In June of the 34th year of Qin Shihuang, when the soldiers of the Southern Expedition were urgently seeking medical treatment and wanted to burn the forests of Baiyue to a white ground, Heifu, thousands of miles away in Jiaodong, also planned to light a fire, but in people's hearts
The fire of desire...
The southwest monsoon blows strongly, making Yantai Port extremely busy. With the establishment of Haidong trading company, trade with Haidong is in full swing. Jiaodong merchants have tasted the sweetness of the price difference of mink fur between the two places, and work tirelessly to transport Jiaodong's luxury goods.
In the past, meeting the needs of the North Korean nobles induced them to exploit the people, and made the people go into the mountains day and night to hunt minks. There were complaints that the utopian trade war in "Guanzi" actually came true here...
The aristocrats of North Korea like silk and lacquerware, and are a bit more backward than North Korea. Donghao and Samhan, who do not yet understand the beauty of these luxury goods, prefer something else...
Having learned from last year's lesson that the army was defeated when it went south, Heifu's advice to Fusu was not to rush to send troops.
"The remaining troops of Lord Canghai have entered the area between Mahan and Dongyi and have been avoiding the Qin army. Our army lives in Haidong. Such a powerful armed force intruding into the territory of Mahan and Dongyi will definitely make them frightened and vigilant. Say no.
If they are good, they will be used by Lord Canghai to gather Ma Han and Dongyi to hinder the Qin army. Once they fight and enmity, thousands of people who have gone deep alone will fall into the quagmire, and Lord Canghai will flee with his men.
The disciples moved elsewhere."
The purpose must be clear. The Qin army did not come to conquer, but only to destroy Lord Canghai and complete Qin Shihuang's mission.
Different from the Southern Expeditionary Army's idea of making all enemies, Heifu believes that the most important thing in fighting in foreign lands is to make allies and let them be used for his own benefit. Whether it is Ma Han or Dong Hao, they can all be won over.
Therefore, after the beginning of spring, in addition to building "Han City" as a permanent stronghold, the Qin army sent envoys and merchants to "make friends" with various tribes.
A few months have passed. According to the news coming back from Haidong, the results are good: under the orders of the government, merchants under Daojian and Guantong began to explore the Mahan area. There are 54 tribes of Mahan people, distributed in several countries.
Within a hundred miles, there are tens of thousands of large ones and hundreds of small ones.
In these tribes, there are many names after dogs, such as Goulu, Gou Su, Gou Xi...
Regardless of whether it was a cat or a dog, the seamless merchants, led by the dozens of merchants who had strayed into Mahan after the shipwreck, basically visited all the tribes that could be reached, and sent gifts to the commanders of Mahan.
Gifts from Master Da Qin: silk, lacquerware, knife cuttings, and brown sugar.
The commander-in-chief of Mahan had no interest in wearing silk fabrics that were too light to keep warm. Although the lacquerware was fancy, its function was no different from a rough pottery bowl.
On the contrary, the sharp knife and the sweet brown sugar in the mouth make the eyes of Mahan people shine!
Knives are easy to understand and are necessary tools in tribal life. As for sugar, in fact, there are very few humans who do not like sweets.
Human beings have long been addicted to sweets. The principle of addiction is a story of a bitter child: when humans were still apes, they were severely lacking in calories, and sweets are rich in calories. The sweeter they are, the more energy they have. So when they see sweets, humans will instinctively eat them.
Take supplements.
This primitive memory is written into genes and becomes an instinct just like eating, sleeping, and having sex.
Heifu's explanation for this is: "Eat and drink, men and women, are the only way people can have great desires, and barbarians are no exception."
The excited areas of the brain when eating sugar are very similar to those when taking drugs, but the degree is different. He once heard a movie line in his previous life:
"Sugar is eight times more addictive than cocaine and five times more likely to cause death."
Although I don’t know whether this data is nonsense or the truth, the Mahahan people, especially the handsome wife and daughter, do like this kind of honey very much. After eating the little bit given away, I am still unsatisfied. Next month
, when the merchant came back, he expressed that he wanted to eat again.
This time, the brown sugar could not be given away for free. The merchants deliberately described the brown sugar as a rare treasure, an extremely valuable thing, and the Mahan people had to exchange it for mink or raccoon skins.
Over time, the trade relationship between Haidong Trading Co., Ltd. and various tribes in Mahan was unfortunately, mink and raccoon skins were also rare items in Mahan. After two or three trades, the inventory of the past ten years was replaced. In the area south of the Han River,
There are only a few of these animals, so many cannot be caught at one time, and Jiaodong merchants are not interested in other things in the tribe...
Just when Commander Ma Han was in trouble, the merchant put forward a tempting suggestion:
Mahan is poor, and there aren't many mink to hunt there, so it's okay!
"You can exchange it for the heads of Canghaijun's party members!"
Lord Canghai had left the Hancheng area in later generations and moved to the upper reaches of Daishui (Hanjiang River). After establishing himself there, he frequently made friends with Ma Han and Dong Yi. He described the Qin people as murderous invaders and would enslave the three Han Dong Yi.
The Mahahan people were originally doubtful, but after Fusu established Hancheng, he did not send out troops rashly. Instead, he sent merchants to pay them a friendly visit, including gifts and trade, which dispelled the doubts of the tribes.
But now that the two sides have become familiar with each other, Ma Han will have to make a choice between Qin and Canghai.
This choice couldn't be easier!
"The people of Qin can bring useful knives and delicious honey to the various tribes. What can Lord Canghai give us?"
Therefore, starting from May, there were cases where the party members sent by Lord Canghai to liaise with various ministries were intercepted and killed on the way. Their heads were then given to merchants in exchange for a few kilograms of brown sugar and a few cutting knives...
The heads of Cang Haijun's men have become the only designated currency in the southern part of the peninsula. Looking back at this long-planned trade, it is really honey to you and arsenic to others!
"In this way, even if we only waste ten thousand catties of brown sugar, Canghaijun's followers will be wiped out!"
Heifu heard Chen Ping's reply and was very satisfied that this sweet and evil plan worked. Not every Mahan tribe is willing to do this kind of blood and sugar transaction, but as long as one tribe does it, it will inevitably attract Canghai Jun.
As long as they engage in battle and die, things will become more complicated. It will be a matter of time before they send merchant envoys to fan the flames, tie the Mahahan tribes to Qin Chariots, and attack Canghai Lord together.
"When the army comes out, it will no longer be the Qin army but Canghaijun who will be attacked everywhere. It must be a terrible feeling to be surrounded on our own land."
Can't Mr. Canghai run away? But when he discovers that the peninsula is full of tribes who want to exchange their heads for benefits, how can he run away?
As a result, Heifu said no, but Heifu still gave Fusu a hand and taught the young coach one thing:
"War can not only be better than the battlefield, but also better than the court, and better than the colonial goods..."
As long as it is for victory, do whatever it takes!
According to Chen Ping, Fusu really appreciated Heifu’s plan and commented:
"The one who subjugates the enemy's troops without fighting is a good man! The supervisor is indeed a man who is good at using troops!"
…
Across the sea, Haidong merchants were receiving a steady stream of people, so Jiaodong had to send several ships of brown sugar every month to satisfy this exchange.
It is worth noting that this batch of brown sugar is no longer produced in Nan County or Yuzhang, but from Donghai County. Because of the difference in craftsmanship, it was overcooked and turned black in color. The taste is slightly bitter, so it is called "brown sugar".
”.
Since the brown sugar industry emerged in Anlu ten years ago, Heifu knew that this industry would be confiscated by the government sooner or later, so he could not help but send the sugar cane out, and even gave it to Ba Widow for free to clear her family, so that this industry gradually spread throughout the country: eight years ago
It was first spread to Yuzhang, seven years ago to Bashu, six years ago to Jianghuai and Changsha, five years ago to Kuaiji...
Thanks to the great unification, there were no obstacles to news and trade. Seeing that selling sugar was profitable, plantations and workshops were established in various places. Most of them were old aristocrats of the Chu State who owned large amounts of land.
A year and a half ago, the Shaofu finally couldn't hold back and purchased all the brown sugar workshops as state-owned. As a government-exclusive industry, this situation of bamboo shoots sprouting everywhere came to an end. The rich and powerful in various places only retained large areas of sugar cane fields.
At present, the family that owns the most sugarcane fields in Donghai County is Heifu's old acquaintance, the Xiang family. After all, the Xiang family is still the largest landowner in Donghai County after the fall of the Chu Kingdom. In addition to the family's headquarters in Xiaxiang County, there are many other families in Huainan.
There are also many fiefdoms in Guangling, Tangyi and other places. According to Qin Shihuang's policy of "letting the head of Guizhou establish his own land", these lands have not been confiscated by the government. With the Xiang family's wealth, it is easy to raise thousands of soldiers.
However, after the rebellion in Qi, the central government of the Qin Dynasty changed its policy and moved all the remaining nobles in Qi. Then, I am afraid it will be the turn of Chu...
It was only when Qin Shihuang launched his southern expedition that the relocation order was not issued immediately - it was a forced conquest of the common people, and it was also intended to uproot the nobles and offend the nobles as well. If so, the Chu region would probably rebel.
On that day, Heifu finished his inspection at the port and returned to the mansion with Xiao He. He was discussing this year's treasury income and expenditure. At this time, Chen Ping came here in a hurry, with a travel-worn man behind him, and came to the hall.
After bowing to Mr. Hei, he stopped talking...
Xiao He was a smart man and understood immediately. He immediately slapped his forehead and said that a book had been left in the office and he wanted to get it for Hei Fu to take a look at. He then left.
After walking out of the hall, Xiao He looked back at the slowly closing door of the hall, thinking about everything.
Although Lao Xiao relied on his own abilities, he was trusted by Hei Fu and promoted to Cang Cao. He began to use his talents and take charge of real power.
But he knew very well that Heifu's number one confidant was still Chen Ping.
The more Xiao He learned about it, he discovered that Chen Ping was responsible for most of Heifu's township party disciples all over the country, and reported to Heifu through him. He and "big guys" like Cao Shen knew nothing about these things.
It was precisely because of the spies everywhere that they were able to directly find and conquer their "Three Heroes" after entering Peixian County? But the strange thing is that Xiao He and Cao Shen were highly valued, but Liu Ji was the only one who got away with it.
Not a good job, either as a pawn or as a flag bearer, detained for several years and not allowed to go home.
A few days ago, Heifu seemed to have changed his mind. Just as Jiaodong sent a thousand county troops to support Fusu, he promoted Liu Ji to be a hundred commanders and sent him to serve on the Haidong front line, saying that it would give him a chance to make meritorious deeds.
Old Liu has probably arrived in Hancheng now, right?
All in all, like everything else Heifu does, it's confusing.
Xiao He once again thought of Chen Ping's hints and tests at this time last year, and became even more convinced that this was what Hei Fu instructed Chen Ping to do!
"This Lieutenant Commander is really both upright and strange, and his ambition is not small..."
Xiao He shook his head. Although he felt a little uneasy, he had been on the boat for too long and it was difficult to get off.
"If the world is in chaos, this big ship parked on the beach might not be a good place to stay."
…
In the study room where all the servants had dispersed, Chen Ping and the retainer who had been assigned to Xiangxian County, Donghai County by the hacker to monitor the Xiang family reported the unexpected situation to him.
"Junjun, something big happened over there in Xiangxiang County!"
