Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 138 Economic Penetration

The chilling effects of the two airtight cases handled by the Censorate had not yet completely dissipated within the Starfire Fortress bureaucracy when another, more covert yet far-reaching undercurrent, began to quietly surge toward the surrounding forces, following the strategy agreed upon by Chen Xing and Jia Wen. This undercurrent, neither sword nor blade, was called "economic infiltration."

In the main council hall of Xinghuo Fortress, Chen Xing, Jia Wen, Zhao Tiezhu, and Su Xiaoxiao, the specially summoned "Treasurer," were gathered. Since joining the fortress, Su Xiaoxiao had used her astonishing business acumen and financial management skills to transform Xinghuo Fortress's previously chaotic and disorganized financial and commercial system into a well-organized entity. She not only quickly cleared up old accounts but also, through integrating internal resources and expanding external trade routes, made the treasury increasingly abundant. Standing quietly to one side, her figure slender and her face beautiful, she possessed an air of shrewdness and competence.

"Mr. Wenhe's 'Three Strategies for Pacifying the North' emphasizes 'division and disintegration.' And within this process, enticing them with benefits to gradually build dependence, and even corrupting them from within, is the best approach," Chen Xing stated bluntly, his gaze sweeping over Jia Wen and Su Xiaoxiao. "Salt, iron, cloth, fine wine, and even exquisite trinkets—anything of high quality, exquisite, or unique origin from Xinghuo Fortress—can serve as a 'sharp weapon.' This strategy requires the combined efforts of both of you."

Jia Wen nodded slightly, his narrow eyes looking at Su Xiaoxiao: "Manager Su is in charge of the Imperial Treasury, knowledgeable in commerce, and possesses trade routes and connections connecting the north and south. Economic infiltration is something that no one but Manager Su can accomplish."

Su Xiaoxiao gave a graceful bow, her voice clear and melodious: "My lord, Commander Jia. I am willing to do my utmost. However, infiltration requires a combination of overt and covert methods, and the balance must be carefully managed; it is quite delicate. Being too hasty will easily arouse suspicion; being too slow will hardly yield results. Moreover, different objectives require different materials and methods."

"Indeed," Chen Xing praised. "In Wenhe's opinion, the primary target at present should be Panshi Fortress in the east and several surrounding unstable fortresses. Xiliang is preoccupied with its own internal strife, and the Hu tribes in the north can be kept in check through trade. Panshi Fortress and other places border us directly, and their leaders are mostly local tyrants who are greedy for practical benefits and have limited vision. This strategy is just right for them to be dealt with gradually."

Jia Wen continued, his voice calm as ever: "We can proceed in three steps. First, open trade. Director Su will select reliable large merchant caravans, carrying official customs clearance documents from Xinghuo Fortress, and displaying large quantities of high-quality goods, to openly trade in places like Panshi Fortress. The goods will mainly consist of salt, iron, cloth, spirits, refined sugar frosting, and fine porcelain and lacquerware. Prices can be slightly lower than market prices, but must be settled in our 'Xingyuan Tongbao' (Star Yuan Coins), or accepted in kind such as grain, leather, horses, and copper. The purpose is threefold: to showcase the abundance of Xinghuo Fortress's resources and the excellence of its craftsmanship; to gradually make them dependent on us for important supplies; and to promote the use of 'Xingyuan' (Star Yuan Coins) and influence their economy."

A thoughtful look flashed in Su Xiaoxiao's eyes as she added, "We can select a batch of goods as 'gifts' to present to Lord Panshi Fortress and his core staff and generals. The gifts must be exquisite and precious, catering to their tastes. For example, the finest spirits can be chosen and presented in glass bottles; the finest silks and satins from Jiangnan can be used; and the trinkets can be collected from the southern trade routes. As the saying goes, 'He who eats another's food is bound to do his bidding, and he who takes another's gift is bound to do his bidding,' it's only human nature."

Jia Wen nodded: "That's the second point: establishing connections through private routes. Besides the official caravans, we need skilled merchants posing as itinerant traders or carrying special goods to get close to key figures within forces like Panshi Fortress—such as officials in charge of finances, generals commanding troops, or even favored advisors and their wives. The goods they carry must be rare or prohibited items, such as: high-quality iron for forging fine weapons, highly refined 'snowflake salt,' overseas spices for entertainment, and even… diluted Five-Stone Powder. The transactions don't need to be large; the key is to establish private connections and satisfy their special tastes or secret needs. Through them, we can obtain inside information, subtly influence their decisions, and even make them wary of accepting bribes, or even blackmail them."

Chen Xing's eyes narrowed slightly as he listened. Jia Wen's plan was a perfect blend of overt and covert strategies, a perfect combination of direct and indirect tactics, truly showcasing the ultimate application of the word "infiltration." Open trade was aboveboard, while insidious private alliances were effective; with this two-pronged approach, there was no doubt that powerful figures would gradually fall into his trap.

"Thirdly," Jia Wen concluded, "we need to identify and cultivate 'agents' within the target force. We can select mid- to lower-ranking officers, clerks, or merchants who are not high-ranking but have ambition and are dissatisfied with the status quo. We can grant them exclusive agency rights or preferential treatment through trade, help them make money, cultivate their power, and deeply bind their interests with those of Starfire Fortress. When necessary, they can act as inside agents, spreading rumors, transmitting intelligence, and even creating chaos at crucial moments."

Su Xiaoxiao pondered for a moment and said, "Selecting, contacting, and cultivating such 'agents' requires utmost caution and takes a long time. It cannot be accomplished overnight."

"No problem," Chen Xing decided. "This strategy isn't about quick victory, but about persistence and subtlety. Let's set a six-month timeframe and proceed steadily. Su, you'll be fully responsible for arranging trade routes, allocating goods, and selecting personnel. You can have priority access to the necessary manpower and funds. Jia, your supervisory office will provide intelligence support and be responsible for monitoring any potential leaks or backlash during the infiltration process to ensure this is carried out discreetly."

"We will obey our lord's command!" Su Xiaoxiao and Jia Wen replied in unison.

With the plan finalized, the massive machine of Starfire Fortress was set in motion once again, but this time, it was its commercial reach and covert tactics that were activated.

Several days later, a large caravan, bearing the banner of Starfire Fortress, set off from the east gate of Starfire Fortress. The caravan was loaded with mountains of snow-white salt, bundles of refined iron, brightly colored cloth, tightly sealed wine jars, and many chests carefully wrapped in oilcloth, their contents unknown. The caravan was led by a seasoned, prudent, and shrewd merchant personally selected by Su Xiaoxiao, carrying letters of "friendly relations" and gift lists written by Su Xiaoxiao herself to the leaders of several powerful factions, including Rock Fortress.

Meanwhile, several other caravans or merchant groups, much smaller in size, with highly skilled personnel and relatively "special" goods, also quietly left Xinghuo Fortress under various identities and routes. Their destination was also eastward, but they acted more discreetly and even deliberately took detours.

When the openly traded caravans arrived in the territories of forces like Rock Keep, they caused quite a stir. The salt from Starfire Keep was as white as snow, without any bitterness or off-putting smell; the iron was of excellent quality, with a bluish-gray sheen at the fracture surface; the cloth had novel patterns and a soft texture; and the spirit called "Starfire Brew" was exceptionally mellow and potent, far surpassing local brews. Even more enticing was the fact that the prices were indeed 10-20% cheaper than similar goods purchased from other distant sources, and the Starfire Keep merchants were friendly, efficient, and willing to accept various payment methods, especially offering fair discounts on their stockpiled leather, medicinal herbs, and even grain.

Shi Hu, the lord of Panshi Fortress, was about fifty years old, a burly man with a rough and suspicious nature. Initially wary of the Xinghuo Fortress caravan, he only permitted limited transactions in designated markets and assigned trusted confidants to closely monitor them. However, when several specially presented jars of "ten-year aged liquor" in glass bottles and several bolts of lustrous Shu brocade were presented to him, his expression softened somewhat. Especially after tasting the strong liquor, Shi Hu exclaimed how enjoyable it was, gaining a new appreciation for Xinghuo Fortress's "sincerity." Although still vigilant, he subtly broadened the permitted scope and amount of trade.

The leaders of the other small fortified villages were far less resolute than Shi Hu. Faced with high-quality, inexpensive necessities and dazzling luxuries, they quickly lowered their guard and began trading more frequently with the merchants of Xinghuo Fortress. They started using "Xingyuan Tongbao" for settlements, as the Xinghuo Fortress merchants promised extra discounts on future transactions if they held this currency. Unbeknownst to them, the source of salt, iron, and cloth for these fortified villages began to shift towards Xinghuo Fortress.

Meanwhile, progress along those hidden "private routes" was even more astonishing. A steward in charge of maintaining the armory at Panshi Fortress, through an intermediary, purchased a small batch of "special steel" from Xinghuo Fortress at a high price to forge a sword for himself. It proved incredibly sharp, drawing envy from his colleagues, who from then on became completely obedient to the mysterious "southern merchant." One of Shi Hu's deputy generals, a heavy drinker, quickly became addicted to the "special supply liquor" secretly provided by Xinghuo Fortress, several times more potent than what was available on the market. His monthly expenses skyrocketed, and he began readily granting requests from merchants offering him fine wine and credit. Even one of Shi Hu's favorite concubines, through the inner quarters, acquired a set of exquisite headdress jewelry from Xinghuo Fortress, inlaid with glass and pearls. She was captivated by it, constantly praising Xinghuo Fortress to Shi Hu day and night.

Money, fine wine, treasures, and even more obscure hobbies seeped silently into the bodies of forces like Rock Fortress, corroding the will of its core members, binding their interests, and numbing their vigilance.

Su Xiaoxiao, stationed in the inner treasury, controlled the overall situation through encrypted intelligence on trade routes. Jia Wen, on the other hand, monitored the depth and feedback of the infiltration through the intelligence networks of the Censorate and Li Shu, adjusting strategies as needed.

Over the months, Starfire Fortress's treasury became even fuller due to these "unequal" trades. Meanwhile, the neighbors to the east, while enjoying the "benefits" and "exquisite products" brought by Starfire Fortress, were completely unaware that their economic lifeline was being quietly strangled, and their internal cohesion and will to resist were gradually softened and disintegrated under the sugar coating.