Chapter 57

Wang Changfu said nothing, only nodding in agreement.

Everyone’s faces were solemn as they walked in a long line to the office.

The security guards and the porters of the mule and horse business in the courtyard were all watching this side. He Yusheng was now a large and prosperous business, and although no one knew exactly how much he earned, they knew that the number of large carts was increasing, and the number of porters was growing. He Yusheng had five or six stores, and the mule and horse business had more than thirty branches. The accounting office had branches in various garrison towns and Datong, and was preparing to set up an office in Taiyuan to the south. Unconsciously, Zhang Han, the young master, had turned the mule and horse business into a successful venture. Whenever Zhang Han appeared, many people would look at him, and without realizing it, many people had begun to compare him to Fan Yongdou, the former major owner.

"These scoundrels like Liu Quande, actually colluding with the Fan family, and the Zhou brothers, planning to ambush the master? How could they repay the master’s kindness like this?" Wang Changfu, chest heaving with anger, said, "Where are they? I want to strangle these bastards with my own hands."

"No need for you to trouble yourself." Yang Qiu said, "Last night, when it was dark, I and my men put them in burlap bags and sank them in the Little West River."

The Little West River was the moat outside the fort, winding like a stream, not very deep, and not very wide. A person would float to the surface in three to five days.

Liang Xing coughed and said, "The master said he wanted them to float up so people could see. The security guards will be on alert when they know what happens to those who collude with outsiders to harm the master. It will also serve as a warning to others who might try to harm us, that they might end up in the river too."

As they spoke, Liang Xing and Yang Qiu’s faces were calm, as if killing was nothing to them. Although La Hu often did evil deeds, he rarely killed, for human life was precious. If a murder case occurred, the magistrate would personally investigate, and the provincial inspector would put pressure on the county. In the garrison, the civil officials would demand a thorough investigation. Even if a clan privately dealt with someone, they would handle it properly. What Zhang Han decided to do—killing and leaving the bodies exposed—was something no one dared to do.

Wang Changfu felt nothing; he had certainly taken many lives, but he never spoke of it, and others never asked.

Zhou Fengji and Liang Hong felt somewhat awkward. They were honest businessmen all their lives, and now they were involved in a murder case, which they found hard to adapt to.

But step by step, they had reached this point. The various businesses under He Yusheng now had nearly a thousand employees, something they never dared to imagine before. The old He Yusheng had been in business for thirty years in Xinping Fort, and the total number of employees, including the accountants and managers, was less than forty. The young master had expanded the business to this extent in just over half a year, involving different levels, such as the events in Tiancheng Garrison, the battles with local gangs, and the various means used to expand the mule and horse business. If they strictly followed the rules, could they have expanded the business to this extent?

From another perspective, Zhang Han had the support of the general and the vice commissioner, but if the accounting office and the mule and horse business had not developed rapidly and exceeded the expectations of these high-ranking officials, would Zhang Han’s actions have received their support?

The intricacies and complexities were too deep. Liang Hong could barely keep up, while Zhou Fengji had resigned himself to his fate, diligently continuing his business in the main store. He noticed that the grain reserves were increasing, and the miscellaneous goods were dozens of times more than before. The amount of grain was so large that he didn’t dare to think about it. This was a number that the old He Yusheng had never accumulated in thirty years. If all this grain were sold, the profits would be unimaginable.

"What about Zhou Bin?"

"Behind him is Zhou Wu. Zhou Wu is a well-known gang leader in Daliang Mountain, with fifty to sixty men under him. He often raids in various places, from Baoping Fort and Huamen Fort to our Xinping Fort, covering an area of thirty to forty miles. Zhou Wu is the most powerful one here."

"The problem is that when we raided the store, we didn’t know about Zhou Bin’s background. When Zhou Bin came to talk, he was intimidated by our numbers. Who would have thought his brother was Zhou Wu?"

As they spoke, Zhou Fengji listened with a frown.

The intricacies and complexities were too deep. Liang Hong could barely keep up, while Zhou Fengji had resigned himself to his fate, diligently continuing his business in the main store. He noticed that the grain reserves were increasing, and the miscellaneous goods were dozens of times more than before. The amount of grain was so large that he didn’t dare to think about it. This was a number that the old He Yusheng had never accumulated in thirty years. If all this grain were sold, the profits would be unimaginable.

Liang Hong listened for a while and finally interjected, "Isn’t Zhou Wu’s matter simple? At the time, they must have been in cahoots with the Fan family. Fighting us back and forth was no fun, so they decided to wait for the right moment to strike us down. Li Mingda secretly bribed Ning Yicheng, and the Qing military office influenced the garrison in our fort. When we were attacked by bandits, the fort didn’t send troops to help. It’s possible that Baoping Fort and Huamen Fort were also bribed. They waited and also bought people inside to report the master’s movements. Once Daliang Mountain received the news, they would act... I think this wasn’t planned by Li Mingda or the Zhou brothers; they don’t have the brains. It was probably Ning Yicheng’s idea. This time, if it weren’t for Liu Dequan’s incompetence, which Yang Qiu noticed, the master’s trip would have been dangerous."

As Liang Hong spoke, the others didn’t take it seriously at first, but when he finished, Liang Xing slapped his thigh and said admiringly, "Uncle, you are truly remarkable."

Zhang Han smiled, "Liang Hong has been a manager for ten years, and he’s well-versed in the streets. If he couldn’t figure this out, he wouldn’t be Liang Hong."

Liang Hong chuckled, "Master, don’t say that. My brain isn’t that sharp. Even if I didn’t say it, the master probably already figured it out."

Zhang Han had indeed figured it out long ago. From the Qing military office to the Fan family branch, to the Zhou brothers, the bandits, and the traitors like Liu Dequan, the enemy’s plan was flawless, forming a dense web that trapped him in the middle. They were waiting for him to make a mistake, and that would be the moment they would strike.

Patient and ruthless, like a venomous snake eyeing a frog, waiting for the right moment to strike with lightning speed and lethal force.

Zhang Han tapped the table, puzzled, "Why is Ning Yicheng so hostile to me? Doesn’t he know about Deputy Commissioner Zheng’s background?"

"Master," Liang Hong said, "This is probably related to the Fan family. We are stockpiling grain, and so is the Fan family. The summer tax has been collected, and in previous years, grain would be released around this time, causing the price to drop. This year, I’ve been to various forts, and the grain price is still around six cash per dan. This means that no one is releasing their grain."

"Hmm?" Zhang Han frowned and said to Zhang Chun, "Bring me the official gazette."

Zhang Han’s official gazette arrived about half a month later than in the capital. From the time it was published, copied, and sent to Datong, this was the shortest time possible. Officials might see it a few days earlier, but the difference wasn’t significant.

Because the official gazette was crucial, Zhang Han planned to send a dedicated person to the capital to collect it, along with other official reports and memorials. Yang Qiu had already chosen someone, who was quick-witted and knew many espionage tactics, as well as being literate and aware of court dynamics. Zhang Han had met the young man, Wang Faxiang, who was talented and cunning. Yang Qiu’s rudimentary espionage skills were quickly mastered and refined by this young man. Zhang Han was hesitant to teach him more, fearing he might see through his true nature.

Wang Faxiang was literate, and Zhang Han was currently giving him and others intensive training. However, Zhang Han himself was not very clear about the political factions like the Zhe, Qi, Chu, and Donglin parties. He would go to Zheng Guochang for lessons periodically and then teach these “bad guys” upon returning. It would take at least three to five months for Wang Faxiang to graduate and establish a basic intelligence network from the capital to Xuan, Da, and Shanxi.

Thinking about it, Zhang Han felt a sense of bitterness. He had transformed from a pure businessman into a combination of a politician and a gangster. He was no longer very concerned about the details of business... with thugs and officials as his backing, making money was like collecting protection fees.

The official gazette was quickly found, and Zhang Han, upon reading it, slammed the table, "Nurhaci, impressive."

"Master, what’s wrong?"

"Who is Nurhaci?"

There was a buzz of voices below. Zhang Han pointed to the gazette and smiled, "Now everything is clear."

The Later Jin army had risen in March and besieged Fushun City on April 15th. Ming general Li Yongfang surrendered and became a traitor. Fushun and Magandan, along with over five hundred cities, passes, platforms, forts, and villages, were captured. The Later Jin army massacred a portion of the residents and drove away the rest with mules and horses, then destroyed Fushun Pass. On the 21st, General Zhang Chengyin, the father of Zhang Quanchang and the uncle of Zhang Wuchang, led over ten thousand Ming troops to fight the Later Jin. He was ambushed by Nurhaci and his son, and Zhang Chengyin was killed. Generals Pu Shifang and Liang Rugu also died in battle, and the Ming army was almost entirely wiped out, with over ten thousand bodies littering the battlefield.

Before this, the Jurchens had been restless since entering the Ming territory, frequently raiding the borders. During the Chenghua period, the Ming central government was enraged and launched the "Chenghua Great Campaign," driving the Jurchens into disarray. Although the Jurchens were subdued, the enmity was deepened.

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Today was delayed due to some matters.

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