Chapter 1900: The Weight of the Golden Signboard

Using civilian merchant associations and caravans to transport military supplies has never been a secret; both the current Bekka and the former Yaoguo have done this. Official grain transport is fraught with problems, inefficient, and wasteful, so the Wang Ting has delegated this task to civilian institutions, which is faster, better, and saves considerable money.

The prerequisite, however, is trustworthiness.

He Xiong is an enemy, not a friend, yet Bai Tan still does this—isn't he secretly opposing her and the Heavenly Gods?

Bai Tan shook his head like a rattle-drum: "It's not exactly a commission, merely... I borrowed Yangshan's channel; this too is utterly unavoidable."

"Channel?" Qingyang heard the word from Bai Tan's mouth for the second time, and felt even more uneasy.

"Although we made some preparations beforehand, but since we launched our uprising, I first attacked three counties and seven townships, then fought Chu Ruhai, repelled the Heavy Martial General, and again defeated Xuwen Yong and Tu Han and others; now we are besieging Chen Chuhua... Warfare never ceases, and military supplies inevitably run short, so some shortages must be purchased externally."

Waging war inevitably brings the most practical difficulties.

"Those few grain-producing plains in the south—I only control one, yet I must feed one-third of the nation's soldiers; consumption is indeed too great, so part of the grain is imported from abroad, from the Xianhe Valley and Taowei regions; there are also boots, arrow fletching, hemostatics, and insect-repellent and detoxifying medicinal materials and other consumables—our territory cannot supply enough, so they must be purchased externally. Just as I mentioned earlier about Bai Mao Ting oil, we ourselves do not produce this stuff."

Yaoguo is in great turmoil; many supplies that were once normally available are now in short supply. War is like a bottomless pit—no matter how much manpower and material is poured in, it can devour everything, leaving not a scrap.

Even though Bai Tan holds a vast inheritance from the former Yaoguo, he is deeply anxious due to expenditure exceeding income.

In fact, there are still some circumstances he finds inconvenient to mention to Qingyang.

The grain requisition officials have repeatedly reported to him that even in the grain-producing areas under his own control, collection is difficult—whether merchants, grandees, or commoners, they all hide their grain, fearing that nominal requisition is actually plunder. Even if Bai Tan offers to purchase, they do not trust him; who knows whether the army will first lure them out with money, then seize it back? Such precedents are commonplace.

Tsk, all are crafty poor ghosts.

Bai Tan also understands that, ultimately, he is merely a warlord carving out his own fiefdom, and moreover the primary cause of Yaoguo's overthrow; the Yaoguo people fundamentally distrust him, so their own grain requisition efforts are highly inefficient.

But the Yangshan Merchant Association is different—grain that Bai Tan's army cannot requisition, Yangshan can procure. Everyone knows it is a pure commercial organization of excellent repute, which will not entertain notions of getting something for nothing, nor will it brandish swords and spears to dig into others' granaries.

Upon hearing this, Qingyang understood: "These supplies, you have commissioned Yangshan to purchase externally?"

"These production sites—some originally had hostile relations with the former Yaoguo, such as allied territories; some were originally Yaoguo tribute lands, such as the Frost Creek and Song Peak managed by Xuezong Wu in the past; after Yaoguo's fall, they severed ties and no longer pay tribute; moreover, many were previously untouched by us, feared risk, and did not wish to trade with war-torn lands."

Bai Tan wore a bitter smile: "Whether we like it or not, Yangshan's business spans half the Shanjin Plain. The places I mentioned earlier all have dealings with Yangshan. I can only procure these supplies by leveraging Yangshan's signboard and channel."

He still had one thing unsaid:

When Yaoguo's King Jian was alive, these places might not dare to slight the prestige of the Shanjin powerhouse; even if unwilling, they would still sell.

After Yaoguo's collapse, however, they need not buy Bai Tan's account—they can simply refuse to sell.

At this point, the true capability of the Yangshan Merchant Association reveals itself. At this point, Bai Tan must face reality.

Waging a war of attrition—what is being contested, if not logistics?

Alas, the more one enters wartime, the more one sees the weight of this Yangshan signboard. He cannot deny it.

Qingyang said slowly: "So, Yangshan cannot be moved in your presence?"

This remark already concealed killing intent; Bai Tan hurriedly clarified: "No, no, certainly not that meaning. I merely mean we have already advanced large sums of money, but the goods have not yet arrived; at this juncture, cutting off Yangshan Merchant Association would truly be disadvantageous to ourselves."

"The goods have not yet arrived?" Qingyang raised an eyebrow, instinctively asking, "Did you pay first?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt she had asked too much. Of course it was payment first!

Bai Tan indeed poured out his bitterness: "We are a land of war and chaos; out there, who has credit? All must pay before receiving goods."

Is there anything in this world more unexpected than war? If they were to give him goods first, and tomorrow he were defeated and annexed, would this not become a dead debt?

At this moment, the golden signboard of the Yangshan Merchant Association becomes all the more useful; otherwise, Bai Tan might well have paid but failed to receive the goods.

Bai Tan again seized the opportunity to complain for a good while.

Two days ago, he had just heard the legend that the Nine Abyssal Great Emperor is the Dragon God incarnate, destined to sweep across Shanjin; he was first startled, then felt it might not be an ill opportunity. "If the Dragon God truly intends to act, would the Heavenly Gods still allow Yaoguo to remain in chaos?"

After fighting for several months, he sees ever more clearly that the turmoil behind Yaoguo's strife is entirely the shadow of the Heavenly Gods. He has also learned that Qingyang this old woman sits steadily in the Youhu Cottage, secretly communicating with multiple other factions.

What does this indicate? The Heavenly Gods have not only placed their bet on Bai Tan!

Now, after over a hundred days of mixed fighting, Yaoguo's situation has become ever clearer, his advantage ever more evident. If the Heavenly Gods wish to end the war, the most likely course is to appoint him as king!

The precondition is that he must defeat Chen Chuhua and Chu Ruhai!

Please... you.... collect 6... 9... books.... may....!

Even Bai Tan, who inherited Yaoguo's legacy, fights this hard; the other two rivals surely fare no better—everyone is gritting their teeth and holding on.

Bai Tan lacks not money, but supplies.

Since Yaoguo's internal turmoil began, merchants and the wealthy have fled abroad to avoid disaster, leading to the withering of all trades, stagnation of logistics, and scarcity of goods.

Why is it easy to impoverish a state through war? Destroying the economy is one major factor.

Bai Tan clearly knows he is but one step away from final victory—well, perhaps several steps—but at this moment he must absolutely not lose heart.

Yet before him, Qingyang seems somewhat absent-minded.

Her thoughts have long flown beyond Yaoguo and Bai Tan's current predicament.

Finally, Qingyang asked Bai Tan: "The Heavenly Gods have also ordered a crackdown on the Yangshan Merchant Association—how do you intend to respond?"

At the critical moment of war, if Bai Tan dares to defy orders, the Heavenly Gods will surely turn against him.

"If the Heavenly Gods want to crack down, then crack down." Bai Tan had already prepared his rebuttal on the way here: "Yangshan's signboard must no longer appear in our territory. However, those arrested and imprisoned, considering they originally did not know He Xiong's true nature, shall be released first."

Most of those seized by the Qingwei are Yaoguo people, local magnates and gentry. On this point, Qingyang naturally has no objection.

If released, release them all together—arresting merely two or three Yangshan or Shanjin people serves no purpose.

In her heart, as clear as a mirror: "Yangshan's signboard must not appear, but you still wish to retain Yangshan's channel, right?"