novelAbuy Chapter 158 The Talented Woman of Jiangdong
Chapter 158 The Talented Woman of Jiangdong
As the dust settled on the war in Xiliang, Jiankang, a thousand miles away in Jiangdong, was immersed in the languid and extravagant atmosphere typical of late spring. Painted boats crisscrossed the Qinhuai River, and music and song filled the night; the splendor of the Six Dynasties seemed undiminished by the escalating conflict in the north. However, beneath this surface of light, shadow, and gentle whispers, the undercurrents were more turbulent than ever before.
Several caravans traveling south from the north, carrying the dust and the scent of the northern frontier, arrived in Jiankang one after another. They brought not only leather and medicinal herbs from the north, but also news that would shake the Jiangnan court and the public—Han Sui, who had dominated Xiliang for twenty years, had been defeated! Defeated by a young man named Chen Xing, and even the capital of Guzang had changed hands!
In teahouses and taverns, scholars, merchants, and officials whispered amongst themselves, their emotions a mixture of astonishment, doubt, and worry. Some scoffed, believing it to be nothing more than a barbaric struggle in a remote border region, unrelated to the elegance of Jiangnan; others felt deeply uneasy, as if they saw a fierce tiger, once crouching in the north, now sharpening its claws and turning its gaze towards the fertile south.
Among these merchants from the north was a small but exceptionally capable group, led by a privately cultivated associate of the Xinghuo Fortress Supervisory Office, surnamed Zhou. Zhou was a well-connected businessman who traveled extensively throughout the north and south. His mission in this southward journey, besides regular trade, was more importantly to gather information on political trends and military capabilities in various parts of Jiangnan, and… to keep an eye out for certain exceptional individuals.
On this day, a merchant surnamed Zhou was invited to a banquet at the home of a wealthy silk merchant from Jiangnan. During the banquet, as they drank and chatted, the conversation naturally turned to the recent sensational war in the north. After several rounds of drinks, a local official, his face flushed, slurred, "Han Wenyue was a hero of his time, yet he met such an end! It shows that the world is truly in chaos! Jiangnan seemed peaceful, but our governor suddenly passed away, and now... alas!" He abruptly stopped speaking, seemingly realizing his slip of the tongue, and quickly downed a mouthful of wine to cover it up.
The merchant surnamed Zhou's heart stirred, but he remained outwardly calm, merely echoing the lamentations about the current situation. As the banquet was about to end, he chatted privately with the silk tycoon, seemingly casually asking, "Just now I heard that gentleman mention the governor... Could it be that something has happened in Jiankang recently? I am a rough northerner; if there are any taboos, please don't say more."
The silk magnate had been doing business with Zhou Shang for many years and had a good relationship. Having drunk some wine, his guard was lowered, and he lowered his voice, saying, "Brother Zhou, you're not an outsider, so it's fine to speak freely. A month ago, Governor Wang died suddenly in his residence, and his death was quite suspicious. Although it was officially claimed to be an acute illness, who in Jiankang City doesn't have their own suspicions? Now the prefecture is leaderless, the chief clerks and military commanders each have their own agendas, and the powerful clans below are even more restless, all wanting a piece of the pie in this chaos. There are even rumors that the northern court also wants to get involved… In short, it's a complete mess!"
Zhou Shang looked surprised: "Is this really true? Then isn't everyone in Jiankang in a state of panic?"
"Fear is not necessarily high, chaos is certain." The wealthy merchant shook his head. "However, as long as the Qinhuai River flows in Jiankang, the city's prosperity and entertainment will never cease. Speaking of which," he suddenly revealed a knowing smile between men, tinged with a hint of pride, "Brother Zhou, having spent so long in the north, I'm afraid you've never experienced the true pinnacle of elegance and refinement in our Jiangnan region, have you?"
"Oh? I'd like to hear more about it."
"That's Su Xiaoxiao from 'Yanyu Tower,' the great Su!" The wealthy merchant's eyes gleamed. "She's truly a woman of exceptional beauty and talent, proficient in all the arts—music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—especially her pipa playing, which can absolutely captivate. What's even more remarkable is that this woman not only possesses unparalleled talent but also a shrewd and resourceful mind, adept at business and shrewd in planning! To be honest, Brother Zhou, last year, Governor Wang… oh, the one who died suddenly—was trying to reorganize the treasury and clear up the deficit, and he was in a terrible predicament. Later, somehow, he managed to get this great Su to secretly guide him, and she sorted things out perfectly, uncovering several corrupt officials and offering many ways to generate revenue and cut expenses. Even the governor was full of praise, calling her a 'talent for economics'! It's a pity that, being a woman, and with such a background, in the end…"
The wealthy merchant sighed, then lowered his voice, a hint of mystery and regret in it, "Now that Governor Wang is gone, Lady Su has lost her protector. Someone like her, with such abilities, is undoubtedly being eyed by countless powerful figures. I've heard that things haven't been peaceful at the Misty Rain Pavilion lately; some people are pressuring her, wanting to forcibly take her as their own. They're probably after her beauty, but also her financial acumen. Beauty is fleeting, and talent breeds jealousy!"
The merchant surnamed Zhou listened, his mind racing. A woman of exceptional beauty and talent, adept at business, and even capable of assisting the governor in reforming the finances? This was no ordinary courtesan! His lord, Chen Xing, was aggressively expanding his territory and was desperately seeking talent, especially in domestic affairs, economics, and commerce. While Zhao Tiezhu was diligent, such a shrewd and calculating expert was still rare. Even better, this woman was currently in dire straits…
He displayed just the right amount of emotion and curiosity on his face, chatted with the wealthy merchant about the local customs of Jiankang, and then took his leave without making a sound.
Upon returning to his lodgings, Zhou Shang immediately wrote down what he had heard that day, especially the details about the turmoil in Jiangnan and Su Xiaoxiao herself, in coded language. He then sent the report to the North as quickly as possible through the secret channels of the Censorate in Jiankang.
This report, after a long and arduous journey, finally landed on Chen Xing's desk at Xinghuo Fort. At this time, Chen Xing had just finished dealing with the first batch of urgent military and political affairs after the surrender of Xiliang, and was discussing with Jia Wen and Zhao Tiezhu how to further consolidate the fruits of victory and deal with possible reactions from the south.
Chen Xing's gaze lingered on the description of Su Xiaoxiao for a long time.
"Possessing both beauty and talent, and adept at business, she once assisted the governor in reforming the finances..." Chen Xing's fingers lightly tapped the report, "She is currently in a dangerous situation, being pressured by powerful figures..."
Jia Wen stood to the side, a glint in his narrow eyes, and slowly said, "My lord, Jiangnan is prosperous, with smooth trade routes. Money and provisions are the foundation for hegemony. Although our Xinghuo Fortress has new laws and Zhao Situ is diligently overseeing them, we still need specialists in meticulous financial management, increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, and especially in managing large-scale trade. If this woman truly possesses such abilities, and we are currently in a precarious situation..."
Zhao Tiezhu nodded and said pragmatically, "My lord, our operations are expanding rapidly, and there will be countless places to spend money in the future. Relying solely on land taxes and those few workshops and salt fields will likely be insufficient in the long run. It would be a great thing if we could have a truly knowledgeable person to manage the finances and conduct business. However… this person comes from a brothel and is far away in Jiangnan, I'm afraid…"
Chen Xing stood up, walked to the window, and gazed south. He wasn't one to be swayed by beauty; Murong Mingyue already satisfied him. What he valued was "economic talent," the rare ability in chaotic times to efficiently transform resources into power. With Xiliang pacified, whether consolidating the north or dealing with the south, money, food, and supplies were crucial.
"Background is not the key. Dian Xiong was once a commoner, Wen He served the enemy lord, and Ming Yue came from the Hu tribe; all of them are my trusted lieutenants." Chen Xing turned around, his gaze firm. "They are talented and in dire straits; this is a godsend. The chaos in Jiangnan is the perfect opportunity to exploit."
He looked at Jia Wen: "Wenhe, what do you think?"
Jia Wen smiled slightly: "Since my lord cherishes talent and needs to recruit it, even though Jiangnan is in chaos and our Xinghuo Fortress's forces are temporarily outmatched, it is not impossible to send a brigade of elite troops and several valiant soldiers to infiltrate and rescue one person with swift and decisive action. General Dian Xiong is the bravest in the army and has an upright character, making him the best candidate for such a mission. However... we must plan carefully before acting, and we must not reveal our intentions toward Jiangnan too early."
Chen Xing nodded, his eyes already filled with determination: "Let's follow Wenhe's plan. Summon Dian Xiong immediately. Also, order all stations of the Surveillance Bureau in Jiangnan to do their utmost to gather the latest intelligence on Yanyu Tower and Su Xiaoxiao's surroundings, find out which powerful figures are forcing her, and what their manpower and resources are. Make sure it's all detailed! We need to not only save her, but also give those arrogant and powerful figures in Jiangnan a little 'surprise'."
The name of Su Xiaoxiao, a talented woman from Jiangdong, officially entered the vision of the northern hegemon for the first time. A special operation spanning thousands of miles, concerning the fate of an extraordinary woman and the future financial strategy of Xinghuobao, quietly began.