Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

The early summer breeze carried a hint of heat, but as it passed through the newly constructed irrigation canal and brushed against the increasingly lush fields outside Xinghuobao, it seemed to carry a cool, refreshing mist and the fragrance of the rice seedlings. The six-mile-long irrigation canal, winding across rocky beaches and hills, had finally completed its final reinforcement and water-flow tests a few days prior. When the gurgling spring water first flowed down the compacted canal bed into the largest reservoir in front of the fort, and then through pre-dug branch canals and irrigation ditches, irrigating the parched fields, the entire Xinghuobao almost boiled over. The old man knelt by the field ridges, cupping the muddy canal water in his hands, tears streaming down his face; children frolicked barefoot in the newly flooded ditches; even the usually composed Zhao Tiezhu couldn't help but grin widely, pounding his chest several times, as if trying to shake off the anxiety of the past few months.

With the arrival of water, hope truly took root. The potato seedlings grew stronger, and the newly sown millet and beans sprouted from the soil. Although it was far from harvest time, the sense of certainty that "as long as we get through this period, there will be hope in the fall" boosted the morale of everyone in the fort.

It was against this backdrop that Xinghuo Fortress, in addition to its military defenses, tentatively opened another crack to the outside world for the first time—trade.

The first to knock on this door were people from Lijiaji to the east.

It was a rosy dawn when the sentries at the fortress gate spotted a small group of people making their way along the dirt road in the distance: three creaking donkey carts, seven or eight men dressed in various ways, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and wariness. Leading the group was a young man surnamed Sun, whom Wu Xuejiu had met briefly during his previous mission to Lijiaji and who had expressed a willingness to trade. He was known as Old Man Sun.

"Gentlemen of Xinghuo Fortress, this old man, Sun Youcai, has come at the invitation of Mr. Wu of your fortress to pay a visit to Fortress Master Chen, and also to... see if there is any opportunity to exchange goods." Old Man Sun was about fifty years old, with a thin face but very lively eyes. He got off the donkey cart from a distance, cupped his hands in a bow, and spoke in a humble tone.

The garrison on duty dared not be negligent. On one hand, they sent someone to report to the fortress, and on the other hand, they stopped the small caravan at a simple "trade market" set up a hundred paces outside the fortress according to regulations. This was set up by Chen Xing in advance to receive foreign merchants and prevent them from entering the fortress directly, both for safety and for management.

Soon, Chen Xing, having received the news, arrived at the border market with Wu Xuejiu, Zhou Dashan, and Murong Mingyue, who was accompanying him as a guard.

"Master Sun, you've come from afar, you must be tired." Chen Xing was dressed in a simple blue robe, without armor, and appeared calm. However, the demeanor he had naturally developed from being in a high position and commanding hundreds or thousands of people made the somewhat restless Old Man Sun and the others unconsciously restrain their casualness.

"I dare not accept the title of 'Head of the Trade' from the fortress lord; it would be too much of an honor for this old man," Old Man Sun bowed repeatedly. "Last time, Mr. Wu was kind enough to bestow upon me precious salt and iron, and also promised to allow us to trade. After returning home, I discussed this with several familiar fellow traders, and we all felt that your fortress is benevolent, keeps its promises, and has strict rules, truly a rare and stable place in these chaotic times. Therefore, I have taken the liberty of preparing some meager local products to trouble you, hoping to exchange them for some of your fortress's surplus goods."

As he spoke, his eyes quickly swept over the crowd behind Chen Xing, lingering particularly on Murong Mingyue's striking red clothes and the curved sword at her waist. A subtle hint of understanding and caution flashed in his eyes—it seemed the rumors were true; Xinghuo Fortress had indeed gathered the elite Hu cavalry.

"Mr. Sun, you're too kind. Since we're here to trade, we should treat you with sincerity." Chen Xing smiled and gestured for Zhou Dashan to step forward. "Manager Zhou, show Mr. Sun what we've prepared."

Zhou Dashan responded and led Old Man Sun and the others towards a makeshift thatched shed erected on one side of the market. Neatly arranged on the wooden planks under the shed were the goods prepared for the transaction: fine, snow-white salt sealed in rough earthenware jars; tightly folded, fine linen; more than ten uniformly shaped, cold-gleaming iron short knives; and several large baskets of newly made, dry-baked coarse grain cakes mixed with bean flour and wild vegetable bits. The goods were few in number, but their categories were clear, and their quality was immediately apparent.

Old Sun and his companions' eyes lit up immediately. Especially the salt; a handful rubbed between their fingers revealed a fine, snow-white salt, free of impurities and bitterness—in those days, it was more valuable than gold! The iron knife, with its sharp edge and symmetrical blade, was definitely not the crude work of an ordinary blacksmith's shop! Even the seemingly unremarkable grain cake, when broken open and smelled, emitted a fragrant aroma of beans; when squeezed firmly, it was quite hard, clearly a dry food that could be stored for a long time.

"Good stuff! These are all really good stuff!" Old Sun rubbed his hands together, praising repeatedly, and then gestured to his servant to lift the rag from the donkey cart.

The donkey cart mainly carried three things: about a dozen bushels of millet and beans of varying quality packed in straw bags; dozens of reasonably tanned sheepskins and cowhides, as well as several well-preserved fox and wolf pelts; and several large bundles of dried mountain produce, such as wood ear fungus, mushrooms, and wild ferns, and several jars of thick wild honey.

"Please look, Lord of the Fortress. These are all things that could be found around Lijiaji. There isn't much grain; it's mainly some old soybeans harvested this spring and some second-grade millet stored from last year. The quality is a bit poor, but it'll be enough to fill your stomach. The hides were all tanned from hunted animals this spring and are still quite intact. The mountain produce and honey are just extras," Old Man Sun introduced, his tone tentative.

Chen Xing glanced at the situation and had already made up his mind. Although Xinghuo Fortress was currently short of food, potatoes were still possible, and the millet and beans were indeed of average quality and not very valuable. Hides were urgently needed, as they were indispensable for making leather armor, horse tack, and winter clothing. Mountain produce and honey could slightly improve the meals and supplement nutrition.

"Mr. Wu, what do you think is the best price?" Chen Xing handed over the negotiation to Wu Xuejiu, who was more familiar with the market and negotiations.

Wu Xuejiu stroked his beard and stepped forward, conversing quietly with Old Man Sun. The two occasionally pointed at the goods, offering their opinions, and sometimes gestured with their fingers hidden in their sleeves or palms, their tone calm yet subtly sharp. Wu Xuejiu insisted that the salt, iron, and cloth from Xinghuo Fort were all of the highest quality, and as strategic materials, their value should be even higher; Old Man Sun emphasized that grain and furs were also hard currency, especially during this lean season. Zhou Dashan stood to the side, using Li Shu's pre-calculated "internal conversion table," based on grain as the unit of measurement, for reference.

Murong Mingyue stood quietly behind Chen Xing, her sharp gaze sweeping over every person and item brought by Old Man Sun, her hand always resting lightly on the hilt of her knife. Although she didn't directly participate in the price negotiation, her silent intimidation prevented Old Man Sun and his group from making any overstepping moves.

About half an hour later, the two sides finally reached their first deal: Xinghuobao exchanged five catties of refined salt, two bolts of fine linen, three fine iron short knives, and fifty grain cakes for all the furs, mountain products, honey, and five shi of good-quality beans brought by Old Man Sun. Old Man Sun indicated he was willing to exchange the remaining inferior millet for grain cakes at a lower rate.

"Lord Chen, Mr. Wu, this transaction has been very profitable for me!" Old Man Sun beamed with joy after the deal was completed. The salt, cloth, and iron knives he acquired could be transported back to Lijiaji and resold for at least double the profit, not to mention the connection he'd made with the promising Xinghuo Fortress. "I wonder... if your fortress could... continue to supply some of these refined salts and ironware regularly in the future? I'd be willing to act as a go-between, helping your fortress obtain more of the necessary grain, iron, and even... information from more distant towns."

This was the real purpose of Old Man Sun's trip—to establish a relatively stable supply channel. The refined salt and high-quality ironware produced in Xinghuobao were the most reliable credentials in chaotic times.

Chen Xing exchanged a glance with Wu Xuejiu and slowly said, "Since Chief Sun has this intention, our fortress is also willing to help you achieve your goal. However, our fortress's output is limited, so the transaction needs to have a fixed quota and priority should be given to obtaining the materials our fortress needs—grain, iron, leather, medicine, and livestock. The specific details can be discussed with Mr. Wu and Steward Zhou. In addition, the transaction must be kept secret and not publicized, especially... don't let that 'Black Mountain Grandpa' in the north know too much about it." His tone was slightly heavy as he said the last sentence.

Old Man Sun's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly replied, "Don't worry, Lord, I understand perfectly well! I will be extremely careful!"

The first trade was successfully completed in this atmosphere of mutual benefit and tacit understanding. Old Man Sun and his party returned with a full load, turning back again and again as they left, gazing at the increasingly solid walls of Xinghuo Fortress and the faint signs of life within, their eyes filled with satisfaction, but also with a hint of calculation for the future.

After seeing off the caravan from Lijiaji, Chen Xing and the others returned to the council hall.

"It's just a drop in the ocean, but it's a start." Zhou Dashan said with emotion as he counted the leather and mountain goods he had exchanged. "With these leathers, Wang Jian's burden of making leather armor and horse tack will be greatly reduced. We can also mix beans into our diet and save on staple foods."

"The key isn't how much we traded," Wu Xuejiu said, "but that this path has been successfully established. Once Old Man Sun has tasted success, he'll surely come back. The news will gradually spread. At that time, we can choose our trading partners and obtain the information and supplies we need."

Murong Mingyue spoke up at this moment, her brows furrowing slightly: "Fortress Master, trading with the outside world is certainly a good thing. But risks also arise. Today, Old Man Sun and the others appeared respectful, but their eyes darted around, observing our fortress's defenses and probing our strengths and weaknesses. They may not be entirely trustworthy. Moreover, once trade becomes frequent, with goods moving in and out and people flowing around, it's inevitable that some people with ulterior motives will infiltrate or leak our fortress's secrets."

"General Murong's concerns are indeed crucial," Chen Xing nodded. "Therefore, trade must be regulated and strictly controlled. All foreign merchants are prohibited from entering the fortress and are only allowed to trade at designated markets. The time, personnel, and goods involved in the transactions must all be reported in advance and strictly inspected. All intelligence obtained must be verified. At the same time, our own production, especially salt and iron, must be firmly controlled, and core technologies must not be leaked. External resources acquired through trade must also be stored in a unified warehouse and distributed according to need; private transactions are strictly prohibited."

He paused, then looked at everyone: "Business is like a water channel. If used well, it can sustain life and strengthen the body; if used poorly, it can become a scourge that can breach the dam. What we need to do now is carefully open a controllable sluice gate on the dam."

Everyone nodded solemnly.

The success of the first commercial endeavor, like a pebble thrown into a lake, is creating ripples that are slowly spreading. Starfire Fortress, once a closed-off stronghold merely seeking survival, is finally beginning to try to use a third force besides swords and food—commerce and exchange—to touch this chaotic and dangerous world, and to try to draw nourishment from it to strengthen itself.

The road ahead remains uncertain, but the glimmer of light shining through the crack of this newly opened door called "commerce" may illuminate a path to survival that is different from simply fighting and plundering.