Chapter 6 Planning

  Di Zhe and Xiao Zhong followed Di Tang back together.

  All the way, Di Tang didn't say much, silently leading the way forward. When they entered another courtyard, he stretched out his hand and beckoned to Di Zhe: "Follow me to the study!"

  Di Zhe followed his elder brother into the study of the other courtyard, and the servant lit the oil lamp and retreated. Di Tang leaned on a taishi chair and gestured for Di Zhe to sit down across from him, asking: "What do you think about tonight's events?" This was the first time Di Tang had ever discussed matters with Di Zhe, as he usually made decisions on his own.

  "I just happened to be there." Zhai Zhe sat down and smiled casually. He knew that his older brother had never liked him, his brother was a serious and traditional person who didn't like to joke around, while he himself was more carefree and had been influenced by the younger generation, not paying much attention to etiquette or trivial matters, their personalities were vastly different.

  Di Tang leaned against the back of the chair, lowering his eyes for a moment. Fan Yongdou had just felt that Fan Zhe's attitude and Di Zhe's behavior both made him feel that there must be some hidden reason behind it. The Fan family had no reason to show such trust in the Di family.

  Dai Tang opened his eyes and looked at Dai Zhe, seeing that he still had an air of nonchalance about him. He scolded, "Don't forget you're a member of the Dai family, every word and action represents the attitude of the Dai family."

  "I know, little brother!"

  Di Tang tapped his index finger lightly on the table for a while and said, "In winter, I plan to send out a merchant caravan."

  Di Zhe didn't find it strange, as the business had already been making preparations, but he didn't know why his brother was saying these things to him.

  "Where are you going?" he asked casually.

  "Go to Liaodong!" Zhai Tang lightly patted the table and said, "Fan Yongdou has done it, I can do it too. The future hope of Zhangjiakou is all in Liaodong, I just didn't expect Fan Yongdou's speed to be so fast."

  Di Zhe reminded: "That road is not safe!" From Zhangjiakou to Shengjing in Liaodong, the merchant team must pass through Duo Yan Cao Yuan. When the Chahar tribe was grazing there, they completely blocked the road between Zhangjiakou and Liaodong. Although most of the Chahar people have moved west for conquest, there are still some left-behind Chahar tribes there. More importantly, the war has driven the horse thieves who were originally active outside Xuanfu Datong to escape to Duo Yan Cao Yuan and the mountains along the Great Ming border.

  "Of course, how could there be no risk in going out of the pass to do business?" Zhai Tang was very calm, the opportunity to dominate the East Gate was right in front of him, and which ambitious master of this generation would not be moved.

  "The Xiao Zhiyan you brought into the Di household was once a horse thief on the grasslands. I know you also have acquaintances outside who are bandits, and everyone in the Di household will have to make an effort."

  Di Zhe bitterly smiled. His elder brother's temperament was not something he could compare to. He had no secrets in front of his elder brother, and even the details of Xiao Zhi's words were thoroughly investigated.

  "Has Mr. Fan's family been involved in this matter before? Have you and Mr. Fan Dong discussed it?"

  "Everything will be revealed tomorrow, but our Zhao family can't completely rely on the Fan family."

  The future of Zhangjiakou lies in Liaodong, Fan Yongdou was the first to eat crabs and also opened a window. The Tumet people were defeated one after another, with a clear decline, the Chahar people were barbaric and poor, not understanding commerce, the Jurchen people were getting stronger and stronger in Liaodong, and they also needed to obtain supplies from the Ming dynasty, after the trade route was opened, both sides were simply a perfect match. Di Zhe knew he couldn't stop such a great trend, but he wanted to extricate himself from his current predicament.

  "I can try, but the bandits are all very greedy." Zhai Zhe was almost ecstatic in his heart, but his attitude was very reserved. In front of a family, you also need to put on a mask, and people under the eaves have to bow their heads. For him, horse thieves were much more reliable than guards, horse thieves were all fugitives with nothing to lose, while guards had families, and one day no one would really follow him.

  "The brand will support you!"

  Two people were talking when outside, Hao Yang's loud and heroic voice rang out: "Master Dong, Fan Dong has sent someone to bring Ge Feng over."

  Dai Tang stood up and said: "You have sold a great favor to the Fan family today, Ge Feng is a man with a complex background, you go entertain him!"

  Di Zhe didn't know if this was his brother's original plan or if tonight's events had changed his mind, but at least now he had an opportunity. Di Zhe stood up and bid farewell to leave, in the courtyard, Ge Feng was still tightly bound, with four heavily armed guards standing guard around him.

  "Hao Shu, big brother said to hand Ge Feng over to me, you can rest early!" Di Zhe gave Hao Yangyou a greeting, at this time it was already the second half of the night, the late autumn weather, and the cold air outside the courtyard was biting.

  "Yes, Young Master!"

  The difference between "Er Ye" and "Er Shao Ye" is only one word, but it reflects his position in the company.

  Di Zhe stepped forward and cut the rope on Ge Feng's body with his knife, saying to the people escorting him: "You can also go back, now that Ge Feng is in my hands, you can rest assured."

  The crowd dispersed, and Ge Feng was about to speak when Di Zhe stretched out his hand to stop him, saying: "This is not a place for conversation, please follow me."

  Di Zhe led Ge Feng out of the other courtyard and into his own living quarters next door. He pushed open the door, struck a flint to light the oil lamp inside. Ge Feng couldn't hold it in any longer and spoke up first: "Thanks so much tonight, Second Master!"

  "I'm just telling the truth, I didn't help you with anything. I live next door, if you need something, just call me!" Zhai Zhe said, as if nothing had happened.

  Ge Feng gritted his teeth and said, "Only today did I realize the true character of Second Master. He is a man who values friendship. I, Ge Feng, owe him a favor. The Lu family will be like autumn grasshoppers, jumping around for only a few more days."

  "Take a rest!" Di Zhe faintly smiled, turned around and walked out the door, casually closing it behind him. The more you try to curry favor with someone like that, the more they'll look down on you; if you don't say anything, it's actually better.

  This night, Zhangjiakou was no longer as quiet as it used to be. The wide streets were occasionally lit up with lanterns, and the barking of startled dogs came from all directions. This was the busiest night for the owners of various large shops in many years. The lanterns of the Fan family swayed from Jidong to Jixi, burning all night without going out.

  It's already been several hours since Tian Ming left, and Di Zhe is still lying on the bed with his clothes unbuttoned. The Liaodong woman is truly the greatest enemy of the future of the Great Ming, but now he must stand on Fan Yongdou's side. Before he has the ability to change the situation, he can only stand on the winner's side to strengthen himself. Compared to the complex interpersonal relationships in the mainland of the Great Ming, Zhangjiakou is a simple gathering place where the code of conduct is money. There won't be any sudden appearance of yamen sealing up shops or officials' extortion, as long as they can make money, these merchants don't care whether they do business with Mongolia or Jurchen, and here he must follow the rules.

  Lying in bed, Di Zhe thought of a phrase said by a philosopher in later generations: when capital has more than three times the profit, even killing the head cannot stop it.

  The rooster crowed for the fifth watch, and at the time when the first white light appeared in the east, Zhai Zhe, who had not slept all night, crawled out of his room to wash up simply. Next door, Ge Feng was sleeping soundly, snoring loudly, it's hard to imagine how much confidence Fan Yongdou had given him.

  Every household store opened for business as usual, and it was almost like a clear morning after last night's events had blown over. Almost everyone in the village knew about it, and the apprentices were worried about their own fate while discussing it. Two hours later, the Shanxi Chamber of Commerce would hold a meeting at the Zuibaixian Teahouse in the middle of the village, where the atmosphere was tense with impending storm.

  Di Zhe and Xiao Zhi finished their breakfast early, ordered the servants to brew two cups of tea, and waited quietly at home for news. This was a gathering related to the Zhangjiakou situation.

  "Xiao brother, let's make a bet. You say that the injured guard of the Lu family died last night or not?" asked Zhai Zhe to Xiao Zhisheng with extreme boredom.

  "Is he dead? Not dead!" Xiao Zhi's words seemed difficult to decide, and finally shook his head and said: "I'd rather believe he's not dead."

  "I guess he must be dead!" Zhai Zhe's voice was loud enough for Ge Feng to hear clearly inside the house, and he couldn't help but push open the door and walk out.

  Ge Feng's expression was somewhat tense, and he said, "Lu Fuyou wouldn't be so shameless, would he?" He believed that Fan Yongdou wouldn't casually abandon him, but after being in the village for so many years, he understood the nature of those people better.

  "Brother Ge, don't worry, Fan Dong's family won't let you be wronged." Di Zhe had Ge Feng sit beside him, and the three of them sipped tea while chatting about some trivial matters on the grasslands.

  Until the sun was high in the sky, there was no news at all, Ge Feng was restless and distracted.

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  Not far from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, there was a roadside teahouse where two grassland men wearing leather hats were drinking tea and chatting. The man on the left was slender and pale, looking like a Han scholar, while the man on the right was robust with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and had a scar above his right eyebrow that looked like it was made by a knife.

  "Baron, it seems our new friend has run into a bit of trouble!" Scarface said in a low voice.

  "If he can't even solve this little problem, it's a waste of my choosing him." The person known as the Belle Bookworm replied, "After these few days, don't you understand this settlement yet? As long as there's money to be made, there are plenty of people willing to cooperate with us."

  "Erlang Zhuo, I can't give you too many people, but the horse thieves on Duo Yan grassland must be brought under control by you. According to the Khan's plan, these merchant groups in Zhangjiakou will become one of the most important pillars of our Jin dynasty. You are familiar with the grasslands, don't lose face for me and the Red Banner."

  "Ah!" The scar-faced man's face was flushed with excitement, and his voice was a bit loud.

  The bookish Beile glared at him and said, "Controlling these Han merchants is the foundation of the Great Jin's dominance over the grasslands! You have a lot to communicate with Fan Yongdou, don't threaten or bully him arbitrarily." Fan Yongdou's merchant caravan arrived in Shengjing three months ago, finding a way for the Jurchen people who were suffering from famine. The Khan immediately formulated a plan to open up the Zhangjiakou trade route and control the Shanxi merchants, and Beile Yue Tuo was the one implementing this plan.