novelAbuy Chapter 54 The Final Calm
Chapter 54 The Final Calm
In the second year of the Tianqi reign, in the fourth month, there was a Grain Rain.
The weather in Jinan Prefecture was unusually hot.
At this time of year, the willow branches along Daming Lake would still carry a touch of tender green coolness, and the moist lake breeze could dispel the dryness of half the city. But this year, the air is filled with a dry heat that seems capable of sparking fire. It is a harbinger of a severe drought, and also the unique temperature of chaotic times.
South of the city, at Lu Ji's camp, amidst a jumble of rocks.
Although it wasn't yet the height of summer, cicadas were already chirping hoarsely on the bare tree trunks, a sound that was irritating to the ear. The towering rammed earth wall, reinforced over the winter, had grown to two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) high. Its surface was plastered with a mixture of glutinous rice juice and lime, as hard as iron, gleaming a cold, hard bluish-gray in the sunlight. Sharpened thorns were stuck into the top of the wall, and from the four corner watchtowers, sentries vigilantly scanned the ever-growing clusters of refugee shacks surrounding it.
Inside the central command tent, several basins of ice water emitted a faint chill, but it couldn't dispel the heavy atmosphere in the room.
Hu Jingshui sat behind a huge rosewood desk, holding a worn-out wolf-hair brush, sketching in a thick ledger. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, not from the heat, but from heartache.
"Boss, this money is being spent too recklessly, it's practically bleeding us dry."
Hu Jingshui put down her pen, took off her reading glasses, rubbed her sore eyes, and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "In this past month alone, we've spent 30,000 taels just on grain purchases. And then there's sulfur, saltpeter, wrought iron… the market prices change every day, and the price of rice is already three times what it was last year. Although we have some savings, this constant flow of money, like water being poured out, leaves us with no trace. I'm… panicking."
Lu Yan sat in the armchair opposite him, not holding an account book, but a piece of deerskin used for wiping binoculars, slowly and methodically cleaning the lenses. He wore a breathable linen robe, his expression as calm as a still pond.
"Old Hu, do you think it's expensive?"
Lu Yan raised his head, his eyes devoid of any emotion. "Rice prices are three times higher now, but once this fire starts, they'll be thirty times higher, or even more expensive than available. At that point, even if you offer money to buy your life, people might not be willing to sell it to you."
He stood up and walked to the map of Shandong hanging on the wall.
On the map, the area surrounding Jinan is covered with dense red circles. These are the defense nodes and supply depots that Lu Yan has established over the past two months through bribery, mergers, and modifications.
"We're not spending money, we're building a dam."
Lu Yan drew a heavy line on the map with his finger, his nails making a soft cracking sound on the paper. "The flood is coming. Every tael of silver, every bushel of grain, every pound of gunpowder we have now is a brick in our dike. If any one of them is missing, we will be the ones who die."
"I understand the logic, but..." Hu Jingshui couldn't help but sigh as she looked at the shocking deficit in the ledger.
"No buts." Lu Yan interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Continue buying. As long as there's grain on the market, buy it. Even if it's five times the price, buy it. Also, inform Zhao Tie that the workshop will be under 'complete lockdown.' From today onwards, no one is allowed to enter or leave except for the convoys transporting raw materials. Bring all the craftsmen's families to the inner village, providing them with cloth and rations according to their headcount. Keep their morale stable."
"Yes." Hu Jingshui sighed and closed the ledger. He knew that his boss's judgment was never wrong, but the speed at which money was being burned was truly alarming for this old accountant.
As they were talking, the tent flap was lifted, and a wave of heat mixed with the smell of dust rushed in.
Zhao Changying strode in, dressed in military uniform. The goose-feather saber at his waist clattered against his leg armor with each step. His face was covered in dust, clearly indicating he had just returned from an inspection.
"Brother, something's not right."
Zhao Changying grabbed the teapot on the table, tilted his head back and took a big gulp, wiped his mouth, and said, "There are more and more refugees outside the city. This morning, more than two thousand people fled from Yanzhou. I had someone investigate, and they all said they couldn't stay in their hometowns anymore. There are bandits in the villages even during the day, and the government doesn't care at all."
He lowered his voice, a glint of sternness flashing in his eyes: "I captured a few prisoners among the refugees. They weren't refugees, they were spies. They were carrying White Lotus Sect tokens and were secretly drawing up sketches of our camp. They were very stubborn; we had to torture them to get them to confess that they were ordered by the 'Fragrance Master' to scout out the area."
"Have you dealt with it?" Lu Yan asked, his tone as indifferent as if he were asking what he wanted for dinner.
"It's been taken care of. Buried in the landfill pit behind the mountain, no one will know." Zhao Changying licked his dry, cracked lips. "Brother, are those charlatans about to make their move? Judging from their behavior, they're trying to take advantage of us."
"They want to, but they're not ready yet."
Lu Yan walked to the window and looked through the crack at the camp outside, which looked like an iron barrel.
On the drill ground, squads of soldiers were training under the scorching sun. The sounds of flintlock muskets being loaded, spears being thrust, and officers shouting mingled together. This was no mere show; it was a killing machine built with money and sweat.
"That old fox Xu Hongru is waiting for the autumn harvest," Lu Yan sneered. "He wants to wait until the crops are ripe, seize the grain, and then rebel, so that he will have the confidence to fight the court. But he doesn't know that his timetable is not up to him."
"Prepare the car." Lu Yan suddenly turned around. "I need to go into the city."
"Going into town? At this time?" Hu Jingshui exclaimed in surprise. "Master, it's chaotic outside, what if..."
"It's precisely because it's chaotic that we need to go."
Lu Yan straightened his clothes, a cold glint of "opportunism" flashing in his eyes.
"The officialdom in Jinan right now is like this weather—hot, stifling, yet everyone's pretending to be asleep. I'm going to deliver a dose of 'cooling powder' to that prefect. And while I'm at it, I'll pave the way for our last escape route."
……
Half an hour later, in the back hall of the Jinan government office.
Prefect Wang was slumped in a rattan chair, two maids fanning him, but they couldn't stop the sweat from beading on his forehead. He held a newly issued court gazette in his hand, his brows furrowed, clearly in a very bad mood.
"Prefect Lu is here?" Upon seeing Lu Yan enter, Prefect Wang didn't even get up, only grunted, sounding somewhat annoyed. "On such a hot day, instead of counting money at your carriage shop, what are you doing here? If it's about expanding the militia again, then don't bother. The Provincial Surveillance Commission is already watching you, saying you're privately stockpiling armor and soldiers. I'm just wondering how to clean up your mess."
"You've misunderstood, sir."
Lu Yan dismissed the maidservant, pulled up a chair and sat down. He did not show the humility of a subordinate, but rather the calmness of an outsider. "This time, I am not here for the militia training, but to save your life, sir."
"Help me?" Prefect Wang scoffed, shoving the official gazette over his face. "I'm perfectly fine, I don't need your help. The less trouble you cause me, the longer I can live."
"Have you heard, sir, that the price of rice in Yanzhou has risen to three taels of silver per shi (a unit of dry measure)?"
Lu Yan said calmly, "Moreover, beef tendon, sulfur, and wrought iron have all disappeared from the market. Even in Jinan, white cloth has been bought up. Does Your Excellency really think this is just a coincidence?"
Prefect Wang abruptly put down the official gazette, sat up straight, and stared intently at Lu Yan with his small, beady eyes: "What do you want to say?"
"Someone is preparing for war."
Lu Yan took out a gift list from his sleeve and gently placed it on the table. It was a "cooling powder" he had prepared for the prefect—five thousand taels of silver notes, redeemable in four major currencies.
"My lord, Xu Hongru has been operating in Yanzhou for twenty years, with tens of thousands of followers. Now, Liaodong is in dire straits, the imperial army is all outside the pass, and the Shandong hinterland is sparsely defended. A storm is brewing."
Prefect Wang glanced at the silver note, his Adam's apple bobbing, but he didn't immediately reach for it. His expression changed, and his voice lowered slightly: "Lu Hanzhang, it's fine for you to say these things here in this prefecture, but if they get out, it will be considered spreading rumors and misleading the public. Do you have any evidence?"
"evidence?"
Lu Yan smiled and didn't take out any so-called "city defense report" or "evidence of crime," but pointed to the silver note.
"This is the evidence. I am a businessman, and also a man who values his life. If I weren't certain that Jinan was about to become a battlefield, why would I waste this money on 'donating funds to support the army'?"
Lu Yan leaned forward, his tone sincere and deep: "My lord, I have no intention of interfering in the affairs of the government office. But the world is in chaos, and I only wish to protect myself. This five thousand taels is a small token of my appreciation. Please use it to repair the back wall of the government office, or... to provide some travel expenses for my family."
"Furthermore, my local militia has been placed on high alert. If anything goes wrong, just give the word, sir, and I, Lu Ji, will guard the south gate to ensure your safety."
Prefect Wang looked at the silver note, then at Lu Yan's young yet unfathomable face.
He may be greedy, but he's not stupid. A chill ran through Lu Yan's words—this kid definitely knew some definite information. Moreover, Lu Yan didn't try to give him some so-called "defense plan," but instead gave him money directly; that was very sensible.
This money is a toll, a hush money, and a pledge of allegiance in times of crisis.
"Hanzhang..." Prefect Wang changed his form of address, his tone softening, and subtly placed the silver note under his teacup. "You...you're very thoughtful. This world is indeed not peaceful, and as the local official, it's natural for me to plan ahead."
He sighed, looking as if he had aged several years in an instant: "Since you have such filial piety, then you... do as you see fit. As long as you don't cause any major trouble, I'll pretend I didn't see what happened in your camp. But this city gate... if anything really happens, you'd better hold it for me."
"Don't worry, sir."
Lu Yan stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "My life and fortune depend on this city of Jinan, so I will do my best. My lord, it's hot, please take care of yourself."
After saying that, Lu Yan turned and left.
Watching Lu Yan's figure disappear through the door, Prefect Wang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, grabbed the silver note, and his hand trembled slightly.
"Someone come here!" he suddenly shouted. "Prepare the sedan chair! We're going to the Provincial Surveillance Commission! The sky... it seems like it's really going to collapse!"
As Lu Yan walked out of the government office, he looked up at the sky.
A dark cloud obscured the blazing sun, and a wind picked up, stirring up dust that stung people's eyes.
"All done," Lu Yan muttered to himself.
He didn't need the government to actually take any defensive measures, as that would only disrupt his plans. He only needed the government to "turn a deaf ear" at crucial moments, and that would be enough.
"Xu Hongru, I've set up the stage for you. Don't let me down!"