Chapter 91: Each with Their Own Schemes

  Xiaojie and Ximen Qing went to Beihai again on the second day. The two of them booked a luxurious private room at a large restaurant near Beihai, ordered a sumptuous feast, but set three sets of cups and chopsticks, sitting quietly as if waiting for someone.

  After a while, a young man entered the hotel. He was not very tall, but his movements were extremely agile. His thin face had a hint of wind and dust, and his eyes had a sharp and alert look. He wore a windproof hat on his head, an old sheepskin coat on his body, a pair of green trousers on his lower body, and animal skin leggings on his legs, looking like someone who had come from afar, but he didn't have any luggage with him.

  The man entered the hotel with empty hands, casually asked a question to the shopkeeper, and rushed straight to the second floor, went to the room where Xia Ke and Xi Menqing were. Under a withered tree opposite the hotel, two men wearing cumbersome clothes were chatting with their hands in their sleeves, seemingly discussing something. The weather was getting cold, but they were dressed relatively thinly, shivering and stomping their feet.

  "I'm telling you, we've been following them around all day, what are we going to find out in the end? We're not familiar with this place, and we can't rely on the local authorities for help. We're just wandering around like headless flies, following them here and there, what can we possibly investigate? Isn't this a miserable existence?"

  Another older man chuckled and said, "Take a deep breath, this trip of ours won't be in vain. If we can't find anything, let's just consider it a stroll outside. Who knows, if we do find something, don't forget the benefits that Lord Qi promised us."

  That person thought for a moment, licked his lips and remained silent.

  In the room, both sides have already taken their seats.

  The man pressed his knees with both hands and said, "Brother's surname is Ren, Ren Ri Shang, because he was born at the time of the third sun, so his old father gave him such a name. Hehe, I haven't asked for your surnames yet."

  "Under Summer Calmness"

  Ximen Qing burst out laughing and said, "In the future, you'll be promoted to a high position." He then jokingly added, "Brother Ren, this name of yours sounds somewhat awkward. Your honorable father should have named you Ren San Gan, which sounds more impressive."

  He smiled slightly and said, "I also have a twin brother, his name is San Gan."

  "Hmm..." Ximen Qing stiffened for a moment, then forced a smile and said: "Brother, you've had a long and dusty journey, it's been hard on you. Come, have a drink first and warm up your body."

  Every day, sitting at the top, he said: "In the lower body, in the ranks, this time again is to come under orders, dare not drink. Everyone is a straightforward person, it's okay to speak straightforwardly. This kind of business is not the first time we've done it, this time we must send someone to talk face-to-face, I don't know what special requirements there are, let's just be open and aboveboard about it."

  Ximen Qing laughed and said, "Ren brothers are really straightforward people, okay, you don't drink wine, then let's use tea instead of wine. This dish still needs to be eaten, come on, let's eat and talk while we're at it, no need to be so formal."

  A group of soldiers with a casual attitude, not even bothering to be polite, picked up their chopsticks and started eating voraciously. While eating, one of them said, "What's going on? The stuff you're bringing in this time seems quite tricky?"

  Ximen Qing was about to speak, but he waved his hand and said: "Brother, let's be frank, when two countries are at war, it's hard to ban civilian trade. You have what I need, and I have what you want, so let's make a mutually beneficial deal. The people on the grasslands lack grain, salt, and cloth, but they also have many things that we want but can't get. If you want to do business, as long as it doesn't affect the bigger picture, we can turn a blind eye and not interfere."

  For example, you sell salt, tea leaves, grains, and cloth, and buy horses, cattle, sheep, fur, and animal tendons. It's a win-win situation, why not do it? However, considering the hostile stance between our two countries, some things are absolutely forbidden from being exported, such as copper coins, steel, saltpeter, sulfur, and medicinal materials.

  Ximen Qing said, "This time we only buy and do not sell. The things we buy do not violate the rules of the thousand households, but this time the quantity is a bit larger. Such a large quantity can't be helped... so I want to make a deal with you."

  Renri slightly furrowed his brow and said: "The quantity is a bit large, how much is it?"

  Ximen Qing said: "At least... one hundred carts."

  "What did you buy?"

  Ximen Qing repeated what Xia Yu had listed, and Ren Yi was shocked, saying: "These are all extremely important military supplies for our Ming country, of course the more the better, but... you are merchants, what do you want so many fur and animal tendons for?"

  "Brother Ren, what else can we do? Are we supposed to make armor and bows, then raise the flag and rebel? These things can be used for both military and civilian purposes. Not every commoner can afford to wear fur clothes to keep warm in winter. Isn't leather warmer than cloth? And as for animal sinew, it's not just for making bows and arrows, is it? Because these materials are scarce even for the imperial court, they're even harder to come by for civilians, so the prices are extremely high. We're just merchants, looking to make a profit."

  "Every day, with piercing eyes, he said: 'It is forbidden for civilians to transport this thing, how did you manage to bring it in and take it out?'"

  Summer breeze

  He smiled and said: "This, we have our own way, it seems that it is no longer within Brother Ren's consideration."

  "Unwise, one hundred cars... the target is too big. Some things are known to everyone, but can't be exposed. If you make it public, that's slapping the faces of the higher-ups. They'll have no choice but to punish you if there's even a slight mistake... it's too reckless."

  Ximen Qing saw that he was in a difficult situation, so he thought of mentioning the matter of the King of Qi to calm his mind. Seeing him wanting to speak, Ximen immediately interrupted and said: "Since Brother Ren is having a hard time, let's just focus on eating and drinking today, and put this matter aside for now. Another day, please ask General Qian to entrust someone who can take charge to come over, we'll gather together to discuss it, and figure out a suitable solution to dispel your worries."

  One day, upon hearing this, he felt relieved and happily said: "This method is good. Come on, let's eat first. Since my brother doesn't drink wine, I won't join you in drinking."

  Xiaojie and Ximen Qing picked up their chopsticks, took one look at the table, and were stunned. This Ren Tianyang was talking with his mouth full, yet he didn't slow down his eating and drinking in the slightest. In just a short while, the six dishes of meat and vegetables had been swept away like autumn leaves, eaten to the point where they were scattered all over the place, utterly defeated.

  Ximen Qing saw this situation, called the little second to pick up the cup plate, and again brought up six dishes, barely feeding the big stomach king who came from the border. After agreeing on the time, he turned around and left, and the two returned to the inn.

  As they walked, Xia Yu expressed his doubts: "What he's worried about is that we can't sell this batch of goods, and when we turn it over, we'll leak the news and get caught by the local authorities. At that time, they won't be able to cover it up either. We bring out the Qi Wang as a backing, and they will naturally feel at ease. Isn't that just a done deal? Why bother with more trouble."

  Ximen Qing said: "I'm doing this for your own good, otherwise I'd just be a matchmaker and you'd have made the deal long ago. You can go back to Qingzhou. As for me, I'll take my share of the profits and return to Yanggu County to flirt with young girls and married women - what a wonderful life! What am I doing messing around here?"

  He lowered his voice and said, "A few cars, a dozen or so cars of goods come in at once, they are not afraid, even if they were caught by the local government and confessed, they can still deny it. Who knows whether these goods came through the pass or were smuggled over the mountains? The lawsuit is going on, but the forces in the imperial court and the local government are evenly matched, and no one can do anything to anyone else."

  Even if they really understand, these border troops are guarding the pass with their lives, putting some harmless goods in and earning a few hard-earned dollars. Who would make a big deal out of it? But if hundreds of cars enter the pass in a mighty manner, the momentum is too great, we don't have a stable statement or definite guarantee, they won't be at ease."

  "If you say that these goods are what the King of Qi wants, it will naturally dispel their doubts. But aren't you worried that the general guarding the pass will have other ideas and try to curry favor with the King of Qi by taking credit for himself? It's better not to mention the King of Qi's identity if possible. If something can be resolved with money, don't use power. Otherwise, if the King of Qi finds out that you casually brought him up, he will definitely be unhappy and it won't be good for you."

  Xia Jiang only then knew that Xi Men Qing was being kind, considering his own future, and couldn't help but feel secretly grateful, knowing that Xi Men Qing truly regarded him as a close friend. He couldn't tell Xi Men Qing that he never wanted to climb the towering tree of Qi Wang again and had long wanted to escape, so he could only accept his kindness and asked: "Then what do you plan to do?"

  Ximen Qing said: "Get the person in charge of the private transportation business in Beijing to come out, Qi Wang's identity, we can't inform the military leaders on that side, but it's okay to tell him, he knows and doesn't dare to spread it around, nor does he dare to take too much commission. Tell him your true big backer's identity, ask him to vouch for us, he has a family and business, his business is also very large, if he vouches for us, the guards on that side will be reassured, only then can we collect this benefit, only then can this gate be opened."

  Xia Fu nodded and said yes, then asked: "The person in charge of this place... can I see him too?"

  Ximen Qing said: "Hehe, originally, this is a brother who came out with people's connections and wanted to keep it secret, but... never mind. Now I treat you as my own brother, of course, I won't see outsiders. This mastermind is Xie Chuanzhong, the number one person in North Ping's fur trade. He is secretly the number one person on the ground in North Ping who operates southbound and northbound goods transportation and splits the profits."

  He parted with them on any day, walked south along Beihai Zi for two streets, untied a military horse at the door of a dried fruit shop, got on the horse and continued to run forward. After passing three long streets, it was getting close to the city gate. Looking back, there was indeed no one following. Suddenly, he turned his horse's head eastward, then southward, galloping like flying, finally stopping in front of a majestic lion-like government office door. He got off the horse, tied the reins to the post, and quickly entered the main gate.

  He took out a waist card from his bosom, and the guards who came to meet him immediately retreated with their guns. He only showed the card for a moment before quickly putting it away, and then walked swiftly towards the rear palace.

  Above the main gate of the government office, a horizontal inscribed board was hung high, on which was written: "The Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Peacekeeping Forces of the Great Ming".

  PS: A loud shout: Monthly ticket