Chapter 139
Mo Jiang’s heart jolted, and he became filled with determination. “I am confident!”
Ming Yu finally smiled. This was the new leader of the recruits that he had discussed with Xie Yixiu along the way. Ming Yu aimed to train the newly recruited soldiers into a formidable, well-disciplined force. It would be like the current guard camp, which had completely transformed—only this new army would be even stronger in teamwork and tactical cooperation.
Mo Jiang had the ability and strength to lead them. He had already done so with the guard camp, so Ming Yu believed the new army wouldn’t be too difficult to manage.
“That’s good to hear,” Ming Yu nodded with a smile. “I hope this strong army will be unstoppable. The future of the Western Qi Corridor depends on them.” He scanned the group and asked, “Has Xu Wen arrived?”
Xu Wen had previously been assigned by Ming Yu to oversee the construction of the stables. The project was almost complete, with the stables and barns already built. Although there weren’t many fine horses yet, Ming Yu believed that in a few years, the scale of the stables would gradually expand to the point where they could be self-sufficient for the army’s needs.
The stables were nearly finished, and the remaining work was entrusted to professionals. The horse breeders who had returned from the Western Regions were already training apprentices to ensure a steady supply of skilled horse caretakers for the future.
Xu Wen, being capable, was also in charge of the workshops outside the city, overseeing them all.
When Ming Yu inquired, the news was relayed, and soon Xu Wen, out of breath, jogged over.
“Your servant is late in greeting you. Please forgive me, Your Highness,” Xu Wen bowed to apologize.
He had received the news from Duan Wang and had planned to leave early, but just before departing, someone urgently arrived to report matters about the workshops. Xu Wen had intended to delay the issue and handle it after returning, but the person insisted it was urgent and needed to be dealt with immediately. Unable to refuse, Xu Wen had to go with him. Once he finished, he hurried over, only to find that Wang Ye had already arrived.
Ming Yu helped him up, not showing any signs of anger. “It’s nothing. I hadn’t intended to trouble you all to come and greet me. It’s already kind of you to make the effort to meet me outside the city.”
Everyone bowed. “It’s our duty, Your Highness, as loyal subjects.”
Ming Yu waved his hand with a smile. “We’re all familiar with one another, so there’s no need for formalities.”
Everyone chuckled. After spending time together, they had come to understand the character of Duan Wang. They knew that his words were not in jest. Having such a magnanimous and benevolent lord was their fortune. Whatever task they were given, they were eager to complete it.
“Wang Ye, were you looking for me just now?” Xu Wen had calmed down by now and asked. He had heard Wang Ye calling for him from a distance, so now that Wang Ye was calling again, it must be for something important.
“Oh, it’s nothing too serious,” Ming Yu replied. “A merchant convoy is bringing some goods. If you find any of it useful, you can discuss prices and strike a deal.”
“Ah! Why didn’t you say so earlier? That’s exactly what we need!” Xu Wen immediately hurried to leave, not even waiting for Ming Yu to finish. “I’ll go talk to them right away!”
Watching Xu Wen rush off, Ming Yu paused for a second and then laughed. “The merchant convoy isn’t going anywhere. There’s no need to hurry.” But by then, Xu Wen was already out of sight.
It was well known that supplies were scarce in Liangzhou, and many things couldn’t be bought, even with money. So, hearing Ming Yu’s words, how could Xu Wen not be anxious?
Ming Yu shook his head. “Why is he in such a hurry? I remember when he was cautious and meticulous in the past.”
Xie Yixiu, hearing his soft murmur, softened his expression. “The talent shortage in Liangzhou is still severe. Just look at how desperate they’ve become.”
Ming Yu sighed. “That’s true. There’s nothing we can do about it. With so few people, one person has to take on multiple roles. But this can’t go on forever. We’ll need to recruit more talent from outside.”
Xie Yixiu nodded. Liangzhou couldn’t develop without capable people.
Ming Yu sighed again. “It’s a shame, though. The current environment in Liangzhou is hardly attractive to useful talents. We need to tackle it from two angles.”
He had been considering this issue for a long time and now spoke with clear organization.
“Oh? What two angles?” Xie Yixiu asked.
Ming Yu shared his thoughts. “First, we need to attract capable people from outside. This will require meeting certain conditions. Second, we should establish schools so that children aged seven to twelve can attend and improve the overall quality of the population, while also training the next generation of talent. What do you think?”
Xie Yixiu stared at him without speaking. Ming Yu wondered if there was something on his face and absentmindedly touched his cheek. “What is it?”
Xie Yixiu snapped back to reality, shook his head, and replied, “It’s nothing. It’s just that what Wang Ye has suggested can’t be achieved in a short time.”
Ming Yu sighed. “Yes, that’s exactly what’s been troubling me. If we want to achieve our goal sooner, we have to start implementing it as early as possible. But look at this—everything here is tangled up like a messy web, and it’s impossible to sort it all out in a short time. Plus, the school still needs teachers and talented individuals, and that’s an unavoidable issue.”
“No need to rush. Take it slow. One day, it will all come together.” Xie Yixiu clenched his fists. He wanted to ruffle Ming Yu’s hair, but with so many people around, he restrained himself.
“I hope so! I just want Liangzhou to develop quickly.” Ming Yu nodded. Things had to be done step by step to reach the final goal.
The journey was exhausting, and though everyone was eager to know whether Ming Yu’s Western Qi Corridor had gone as planned, this wasn’t the right place to discuss it. Everything had to wait until they returned to the city.
So, the crowd surrounded Ming Yu and his group as they made their way back to Liangcheng. A welcoming banquet had already been prepared, and tonight, no one would leave sober.
However, Xu Wen couldn’t be bothered with all that. Led by one of Ming Yu’s personal attendants, he hurried off to find Ma Siyong and the others.
The merchants who had followed Ming Yu to Liangcheng had finally arrived. While it couldn’t compare to the bustling cities of the Central Plains, Liangcheng had its own rugged and solemn charm.
The city walls, built of sand and stone, had withstood countless years of war and hardship. Faint traces of bloodshed and battle scars still lingered upon them. These merchants were accustomed to the gentle and refined atmosphere of the south, but now, faced with such a bold and unrestrained sight, they couldn’t help but be deeply moved.
Compared to the rest of Liangzhou, Liangcheng was indeed more prosperous—at least, the nearby villages had a significantly higher population. However, when measured against their expectations, the place still felt desolate.
“As I said, didn’t I? Liangzhou is truly a barren land with nothing to offer.”
Someone regretted coming and stomped his foot in frustration. “I should never have believed the rumors and made this trip. Look at this! A complete waste of time. We traveled thousands of miles only to find nothing.”
“Exactly! With this time, we could’ve made two more business trips and earned a tidy profit instead.”
Not everyone agreed. “Since we’re already here, we might as well take a look. Duan Wang said there are business opportunities everywhere in Liangzhou. We might actually find a way to make money.”
Someone scoffed. “Oh, come on! You still believe Duan Wang? Can’t you see he’s just trying to fool us?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say he’s just fooling us. After all, the Western Qi Corridor still needs to be built and developed. That’s a major project—Duan Wang wouldn’t joke about something like that.”
“But the Western Qi Corridor is still just an idea! Even though Duan Wang has raised funds, it’s not something that can be built overnight. Look at the Ma family—they invested their silver, but it’ll be years before they see any returns.”
At the mention of the Ma family, everyone’s expressions turned a bit more sympathetic. In truth, though, they were just waiting to see a joke unfold.
“I bet the Ma family will have to cart all their goods back the way they came. With the conditions in Liangcheng, I doubt anyone will be interested in buying.”
“No kidding! The Ma family is really reckless, bringing all these goods here without knowing the market. What was the Ma family head thinking?”
“Well, people make mistakes, and so do horses. It’s normal. But that’s their problem, not ours. As far as I’m concerned, Liangzhou isn’t worth staying in for long. Gentlemen, I’ll be leaving tomorrow. You all can decide for yourselves.”
“…”
Everyone had their own opinions—some were utterly disappointed and wanted to leave immediately, while others were curious and wanted to explore before making a decision.
“All right, all right, stop arguing. The Ma family head is coming,” someone reminded them.
Sure enough, Ma Siyong arrived with Ma Jinyu. The high-ranking officials were ahead, welcoming Duan Wang, while people like them didn’t have the status to approach. Naturally, they didn’t dare to step forward recklessly.
Everyone quickly greeted Ma Siyong, who responded with a warm smile, acknowledging each of them in turn.
“Ma family head, have you decided when to return?” someone asked.
Ma Siyong shook his head. “We just arrived. Why would we leave so soon? We’ll stay for a while.”
Someone chuckled. “That’s true. Your goods haven’t sold yet, so of course, you’re not in a hurry to leave. But, Ma family head, what if your goods don’t sell for a year or more? Would you really wait that long?”
Before Ma Siyong could respond, another person laughed and said, “Why would the Ma family head waste time over just a few goods? The Ma family is a huge business—this is just a drop in the bucket. Even if there’s a loss, it won’t make a dent, right? Hahaha!”
Ma Siyong shook his head and replied with a good-natured smile. “I didn’t stay just for the goods. I want to observe and see what’s lacking here so we can start preparing for the next shipment early.”
At these words, everyone exchanged glances. Had Ma Siyong gone mad? They weren’t even sure if he could sell this batch of goods, yet he was already thinking about the next one? Was he playing a joke on them?
However, some people started thinking seriously about his words, especially Cheng Guangsheng. If Ma Siyong wasn’t worried about selling his goods, what did that mean? It meant that Liangzhou genuinely had a demand for them.
He had heard that the Ma family’s goods were all common necessities. Previously, he couldn’t understand why they would go through all the trouble of transporting such ordinary goods all the way to Liangzhou. These were items found everywhere—there was no way they could fetch high prices.
But when he arrived in Liangcheng, he seemed to gain some clarity. Liangzhou was indeed poor—so poor that it could barely provide for the people’s basic needs. Because of this, what the people needed most were the most essential daily necessities. And coincidentally, the very goods that the Ma family had transported over thousands of miles were exactly what these people required.
In the eyes of the merchants, the people here were destitute, barely able to sustain themselves, let alone have extra money to buy goods. That was why they were all waiting to see the Ma family make a fool of themselves—watching how they would end up hauling their unsold goods back the way they came.
However, Cheng Guangsheng considered another possibility. The common people here might not have the means to buy anything, but Duan Wang had money! The dozens of carts filled with silver taels and banknotes that he had brought back were displayed in plain sight.
The more he thought about it, the more excited Cheng Guangsheng became. His entire body trembled, his face flushed red, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists. Everyone else might be laughing at the Ma family, but perhaps it was the Ma family who were secretly laughing at them.
Liangzhou was currently desolate and in ruins, but just as Duan Wang had said, everything was waiting to be rebuilt. Anyone with a keen eye could see his ambitions—he wanted to develop the Western Qi Corridor, and in doing so, he would inevitably drive the growth of Liangzhou as well.
And wherever development took place, opportunities were bound to follow. If he could seize this chance, then there might be hope for the Cheng family’s future.
His close friend, Tan Shan, noticed his unusual expression and leaned in to ask in a low voice, “Brother Cheng, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Cheng Guangsheng swallowed hard and shook his head. “I’m fine. I just thought of something that made me excited.”
Tan Shan let out an “oh” in response, not pressing further. Instead, he changed the topic and asked, “You’ve seen the situation in Liangzhou. When do you plan to return?”
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