei, dressed in his official robes, looked out over his new territory.

After the great victory at Chilian Mountain, Wu Hanluan hosted a banquet for the local tribal leaders, swore an oath by sacrificing an ox, and then returned to the capital. Wu Fei was left behind to maintain order.

This was Da Yao's strategy for governing the south for thousands of years: using military force to deter various foreign tribes and establish a policy of appeasement. Then, he would defend the strong passes and control the trade of important strategic resources such as salt and iron to maintain a balance among the tribes.

Xuan Chong: When Zhuge Liang captured Meng Huo seven times, he planned the campaign based on the goal of "controlling" Meng Huo. The reason why he captured Meng Huo but did not kill him was because Zhuge Liang was not sure whether killing Meng Huo would create a new balance in the southern border that would be more conducive to the control of Shu Han.

Meng Huo originally held too much authority in the region. After his authority was reduced, he was made to rely on Shu Han in order to maintain the survival of his family. This was in line with Shu Han's long-term interests in the region.

As for the abolition of the native chieftain system and its replacement with centrally appointed officials, that was something that only happened when the culture and economy of the Ming Dynasty had penetrated to a certain extent.

After Wu Hanluan's army withdrew, the large warehouse that Wu Fei had defended during the war was also dismantled.

Of course, Wu Fei now has his own courtesy name, "Yuan Chang". Wu Yuan Chang originally planned to retire from the army and enjoy the feudal young master life he deserved, but he was kept behind by Wu Han Luan's rebuke, "How can you rest at your age?" He could only accept the order to become the garrison commander of Yongji Pass.

This checkpoint was undoubtedly the most lucrative of all, with caravans constantly passing through. Wu Hanluan felt more at ease leaving his nephew here than anyone else.

The bulk of goods that passed through customs included "salt," "ironware," "taro chips," and "cattle and sheep," and the fees paid were an important source of funding for the Wu family's military expenses.

To put it simply, even a lowly soldier at the city gate can eat meat here.

Such a good position requires not only a trusted confidant, but also someone who cannot be incompetent…

After Wu Fei proved his ability to hold a strategic point during the Battle of Chilian Mountain, Wu Hanluan unhesitatingly handed him this "important task".

The walls of this formidable pass are ten zhang high, resembling a giant python connecting the foothills of two mountains, exuding an imposing aura. Hidden in the foothills on both sides are troop shelters, well-stocked with weapons and provisions. As long as the guards are cautious enough, even a million-strong army would not be able to conquer this place.

Xuan Chong commented: "This kind of magnificent pass would be very difficult to conquer, even in the era of firearms. The only drawback is the person guarding it."

Xuan Chong used his knowledge from his previous life to come up with several ways to attack the city, but none of them worked. He could only resort to deception to trick the city.

For example, if checkpoints do not strictly monitor military orders and flags, the enemy may use disguised flags to deceive them.

For example, if military discipline is not strict while on duty, and merchants are extorted and bribed when passing through the checkpoint, experienced opponents can use wine and meat to lull them into a false sense of security before they sneak through the checkpoint, allowing the city to be raided at night.

Thinking about the terrible consequences of being scammed and losing the city, Wu Fei began to nip problems in the bud.

A few days later.

After taking over Yongji Pass, Wu Fei quickly discovered many defensive loopholes. Some important sentry posts were unguarded at night, and Wu Fei, who practiced "freezing techniques," climbed up the edge of the city wall at night without being noticed. Of course, Wu Fei also knew the reason for the soldiers' laxity; now that the war in the southern border was over, it was natural for them to relax.

Don't expect feudal-style household guards to be dedicated to their duties and meticulously stick to their posts. In prosperous checkpoints, if the superiors don't investigate, the subordinates will just go through the motions. After arriving at the checkpoint, Wu Fei could feel the corruption of Yongji Pass. He had just taken office when a beautiful maid wrapped in a straw mat was arranged in front of his bed.

Of course, Wu Fei was well aware that if he got involved with wine, women, money, and power, things would become even more difficult to manage. Once the corruption started at the top, it would spiral out of control at the bottom.

Xuan Chong felt that in his high position, there was absolutely no room for "enjoying himself" in his environment. If he wanted to manage people with rules, he himself had to be the rule!

…The stability of one's own "body measurement device" is influenced by the level of order in the surrounding human realm. …

The greater the responsibility, the greater the power—well, I don't know how much power one has, but the damage one causes is definitely greater.

Most people at the bottom, who have no contact with the management system, have this fantasy: that is, if they make a great contribution, they can play with beautiful women, get drunk, and nothing will happen to them!

That's right. When you're at the bottom, you can gamble and act recklessly, and the damage won't be too great. But when you're in a position of power, any lack of restraint will have serious consequences.

Therefore, after arriving at Yongji Pass, Wu Fei dismissed the unnecessary servants in his mansion. A bed and a table were sufficient, and the head cook was responsible for food and drink.

At the sentry post, all soldiers were called to roll, and it was announced that the pay for night patrols would be increased—five times the regular pay. In addition, military police would be deployed to check the posts and verify the patrol personnel. Of course, their identities would be confirmed again each month when they received this additional night pay.

Note: If Wu Fei doesn't dispatch military police to check the patrol personnel, then it's highly likely that the veteran leaders will make new recruits do night shifts for them and then pocket their pay. This policy will then become a disgraceful and resented policy among the sentries. Therefore, verifying identities is extremely important in the reward and punishment system, as it determines the survival of any policy after its implementation.

After the new reward and punishment policy was implemented, the defenses of Yongji Pass became more stringent.

Unexpectedly, as the checkpoints became more secure, some merchants began to visit the young general in the main hall.

Only when the mesh of the net becomes dense can the net caster know how many fish have escaped.

…A horse won't get fat without night grass, so night grass came along. …

Inside the city gate, Wu Fei watched the merchants who had come to visit. They smiled obsequiously as they introduced the "precious jade" and "silk" they brought, while Wu Fei plotted how to fleece these "fat sheep."

Wu Fei stroked the silk that was said to be comparable to a young girl's skin, pondering in his mind how to choose!

A firm and impartial warning to these merchants forbidding smuggling? —Wu Hanluan would absolutely disagree. The Wu family was merely a "military family," not concerned with the dynasty's "financial resources." Falling out with these merchants would not benefit the Wu family army, especially since these merchants had helped procure military provisions during the Battle of Chilian Mountain! They were useful in the past, and they will be useful in the future.

As for simply accepting the goods? — Using money to buy passage is these merchants' current goal. However! This is not something they "willingly" give away. If Wu Fei weren't Wu Hanluan's "darling," these merchants would be considering directly paying to smooth things over and get rid of Wu Fei.

Wu Fei looked at the "wealth" again, not out of envy, but out of vigilance at the power behind these merchants! — He had accepted their money and was now bearing their pressure, wanting only to enjoy the spoils without taking on any uncertain responsibilities.

"Wait a minute, unlimited liability, limited liability!" A thought popped into my head.

Wu Fei looked at these businessmen and began to think about how to establish a solid relationship with these powerful and wealthy merchants. A thought popped into his mind: "I have soldiers, you have money, we can do great things together."

So Wu Fei waved to the warehouse manager to put the goods into storage, and then hosted a banquet to entertain these "pragmatic" merchants.

The drinks at the banquet were simple, and the food was also very coarse. After all, Wu Fei had recently been carrying out a "clean government" campaign in the interior and hadn't prepared such things.

At the dinner table, Wu Fei, with ulterior motives, inquired about the types of business these "wealthy merchants" were involved in:
For example, the Li family merchants were in the timber business. The giant timber needed to build temples in the capital was all from them. They also found out that the "ironwood" needed for some large mechanical puppets was supplied in the southern border region.

Wu Fei also inquired about another trade route: salt! He had heard before that all salt entering southern Xinjiang had to pass through Yongji Pass.

Wu Fei's eyes twitched, and he asked, "How much salt do you get when you cross the border?" The drunken merchant was clearly unwilling to say more, and replied sheepishly, "Not much, just a few shi (a unit of dry measure) each time."

Having managed large warehouses, Wu Fei immediately did the conversion in his mind: assuming an average daily consumption of three grams per person, one shi (石) of salt, or thirty kilograms, would be the daily ration for ten thousand people. The other side was clearly lying.

Obtaining salt data is extremely important to Wu Fei.

When the Qin and Han dynasties conscripted soldiers, they issued conscription quotas to each prefecture and county based on the household registration system. This ensured that mobilization could be maximized without provoking resistance. At that time, the Wu family could not obtain such crucial household registration data; within the Guanzhong Plain, this data was kept in the treasury of the Minister of Works.

However, data can be obtained indirectly, through commerce! The amount of salt and cloth used in a region can reveal the population. Then, through commercial colonization, this data can be used to exploit the population.

Wu Fei transformed into a smiling tiger, but the merchants at the tables on either side felt a chill. Wu Fei said, "You are all businessmen, wouldn't you like to expand your business and create a monopoly?"

Wu Fei handed the bamboo book he had prepared to all the merchants.

The scene fell silent for a moment, until Li Jiahao, the wealthy merchant, asked, "General, are you planning to invest and share the work?"

Wu Fei paused for a moment and said, "Yes, I only want 10% profit, no, half a percent. After your goods leave the country, my soldiers will be there to insure your business. If anything happens to your goods, just tell me and I will help you get them back."

The merchants exchanged bewildered glances, but soon one of them mustered his courage and said, "General, you jest. If you only take half a percent of the profit, we won't be able to eat the remaining ninety-five percent. How about this—"

Wu Fei: "I only want half a percent, I want half a percent! My requirement is that, with my support, you must grow bigger."

…As Wu Fei's offers dwindled, his murderous intent grew stronger. These fat pigs on the chopping block, if they didn't heed his words, would have to suffer the consequences…

As a 21st-century person, Xuan Chong understood the importance of a warlord supporting oligarchs. Only commercial oligarchs could obtain crucial data such as population and consumption patterns in a region, helping the warlord concentrate resources. —And half a percent profit? Doing big business isn't about how much profit you make, but about whether you're an irreplaceable part of your partners.

That half-percent interest rate may seem small, but in reality, while the "interest" is low, it grants "priority in lending." In the past, military hegemony wasn't waged through those accumulated "half-percent interest rates," but through lending.

In the previous life, the beacon appeared to treat its allies well for decades, but behind the scenes, it accumulated huge debts, all of which were paid for by these protected individuals. When it was about to collapse, those loyal "allies" sacrificed themselves for the beacon, constantly buying up the beacon bonds that were being dumped. Why? Because the beacon played an irreplaceable role for its loyal allies in terms of security.

As a fisherman, Wu Fei cannot be stingy with baiting, while these merchants, as their businesses grow bigger and bigger, will find that their entire fortune and life are tied to the "fishhook," and they will be unable to escape being caught.

After the banquet, Wu Fei presented each merchant with a brick from Yongji Pass, engraved with the inscription "General's Order of Yongji Pass." This brick, four or five years later, would be worth dozens of times more than a gold brick.

(End of this chapter)