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Zhang Liao had left with his troops, and Fei Qian was preparing to depart as well. With everything on track, Fei Qian planned to return to Anyi, then head to Beiqu for the next phase of arrangements.
Remaining behind were Cui Hou, one member of the Huang family—Huang Xianliang, who had previously borrowed books for copying—and one member of the Ma family, a younger cousin of Ma Yan by seniority. These two, along with some men, were responsible for ensuring the safety of the route between Anyi and Shanjin.
Fei Qian, sitting on his horse, pulled out a five-zhu coin, examining its worn edges and faded inscriptions, barely legible from long use.
Just like his path in Bingzhou—blurry and unclear.
He recalled his conversation with Zhang Liao the previous evening after dinner, outside the camp.
Zhang Liao admired Fei Qian's courage and actions but wasn't entirely optimistic. As someone born and raised in Bingzhou, Zhang Liao was familiar with the region.
According to him, the Qiang and Hu could be employed but not overly relied upon. They could be befriended but not too closely. Some were bold and heroic, others despicable. The Han dynasty's policy in Bingzhou had always been suppression and using Hu to control Hu, but the results were consistently poor.
Zhang Liao saw Fei Qian's attempt to promote cultural assimilation in Bingzhou as a bold innovation. But precisely because it was unprecedented, he wasn't sure if it would work.
At the very least, it was far more challenging than simply conquering Bingzhou.
The Hu were shrewd. If they sensed the Han court's genuine determination to reclaim Bingzhou, they'd flee faster than their cattle and sheep.
With a small force like Fei Qian's current troops, the Hu in Bingzhou wouldn't take them seriously.
Fei Qian appreciated Zhang Liao's goodwill but couldn't reveal the full truth—not out of distrust, but because it was difficult to explain clearly.
His overall plan for Bingzhou involved economics, psychology, and even behavioral science, with many aspects requiring adjustments based on real-world conditions. It was hard to articulate.
Take the people of Hedong, for example. Did they not know grain was vital?
Of course they did.
Did they not realize grain was more valuable than gold in chaotic times?
They absolutely did.
Yet when Cui Hou's agents approached with glittering gold, many couldn't help but think: What a pity to miss this chance to deal with a naive buyer. Sell some grain now, and later, with the money, buy more grain—it's a good deal…
Moreover, in Hedong's current state, grain was still just grain. Everyone knew others had reserves. If I don't sell, won't someone else?
The five-zhu coin was round with a square hole, but to Fei Qian, that square hole looked like a pit.
In truth, the coin wasn't worth much. Even in later eras, a worn five-zhu coin might fetch a few dozen yuan, or a thousand at most if in pristine condition—let alone in the Han dynasty.
Yet many still willingly jumped into the square pit of the five-zhu coin…
Because money, from the day it was created, was a pit—a massive, inescapable pit.
---
Inside the Zhang family estate in Anyi's east side, the patriarch, Zhang Han, slammed a document onto the desk.
"Foolish! Utterly foolish! How could this document be signed!?"
The news of Fei Qian reselling grain to Sili couldn't be concealed. After all, the carriages were rented from various families. When the first batch of gold arrived from Shanjin, many held the gleaming metal, but instead of feeling illuminated, their hearts grew darker.
Local gentry and aristocratic clans seemed inherently cold, driven by an instinct to seize more profit. Learning that Fei Qian had earned so much gold from this transaction, a greedy hand reached out from their hearts, tugging at a figure called avarice.
"Father, this… this…" Zhang Han's son, Zhang Lu, stood respectfully, giving a bitter smile. "Didn't you agree to it earlier, Father?"
Zhang Han faltered, then snapped, "What do you mean I agreed?! I agreed to sell some grain, not to sign this document!"
"…"
Zhang Han's logic was impeccable, leaving Zhang Lu speechless.
But the document was signed, written in black and white. Could they simply deny it? That would ruin the Zhang family's reputation for future business.
Gentry needed to uphold integrity and save face.
Without the document, the Zhang family could have backed out, as verbal agreements lacked proof. Who could argue otherwise?
Zhang Han picked up the document again, scrutinizing it top to bottom, left to right, over and over. Furious, he slammed it back down with a bang. "Who wrote this nonsense?! Not a single loophole! Who writes a contract like this?! It even details the penalties for breaking it, as if they knew we'd try! Outrageous!"
"…So, should we follow the document and deliver the grain?" Zhang Lu asked tentatively.
Zhang Han glared. "Fool! That would mean letting others eat the meat while we sip the broth! And the capital for their feast is ours!"
That was what the Zhang family couldn't tolerate.
If Fei Qian had his own grain and sold it, the Zhang family might be envious but wouldn't act. But now, the grain and even the carriages were theirs. Fei Qian's group merely acted as middlemen and reaped huge profits. How could the Zhang family stomach that?
Zhang Han pondered for a moment. "It seems we need to discuss this with the Wei family…"
"The Wei family?" Zhang Lu was confused.
"Fool!" Zhang Han wanted to knock some sense into his son with a cane. "Didn't rumors say the Wei family was at odds with this Fei of Shangjun? If the Wei family truly feels that way, we'll naturally follow their lead!"
Zhang Lu suddenly understood. The document was unchangeable, but power was stronger than paper…
Hedong was still the Hedong of its people. Rules required strength to enforce. A big enough fist carried a big enough truth. Without the fist, truth alone was worth little.
"Oh, right," Zhang Han added before leaving, turning back to Zhang Lu. "Make a copy of this document. From now on, whenever the Zhang family buys or trades, we'll use this format…"
"Huh?" Zhang Lu was stunned but quickly agreed, "Yes, Father."
*****
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