“Muluan, with the current strength of the Iron Forest Army, Marquis Qing going to suppress the rebellion alone will not be dangerous.”
Jin Feng shook his head.
Because he had been poor, he was compassionate.
Jin Feng had suffered in his previous life, so he could more easily empathise with the hardships of the lower-class people.
Deep in his heart, he sympathised with those refugees. They were pitiful people forced to rise up in desperation.
Jin Feng could kill like a demon on the frontier and dare to fight bandits hand-to-hand in close combat, but he could never indiscriminately raise a butcher’s knife against people only seeking a way to survive.
Not even to help Qing Huai.
“Sir, it is not Brother Qing Huai, it is my brother in Xichuan.”
Qing Muluan corrected.
“Your own brother?” Jin Feng asked in surprise. “Your brother is the governor of Xichuan. I am just a mountain villager. How can I help him?”
“Sir, you are not a mountain villager. You are a noble!” Qing Muluan said.
“Fine, even if I am a noble, I am just a Qingshui Baron hiding in the mountains, with no power or influence!” Jin Feng said self-mockingly.
“Who says sir has no power or influence? Sir has the Zhenyuan Escort Agency!”
Qing Muluan said, “Brother Qing Huai even wrote in his letter that the current combat strength of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency is absolutely no weaker than the Iron Forest Army…”
“Muluan, I have led the Iron Forest Army before. I know clearly the gap between the Zhenyuan Escort Agency and the Iron Forest Army.”
Jin Feng interrupted Qing Muluan’s flattery. “We are so familiar. You should know my character. No need to say nice words to flatter me. Just say what it is directly.”
“Then I will say it straight,” Qing Muluan said. “I want to borrow sir’s Zhenyuan Escort Agency.”
“What do you mean?” Jin Feng was even more confused.
“Because there is rebellion by refugees within the borders, the governor of Jin Province has already been reprimanded by His Majesty, and his title has been reduced by one rank.”
Qing Muluan said, “Xichuan is not much wealthier than Jin Province. I fear rebellion will also occur in Xichuan, and His Majesty will blame my brother.”
According to Da Kang laws, if rebellion occurs within a territory, from county magistrates to prefects to provincial governors, all will be held accountable.
If the county is a noble’s fief, that noble will also be implicated.
“I think the reason the people rebel, besides the court increasing taxes, is another cause: bandits.”
Qing Muluan said, “A few days ago, I asked someone to inquire. In many places, the annual grain collected by bandits is even heavier than court taxes. If we can exterminate the bandits, the people’s lives will be much easier, and they will not rebel. Jin Chuan is the best example.”
“That makes sense,” Jin Feng nodded. “Then tell your brother to order local government troops everywhere to suppress bandits. Why borrow the Zhenyuan Escort Agency?”
“If ordering government troops worked, I would not come to sir.”
Qing Muluan said helplessly, “Almost all bandits collecting annual grain have intricate ties with local government troops. Many are even like the previous Jin Chuan, personally supported by county lieutenants. How could they suppress themselves?
If my brother’s order goes down, county lieutenants everywhere can just reply that they did not find bandits, leaving my brother speechless.
Then not only would bandits not be exterminated, but it would give local government troops a reason to demand military rations from the people. For the people, would that not add insult to injury?
So, I want to ask sir to send the Zhenyuan Escort Agency to suppress bandits!”
“Muluan, you know the situation of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency, right?”
Jin Feng said with a bitter smile, “Not to mention many escorts are currently on missions. Even if all escorts are gathered for you, there are only a few hundred people. For the vast Xichuan, do you think a few hundred people are enough for anything?”
“I naturally know what sir says.”
Qing Muluan said, “I have already told my brother. The Zhenyuan Escort Agency does not need to send people directly. My brother will transfer two armies from Da San Pass and Ba Province.”
“You mean, no need for Zhenyuan Escort Agency to send people, just borrow the name of Zhenyuan Escort Agency?”
Jin Feng understood Qing Muluan’s meaning but did not understand why she and her brother wanted to do this.
“Yes.”
Qing Muluan nodded.
“Why?” Jin Feng asked. “Since the governor wants to suppress bandits and has armies, why not act directly? Why take this detour?”
“Is it not fear that someone in court will gossip, saying my brother is buying people’s hearts and arousing His Majesty’s suspicion?”
Qing Muluan said helplessly.
“Am I not afraid of His Majesty’s suspicion?”
Jin Feng said irritably.
After all this, that was what they were waiting for.
“Sir neither enters officialdom nor has fiefs or armies. His Majesty will not suspect.”
“You are not His Majesty. How do you know he will not?”
Jin Feng was not falling for it. “Muluan, I misjudged you. I thought you were a friend, but you are scheming to make me take the blame!”
“Sir, how can you say that about me?”
Qing Muluan stamped her foot. “Listen to me finish!”
“Continue.”
Jin Feng gestured for Qing Muluan to go on.
“Sir, my brother said he will not let sir do it for nothing.”
Qing Muluan said, “Has sir not been searching for various mineral deposits? As long as sir agrees to help, in the future if sir discovers mineral deposits within Xichuan borders, my brother can decide to sell them to sir. Moreover, he can allow sir to produce and sell salt within Guangyuan borders!”
“Really?”
Jin Feng’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Da Kang’s salt production technology was also backward. The salt produced was bitter and astringent. Jin Feng could not get used to it, so he secretly processed it again, removing impurities and harmful substances.
Both in colour and taste, it far surpassed Da Kang official salt.
The reason for doing it secretly was that private salt production was illegal in Da Kang.
Salt is one of the essential elements for the human body and a necessary consumable for every household. Market demand is very large, and the profits are huge.
Since ancient times, salt merchants have almost been synonymous with the super-rich.
With such huge profits, nobles naturally would not let it go. The so-called salt merchants were mostly white gloves for great clans.
The money earned by salt merchants, more than half went to the backers behind them.
To protect their interests, the clans established laws that salt was monopolised by the government. Those not designated by the government were not allowed to produce or sell it.
If Jin Feng could obtain the qualification to produce and sell salt, even if only in one prefecture, he could gain another large fixed income.
Compared to producing and selling salt, actually Jin Feng cared more about the first condition Qing Muluan mentioned.
He was currently mining tungsten and coal secretly, very restricted, with the hidden danger of being caught.
If he could openly contract them, he could bring in equipment. Mining efficiency would immediately multiply.
This would greatly promote the development of the iron smelting workshop.
Although he knew the Qing family was using him, Jin Feng could not help being tempted.
Qing Muluan was right. He neither held office nor had fiefs, had no awe for the emperor, and was not very worried about imperial suspicion.
However, opportunities to extort the Qing family were rare. In negotiations, one should ask for more if possible.
So although tempted, Jin Feng did not show it. He pondered for a moment, pretending to consider, and asked, “Anything else?”
