If I made you cannon fodder, how did you manage to achieve your goal of conquering the wolf's l

The invitations in the brazier quickly burned to ashes.

Su Jinniang reopened Ma Rong's secret account book and placed the page corresponding to the eight cartloads of grain on the table.

"There's something wrong with this account."

Liang Shun asked, "The number of eight cartloads of grain doesn't match up?"

"The quantity of grain matches, but the price doesn't."

Su Jinniang picked up a charcoal pencil and wrote a few lines of numbers on a blank piece of paper next to her.

"Sixty-three shi of grain. At the prices in Bailangji for the past two months, even if we sold them, we wouldn't be able to get that much. Ma Rong got two hundred taels of silver, Sun Kui got thirty percent, and Black Wind Village had to keep their share. With just eight cartloads of grain, this deal wouldn't even cover the profits."

Xu Qingshan looked at the last page of the ledger.

"So that's why it's called a deposit?"

Su Jinniang nodded.

She continued flipping forward and circled several transactions with similar dates.

Fifty long-legged horses were sent into the vent in three batches.

Three batches of black iron, totaling two hundred pieces.

They cut off the river to open up waterways and opened iron gates to facilitate trade.

The few lines of writing were scattered, but when put together, the outline of the entire transaction became clear.

Sun Kui promised Black Wind Stronghold fifty warhorses and three batches of ironware, and would continue to provide caravan routes.

After Duanhebao opens its gates, Heifengzhai can control the shallows for a long time, turning it into a secret crossing point that bypasses border patrols.

Caravans passing through the shallows also had to pay for their goods as they did when passing through Iron Gate Fortress.

Liang Shun stared at the line "Cut off the river and open up a waterway".

"Ma Rong not only wanted to sell Duanhebao once, but he also planned to have Heifengzhai pass through here all the time."

Feng Baozhang leaned back on the cushion, his face gloomy.

"As long as the beacon towers are not lit, the other three forts will not be able to detect Black Wind Stronghold crossing the river at night."

"Ma Rong left more than forty soldiers to guard the gate, but only to watch over them."

Xu Qingshan asked, "How much can Black Wind Stronghold take from the caravan?"

Su Jinniang picked up another record of the Bailangji trade route.

"Whenever a caravan passes by, it leaves behind at least half of its cargo, and sometimes as much as 20%."

"If it's salt, medicinal herbs, or ironware, they'll directly deduct 30%."

"When Black Wind Stronghold encounters a caravan that refuses to pay, they will take action on the mountain road in advance."

Shen Qinghe said, "No wonder fewer and fewer people are traveling this trade route."

"Merchants have to pay once when they pass through Iron Gate Fortress, and again when they reach Broken River."

Hou San sat by the door, twirling Ma Rong's waist token in his hand.

"If anyone manages to leave alive, it's because Black Wind Village is kind-hearted."

Su Jinniang flipped to the section recording "deer" and "lamb".

"Grain, horses, and goods are just things that can be written into the books."

"If the profits are insufficient for both parties, Ma Rong will use people to make up the difference."

The two old soldiers behind Liang Shun raised their heads at the same time.

Su Jinniang placed a thin piece of paper on the table.

This is the amount she recalculated based on the prices at the White Wolf Market.

A young woman could be exchanged for up to twenty taels of silver.

Children under ten years old are entitled to a discount of three to eight ounces, depending on their age and physical condition.

If a young adult can do carpentry, blacksmithing, or horse raising, the price can be increased.

The last sentence in the ledger refers to this kind of transaction.

After the fortress gates are opened, Black Wind Stronghold will take the military households first.

The debts Ma Rong owed for grain, silver, and warhorses were gradually deducted from the prices paid to these people.

Veteran soldier Gao Bai slammed his fist against the wall.

"My lord, I'll go with you to Black Wind Stronghold."

"I know the road to Heifengkou, and I also know which sections of the riverbed are suitable for horseback riding."

Another veteran stepped forward.

"My home is right on the edge of the shallows."

"I know exactly where Black Wind Village has come ashore all these years."

Liang Shun turned around and looked at the soldiers of Duanhe Fort behind him.

"All twenty-six men who participated in the battle last night are willing to go."

Xu Qingshan shook his head.

"The Duanhe Fortress has just been stabilized, and the garrison has all followed me. Ma Rong's remaining confidants are taking the opportunity to cause trouble. Who will suppress them?"

"If Black Wind Stronghold sends men in from other directions, who will guard the granary and the military quarters?"

Liang Shun said, "I will leave ten men behind."

"Thirty people will remain."

Xu Qingshan pointed to the map.

"Choose twelve people who are familiar with the Black Wind Pass, the shallows, and the back mountain route."

"Gao Bai is one."

"You can choose the other eleven players; those who participated in last night's goal-scoring battle will have priority."

"The remaining soldiers will defend the city, and training and patrols will continue as usual."

Liang Shun still wanted to try.

Feng Baozhang spoke first.

"Listen to the garrison commander."

"Just because you were willing to take up a knife last night doesn't mean you can empty the fortress today."

"Only by staying alive and defending Broken River Fortress can we truly avenge our defeat."

Liang Shun clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Understood."

…………

Liu Ruyan placed all of Ma Rong's previous documents, military orders, and IOUs by the window.

She first copied the strokes several times, and then had the scribe grind out old ink of a similar color.

By the time he wrote the third letter, the handwriting was already very similar to the letters Ma Rong usually wrote.

Hou San stood by the table and stared at it for a long time.

"If I used this skill to write IOUs, I could get half of Yunzhou City to pay off my debts."

Liu Ruyan said, "First, you need to find someone who is willing to lend you money."

Hou San thought for a moment.

"Then forget it."

Xu Qingshan picked up the letter she had written.

The letter, written in Ma Rong's voice, tells Black Wind Village that Broken River Fortress has been temporarily stabilized, and Xu Qingshan is hesitating between the hostages and the food.

The exchange at noon tomorrow will proceed as scheduled.

One of the eight cartloads of grain would be taken out first for inspection by Black Wind Village.

The remaining seven carts are still inside the fort. As long as Qi Biao sends people to cooperate, they can continue to be sent out through the side gate.

At the end of the letter, he added a special sentence:

Do not relocate Black Wind Warehouse for now.

The scouts of the Zhenbei Army are active in the valley, and the large number of vehicles leaving the village will easily leave traces.

After the exchange at Heifengkou is completed, the goods will be transported away in batches from the shallows of the Broken River.

Hou San finished reading the letter.

"Would they believe that Ma Rong still controls Duanhebao?"

"The letter didn't mention that he controlled Broken River Fortress."

Liu Ruyan said, "Ma Rong only said that he still had an inside agent in the fortress."

"The bandits who escaped back from Black Wind Stronghold last night did not see the water dungeon or the granary, and Qi Biao only knew that the side gate had been lost."

"As long as Ma Rong's waist tag, private seal, and code match, they will suspect that someone is still working for him inside the fort."

Xu Qingshan looked at the waist token in Hou San's hand.

"Have you found the place to deliver the mail?"

He Liu stood to the side, pointing to the map and said, "Twelve miles west of Duanhe Fort, there is a crooked pine tree."

"There's a white stone pressing down behind the tree."

"Ma Rong used to hide urgent messages under rocks when delivering them to Black Wind Village."

"After placing it, make three marks on the tree: two short and one long. The nearby sentries will then retrieve it."

Hou San stuffed the waist token into his pocket.

"I'll go."

Qin Yuenu was drying medicinal herbs outside when the sound came in through the window.

"Say it again?"

Hou Sanchao looked out the window.

"I'm going to leave a letter under the crooked-necked pine tree."

"It's a twelve-mile journey. I'll ride there, drop off the letter, and return immediately."

"What if we encounter bandits?"

"Take two Zhenbei cavalrymen with you."

Hou San patted his waist.

"Looking at me now, I can be seen as someone who just escaped from Broken River Fortress, making Black Wind Stronghold more likely to believe me."

Qin Yuenu went into the room and reached out to press his wound.

Hou San gasped in pain.

"Be gentle."

"The fact that it can still bark means it can ride a horse."

She checked the linen again.

"Return before 9 PM."

"If the wound reopens, we'll stitch it up with fishing line next time."

Hou San's expression changed slightly.

"Can fishing line be used to sew people together?"

"You can give it a try."

"I will be back on time."

…………

After nightfall, the three riders left Broken River Fortress.

Hou San put on an old suit of armor that he had taken from Ma Rong's confidant, with his waist tag hanging outside and the letter stuffed into an oilcloth.

The crooked-necked pine grows at the foot of a rocky slope.

There was no firelight nearby, but fresh hoofprints of horses remained in the woods.

The white stone that He Liu mentioned is behind the tree.

Hou San dismounted, pressed the letter down, and then used a short knife to make three marks on the tree bark: two short and one long.

The three retreated to a low slope a hundred paces away.

After waiting for about half an hour, a dark figure emerged from the forest.

The visitor first examined the knife marks on the tree, then lifted the white stone and took the letter and Ma Rong's waist token together.

Hou San looked in the direction where the other person had disappeared.

"It seems Ma Rong used to come here quite often."

A rider from the Zhenbei cavalry nearby asked, "Should we follow them?"

"Getting too close will alert the hidden sentries."

Hou San mounted his horse.

"Back to the fort."

"Once Black Wind Stronghold receives the letter, they won't be willing to move the grain tonight."

…………

Near midnight, a featherless short arrow pierced the western wall of Duanhe Fort.

A short piece of hemp rope was wrapped around the arrow shaft.

The rope was tied in two knots.

Upon seeing this, He Liu immediately said, "This is a reply from Black Wind Stronghold."

"Two knots represent 'as before'."

"They believed it."

Xu Qingshan looked towards the west side of the valley.

Qi Biao escaped wounded, and Black Wind Stronghold was originally very likely to move its grain and fodder overnight.

Now that Ma Rong's fake letter has arrived, the chief will think there is still a chance inside Duanhe Fort and will continue to wait for the exchange at noon tomorrow.

One night was enough for Aman to figure out the beast paths and enough for the Zhenbei Army to complete its mobilization.

Hou San leaned against the door frame.

"The letter has been delivered, and Black Wind Stronghold has also been left behind."

"Should we keep our appointment tomorrow, or attack the stronghold?"

"Go, everyone."

Xu Qingshan said, "Uncle Zhou swapped people with them at Black Wind Pass."

"Let's go see what's hidden in the Black Wind Vault that they're so reluctant to move."

Su Jinniang was still going through Ma Rong's secret records.

Upon hearing the words "Black Wind Warehouse," she picked up the last few pages again and examined them one by one under the light.

The last page of the ledger was significantly thicker than the other pages.

She used the tip of her knife to pry open the thin paper pasted on the back.

A line of very small text was visible inside.

Black Wind Depot, 300 shi of grain.

Su Jinniang pushed the account book in front of Xu Qingshan.

"Duanhebao only has sixteen days' worth of rations."

"Now we'll have somewhere to eat later."

Xu Qingshan looked at the line of text.

"Three hundred shi (a unit of dry measure)."

"The return gift from Black Wind Stronghold is worth far more than the invitation."