The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 29 Steward Li
Jiang Han tapped his fingers lightly on the table, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes:
"I recognize the Li family and the Zhu family, but what about the other family?"

The servant leaned closer and lowered his voice:
"Of course it's Zhang Lian, the prefect of Yan'an. The Zhang family, and the 'Huangtang' refers to the prefect's yamen."

"When they go to the government office, they don't recognize the law, they only recognize silver."

"I see, thank you for your guidance!" Jiang Han suddenly realized, nodded to thank the servant, but secretly sneered in his heart.

As the old servant of the Ma family had said, the Li and Zhang families were indeed in cahoots, conspiring against each other.

But after hearing what the servant said today, I realized that the Li family is not only backed by the Zhang family, but also by the Prince Qing's mansion.

Merchants colluded with officials and gentry, who in turn were backed by feudal lords; the three groups worked together to exploit each other.

It's just as the Ming Dynasty did, sticking to its old traditions.

But Jiang Han still had some doubts. Why did the Prince of Qin, who was hundreds of miles away in Xi'an, come all the way to Yan'an to cause trouble?

Logically speaking, the power of a vassal king should not have extended so far; it's unknown how many benefits this Qin vassal king has given away.

After finishing their meal, Jiang Han led Yu Chengye and Shao Yong out of the inn and headed straight for the market and the pharmacy.

Although these two gunpowder ingredients were strictly controlled by the imperial court, their trade on the black market never stopped.

However, Jiang Han wandered around the market several times, almost running his legs off, but still came up empty-handed.

The vendors' supplies were either too few or too poor in quality, which couldn't meet his needs at all.

As for craftsmen who could make firearms and armor, there wasn't even a trace of them.

"Could it be that I really have to go to Yan'an Prefecture?" Jiang Han wondered to himself.

Just as Jiang Han was at his wit's end, the pharmacy manager peeked out from behind the counter and whispered:
"Sir, if you want to buy these things in bulk, I'm afraid you'll have to go to the Li family."

"Nowadays, most of the business in the surrounding counties of Yan'an Prefecture is in the hands of the Li family. In Ansai alone, the Li family has several warehouses, all selling these in-demand goods."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Han frowned even more deeply.

He didn't really want to deal with the Li family.

The Li family has connections in Ansai County and even Yan'an Prefecture, and they are domineering and greedy.

Dealing with them yourself might lead to being ripped off, or even being pressured into buying or selling things against your will.

But Jiang Han is a tough nut to crack, and if he were to clash with the Li family, there might be more conflict and trouble.

Jiang Han now only wants to develop his strength stealthily, so that the imperial court can focus its energy on those few bandit leaders.

But right now, he seems to have no other choice but the Li family. Even if he goes to the nearest Bao'an County now, it would be more than 200 miles away.

After much deliberation, Jiang Han decided to first make contact with the Li family, even if it meant giving up some profits.

So he turned to the pharmacy owner and asked:
"I wonder if the shopkeeper could make a connection and get in touch with the Li family?"

"Jiang has a rare item that he wants to sell."

A hint of curiosity flashed in the shopkeeper's eyes:
"To be honest, the Li family is our boss."

"May I ask what extraordinary item you possess, sir? May I see it first before informing the master?"

He paused, then quickly added,

"It just so happens that our boss is still in the city. If it's really something good, I'll go find him right now."

Jiang Han smiled slightly:
"You won't understand this thing even if you see it. All I can tell you is that it can build a city in three days."

Since it's all about business, let's just make some boasts first. As for whether a city can actually be built, Jiang Han can only say that watchtowers are also a kind of city.

(The beacon towers refer to a type of small military fortress built by the Ming Dynasty along the nine border regions, with one beacon tower every three li and one platform every five li.)
The shopkeeper glanced at Jiang Han with surprise, his tone carrying a hint of warning:

"Such a strange item? I hope you won't speak carelessly, otherwise, if the owner finds out, neither of us will be in a good position."

The pharmacy manager was skeptical but dared not refuse outright. What if it were true? Wouldn't he be missing out on a huge opportunity?

Jiang Han waved his hand, too lazy to explain further:

"Go ahead and report it."

He was confident; he knew the cement's capabilities better than anyone. Seeing Jiang Han's composed demeanor, the shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth:

"Alright, please wait here for a moment, sir. I'll go and fetch the host."

After saying that, he hurriedly ran out of the pharmacy, his figure quickly disappearing around the street corner.

Before long, the pharmacy manager returned in a flurry, accompanied by a steward-like figure.

The steward wore a long brocade robe with a jade pendant at his waist, and his face carried a hint of arrogance.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting. I am Li Yang, the head steward of the Li family."

"This gentleman just mentioned he has a rare item and wants to make a purchase?"

Jiang Han didn't waste any words and waved his hand to let Shao Yong behind him unload the cement from the carriage.

"Steward Li, this is it."

Jiang Han pointed to the cement in the box and explained,

"Don't let its unassuming appearance fool you, it's much faster than burning bricks and piling earth when it comes to building walls and fortresses."

Upon hearing this, the butler frowned and leaned closer to take a look. He saw that the box contained a pile of dusty powder, which looked quite unremarkable.

He picked up a pinch, rubbed it between his fingertips, then brought it to his nose and smelled it, before letting out a cold snort:
"Sir, are you perhaps making fun of me?"

"A pile of rubble and debris from who-knows-where dares to boast that it can build a city in three days?"

After saying that, he flicked his sleeves and turned to leave.

Jiang Han had anticipated this reaction and reached out to stop the butler:
"Steward Li, please don't be in a hurry. This thing still needs some processing. Please come with me to the backyard."

Upon arriving in the backyard, Jiang Han skillfully poured cement powder onto the ground, then fetched a bucket of water and began to stir it slowly and methodically.

When the ash powder is mixed with water, it quickly turns into a semi-thick mud.

Standing to the side, Steward Li frowned, pointed at the pile of cement, and snorted coldly:
"What's the difference between this stuff and the mud that kids play with on the street?"

"What a waste of my time!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Han raised his hand to interrupt him and explained:

"Hey, Steward Li, don't worry, this stuff needs three more days to air dry naturally."

"After being dried, it becomes impervious to swords and spears, and can even block firearms."

Upon hearing this, the steward shook his head repeatedly, his eyes filled with disdain:
"absurd!"

He cursed inwardly, thinking, "Is this guy some kind of con artist, treating me like a fool?"
Jiang Han was also annoyed and too lazy to waste his breath on these ignorant servants. He said in a deep voice:
"There's no point in saying more. Let's make a bet."

"If this thing does not turn out as I described in three days, I will compensate you with five hundred taels of silver."

"If it works, you should quickly call your master out, okay?"

Upon hearing "five hundred taels," a glint of greed flashed in Steward Li's eyes, and his mind immediately began to work.

Since I'm not losing out either way, what's wrong with waiting three more days?

"Alright, I'll do you a favor." He nodded casually, agreeing to the request.

Jiang Han nodded and gave his address:

"Then I'll stay at the inn opposite the county government office in three days."

Manager Li waved his hand impatiently:
"No delivery!"

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　　Dear readers, here's the thing: the pace was very fast in the beginning, and some details might not have been explained clearly enough, which may have caused some readers to have questions. I was criticized by someone all night yesterday and didn't get a good night's sleep.

　　So I'll slow it down a bit and try to explain the protagonist's motivations as clearly as possible to make it easier for everyone to watch.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)