Chapter 142
The construction of the Western Qi Corridor was not something that could be accomplished overnight. Building fortifications required careful planning, making use of the terrain to ensure they were easy to defend and difficult to attack.
In areas with gentler landscapes, thick and tall city walls had to be built, primarily to keep the troops of the Suixi Kingdom outside, ensuring the stability of the Western Qi Corridor.
Fortunately, the natural geography of the corridor was highly advantageous. It was a long and narrow valley situated between the Suixi Kingdom and the Wuliang Kingdom, flanked by towering mountains that made large-scale troop movements difficult. This provided excellent defensive conditions for the Western Qi Corridor.
Ming Yu only needed to construct city walls and fortifications at vulnerable points and strategically position troops to effectively protect the corridor.
The valley of the Western Qi Corridor was exceptionally fertile. It had been untouched by human activity, left pristine and undisturbed, with the Western Qi River flowing through it, nourishing the land.
Ming Yu intended to establish military settlements here. The newly recruited army would be entirely different from the past. Under the previous military household system, soldiers did nothing but train and fight. However, the new army would be recruited from common civilians. In peacetime, they would farm to sustain the military, and in wartime, they would take up arms and fight.
With a structured rotation system over the years, older and injured soldiers could retire with compensation, while fresh recruits would continuously replenish the ranks. In time, the entire population of Liangzhou would be trained as soldiers—ready to be summoned, ready to fight, and certain to win. By then, no one would dare to threaten Liangzhou!
Additionally, official lodgings could be constructed at suitable locations along the route westward to provide rest stops for merchant caravans. Supporting facilities would need to be developed as well, all of which required funding.
Ming Yu firmly believed that once the Western Qi Corridor was established, merchant caravans would frequent the route, leading to settlements forming and gradually developing into towns and cities. This meant that an administrative protectorate for the corridor would also need to be built, requiring careful planning to ensure that every aspect of the corridor’s development was thorough and precise, leaving no room for negligence.
Therefore, no expenses could be spared in the initial phase of construction. Just from a rough calculation, Ming Yu already felt a pang in his chest—this budget was like water slipping through his fingers! It seemed that the first round of funds he had raised would be depleted sooner than expected.
However, priorities had to be set. The most pressing matters were training soldiers and establishing defenses. That was the immediate task at hand. Fortunately, Mo Jiang’s recruitment efforts were progressing well. Many civilians had responded to the call, and more than half of the intended recruits had already been enlisted.
The elite guards under Ming Yu’s command were more than capable—any one of them could train an entire battalion. With intensive training, within a year or so, the new army would be battle-ready.
Though there were countless tasks at hand, Ming Yu had a clear plan. As long as his subordinates followed the detailed steps he had laid out, everything would proceed smoothly. The entire region of Liangzhou had mobilized, moving like a massive machine, operating with an unstoppable momentum.
Gradually, merchants began delivering additional funds. Many well-informed traders, upon hearing the news, saw an opportunity and quickly traveled to regions where grain and supplies were cheap, purchasing large quantities before transporting them to Liangzhou. Once there, they resold the goods at a profit, earning in a single trip what would normally take them six months.
Furthermore, transporting Liangzhou’s goods to the south yielded another round of profit. Though the constant travel was exhausting, the merchants found the hardship worthwhile in exchange for the wealth they were accumulating.
This time, the Ma family emerged as the biggest winner. After waiting for nearly half a month for the watermelons to ripen, they purchased the entire harvest. Thanks to Ming Yu’s prior promotional efforts, when these watermelons reached the capital, the high-ranking officials and nobles scrambled to buy them at premium prices.
It was well known that the emperor and the palace concubines were fond of this fruit called watermelon. When Duan Wang had previously presented some to His Majesty, only members of the royal family and a few senior ministers had the privilege of tasting it. Now that someone was bringing watermelons to market, how could they not seize the opportunity to buy some for themselves?
The only drawback was the exorbitant price—a mere slice cost over ten taels of silver. Yet even at such a price, demand far exceeded supply. Many people who hesitated even slightly ended up missing their chance to purchase any.
Within just two days, over a dozen carts of watermelons had completely sold out. Ma Jinyu, reviewing the account books, was left utterly speechless. Although their initial purchase cost had been considerable, their profits had multiplied several times over.
“Father, if only our family could monopolize the watermelon trade,” Ma Jinyu sighed. The profit margins were simply too high to let go.
Ma Siyong shook his head. “That’s impossible.”
Ma Jinyu frowned. “Father, we’ve already pledged our allegiance to Duan Wang. In theory, that makes us his people. If we approach him about this, there’s a chance it might work, isn’t there?”
“You’re thinking too simply.” Ma Siyong disagreed. “For one, watermelon is a new specialty of Liangzhou, and many merchants already have their eyes on it. No matter how powerful our Ma family is, we cannot afford to make enemies of every merchant. Moreover, Duan Wang has his own considerations. He wouldn’t show favoritism to us just because we follow him.”
He paused for a moment before turning to Ma Jinyu with a solemn expression. “Our Ma family follows Wang Ye out of genuine loyalty. We must never become a burden to him.”
Ma Jinyu’s expression became serious as he nodded resolutely. “Yes, Father. I will remember this.”
Ma Siyong sighed. “Our Ma family may appear prosperous, but only those who sit in my position understand how precarious it truly is. When flowers bloom too vividly, they wither quickly. When oil is heated too fiercely, it burns away in an instant. Every step must be taken with utmost caution. A single misstep could lead to complete ruin. The higher one stands, the harder the fall. In the end, we are merely merchants—far too many people could crush us into the mud.”
Ma Jinyu was stunned. He had never seen his father so helpless before, nor had he ever heard him express such deep concern about the Ma family’s situation.
All this time, their Ma family had stood at the top, yet he had never realized that even at the pinnacle, merchants still held the lowest status. There was an old saying: “A tree that stands out in the forest is the first to be felled.” If the Ma family did not learn to restrain their brilliance, what kind of fate awaited them?
Ma Jinyu’s face turned pale, and he stood there, at a complete loss. Seeing this, Ma Siyong couldn’t help but feel pity. After all, this was his son—the future head of the Ma family. For him to come to such a realization so early, Ma Siyong was unsure whether it was a blessing or a curse.
With this thought in mind, he reached out and gently patted Ma Jinyu’s head—something he rarely did with such affection. “Don’t worry, I can still hold on for a few more years. I will pave the way for you. But you must start growing now. Watch and learn as much as you can. When the day comes that the Ma family is in your hands, only then will you be able to keep it steady and secure.”
Ma Jinyu was deeply moved. He nodded firmly. “Yes, Father!”
“We must always remember to act with caution when dealing with Duan Wang. Since the Ma family follows him, he knows this well and will not treat us unfairly. Never underestimate Duan Wang—he is a man of great wisdom, far beyond my own.” Ma Siyong earnestly advised.
Ma Jinyu committed these words to memory.
Suixi Kingdom, Royal Court
Tuoba Ren read the memorial in his hands over and over again before finally closing it, lost in thought. The servants around him, seeing this, did not dare to make a single sound, moving with the utmost caution.
After a long while, Tuoba Ren finally came out of his deep contemplation. He coughed twice, stood up, and paced the room. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard the sound of music and laughter from outside. He lifted his head and looked toward the source, his gaze dark and brooding. His fists clenched tightly.
Taking a few hurried steps to the door, he reached out, intending to push it open—but in the end, his hand fell limply to his side. He coughed again and turned back.
“Is the Khan hosting another banquet?” Tuoba Ren asked the attendant in the room, his voice deliberately calm.
The attendants exchanged glances before one of them carefully stepped forward, bowed, and replied, “Yes, Your Highness. Today, the Khan is hosting a feast for the King of the Left Division, Lian Gu Wang.”
Tuoba Ren closed his eyes briefly. His fists clenched and relaxed repeatedly before he finally steadied his emotions and said evenly, “I see. Summon Mr. Song.”
“Yes, Wang Ye!” The attendant wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and quickly carried out the order.
Tuoba Ren sat back down. In the few months since his return, the royal court had undergone drastic changes. The former Grand General Protector of the Left Division had been promoted by Tuoba Hongze to the rank of King of the Left Division.
That man was his grand-uncle, Helian Bo, who had always opposed him. Now that he had been elevated to kingship, he was on equal footing with Tuoba Ren as Hunle Wang. In fact, his influence in the Left Division even surpassed Tuoba Ren’s own authority.
With this, Helian Bo had become even more reckless, throwing taunting remarks at every opportunity. Though Tuoba Ren had never retaliated, the man’s arrogance only grew. Helian Bo relied on his seniority, showing little regard even for Tuoba Hongze.
There was nothing Tuoba Ren could do. Currently, the Left Division was the most powerful force in Suixi. Ever since his forces suffered a crushing defeat months ago, their strength had been significantly weakened, making it impossible to suppress the rising dominance of the Left Division.
Tuoba Hongze’s decision to bestow the title of king upon Helian Bo had been his carefully calculated move. Last time, Tuoba Ren had led tens of thousands of elite cavalry into battle, only to be utterly defeated by Duan Wang of the Great Yan, who had only a thousand troops under his command. The news spread quickly, tarnishing the once-glorious reputation of the so-called “War God, Hunle Wang.”
On the grasslands, the people revered heroes. Yet Tuoba Ren, once a soaring eagle, had been wounded years ago by Xie Yixiu of the Great Yan, causing his fall from grace. Countless nights, he had longed to rise again, but the reality was brutal—his army of tens of thousands had been crushed by a mere thousand enemy soldiers. Even with their overwhelming numbers, they had been utterly routed and forced to flee like beaten dogs back to the royal court. The name “Hunle Wang, Tuoba Ren” had now become synonymous with disgrace.
To appease the court officials, Tuoba Hongze had chosen to distance himself from Tuoba Ren, silently sidelining him while elevating the former Grand General Protector of the Left Division to kingship. It was a compromise to quell the growing dissatisfaction among the ministers.
Tuoba Ren knew that his elder brother had done this for his sake, but still, he clenched his fists. He would rather his brother had punished him than make such concessions on his behalf. However, Tuoba Hongze had already made up his mind. He had only offered Tuoba Ren a few words of comfort and, fearing that his presence would invite ridicule, had not even allowed him to attend the enthronement ceremony.
For months, Tuoba Ren had remained secluded within the royal court, rarely stepping out. He had distanced himself from court affairs, focusing only on matters concerning the borderlands. Any slightest disturbance at the frontier, he would investigate with great care—especially anything related to Duan Wang of the Great Yan. He had his men secretly monitoring his every move.
Tuoba Hongze knew that the previous battle had left a deep and lasting scar on his younger brother. Even he himself could not fully comprehend how their elite cavalry force of tens of thousands had been so decisively defeated by a mere thousand infantrymen.
It was an unprecedented event in the history of Suixi. No wonder Tuoba Ren had taken the loss so hard.
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