Two trade orders stirred the southern border; life and death decided without a single soldier

Meng Jiuning sat at the lower end, her fingers clenching tightly on her knees.

She had seen the intricate details of smuggling from the border villages at the Dali Royal Palace, and it all became clear in her mind.

"The military officer in charge of procurement in Yong Prefecture must have secretly embezzled a large quantity of raw medicinal herbs in order to take kickbacks."

Meng Jiuning couldn't help but speak up.

"With medicine prices skyrocketing in Yi Prefecture, and the Chamber of Commerce providing a safety net in cash, those corrupt officials will be unable to resist the temptation and will definitely smuggle medicines from the military treasury to exchange for silver."

Gu Moran glanced at her.

"My mind isn't completely filled with abacus beads yet."

"That place was damp and muddy, and the mountains and forests were full of miasma."

"If you camp in the wild without medicinal herbs to dispel cold and dampness, within half a month, 30% of people will develop festering sores on the soles of their feet."

"If they want to push forward, their leg bones will rot in the mud first. Chengdu the raw medicinal herbs they rely on come from Yi Prefecture."

Su Yao flicked her wrist, and the abacus beads clattered back into place.

"This drastic measure will not only empty the Yong Prefecture army's medicine depot, but Yi Prefecture can also conveniently rake in all the money from the pharmaceutical merchants of Liangguang and put it into their banks."

"With a large sum of cash rolling around in the Chamber of Commerce's accounts, we can even make a profit."

Gu Moran put down his teacup and raised his second finger.

"This is just the first step."

"The second order is for Xue Huan."

Xue Huan pushed open the door and entered, bringing with him a gust of cold wind from outside.

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Go to the outer camp and select fifty unfamiliar brothers, they need to be strong and sturdy, and find a few with southern features."

Gu Moran raised his hand and pointed to the Bronze Gorge South Road on the map.

"Change into the sarongs and tie-dyed short robes commonly worn by merchants from Dali, and prepare thirty two-horse-drawn carts."

Xue Huan scratched the back of his head.

What kind of weapons are in the cart? Heavy crossbows or spears?

"Loading stones."

Gu Moran tapped his fingers on the table.

"The bottom of the cart was piled with bluestone blocks, covered with a layer of iron, then covered with two layers of thick oilcloth, and tied tightly with coarse hemp rope."

"The axles were slathered with heavy oil, and deep ruts were pressed into them. Each cart was pushed by four men with all their might, as if they were transporting heavily forged armor."

Xue Huan grinned.

"Is Your Highness going to put on a show of bravado?"

"Make a grand entrance, and don't try to hide when you leave through the south gate; let all the merchants in the city see it clearly."

Gu Moran remained calm.

"Make as much noise as possible, and on the way, 'accidentally' let the scouts see the reflection of the cast iron under the tarpaulin."

Meng Jiuning Ning's fingers, resting on her knees, slowly tightened around the fabric of her skirt.

The car is a fake, but the medicine is real.

The Yong Prefecture army, lacking raw medicinal herbs, suffered from leg rot; the rebel lord of Dali, seeing iron armor, became suspicious.

The military governor of Yong Prefecture feared that Yi Prefecture would use the route south to seize the trade route, while the rebel marquis of Dali feared even more that the remnants of the royal army would use their heavy armor to launch a counterattack in Yi Prefecture.

The two groups of wolves, each with their own ulterior motives, will stab each other in the back.

"Your Highness has impressive skills."

Meng Jiuning spoke in a low voice, her originally straight back slumping almost imperceptibly by half an inch.

"If I hadn't left my fingerprint at Listening to the Rain Tower, Dali's last remaining resources would probably have been completely destroyed by you."

Gu Moran glanced at her sideways.

Stop playing the victim.

"We will send someone to verify the three shady accounts of the money shops you revealed."

"If the accounts are even slightly off, I will lock you in the woodshed and have you peel all five hundred catties of raw chestnuts needed for the palace."

Meng Jiuning subconsciously rubbed her aching knuckles and quickly looked down.

" Jiuning's words are all true; she dares not utter a single falsehood."

" Xue Huan, go and do it." Gu Moran waved his hand.

"Your subordinate obeys!" Xue Huan clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned around, and strode out of the study, the armor plates clanging loudly.

Noon, Yi Prefecture City.

A dry, cold wind swept across the street corner, making the wine flags flutter loudly.

The entrances to the Hundred Herbs Hall and Foot Care Hall were surrounded by layers of people, crowded with merchants from all over the country.

The charcoal braziers inside the hall were burning red-hot, and the heat mixed with a strong medicinal aroma wafted out.

"Holy crap! Are you kidding me?!"

A fat pharmacist with Liangguang accent slammed his hand on the counter, spitting as he spoke, his fleshy face trembling.

"Yesterday a packet of muscle relaxant and cold medicine was only twenty coins, and today you dare to ask for a hundred coins? You're robbing people like this!"

Behind the counter, the shopkeeper leaned back in his rosewood chair, his fingers resting on the abacus, without even lifting his eyelids.

"If Boss Sun thinks it's too expensive, he doesn't have to buy it."

The abacus beads jingled crisply.

"The passes throughout Jiannan Circuit are currently under heavy preparation for war. This is the price. If you dawdle any longer, the cavalry from Liangguang Tongfu Hall will clear out their entire stock."

The fat pharmacist broke out in a cold sweat on the back of his neck.

He glanced sideways behind him.

Several familiar faces at the back of the line were holding thick stacks of bank drafts, craning their necks and staring intently at the shelf.

The humidity in Liangguang and Guangxi is high, and the military camps and medical clinics are pressing for supplies. If he returns empty-handed with this batch of cold-dispelling medicine, his businesses will be severely punished.

Moreover, rumors have spread that the Yi Prefecture Chamber of Commerce intends to continue raising the price to repurchase the shares.

Even if you resell them locally, you can still make a 20% profit.

"Buy them all! I want them all!"

The fat drug dealer gritted his teeth, grinding them until they bled.

He slammed a stack of Zhang Prefecture banknotes, redeemable on demand, onto the counter. "Two hundred packs, cash on delivery, load them onto the truck immediately!"

"Keep the books in order, and load the goods for Boss Sun."

The shopkeeper smiled slightly, and several quick-handed employees behind him stepped forward to collect the tickets and verify their stamps without any hesitation.

At the same time, the dull sound of iron hooves echoed from the main street in the south of the city.

Thirty large supply wagons, pulled by two saddles, formed a long line, covered tightly with black tarpaulins and bound with three or four thick hemp ropes.

The wheels made a labored, heavy sound.

Dozens of burly men dressed in exotic fur robes stood on either side, their hands on their waist knives, their expressions tense, their steps synchronized.

The leader, Xue Huan, wore a black iron soft armor underneath and a long sword at his waist. His gaze casually swept over the windows of the teahouses along the street.

The window of the private room on the second floor of the teahouse was slightly ajar, about a finger's width wide.

Two men dressed as fur traders pressed themselves against the wall, their eyes following the slow movement of the large cart.

"Look at the curve of the cart shaft; the wheels are sunk more than half an inch."

The man on the left swallowed hard, his voice extremely low. "It's definitely not fodder; it's because it's packed with fine iron armor and heavy crossbows that it's compressed to this size."

The man on the right stared at the bronze plaque at the waist of the leader.

"That's the secret mark of the Dali royal family; the caravan is heading towards Bronze Gorge."

"Is the rumor true? Prince Yi not only openly sent troops, but also secretly lent weapons to Dali?"

"Not just weapons."

His companion pulled out a drug price slip he had just copied, the veins on the back of his hand slightly bulging.

"The price of raw medicinal herbs in Yi Prefecture has increased fivefold in a single day, and the Chamber of Commerce is still frantically buying up goods. Stockpiling such heavy quantities of medicine and armor suggests they're preparing for a major battle."

"Prepare carrier pigeons, quick!"

The man on the right closed the window panel, took out a specially made charcoal stick, and wrote several lines of coded messages on the fine parchment:

[ Prince Yi has already moved; thirty cartloads of heavy weapons are heading south to Dali. Yi Prefecture is frantically collecting medicinal herbs, fearing they might use Dali's influence to launch a pincer attack. Retreat quickly to preserve your army!]