Chapter 350

Returning to the pass, the two told the whole process of the exchange.

"Lord, the Yan family's sincerity this time is sufficient."

Xiao Chunqiu added after reporting: "The trade routes and materials they provide, especially refined iron and tung oil, are indeed urgently needed in wartime. And their hint that they can provide the Imperial Court army's movements in Bing, You, and other places, if it can really be fulfilled, is of great value."

"That old fox Yan Chonggu knows how to pick his time."

Jiang Jinshi's fingers tapped lightly on the table, "Once Guansongling is broken, he knows that the Imperial Court's Beijiang strategy has failed, and even if we hold firm, the Imperial Court can't do anything about us; this is seeing that we have already stood firm.

Rushing to place a bet, wanting to take the lead. The posture is low, the price is real, he is a smart man."

Yan Chonggu had already sent people before, not intentionally stalling, although it took some time on the road.

But the wonderful thing about this matter was that before breaking Guansongling, Jiang Jinshi did not see such an investment, but after taking Guansongling, the other side appeared immediately.

"Then the Lord's intention is..." Han Xiao asked.

"Leave them hanging." Jiang Jinshi said concisely.

Everyone was stunned.

"Lord, the Yan family is after all a great clan of Guanlong, is this..." Feng Chunsheng hesitated.

"Precisely because he is a great clan of Guanlong, and the first one to rush over, we must leave them hanging."

Jiang Jinshi sneered, "Our Beijiang just broke Guansongling, morale is high, and we hold the Imperial Seal. Now it's others begging to invest, not us begging for alms.

The Yan family wants to take the lead? They can, but they must follow our rules.

Agreeing so quickly would instead make us look eager, and would easily make other forces still watching feel suspicious, or feel that I, Jiang Jinshi, am just a border martial man who is greedy for profit and can be easily bought."

He paused, his eyes sweeping over everyone: "The world is bustling, all for profit. The Yan family saw the profit, what about the Cui family? What about the Fu family?

What about those other small and medium-sized clans and local powerful families who are wavering between the Imperial Court, Western Liang, and Beijiang?

The news of Guansongling is fermenting, and soon, more people will not be able to sit still. When they have gathered enough, we will see them together.

Let them see each other, and let them understand that wanting to get on our Beijiang ship, just having money and goods is not enough; they must have enough vision, determination, and... chips that I, Jiang Jinshi, find worthy."

Jiang Jinshi knew well the harm of the existence of clans to the common people, so he had to suppress the clans.

Hiding books so that scholars from poor families have no chance to get ahead? That won't do; the library must be handed over, which will be convenient for him to open an academy in the future!

Occupying a large amount of farmland, this also won't do; don't show me the land deeds of the previous dynasty, I don't recognize them!!

The country that our Ming Army fought for naturally needs to reasonably distribute resources to the common people; if we continue to maintain the past, then what is the meaning of my fighting for the country?

Clans cannot be killed off; there will always be people who rise up to become new powerful families, and all Jiang Jinshi can do is suppress them.

However, they have not yet occupied the country, so these ideas cannot be implemented, and they can only temporarily move toward these goals.

Everyone suddenly realized and admired him.

The Lord is waiting to sell at a high price, and is also taking this opportunity to see the true attitude and strength comparison of the world's clans and powerful families toward Beijiang, so as to better control and utilize this force in the future.

"Lord is wise." Xiao Chunqiu bowed and smiled, "But what about Yan Shining's side, how should we reply?"

"Send a capable person, in my name, to send some Beijiang specialties, saying that our military affairs are busy, Yang Jiye's army is about to press the border, and we have no time to meet immediately, so please ask Young Master Yan to rest well in the post house, the inside of the pass is safe and secure. After repelling the Imperial Court's army, we will set up a banquet to entertain and discuss cooperation in detail."

"Yes!" Luo Feng took the order.

"The top priority right now is Yang Jiye."

Jiang Jinshi knew that these were all external forces; to strike iron, one must be hard oneself!

"Currently, we don't know the strength of this General Yang, but 250,000 troops cannot be underestimated. The city defenses need to be reinforced, and the scouts should be sent further; I want to know every move of Yang Jiye's camp at any time.

Mr. Feng, Mr. Xiao, the civil administration, logistics, and public opinion inside the pass are entrusted to you two."

"Obey!" The generals responded loudly.

Almost at the same time, in the Cui Residence in Yangzhou, thousands of miles away.

In the main hall of the Cui Residence, there were only the Cui family head Cui Yan and his daughter Cui Wangshu. Cui Yan was over fifty, with a dignity of long-term high position in his elegant temperament.

He held a stack of accounts and secret reports, which were the detailed records of Cui Wangshu's secret dealings and business investments with the Beijiang Xinyue Chamber of Commerce, as well as the urgent report of the great victory at Guansongling.

Cui Wangshu stood before her father with her hands down, her posture straight, her expression calm, without the panic of having her secret exposed, but rather a calmness of dust settling.

She had long known that with the family's energy, this matter could not be hidden for too long, especially after Beijiang was forced onto the chessboard.

Cui Yan put down the papers in his hand and looked at his daughter, who had been exceptionally intelligent and had strong opinions since childhood, with complex eyes.

For a long time, he spoke slowly: "Shu'er, you really... gave your father a big 'surprise'."

Cui Wangshu bowed slightly: "Daughter acted recklessly, dealing with Beijiang without authorization, and did not report to Father in time; please punish me, Father."

"Punish?"

Cui Yan chuckled, shook his head, and pointed to the stack of accounts and secret reports, "According to family rules, privately communicating with foreign vassals, moving family property without authorization, and hiding it without reporting, any one of these would be enough for you to kneel in the ancestral hall for three years! But..."

His tone changed, carrying deep emotion, "The person you chose, the timing you picked, and the business you did, have allowed my Cui family to seize a glimmer of opportunity in this chaotic situation where the world is about to collapse, and it may even be a path to the sky!"

Cui Wangshu remained silent; if according to common sense, this 'business' would be her brother's in the future.

"Guansongling... breaking the pass in a few days, taking the last pass without bloodshed. This person Jiang Jinshi is no longer a thing in a pond. That old fox Yan Chonggu has already sent his nephew with heavy gifts to show favor. Other families are probably also calculating."

He turned around, his tone calm: "You were one step ahead of them all. This vision and courage, Father is not as good as you."

Cui Wangshu did not expect her father to affirm her so directly, even carrying a hint of appreciation.

She said in a low voice: "Daughter just felt at the time that this person was extraordinary, and Beijiang might have potential, wanting to open another path of wealth for the family, without thinking too much."

"Without thinking too much?"

Cui Yan walked back to his seat, seeing through Cui Wangshu's plan at a glance, "No, you thought a lot. You know the Imperial Court is corrupt, know Western Liang is not a good kind, and know that eggs cannot be put in one basket.

You chose Beijiang, chose Jiang Jinshi. Now it seems, this move of yours was played extremely well. My Cui family has passed down poetry and etiquette, and our clean reputation is known throughout the world, but in chaotic times, a clean reputation sometimes becomes a burden.

We need a solid foundation and need to occupy a place in the new dynasty. Jiang Jinshi, perhaps, is the person who can bring a new foundation to my Cui family."