Chapter 181: Merchants - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 181: Merchants

While those in Xuzhou were starting to see some progress, Liangzhou, thousands of miles away, faced a dire situation.

On the impregnable city walls, General Xiao Ji stood in the wind, his demeanor somewhat desolate.

His resolute face remained unmoved as he gazed at the densely packed northern Di army in the distance.

“General, all the traps and defenses have been set up, and the grain in the city is guarded by trustworthy men. There’s enough to last us two months. The people in the city have also been informed and stocked up on food at home. We should be able to hold out until reinforcements arrive.”

The speaker was He Qiu, General Xiao Ji’s deputy for many years.

The wind and sand of the northwest had weathered his skin, leaving it rough and lined. He recalled that more than a decade ago, when he first came to Liangzhou with General Xiao, he was still a young and handsome scion of a wealthy family. Now, if he were to return to the capital, his old friends would likely not recognize him.

Reinforcements from the Eastern Capital were still thousands of miles away, at least a hundred thousand troops. Given the distance, they wouldn’t arrive in less than two months. Although He Qiu spoke with certainty, he was very anxious.

However, after joining the army, he had long disregarded life and death, only worrying about his wife and children.

For their sake, he had to defend this city firmly. Otherwise, with the ruthless nature of the northern Di, if the city fell, the people of Liangzhou would likely face a massacre.

“Thank you for your hard work. This battle will be perilous. Tell the men to stay alert. Reinforcements may not reach us from a thousand miles away. In the end, we must rely on ourselves.”

“Yes, General.”

Turning to look at the bustling Liangzhou city, both men were determined to defend the peace with their lives.

In Liangzhou, the Feng family, having received the news earlier, had summoned many wealthy merchants and prominent figures from the city to the main hall for tea.

Although it was nominally a tea gathering, it was essentially a call for donations—money for those who could provide it, grain for those who had it.

“The northern Di have always been treacherous. Doing business with them is full of deceit. Last year, a large portion of the horses my son brought back from the northern Di were infected with plague, causing significant losses for my family. Hmph! Now they even want to attack Liangzhou. It’s nothing but a fool’s dream. Feng family head, you needn’t say more. I will send over four hundred well-trained horses from my stables to General Xiao Ji!”

The speaker was a pragmatic merchant who had been running a horse farm in Liangzhou for decades. He understood well the principle of mutual dependence. Without General Xiao Ji’s protection, they wouldn’t have been able to do business here.

Next to him was Huo Jia, a major grain merchant, who was also quite excited. “Half a month ago, General Xiao Ji sent someone to notify my Huo family to stock up on grain in case the northern Di army came. As he predicted, it has come to pass. Luckily, our granary is large enough to store grain from over a dozen surrounding counties. We’ve sent half to the military and sold most of the rest. I estimate that households now have plenty of grain.”

“Huo, your grain prices are still reasonable, but old Zhu’s oil prices have gone up by more than 30%. Isn’t that profiteering from the national disaster?”

The Zhu family head, who was singled out, was furious. He glared at the Iron family head and retorted, “Pah! You’re the one profiteering from the disaster! Who doesn’t know that last year’s wheat harvest was poor? The current prices are what I negotiated with General He, and I’m already at a loss of 20%. If you think it’s too expensive, don’t buy it. I’d rather not suffer a headache from losing money. My old mother at home is already scolding me for being wasteful!”

The Zhu family matriarch was known for her fierce temper. She raised several children alone, who were now successful in various fields. Her youngest son was currently a magistrate in Liangzhou, highly respected among the common people.

The thought of her scolding the Zhu family head made the Iron family head smile in amusement.

“Alright, we’re all over fifty. Why still bicker like this?” The speaker was the elder of the Hua family, the father of the second matriarch of the Feng family. The Hua family held a reputation in Liangzhou’s merchant community that was not inferior to the Feng family. When he spoke, the younger generation naturally fell silent.

Feng Shan, the head of the Feng family and younger brother of Feng Hai, looked serious as he addressed everyone. With the storm approaching, the Feng family had been the first to be notified by General Xiao Ji. Regardless of personal connections, the three iron mines the Feng family held were a significant concern.

When the Great Jin Dynasty was founded, the Feng family was rewarded with three iron mines for their contributions. Over the years, despite the court’s envy, the Feng family was not greedy. They donated nearly 60% of their iron resources to the military each year for weapon manufacturing.

Otherwise, the Feng family’s reputation might have been extinguished before it had the chance to spread, and they would have been regarded as a thorn in the royal side. Their current standing was not easily achieved.

If Liangzhou fell, other merchants might have a slim chance of survival, but the Feng family, with their iron mines, would face a tough decision. If they surrendered to the northern Di to protect the clan, they would likely face eternal disgrace. The capital’s Feng family could also face imperial retribution. Conversely, if they refused to surrender, it was a path leading to the destruction of their clan.

With young children waiting to be fed at home, the head of the Feng family found it hard to make such a decision.

Therefore, unlike others, he had no intention of making light of the situation.

Seeing his concerns, the Hua elder comforted him, “The Feng family has already sent ten thousand loads of fire oil to the military. From the iron mines, General Xiao Ji has made four or five thousand sets of armor. We’ve done everything we can. If it still isn’t enough, it’s simply fate, and we cannot force it.”

Feng Shan took a deep breath and said to the Hua elder, “Father-in-law, you’re right. I was overthinking. Instead of lamenting here, let’s consider if there are any areas we’ve overlooked. We should discuss and address them.”

The other family heads nodded. Their livelihoods were tied to Liangzhou. If the city fell, their families would be in jeopardy. Even the usually frugal Iron family had contributed significantly, sending twenty thousand sets of clothing to the military to ensure the soldiers wouldn’t freeze.

With fifty thousand troops defending the city, plus three thousand stationed soldiers, all were under General Xiao Ji’s command.

No one knew when the northern Di army would attack. It was clear that more preparation was always better.

“When do you think the reinforcements from the capital will arrive?” The usually straightforward Zhu family head was also worried.

Among those present, only the Feng family had close ties to the capital, so everyone looked to Feng Shan.

“Based on previous years, sending New Year’s gifts to my elder brother’s family took nearly two months. If it’s an army, it will likely take even longer.”

📌 To Read The Latest Updates Click 👇👇

▶▶Rebirth of the Noble Daughter  

Next Chapter ▶▶