I Built a Territory in Ancient Times Chapter 145

Chapter 145

“Wang Ye, have you forgotten about the Right Division General?”  

Tuoba Ren was momentarily taken aback. The Left and Right Divisions were the two major military factions of the Suixi Kingdom. However, in recent years, the Right Division had been gradually suppressed, causing its influence to wane.  

The one responsible for this suppression was none other than Hunle Wang. Back when he controlled the Left Division, he had been determined to expand his own power, which naturally put him in direct opposition to the Right Division. The Right Division General was now an old man, no longer eager to fight for power. His son, Chacha Qi, was still too inexperienced to take command of the Right Division Army, forcing the general to endure in silence.  

Tuoba Ren himself had once been the Left Division General. However, after being injured in battle a few years ago, he could no longer lead troops personally. Helian Bo had taken advantage of this, seizing the opportunity to win over the soldiers and gradually replacing Tuoba Ren’s position in the army.  

Several months ago, Tuoba Ren had been assigned a mission to lead troops to the border. Had he succeeded, he could have restored some of his reputation and solidified his standing within the Left Division. Unfortunately, not only had he failed to accomplish the mission, but he had also suffered losses, returning in defeat. This had given Helian Bo the perfect excuse to pressure him into relinquishing his command over the Left Division entirely.  

As a result, Tuoba Ren had been reduced to a powerless prince, while Helian Bo’s influence had grown immensely. Since the Left Division could not remain leaderless, Tuoba Hongze had no choice but to grant Helian Bo a royal title.  

Tuoba Ren frowned, unsure why Song Lian had suddenly brought up the Right Division General at this moment.  

“Why not leverage the situation, Wang Ye?”

“Leverage it? Are you suggesting I align myself with the Right Division?” Tuoba Ren finally understood but let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “You don’t understand, Mr. Song. There has long been bad blood between me and the Right Division. In my current state, they would likely be celebrating my downfall rather than helping me regain power.”

Song Lian smiled slightly. “Times have changed, Wang Ye. How will you know the outcome if you don’t give it a try?”  

In his view, there was no conflict that couldn’t be resolved through shared interests.  

Having spent several months here, Song Lian had already gained a thorough understanding of the situation. The Right Division was indeed weaker, but its general was a wise man who knew how to bide his time and wait for the right opportunity. The Right Division Army currently lacked capable talent—its general was aging, and Chacha Qi was an unruly and reckless character. Even if Chacha Qi were to mature and take command of the army, it wouldn’t happen overnight. Therefore, while the Right Division General appeared weak on the surface, he was secretly nurturing talent within his ranks, preparing for both possible outcomes.  

From Song Lian’s perspective, the Right Division General needed a skilled military leader, and Tuoba Ren happened to have that exact ability. A collaboration between the two was not out of the question.  

Even if there had been past grievances between them, those conflicts were merely a matter of self-interest and were not worth dwelling on.  

Otherwise, if there were truly deep-seated hatred, how could the Right Division General turn a blind eye to his son frequently associating with Tuoba Ren? The underlying intentions behind this were clear to those who paid attention.  

Song Lian cupped his hands and bowed, taking responsibility for the matter himself. “Wang Ye, why not allow me to test the waters on your behalf? If there is a possibility, I will do my utmost to make it happen.”  

Tuoba Ren looked at him for a long moment before slowly nodding.  

Meanwhile, in Liangcheng, Ming Yu had just finished handling the unresolved issues left behind from before. Only then did he have time to entertain the merchants who had traveled with him to Liangzhou.  

The head of this group was naturally the head of the Ma family. Given their status, it would have already been a great honor if Duan Wang had simply assigned a minor official to escort them. Yet, to their astonishment, Duan Wang himself had personally stepped forward to receive them. This left everyone overwhelmed with excitement and admiration, marveling at how kindhearted and benevolent he was—a true ruler who cared for his people!  

However, inside the carriage, Ming Yu was grinning like a fox. Holding a folding fan in his hand, he gently fanned himself while gazing at Xu Wen, who sat upright and serious. “Has everything I instructed been taken care of?”  

Xu Wen nodded. “As per Wang Ye’s orders, everything is ready.”  

Ming Yu tapped the fan against his palm in satisfaction. “Good.”  

Xu Wen hesitated, seeming like he wanted to say something but stopping himself multiple times.  

Ming Yu chuckled. “If you have something to say, just say it. Since when have there been matters you can’t speak freely about in front of me?”  

Only then did Xu Wen clasp his hands and voice his thoughts. “Wang Ye, you already have countless matters to oversee every day. These people are just merchants—sending someone to give them basic instructions would have been enough. Why trouble yourself personally?”  

Xu Wen had been holding in these words, but since Ming Yu had invited him to speak, he asked outright. He truly couldn’t understand Wang Ye’s reasoning. Not only had he personally received and accompanied these merchants, but he had also arranged for others to meticulously handle their schedule and welcome them properly.

Ming Yu chuckled. “Do you know what I lack the most right now? Money and manpower. These people are here to bring me both—how could I not treat them like honored guests?”  

Xu Wen scoffed at Ming Yu’s teasing words but didn’t dare show it. Fine, whatever Wang Ye said was what it was. He always had a measured approach to things. But judging from his words, it seemed these merchants wouldn’t be leaving without making a hefty contribution. And with the kind of person Wang Ye was, not only would they obediently hand over their money, but they would also do so while feeling deeply grateful.  

The carriage came to a stop, and Ming Yu was the first to step out. Had they arrived? However, the merchants following behind him looked at the scene in front of them with confusion.  

Wang Ye had said he was taking them to a workshop to see some of Liangzhou’s latest innovations. Was this the place?  

The building before them was an ordinary structure typical of Liangzhou’s frontier, though it occupied a vast area. It appeared to be a large compound enclosed by high walls.  

A tall gate stood open, and on either side of the entrance, two neat rows of workers were lined up, all dressed uniformly in clean attire. Unlike the impoverished and weary people they had encountered when they first arrived in Liangzhou, these individuals stood tall with straight postures, exuding an entirely different energy and spirit.  

Ma Siyong stepped forward cautiously and asked, “Wang Ye, is this the workshop you mentioned?”  

Ming Yu nodded, and Xu Wen stepped in to explain. “That’s right. This area has been designated by Wang Ye as an industrial zone, and this is just one of the workshops. These people are Liangzhou’s commoners, employed by the workshop owner to work here.”  

Ma Siyong nodded thoughtfully. It seemed that this workshop was a place for manufacturing goods. But what exactly had Wang Ye brought them here to see? It must be something extraordinary for Duan Wang to take such an interest.  

Ming Yu smiled warmly. “Family head Ma, please, after you.”  

Ma Siyong quickly bowed and gestured for Ming Yu to go first. Ming Yu didn’t insist on pleasantries and strode forward.  

The head of the workshop was none other than Boss Yu, the same man who had traveled with Xu Wen to trade with the Ma family caravan some time ago. Upon seeing Ming Yu, he immediately led his workers in greeting him with a bow.  

Ming Yu waved his hand dismissively and said with a grin, “Today, I’ve brought you some important guests. Whether you can seize this opportunity is entirely up to you.”  

Boss Yu understood instantly. His round face broke into an honest smile, and he nodded eagerly. “Of course, Wang Ye, rest assured. I will follow your instructions to the letter—there won’t be a single mistake.”  

Ming Yu was pleased and stood with his hands clasped behind his back.  

Meanwhile, Boss Yu’s workers enthusiastically shouted in unison, “Welcome! A warm welcome!”  

The merchants were caught completely off guard. They had not expected such a display and found themselves at a loss.

Boss Yu stepped forward with a broad smile and cupped his hands in greeting. “It is an immense honor to have such distinguished guests. I hope you will all enjoy your visit.”

“Oh, not at all, not at all! Owner Yu, you are too kind,” Ma Siyong replied hurriedly, feeling both flattered and overwhelmed.

None of the merchants had ever received such treatment before. Just being acknowledged instead of looked down upon was already rare for people like them. Now, not only did Duan Wang personally value them, but even the locals here were treating them with such warmth. How could they not be moved? It seemed that following Duan Wang had been the right choice after all. Just as he had said, Liangzhou needed them—this was where they could truly prove their worth.

After some polite exchanges, the group finally entered the workshop.

The inside was far larger than it had appeared from the outside. Rows of well-lit buildings were neatly arranged, and the wide, clean pathways were spacious enough for two carriages to pass side by side.

“This is the soap workshop. We primarily produce different kinds of soap, including scented varieties,” Boss Yu explained.

Before Duan Wang had even arrived, he had sent word instructing Boss Yu to properly receive the guests, as the future development of the workshops would depend on them. Boss Yu understood the stakes—his workshop’s success would rely on these people, so he naturally put all his effort into making a good impression.

Soap and scented soap? The merchants had never heard of such things before. Someone immediately voiced their curiosity. “What exactly is that? And what is it used for?”

Boss Yu chuckled. “These are products that Wang Ye’s caravan brought back from their western journey, though the original recipe was incomplete. After some research and refinement by our artisan workshop, we managed to perfect it and produce these items. As for their purpose, you can see for yourselves.”

With that, he clapped his hands, and workers entered carrying trays of clear water along with a set of small dishes.

Ming Yu sat in the main seat, sipping tea, accompanied by Xu Wen. These products were simple yet highly practical and could significantly impact people’s daily lives. However, to promote them widely and make them essential household items for everyone in the Great Yan, they would need the help of merchants.

He had come here to inspect the situation, but he couldn’t personally negotiate with every merchant. That was why it was necessary to train the workshop owners to handle these matters on their own.

These workshop owners had been carefully selected from among the brightest minds, and they naturally understood the stakes. They had to successfully market and sell the products their workshops produced in exchange for money and supplies. Only then could they expand their operations further.

Thus, after bringing them here, Ming Yu simply observed from the sidelines. He had no intention of intervening and left all negotiations to Boss Yu.

“Boss Yu is quick-witted and has strong comprehension skills. He should be able to handle this without any problems,” Ming Yu said softly when he noticed Xu Wen looking somewhat concerned.

Of course, Xu Wen knew that the workshop owners they had chosen were highly capable. However, this business model was unprecedented, with no prior examples to follow. Even though they had trained the workshop owners on these matters beforehand, now that the day had finally come, he couldn’t help but worry about potential mistakes.

“Let’s just watch for now. They’ve already practiced handling situations like this many times. Besides, even if something goes wrong, aren’t we here? There will always be a way to fix it,” Ming Yu said leisurely, taking another sip of tea.

Xu Wen nodded, feeling slightly reassured. Thinking about the methods Wang Ye had devised, he couldn’t help but admire him. How did Wang Ye come up with such a brilliant approach? If it were him… he probably wouldn’t have been able to do it. He needed to keep learning from Wang Ye; otherwise, the gap between them would only continue to grow.

He had risen from the ranks of a low-level official, recognized by Wang Ye, who had promoted him and entrusted him with important matters. This made him both honored and anxious—what if he failed to live up to Wang Ye’s trust? If he disappointed Wang Ye, he would have no excuse, even if he died a hundred times over. Wang Ye was like a Bole (a legendary judge of horses), but he himself was no thousand-mile horse. Ever since following Wang Ye, he had learned countless things. Every time he felt he was making progress and getting closer to Wang Ye’s level, Wang Ye would effortlessly outpace him again, setting him back to square one. It was enough to make him cough up blood—at this rate, he would never be able to catch up.

Ming Yu, of course, was unaware of Xu Wen’s inner turmoil. From his perspective, Xu Wen was already the fastest learner with the most significant progress. He wished he had more people like Xu Wen to assist him—after all, the more talent he had, the better the future of Liangzhou would be. That way, he wouldn’t have to personally oversee everything himself.

They would have to wait a little longer. Only when Liangzhou’s reputation spread far and wide would they be able to attract even more talented individuals.

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