Chapter 362

First Volume, Chapter 362: Even If the Deal Fails, Righteousness Remains

The Great Liang Black Guard is omnipresent, infiltrating every corner of Heaven.

The Bei Di Night Owl is no less formidable!

Decades ago, these two spy organizations began outwitting each other—and they've been locked in this struggle ever since.

Long before their armies clashed, their intelligence and espionage war had already reached a stalemate—truly evenly matched.

Within Great Liang's borders, the Black Guard holds the home field advantage; no one can match it.

But here, in Bei Di territory, the Black Guard has no right to act recklessly!

The female Night Owl, riding her horse, whispered: "The Black Guard ambushed General Chen on the road—we shall return the favor. The King has ordered the assassination of Qin Feng. Since Great Liang fears General Chen, we must treat the symptom: once Qin Feng is dead, Beixi County will descend into chaos, and Great Liang will lose its fangs like a tiger."

Chen Si slowly closed his eyes, and after a long silence, he forced out a faint remark: "I hope… I never… face Qin Feng… again."

Though Chen Si had long regarded Qin Feng as his worthy rival, for the sake of Bei Di's fate, he could only avoid any mutual admiration.

The carriage slowly headed toward the Di Royal Capital.

At that moment, a dark shadow slowly rose from behind some loose rocks no more than twenty meters from the scene.

The man was around twenty, dressed in black brocade, his origins unidentifiable at first glance—but the style of his waist saber matched exactly that of the Tianji Camp Guards.

The brocade-clad man pulled a bamboo-and-rattan cage from behind his waist and seized a pigeon from inside!

He slipped the pre-written message into a bamboo tube, then released the bird, which flapped its wings and flew toward Beixi County.

…

Gaoshan Country, capital city.

Inside the brightly lit Camp, Gaoshan's ministers were locked in fierce verbal combat with the Tianji Camp Merchant Caravan's envoy.

Gaoshan Country follows Great Liang's official system.

Thus, it too has the Six Ministries.

The Minister of Revenue slammed his fist on the table, glaring furiously and roaring: "How dare you! This is the capital of Gaoshan Country, before our Monarch! You are merely merchants—Great Liang claims to uphold Shinan Nonggong, where merchants rank lowest! How dare you shout and bellow before our Monarch? Is this your Great Liang's etiquette?"

The Caravan Captain spat the half-drunk tea onto the ground: "Pah!"

The nearby general scowled fiercely: "Who are you spitting at? How dare you disrespect our Monarch!"

The Caravan Captain remained utterly unconcerned, ignoring the furious stares of the Civil and Military Ministers. He tossed the cup aside and sneered: "What trash tea! Compared to Great Liang's fine tea, this is worthless! Ha—only a backwater like Gaoshan Country would drink this rubbish. In Great Liang, even pigs won't touch it!"

This remark clearly mocked Gaoshan Country's scarcity of materials and barren land.

The tea drunk by Gaoshan nobles was unfit even for Great Liang's pigs.

The King of Gaoshan's face turned pitch black, yet he was powerless—after seven or eight years, no Great Liang merchant caravan had visited.

Now, Bei Di and Great Liang are locked in fierce standoff.

At the Front Line, armies face each other, with occasional outbreaks of localized battle.

In the Rear, spy departments probe and test each other relentlessly.

Open and covert struggles never cease.

Gaoshan Country, caught in the middle, is torn—daring not to offend either side. But if forced to choose, it leans toward Bei Di. After all, Great Liang is far away, beyond reach, while Bei Di could wipe out Gaoshan at any moment.

The King of Gaoshan had heard whispers of Qin Feng's name—after all, the killing of Zhong Ling had stirred uproar across Bei Di, and since Gaoshan maintained close ties with Bei Di, he naturally knew.

Now that Qin Feng showed interest in Gaoshan's specialty—the Highland Horse—the King believed an opportunity had arrived: he could use this to demand exorbitant prices and extract as many materials and supplies as possible to fill his nation's shortages.

But who could have imagined!

Even a lowly Caravan Captain was this difficult to deal with.

Unbeknownst to them, this Caravan Captain was Qin Chao, a servant of the Qin Residence.

By status, he was once equal to Qin Xiaofu—but ever since Qin Xiaofu clung to Qin Feng and rose to prominence, Qin Chao's standing plummeted.

Fortunately, Second Miss Liu Hongyan promoted him to assist in the Tianji Camp's accounting office; after several transfers, he was reassigned to Beixi County and appointed Caravan Captain by Third Miss Li Xiaolan.

Qin Chao naturally intended to seize this chance and make a strong impression on his Young Master.

Perhaps he could even replace Qin Xiaofu and become the Young Master's new favorite?

The negotiations with Gaoshan Country were crucial!

Qin Chao grinned broadly, unafraid: "Look at your own situation before you dare to glare and puff up! What right do you have to slam tables? If my Young Master hadn't taken interest in your worthless horses, why would we have come all the way to this godforsaken hole?"

"Since Great Liang fell out with Bei Di, no merchant caravan has entered Gaoshan Country. Look at the tea you drink—do you even still have enough of this stuff?"

"Bei Di, as your overlord, is barely holding itself together—how could it possibly help you?"

"Let me say it again: if you truly wish to do business, the Tianji Camp will deal fairly. But if you try to gouge us, we won't play along!"

Qin Chao's rapid-fire tirade left the Civil and Military Ministers red-faced and speechless, unable to find a rebuttal.

After all…

Gaoshan Country has always been weak—even its Monarch, when facing the Liang Holy Man, must bow as a subject.

The King of Gaoshan swallowed his rage, waved his hand, and signaled the ministers to calm down.

He fixed his gaze on Qin Chao and said coldly: "You claim the Tianji Camp seeks honest trade—but the price you offer shows no sincerity whatsoever."

"My Gaoshan Country's Warhorses sell for a thousand taels each—yet you offer only five hundred taels. Is that not the dream of a fool?"

Qin Chao held the upper hand and refused to budge, spreading his hands in a clear "take it or leave it" posture.

"Five hundred taels. Sell or don't sell."

"My Young Master says: if the Monarch refuses, it's a one-time deal. If you accept, all future Warhorse prices will be fixed at five hundred taels. Gaoshan Country may expand its livestock industry as much as it wishes—the Tianji Camp will take every single Warhorse you produce. Additionally, we will supply all your needs for tea, sugar, salt, and other precious goods."

"From now on, if Gaoshan Country wants any commodity, simply list it. As long as it's not outrageous, my Young Master will fulfill it."

The King of Gaoshan had been holding back his fury, secretly plotting.

If the deal collapsed, he would simply kill Qin Chao and vent his hatred.

After all, Gaoshan was far away—Qin Feng wouldn't fly a thousand li just to avenge a servant.

But after hearing Qin Chao's words, the King of Gaoshan suddenly grew interested: "Is Qin Feng telling the truth?"

"Can you meet all the commodity demands of Gaoshan Country?"

"If that is truly the case, this matter may be reconsidered. As for Warhorses, five hundred Tael per horse is excessive, but if a stable trading channel can be established, Gaoshan Country can raise as many as it wishes, and Qin Feng will buy them all—this is not entirely out of the question."

After all, Gaoshan Country's Warhorses have always been sold abroad as rare goods.

They are priceless, yet unavailable.

If a stable sales channel can be established, it would be an undeniable benefit to Gaoshan Country, making it far easier to exchange goods for daily Materials and Supplies in the future.

Qin Chao, who had just looked as if he wanted to be punched, immediately became well-mannered.