SWDnovel Chapter 1460 Taking advantage of the situation
Chapter 1460 Taking advantage of the situation
Chapter 1460 Taking advantage of the situation
In the eighth month of the thirteenth year of Wu Chiwu, mountains in Danyang, Jurong, and the ancient Zhang and Ningguo collapsed, and floods overflowed. (Book of Jin, Treatise on the Five Elements)
Unlike the Wu Kingdom, which was currently being ravaged by floods, the Han Dynasty was enjoying hard-won peace.
This peace and tranquility is the fruitful result of the decades-long dedication of the Prime Minister and Grand Marshal Feng, who poured vast amounts of money, grain, and manpower into the construction of ditches, embankments, roads, and bridges.
This was not achieved overnight, but the results were remarkable, and ordinary natural disasters could not shake its foundation.
Not to mention that this year the heavens have been kind to the Han emperor, with favorable weather and abundant harvests—except for May when the area around Luoyang experienced an earthquake.
The recent earthquake in Luoyang did not have a significant impact.
Anyway, the political center of the Han Dynasty is Chang'an now, not Luoyang.
As long as the aftermath is handled properly, there shouldn't be any major problems.
As for the earth dragon turning over as a warning from heaven... that's not wrong. Before, it was the pseudo-Wei usurping the Han, but now that the Han has returned, the earth dragon has to turn over as well.
In the thirteenth year of the Yanxi era of the Han Dynasty, millet and sorghum harvested abundantly in Guanzhong, Hedong, and other regions…
The beans in Liangzhou are ripe...
Several more plantations opened in the south...
Several more mines opened in Bingzhou...
The wool tax collected in the border regions has increased by another 30% to 50%...
Although the millet from Sichuan has not yet been stored, as long as the weather doesn't cause any problems in the next two weeks, a bumper harvest is foreseeable.
After it was confirmed that the Han Dynasty would have another bumper harvest this year, the grain prices marked on the Chang'an Exchange reacted in advance in mid-August, showing a sharp drop.
Although grain prices this year certainly won't fall to the levels of a bumper harvest, any drop would be a good sign.
Low grain prices hurt farmers, while high grain prices also hurt the people!
This time, Qin Bo learned his lesson and didn't return to Jianye. Instead, he stayed in Chang'an and had someone bring back the conditions proposed by the Han Dynasty, thus avoiding the trouble of traveling back and forth.
Moreover, Chang'an is far more prosperous than Jianye, and its food, drink, housing, and clothing are far superior to those of Jianye.
Besides, he didn't want to go back to Jianye to see Zhuge Liang's donkey-like face.
Lu Zhongshu had been publicly reprimanded and humiliated several times. If he went back like this, and the Grand Tutor thought he had done a bad job, he might be publicly flogged.
The school administration is now... sigh!
Forget it, just don’t say it.
Of course, Qin Bo wasn't doing nothing while staying in Chang'an; he basically went to the stock exchange every day.
Seeing the price of grain change every day was a cause for great joy.
As September arrived, Jianye sent word as quickly as possible that the Grand Tutor had agreed to the conditions proposed by the Han Dynasty.
There was neither reprimand nor praise; Qin Bo was simply instructed to urge the Han state to transport grain to Jingzhou as soon as possible, and also to find ways to raise as much grain as possible.
September is the harvest season, and not only is there a bumper harvest of grain, but the Feng family also reaps a rich harvest.
The marriage between the Crown Prince and the eldest daughter of the Feng family has entered the stage of betrothal.
Among the six rites, the presentation of betrothal gifts is second only to the final step of welcoming the bride.
Veteran general Deng Zhi personally carried the imperial axe and led a royal entourage stretching for miles to deliver the betrothal gifts to the Feng residence.
The dark and crimson robes were like clouds, the silk ribbons like rosy clouds, the jade discs were warm and radiant, and the steeds were extraordinary and divine.
There were also chests filled with gold and silver utensils and precious treasures, carried by palace servants, gleaming dazzlingly in the sunlight.
The extravagance of the betrothal gifts and the high standards of the ceremony all demonstrated the extreme importance the royal family attached to this marriage and their supreme recognition of Feng Ying, the eldest daughter of the Feng family.
The Feng residence was once again filled with guests, and Qin Bo naturally appeared there, and then, as a matter of course, met Grand Marshal Feng.
Large clients always have more privileges, especially those who are willing to pay extra.
Of the grain sold to Eastern Wu, Xinghanhui accounted for about half.
Besides the advantage of proximity, the Xinghan Society's long-standing tradition of farming and cultivating land was also a significant factor.
After all, as a newly established group, Xinghan Society is not like those old families that control a large amount of land.
However, sugarcane plantations, tea gardens, workshops, mines, and so on require a large amount of grain.
Therefore, land reclamation and farming have always been the top priority of the Xinghan Society.
Even in places like Nanzhong, the Xinghan Society was willing to spend a lot of manpower and resources to build terraced fields on the hillsides to ensure food supply.
With food in hand, one has nothing to fear.
Prepare for war and famine for the great Han dynasty.
As a supplier that can reliably provide large quantities of grain, with the recommendation of Grand Marshal Feng, and the long-standing cooperation with the Imperial Academy, Qin Bo naturally chose Xinghan Society as his first choice.
"Regarding Qin Xiao's matter, after mid-September, the millet from Shu will be stored up, and the price of grain will continue to fall. Isn't it a bit too hasty to enter the market now?"
Qin Bo, while grateful for Grand Marshal Feng's kind reminder, shook his head.
"I thank you for your reminder, my lord, but alas, the Great Wu cannot afford to wait any longer!"
Grand Marshal Feng raised an eyebrow: "Can't wait? Has the situation in Jingzhou become that urgent?"
“It’s not Jingzhou.” Qin Bo paused, as if gathering his words. “It’s a county or prefecture in Jiangdong.”
"Jiangdong?" Grand Marshal Feng was slightly taken aback; he really didn't know that.
In those days, there was no telegraph, and with such a long distance between people, the delivery time of messages varied greatly.
Moreover, the most important thing in the Feng family these days is that both of them are engaged to the Crown Prince. Who has the mood to care about what is happening in Jiangdong?
"Something's happened in Jiangdong again?"
Qin Bo nodded, with a slight sigh:
“Since August, heavy rains have fallen in Jiangdong. In Danyang, Jurong, Guzhang, Ningguo and other counties, the mountains have collapsed and floods have overflowed, and countless people have been affected by the disaster.”
He then recounted the details of the Danyang flood.
He glanced at Grand Marshal Feng one last time, a hint of envy in his eyes:
"The autumn harvest was just around the corner, and then this happened again. Sigh, so many disasters!"
The longer Qin Bo stayed in the Han Kingdom, the more he felt that perhaps destiny truly still lay with the Han.
Otherwise, why would the Great Wu suffer from constant natural disasters and poor harvests, while the people of the Han Kingdom would sing and dance with full bellies?
Good heavens, is this really the same God?
Otherwise, why would they favor the Han state so much?
Hearing Qin Bo's words, Feng Da Sima was truly at a loss for words.
What kind of place is Danyang?
To put it simply, it was the Sili region of the Wu Kingdom.
Because Jianye was located in Danyang County.
In other words, a large-scale mudslide occurred in the area surrounding the capital of Wu due to torrential rain.
What's worse, it happened when the main rice crop in the Jiangnan region was almost ripe.
The grain supply in Jiangnan largely depends on this season's millet.
Your great emperor attacks Hefei with 100,000 elite troops every year, but returns empty-handed each time, wasting manpower and resources. Has he never thought of properly repairing the water conservancy in Danyang?
That's the core region of your Wu Kingdom.
Now that you've been struck down by fate, do you know the pain?
Grand Marshal Feng looked at Qin Bo and suddenly asked:
"In that case, Yuan Xun must be under a lot of pressure, right?"
The new official had just taken office and had barely shown his power to others when he unexpectedly received such a harsh blow from fate.
At that time, some people might grumble that the government's mismanagement caused the disaster.
"This..." Qin Bo looked troubled, completely unaware that he had inadvertently revealed that Wu had run out of trump cards. "I haven't been in Jianye for a long time, so I didn't know..."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Grand Marshal Feng made an excuse and had Qin Bo sent away before turning and going to the backyard.
Left Madam, Right Madam, Li Mu, Amei, Huaman, Yang Huiyu...
Very good. The children have grown up and none of them are by your side, but the family members are all still there.
"Ahem," Grand Marshal Feng strolled slowly over to his wives and concubines, his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over their excited faces. "What are you looking at? It's so lively."
"Look, fireworks!" Upon hearing this, Hua Xiaowu immediately raised a huge fireworks tube in his hand and waved it proudly at Feng Dasima.
Her eyebrows curved into crescent moons, and her eyes sparkled with a childlike, pure, and eager anticipation. "We're just waiting for it to be released!"
She was certainly not unfamiliar with fireworks.
She still vividly remembers the night sky when the Prime Minister pacified the southern regions and made a solemn oath with the leaders of various tribes at Shicheng Mountain.
After arriving in Chang'an, she became the mistress of the Grand Marshal and concurrently the wife of the General Who Guards the East, and she received many holidays and festivals.
But this scene was unlike anything I had ever seen before.
The fireworks boxes piled up in the courtyard were almost like a small mountain, and the colorful paper tubes shimmered under the lights.
What's even more remarkable is that many of them are new products recently developed by Amei and the workshop's skilled craftsmen, which are said to be even more dazzling when set off.
This novelty and abundance is so enticing that it makes one's heart itch with desire.
Even the usually composed Madam Zuo couldn't help but get involved.
She was holding a particularly exquisitely packaged firework in her hand, listening intently as Amei softly explained how it differed from the fireworks of the past.
As he gently stroked the delicate gold-painted patterns with his fingertips, a rare hint of inquiry and curiosity was revealed in his otherwise joyful expression.
Among the group of people, Yang Huiyu, who came from a prominent family, was the most reserved.
Holding a firework carefully, her clear eyes were filled with pure curiosity and exploration.
She had seen the dazzling lights that bloomed in the night sky of Chang'an before, but this was the first time she had ever touched them so closely, and even had the opportunity to light them herself.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Feng Da Sima's gaze, which made her heart skip a beat. As if she had been caught red-handed by her master, she instinctively tried to put the firework back in its place.
But as soon as he started to move, he felt something was wrong and froze, unsure whether to go forward or retreat.
She was probably not used to being stared at by a man in front of others—even if that man was her own husband.
She glanced quickly at Feng, then hurriedly lowered her eyes, her thick, long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, perfectly concealing the sudden helplessness in her eyes.
A captivating blush spread quietly from the base of her fair ears, making her already exquisitely beautiful face even more radiant.
The newlywed bride, having just received the first rain and dew, exudes a unique and unknowing charm that flows silently from her.
Finally, she turned her face slightly to the side, so that Mr. Feng could only see a beautiful profile and a delicate, porcelain-like neck.
"Come here, I have something to ask you."
Upon hearing this, Yang Huiyu's heart nearly stopped.
She turned around in a panic, and before she could finish saying "I," she saw Grand Marshal Feng making a move to pull the Right Lady away.
"Hey! What are you doing?!"
The right lady twisted her body somewhat reluctantly.
It was getting dark, and she was still waiting for the fireworks to start!
"I just want to ask you something."
Watching the Right Lady being dragged away by Grand Marshal Feng in a whimpering manner, Yang Huiyu felt a sense of loss.
Feeling a gaze sweep over her, she looked up and saw that it was Mrs. Zuo, who had been listening to Amei's explanation, whose gaze had fallen on her without her noticing.
Madam Zuo's eyes were bright and her gaze held a hint of authority. Yang Huiyu quickly lowered her head, her earlier thoughts long since vanished.
On the other side, Grand Marshal Feng said in a low voice with a solemn expression, "Have any recent documents from Jiangdong mentioned the floods in the counties of Danyang?"
Secretary Zhang was in charge of the Grand Marshal's office's confidential documents, and all news from Jiangdong had to pass through his hands.
She frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and nodded, saying, "There were indeed one or two mentions, but they were vague, only saying 'the rain damaged the crops' and 'the houses were damaged,' and nothing more."
Seeing Feng Yong's serious expression, she felt a slight chill. "What? Could there be something wrong with the disaster? The floods in Danyang... are the disasters very serious?"
"It's probably worse than we thought," Feng Yong said in a deep voice, recounting in detail the information he had extracted from Qin Bo:
"It's not just crops and houses that are damaged. In August, landslides occurred in Danyang, Jurong and other places. Not just one place, but all the mountains collapsed, and rocks poured down, blocking the river channels."
"Furthermore, the floodwaters overflowed the dikes, turning the land into a vast swamp. It is estimated that much of the fertile land was submerged, and many houses and villages were destroyed. There are likely many who drowned or were crushed to death."
"It is harvest time now, and this natural disaster will probably make things even worse for the Wu Kingdom."
Finally, with a furrowed brow, he asked the question that troubled him most:
"In my opinion, would Zhuge Ke... abandon his campaign against Wei because of this?"
In an era where the concept of the interaction between Heaven and humanity is deeply ingrained, a natural disaster of this scale, especially occurring shortly after a change of power during the reign of a new ruler, would inevitably be interpreted as a warning from Heaven that the ruler has lost his virtue.
Logically, Zhuge Ke's wisest choice would have been to postpone or even abandon military adventures and focus all his efforts on extinguishing the internal strife.
Unexpectedly, after a moment's thought, Secretary Zhang gave a completely different opinion from Grand Marshal Feng: "In my opinion, no!"
Feng Yong was greatly surprised: "Oh? Why? When natural disasters occur, it is the perfect time to pacify the people and maintain peace. Shouldn't we postpone military action? To launch a forced military campaign at this time would be giving others ammunition to accuse us of 'immorality'?"
“That makes sense, but Zhuge Ke can’t wait!” The Right Lady pursed her lips, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes. “Firstly, the opportunity is fleeting.”
"Sima Yi has just seized power and his position is not yet secure. There are undercurrents within the Wei Kingdom, which presents the best opportunity for a northern expedition. If we wait until he has finished consolidating his power, the Wu Kingdom will have no chance to take advantage of him."
"Secondly, he urgently needs to establish his authority through military achievements! As a new ruler, his power base is not yet secure, and a major victory is the best way to quell criticism from both the court and the public and divert attention from the disaster. Once he wins, who will dare to say that he has 'lost his virtue'?"
"Thirdly," the Right Lady stared directly into Grand Marshal Feng's eyes, "Don't forget, the Han Dynasty has already promised to supply him with grain. He thinks he has received the 'tacit approval' of the Han Dynasty for grain support, and his worries about the future are gone."
Feng Yong nodded thoughtfully: "Using military achievements to cover up public opinion, using war to suppress public resentment...that makes sense..."
Well... even in later generations, this is basic stuff.
"However," Grand Marshal Feng still had doubts, "this is a huge gamble. What if we lose? The natural disasters haven't subsided, and now we have another defeat. How will Zhuge Ke face himself? Isn't he afraid of utter ruin?"
"So what if we lost?" Zhang Xingyi retorted, a sneer in his eyes. "Over the years, hasn't the Wu Kingdom already benefited enough from our Han Dynasty?"
"He sent Qin Bo over, ostensibly to borrow grain, but it was also a test of the Han Dynasty to see if the Han would change its attitude toward Wu because of Sun Quan's death."
"The fact that the Han Dynasty has been so generous this time shows that, in his view, the Han Dynasty is still a reliable fallback option."
At this point, the Right Lady seemed to have thought of something, and a thoughtful expression appeared on her face. "In that case, it's not hard to understand why he agreed to the conditions proposed by the Great Han so readily."
As long as the Han Dynasty acknowledges Zhuge Ke's rule over the Wu Kingdom and does not turn against Wu, and everything remains the same, then in his view, the Wu Kingdom can receive continuous support from the Han Dynasty.
After all, that's how we've always done it.
"If we really lose, the worst that can happen is that we'll follow in Sun Quan's footsteps—delay the customs duties of Jingzhou for a few more years and borrow more money and grain from our Han Dynasty!"
It can only be said that the image that the Han Dynasty has cultivated over the years is still deeply rooted in people's hearts.
They believed that as long as the Wei state still existed and the Han-Wu alliance remained, the Han dynasty would inevitably destroy the usurping Wei state first.
Before this, the Wu Kingdom did not have to worry about the Han Kingdom betraying them, and could even rely on the Han Kingdom.
The right lady paused, seemingly to gather her thoughts, before continuing:
"Moreover, Ah Lang, don't forget that after Sun Quan's death, there's no need to refine elixirs anymore, which will reduce a considerable amount of expenses."
"Furthermore, Wu now has no one to command the cavalry. The armored cavalry that Zhu Ju painstakingly built up during his lifetime has also been disbanded, leaving only a light cavalry force."
"The money and grain saved, plus the 'aid' from our Han Dynasty, may be enough, in Zhuge Ke's calculations, to deal with the Danyang flood and a Northern Expedition at the same time."
After listening, Grand Marshal Feng let out a long sigh of relief.
Suddenly, I thought of a certain great power in later generations...
Regarding image and reputation...
Lady Right chuckled again, and, meeting Grand Marshal Feng's questioning gaze, offered a plan:
“My lord, I think that at this time, you can petition His Majesty to issue an edict to provide Wu with a batch of grain free of charge, on the grounds that ‘Wu and Han are on good terms and we cannot bear to see our neighbor suffer.’”
"Free?"
It's already good enough that they didn't take the opportunity to raise grain prices and sell grain. It would be kind of them to lend a batch of grain, let alone send another batch for free.
But the Right Lady smiled slightly:
"The imperial court can send envoys with a fleet of ships to transport grain to Wu to help with disaster relief. This is called helping Wu fight disaster and promoting the virtues and righteousness of the Han dynasty."
Grand Marshal Feng was taken aback: "Zhuge Ke would agree?"
The Right Lady smiled slyly: "If it weren't for the Danyang flood, he certainly wouldn't have agreed, but at this time, I'm afraid he has no choice."
"Besides, Zhuge Ke can send envoys to test the Han Dynasty's attitude, so why can't we also test its bottom line?"
"Oh my!" Upon hearing this, Mr. Feng realized what was happening and happily hugged his wife, giving her a big kiss. "This plan is brilliant!"
"Oh dear!" The Right Lady nudged Grand Marshal Feng. "So many people are watching!"
"What are you afraid of? They're all family..."
……
Eyes were cast in from afar, but quickly disappeared.
The right lady's eyes flickered, and she snorted, "If you really have a conscience, come to my room tonight."
"Weren't we supposed to set off fireworks?"
"After the fireworks!"
"no problem!"
Mr. Feng patted his chest and agreed, displaying great pride.
That night, the imperial court issued a special decree postponing the curfew.
As dusk completely enveloped Chang'an, countless dazzling "fire trees and silver flowers" soared into the sky, bursting into bloom in the night sky and illuminating the entire city as bright as day.
The deafening roar and dazzling brilliance amazed the local residents of Chang'an.
This horrified the merchants from the Western Regions who had witnessed countless wonders; they prostrated themselves on the ground, believing it to be a celestial star falling to earth or a divine manifestation.
After the last star fell and disappeared into the night sky, the entire city of Chang'an finally fell silent again.
However, inside the Grand Marshal's residence, the commotion had not subsided, and cannon fire continued.