I Built a Territory in Ancient Times Chapter 117

Chapter 117

After the meal, Ma Jinyu naturally couldn’t wait to go back and report today’s gains. Ming Yu stood by the street, looking at the slanted rays of the setting sun, stretching lazily. The sunset was bright red, the smell of alcohol hung in the air, and a light breeze brushed his face, making him feel as if he were floating like an immortal. Ming Yu, lost in thought, didn’t even know what day it was.

A carriage stopped beside Ming Yu, and half a head poked out from inside—it was Xie Yixiu. Ming Yu saw him too and smiled brightly, “Are you here to pick me up?”

Xie Yixiu usually rarely rode in a carriage, but in the capital, it was more convenient than riding a horse. Moreover, since Ming Yu had been drinking, taking a carriage would be more comfortable.

Without saying much, Xie Yixiu extended a hand, and Ming Yu, with a calm smile, reached out, and they shook hands. Xie Yixiu gently pulled, and Ming Yu jumped smoothly into the carriage.

Half-lying comfortably in the carriage, Ming Yu half-closed his eyes. He was in a great mood, and in front of familiar people, he had already shed his pretenses, feeling light and at ease.

“Heh heh, the Ma family has been dealt with. Once they take action, the other merchants will definitely follow. The next step is to spread the news and attract more merchants. At that point, the initial capital won’t be an issue. Then we can start bringing in investments. Once we get through this difficult phase, the entire Liangzhou will be different.”

Xie Yixiu didn’t say anything, just turned his head to look at him.

Ming Yu, excited, continued speaking on his own, “Liangzhou is a good place, but because of the war, the people have suffered greatly from the chaos. In the not-too-distant future, when we attract more people to Liangzhou, with wealth and people, we won’t have to worry anymore.”

“I’ve already asked Father to give me more authority and allow me to reform the conscription system, using the Western Qi Corridor as a pilot. In my plan, this will be a completely different army. You know, I’ll train them into an iron-clad force, which is my specialty.”

“Now, the horse breeding farm is under construction, and in the future, the cavalry will shine. Once we have money and an army, we can attack the barbarian’s stronghold, forcing them to bow down in submission. I hope one day there will be true peace. I hope Liangzhou will continue to prosper, and I also hope to travel and see what lies to the west, to see if the west is as I imagined…”

Xie Yixiu listened quietly as Ming Yu’s eyelids couldn’t stay open. As he spoke, his voice gradually lowered and evened out, until the last words vanished entirely.

Ming Yu was exhausted. Everything he had done up to this point, Xie Yixiu had seen. Unfortunately, he couldn’t help him much. Ming Yu worked tirelessly on his own, trying to transform a barren land into a prosperous trade route that everyone would yearn for. He had to overcome all resistance alone, persuading those who strongly opposed him and guiding more people to join in. He knew that this couldn’t succeed with just one person’s strength.

He always said that what he was doing was for the benefit of future generations. Even if it was tough now and no one understood, it didn’t matter. As long as people later saw the benefits of the Western Qi Corridor, he wouldn’t mind if they didn’t curse him.

Seeing Ming Yu’s tired face, Xie Yixiu felt heartbroken. The man seemed so carefree on the surface, but in reality, he thought too far and too deeply. He never cared about himself, always depriving himself, and that made him so pitiable.

After some time, the carriage finally stopped, and the horse’s low neighing woke Ming Yu up. He rubbed his eyes and, through his blurred vision, saw Xie Yixiu reading. Only then did he realize his situation. He had fallen asleep without noticing. Xie Yixiu had come to pick him up, but he had dozed off.

Just as he was about to sit up, his head spun from the aftereffects of the alcohol, and he felt dizzy and weak. Before he knew it, he fell backward.

Fortunately, a strong hand steadied him. Xie Yixiu helped him lean against him. Ming Yu felt a little embarrassed. He hadn’t noticed and misjudged his strength, causing this.

He wasn’t incapable of sitting properly, so why had he leaned on someone else? What a way to act! Just as he was about to speak, he felt a dry and hoarse throat, and for a moment, no words came out.

Xie Yixiu had already prepared some honey water and fed it to Ming Yu, making sure he drank several sips. Only then did Ming Yu feel his throat was no longer so uncomfortable.

Then Xie Yixiu took out a pill and gave it to Ming Yu, his cold voice ringing out, “This is a hangover remedy. You’ll feel better after taking it.”

Ming Yu nodded, and after taking it, he felt much better. He straightened up, cleared his throat, and thanked him.

The emptiness in Xie Yixiu’s heart made him feel a little disappointed. He squeezed his fingers, replying in a soft tone, “Wang Ye is too polite.”

He sighed inwardly, thinking that there was plenty of time ahead. No matter what, he would protect Ming Yu for the rest of his life, regardless of whether Ming Yu would respond. He had made up his mind.

Ming Yu, unaware of Xie Yixiu’s changing emotions, straightened his clothes and smiled, “I hope General Xie isn’t laughing. I wasn’t really drunk, but the cold wind made the alcohol hit me a bit harder.”

“Drinking harms the body. Wang Ye should drink less,” Xie Yixiu couldn’t help but say, despite knowing he shouldn’t, his words full of unspoken concern.

Ming Yu’s heart skipped a beat, but he didn’t feel that anything was wrong. No matter how thick-skinned he was, he could tell that Xie Yixiu genuinely cared about him. He softly murmured “Mm,” indicating that he understood.

Today’s plan had been a last-minute decision. Originally, Ming Yu had planned to just play along and pretend, but later, he became more invested, and ultimately decided to carry the act all the way through.

Someone as clever as Ma Jinyu would be a good person to get to know. Although Ma Jinyu was a businessman, raised with an emphasis on the family’s interests, befriending him could still serve to make a favorable impression on the Ma family. If the Ma family had any foresight, future cooperation could be mutually beneficial.

Xie Yixiu knew that Ming Yu understood the situation and was just worried about him. When he saw Ming Yu agree, he didn’t say anything more, and the atmosphere in the carriage grew quiet.

Xie Yixiu’s gaze lingered on Ming Yu, filled with warmth and tenderness. Ming Yu could feel it; his thoughts seemed to be slipping out of control, and his ears began to heat up. Oh my! Why was he staring like that? Who could stand it? No, this was definitely crossing a line!

He shifted uneasily, not daring to look at Xie Yixiu. His eyes darted around the carriage, looking anywhere but at him, like a frightened deer, a little nervous, a little flustered, unsure of what to do.

The tense atmosphere made Ming Yu’s heart race. He had an impulse to flee. Having never dealt with emotional issues before, he had no idea how to handle the situation.

“Mm-hmm!” His eyes landed on the carriage curtain, and suddenly, he remembered. He pulled it open and said, “We’ve arrived. It’s getting late, the palace gates will be locked soon. I’ll trouble General Xie to send me this far.”

Without waiting for Xie Yixiu to respond, Ming Yu jumped off the carriage, took a long breath to calm himself, and then turned with a smile, “It’s getting late, General Xie, please head back.”

Xie Yixiu nodded. “Rest early if you’re tired. Things don’t happen overnight.”

Ming Yu grinned widely and waved his hand energetically, walking toward the palace gate as he called out loudly, “Got it!”

Xie Yixiu smiled at the sight of Ming Yu’s slightly disordered steps, understanding the situation. Ming Yu, not daring to look back, hurriedly tried to escape the scene and didn’t see Xie Yixiu’s expression change. If he had, he would have surely teased him again.

Ming Yu’s heart was in turmoil, but he didn’t know what to do. Since Xie Yixiu confessed his feelings last time, their interactions hadn’t been the same as before. It wasn’t as casual as two brothers anymore. Being alone with him now made Ming Yu feel like the air was thick with tension, and it was so hot that it was hard to breathe.

It wasn’t until he had walked quite a distance that Ming Yu calmed down. He couldn’t help but smile bitterly inside. He had hoped to wait a few years to let things settle, but at this rate, it seemed like he wouldn’t be able to wait for Xie Yixiu to clarify their relationship before he got caught up in it.

But then he thought, maybe emotions should just be left to develop naturally. There was no need to be so troubled. With everything going on, there were more pressing matters. Once everything fell into place, perhaps he could really experience a relationship? That idea didn’t seem so bad.

While Ming Yu was troubled by matters of the heart, Ma Jinyu returned to the Ma family estate and rushed to the study to find his father, Ma Siyong. There had been significant progress with today’s events, and he needed to report to his father and discuss plans going forward.

After listening to Ma Jinyu’s report, Ma Siyong pondered for a long time. Finally, under Ma Jinyu’s anxious gaze, he spoke, “Duan Wang is indeed a man of great wisdom. If he were to go into business, his achievements would be beyond our reach. He might truly be a man without equal, past or future.”

Ma Siyong’s praise was extraordinary. As one of the wealthiest families in the capital, the head of the Ma family was naturally proud, and Ma Jinyu had never heard his father speak so highly of anyone.

Ma Jinyu was confused. “But Duan Wang already has a merchant fleet, right? He’s been bringing goods from the Western Regions. He’s already been a trailblazer. And with the rise of the Western Qi Corridor, his fleet will certainly continue to expand. It doesn’t seem to be as unprecedented as you’re suggesting.”

Ma Siyong shook his head. “What does Duan Wang’s fleet matter? It’s clear that Duan Wang isn’t focused on commerce. What makes him truly formidable is his ability to control people’s hearts!”

Ma Jinyu didn’t understand what his father meant by this and looked at him in confusion.

Ma Siyong waved his hand, knowing that Ma Jinyu wouldn’t understand. He quickly changed the subject. “Duan Wang is a master strategist. It’s clear that the Western Qi Corridor project will succeed. Our Ma family should follow closely in Duan Wang’s footsteps. We might even benefit from it.”

“Will it really succeed? Father, the money needed for the Western Qi Corridor project is astronomical. Even the national treasury can’t support it. Can one person really make it happen?”

Ma Siyong shook his head. Honestly, he wasn’t sure either. What Ming Yu had said about a bidding meeting was a potential source of revenue, but no one knew exactly how it would unfold.

Duan Wang’s promises were tempting, but could so many people really be willing to take the risk?

“Just Duan Wang’s grand vision alone makes it worth following him.”

Ma Jinyu’s heart skipped a beat. The political landscape in the capital was ever-shifting. With the emperor’s age and the princes’ rising abilities, all eyes were on the royal family. Each prince had his talents and forces, and the ministers were already positioning themselves, hoping to back the right horse for future success.

The Ma family had managed to establish itself in the capital, and it wasn’t without power. Some of the princes had already started to make overtures to them. But his father had always been cautious, never making a hasty decision. Once they aligned with a prince, there would be no turning back. The Ma family was large, and any wrong move could lead to disaster. Until the final moment, they couldn’t afford to make a careless decision.

But now, his father was saying something like this, and Ma Jinyu was shocked. Duan Wang might be a prince, but he was already stationed away from the capital. He would never inherit the throne. To put it plainly, Duan Wang would only ever be a prince, no matter what great achievements he made. What could the Ma family gain by following him?

“Father, what are you saying? Following Duan Wang… this… this…” Ma Jinyu couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence, hoping his father was just speaking casually.

Ma Siyong smiled faintly, seeing his son’s panicked expression. He shook his head. His son was capable, but still young, and his judgment wasn’t as mature as it could be. He needed more experience and refinement.

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