“We have invested so much financial resources in you and Yan Caiqing has devoted so much effort to make for you military books, yet this is how you repay Us, how you repay Yan Caiqing? You suffered a devastating defeat within less than twelve hours. How can We trust the capital under Our control in your hands? Hm?”
“We beg Your Majesty for punishment!” Sun Yingxiong and Zhang Yingjie said anxiously.
Yang Zhuo and the others also knelt down as well, afraid to speak.
Huangfu Yuchen asked, “Do you now understand where you went wrong?”
Sun Yingxiong said, “The mistake lies in—”
“No need to tell me,” Huangfu Yuchen interrupted, “Three months from now, I will give you another chance. If you still fail to satisfy me at that time, decide for yourselves what to do.”
Without waiting for Yang Zhuo and the others to respond, he pulled Yan Ge and left with a swing of his sleeve.
Only then did Zhang Yingjie and the others dare to breathe loudly.
Yang Zhuo stood up and looked at the bowed heads of Zhang Yingjie and Sun Yingxiong, speaking in a deep voice, “What’s this? Are you feeling dejected?”
“No!” Zhang Yingjie suddenly stood up, “General, the Ministry of War has prepared five days’ worth of supplies for us. Please give us another chance.”
“Good!” Yang Zhuo patted his shoulder vigorously, “That’s more like it! That’s the talent His Majesty needs! Return to your units and prepare for another battle.”
“But what about His Majesty’s decision…” Sun Yingxiong said.
Yang Zhuo said, “His Majesty probably won’t blame us. If he does, I’ll bear the responsibility.”
“Thank you, General!”
Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen walked far away, but Huangfu Yuchen still had a gloomy expression.
“Are you still angry, Yuchen?”
Huangfu Yuchen calmed his emotions a bit and his voice became warmer than before. “It seems that being too comfortable in the capital has made them slack off. I thought that even if they hadn’t trained according to the methods you provided, they should still be able to hold on for at least one day. It seems I had too much confidence in them.”
Yan Ge hooked his arm around Huangfu Yuchen’s shoulder. “Look at it from a positive perspective. We discovered the shortcomings of the Imperial Guards in a timely manner and can improve them. The Imperial Guards has always been the strongest force among all the armies in the kingdom. I believe this defeat will not sit well with them either.”
Huangfu Yuchen nodded slightly. “Baby, perhaps you don’t know, but our strength in is only considered average among the dozens of surrounding Kingdoms. The recent peace in the Great Han over the past three to four years is all thanks to the efforts of the late emperor in suppressing the neighboring kingdoms. However, this suppression is only temporary, and there may be war again at any time. We must be prepared.”
“Don’t worry, I’m here!” Yan Ge boldly patted his chest, “With me by your side, who dares to bully Great Han?”
Huangfu Yuchen chuckled and leaned in closer to him.
Yan Ge said, “In today’s battle, I also have some thoughts. According to what Yang Zhuo said, Zhang Yingjie, the deputy general on the defending side, also serves as a military advisor. He first sent Qin San and the others to confuse their vision, and then used the bridge to create a false impression. It’s evident that he possesses strategic talent. With further cultivation, he will undoubtedly become a formidable military strategist. The reason for their subsequent defeat was the brilliant utilization of the weather, time, and surrounding resources. Even I couldn’t figure out why he wanted to buy fish at that time, so it’s no wonder Zhang Yingjie fell for it. That being said, we do have quite a few talents in our Imperial Guard. With the addition of the new military books, the military prospects of the Great Han Kingdom are still promising!”
“Hehe…” Huangfu Yuchen chuckled softly, “Being comforted like this by my love, I finally feel a bit relieved.”
Yan Ge grinned and playfully lifted his chin. “In that case, for the next military exercise, the First Company will sponsor it. Apart from not actually killing anyone, everything else will be done with real weapons!”
Huangfu Yuchen was surprised. “Baby, that’s not a small amount of money.”
Yan Ge smiled mischievously and said, “So what? Seeing you smile is worth it!”
Huangfu Yuchen insisted, “Let the treasury handle it. Since it’s a national matter, the funds should come from the treasury. Your money is your money, and my money is also your money.”
Yan Ge sighed sadly, “It’s not easy to have an opportunity to spare no expense, and you won’t allow it.”
“Okay, okay. The First Company will handle it.” Huangfu Yuchen reluctantly agreed, feeling both warm and amused. How could he not understand his baby’s intentions?
“That’s more like it,” Yan Ge said. “Since we’re on the subject, let me ask, how is the progress on the exchange of garrison troops on the border that you mentioned before?”
Huangfu Yuchen said, “The decree for the first batch of garrison troops to be exchanged on the border was issued half a month ago. Once the new recruits arrive, only half of the selected garrison troops will depart. Otherwise, it would leave the border defenseless and provide an opportunity for the enemy. The Northeast, Southwest, and Coastal garrison troops will be gradually exchanged next. The military books have also been secretly delivered to the hands of the border generals. After the new garrison troops have undergone training, their strength will undoubtedly increase significantly.”
“Can we rely on those border generals?” Yan Ge asked.
Huangfu Yuchen replied, “Rest assured, their families are in the capital. In addition, I have sent spies. As soon as they have memorized the contents of the military books, the books will be destroyed. Only we will have the originals.”
“That’s good. If the military books fall into the hands of another kingdom, the loss will be irreparable,” Yan Ge said.
Huangfu Yuchen hugged his waist. “It’s getting late. Let’s hurry up and go back.”
The two figures leaped a few times and disappeared into the night…
On their way to work, Wan Xiang and Xiao Chuanzi noticed that Yan Ge seemed different today. Although his lips still unconsciously curved into a smile, there was a hint of contemplation in his eyes, as if he was pondering something serious.
“Master, we’ve arrived,” Xiao Chuanzi reminded Yan Ge to get off the carriage.
“Hmm,” Yan Ge snapped back to reality, “By the way, it’s been a long time since we checked on the situation at the amusement park. Send someone to invite Master Wen for a visit.”
“Understood.”
When Wen Xian entered Yan Ge’s office, he noticed that Yan Ge was not sitting behind the desk as usual. Instead, he stood by the wall, facing the large map of the Great Han hanging on it. With both hands behind his back, his silhouette carried an unusual depth.
“When did the suave Boss Yan start acting profound?” Wen Xian teased.
Yan Ge turned around, staring at him without saying a word.
Wen Xian raised an eyebrow. “It seems that Boss Yan called me here not for the amusement park but for something important.”
“Please have a seat,” Yan Ge motioned for him to sit anywhere.
Wen Xian took a seat, slightly curious, waiting for Yan Ge to speak.
With a faint smile, Yan Ge picked up his tea, took a sip, and calmly asked, “Master Wen, can I trust you?”
Wen Xian’s expression became slightly solemn, but he also smiled lightly. “I thought that after such a long period of cooperation, we have always appreciated each other, and trust each other as a result.”
Yan Ge nodded. “Indeed. I have a very important matter that I need your help with, or rather, the help of the Wen family. I wonder if you are willing.”
Wen Xian smiled again. “Rarely is there an opportunity for me to be of help to you. Please go ahead.”
Yan Ge went straight to the point. “I want you to open grain shops across major cities and towns in the kingdom. These shops will be branches of a larger network of grain shops.” This was the result of his consideration throughout the night. To prevent people from associating the business with him, he needed to use a fresh face. However, most of his subordinates had appeared in front of others, making it difficult to find a trustworthy new face. Thus, it was best to find someone he trusted who could replace him without raising suspicion. Wen Xian became the best choice. Firstly, Wen Xian’s character was indeed trustworthy. Secondly, the Wen family’s business was large and involved various aspects. Suddenly opening a grain shop would not arouse suspicion.
Wen Xian’s expression turned serious. The sensitive topic of food was inevitably related to warfare. Could it be…
Yan Ge anticipated his thoughts and quickly diverted attention from the main issue. “You also know how sensitive my identity is. If I were to get involved in this aspect, it would likely lead to various speculations and complicate matters.”
The less Wen Xian knew about this national affair, the better. Without asking too many questions, Wen Xian agreed directly, “No problem.”
Yan Ge nodded. “Thank you. If it truly proves useful in the future, I will make sure to give the Wen family great credit. I will provide the initial capital for the shops, and all profits will belong to you.”
Wen Xian said, “No, I will provide the initial capital. Opening grain shops in several major cities across the country, as you requested, will require a considerable amount of funds. If I don’t raise money for this venture, it may leave behind hidden dangers. In the future, you can find a way to repay the funds. I’m not worried that you won’t have the money.”
Yan Ge smiled. “That’s good.”
He really appreciated Wen Xian’s straightforwardness and meticulous thinking. “Come over and take a look…”
As Wen Xian stood up, he glanced outside the door.
Yan Ge sensed his movements without looking back. “Don’t worry, there’s no third party around.”
Wen Xian walked to the map, and Yan Ge pointed to several locations on the map. “Here, here… and here. These towns need to have branches of grain shops. The inventory of the grain shops in the capital and the town of Youcheng must be the largest.” The locations he pointed to were all towns on the official roads leading to the coastal, southwest, northwest, and northeast regions. Youcheng, in particular, was the central town of Great Han and convenient for gathering food in any direction.
Wen Xian carefully looked and nodded. “I’ve noted them down.”
Yan Ge said, “Just to be cautious, you can start working on it in a month. It’s easy talking to smart people.” Yan Ge smiled, “I’m counting on you.”
One month later…
“Pa-pa-pa…” Under the scorching sun, firecrackers suddenly exploded, and red fragments flew in all directions like snowflakes, falling on the completely dry cement road. The ropes that separated pedestrians on both sides of the cement road were replaced with red ribbons, and they were filled with people, their faces brimming with joyful smiles.
Mischievous children squeezed and jostled around the adults, happily jumping and bouncing like it was New Year’s. The first construction project on Baorong Street in the capital was finally completed! Even traveling merchants who had traveled far and wide had never seen such a solid and smooth road. Even wandering martial artists who heard about it rushed to the capital to see the spectacle. They sat on the rooftops, inspecting the cement road back and forth with a look of curiosity in their eyes.
Not far away, the majestic Imperial Guards approached. The footsteps of all the soldiers and the bearers of the dragon sedan chair were wrapped in red cloth, moving in perfect synchronization, displaying an awe-inspiring military might. The first two people held up a plaque that read “Make Way.”
Yan Xiaojing, who was following the Imperial Guards, saw the martial artists on the rooftops from a distance and exchanged a glance with Luo Wei, the Minister of War, who was walking beside him.
The completion of the first cement road in the capital held great significance. Yan Xiaojing, as the Minister of Rites, had arranged the ceremony for the emperor to inspect the road, which symbolized the emperor’s authority and would undoubtedly continue to grow stronger. Moreover, it served to further consolidate imperial power.
Luo Wei whispered, “Don’t worry, the security is absolutely foolproof. Besides, I don’t think they would do anything detrimental.”
“Let’s hope so,” Yan Xiaojing replied.
The firecrackers continued unabated, and the festive gongs and drums resounded once again. Until the emperor’s procession was only about a hundred meters away, the sound of the gongs and drums abruptly stopped.
The martial artists on the rooftops quickly jumped down.
The court official raised his voice, “Baorong Street is not only the first cement road in the capital but also the first cement road in the entire Qingchuan continent. May the emperor’s grace be vast and revered for all eternity; may the talent of Yan Caiqing be celebrated for generations to come!”
Everyone was filled with excitement and awe, kneeling down on the ground, proclaiming, “Long live our emperor for ten thousand years—Yan Caiqing’s extraordinary talent will be forever blessed, and may Great Han thrive!”
When they shouted blessings to Yan Ge, the words were varied, with some praying for his divine protection, eternal youth, and so on…
