Chapter 11: Legend Is Just Legend

A Hu Ren tribe is itself a small society.

The more powerful a tribe, the clearer its internal division of labor.

At the core are the military nobles and shamans; on the periphery are artisans and other craftsmen; at the very bottom are the ordinary herdsmen.

Qifu Moyu's tribe is no different.

After sending the tribe's soldiers to General Er Zhu Rong, over twenty-five thousand people remained.

Jia Sixie has been overjoyed these past few days.

Unlike the Han people in Taiping Village, whose minds are full of fighting and killing, Jia Sixie was surprised to discover that these Hu Ren are unexpectedly talented in many ways.

They know animal husbandry, treating animal diseases, making cheese, brewing wine, building camps, and forging iron...

Although, in Jia Sixie's view, these Hu Ren's skills are not particularly exquisite.

Nor do these Hu Ren resist the skills Jia Sixie teaches them.

What makes Jia Sixie most gratified is that they are even willing to farm!

"There are experts in the Army Lord's camp!"

Liu Gui, following behind Li Shuang, looked at the orderly camp and sighed.

Li Shuang smiled and asked:

"How do you see this?"

Liu Gui pointed to the herdsmen herding sheep and horses not far away and said:

"The Hu Ren around Take Pingcheng are often brave but bad at management. The Army Lord has just taken over Qifu Moyu's tribe, yet the tribe members show no sign of panic; each has their place. Moreover, as I walked here, the herdsmen's production was quite methodical, unlike the work of Hu Ren."

Liu Gui was not an ordinary merchant.

He was a Xiongnu; his father had once risen to the position of Inspector of Sizhou, and in his youth he had traveled to Luoyang, witnessing the finest scenery in the world.

From the bottom of his heart, Liu Gui looked down on these unassimilated Hu Ren, considering them barbaric and vulgar.

However, not everyone could squeeze into the Luoyang circle. Only members of the Xianbei royal family, their in-laws, and the sons of Han aristocratic clans could enter.

As a Xiongnu, he belonged to the periphery of the periphery.

After being unable to stay in Luoyang, Liu Gui could only return to his hometown and, relying on his father's former position as Inspector of Sizhou, engage in trade.

Coinciding with the Liuzhen Rebellion, Liu Gui remembered his friend Gao Huan's words that the world would soon fall into chaos and began to scheme.

He sought out Li Shuang because he believed this Army Lord, Da Ye Shuang, who had made a great name for himself in Northern Southern Xiurong, needed him more than General Er Zhu Rong did.

Li Shuang walked up to a large tent, lifted the flap, and inside the vast tent sat over a hundred people.

At the head was Jia Sixie.

At that moment, he was wearing a short padded jacket, just like the other Hu Ren in the tent, grinding bones.

Jia Sixie was studying very intently and did not notice outsiders entering.

"This is the expert you spoke of!"

Li Shuang pointed to Jia Sixie. Liu Gui looked at that unremarkable Jia Sixie among the crowd and was also surprised; did this dullard look like an expert?

However, Liu Gui did not say much, feeling somewhat pleased in his heart.

The fact that Li Shuang was willing to bring him to meet Jia Sixie and this military equipment workshop meant taking the first step toward trust.

Jia Sixie was less a Confucian scholar and more a Mohist, obsessively devoted to technology.

From the moment Li Shuang and the other two entered the tent until they left, Jia Sixie never noticed, his mind entirely focused on the technique of making bone arrows.

Outside the tent, Li Shuang asked:

"Iron is the most scarce resource in the Northern Frontier; we are forced to use bone for arrows. Do you have a way to obtain surplus iron?"

Liu Gui knew this was Li Shuang testing him.

"The salt and iron in Heng, Shuo, and other prefectures, as well as the Liuzhen, are strictly controlled by Take Pingcheng. In normal times, even if one could obtain some, there would be very little. But now that the Liuzhen are in rebellion, these matters have become easier to handle."

Around Take Pingcheng, whether among Hu Ren tribes or Han villages, there was a clear division of labor.

In the past, even if the Luoyang court was a mess, order still existed.

Now that the Liuzhen have rebelled, the Northern Frontier, both Hu and Han, has fallen into a dark forest. The old division of labor is gone; everyone's first priority is to protect themselves.

"What do you need?"

Liu Gui thought for a moment, cupped his hands, and said:

"With five carts of grain, wine, cheese, and furs, I can exchange them for the Army Lord for one cart of iron."

"I will give you twenty carts, plus another ten bags of gold!"

Li Shuang leaned close to Liu Gui and whispered in his ear:

"I also want some crossbows!"

Li Shuang was more generous than Liu Gui imagined, but also bolder.

Crossbows and armor, compared to salt and iron, are even more prohibited among the prohibited.

Even an Army Lord, if caught with evidence of trading crossbows and armor, would have only one path: death.

If an ordinary person heard these words, they would already be sweating profusely. But Liu Gui felt only excited anticipation.

Liu Gui thought for a moment, cupped his hands, and said:

"I know of a tribe that can handle this, but I must take my own people."

Hearing this, Li Shuang did not care in the slightest.

"Agreed!"

"Does the Army Lord not worry that I will run away with these treasures?"

"I trust you!"

Hearing these words, Liu Gui felt somewhat moved in his heart.

Liu Gui was very familiar with the stories of the Three Kingdoms; the friendship between ruler and minister, like Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang finding each other like fish in water, was something Liu Gui had known since childhood.

Especially in this chaotic age where moral standards decline daily, the story between the lord and ministers of Shu Han is all the more enviable.

Truly unexpected that this young army commander possesses such magnanimity.

What a peerless bandit chief!

It seems it was all just hearsay!

For a moment, Liu Gui looked at Li Shuang, his gaze carrying a hint of softness.

Could it be that I have met a wise lord like Emperor Zhaolie of Han?

But just then, Hou Jing strode over casually, shouting:

"My Lord, I have caught that boy who cheated you out of money last time; I broke his legs."

Li Shuang was very displeased.

"How can you be so crude? You broke his legs so quickly. Quickly summon the shaman to set his bones!"

Hou Jing was somewhat puzzled.

"Why set the bones of that swindler?"

"He betrayed my trust. Once the bones are set, break them again."

"Got it!"

Having received the order, Hou Jing ran down with great enthusiasm.

Hearing these words, Liu Gui's heart instantly rose to his throat; inexplicably, he felt his knees aching faintly.

A fierce bandit!

Damn it, absolutely a fierce bandit!

"Forgive Mr. for the laughter!"

The crime of treason involved in selling crossbows and armor did not make Liu Gui afraid, yet now, looking at this young man's smile, Liu Gui's spine inexplicably felt a chill.

"Commander, rest assured, I will certainly complete the task entrusted by the Commander!"

When Liu Gui spoke these words, his voice was very clear and bright.

Feathered cavalry galloped; three Qihu riders of the General Er Zhu clan sped over.

As they drew near, these three Qihu warriors dismounted, knelt respectfully on the ground to pay homage to Li Shuang, and brought news from General Er Zhu Rong.

"The Clan Leader says: 'Third Brother, it is time to move south!'"

The words of General Er Zhu Rong were brought over by these Qihu warriors without a single word altered.

After listening, Li Shuang looked at Liu Gui beside him and smiled.

"It seems Pingcheng can no longer dominate the Northern Frontier!"

At this moment, Li Shuang possessed an inexplicable aura that made Liu Gui feel awestruck.

Within his brief words lay a meaning that Liu Gui found hard to articulate.

"Once the matter mentioned just now is settled, come find me in Southern Xiurong!"