Chapter 288: The Concept for the Mutton Hotpot Business

At noon, Jiang Jiang Mingyu was wolfing down his meal inside the tent when a soldier threw open the flap and rushed in, sweating profusely: "Report to Your Majesty! Her Majesty the Empress has sent a handwritten letter from Guizhou; the messenger has been waiting respectfully outside the tent for quite some time!"

With his mouth still stuffed with food, Jiang Jiang Mingyu waved his hand indistinctly and said, "Quickly, invite the messenger in."

This was already the second letter Jiang Jiang Mingyu had received from his beloved wife, Liu Liu Yifei, since their separation; thinking of his true love far away across a thousand li, his heart could not help but rise with longing and joy.

Before long, a sturdy middle-aged messenger dressed in a dark cyan robe entered the tent with utmost reverence, presenting an exquisite letter with both hands; Jiang Jiang Mingyu set down his bowl and chopsticks, carefully opened the envelope, and saw row upon row of neat, elegant script that, after simple greetings, primarily inquired about the military affairs under his command here.

A trace of tenderness flashed in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes; he looked up at the messenger standing straight as a ramrod and asked softly, "Is the Empress Consort well in Guizhou?"

The messenger flattered, "Replying to Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress is healthy, safe, and prosperous; she has expanded her business ventures in Guizhou to every corner, and during my journey, countless people sang her praises—now, Her Majesty the Empress is already the number one merchant in One Da Jiang!"

Speaking thus, the messenger slightly relaxed his tone and continued with a smile, "This subordinate presumes to speak out of turn, but sincerely hopes Your Majesty will soon pacify Other Xi Xia; at that time, Her Majesty's grand commercial ambitions will leap beyond our national borders and influence the world!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's usually cynical smile gradually vanished; he frowned tightly, seemingly lost in deep thought.

Seeing this, the messenger was startled and immediately knelt, crying, "This subordinate's words were too heavy; I beg Your Majesty to understand clearly and grant mercy and forgiveness!"

Only then did Jiang Jiang Mingyu come to his senses; he waved his hand at the messenger, saying, "Rise; not only are you without fault, but you have actually reminded me of a major matter; I have more questions for you shortly."

Relieved, the messenger repeatedly responded, "Your Majesty, please ask; this subordinate will definitely speak all he knows and hide nothing!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded and asked directly, "As far as you know, is there still much trade and travel between our Great Jiang borderlands and Western Xia?"

The messenger pondered for a moment before replying affirmatively, "Replying to Your Majesty, although battle is imminent, before actual warfare begins, merchant caravans still travel in great numbers, numbering in the tens of thousands; may I ask what important matter prompts Your Majesty's inquiry?"

The corners of Jiang Jiang Mingyu's mouth lifted slightly as he instructed, "Return and inform the Empress to dispatch trusted merchants to Other Xi Xia to operate a mutton hotpot business; with winter approaching, this will surely be highly profitable; I have my own arrangements; you need only provide full support."

The messenger hastily accepted the order and departed; Jiang Jiang Mingyu gazed at his retreating figure, and once again the light of ambition surfaced on his face—this time, he would make the people of Other Xi Xia pay blood for blood and feel the suffering he had endured back then!

Before the messenger had even left, Tu Tu Kesiluo followed a soldier into the tent; having heard Jiang Jiang Mingyu's words, he felt certain that a battle between One Da Jiang and Other Xi Xia was inevitable, yet now they were sending people there to do business, which struck him as truly puzzling.

Tu Tu Kesiluo got straight to the point, asking, "Big Brother, what are you up to now? With Other Xi Xia's troops at our city gates, you want to send people there to do business—isn't this a joke?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu beckoned the messenger to withdraw, then said with a smile, "Guess what my specific intention is?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo frowned, his thick brows knitting together as he thought, then said, "Could it be that you want these merchants to act as inside agents, gathering military intelligence for us?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not answer directly, merely asking with a smile, "What other purpose could there possibly be?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo racked his brains but remained completely baffled; he could only shake his head and say, "I truly cannot think of anything else; please tell me your intention."

Only then did Jiang Jiang Mingyu explain, "What you said is correct; once war breaks out in the future, these merchants can gather crucial military intelligence for us and play an important role; moreover, with both nations now at sword's point, ordinary spies find it difficult to enter, whereas merchants can come and go relatively easily."

Tu Tu Kesiluo thought for a moment, then asked again, "But everyone in One Da Jiang knows that mutton hotpot is Her Majesty's signature dish; wouldn't the people of Other Xi Xia refuse to let us dominate this business?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu toyed with his teacup and laughed, "People in One Da Jiang may know, but the people of Other Xi Xia know nothing about our interior lands; they will not make that connection; previously, Shang Mu guarded the passes like iron, so Other Xi Xia's understanding of One Da Jiang was limited; we can exploit this point."

As he spoke, a hint of cunning subtly emerged in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's smile.

Tu Tu Kesiluo pressed further, "Then your doing this isn't just about gathering military intelligence, is it? What other greater purpose do you have?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu gestured for Tu Tu Kesiluo to sit opposite him; taking a sip of tea himself, he spoke slowly, "Previously, Prime Minister Master Zhuge said that after a coup occurred in Other Xi Xia and the new king, Tuoba Tuoba Jiqian, seized power, they launched a massive invasion of our territory; if we can spread rumors within Other Xi Xia to incite internal chaos, we will surely weaken their strength, which would be greatly beneficial to us."

Tu Tu Kesiluo suddenly realized the truth and nodded repeatedly; Jiang Jiang Mingyu continued, "Secondly, Other Xi Xia lies in a bitter, cold region, far harsher than Shang Mu; come winter, such a spicy, hot dish as mutton hotpot will surely be immensely popular; if Her Majesty manages the operations properly, she will soon control Other Xi Xia's catering industry; once we hold the source of Other Xi Xia's wealth, we can strangle their lifeline; silver holds immense significance in military affairs, making this a viable strategy as well."

Tu Tu Kesiluo still harbored some doubts: "Big Brother, I feel you are thinking too optimistically; once war breaks out, Other Xi Xia will surely cut off your business; won't all this effort be in vain then?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu already had a contingency plan: "The silver from the business will be transported back to One Da Jiang via secret tunnels; the people of Other Xi Xia will not lay hands on a single penny; furthermore, I will conquer and destroy Other Xi Xia before next autumn; as long as we survive this winter, everything will be fine."

Hearing this, Tu Tu Kesiluo scratched his head and laughed, "I don't understand business; if you say it will work, then it will; I'll just treat this as a huge gamble."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled helplessly, thinking to himself, I have explained so much to you, yet you still only half-understand; it is truly like playing the lute to a cow.

However, to prevent the messenger from leaking any secrets, Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not reveal his entire plan; he finally said, "It is decided; immediately write a letter to Her Majesty the Empress explaining the reasons and ensure this matter is accomplished."

Tu Tu Kesiluo nodded in agreement.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu took a light sip of tea, his brows slightly furrowed, his expression seeming to conceal some kind of worry.

Tu Tu Kesiluo gazed at Jiang Jiang Mingyu and ventured cautiously, "Big Brother, is something troubling your mind? Your demeanor today seems quite off."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu set down his teacup and slowly sighed, "I am thinking about the scouts previously dispatched to Quyang; there has been no news from them whatsoever; we know absolutely nothing about the specific situation in Quyang, which worries me greatly."

Hearing this, Tu Tu Kesiluo patted Jiang Jiang Mingyu on the shoulder, saying, "Why trouble yourself over such a minor matter? Quyang's forces are thin; even if Yu Yu Gaoyang defends the city to the death, we will eventually break through; please rest assured."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled helplessly, thinking that if only things were truly as Tu Tu Kesiluo described; he raised his teacup again, gently swirling the gradually cooling tea within, his gaze somewhat unfocused as he looked out beyond the tent: "Perhaps we should launch our expedition first; as for battle strategies, we must wait for the scouts' reports before making a decision."

Tu Tu Kesiluo paused for a moment, then put on a cynical smile again: "By the way, guess how our old friend Li Li Haoyang will react upon hearing the news of Qin Qin Lihai's defeat? That old fellow might just fly into a rage!"

Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu could not help but laugh as well: "Haha, upon hearing such terrible news, he will surely be hopping with fury; however, I am quite curious about what cards he has left to play"; saying this, a hint of cunning appeared on Jiang Jiang Mingyu's face.

Tu Tu Kesiluo pondered for a moment before analyzing slowly, "Li Li Haoyang now has only one hundred thousand troops left; with Qin Qin Lihai annihilated, he can only choose to defend to the death or conscript troops in large numbers; but whichever path he takes, the result will inevitably be destruction."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded upon hearing this, then a sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he said, "In that case, let us force him to stake everything on a single throw; once we crush Quyang and occupy Hongzhou, Li Li Haoyang will be forced to huddle in a corner, barely clinging to life, and will collapse on his own within a few days."