The next morning, Tang Xiaobei boarded a merchant ship and left Baling Commandery for the next city.
There she would auction another water-jade pearl and exchange it for another batch of grain.
While Tang Xiaobei gathered grain across Jiangnan, a thousand li away in Jinchuan, the sports meeting was in full swing.
The loaded cross-country, sprint, and hand-crossbow events went quickly enough, with selections completed swiftly. But the heavy crossbow and trebuchet trials took far too long.
Especially the trebuchets: after every shot, they had to be readjusted and reloaded.
The rewards Jin Feng offered were so tempting that nearly every female worker from the textile mills signed up. It took well over ten days to decide the top ten in each event.
Today was the final day of the first Xihe Bay Textile Mill Sports Meeting.
After a full day of competition, the winners were finally determined.
Jin Feng naturally kept his word. He awarded the prizes on the spot and announced that another meeting would be held next spring, encouraging the women to keep training.
Stimulated by the silver, many workers began practising on their own initiative even without his urging.
That was exactly the effect Jin Feng wanted.
For the following period, apart from spending time in the glass workshop and the laboratory, Jin Feng also started compiling primary mathematics textbooks.
On this particular day, he was absorbed in grinding a lens when Guan Xiaorou burst into the laboratory.
“Master, Xiaoyu is looking for you!”
“Xiaoyu?”
Jin Feng frowned slightly.
After forming the women’s battalion, Xiaoyu had thrown herself back into intelligence work and had not been in the village lately. Even Jin Feng did not know where she had gone.
Her sudden return meant something serious.
Sure enough, the moment Xiaoyu saw Jin Feng she spoke rapidly. “Sir, something has happened. Someone has been spreading rumours everywhere, claiming the Ninth Princess leads a dissolute life in the capital and that is why she refuses to marry.
The rumours also say the princess is involved with you, which is why she made a special detour to visit our Xihe Bay.”
“Nonsense! You never even knew the Ninth Princess before. After she came to Xihe Bay, every meeting you had with her was in front of others. How could there be any involvement?” Guan Xiaorou exclaimed indignantly before Jin Feng could speak. “This is ruining people! How can anyone spread rumours about a princess?”
“Xiaorou, it’s too late for that now. Rumours are easy to start but exhausting to refute,” Jin Feng said helplessly.
Compared to his own reputation or the princess’s, he was more concerned about who was behind the rumours and why.
“Have we traced where they started?” Jin Feng asked.
“We’re investigating, but so far there’s no lead. It feels as if they appeared overnight in many places at once,” Xiaoyu replied.
“Any reaction from the Xixia or Tubo side?”
“Nothing yet. No news has come through,” Xiaoyu shook her head.
Jin Feng paced back and forth, considering the possibilities.
There was a knock at the door.
Guan Xiaorou opened it to find Big Liu standing there with a letter.
“Madam, a letter from Xichuan.”
Big Liu handed the envelope to Guan Xiaorou, who passed it to Jin Feng.
One glance at the handwriting on the envelope told Jin Feng it was from the Ninth Princess.
He opened it, read a few lines, and his expression darkened.
“What is it, dear?” Guan Xiaorou asked anxiously once he finished.
“The princess writes that Tubo has rejected the marriage alliance, claiming Great Kang is sending an impure princess as an insult to Tubo!”
Jin Feng continued, “Using this as pretext, Tubo demands Great Kang cede Xichuan Prefecture and all its subordinate commanderies, or they will invade!”
“What?!” Guan Xiaorou cried out in shock.
Though she understood little of national affairs, she knew Great Kang was already struggling against the Xixia and Khitan. Adding the ferocious Tubo on top…
The consequences were unthinkable.
Jin Feng folded the letter away and sighed. “The Xixia have played a vicious move!”
“You think the Xixia started the rumours, sir?” Xiaoyu asked.
“The princess’s marriage was meant to draw Tubo into an alliance against Xixia. Sabotaging it benefits them most, so they are the prime suspects,” Jin Feng explained. “Tubo is possible too, but their tribes have been fighting among themselves for years and should not have so many spies planted in Great Kang. I think Xixia is far more likely.
There is also the worst possibility: Xixia and Tubo may have joined forces.”
“But aren’t Xixia and Tubo always at war?” Xiaoyu asked.
“There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests,” Jin Feng said. “Besides, Feng Sheng fled to Tubo. Do not forget he has long been colluding with the Xixia.”
“If that is true, it would be a catastrophe for Great Kang!” Xiaoyu felt a heavy weight in her chest.
“What do we do, dear?” Guan Xiaorou asked.
“Let me think!”
Jin Feng’s own mind was in turmoil.
This was the first time he had become entangled in political struggles involving three nations.
After a long pause, he slowly raised his head. “Xiaoyu, tell the escort agency to send a batch of heavy crossbows and trebuchets to Xichuan at top speed.”
Back when Qing Xinyao granted Jin Feng salt-production rights and sales rights in Guangyuan, the condition was that Jin Feng supply him with weapons.
Two batches had already been sent, but the quantities were small, nowhere near enough to defend an entire city like Xichuan.
“Understood!”
“If nothing unexpected happens, the Qingyuan Army and Changxin Army should soon be recalled to guard the passes. Tell Brother Liang to suspend bandit suppression and return as quickly as possible,” Jin Feng continued. “Also inform the chamber to halt expansion into new markets for now and recall as many escorts as possible.
And at Maomao Mountain, have Old Zheng accelerate new recruit training. Prepare for war!”
“Yes, sir!” Xiaoyu asked, “Anything else, sir?”
“That will do for now,” Jin Feng said. “Go and see to it.”
“Right!” Xiaoyu nodded and left.
Only Guan Xiaorou and Jin Feng remained in the room.
“Xiaorou, go pack your things. Tomorrow morning I will take you and Xiao’e to the wharf. You will sail to Jiangnan to join Xiaobei,” Jin Feng said.
“Are you coming too, dear?” Guan Xiaorou asked.
“How can I leave? Xihe Bay has so much to manage,” Jin Feng said helplessly.
“If you are not leaving, neither am I.” Guan Xiaorou grabbed his arm tightly. “Please do not send me away, dear.”
“Why put it like that? It is not as if I am abandoning you,” Jin Feng said with a smile.
“I do not care. I will not go to Jiangnan.”
The usually obedient Guan Xiaorou now clung to his waist. “Wherever you go, I will follow.”
“Very well,” Jin Feng said, rubbing her head.
Tubo would never bypass Xichuan city to march on a remote place like Guangyuan.
By the time Tubo truly attacked, he should still have time to evacuate.
