Chapter 113: Silk Road

Reguli's gaze remained burning, and as she asked this, her graceful body intentionally reclined on the throne; the slightly tipsy Queen revealed a glimpse of her charms, stirring one's imagination.

Liu Zheng felt miserable inside, not daring to meet her eyes, and lowered his head with a wry smile: "Queen, Xiang Zheng is merely a scholar; how could I dare speak of wanting anything?"

Reguli let out an "ah," and said coquettishly: "Didn't Young Master Xiang say you wanted to travel the world to study? How about waiting for Halike to ascend the throne, and I take you around Loulan, how about that?"

"Cough, cough..."

Huang Yantai coughed violently, just one step away from saying "Queen, please show some restraint"...

Mire also laughed heartily, his face full of a playful expression.

As for the civil and military officials, there is no need to mention them; they simply pretended not to see, toasting each other and spouting pedantic jargon.

How could Liu Zheng withstand such passionate, overt flirting? He bit the bullet and said: "Queen, Xiang Zheng does indeed have a request."

Reguli was very happy to hear this, even bouncing up from the throne and coming joyfully to Liu Zheng's side, bringing with her a unique, fragrant breeze that scared Liu Zheng into taking several steps back, his heart wailing in all sorts of ways.

"Calling you 'Xiang Zheng' over and over, doesn't it sound awkward?"

Reguli suddenly smiled.

Liu Zheng looked up in shock.

"Young Master Liu, we are all family now, are you still unwilling to tell me your real name?"

Reguli sighed resentfully.

"What?"

Liu Zheng felt a chill run down his spine, his face full of vigilance. He had never intended to reveal his real name because he feared trouble, so Reguli's words gave him quite a start.

Reguli giggled: "Young Master is so famous, yet you refuse to tell me... That Hanzhong Xiang Clan doesn't have a figure like you!"

After the initial shock, Liu Zheng finally relaxed.

That's right.

Before, he was worried about his true identity being exposed and Loulan having ulterior motives. But now? Mire's Arab army was stationed outside the city. Even if Loulan wanted to do something to him, they would likely have to worry about the consequences.

But even so, Liu Zheng still looked at the Reguli before him with a new level of respect.

It seems Loulan also has its own intelligence network...

He immediately felt cold sweat trickling down.

Sure enough, how could someone who manages to become Queen be a simple character? He had still underestimated these Loulan people.

He gave a wry smile: "I ask for the Queen's understanding, Liu Zheng..."

Once these words were out.

That group of people pretending to be drunk were all astonished.

Huang Yantai's eyes also shone with intensity: "Could Your Excellency be the world-renowned Prefectural Assistant Liu of Yinzhou?"

"So it was him?"

"My god, no wonder he appeared like a god descending from heaven..."

"This, this, this..."

The whole hall was in an uproar!

Upon learning that Young Master Xiang was actually Liu Zheng, everyone was stunned. Some even had eyes filled with killing intent. If he were just that nephew of the Xiang Clan, it would be one thing. But if this were the Yinzhou that bordered Loulan, wouldn't letting this person go be like releasing a tiger back to the mountains? However, seeing Mire sitting intimately by Liu Zheng's side, no one dared to say such things.

The look in Reguli's eyes as she watched Liu Zheng immediately became complex, filled with obsession, affection, resentment, and unwillingness, all mixed together, finally turning into a sigh: "Forget it, forget it, the Longyan Dynasty truly hides dragons and crouching tigers. It seems Reguli will never be able to keep Young Master Liu in Loulan."

Liu Zheng lowered his head with a wry smile.

Mire, who had long known Liu Zheng's identity, came out to smooth things over, laughing: "Since that is the case, Young Master Liu need not be reserved; state your request!"

Reguli returned to her seat and nodded faintly.

Liu Zheng was taken aback.

Is it time to divide the cake?

He took a deep breath, his eyes burning as he said: "Liu Zheng wishes to form a commercial alliance with Loulan and the Arab Empire to jointly plan the Silk Road!"

"Silk Road?"

Reguli's eyes lit up.

Mire also looked over in pleasant surprise.

Liu Zheng smiled slightly and looked at Xiang Chenglin beside him. Liu Zheng had actually prepared two blueprints long ago; they were the Silk Road in his mind! Originally, he had thought that due to his "Young Master Xiang" identity, he would hand this blueprint to Reheman when he left. But since his identity was "exposed," there was no harm in taking it out now.

A group of people gathered around.

Liu Zheng opened the map and laughed: "Zheng believes that starting from Yinzhou, we should build post stations, reclaim the desert, with a station every ten miles and a Post House every thirty miles! Directly open a passage from the Longyan Dynasty to Loulan! What do you all think?"

"What?"

"This..."

Everyone was shocked.

One by one, they were all frightened by Liu Zheng's idea.

Reclaim the desert?

Is the desert really that easy to reclaim? And you want to set up post stations and Post Houses in the desert? Are you not joking? Who doesn't know that the desert is a man-eating place? Since ancient times, no one has ever dared to challenge the weather and climate like this!

This Young Master Liu truly has the strange ideas of legend!

Liu Zheng, however, just smiled and said nothing.

Why couldn't it be reclaimed? In the desert reclamation of the later generations, he had planted quite a few saxaul trees... In his view, such things are not to be feared because they can't be done, but because they aren't done! Since they were going to build the Silk Road, it should be done this way. Instead of letting the desert continue to swallow the lives of those camel caravans. No one decreed that the desert must slowly swallow the oasis, rather than the oasis slowly swallowing the desert.

"This..."

"This is absolutely impossible!"

"Young Master Liu, this is simply wishful thinking!"

"Hahahaha, that desert takes a full half-month to cross!"

The crowd roared with laughter, feeling that this "famous" Young Master Liu was nothing more than this. He actually dared to attempt to conquer the desert.

Reguli also looked at Liu Zheng with suspicion.

And Mire was also left between laughter and tears.

It seemed that both of them had begun to doubt Liu Zheng, this loose cannon.

Mire smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Liu, are you serious? You must know that the entire desert is a full one thousand li across!"

Liu Zheng nodded with a smile: "I can!"

Everyone shook their heads again, feeling that Liu Zheng had truly gone mad.

Liu Zheng looked at Reguli with a smile and said, "Since the Queen is also questioning, what Liu Zheng wants to say is this: if my Yinzhou can do it, then all the governed desert shall fall within the territory of my Yinzhou. Would Loulan be willing?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.

They looked at one another.

One must know that for who knows how many years, this vast desert had been the natural barrier between Loulan and the Longyan Dynasty. This one-thousand-li desert allowed the two countries to mind their own business. But... what if this desert were gone?

The situation would be different at once.

More crucially, what if this desert were to be annexed by Yinzhou?

Everyone gasped.

This Young Master Liu had immense ambition!

Reguli also stared blankly.

Mire was also shocked to the core.

Silence!

You could hear a pin drop!

Everyone was calculating this matter in their minds.

By then, Loulan would lose its entire barrier... by then, Yinzhou would become too powerful to control, and by then, the land between the two countries would be a flat plain...

But what made people feel even more shocked was this.

If this passage could truly be opened.

Then by that time...

Trade would be more convenient, the flow of goods would be more efficient, transportation costs would be reduced significantly, and perhaps... all those people who died every year due to traveling for trade would no longer have to die.

Profit!

Profit!

It was all about profit!

Gain.

Gain.

It was all about gain!

Mire even stopped breathing. Regardless of whether this could be realized, it was a good thing for the Arab Empire!

Reguli was also calculating in her heart.

To trade a natural barrier for immense profit—for a Loulan that built its wealth on trade, was it worth it?

Liu Zheng deliberately waited for them to ponder for a moment before smiling: "Queen, what do you think?"

Reguli gave a devastatingly beautiful smile and asked sweetly: "Young Master Liu, can you guarantee that my Loulan will remain unmolested for hundreds of years?"

Liu Zheng was overjoyed and cupped his hands, saying: "As long as Liu Zheng is here, Loulan shall be secure! As long as the Queen is here, Loulan shall be stable!"

Reguli's delicate body trembled, a faint glimmer flashing in her eyes; it seemed this was the most moving love talk in the world, and she nodded in a daze, unable to help herself: "Good! Young Master, do not forget what you said today. What do you all think?"

The civil and military officials discussed it among themselves, and none had any major objections.

The desert did not originally belong to Loulan, and with such huge benefits before them, who wouldn't be covetous?

Therefore, right then and there, concerns about barriers or treason were all cast aside.

Mire was also very excited.

No one could have imagined that tonight.

In the Wanggong of Loulan.

The three giants—from Yinzhou of the Longyan Dynasty, from the Loulan Kingdom, and from the Arab Empire—signed a piece of paper that would officially launch the Silk Road, which would later shock the world, and officially initiate the increasingly prosperous trade across Europe, Asia, and Africa.

After the signing was complete, they raised their cups together.

Reguli still looked at Liu Zheng with infatuation: "Young Master, no matter how many years it takes, Reguli will wait for your return from the desert..."

Liu Zheng was startled and hurriedly made an excuse about being drunk to leave.

"Young Master, Young Master..."

Reguli almost grabbed Liu Zheng.

But no matter what she said, Liu Zheng did not dare to stop his pace as he left. Seeing this, Mire also cupped his hands and left. After exiting the Wanggong and following behind Liu Zheng, he only smiled at Liu Zheng once they were in the Horse Carriage, teasing: "Young Master Liu, you have quite the romantic luck!"

Liu Zheng was between laughter and tears: "Brother Mire is mocking me."

Mire straightened his expression: "Young Master Liu, you saved me from fire and water this time; if there is ever anything you need from me, Mire, just command it! Your blueprint for the Silk Road also truly commands my admiration. If you are not a madman, Young Master, then you are the greatest talent in the world!"

Liu Zheng smiled: "Brother Mire is too kind. Since that is the case, I will not stand on ceremony: Yinzhou needs slaves!"

Mire narrowed his eyes slightly: "Can you exchange them for Refined Salt, Young Master?"

Liu Zheng said excitedly: "That goes without saying!"

The two arrived at the Rongxiang Post House, and Liu Zheng called for Zheng Yue Ru to come out to sign the agreement on the spot. Seeing the conditions Mire had written down, even Liu Zheng was stunned. One liter of Refined Salt for one slave? And this was the price for trading in Yinzhou...

In this era, people were truly like blades of grass, worth nothing at all.

Yinzhou's thirst for labor at this time was quite significant. Liu Zheng ordered his first batch of one hundred thousand slaves directly to fill the vacancies in various positions in Yintan City. Mire did not waste words and agreed on the spot, but because the journey was long, they would be delivered to Yinzhou in two months. Such speed already made Liu Zheng very pleasantly surprised.

After the agreement was signed, both sides were very happy.

Mire knew that this Young Master Liu was considered a prominent figure in the Longyan Dynasty, and even more so in Liangzhou, so he promised that in two months, he would personally escort the one hundred thousand slaves to visit Yinzhou, which Liu Zheng naturally welcomed immensely. One must know that the Arab Empire was quite wealthy; although Petroleum was of little use for now, there was plenty of gold as well.

Xiang Chenglin brought out more Yinzhou Drunk; Liu Zheng and Mire could already be considered friends through life and death, and they drank until they were dead drunk that night.

The following three days.

No matter how Reguli invited Liu Zheng, Liu Zheng did not dare to go to the Wanggong anymore.

Fortunately, Loulan had just experienced a great battle and was waiting to be rebuilt, with many orders needing to be restored. For over a hundred years, the people of Loulan had been accustomed to the existence of this Temple; it was still very difficult for them to accept that their faith would suddenly change. These matters all required long-term readjustment and adaptation.

Moreover, in the coming days, Loulan also had to prepare for the ceremony of the new king ascending the throne.

In three days, Liu Zheng, Zheng Yue Ru, and Qin Zhangfeng had already prepared their luggage, intending to return to Yinzhou. Xiang Chenglin had prepared a caravan of one hundred camels for them, loaded with many of Loulan's specialty goods, Spice, sheepskin, and so on and so forth...

It was a grand and imposing sight.

Xiang Chenglin had by now become the general agent for the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce in Loulan. After packing everything up, he was still quite reluctant to part: "Young Master, are you really not going to inform the royal family?"

Liu Zheng gave a bitter smile: "Manager Xiang, spare me!"

Everyone laughed out loud.

They were escorted all the way to the gates of Kucheng. Liu Zheng and the others looked back, and all of them felt quite emotional. They had never expected that they had only come to Loulan to befriend the slave trader Mire, yet so many things had happened along the way. By a stroke of luck, they had even influenced the change of regime in the Loulan Kingdom, obtained the status of Protector of the State, and signed the epoch-making agreement for the Silk Road.

With this piece of agreement, plus Xiang Chenglin's operations here, the Silk Road could be pushed forward from both Yinzhou and Loulan.

Liu Zheng was confident that he could fully open up the Silk Road within a few years!

"Let's go!"

Liu Zheng waved his hand.

Who would have thought that at this moment, War Horses came galloping out of the city in a massive formation. Liu Zheng took one look and immediately gave a bitter smile; in the end, he still hadn't managed to avoid these people.

Led by Reheman, they brought the Loulan honor guard and a magnificent Horse Carriage; Reguli anxiously pushed open the curtain, and Halike was also among them.

In a grand procession, the group arrived before Liu Zheng. Reguli was already teary-eyed, biting her silver teeth: "Is the Young Master truly so heartless? Even when leaving, you are unwilling to tell Reguli?"

Liu Zheng lowered his head in silence, only able to cup his hands and smile bitterly.

Reheman's eyes turned red, and he hugged Liu Zheng tightly, but he felt that a thousand words were all stuck in his throat: "Young Master, until we meet again! You must accept the gift Loulan is bestowing upon you!"

He waved his hand, and there was another camel caravan of one hundred, carrying a full load of what were likely eye-catching treasures.

To this, Liu Zheng could only accept it as it would be disrespectful to refuse.

The Third Prince Halike also came over to hug Liu Zheng.

"Thank you, Queen, thank you, Brother Re, until we meet again!"

Liu Zheng laughed heartily.

Huang Yantai was also in the farewell party. This old man had returned to a high position once again and was about to single-handedly reform Loulan's education. Liu Zheng could even foresee that with the cultural exchange brought about by trade with all parts of the world, as well as the popularization of education, Loulan's national strength would surely soar.

Yet, all of this had nothing to do with him anymore.

The predecessors plant the trees, and the descendants enjoy the shade. His name would resound throughout Loulan in the future, but he himself had already returned to the Longyan Dynasty.

"Everyone, until we meet again!"

Liu Zheng looked back once more, resisting the urge to look at the breathtakingly beautiful Reguli.

"Young Master!"

Reguli shouted.

Liu Zheng kicked his horse's belly, leaving only a silhouette for the people of Loulan, followed by the long camel caravan, all disappearing into the sound of the rolling wind and sand.

Back in the Horse Carriage, Reguli was teary-eyed.