Chapter 827: Shendu's Victory Report

The road repair work went very smoothly.

Xue Quan Yi just raised a topic, and the merchants eagerly took on the matter, even proactively finding work for themselves.

Someone suggested the street was too empty and proposed planting more flowers, grass, and trees.

Someone else said the city walls were neither high nor sturdy enough and should be torn down and rebuilt.

Someone even wanted to pay to repair the customs office.

The merchants chatted back and forth, each spouting ideas that left Xue Quan Yi stunned, his mouth hanging open for a while.

He couldn't understand why Chen Wuji's few simple remarks provoked such a huge reaction from the merchants, even describable as frenzy.

Xue Quan Yi had lived sixty-one years without other talents, but he could tell whether people's reactions were genuine or feigned.

He could see that the merchants' reaction now was not a concession forced by the Regional Inspector Commander's authority, but a sincere desire to pull out their own silver and scatter it on the streets of Jie Jia Zui.

Aside from repairing the main street, he dared not readily agree to any of the other matters the merchants mentioned, so he anxiously sought help from Lu Ping'an, who sat not far away.

Lu Ping'an pressed down with his hand, stopping the merchants' fervent generous donations, saying, "Everyone, the street repair is settled for now; for the other matters, you can come find me privately later."

"Except for the customs office, don't set your sights on government offices—this will certainly not make you spend money. Other things like planting trees and flowers, repairing the city walls, we can discuss."

Although he had not yet sought Chen Wuji's opinion, Lu Ping'an clearly knew that government offices could not be handed over to private merchants.

Too many interests were involved; if they became too entangled, even he, as Chief Clerk, would lose several layers of skin.

Upon hearing Lu Ping'an's reply, the merchants all beamed with relief, instantly feeling reassured.

For today's matter, they needed to spend a bit more money to feel at ease.

……

The merchants acted quickly; the day after the discussions ended, a mighty throng of artisans began to enter the site.

At the same time, Lu Ping'an was still discussing with those merchants the next-phase renovation plan for Jie Jia Zui, in a household residence in the town.

These merchants, who usually clung tightly to their money purses, now eagerly wanted Lu Ping'an to reach in and take their funds, each showing fervent enthusiasm, leaving this former Nan Jun Jinglue Shi, Lu Ping'an, utterly bewildered.

Quite surprising!

As a man who once stood at the highest position in Nan Jun, he too had seen the world.

He could also see the great benefits in the things Chen Wuji mentioned, but logically those benefits shouldn't have driven the merchants to such frenzy; their reaction was truly somewhat abnormal.

Lu Ping'an thought it over and finally concluded on a reason.

The first batch!

These merchants were the first beneficiaries of Nan Jun's favorable policy, and naturally wanted to strengthen that relationship.

As merchants, their best means was to produce silver.

Either give it to private individuals or to the prefecture.

Next door to this compound, Chen Wuji had just received an urgent memorial from Hu Bu Gui.

Upon seeing the urgent vermilion seal on it, Chen Wuji's heart immediately sank with a bad premonition.

Hu Bu Gui's troops are now truly a lone army deep in enemy territory.

Although there is a rear, it is very narrow and long, easily blocked.

This rear is like a passage leading straight from Nan Jun to Shendu.

And along both sides of this passage, the forces are so mixed they outnumber the lice on a beggar's head.

To the left it borders the San Guan and Luozegun prefectures, extending down to Shendu.

To the right are scattered small Qiang settlements of various sizes.

As for San Guan Jun, its attitude remains ambiguous for now, with no signs of breaking relations.

Luozegun County, however, has become somewhat formidable.

After Nan Jun and San Guan Jun went all out, the Qiang people who originally held Luozegun County kept drafting troops to reinforce the San Guan and Nan Jun battlefields; those reinforcements never returned, easing pressure on Luozegun County, allowing local powers to quickly rise.

Now, within Luozegun County's territory, which is only half the size of Nan Jun's, it is said there are over twenty local powers, with forces ranging from tens of thousands to thousands, each carving out its own fief.

Day after day they fight each other, their conflict a dazzling spectacle.

No one knows whether these separatist forces might, in a fit of rage, attempt to cut off Hu Bu Gui's rear; the same goes for those small Qiang settlements on the right.

After all, Chen Wuji and the Qiang people are now mortal enemies.

If the Qiang people acknowledge a common ancestor, they might be willing to unite and avenge the great clans such as the Can Lang Qiang and Zhong Qiang, to preserve their bloodline.

Breaking the wax seal, Chen Wuji swiftly drew out Hu Bu Gui's memorial.

"Deputy General Hu Bu Gui reports on the campaign against the unjust matters of Shendu…… The Shendu traitors disrespect my Da Yu fatherland, act with utter depravity, harbor Qiang bandits…… The deputy general sent envoys as a token of trust, but suffered repeated humiliations; forced with no alternative, to exalt the prestige of my Da Yu state, he led his troops straight into Shendu, repeatedly defeating the Shiva bandits……"

"He has already taken seven cities of Shendu, capturing over forty thousand enemy troops and beheading more than ten thousand. The deputy general requests orders: to temporarily halt the advance, relying on Shendu's Sanjiang Valley natural barrier to build forts and beacon towers, first pacifying these seven cities."

"Shendu's land is fertile and its waters abundant, yet the Shendu people are greedy and lazy, neglecting agriculture; fine farmland is actually overrun by weeds……"

Hu Bu Gui's memorial became increasingly colloquial toward the end, even slipping in profanity several times.

The Shiva people's waste of good farmland really angered him.

After reading the memorial, Chen Wuji relaxed a little and the corners of his mouth twitched upward.

Hu Bu Gui handled this admirably; as a prefect who could still run wild in Qiang Land despite the harsh environment of Dingzhou, it was truly a waste of talent for him to become a mere civil official.

In about two months, he had taken the seven cities of Shendu and reached the Sanjiang Valley.

This achievement is enough to be called stunning.

"Without doubt, fetch the map of Lingnan that includes Shendu and Qiang Land." Chen Wuji ordered, then slapped Hu Bu Gui's memorial onto the desk.

Xu Zengyi walked in from outside, saying, "My lord, how is General Hu's progress in Qiang Land? I just heard the scout's voice, not intending to eavesdrop."

"Why be so cautious?" Chen Wuji exclaimed, his spirits lifted, as he handed over Hu Bu Gui's memorial: "We have taken seven cities, already reached the Sanjiang Valley; Hu Bu Gui requests a temporary halt to prioritize digesting those seven cities; sir, please give your opinion."

Xu Zengyi's face lit up; he opened the memorial, glanced at it quickly, and said, "My lord, I think we should accept General Hu's suggestion and dispatch a colony farming training officer to take over."

"Huh? Directly take over?" Chen Wuji retorted, then said softly, "Sir, we must consider the feelings of the people below."