A special thank you to my patrons:
—Cain, Shahzaam, Splendid, Jacob Mooe, Varun Madhu, Gonzalo Sumalavia, kevin Williams, Jose Carrillo, ZaberZ, Jose Sierra, Salim, Silver, ManyEB, Александр Радняный, John Doe.
You can read 50 chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.
P@TREON - [email protected]/lessaservantofcosmos
(just replace the "@" with "a")
ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!
—————————————————————
At dawn, the Shanjin ferry was already bustling with people, some of whom recognized each other and exchanged greetings.
"Hey, isn't that the head steward of the Wang family from the west side? What brings you here today?"
"Haha, just out to enjoy the scenery and stopped by. What about you?"
"I wandered here and saw the crowd. You know me, I can't resist a lively scene."
The two shared a laugh, clasped hands, and parted. The smiles on their faces quickly turned to worry, etching deep lines between their brows.
Luoyang was in the midst of a capital relocation. The first to leave were inevitably the nobles and officials, leaving merchants—especially those with ties to the elite but not direct kin—in a dire situation.
Whether it was needles and thread, cotton and silk, or pots and pans, merchants always kept a stock of daily necessities. Without inventory, they'd risk ruining their reputation.
But after Dong Zhuo announced the relocation on the Dinghai day, chaos ensued for these merchants. With people leaving, who would buy their goods?
In the market, aside from grain, which skyrocketed in price, other valuable inventory became worthless, stuck in their hands.
Stay in Luoyang and wait?
Aside from whether these goods could be stored long-term, just days ago, a wealthy household in the east, unwilling to relocate, tried to flee. They were caught, their entire family executed, and their wealth confiscated.
With the city sealed on three sides, the only path left was west. Even then, Dong Zhuo's troops patrolled the route.
Transport to Chang'an and sell?
Leaving aside the cost of transporting goods, where would they find vehicles? Every household guarded their carriages like treasures. Who would lend them? Without vehicles, were they to carry the goods by hand?
These goods were like a bone stuck in the throat—neither to be swallowed nor spit out, causing unbearable pain.
Now, hearing that miscellaneous goods could be traded for grain at Shanjin, not far from the city's west, merchants flocked like they'd grasped their last lifeline.
---
Zhang Liao's Bingzhou soldiers were busy transferring grain from the Hedong carriages to their own, scurrying back and forth like diligent ants.
"This grain is just what Marquis Wen needs. It'll save us from requisitioning Luoyang's stocks…" Zhang Liao said, standing beside Fei Qian.
Fei Qian turned to him. "Marquis Wen is mobilizing? Eastward?"
Fei Qian's first thought was whether the famous Battle of Hulao Pass was about to unfold. But Zhang Liao's next words confused him.
"No, north to Henei. They should be setting out today," Zhang Liao said. Before an army moved, its direction was secret, but once it was on the march, concealment was impossible, so Zhang Liao didn't bother hiding it.
"Henei? Could it be Yuan Benchu?" Fei Qian murmured.
Zhang Liao shook his head. "I don't know… The Chancellor is heading north too…"
"And Boping? Is he with Marquis Wen?"
"Yes, they're all together," Zhang Liao said. "Without your grain, we'd likely have had to requisition."
Requisition?
Was Luoyang's public granary already depleted?
It was possible. When news of the relocation spread, major merchants began hoarding grain. Though Li Ru managed to secure some, it had to supply both the army and the populace, so even a large granary couldn't withstand constant depletion.
Requisitioning would drain the grain meant for the relocation journey. Though targeted at wealthy households and magnates, the burden would ultimately trickle down to commoners.
In this sense, the grain Fei Qian procured from Hedong had indeed saved many.
Zhang Liao looked regretfully at the rented Hedong carriages. "If these could reach Sili, maybe more people could survive…"
Fei Qian gazed at the carriages, silent for a moment. "Even if they reached Sili, the ones who'd survive would likely be the same…"
Fei Qian wasn't arguing with Zhang Liao; he was stating a fact.
Zhang Liao sighed, nodded, and patted Fei Qian's shoulder. "No matter what, with this grain, more will survive. That's your achievement, Ziyuan! Alright, we're almost loaded. I'll head out first."
Zhang Liao stepped back, clasped his hands, and said meaningfully, "Ziyuan, the road to Bingzhou is rough. I wish you swift success!"
"Thanks for your kind words, Brother Wenyuan. I wish you smooth travels as well."
Fei Qian watched Zhang Liao's group depart. Zhang Liao had brought only about thirty carriages, as he only needed to transport the grain from Shanjin across the river to Shan County—a day's work, including loading and unloading, at most requiring a few trips.
With Zhang Liao and the grain gone, the camp remained, along with three large carts hidden behind the central tent.
Fei Qian led Cui Hou into the tent, pulling back the covering on one cart to reveal wooden chests. He opened one, and a golden glow spilled out, bathing the tent in the hue of wealth.
Even with two lifetimes of experience, Fei Qian was momentarily captivated. After a pause, he closed the lid and said, "Yongyuan, is this enough to cover the remaining grain costs?"
The three carts were stacked with chests, each containing "ten thousand gold"—official gold ingots, each worth ten thousand coins. In the current market, such ingots could fetch twelve to thirteen thousand coins.
Cui Hou estimated roughly. "This is nearly three hundred million coins. It's enough…"
Fei Qian patted a chest. "These are tempting, but they're lifeless. They can't quench thirst or fill bellies. Don't hold onto them. Remember, we only need grain and supplies."
Cui Hou glanced at the chests, reluctant but resolute, and nodded. "Hou will remember!"
"If your heart sees only this, you'll get only this. If your mind isn't filled with these, there'll be room for more. We can stay here for three months at most. What we achieve in that time depends entirely on you, Yongyuan!" Fei Qian said, then bowed deeply to Cui Hou.
Cui Hou stepped back, knelt, and said solemnly, "Hou will not fail my lord's expectations!"
*****
T/N: Use this code "SANTA" on my P@treon for 50% discount for your first month.