Chapter 1073

At this moment, Liang Da Zhuang quickly entered the council hall, respectfully saying: "Young Master, Da Yong merchant Zan Buliu has come to request an audience."

Hu Xiaotian heard that Zan Buliu had come, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his face, to say that this Zan Buliu is a typical opportunistic merchant. Last time he had once gone to Kangdu to lobby me, trying to make a fortune from the nation's misfortune during Dakang's dire shortage of clothing and food, but his suggestions and ideas could not solve Dakang's fundamental problems, and the Dakang emperor Long Xuan'en also had other plans. Since the last time I met Zan Buliu in Kangdu, Hu Xiaotian's troubles have come one after another, he has even had no leisure to consider Zan Buliu's proposal, and the situation he faces does not allow him to consider it. And now Zan Buliu has come to his side again; merchants seek profit, and Zan Buliu is no exception—he must have some motive in coming to find me.

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "Please, Mr. Zan, come in."

Liang Yinghao, Xiong Tianba, and a few others took their leave; not long after, Zan Buliu arrived at the council hall under Liang Da Zhuang's guidance.

Zan Buliu smiled and clasped his hands, saying: "Sir Hu, how have you been?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed, rose to greet him, and said: "Mr. Zan, what wind blows you here?"

Zan Buliu chuckled: "A northwest wind, not just a northwest wind but also a white‑hair wind; it's freezing outside."

Hu Xiaotian hurriedly invited him to sit by the brazier: "Mr. Zan, come warm yourself by the fire; Da Zhuang, prepare food and drink—today I will drink and chat with Mr. Zan until I'm drunk."

Zan Buliu hehe‑laughed: "No rush, no rush; I'll just say a few words to Sir Hu and then leave."

Hu Xiaotian gave a glance, and Liang Da Zhuang immediately went out to prepare.

Zan Buliu held out his hands, roasting them back and forth over the brazier, and sighed: "The banks of the Yong River are damp and cold, even more uncomfortable than the northern chill; I feel the cold seeping into the very marrow of my bones."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Mr. Zan, you came from the north?"

Zan Buliu nodded and said: "Merchants treat the four seas as home; wherever there is business, we go there. After my last meeting with Sir Hu in Kangdu, I could not forget our discussion, personally went north to organize grain supplies, hoping to profit from this chaotic time—yet I soon heard that Sir Hu had been sent on a mission to Xichuan. When I returned from Moli to Xichuan, I again heard that Sir Hu was coming to Dongliang Jun; worldly affairs toy with people, plans change faster than expected. I had originally intended to join forces with Sir Hu in Kangdu to show our mettle, never imagining that Sir Hu would end up here."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "I've disappointed Mr. Zan."

Zan Buliu hehe‑laughed: "Worldly affairs are unpredictable; Dakang's situation is not something Sir Hu can control. Moreover, I overestimated the situation optimistically—even if my business proceeds smoothly, for Dakang it would be merely a drop in the bucket."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Although we cannot change a nation's fate, we can change the fate of a city."

Zan Buliu smiled: "I have come this time precisely for this matter."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Mr. Zan, are you interested in turning Dongliang Jun into a thoroughfare? I can offer you the most favorable terms."

Zan Buliu did not answer Hu Xiaotian's question. His gaze turned to the map on the wall, and he smiled narrowly: "Sir Hu, it seems you have always been keeping an eye on the state of the world."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Surviving in the cracks, I tread each step with utmost caution; I must ascertain the movements around me."

Zan Buliu said: "Sir Hu, your situation is indeed dire." He rose and approached the map, pointing with his finger at Dongliang Jun's location: "Although Da Yong has returned Dongliang Jun to Dakang, Dongliang Jun borders Da Yong on three sides. Behind it lies the Yong River, with no natural defenses to rely on; should war break out between Da Yong and Dakang, Da Yong would likely retake Dongliang Jun first. Da Yong ostensibly gave Dakang a city, but in reality it is a hot potato—if Dakang stations troops there, once fighting starts those troops will surely be encircled and destroyed like dumplings in a pot, which is probably why Dakang has never garrisoned the place."

Hu Xiaotian nodded, realizing that Zan Buliu's visit today was certainly not about ordinary business. Zan Buliu owns the world‑renowned Xinglong Hang, the foremost wealthy merchant of Da Yong; ordinary profits could not move him. Chinese history is not lacking in ambitious merchants—Lü Buwei, who could hoard rare goods, is such a typical figure; could the Zan Buliu before us be a similar character?

Zan Buliu said: "I have heard that Sir Hu is recruiting troops, and since arriving in Dongliang Jun you have already organized a three‑thousand‑strong army."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Mr. Zan, your information is very well‑informed."

Zan Buliu smiled: "I also know that most of these three thousand are refugees who sneaked across from Dakang; the first thing Sir Hu did upon arriving in Dongliang Jun was to disband the local self‑organized militia."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Because of this, I am still being gossiped about by the people of Dongliang Jun to this day."

Zan Buliu said: "Sir Hu is a person of far‑sighted vision; disbanding the militia was indeed wise, for the hearts of Dongliang Jun's people largely lean toward Da Yong—how could militia recruited from the populace serve Dakang? You saw this point and thus made that decisive decision."

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Mr. Zan seems to understand me well; then tell me what my true thoughts are."

Zan Buliu said: "You must have become utterly disillusioned with Dakang and unwilling to defect to Da Yong, so you wish to establish yourself in Dongliang Jun and achieve a great undertaking."

Hu Xiaotian laughed heartily: "I don't have such grand ambitions, Mr. Zan is joking." He could not place absolute trust in Zan Buliu and needed first to ascertain Zan Buliu's true purpose in seeking him out.

Yet Zan Buliu then proposed to take his leave, which surprised Hu Xiaotian greatly—this fellow had analyzed the situation at length, yet without stating his purpose he was about to depart? Could Zan Buliu be using this tactic to deliberately arouse my curiosity? Hu Xiaotian urged him to stay: "Mr. Zan, don't rush off; the food and drink are ready—have a meal before you go."

Zan Buliu smiled: "I won't be leaving these parts for the next two days; I will surely come again to disturb Sir Hu. As for noon, I have already promised a friend, so I must take my leave now."

Hu Xiaotian heard that he had an appointment, did not insist on keeping him, saw Zan Buliu out the door, and although curious about who his friend was, he ultimately restrained himself from asking.

After Zan Buliu left, Hu Xiaotian had Liang Yinghao follow to see where he went. After a simple meal, he summoned Weisa and together they went to the Children's Hall to take a look; these past two days the weather had suddenly turned cold, and the Children's Hall was sheltering more than five hundred children—no one knew their circumstances, most of them had no one to look after them, and a considerable number were orphans.

The Children's Hall is not far from the government office where Hu Xiaotian works; in fact, it is what remains after he reduced the former office by half, using the freed rooms to house these children.

The north wind pierced to the bone, bringing waves of damp cold vapor from the Yong River; outside the Children's Hall many people spontaneously came to bring grain. Although the people of Dongliang Jun largely opposed Hu Xiaotian's acceptance of refugees, they mostly approved of his establishment of the Children's Hall to shelter these pitiful children, and recently many families have offered to adopt the children here—but because the situation remains unclear, Hu Xiaotian has temporarily not agreed to their requests.

Weisa comes here almost every day; the children are already very familiar with her. When they see Weisa arrive, they immediately gather around, each calling her affectionately "Weisa sister." Hearing the children's cheerful cries and seeing their innocent, beaming smiles, Weisa cannot help but feel a pang of sorrow—she now takes one child's little hand, now strokes another's little face, feeling deep pity for these children.

Hu Xiaotian saw Weisa surrounded by the children, while he himself was ignored; he smiled, shook his head, and walked alone into the inner courtyard, where he heard a clear voice say: "This character is 'person'—a left‑falling stroke and a right‑falling stroke, supporting each other, standing firm. To be a person one should be strong and self‑reliant; add a horizontal stroke and it becomes the character 'big'; one day you will grow into adults, add another horizontal and it becomes the character 'heaven'; when you grow up you must become men who stand tall and firm."

Hu Xiaotian was drawn by the voice and went over, only to see in the front hall a young man in blue Confucian robes teaching a group of children to recognize characters; he must be akin to a modern‑day volunteer, and Hu Xiaotian had not seen him before on his previous visits.

Not far behind the young man, a woman in coarse cloth and a hairpin of bramble gazed at him lovingly, a bamboo basket slung over her arm.

The young man was the first to notice Hu Xiaotian; he politely smiled at him, and since his lesson had just finished, he told the children: "You may go play now!"

The children rose together, bowed respectfully to him, and said: "Thank you, Mr. Zhu!"

Only then did Hu Xiaotian learn that the man's surname was Zhu.

The young Zhu man walked over, smiled, and clasped his hands before Hu Xiaotian, saying: "Good day, Sir Hu!"

Hu Xiaotian returned the salute with a smile: "I don't think I've met you before, brother."

The man said: "I am Zhu Guanqi, a native of Dongliang Jun; this is my wife, Hong Lingxue."

Hu Xiaotian glanced at Hong Lingxue; she gave a faint smile, then her gaze returned to her husband Zhu Guanqi, filled with boundless affection.

Zhu Guanqi said: "Sir Hu, your benevolent heart is admirable; establishing the Children's Hall in Dongliang Jun to rescue these children from water and fire is truly merit without measure."

Hu Xiaotian modestly replied: "It's not really such a great merit; I only wish I had greater ability, but this is all I can do."

Zhu Guanqi said: "If every official in Dakang thought as Sir Hu does, Dakang would not have fallen to its present state." He then bowed his hands to Hu Xiaotian in farewell; as Hong Lingxue followed her husband preparing to leave, she suddenly clutched her abdomen, tightly bit her lip, and in an instant her pretty face drained of color, cold sweat beading on her forehead.

Zhu Guanqi saw his wife suddenly become like this, could not help but be startled and lose color, and exclaimed: "Lingxue, what's wrong with you?"

It's Monday again—please vote for recommendation! Zhangyu is in an adjustment period this month; monthly votes can be ignored, but recommendation votes are still needed! (To be continued~^~)