Chapter 113: No Ravine Before a Fierce Tiger
The Wei Assistant Secretary was very moved and repeatedly said that it was his greatest fortune to have the honor of serving under the Prince.
Before he left, he handed over the work at hand, including the East Sea salt fields, the compensation for injured soldiers, and the management of silver and provisions, all meticulously documented in a handover book of nearly a hundred pages.
Cheng Yu deliberately said, “Why are you more long-winded than a woman? Don’t worry and go be a Capital Official. From now on, Official Wei will be our brother’s connection in Chang’an.”
“When you hear about matters in the border city, you must do some lobbying in Chang’an!”
The two had bickered for years, but this time, the Wei Assistant Secretary couldn’t retort and said sincerely, “When you and your sister-in-law have children, you must send a letter.”
Cheng Yu’s old face flushed, “I know, I know. You don’t have much to pack. Just bring some of our border city’s special products and hurry up and go!”
Jinsui held a farewell party for the Wei Assistant Secretary. There was no singing or dancing, only the sincere blessings of his companions.
Before leaving, the Wei Assistant Secretary made a personal request: for his daughter, Wei Ying, he wanted a copy of the Thirty-Six Stratagems signed by the Li King 《》.
“Heh heh, I failed to enlighten my child. After I go home, I will teach them our border city’s Art of War.”
Jinsui not only gave him a copy of the Thirty-Six Stratagems signed with the “Li, the Boundless King” seal.
She also took Energy Bars and daily Medicine from her Space, put them in glass bottles, as gifts for the little girl.
The Wei Assistant Secretary said that if he had the chance in this life, he would definitely bring his wife and daughters to the border city to visit.
He returned to Chang’an with honor and infinite anticipation for his future life.
Yan Shiyi also came. This fellow seemed like a completely different person overnight, no longer having that irritating, flippant, punchable expression.
When he brought the Yan Clan deserters before, he was a bit too embarrassed to face Jinsui, so he handed them over to Cheng Yu and left in a hurry.
However, Jinsui later heard that he had gone to the former site of the Forceful Restaurant and stood there for a long time, looking at the once bustling eatery now reduced to scorched earth, and heard that the cook and waiters had all died in battle.
He asked with a heavy heart, “Where’s the Big Black Guy? Is he still alive?”
Hei Hu, limping, was supported by Hao Duojin as he cursed him, “Of course I’m alive! I won’t die even if you do!”
Yan Shiyi did not retort. He left with a guilty smile.
This left Hei Hu somewhat surprised, “Is this guy so sad about not getting fish balls that he won’t even talk back when cursed?”
This time, he came on the orders of Yan Jiulang to deliver the Yan Clan’s young and strong who helped with the work, and also to see off the Wei Assistant Secretary.
The figure of the Wei Assistant Secretary on horseback disappeared into the faint mist, and the soldiers waved their hands high, shouting, “Take care on your journey.”
Yan Shiyi Lang also shouted a couple of times. He turned his head and saw Jinsui and Gu Changxiao, and instinctively wanted to leave quickly again, but his steps halted.
He stammered, “Um, will the Forceful Restaurant be rebuilt?”
Jinsui nodded, “Of course! The entire border city will be rebuilt, but not on the old site. The old urban area will be preserved as a memorial.”
This was the result of discussions between Jinsui, Gu Changxiao, and everyone else. The new site for the border city was chosen next to the river channel, which would become a moat.
The new city was more than ten times larger than the old urban area. After all, the old city was only called the border city by their own people; to outsiders, it was just a camp area.
With their current assets, they definitely couldn’t build a city, but a city couldn’t be built overnight.
Relying on the provisions extorted from the Yanzhou Gentry, they would first build the city’s foundation, city walls, and camp area.
With a trade zone for doing business with the herdsmen, they would no longer have to worry about being ambushed by bandits during transactions.
There would be a refugee area, where refugees could openly come down from the mountains to earn work points, without having to hide as they did before.
Upon hearing the definite answer, Yan Shiyi quickly asked, “Then can I still be a Salt Carrier?”
Jinsui’s heart rejoiced. She thought, why refuse someone who is eagerly offering money?
“What’s so good about being a Salt Carrier? Why not invest! Just like the restaurants we’re cooperating with, you can invest in my eatery too.”
Yan Shiyi quickly nodded, “I’m willing to invest a thousand taels of capital, and I’ll find the people needed.”
He agreed too readily, which made Jinsui wary. It felt more satisfying to trick a fool yourself.
Someone so eager to be a fool felt unsettling.
“Why is the Turtle so interested in our border city’s reconstruction?”
Gu Changxiao looked at Yan Shiyi with suspicion. He had completely different reactions to the two Yan brothers; he harbored instinctive hostility towards Yan Jiu.
Towards Yan Shiyi, he treated him like the landlord’s foolish son.
Yan Shiyi did not answer directly but said, “I was supposed to attend the Treasure Contest these past two days.”
Jinsui chimed in, “Oh, the border city matters have delayed your fun.”
“No! It’s not like that.”
For the first time, a look of adult seriousness and rare guilt appeared on Yan Shiyi’s face. “I don’t know why, but the day I came and saw the border city as scorched earth.”
“Seeing the Tartars’ Heap of Corpses, the bodies of the soldiers, and those crying Military Families.”
“I suddenly felt that I, who was only thinking about showing off at the Treasure Contest, was as naive as a child.”
“These past few days, I’ve been thinking, if the border city hadn’t held them back, if you hadn’t resisted the Tartars with all your might, what would happen to Yandi if the Tartars broke through Yanzhou City?”
Jinsui patted his shoulder to comfort him, “Don’t worry, the Tartars won’t break Yanzhou City. If it truly comes to the point where the enemy is at the city gates, Yandi will not be turned into scorched earth.”
Under Yan Shiyi’s confused gaze, Jinsui continued:
“Because your Gentry would surrender! Just like your ancestors, at worst, you’d go from being Summer People to Northern Frontier People. You’d still be the high and mighty Gentry, and only the common people, like grass, would die.”
Yan Shiyi’s eyes were filled with anger. Jinsui ignored it and smiled, “What? Do you think this King is wrong? Do you think this King looks down on your Gentry?”
“Go home and ask your elders, flip through your clan records, and look at the local chronicles. How many times have the Yandi Gentry changed from Summer People to Northern Frontier People, and then back to Summer People.”
Yan Shiyi’s anger turned into gritted teeth, but it was quickly replaced by dejection and shame. “I want to refute you. At least I won’t, my Yan Clan won’t become Northern Frontier People again.”
“But if that day comes, Yanzhou City won’t have the Li King to lead the people to resist the enemy without fear of death. At that time, even if my Yan Clan doesn’t surrender, others will, and we still won’t be able to do anything.”
Jinsui praised him like a child, “For Eleven to have such thoughts is progress! It’s never too late to change, and since you’ve already identified the Gentry’s core problem, you should take action.”
Yan Shiyi looked at her with a very happy expression. Jinsui thought, he really is like a child; he gets happy with a few words of praise.
Unexpectedly, Yan Shiyi said, “This is the first time you’ve called me Eleven!”
Jinsui: …Your family’s intelligence, ninety percent went to your brother, and you and your sister split the remaining ten percent.
“But what can I do? I’m just a idle, powerless young master, with the will but not the strength.”
Jinsui rolled her eyes at him, “I’ll give you a saying.”
“Before a fierce tiger, there are no ravines! Before a coward, there are only obstacles.”
“It depends on whether Eleven, you want to be a fierce tiger or a coward.”
Before a fierce tiger, there are no ravines!
