Chapter 386: Target: Liangshan

Everyone was shocked.

There was no other reason.

At this moment, the place on the map that Liu Zheng was pointing to was precisely the southwestern-most part of Chuan Shu.

Liangshan!

"This..."

"Prefect Liu?"

"Second Brother!"

Everyone was startled.

Many of them even felt a sense of relief in their hearts. Damn, so this is what you wanted? You should have said so earlier; if you had said so earlier, why would we have needed to waste so much breath on you?

Liu Zheng chuckled: "Brother, since my Liangzhou Army is a weapon of the state, would it be a problem to station fifty thousand troops in Liangshan?"

Xie Zhen was anxious: "Second Brother, be cautious with this matter! Although Liangzhou is technically under the jurisdiction of Chuan Shu, it only accepts the tribal chieftains enfeoffed by Longyan, this..."

The others also shook their heads one after another, their eyes filled with mockery.

The land of Liangshan had been a barren place since ancient times. Especially in the eyes of these people from Chuan Shu, the climate and environment of Liangshan were simply too terrible! That was not a place for humans to live at all!

Furthermore, they were all barbarians!

All of them were barbarians!

It was just that, compared to the true Southern Barbarians, these barbarians still listened to the Longyan Dynasty. But this still could not change the backwardness of Liangshan's social system—how backward was it?

Liu Zheng remembered clearly in his impression.

In the early days of the founding of the country in later generations, this Liangshan was still a slave society! Yes, in that era, it wasn't even a feudal society, let alone now?

Therefore, in the eyes of these people, the people there were simply a bunch of uncivilized monkeys!

Who would go there?

But in Liu Zheng's eyes, it was not entirely so.

In fact, he believed that at this time, the place called Liangshan was absolutely a treasure trove for him! Why? Liangshan was the border area between the Sichuan and Yunnan of later generations, and Liangshan was even later called the "Silk Road" of the south! Liu Zheng's vision was not comparable to that of ordinary people.

What is the southern Silk Road?

That is the important passage from the Longyan Dynasty, leading to Yunnan, and then to Southeast Asia! This is the key point!

Nowadays.

The development of Liangzhou had actually reached a bottleneck stage. As long as Xie Tianyao was not dead, the world could not be in chaos. If the world was not in chaos, his development would be constrained. Moving east was basically hopeless.

Moving south, he had already arrived in Chuan Shu.

But he could not truly occupy Chuan Shu; since he could not occupy it, he would settle for the next best thing and go to Liangshan! Here, he would build his own military base.

In this way, his range of choices would increase.

Firstly, Liangshan had the Wangbei Academy, and he really wanted to go see what kind of place that was. Secondly, if the world was not in chaos, he could move south to Southeast Asia and Nanyang to continue expanding his territory, influence, and commercial markets. Thirdly, the place of Liangshan and the hiding of troops in the Western Regions actually had the same effect.

When the day came for the world to be in chaos, he could move south, north, east, or west.

At that time, who could do anything to him?

Therefore.

Facing the confusion and mockery of these people, Liu Zheng did not take it to heart and chuckled: "It is this place. Brother, I think no one will refuse, right? Let my Liangzhou Army guard the southern gate of Longyan! The remaining soldiers will all return to Liangzhou! For the grain and fodder consumed in this expedition, I, Liu Zheng, will not ask Chuan Shu for a single copper coin!"

Silence!

The entire hall was deathly silent.

Everyone looked at each other, unable to help but reveal joy in their eyes.

Good heavens.

Were they not just being aggressive and engaging in that war of words just to keep Liu Zheng from making exorbitant demands?

So, it was that simple?

"Good! Great King, I believe Prefect Liu's sincere heart is acceptable!"

That white-haired old man immediately stood up and laughed heartily.

Once he took the lead, the others also echoed one after another.

All kinds of praise.

Just kidding...

Someone was paying money and providing troops to help them guard this southern gate, who wouldn't be happy? One must know that this Southern Barbarian invasion happened because the Liangshan chieftain was two-faced and, after receiving orders from Xie Yang, gave way to the three-hundred-thousand-strong Southern Barbarian army.

Chuan Shu had suffered from the Southern Barbarians for a long time.

As for that godforsaken Liangshan, whoever wants it can take it!

What kind of tricks could one pull off there?

Xie Zhen was even more moved: "Second Brother, how can this make me face the brothers of the Liangzhou Army?"

As he spoke, he began to wipe away tears.

Liu Zheng hurriedly said: "Brother, you and I are brothers, why say such things?"

Xie Zhen declined a few times before gritting his teeth: "Fine, since Second Brother has made up his mind, then I cannot let people gossip! Second Brother, do not make things difficult for me; for this trip to Liangshan, the Shu Wang Mansion will provide fifty thousand gold and three hundred thousand shi of grain!"

"Good!"

"The Prince of Shu is generous!"

In this way, the scene was once again harmonious.

What was fifty thousand gold? What was three hundred thousand shi of grain? Chuan Shu had plenty!

That white-haired old man was even happier, directly drafting the contract and having Xie Zhen and Liu Zheng sign it on the spot.

"Station troops in Liangshan to defend against the Southern Barbarians!"

They toasted each other.

Everyone was happy.

When the night grew deep, Liu Zheng finally left the table, his steps already somewhat unsteady. Xie Zhen supported him as they walked out together, then suddenly bowed deeply: "Second Brother, I... I..."

Liu Zheng was startled: "Brother, you must not!"

Tears shimmered in Xie Zhen's eyes: "Second Brother, today was not my intention. They were so aggressive, yet Second Brother, you kept me in mind and made such concessions; this makes me, this makes me, how can I face you?"

Liu Zheng laughed: "Brother, you speak too seriously; I was planning to make a trip to Liangshan anyway."

Xie Zhen only then realized, laughing heartily: "Is it to propose marriage for Brother Qin Zhangfeng?"

This matter, no one else truly knew.

Liu Zheng nodded with a smile.

Xie Zhen nodded heavily: "Your brother is naturally my brother as well. Tomorrow, I shall have people prepare the betrothal gifts properly; we must let Pei Yanran have a grand wedding!"

Liu Zheng knew Xie Zhen intended to make amends to him, so he could only smile and accept.

Returning to the room, Qin Zhangfeng and the others were already waiting.

"Young Master, why Liangshan? Oh my!"

Qin Zhangfeng was somewhat anxious: "Even if we were to station troops in Yong'an, it would be better. Under the pretext of rebuilding Jiangzhou City, the Prince of Shu would certainly not refuse!"

Shen Manqing also nodded.

Pei Yanran, who was to the side, had a somewhat awkward status and found it inconvenient to say much, but she was still very curious: why did Liu Zheng choose Liangshan?

Liu Zheng made a joke: "Naturally, I must go see the Academy of my sister-in-law's maiden family. Wouldn't taking these fifty thousand troops along make for a bigger spectacle? It can also demonstrate the sincerity of our Great General of Liangzhou in taking a wife!"

"Ah!"

Pei Yanran's face flushed red.

Qin Zhangfeng also scratched his head and said with a bitter smile: "Young Master, this spectacle is perhaps too large..."

Liu Zheng deliberately said with a serious face: "Brother Changfeng, this is truly a foolproof plan I have devised. Since we are going to Liangshan, we must see if the Wangbei Academy will give us face! According to my thinking, if they give us face, that is fine; if they do not give us face, how about we burn down that Liangshan?"

"Ah? No!"

Hearing this, Pei Yanran's face turned deathly pale.

Liu Zheng, Qin Zhangfeng, and the others all burst into laughter at the same time.

Only then did Pei Yanran realize she had been teased by this man, and she gave a delicate huff.

These few people did not know...

That this joking remark would, in the future, nearly come true.